Li Yue let out a long breath. The Death Abyss gathered around her as she swung her sword with incredible speed, shattering the surrounding mist. Almost in the same instant, she delivered another strike. The interval between the two slashes was so brief they fused into a single blow that sliced through the horizon.
The area around her gradually turned pale and colorless, as if everything was trending toward extinction. The powerful force cleaved through a hilltop behind them, and dust rose slowly, obscuring the view in front of Li Yue. At this moment, her spirits were high, a mix of extreme excitement and cold composure intertwining in her heart.
Inexplicably, she felt a sense of restlessness stirring within her, gnawing at her sanity bit by bit.
“I don't like waiting...” Li Yue delivered another slash, parting the obscuring dust. A giant plant clamped down on her, but as it lifted her, its tissues rapidly necrotized, turning a greyish-white. Simultaneously, a streak of blazing fire tore through the sky above her, plunging straight toward her body.
That professor from the Academy seemed to use fire as well, but your flames aren't as impressive as his. His were closer to lava, while you're still playing with meteors. Though... back during the Twilight, I saw someone whose flames were far stronger than yours.
She smiled slightly and broke free from the restraints. With a light wave of her hand, a massive amount of magic poured out. One sword strike cleaved the flames, and another quickly cut down the two people not far away.
Great Mages who didn't possess vital parts of God's remains—and weren't even officially certified—were easy to handle. Li Yue recalled the moments she had exchanged blows with Professor Kent, silently marveling at the unpredictability of his magic. She sheathed her sword. Those two were determined to flee; she could stop them, but the commotion would only grow larger.
There was no need...
She put away her long sword. From the path behind her came a series of miserable screams. Li Yue frowned, sensing the ripples of death spreading slowly, and she sighed.
This time the feeling was much more real—no beautiful dreams, only pure terror. She heightened her vigilance and walked slowly toward the interior. The depths of the forest seemed unchanged, as if completely unaffected by their battle. It was lush and green, as if nothing had happened.
Such exuberant vitality... it's almost absurdly lush...
She looked at a spot not far away. The remains of several people had not yet been completely buried in the soil. Something seemed to be wriggling, dragging their bodies deep underground.
Are those... tree roots?
As Li Yue was thinking, a sudden gust of wind came from behind. She dodged instantly. It was a lightning-fast thrust from a branch. Had it hit, an unprepared Li Yue might have been injured, though likely not severely.
The roots of the surrounding trees began to move. The dense network of roots transformed into legs that stepped out of the ground, bringing up large clumps of dirt. Li Yue now understood how the loose soil at her feet had been created.
I feel like I've seen this scene in a fairy tale book. Can humans actually imagine a God's dream? Li Yue smiled as the tree-people around her instantly began to wither, their vitality drained completely by the Death Abyss in an instant.
This vitality is actually real... It makes sense. After all, the raw materials used to produce them are real, so the things that grow are real too. But their origin is in a dream—neither truly real nor truly fake. How interesting.
Li Yue smiled and walked forward. A lush green portal appeared before her. It was a physical object like a doorframe constructed from branches and vines. A stone tablet was embedded at the very top of the frame, and a green portal formed within it, seemingly leading elsewhere.
So this is still the first layer of the dream... What a troublesome deity, setting up so many plot points even in a dream.
Li Yue sighed softly, but the atmosphere shifted instantly. The branches of the doorframe charred black, and the green earth beneath her feet turned scorched. Lava began to bubble up from within, and the once-lush trees transformed into pitch-black, grotesque monsters that killed anyone they saw.
The environment changed? Is it because the Gate was opened?
Li Yue had not yet decided to enter when several howling figures rushed from behind. Their bodies were covered in wounds, and they were pursued by pitch-black, charcoal-like monsters. They seemed so terrified that they rushed headlong into the portal regardless of the consequences.
Li Yue did not stop them. She watched as their figures vanished into the portal. Although they immediately left the range of her perception, she could confirm they were still alive because a faint aura still connected them.
Suddenly, the earth shook and the mountains swayed. The silhouette of a ghost ship slammed violently into the mountain, causing a massive collapse. At that moment, the mountain itself began to change. The solid rock became soft, and pale yellow, highly corrosive liquid seeped out from within. Strange creatures crawled out from below, slaughtering those passing by. That place had originally been a forest of purple bamboo.
A golden space shattered in the sky, and the corpse of someone with the aura of a Great Mage fell. An old man appeared, adjusted his tie, and vanished in an instant. Next, the crimson land covered in maple trees began to change. The ground turned into a carpet of flesh, and mutated creatures continuously emerged, their bodies filled with unknown flesh, eyeballs, and sharp teeth.
Paradise turned into purgatory, and so quickly...
Li Yue lifted her foot and shook it; it seemed as clean as ever, without a speck of mud. Then, she stepped into the deep green portal.
..............
On the sea level, a figure crawled up from the shore. His body was covered in thick layers of padded biological armor, equipped with vents to quickly expel heat.
“Did you never think I would evolve after hunting me for so long?” His deformed body expanded, and the shadows of muscles gradually appeared.
“It's fine. Your flesh and blood will become my nutrients, continuing to shine and give heat...” He wore a smile, casually tossing an Inspectorate token in his hand. His dark green pupils radiated amusement.
“If I succeed, I'll need some respect. Only the Royal Court and the Academy will be left in the world... The Academy? Hah, a trash heap.”
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