Chapter 98: The Ocean of Myriad Sinful Flames

At this moment, Gu Wu Di urgently wished for a potent blood-replenishing potion, for the toll taken on him was immense; even with his peak Rooting Realm blood-regeneration ability, it wasn't enough to sustain him.

But the mysterious restrictions within the Immortal King's ruins prevented him from accessing his spatial artifacts, so he had no choice but to endure it painfully.

Waves of weakness crashed over him, causing this once robust youth to feel light-headed and unsteady on his feet.

In such moments, his Chaos Great Halberd played a crucial role once more, doubling as a crutch to support his swaying body.

"Ssst!"

The colorful blood on either side continued to leap, attempting to invade him. Gu Wu Di tried to stop their approach, unwilling to let foreign bloodlines enter his body again, as this would rapidly deplete his vitality.

However, reality was cruel and not as hopeful as he imagined; soon, his body was once again invaded by five types of ancient blood, displaying exceptional innate divine abilities of five kinds.

Gu Wu Di remained silent, experiencing these extraordinary gifts. Yet, in the end, he swung his halberd cleanly, for this was not his path.

The price for this decision was another significant loss of vitality, and Gu Wu Di's complexion visibly paled.

Dragging his exhausted body, he pressed forward along the ancient path with resolute determination. No matter how miraculous the foreign bloodline appeared, he remained unmoved. Even if a bloody price was exacted, he would cut it away to maintain purity.

Gradually, his body grew emaciated and hunched; his once full cheeks sank into deep hollows, eyes sunken, appearing bulging and frightening. His jet-black hair dried out, turning yellow and ashen, devoid of any luster.

The clothes he once wore had already torn due to bodily changes, exposing two rows of ribs, with his legs like mere sticks wrapped in skin.

At this moment, Gu Wu Di resembled a mortal enduring starvation for far too long, weak, powerless, skin and bones.

Soon, his vitality dried up completely, devoid of its former vigor. Yet the foreign bloodline relentlessly invaded, persistent and unyielding.

Gu Wu Di no longer had the heart to explore, mechanically raising his halberd and coldly slashing down.

As time passed, his eyes lost their light, becoming dull and lifeless. His vision blurred, unable to distinguish reality from illusion, embodying a walking corpse. It was sheer unwavering willpower that propelled him forward, traversing this fearsome ancient road, letting nothing halt his stride.

Suddenly, the gloomy mist parted. The sound of waves hitting the shore reached his ears, and a gentle light fell upon Gu Wu Di's body, slowly bringing vitality to his dull eyes.

He finally reached the road's end; the destination was within sight.

Yet, he couldn't move quickly, his legs trembling like two dried sticks, unsteadily stepping forward.

Just as Gu Wu Di was about to finish the final stretch, a surge of blood suddenly erupted from the waves, invading his body.

"Aang!"

A resounding dragon's roar emanated from his emaciated frame, echoing to the heavens.

Gu Wu Di was startled; the weakness enveloping him was entirely expelled by this bloodline. His body began to transform, cold scales emerging from his skin, long, sharp claws sprouting from his fingers and toes, and two long horns bursting from his forehead, holding immense power, as if they could effortlessly shatter the cosmos.

"True Dragon Bloodline?"

Although Gu Wu Di's transformed form was far from what he envisioned a true dragon to be, he was certain this was indeed a True Dragon bloodline.

The flood of information in his mind confirmed it; his current form was the ultimate evolutionary state of the human race towards the True Dragon clan.

The true dragon is the preeminent race of the world; once mature, it ascends to the Immortal King realm.

All creatures of the world can evolve towards the true dragon race. By acquiring the true name of the dragon, their inherent image in the hearts of all beings can be transformed.

At this moment, Gu Wu Di exhibits the ultimate form of human evolution towards becoming a true dragon, symbolizing a direct ticket to the Immortal King realm.

However, he remains unmoved, for his goal has never been limited to just becoming an Immortal King; the path to the highest peak has no shortcuts and must be walked step by step.

Thus, he takes action, wielding his mighty halberd for one final strike.

"Slash!"

All signs of abnormality are cut away, yet the true dragon's blood is tenacious, difficult to eradicate completely, forcing Gu Wu Di to sever it repeatedly.

"Boom!"

With a muffled sound, Gu Wu Di falls, reverting to his emaciated form, and is now even more frail. The invasion of the true dragon's blood was the final straw.

He collapses before achieving success, the end of the ancient path within reach, yet utterly spent.

He has experienced moments of resurgence, but even those are finite, not endless.

In this moment, he finally comprehends why Qing Yue's five tortoise shell divination predicted "certain death with no chance of survival."

If any other had attempted this trial, they might not even see the finish line.

In the critical moment, the Chaos Great Halberd once more protects its master, dragging the exhausted Gu Wu Di beyond the ancient path's end to a successful completion.

He lies on the ground, breathing faintly, gazing at the halberd that saved him twice, understanding dawns within his heart.

This is the life fruit of the Chaos Immortal Vine's cultivation, evolved from a Chaos Gourd, naturally able to obscure heavenly secrets, mysterious and unfathomable, and after absorbing his blood, it recognized him as its master, a part of his life in essence.

In other words, all actions of the Chaos Great Halberd are considered as his own.

Otherwise, no mere halberd could alter the trial's outcome.

Gu Wu Di surmises that the five tortoise shell divination did not account for the Chaos Great Halberd, marking it as the sliver of hope.

Besides these mystical qualities, the halberd is a rare growth-type weapon, growing stronger alongside its master's cultivation.

With one more trial completed, Gu Wu Di can't help but exhale a long breath.

At this moment, a beam of holy light descends from the mist above, illuminating Gu Wu Di; in mere moments, his blood generation process amplifies significantly, transforming from a trickle to a gushing spring.

"Whoosh!"

The sound of blood flowing crescendos, his body rapidly regains its fullness, swiftly returning to peak condition.

Gu Wu Di gazes inward, realizing his blood has undergone a transformation compared to before, unlocking numerous potential powers, elevating his combat prowess to new heights.

Having previously strengthened his physical body, he was already accustomed to it, knowing it was the reward for clearing the stage.

Taking a short break, Gu Wu Di continued onward, heading to the next trial.

Body, blood... what will be next?

He stepped into the thin mist, and suddenly his vision blurred. Before he knew it, he found himself standing on a strange new land.

The sky was dim, the ground pitch black. Eerie winds howled, with unidentified creatures' bones scraping across the ground.

"Where is this place?"

Gu Wu Di was puzzled. How did he find himself in an unfamiliar world in the blink of an eye? Picking a direction, he began to explore.

In the distance lay a vast expanse of white, as if he had stepped into a cold, harsh winter. Yet, as he approached, he realized it wasn't snow but countless white bones from various creatures, densely piled together.

In the center of the bone field flowed a mighty yellow river, carrying with it the aura of demise, extinguishing life as it coursed towards an unknown destination.

"The River of Yellow Springs?"

Gu Wu Di understood.

In the next moment, a small boat made from bones floated down from upstream, stopping in front of Gu Wu Di.

The implication was clear—it wanted him to get on.

Hesitating only briefly, Gu Wu Di stepped onto the bone boat.

Magically, as soon as he boarded, the bone boat set sail once more, following the rolling river of yellow down its course.

Occasionally, amidst the river, he glimpsed one or two corpses clad in ancient attire floating near the surface. Some had died with eyes open, glaring wide, a chilling sight, while others had their eyes gently closed, appearing at peace.

When Gu Wu Di attempted to sense their auras, he was astounded—they were overwhelmingly powerful beings, all immortals of the celestial path in their lifetimes, radiating immortal energy that lingered persistently.

It was tragic, though. After death, all had entered the River of Yellow Springs, their ultimate destination unknown.

It was unclear how long he drifted, but eventually, the river ahead came to a sudden end from Gu Wu Di's point of view, disappearing out of sight.

Doubt filled his heart. Could this trial have ended so easily? It seemed unlikely.

While he was lost in uncertainty, a rumbling sound struck his ears, akin to the roar of a waterfall, filled with horrifying howls, as if countless gods, demons, and wailing ghosts were screaming at the sky.

Wait, a waterfall?

Gu Wu Di's expression darkened as he stood at the edge of the bone boat, gazing at the end of the flow. As expected, the River of Yellow Springs hadn't vanished; it was pouring into a vast abyss.

Given the current situation, he would plummet into the abyss along with the bone boat. He wished to prevent this from happening, but, with his magic gone while on the river, he could only watch as the bone boat sailed towards the yawning mouth of the abyss.

"Boom!"

The world flipped as Gu Wu Di grasped the bone boat, now turned ninety degrees, cascading down with the lifeless bodies of immortals.

It was only now that he could see the situation beneath the abyss clearly.

It was nothing short of a hellish landscape, with blazing magma, the stench of blood permeating the air. Evil spirits plummeted and instantly turned to wisps of blue smoke, no trace of their remains left. Innumerable deities and demons embedded in the abyss's walls emitted harrowing howls, and most terrifying of all, the bottom was piled with countless wraiths and bones, malevolent ghosts everywhere, swirling shadows of fog.

Countless skeletal hands reached skyward, as if vying for things falling from the Yellow Springs.

Gu Wu Di widened his eyes, watching several immortal corpses be engulfed by billions of bone hands, instantly torn into fragments.

This horrifying scene shook one to the core, and even he, as one who was falling, was about to hit the ground himself.

Facing the endless skeletal hands, even someone with Gu Wu Di's formidable will couldn't help but feel a chill across his scalp.

"Boom!"

The bone ship crashed down, with him standing atop it, momentarily delaying his disintegration. But it was just a desperate, futile effort.

Soon, the bone ship disintegrated, torn apart by numerous hellish hands, and then it was Gu Wu Di's turn.

He felt numerous skeletal hands grabbing him, violently tearing his body apart, blood spurting, entrails spilling, eagerly snatched up by those bone hands.

"Ah!"

The excruciating pain engulfed him as he was dismembered. His head was passed along, flung into a searing cauldron of oil, and in an instant, his face was disfigured, menacing welts bubbled up on his skin, agonizingly painful.

This pain was indescribable, heart-wrenching.

The most terrifying part was that despite being torn apart, he could feel every sensation from his scattered remains.

His heart was being savagely gnawed and devoured by a hell-hound Cerberus, its razor-sharp teeth delivering excruciating bites. His organs, meanwhile, were greedily feasted upon by a horde of evil spirits, blood and flesh splattered everywhere.

"It's all false, just illusions."

In the boiling oil, Gu Wu Di gritted his teeth, enduring the overwhelming pain, firmly believing it was only a hallucination.

After an unknown length of time, the shattering sound echoed, and his body was restored. The hellish abyss, the billions of white bones, and the vengeful spirits all vanished completely.

Only then did Gu Wu Di realize he was still standing at the end of the ancient path, not having moved a step. What he had seen and experienced were indeed mere illusions.

Yet, when he examined his body internally, he discovered numerous bites and tears slowly healing.

"Did it truly happen? Was I thrown into that hell, dismembered by billions of skeletal hands?"

He wiped the sweat from his brow, astonished to find his primordial spirit radiant and inexplicably strengthened.

"Was this ordeal for the primordial spirit? Have I successfully passed it?"

Murmuring to himself, the mist before him dispersed, revealing a deep, winding path extending into the unknown.

Gu Wu Di didn't hesitate and stepped forward. Upon reaching the path's end, he was surprised to find himself outside the ruins, with Qing Yue and Pang Ren standing there anxiously waiting for him.

"Is it over already?"

Gu Wu Di found it hard to believe. Could the relics of the Immortal King be this simple? Despite his doubts, the cheerful voices of Qing Yue and Pang Ren forced him to accept it as a fact.

The three left the area, and over the years, Gu Wu Di cut through obstacles and ultimately proved himself as an Immortal King, marrying Qing Yue. With both the path and the beauty in hand, he seemed deeply content. Yet, at times, a puzzled expression would cross his face, as if he had forgotten something important.

It wasn't until one day that he recalled two names—Wang Heng and Gencun. Familiar yet strange, he yearned to find these two people but could find no trace across the heavens and myriad worlds.

Finally, Gu Wu Di realized something was amiss. Subconscious stirrings began to awaken within him, making him distant and aloof, indifferent to everything.

Not even the tearful pleadings of the breathtaking Qing Yue could move him, nor her tender affections like flowing water.

"I see. I've been deceived. None of this is real; it's all a scam."

No sooner had he spoken the words than the world around him collapsed. In a shift of scene, his mind fell into chaos; the memories that had just resurfaced turned hazy. In this lifetime, he became the heir to a great power—spirited, renowned, and seemingly perfect.

Yet, at the peak of his life, once again the names "Wang Heng" and "Gencun" resurfaced in his mind.

Predictably, he awoke again, shattering the illusion.

However, before he could react, a force pulled him into another illusory world. In this lifetime, he was once more a disciple of a certain power, but this time, mediocrity surrounded him; his life was stable, neither outstanding nor inadequate.

Thinking this life would pass with tranquil uneventfulness, those two names suddenly shattered his peace.

...

So it was that Gu Wu Di fell into a strange pattern, his memories always being erased, casting him into different worlds to become various roles. Upon reaching a certain point, the names of his other selves surfaced, awakening him.

As if enduring endless reincarnations.

Moreover, replace his name with "Wang Heng," and he would recall "Gu Wu Di" and "Gencun," ensuring he was never lost in the cycle of worlds.

Upon finally awakening for the last time, he returned to his original body, and as he opened his eyes, he was still standing at the end of the path.

Reflecting on these countless cycles of reincarnation, whether a hundred, thousand, or even ten thousand lifetimes, Gu Wu Di understood the nature of the trial. It tested the steadiness of his Dao heart, whether he would lose himself in endless cycles.

Unfortunately, an unrivaled technique of "dividing the self into three" proved too transcendent, always pulling him back from the reincarnation realms.

"Embodiment, bloodline, primordial spirit, Dao heart—four trials have passed, what comes next?"

He mumbled, the swirling mist at his feet dispersing on its own as a grand path steeped in the aura of ages appeared, lined by endless flames.

"Flames of Myriad Sins!"

His heart trembled slightly; he recognized these illustrious flames renowned as the Flames of Myriad Sins, the signature immortal blaze of the King of Ten Thousand Tribulations.

At this moment, a grand path stretched through the ocean of flames, extending to its depths, inviting infinite speculation.

He sensed that perhaps the trials had concluded, and what lay ahead was the main event. Would it be the legacy left by the King of Ten Thousand Tribulations or an unpredictable peril?

Taking a deep breath, Gu Wu Di strode forward, stepping onto the stone-paved road.

The Myriad Sinful Flames on both sides were surprisingly gentle, lacking the intense heat one might expect.