Chapter 688: The Will of Yellow Millet

Chapter 688: The Will of Huangliang

The rain grew heavier, yet the words spoken beneath the palace’s eaves had already concluded.

Yin Wen and Zhai Chong had already departed this dreamscape first.

Within the temple, the Empress, shrouded in golden silk, sat upon the divine platform, her countenance veiled in ascending incense and flame.

“Thank you, Madam Yuan.”

Zou Siu nine inclined his head to the statue, opened his black umbrella, and strode into the rain.

The rain-soaked ground carried faint traces of dark red, while Zhao Yin, bisected at the waist, stared wildly, his pale face submerged in water, clutching the mask of status in his hand, refusing to release it even in death.

“Huangliang… is our world.”

A faint, fragmented whisper echoed, halting Zou Siu’s steps.

The goddess Shen Tu, resembling a wraith, knelt in the residual rain, her lingering resentment drifting on the wind.

“You vermin who fattened on stolen dreams must die.”

Her scattered eyes suddenly hardened, brimming with hatred that chilled the marrow.

“The grievance has a root, the debt has a source—you should hate her, not me.”

Zou Siu raised his hand, unleashing a force that shattered Shen Tu’s body into torrents of blood.

“Still a child, learning to curry favor and fear before true humanity—what trash.”

Zou Siu exited the Empress’s palace, where Shen Li leaned against the palace gate, awaiting him.

Shen Li handed him a cigarette, and Zou Siu ceded half his umbrella.

Wisps of blue smoke wandered through the humid air, as the two stood on the steps, gazing at the distant city shrouded in misty rain.

“When did you awaken?”

“When I beheaded Zhao Yin.”

“Your memory fueled this dream—would you be angered?”

Shen Li shook his head with a smile: “Of course not. Had my own trials mirrored this dream, perhaps Tianque might not have perished so many.”

Zou Siu glanced at him: “Precisely because each harbors regrets, countless flocked here, heedless of ruin.”

“Are you worried I’ll succumb to the dream?”

“Real or fake, dreams inevitably end.”

“So rest assured, I have no stake in this place. Death is no great matter; one day, I shall die. But before that, I must settle our debts.”

Shen Li chuckled: “Now that’s a task.”

The schemers who plotted Tianque’s downfall were Sheji, yet Sheji’s leader Yin Ji had once been one of the Nine Princes of Dong Huang Palace.

Thus, the deaths of Yi Huang and others bore Zhang Shu’s shadow.

He was the true mastermind behind it all.

“Did Zhao’s techniques prove effective?”

“The results thus far seem promising, explaining how Buddhist and Taoist sects, relying on Huangliang, surpassed the Confucian order and jointly occupied the Three Teachings’ positions.”

Shen Li spoke lightly, but Zou Siu furrowed his brow, hesitating to speak.

“I know these techniques are a crooked path, this shortcut sows hidden perils—who knows if I’ll explode one day?”

Shen Li laughed: “But if I retreat and survive like a coward, I’d rather die honorably.”

“Your martial discipline isn’t half-bad.”

Zou Siu offered no further persuasion, exhaling a cloud of smoke, his tone laced with sighs.

A cigarette’s flame burned brief, its words scattering like autumn leaves.

Crimson lightning struck the dark sky like shattered mirrors, and distant homes flickered out one by one, signaling the dream’s fracture.

“Decided?”

Zou Siu nodded: “Their terms aren’t unfavorable—too bad to miss.”

Shen Li nodded: “What’s the cost?”

“Let Madam Yuan bring their essences to Fan Di.”

Zou Siu teased: “Those two are clever, knowing Fan Di’s realm lacks Huangliang’s dream, the only refuge from Zhang Shu’s grasp.”

“Yet this exposes you to grave risk.”

Shen Li’s voice brimmed with worry: “Crossing the entire Great Order, within Huangliang’s dream—can you match Zhang Shu?”

“Merely delaying their rescue for Madam Yuan, not challenging Zhang Shu to mortal combat—this warrants no anxiety. Moreover, if I falter, I’ll flee and abandon the deal, returning them to Zhang Shu.”

Shen Li opened his mouth to reply, but his form wavered and vanished.

“Old Li faces Zhang Xi, Chen Qisheng charges Dragon Tiger Mountain alone—yet it’s Madam Yuan who aids me. What a farce! How can I face my two sons again?”

Zou Siu muttered to himself, flicking his cigarette into the void, then strode forward.

Footsteps fell, ripples spread.

Above the void sea, one half was bitter ice, the other a furious thunder pool, devouring each other.

Zou Siu, escaping the dream, stood precisely at the boundary of light and darkness. Beneath his feet, a sea beast’s corpse rapidly decomposed.

Transmitting messages through dreams was no burden for Zou Siu; he conveyed the deal’s terms to Yuan Mingfie in an instant.

“Seizing them is feasible, but can you withstand the strain?”

In the icebound realm, Yuan Mingfie stood atop a snow-clad giant ape, her robes trailing, while colorful gesang flowers bloomed and withered in her void, scattering as ash.

The Huangliang’s malice and rejection warped her space into grotesque twists, making Zou Siu’s gaze reel with dizziness.

“Even if I falter, I must try—their dream-master rules are useful to us.”

“I understand.”

In the distorted space, a white-clad figure swayed slightly, as if nodding.

Roar!

The giant ape’s sea of howls surged, raising a thunderous fist to strike, its thousand-weight gale and snow hurled toward the thunder pool.

Impact erupted, waves exploding into rolling tides, lightning converging into a colossal blade that pierced through the rampaging storm.

Ring!

A towering peak erupted from the Snow Country, crowned by a dilapidated red-walled temple. The blade cleaved the mountain, scattering stones and lightning.

The ape’s agony-laden growl bought a moment’s reprieve, as it countered with a backfist. The ruptured space gaped wide, the ape plunged through, vanishing without trace.

The Huangliang void, bereft of its target, turned its rage toward Zou Siu.

Now, in its eyes, Zou Siu was no longer a favored offspring but a traitor, an enemy infiltrator.

Zou Siu felt no trace of the void’s former comfort; instead, strangeness and hostility permeated the air.

A vortex spiraled beneath his feet, a force dragging him downward, as icy water surged to his knees.

Zhou Siwu lowered his head and looked down, only to see countless strange sea creatures gathering from all directions in the deep ocean, their mouths wide open, seemingly eager to tear him apart and swallow him into their dream world.

"I didn’t expect you, Zhou Siwu, to make such a choice for two outsiders." Jian Sun’s figure appeared above Zhou Siwu’s head, looking down on him from above.

"You’re truly kind."

"Say you’re talking about me?"

Facing the strong enemy, Zhou Siwu’s face showed no fear or embarrassment.

"The words those two old men spoke were half-truths. When they followed you, they ate until their bowls were full. Now that they’ve seen your true nature and realized their lives are in danger, they’ve jumped out to beg for survival. Such a fickle person, I’ve seen many."

"If it weren’t for the money they offered to buy my life, which had some weight, I would have killed them long ago."

Zhou Siwu looked up at Jian Sun, coldly laughing, "And you, you weren’t even a Yin Yang Sequence, let alone a human. Why should I fear you?"

"What do you mean?"

Jian Sun’s expression darkened, his voice cold and sharp.

"You’re still playing? It seems you’re deeply immersed in the game."

Zhou Siwu showed no scorn, "Should I call you 'Jian Sun, the God of Fate,' or 'Yellow Hall Will'?"

"Enough!"

A thunderous roar echoed, and Jian Sun’s shadowy figures emerged behind him.

'Trigger Lord' Lu Yu, 'Demon Lord' Tian Fu, 'Commander of Life' Zhao Yin, 'Candle Dragon' Shen Ta.

Even those who had been stolen by Zhou Siwu, 'East Lord' Hu'e and 'Xi Lord' Mu An, stood tall.

Except for Yin Wen, Dao Chong, and Yin Ji, the nine lords of the Eastern Palace appeared again.

Or more accurately, it was a matter of life and death, and evil spirits were hard to remove.

['Long Night Sealed Heritage'] sealed ['Heaven and Earth Share Lifespan'], ['Eternal Guardian of Yellow Soil'] bound ['Endless Dream'].

Seeing Zhou Siwu already trapped in a cage, immense pressure pressed down on him, causing his bones to crack.

Yet his mocking gaze only intensified, growing deeper.

"Yin Wen said he didn’t know your background or when you rose to the Yin Yang Sequence Second Reincarnation. At that time, I felt something was wrong. With his sharp mind, how could he not know his own master’s roots?"

"This old man’s words had meaning, but I couldn’t grasp it at first. Later, the last 'Shen Ta' reminded me before dying."

Zhou Siwu raised his hand, pointing to the new 'Shen Ta' behind Jian Sun, who stood expressionless, like a lifeless puppet.

"If even the creatures you’ve raised see Yin Yang Sequences as mere dream-boosting rats, then you, so-called 'Yin Yang Sequence Second Reincarnation,' are mocking yourself. At this level, how could you not control your own dogs?"

"But if you’re not a Yin Yang Sequence, but the embodiment of Yellow Hall Will, then everything makes sense."

Zhou Siwu ran his hands through his hair, his black hair suddenly glowing like flames.

A black-clothed scholar appeared behind him, his ancient face clearly that of Zhang Fengyu.

With a slight wave of his sleeve, the pressure around Zhou Siwu vanished.

"Everyone says power is a treasure, you fight for it, even Zhang Xiqi had to hide in his son for decades, even the Dragon Tiger Mountain almost fell, but they didn’t dare to act until they completed 'Harmony of Dao.' But I’m a poor man, how could I see such a good thing?"

Zhou Siwu smiled, "Even if Zhang Old Man generously gave me two parts, I only used it as a tool to enhance my dream-making ability, not understanding what it truly meant."

"Until now, I finally figured out a taste. So-called 'power' is actually the credentials you obtained at your birth to survive by pledging to various forces. That’s why you’re so eager to reclaim it."

"Child, you’re teachable!"

Zhang Fengyu nodded, smiling.

"As for the Yellow Hall Ghosts, they shouldn’t appear in dreams, but you secretly manipulated them to enter the dream world, then spy on the real world. The so-called 'dream master rules' aren’t your favor or gift to Yin Yang Sequences!"

Zhou Siwu’s eyes gleamed, sharp as a blade, his thoughts clearer than ever.

The clouds that once blinded him were gone.

Years ago, the Yellow Hall split power, and Yin Yang Sequences were betrayed, nearly wiped out. They should have been in ruins, but you saw an opportunity, set up many 'backdoors' to help Yin Yang Sequences stay, hoping to use us to escape.

Unfortunately, heaven’s will is unpredictable. Even this non-human, non-spiritual creature couldn’t escape heaven’s play. You invested blood to support Yin Yang Sequences, gave them the freedom to enter and exit dreams, but the old Yin Yang Sequences uncovered your intent, using their lives to etch unbreakable rules in your will.

That’s why there are so many dream master rules with strange effects—they weren’t meant for Yin Yang Sequences themselves. Yin Wen mentioned the 'four pillars and eight columns,' not to build a dream world, but for Yin Yang Sequences’ predecessors to create a sanctuary to protect future generations.

Zhou Siwu’s voice turned sharp, pointing at Jian Sun!

"You don’t want Yin Yang Sequences to lose control, so you built the Eastern Palace, using Jian Sun’s identity to walk the dream world, gathering high-level Yin Yang Sequences, hunting free dream masters like Zhao Mengze."

"Dream worlds are endless, with countless halls. Yet no small hut can hold a traveler’s body, truly lamentable!"

Zhang Fengyu sighed suddenly.

"It’s whether or not, it doesn’t matter. Before death, it’s all useless talk."

Jian Sun’s eyes burned with killing intent, his shadowy figures armed with swords and knives, ready to move.

"These words aren’t for you, but for myself."

Zhou Siwu lightly tapped his pointing finger, and the many figures about to attack were suddenly halted in midair.

Jian Sun’s face showed surprise, his gaze falling to Zhou Siwu’s back, where a young man made the same gesture.

"Meng Xu’s one part power is in your hand?!"

Zhou Siwu ignored Jian Sun’s question, casually saying, "When I consulted fortune tellers, my fate was always bad, no matter how I calculated, it didn’t change. I thought it was my bad luck, but it was you, that meddling person, watching me."

Ding!

A copper coin flew into the air, sliding along an arc before falling into the restless sea.

"Three parts power, press you three parts strength. The remaining seven parts, I’d like to try—how strong is this Yellow Hall ghost?"

Zhou Siwu’s red hair flew wildly, his arms slowly spreading, as if opening a grand door to welcome friends from all directions.

Warriors Su Ce, Mengjia Xia,

Warrior Li Jun, Mengjia Ma King,

Warrior Shen Ba, Mengjia Ao Tiger,

Dao Sequence Chen Biji, Mengjia Long Wind.

Figures appeared one after another, armor clashing, a storm of fury.

In the sky, a massive bird with wings spread!

Dream Master Rule, ['Gods' Breaking the Curse']

"Old Zhao, your revenge has a resolution."

Zhou Siwu whispered to himself, leaping into the storm of waves!