The mist swirled like a giant pillar, shooting straight up into the sky.

At this moment, with the Paradisiacal Transformation unfolding once again, countless souls infected by the dreamlessness disease departed from their shells. The Spiritual Bodies, akin to corpses, floated along with the wave, entangled by tree roots that drained them completely dry, leaving only residual desires that couldn't escape, transforming into moths rising and falling.

Innumerable souls fell into this dream overnight, affecting not only the Thousand Islands but also the Central Earth, the Empire, and even the Federation.

Such a grand display could not escape other eyes, even in the remote seas.

"You've been watching for so long, why not speak, 'Locksmith'?"

Wen Zheng suddenly asked without turning his head: "Since you're here, why not come out for a meeting? It's rare for us to be so peaceful."

"It's indeed a rare spectacle, Guide."

A drifting figure appeared out of nowhere behind Wen Zheng, an elderly face casting an indifferent glance: "But why the disdain towards us?"

Such a grand display, yet no effort to conceal anything.

It was almost like a provocation, laid bare before everyone.

Almost as if declaring war...

"Oh? Lord Tianyi?"

Wen Zheng glanced back, seemingly surprised, and chuckled softly: "I thought it would be that stubborn mind of the Heavenly Furnace... But where does disdain even come into it?

When the kids mess around, we adults shouldn't take it seriously, should we? Just go along with it?"

"Ha—"

Tianyi let out a cold laugh, "Haven't seen you improve over these years, your gift of gab, however, has surpassed before."

"Then let's talk about something real."

Wen Zheng pinched his chin and suddenly suggested: "How about we make a trade?"

Tianyi retorted: "Is there really anything we can discuss?"

"Don't be like that, at least hear me out before deciding, how's that?"

Wen Zheng glanced at the scene below, slightly spreading his hands as if helpless: "This is the child's most important wish; as a father, how could I bear to stand by and do nothing?

It's just a loss of souls that you don't even care about anyway, Lord Tianyi, be generous and let it slide, how about it?"

Tianyi sneered, but heard Wen Zheng's voice.

"By the way, recently, although the Seeder did suffer a major setback, his acts still haven't settled—"

Wen Zheng suddenly spoke, as if in casual conversation: "Among the three Holy Fools, he is quite the hard worker, diligent without complaint.

Unlike myself, a lazybones who just gets by.

Ambitious, truly admirable; even after suffering heavy damage, he still has the interest to continue making waves."

He paused, suddenly asking: "The last Vortex incident created three Void Abysses. If it happens again... Lord Tianyi, can your Heavenly Capital plan still hold up?"

Tianyi did not speak.

But his face distinctly darkened.

Heavenly Capital.

This is a secret within the Federation, a state secret, even one of the most important plans in the Federation over centuries, now uttered from a Holy Fool's mouth...

"Why not make a deal, Lord Tianyi."

Wen Zheng turned back once more, smiling again.

High above the sky, the sunlight was gentle, and the breeze fresh.

This stretch of cloudless blue sky was too high to see the Hell below.

And in the Hell of the Illusion Dream, beneath the complex and vast giant tree, among countless intricate roots, there was suddenly a point of darkness, silently emerging.

Soundlessly, it spread among the innumerable bubbles.

Like flame.

.

.

This world seems fake.

Perhaps, everyone, more or less, will suddenly have this feeling at some point... It might be that the entire world is a gigantic studio, and everyone is actually an actor, going about their work every day like clockwork, just to keep themselves in the dark.

Normally, we would call this kind of thought 'childishly naive.'

And most people, after some sensible thinking or weary laziness, will throw such nonsense to the back of their minds, merely amusing themselves with a laugh.

But when such a possibility appeared in Ji Jue's mind, he welcomed an incredible calm and serenity.

Anxieties, wanderings, pain, and anger—every emotion vanished entirely, replaced by an inexplicable peace, as if all problems and difficulties had unraveled effortlessly.

Such a decisive, absurd resolution.

Yet so strangely, without hesitation, accepted as true.

[This world is fake.]

With this premise established, then, all that's needed is to think and study based on it, try and explore, and eventually verify it.

Regrettably, Ji Jue found... his Heart Core's affinity was not absent, but indeed lacking compared to other Superior beings.

Moreover, the Mirror didn't come back then!

Heart Core, Mirror, ether.

These are the three most vital Superiors composing this fake world, and Ji Jue's affinity was lacking in all of these!

Almost to the point of having no starting point...

But no problem.

A craftsman fears not the problem, but the absence of its discovery.

Even if all research in this fake world might be illusory, at least there's a point when illusions have an end!

It is said that long ago, in the Chaos Era or even earlier, there was an irrefutable concept called [Brain in a Vat].

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.