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Rank 6 Bloodline

'I'm afraid the reason that Jeffrey and the rest invited me to help manage the Morning Star Area is in order to increase its security!' Leylin pondered silently. With a rank 6 bloodline appearing and that prophecy, all the high-ranked Warlocks probably believed that that person would be their hope to rise once more.

Leylin wasn't the least bit envious. No matter how talented a Warlock was, they would still need to grow over a period of time. Those with high-ranked bloodlines would need even more time to develop, and before such a person matured, he was just a Warlock that showed good potential.

Leylin would happily encourage and guide the Warlock along, even sending some items to him as an investment. However, if that Warlock did not meet his requirements, he would need to be taught reality.

And if the Warlock started to hate him for it, he might just make the fellow 'disappear.' No matter how much of a genius one might be, they were nothing before they had the chance to completely develop. As for the hopes of the Warlock Union to have a Monarch among their ranks? Leylin had never bothered with that.

He would never entrust his hope to someone else to accomplish. He could only rely on himself.

"Those Radiant Moon Warlocks hid something so important from me, and I even had to find out from an outsider…" At the thought of what the Radiant Moon Warlocks had done, Leylin shook his head in disappointment.

Of course, he was aware that the Warlocks had their reasons. A Bloodline Monarch meant too much to the Bloodline Union, because that meant hope for the rise of Warlocks! Hence, it was a necessity dispose of any dangers before they could develop.

Leylin's own background was mysterious and obscure, and he'd spent little time in reaching the realm of a rank 5 Warlock. Not considering the possibility that he was a spy, the fact that he could go head to head with that genius had these Warlocks frowning.

It was good for one hero to take care of another, but in the Magus World two absolute geniuses who did not see eye to eye would likely end up hating each other. It was natural for the high-ranked Warlocks to worry.

Hence, they chose not to be direct, instead only mentioning it to Leylin in passing. Their line of thought was simple: once that genius advanced to rank 6 and widened the gap between them, there would be nothing to worry about.

Though he was aware of what these people who were originally his higher-ups were thinking, this did not mean Leylin agreed with them.　　

The development of a rank 6 bloodline was terrifying. With the passage of time, he would eventually surpass Leylin. But, these high-ranked Warlocks did not know that Leylin had a lot of trump cards up his sleeve, which was why they were more biased towards the other Warlock. That was not surprising.　　

It was impossible for Leylin not to have any opinions about the Warlock Union. However, he only cared about himself. Once he broke through the bloodline shackles to arrive at the realm of rank 6, these Warlocks would come and surround him instead.

In the Magus World, strength meant everything. Though it wasn't as if organisations were useless, but if there was a huge disparity between an organisation's power and the individual's strength, it was like gilding the lily.

At this thought, Leylin began to snicker as he tapped on a secret imprint in the shape of a bat, "Your Highness Jeffrey? I have something to ask you."

"Leylin! I'll be there soon." These rank 5 Warlocks all had their main bodies in the Morning Star Area, so moving around was easy.

Shortly after the call ended, Jeffrey arrived at Leylin's castle.

Multi-coloured petals floated on hot tea, giving off hot steam and emanating a rich fragrance. A few adamantine maids served snacks and then bowed elegantly towards Leylin and Jeffrey before leaving quietly.

"Your Highness, these robot puppets of yours have great workmanship. There's something especially unique about their movements…" Jeffrey watched the backs of these maids, seemingly deep in thought.

In his opinion, Leylin's puppets were created with great precision, and they were at least at the level of a Grandmaster Alchemist. This was rare, and even Radiant Moons would have to expend some effort for it. The programming of these puppets was such that their movements carried a unique air. Their lack of stiffness was something to reflect upon.

As most movements had been thought of and executed, the workmanship of the puppets had attained an even higher appraisal.

"Hehe… it's something I did whilst bored. If Your Highness likes it, I can send you a few!" Leylin laughed. The blueprint was something stored in the A.I. Chip from his previous world, and he had now used it only for some nostalgia.

The etiquette in his previous world was different from that in the Magus World, and it was understandable that Jeffrey had noticed it.　　

Ever since the inception of astral experiments, the Magus World had an increasing amount of contact with the other worlds. At most, Leylin's works would be believed to have some influence from other worlds, and there was nothing strange about it.

After they made some small talk, Jeffrey finally cut to the chase, "May I know what Your Highness has invited me here for?"　　

"Well," Leylin placed his teacup on the table slowly, "I met the leader of Jupiter's Lightning recently. This female Magus, Melinda, invited me to attack the Flame Monarch's organisation…"

Leylin summarised his experiences and, of course, omitted the content about Melinda inviting him to deal with the Flame Monarch himself together. That was just too crazy, which was why he merely mentioned attacking the other party's organisation.

Even so, that caused Jeffrey to turn pale with fright.　　

"Wha– What? You're laying your hand on a rank 6 Magus' organisation? Is she crazy?" Jeffrey shot to his feet, a trace of suspicion on his face, "Melinda? I seem to have heard this name somewhere, but it's been too long and I can't remember."

"Based on what she said, she's confident she'll be able to keep this under control. When the time comes, she'll split the benefits with us… What do you think…" Seeing how he had reacted, Leylin shook his head inside, but still said the words that he prepared beforehand.

"I don't agree," this suggestion was rejected without hesitation.　　

"A Monarch is not an existence we can provoke at the moment. Though you'll be working alone, you're still representing the Warlock Union. I don't want you to do this…" Jeffrey watched Leylin, eyes showing his sincerity, "I know you must be feeling indignant, but what we need to do now is wait. With another hundred and fifty years.."　　

"Will the new Bloodline Monarch have risen by then?" Leylin continued coldly.　　

"How– How did you know about that?" Learning that Leylin was aware of this earth-shattering news, Jeffrey's eyes went as wide as saucers, and he almost spit out a mouthful of tea.

"Melinda told me!" Leylin betrayed his teammate bluntly. Seeing Jeffrey's fearful look, he knew that Jeffrey would definitely use all his sources and strength to check up on her.　　

"On top of that, I've already heard several lines that seem like prophecies, and some that have to do with me…" Leylin answered, as if finding it funny and embarrassing.　　

From Jeffrey's point of view, this was Leylin mocking his own bloodline. They, who were restricted by their rank 5 bloodlines, could never reach rank 6 unless they destroyed their bloodline shackles. However, this was an issue that had plagued countless Warlocks since ancient times. How could it be so easily solved?　　

"The prophecy of that Radiant Moon? I've heard of it," Jeffrey nodded, "Actually, we leaked out quite a few ourselves, to conceal the true content…"

"What content?" Leylin shifted slightly forward.

"Before the wave of chilliness flows back in the cycle of this world, which means within a hundred and fifty years, there will definitely be a Warlock who will rise to become a Monarch!"

Jeffrey's face flushed, his eyes emitting rays of hope. Warlocks had accrued a ton of hatred during this long period of suppression, and this prophecy had given them great hope as a result.

"Due to the bloodline shackles, Radiant Moon Warlocks like us cannot reach Breaking Dawn even if our truesouls have reached the peak of rank 5. However, things are different now. Someone with a rank 6 bloodline has finally begun to grow, and with the bonus strength from his bloodline, his breakthrough to Breaking Dawn will definitely be much smoother than that of regular Magi. Afterwards, he will only grow stronger, bringing about the revitalisation of us Warlocks!"

Jeffrey began to exaggerate. As for Leylin, his eyes were only filled with pity as he watched the man, 'Another fool who's placed his hopes on someone else! Even if he gets stronger, he's only trash.'

Intelligence began to flash in Leylin's eyes, 'How many Warlocks out there are like Jeffrey, putting all their hope on that fellow? How many others out there do not wish to see the growth of that Warlock? I'm quite interested…'

"He'll only advance in a hundred and fifty years? You mean…" Leylin pretended to make a guess.　　

"That's right. The one rank 5 you've yet to meet, our final trump card, is the Warlock who carries a rank 6 bloodline." Jeffrey bowed towards Leylin with sincerity, "Please forgive us for keeping this from you. It is just too important a matter for us bloodline Warlocks!"

Leylin helped him up, looking solemn, "I truly admire Your Highness for your feelings towards this. Rest assured, I will do all I can to protect him!"

While Jeffrey didn't necessarily believe Leylin, this show would definitely keep him satisfied. After setting up a specific time and space to meet with that Warlock, he got up and left Leylin's castle.

Reflection and Experimentation

After Jeffrey left Leylin's castle, the sunny smile on Leylin's face slowly crumbled, a brooding look taking its place. "A Warlock that has inherited a rank 6 bloodline? Interesting. Very interesting!"

Till now, the highest bloodlines he'd seen were those of the Sun's Child which was rank 6, and the blood of the rank 7 bronze female giant who'd comprehended laws.

As for the fire phoenix, perhaps that wasn't even a bloodline creature at all. Even though he possessed the egg, Leylin had no way to extract a bloodline from it.

The bloodline of the Sun's Child had been completely exhausted after Leylin had created two bloodline imprints, and the bloodline of the bronze female giant had been a huge driving force in Leylin's bloodline evolution. Not only were the quantities of blood in both cases meagre, neither had even come with a real body. After they were used up, they had disappeared.

Things would be different with a Warlock who had inherited a rank 6 bloodline. The fellow would have a complete body, and even if he were to lose some of his bloodline, he could probably make up for it with the natural regeneration of blood by his body.

'Based on what Jeffrey said, he has already become a Radiant Moon Warlock. The bloodline in his body meets my requirements as well, even if barely. However, if I want the best effects, I should wait till he advances to Breaking Dawn. When his bloodline force is at it its best, I can reap the most perfect fruit…' Leylin stroked his chin, his lips curving up.

Though Warlocks had the ability to regenerate blood, bloodlines were not quite as simple. Leylin believed that ancient bloodlines inherited by Warlocks could not be extracted without limit, as they had a close connection to their sources.

There was no issue if a small part of the bloodline was extracted, but if the other party was used as a bloodbank, their bloodline would soon be exhausted. This would have the same effect even on ancient creatures.　　

Whatever it was, the bloodline of a rank 5 Warlock, especially that from a Warlock who had inherited his bloodline from an ancient Breaking Dawn Creature, was basically a moving treasure trove for Leylin. Forget purifying it or making imprints from it, just observing how a rank 6 bloodline interacted with the body would bring great benefits to his bloodline experiments.

But of course, the other party would definitely not let himself be treated as a guinea pig.

'Forget that for now, I'll decide on that after looking at his attitude. Right now, I need to think about the Blazing Flame Monarch.' Leylin stood up and entered the astral laboratory.

Melinda had tried to entice him into dealing with the Blazing Flame Monarch together, stating that she knew of his weakness. In order to gain his trust, she'd even given him some information, and the A.I. Chip had tested its veracity. However, the most important bit was still in her possession, and there was nothing Leylin could do about that.

He obviously knew that she wouldn't divulge key information until the time for the operation came. There was no other way about it. And since the other side would give him no more information, Leylin could only begin thinking of ways to increase his own strength. No matter what the situation was, he could not go wrong with that.

'Truth be told, it's best that I hole myself up and deal with the Blazing Flame Monarch only after I reach Breaking Dawn.' Although Leylin thought this way, it was a pity that he had been attacked by the Monarch. He now knew that this was impossible.

Leylin could feel an obvious malicious desire from him. It told him the Monarch was intent on eliminating him. The only reason for the current silence was that the opponent needed to recover some strength. Once they reacted completely, the most terrifying of strengths would be brought to bear on Leylin like lightning.

'Shit! When did I ever provoke them? Even if it was the previous time, he was the one who dispatched Magi to attack me!' Leylin felt that he was being wronged, and was rather confused.

There was no reason for the Flame Monarch's hatred towards him.

Of course, the Blazing Flame Monarch had always had a strange temper. Back then, if not for Offa and the other rank 5 Radiant Moon standing up to the leader of the Warlocks purge campaign in time, perhaps the central continent would not exist today.

After cursing the opponent a few times, Leylin found he could not do anything about it. He'd been walking as he delved into thought, and the A.I. Chip's robotic voice sounded automatically the moment he walked through the laboratory.

[Beep! Host body has entered range of astral laboratory. Beginning sterilisation and disinfection .Beginning automatic sterilisation and disinfecting.]

Once the voice sounded, Leylin's body was covered with a layer of black as fiery red light cleaned it top to bottom.

This was an essential procedure for interplanar experiments. With such complete measures that cleverly made use of magic, Leylin felt like this laboratory matched up to the high-end laboratories of his previous world, even surpassing them in some aspects.

Completing the sterilisation and having prepared his defences, Leylin arrived at the astral laboratory. He did not head for the astral gate straight away, instead entering one of the binding rooms beside it.

Blue light rippled in a massive pool made not of water, but condensed lightning. Densely packed confinement and isolation runes separated it from the outside. This sort of strict defence was obviously prepared to confine a creature or material from the astral plane.

After he reached Radiant Moon, Leylin's ability to explore the astral plane had improved greatly. With the additional help of the A.I. Chip, he'd obtained various harvests every time he activated his gate. Though he hadn't yet found a foreign world with no World Will, he'd acquired quite a few scraps, even meeting a wanderer in the astral plane and making a few deals.

There were even a few astral beings who were unlucky enough to charge headfirst into Leylin's side, arriving at this world through his gate. These beings eventually became Leylin's spoils from his explorations, and were all collected here.

Large numbers of confinement runes formed several separate frames at the bottom of the pool. Various strange items were placed within each. One of them was a creature similar to a black octopus with numerous illusory tentacles touching the edges of the frames, as if trying to probe something before being frightened back by the terrifying current.

*Wooh wooh…* Practically at the very moment Leylin arrived, the octopus quickly withdrew into a ball, as if Leylin was some horrifying demon.

"Looks like I was too rough with it…" Leylin laughed as he read through the records by the A.I. Chip.

[Spectral Octopus: Astral Being. Period Since Capture: 15 days, 9 hours. Currently in good condition, no distinct need to eat.]

The image that the A.I. Chip provided had numbers all over the different parts of the octopus, with some conjectures included. Everything about this spectral octopus was being shown to him.　

"Training the soul is extremely troublesome. The method the ancients passed down is to constantly probe the astral plane, simulating and understanding its rules to allow one's own soul to evolve…" Such a method took too much time and consumed a tremendous amount of astral stones. However, it was safe and effective.　

The vast astral plane was truly boundless, and it encompassed all things. Experiencing the working of such a thing was very beneficial for a Magus' truesoul.

Leylin, however, had the cheat that was the phoenix egg. He had no need for this. If not for his own vitality being unable to keep up and his fear of the issues that would arise due to a lack of coordination between the body and a rapidly strengthened soul, he would long since have broken through to the peak of Radiant Moon.

To him, interplanar experiments carried a whole different meaning. "I've already pushed the paths of a Warlock and Magus to the limits for now. If I need to strengthen myself quickly, the only ways left are in other worlds…"

Leylin's eyes were calm. He who had the A.I. Chip constantly analysing things for him knew very clearly the paths of Warlocks and Magi. He understood that his strength had reached its peak until he could deal with the issue of body-soul balance, which was why he'd shifted his attention to the astral plane.

Since he had reached a bottleneck in his own path, it was a good idea to walk on others. Such a thing would definitely be beneficial to him.

On top of that, Leylin had never given up his search for the Purgatory World!

The attention from the Snake Dowager had given him a terrible premonition. He did not want to meet her when he was caught unprepared one day, and wished to solve this problem himself. Finding the coordinates to the Purgatory World was therefore of extreme importance.　

The coordinates to the Purgatory World were something the Warlocks of the Ouroboros Clan yearned for, which was why after obtaining the information left behind by those Kemoyin Warlocks, Leylin's progress in this area had increased rapidly.　　

Leylin, who had the innate ability of control due to his Kemoyin Serpent Emperor bloodline, naturally knew how terrifying a creature like the Snake Dowager was.

If possible, he obviously did not want to meet her now, but it was necessary to make some preparations for the future.

"I've been using so many astral stones without care, and I only got so much…"

Leylin gazed at the items in the restraining lightning pool, speechless, "It's no wonder that Morning Star Magi spend so many resources to no avail. Things like this that rely on luck are too scary. This is my result with the aid of the A.I. Chip; other Magi won't even have this much…"

Leylin's astral stone consumption had reached a terrifying stage, and he'd even used up all the astral stones belonging to the Ouroboros Clan. If not for the Warlock Union replenishing his supply, he would've faced a problem with the energy for his future experiments.

Even then, he wasn't lucky enough to have gathered many resources, and he was facing a net loss…

Feather and Dream

"A trip to the astral plane is like a sea voyage during the era of exploration. Few people successfully found new continents, returning with gold. Most just ended up as skeletons buried deep under the sea.…" Leylin sighed.　　

He left the binding room and came before the astral gate, a grey feather appearing in his palm. This feather looked very ordinary, with nothing different about it, as if it was a regular feather from a bird.

However, Leylin knew how unordinary it was. The feather had been a gift from the owl which had come from the crack between reality and dreams.　　

"Dreamscape is in actuality another world of dreams. I wonder if I can make contact with it using the astral gate."

Before this day, Leylin had already used the A.I. Chip to scan the feather multiple times, performing many experiments. However, he'd had no results.　　

The results showed that this was the most ordinary of feathers.

Now, with no other ideas, he decided to use it in an interplanar experiment, hoping to link to Dreamscape.

In the boundless astral plane, the two most powerful worlds he knew of were the Magus World and the World of Gods.　　

Of course, due to the ancient war, both of these worlds had been weakened, though the Magus World was now gradually regaining its former glory.

Dreamscape was the strangest and most mysterious world! Time and space were misleading and the place was filled with various indefinite laws.

Things that were obvious and followed common sense did not exist there. In other words, everything was topsy-turvy, and it was a world with no real laws.　　

Even the ancient Magus World had been taken aback when met with the invasion by Dreamscape. Of course, it was also due to this very instability that Dreamscape's attack had started strong but sputtered out.

"Though it's full of all sorts of strange things, that's an opportunity for me!" Leylin's eyes gleamed. Other worlds had existences that abided by objective laws. Personal growth required much time and energy there.

However, anything was possible in Dreamscape. If he wanted to obtain the most strength in the shortest amount of time, he would have to go in there and try his luck.　　

Of course, he had to be prepared to return with no benefits.

'A.I. Chip!' Leylin commanded inwardly. When he had entered, Leylin's soul force had long since taken control of all the apparatus and energy sources here, and then handed it over to the A.I. Chip to manage.　

Though Leylin had set up a spirit genie here, that was just a ruse. How could such low-levelled programs match up to his A.I. Chip?　　

[Beep! Energy source beginning preparations. Routes detected to be normal. Rate of wear and tear at 0.0017. Beginning connection with astral gate] The A.I. Chip quickly intoned. Along with its robotic prompt, all the apparatus in the laboratory activated methodically. The rays of light and the sounds combined to form the most splendid of symphonies.

Under the control of the A.I. Chip, Leylin's usage of everything in the laboratory was as fluent as him using his own arm.

[Astral gate has been engaged!] 　　

In the laboratory, the stone gate emanating weak starlight rumbled, being covered by blue light in the form of flames.

Countless mysterious links were generated in the flames, and the void crumbled, revealing the shadows of innumerable unknown places.

A river of light was formed entirely out of blue stars that were the shadows of these foreign worlds, majestically surging into the darkness unknown.

"No matter how many times I see this, I can't help but praise it…" Leylin murmured as a glint of fervour shone in his eyes. After his advance to the Radiant Moon realm, the form of this astral gate before his eyes had been changed as well, and his exploration of the astral plane had become more thorough.

A great, ancient aura was being transmitted from the astral gate, and Leylin immediately turned serious as he closed his eyes, sensing everything attentively.　　

Bits of blue starlight covered his body, and with the passage of time, the rays on it grew more solid, to the point that they resembled actual flames.

Within the point mass, the crescent that was his truesoul abruptly emanated clear rays of light. It seemed to have absorbed something from the astral plane, in the process becoming more pure and dazzling. His soul force that had been supplemented greatly by the phoenix egg seemed to be rinsed and purified as it completely stabilised.

"The mysteries of the astral plane, and its resonance with the soul…" Leylin's eyes seemed different as he opened them, "I need a complete harmony between my soul and the rest of the world. Once I reach the realm of that fusion, the next step will be to synchronise my soul with the astral plane. No matter what path to power I use, at the end it still feels strangely familiar, like I'm coming back home…"

It was great that this experience strengthened his truesoul. However, when he glanced at the astral gate the elation on his face turned into a wry smile. The blue flames on the surface of the gate had shrunk to about half their original size, and part of the astral stones outside had lost their lustre, becoming fragmented.　

Leylin froze before asking the A.I. Chip, "A.I. Chip! How long was I out of it for?"

[Beep! Host has been standing for 2h 34min 12s.] The A.I. Chip answered faithfully.　　

"So much time has passed already…" Leylin shook his head and suddenly came to a realisation, "No wonder most of the energy from the astral stone reserves has been consumed…"

He now knew why Morning Star Magi did not use the astral gate to train their souls. There was no other reason than that it was too extravagant. Leylin had prepared a lot of astral stones for this experiment. He had merely been a little absorbed in feeling the aura for a short period of time, and this had happened.

If he were to be caught in a trance for a while longer, he might just use up all the astral stones here. The amount of astral stones here was something many Morning Star Magi took decades to earn, and would use over ten years.

Since the effort put in and the rewards were not proportional, it was understandable that this method had been discarded.

"Even Breaking Dawn Magi will find it painful to engage in such an extravagant method of training. Even they might not be able to keep up with the cost…" Leylin shook his head and produced the grey feather.　　

The soft feather fluttered and, following a breeze, slowly flew through the air towards the blue flames of the astral gate.

"What kind of world is Dreamscape? Is this attempt going to be useful?" Leylin seemed slightly nervous.

Using the feather as a coordinate and throwing it into the astral gate was something he did with no other option. Whether he succeeded or failed, the feather would completely disappear, which was why he was rather apprehensive.　

*Pu!* The moment the edge of the grey feather made contact with the flames, there was a wondrous change. Large amounts of blue fire crawled onto its surface, and with a gentle sound they began to flash. The owl's feather burned to ashes in the flames.

*Rumble!* As if gas had been poured onto them, the flames rose several metres high, being coloured a bright orange.

The whole stone gate began to shake, as if it had been linked to some immensely powerful existence.

'Have I succeeded?' "A.I. Chip!" Leylin called out lowly.

[Record of data from astral gate complete. Beginning search of coordinates…] The A.I. Chip's emotionless voice rang out, and the flames grew more intense.　　

The shadows of countless worlds came into view and quickly slipped away, flashing past in front of the astral gate allowing it a mere fleeting glance. Leylin, whose soul force was linked with the astral gate, seemed to see a very mysterious world.

On the exterior, numerous dream worlds formed a long starry river. The world itself was like a twisting hourglass, full of mystery and a feeling of asymmetry.

"Is this Dreamscape?" Leylin muttered.　　

However, this scene did not last for long. A piercing warning sounded. [Warning! Warning! Astral gate undulations have grown unstable. Recommended action: Halt search!] 　

"Are you kidding? I've only just seen the edges of Dreamscape, and haven't been able to deduce the coordinates…"

Leylin's eyes were fixed on the scene in the astral gate as he muttered, "Faster. Faster!"　　

Cracks appeared on the surface of the astral gate, but the scenes behind were gaining more clarity. Leylin didn't bother with the change as he took several steps forward.　　

*Rumble!* At this moment, however, the fissures on the gate expanded, forming large explosive ripples that swept Leylin within.　　

The virtual image of Dreamscape immediately disappeared. Amidst the explosion, Leylin's roars could be heard, "No, damn it! I just needed a minute, or even half a minute! With that, I can completely determine the coordinates of Dreamscape!"

[Host's laboratory has exploded. Handling using emergency plan number 3. In process of stabilising space. Allocating usage of rank 2 rune.] The A.I. Chip's robotic voice rang.　　

With its operation, groups of robotic puppets went ahead, coordinating with the spell formation and beginning to clean the rubble in the laboratory.　　

A neutralising water current that carried the piercing smell of disinfectant was sprinkled from the ceiling of the laboratory, drenching everything.

In just ten or so minutes, the rubble in the laboratory had been cleaned, and the radiation from the other world had been isolated.　

At the heart of the explosion, Leylin stood expressionlessly, a black layer emerging on his body. He had not sustained any injuries in the explosion.

Spatial Conversion

Leylin stared at the large pit in front of him absent-mindedly, hands still maintaining the position from when he had been casting the spell.

In front of him, all that was left of the astral gate were ruins. Terrifying electric currents and radiations were still present in some places, but with the A.I. Chip's directions those, too, were quickly isolated and extinguished.

Though the explosion of the astral gate was dangerous, danger depended on the individual facing it as well. In the face of Leylin's Kemoyin scales that had been strengthened to rank 5, the stray undulations from the explosion were nothing. Even the area around him was completely safe.

Even so, the destruction of the astral gate, as well as the loss of the coordinates, left Leylin's heart aching.

The amount of astral stones needed to construct an astral gate again was negligible with the large organisation of the Warlock Union backing him, and amassing even more astral stones wouldn't be a problem given some time. However, the loss of Dreamscape was a huge blow to him.

"Did I fail…" Leylin sighed, expelling the sorrow in his heart. When he raised his head once again, his eyes were now calm once more.

"If the coordinates of Dreamscape are gone, then so be it. I was expecting too much when I thought I could use the material from a strange creature and find the coordinates anyway. Furthermore, as I am now a foreign world is too powerful for me to explore…"

Leylin shook his head as he ordered, "A.I. Chip, tidy up the place!" He turned to leave the laboratory, but when he pulled the door open, Leylin's pupils shrank.

"This place…" In front of him was a tremendous barren desert. Three strange suns shone in the skies, boiling heat waves everywhere. The friction between his shoes and the rocky yellow sand was audible.

Leylin looked up and around, finding the place completely desolate. At the base of a hill, he could see the broken tip of a building. The thing seemed to have toppled over an unknown amount of time ago, the signs of age extremely obvious on the surface.

'A.I. Chip, begin scan!' Leylin picked up a signboard that had landed near his feet. He could not read the words, but he felt a sense of familiarity from them. The black board did not feel too heavy in his hands and creaked with the slightest application of strength, as if ready to break into smithereens at any moment.

Blue light from the A.I. Chip scanned the thing, and it immediately came to a conclusion.

[Based on carbon 14 dating, estimated age: 21982 years, 11 months…]

"Over twenty thousand years ago?" Leylin stroked his chin and tossed the signboard. As soon as the thing hit the ground, it cracked apart into fragments, some bits even turning into powder.

"Where is this place?" Leylin raised his head, looking at the three strange suns that were still scorching the place.

Of the three, the one on the left was distorted, like a circle that had been twisted multiple times. The one in the middle was round, but there were numerous tentacles on the outside that made it seem rather horrifying. The one on the right? It was a complicated polygon, with its sunlight holding a different tint.

Leylin turned back, and found his astral plane laboratory still standing tall, its doors still open. However, the surface was visibly ageing.

Silver metal was being corroded and fell off. Very quickly, his brand new laboratory had aged to a state where he would have to abandon it.

"What's going on? The metal on the surface of the laboratory is an alloy known for its resistance to corrosion…" Leylin's eyes swept over the place, but he could not find anything in the vicinity that was related to his castle.

The situation now was as if he had brought his laboratory along and, as one entity, crossed over to another plane from the castle.

"Could this be Dreamscape? Or did the accident with the astral gate bring me to another world?" In that instant, all sorts of conjectures appeared in Leylin's mind. He took a deep breath and re-entered the laboratory.

*Boom!* He closed the door.

"If it's another foreign world, I'd definitely have felt like I was travelling through space, and from my experience, there's only one world that can take me elsewhere without any warning— the Dreamscape!"

The phantom of a Kemoyin Serpent Emperor appeared behind Leylin's back. Its amber pupils blinked open, scanning the area with vigilance.

"Bring it on!" Leylin opened the door once more as the Eternal Light spell shone ahead of him. There were many small roads around, connecting the laboratory with other constructions within the castle.

Leylin raised his head, the shattered sky unique to the Morning Star area entering his line of sight.

He glanced at the surface of the laboratory. The signs of ageing had long since disappeared, as if all he had witnessed was a mere illusion.

"Master!" With Leylin's will, a few metallic puppets arrived before him.

The A.I. Chip confirmed their identities, leading Leylin to ascertain that he was truly in the castle in the Morning Star Area.

"Interesting!" Leylin's eyes flashed with curiosity. He pondered over it for a moment and returned to the laboratory.

When the door was opened once more, the barren land and oddly-shaped suns appeared before him again.

Compared to before, however, there were some changes in the surroundings. Traces of yellowish-green weeds tenaciously grew from the seams of rocks, and the collapsed buildings were now covered with vines and seemed full of life.

There were even some small shrubs in the distance, growing with vigour.

"The life force here has grown richer, as if tens of millennia have passed…" Leylin narrowed his eyes. The three strange suns now shone with a green hue which he could not get used to.

Arriving back at where he'd tossed the signboard, Leylin found that the thing wasn't in pieces anymore, and was instead at its original place. The cracks from before seemed to have faded to an extent. 'A.I. Chip, test age.'

[Beep! Based on carbon 14 test, estimated age: 1328 years, 7 months…] the chip quickly replied.

"The last test showed it was over twenty thousand years old, and it even broke apart on the spot…" Leylin stroked his chin, "Time is behaving strangely here… Only an unbelievable world like Dreamscape could be in such a situation…"

"But… The last time I came here, my soul had been caught in a trap, and this time I managed to enter with my body as well… Am I in someone else's dream?"

"What is the boundary between dream and reality?"

The further he pondered, the more Leylin found that the secrets of Dreamscape were terrifying. However, there was not one riddle he could solve.

"There are even such strange changes. Is it a spacetime wormhole? Or perhaps some sort of garbled effect from Murphy's Law?"

Seeing the vines climbing all over the laboratory, Leylin walked in and closed the door. Opening it once more, he found himself in the Morning Star area.

Leylin immediately ordered, "Categorise this area as a special first rank region! Seal the whole region, and move away all nearby constructions. Carve runes to protect it from radiation and contamination."

The metallic puppets immediately got to work, startling Freya.

"What's going on, darling?" Freya was currently in a loose nightgown, looking dazed.

Leylin went forward and pulled at Freya's hand while consoling her, "Nothing, something just went wrong with an experiment, and the contamination from the radiation is growing more intense. It's best you move out for a while, staying far away from the castle…"

While he didn't really understand the current situation, that explosion in his astral laboratory had resulted in an even more mysterious change. It had now become a bridge between this place and Dreamscape.

One needed only enter to change what space it was connected to, something that immediately piqued Leylin's curiosity.

He could now move between worlds without consuming any energy. If any Magus were to find out about this, they would go insane. Hence, using the excuse that an experiment had gone wrong and he was afraid that the contamination would leak, he was taking necessary emergency measures.

However, the reason for this situation still had Leylin befuddled.

'Is it because of that owl feather? Or was it the explosion of the astral gate? Or did both those events somehow affect each other causing this mysterious change…' he thought as he stroked his chin.

Whatever it was, this accident was a good thing. Not only had he obtained the coordinates to Dreamscape, but he'd also acquired a bridge between the two worlds.

"However, this can't last forever," Leylin recalled some spatial theory. The Magus World and Dreamscape were like two parallel sheets of paper, and his astral laboratory was a point between the two, the only link between them.

However, with how space worked, this point would eventually break. In other words, his laboratory would eventually lose its connection to Dreamscape.

"I need to speed up my exploration!" Leylin's heart was burning. Dreamscape was the most mysterious of worlds, one that had even invaded the ancient Magus World.

It was an extraordinary place whose inhabitants lacked true bodies. Formed of the dreams of intellectual beings, it had a mystical strength.

If he could find the dreams of some ancient Magus that had comprehended laws and obtain his understanding, he would reap huge benefits. Basically, in front of Leylin was a gigantic treasure trove…

Dreamforce

'Dreamscape is a huge treasure trove, but it holds perilous dangers within…' Leylin pondered deeply over this.

Unlike the Magus World, Dreamscape hadn't suffered any damage, and was still a terrifying world that retained its ancient splendour. The demons inside this place were beings even ancient Magi had been fearful of.

On top of that, Dreamscape was even more dangerous than the real world. The slightest of mistakes in there would result in the loss of one's truesoul. Whether it was an encounter with a demon or some other danger from the environment itself, everything would be extremely terrifying for him.

What if they found his laboratory and used it as a springboard to get to the Magus World? Just the thought of it left Leylin's scalp numb.

While he didn't mind being treated as a traitor to humanity, he wasn't going to do anything that would not benefit him.

Besides, Leylin had long since begun treating the central continent as his own. He did not want an even stronger organisation to occupy it. With the consolidated might of the central continent as it was, just a random demon would cause the Magus World to tremble in fear.

There would be nothing for him in that situation.

'It's better to keep a low profile and focus on exploration!' Leylin consoled Freya and immediately made the decision to move the castle. He'd completely sealed off this area, turning it into an observation zone.

Freya was very considerate, leaving quickly. It was quite normal for there to be issues during high-ranking experiments. Leylin was the most serious she'd ever seen him, which meant that this particular incident was extremely dangerous. Reasonable as she was, she immediately supported his decision.

Truth be told, she had no other choice. Such powerful contamination would be very dangerous for low-ranked Warlocks and Magi, and she was not going to risk her child for that.

As for Leylin, he stayed behind in the name of surveying the contamination.　　

Through many disastrous experiments, the various situations and processes were excellent research material. With the feigned traces of a failed experiment formed by the A.I. Chip, many Warlocks were deceived, not in the least suspicious of his actions. His secret exploration of Dreamscape could continue unperturbed.

His astral gate had now turned into a strange bridge connecting the Magus World and Dreamscape. Leylin currently stood before a half-body statue of a human, looking deep in thought.

'As expected, Dreamscape's invasion has already begun?' Noticing the unwanted presence of this statue in his laboratory, Leylin stroked his chin in contemplation. As the bridge linking the two worlds, the laboratory itself was greatly contaminated by Dreamscape. Especially after a few experiments on Leylin's end, the laboratory had now undergone some changes.

Leylin could sense that the invasion from Dreamscape hadn't ceased for even a moment, constantly modifying the materials and other things in the lab. If not for Leylin having moved everyone away from the castle, something big might have happened.

The laboratory now seemed extremely dangerous even by the standards of the Radiant Moon Leylin. He couldn't help but move forward, his hand running along the surface of the statue and allowing him to feel the coarse texture.

[Beep! Scan completed. Target has no obvious signs of radiation. Style is from the Eiffel era. determined to be constructed 6231 years ago…]

The A.I. Chip projected some densely packed data before Leylin's eyes, but it did not contain what he wanted to see the most.

"From my past observations, this should be the time when the invasion from Dreamscape peaks. Afterwards, the space between it and the lab will widen until the link to Dreamscape is lost…" Dreamscape and Magus World were two completely different large worlds. They were like two parallel lines, and the laboratory was the point that connected the two together.

It might have been because of the owl's feather, or the unique explosion of the astral gate. Whatever it was, the chance of such a thing happening was almost negligible, and it was impossible for Leylin to create it.

With the movement of space and the worlds themselves, they would eventually separate and the laboratory would lose its mysterious function.

This would not last for a long time. The energy required to connect two separate worlds was massive, and though Leylin did not understand the specific principle of how this connection worked he was quite sure it would break.

Through the tests of the A.I. Chip, it was made known that the concentration of dreamforce within the laboratory had reached its peak.

'Given how high the rate of corrosion is, demons might be able to come over as well…' Looking through the graphic the A.I. Chip had given him representing the corrosion, as well as the graph showing the density of dreamforce, cold sweat appeared on Leylin's forehead.

The connection between his laboratory and Dreamscape had reached a peak, and it would weaken past now. However, this peak was enough for even someone at rank 7 and above to pass through. In other words, if a demon in Dreamscape found the laboratory, it could very well make use of it to enter the Magus World!　

This was a convenient path, not requiring all the blood rites and soul sacrifices that were currently obstructing the demons' invasion.

'Thankfully, there aren't any demons on the other side, and this peak period will last a few days at most…' An expression of relief flashed on Leylin's face. In this short period of time, the chances of demons finding the laboratory were extremely low, and his luck would have to be very poor for it to happen. Because of that, he could be at ease and use this time to explore Dreamscape.

At this thought, Leylin surveyed the items in the laboratory. Besides the statue, there was now another experimentation table where the astral gate had been, with large amounts of plants and ore samples gathered atop it.　　

Many items from the dilapidated buildings, such as abandoned coats and hats, were placed in a messy pile. Around it were powerful binding runes, isolating their auras and radiation.

'Dreamscape is a illusory world. How is it that these things can continue to exist even after they enter the Magus World?' This question had vexed Leylin greatly. The owl had told him that Dreamscape was created out of the dreams of all intellectual beings, so all things there should have been virtual.

Something in a virtual land could be brought into the real world, and even ancient demons and the like could actually appear in the Magus World. There were too many mysteries surrounding Dreamscape.

'Could the main culprit of all this be dreamforce?' Dreamscape and the Magus World were different. Even the concept of air might be absent there, and regular humans could suffocate the moment they entered. However, the flora and fauna was still abundant, which confused Leylin further.

Dreamscape was permeated by an unusual energy, a power that Leylin had named dreamforce. He believed that it was this very power that resulted in Dreamscape being so strange and not following any rules.

'A.I. Chip! Engage Astral Vision and set up the multicoloured graphics. Begin automatic filter,' Leylin ordered.

[Beep! Launching Astral Vision] the A.I. Chip loyally intoned.

Astral Vision was the unique visual ability of the Heavenly Astral race. As they were beings of the astral plane, their eyes could see things that Magi could not.

Having gathered information about them from Sky City, Leylin had tried to imitate the structure of their eyes. With the ability Warlocks had at working with bloodlines, he'd managed to create a strange effect.

With the robotic voice of the A.I. Chip, Leylin's eyes were wrapped up in a sparkling blue light, as if having turned into sapphires.

Colours were filtered out of his vision layer by layer, leaving behind only a dark red. Unlike the crimson of bloodline force, this red was filled with a certain darkness, as if containing the malicious intent of the world. It made Leylin feel incredibly uncomfortable.

'The dreamforce wasn't this dense yesterday!' Leylin watched the dark colour grow increasingly deep scarlet and shook his head, feeling anxious.

He came before the experimentation table, sweeping away the miscellaneous items atop it away to reveal a fine Petri dish that seemed to be formed entirely out of crystal. One could even see its contents from the outside in spite of it being covered.

Inside was a tiny organism, what looked like a black bug with massive compound eyes and six limbs with reverse hooks on them. It was squirming around.

Leylin could see large amounts of dreamforce amassing in his sight, entering the bug as if supplementing it.

"Dreamforce! A muddled mix of illusion and reality, a power that exists to transcend laws?" Leylin mumbled to himself, hands emitting a layer of sparkling white light.　　

*Whoosh!* Dark red streams of air were caught in his hand and quickly dissipated. The soul force of a rank 5 Warlock that he was proud of could actually do little to this dreamforce!　

"It's something of a completely different system…" Leylin laughed bitterly, mulling it over for a moment and then submerging the petri-dish in another pool crackling with thunder.

"Begin experiment number 581!" Leylin had been performing all sorts of experiments, looking for something capable of interfering with dreamforce that would allow him to use this strength himself!

Obstruction and Success

Were there treasures in Dreamscape?

Yes, and many at that! Dreamscape housed many Rank 6 and above beings with various kinds of materials and treasures, they were all enough to drive Radiant Moons and even Breaking Dawn Magi crazy.

But the dangers that Dreamscape offered were terrifying as well. The world was ever changing, and the bug that one stepped on today could grow into a powerful fiend tomorrow, stomping you to death.

It was a world full of uncertainties where the real and the virtual, past and future were all mixed up. It was one that Leylin did not wish to easily come into contact with. He hadn't even finished exploring the surroundings of his laboratory yet, precisely because he didn't dare to go in too deep.

Furthermore, he didn't think treasures and comprehension of the dreamforce were the most precious things in Dreamscape. No, Dreamscape's biggest offering was precisely the dreamforce that was everywhere!

Dreamforce was the foundation of Dreamscape. Whether demons or strange treasures, they were all based on it, and if one could control this power not only could they avoid most of the dangers in Dreamscape and explore it freely, there would also be a great benefit to their body.

'Dreamforce… I'm afraid it's slightly more powerful than even soul force and bloodline energy, a higher form…' Leylin's pupils sparkled with desire, 'If I can completely control this power, not only will I be free of obstructions in Dreamscape, I can even just abandon the laboratory and try to form a connection to Dreamscape by myself…'

The connection between this laboratory and Dreamscape was definitely going to break one day. Leylin wished to take precautions, finding a way to communicate with Dreamscape himself.

"Activate the isolation layer. Enable circuit number 52, adjust power level to 5." With Leylin's command, terrifying thunderbolts suddenly gathered together in the pool as it rippled endlessly. A few plates made of silver slowly rose, forming a metal box that completely isolated the Petri dish within.

Large amounts of lightning adhered to the top of the plates, forming a blue surface. It was as if there was a layer of blue at the top.

"Enter observation mode." The blue radiance grew more intense, almost piercing through the air before him. In his field of view, the dark red dreamforce passed through the cage of lightning without the slightest obstruction, stopped by the metal plates for only a moment. It then drilled into the beetle's body without hesitation.

[Experiment failed.] The A.I. Chip's cold sound echoed, making Leylin's expression darken.

"Again!" Leylin had already experienced this many times, whether it be in this life or his last. He didn't feel dejected, and instead began once more without expression.

"None of the third series alloys work. I have to replace…" Leylin's eyes blazed with an endless fighting spirit.

...

Time crawled by, making Leylin feel a little numb. His hand movements remained extremely meticulous though, and he made not a single error in replacing the components as he redesigned the parameters of the experiment.

A large number of electric runes formed, attaching to a glass-like material in which the petri-dish was kept. The black beetle climbed continuously, trying to pry open the seal with its mandibles.

*Pop!*

The beetle's movements grew sluggish, as if it was weighed down by something. It's figure suddenly distorted slightly.

[Dreamforce has been isolated, creature's vital signs are unstable! Beep! Interference detected, unable to scan…]

Backdropped by the robotic voice of the A.I. Chip, the beetle in the Petri dish suddenly turned manic, sounding out harshly. The piecing insect screech was extremely sharp, carrying a hint of anxiousness and igniting Leylin's spirit in an instant.

He looked at the outermost glass pane as a blue radiance emitted from his eyes.

In his Astral Vision, he could sea a large amount of dark red vapour being blocked out by the glass pane, leaving it unable to enter the Petri dish.

Due to the simulation from the experiment, streaks of dark red gas were continuously emitted from the beetle's body.

Whenever a streak of red gas emerged from the surface of its body, the beetle's figure grew duller, causing the lines to become unstable. It made it seem like this beetle was just a virtual projection after all, and its source was now being disrupted.

*Bang!* After the last bit of dreamforce was extracted, the beetle let loose another sharp cry as its entire body exploded.

A little black light dissipated, finally disappearing entirely without a trace.

[Mass in Petri dish is now 0, no traces of any remains found.] The A.I. Chip followed up.

"Indeed! Illusory things are still illusory in the end, but because they're transformed by dreamforce, they can exist in real life…" Leylin stroked his chin. This experiment's success had also authenticated many of his conjectures.

"The demons… Although they are almost omnipotent in the Dreamscape, in the Magus World and even any other real world they will be weakened significantly. Once the dreamforce stored in their bodies is nearly exhausted, they'll need to return to Dreamscape to replenish it… Perhaps this is why they ultimately gave up on the invasion, vanishing without a trace…" Leylin felt that the events around the invasion and ultimate end of ancient Dreamscape had been lifted off their mysterious veil now.

Because of the initial intersection of the two worlds and the abundant dreamforce, even ancient Magi were rendered helpless by these fiends. However, the Magus World was too big, even containing a seven-layered subterranean world that was not in the least inferior to the surface. As they invaded downwards, the assistance of dreamforce reduced, and with the separation of the two worlds, it was dwindling anyway.

In the end, had these demons not withdrawn of their own accord, what awaited them was probably being annihilated like the beetle.

'Dreamforce… even if it's a powerful weapon, it still has serious restrictions!' Upon reaching this state, Leylin had begun to pity these demons instead. Although they were almost omnipotent in Dreamscape, once they reached the outside world and without dreamforce supporting them they were weaker than bugs.

"In comparison, although the systems of the Magi and the Gods would be affected in other worlds, they were still quite common and they could retain a large portion of their strength. Precisely because of that, the leaders of the ancient world were the Magi and the Gods. No matter how mysterious and powerful Dreamscape was, it was ultimately just short lived…"

Leylin looked at the obstructed dreamforce and fell into deep thought. 'I can dabble into the system of dreamforce, but I absolutely cannot make it a fundamental. Otherwise, once I'm targetted and restrained, the consequences will be too severe…'

"A.I. Chip! Record this experiment, list all the parameters as classification level one, begin simulating the possibility of affecting dreamforce…" Leylin commanded. The success of this experiment was only the first step. What he had to do next was to grasp the basic properties and regulation of dreamforce through continued experiments, assimilating it into the path of a Magus so he could develop a spell that mainly relied on it.

This was what the ancient Magi did as well. Discover everything, study everything, use everything! It was the essence of the path of magic.

'Although dreamforce is extremely limited, if it's deployed as an ambush the effect will be equally terrifying!' Of course, Leylin would not underestimate his opponents because of dreamforce's limitations. The power of the ancient demons had been recorded firmly in the A.I. Chip's database.

'After I'm familiar with dreamforce, I can then make use of this period of time to begin exploring Dreamscape…' Leylin stroked his chin, a faint glimmer in his eyes.

He had lost a great opportunity to explore Dreamscape because of this research. Now, the two worlds were almost separated from each other already. Still, for Leylin this contribution was definitely worth it.

Compared to the mere coordinates of a world, his control would now be a guarantee for him in Dreamscape from now.

Furthermore, his expectations were different from that of the owl. If he successfully gained control over dreamforce he could then enter and exit Dreamscape freely from anywhere.

After all, Dreamscape was different from other worlds. It was existing everywhere, and in theory communicating with the dreams of all intellectual creatures was even more boundless than the Astral Realm, one had to transcend the worlds and dimensions connected.

Of course, this was only the best assumption, but Leylin had seen unlimited possibilities in it!

"One day, all the profound mysteries of Dreamscape will unravel before my eyes!" A smile emerged in Leylin's blue pupils…

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* And at this moment, a fine shattering sound suddenly echoed into Leylin's ears.

"What's the matter?" He turned his head over, directing his gaze onto the half-statue that had suddenly appeared today.

As the laboratory that connected with Dreamscape was most affected by dreamforce, some strange things happened almost every day. Leylin had almost reached a point where he was inured to these strange things.

A great amount of cracks emerged continuously on the statue of half a human. And yet, once he used the A.I. Chip to scan it he saw an undamaged statue instead, without the slightest cracks.

'What's going on? Is it that I can only see this scene through Astral Vision?' Leylin revoked Astral Vision, and all he saw was an undamaged statue. A profound chill suddenly emerged in his heart.

Accident and Meeting

The sudden appearance of a half human statue, and the hairline cracks that could only be seen through Astral Vision… all this caused a chill in Leylin's heart.

The things in Dreamscape were way too mysterious, but the attraction they held for Leylin was incomparable. Precisely because of this, Leylin who had all along been immersed in experiments had slightly neglected the extreme dangers contained there.

Leylin looked at the continuously enlarging cracks on the statue, and could not help but say with a deep voice, "Seal!"

*Ring!* A blood-red radiance emerged from underground, instantly transforming into a translucent cage. The runes he'd previously set up near the statue began to flicker as well. Suppressive energy waves gathered together, firmly sealing the half human statue within.

The range of cracking on the statue grew wider even as it was sealed off, all the cracks coming together to form a terrifying large mouth.

A wave of tiny black bugs wriggled out of the big mouth, each one the size of an ant. They crawled out of the statue layer after layer, covering the ground in a flash.

The concentration of the dark red dreamforce was amplified several times as it formed a dense whirlpool that rippled back and forth in the air.

'Why is the dreamforce circulating so fast?' This discovery dulled a lot of the joy from the experiment's success. Leylin began reflecting on himself. With just one insignificant step in the study of Dreamscape, he had only pulled off a corner of the veil. He still needed to be wary of the unknown. The little bit of complacency that had appeared was immediately suppressed.

*Squeak!* Accompanied by a creepy screech and a fine gnawing sound, Leylin found to his horror that the binding runes were shattering apart one by one. Even the spell formation on the ground was terrifyingly being corroded.

The dark red dreamforce constantly darkened further, and its strange power even caused Leylin's expression to change.

"Damn it! If I wait until tomorrow, I'll use up all the isolation materials found today…" Leylin's heart was very hateful, but he was helpless.

"Destroy!" He suddenly attacked, and a strange black flame swept across the room violently, completing drowning all the places the half-human statue had previously been.

The temperature of the entire laboratory rose to an extreme for a moment, before falling rapidly once more.

The original floor had melted due to the high temperature, hollowing out. At the bottom of this hole were all sorts of molten materials that mixed together and solidified again, forming colourful gem-like crystals.

*Creak!* Black spots started appearing on these crystals one by one.

Although the statue disappeared, those black bugs had impressively survived Leylin's demonic flames.

'They're based off dreamforce, I need to solve the problem from its roots.' Leylin's eyes turned gloomy. He waved both hands, and the current experimental boards in the lightning pool flew out in a flash, exploding to form dust in the air. As if some power was bringing them together, they then formed a fine membrane, covering the area where the black bugs were.

"Isolate!" A great amount of lightning covered the membrane and formed an isolation layer similar to that of the previous experiment. Dark red dreamforce was isolated to the outside.

A large amount of dreamforce condensed, unexpectedly causing many holes in the membrane, causing it to crack under the attack.

'Although the dreamforce can be isolated, it can also break through the latter. My last experiment only targeted an ordinary Dreamscape creature… So this kind of thing can happen when encountering something of a higher rank…' Leylin's pupils narrowed.

This meant that, if he encountered an even more powerful existence, this membrane he set up would likely be torn apart immediately.

Thinking over it once, that made sense as well. A rope net could catch small fish, but how could it catch a tiger shark in the ocean?

'The priority is to completely eliminate all these hidden dangers before the opponent gains Dreamscape's support!' Determination flashed in Leylin's eyes as the demonic flames burned once more.

This time, the black ants that lost dreamforce melted apart very quickly, turning into motes of black light and dissipating.

As if due to this event, the dreamforce outside the membrane grew richer, causing fine cracks to appear on the membrane. It would rupture at any time.

"Faster! Make it faster!" Leylin shouted deeply. Cold soul force merged, being injected into the flames.

The black flames immediately burned tenfold more vigorously, burning all of the black ants into ashes. And the instant when the last ant disappeared, the isolation membrane emitted a saddening cry, unable to bear the heavy load any longer as it shattered. The dreamforce had lost its target though, and it hovered for a while before dissipating automatically. It caused Leylin to let out a deep breath. He turned around.

All of a sudden, it was as if the half-human statue was pasted in front of his eyes, the huge cracked mouth seemingly ridiculing him! A terrifying gloomy breath was constantly emitted from the crack that was the huge mouth.

Leylin's pupils narrowed as dense Kemoyin Scales emerged in an instant, New Moon soul force bursting forth from his truesoul to cover his body.

*Squeak!* The terrifying black ants emerged once more, covering Leylin's entire body. His Magus robes, which were a magic artifact, did not even manage to block them for a moment, thousands of holes forming on it instantly.

The black ants covered Leylin's body, and even the rank 5 Kemoyin Scales could not resist the opponent's fangs. An intense pain was transmitted from his skin as countless nicks appeared on Leylin's body.

*HSS—* Behind him, the phantom of a Kemoyin Serpent Emperor emerged, growling as a layer of black flames burned on Leylin's body.

"Huff…" After the flames stopped burning, Leylin was momentarily taken aback. When he came back to his senses, all the black ants had disappeared.

However, fine black wounds were still densely packed on his body, making it seem a little horrifying.

"Is this the invasion of Dreamscape?" Leylin looked at the blue lightning pool, the hollow ground, and the scales that had automatically emerged on his body, heaving a deep sigh.

Dreamscape was a world where reality and virtuality were mixed, and all sorts of things could happen in there.

'I'm afraid that with that sort of influx of dreamforce, this lab has already become a building of Dreamscape. Even the nature of the materials has changed…' Such a situation was very similar to the process of a high-ranked Magus irradiating his castle on his own accord, only at a much deeper and more overbearing level.

'A.I. Chip, raise the alert level once more. Forbid all entry other than my own!' As he walked out of the laboratory, Leylin was slightly gloomy. The feeling of being shrouded in an illusion, as if he had been struck by magic but had not realised it, really left him uncomfortable.

Moreover, although dreamforce was not like magic, it could still affect reality. No matter what he experienced in dreams, it would all be reflected on his main body.

'Dreamscape experiments are indeed full of dangers!' Leylin sighed. Even the current him did not dare to live near this laboratory.

"Your Highness Leylin! You're finally out?" Jeffrey's voice was heard as Leylin walked out of the castle. This rank 5 protector of the Morning Star area had actually been waiting outside the castle without his knowledge.

"What's the matter, Your Highness Jeffrey?" Leylin asked curiously. This was considered his personal territory, Jeffrey could not intrude on his own. It would be considered disrespectful to its owner.

"I tried to contact you several times, but there was some hindrance so I could only wait outside…" Jeffrey shrugged his shoulders with a bitter smile.

"I see. Forgive me, I was immersed in an experiment!" Leylin immediately apologised as an embarrassed look emerged on his face. The effect of the pollution and isolation of dreamforce was much more terrifying than other spells.

If a laboratory in such an environment was still able to receive communications from the outside world, that would truly be something fishy!

"What experiment are you performing? I heard that there was even an accident before, and the pollution caused by the leakage is very serious…" Jeffrey looked at the tightly guarded castle behind Leylin that had no signs of life, seeming curious.

Of course, the leakage due to an experiment was something Leylin had deliberately made up so he could tighten the vigilance in this place openly and seemingly righteously.

"Nothing much… Just the leakage from an interplanar experiment. Something seems to have escaped as well…" Leylin's words were both true and false, showing the great improvement in his acting skills. Even without the A.I. Chip's coordination, he was able to deceive an old sly fox like Jeffrey.

"It's a cute, timid creature. In order to play hide and seek with it, I had no choice but to seal off the entire castle…" Leylin smiled.

"Oh!" Jeffrey nodded but did not pursue any further. Magi's experimental information was definitely top secret, not to mention that both Leylin and himself were rank 5 warlocks of equal ranks. It would have been way too out of line.

"This Sir Leylin has not invited us in even now, isn't he too rude?" At this moment, a Warlock standing beside Jeffrey spoke up indifferently, actually displaying slight hostility towards Leylin.

"Hm?!" Leylin was also shocked. Only now did he notice this figure beside Jeffrey. He was very handsome, his eyes containing an exuberance and vitality. His body's aura was extremely abstruse, yet also very easily neglected.

Bevis

"This is?" Leylin was on guard. This person was able to hide from his sense, which meant he was no ordinary fellow.

"Hehe… Let me introduce him to you, Leylin. This is the person I mentioned before. He's Bevis, the last of the Radiant Moon Warlocks in our Warlock Union!"

Following Jeffrey's introduction, Bevis proudly lifted his head slightly. "Archduke Leylin, you come out to meet your guests looking like this. Aren't you violating etiquette?"

Leylin was stunned, and quickly looked at himself. Due to the mishap previously, his robe was now utterly tattered, and he did seem rather impolite.

"My apologies, that was my mistake! Please, come to Black Serpent Castle next door. It's not far away, and my wife is there as well." Leylin apologised sincerely, and directed them there while still in front of his castle. He did not intend to invite the both of them in to tour this castle.

According to Leylin's plan, this area would be completely isolated and abandoned. After what happened today, he surely had doubts about the safety here.

The invasion of Dreamscape came as silent as the night, yet contained a vast amount of terror.

Even rank 5 Radiant Moon Warlocks might not be able to effectively protect themselves in the face of such an invasion.

Before having complete control over dreamforce and being able to defend himself, Leylin would maintain distance from this place. His safety wasn't a joke.

Seeing that Leylin acknowledged his mistake and apologised so readily, Jeffrey's smile became more gentle. After all, he didn't want to see a divide between the military powers of his own organisation. As for Bevis, a trace of astonishment flashed in his eyes, but he concealed it well.

Leylin, who noticed all of this, sighed secretly, 'This Bevis… he isn't the haughty and brainless person he appears to be…'

Previously, Jeffrey had mentioned that there were a group of Warlocks that had the highest hopes of obtaining a throne, and Bevis was the last Warlock that did not appear back then. He'd always thought that this fellow was outside of the Morning Star area, but didn't expect that he would actually appear right in front of him directly.

'Is his ability to block me from probing also brought about by the rank 6 bloodline?' Leylin carefully sized up this Warlock who possessed the bloodline of a rank 6 creature.

As he tried to probe him, a rich layer of bloodline energy that surrounded Bevis like a dense fog warded off any prying eyes.

Perhaps it was because of this ability that he was able to avoid the hostility of many Magi, and thereby grow to this stage.

'A.I. Chip, is it possible to bypass this isolation layer from his bloodline energy?' Leylin appeared to be talking cheerfully to the two Warlocks as they walked along, but he was actually commanding the A.I. Chip and making continuous attempts to gather information about this Warlock.

[Beep! It is necessary to break the protective layer to gather information about this Warlock. This will attract his attention. Continue with action?] the A.I. Chip swiftly intoned.

'No!' Leylin wouldn't be so reckless of course, he didn't want to be seen as an enemy.

'Ancient bloodlines at rank 6 that possess concealment abilities are few and far between…' Leylin stroked his chin and glanced at Jeffrey.

'Jeffrey himself should have the bloodline of a rank 5 creature, an ancient bat. Bevis on the other hand… A Crystal Dragon? Or a Misty Fog Giant?' The many possibilities surfaced at the bottom of Leylin's heart. After the A.I. Chip made continuous comparisons, it finally narrowed it down to the two most probable bloodlines.

Bevis was of course,unaware that, within a short span of time, Leylin was already close to completely understanding him inside out. He was aloof throughout their journey, standing at the side while Leylin and Jeffrey conversed. He only occasionally interjected.

After connecting to Dreamscape, Leylin had constructed another Black Serpent Castle next to his original castle, and shifted Freya and the servants over.

The Morning Star area was extraordinary in that the land available was endlessly vast, hence Leylin effortlessly obtained ownership over a large amount of land. As for the construction of the castle, it was made simple with the assistance of spells and numerous giant adamantine puppets following his orders.

A short moment later, Leylin and the guests took their seats in the living room of the new castle. The maid served milk tea and some light refreshments. Freya came out to meet them for a while, but retreated soon after, leaving the space to the three Warlocks.

Leylin fiddled with the cup in his hands, and didn't take the initiative to speak.

He hadn't expected Jeffrey to bring Bevis here. However, since he already knew about the rank 6 bloodline, Jeffrey probably didn't have anything to hide as well. Perhaps he brought Bevis over with the intention of resolving misunderstandings and to remove any grudges that Leylin might harbour.

After all, the Warlock Union had intentionally hidden Bevis' existence for a long time. If not for Leylin's discovery, they might have continued hiding him. He could sense how distanced their relationship was merely from their attitude.

Bevis' attitude towards him was also worth pondering over…

Seeing Leylin behave in this manner, Jeffrey felt somewhat embarrassed. After all, they were in the wrong to begin with, and now could only smooth things over. "His Highness Leylin is the Warlock who has spent the shortest amount of time in advancing to Radiant Moon in the history of bloodline Warlocks. His innate talent is astonishing, and his future is limitless…"

"Hmph…" Bevis spoke coldly, "If not the fact that I sealed myself previously in order to conceal my bloodline, I wouldn't have let this achievement go to someone else…"

Judging by the additional strength of a rank 6 bloodline, Bevis might just have been able to surpass Leylin's record. Hence, it was very normal for him to have complaints, but Leylin felt that it wasn't that ordinary.

'Sounds like he seems to be… dissatisfied with me?' Leylin glanced curiously at Bevis. Today should have been the first time they met, yet he was in a hurry to show off. What was he trying to do?

'Could it be that the prophecy led him to feel like he was about to face some kind of crisis? Or perhaps it is purely because he's a spoilt brat? Or even more likely, is he trying to make the other Warlocks declare their position through such an attitude?' Leylin suddenly had a premonition that his existence would create problems for Bevis.

Bevis had always been thought of as the last hope of the Warlocks, and one could not imagine the extent to which he was valued. Leylin's appearance at this moment was a forceful attack on his position.

He advanced to Radiant Moon faster than him, and was even younger than him. Even though there were bloodline shackles to consider, he had a history of creating miracles, and it was not as if there was no hope for him to break through them.

Furthermore, even though Leylin's limit was rank 5, he was already a top figure among the Warlocks, and was worth investing in.

Thus, the entire Warlock Union was now more inclined to allocate some resources to him. Even though it was just a tiny portion, it was enough to arouse discontent and vigilance on Bevis' end.

'Afraid that my recent rising will affect your status?' Having had an exceedingly rich experience with power struggles, Leylin immediately sniffed out that something was different.

Still, this possibility left him speechless. Sometimes it was easy to build animosity. Perhaps it was because of baseless conjectures, or maybe purely because Bevis found Leylin an eyesore.

"Your Highness Bevis' bloodline is beyond me…" Leylin paused for a moment, then continued, "But as the hope of the Warlock Union, what Your Highness should do now is break through the boundaries of rank 6 as soon as possible, and become a Monarch so you can acquire a larger space for us Warlocks to live in."

Since Bevis' attitude was clear to him, there was nothing for Leylin to be courteous about, and he directly returned the 'compliment'.

Leylin was proud of his age and experience, and this attitude instantly made Bevis turn red with anger. Leylin was practically instructing him like a child!

In fact, Bevis was doing pretty well. Leylin didn't have to break through his barrier to find, with the help of the A.I. Chip, that he was already a Half Moon Radiant Moon. With the amplification of strength by his bloodline, he could probably match even Offa in battle, albeit with difficulty.

He would probably be ranked second in terms of strength within the Warlock Union.

Such was the terror of a rank 6 bloodline. Any ranks below rank 6 could be slowly cultivated and broken through with the strength of the bloodline. With such a huge asset on his side, it was perfectly fine for Bevis to have a slightly arrogant personality.

Besides, since he had always been taken good care of, he probably didn't have much life experience to speak of. The emotions of rank 6 creatures were far more frightening, and would be a fatal weakness for him.

Hence, after hearing Leylin's provocation, Bevis erupted without the slightest hesitation, "I am here today because I have something to say regarding Your Highness Leylin's suggestion from before!"

"From before?" Leylin looked at Jeffrey, puzzled.

"Your Highness Leylin mentioned it previously. It's about taking action against the powers of the Blazing Flame Monarch. Although I think it's better that we do not take part, we should discuss it!" Jeffrey explained awkwardly.

"Your Highness Leylin, as a Radiant Moon in our Warlock Alliance, how can you enrage a rank 6 being such as the Blazing Flame Monarch because of your personal hatred, without a care about our interests as a whole? Even if it's done in your name, this cannot do. Can you guarantee he won't take out his anger on the other Warlocks?"

Bevis' voice was very loud, and he appeared to speak forcefully and with justice.

"Personal hatred?" Leylin gave a light laugh. "The recent persecution of Warlocks nearly ended our legacy. It was quite recently that he dispatched assassins to end our excellent bloodlines. The numerous offences he's made are mere personal grudges in your eyes, Your Highness? Don't forget that you too are a Warlock of the Union!"

Having never experienced such mincing words before, Bevis was at a loss for words momentarily.

Exploring Dreamscape

Seeing Bevis flush red with embarrassment, Leylin spoke slowly and deliberately. "Our Alliance nurtured Your Highness Bevis in hopes that one day you would be able to lead us to break the Blazing Flame Monarch's seal. If you don't have the courage to even come to terms with his powers, I am greatly disappointed…"

"When did I…" Bevis' face turned red in a flash, yet he couldn't find the words to retort.

Even Jeffrey, who wasn't part of the conversation, seemed to be in deep thought.

Just as Leylin said, they had spared no effort in grooming Bevis, and didn't hesitate to put everything on the line just so that they could assist him in being promoted to rank 6 so that he could face the Magus Monarchs.

However, if Bevis' performance was so weak, then even if he successfully advanced in the end, whether he would fulfill his promise was another question altogether. After all, if he didn't even have the courage to go up against their enemy, what would he defend the interests of the Warlocks with?

Leylin did this to make the other rank 5 Radiant Moons plant seeds of distrust in their hearts. What was more crucial was that he was telling the truth, which left no room for Bevis to explain himself. Bevis was gloomy, and practically looked as though he was about to cry because of Leylin's sinister motive.

The discussion between the two ended on bad terms. When Bevis left, Leylin inwardly stroked his chin as he looked at his retreating back. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea if he made a few more rank 6 bloodline imprints.

....

Inside Dreamscape. Leylin was clad in an entire set of protective gear. Having successfully built new isolation technology, he could now repel a large amount of dreamforce.

Due to the protective gear he was wearing, Leylin appeared very swollen. He was like a humongous human-like stuffed animal trudging through the lush forest with difficulty.

"The environmental changes in Dreamscape are happening too quickly…" After dealing with a gigantic man-eating banyan tree, Leylin stood at the top of a mountain peak. From here, he could see the circular open-air structure of his laboratory not far away.

But now, numerous vines surrounded the laboratory, and there were even a few bright red flowers blossoming on them.

The lush greenery covered the entire area, nearly blocking off the huge laboratory from view.

When Leylin was here for the first time, this area was still a barren plot of land. The second time he came, it turned into a grassland. And now, the landscape had given way to a primitive jungle.

'The rate of the change in dreamforce is too high. Even the operational capacity of the A.I. Chip cannot catch up with these undulations. Is this also the reason why there are so many complex changes in Dreamscape?' Leylin guessed as he gazed at the sky.

The three suns hung in the sky, each shaped differently. The circular sun in the centre had the brightest corona surrounding it, and the blue rays made it even more dazzling.

At this moment, the robotic voice of the A.I. Chip sounded, [Beep! Gathering dreamforce… Vessel 1 has been filled, vessel 2 filled to 76%!]

In front of Leylin were two metal balls hovering in mid-air. Now, one had turned dark-red, and more than half of the other was also filled with dark-red.

"Not bad!" Leylin nodded, and kept the metal ball that had already been completely filled.

"Dreamscape is full of treasures everywhere!" Leylin was greatly satisfied with his harvest of Dreamscape energy.

Such power was more than half a grade higher than bloodline strength, and was even comparable to the legendary power of laws. It was incomparable, and was very attractive to Leylin.

With such a huge Dreamscape waiting for him to explore, it would be extremely silly to tangle with a Warlock like Bevis.

"If I can thoroughly exploit the power of Dreamscape, and use this as the basis to create spells unique to me, then I'm afraid that even a Breaking Dawn Magus will suffer greatly!" Leylin was rather excited. In his previous experiments, he had only found methods that could slightly influence dreamforce. To thoroughly understand clearly the fundamentals of dreamforce and even develop customised spells was a heavy responsibility for him, and there was a long road ahead to get there.

However, with the assistance of the A.I. Chip, there was hope.

He didn't have to completely understand what constituted dreamforce. That was an impossible task, and anyone who could do so would become the world's master. What Leylin hoped to do was to slightly utilise the formational laws of dreamforce to allow him to gain a bit of control over it, so that he could make use of dreamforce in his attacks.

As long as he could achieve this, it would be a great spell.

However, dreamforce was ultimately a whole other system of energy, so he still needed a lot of time. Leylin could already feel Dreamscape breaking away gradually, especially after the peak of the two worlds' connection had passed.

It wouldn't be long before his laboratory would lose the effects of such a convenient spatial gateway. It was exactly because of this that it was necessary for Leylin to collect a few items and store them up as reserves while he still could.

'Dreamscape is different from other worlds. It is everywhere and is connected to the dreams of every intelligent creature. Perhaps, after I understand the workings of dreamforce, I will be able to free myself from the complications of traversing worlds through a laboratory, and instead be connected to this world directly…'

Leylin was looking forward to it. The snippet of understanding he had about dreamforce gave him the confidence to explore further away from the laboratory.

"My puppets have never even been to this place!" Leylin stepped foot on a black plot of land, cautious. Due to the unique rules of dreamforce, even if he used an adamantine puppet or servant or the like, he wouldn't be able to explore beyond a fixed range from the laboratory.

Whenever they stepped outside of the confinements of this fixed distance, the puppets and servants would automatically lose contact with him, and Leylin had no way around this.

[Warning! Warning! Concentration of dreamforce has exceeded rank 5, and reached top warning level!] A red box showed up from the A.I. Chip at this moment.

The dark red dreamforce surrounded Leylin, extremely concentrated. It had already materialised in the real world, and was now trying to break through Leylin's protective gear and enter his body.

In a matter of seconds, Leylin felt as though he was at the bottom of the sea, surrounded by a terrifying water pressure everywhere which even made him feel weak and oppressed.

"If it's to such an extent, it's already very dangerous…" Leylin's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but clench his fist tighter. Inside was the Scarlet Earring.

*Ding Dong Ding Dong…* The cheerful and lighthearted sound of a bell sounded from afar as colourful neon lights flickered, making Leylin stop in his tracks.

He glanced around his surroundings. The dense forest had disappeared who knows when, and a hazy mirage appeared in the distance that seemed like a gigantic amusement park.　

'Have I entered someone else's dream? Or some other dangerous area? These are still too perilous for me, I must leave…'

Leylin treasured his life greatly, and upon seeing these sights that were out of the ordinary, he made plans to retreat.

But at this moment, the A.I. Chip suddenly sent a warning.

[Beep! Energy undulations detected ahead, rank 1 creature detected! Heat radiation and chemical reactions comply with the criteria, determined to be the characteristics of the existence of a living being! Probability of existence of an intelligent creature: 52.9%!]

The prompt, which came out of nowhere, dumbfounded Leylin completely.

"Is it the indigenous people of Dreamscape?" Leylin muttered, his pupils burning with fervour, "If it's them, their understanding of dreamforce will be greater than mine. It would be even better if they have their own path to power, which will save me a lot of time…"

Leylin's pupils twinkled continuously, and he was clearly weighing his options.

"Although there is danger here, with the isolation provided by the protective gear I'm very certain that I will at least be able to retreat in one piece. The possibility of finding intelligent beings in other places is very low, so this is totally worth fighting for!"

After assessing the pros and cons, a trace of resolve appeared on Leylin's face and he entered the hazy mirage directly.

Leylin felt his body turn heavy, as though he had jumped into a pool. At the same time, it was just like he had broken through a world boundary and arrived at another world.

The dreamforce around him was extremely active, and the sights that appeared startled Leylin slightly.

A merry-go-round moved to a lively melody as colourful lights flickered. Not far away was a humongous Ferris wheel, and other recreational facilities, such as a balloon machine and a viking ship, could be seen everywhere.

"Huh? How could it be… Isn't this a replica of an amusement park from my previous world? No! This layout is centuries older than modern amusement parks. I've only seen them in exhibitions that are in fond remembrance of times past…"

Leylin was slightly taken aback. "Were they formed according to my leaked memories, or is this another dream from a similar world?"

Lights twinkled throughout the amusement park as various kinds of machines operated automatically. A humongous clown statue wobbled back and forth, and let out a gentle chuckle.

Not a single living creature was in sight in the entire amusement park, which made Leylin feel a little afraid.

"A.I. Chip! Activate probe, launch navigation!" A blue fluorescent light crept into Leylin's pupils.

[Beep! Navigation activated, searching for life undulations.] The A.I. Chip replied robotically, and it found a response very quickly.

[Target position: 1900 metres ahead and to the left! Surrounding dreamforce undulations are clear, and it is a level 5 threat.]

"Level 5!" Leylin was mildly hesitant. "It seems to be higher than what I expected, but still within a controllable range!" With a stamp of his feet, his body immediately transformed into a phantom that vanished into thin air.

*Whoosh!* A ray of white light surged into the distance, the most splendid brilliance. Regardless of what buildings obstructed its way, be they steel or concrete, they were all cut apart, revealing a sleek incision.

The white light seemed to have almost caught up with the fleeing shadow ahead of it in a flash. The shadow grunted and dodged aside, but its arm rubbed against the periphery of the white light. Its sleeve was directly smashed into smithereens, the skin and muscle underneath it cut apart, exposing a violet tissue.