"What kind of technique is the Young Master cultivating?"

In the sparse woods, next to the roasting rack from which only wisps of blue smoke now rose, a scorched-blackened area about ten feet in diameter had appeared where Wu Wang was originally seated.

Xiong San's Adam's apple bobbed. He was about to call out to the Young Master but found that his figure had already departed with the wind, so free and elegant.

There wouldn't be any problem with the meal he ate, would there?

"The Chief! Yes, find the Chief!"

Xiong San shouted and immediately ran toward the clan's settlement, leaving the giant wolf riders to clean up the mess.

That Spirit Beast... it's really potent.

Wu Wang slowly suppressed the surging heat within him, feeling completely invigorated. From time to time, various images would bubble up in his mind.

It's not that they were completely indescribable, just... 'adults only.'

With that, Wu Wang also suddenly understood why this Spirit Beast was so rare and precious, yet had no specific name.

With such effects, what does a name matter? You could probably make soup from its fossils!

He returned to his large tent to meditate for a while, storing the newly generated, restless Yang energy in various parts of his body, sealing it with immortal power.

Afterward, filled with resentment, he silently cursed the God of Fortune a few times.

The Transcendent Realm, ah, the Transcendent Realm!

Wu Wang sighed softly, his form drifting towards the tent of his old brother, the Sleep God... no, he should be called Yun Zhongjun.

Wu Wang and Yun Zhongjun happened to meet right at the tent entrance.

This Ancient God had reverted to his simple and slightly chubby appearance, seeming harmless to everyone.

He winked and gestured at Wu Wang, asking, "Here to cultivate?"

"Are you heading out, old brother?"

"Exactly. I'm preparing to plant some spies in the Human Domain and Central Mountain," Yun Zhongjun replied with a smile.

"Since you're here, I'll let you cultivate in a dream first. But why did you come alone?"

His implication was clear: Don't you have any idea about your own situation?

Wu Wang calmly said, "I happen to have something to discuss with you, old brother. Let's talk inside."

Then and there, Wu Wang told Yun Zhongjun about his plan to plunder Divine Power from Heaven Palace during its war with the Human Domain. He also explained his method for continuously acquiring Divine Power by initiating the practice of becoming a god through collective faith in the Northern Wilderness.

Yun Zhongjun hummed in thought for a few moments, then muttered, "I'm just afraid that too much commotion will attract Heaven Palace's attention."

"Yes, this matter can only be advanced slowly," Wu Wang said with a smile.

"It must be like the spring rain that nurtures things silently. The groundwork previously laid by the Star God Cult is a good start. What we need to do now is to secretly increase the worship directed towards the Star God. Perhaps give the Star God a sister, a brother, or some followers."

"Hahaha, that's a good idea!"

Yun Zhongjun raised an eyebrow at Wu Wang and then pondered carefully for a while.

"There's another matter. I heard from your mother that the Star God's divine body is still grievously wounded."

Wu Wang didn't hide anything, stating directly, "I can briefly control the Star God's divine body now."

"If you can gather faith to become a god, it would be better to use some of that Divine Power on the Star God's divine body," Yun Zhongjun said slowly. "I have a method that can help you refine the Star God's divine body, but we must be wary of Heaven Palace noticing."

Wu Wang added, "In any case, the main difficulty is how to evade the surveillance of the Dao of Order."

Wu Wang and his old brother pondered together for a while but couldn't come up with any particularly good solutions.

They could only proceed step by step, be as careful as possible, and prepare more backup plans to deal with any trouble from Heaven Palace at any time.

A powerful Divine Spirit posed a limited threat to Heaven Palace. However, a formidable force, if exposed to Heaven Palace too early, would inevitably provoke a thunderous assault from them.

The threat Cang Xue posed to Heaven Palace had a basis: Emperor Shun cared about the current order of heaven and earth and did not want to face the Candle Dragon again.

Once Emperor Shun judged a threat to be greater than that of the Candle Dragon, he certainly wouldn't care about the order of heaven and earth anymore; he would prioritize protecting his own interests.

The one who truly cared about the order of heaven and earth was Emperor Shun's Order incarnation, which had now returned to Emperor Shun himself.

Yun Zhongjun said, "Since we intend to plunder Heaven Palace's Divine Power amidst the chaos, two things are necessary. First, we must possess sufficient strength. Second, we need to make Heaven Palace mistakenly believe the Human Domain took the Divine Spirit's body. This matter requires meticulous planning. Leave it to me; you focus on your cultivation."

"I appreciate the hard work, old brother," Wu Wang said.

"No worries, it's quite interesting," Yun Zhongjun said with a laugh. "It's strange, really. I used to dream of a carefree life, like a drifting cloud or a wild crane, avoiding trouble whenever possible. But now, it feels like a fire is burning in my heart."

"That's because you've always cared for all living beings, old brother," Wu Wang said.

Yun Zhongjun continued, "To be honest, all beings are but dust. What do they have to do with me, the clouds, and mist? I just want to see the expressions on Emperor Shun's and Candle Dragon's faces when they realize neither of them is the winner in the end. Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

Wu Wang smiled without speaking, but he chuckled softly to himself.

This old brother of mine is truly a genuine character.

For an Innate God to refrain from harming living beings is, in fact, quite enough.

The two of them murmured for a while longer about how to arrange things. Then, the Sleep God told Wu Wang to call a woman to join him in dream cultivation.

This served two purposes: first, to have someone to look out for him, and second, to allow Wu Wang to cultivate for extended periods. If he needed to send a message or learn what was happening outside, the woman could enter and exit the Dream Realm to relay information.

Wu Wang didn't hesitate. He took Yun Zhongjun to his large tent and sent for Jingwei, Lin Suqing, and Immortal Mu.

"Starting today, I will begin cultivating in dreams."

Lin Suqing smiled and said, "Young Master, this isn't so much a start as a resumption. Have you forgotten? Your initial reputation in the Human Domain was that Wu Wangzi excelled at dream cultivation."

"It's not the same thing," Wu Wang said seriously.

"For the next three to five years, I will stay in the Northern Wilderness. Even if I return to the Human Domain later, I'll often use this method. I need a stable Dream Realm, which means someone must be in long-term physical contact with me. This person can also cultivate in the Dream Realm, where the flow of time is about ten times slower than outside—roughly speaking."

He deliberately understated the difference in time flow between the Dream Realm and reality.

Lin Suqing gently nudged Jingwei.

Jingwei's face flushed red, and she said hurriedly, "If... if I can be of help... then..."

Wu Wang said with a laugh, "That would be for the best."

Standing by, still disguised as the Sleep God, Yun Zhongjun cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Let me, the Sleep God, explain the rules. The number of participants doesn't need to be strictly fixed. One person can enter the dream, and two or three won't cause any issues. Cultivators practice by comprehending the Great Dao. With my Sleep and Dreams Dao, you'll be able to sense the existence of your respective Daos within the dream, though the cultivation speed should be slightly lower than normal cultivation. However, time can pass quickly or slowly in a dream, so overall, there are many benefits."

Lin Suqing let out a soft "Oh?" and said, "In that case, if we invited Fairy Ling, couldn't she cultivate with the Young Master in the dream, effectively turning three years into thirty?"

The corner of the Sleep God Yun Zhongjun's mouth twitched slightly.

"That shouldn't be possible," the Sleep God said slowly. "Sleep and dreams are ultimately based on one's own perceptions. Joint cultivation emphasizes the interaction of each other's Daos."

Lin Suqing couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She naturally wanted the Young Master to grow stronger quickly, so he could return to the Human Domain and astound those who had tried to belittle him.

Jingwei asked, "What do we need to do?"

Yun Zhongjun looked at Wu Wang.

Wu Wang said earnestly, "We just need to lie down on the same bed."

Although Jingwei tried her best to remain calm, the words she had just heard were truly...

She was no longer the small, lingering soul trapped on a deserted island. Recently, she'd been spending time with Sister Suqing and had learned a bit about human etiquette.

"Then... I'll go first..." Jingwei murmured.

Feeling a bit dizzy, she lowered her head in front of everyone and walked over to Wu Wang's precious beast-hide bed. Bathed in the light of the surrounding treasure ores, she removed her shoes and socks and slowly lay down. Her hands were held primly in front of her, her entire body as taut as a drawn bowstring; even her back wasn't fully pressed against the bedsheet.

Her long hair spread out from the pillow, her pretty face like a ripe apple, her fair skin tinged with an intoxicating blush.

Wu Wang almost threw everyone else out! Be serious, be serious, this is for the highly significant dream cultivation!

Without even taking off his shoes and socks, Wu Wang silently walked over and said, "I just need to borrow a strand of your long hair."

"Mhm," she responded, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Wu Wang spread a strand of her long hair from the pillow and carefully lay down. His posture was quite similar to Jingwei's, both holding their hands in front of them. The closest point between their arms was no more than two inches.

But as soon as Wu Wang rested his head on the end of Jingwei's hair, he immediately felt drowsy and fell straight into a deep sleep.

From the side, Yun Zhongjun flicked out a wisp of divine charm. Jingwei also slowly closed her eyes, her tense body gradually relaxing.

Lin Suqing immediately gave Immortal Mu a few instructions. The two of them moved forward, one to the left and one to the right of Wu Wang and Jingwei, settling down cross-legged to meditate and guard them.

"Ahem, I'll make myself scarce," Yun Zhongjun said. He calmly walked out of the tent, raised his hand, and set up a restriction formation to prevent others from approaching.

Then, Yun Zhongjun's voice began to echo in the Dream Realm jointly constructed by Wu Wang and Jingwei. He spoke about the drawbacks and shortcomings of dream cultivation, reminding them not to get lost in the dream.

The dream was mostly gray and hazy, feeling slightly different from reality.

Wu Wang also set several restraints on his own Dao heart, allowing him to instantly distinguish whether he was dreaming or awake.

Actually, if one viewed the Dream Realm as a secret cultivation ground, all problems could be easily resolved.

In that mist-filled place, Wu Wang and Jingwei stood side by side, looking at the fog-covered valley ahead. This valley was a product of Wu Wang's imagination.

Yun Zhongjun's voice was still drifting about:

"...I will gradually increase the flow of time within the dream. If you feel pressure or find it unbearable, call out to me immediately. In such circumstances, forcibly exiting the dream can easily cause a shock to your spiritual mind. Everything needs to be done step by step. Regardless of how grand the goal, one must proceed with a grounded approach, and cultivation is no different.

"Oh, and the curse of the God of Fortune affects your body, not your Divine Soul, so you're not subject to such restrictions in the dream. Dreams leave no trace. Both of you, please do as you wish. As you wish! I swear on my own reputation that I will absolutely not pry into your Dream Realm! I'm off to Central Mountain to make some arrangements!"

His voice grew more distant and gradually faded away.

...The implied meaning of those words is that he still *could* peep if he wanted to!

He huffed and said perfunctorily, "Thanks, old brother. Sorry for the trouble; you've worked hard."

Outside the dream, beyond the large tent, Yun Zhongjun laughed heartily. His figure rode the wind and soared away, disappearing from the world, drawing astonished little gazes from many members of the Xiong Bao clan.

Ming She materialized outside the tent, standing at the entrance with her hands behind her back. She was the true guardian here.

Inside the Dream Realm, Wu Wang proactively extended his right hand to his side.

Jingwei was visibly shy but didn't hesitate for long. She lightly touched her fingertips to Wu Wang's palm. Like a sensitive plant, his fingers instantly closed, gently grasping her delicate hand.

"You..." she called out softly, her voice bashful, wanting to say something but holding back.

Wu Wang squeezed gently, using the somewhat indistinct sense of touch to feel every smooth inch of her slender hand, and asked, "What do you want to cultivate?"

"Comprehending Divine Power," Jingwei said softly, "and some Divine Arts my father taught me that I never got around to practicing."

"Come on, let's plan the scenery in this valley first," Wu Wang called out, pulling Jingwei by the hand into the mist ahead.

Manifold images appeared in the valley: in a corner, a familiar Divine Wood and a pool of water surrounding it; nearby, a simple pavilion and a grape trellis for enjoying the cool shade.

Two figures darted about, casually arranging their long-term residence within the dream.

They didn't cultivate for the first few days.

Sometimes they sat under the tree chatting. The way Jingwei's skirt spread around her and her slender, poised feet always caused Wu Wang's spiritual mind some unrest.

The laughter and chasing in the pavilion; the splashes made by four feet kicking water at the edge of the pool; the quiet embrace beneath the Divine Tree.

She gradually let go of her initial shyness, and Wu Wang made no inappropriate advances in the dream. They played and frolicked like this for several days and nights. By then, they could comfortably lean against each other in the dream, watching the Milky Way Wu Wang had painted under the grape trellis.

Finally, Jingwei asked softly, "Aren't we supposed to be cultivating in the dream?"

And so, their few days of pleasant vacation in the dream came to a perfect end.

「So, half a year later.」

...

Great Wilderness, in the northwestern part of the Southeastern Region.

A bustling city had recently emerged. Its noisy port, creatures of the Hundred Races in all shapes and forms, and buildings of various heights all contributed to a scenery quite different from that of the Human Domain.

Near the port, in a heavily guarded pavilion.

Lin Qi stretched, temporarily pulling himself away from the mountain of ledgers before him, and let out a large yawn.

"Young General, please take a break," a gentle voice said. Two gentle maidens approached, bringing strong tea and refreshments. Such authentic Human Domain snacks could usually fetch a good price here.

Lin Qi asked, "Has anything major happened in the Human Domain these past few days?"

"Reporting to the Young General, nothing significant has occurred in the Human Domain."

"Although the various armies have made a great show of force and have begun to investigate the situation within Central Mountain, a major battle has yet to break out."

"It's a pity the Young General cannot return to display his prowess; otherwise, this would be a fine opportunity to achieve merits and establish a reputation."

Lin Qi smiled calmly, his smile filled with warmth, now devoid of the cold, gloomy aura of his past.

He said, "Achieving merits and establishing a reputation is not my desire. Those words, 'merit' and 'reputation,' are merely empty names built upon mountains of bones. If one can reduce deaths and protect more people, that is true merit."

These two maidens, handpicked by the Lin Family to serve Lin Qi along with the quadruplets, looked at him with eyes full of admiration upon hearing his words.

One maiden said, "The Young General's breadth of mind and talent are truly admirable."

"What am I?" Lin Qi said with a laugh.

"The truly formidable one is my teacher, Wu Wangzi. His heart is vaster than heaven and earth, capable of encompassing the entire world. His talent is more astonishing than that of Divine Spirits, which is how he has managed to repel the strong gods of Heaven Palace time and again. I have merely learned a fraction of my teacher's abilities."

The two maidens couldn't help but exchange glances.

Lin Qi leaned back in his chair and waved his hand, pushing open a window severalzhang away. The somewhat moist sea breeze blew in.

He said, "I wonder if Teacher is happy in the Northern Wilderness, or if he's still troubled by the affairs of the Human Domain."

Just as he finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door. A middle-aged retainer rushed into the study.

"Young General! War has broken out in the Human Domain! An army launched a surprise attack on Central Mountain and captured the lair where the Ten Gods Temple cultivates its Divine Children!"

Lin Qi shot to his feet, his eyes shining brightly.

But soon, he lowered his head with a sigh, his expression returning to one of composure.

This matter... no longer had much to do with their Lin Family.

"Investigate further."

"Yes, your subordinate obeys!"

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