Sculptor's Guild

"Hi, gentlemen!"

"The art parade will pass by here tomorrow, so we are working overnight to repair the stone statues."

"This place might be dangerous; you'd better stay away!"

Suddenly, several people dressed in orange robes rushed out from the side.

They looked to be in their twenties or thirties, and were all awakened beings with Essence.

When they stopped Linsey and Ala Song, they were in a friendly tone and only intended to take the two away from the square.

—Is he from the Art Association?

Several hours later, the management of the City of a Thousand Sails restored order.

So they began to maintain order at the scene to prevent others from accidentally coming into contact with the Hallucination Dream and causing other dangerous consequences.

Linsey tentatively asked:

"Are you from the Art Association here to maintain order at the scene?"

Upon being asked this question, the artists in orange robes realized that Linsey was someone who knew about the incident.

However, their answers differed somewhat from Linsey's guess.

"Sir, we are from the Sculptor's Guild."

"The Art Association is working hard to stabilize the City of a Thousand Sails and the normal functioning of the world. Places like Hallucination Dream can only be temporarily looked after by grassroots organizations like ours."

Another person said to Linsey:

"Sir, since you already know, I will speak frankly."

"It's very dangerous here right now. For your own safety and for the safety of the city, please leave immediately."

Linsey stated her purpose directly. "My very important companion has been drawn into this Hallucination Dream, and I'm going in to rescue her."

The man in the orange robe immediately spoke up to dissuade him, "Sir, the passage to the Hallucination Dream has been sealed off."

"And we don't know if there will be any danger, you'd better..."

Linsey interrupted the other person's attempts to dissuade her:

"If you are maintaining order in the city, you should know that another Hallucination Dream in the Blue District has been opened, and those trapped inside have been successfully released."

"I was the one who did what happened over there."

"..."

The two men in orange robes exchanged a glance and stood in solemn respect.

Their tone and expressions became complicated, and they began to whisper, "Entering Hallucination Dream?"

"I've heard that the Hallucination Dream here are very dangerous."

"Go and inform Master Rubens! This is a great opportunity to rescue the people and enhance our reputation. Our Guild must not miss it!"

The exchange in the orange robe has ended.

Several of them immediately left to inform their companions in other locations.

Those who remained said to Linsey:

"Sir, since you are going to rescue your companions, we have no reason to stop you."

"But the Hallucination Dream here is sealed off. What method do you plan to use to open its passage?"

Linsey glanced at Ala Song:

"Using the techniques of the Impression Channel, and the corresponding tokens."

While explaining, Linsey led Ala Song to the area directly beneath the statue.

This time, no one stopped them. They saw a shimmering blue light on the plaque beneath the statue. The mesmerizing light that permeated the city emanated steadily and continuously from this spot.

"Call--"

"Then I'll begin."

Ala Song took a deep breath, then opened his clothes and took out his paintbrush from the inside pocket.

"Linsey, let me confirm this again."

"That world is a complete reflection of reality, so all I have to do is paint the street scenes?"

Linsey handed over the Black Cloud Mask in her hand. "That's right, these are the coordinates."

Ala Song took the mask, his eyes straightening.

The one-armed painter used the floor in front of the statue as his canvas, and his Essence condensed into colorful paint, which he splashed onto the yellowed ancient street.

With each stroke, the fluctuations of the Essence manifest on the paintbrush and the ground.

Draw lines following the painter's skillful guidance.

The square, the statues, the surrounding buildings, even every crack in the cobblestones on the road.

Ala Song's paintbrush takes flight, becoming a key that connects reality and dreams.

While painting, a touch of black was also drawn out from the surface of the Black Cloud Mask by Ala Song.

This color was used as a pigment.

It forms the foundation of the entire picture and becomes the color tone of Ala Song's work.

"..."

"No problem, it worked."

Fifteen minutes later, Ala Song handed the Black Cloud Mask back to Linsey.

He loosened his mask one second, and the next second he breathed a sigh of relief, fell backward, and sat directly on the ground.

The one-armed painter said with a wry smile:

"Linsey, that mask of yours is really something else."

"When I tried to activate its power, it felt like I was being watched by some enormous creature; my hand holding the paintbrush was trembling."

Linsey patted Ala Song on the shoulder:

"There's nothing we can do; this thing was left behind by Fallen Artist from Black Tide Island."

"You rest here, I'll be on my own from now on..."

Linsey didn't want to involve Ala Song in the dangerous, Hallucination Dream.

But the one-armed painter shook his head:

"I don't have the habit of giving up halfway through a task. Now that I'm on this pirate ship, I'll finish what I started properly."

Linsey cautiously reminded him:

"This Hallucination Dream is extremely dangerous!"

Ala Song's attitude was firm:

"For those City of a Thousand Sails, there is almost no chance to enter the Hallucination Dream; at the same time, for a painter, rare scenes are also worth the risk to pursue."

"Linsey, I've traveled alone through various worlds for so long, and I've never had a reason to back down at a time like this!"

"..."

"Ala Song, the hospitality on Mermaid Island is enough here."

"But Linsey, aren't we friends who have gone through danger together?"

The other person chose to take the risk with them.

The kind of risking one's life.

Linsey fell silent for a moment, feeling unable to express his attitude in words.

So he simply took some food out of his bag. "Here, eat this."

"We'll go down as soon as you've recovered."

The food, with its perfect color, aroma, and taste, wafts an enticing fragrance in front of you.

Ala Song's expression was subtle; he swallowed hard, hesitated, and then accepted Linsey's suggestion.

"Is it really okay to eat at a time like this?"

"Linsey, I heard a Life Scholar from Volcano City say that eating before strenuous exercise can easily cause indigestion, and even lead to severe pain in something in the small intestine... Ah? Hmm! This..."

The first bite of grilled fish.

Ala Song's attitude was completely different.

He was completely won over by the deliciousness of Linsey's food.

Upon sensing his permanently enhanced Constitution, his shocked expression became even more solemn:

"Linsey, where did you get this food from...?"

Ala Song saw the orange-robed Awakened One beside him.

"Never mind, anyway, this kind of thing really shouldn't be given to outsiders; it could be dangerous for you."

Linsey smiled and extended her hand to Ala Song:

"But I think this is something good that should be shared with friends."

"..."

The one-armed painter looked at Linsey carefully.

At this point, there is no need for words between men.

He smiled slightly, reached out his one arm to grasp Linsey's hand, and was pulled to his feet.

Without further delay, the two stepped into the entrance to the Hallucination Dream together, under the watchful eyes of the orange-robed Awakened One beside them.