Chapter 21: Test

After leaving the tower, Su Chen could not contain his curiosity any longer. “Instructor, what was that purple smoke?”

Since Shi Kaihuang had accepted him as a disciple, he could officially call Shi Kaihuang his instructor.

“That was a Dream Spectre. It comes from the Mirage Dreamrealm, and it can bring you into the Dreamnet,” Shi Kaihuang replied.

The Mirage Dreamrealm was a small world attached to the Primordial World.

The Primordial World was the main world, but there were many smaller worlds attached to it, very much like branches to a tree. These smaller worlds went by many names such as planes, small worlds, foreign spaces, etc. Humans usually referred to them as different realms.

“The Dreamnet? What is that?”

“It’s a consciousness network created by the Lord of the Mirage Dreamrealm. It connects the entire realm, and countless Dream Spectres are responsible for maintaining this network.”

“What is it used for?”

“It’s very useful. For instance, you can contact others who are connected to the consciousness network with it, allowing you to communicate and transfer information. It can also be used to notify others when you die, since the Dreamnet will be the first to sense your death. If you get trapped in a certain location, you can use it to request for help. You can make requests, transactions, or exchange information or discoveries that are worth money. In any case, there are many uses, but they aren’t for you yet; you’re merely registered to the Dreamnet. You can’t use many of its capabilities yet. When your preferential treatment tier increases, you will unlock more of its possibilities. But you don’t have to worry about that for now.”

“What tier of preferential treatment do I need to access the Dreamnet?”

“Tier 7 is enough to grant you access.”

I need Tier 7 just to use the Dreamnet? That sounds quite far off.

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Su Chen was only at the eighth tier of preferential treatment. He didn’t have enough contribution points to upgrade to Tier 7, so he could only wait.

Shi Kaihuang led Su Chen toward another stone tower.

“This my Origin Energy Tower. As my disciple, you may study here.”

Origin Energy Towers were special constructs that would usually be built by high-layer Origin Qi Scholars. Through an Origin Energy Tower, Origin Qi Scholars could more easily give Origin Energy form, using it to perform experiments. It also possessed an extremely powerful innate defense.

The tower in front of him was Shi Kaihuang’s Origin Energy Tower, and it was where he normally lived. The stone hut near the lake was just something he had constructed for convenience when he was conducting business.

“Yes, sir!” Su Chen respectfully replied. “Instructor, what should I do now?”

“Right now?” Shi Kaihuang laughed. “Naturally, I need to test the extent of your abilities.”

Seeing Shi Kaihuang’s eyes shine, Su Chen knew something was off. Shi Kaihuang’s hand was already clawing towards him.

On instinct, Su Chen activated his Snaking Mist Steps, attempting to dodge the claw. In an instant, he used fourteen stances, retreating nearly 300 feet. However, Shi Kaihuang’s claw seemingly ignored the restrictions of space. It stretched out, gently plucking Su Chen up by the head, then tossed him into the tower.

Boom!

A frightening screen of light appeared, and large ripples spread across its surface, as if a stone were tossed onto still water.

The Origin Energy Tower’s alarm began to sound. “You are not permitted to enter this place! Activating defense mechanisms! Releasing guards!”

“Goddammit!” Su Chen cursed before discovering he was now in a large, vaulting hall.

He was in the middle of a large hall. No matter in what direction he looked, the walls were over 1000 feet away.. The tower itself was not that large, but the world it was the door to, was. All of this was bad news for Su Chen. After all, he had been tossed in by Shi Kaihuang, which caused the tower to believe he was forcing his way in, breaking through the tower’s restrictive spells. The voice just then was the Origin Energy Tower’s alarm.

A strange organism appeared within the main hall.

It resembled a constantly expanding puddle of mucus. Gradually, four limbs and a head appeared. Its face seemed contorted in pain, and it shrilly screeched at Su Chen.

The screech was soundless, but Su Chen felt his mind jolt, as if something was forcefully smashing into his consciousness. Pain split through his brain.

Its first move was a soul-attacking yell!

Su Chen knew he was in a precarious position. He shot out an Erupting Firebird.

When the Erupting Firebird slammed into the mucus monstrosity, it passed right through it. The body of the mucus seemed ethereal, and the firebird disappeared just like that.

The mucus monstrosity screeched again and again, echoing like noiseless thunder within Su Chen’s heart. Every shriek seemed as if someone was tearing at his consciousness. The pain sapped his body of most of his strength.

Shi Kaihuang said leisurely, “This creature is called the Grief Larva. It grows in the Void Realm, and it’s here to serve as a sentry. Although their combat prowess are not incredibly high, they are hard to deal with. You saw for yourself that normal attacks are ineffective against them, and its shrieks can affect your soul. Thankfully, it can’t remain in a corporeal form for more than a minute before it disappears, so do your best to hold out. Unfortunately, only those with great willpower and determination, those who are unafraid of any difficulty, can withstand its shrieks.

Su Chen cupped his head in his hands, staring daggers at the Grief Larva. He gritted his teeth and said, “I have a question.”

“Ask.”

“I don’t have to just defend, right? If I kill it, will you feel sad?”

Shi Kaihuang darkly laughed, “If you have the ability, kill it.”

“Great!” Su Chen sighed.

The Grief Larva let out another shrill wail.

Just as it opened its mouth, Su Chen’s eyes snapped open. He stared directly at the Grief Larva.

He activated Soul Eye.

The Grief Larva couldn’t ignore Su Chen’s attack. It tilted its head back, letting out a pained howl. Its expression was contorted in the first place, but somehow it became even more physically impossible. Even its mucus-like body seemed to shrink in on itself in response to the pain.

The Grief Larva had yet to recover when Su Chen hit it with a Soul-Fixation technique.

This technique was just like Ulrich’s Soul Eye. They were both soul-type Origin Skills. Normal attacks were useless against the Grief Larva, but soul-type attacks were extremely effective.

The Grief Larva howled in pain again after being hit by the Soul-Fixation technique, its body getting smaller.

Su Chen slashed out 12 times in a row with his palm. He struck the mucus with his Thunder Blade!

Although Thunder Blade was not a soul-type Origin Skill, the sound of thunder it generated resonated with the pained howls of the Grief Larva. The 12 strikes caused peals of thunder to reverberate within the hall, causing the Grief Larva to writhe and howl in pain. Its body contorted and flashed, and a mottled black light emerged from its body.

After the 12th Thunder Blade strike, Su Chen’s Soul Eye was ready for use again.

Another rotation of the Soul Eye, followed by the Soul-Fixation Technique, and finally the Thunder Blades converged on the Grief Larva to the point it had no way of retaliating. All it could do was howl in agony, but Su Chen didn’t show any mercy.

This Grief Larva was infuriated. Halos appeared within the hall, and a black, massive body emerged, as if it were squeezing out from somewhere. Bit by bit, more of it seemed to come out from the void.

“So you’ve finally appeared,” Su Chen laughed.

Just as the fat larva’s body was about to occupy the entire main hall, a small blaze appeared in Su Chen’s hand.

It was a strengthened Erupting Firebird.

Boom!

The large firebird slammed into the large bug.

This time, the big guy wasn’t able to ignore his attack. The powerful flames burned away at it, and the Grief Larva let out extremely shrill, tragic cries.

When the flames disappeared, only its ashes remained.

Shi Kaihuang’s jaw dropped. “You...... how did you know how to deal with it?”

“I read a lot of books, instructor.”