Volume One: Entering the Path Chapter 110: The Dream Ends

Upon hearing Li Ling’s words, the group all nodded in acknowledgment, signaling that they were listening while their eyes urged him to hurry and not waste time.

Sensing their gaze, Li Ling ceased delaying, lifted his head, and began to speak solemnly to everyone.

“My dream was like this…” Amidst the surrounding murmur, Li Ling spoke slowly and evenly, recounting the entire dream at a measured pace, as if narrating an intriguing story about himself.

Ye Junze and the others concentrated intently, ears pricked in attentive cooperation. When they encountered moving parts in the tale, they nodded appreciatively; Fan Yan even couldn’t help but clap her hands enthusiastically in applause.

Time passed moment by moment as Li Ling continued his narration. Meanwhile, more people were awakening from the shared dream, keeping Fang Lin rather busy.

...

No matter how long the dream, after a focused narration, Li Ling finally finished. He said, “Then a flash of light appeared and disappeared. When I opened my eyes again, the dream had ended, and I had awakened.”

Ye Junze and the others nodded at this point, though their expressions held a sense of lingering desire for more.

Fan Yan clicked her tongue, her face full of lingering curiosity. “From what you’ve said, your dream wasn’t very complete. I’d love to know what happened next.”

Li Ling shrugged helplessly. “You’re not the only one curious—I want to know too. But since I’ve already woken up, there’s nothing more I can do except hope we might encounter it again someday.”

Ye Junze smiled knowingly, seemingly empathizing. “It’s good to have expectations, but one mustn’t become too obsessed.”

Li Ling nodded thoughtfully. “Of course.”

The others listened to their exchange and nodded in understanding, appearing enlightened.

Fan Yan clapped her hands, breaking the thoughtful silence, smiling as she said, “Alright then, according to the rock-paper-scissors game earlier, isn’t it your turn next, Lu Renjia, to share your dream?”

With that, she looked toward Lu Renjia, and the others naturally shifted their gazes to him.

Lu Renjia didn’t shy away. He nodded and replied, “It’s my turn. If you don’t mind, I’ll share my dream. If it’s not good, please don’t laugh at me.”

The group smiled and waved their hands, indicating they wouldn’t.

Li Ling joked, “Don’t worry, no one will laugh at you. If it’s not good, the worst you’ll get is a beating.”

Everyone laughed at this.

Lu Renjia awkwardly waved his hand, feigning anger, “Get lost.”

“Alright, no more joking. Hurry up and tell us,” Li Ling said, waving him on.

---

Lu Renjia cleared his throat, preparing to share his dream with everyone.

However, as conversation continued, more people gradually awakened from the shared dream. Looking closely, nearly all present had now awakened. Fang Lin noticed this and, after some thought, nodded with a plan forming in her mind. She walked toward her previous spot.

Once facing the group, Fang Lin clapped her hands, signaling everyone to pause.

The crowd naturally noticed her gesture and fell silent, waiting for her to speak. Ye Junze and others also paused, aware of her indication. Ye Junze said, “It seems the teacher has something to say. Let’s stop and listen for now. Lu Renjia, your dream can wait until later. Let’s focus on what she has to say.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Lu Renjia responded, “Sure, no problem. Important matters come first.”

Ye Junze nodded and kept silent, eyes fixed on Fang Lin, pondering what she might say next.

Fortunately, Fang Lin did not keep them waiting long. Once the room was quiet, she cleared her throat and spoke.

“Now that everyone has awakened from the shared dream, I suppose you all had a good experience?”

The group nodded, recalling their encounters in the dream and affirming this.

Seeing their expressions, Fang Lin smiled and continued, “Judging by your looks, these were mostly good dreams. Whether they were sad and made you feel down, or joyful and lifted your spirits, these various dreams have undoubtedly left a deep impression on you all.”

The group nodded in strong agreement again.

Fang Lin waved her hand and said, “However, I hope you haven’t forgotten what I told you before—dreams are just dreams. No matter how wonderful, they are illusions. Do not confuse dreams with reality. Don’t become so attached to what you experienced in the dream that you neglect your cultivation in the real world. What I’m saying is important. Please remember it well.”

Seeing Fang Lin’s serious expression and grave tone, everyone sensed the gravity of the matter. They nodded earnestly, committing her words to heart.

In unison, they replied, “Teacher, we will remember.”

Fang Lin smiled warmly. “I’m not asking for thanks—just keep it in your hearts and remember what I said.”

Changing the subject, she continued without waiting for a response, “Since everyone had such great experiences in the dream, I am curious—did anyone gain something from it?”

Surprised expressions appeared on the faces of those present, as if wondering what idea she had in mind.

Soon, Fang Lin answered her own question. “Why don’t a few of those who feel they gained a lot share their experiences? How does that sound?”

The group showed interest, nodding unconsciously.

“Looks like no one objects. Is there anyone willing to be the first to share?” Fang Lin smiled.

---

Those who had nodded earlier now shifted uneasily, no one stepping forward.

Fang Lin was not annoyed. After waiting a moment with no volunteers, she said, “If no one volunteers, then I’ll have to choose for you.”

The group nodded in agreement.

Fang Lin smiled, scanning the crowd. Her gaze settled on someone she had already decided on. “In that case, let’s have Ye Junze, who was the first to wake, share his gains from the dream.”

Ye Junze, who had been listening quietly, twitched his eyelids at his name, thinking, “Teacher Fang certainly knows how to pick people.”

He shook his head resignedly, knowing refusal was futile. Slowly, he stepped forward.

Fang Lin smiled approvingly. “Let’s give Ye Junze a round of applause.”

The group clapped enthusiastically.

As Ye Junze reached the front, the applause ceased.

He looked at Fang Lin with a hint of helplessness, but she only smiled quietly, saying nothing.

Ye Junze collected himself and addressed the group. “Actually, I can’t really say I gained anything specific. I’ll just share some of my thoughts with you all. Whether they’re useful or not depends on your own understanding.”

The group nodded, acknowledging this.

Ye Junze continued, “In my dream, I experienced a battle. Because of the dream’s enhancement, the strength between both sides was quite uneven. I crushed the opponent outright, so the fight was one-sided. There’s not much to say about the battle itself, but I can share what I learned after waking up.”

“After the shared dream ended, I reviewed the fight and realized I wasn’t fully in control of my spiritual power then. There were some subtle details I could have handled better. At that time, I wasted some spiritual energy. Thinking back, I should manage every bit of spiritual power more carefully in future battles to avoid waste. After all, sometimes the outcome of a fight can hinge on just a sliver of spiritual power.”

As Ye Junze finished, thoughtful expressions appeared on everyone’s faces as they nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Ye Junze added, “That’s all I gained—nothing more. I hope it’s helpful to you.”

With that, he quietly returned to his seat.