In front of them was an endless stream of black demonic wolves that they couldn’t finish killing, while behind them were their reinforcements flooding over like a tide; their war cries shook the heavens, and they were waging war against the tree of the world.
“This…”
“Consciousness is about to be invaded.” Satan said, “They would all instinctively resist that. In this way, his attention will be focused on the Great Wall.”
Sure enough, at the top of the tree of the world, more fog was released that flew toward the Great Wall; the fog battered like missiles against the reinforcements summoned by Satan.
“I’m going to go save people.” Yu Hao said.
Satan looked into the distance and answered, “Archangel, are you sure you want to go there alone?”
Yu Hao stopped. Satan said, “I don’t want to be unable to see you come back alive.”
“Can I understand that as your appeal for help from your friends?” Yu Hao asked.
Satan didn’t answer and just smiled. “They may have been swallowed by the subconscious as well. When you’re looking for them, be careful…let’s kiss?”
Yu Hao blocked Satan. He released the totem’s strength with his left hand, and it formed a silver Golden Crow Wheel shape, while a blast erupted from his right hand; silver flames shot out and opened up a portal, then he kept his wings and threw himself in.
Dream worlds covered by the fog and controlled by aerial roots looked different now, as if they were ruins as they turned into wastelands.
In Chichén Itzá, all of its vegetation had withered. A giant pillar took root beside the pyramid, and all of the light particles in the dreamscape revolved around that aerial root as they were being constantly sucked into the world tree. The aerial root released a billowing fog that was swallowing this dream world. Ren Chong, bathed in black flames, appeared in the fog and said in a low voice, “Everything you seek is but an illusion, such absurd notions…”
With his flying scalpel in hand, Chen Yekai was fighting Ren Chong. In the sky, on the ground, Ren Chong had divided himself into many clones that whizzed through the air, dragging black flames behind them as they knocked Chen Yekai down to the ground.
Chen Yekai kept gasping for breath and struggled to get up, and right at that moment, Yu Hao grabbed Chen Yekai’s wrist and pulled him behind the pyramid!
“Yu Hao?” Chen Yekai uttered in disbelief.
All of Ren Chong’s clones converged once again, revolving as they turned into a whirlpool of black flames and bombarded Chen Yekai’s hiding place. Yu Hao said, “Go in! Into the pyramid!”
The two of them ran into the pyramid. Heaven and earth shook, and Ren Chong had begun to bombard the main door.
“This will be your grave for eternity!”
Chen Yekai said to Yu Hao, “What happened? I suddenly entered my dream and realised that this guy was in my dream, he’s too strong! I can’t compete with him! We need to think of a way to leave this place!”
Meanwhile, Yu Hao pulled Chen Yekai to the terrace of the pyramid atrium. The two of them looked out together.
“Rb! Jea atja qliijg.” Te Ljb rjlv ab Jtfc Tfxjl, Lf’r vgjklcu fcfgus ogbw sbeg vgfjwrmjqf. Cr ibcu jr kf mea boo Efc Jtbcu’r obgmfv lcnjrlbc, sbe mjc vglnf tlw bea.”
Jtfc Tfxjl qijmfv atf oislcu rmjiqfi lc Te Ljb’r tjcv jcv jrxfv, “Zs Mfjatfgfv Vfgqfca Xbv vlrjqqfjgfv, rb P mjc’a vb jcsatlcu jrlvf ogbw ieglcu tlr jaafcalbc jkjs ogbw sbe. Jjc sbe ralii ois?”
Yu Hao shook his head. “My powers come from your impression of me. Now that this dream had been invaded by Ren Chong’s will, I’m the same — all of my powers have disappeared.”
Ren Chong soared through the air, releasing black flames and began bombarding the pyramid. The bricks at the top kept collapsing; the two of them avoided the falling stones. Chen Yekai stared at Yu Hao blankly, who was still looking out.
“The only way is to pick up or awaken your impression of me.” Yu Hao turned his head and said to Chen Yekai, “You have to trust me.”
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Chen Yekai gazed at Yu Hao, then nodded.
“A brief moment will be enough.” Yu Hao said, “Cut off the aerial root, and you’ll be able to recover.”
Chen Yekai closed his eyes and said, “I’ll try my best.”
Yu Hao ran up to the terrace. Chen Yekai turned around and walked to the main door of Chichén Itzá. The aerial root that support both heaven and earth was not far from the terrace. Yu Hao brandished his dagger, looked back, and saw Chen Yekai’s back.
“Trust me, Chen Laoshi.” Yu Hao said seriously, “Recall the past we shared, give me the strength to fight for you in your conscious world…”
Chen Yekai didn’t look back. He made a gesture, and the main door of Chichén Itzá blasted open. Outside the door, a black robed Ren Chong hovered in the air.
“Finally going to stop resisting and submit to your capture?” Ren Chong’s voice resounded through the sky. Chen Yekai just closed his eyes, as if he had really given up on resisting. Amidst Ren Chong’s arrogant laughter, he opened up both hands; his gun fell on the platform and rolled down.
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Ren Chong stretched one hand out, and billowing black flames burst out of his hand that swept over Chen Yekai’s whole body. Chen Yekai, who was burning in those black flames, suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, “Now!”
Yu Hao leapt out of Chichén Itzá’s terrace and jumped towards the aerial root!
Within a moment, countless scenes erupted around Chen Yekai, revolving rapidly around Chichén Itzá! Many memories reappeared like a trotting horse lamp——
On the night of the college celebration, Chen Yekai was always looking up at the singing Yu Hao on the stage in silence.
After the snowy night passed, the morning sun shone brilliantly; Chen Yekai woke up with a hangover and gazed at Yu Hao, who was curled up on the sofa.
“There used to be a saying here. Un…I forgot. In any case, I remember that the suspension bridge was related to some classic.”
“Why did you say it if you have forgotten it?”
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In the bitingly cold winter, Chen Yekai stood outside the glass wall of the cafe, looking at Yu Hao’s side profile as he was looking down and brewing coffee.
In the dark night, Chen Yekai’s breathing was both rapid and shallow.
“Give it to me, Laoshi.” Yu Hao said nervously.
Chen Yekai finally released the handle of the scalpel in his hand, allowing Yu Hao to take it away. He watched his back as he left, and after a long time passed, he chased after him and left the enshrouding shadow of the dormitory building. But on the field, Zhou Sheng found Yu Hao.
So Chen Yekai retreated again and sighed wearily.
“Wishing you both well.” Chen Yekai stood in the dark and whispered.
In midsummer, Chen Yekai stood outside the door to Yu Hao’s dormitory. He smoothed his hair, looked down at the sports attire that he was wearing, took his phone out, and after pondering for a moment, finally raised his hand to knock on the door with a smile on his face.
“I’d suggest you forget about all these.”
On the platform at the top of Chichén Itzá, Zhou Sheng scrutinised the scenes of Chen Yekai’s memories.
“That’ll be good too.” Chen Yekai said, “Such indistinct feelings, even if not spoken, would cause a lot of trouble for the other party ba.”
Zhou Sheng remained silent for a moment, but never snapped his fingers and release his golden flames.
“You like him?” Zhou Sheng asked.
“Maybe.” Chen Yekai said, “Actually, it’s okay if you don’t burn these memories. After some time passes, it’ll gradually fade away.”
Zhou Sheng didn’t say anything more and in the end, he put down his hands, saying, “Brother, although I agree that you have to walk out of it, I really can’t help you…”
Chen Yekai smiled, while Zhou Sheng shook his head helplessly. He turned around to leap out of Chichén Itzá, stepped onto his jindouyun, and flew toward the scorching sun in the sky.
In the next moment, all of the memory scenes shattered, bursting into light particles that chased after the faraway Yu Hao! Yu Hao suddenly opened his eyes wide — the wings on his back fluttered out straight; his silver light was so dazzling that one couldn’t stare straight at him, and he was like a celestial body that illuminated the dark night of Chichén Itzá—
He raised his hand, lifted the flying scalpel, and shouted, “Get lost!”
Before anyone could react, the flying scalpel shone with a white light, drawing a crescent-shaped knife Qi that whistled through the air and cut the aerial root that connected heaven and earth straight across its middle into two!
The giant root broke apart; Ren Chong instantly blew up, turning into billowing black flames that dissipated in the sky.
In the world of Chichén Itzá, the moon appeared once again. The leaves of countless rainforests reflected a silver light that surged like a tide. In the sea of consciousness shrouded by the fog, a lone island appeared; a light pillar shot out of Chichén Itzá’s apex, and like a lighthouse in an area fallen into the enemy’s hands, it illuminated a small area.
Yu Hao glided back and hovered in the air in front of Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai resumed his Great Chieftain look, and both of them looked at each other in silence.
Yu Hao raised his hand and threw the flying scalpel back to Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai lifted his hand and caught it, summoned his Feathered Serpent God, leapt onto it, and only said two words, “Go ba.”
Yu Hao stood on the back of the Feathered Serpent God. A moonlight barrier enveloped both Chen Yekai and his Feathered Serpent God. The Feathered Serpent God broke through the fog and meandered as it advanced forward.
“Where’s Zhou Sheng?” After leaving Chichén Itzá. Chen Yekai finally raised a topic.
“Under the tree.” Yu Hao said, “His dark self is guarding the Great Wall. It’s not enough to rely on my strength alone.”
“Dark self.” Chen Yekai smiled, “Never seen him before. Is he a little devil as well?”
“Un…a little.” Yu Hao thought about it, then explained the details that Golden Crow Wheel told him to Chen Yekai.
Chen Yekai muttered, “Ren Chong wants to invade everyone’s consciousness. We must hurry.”
Yu Hao uttered an “un”. Chen Yekai continued, “I thought you’d ignore everything else and kill your way straight through to the bottom of the tree to save him.”
“I am really anxious, and I might have done that in the past.” Yu Hao answered, “But Qihang said some things that made me reconsider a little…He needs you guys. He needs everyone.”
Feathered Serpent God descended from high up and flew into the depths of the fog, revealing the Hanging Gardens concealed by the subconscious. Huang Ting, wearing an Archmage attire, held a magic book in his left hand with its pages fluttering in the wind, and he was currently wandering about and fighting with Ren Chong, who had a trail of black flames behind him — both sides showed no signs of giving in at all!
Ren Chong’s consciousness had not yet completely controlled Huang Ting?! Yu Hao reacted — Huang Ting shouldn’t be afraid of him!
“Huang Ting!” Yu Hao shouted.
Huang Ting released fireballs that filled the sky, and they shot swiftly like meteors towards Ren Chong, who was soaring through the sky. He shouted, “Chop down the bastard pillar for me!”
Chen Yekai and Yu Hao instantly separated in the air. Yu Hao brandished his dagger, which flickered with the arc of a moon as he swung it. The Feathered Serpent God suddenly grabbed Ren Chong from the air and slammed him against the ground, then Huang Ting released a black gravitational field. Ren Chong wailed in anguish as he wanted to fly away, but he was sucked straight into that black hole, and his black flames disappeared with a blast as well.
Huang Ting gasped in the air. When he turned his head around to take a look, Yu Hao had already cut off the aerial root — the half that fell down from the sky was drawn away, while the root that remained in Huang Ting’s dream world turned into black vapour and dissipated.
Huang Ting, “Where’s Zhou Sheng?”
Yu Hao said, “Let’s go find Qihang and Gege first, I’ll explain it to all of you later. I really don’t want to explain the same thing four times.”
Chen Yekai said, “How much longer can the Great Wall last?”
“You’ll have to ask Satan that.” Yu Hao answered, “I don’t know…”
In the Great Wall in the distance, its lights shone brilliantly, and its splendour radiated in all directions. The fog was still creeping up the wall, rising upward; at the other camp facing the Great Wall from far away, in the Golden Crow Wheel that was in the state of an eclipse, a solar prominence was erupting from its periphery. An endless stream of dark monsters were flying out from the black disc; they plunged into the fog and headed to the Great Wall.
“Look.” Huang Ting motioned to the other two. There was a lone island flickering in the distance that was driving the fog away.
“That’s…Loulan?” Yu Hao said, “Gege has already succeeded!”
Yu Hao didn’t expect that Fu Liqun could actually break free from Ren Chong’s control by relying on his strength alone! This was something even Huang Ting couldn’t do!
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Chen Yekai, “Where’s Liqun?”
“I see him!” Yu Hao cried out, “Gege!”
A figure riding a celestial horse appeared in the sky. Chen Yekai immediately shot in that direction, and Fu Liqun noticed it. Clad in a suit of silver armour, he flew over on his celestial horse.
“I’m freezing!” Fu Liqun wailed in anguish, “Why are you guys so late?”
“You broke free from Ren Chong?” Yu Hao could hardly believe it.
Fu Liqun said, “I dreamt that a pillar was inserted into my world. Ren Chong even ran out and asked me for my totem…”
Huang Ting, “You weren’t afraid of him at all?”
Fu Liqun, “Of course not. I’m going abroad soon, why would I be afraid of him?!”
Yu Hao, “You could defeat him?”
Fu Liqun shrugged. “Don’t mention it anymore. I’m not capable at all, so I could only start fooling and brainwashing him. I successfully tricked him into the gym that went bankrupt and locked the door, let that enchantress SM him, then cut the pillar. It seemed like after that, everything returned to normal all of a sudden, and I could summon my mount too, so I thought about looking for you guys. That’s the Great Wall? What happened?”
Yu Hao, “……”
Chen Yekai, “……”
Huang Ting, “You’re really good at fooling people.”
Fu Liqun, “That’s right. I didn’t take all those lessons in that pyramid scheme organisation in vain…Where’s Young Master? Where did Xiao Ou go? What the hell happened? Can we still wake up?”
Yu Hao snapped out of his daze. “Look for Qihang first, quick!”
As his comrades returned one by one, it seemed like the powers Yu Hao had lost were gradually returning as well. Fu Liqun steered the celestial horse in front and broke through the fog; the Feathered Serpent God following closely behind, and they entered the last dream. The high-rise buildings of Ying City stood in great numbers, the fog enveloped the area at the bottom of the high-rise buildings, and Ou Qihang was standing at the rooftop.
“Hltjcu!” Te Ljb rtbeafv.
Ye Hltjcu kjr xcffilcu ja atf abq bo atf tlut-glrf yelivlcu. Efc Jtbcu tbnfgfv lc wlv jlg, jr lo tf kjr qeaalcu Ye HPtjcu bc aglji. Dijmx oijwfr yegra bea bo tlr tjcvr atja kgjqqfv jgbecv Ye Hltjcu’r ybvs. Qtfc tf tfjgv atf rtbea, Ye Hltjcu revvfcis gjlrfv tlr tfjv.
As soon as the four of them entered the dreamscape, the Feathered God Serpent disappeared and fell from the sky. Ou Qihang shouted fiercely, “Yu Hao!” He kept struggling and rushed to the edge of the rooftop. Huang Ting grabbed a lightning rod, swung around in the air, and lunged at Yu Hao, shouting, “Don’t jump!”
But Ou Qihang had already jumped off the high-rise building. Fu Liqun shouted angrily, “Asked you not to jump!” He pounced toward Ou Qihang, hugged his waist, smashed into the glass wall with him, and they fell into an office building together.
Glass shards flew out. In the next moment, Chen Yekai crashed in, followed by Huang Ting, and finally Yu Hao.
Ou Qihang’s head was all bloody. He got up in a daze and stared at the other four.
“Ren Chong’s coming!” Huang Ting warned.
Everyone immediately took their places and guarded Ou Qihang, facing the outside of the glass wall. Ren Chong slowly descended.
“Does he know that we’re gathering our team?” Huang Ting asked.
“That’s not easy to judge.” Yu Hao said, “His focus is on the Great Wall now, so he might not know.”
Fu Liqun said, “This guy’s controlling so many dreams, is his attention unable to keep up? Look, why does it feel like he’s a little silly?”
Chen Yekai, “……”
Once Fu Liqun said that, everyone else noticed it as well. Yu Hao said, “It should be because us humans and the original users of the Golden Crow Wheel are different in the first place ba. Distributing this much attention should be more or less a little difficult.”
Yu Hao could hardly do two things at the same time, and someone as smart as Zhou Sheng could at most multitask at two or three things at once. Ren Chong was using his will to control billions of dreamscapes, yet he wasn’t in a situation where his hands were too full?
Yet these words instantly enraged Ren Chong. Countless black flame missiles sailed forth in full strength and barraged the glass wall. For a moment, the heaven and earth shook, and the exterior wall of the grand building kept falling apart. Huang Ting decided decisively, “Run first, talk later!”
Ou Qihang said, “Not being able to use my Gundam is one thing, but why are you guys this weak too?!”
“That’s what I want to ask you!” Fu Liqun cried out, “Your pot!”
Five people ran down the safety corridor with Huang Ting supporting the rear. Ren Chong’s will launched a frenzied bombardment on the glass building, and dust kept falling from the top of the safety corridor. Ou Qihang shouted, “Where can we run to?!”
“Is your safe haven still usable?” Yu Hao asked.
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“Can’t get in anymore!” Ou Qihang said.
Fog could be seen everywhere below the fifth floor; the environment had turned cold, and the remaining energy that wasn’t a lot in the first place had all been drawn away. Yu Hao opened up his barrier to protect everyone. They looked down from the corner of the staircase; the fog of the subconscious was spreading over, while concrete and gravel were collapsing overhead.
“We have to get outside.” Huang Ting looked up and observed, “This place is about to collapse.”
Suddenly, Yu Hao was struck by a flash of inspiration. “It won’t collapse, at least not now!”
Ou Qihang stared at Yu Hao, baffled. Yu Hao saw that this building had been on the verge of collapse for a long time, yet the devastating effect of collapse never formed. When he connected it to the influence of will on dreamscapes, he suddenly figured out a certain vital node.
“Because we’re here,” Yu Hao said to the rest, “Qihang thinks that there will be a turn for the better, that there’s still hope. Before we come up with a solution, this building will protect us.”
Ou Qihang said, “But how can we defeat him?”
Yu Hao’s words inspired Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai immediately grabbed Ou Qihang’s arm and said patiently, “Listen, Xiao Ou.”
Ou Qihang and Chen Yekai looked at each other. Chen Yekai took a deep breath, then said seriously to him, “Ren Chong isn’t as invincible as you imagine him to be.”
Ou Qihang was distraught as he said, “I know. I understand the principles, but I just can’t convince myself.”
Chen Yekai said, “I remember you mentioned before that if it were possible, you wanted to participate in the research of the Golden Crow Wheel?”
Yu Hao, “!!!”
Yu Hao had never heard Ou Qihang mention this wish of his before and presumed that Ou Qihang had said it to Chen Yekai in private. Ou Qihang’s expression changed slightly. After remaining silent for a moment, he glanced at Yu Hao, “I just thought about it before. If the Golden Crow Wheel was handed to me, maybe more mysteries could be solved…”
Chen Yekai pointed at Yu Hao, signaling for Ou Qihang to talk to Yu Hao about it himself.
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Yu Hao said, “Do you think that it’ll be more effective in your hands than Zhou Sheng’s?”
Ou Qihang thought about it, then answered, “Not exactly, I was wondering…if I could borrow it for a short while at an appropriate time…”
“Like Ren Chong?” Yu Hao replied.
“Of course not.” Ou Qihang laughed and answered, “I won’t use it to do evil. I just want to use it to study dreams.”
The building started shaking violently. Yu Hao suddenly said, “I’ll try to persuade Zhou Sheng to lend it to you after this all ends.”
Ou Qihang uttered in surprise, “Really?”
Yu Hao nodded. He and Chen Yekai looked at each other, then Chen Yekai said, “You must believe that we can seize it back, otherwise there will be no chance.”
Ren Chong divided himself into a dozen or so clones that surrounded the glass building. Each of them concentrated their energy, then released a black flare that connected with each other, locked firmly onto the building, then started closing in like a chain. With a loud blare, the chain twisted itself around the building and instantly shattered the skyscraper into pieces! Bricks and tiles flew out; the building was cut into two across the middle, and within the blink of an eye, the weight of the upper half crushed its foundation and started collapsing layer by layer.
Right at the next moment, a flash of light burst out from the bottom of the building — a Gundam broke through the ruins and flew straight at Ren Chong!
“That’s mine!” The Gundam roared angrily, “They’ve already promised to lend it to me! Ren Chong! Give it back!”
Gundam RX-7202 brandished its weapon and swept past. Ren Chong was struck in an instant, then turned into revolving black flames. Chen Yekai, Huang Ting, and Fu Liqun flew out at the same time, wielding their respective weapons in mid-air as they cut down all of Ren Chong’s clones.
Yu Hao spread his wings out and flew to the giant pillar. With one swing of his dagger, he had drawn an arc of light.
The aerial root connected to Qihang’s dreamscape was cut and drawn away, and another light pillar rose in the dream world.
“You promised me, Yu Hao!” The Gundam followed the Feathered Serpent God and rose in the sea of subconscious, broke through the fog, and flew to the huge tree.
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“I got it!” Yu Hao was a little irritated, “You don’t need to remind me all the time.”
Yu Hao really couldn’t understand what Ou Qihang was thinking sometimes. Huang Ting said, “If Zhou Sheng really agrees to lend it to you, you have to promise me that you won’t come into my dream. I don’t want to dream of you.”
Ou Qihang said, “I won’t. Uncle Kai said that he’s willing to do the research with me.”
“You guys…” Yu Hao suddenly seemed to realise something, and he looked at Chen Yekai.
Chen Yekai answered, “Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with Ryuusei.”
Yu Hao nodded. Ou Qihang asked, “Who’s Ryuusei? Is this the collective unconscious? The whole world’s under Ren Chong’s control? How much time has passed in the real world?”
Fu Liqun said, “Everyone’s here, so we can save Young Master now ba.”
Yu Hao looked at the roots of the huge tree. They had already reached the bottom of the canopy. The pale light of the Golden Crow Wheel shone down through the leaves, and just beneath the intertwined roots of the world tree, the fog of the subconscious was already so dense that one wouldn’t even be able to see their fingers stretched out in front of them. However, right under the roots, a bottomless cave appeared with a faint light flickering in it.
“Before falling into the subconscious, he asked me to pass on a message to you. He left a signal behind for you that would guide you to where he is…”
In front of them was an endless stream of black demonic wolves that they couldn’t finish killing, while behind them were their reinforcements flooding over like a tide; their war cries shook the heavens, and they were waging war against the tree of the world.
“This…”
“Consciousness is about to be invaded.” Satan said, “They would all instinctively resist that. In this way, his attention will be focused on the Great Wall.”
Sure enough, at the top of the tree of the world, more fog was released that flew toward the Great Wall; the fog battered like missiles against the reinforcements summoned by Satan.
“I’m going to go save people.” Yu Hao said.
Satan looked into the distance and answered, “Archangel, are you sure you want to go there alone?”
Yu Hao stopped. Satan said, “I don’t want to be unable to see you come back alive.”
“Can I understand that as your appeal for help from your friends?” Yu Hao asked.
Satan didn’t answer and just smiled. “They may have been swallowed by the subconscious as well. When you’re looking for them, be careful…let’s kiss?”
Yu Hao blocked Satan. He released the totem’s strength with his left hand, and it formed a silver Golden Crow Wheel shape, while a blast erupted from his right hand; silver flames shot out and opened up a portal, then he kept his wings and threw himself in.
Dream worlds covered by the fog and controlled by aerial roots looked different now, as if they were ruins as they turned into wastelands.
In Chichén Itzá, all of its vegetation had withered. A giant pillar took root beside the pyramid, and all of the light particles in the dreamscape revolved around that aerial root as they were being constantly sucked into the world tree. The aerial root released a billowing fog that was swallowing this dream world. Ren Chong, bathed in black flames, appeared in the fog and said in a low voice, “Everything you seek is but an illusion, such absurd notions…”
With his flying scalpel in hand, Chen Yekai was fighting Ren Chong. In the sky, on the ground, Ren Chong had divided himself into many clones that whizzed through the air, dragging black flames behind them as they knocked Chen Yekai down to the ground.
Chen Yekai kept gasping for breath and struggled to get up, and right at that moment, Yu Hao grabbed Chen Yekai’s wrist and pulled him behind the pyramid!
“Yu Hao?” Chen Yekai uttered in disbelief.
All of Ren Chong’s clones converged once again, revolving as they turned into a whirlpool of black flames and bombarded Chen Yekai’s hiding place. Yu Hao said, “Go in! Into the pyramid!”
The two of them ran into the pyramid. Heaven and earth shook, and Ren Chong had begun to bombard the main door.
“This will be your grave for eternity!”
Chen Yekai said to Yu Hao, “What happened? I suddenly entered my dream and realised that this guy was in my dream, he’s too strong! I can’t compete with him! We need to think of a way to leave this place!”
Meanwhile, Yu Hao pulled Chen Yekai to the terrace of the pyramid atrium. The two of them looked out together.
“Rb! Jea atja qliijg.” Te Ljb rjlv ab Jtfc Tfxjl, Lf’r vgjklcu fcfgus ogbw sbeg vgfjwrmjqf. Cr ibcu jr kf mea boo Efc Jtbcu’r obgmfv lcnjrlbc, sbe mjc vglnf tlw bea.”
Jtfc Tfxjl qijmfv atf oislcu rmjiqfi lc Te Ljb’r tjcv jcv jrxfv, “Zs Mfjatfgfv Vfgqfca Xbv vlrjqqfjgfv, rb P mjc’a vb jcsatlcu jrlvf ogbw ieglcu tlr jaafcalbc jkjs ogbw sbe. Jjc sbe ralii ois?”
Yu Hao shook his head. “My powers come from your impression of me. Now that this dream had been invaded by Ren Chong’s will, I’m the same — all of my powers have disappeared.”
Ren Chong soared through the air, releasing black flames and began bombarding the pyramid. The bricks at the top kept collapsing; the two of them avoided the falling stones. Chen Yekai stared at Yu Hao blankly, who was still looking out.
“The only way is to pick up or awaken your impression of me.” Yu Hao turned his head and said to Chen Yekai, “You have to trust me.”
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Chen Yekai gazed at Yu Hao, then nodded.
“A brief moment will be enough.” Yu Hao said, “Cut off the aerial root, and you’ll be able to recover.”
Chen Yekai closed his eyes and said, “I’ll try my best.”
Yu Hao ran up to the terrace. Chen Yekai turned around and walked to the main door of Chichén Itzá. The aerial root that support both heaven and earth was not far from the terrace. Yu Hao brandished his dagger, looked back, and saw Chen Yekai’s back.
“Trust me, Chen Laoshi.” Yu Hao said seriously, “Recall the past we shared, give me the strength to fight for you in your conscious world…”
Chen Yekai didn’t look back. He made a gesture, and the main door of Chichén Itzá blasted open. Outside the door, a black robed Ren Chong hovered in the air.
“Finally going to stop resisting and submit to your capture?” Ren Chong’s voice resounded through the sky. Chen Yekai just closed his eyes, as if he had really given up on resisting. Amidst Ren Chong’s arrogant laughter, he opened up both hands; his gun fell on the platform and rolled down.
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Ren Chong stretched one hand out, and billowing black flames burst out of his hand that swept over Chen Yekai’s whole body. Chen Yekai, who was burning in those black flames, suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, “Now!”
Yu Hao leapt out of Chichén Itzá’s terrace and jumped towards the aerial root!
Within a moment, countless scenes erupted around Chen Yekai, revolving rapidly around Chichén Itzá! Many memories reappeared like a trotting horse lamp——
On the night of the college celebration, Chen Yekai was always looking up at the singing Yu Hao on the stage in silence.
After the snowy night passed, the morning sun shone brilliantly; Chen Yekai woke up with a hangover and gazed at Yu Hao, who was curled up on the sofa.
“There used to be a saying here. Un…I forgot. In any case, I remember that the suspension bridge was related to some classic.”
“Why did you say it if you have forgotten it?”
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In the bitingly cold winter, Chen Yekai stood outside the glass wall of the cafe, looking at Yu Hao’s side profile as he was looking down and brewing coffee.
In the dark night, Chen Yekai’s breathing was both rapid and shallow.
“Give it to me, Laoshi.” Yu Hao said nervously.
Chen Yekai finally released the handle of the scalpel in his hand, allowing Yu Hao to take it away. He watched his back as he left, and after a long time passed, he chased after him and left the enshrouding shadow of the dormitory building. But on the field, Zhou Sheng found Yu Hao.
So Chen Yekai retreated again and sighed wearily.
“Wishing you both well.” Chen Yekai stood in the dark and whispered.
In midsummer, Chen Yekai stood outside the door to Yu Hao’s dormitory. He smoothed his hair, looked down at the sports attire that he was wearing, took his phone out, and after pondering for a moment, finally raised his hand to knock on the door with a smile on his face.
“I’d suggest you forget about all these.”
On the platform at the top of Chichén Itzá, Zhou Sheng scrutinised the scenes of Chen Yekai’s memories.
“That’ll be good too.” Chen Yekai said, “Such indistinct feelings, even if not spoken, would cause a lot of trouble for the other party ba.”
Zhou Sheng remained silent for a moment, but never snapped his fingers and release his golden flames.
“You like him?” Zhou Sheng asked.
“Maybe.” Chen Yekai said, “Actually, it’s okay if you don’t burn these memories. After some time passes, it’ll gradually fade away.”
Zhou Sheng didn’t say anything more and in the end, he put down his hands, saying, “Brother, although I agree that you have to walk out of it, I really can’t help you…”
Chen Yekai smiled, while Zhou Sheng shook his head helplessly. He turned around to leap out of Chichén Itzá, stepped onto his jindouyun, and flew toward the scorching sun in the sky.
In the next moment, all of the memory scenes shattered, bursting into light particles that chased after the faraway Yu Hao! Yu Hao suddenly opened his eyes wide — the wings on his back fluttered out straight; his silver light was so dazzling that one couldn’t stare straight at him, and he was like a celestial body that illuminated the dark night of Chichén Itzá—
He raised his hand, lifted the flying scalpel, and shouted, “Get lost!”
Before anyone could react, the flying scalpel shone with a white light, drawing a crescent-shaped knife Qi that whistled through the air and cut the aerial root that connected heaven and earth straight across its middle into two!
The giant root broke apart; Ren Chong instantly blew up, turning into billowing black flames that dissipated in the sky.
In the world of Chichén Itzá, the moon appeared once again. The leaves of countless rainforests reflected a silver light that surged like a tide. In the sea of consciousness shrouded by the fog, a lone island appeared; a light pillar shot out of Chichén Itzá’s apex, and like a lighthouse in an area fallen into the enemy’s hands, it illuminated a small area.
Yu Hao glided back and hovered in the air in front of Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai resumed his Great Chieftain look, and both of them looked at each other in silence.
Yu Hao raised his hand and threw the flying scalpel back to Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai lifted his hand and caught it, summoned his Feathered Serpent God, leapt onto it, and only said two words, “Go ba.”
Yu Hao stood on the back of the Feathered Serpent God. A moonlight barrier enveloped both Chen Yekai and his Feathered Serpent God. The Feathered Serpent God broke through the fog and meandered as it advanced forward.
“Where’s Zhou Sheng?” After leaving Chichén Itzá. Chen Yekai finally raised a topic.
“Under the tree.” Yu Hao said, “His dark self is guarding the Great Wall. It’s not enough to rely on my strength alone.”
“Dark self.” Chen Yekai smiled, “Never seen him before. Is he a little devil as well?”
“Un…a little.” Yu Hao thought about it, then explained the details that Golden Crow Wheel told him to Chen Yekai.
Chen Yekai muttered, “Ren Chong wants to invade everyone’s consciousness. We must hurry.”
Yu Hao uttered an “un”. Chen Yekai continued, “I thought you’d ignore everything else and kill your way straight through to the bottom of the tree to save him.”
“I am really anxious, and I might have done that in the past.” Yu Hao answered, “But Qihang said some things that made me reconsider a little…He needs you guys. He needs everyone.”
Feathered Serpent God descended from high up and flew into the depths of the fog, revealing the Hanging Gardens concealed by the subconscious. Huang Ting, wearing an Archmage attire, held a magic book in his left hand with its pages fluttering in the wind, and he was currently wandering about and fighting with Ren Chong, who had a trail of black flames behind him — both sides showed no signs of giving in at all!
Ren Chong’s consciousness had not yet completely controlled Huang Ting?! Yu Hao reacted — Huang Ting shouldn’t be afraid of him!
“Huang Ting!” Yu Hao shouted.
Huang Ting released fireballs that filled the sky, and they shot swiftly like meteors towards Ren Chong, who was soaring through the sky. He shouted, “Chop down the bastard pillar for me!”
Chen Yekai and Yu Hao instantly separated in the air. Yu Hao brandished his dagger, which flickered with the arc of a moon as he swung it. The Feathered Serpent God suddenly grabbed Ren Chong from the air and slammed him against the ground, then Huang Ting released a black gravitational field. Ren Chong wailed in anguish as he wanted to fly away, but he was sucked straight into that black hole, and his black flames disappeared with a blast as well.
Huang Ting gasped in the air. When he turned his head around to take a look, Yu Hao had already cut off the aerial root — the half that fell down from the sky was drawn away, while the root that remained in Huang Ting’s dream world turned into black vapour and dissipated.
Huang Ting, “Where’s Zhou Sheng?”
Yu Hao said, “Let’s go find Qihang and Gege first, I’ll explain it to all of you later. I really don’t want to explain the same thing four times.”
Chen Yekai said, “How much longer can the Great Wall last?”
“You’ll have to ask Satan that.” Yu Hao answered, “I don’t know…”
In the Great Wall in the distance, its lights shone brilliantly, and its splendour radiated in all directions. The fog was still creeping up the wall, rising upward; at the other camp facing the Great Wall from far away, in the Golden Crow Wheel that was in the state of an eclipse, a solar prominence was erupting from its periphery. An endless stream of dark monsters were flying out from the black disc; they plunged into the fog and headed to the Great Wall.
“Look.” Huang Ting motioned to the other two. There was a lone island flickering in the distance that was driving the fog away.
“That’s…Loulan?” Yu Hao said, “Gege has already succeeded!”
Yu Hao didn’t expect that Fu Liqun could actually break free from Ren Chong’s control by relying on his strength alone! This was something even Huang Ting couldn’t do!
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Chen Yekai, “Where’s Liqun?”
“I see him!” Yu Hao cried out, “Gege!”
A figure riding a celestial horse appeared in the sky. Chen Yekai immediately shot in that direction, and Fu Liqun noticed it. Clad in a suit of silver armour, he flew over on his celestial horse.
“I’m freezing!” Fu Liqun wailed in anguish, “Why are you guys so late?”
“You broke free from Ren Chong?” Yu Hao could hardly believe it.
Fu Liqun said, “I dreamt that a pillar was inserted into my world. Ren Chong even ran out and asked me for my totem…”
Huang Ting, “You weren’t afraid of him at all?”
Fu Liqun, “Of course not. I’m going abroad soon, why would I be afraid of him?!”
Yu Hao, “You could defeat him?”
Fu Liqun shrugged. “Don’t mention it anymore. I’m not capable at all, so I could only start fooling and brainwashing him. I successfully tricked him into the gym that went bankrupt and locked the door, let that enchantress SM him, then cut the pillar. It seemed like after that, everything returned to normal all of a sudden, and I could summon my mount too, so I thought about looking for you guys. That’s the Great Wall? What happened?”
Yu Hao, “……”
Chen Yekai, “……”
Huang Ting, “You’re really good at fooling people.”
Fu Liqun, “That’s right. I didn’t take all those lessons in that pyramid scheme organisation in vain…Where’s Young Master? Where did Xiao Ou go? What the hell happened? Can we still wake up?”
Yu Hao snapped out of his daze. “Look for Qihang first, quick!”
As his comrades returned one by one, it seemed like the powers Yu Hao had lost were gradually returning as well. Fu Liqun steered the celestial horse in front and broke through the fog; the Feathered Serpent God following closely behind, and they entered the last dream. The high-rise buildings of Ying City stood in great numbers, the fog enveloped the area at the bottom of the high-rise buildings, and Ou Qihang was standing at the rooftop.
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As soon as the four of them entered the dreamscape, the Feathered God Serpent disappeared and fell from the sky. Ou Qihang shouted fiercely, “Yu Hao!” He kept struggling and rushed to the edge of the rooftop. Huang Ting grabbed a lightning rod, swung around in the air, and lunged at Yu Hao, shouting, “Don’t jump!”
But Ou Qihang had already jumped off the high-rise building. Fu Liqun shouted angrily, “Asked you not to jump!” He pounced toward Ou Qihang, hugged his waist, smashed into the glass wall with him, and they fell into an office building together.
Glass shards flew out. In the next moment, Chen Yekai crashed in, followed by Huang Ting, and finally Yu Hao.
Ou Qihang’s head was all bloody. He got up in a daze and stared at the other four.
“Ren Chong’s coming!” Huang Ting warned.
Everyone immediately took their places and guarded Ou Qihang, facing the outside of the glass wall. Ren Chong slowly descended.
“Does he know that we’re gathering our team?” Huang Ting asked.
“That’s not easy to judge.” Yu Hao said, “His focus is on the Great Wall now, so he might not know.”
Fu Liqun said, “This guy’s controlling so many dreams, is his attention unable to keep up? Look, why does it feel like he’s a little silly?”
Chen Yekai, “……”
Once Fu Liqun said that, everyone else noticed it as well. Yu Hao said, “It should be because us humans and the original users of the Golden Crow Wheel are different in the first place ba. Distributing this much attention should be more or less a little difficult.”
Yu Hao could hardly do two things at the same time, and someone as smart as Zhou Sheng could at most multitask at two or three things at once. Ren Chong was using his will to control billions of dreamscapes, yet he wasn’t in a situation where his hands were too full?
Yet these words instantly enraged Ren Chong. Countless black flame missiles sailed forth in full strength and barraged the glass wall. For a moment, the heaven and earth shook, and the exterior wall of the grand building kept falling apart. Huang Ting decided decisively, “Run first, talk later!”
Ou Qihang said, “Not being able to use my Gundam is one thing, but why are you guys this weak too?!”
“That’s what I want to ask you!” Fu Liqun cried out, “Your pot!”
Five people ran down the safety corridor with Huang Ting supporting the rear. Ren Chong’s will launched a frenzied bombardment on the glass building, and dust kept falling from the top of the safety corridor. Ou Qihang shouted, “Where can we run to?!”
“Is your safe haven still usable?” Yu Hao asked.
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“Can’t get in anymore!” Ou Qihang said.
Fog could be seen everywhere below the fifth floor; the environment had turned cold, and the remaining energy that wasn’t a lot in the first place had all been drawn away. Yu Hao opened up his barrier to protect everyone. They looked down from the corner of the staircase; the fog of the subconscious was spreading over, while concrete and gravel were collapsing overhead.
“We have to get outside.” Huang Ting looked up and observed, “This place is about to collapse.”
Suddenly, Yu Hao was struck by a flash of inspiration. “It won’t collapse, at least not now!”
Ou Qihang stared at Yu Hao, baffled. Yu Hao saw that this building had been on the verge of collapse for a long time, yet the devastating effect of collapse never formed. When he connected it to the influence of will on dreamscapes, he suddenly figured out a certain vital node.
“Because we’re here,” Yu Hao said to the rest, “Qihang thinks that there will be a turn for the better, that there’s still hope. Before we come up with a solution, this building will protect us.”
Ou Qihang said, “But how can we defeat him?”
Yu Hao’s words inspired Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai immediately grabbed Ou Qihang’s arm and said patiently, “Listen, Xiao Ou.”
Ou Qihang and Chen Yekai looked at each other. Chen Yekai took a deep breath, then said seriously to him, “Ren Chong isn’t as invincible as you imagine him to be.”
Ou Qihang was distraught as he said, “I know. I understand the principles, but I just can’t convince myself.”
Chen Yekai said, “I remember you mentioned before that if it were possible, you wanted to participate in the research of the Golden Crow Wheel?”
Yu Hao, “!!!”
Yu Hao had never heard Ou Qihang mention this wish of his before and presumed that Ou Qihang had said it to Chen Yekai in private. Ou Qihang’s expression changed slightly. After remaining silent for a moment, he glanced at Yu Hao, “I just thought about it before. If the Golden Crow Wheel was handed to me, maybe more mysteries could be solved…”
Chen Yekai pointed at Yu Hao, signaling for Ou Qihang to talk to Yu Hao about it himself.
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Yu Hao said, “Do you think that it’ll be more effective in your hands than Zhou Sheng’s?”
Ou Qihang thought about it, then answered, “Not exactly, I was wondering…if I could borrow it for a short while at an appropriate time…”
“Like Ren Chong?” Yu Hao replied.
“Of course not.” Ou Qihang laughed and answered, “I won’t use it to do evil. I just want to use it to study dreams.”
The building started shaking violently. Yu Hao suddenly said, “I’ll try to persuade Zhou Sheng to lend it to you after this all ends.”
Ou Qihang uttered in surprise, “Really?”
Yu Hao nodded. He and Chen Yekai looked at each other, then Chen Yekai said, “You must believe that we can seize it back, otherwise there will be no chance.”
Ren Chong divided himself into a dozen or so clones that surrounded the glass building. Each of them concentrated their energy, then released a black flare that connected with each other, locked firmly onto the building, then started closing in like a chain. With a loud blare, the chain twisted itself around the building and instantly shattered the skyscraper into pieces! Bricks and tiles flew out; the building was cut into two across the middle, and within the blink of an eye, the weight of the upper half crushed its foundation and started collapsing layer by layer.
Right at the next moment, a flash of light burst out from the bottom of the building — a Gundam broke through the ruins and flew straight at Ren Chong!
“That’s mine!” The Gundam roared angrily, “They’ve already promised to lend it to me! Ren Chong! Give it back!”
Gundam RX-7202 brandished its weapon and swept past. Ren Chong was struck in an instant, then turned into revolving black flames. Chen Yekai, Huang Ting, and Fu Liqun flew out at the same time, wielding their respective weapons in mid-air as they cut down all of Ren Chong’s clones.
Yu Hao spread his wings out and flew to the giant pillar. With one swing of his dagger, he had drawn an arc of light.
The aerial root connected to Qihang’s dreamscape was cut and drawn away, and another light pillar rose in the dream world.
“You promised me, Yu Hao!” The Gundam followed the Feathered Serpent God and rose in the sea of subconscious, broke through the fog, and flew to the huge tree.
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“I got it!” Yu Hao was a little irritated, “You don’t need to remind me all the time.”
Yu Hao really couldn’t understand what Ou Qihang was thinking sometimes. Huang Ting said, “If Zhou Sheng really agrees to lend it to you, you have to promise me that you won’t come into my dream. I don’t want to dream of you.”
Ou Qihang said, “I won’t. Uncle Kai said that he’s willing to do the research with me.”
“You guys…” Yu Hao suddenly seemed to realise something, and he looked at Chen Yekai.
Chen Yekai answered, “Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with Ryuusei.”
Yu Hao nodded. Ou Qihang asked, “Who’s Ryuusei? Is this the collective unconscious? The whole world’s under Ren Chong’s control? How much time has passed in the real world?”
Fu Liqun said, “Everyone’s here, so we can save Young Master now ba.”
Yu Hao looked at the roots of the huge tree. They had already reached the bottom of the canopy. The pale light of the Golden Crow Wheel shone down through the leaves, and just beneath the intertwined roots of the world tree, the fog of the subconscious was already so dense that one wouldn’t even be able to see their fingers stretched out in front of them. However, right under the roots, a bottomless cave appeared with a faint light flickering in it.
“Before falling into the subconscious, he asked me to pass on a message to you. He left a signal behind for you that would guide you to where he is…”
