Chapter 201: The Fifth Chapter: Dormant in the Dream Realm

In one of the outer layers of the Dream Realm, fierce winds howled, and countless rocks stood firm.

One massive boulder, battered by the wind for eons, suddenly—

The boulder shifted, naturally transforming into a black-scaled, golden-horned figure—the very one of Luo Feng's three avatars occupying the outer Dream Realm. When his Perfect Divine Body fully immersed itself in comprehending the Path of Destruction, all his other avatars fell nearly dormant.

"The Five-Colored Treasure Herb cultivation is complete. Now I can properly train my mind and will." This avatar of Luo Feng slipped away silently, moving swiftly.

Along the way, he split off other avatars to scout, and soon, Luo Feng arrived at the deep layers of the Dream Realm.

"The deep layers of the Dream Realm."

Luo Feng saw ahead a space, darker still, with faint flashes of thunder.

Whoosh—he carefully flew in.

"No wonder this is the deep layer of the Dream Realm." Luo Feng felt crushing pressure bearing down on his mind, layer upon layer of mental pressure surging endlessly, making him feel profoundly weary.

"The ancient beings of the Origin Continent form squads, yet even when exploring the Dream Realm… they rarely enter its deep layers." Luo Feng knew this well.

Only the ultimate will of a Divine King can remain Qingxing here. Yet most ancient beings cultivate the Primordial Bloodline and must divert attention to suppress residual bloodline wills. To form a squad where every member can walk the deep layers? Too difficult!

"A single individual entering the deep layers struggles to handle stronger Dream Realm creatures." One of Luo Feng's avatars spotted three black-bodied flame beasts; judging by their aura alone, each rivaled the leader of the Stone Golems.

One of the flame beasts noticed Luo Feng and instantly surged forward as a swirling mass of black flame.

"Run." This avatar of Luo Feng immediately split into ten smaller avatars, scattering in all directions.

"Puff!"

Soon, one avatar was engulfed by black flame, burned for a moment, then vanished.

"The deep layer of the Dream Realm exerts greater pressure on the mind and will, and its creatures are far more terrifying. Yet the treasures here are far more precious! But… very few have the ability to harvest them." Luo Feng thought silently.

Even Emperor Lords and Sovereigns must divert attention to suppress bloodline wills; few among them qualify to come here.

"Too dangerous."

Luo Feng split numerous avatars to briefly explore part of this deep-layer space. "At my current strength, I can't claim a single treasure."

In the middle layer of the Dream Realm, Luo Feng could still harvest a few treasures by his own power.

The deep layer? Just a few monsters could rival the entire Circle Tower team. Some terrifying Dream Realm clans—even the true bodies of Emperor Lords and Sovereigns who dared enter might not escape.

"These Dream Realm creatures all carry traces of will, yet they possess no soul." Luo Feng found this curious.

Without souls, most Dream Realm creatures remain confined to their territories. Only a rare few leave due to special reasons… yet they can never escape their native Dream Realm space!

Over time, the Dream Realm space changes; Dream Realm creatures die, and new terrifying ones emerge.

"The Dream Realm… is it truly just a dream?" Luo Feng wondered.

Some Qiangzhe of the Origin Continent believe the Dream Realm… is merely a dream—an illusion created by Yuan.

Yet others counter: they can enter with their true bodies, and the celestial treasures they harvest function normally in the outside world. This is hard to explain as "just a dream."

This has only deepened the reverence of all Qiangzhe for "Yuan."

"Here will do." After exploring the surrounding area, Luo Feng chose a secluded spot halfway up a desolate mountain, sat cross-legged, and naturally transformed into a lifeless boulder.

He then began cultivating the "Great Destruction Mind Refining Art."

In the deep layer of the Dream Realm, since Luo Feng neither sought treasures nor provoked any Dream Realm creature, merely cultivating here was still safe.

"Boom—boom—boom~~~" The Dream Realm's pressure on the mind and will piled endlessly. Under this terrifying pressure, Luo Feng continued maintaining the Great Destruction Mind Refining Art, and the mental pressure surged violently.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

The enhancement in his comprehension of the Path of Destruction from the Five-Colored Treasure Herb caused the Great Destruction Mind Refining Art to evolve, its power greatly amplified.

"Hmph!" In an instant, Luo Feng felt excruciating agony, unbearable torment.

"The enhanced Great Destruction Mind Refining Art… combined with the harsher environment of the deep layer… dual trials are truly agonizing." Luo Feng felt every second unbearable; his mind and will were crushed, then reformed again and again.

"The Great Destruction Mind Refining Art… is indeed painful!"

The Seven Emotions Mind Refining Art uses emotion to refine the mind, drawing from inner feeling—relatively pleasant to practice. But it cannot be sustained long.

The Great Destruction Mind Refining Art yields modest results in short bursts, yet excels in endurance.

"To obtain the 'Lie Yuan Technique' and learn its 'Great Destruction Mind Refining Art' is already fortune." Luo Feng endured silently, gradually detecting and extinguishing countless unstable, distracting thoughts during the refining process.

Amid this relentless destruction-refining, the Dream Realm's erosion continued steadily, and unnoticed, its influence grew deeper.

Hum!

After half a Ji of cultivation in the deep layer, Luo Feng's increasingly weary mind was utterly eroded by the Dream Realm.

In an instant, Luo Feng fell into deep sleep.

At that moment, all his avatars—even those in the Infinite Space—slipped into slumber.

"Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh~~~"

The boulder in the deep layer of the Dream Realm became utterly lifeless.

…Luo Feng forgot who he was, as if transformed into a colossal entity soaring through space.

"What a magnificent Primordial Life!" A booming laugh echoed as a titanic hand seized him. Luo Feng felt primal terror—he had no desire to resist, only fear, only the urge to flee.

"I must escape."

"Save my life."

"Ancestor, save me!"

Chaotic thoughts surged.

Luo Feng seemed to escape that hand, yet soon another array enclosed him—he escaped again! Another figure chased after him…

This dream was twisted, as if he were perpetually fleeing, perpetually terrified.

While "asleep," Luo Feng lost self-control—and naturally ceased the Great Destruction Mind Refining Art! His mind and will had long reached the ultimate bottleneck of the Divine King level.

Under the dream induced solely by the deep layer, after fleeing in terror for a brief moment, Luo Feng's mind and will began to awaken.

"I… am dreaming?" Luo Feng was stunned.

!.

Dreaming—how long had it been since he last dreamed?

At his mental realm, he had long perfectly mastered himself—he no longer dreamed.

"I am Luo Feng. I am cultivating in the deep layer of the Dream Realm." Even within the dream, he recognized his own existence. Once aware, the dream began to tremble and destabilize.

"This dream is interesting. Stabilize it." Luo Feng tried to harmonize himself with the dream.

For now, the colossal entity he had become…

Was too vast—even larger than the "Complete Life Source Path" he had observed, carrying faint traces of "Supreme Law."

And the figures chasing him from behind seemed even more terrifying than the entire Origin World.

"What is this?"

Luo Feng tried to sustain the dream, but he ultimately awakened. The longer he remained awake, the more the dream shattered.

Boom!

The dream vanished completely.

In the deep layer of the Dream Realm, on the halfway slope of the desolate mountain, the boulder opened its eyes.

"I fell asleep. That dream just now…" Luo Feng found his memory of it hazy—he recalled only having become a colossal entity, and that the pursuer was terrifying.

He could not recall the pursuer's appearance. He could not recall what techniques were used.

"How could such a dream occur?" Luo Feng felt puzzled.

For other Qiangzhe who enter the Dream Realm and fall asleep, awakening is extremely difficult.

Either another Qiangzhe must carry their true body out—or they must miraculously break through mentally within the dream. The probability is negligible!

Luo Feng fell asleep because he deliberately cultivated here, yet once asleep, he naturally stopped the Great Destruction Mind Refining Art. Given his true mental strength, he recovered consciousness easily.

"Half a Ji of cultivation has indeed left me weary. I'll rest for a while." Luo Feng quietly left the deep layer and returned to the outer layer.

…

Within the Original Universe, in that mysterious place.

Luo Feng's divine force avatar observed the complete Life Source Path before him.

"I didn't expect that in just three Ji, with the Five-Colored Treasure Herb… my accumulation in the Path of Destruction has now matched my progress in the Life Source Path." Luo Feng thought, "But now that one dose is used up, my cultivation speed will slow drastically again."

The Life Path excels because one faces the Path directly—cultivation efficiency remains consistently high.

"There are only two doses of Five-Colored Treasure Herb, and the Beast Lord Blood Seal is even rarer… as my Master's disciple, I can only exchange for one." Luo Feng thought silently. "I must use the Beast Lord Blood Seal even more cautiously."

His Master, Emperor Chu, cultivates the Path of Destruction, so he can still exchange for one. Other Emperor Lords may not even qualify. As for Guest Divine Kings? They don't even have the right to request it!

"Whether Five-Colored Treasure Herb or Beast Lord Blood Seal… both must be used at critical moments."

Many aspects of the Path are shallow and relatively easy to comprehend.

Without treasures, one can still attain understanding through time.

The truly crucial, the most difficult breakthroughs—these may stall one for eons. Only then is using a treasure truly efficient.

"I'll take the next Five-Colored Treasure Herb in thirty Ji." Luo Feng decided. The Five-Colored Treasure Herb is less precious—after all, even Guest Divine Kings can exchange for it. With some effort, I should be able to acquire a few more.

The Beast Lord Blood Seal… I'll save it for when I reach Divine King Level Two, to better break through to Ultimate Level.

"Life and Destruction… truly differ greatly."

Luo Feng faced the Life Path directly and began immersive cultivation.

Cultivation is like this—you must switch your focus! When Destruction comprehension hits a bottleneck, turn to Life. Then attempt "Life-Destruction Fusion." Return to Destruction afterward—the bottleneck may loosen.

Cultivation is a matter of daily accumulation!

In this cultivation, Luo Feng soon received a second invitation from Emperor Gui Xu.

(End of Chapter)