The long years had ground away Sun Wutian’s original edge. Now, he wanted more than stability in all things, including his immortal ascension. For many cultivators, one thousand years was not too long, but he had experienced much more in the dream worlds. It was to the point that he was sure it exceeded ten thousand years. Perhaps it was even longer, maybe a hundred thousand years. Even a million years was not outside the realm of possibility.

Many people had entered the dream world, but because of its imperfections, they realized that they had entered an illusionary world. After the initial panic, those who woke up took advantage of the dream world. Time passed much faster, so they could do more in the limited time before their lifespan ended or they needed to undergo the heavenly tribulation. Because of this, the average power and realm of the cultivators in Jade Dream City were above average.

However, even if they did not resist the dream, their awareness destroyed Sun Wutian’s purpose. Only when they remained unaware could the dream world grow from the energy they produced. Once they became aware, the chances of their awakening increased with each dream. Even if the dream world was fundamentally flawed, it could still strengthen thanks to the countless dreamers.

Sun Wutian had not fully mastered a law—or rather, he used the false laws of his dream worlds. With them, he had the power of an immortal lord. His only shortcoming was that the false law could not compare to a true worldly law, and his qi was not as powerful as a true immortal’s qi.

Even in terms of longevity, he was not inferior to true immortals—yes, true immortals and not immortal monarchs. As long as the dream world existed, Sun Wutian would remain eternal. Even if his willpower crumbled into nothingness, Sun Wutian would still operate. Only, he would base everything on his continued survival, becoming more machine than life.

So, there was really no need for Sun Wutian to risk it all just to pass the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation. The dream world was linked to his soul. Destroying the dream world was akin to ripping off pieces of his soul. Not only did he need to do it with his own hands, but he also had to resist the pain and torture to ensure that his soul was not wounded to the point of no recovery.

“Who can create a perfect dream world on their first try?” Sun Wutian muttered to himself as he opened his eyes in the core room of the mansion. Formations circled around him and covered the entire room. In fact, they extended beyond the room and even the mansion. It would not be an exaggeration to say the city was an extension of the formation.

It was created by Sun Wutian to protect the city from covetous hands, but it also amplified the effects of the Dream Divinity Script. Naturally, he did not create this formation out of thin air. Before leaving the mountain, Ancestor Fusang gave him a lot of miscellaneous techniques and formations, which included—but were not limited to—alchemy and artifact forging.

So far, Sun Wutian had only dabbled in alchemy aside from formations. He did not touch artifact forging because objects in reality could not be brought into the dream world and vice versa.

Ever since he left the mountain, he had not seen hide nor hair of Ancestor Fusang. Sun Wutian looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the roof and staring into the sky. “Master, are you watching me right now? Do you know the troubles I’m facing?”

There was no answer even after an hour of silence, and Sun Wutian looked down. He was not disappointed. After all, it wasn’t his first time. Perhaps his master would only appear in front of him when he succeeded or failed.

Sun Wutian frowned. His originally silver-white fur looked gray—not only because of the lack of light, but because of age.

Caught between two choices, Sun Wutian struggled. Invisibly, his willpower grew and waned depending on his thoughts. The more he shirked away, the weaker his willpower became. The more determined he became, the stronger his willpower became.

Finally, a firm will filled Sun Wutian’s eyes. Fire seemed to dance in his pupils, emitting a ray that filled the room. “The more times I destroy the dream world and rebuild it, the lower my chances of successfully transcending the heavenly tribulation are. If I want to succeed, I have to be in the second dream world. Everyone must not wake up from the dream, including me.”

Ever since Sun Wutian dreamt, he had always remained aware. If he fully fell into the dream and remained unaware, his soul might shatter from the injury he received if he suffered an unnatural death. On the other hand, such a risky method increased his chances of success. If he could even convince himself, the creator of the dream world, what did it matter if other people saw through it?

With the determination to die, Sun Wutian started making preparations. The originally calm Jade Dream City became lively as a result.

The rumor that Jade Dream City had a method to increase the rate of success of heavenly tribulations and cultivators had long since spread. Many true immortals had tried to conquer and discover its secret, but they all failed because of Sun Wutian. Even when an immortal monarch appeared hundreds of years ago, he had been repelled thanks to Sun Wutian and the city’s formation.

Although Jade Dream City was attractive, it could not hold much appeal to powerful immortals. After all, no one from Jade Dream City became an immortal thanks to its unique features. Only those who had lost hope of advancing would try their luck.

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Sun Wutian soon began his plan. News that Jade Dream City would expand and accept new dwellers made many cultivators’ blood boil as they fought to secure residence. Unknown to them, it was all part of Sun Wutian’s scheme to introduce fresh blood to the city and create a perfect dream world.

He would not destroy the dream world now. It would serve as the nutrients for the new dream world. So the stronger it was, the better.

Sun Wutian tuned the dream world. With his years of experience, the chances of the new residents waking up in the dream dramatically decreased. Even the old residents, who had grown accustomed to using the dream world as a training ground, awakened less frequently. Some never awakened in a dream session.

As time passed, the chances of the dreamers awakening decreased. However, the residents who knew of the benefits became even more fervent. Even though it became harder to take advantage of the dream world, the gains had increased. Before, it only benefitted masters and weaker grandmasters, but now, even venerables could benefit. And the gains were increasing with the passage of time.

Many of the residents looked forward to when the dream world could even benefit immortals.

So the people waited, and before anyone realized it, Jade Dream City reached the three thousandth anniversary of its establishment. Sun Wutian was almost six hundred years old when he formed Jade Dream City, meaning that he was nearing three thousand and six hundred years old, the limit of most life under the Immortal Realm.

After making the final preparations, Sun Wutian once again stared at the sky from the secluded room. “The heavens have determined the lifespan limit of mortals to be three thousand and six hundred years. I can break this, but I will make my final gamble here. Whether I ascend or destroy my soul will be determined in this dream!”

Night fell onto Jade Dream City, and all the residents turned in for bed. Some slept in bed, while others remained in a lotus position. Mortals needed to sleep every night, but it was different for cultivators. So, it was Jade Dream City’s unique landscape that caused cultivators to live like mortals in this aspect.

Invisible to the naked eye or even spiritual sense, a silver ellipse covered Jade Dream City. The ellipse continued to grow, expanding beyond the city’s limits. Simultaneously, the silver color grew translucent until it was almost transparent. By this time, the range had expanded a hundredfold, covering nearby cities within its influence.

Then, it shattered. Transparent and invisible fragments merged into the surroundings. Anyone—even cultivators—who were touched by the fragments grew drowsy and fell asleep. Originally, the silver fragments only affected a hundred thousand kilometers. Under the influence of a mysterious force, their range increased until it nearly covered the entire planet.

Sun Wutian had long fallen asleep, unaware of the changes. His aura plummeted far beyond the Nascent Soul Realm. It reached a point where no one could even sense a hint of cultivation on his body, be it the spiritual or martial path.

On a precipice, lightning hammered a stone laying atop. The stone did not crack under the assault. Instead, it became smoother and smoother, and impurities fell out of the stone. Although it shrank, its essence had strengthened. Finally, the stone cracked in half, and out popped an argent-furred monkey.

Upon birth, the monkey opened his eyes, and a great beam shot out, dispersing the storm clouds and bringing clarity to the sky. So great was the radiance that even the World Court was alerted. However, when the world officials searched for the source of the light, it had already disappeared.

Unknowing of what he had just caused, the monkey sat on the precipice and scratched his head. He had no name, but he knew one thing: he must become an immortal!

And so, the monkey started his journey. He was born powerful, and even without cultivating, he could crush gods and immortals with his physical flesh. His power only grew when he entered the tutelage of the mysterious Ancestor Fusang. After leaving Ancestor Fusang’s care, he robbed Phoenix Palace of many treasures and caused a ruckus in the World Court.

When the World Court ordered his execution and even dispatched its entire army to this end, the monkey—who obtained the name of Sun Wutian—waged war against the entire world army by his lonesome. He plucked furs from his body and transformed them into a clone army.

Only when the Great Creator appeared and personally sealed Sun Wutian was he subdued. Sun Wutian resisted. Even if he was trapped, he never gave up on escaping. Only when he learned that his chance to become immortal would appear five hundred years later did he settle down and wait.

Exactly five hundred years later, a daoist appeared in front of Sun Wutian and freed him. Before freeing him, he placed a golden circlet on his head. If he ever disobeyed, the daoist would only need to chant a scripture to deal unimaginable pain to him.

Sun Wutian gritted his teeth and endured it. The two made their way east. Along the way, two more companions joined them. Technically three, since it included a heretical monk, a fallen general of the World Court, and a qilin that transformed into a horse.

Along the way, they faced many hardships, traps, and even betrayal, but the five of them finally made it to their destination. When they obtained the one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred scriptures, they traced their steps back.

Because of the trials they’d gone through, the journey was full of peace and little danger. The quietness gave the group time to ponder over their past together. Even the rebellious Sun Wutian became introspective. The journey had worn away his sharp edges, polishing him from rough jade.

Finally, the group arrived at Mount Buzhou, where they presented the one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred scriptures. The group of five were rewarded by the gods and immortals for their efforts: the daoist, heretical monk, and fallen general all became immortal gods. The qilin became the symbol of auspiciousness.

As for Sun Wutian, he was titled the Victorious Fighting God.

Just as he was about to accept it, he paused. “Wrong, wrong! This is wrong! I am Sun Wutian, not some titled god. I don’t need to rely on you to become immortal. I am immortal because of my own will!”

The world froze. Sun Wutian’s perspective also changed. He was no longer on Mount Buzhou looking up at the gods. Now, he overlooked the entire world from the perspective of omniscience—for he was the omnipotent Great Creator of this world.