A Startling Dream

"Ha! Huo Yuhao, so you have this day too!"

Xiao Yan threw back his head and laughed. The frustration of being suppressed all these years finally found an outlet!

Huo Yuhao, half-kneeling on the ground, seemed to say something, but Xiao Yan did not hear him clearly. So he strode over, the Heavenly Flame flickering at his fingertips as it vaporized the scattered ice shards around them.

"Who would have thought there were ten kinds of Heavenly Flames hidden in this desert? I broke straight through to the Dou Saint level. Ha! So who's the little brother now?"

Xiao Yan looked smug as he gazed down at Huo Yuhao kneeling on the ground. "What did you just say?"

"I said you're having a pretty nice dream."

"Still talking tough? I told you long ago, don't bully the poor youth! Now the wheel of fortune has turned, and it's my turn..." Before he finished speaking, Xiao Yan flashed a wicked grin and raised his hand to smack Huo Yuhao on the backside.

"Huh? This doesn't feel right?"

"Of course it doesn't. I already canceled the simulation."

The world around them twisted violently, and the scene abruptly changed. The ice shards and Heavenly Flames vanished, while the Huo Yuhao before him turned into a rock.

"Argh—" Pain shot through him. Xiao Yan clutched his right hand and began hopping around in place.

Watching Xiao Yan bare his teeth in pain, a trace of satisfaction flashed through Huo Yuhao's eyes. Over the past few days, his improvements to the soul skill "Simulation" had initially achieved control over the five senses. Remembering Xiao Yan's smug, villainous face in the illusion, Huo Yuhao's lips slowly curled into a cold arc.

A chill crawled up Xiao Yan's back. Seeing Huo Yuhao cracking his fingers with a sinister grin, Xiao Yan's voice trembled. "You're the one behind that illusion. It has nothing to do with me... Don't come any closer!"

After a round of roughhousing, Xiao Yan clutched his backside and shed tears of regret. "You bastard, Huo Yuhao! You actually set me up! I'll remember this grudge!"

"Brother Yuhao, how exactly did you do it?" Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously. "Xiao Yan and I clearly both opened up our seas of consciousness, so why were we still completely unable to resist?"

"Kid Huo, that illusion was so unreasonable, yet even this old man noticed nothing. How strange." Hai Bodong was equally bewildered. Over the past few days, Huo Yuhao's illusions had left them thoroughly dazed and miserable.

"One at a time." Huo Yuhao explained, "Simulation and the Qi Control Art alone can't achieve this, and they consume too much energy. So I tried using Spiritual Sharing to control the five senses. Simulation cannot control the five senses, but one's own consciousness can. I use Simulation to construct the surroundings, then use Spiritual Sharing to send that consciousness into the target, replacing the real world they perceive."

Huo Yuhao paused to give them time to understand before continuing, "Xian'er, Xiao Yan, your spiritual realms are below mine, so naturally you couldn't resist. As for not noticing the irrationality of the surroundings, although Simulation can't control the five senses, it can influence the sixth sense and the subconscious. Once even your consciousness has been influenced, how could you notice that the illusion is unreasonable?"

"Then in future battles... wouldn't you be practically invincible?" Hai Bodong exclaimed.

"Not quite." Huo Yuhao considered it before saying, "Those whose spiritual or soul realm surpasses mine naturally need not fear it. Also, spiritual power is fundamentally a form of energy. If someone fully unleashes their soul power or spiritual power, or fully erupts with Dou Qi, they can drive my spiritual power away."

While Huo Yuhao explained how to counter his new skill, Yao Chen, who had been listening from the shadows, quietly set up a soul barrier to prevent any possible outsiders from overhearing.

"By the way, Kid Huo, it doesn't seem appropriate to keep calling this move Simulation. How about giving it a new name?" Hai Bodong suddenly suggested.

"Hmm, I've decided to call it A Startling Dream in the Void—Mirage Reflected in Water! What do you think?"

After a moment of silence, Hai Bodong suddenly praised him. "A Startling Dream, is it? Good name."

"Alright, it's time to get moving. Stone Desert City is close." Already used to having the naming rights taken from him again, Huo Yuhao did not mind. He silently pulled up Xiao Yan, who had been lying on the ground eavesdropping, thoughtfully helped him strap on the Profound Heavy Ruler, then pinched his mouth open and poured in a bottle of the improved Bloodburn.

"Cough, cough! Huo Yuhao, are you trying to kill me?" Xiao Yan nearly choked. After a fit of coughing, he shoved Huo Yuhao away and took the lead toward Stone Desert City.

Xiao Yan walked briskly, completely unlike the pitiful state he had been in days ago when Bloodburn had tormented him half to death. Huo Yuhao observed him for a while and nodded thoughtfully. It seemed he had adapted. On the way back, he could make him drink a few more bottles.

They chatted and laughed along the way, until the outline of a city built from piled rocks slowly emerged ahead. They had arrived at Stone Desert City.

"Whew, we're finally here. Let's go into the city." Xiao Yan tore off his sand-covered outer robe, deliberately exposing his alchemist badge as he walked inside.

"What is he doing?" Little Fairy Doctor asked.

"Trying to save the city entry fee," Huo Yuhao explained.

"Doesn't he know that Stone Desert City doesn't charge an entry fee at all?" Hai Bodong said speechlessly.

After entering the city, they saw fully armed soldiers patrolling everywhere. After asking around, Huo Yuhao's group headed south. After turning through several streets, a compound almost comparable in size to the Xiao Clan estate in Wutan City appeared before them.

Above the compound, a flag fluttered in the wind. The words Desert Iron Mercenary Corps were emblazoned upon it, faintly exuding an iron-blooded, unyielding aura. Yet as Huo Yuhao looked at the imposing compound, his brows furrowed.

"No defensive formation. The guards may look capable, but their defenses are lax. The heaven and earth energy in this location is also far too thin. It seems my eldest and second brothers are not doing as well as they claimed," Huo Yuhao muttered.

"These two guards seem spirited enough, don't they? The mercenary groups in Green Mountain Town don't even have guards," Little Fairy Doctor said in confusion.

"You don't know this, but when we were at the Xiao Clan, the courtyard guards were put through quite something by him... Tsk, tsk. There was a sentry every few steps," Xiao Yan teased. "Even a mosquito had to be inspected twice before being let in."

"Your family had that many courtyard guards?"

"I don't know how he persuaded those stingy old codgers, the three great elders, but he greatly improved the guards' compensation. Yuhao also often taught them cultivation methods and Dou Skills."

"Then why let mosquitoes in?"

Just as Huo Yuhao and the others approached, the two mercenaries guarding the gate instantly turned stern and stared hard at them, making Xiao Yan somewhat excited.

Is this finally the part where I show off and slap some faces? I really am the protagonist. Xiao Yan secretly reveled in it, adjusting himself and preparing to make a move before Huo Yuhao could.

Suddenly, the two mercenaries stepped aside, closed their eyes, and bowed deeply.

"For business matters, please turn right to the Affairs Hall. For sparring or challenging the establishment, please turn left to the Martial Arts Arena. For visiting relatives and friends, please proceed straight to the rear courtyard."

"Pfft—what kind of mercenaries are these?!"

Equally stunned, Huo Yuhao rubbed his forehead. "This is your doing, Xiao Yan, isn't it?"

"I've never even met them!"

"You must have spouted nonsense at home before, and my brothers heard it."

Seeing their astonished expressions, the two mercenaries straightened up and laughed. "You must be the leader's two younger brothers. Please, come in!"