Perfect World: Only I Am Eternal

Heaven Mending Province stretched vast and boundless, home to countless races. It was a land of vibrant splendor, lush with greenery, dotted with divine mountains and sacred soils, shrouded in spiritual mist.

As part of the Three Thousand Provinces, it was much like Tianxian Province—peaceful, majestic, brimming with talent, thriving with myriad clans, frequented by gods, and rich with legends of beauty and wonder.

Now, Lin Fan had been sent here by Qi Dao Lin, crossing billions of li across dozens of provinces, all to infiltrate one of the Upper Realm's top powers—the Heaven Mending Sect.

The sect's name, mirrored in the province's, spoke to its dominance, controlling an entire region. Such naming was rare in the Upper Realm, a testament to its might.

"Damn that unreliable old man! He dumped me here and left without a word on how to join, no tips, no fake identity. If I get caught, I'm done for!" Lin Fan grumbled, unease gnawing at him.

He wasn't here to join honorably but to steal techniques. Facing an immortal orthodoxy like this, he feared exposing his ties to the Supreme Daoist Temple, inviting disaster.

Qi Dao Lin's reputation was infamously poor. In his youth, he'd infiltrated over a dozen major sects, stealing countless divine abilities. When discovered, he became a hunted pariah, shaking the Upper Realm.

As a result, sects tightened their screening of new disciples, rigorously vetting backgrounds to prevent such incidents.

_

Outside the Heaven Mending Sect's domain, Lin Fan arrived at a massive city, a gateway for visitors, serving as the sect's outpost.

Though merely a frontier, it was grand and imposing, sprawling widely, far surpassing the capitals of many nations. Bustling with crowds, it teemed with constant activity.

The terrain was extraordinary, resembling a great dragon coiled in repose, wreathed in clouds and radiant hues. Towering buildings, sacred peaks, cascading waterfalls, and a mighty river winding through the streets painted a breathtaking scene.

"Heaven Mending Sect entry guide! Want to know how to join? Come take a look!"

"Purple Orchid Grass, an eight-thousand-year quasi-sacred herb! Strengthens the body, perfects the physique. Bid now for this rare treasure!"

"Crimson Blood Divine Spear, a god-tier artifact! Unrivaled sharpness, pierces shields and armor, a must-have for battle. Don't miss out—highest bidder wins!"

"Five-Colored Luan Bird Treasure Technique…"

The city buzzed with vendors' shouts, their voices overlapping, rare treasures changing hands in a lively exchange.

Those trading here were no small players, backed by Heaven Mending Sect elders, ensuring no one dared rob or cause trouble.

Lin Fan glanced around, unimpressed. Having frequented the Heavenly Immortal Academy, he'd seen it all—nothing here felt novel.

Yet, the city was vast, rivaling the academy's own. Its sprawling expanse could easily swallow the unwary, leaving them lost in the throng.

Unfamiliar with the layout, Lin Fan wandered for over an hour, still stuck in the outer districts, far from the city center.

"Uncle, do you know how to join the Heaven Mending Sect?" Lin Fan asked a street vendor, figuring locals would know the ins and outs.

The vendor looked around, spotting no one, then glanced down to see a five- or six-year-old child, his face lighting with surprise. A kid this young wants to join the Heaven Mending Sect?

"Little one, joining the Heaven Mending Sect isn't easy. It's one of the Upper Realm's top cultivation sanctuaries. Great clans send their heirs here, and countless talents vie for entry, yet most fail. You're too young—come back in a few years," the vendor advised.

He wasn't belittling Lin Fan but saw his age as a barrier. Even with potential, it was likely undeveloped, his cultivation too low to pass the trials.

"Uncle, please tell me. I traveled so far to get here—I have to try!" Lin Fan's clear, watery eyes shone with earnest determination.

"It's not that I won't tell you, but this year's recruitment is over. To join, you'll have to wait until next year."

"Isn't there another way?" Lin Fan asked, his voice pitiful, like an abandoned child.

The vendor sighed, assuming he came from some small tribe, unwilling to let him waste the journey. "There is a way. The Heaven Mending Sect's gates are always open to peerless talents. At the city center, there's a stele, erected by the first sect master, that tests one's combat strength, talent, and potential.

Different aptitudes make the stele glow in varying colors: white, green, red, purple, and gold, from lowest to highest. Reach red, and you'll be admitted immediately, no matter the time!"

Lin Fan mulled it over. This method was too flashy for his liking—he'd hoped to slip in quietly, given he'd leave eventually.

But having missed recruitment, waiting a year was out of the question. Alone outside, he'd waste time, and cultivation demanded resources.

"Thanks, uncle!" Lin Fan said gratefully, dashing toward the central stele.

Another hour passed before he reached the spot the vendor described—a vast plaza at the city's heart, free of buildings, dominated by a grand platform.

Atop the ancient platform stood a crystalline stele, majestic and radiant, hundreds of meters tall, etched with intricate, mysterious patterns.

The area teemed with beings—men, women, ferocious birds, and humans—all buzzing with discussion. Some were eager, ready to test themselves.

Many had traveled far to join the Heaven Mending Sect, while others were sect disciples, testing to gain more resources.

In any great sect, greater strength and talent meant more resources.

Lin Fan observed closely. The crowd dwarfed him, the youngest being eleven or twelve, the oldest in their twenties. At his height, he stood out as tiny.

"They say if you make the stele shine gold, you'll become a legacy disciple of the Heaven Mending Sect, granted the highest privileges," someone said excitedly, dreaming of soaring to the top.

"Dream on! In countless ages, only two or three in the Heaven Mending Sect ever made it glow gold. Those few became legends across the Three Thousand Provinces!" another sighed, aware of the near-impossible odds.

Only the rarest prodigies could achieve such a feat.

"But I heard the sect's new saintess made the stele blaze gold recently, brighter than any before her," someone added.

"Gasp! The Heaven Mending Sect is incredible. Another peerless powerhouse is rising, surpassing past sages!" The crowd buzzed with awe.

Another chimed in, revealing the saintess's origins, stunning all. "Born with omens, dimming the sun, making the stars shine in unison—some speculate she's the reincarnation of a female immortal."

Lin Fan rubbed his chin, curiosity piqued. He wondered how his own talent stacked up, where he'd rank, and whether he could outshine Yue Chan, rumored to be the reincarnation of the Qingyue True Immortal.