Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

The portal of light flickered as Gu Wudi and Qingyue passed through a barrier-like structure, entering an entirely unfamiliar world.

In the void, the laws of the great dao took shape as elongated strips, lazily floating, serene and bizarre. Occasionally, when touched, they emitted a sound akin to sizzling electricity.

Beneath their feet, the patterns shifted, casting an eerie blue glow. These patterns hid terrifying formation traps that, once triggered, unleashed boundless blue flames to reduce cultivators to ashes.

Gu Wudi and Qingyue had not traveled far before they noticed a large pile of black ash on the ground, alongside a charred, broken dao seed, now rendered useless.

He immediately became alert, using his exceptional senses to avoid danger and skillfully navigating past well-hidden deadly formations.

Behind them, young cultivators continuously rushed in, charging forward.

“Ah!”

A dreadful scream echoed through the sky as a young prodigy from a powerful faction stepped on a formation pattern, engulfed by blue flames. If not for the protective treasure he carried, another pile of ash would have been added to the ground.

Even so, he was scorched inside and out, with blood spurting from his wounds.

Witnessing his ordeal, other cultivators' expressions shifted, their movements becoming extra cautious.

“Where is the Qingyue Flame?” Gu Wudi felt the pressure of the advancing young elites, realizing the urgency of the situation, and immediately asked.

“Just ahead, after crossing a narrow path, you can reach it. However, before that, there's the Causal Flame Area testing cultivators' aptitude and the Heart Fire Area challenging their resolve. Only those meeting the Qingyue Flame’s host standards can cross that path and make contact,” Qingyue explained.

“What? Causal Flame?”

Gu Wudi was taken aback. Flames associated with 'causality' were always unsettling.

“The so-called Causal Flame allows a glimpse into a thread of the future, assessing how far you can go and whether you meet the Qingyue Flame's criteria for a host,” Qingyue elaborated.

“Alright, let's hurry. Some beings have already gained a head start and vanished from sight. We mustn't let them beat us to it.” Gu Wudi nodded, quickly advancing alongside Qingyue.

This region was fundamentally a test of a cultivator's sensory abilities. For perceptive beings like Gu Wudi, traversing here was as easy as walking on flat ground.

Before long, they overtook several cultivators, and except for the ashes left along the way, no one remained ahead. They had become the frontrunners.

Nevertheless, Gu Wudi remained vigilant, sensing exceptionally powerful beings closely following behind. These were true prodigies, meticulously cultivated by top factions at great expense.

They raced forward without looking back, striving to be the first to reach the Qingyue Flame.

Given the connection between Qingyue and the flame, gaining its recognition was simply a matter of time.

Gu Wudi's role was to buy her that time.

Suddenly, as they sped onwards, they felt a surge of heat through their bodies, their blood racing at an unbearable speed.

"Pfft!"

Azure flames erupted, enveloping their bodies, quietly burning away every corner therein.

These flames differed from the previous scorching rage of the killing array's lines, containing deep, unfathomable principles of power.

As Qingyue had said, it peered into the mysteries of fate, foreseeing what was to come.

Finally, the azure flames on their bodies extinguished, leaving them unharmed.

This meant they had passed the test and earned the recognition of the Qingyue Flame based on their aptitude.

With the flames' interference gone, Gu Wudi and Qingyue sped ahead.

Due to Qingyue's mortal nature, she could not move quickly, leading to the inconvenience of Gu Wudi pulling her along.

Seeing this, Gu Wudi decided to simply pick her up and sprint forward with astonishing speed.

"Forgive my impudence," he whispered softly, holding the delicate Qingyue as he dashed towards the next test zone.

The wind howled, strands of her fragrant hair brushing against his face, but Gu Wudi paid them no mind.

His focus was on the young prodigies relentlessly pursuing them from behind.

The reason he held Qingyue in front was his fear of attacks from those young prodigies behind them.

If he carried her on his back, she would have to face the assaults of cultivators.

Understanding this, Qingyue did not resist, allowing Gu Wudi to act; still, she blushed slightly—an experience rare for someone untouched by worldly affairs.

For fifteen years, she had never had any contact with men outside, always secluded, learning divination and other teachings from her master.

This was her first physical contact of such intensity with a stranger.

Though Gu Wudi was merely ten years old, his body was as formidable as an Immortal Monarch's offspring, strong and vigorous.

Even carrying Qingyue, his speed remained unaffected.

In the rush of wind and lightning, a fragrant scent unique to Qingyue filled his senses, soothing and calming him.

The pleasant aroma quelled his restlessness, and when he closed his eyes, a vision of a tranquil, serene blue moon would rise in his mind.

Gu Wudi inhaled deeply, invigorated, he surged forward even faster, leaving the young geniuses from major factions trailing far behind.

Located so close, Qingyue naturally sensed his movements. Her flawless cheeks flushed a deep crimson.

Suddenly, a wave of scorching heat came, once again the pale blue flames. This time, they burned eerily, turning Gu Wudi's garments to ashes. Qingyue, in his embrace, also found her clothes incinerated. The two stood stark naked, so intimately close, with no time to cover themselves.

One stood vigorous and powerful, muscles tense and strong, a cascade of black hair falling over his shoulders, shimmering with brilliance, his eyes as bright as a starry river. The other was tall and graceful, her skin pure white and translucent like ivory, ethereal and jade-like, exuding a gentle glow.

Their eyes met, and the atmosphere instantly grew awkward. Gu Wudi could distinctly feel the searing heat from his arm, while Qingyue could hear the accelerated beating of a mighty heart within his robust chest.

“This is the Heartfire Zone. It manipulates a person's emotions and desires, finding every conceivable breach. Falling into its trap would lead to eternal doom and the birth of inner demons,” Qingyue reminded in a clear voice.

Gu Wudi nodded. Even with the overwhelming sensations occasionally coursing through him, his resolve remained unwavering.

“Everything we see is false, all caused by the Heartfire,” he stated flatly.

Then, both fell silent, calming their minds. Soon, the clothes burnt to ashes by the green flames were restored, indicating they had successfully passed the Heartfire Zone's trial of desire.

Following that, the "Emotions and Desires" Qingyue mentioned descended upon them one by one. Illusions arose continuously, each one lifelike, indistinguishable from reality.

However, Gu Wudi and Qingyue were no ordinary beings. Such mere illusions were insufficient to disturb their minds.

When their gaze returned to reality, neither had moved. Gu Wudi still held Qingyue.

Moreover, Gu Wudi's stance had not shifted since entering the Heartfire Zone; they had remained stationary, not venturing further.

Now, having successfully overcome the Heartfire Zone test, they proceeded forward without hesitation.

Among them, one or two individuals were already enveloped in a faint blue light, a sign they were about to pass the Heartfire Zone test. Time was of the essence.

Finally, they reached the narrow path Qingyue had described.

Indeed, it was narrow, allowing only a few individuals to walk side by side, with tumultuous currents of law on either side, making crossing impossible for beings below the Tao Origin stage.

Thus, to reach the place where the Qingyue Flame's essence lay and communicate with it, they must traverse this narrow passage.

Gu Wudi set Qingyue down, signaling her to quickly enter the narrow path, engage with the Qingyue Flame, and merge with it.

He stayed behind at the entrance of the path, blocking the genius cultivators in pursuit.

“Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have been the first to arrive here,” Qingyue said sincerely.

“It's too early to thank me. Quick, go inside. Time is limited, and I can't guarantee how long I can hold them off. After all, you're not the only one following, and none of them are weak,” Gu Wudi shook his head.

The flush on Qingyue's face had not yet faded. She cast a lingering look at Gu Wudi's back, then resolutely entered the narrow passage.

Even though she had some connection with the Qingyue Flame and her master had said she was destined to merge with it, this did not mean obtaining the flame would be easy; many dangers still lay ahead.

Before long, she passed through the passage and stepped into a gate of light, vanishing from sight.

Gu Wudi did not look back, instead he sat down on the spot, holding a massive halberd across his knees, patiently waiting for the arrival of his adversaries.

He didn't wait long. The first apparition arrived, a boy roughly in his early teens dressed in black. His face was stern, his eyes sharp, and every movement was carried out with a poised, calm demeanor.

This boy was the same loner Gu Wudi had previously asked Qingyue about.

There was a high probability he came from the Supreme Hall founded by the Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King.

If the wheel of fate hadn't turned, perhaps this being would have been Qingyue's protector.

Gu Wudi regarded his opponent cautiously, aware of this being’s capability to block all the prodigies from behind, and naturally, he couldn't afford to underestimate him.

“What is the meaning of this, friend? Are you trying to stop others from gaining their fortune?” the boy in black questioned coldly.

“The Qingyue Flame has a master now. Please turn back, this path is closed,” Gu Wudi replied indifferently.

“A master? That mortal girl?”

The boy's expression grew colder. He knew well who Gu Wudi referred to as the master of the 'Qingyue Flame'. He had seen the youth before him, from a distance, carrying a mortal girl and racing towards the passage.

“Yes, so please turn back,” Gu Wudi nodded.

“Though I don't need this Dao seed, your obstruction annoys me. If you won't step aside, then let's settle this with a fight,” the boy in black declared, his brow furrowed.

“Very well, I had the same intention,” Gu Wudi stood up, his halberd glowing as he swept it across the void, taking a stand at the entrance of the narrow passage, sealing off all the space for entry.

“It's been a long time since a creature of the same realm dared to challenge me like this,” the boy in black proclaimed arrogantly. He was also in the Rooting Realm, yet managed to outshine many prodigious beings from the Dao Origin Stage to be the first at the passage, naturally possessing exceptional prowess.

A silver halberd appeared out of thin air, held firmly by a young man in black. It emitted an eerie silver aura.

To Gu Wudi's surprise, the opponent's weapon was identical to his own — a halberd.

The persistent silver aura swirling on its surface made his expression unusually serious, for it embodied the law of reincarnation, an overwhelming sight that could render anyone dizzy with just a glance.

There was no doubt that this young man in black wielded some divine powers related to reincarnation, and even his weapon exuded that aura.

“This is the Reincarnation Halberd,” the young man said arrogantly. “Since my emergence into the world, I have never drawn it until now. You are fortunate to be its first victim.” His confidence was sky-high, and his background was illustrious, with formidable forces behind him that boasted a brilliant history, viewing everything with disdain.

However, he could sense Gu Wudi's strength, and thus he took out the Reincarnation Halberd, preparing to fight with all his might.

“Is that so? Let's see if you're capable of that,” Gu Wudi replied, unflinching, gripping his own Chaos Halberd, standing like a towering mountain.

“Boom!”

The young man in black charged forward, his Reincarnation Halberd swinging down with immense force, as though an ancient world was crashing down. The blade was enveloped in a dense silver light, like a sun hanging high, weighing heavily on his opponent.

Unyielding, Gu Wudi responded in kind.

But unlike his opponent, his Chaos Halberd gathered an expansive canopy, immensely heavy, capable of crushing the sun and moon, fragmenting galaxies. Though lacking such power at present, it bore that imposing momentum.

“Boom!”

The clash of the halberds sent sparks flying, producing a thunderous impact. Simultaneously, the silver sun and the vast canopy collided in a massive explosion.

Silver and azure energies vied for dominance, splitting the void in two, grinding against each other.

One side represented the law of reincarnation; the other, the heavens, the heavenly way.

Legends said that the Heavenly Dome Seed fell from above and those fused with it were called children of the heavens, destined for the ultimate path.

While Gu Wudi possessed an omniscient view, acquainted with the trilogy, he never saw himself as a child of the heavens. Yet, when wielding the Heavenly Dome Seed, the immense aura truly felt as though the vast heavens had descended.

In that single blow, both felt their arms numb, each retreating a few steps.

The young man in black could hardly believe it. Having just stepped into the world, he already encountered a formidable adversary capable of challenging him. Moreover, the origins of this being were shrouded in mystery, unheard of until now.

“The Celestial Seed… wasn't the Celestial Seed of the Wang family lost? Who are you really?”

“What Wang family's Celestial Seed? This seed fell from the heavens to the mortal world, bestowed upon the fortunate, and I am the one fated to receive it,” Gu Wudi replied coldly.