Fantasy

Deep within the enigmatic heart of the Dark Forest lay an uncharted territory, seldom explored by even the boldest of cultivators.

In this secluded realm, not a whisper of demonic Qi tainted the air, rendering it a pristine sanctuary.

Atop a colossal stone slab crowning the hill's summit rested a solitary figure. This figure, now unmistakably Qin Wentian.

Lost and disoriented, Qin Wentian couldn't fathom his whereabouts. His only preoccupation was to preserve the slender threads of his consciousness.

Uncle Black had forewarned him about the dangers of utilizing the 12 Connecting Styles of the Life Needle Art before reaching Yuanfu. The surge of power unleashed from his Bloodline Limit was overwhelming, and Qin Wentian's untrained body couldn't endure it. Previously, back at the Emperor Star Academy, there were people to tend to him, ensuring his safety. This time, however, he had recklessly deployed the technique amidst grave injuries, teetering on the brink of death.

Exhausted and utterly feeble, Qin Wentian clung to life, his unwavering determination acting as a feeble beacon against the encroaching darkness.

"I can cultivate in my dreams."

Qin Wentian understood that martial practitioners could harness energy to rejuvenate their life force. To survive, he needed to replenish his energy, yet this ethereal realm appeared devoid of Astral Constellations and the Astral Energy that sustained him. It was an inescapable predicament that threatened to reduce him to a lifeless husk in a matter of days.

"Is this where my journey ends?" Qin Wentian lamented, refusing to accept his fate.

Desperate to escape this spatial prison, he summoned his tenacious willpower, birthing a nascent dream-will to explore his surroundings. Within this boundless expanse, he lay helpless on the stone slab, a solitary soul. Yet, within his dream, a distant, hazy mountain peak materialized, ascending to the heavens.

"This place…isn't my dream," Qin Wentian mused, his heart racing. The shimmering mountain peak was soon joined by eight more, forming an awe-inspiring ring that surrounded the hilly enclave. These nine ethereal peaks emitted an otherworldly aura, winking in and out of existence. Was this a dream or reality? Qin Wentian questioned himself, the line between the two blurring.

As his dream-will meandered, an extraordinary scene unfolded. A middle-aged figure, clad in verdant robes, embarked on a spiritual journey that led him to this remote hillside. The picturesque panorama enveloped the middle-aged man as he lay upon the colossal stone slab, drifting into slumber.

As he slept, the nine towering peaks emerged, encircling the hill. Amidst the peaks, countless images and scenes materialized, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of time.

A cascade of recordings unfolded relentlessly before Qin Wentian's bewildered senses. The scenes were a dizzying array of unfathomable feats. A middle-aged figure, imbued with cosmic power, plucked stars from the celestial expanse as if they were plucking apples from a tree. With a casual sword stroke, mountains crumbled and rivers flowed anew. A mere flick of his fingers bore a hole through the celestial dome.

Yet, all of this seemed like a surreal dream.

Upon awakening, the middle-aged man dusted himself off, grinning carelessly. He rose, departing at a leisurely pace. Gradually, the nine majestic peaks faded from view.

"In dreams, I traverse the boundless cosmos, delve into past and present, and pluck stars and moons from the heavens. In dreams, I am free to be a whimsical spirit, to indulge in lofty and improbable fantasies!"

His laughter rang out, carefree and unrestrained, leaving behind the imprint of lofty and improbable dreams on the colossal stone slab.

"Dream of lofty and improbable things," Qin Wentian murmured, his spirit stirred. His dream-will drifted toward a specific mountain peak, where the recordings continued. There, he sensed a powerful magnetic pull, his will inexorably drawn into the scene.

This particular mountain peak held a recorded dream—the green-robed figure transformed into a majestic Roc, soaring gracefully between heaven and earth. Suddenly, the Roc's immense eyes blinked, and a ray of light surged toward Qin Wentian. He felt an overwhelming energy, keener than any blade, piercing his body, and he let out a blood-curdling scream.

"No..." Qin Wentian roared inwardly. He refused to die here.

"Why fear a dream?" he realized in an epiphany. With steely determination, he forced his gaze to meet the Roc's eyes. Countless beams of light seemingly pierced through his body, yet he felt no fear, only resolve.

The Roc glided effortlessly through the skies, spanning thousands of miles with the swiftness of the wind. Qin Wentian's heart raced as he withdrew from this recording, moving on to the second mountain peak. Here, the green-robed figure transformed into an ancient god, effortlessly plucking stars from the heavens and reshaping the cosmos. Qin Wentian "died" countless times in that dream, but he persevered, refusing to let his consciousness extinguish.

In the third mountain peak, the green-robed figure sliced mountains with a single stroke and shattered the heavens with a finger's prod. In the fourth, mountains crumbled, and oceans roiled with a thunderous roar.

.......................

Upon the ninth mountain peak, the green-robed middle-aged figure surveyed all of existence, and every living thing that met his gaze withered and crumbled to dust.

Qin Wentian experienced countless agonizing "deaths" under the relentless onslaught. He was but a grain of sand in a vast desert, utterly insignificant. Yet, the flickering candle of his life force refused to be extinguished.

Nine towering peaks, nine celestial wills of incomprehensible might. Each harbored the potential to shatter the heavens and obliterate the earth.

Qin Wentian's dream-will retreated, and he sighed, marveling at the grandeur of the dream.

The imprints held tremendous strength and power within them. However, Qin Wentian doubted the authenticity of the nine towering peaks.

As the middle-aged figure had stated: life was but a dream. Why not live carefree and unburdened, indulging in fantasy?

"Nine peaks, nine dreams," Qin Wentian murmured. Every dream held the power to reshape the cosmos. Had the green-robed figure amplified his abilities to their maximum extent and dared to pursue his wildest fantasies?

"What an extraordinary genius," Qin Wentian marveled.

He had once believed that dream-type Astral Souls required unique innate techniques to cultivate and unleash their power. However, the middle-aged figure had shattered this belief, enlightening him to the ubiquity of dream energy.

Dreams were an inherent energy, omnipresent.

Deep in thought, Qin Wentian contemplated his newfound insights. He was no longer afraid that the flickering flame of his life force would be extinguished; he knew he was immortal. His conviction grew stronger with each passing moment.

"Indulge in fantasy," he murmured, his dream-will exploring the depths of his enlightenment.

As time flowed slowly, on the first mountain peak, the unfolding scene emitted a radiant, resplendent light. Many demonic beasts in the Dark Forest approached the source of the light, revealing a shimmering mountain peak that flickered in and out of existence.

With time, the second mountain peak appeared, exuding a surge of terrifying, sealing energy. Fear and shock gripped the hearts of the demonic beasts. They knew that this pure land had the power to seal itself off from the external world, devoid of Yuan Qi and Demonic Qi. Those who entered would be ensnared in an endless dream.

Yet, in the pure land, mountain peaks appeared successively, each more resplendent than the last.

As the nine mountain peaks reached their full form, a surge of awe-inspiring energy erupted. Terrifying fluctuations spread towards the Dark Forest, sealing everything they touched. Fear surged through the hearts of the demonic beasts as they desperately fled, desperately trying to escape the suffocating grip.

High above, the Blackwind Condor fixed its sharp gaze on the spectacle. Could the youth who created dreams be the cause of this turmoil?

The dazzling lights from the nine mountain peaks converged in the air, forming a radiant light screen that sealed off the surroundings.

Within this barrier, a figure materialized in Qin Wentian's dreamscape. It was the same green-robed middle-aged man as before, but only visible to Qin Wentian.

With respect, Qin Wentian addressed the middle-aged man. "Qin Wentian pays his respects to senior. Are we inside a dreamscape?"

The middle-aged man smiled while hovering in the air, his eyes fixed on Qin Wentian. "This is my dream-will. You entered my dream and made my dream-will manifest. For that, I shall grant you a boon. Speak, what do you desire?"

Qin Wentian couldn't help but be respectful in the presence of this enigmatic figure. "Senior, you've used sealing energy to isolate this pure land from its surroundings. I wish for this seal not to obstruct my cultivation."

The middle-aged man chuckled and stomped his foot, causing the seal to tremble. "From now on, the seal shall not hinder your cultivation. What else do you desire?"

"I seek to absorb all the demonic Qi from the Dark Forest to fully manifest my Garuda's mark," Qin Wentian replied. The middle-aged figure opened a rift in space, allowing torrents of demonic Qi to flow in, forming a massive vortex that was greedily absorbed by Qin Wentian.

"You won't be able to absorb it all. This doesn't count as a boon. What else do you desire?" The middle-aged man inquired again.

Qin Wentian's gaze sharpened, resembling an unsheathed sword piercing the heavens. He nearly died because of the 3rd Prince and Luo Qianqiu. It was only fitting that he would "repay" this debt.

"I wish for the Chu Country not to obstruct my path of cultivation," Qin Wentian declared. To his surprise, the middle-aged man chuckled once more. "That is something you must resolve on your own; it cannot be granted as a request."

"Simply having the chance to meet you, senior, is already a great fortune. I dare not ask for more. In the future, should I have the opportunity to meet with you, I will express my gratitude personally and respectfully," Qin Wentian replied, bowing.

"Since you have made my dream-will manifest, consider this a form of karmic connection. Even if you do not seek good fortune, I must bestow some upon you. It is a part of my cultivation Dao, unrelated to your desires," the middle-aged man laughed. With a flick of his gaze, a radiant imprint was transferred into Qin Wentian's sea of consciousness.

Qin Wentian's sea of consciousness quivered, and he abruptly awoke from the dream. Simultaneously, the middle-aged figure's dream-will dissipated.

Back on the desolate hill, Qin Wentian remained, lying quietly on the colossal stone slab. There was no sign of the middle-aged figure, the radiant isolation screen, or even the nine towering mountain peaks.