Chapter 335: Dream World

"An ancient dragon? Do giant dragons exist here? What do they look like?"

Susie's curious voice pulled Audrey's wandering thoughts back; she turned her gaze with a look of attentive listening.

Rekton Soth, his form concealed, gave a soft chuckle and said:

"The giant dragon worship customs here are the anchor He prepared for Himself."

"He?"

Audrey keenly noticed Rekton's choice of words.

"Yes, He! He is a mind dragon, equivalent to an angel of Sequence 2 of this pathway. In that ancient era, He was also one of the subordinate gods of Anglerweid, the 'Imaginary Dragon.'"

Night. The Hall family's estate in East Chester County.

Rekton Soth revealed his concealed form. He sat by the fireplace in the dining room, enjoying the warm firelight and steaming coffee.

"Aren't you worried you won't be able to sleep if you drink coffee at night?"

Susie, the large golden dog, lay on a soft cushion across from him and asked curiously.

Rekton Soth savored the fine coffee provided by Miss Audrey and replied in a leisurely tone, "There probably won't be a chance to sleep tonight. I need to go into the dreamscape to find that ancient dragon. He doesn't seem very eager to see me."

"Not very eager to see you? Why?"

After her personal maid had gone to sleep, Audrey tiptoed back to the dining room and happened to overhear the conversation between Rekton Soth and Susie. She couldn't help asking curiously.

Rekton Soth pondered for a moment, then said without any reverence or respect, "Probably worried that the God of Knowledge has some scheme. He is, after all, the wisest of all dragons! It's normal for the other dragons to be afraid."

The wisest of all dragons? The God of Knowledge is a member of the dragon race! What about the other seven gods? Could They also be members of some ancient race? Audrey's thoughts couldn't help but wander.

"It seems everyone has fallen asleep. I'm going to the dream world to find that ancient dragon."

"I'm not a Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, so I can't bring my body into the dream world too. I'll need you to watch over my body that stays in reality. If anything happens, you can try praying."

Rekton Soth calmly explained the things to note to Audrey. This was also the reason he had accepted Audrey's invitation.

Leaving his body directly exposed on a giant dragon's territory was simply not safe enough.

Audrey nodded gently and responded with a smile, "No problem. There are two Beyonders here, Susie and me. There shouldn't be any major issues."

"Besides, if I encounter a problem I can't solve, I can also try praying!"

"Thank you for the trouble." Rekton Soth gave a slight nod.

He finished the last sip of coffee, set down the milky-white ceramic cup in his hand, then rose to his feet and extended his right hand, pressing lightly in front of him.

Rings of pale blue ripples spread out, and a layer of silvery white surfaced, forming a clear mirror in midair.

The mirror reflected Rekton's figure. Pale blue fluorescence swirled within his eyes, making him appear exceptionally calm and rational, yet full of wisdom.

He silently raised his right hand, extended his index finger upright before his eyes, and simulated the "psychological suggestion" ability of a psychiatrist, implanting in himself suggestions to fall asleep quickly and to stay lucid within the dreamscape.

Then, he took a step back and reclined against the sofa behind him, closed his eyes, and quickly entered a meditative state.

After falling asleep, his spirit grew briefly hazy. He looked around with unfocused eyes, then quickly regained his clarity.

It was still the dining room of Audrey's estate, except Susie the large golden dog and Audrey were no longer nearby. Only the firelight in the fireplace remained, flickering ceaselessly.

"Is this the dream world?"

As he murmured in a low voice, he turned and headed toward the hall adjacent to the dining room.

Pale blue light swirled in his eyes as he attempted to directly simulate the ability of the Door pathway, opening a "door" within his own dream that led to other dreams.

Light as pale blue as water ripples spread out, but the "door" never took shape.

"Can't cross dreams directly... It must be that the knowledge I've mastered isn't enough. The free and unfettered Door pathway—how could it be restricted by a single dream?" "This afternoon, I should have found Leonard to analyze some of the Nightmare's abilities."

As he murmured softly, he had already reached the hall and walked toward the main entrance of the estate. Without the abilities of Door and Nightmare, he could only use a cruder method to explore the dreamscape.

In the dining room outside the dreamscape.

Audrey gazed at Rekton Soth, whose breathing was steady and who appeared to have fallen asleep, and sighed softly, "I'd love to go explore the dream world too, to find the giant dragon hidden in the world of the mind, just like in those adventure stories."

"It's a pity that ancient dragon is too powerful, too dangerous. If that ancient dragon were only a demigod, perhaps I could—"

"Audrey, you seem to have spoken your inner thoughts aloud. That's not like you."

Susie tilted her head and looked at Audrey with a face full of confusion. Her furry face was filled with puzzlement and bewilderment.

Audrey froze for a moment, then quickly examined herself.

After a moment, she whispered in confusion:

"There's no problem, is there?"

"Susie, did you notice anything?" Audrey turned her inquiring gaze toward the large golden dog beside her.

"Notice? The bones tonight were especially tasty..."

Susie paused, then shook her head and said:

"Hmm... I'm not really sure. I'm just a dog!"

"The bones were especially tasty today? But Susie, the chef at home hasn't changed..."

Audrey's words suddenly caught in her throat. A terrifying thought took shape in her mind: Am I in a dream right now? Is that why Susie and I are in this state where we blurt out whatever crosses our minds without thinking?

If I'm already in a dream, then what is Mr. Tyans exploring? A dream within a dream?

Thoughts churned endlessly in Audrey's mind. She spread her attention to her surroundings and discovered that the estate was unusually quiet today—so quiet that it seemed as though no one else existed.

What should I do? Should I wake Mr. Tyans? But I don't know his current state. Waking him abruptly... Praying—does praying still work in a dream?

After only a brief hesitation, Audrey decided to try. She turned around, faced away from Susie, and began to softly chant the honorable name of the Fool:

"The Fool who does not belong to this era, the mysterious Lord above the gray fog, the King of Yellow and Black who wields good fortune."

"I pray to You. I have encountered—"

She repeated it three times in a row, but received no response whatsoever.

So it doesn't work after all. Is it that praying in a dream is useless, or has this dreamscape been subjected to a corresponding influence that blocks the effect of prayers? Audrey pondered in discouragement, thinking of other solutions.

"Audrey, what were you mumbling just now?"

Seeing that Audrey had stopped murmuring aloud, Susie immediately asked with curiosity.

Before Audrey could answer, it continued, "The manor is so quiet today; it makes me feel a bit strange."

"Could we already have been affected by that ancient dragon?"

"Yes, most likely we've already been pulled into a dream by that ancient dragon."

The thought that flashed through Audrey's mind was spoken aloud by her the next moment.

This dream makes people honest? But what meaning would that have? An angel of the Spectator pathway—what could be hidden from Him?

(End of this chapter)