“Heaven’s gate?” Akumu replied, his mind still a little disoriented.

“That’s right,” Dream pivoted her head up and down. “Currently, there have only been twenty recorded instances of a human successfully cultivating into an Immortal. How is that possible? Human history started over a million years ago. In that time, only twenty people managed to enter the Immortal Realm? That sounds completely absurd!”

“Now that you’ve mentioned it...” The black-haired teenager got to thinking. He was still a mere Spirit Apostle; therefore, he knew very little of what the world was like. However, Akumu had seen multiple powerful cultivators before. Spirit Venerates and Spirit Saints stood at the apex of the human realm, and their mere finger snap could break down mountains. Yet, even with that much power, they weren’t able to emulate the twenty Spirit Immortals that ascended into Heaven.

Dream stared right at the moon as if she were trying to find the elusive gate that reached for the stars. “Ever since I’d absorbed the knowledge of Venerate Juaepix, the lead historian of ancient civilisations, I’ve become fascinated with the entire premise of Spirit Immortals. Why do they never return after ascending? What sets them apart from the thousands of Spirit Saints that came before them? Where the hell is the Immortal Realm? Why do cultivators need to reach Rank 100 before they can become a fully-fledged Spirit Immortal? There are just so many questions that I can’t answer...”

Dream, a lifelong researcher, strived to tackle the world’s greatest problem… Immortality.

Like every other living being, Dream had an innate desire to chase Immortal Life. However, what truly compelled her wasn’t the notion of obtaining eternity… But the desire to solve humanity’s greatest puzzle. Also, there was one other thing that pushed Dream forward in her research…

“However, legend has it that there’s a method to enter the Immortal Realm without obtaining Rank 100.”

“Wait, what?!” Alarmed, Akumu cried out. “How’s that possible?!”

Conventional thinking would suggest that for one to enter the Immortal Realm, they had to reach Rank 100. It was the law set down by nature and could never be changed. To bypass cultivation entirely to reach Heaven’s Gate… That was absurd, to say the least.

“Hear me out, Akumu...” Dream shook her head. “As I said, I’ve absorbed the knowledge of Master Historian Juaepix, and I found some interesting details in his work. Do you remember the first-ever super civilisation that united the human race?”

“How could I not?” Akumu scoffed. If one were a cultivator, they would have naturally heard about that ancient power. In ancient times, bloodshed were basically second nature to countries and each region would be embroiled in two or three wars at a time. Children would grow up without their parents while parents would lose their children at tender ages. Bodies would pile up like mountains while a river of blood flowed from the North to the South Pole. It wasn’t a particularly satisfying period to live in.

However, those that survived the ancient war would be rewarded with a treat that never happened in the long history of mankind. At the end of the war, the three strongest beings in the world united humanity into one great superpower, just to fight off the extinction of their race. They established new laws and traditions that were still followed to this day. Millions of people worshipped their benevolent rule. In the end, they all ascended into the Immortal Realm on the same day.

The scene of three Spirit Immortals ascending into Heaven was said to be the most beautiful day in history. Delighted by their ascension, the Immortal Realm bestowed the mortal world with an explosion of spiritual energies. Aurora Borealis decorated the skies as whirlpools of elemental and spiritual powers congested throughout the mortal plane. The number of cultivators skyrocketed, and their speed of cultivation almost doubled.

It was perhaps the greatest miracles that were ever recorded in human history, so how could Akumu have not heard of that?

“The First Superpower… Founded by three Spirit Immortals, they reigned for thousands of years before they eroded from the inside. They were the ones that created the Day of Spirits and changed the way we looked at cultivation forever.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Dream didn’t deny Akumu’s claim. “But you’re missing one thing… No, the world is missing one vital thing… Based on Venerate Juaepix memory, there was one additional detail that was lost to the annals of time.”

“What is it?”

“That is...” Dream paused, looking up at the heavenly skies. She tried to imagine the scene that was recorded in the ancient tomes that Juaepix had read. “They said that at the point where the three Immortals ascended, there was a tear in the fabric of space. A colossal vortex, laced with divine energies that were far more powerful than any mortal, dominated the lands. It was only open for a split second before it faded away, so not many knew of that portal.”

“Are you saying that… The ascension of the three Immortals… Actually created a portal to the Immortal Realm?!” Akumu was no idiot. He could very well tell what Dream was inferring.

“Yes… Yes, I am.” Dream smiled. “That’s the legend of Heaven’s Gate, the method to reach the Immortal Realm without ever reaching Rank 100.”

“But… but...” Akumu choked as his mind struggled to find the words.

Therefore, Dream helped him: “There has only been one instance that three Spirit Immortals ascended. Other times, only one Spirit Immortal would ascend at a time, during the Day of Spirits when spiritual energies were at their peak. That’s why we’ve never seen a repeat of the vortex. Also, based on how fast the portal closed, to open it long enough for people to pass through, we would need at least ten Rank 99 Spirit Saints to make a breakthrough at the same time… As we all know, that’s easier said than done.”

Evidently, Dream had thought extensively about this topic. She’d sorted out all the facts and conjectures that she had and was able to present it eloquently.

“It’s going to be hard-pressed to find even one Rank 99 Spirit Saint, let alone ten. Additionally, we don’t know the method of keeping Heaven’s Gate open. So we shouldn’t bank on creating new Spirit Immortals to open the path to the Immortal Realm. Instead...” Dream reached into her purse. Her fingers rustled around, and the bag made all sorts of noises, but in the end, the woman found her target.

A gorgeous white crystal filled to the brim with spiritual energy. It was the object that Dream had been studying for over six months now, the one thing that had blocked her genius mind.

“Aether Crystals?”

“That’s right,” Dream placed the crystal on Akumu’s hand. “We should be using Aether Crystals, a medium that can store mana like any other human being, to power Heaven’s Gate. How exactly, I’m not sure yet. However, I’m sure that with time, I can definitely solve this puzzle and create the world’s first portal to the Immortal Realm!!!”

The ethereal beauty declared. Dream’s face was flushed, and her entire existence was bubbling with excitement. That was her true goal for discovering Aether. It was the whole reason why she had set up a laboratory in the heart of Yume Metropolis. It was all… to create the impossible structure that was Heaven’s Gate.

“...” A thousand thoughts ran through Akumu’s mind, and he blankly stared at the woman he’d revered. He didn’t understand. Akumu didn’t comprehend Dream’s desire to create Heaven’s Gate at all. Why?

“Dream… Why are you so obsessed with opening the portal to the Immortal Realm? With your talent, I’m sure that you’ll become the next Spirit Immortal anyway. Is there a need for you to dedicate your life to open Heaven’s Gate for others when you could just take eternal life for yourself?”

“That...”

It was a valid argument. Dream was unquestionably the frontrunner to become the next Spirit Immortal. Even without toiling away as a researcher, she would reach the Immortal Realm of her own effort. She was current at the Spirit King realm. If Dream focused all of her attention on cultivation, she would ascend far quicker than anyone in history and could very well ascend to Heaven before she reached thirty. So why? Why was Dream sacrificing her time for the benefit of others?

“I… want to give back to humanity.”

“Huh?”

“Akumu… I’ve told you about the Crown of Wisdom’s power… The innate ability to read all information… It must have been given to me for a reason. It may sound egotistical, but if I don’t do it, no one else would. Or to be more precise, no one else could create Heaven’s Gate but me! I believe that it’s my destiny to open Heaven’s Gate, and help everyone obtain Immortal Life.” At that moment, Dream paused. Akumu felt his entire soul tremble as the brilliant ghostly eyes of his idol turned seemingly muddied as if an innate evil had taken over her soul. Staring right at Akumu, Dream said the four words that would influence the young man forevermore.

“No matter the cost...”

“No matter the cost...” Akumu gulped. He could tell that Dream was deadset on achieving Heaven’s Gate.

“That’s right, but to do so… There’s still so much that I need to learn… There’s still so much that I need to solve… And most importantly...” Dream tapped on Akumu’s shoulders. “I need capable men like you by my side to help me no matter what. Akumu, we’ve known each other for a long time now, and I know that it’s selfish of me to ask this of you… But...”

The ethereal beauty softened her voice into a mere whisper. She leaned in close to Akumu, and their faces were now close enough to kiss. Dream didn’t mean to be sultry, but Akumu’s heart was speeding at a thousand miles an hour.

“... will you help me?”

Dream’s soft-touch ignited a spark in Akumu’s heart. The woman that he’d trusted and loved the most… was counting on him. How could Akumu deny Dream at this juncture?!

“Of course… Of course, I would!”

“That’s great!” Dream beamed. She held onto Akumu’s hands and showed him the most gorgeous smile that he’d ever seen. “As expected of my lifelong friend! I’m sure you that with your help, we will be able to build Heaven’s Gate!!!”

“Yeah… I’m sure we would!” Akumu tightened his grip on Dream’s hand, happy just to be a source of joy for his beloved. “I’m sure that you’ll write your name down in history as the woman who led humanity into the next stage of their evolution! But first… I think that you should write some autographs for the loyal fans back at the mansion.”

“Eyyy! Fine!” Harrumphing, Dream turned back to her playful demeanour. Akumu chuckled at Dream’s bipolar behaviour. Akumu was happy that he was the only one who knew all sides of this beauty. The moments when she was majestic. The times when she was playful. The rare moments where she would show weakness. Those were scenes that only Akumu knew about.

If opening Heaven’s Gate was Dream’s goal… Then Akumu’s dream was… to help this beauty in whatever way he could.

No matter the cost.

‘I swear to you, Dream… I will help you obtain Heaven’s Gate!’