Chapter 85
“Ping!”
It was as if he had fallen from a great height. Fang Yuan trembled and open his eyes.
“Life is but a dream. It’s a good thing that I’m self aware…”
Fang Yuan did a visual sweep of his surroundings. Darkness. Rocks. It looked like the bottom of a deep gorge. He could not help but laugh.
“To think that after entering my dream this time, I could become self aware immediately!”
Usually, when people entered their dream world, it was extremely difficult for them to become self aware. Even if they did, it remained a one-off thing. The fact that Fang Yuan was able to do so was testament to his massive improvement in skill.
“Hmm…this is…”
Fang Yuan saw a puddle of blood and mud next to him, and faraway shouts coming from the cliff above. Fang Yuan looked at his own body, and understood.
“Isn’t this still the world from before? Even following the point in time?”
Due to him having tested the passage of time, Fang Yuan was relaxed and ignored the mess beside him. He kneeled with his legs folded beneath him, and considered his current situation.
“Usually when people dream, the experience is a bizarre and unpredictable one. It is the same for novice dreamers. But I am different! My first dream world is so stable! The world actually has an intact system in place?”
This world was a product of imagination, and even carried with it a sense of absurdity. But on the surface, it was able to run by itself and had natural laws in working order. This was a huge improvement!
According to Master Wenxin’s writing on the Jade Scroll, for an average dreamer to create a relatively complete dream world, it would take a few years’ worth of hard work!
“This…it is either I’m prodigious, or it is because Master had already given me some pointers regarding cultivation in the dream world.”
“Still, an imagined world is ultimately a make-believe one. All the so-called power systems and paths to immortality are bullshit! No one in Qinghe County would fall for it, not even the low level martial artists of the 3 Prosperous Gates!”
Since everything was an illusion, how would there be any sign of realness?
Fang Yuan reminisced the exercises devised by the Green Cloud House, and found it very amusing.
“As the dream world gradually increases in realism, the rules also have to mirror those in reality…this is a big project. To me, this is a fantasy!”
Fang Yuan tilted his head to one side. He was no longer conflicted. He looked around him before climbing upwards, tracing an opening in the wall.
The slopes were steep and the wind cut like knives. Fortunately, big and thick vines lined the rock walls. They had weathered the elements and were as strong as metal chains. They supported Fang Yuan’s weight easily.
“Whew…”
When Fang Yuan had scaled the cliff, he huffed and immediately shook his head.
“Although i can’t change the look of the world, or increase my level of cultivation, there is no doubt that I ‘exist’. This is my dream world, I am the owner. Even though my authority is severely limited and I have to refresh my state of being, I can sustain my own existence!”
“Now…I should try to influence my surroundings, then finally change the world!”
“That damned method of breath training. I still need to use it for practice!”
It was easy to attempt immortal cultivation in the World of Qianyuan. One simply had to be in good physical shape, and use their celestial blood to absorb the spiritual energy. In this way, one could surely advance and succeed in building a solid training foundation.
Initially when his real self was lost, the setting Fang Yuan gave himself was ‘Trash Celestial Meridian’, without any ability to sense spirit energy.
But now?
Following his thoughts, a gust of wind blew, and small strands of refreshing aura were pulled towards him, guided into his body through the back of his neck, and straight into the spine.
‘Whew….”
After a while, Fang Yuan open his eyes and exhaled a foggy breath.
“Spirit Energy Training Stage Tier 1, complete? Why does it feel so similar to the 12 Golden Gates? Also, it has absorbed much of my knowledge, and memories of the other world…”
“Not sure how good the settings that I had given myself are. Can I be compared to the prodigies?”
Fang Yuan was among the Green Cloud Mountains, where the House was. The place had an abundance of spiritual energy.
After he had completed his Spirit Training, Fang Yuan could not bear to leave. He let himself enter a meditative state again.
“Huff”
A slight breeze. A white mist materialised and gathered as it floated towards Fang Yuan.
The so-called 13 Tiers of Spirit Training were child’s play to him.
Level 2!
Level 3!
Level 4!
In a flash, Fang Yuan had advanced five tiers, and had reached the Middle Stage of Spirit Training.
“This seems pretty average to me?”
Fang Yuan rubbed his arm, speechless.
“It seems like in my subconsciousness, the magic of the immortal cultivators in this world does not have a spectacular effect on physical growth. The more important things are the royally issued spiritual talisman, spiritual curse and magical weapon!”
“Senior Liu, it’s here!”
Suddenly, lights flashed from above. A group of people rode past on a flying object shaped like a giant leaf. They were the jerks from atop the cliffs.
They had spied Fang Yuan as well, and were turning red with rage.
“This Fang Yuan is the one who killed the Young Marquis. You have to help us deal with him!”
“Senior Liu, do be careful. This person is very strange. He had lost an arm previously, and I have no idea how he recovered. What a monster!”
“Even if this person survives a fall down the cliff, and gives off weird vibes, who cares? Our senior Liu Zhou is a gifted individual who has already completed his Spirit Training and is very close to accomplishing the Demonic Wind Technique. With his celestial body and a 397th Mainland Immortal Ranking, his future is limitless!”
_________
“Huff”
The magic artifact fell onto the group. From above came a suave looking youth with sharp features. His green robes fitted him very nicely and seemed to emit a soft glow.
He had a princely air about him, which used to arouse a sense of inferiority in Fang Yuan. However, Fang Yuan was perfectly composed this time. He seemed totally uninterested.
“You are Fang Yuan? I am Liu Zhou! My peers have accused you of killing the Little Marquis of Hanhai by pushing him off the cliff. All that remains of him is a bloody mess. Do you plead guilty?”
The youth frowned upon seeing Fang Yuan. He had noticed that this bum was somewhat different today.
Especially after he had climbed up from the bottom of the cliff and seen the remains of the Little Marquis. Fang Yuan was not in the least remorseful, which made him all the more unreadable.
“Does it matter whether I plead guilty or not?”
Fang Yuan laughed. He found this very interesting indeed.
‘Everything in my dream is in fact a reflection of what is going on in my subconsciousness. In other words, to conquer the dream world,…I have to retract my base emotions, be in control of my true self and cultivate my mind?’
“You…”
Liu Zhou narrowed his eyes. He suddenly realised that Fang Yuan was a real threat.
He could not see any hint of fear on Fang Yuan’s face. This was impossible.
A normal youth would give off uneasy vibes after being caught doing something unpleasant. When threatened with the laws, they would break in the end.
The youth before him was an exception. He maintained a cool look, as if the people surrounding him were insignificant bugs, as if he was the master of the sect!
That’s right! It was exactly this feeling!
Liu Zhou’s eyes gleamed. His hatred for Fan Yuan was increasing by the second.
“How dare you! Surrender yourself!”
As he roared, a jade sword flew out from his sleeves. The magical artifact slithered through the air like a snake and gave off a lethal glow.
“Magic artifact!”
“A real magic artifact! A flying sword!”
A few low level disciples exclaimed in amazement. It was entirely unexpected that their Senior Liu would use such a valuable item against a common wastrel like Fang Yuan.
“Hmm? This man intends to kill?!”
Fang Yuan was feeling the effects of the magic artifact.
He felt the weight of mountains crashing down on him, and the malevolent aura of the flying sword calling out for his blood. Still, he could not resist smiling coldly.
“He feels that I have slighted him and his ego is hurt?”
Fang Yuan felt a murderous rage coming.
If Fang Yuan had been in the Qinghe County of the real world, he might have held back. However, at this moment, he laughed out loud.
“You are as lowly as an ant, and yet you dare to come at me with the intent to kill. It seems like the Green Cloud House will be awash in blood because of you people!”
The art of cultivation required a mastery of the mind.
At this point, it did not matter if he went against the whole world and the immortal realm. It was but a dream!
“There are too many restrictions in the real world. The martial artist will have their souls clouded. How can we get around this?”
Fang Yuan had a sudden revelation.
“In the dream world, everything is up to me. I can kill and burn as I wish. If I choose to do good, I could become the Buddha of a thousand households. If I choose to commit evil, I could bring about the end of the world. This is the best place to cultivate one’s heart!”
Fang Yuan had resolved his thoughts, and charged at Liu Zhou without any more hesitation.
“Hmph! Dumbass!”
Liu Zhou’s features twisted into a sneer as Fang Yuan pounced towards him.
How could a mere mortal deal with someone who had already completed his Spirit Training, and had magic artifacts and spiritual talismans at his disposal?
“Jade sword! Kill!”
Liu Zhou pointed at Fang Yuan, and the flying sword shot towards Fang Yuan at a ferocious speed, leaving a green trail of light in its wake. It had pierced through Fang Yuan’s chest.
“Poof!”
A hole was punched into Fang Yuan’s chest amidst a cloud of blood and flesh.
But Fang Yuan did not even creased his brows. He had full control of senses and felt pain at only the lowest degree. He went up to Liu Zhou.
“The Black Sand Eagle Palm!”
“Ping!”
Liu Zhou flew backwards after receiving a blow from Fang Yuan. Fang Yuan paused, a curious look on his face.
“You…you devil!”
Liu Zhou climbed to his feet painfully and looked down at his shimmering robes. He was actually afraid.
“What the hell are you?”
Even the cultivators of the Golden Pill Stage would not have escaped unscathed if they had a hole punched into their chest.
Liu Zhou no longer saw Fang Yuan as a mere disciple. To him, Fang Yuan was now a terrible monster that would not die!
“A defensive magical equipment?”
Fang Yuan looked at his right hand and muttered to himself.
“To think that I actually have such a setting. I was really looking for trouble…”
As Fang Yuan sighed, he walked to Liu Zhou’s side.
“Ahh…stay away from me!”
Liu Zhou backed away quickly from the vile man who was immune to spiritual items and magic. He was after all more frightened to see a spiritual aura emanate from Fang Yuan’s hand.
“Magical artifacts have limits too!”
Fang Yuan ignored the havoc that the flying sword was wrecking. It did not matter how many times the sword cut into him for he could recover instantaneously. He focused at the task at hand instead, landing continuous punches on Liu Zhou’s magical robes.
“Click”
Finally, Liu Zhou’s magical robes were torn apart as he looked on with absolute terror. Fang Yuan immediately took the opportunity to smash in his head.