"Where am I?"
"And... who am I?"
Purple Violet Fairy awakened within her dream, yet she had forgotten herself.
With a vacant look on her face, she gazed around and found herself standing upon a vast expanse of yellow earth — desolate, without a shred of life.
She looked down at her own body and found she had a clay figure, small hands and small feet, her entire form dry and withered.
"It seems I've forgotten something important."
Purple Violet Fairy furrowed her brows tightly, but try as she might, she could not remember.
She had even forgotten whether that important thing was an event, or a person.
No matter how hard she tried, it eluded her.
And yet, this vast and desolate stretch of yellow earth filled her with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"Home?" The word surfaced in Purple Violet Fairy's mind.
But this barren home filled her with a surge of sorrow.
At that moment, a gust of wind blew in.
The wind grew stronger and stronger, sending sand and dust swirling into the air.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
There were no clouds in the sky, yet a torrential downpour descended.
Raindrops the size of beans, numbering in the tens of millions, hammered into the yellow soil.
Before long, it had formed into an enormous expanse of mud.
Purple Violet Fairy stood in the midst of the mire, drenched from head to toe, in a thoroughly wretched state.
But no matter how fierce the storm raged, she kept her head raised, and her vision remained somehow perfectly unobstructed.
She discovered that she knew this stretch of yellow earth like the back of her hand.
She also discovered that she appeared able to control the wind and rain — as easily as flexing her own fingers.
And so, she thought to herself: "This storm is too strong. Perhaps it should weaken a little."
In the very next moment, the storm truly did diminish.
Patches of green emerged from the mire and spread in every direction.
These were the sprouts of wild grass.
Gazing at these blades of grass, a continuous stream of joy welled up in Purple Violet Fairy's heart.
This was life.
At last, she no longer felt so alone.
"It's a pity they're growing so slowly. If only it could be faster."
In the very next moment, time itself began to accelerate.
At a speed visible to the naked eye, the greenery surged upward and grew strong. Before long, the grass rose above ankle height, spreading ever wider, transforming the once-barren yellow earth into a lush grassland.
In the low-lying depressions, rainwater pooled and formed into crystal-clear ponds.
Purple Violet Fairy walked through the thick grass and stood at the edge of a pond. By her reflection on the water's surface, she finally saw her complete appearance.
She was a clay figurine, sculpted from purple clay, with golden lines tracing out her eyes, nose, and mouth.
Purple Violet Fairy suddenly understood who she was.
"That's right. I am... the land spirit of this blessed land."
Central Continent.
Beneath the Myriad Stars Calculation Formation.
Outside the Embroidery House.
"Bai Qing (Feng Jinhuang) pays respect to Immortal Venerable Star Constellation." A mother-daughter pair bowed reverently.
Star Constellation Immortal Venerable's true body was inside the Embroidery House.
She did not open the Embroidery House to let the pair inside. Instead, she directly activated a mortal Information Path Gu, projecting images in the air outside the Embroidery House.
The images displayed the Heavenly Dao Dreams. After presenting them, Star Constellation Immortal Venerable suddenly spoke: "Have you ever seen such dreams, Feng Jinhuang?"
Feng Jinhuang had already been watching with full concentration, and upon hearing the question, replied: "Reporting to Immortal Venerable Star Constellation, this junior has never seen such dreams. However, I have long theorized that the current dreams can be classified by their origin into three types: Human Path dreams, Beast and Plant dreams, and Heavenly Dao dreams."
"The so-called Human Path dreams originate from humans or variant humans — they are their dreams. Beast and Plant dreams come from the fierce beasts and plants that once existed or still exist. As for the Heavenly Dao dreams, they arise from the very fabric of heaven and earth."
Inside the Embroidery House, Star Constellation Immortal Venerable nodded slightly and continued: "Very good. Make your preparations. Perhaps one day, I will need you to personally venture into the Two Heavens and explore these Heavenly Dao dreams."
But Feng Jinhuang shook her head and flatly refused: "Forgive this junior, but I cannot do it. I am still only a mortal Gu Master. I have not the slightest confidence in exploring dreams of this caliber, nor can I guarantee my own safety."
"Oh?" Star Constellation Immortal Venerable raised her brow slightly, not expecting Feng Jinhuang to refuse so directly and decisively.
For a moment, the scene fell into silence.
Fairy Bai Qing, standing to the side, felt immense pressure and wavered as if to speak, but in the end said nothing.
The atmosphere in the place made her feel increasingly suffocated.
As for Feng Jinhuang, her expression remained perfectly indifferent, as though she sensed nothing at all.
"Very well. You may all withdraw." After a long pause, Star Constellation Immortal Venerable spoke.
"This junior takes her leave." Feng Jinhuang immediately rose, bowed toward the Embroidery House, and turned to depart.
Watching the mother and daughter fly away into the distance, Star Constellation Immortal Venerable let out a soft sigh, her gaze quite complicated.
Shadowless Heretic had been swallowed by the Heavenly Dao Dreams. That was truly a great pity.
He had been a fine chess piece for dealing with Spectral Soul Demon Venerable, yet he had been eliminated by Heavenly Will.
And the dreams could not be explored, which meant Shadowless Heretic's loss was certain.
Feng Jinhuang's theory about the Heavenly Dao and Human Path dreams confirmed what Star Constellation Immortal Venerable had suspected all along. But Feng Jinhuang was indeed still only a mortal Gu Master, not yet a Gu Immortal — it was only natural that she had no means of dealing with these dreams.
"But these Heavenly Dao dreams — I cannot conceal them forever. It is only a matter of time before the other two Venerables learn of them. I fear the battle among the Three Venerables will erupt once more."
Star Constellation Immortal Venerable worried within her heart.
Because this time, things were far more complicated than before.
The Black and White Heavens had already passed, leaving only the Nether Heaven.
The Nether Heaven was Spectral Soul Demon Venerable's territory.
If a Venerable were to barge in recklessly, how would Spectral Soul Demon Venerable react?
Spectral Soul Demon Venerable's mind was unclear, filled with Heavenly Will — and the Heavenly Dao Dreams were the same. What was the relationship between these two? Would they aid each other?
The earlier Spectral Soul Demon Venerable had been relatively weak, and Star Constellation Immortal Venerable had not been concerned.