Immortal Druid

When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing once more within the mental realm hidden inside my soul. I had no idea how much time had passed since I lost consciousness. Time had never flowed normally in this place, and after everything that had happened, I doubted even the concept of time still held meaning here.

There had always been two major egos that defined this realm. One belonged to the Supreme Monster and the countless Prisoners sealed alongside it, manifesting as an endless wilderness of thorn-covered vines whose blossoms remained forever concealed beneath cruel barbs. The other belonged to me, the Warden, represented by an immeasurable forest overflowing with life and tranquility. They had always stood in silent opposition, neither overwhelming the other despite existing within the same soul.

However, as of this moment, neither remained.

The thorny wilderness and the boundless forest had vanished.

All that stretched before me was an endless wasteland of cracked earth beneath an impossibly clear sky.

I slowly walked forward, my footsteps echoing across the empty plain. There wasn't even the sound of wind. The eldritch entities that had answered my reckless bargain were nowhere to be seen. They had descended upon my soul with the intention of claiming it, only to turn upon one another in a frenzy that even I couldn't fully comprehend. Those fortunate or perhaps unfortunate enough to survive that slaughter had been erased by the remnants of the immeasurable misfortune I had accumulated over my meddling.

I tilted my head toward the heavens.

The Dark Sun of Misfortune was gone.

Not long ago, it had expanded until it consumed the entire sky, blotting out every trace of light and hanging above me like an inevitable sentence awaiting execution. Now, nothing remained except an endless blue sky unmarred by darkness.

A strange sense of peace settled over me.

I stretched both arms outward and closed my eyes, expecting to feel the warmth of sunlight against my skin.

Instead, I felt only cold.

Soft whispers drifted into my ears from every direction.

"We are not done with you..."

"Not yet..."

"Your debt remains..."

My eyes opened immediately. The voices faded into silence, but the chill remained. Only then did I realize something was terribly wrong.

I looked down at my own body.

Tentacles slowly slithered out from beneath my skin before sinking back inside as though flesh itself had become an ocean. Eyes blinked from my shoulders, my palms, and even the inside of my mouth. Rows of jagged teeth emerged from my lips before dissolving into skin again. Fingers bent at impossible angles while shadows crawled beneath my flesh like living parasites searching for an escape.

Despite the horrifying sight, I felt no pain.

A calm voice echoed throughout the barren world.

"You did well."

The grotesque mutations immediately receded. The tentacles vanished. The countless eyes closed forever. The teeth dissolved. My body returned to normal as though none of it had ever existed.

Before I could gather my thoughts, the ground beneath my feet trembled.

The barren earth split apart, and an enormous eye slowly opened beneath me.

I stood directly upon its massive cornea.

Its pupil was large enough to swallow mountains, while countless smaller eyes bloomed throughout the iris, the sclera, and every layer surrounding the central gaze. Each one was unique, carrying traces of different lives, different memories, different identities that had once existed.

Silver flowers blossomed from every eye, except the great eye at the center.

I recognized it immediately as the Supreme Monster. Within its immense iris, I saw not my current appearance. Instead, I saw Wally. An ordinary man from Earth stared back at me through the reflection.

The Supreme Monster's voice rumbled across the silent realm.

"We're barely beginning our penance, and you've already been driven into this ragged state."

The gigantic eye remained fixed upon me without blinking.

"Do better."

Its voice carried neither anger nor disappointment, only certainty.

"More of them will come."

The countless surrounding eyes slowly opened wider.

"Perhaps in a thousand years."

Another row of eyes awakened.

"Perhaps in a few centuries."

Still, more opened.

"Or perhaps much sooner than either of us would like."

The enormous pupil narrowed.

"Whatever the time may be, our world will face them again."

A heavy silence followed.

"So do better."

Those three words lingered longer than every sentence that came before them.

I slowly nodded.

"I will."

The mental realm shattered. My eyes snapped open. Cold wind slammed into my face.

I was falling.

Far beneath me stretched the shattered landscape of the Serenity Lake Domain while endless clouds rushed past my body. My clothes had completely disappeared, leaving me clutching my wooden staff with nothing to shield me from the freezing air.

Every instinct within me screamed.

A cheerful voice suddenly spoke beside my ear.

"You must be feeling rather cold."

I blinked.

"...My robes?"

"Naturally. Someone has to worry about your dignity."

The World Listener manifested around my body in an instant, wrapping me in familiar silver-green robes before the icy wind could steal what little composure I still possessed.

"I appreciate the concern," I remarked, feeling wistful at the thought of my clothes talking to me the first time.

"I'd rather not introduce myself to the world by letting my owner become a spectacle."

Despite everything, I couldn't help letting out a weary chuckle. The ground was still approaching far too quickly. 

Without hesitation, I activated Wild Shape.

Feathers erupted across my body as my limbs transformed. My arms became broad wings while my bones hollowed themselves. Within moments, I had become an eagle soaring through the skies instead of plummeting toward certain death.

I spread my wings, and the violent descent slowed into a graceful glide.

From high above, I finally witnessed the aftermath of our battle.

My heart sank.

The enormous lake that represented the domain no longer existed.

An immeasurable crater occupied the place where pristine waters had once reflected the heavens. Entire sections of the sacred mountain belonging to the Serenity Cliff Sect had collapsed into ruin. Corruption still lingered throughout portions of the landscape, staining the earth with lingering scars that refused to disappear.

Fortunately, the Hermit Sage Forest remained mostly intact.

The countless organizations sheltered within its protection had survived with comparatively minor losses. However, those beyond its borders had not been nearly as fortunate.

I released a long breath.

It could have been so much worse.

I descended into the devastated domain and immediately began working.

Days passed before I truly noticed the passage of time.

I reshaped the earth and filled the massive crater with fresh water, giving birth to a new lake where the old one had vanished. Broken mountain peaks were restored through geomancy while fractured spiritual veins were carefully reconnected. Wherever corruption lingered, I cleansed what I could and sealed away what I couldn't.

The work never seemed to end, yet neither did the people who sought me.

Survivors approached with fearful expressions, desperate for reassurance that tomorrow still existed. Children wondered whether the monsters would return. Cultivators questioned whether Heaven had abandoned them. Even frightened spiritual beasts cautiously emerged from hiding, uncertain whether they could still call this place home.

I listened to every one of them. Sometimes all they needed was someone willing to hear their fears. Sometimes they needed hope. Other times, they simply needed someone to tell them they had survived for a reason. 

So I spoke with them.

I offered what little wisdom I possessed, read the signs carried by the world's lingering voices, and reminded them that despair only guaranteed another defeat.

Slowly, life began returning to the devastated land.

Only after several exhausting days did someone finally interrupt my work.

Hu Gang stood waiting for me atop a newly restored cliff. His arms were folded tightly across his chest while his expression remained unusually complicated. The moment our eyes met, he spoke. "What in the hell was that?"

I planted my staff beside me before answering. "Enemies."

He frowned. "That's all you're going to say?"

"For now." I rubbed my tired eyes. "I'd like to postpone this conversation. I'm very busy."

Hu Gang stared at me for a long moment before sighing. "The war brewing on the horizon isn't going to wait for you."

"I know."

"At the same time..." His gaze drifted toward the distant scars left across the land. "...those monsters are a threat none of us can ignore."

"I know that too."

Silence stretched between us.

Finally, I shook my head.

"The war takes precedence for the moment. Humanity will destroy itself long before those things arrive if we allow it."

"And afterward?"

"I'll stand beside you when you begin moving in earnest."

I looked across the recovering domain where people had already begun rebuilding their lives. "But right now, I need a little more time."

Hu Gang studied me with a careful gaze. Perhaps he noticed the exhaustion I tried to conceal behind my smile, or perhaps he simply understood without needing any explanation. Either way, after a long moment, he gave a small nod.

"Very well."

Turning away, the Sword King began to walk slowly into the distance. As he left, his voice carried back to me on the wind.

"I'll hold you to that promise, Sage Wo Li."

"So will I," I answered quietly.

I found Nyx and Mab waiting for me just outside the Hermit Sage Forest. The two had remained where I last saw them, as though they had been expecting my arrival all along.

Nyx stepped forward first and lowered her head.

"My lord," she said with visible regret, "it is time for me to leave. The appearance of the Outsiders cannot remain hidden. I must spread word of their movement. Our defenses have grown complacent over the passing ages, and that negligence can no longer continue."

The term 'Outsiders' caught my attention.

Back in LWO, that word also existed. It referred to alien beings that did not belong to the mortal plane of existence. The similarities were oddly amusing. Despite LWO being a western high fantasy world and this place following the path of xianxia cultivation, both civilizations had independently arrived at the same name for horrors beyond their reality.

For some reason, I found that strangely flattering.

Nyx continued before I could ask.

"There was once an ancient organization known as the Ward. They dedicated themselves to hunting Outsiders and sealing breaches between worlds. They disappeared long ago, though rumors claim remnants of their legacy still survive to this day." She paused thoughtfully. "Whether those remnants are capable of contending against primordial forces... I sincerely doubt it."

Only then did I realize what she was actually doing.

She wasn't informing me.

She was asking for permission.

I sighed helplessly.

"Nyx, I'm not your boss."

She blinked.

"I know you have your own secrets, and I understand there are things you can't tell me. That's perfectly fine. I won't pry into your affairs." I smiled faintly. "Do whatever you believe is best."

For a brief moment, genuine relief appeared upon her usually unreadable face.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, my lord. I shall strive to meet your expectations."

She raised one hand, and several tiny shadows detached themselves from beneath her feet.

"I will leave my Shadow Elementals behind. I hope they may be of service to you while I am away."

"I'll take good care of them."

"I know you will."

The shadows beneath Nyx's feet rippled.

Without another word, she sank into her own shadow as though the darkness itself had swallowed her whole. Within moments, not even a trace of her presence remained.

I stared at the empty ground for several seconds.

Nyx might have been far stronger than I had originally suspected. The fact that someone capable of concealing herself so completely had supposedly been captured by the Dark Order now felt deeply suspicious.

I eventually turned toward the only person still remaining. Mab simply stared back at me with her usual gentle smile.

Neither of us spoke.

After nearly half a minute of silence, she tilted her head.

"What is the problem, my lord?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"You know... you really don't have to keep calling me that."

"I do not?"

"No. You can call me Wo Li. Or simply 'you.' Anything else is fine."

Mab blinked innocently.

"I believe I must have heard incorrectly, my lord."

"..."

"I merely wished to inform my lord that my lord's request cannot be granted, my lord."

I slowly looked up at the sky.

"...You're doing that on purpose."

"I have no idea what my lord is referring to, my lord."

I rolled my eyes, a tired smile tugging at my lips. Countless disasters loomed beyond the horizon. Ancient enemies were stirring once more, the continent stood on the verge of war, and the world itself was starting to talk to me... or I'm going crazy.

And yet, somehow, this ridiculous conversation was exactly what I needed right now. Maybe I deserved a small reward after everything I’d been through. Or maybe I was simply exhausted.

Mab suddenly spread both arms toward me. “Would my lord like to recharge yourself?”

I looked at her. She looked back at me with that same gentle, unwavering smile.

“…Well.”

She was offering. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her. She immediately embraced me in return without the slightest hesitation. Neither of us spoke for a long moment. The silence itself felt comforting.

After a while, I rested my chin lightly against her shoulder. “What do you think about the new lake?” I asked. “I’d say I rebuilt it even better than before.”

“It is more beautiful now,” she replied softly.

I couldn’t help smiling. “You haven’t even seen it yet.”

“Then perhaps,” she said, “we should go see it together.”

I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “That actually sounds like a wonderful idea.”

“We could remain there for a while,” she continued. “Maybe even camp overnight.”

“I would enjoy that very much, my lady.”

"Oh my..."

The image formed clearly in my mind: a quiet lake, a warm campfire, no monsters trying to tear through reality, no impending wars, and no impossible responsibilities. Just one peaceful day.

I closed my eyes.

“Yeah… I think I’d like that.”

At that moment, another familiar voice reached my ears. Unlike the robes, unlike the Supreme Monster, and unlike the lingering whispers beyond existence, this voice surrounded everything.

“You deserve it, so rest for a little while.”

The voice was warm, gentle, and almost motherly.

“There is no harm in enjoying a single day for yourself.”

I smiled faintly. “You’ve become rather talkative.”

A soft chuckle echoed throughout the heavens. “That is because I am no longer screaming in pain.”

My smile widened. That… that was good to hear.

“The challenges before you will only become more difficult,” the World continued. “I need you at your peak. Rest. Recover. Laugh while you still can.”

Its voice remained gentle and affectionate. Yet beneath that warmth lurked something unsettling, something obsessive, almost excited, as though a hidden part of the World was eagerly waiting to see exactly how much pressure I could endure before I finally shattered.

“Do not break so easily.”

A shiver ran down my spine. The concern was genuine. The affection was genuine. But so was that indescribable anticipation.

I honestly didn’t know what to make of it.

Then again… maybe it wasn’t truly the World speaking.

Maybe those lingering whispers, that strange possessiveness, and that unsettling tone were merely aftereffects of inviting countless eldritch beings into my soul and surviving after they tore one another apart.

At this point, I wasn't entirely sure where madness ended and reality began.

When I first awakened the Voice of the World, it allowed me to hear the voices of people regardless of language. Then I began hearing animals, followed by spiritual beasts, plants, and even trees whispering in ways only they understood. Eventually, the silence of stones disappeared, rivers found words, mountains gained memories, and even forgotten relics shared fragments of their existence. I thought I had finally gone insane when fire laughed, the wind sang, the earth grumbled, and lightning complained about always being blamed for everything. Now, after all that, I found myself carrying on a conversation with the literal World itself.

Looking back...?

Perhaps I had been walking toward insanity from the very beginning.

Or perhaps the World had simply been waiting until I was finally capable of listening.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!