Chapter 755: The Great Dream Awakens

Cicadas chirped noisily!

Summer had arrived; even in this desolate northern frontier town, greenery filled every corner.

Beneath a thick willow tree, He Pingsheng was watching neighbors play chess when suddenly he heard the sound of hooves.

A clamor arose; everyone looked up toward the other end of the street and saw Commander Yan riding a horse, followed by a hundred soldiers, each armed, heading toward the grand camp.

"Commander Yan, it's this hot—why are you mustering troops?"

"Is there an enemy threat?"

"Are the Gui Fang barbarians coming?"

"It's not even autumn yet—why would they attack now?"

Gui Fang was a nomadic people north of the Great Song Empire, a powerful tribe that raised sheep and cattle, moving with water and grass. At this time, rain was plentiful and vegetation lush—the perfect season for pastoral life—and they rarely launched wars during this period.

Every time Gui Fang waged war, it was in autumn, when Song's grain harvests were ripe, making it ideal for raiding the empire's borders.

In short, it was all about food.

But it was summer now—why would Gui Fang come now?

The crowd was filled with suspicion and fear.

Commander Yan wiped sweat from his brow: "No… it's the imperial palace—someone in the harem has rebelled!"

The palace? A rebellion?

"Go… hurry!"

Commander Yan led his troops past in a clatter.

He Pingsheng stared in astonishment: Good heavens—thousands of years, and he'd never heard of imperial consorts rebelling.

How could consorts rebel?

Why mobilize frontier troops for a consort's rebellion? What was going on?

When had consorts gained such power?

"Pingsheng, hurry home… Jiaojiao's in labor!" The blacksmith looked far older than in previous years.

He Pingsheng leapt from his seat and rushed home in panic: "She's had it? Boy or girl?"

As he ran, he asked Kong the blacksmith.

Kong the blacksmith said: "Not born yet—who knows?"

"Oh right… Old Yu hasn't come yet. My old arms and legs won't run fast—go fetch Old Yu right away!"

Old Yu was the only midwife in the frontier town.

He Pingsheng turned around and sprinted toward Old Yu's house.

After two sticks of incense had burned, with Old Yu's help, He Pingsheng finally heard a loud infant's cry from inside the house.

"Ah! Wonderful… it's a boy!"

Old Yu stepped out, grinning at He Pingsheng: "Congratulations! Jiaojiao finally gave you a son!"

Kong the blacksmith slapped He Pingsheng's shoulder as he stood there grinning foolishly: "What are you grinning at? Go get some lucky money!"

"Oh oh oh…" He Pingsheng entered the main hall, took half a string of copper coins, and handed them to Old Yu.

Old Yu bowed profusely, then went back into the western wing to attend to them.

"Woo woo woo…" Inside the gate, Xiao Hei—now grown to three zhang in size—lay on the ground, sensing something unusual in the household. He lowered his head, whimpering pitifully.

"Daddy, do I have a little brother now?"

A seven- or eight-year-old girl looked up at He Pingsheng.

The girl was fair and delicate, like a porcelain doll, with two pigtails and a round, baby-faced expression full of questions.

She was He Pingsheng and Jiaojiao's first child, a daughter named He Yuqing.

"Yes!" He Pingsheng affectionately stroked his daughter's head: "Qingqing, you have a little brother!"

"Are you happy?"

"Mm mm mm…" Qingqing nodded: "Yes! I can play with my brother now!"

An hour later, the midwife Old Yu left.

He Pingsheng opened the door to the western wing and walked to Jiaojiao's side.

Jiaojiao's face was pale and weak, yet her expression glowed with happiness.

Beside her lay a newborn, skin wrinkled, dark and ugly.

"Look, the child is so cute!" Jiaojiao smiled.

He Pingsheng sat beside her and asked: "Are you feeling better?"

"Mm!" Jiaojiao nodded: "I'm fine. I'm not having my first child—I won't have problems. When I gave birth to Qingqing, that was truly death itself!"

"But giving birth for you? I'm willing."

He Pingsheng helped Jiaojiao sit up, leaning against him.

"You've suffered so much, Jiaojiao… I know… I know you just gave birth to our second child, and I should've been by your side!"

"But… I have to go on a long journey."

"What?" Jiaojiao trembled, grabbing his hand: "No… where are you going?"

"Don't leave us!"

He Pingsheng smiled: "Don't worry—I'm not leaving forever. I'll be gone only three months. I'll return in three months, okay?"

Jiaojiao lifted her head; her clear, bright, beautiful eyes shimmered with gentle yet resolute light: "You… have awakened?"

"Are you going to find the stone?"

At these words, He Pingsheng shuddered involuntarily.

He looked at Jiaojiao, voice trembling: "You… woke up earlier?"

Earlier that day, He Pingsheng had suddenly awakened for no reason—he understood everything.

He knew he was now inside a dream.

He Pingsheng did not belong to this world; he was a Void Refinement cultivator from another realm, participating in the first trial of the Stone Platform Gathering: the Three Dreams of Mortal Life. To win, he must find a special stone within this dream.

Since he awoke earlier than others, he naturally sought to find the stone first and secure it for himself.

Of course!

Since awakening, He Pingsheng had felt awkward.

Because his wife, Kong Jiaojiao, was none other than Kong Que, the Demon Emperor of Tianhuo Continent—the Great Lun Ming Wang!

Good heavens!

I've been married to the Great Lun Ming Wang for over a decade.

We've had two children.

Not just the Great Lun Ming Wang!

Even the dog at the gate.

That wasn't a heavenly dog—it was the Crown Prince of the Kongkong Beast Clan: Kongkong Crown Prince.

Good heavens!

When that fool wakes up, won't he go mad?

The problem was: He Pingsheng had awakened only within the dream—he understood everything, but had not yet escaped the dream.

As long as he remained in this dream, he had not emerged.

Without emerging, he had none of his original abilities to fly or teleport.

All techniques, spiritual sense, and the like were mostly unusable.

There were no magic treasures here in the dream.

He had no spiritual power whatsoever.

That's why he now proposed leaving—he feared future embarrassment.

After all, this was the Great Lun Ming Wang.

She was a Great Emperor. I've awakened—she should awaken soon too. What if she wakes up and realizes… how awkward would that be?

Better… to leave now!

But He Pingsheng never imagined: the Great Lun Ming Wang had also awakened—perhaps even earlier than him.