Volume One Entering the Path Chapter 85 Dream Weaving

At first, everyone assumed something had happened in the dream and began to speculate wildly. “Could we have been invaded?”
“Maybe some bad people came?”
…
Everyone’s thoughts diverged, some kept to themselves, others spoken aloud.
But when Yang Ming revealed the truth, it was not what anyone had expected. Yet, upon reflection, it seemed somehow reasonable, and so they couldn’t help but smile and nod in agreement with Yang Ming’s explanation.
After speaking, Yang Ming observed the crowd’s reaction, then continued, “After I woke up, I looked up all sorts of information, hoping to find any record of the creature I’d seen in my dream. It didn’t take long before I discovered that such beings exist in many novels and games, and they are called elves.
It was because of that dream that, all these years, I’ve always wished I could actually fly like I did in the dream. That carefree feeling was truly wonderful. But I knew it was only a dream, so I kept it buried in my heart. Yet when I came to this school and learned that it might actually be possible to fly like in my dream, I decided to finally share this dream, tucked away for so many years, with all of you.” Yang Ming spoke slowly, voicing the longing in his heart.
Everyone listened, nodding in empathy. After all, who hasn’t dreamed and hoped one day to realize what happened in those dreams? Most of those present had, at one time or another, shared Yang Ming’s wish. Hearing him speak so sincerely, the memories of their own forgotten dreams seemed to stir within them, their gazes softening as memories surfaced, as if lost in their own worlds.
As for Yang Ming, after finishing his speech, he quietly returned to his seat. Noticing that everyone around him had their eyes closed and hadn’t even noticed his return, Yang Ming gave a wry smile, shook his head, and thought no more of it.
Fang Lin watched Yang Ming leave. She seemed about to say something, but seeing the state of the other students, she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head and remained silent, quietly waiting by the side, as if giving everyone time for themselves.
Ye Junze, too, had listened to Yang Ming’s tale from beginning to end, but felt little resonance. If he had to recall a dream that left a deep impression on him, it would be the first time he met his unreliable master. Only later did he realize it hadn’t been a dream after all. But what of it? That old man was like someone who only appeared in dreams—no word from him in all these years. Ye Junze grumbled inwardly about his good-for-nothing master.
Thinking of what Yang Ming had just said, Ye Junze sighed, “No matter how beautiful a dream, in the end, it’s still just a dream.”
Indeed, no matter how beautiful, once you wake, it’s all gone. Like a mirage, vanishing in an instant.
But that’s in ordinary dreams.
What about Derivative Dreams? Would they vanish just as easily?
…
After Fang Lin had waited a while, she looked over the group. Judging the time to be right, she nodded.
Then she said, “First, let’s thank Yang Ming for sharing his dream with us just now. It was truly a wonderful dream—I’m sure you all agree? How about a round of applause to thank Yang Ming?”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Fang Lin and began clapping enthusiastically.

When the applause had lasted a while, Fang Lin raised her hand to quiet them. At her gesture, the students stopped.
She continued, “And from the looks on your faces, it seems many of you recalled your own dreams just now, didn’t you?”
The students nodded again, amazed at how accurately Fang Lin had guessed, though none could figure out how she’d done it.
Fang Lin saw their expressions and knew what they were thinking, but didn’t explain, instead following her train of thought: “With what Yang Ming has just shared, I believe many of you have also wished to make your dreams come true. So, the core of today’s Derivative Dream class is this.”
At this, everyone’s spirits lifted and they pricked up their ears. Fang Lin had already mentioned the main point earlier, but had deliberately diverted the topic by having someone recount a dream. Now that she’d brought it up again, everyone focused their minds, quietly awaiting her next words.
“First, you all need to understand: what is a ‘Derivative Dream’?” Without waiting for an answer, Fang Lin continued, “Literally, it means a dream that is derived or transformed. In short, it’s to create a dream. The dreams you create are related to your own experiences and memories, so the kind of dream that emerges during Derivative Dreaming isn’t something that can be controlled. In other words, I cannot control what kind of dream you will have. Likewise, you yourselves cannot control what the dream will be.”
The crowd wore thoughtful expressions, not quite grasping Fang Lin’s meaning. But as her explanation grew simpler and more direct, understanding gradually dawned in their eyes. With decent intelligence, all they needed was a nudge from Fang Lin to understand.
Seeing that everyone seemed to comprehend, Fang Lin nodded in satisfaction and went on, “Soon, I will guide you into a Derivative Dream, but first there are some precautions you must heed.”
“So, what I’m about to say, I hope you’ll all remember and keep in your hearts,” Fang Lin said solemnly.
Seeing Fang Lin’s serious demeanor, everyone understood the importance of her words and listened all the more intently.
“Because a Derivative Dream is not under conscious control, none of us knows what kind of dream will be created. Each dream will be different, depending on your own experiences. So, some dreams may be pleasant, but some may be frightening—some of you might even experience genuinely terrifying dreams. In such cases, you may feel uncomfortable, anxious, or even afraid.”
Everyone nodded. What Fang Lin said was true—when you’re young, a nightmare can wake you in fright, so it’s possible that Derivative Dreams could be scary as well, naturally provoking fear.
Noting their reactions, Fang Lin continued, satisfied, “But don’t worry too much. While you’re in a Derivative Dream, I will be monitoring your mental states in real time. If anything abnormal happens, I will immediately sever your connection to the dream, to protect you. Of course, you might still be concerned—after all, there’s a limit to what one person can handle, and I may not be able to look after everyone perfectly.”
The students nodded in understanding. No matter how advanced Fang Lin’s cultivation, overseeing so many people at once was bound to be difficult.
“So, I’ll be giving each of you a protective talisman. If anything unforeseen happens during the Derivative Dream, just crush the talisman in your hand—it will immediately end your dream.” Fang Lin added.
Everyone nodded again, indicating they had taken note.
“One more thing to remember. No matter what, a Derivative Dream is still just a dream. So when you wake up, do not confuse dream with reality, and don’t bring emotions from the dream back with you, lest it affect you.” Fang Lin’s tone grew even more earnest.

There was a weight to her voice, as if she had witnessed some unhappy incident, just as she described.
Sensing her gravity, everyone etched her words in their hearts, nodding with utmost seriousness to show they would remember.
“So, those are all the points you need to be aware of,” Fang Lin concluded, her tone suddenly lighter. “Now, let’s talk about what you should do during a Derivative Dream.”
Her voice softened once more. “Once you begin, there’s no fixed way for the dream to end. It may end naturally when you feel it should, or perhaps when you’ve completed something important within the dream. So, how long it lasts will depend on your own dream. And don’t worry about not knowing what to do—just treat it like a role-playing game, and immerse yourself in it. Furthermore, within the Derivative Dream, you’ll have dominion over your own dream. If you wish, your power in the dream can be magnified without limit—reaching even the Nascent Soul stage or beyond is not impossible. You’ll have to discover this for yourselves. In short, you are the master of the dream—anything you wish, you can do. But I hope you will hold fast to your true selves, and not use the dream as an excuse to commit evil.”
After Fang Lin finished, the students pondered her words, considering their deeper meaning.
Then a student replied, “Teacher, don’t worry, we remember, we definitely won’t do anything bad.”
“Yes, teacher, you can trust us.”
“That’s right, we’re all very kind.”
“Rest assured, teacher.”
“We’ll be sure to tell you all about our successful dreams when we’re done.”
Assurances rose from all directions.
Fang Lin listened to their voices, smiling in relief, and responded softly, “I trust you all.”
The students smiled as well, comforted by Fang Lin’s faith in them.
“Then let us put aside idle chatter and begin the Derivative Dream,” Fang Lin announced.