Chapter 69: Born for Battle
This is the Dao Fruit cultivated throughout the life of the Immortal Vine, once having nurtured a celestial sword as its most powerful offensive method. Once unleashed, it would inevitably cause rivers of blood.
During its long years of cultivation, it used this gourd-contained sword to slay countless formidable enemies.
However, later on, the Immortal Vine attempted to divine the future of the Wang family, encountering a great calamity that rendered the celestial sword within the gourd obscure and unpredictable, even to the Fruit Master itself.
When handed over to Wang Heng, it was mentioned that the supreme treasure within the gourd might change according to the will of its opener.
Now, at the moment of opening the gourd, Wang Heng couldn’t help but feel curious. Would the celestial sword drowned by destiny truly undergo a great transformation? As the opener, what was his deepest desire for the treasure within the gourd? A knife, sword, or axe?
On careful consideration, he found himself rather clueless.
With curiosity and a touch of trepidation, Wang Heng touched the mysterious patterns on the surface of the chaotic gourd with his palm.
The Immortal Vine hadn’t instructed him on how to open it, and as Wang Geng remained silent, Wang Heng could only try to establish a connection with the gourd, expressing his intention to open it.
Interestingly, as soon as the thought sprang to mind, the patterns on the chaotic gourd began to glow.
An ancient aura bloomed as if a miniature chaotic world were being revealed, causing various anomalies in the void, indicating the extraordinary nature of the items inside the gourd.
Chaotic energy spread, spewing out from the mouth of the gourd, and, in a flash, a black shadow emerged carrying the breath of all things in their nascent state, accompanied by a mysterious play of light and shadow. And thus, it came into being.
When the black shadow completely left the chaotic gourd, the gourd’s shell immediately withered, as if it had experienced the vicissitudes of ages in an instant.
Wang Heng instinctively recognized the shadow’s extraordinariness, having accumulated all the essence of the chaotic gourd, beyond imagination.
At this moment, he saw clearly the silhouette of the shadow—it was a massive halberd. Though just born, it was already dazzlingly sharp and supremely majestic, astonishing to behold.
The newly emerged halberd had already forged a profound bond with Wang Heng, as he was the one who opened the chaotic gourd.
With just a thought, the halberd floated over and landed in his hand.
Its size, dimensions, and weight… were all tailor-made for him, as if this halberd was born for him.
“Halberd… Everlasting War Halberd…” Wang Heng murmured to himself, recalling the immortal artifact, the Everlasting War Halberd of the Wang family's mythical world.
“A massive halberd isn't bad either. With chaos approaching, such a weapon of mass destruction is exactly what's needed to sweep away all enemies,” Wang Geng remarked.
At the same time, Heaven's Vault descended, deeply embedding itself into the flesh and blood of the lower dantian.
At this moment, Wang Heng's entire being quaked violently, merging with the grand universe around him.
The miraculous effect of the Perfect Seed reappeared, fusing the cultivator with the vast universe and revealing the secrets of the Dao's origin.
This was incredibly important for cultivators who walked the Path of Seeds—no wonder they pursued the Perfect Seed so zealously.
Wang Heng was no stranger to this feeling; he experienced it earlier when he fused with the Supreme Soul Seed and thereby cultivated extraordinary Dao Fruits, uniting the million ancient celestial characters two by two.
Once again, he found himself adrift in the ocean of the Dao, contemplating the indescribable mysteries of the intangible Dao.
Compared to the tangible Dao depicted by the celestial characters, the intangible Dao that pervades heaven and earth is much vaster.
Even if a cultivator unites with the Dao and ascends to the supreme realm, they only comprehend a small portion of it.
The skies are high, and the lands are far, sensing the infinity of the universe.
Beyond the Primordial Ancient Realm, there are vast celestial domains, boundless foreign realms, and myriad worlds, such as the Sea of Realms.
At this moment, Wang Heng's mind once again became aware of his own insignificance.
"Buzz!"
Hundreds of thousands of ancient celestial characters gathered around him, rotating slowly, sketching a brilliant diagram of the Dao, deepening Wang Heng's understanding of the celestial Dao.
This time, they showed no sign of merging. Wang Heng understood that these characters might have reached the utmost limit attainable in the Seeding Dao Realm. To advance further, he must break through in cultivation.
"Rumble!"
Suddenly, Wang Heng's spirit vibrated, and a vast azure sky appeared in his eyes—supreme, dominating the world, suppressing everything.
If the power of time were added to this azure sky, layering different historical skies to become the Eternal Azure, it would mean transcending the river of time and reigning supreme for eternity.
This manifested the Dao of the Heaven's Vault Seed, showcasing to Wang Heng this seed's terrifying nature.
The Eternal Azure, with its dazzling presence, crushed all before it in supreme dominance, perfectly aligned with the halberd birthed from the chaotic gourd.
At this moment, the ancient seed resonated with Wang Heng, filling him with a fiercely passionate urge to immediately engage in a fierce and thrilling battle with a formidable enemy.
After a long time, Wang Heng gradually calmed down, once again successfully seeding the Dao.
His eyes snapped open, two beams of light shooting forth, splitting mountains and shattering stones, causing the entire earth to tremble.
Soon after, the "Qi" entity stood up, holding a chaotic halberd, his gaze imperious, fighting spirit burgeoning, as if this being was born for battle.
"Heaven's Vault Seed, Chaotic Halberd, 'Qi' Entity... These elements coming together are destined to fight until time stands still, and the seas run dry." Wang Geng sighed, his eyes swirling as if seeing the "Qi" entity fight all the enemies around the world.
"Since you are born for battle, fight your way to the Immortal King realm." Wang Heng's eyes glimmered with confidence.
During his path of cultivation, he deeply comprehended what the Heaven's Vault Seed meant, understanding that to perfectly merge with this seed, he needed to possess an invincible mindset, facing the waves and cutting through thorns, which suited him well.
"Good, you did not disappoint me. Now, you may leave," Wang Geng said with satisfaction.
"Father,"
Wang Heng hesitated to speak.
"Go. I will do my utmost to endure until the day you succeed, waiting for you to resolve the dark curse and help me regain my peak."
Wang Geng knew Wang Heng would make this his life's goal, never forgetting it. Since that was the case, let this obsession become more profound. Often, a deep-seated obsession could unleash unimaginable power in times of despair, helping one overcome difficulties.
"I will, Father won't have to wait too long," Wang Heng's "Qi" entity replied calmly. The calmer he was, the more serious he was.
"Good, I'll be waiting."
"The Great Red Heaven? It's close to the alien realm, where fiery Daoists gather, and powerful beings are plentiful, a good place for training," Wang Geng nodded.
"You should have heard of the main figure there. He comes from the Qiankun Sect, a disciple of Daoist Qiankun. His Dao Seed is a perfect fire seed, capable of great power. Going there allows you to admire this radiant landscape."
With that, Wang Geng instructed Wang Heng to set off immediately, taking the name Gu Wudi, beginning his journey to become an Immortal King.
Actually, it wasn't quite an alias. Emerging from the Yin Yang Furnace was akin to a rebirth of the body, a recreation from chaos, with the name and surname bestowed by his father, Wang Geng, not arbitrarily concocted by Wang Heng. It mysteriously conformed to the cycle of heaven, thus "Gu Wudi" was the true name of the "Qi" entity. Even if someone traced the origin, they would only find this name.
Finally, Wang Heng bade farewell to his father and embarked on his journey to the Great Red Heaven.
At this point, the three forms of the father and son were sent off to their respective destinations, leaving the vast and ruined Wang family's immortal estate with only Wang Geng, the sole living being.
He stood motionless on the barren and desolate land, like a statue, appearing somewhat lonely and desolate.
Not long ago a prosperous and thriving immortal residence, now turned desolate and forlorn, empty of people. This stark contrast could only inspire sorrow and regret in the heart.
The glory of the past has inevitably faded away with the wind.
“Fellow Daoist.”
A voice full of the vicissitudes of time reached out, carrying a hint of a sigh amidst its tone.
The immortal glow radiated brilliantly, with auspicious light shining in myriad layers, as a purple-gold path stretched from afar, just a step behind the voice.
A middle-aged man walked along the purple-gold avenue, his figure hazy and indistinct, yet exuding a great majesty.
The most astonishing sight was the disk hovering above his head, surrounded by chaotic energy, emanating the power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
“Fellow Reincarnation, it has been a long time.”
Wang Geng chuckled softly, his eyes brimming with undisguised delight, for the visitor was an unparalleled being he deeply admired. They had once sat and discussed the Dao, forging a strong bond.
Yet, as Immortal Kings unaware of the passage of time, their meetings were separated by vast stretches of time.
“It’s been a long time indeed.”
The middle-aged man shared this sentiment, but his sadness outweighed his happiness.
“An entire epoch has passed since our last meeting. The past is often recalled in my heart, as if it all just happened yesterday.” Wang Geng sighed deeply, showing a look of nostalgia.
“Yes, though we are so close, a meeting still spans an epoch.” The middle-aged man smiled wryly.
They were Immortal Kings, each with their own pursuits, and their only wish in this life was to realize their ambitions and progress further on the path of the Great Dao. Thus, meeting infrequently was understandable.
Nevertheless, it did not diminish the mutual admiration between them.
“Fellow Wang, my apologies for being late.”
At this moment, a voice full of weariness echoed, accompanied by a resonating bell sound, as if marking the beginning and end of an era.
In the distance, a grand bell tolled gently, its sound neutral, neither sorrowful nor joyful, merely imparting a sense of the passage of time. Immediately following was the sight of a grand bell flying forward, from which emerged a robust middle-aged man. His gaze was wise, with black hair flowing down his shoulders, exuding grand majesty and presence with every move he made.
“Wuzhong, you have arrived.”
Wang Geng greeted him with a smile.
In the entire Primordial Ancient Realm, the beings he admired most were the two titans before him and an ancestral spirit that had gone to the Realm Sea, from whom there had been no news for a long time.
Now, with the two giants gathered here, even though he was afflicted by the Origin Blood Curse, he was glad.
The three of them sat cross-legged in the ruined Wang Family's Immortal Mansion, with three cups of peerless Dao tea suspended in the air, steaming with the fire of the Grand Dao. Soon, the fragrance of tea filled the air, and the aura of Dao enveloped the space.
They nostalgically recalled the past and shared their experiences and insights from the past era, exchanging and discussing the Dao. Each gained something from the conversation.
Upon concluding their discourse on the Dao, they talked about the dark curse. Wuzhong and the Six Paths had come precisely for this reason, knowing well that Wang Geng was an indispensable top-tier force in the Primordial Ancient Realm and not wanting to see him fall to this curse.
Unlike other Immortal Kings in the ancient realm, the two titans had a grand outlook, always focused on the entire ancient realm, even the myriad worlds of the Realm Sea, and thus, their prestige was high.
"The Origin Blood Curse, I've heard of it. Throughout history, many titans have fallen to it, with no solution in sight," sighed Wuzhong Immortal King. Even as powerful as he was, he felt helpless in the face of this curse.
"Would you consider reincarnating and cultivating anew? With your talent, perhaps it wouldn't take long to return to the Immortal King realm. This method should be effective in weakening the Origin Blood Curse. If one reincarnation isn't enough, then try again, and again, twice, thrice... ten times," suggested the Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King. He truly did not want to see this peerless Immortal King, who had pioneered the primordial sword technique, fall to the curse. It would be such a waste.
"No, I know my own condition. Reincarnation as you suggest won't save me. Besides, is it even true reincarnation? It's merely rebirth through borrowing another body. I, an Immortal King, would never walk such a path," Wang Geng shook his head and refused sternly.
Seeing this, the two giants also knew it was not feasible and had to give up.
Finally, they departed, helpless against the Origin Blood Curse.
Wang Geng watched them vanish from this world, then quietly turned and disappeared, his whereabouts unknown.
From that day on, the tribes and creatures living around the Wang Family's Immortal Mansion were surprised to discover that the once glorious Immortal King residence had completely vanished, becoming history. This news spread quickly and caused a major upheaval in the ancient realm.
Rumors about the life and death of the master of the Peace-breaking Art flew around, with speculation running rampant as everyone discussed the matter.
However, soon, the fall of the Wang family was overshadowed by another major event in the ancient realm.
Under the leadership of the Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King and Wuzhong Immortal King, all factions and tribes in the Primordial Ancient Realm decided to compensate the borderland tribes, bestowing them with blessings from heaven and earth to form an emblem of honor, forever etched into their bloodline and remembered throughout history.
The strongest of these tribes would be crowned kings, revered and respected by all beings.
Wang Heng, rushing towards the borderlands, naturally heard about this development.
"I seem to be in luck, arriving just in time for the coronation event," he mused, recalling the tragic fate of the borderland tribes during the chaotic ancient era of later generations—a fate that had once been supreme honor, yet eventually was smeared as "sin."
One must admit, this is the greatest and most infuriating case of misguided injustice in the ancient realm.