"The dream world..."
Leilin sighed. He could sense that the special point connecting the two planes of spacetime had disappeared from here.
From now on, this place had completely lost its ability to connect to the dream world.
Although he had long anticipated this day, Leilin still felt somewhat melancholy.
"Farewell, for now, dream world... and Jillian..."
With the vast amount of Dream Power and precious data already in his possession, Leilin was fully confident in his ability to enter the dream world independently. This would simply require a great deal of research and experimentation. It was foreseeable that while he would be unable to contact the dream world for a period of time, one day he would use his own strength to bridge the connection between the two and descend there once more.
"What a pity..."
A trace of melancholy still lingered in Leilin's eyes. Under normal circumstances, this location could have maintained communication with the dream world for a while longer, bringing him even more benefits. But Leilin had no regrets about the decision he had made.
Once a sixth-rank being had discovered this place, keeping the spacetime node open would be nothing short of irresponsible disregard for his own safety.
The giant spider on the other side had nearly forced its way into the
Even losing this passageway, he believed it was worth it.
"Fortunately, most of the specimens and research materials are already in my hands. Most importantly, the Dream Power system obtained from the natives, and even the runic structures on their bodies..."
Leilin's eyes lit up as he continuously calculated.
"With these, the chances of deducing Dream Wizard Arts suitable for me are quite high. They can absolutely serve as a hidden trump card..."
Leilin had firsthand experience with the eerie nature of Dream Power. Moreover, this type of power was extraordinarily high-ranking, almost on par with the power of laws. It even had a suppressive relationship with certain forces—even beings above the sixth rank would find themselves in great trouble if they came into contact with it.
Therefore, a Wizard Art developed primarily around Dream Power, even at only the fifth rank, would likely be a terrifying thing for many sixth-rank Wizards.
"The information they provided only covers the use of low-level Dream Power, and it's specifically tailored for natives. I still need a great deal of time to deduce and modify it, and even construct a template for fifth-rank Wizard Arts..."
Leilin stroked his chin.
Just at that moment, his entire body shifted. A large quantity of dark red gas emerged from his body, condensing into various faces and spiders that crawled across his clothes.
"Wuuu..." The wailing sounds crawled across Leilin's eardrums, even causing his complexion to turn deathly pale in an instant.
"Get off!" His pupils instantly transformed into amber-colored vertical slits, and the terrifying phantom of the Komodo Serpent Emperor materialized behind him.
Bang! Bang! Crackling! The multitude of faces were knocked away, yet persisted in surrounding Leilin's body once more.
"Dream Power! It's the wound from earlier!" Leilin's expression was exceedingly grim.
That giant spider was a sixth-rank being after all. Leilin had only been able to infiltrate the laboratory by catching it off guard, and had even sustained injuries in the process.
Even with the Life Energy he had devoured to compensate, the Dream Power still lingered.
Leilin knew firsthand how sinister this type of power could be. If he hadn't already developed a certain level of research into Dream Power and even produced a small amount of antibodies, this backlash would not have been so simple.
"It seems that before deducing new Wizard Arts, I must first resolve the problem within my body!"
Leilin gave a bitter smile. A thick layer of black qi emerged from his body, enveloping the surrounding masks and spider phantoms.
...
Several months later. Inside the laboratory.
Blistering heat mixed with white steam, forming waves of scalding air.
Crimson light reflected off the walls, casting shadows that resembled flickering flames. In the center of the laboratory, Leilin lay submerged in an enormous crimson pool, his eyes half-closed as if deep in contemplation.
Within the red liquid, one could clearly see threads of pitch-black color, like ink, constantly seeping out from Leilin's pores.
Once free of his body, these black ink-like substances quickly spread, contaminating a large area. Faint wailing sounds could even be heard emanating from within the black liquid.
"Yoooo~!" Accompanied by a piercing phoenix cry, a massive phoenix phantom suddenly surfaced above the crimson pool.
The phoenix phantom spread its wings, and two wings of fire enveloped the entire pool as crimson flames surged upward.
"Wuuu..." The ghostly wailing grew more shrill. The black liquid faded continuously under the crimson flames, gradually evaporating until the pool returned to its original color.
After several hours, the steam inside the laboratory had grown so dense it formed a thick fog that shrouded the entire room.
Within the crimson pool, the black threads seeping from Leilin's pores gradually shifted to brown, and finally faded away entirely.
"The resentment and hatred from another world... what a nuisance..."
Leilin pulled the towel from his face and gazed at the red pool, sinking into thought.
In truth, the injuries that sixth-rank Dream World creature—the giant spider—had inflicted on him were extremely severe, and it had only just been resolved now.
"Fortunately, that annoying resentment has been completely driven out. As for the remaining pure Dream Power, it still has other uses!"
Leilin changed into a loose robe and walked to the other side of the laboratory.
**[Ding! Iris scan correct! Brainwave verification passed! Soul Wave key intact! Access granted!]** Accompanied by the Chip's mechanical voice, the seemingly solid wall split open down the middle. Both sides retracted automatically, revealing a smooth gate.
Beyond the gate stood two rows of precious shelving units, intricate runes carved into the wooden frames like delicate works of art.
Bang! The gate behind him slammed shut, plunging the room into darkness. Once his eyes adjusted, Leilin could see that many items on the shelves glowed with a faint dark-red sheen.
On the shelves sat plant leaves preserved in glass jars, along with ores and various other materials.
"Good. Not only did I collect a portion of Dream Power in advance, but the Dream Power carried by these items themselves is sufficient to preserve them for a very long time..."
Leilin was quite satisfied.
This was his Dream Laboratory, using the Chip as the central control system, with extremely rigorous defensive measures.
Everything he had obtained from the dream world, including the animal hide from before, was stored here.
"At last, the Dream World resentment has been completely purged. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare go see Furry at all!"
Leilin passed through the shelving and approached a black metallic device. He examined the scanning results displayed on it and let out a sigh of relief.
He possessed antibodies to Dream Power and was himself a fifth-rank Radiant Moon Warlock. The Dream Power embedded in his previous attacks had caused him little more than minor inconveniences.
But Furry was different. She was still only a third-rank Warlock. Even the slightest contamination from Dream Power could have horrifying effects on her.
Therefore, until he had confirmed that all Dream Power had been thoroughly cleansed from his body, Leilin had not dared return to the castle, choosing to remain here instead.
Only now had the malicious energy and other contaminants on his body been completely purged.
Leilin examined his arm. The skin was still covered in a rich layer of crimson, suffused with a dreamlike power.
This was not Bloodline Power. It was purified Dream Power, stripped of all malicious intent.
"Perfect! According to my earlier deductions, to wield Dream Power, one must undergo certain Dream Modifications on one's own body! This dense Dream Power comes from a sixth-rank being—it's just right for establishing a foundation!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Leilin's eyes as he commanded: "Chip! Begin!"
**[Ding! Initiating subject's Dream Modification! Accessing atomic microscope, searching database, runes being confirmed...]** The Chip's mechanical voice sounded.
Click! Click! Simultaneously, the enormous device before Leilin rapidly transformed. Several massive metallic arms extended outward, each gripping tools of different shapes.
**[Commencing subject's localized adjustments!]** With the Chip's command, the skin on Leilin's arm was the first to change. A layer of dark-red coloring surfaced, forming intricate patterns.
These patterns bore a resemblance to those on the Dream World native Jillian, but were finer, neater, and seemed to carry a unique aesthetic quality—flowing and beautiful.
Under the Chip's direction, with the massive mechanical arms providing assistance, red runes were quickly branded across Leilin's body.
"This situation... why does it remind me of the Imprint Swordsman? There really is a certain degree of similarity between the two!"
After the modification was complete, Leilin snapped his fingers, and a silver mirror immediately appeared before him. Reflected in the mirror was a human figure covered entirely in eerie red runes, with a sinister red lotus pattern on his forehead—remarkably similar to the Imprint Swordsman he had created before.
"It seems that regardless of the path one walks, there are always points of convergence!"
Leilin commanded: "Chip!"
**[Ding! Initiating secondary procedure!]** The Chip's mechanical voice sounded as the eerie red runes on Leilin's body suddenly burst with radiant light, absorbing all of the Dream Power that the sixth-rank spider had left on Leilin. Then they sank beneath his skin and vanished without a trace.
Leilin let out a low gasp as he felt a powerful surge of energy coursing through his body.
With the mass of Dream Runes now faded beneath his surface, his appearance had returned to normal.