The passage of time in the Dreamlands continued to flow.
Luo Wei and Tilis lived quietly and comfortably in their old residence, transitioning from winter to summer, and then back to winter once again.
Time is a powerful force. Gradually, Usoma began to accept certain concepts of magical engineering, while Tilis, each day, would allocate some of her research time to life. It seemed she had discovered some enjoyment in it.
Luo Wei quietly looked towards the kitchen, where Tilis was patiently decorating a cake with cream. This was something that held no meaning for her in the past.
Yet now, she could calmly spend several hours on it without feeling like she was wasting time.
When Tilis finished decorating the last piece of cake, she couldn't help but smile joyfully. She gestured for Luo Wei to come over and taste it.
"Mmm...," Luo Wei took a small bite and nodded, "It's pretty good, but it's a bit too sweet."
"Then next time...I'll put a little less sugar?" Tilis pouted, "But really, I can't put any less; otherwise, the taste will suffer..."
Luo Wei didn't respond, as he wasn't particularly concerned about such details.
The air became quiet for a moment, and Tilis, feeling puzzled, lifted her head.
"Luo Wei, what's wrong with you today?"
Luo Wei hesitated before looking at her.
"Tilis..."
"What about me?"
Tilis tilted her head, "What about me?"
Luo Wei took a deep breath and finally asked, "Do you feel happy?"
Tilis nodded without hesitation, "Of course, I am happy!" She smiled sweetly. "Every day here is fulfilling and joyful~ Very happy, extremely happy! Tilis is enveloped in happiness~"
Seeing Tilis like this, Luo Wei was even more certain of his thoughts.
Before he knew it, Tilis had become immersed in the beautiful dream he had carefully crafted for her. She had grown to love it here.
Smiling along, he said, "That's good, that's good..."
If she's happy, then...
I can ruthlessly wake her up.
This would undoubtedly be cruel for Tilis, who is currently enjoying her life. After all, this place is like an ideal utopia.
There are no intrigues from the Sect, no futile research.
No "gate," no truth, no shattered Usoma, and no missing Luo Wei for four years...
However, Luo Wei knew she would eventually have to face reality.
The dream is just a dream and cannot replace the truth. Even if Tilis loves this place, Luo Wei has no right to keep her confined in the Dreamlands forever.
So, Luo Wei decided to reveal the truth to her.
On another snowy day, Luo Wei led her by the hand to a movie theater. In this era, movies exist, but Tilis had never seen such a lavish and ornate cinema, resembling a grand theater.
She curiously looked around.
"Luo Wei..."
"Why did we come here? What exactly do you want to tell me?"
She had never seen Luo Wei so serious before.
Tilis tightly held Luo Wei's hand, feeling a bit scared.
"Don't be nervous," Luo Wei led her to sit down, both of them gazing at the huge screen in front.
"There's something I should have told you long ago."
Luo Wei clenched her hand tightly, hoping to give her some sense of security.
"I hope that no matter what you see next, just remember..."
"You still have me. I'll always be by your side."
Tilis had an ominous feeling.
She had the sense that once she saw this, all her happiness would be taken away...
She regretted it.
"No... I don't want to watch, Luo Wei, take me home..."
"I don't want to watch, I don't want to watch..."
Despite her pleading, Luo Wei firmly grasped her wrist, his expression stoic, just like the last time.
He couldn't be soft-hearted.
The movie screen began to flicker rapidly.
With force, Luo Wei made her witness once again the scenes she dreaded.
A pristine laboratory, where she died due to the soul extraction technique. A red and barren death star.
And Luo Wei's hometown, a horrific battlefield that was akin to hell...
Finally, Usoma's words echoed:
"Disappointment..."
As the images kept changing, Tilis's emotions fluctuated intensely.
From disbelief to shock...
In the end, she fell into a long and deep silence.
Nobody would want to accept such a harsh reality, let alone for Tilis, who had just experienced such a drastic contrast...
She went from heaven to hell in mere seconds.
And she was told that the paradise was just an illusion, while the hell was her future life...
Luo Wei nervously watched her reactions, afraid she would self-destruct like last time, unable to cope.
Eventually, Tilis, pale-faced, lifted her head, threw herself into Luo Wei's arms, and cried her heart out.
Luo Wei let out a sigh of relief instead.
Those who have lost their will to live would not cry so bitterly.
"Luo Wei..."
"So it was a dream... It really was a dream..."
Her frail body trembled, and the world around them seemed to shake violently.
Lightly patting her back, Luo Wei tried to give her strength.
Tilis wailed, "I thought I had realized my dream... But it was all fake... I achieved nothing..."
After consoling her, Luo Wei smiled like he was coaxing a child.
"Who says dreams don’t count? Couldn’t we consider them a preview of the future?"
Tilis lifted her head, her sobs coming in hiccups.
"A preview... of the future?"
"How... could that be?"
"You big liar, how can such a beautiful dream ever come true..."
"I think it can," Luo Wei gazed at her with confidence, his tone determined.
"Except for the irrecoverable dead, everything is changeable."
Tilis's gaze flickered uncertainly.
Slowly, she lowered her head, "It's not that simple..."
Luo Wei laughed, understanding her stubborn nature, and didn't push the topic further.
Instead, he suddenly asked:
"When did you realize?"
To prevent Tilis from suspecting anything, Luo Wei had gradually refined his control over the Dreamlands, expanding its scope.
Now it seemed that Tilis had long been aware.
"I don't know..." Tilis shook her head in a daze, "Perhaps I had this thought a long time ago..."
"My mentor wouldn't change so easily, Luo Wei. You underestimate her."
Luo Wei understood—it was because of Usoma.
But there was nothing he could do about it. He hadn't had much contact with Usoma, and to simulate things to this extent was already quite difficult.
Interestingly...
Despite Tilis's suspicions, she still chose not to wake up.
Unlike himself, she was willing to remain in this illusory paradise.
Tilis gave a bitter smile.
"Luo Wei, is this your new ability? It's really impressive..."
"You've crafted such a dream, just like the perfect world in my imagination..."
"But why wake me up? Isn't it better to let me continue?"
Her voice was full of pleading.
"I really don't want to wake up from this beautiful dream..."
end. Thus one must continue to cultivate, and become a saint or great emperor, in order to prolong one's life. Chen Xia, however, completely reversed this. Since his transmigration, he has gained immortality, and also a system that awards him with attribute points for every year he lives. Thus between the myriad worlds, the legend of an unparalleled senior appeared. "A gentleman takes revenge; it is never too late even after ten thousand years." "When you were at your peak I yielded, now in your old age I shall trample on you." - Chen Xia
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
