272. Butterfly Dream Trial

Back at the manor, Lu Li issued an order based on a single thought:

[Alert]

Immediately, puppets emerged from the warehouse, leaping and bounding nimbly to surround and guard the manor.

Of course, this is only the outermost line of defense.

Back in his room, six flying swords swam in the air like fish; these were his personal guards.

After taking necessary precautions, Lu Li immediately began his breakthrough.

The Spirit Refinement [astral projection] is undoubtedly a qualitative leap, granting the Divine Ability and the title of "enlightened true person".

Divine Soul projection and consciousness leaving the body clearly violate the body's original structure and instincts.

Strictly speaking, this falls under the category of artificial "biological mutagenesis," inducing mutations in the central nervous system.

To achieve this, one must first have a strong physique capable of withstanding "mutation damage".

Lu Li then took out the "War of National Defense Commemorative Medal" and summoned the "Shadow Painter Sword".

He aimed at the sword's edge and slashed his fingertip, squeezing out a drop of blood, as bright as lead and mercury, which landed on the medal.

This move was intended to maximize the resonance of the "thing to which the mind is attached," and the wound on Lu Li's finger actually healed automatically in just three to five seconds!

This is the powerful physique resulting from the blood transfusion of Martial Arts.

The human body is a complex organic whole, and the enhancement brought about by the Martial Arts Realm is not just a simple numerical value such as strength and defense.

Lu Li's recovery and damage resistance have also been greatly enhanced, only in this way can she withstand the "central nervous system mutation".

And now comes the crucial part!

A force is needed to shake the consciousness, startle the Divine Soul, and cause it to leave the body and leap out—this is the process of leaving the body!

During the long years of cultivation in the other world, many methods were summarized.

The <Butterfly Dream Out of Body Method> that Lu Li is currently using is derived from the theory of "Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream".

It's hard to distinguish between dreams and reality. Even Zhuangzi was somewhat confused after waking up from his butterfly dream, unable to tell whether he was Zhuang Zhou or the butterfly.

The "Butterfly Dream," crafted from a shared and profound emotional bond, naturally caused Lu Li's Divine Soul to tremble violently.

He gripped the "War of National Defense Commemorative Medal" tightly with both hands, took control of his subconscious, and actively entered a state of mental dormancy.

At the same time, the mind also senses and connects with the "emotions" stored in the medal, investing its own thoughts into them.

When the brain is dormant, the central nervous system almost stops functioning.

Lu Li's thinking was sluggish, with only a sliver of consciousness and a trace of his true self remaining, as he continued to fall.

It felt like plunging straight into the deep sea; the spotlight above gradually faded into the distance, leaving only chaos all around.

Images flashed before Lu Li's eyes, one after another. First, he saw his father lying in the hospital bed, then his childhood classmate, and then his mother, whose appearance he had almost forgotten...

And to make matters worse, we even saw the Kunlun Mirror! The ancient bronze mirror's surface shimmered faintly.

A series of images flashed by, until they sank into the darkest and most desolate place, where Lu Li saw a huge black shadow.

With a huge wingspan and three heads, it was emitting a roar that seemed to urge him on, but unfortunately, it was shrouded in darkness and could not be seen clearly.

At this moment, the "War of National Defense Commemorative Medal" in Lu Li's hand was faintly glowing with a blue crystalline light, clearly indicating that it had already taken effect.

But not far away, the father's urn also began to emit this faint blue crystalline glow!

In an instant, the pitch-black chaos before Lu Li's eyes seemed to weather and peel away rapidly, like cracked paint.

The sunlight, sky, and mountains behind were revealed, revealing a whole world!

Suddenly, he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and Lu Li lost his balance and fell to the ground with a thud.

Caught off guard, he fell and was in pain all over his body; his palms were covered in blood and dirt.

"My power... has vanished!?"

Lu Li struggled to his feet, leaning against a tree, somewhat incredulous:

The physical ability to withstand bullets is gone, and so is the mental fortitude to lift a car!

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't generate any mental energy; his power completely vanished! He was once again crippled, just like before he obtained the Kunlun Mirror!

But that's not all!

Lu Li quickly realized why he had fallen: his right trouser leg was empty, and his prosthetic leg was gone!

"Letting me come all alone... this is a hellish start."

Having gone through so much, Lu Li is no longer the same person she used to be, and she won't back down because of difficulties.

He took a deep breath to regain his composure and began to observe his surroundings.

The woods are deep and secluded, with fallen leaves rustling in the wind, a scene of late autumn in the mountains.

"Deciduous broad-leaved forest, a temperate monsoon climate, like my hometown to the north... I think I know where I am."

"Butterfly Dream" was activated by that medal, and its location was not hard to guess.

Lu Li was about to find a thick branch or something in the woods to use as a walking stick, but he froze when he turned over the dry grass at his feet...

In the haystack, half green and half yellow and covered with fallen leaves, there was a black box about a foot square—the father's urn!

How did the urn end up there?

Lu Li was genuinely puzzled. He hadn't even brought his prosthetic leg, so how could this thing...? Wait a minute!!!

There was something under the urn; upon closer inspection, it was his own prosthetic leg!

The receiving cavity, the metal joint, the connecting tube... it's the same one we've been using all along.

Despite its somewhat old appearance, it is made extensively using Titanium alloy, carbon fiber composite materials, and other materials.

It's strong, lightweight, and quite expensive; my father insisted on buying it many years ago, and it's still with me now.

Lu Li couldn't understand why this had happened, but there was no time to think about it now, so he had to put his doubts aside for the time being.

He knelt down and fitted the surgical cavity onto the severed leg, making sure it was securely fastened.

After taking a couple of steps, I regained my mobility, and the difficulty level dropped significantly.

At first glance, the sunlight was somewhat dazzling, and a cool breeze carried a few withered leaves; the world felt terrifyingly real.

Lu Li took a deep breath and began to explore his surroundings, first looking for an opportunity to complete the Butterfly Dream Trial.

~~~~~~~~~~

For the caster, this "Butterfly Dream" was a trial.

The object to which one's spirit rests, namely the "War of National Defense Commemorative Medal," is the key to unlocking the trial and will not cause trouble without cause.

Lu Li was "born in response to the times," and was bound to experience the deepest and most intense emotions of his great-grandfather.

You can bask in the sun in the mountains and forests, Lu Li not far from the mountaintop.

So he went up to higher ground to get a better view of the surroundings.

But he had become accustomed to the extraordinary blessing, forgetting that climbing mountains was far too difficult for a cripple.

After walking for less than half an hour, the broken leg started to chafe unbearably.

Exhausted and thirsty, Lu Li had no choice but to stop.

He carefully placed the urn on the ground and sat down to rest, leaning against a large tree.

"So he's just an ordinary person after all... What will happen if he gets injured here?"

I've tried many times along the way, but I've completely reverted to my original form, and even the Bullet Time I gained from Spirit Concentration is gone.

But the wound from the fall is still there, and the feeling of being tired and thirsty doesn't lie.

"If we encounter danger or get injured here, it could lead to very bad consequences!"

As Lu Li pondered this, he simultaneously removed his prosthetic leg and continuously loosened his muscles and improved blood circulation in order to recover as quickly as possible.

But just then, he suddenly sensed a gaze!

This wasn't an ability gained from Spirit Refinement; Lu Li was originally a perceptive person, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to carry Jessica and dodge tank fire!

He immediately followed his instincts and looked towards the mountains and forests not far away.

Indeed, there were two figures watching this area from the forest.

The two were stunned when they saw Lu Li remove his prosthetic leg, which made Lu Li realize something was amiss.

Seeing this, the two simply showed themselves and walked over.

Lu Li also remained where he was, and when they got closer, the expressions on both of their faces were quite interesting.

Because there are two people in the world who look exactly alike.