Chapter 14

The dream world was collapsing.
The grand halls of Tianxiang Pavilion cracked apart as Chenghuang’s power surged through the illusion.

Pei Sijing was thrown against a pillar.
Before she could recover-
Invisible threads wrapped around her throat.
Tightening.
Crushing.

Her face paled instantly.
“Pei Sijing!”

Bai Jiu shouted.
The threads pulled harder.
Just as her vision began darkening-
A black umbrella slammed into the attack.
BOOM.

Demonic energy exploded through the hall.
The threads shattered instantly.
Pei Sijing fell to her knees, gasping.
A familiar figure landed between her and Chenghuang…

Zhao Yuanzhou.
His umbrella spun lazily in his hand.

“You really enjoy attacking people who can’t fight back.”
Chenghuang laughed.
“And you still enjoy interfering.”

Around them, the dream continued breaking apart.
Wen Xiao helped Pei Sijing stand.
Zhou Yi Chen gripped Yun Guangjian tightly.
His expression was colder than ever.

Zhao Yuanzhou’s golden eyes narrowed.
“I finally understand.”
Chenghuang smiled.
“Oh?”
“You’re working with Li Lun.”
The hall became silent.

Chenghuang didn’t deny it.
Instead he laughed.
“Of course.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s eyes narrowed.
“So it’s true.”

Zhao Yuanzhou stepped forward.
“What did you offer him?”
A pause.
“Li Lun doesn’t trust easily.”
His voice darkened.
“What did you promise to make him hand over the sundial?”
For a brief moment-
Chenghuang’s smile widened.
“The Gate of Kunlun.”
Everyone froze.
Wen Xiao’s face changed.
“What?”
Ancient power crackled around him.
“The gate that should have remained sealed.”
“The gate connecting worlds.”
“The gate everyone fears.”
His smile became almost fanatical.
“And Li Lun wanted it open.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s grip on Yun Guangjian tightened.
His voice was sharp.
“Do you understand what you’ve done?”
Chenghuang merely laughed.
“You put everyone in danger.”
No response.
“What made you do this?”
The question echoed through the broken hall.
For a moment-
Something strange crossed Chenghuang’s face.
Not guilt.
Not regret.
Something older.
Something bitter.
Then it vanished.
“I wanted freedom.”

Lanterns exploded.
Chenghuang’s expression hardened.
“Humans speak endlessly about righteousness.”
“But every one of them kneels before desire.”
His gaze swept over the room.
“I merely gave them what they wanted.”
Then he looked directly at Pei Sijing.
“Just as I used your brother.”

Silence.
Dead silence.
Pei Sijing froze.
“What?”
Chenghuang smiled.
“I controlled him.”
Her breathing stopped.
“The murders.”
“The blood.”
“The wishes.”
“It was all so easy.”
Nearby-
Pei Siheng suddenly staggered forward.
His body trembling violently.
“No…”
The control over him was weakening.
For the first time-
Fear appeared in Chenghuang’s eyes.
Not fear of them.
Fear of losing a toy.
“You’ve become troublesome.”
Before anyone could react-
A burst of power shot through the dream.
Straight into Pei Siheng’s chest.
“NO!”
Pei Sijing lunged forward.
Too late.
Pei Siheng collapsed.
Blood stained his robes.
The dream world fell silent.
Pei Sijing caught him before he hit the ground.
Her hands trembled.
For once-
The proud warrior looked completely helpless.
“Sister…”
His voice was weak.
Fragile.
Like a child again.
Tears filled Pei Sijing’s eyes.
“No.”
“You’ll be fine.”
Pei Siheng smiled faintly.
A sad smile.
The smile of someone finally understanding something too late.
“…You did care.”
Pei Sijing broke.
Completely.
His body slowly faded into light.
Disappearing from her arms.
The dream screamed.
The entire illusion began collapsing.
As Chenghuang raised his hands to cast another spell-

Zhou Yi Chen moved.
Yun Guangjian erupted with silver light.
The sacred sword cut through the darkness.
At the same moment-
Zhao Yuanzhou launched forward.
The black umbrella crashed into Chenghuang’s barrier.
BOOM.
The impact shook the dream.
Power collided.
Divine.
Demonic.
Ancient.
Zhou Yi Chen felt the world spinning.
His body had already been pushed beyond its limits.
The dream.
The suppressants.
The battles.
Everything.
His vision blurred.

The silver light of Yun Guangjian flickered.
“Yi Chen!”
Zhao Yuanzhou’s voice sounded distant.
Then darkness swallowed him.
And he fell.

Wen Xiao stood in the center of the shattered dream.
Light surrounded her.
Ancient.
Sacred.
Overwhelming.
The Baize Goddess had awakened.
Even Chenghuang stared.
For the first time-
Without smiling.
Wen Xiao’s gaze was calm.
Powerful.
“Why?”
The question echoed across the dream.
“You possessed people.”
“You manipulated their desires.”
“You fed on blood.”
“You turned lives into puppets.”
Her voice became colder.
“You had all this power.”
“So why become this?”
For the first time-
Chenghuang looked tired.
Anciently tired.

His eyes drifted toward a distant memory.
A woman.
A forgotten figure.
Someone he had once failed.
Then he smiled sadly.
And said nothing.
His body began dissolving.
Piece by piece.
Like dust caught in sunlight.
Before disappearing completely-
His gaze lingered on Wen Xiao.
Almost as if seeing someone else.

Later, trapped within the remains of the sundial formation, the group searched through the countless puppets left behind by Chenghuang.
Each represented a wish.
A regret.
A life.
Zhao Yuanzhou stopped suddenly.
His fingers brushed a small wooden puppet.
A woman.
Beautifully carved.
Different from the others.
“…This one.”
Wen Xiao approached.
Then froze.
“I know her.”
Everyone looked up.
“My master once told me about her.”
Wen Xiao stared at the puppet.
“The original Baize Goddess.”
Silence fell.
Zhao Yuanzhou carefully lifted the figure.
Unlike the others-
This puppet had been repainted repeatedly.
Preserved.
Protected.
Treasured.
His golden eyes darkened.
Among all the wishes.
All the victims.
All the centuries.
This was the only puppet Chenghuang had never abandoned.
And suddenly-
The story they thought was over felt much, much older than they realized.