Chapter 345: Cordially Inviting into the Dream

Chapter 345: Sincere Invitation to Enter a Dream

Night had fallen, snow covering the mountains.

Zhao Changhe was not offered lodging for the night. He filled a gourd with wine, tucked another flask into his ring, and was sent down the mountain.

Originally, Yuxu had intended to keep him for more conversation—it was clear the old man liked the young man—but once the topic turned to gods and demons, it was no longer wise to linger. If certain eyes were watching, it might bring danger to Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe asked tactfully, “When can I come back for a drink?” In the context of their conversation, this was actually a hint: “If you don’t want to go find what they want you to find, can I do it instead? What prerequisites are needed?”

So it seemed like a casual question about drinking, though he could drink anytime. Yuxu’s reply was simply, “When you’re on the Earth List again.”

An unspoken understanding.

As long as you have the strength to obtain that thing, come and take it.

This attitude was intriguing. It meant that in the future, if Zhao Changhe truly came for it, Yuxu would make it convenient for him… In fact, even now it might be possible—Yuxu might be eager to rid himself of this hot potato, but he thought Zhao Changhe was too weak and would only be walking to his death.

Zhao Changhe said no more and descended the mountain under cover of night.

This time, he didn’t stroll leisurely under the moonlight, enjoying the scenery. Instead, he used his lightness skill to race down swiftly, and before long, he returned to the post station.

The dark steed was well-groomed, its coat glossy, standing in the stable watching him.

Zhao Changhe smiled faintly, stroking the horse’s head: “So many things have happened since we came here, but not much time has passed. Are you bored yet?”

The dark steed snorted, as if about to let out a long neigh.

Zhao Changhe laughed heartily: “Indeed, you can’t stand it after just a few days. But I’ve gained a lot these past days, hahaha.”

Dark Steed: “…”

What kind of person is this, bragging to his own horse…

Zhao Changhe rubbed its head again: “One last thing to do. When it’s done, we’ll have a good meal and then leave. No need to flee in the night, right?”

The dark steed pawed the ground eagerly, as if to say, “Hurry up.”

One last thing—nothing else but to find the Blind Woman.

This time, Zhao Changhe didn’t passively wait for sleep and for the Blind Woman to come to him. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed and spoke to the air: “If you want the Heavenly Book, there are two options. One: I’ll come back when I’m on the Earth List. By then, even Yuxu might make it convenient for me, but who knows how long that will take. The other: if you want it now, I’m not qualified. You’ll have to act.”

“The ancient gods and demons are definitely not on the same side. There are multiple factions playing games, and you’re just one of them.”

“Xia Longyuan has broken free. I don’t know if you’ve chosen others, but for now, it seems I’m the only one left who’s starting to get involved in these matters.”

With that, he climbed into bed: “I’m going to sleep now. Which path you choose, come see me in my dream… If you don’t come, I’ll take the first option. I’ll eat breakfast tomorrow and leave.”

The night was deep and still, all sounds silent.

Zhao Changhe closed his eyes, and just before falling asleep, he thought hazily: Does this count as a “sincere invitation for her to enter a dream together”?

It did… Not only did it count, but she actually came.

In his dream, the Blind Woman stood by the bed, staring fixedly at him.

Zhao Changhe laughed: “I suddenly thought of something.”

The Blind Woman had expected him to mock her and had steeled herself to keep a straight face and ignore his taunts. But this unexpected remark made her ask involuntarily, “What?”

Zhao Changhe said leisurely: “I was thinking, among the people who have slept with me, you seem to be the most frequent.”

The Blind Woman’s face was expressionless: “Why don’t you say I’m your dream lover, since you’ve dreamed of me the most times?”

“Tsk, that’s true too. No wonder you’ve been to Earth—your mind is quick. Hey, I just realized that talking to you feels quite familiar, like chatting with a modern girl. I never noticed that before.”

The Blind Woman sneered: “I’ve always spoken with a so-called modern flavor when talking to you. You just had a prejudice against me before and didn’t pay attention. Now you think you’ve got one over on me, so you’re getting cocky.”

“Good, good. This cockiness feels just right. Now I know how Xia Longyuan felt when he talked to me. Is this a shared dialect?”

“Mm, of course it’s a shared dialect—the dialect of Zhao Village.” The Blind Woman didn’t want to banter further and said flatly, “Let’s get to the point.”

Zhao Changhe smiled: “Since you actually came into my dream after just a few words from me, doesn’t that mean you want to go find the Heavenly Book now? What’s the point?”

“Do you know where it is?”

“I don’t, but you do. You can clearly sense the Heavenly Book in Kunlun… Well, maybe you can sense it’s here, but it’s complicated, and you don’t know the details, so you asked me to scout. Now that I’ve seen what I needed to see as your eyes and ears, you find the exact location yourself. If you can’t, don’t blame me.”

“…” The Blind Woman suppressed her irritation for a long moment before saying, “The Heavenly Book is a supreme treasure.”

“So? What of it?”

“It’s very useful to you too. Just this gold leaf alone has brought you countless benefits. Haven’t you counted?”

“I have.” Zhao Changhe smiled. “You mean finding this page in Kunlun is my own business?”

“Isn’t it? Who in the world doesn’t want it?”

“Yuxu might not.”

The Blind Woman opened her mouth, then closed it again, saying nothing.

“Different people have different aspirations.” Zhao Changhe sighed. “To be honest, I’ve rarely used this gold leaf lately. No matter how many martial arts references I have, I still need my own understanding. The Heavenly Book can analyze for me, but it can’t help me comprehend. When I was weak, it helped me a lot. But now that I’m seeking my own path, it might actually blind me.”

The Blind Woman said flatly, “Do you think you’re Xia Longyuan or Yuxu? They can afford to think that way. You’re just a child learning to talk, pretending to understand.”

Zhao Changhe: “…Be more modern.”

“You pretend to know what you don’t, and it’s laughable.”

“Damn.”

“The Heavenly Book is crucial to you… Whether it’s killing that demoness to go home or piercing the limits of time and space to go home, without the Heavenly Book, you can’t do either. Even Xia Longyuan has the Heavenly Book; otherwise, how could he have reached his level?” The Blind Woman said coldly, “If you see me as your world-guiding NPC, I can give you the most direct main quest now: collect the Heavenly Book. Everything else—martial arts training, chivalry—are just conditions for seeking the Heavenly Book.”

She paused, a mocking smile curling on her lips: “You also know there are multiple factions playing games. What are the games about?”

“The Heavenly Book.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Changhe looked up, thinking for a long moment, then sighed softly: “At that level, it’s still the Chaos World Book.”

The Blind Woman said coldly, “Do you think I want the Heavenly Book for myself? Wrong. No matter whose hands the Heavenly Book falls into, it makes no difference to me. I just want it to gather quickly. The one who truly needs it is you.”

Zhao Changhe glanced at her: “Maybe. Then let’s go… You point the way.”

The Blind Woman said, “Are you sure Yuxu won’t stop you?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe sixty or seventy percent sure—it’s a kind of tacit understanding.” Zhao Changhe said, “Are you also wary of Yuxu?”

The Blind Woman was silent.

Zhao Changhe let out a soft, derisive laugh.

The Blind Woman knew what he was laughing about.

Back then, when Xia Longyuan pointed at the sky and cursed, she said nothing—which only confirmed her weakness.

Some beings could confront Xia Longyuan, and she said nothing. Did that mean she was weaker than them? Not necessarily. Perhaps Xia Longyuan’s quarrel wasn’t with her, and she was happy to watch from the sidelines. The same applied now with Yuxu. She might not be wary of Yuxu himself, but of the existence behind him.

Zhao Changhe didn’t dare underestimate someone who could transport people across dimensions—that was top-tier power in every sense.

But still… it was hard not to feel that she was no longer so lofty.

You, too, have your fears.

The Blind Woman said irritably, “What are you laughing at? Dawdle any longer and it’ll be dawn. Are you going or not?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Because aside from the real world, I’ve never seen you in a waking state. I need to know exactly what form your intervention will take when the time comes.”

The blind woman shook her head slightly. "No need to understand. Just go ahead and fight your fight. In truth, if you didn't encounter things beyond this world's ken, there are few among those villains entering the mountains who could best you."

She paused, her smile tinged with something between mockery and a sigh. "Your strength, I reckon, already ranks around the hundredth in the world."

The sigh was for his swift cultivation.

The mockery was for the world's weakness.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes. Outside the window, all was still pitch black. That bout of "sleep" had likely lasted no more than half an hour.

Now, as he entered the mountains, it was the deepest night before dawn.