The talisman paper suddenly sprang into the air, fluttering without a breeze and rustling softly. The runes written on it flashed, then it burst into a bright ball of flame with a sharp hiss.
A dreamlike white light erupted from the flames. Zhang Xiao felt as though he had stayed awake for three days and nights and was still driving down a deserted highway.
Overwhelming drowsiness engulfed him in an instant. Just before his eyes closed, he seemed to hear Zhang Chengdao's calm voice:
"Returning Dream Immortal Journey, activate!"
The white light before his eyes faded, and Zhang Xiao found himself somewhere unfamiliar. Thick mist surrounded him, and beneath his feet lay water as smooth as a mirror.
He tried taking a step forward. Ripples spread across the water beneath his feet, and the mist churned, parting to reveal a narrow path.
This is amazing! The instant he stepped onto the path, images appeared in the mist on either side: him reading, training, eating, attending class. It was like a film playing backward.
Watching these familiar scenes he had experienced not long ago, Zhang Xiao clicked his tongue in wonder. People said magic defied reason, but the Daoist Order's spells were every bit as mysterious and extraordinary!
So if I follow the path forward, the memories I see should get earlier?
Still guessing, he continued slowly forward. Sure enough, it was much as he had expected. As he advanced, the images in the mist showed progressively earlier memories.
When he reached the scene of himself riding the dragon, he reached out and tapped the mist.
The water beneath his feet suddenly began to boil. The mirrorlike surface, previously as solid as a concrete road, actually became water. Before Zhang Xiao could react, he fell straight through, leaving spreading rings of