Dream Realm

Falling.

Falling again.

Falling endlessly.

"Bang—"

Waking up.

Gu Shen opened his eyes to find himself standing on a vast, boundless wilderness. Countless blades of grass swayed in the wind, and the sky was weighed down by dark clouds. Within the leaden clouds, the low rumble of thunder hinted at its impending release. The whole world was silent, deathly still, like the eve of the apocalypse.

Where is this...

Memories surfaced, halting at the last moment when Senior Apprentice Sister Luo pointed at him.

"This is a dreamscape created by a mental Transcendent."

A familiar voice rang out.

Gu Shen turned his head in astonishment and saw the little white dress he had been longing for. The skirt was lifted by the wind, revealing the girl's delicate pink calves.

Seeing Gu Shen's stunned expression.

Chu Ling smoothed a strand of her dragon whisker-like hair behind her ear and asked with a smile, "What's wrong? You don't want to see me?"

"No, no, how could that be?!"

Gu Shen quickly waved his hand. He carefully chose his words and said slowly, "It's just that I didn't expect... to meet you here."

He felt a little lost.

If this is a dreamscape that Luo Er has cast on him, then is everything now just his imagination?

"Although this is a dream, everything that happens here will become your real memory." Chu Ling said seriously, "The real and the illusory are originally two worlds with blurred boundaries. The mental consciousness that manipulates our physical bodies, no one can describe its exact entity, form... but it exists in reality. And in such a dreamscape, the mental consciousness can be manifested in a concrete way."

Gu Shen recalled his first encounter with Chu Ling.

That "00 Me" train... was that also a dream?

"As for why I appear here... the specific reason is not the time to explain yet." Chu Ling said softly, "Gu Shen, you only need to remember that even without Deep Sea, I can still have a Mental Link with you. So..."

"As long as you need me, I will appear."

She looked at Gu Shen, "Definitely."

Gu Shen stared blankly at the girl. In this world transformed by dreams, everything was so vast – the boundless wilderness, the sea of leaves that could drown young boys and girls, and the dark clouds pressing down on their heads, almost collapsing.

In this world.

One person is so small and lonely.

But with one more person, they are no longer small, nor lonely.

"Hiss..."

Gu Shen felt a headache and said in a low voice, "I remember now, the reason I came here is because Senior Apprentice Sister Luo wanted to show me a 'thing'... what is that 'thing'?"

Regarding this question.

Chu Ling only smiled, without replying.

Gu Shen realized that the answer to this question... needed to be uncovered by himself. He reached out and grabbed a piece of swirling grass. Everything here was very real. There were residual ice shards and frost on the leaves, which looked like they hadn't completely thawed yet.

He rubbed it hard.

The ice shards were crushed into water.

More and more grass clippings flew up, some breaking free from the cover of frost and snow, some stretching out tender green buds. This world, which was gray and desolate at first glance, gradually turned green under the cover of thunder, like a painted scroll being colored.

In the era of surging electronic torrents, such scenery could no longer be seen. Today's steel jungles are full of cold, hard, and rough buildings like monsters. A newly born spring grass will soon be bent over, and a brand-new piece of land will soon be uprooted... Even in undeveloped wilderness areas, it is difficult to see large stretches of continuous open fields.

As this scroll expanded, the desolation and decay were swept away. The rumbling thunder became more and more intense, as if an invisible tide was pushing from far to near—

Gu Shen seemed to see all living things being revived. The withered winter was destroyed, spring arrived, and countless leaves and grasses swept in, shaking off the frost and snow.

He subconsciously adjusted his breathing.

All sounds became clear, including his own breathing... Time seemed to slow down at this moment.

An invisible force guided Gu Shen to sit down, turning into a tiny spring grass on the wilderness. The moment he sat down, his hair condensed a thin layer of frost, but it was quickly blown away by the wind—

Many grass clippings were blown up.

But he remained still.

At this moment, it seemed that many words were injected into his mind, or rather, countless continuous virtual images, broken lines, and smeared colors—

Accompanied by a roar from the dome.

Spring thunder sounded.

Information exploded in his mind.

Continuous drizzle fell, not very heavy, but it covered the entire wilderness. The rain fell, but it did not make people feel cold... Instead, it made people feel incomparably warm.

This was a spring rain, taking the entire world out of the cold winter.

Grass clippings fell, landing on Gu Shen's eyebrows, shoulders, and hair.

The boy forgot everything, his breathing rising and falling as steadily as a stone. In this dream, Gu Shen seemed to have had a deeper dream. His mental strength was slowly increasing, and with every second that passed, he felt more at ease and stable in his heart.

The girl in the white dress was by his side, smiling and accompanying him, watching quietly.

Countless grass clippings whistled past, and were beaten down by the rain again. Only when they fell near Chu Ling did they turn into broken numbers. This perfect, real world had a small area of ​​illusory land that could not be touched or reached because of the girl's existence.

I don't know how long it has been.

Gu Shen slowly opened his eyes, sensing his own changes.

He felt like he had slept for a long, long time. This dream world was like reality.

The kind of fatigue from using the Truth Ruler and not getting enough rest the night before was all swept away at this moment. Gu Shen's heart was now filled with positive emotions similar to "spring revival."

He finally understood what Senior Apprentice Sister Luo was talking about, the thing that could help him control his Transcendent power.

This dreamscape felt more like a lecture.

There was no better way to teach than through immersion... This entire dream world, from the blades of grass to the peals of thunder, all living things, were teaching him... how to breathe.

This was a breathing method that could only be understood intuitively, not verbally.

"Too incredible."

Gu Shen's eyes became brighter and more radiant, and he looked at Chu Ling, his eyes full of gratitude.

During his deep sleep, Gu Shen could feel that someone had been by his side all along.

"This is the 'Awakening of Insects' that Gu Changzhi left to the Tribunal," Chu Ling said softly, "Searching the five continents, there shouldn't be a breathing method more suitable for newcomers than 'Awakening of Insects'. As long as you master this breathing method and constantly temper your spirit, you can greatly reduce the probability of 'losing control'."

"Awakening of Insects..."

Gu Shen clenched his fist, feeling a vast power hidden within him. His spirit was now exceptionally full and rich, as if he had inexhaustible energy.

Inside his spine, it was as if a thunderbolt was hidden.

Just like the meaning of the words Awakening of Insects!

"The only drawback is that the comprehension of 'Awakening of Insects' is very, very, very... difficult."

Chu Ling used "very" three times in a row, while looking at Gu Shen, her eyes somewhat complicated, and said, "The vast majority of people, even if they have the opportunity to come to this dream world, will not produce the slightest sense of resonance or understanding."

Gu Shen looked down at the blades of grass in his palm.

Was it difficult?

But his comprehension didn't seem to encounter any difficulties... Everything was so smooth, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as plain sailing.

"You chose [Spirit Link] because you were afraid I would encounter trouble?" Gu Shen smiled, "Sorry to disappoint you."

Chu Ling was noncommittal, "Yes, but not entirely."

"If I didn't enter this dream world... the dream would have ended after you comprehended 'Awakening of Insects'."

Chu Ling raised her head and looked towards the end of the world after the spring rain had subsided. The dark clouds in the distance dissipated, the cloud layers shattered, and the horizon at the end of her vision actually began to shrink.

This dream world had already begun to collapse, but in the sky above, fragments of blurred symbolic codes descended, so the collapse speed of the Awakening of Insects dream was slowed down incredibly.

"You can't go out yet."

Gu Shen was stunned.

"Only fifteen minutes have passed in the real world."

Chu Ling explained simply, "The fastest comprehension record in the history of the Tribunal is one hour and forty-five minutes. If you go out now... no matter how much Zhou Jiren protects you, those people in the Tribunal will probably suggest cutting you into slices for research."

"...Fifteen minutes?!"

Gu Shen was surprised. If he were told that fifteen hours had passed in this Awakening of Insects dream, he would have believed it.

Only a quarter of an hour had passed in the real world.

Gu Shen understood what Chu Ling meant.

In many games, the first record is always broken. If it's only a little faster than the original first place, then the record breaker is a respectable new champion, but if it's several times, dozens of times faster... then people will probably think that this person is a shameful cheater.

"The Awakening of Insects world is about to collapse."

Gu Shen saw the collapse of the distant horizon. He really didn't want to go out right now, on the verge of tears. "How long can we last? If you had told me earlier, I could have taken a nap here before trying to comprehend it."

"Many things in the dream world are not controlled by one's own conscious mind," Chu Ling said with a smile. "The subconscious determines the outcome of the dream. If you choose to sleep, you might complete the comprehension in the next layer of the dream. That's why many people exhaust themselves trying to comprehend 'Awakening of Insects,' trying all sorts of methods, but ultimately still fail."

"The good news is... with my delay, the speed of this world's collapse has slowed down. We will still set a new record, but it will only be a tiny bit faster than the first place." Chu Ling held up a finger, revealing a rare playful smile. "A tiny bit."

"A tiny bit?"

"A tiny bit faster than the original first place?"

Gu Shen sighed deeply and asked sincerely, "Great Chu Ling, you are so powerful, can you let me be the last one? Like, a tiny bit slower than the very last one? Compared to being first, I'm better at hiding in the back. It feels really safe that way."

The girl tilted her head slightly, her eyes puzzled.

She couldn't quite understand why Gu Shen wanted to be the last one.

Everyone wants to be first, wants to be the one who sets records, shining brightly and attracting attention.

"I've always just wanted to be an ordinary, unremarkable person..."

"I never wanted to shine brightly or attract attention..."

Gu Shen took a deep breath. His originally slow speech gradually sped up. "When you're first, many people will have expectations of you for no reason. You have to run forward desperately, faster and faster, and you can never stop. Mr. Shu saved me with the Amnesty Decree, and Senior Apprentice Sister and Senior Apprentice Brother came from afar to teach me. They gave me a new house and a large sum of money. I feel like I'd be letting them down if I don't get an 'S' grade. But... Chu Ling, do you know? They're working so hard to help me, but they don't know that I don't even have that so-called damn Transcendent ability!"

Chu Ling stared blankly at the boy.

After the spring rain, grass clippings and water droplets clung to the sides of Gu Shen's cheeks. In those clear pupils, three parts were struggle, and seven parts were pain.

Actually, it wasn't that he didn't want to be first.

It was that he was afraid of letting down those who were good to him.

Gu Shen only felt that all of this was happening too fast and too absurd. In fifteen days, there would be the Tribunal's assessment, and they would be grading his "Transcendent ability"... but who would have thought that he didn't have any Transcendent ability at all!

What was the point of special training?

What was the point of comprehending "Awakening of Insects"?

Even if he tried his best, all his efforts were destined to be in vain.

"Who said that?"

At the end of the collapsing world.

A gentle voice sounded.

"Who said you don't have Transcendent abilities..."

Chu Ling shook her head. Her face was serious, her voice sincere, spreading with the rain, permeating the surroundings, making people feel at peace.

"You just haven't awakened yet."

The world was slowly collapsing.

Gu Shen no longer looked at the grass clippings, the rain, the lingering clouds. The scenery in his eyes was no longer important. All that remained was this girl.

In Chu Ling's eyes, he saw something different from what he saw in the eyes of others.

Not expectation, nor encouragement, nor comfort.

But a resolute declaration, a prophecy destined to come true.

"Gu Shen, you must believe in yourself... that you deserve an 'S' grade evaluation!"

The concept of time in the dream world is incomprehensible.

Clearly, the time for comprehension is very slow.

Yet the time for collapse is so fast.

Nothing happened, but the end of the world is already in sight, the sky collapsing, replaced by countless blurred blocks of code.

Chu Ling stood in the darkness, smiling as she said.

"Since you don't want to be the one to create records, then I'll accompany you from behind. The road is still long, very long..."

This time, it was the girl who reached out her hand, wanting to touch the boy.

This time, there was still no real touch—

Garbled code flew everywhere.

Darkness enveloped everything.

The dream shattered.