Buzz—
The moment she stepped in, Lu Qiancha felt her connection to the heavens and earth abruptly severed.
Lu Qiancha frowned, cursing “damned heavens” in her heart.
There was no flash of lightning, no rumble of thunder; within the secret realm, everything remained as calm and peaceful as before.
Even her sense of the Heavenly Dao seemed to have been cut off.
Lu Qiancha slowly pressed down the unease in her heart, scanning her surroundings with vigilance.
The sight that greeted her, however, left her a bit surprised.
Before her stretched an endless prairie; thick, soft meadows blanketed gentle, rolling hills.
Herds of cattle and sheep dotted the green carpet like clouds, strolling lazily.
At times, they buried their heads to nibble a few mouthfuls of dewy fresh grass; other times, they stopped chewing, raised their heads, and let out a few “Moo~” and “Baa~” sounds, swishing their tails.
Not far away, several pure white steeds neighed long and loud, leading a whole herd of horses galloping and leaping behind them. Their manes fluttered as their hooves struck the ground with muffled thuds.
The sense of warning in Lu Qiancha’s heart had yet to fade. She instinctively gripped the Wolf Clan Statue tightly in her palm. The cool, hard texture brought a barely noticeable sense of reassurance.
She shifted her gaze to the five members of the Frost Camp squad accompanying her, deliberately putting on a hint of humble, junior’s smile.
“Gentlemen, I’m new to this place and barely understand the wonders here. Would you be so kind as to tell me a little about this secret realm?”
As she spoke, her claw slipped into her sleeve and fished out five mid-grade spirit stones, brimming with spiritual energy, their radiance subdued.
Her movements were smooth and natural; she flicked the spirit stones precisely toward the five soldiers without leaving a trace.
“A small token, just tea money for troubling you to look after me. I hope you won’t refuse.”
Lu Qiancha’s voice was clear and sincere.
The Silver-armored Captain at the head swept his gaze under his helmet over the flying stones.
He did not raise his hand; just slightly turned the angle of his helmet, and the spirit stone aimed at him struck his armor with a light “ding” and fell to the ground.
The other four, as the stones reached them, each flicked their wrists and smoothly tucked the stones beneath their armor.
Seeing this, Lu Qiancha said nothing more, simply stooped to pick up the spirit stone from the ground.
Then, a lean soldier among the five chuckled and spoke up, “My name is Yong Huai. Thank you for your generosity, Young Master. Since you ask, Yong Huai will answer all you wish to know.”
“Thank you for enlightening me, Brother Yong Huai.”
A faint ripple stirred in Lu Qiancha’s heart, and she looked even more modest on the surface.
Yong Huai cleared his throat, lowering his voice a bit, “The mountains, rivers, beasts, the flourishing grass and chirping birds you see here…”
He pointed to the cattle and sheep grazing idly and the galloping horses. “They look lively and real, as if you could reach out and touch them, but in truth, they’re all but illusions.”
“All just one great dream.”
“Oh?”
Lu Qiancha raised an eyebrow and looked back at Yong Huai. “What do you mean by that, brother?”
“Anyone who dies in this realm does not truly die—their soul simply returns to the entrance.”
“All you’ve gained, all you’ve experienced, vanishes like smoke. When you wake from the dream, it’s as if nothing ever happened,” Yong Huai said with a smile.
“Then, by your words, is everything produced in this secret realm nothing but moonlight in the water? A passing dream?”
Lu Qiancha’s heart sank. She had been hoping to obtain a Illusory Stone from this secret realm.
“Not so, not so.”
Yong Huai raised a finger and wagged it, his smile returning.
“Illusions can still grasp the moon. Remember, Young Master, if you bring something out of this realm alive, then it will turn from illusion into reality.”
Hearing this, Lu Qiancha felt much relieved. She continued asking, “Brother, could you tell me more about this secret realm?”
“I will answer everything I know.”
Yong Huai nodded and went on, “The Heavenly Mechanism Battalion uses dreams as metaphors for this realm, dividing it into three layers named the Lesser Dream Domain, the Middle Sleep Domain, and the Deep Dream Domain.”
“Please, brother, explain the mysteries of these three dream domains in detail.”
Lu Qiancha immediately produced another mid-grade spirit stone and naturally slipped it into Yong Huai’s outstretched hand.
Seeing yet another stone in his palm, Yong Huai’s eyes lit up, almost squinting with joy. “Young Master is forthright. Yong Huai will speak sincerely.”
He paused, then continued, “Where we are now is the Lesser Dream Domain.”
“Just as you see, Young Master—like waking from a shallow dream, peaceful and calm, no wind or waves.”
“But that’s only on the surface, so you mustn’t let your guard down.”
His tone suddenly grew grave:
“Beyond this lies the Middle Sleep Domain, where the waters run deep and dreams are heavy. There, strange sights abound and fierce beasts lurk. Danger is everywhere.”
Yong Huai paused, then turned solemnly to Lu Qiancha, “Once you enter, please be sure to stay close to us. Do not act alone, or the consequences will be dire.”
“Rest assured, brother. I am not a reckless person.”
Lu Qiancha nodded steadily, understanding at once. She hadn’t planned on getting entangled too much in this secret realm anyway.
“Young Master is reasonable indeed.”
Yong Huai smiled even more warmly, then continued, “As for the deepest part, the Deep Dream Domain—that is the true core of this realm.”
“Yong Huai knows nothing of what lies within and dares not speak carelessly. Only one thing is known to all: entering there is a near-certain death, extremely dangerous.”
As he spoke, Yong Huai glanced sideways at Lu Qiancha.
Seeing her calm and unflinching expression, with not the slightest hint of fear, he continued, “So if Young Master ever considered venturing into the Deep Dream, it’d be best to dismiss that thought early.”
Lu Qiancha merely shook her head calmly.
Her voice was bright and steady.
“To be honest with you all, my purpose here is the Illusory Stone. If the Illusory Stone is hidden at the core of the secret realm, then I will have to brave the Deep Dream, no matter what.”
“Hahaha!”
Yong Huai suddenly laughed, his voice rising with confidence.
“So that’s how it is! Young Master, you needn’t worry. The main place where Illusory Stone are produced is the Myriad Phenomena Heartland within the Middle Sleep Domain. There’s no need at all to go to that deadly land. Besides…”
Before he could finish, the silent silver-helmed man at the front suddenly spoke: “Besides, without a sacred artifact, even if you searched every inch of the Middle Domain, you could never step into the Deep Dream, not even half a step. Best give up that idea now.”
Hearing this, Yong Huai gave an awkward smile and said to Lu Qiancha, “We’re just rough soldiers, so please forgive any blunt words, Young Master.”
Lu Qiancha only shrugged slightly at that, her voice even and calm, “No harm done.”
She immediately stepped forward to keep up, as if the captain’s harsh words were nothing but a gentle breeze brushing by.
As they traveled, Lu Qiancha, making good use of spirit stones and conversation, managed to wedge open a gap in the ironclad, chilly five-man squad, gradually warming up the atmosphere with the other four—everyone except the captain.
Jokes, anecdotes, and the clinking of spirit stones mixed, softening the previously grim and chilling mood and even bringing a touch of levity.
Only the Silver-armored Captain remained silent, like a moving iceberg.
Beneath his armor, his watchful gaze swept over every shadow on the grassland where danger might lurk, silently carving out a safe path ahead for the group.
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