Chapter 623: The Long Night Fades Away (2)

Chapter 623: The Long Night Fades (Part 2)

"Zou Sijiu, although you have successfully ascended to Dream Lord, I advise you not to be too smug."

A man with his face shrouded in black mist spoke slowly, his voice like stones grinding together, unusually harsh and grating.

"If you continue to be so irreverent, you will eventually be abandoned by the Yin-Yang Heavenly Will!"

"Are you the Shaman Lord mentioned by Zouzi Wushiba and Gongsun Yao?"

Zou Sijiu lazily looked up at the sky, his right hand clenched into a fist as he pulled it from his pocket, extending it before him. From his open fingers fell a string of old-fashioned copper coins.

The coins clinked as they landed on the stone steps of the mountain path.

Zhang Siyuan, being of the Confucian Sequence, knew a little about this traditional method of divination. Though he didn't know what Zou Sijiu was calculating at this moment, he couldn't help but lean forward curiously to look.

But before he could make out the hexagram formed by the fallen coins, he heard Zou Sijiu say, "See? It's never favored me. Every day I calculate, and every day it's ominous. Yet here I am, alive and well!"

Zhang Siyuan opened his mouth in surprise, staring intently. The coins on the ground indeed formed an extremely ominous hexagram.

How could it be so uncanny?!

"You are attached to the Solitary Martial Sequence, and your fortune and temperament are inevitably influenced by Li Jun. He is a man at the end of his road, doomed to no good end. By associating with him, you will surely fall into arrogance, brutality, and endless vendettas. These hexagrams are warnings from the Yin-Yang Heavenly Will. Don't you understand?!"

Another member of the Yin-Yang Sequence from the Eastern Palace spoke, her voice cold and sharp.

"Zou Sijiu, you still refuse to repent. Must you wait until the day your soul is scattered to finally wake up?"

"Others come to negotiate talking about benefits and interests. But you? All you do is threaten, without a single kind word."

Zou Sijiu shook his head, muttering to himself, as he bent down to pick up the coins from the ground and put them back into his pocket. He turned to look at Zhang Siyuan, whose face was full of shock and uncertainty.

"Young Master Zhang, be fair. Am I really that arrogant?"

"Not really. Just now, outside, you were even more arrogant than I was."

Zhang Siyuan laughed. "Actually, I don't think arrogance is a problem. The key is that after you're arrogant, you mustn't get yourself killed. Otherwise, you'll lose face and substance, and become a laughingstock."

"I mean, can you stop bringing up your father? Talk about something we both share, okay?"

Zou Sijiu's sudden sensitivity left Zhang Siyuan at a loss, completely bewildered.

"Did I mention my father?"

"Aren't you mentioning him now?"

"I was born into the Zhang family by heavenly decree. What can I do about it?"

"Heavenly decree? Fate, my ass!"

The two were in the midst of a heated verbal spar when the Shaman Lord's voice suddenly cut in.

"Enough."

"Who the hell asked you to speak?"

Zou Sijiu and Zhang Siyuan turned simultaneously and cursed in unison.

Zhang Siyuan rose swiftly, a gun muzzle protruding from his sleeve, aiming at the Shaman Lord in the sky.

Zou Sijiu raised his right hand, thumb and forefinger pressed together, a grim sneer on his face.

Bang!

The gunshot and the snap of fingers rang out together.

The flash from Zhang Siyuan's muzzle passed clean through the Shaman Lord's body, and the surging will stirred his robes but caused no actual harm.

Zou Sijiu, who had snapped his fingers, stood frozen in place, his expression extremely awkward.

"No way, where are my men?"

Zou Sijiu muttered to himself. Behind him was empty, with only the fierce mountain wind sweeping up gravel from the square. There wasn't a single person.

"Brother, don't joke. This is your Yin-Yang Sequence's home ground. You don't want me to fight two against one, do you?"

Zhang Siyuan, still holding his gun, turned his head to look back with a reproachful expression.

"It's not that he's unwilling to help; it's that he can't."

The Shaman Lord, standing midair, spoke coldly: "Dream Lord rules are the blessing granted to us servants by the Huangliang Heavenly Will. In this dream, my rule [Blood-Forbidden Cage] is in effect. No matter what tricks you two try to play, they are useless here."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Siyuan felt his hand empty; his weapon had vanished without a trace.

"No way, this is too unreasonable. The Master did not speak of strange forces and spirits. No wonder Old Zhang dislikes you people so much."

Zhang Siyuan muttered under his breath, looking helplessly at Zou Sijiu, whose expression was dark.

"Brother Zou, is he telling the truth?"

Zou Sijiu was silent. This was actually his first time formally fighting against a Yin-Yang Sequence member of rank three within a dream, so he had no precedent to judge the truth.

But it was beyond doubt that a Yin-Yang Sequence member who became a Dream Lord would receive the favor of the Huangliang Dream and inscribe a unique rule of their own.

Right now, he couldn't summon even one person, and this feeling wasn't due to the limitations of this dream but came from a higher level.

What the other said was likely not a lie; this dream indeed forbade violence and bloodshed.

"[Blood-Forbidden Cage]... Someone actually wrote such a shitty rule? What for?"

Zou Sijiu cursed inwardly, then sneered at the Shaman Lord: "Don't make it sound so mystical. So we can't fight? Then we'll just chat. Can you talk us to death?"

Hearing this, Zhang Siyuan's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Zou Sijiu plop down on the ground.

"Don't worry, Little Zhang, it's no big deal. The rules of the Huangliang Dream are fair. If we can't fight, neither can they."

Zhang Siyuan was stunned. "So we're all just going to stare at each other? What kind of nonsense is this?"

"I didn't expect them to write such a turtle-shell rule either."

Zou Sijiu spread his hands, and seeing Zhang Siyuan's slightly dejected expression, he comforted him: "Don't worry. No matter which of them constructed this dream, containing four rank-three members like us can't last long. It will collapse on its own soon."

Zou Sijiu said lightly, "Besides, Old Li and the others are still outside. Once he finishes off the rest and finds the true bodies of these two, they won't escape either, and we'll get out."

"Fine."

At this point, if even Zou Sijiu, the Dream Lord, couldn't do anything, then he himself was even more helpless. He had to bow his head when under someone else's roof.

Zhang Siyuan sighed helplessly, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat back down beside Zou Sijiu.

But since there was no immediate danger, Zhang Siyuan decided to make the best of it. He stretched out his legs, propped himself up on his elbows, turned to Zou Sijiu, and asked bluntly: "Brother Zou, from what I gather, every Yin-Yang Sequence rank three Dream Lord has their own rule. So what's yours?"

"[Great Dream Without Bounds]."

A woman's voice came from above, disdainfully: "But this dream is constructed within the Huangliang Abyssal Sea, so his rule is useless here."

"It seems you've done quite a number on the Agricultural Sequence of the State, even knowing about this."

Zou Sijiu said irritably: "But who are you?"

"Eastern Palace, Nightmare Lord."

The mist covering her face dissipated, revealing the ordinary features of a woman.

Her only distinguishing feature was her eerily pale skin, as if she never saw the light of day.

"The [Eternal Coexistence with Heaven and Earth] that Zhao Mengze granted you before his death is also useless here."

The Nightmare Lord said coldly, "And it's not something you should ever have obtained."

"So you also had a hand in the Agency's surprise attack on the Celestial Gate? They wanted to collect Wu Xu's genes and flesh, while what you wanted was Zhao Mengze's rules. Isn't that right?"

"Why ask knowingly?"

The Shaman Lord did not fully disperse the black mist from his face, revealing only a pair of indifferent eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Zou Sijiu, today as long as you hand over both sets of rules, we can let you leave."

"So this trap was specially dug for me, Zou? You've really gone to a lot of trouble."

Zou Sijiu laughed heartily, but his face suddenly turned cold, and he said contemptuously: "Here, none of us can make a move. What makes you think you can demand a life ransom from me? I also advise you to hand over the rules now. When Old Li catches you outside, I can persuade him to let you off. How about that?"

"It seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin."

"I'll return those words to you. Let's see who enters the coffin first and who cries first!"

No sooner had these words been spoken than Zou Sijiu's expression abruptly changed.

He clearly felt the time flow within this dream speeding up rapidly; distant stars swiftly vanished, night faded, and a red sun rose sharply into the sky, tracing an arc from east to west before sinking back below the horizon.

In an instant, twelve hours had revolved.

A powerful sense of fatigue that persisted day and night surged into Zou Sijiu's heart.

Zhang Siyuan nearby, however, remained composed, stroking the stubble on his chin with an expression of wonder.

"Is this your rule?!"

Zou Sijiu looked at the woman who called herself 'Nightmare Lord,' his face dark.

"'Time Flies Like a Shuttle.'"

Nightmare Lord sneered: "This dream may not allow violence, but we can trap you here to watch the cycle of day and night, the shifting of mountains and rivers. When the dream finally shatters, time here will have passed a century or a millennium—enough to drain you dry."

"Who are you trying to bluff here?!"

Zou Sijiu cursed: "If we can't hold out, can you?"

The Shaman Lord said softly: "If you want to try, my wife and I are willing to keep you company."

"A married couple, no wonder..."

Zou Sijiu said angrily: "You two are truly despicable!"

"Transfer the Dream Master rule you hold, and we can dissolve the dream. This is your last chance."

"Impossible."

Zou Sijiu refused without hesitation.

The essence of the Dream Master rule is actually the biggest 'backdoor' in the Yellow Millet Dream, a unique advantage of the Yin-Yang Order within it.

Zhao Mengze had once mentioned to him that the Zou ranking established by the Eastern Palace was the means to control the followers of the Yin-Yang Order.

At the top of the Zou ranking were Dream Masters who held the Yellow Millet rules.

As for the so-called 'backdoors' used by lower-rank Yin-Yang Order practitioners, aside from specific ones embedded into particular dreams as unique methods through preset means, the rest of the basic backdoors were all derived from these Dream Master rules.

Each set of Dream Master rules is unique; once written, they cannot be modified. They can overlap but not cancel out.

Moreover, they do not recognize individuals, only rank, so they can be transferred, gifted, and authorized.

'Eternal Coexistence with Heaven and Earth' was the Dream Master rule Zhao Mengze gifted to Zou Sijiu.

And the reason he could use this rule in dreams previously was also with Zhao Mengze's permission.

"Zou Sijiu, think carefully. Is a rule more important than your life?"

The Shaman Lord urged: "Hand over the rules, and you will still be the third Dream Master of the Yin-Yang Order. Moreover, if you are willing to join the Eastern Palace, we can grant you more rules, making you even more powerful in dreams."

"So this is how you control the Yin-Yang Order?"

Zou Sijiu said contemptuously: "Take what belongs exclusively to me, and then lend it back to me. You really know how to scheme, don't you!"

Nightmare Lord said coldly: "You have no other choice, Zou Sijiu. As a house dog, you still have a way to live. As a wild dog, you will surely die!"

"You two truly play in harmony, husband and wife. You want the rules? Then wait until I turn into bones, and come scrape them off my corpse."

"Zou Sijiu, you have only recently advanced to Dream Master, and you don't yet understand the complexity and terror of dreams."

The Shaman Lord said calmly: "After you have stayed in this desolate dream for one full year, we will come to ask you again."

Having said this, the figures of the Shaman Lord and Nightmare Lord suspended in midair gradually grew faint.

Just as they were about to dissipate, a loud cry suddenly rang out.

"Wait a moment."

Zou Sijiu turned to look beside him, and saw Zhang Siyuan tugging at his own full beard, his eyes filled with deep fatigue.

In just a few words, a substantial amount of time had apparently passed in this dream.

"You two hide away and enjoy your sweet love, leaving us brothers here staring at each other in boredom. Isn't that a bit too much..."

Before Zhang Siyuan could finish, a fiery red head of hair appeared in his peripheral vision.

"Ha, hahaha..."

Zhang Siyuan suddenly let out a bitter laugh, full of self-mockery: "So I'm the only one left all alone."

"Don't be sad, brother. Don't listen to their nonsense. How could they trap us for a thousand years? I dare say it'll be no more than a hundred years before this dream breaks. Once you survive this, I'll introduce you to a wife you can meet in dreams. That way, if this happens again, you'll have a way to deal with it."

Zou Sijiu comforted him warmly, but Zhang Siyuan suddenly jumped up.

"Dream Master rules, is it? The Yellow Millet Dream isn't a game only for you Yin-Yang Order!"

With Zhang Siyuan's angry shout, the wind and clouds suddenly shifted; the distant sun and moon stopped their alternating revolutions, coexisting in the sky. The evening glow was like blood, draping over the mountains and rivers.

A look of surprise appeared on Zou Sijiu's face. He sensed a vast authority forcibly overwriting the rules of this dream.

"The Confucian Order's Yellow Millet authority is actually in your hands?!"

Zou Sijiu exclaimed: "Why didn't you bring that out sooner?"

"A last-resort life-saving measure, how could I show it lightly?"

Zhang Siyuan was clearly still resentful, saying grumpily: "Besides, I wasn't sure whether they were after you or after me. If it got taken, my father would kill me."

"You scholars really have too many tricks up your sleeves."

Zou Sijiu shook his head, letting the small matter go, and looked at the two in midair, a cruel grin spreading across his face.

"Men, beat this married couple to death for me!"

Boom!

Blazing flames and billowing smoke churned continuously within the grand Buddha hall.

The high-pitched song of swords and the dull thuds of fists striking flesh rose and fell, filling the air.

Clang!

A towering sword light swept across, wreaking havoc, and wherever it passed, a rain of blood was stirred up, directly piercing the wall behind the Buddha hall.

Following the sword light, Chen Qisheng punched and shattered the cracked wall. Dense firepower came hurtling toward him, colliding with the Dao patterns swirling around his body, exploding into a blinding shower of sparks.

In the square behind the Buddha hall stood rows of red-robed monks, ready and waiting, their expressions fervent, chanting Buddhist names, and blazing fire erupting from their hands.

A patch of azure unfurled behind Chen Qisheng, and the Wudang heroes emerged from it one by one, charging forward.

These Wudang spirits, though bare-handed, tore through the foreign monk camp like tigers among sheep, the pervasive smoke mixed with a thick stench of blood, making hearts race uncontrollably.

Chen Qisheng stepped into the void and rose, looking down from above.

Within this temple stood a forest of halls, stretching endlessly, each with its doors wide open as foreign monks rushed out carrying various ritual implements, converging upon the crumbling battlefield.

Chen Qisheng's gaze, like a sword, pierced through layer after layer of buildings until, at the temple's deepest point, he saw Shi Yi seated high upon a dharma throne.

The monk's expression was solemn; seated beneath a jeweled canopy, his hands forming a mudra, his holy countenance exuded utmost dignity.

But what was reflected in Chen Qisheng's eyes was clearly a constantly swelling mass of greasy flesh, with Shi Yi's head embedded in a mix of oil and blood, and from his brow a wisdom root wildly thrashed, indescribably grotesque and nauseating.

"Neither human nor ghost—rather than groveling for life like this, you'd be better off dying with dignity."

Shi Yi's eyes blazed with ferocity and malice, and he snarled, "Chen Qisheng, what right have you to judge me here? If it were you who had taken the wrong path today, would you have the courage to fight so desperately?"

Such an argument was pointless; Chen Qisheng had no interest in bickering.

For him, since when did the path he walked need others to judge its right or wrong?

When you reach the end of the road, even wrong becomes right!

Chen Qisheng gripped his sword with both hands, blade pointing downward. Behind him, azure true qi coiled upwards, condensing into a colossal dharma manifestation that mirrored his movements exactly.

His figure plummeted, and both his own longsword and the massive dharma sword violently drove into the ground.

Boom!

A violent shockwave erupted and spread, washing over bloodied fists, extinguishing the sputtering fire of ceremonial implements, sweeping past the intermingled white robes of Wudang and red cassocks of the foreign monks.

Cracks like tree branches spread rapidly, and the entire Buddha realm exploded with a thunderous roar.

His sight went dark then light again. The excruciating pain of the backlash made Shi Yi cry out and stagger backward.

Chen Qisheng's might was somewhat beyond his expectations, but Shi Yi was not flustered.

Although the Buddha realm was now broken, as a master of a major Buddhist sect, he had more than just this one trick.

But just as Shi Yi prepared to mobilize the Buddha thoughts within him, a sudden change occurred!

The wisdom root inside his skull suddenly went completely out of control, frantically emerging from his seven orifices, as if it wanted to abandon him and flee from his body!