The well was deep. Surprisingly, when Gao Ming really reached the water, he did not feel as good. Gao Ming opened his eyes. He saw the two spirits being torn apart by the white bones inside the well walls. The notes they copied from Elder Tang’s hidden room fell downwards. Gao Ming caught them. They didn’t feel like paper. They felt more like silk threads. They struggled as if still alive.
Gao Ming shoved them into his sleeves. Gao Ming’s body numbed, and his breathing became more difficult. Only his heart kept on blazing like a ball of fire.
“This is still too risky…” The well was connected to an underground river. Chun Niang slithered through the narrow passages. She didn’t dare venture deep into the river as if afraid of running into the River God.
Gao Ming’s mind wavered. He couldn’t tell if he was being enveloped by the river water or Chun Niang’s body. He felt like he was in a dream as death slowly approached him. The water surged into his mouth and nose. Just as Gao Ming felt like he was about to die, his heart still refused to rest. It was as if the heart didn’t belong to Gao Ming. The bloodred tattoo appeared. His flesh and bone formed the foundation of a blood city. Many hands held his heart and captured his soul. Chun Niang examined the changes in Gao Ming in shock. A small gap opened in the nightmare’s barrier. The gap existed in Gao Ming’s heart.
The people in the dream discovered the world outside the dream. Which side was the dream? Which side was reality?
The snake’s tail wound around Gao Ming. Chun Niang peeled away her scale and delivered her blood into Gao Ming’s mouth. The icy water flooded his lungs, but his throat was warm. The feeling of suffocation receded. Gao Ming was blessed in the nightmare.
Chun Niang started to swim upwards. The chill slowly faded away. Water splashed everywhere. When all the pressure disappeared, Chun Niang flung Gao Ming out of the water. She used a brutish method to help squeeze the water out of Gao Ming’s stomach. Gao Ming gasped for air. His lips were stained with blood. He looked worse for wear.
“You helped escape Tang Residence, and I led you away from it. We’re even,” Chun Niang said cunningly.
“That’s true.” Gao Ming slowly recovered.
“That’s reasonable.” Gao Ming nodded. “I’ll do everything I’ve promised you.”
“I’ll wait for your news.” Chun Niang handed Gao Ming a fragrance pouch. “Drop this into any well at Dream Break Town, and I’ll be there.”
“Aren’t you coming with me?”
“Do you think I’ll trust you?” Chun Niang used her tail to fling Gao Ming out of the well, “I’ll be in the underground river. I have some personal grudges to settle.” The black hair spread. In just a minute, she disappeared.
“If she doesn’t trust me, why waste so much time on me?” Gao Ming held his arm that bumped into the well wall. He lay on the ground. “I’ve finished Zhang Mingli’s task. That guy must have other motives. I have to be careful around him.” Gao Ming planned to leave after he recovered. Chun Niang delivered him to an abandoned house. There were many houses in Dream Break Town. After confirming his location, Gao Ming raced towards the school. Along the way, he tried to study the notes copied by the evil spirits. However, he couldn’t understand them. In fact, the more he studied them, the greater the headache. Gao Ming pushed open the old door and walked in with the copied literature. He shocked the people inside.
“You came back alive?!” Wan Jie’s daughter was so surprised that she jumped up. She held a sutra and regarded Gao Ming with disbelief. Wan Yang didn’t think it was possible either. However, he soon felt a giant threat from Gao Ming. He gripped the dagger in his sleeve tightly.
“Why are you still here? Don’t you have a mission too?” Gao Ming narrowed his eyes.
“This…” Wan Min looked awkward. “We’re using the dumb method. We’re planning to wear the teacher down with our patience. Plus, we did warn you when you received your mission.”
“That’s why I’m still talking to you.” Gao Ming glanced into the classroom. “Where is Zhang Mingli?”
Wan Min didn’t delay. She ran to the side door. “Teacher! The tester that you sent to deliver the present to Elder Tang is back!”
The door opened. Zhang Mingli held an oil lamp. The flash of surprise in his eyes quickly disappeared when he saw the wet Gao Ming. “I knew that you would return safely. Everything is within my calculation.”
No one believed him. Wan Min kept her mouth shut. Wan Yang silently put his dagger away.
“You had me deliver the sutra, but the sutra was filled with the names of Elder Tang’s dead descendants. You turned them into spirits and had them steal for you.” Gao Ming stood there. “What is your plan?”
“My plan benefits the living.” Zhang Mingli’s choice of words was interesting. “The evil spirits haven’t returned, but their presence is linked to you. I can see that their fate has been bound to yours.”
“Are you trying to fool me?” Gao Ming had a feeling this was not the Zhang Mingli he was looking for. Or perhaps he was not the complete Zhang Mingli. With how Immortal Pharma handled things, after they detained someone as important as Zhang Mingli, how could they just allow him to do things freely in the nightmare realm?
“I’m not trying to fool you. I can really see fate.” Zhang Mingli crossed his arms. “Your fate is filled with blood and darkness. You do not belong here or in the real world. You should explore the deeper darkness.” Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t tell if Zhang Mingli was bluffing or not.
“You should still have the sutra copied by the spirits, right?” Zhang Mingli smiled brightly. “Give them to me. They are useless to you. I still need you to do one more thing for me. It doesn’t matter if you succeed or not. After you do this, I’ll teach you the precious modification method. Then, you can release your nightmare and recover your missing memory.”
Zhang Mingli’s promise moved Gao Ming. This modification was tailor-made for him.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Go to Madam Xi’s house and help me locate someone.”