Chapter 364: Test
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Golden Sun Prosperous Land, Da Qian Empire.
"Life is like a dream!"
Fang Yuan stretched his body, walked out of the meditation room and shook the golden bell.
"Sir, you are awake?"
The maids waiting outside the room were pleasantly surprised and went inside the room to help Fang Yuan wash up.
Moments later, a female cook served him food.
The jade bowl was filled with Yellow Grain Rice and there were also a few side dishes made from spiritual fruits and vegetables. The plain tasting meal really suited Fang Yuan's palate as he had isolated himself for a long time.
"Not bad..."
Fang Yuan ate the rice with his spoon and felt warmth in his body as his dream elemental force recovered. He was very satisfied.
"You all are dismissed!"
After finishing his meal, he dismissed his servants and sat cross-legged.
"Stats!"
A screen that could only be seen by him appeared.
"Name: Fang Yuan
Essence: 48
Spirit: 48
Magic: 60
Profession: Dream Soldier Master
Cultivation: Illusionary Divine (4th Tier), Wu Zong (5th Meridian)
Technique: [Giant Eagle Metal Body Technique (Grade 6) (1%)], [Hundred Poison Golden Body (1st Refining)], [8 Gates Sword Array (5th Sword) (1%)]
Skill: [Medicine (Level 3)], [Botany (Level 5)]"
"After abandoning that body, the witchcraft abilities I cultivated are gone..."
Fang Yuan expected it to happen. Using his spiritual will, he looked into his actualised dream world and saw that red drop of witch's vital blood. He smiled and thought, "With this, the dream traversing this time around was still worth it. Of course, what makes me even happier is the changes happening in Ancient Realm that caused it to purge foreigners. It has become my own realm..."
He sensed that the originally vast realm had already shrunk itself. Concentrated amounts of heavenly energy had already formed a crystal wall with a hive-like structure that surrounded the realm, preventing it from being explored.
It would be extremely difficult for dream masters to enter this realm from now on.
"The realm shrank and it was now turbid like an egg. Such an extent... even if the Sage were to descend in the realm, it would require a lot of effort too? Furthermore, he will be suppressed and won't be as powerful..."
Originally, with the help of the 9 Cauldrons of people dao, dream masters who entered the realm would at most have their strength halved and could recover their strength quickly.
But now, even the Sage would not obtain his power so quickly if he entered the realm.
"The Hidden Dragon Guards must have caused such changes! The Sage was so smart to stay outside the realm..."
Fang Yuan let out a breath of air, "The Realm Alliance must have suffered great losses this time!"
The method of escaping from the Ancient Realm this time was different from the usual method of leaving the realm. In order to escape as quickly as possible, many dream masters used a suicidal method to escape. Even dream masters at the 7th Tier of Illusionary Divine stage suffered losses.
Furthermore, with the realm's seal, there was only a fifty-fifty chance of escaping!
Fang Yuan closed his eyes and his spiritual will linked with the Dream Realm as he arrived at Realm Alliance Mountain.
Although the place remained the same, there were fewer people around. Many dream masters had a sombre look on their faces and it was as though something big was about to happen.
"Looks like the Realm Alliance suffered great losses this time around..." Fang Yuan thought.
It was truly extremely unlucky that the Hidden Dragon Guards set a ploy that misled and lured the Realm Alliance to send in more reinforcements.
As Fang Yuan was in the Realm Alliance, it was natural that he knew about the situation as he had ties to the alliance.
"Brother Fang!"
A few messages appeared on his inscription plate. The first message was from the Ye sisters, "We are very relieved to know that you are alright, little sister was very worried for you!"
"There were some setbacks, but luckily I'm alright!"
Fang Yuan replied, "What's the situation like in the alliance?"
"What else can it be like? Many were either injured or died! Only at most 40% of the dream masters returned from Ancient Realm, the rest died... The three elders were injured but their injuries were not too serious and they have already appeared to appease the people!"
"That's great!"
In actual fact, even the powers of 10 dream masters at the 4th Tier of Illusionary Divine combined would not be comparable to that of a single dream master at the 7th Tier of Illusionary Divine.
As long as those three elders were alright, the Realm Alliance would be alright.
Of course, at such a moment, some of their strategies were affected by the losses.
"Also..."
Ye Shuhua hesitated for a moment before sending over another message, "Li Qin died... He was also one of the reinforcements this time!"
"Li Qin?!"
This enemy of his, the old-fashioned dream master at the 4th Tier of Illusionary Devine, died in the Ancient Realm too?
Fang Yuan thought hard, other than the period the last reinforcements were sent, he was at the north the whole time. He had no impressions of him and could not help but to sigh.
Although Fang Yuan still had some issues to settle with him, Fang Yuan never imagined he would just die like that.
The realm was merciless. Fang Yuan only escaped due to his luck, but what about next time? Would he still have such amazing luck?
...
Fang Yuan walked into Green Bronze Hall and saw Feng Xinzi just moments later.
"Brother!"
Feng Xinzi was dressed in a five-coloured robe and pill essence surrounded him exuberantly. His spirituality was astounding. Although he seemed tired, a happy expression appeared on his face the moment he saw Fang Yuan.
"I heard you went to the Ancient Realm and was so worried for you! Now that I see you are all fine, my heart is relieved at once!"
Realistically, only Feng Xinzi himself knew how he really felt inside his heart. Just that dreams masters were the masters of manipulating their emotions and soul, no one would be able to tell they were faking.
"I was just lucky!"
Fang Yuan could not tell too. As Fang Yuan was cautious by nature, he replied cautiously and ensured nothing was leaked, thus blocking Feng Xinzi's attempt to probe.
"Sigh... times are difficult!"
Feng Xinzi sighed and continued, "Many died in the alliance this time, it is now a period of bereavement. Also, many positions are now empty and they have to be replaced or removed.... You have done well this time and earned your merits! When you visit Elder Smelter later, your level of rights can be raised to 5th Leaf!"
If Fang Yuan had received the 5th Leaf level of rights in the alliance, his level of rights would be equal to Feng Xinzi. Thus, this could not be decided so easily and Fang Yuan had to pass through the elder first.
Feng Xinzi was slightly gloomy but he did not reveal it on his face and continued, "Just that, from the 5th Leaf onwards, you would be at the mid-high level and you have to pass through a test first!"
Fang Yuan was speechless, he knew this was another attempt at systemic exploitation by the alliance.
"A test?"
Fang Yuan stared at Feng Xinzi deeply and laughed all of a sudden, "What if I choose not to raise my level of rights?"
"What?"
Feng Xinzi's jaw dropped, he almost could not believe what he heard, "This... although there is no set rule, why would you choose not to accept a reward?"
"Haha... I'm just kidding. Let's talk about it once I meet the elder and obtain more information about the test!"
Fang Yuan clasped his hands and walked out the door.
"Hng..."
Many moments later, after there was no one else left in the Green Bronze Hall, Feng Xinzi's smile turned stiff and his expression turned sullen.
...
"Heh... whatever 1st Leaf or 2nd Leaf level of rights is merely a status, it doesn't provide me with great authority in the alliance, the practical benefits are minute! I would be a fool to risk my life for such a thing!"
Fang Yuan joined the Realm Alliance initially to resist the pressure from Divine Lotus Cult.
Now, it was to avoid the effects of the big war once it started. He did not care much about his level of rights.
As long as Fang Yuan himself was powerful as a dream master was all that mattered.
At the 7th Tier of Illusionary Divine, he would be able to actualise spiritual lands and tribes.
When he finally reached that stage, he would be truly powerful and relevant! What would that mere status matter?
"Of course... now, I still need the Realm Alliance's protection. In these kinds of organisations, a lowly member would dare not disobey an order, even if it was an unspoken rule! There were ways for the organisation to force them! Hence, I still need to put up a facade... although I cannot disobey, I can drag and delay it!"
Delaying the test required some tricks too.
Mentioning that he did not want to up his level of rights was just a way to prevent them from repeatedly forcing him to take the test.
His own attitude would then slowly soften and his decision would flip back and forth. Overall, it was for him to have a battle of words with them!
The time gained from delaying would then be used to cultivate and strengthen himself.
Once his power passed through a certain threshold, things would go his way. The test would no longer be a difficulty to him.
Fang Yuan was all set in his plan and went ahead to meet Elder Smelter.
...
A few days later, Golden Sun Prosperous Land.
"After a few arguments, I managed to find out the baseline... I can still retain my Golden Sun Prosperous Land and the pact for me to not participate in other mandatory missions for 10 years. Just that I had to accept one mission!" Fang Yuan thought.
In actual fact, he had no other choice.
After the events in the Ancient Realm, three elders were injured and many alliance members died. The original arrangements were barely sufficient and new bloods had to replace these empty positions.
Furthermore, it was not only him. Even Zhou Hun and other members of the alliance who worked behind the scenes were deployed too.
"Also…...I can only at most drag for half a year! In half a year, I need to strengthen myself!"
Secretly entering Ancient Realm was the best way for Fang Yuan to strengthen himself.
Although that realm was extremely defensive, it did not purge Fang Yuan. But now, after such events, it was very likely many higher beings were paying extra attention to him now. He would be caught if he were to enter the realm! Furthermore, the realm was in havoc now, it was obvious that the heavenly trend was changing. If he riskily entered the realm, even if he could reap great benefits, he would most likely garner hatred. Hence, Fang Yuan would not enter the realm and he still had to slowly plan first.
"Other than the Ancient Realm, the other coordinates I can contact are limited. Furthermore, they are small realms which were attacked numerous times and they would have nothing left..."
Fang Yuan sighed, "Looks like I still have to cultivate more over a period of time first."
Luckily, he did not come back empty-handed from Ancient World.
Inside his actualised dream world, a drop of blood-red coloured crystal vibrated slightly. It had a mysterious glow on it and was being repeatedly analysed, emitting bits and pieces of witchcraft dao's legacy.
"Witches valued the body the most. This complements the Hundred Poison Golden Body technique I have been refining... If I can absorb this blood and fully analyse its divine techniques, my martial arts and body will greatly improve."
"Other than that, I still have the inheritance from Sage Changli which I will be learning continuously from. At the 4th Tier of Illusionary Divine, I can now see and analyse even more content!"
"The most important things in this half a year would be this two!"