Chapter 3: Dream? Reality?
\nHaving witnessed many Jianghu battles, Master Zuo Han Sheng had a special fondness for his disciples. He never forced them to train rigorously – living peacefully seemed to be his ultimate wish for his students.
\n“Clan disciples who read extensively since childhood, knowledgeable yet lacking martial prowess.”
\nZuo Meng smiled bitterly. No wonder he’d remembered so many ancient texts for preaching in dreams – it was all accumulated knowledge. In peaceful times, this might have earned him a top scholar position and comfortable official life. But this war-torn world had its courts propped up by Jianghu sects, where clan disciples ranked above officials, much like the Fengyun realm.
\n“Swordsmanship dominates here, paired with inner strength that comes in tiers. The mightiest can vanish like shadows, decapitating generals amidst armies. The current Liuhe Sect leader possesses such power.”
\nThis confirmed it remained a martial-centered world.
\n“Focus on swordsmanship first. Build inner strength slowly.”
\nThis had been Zuo Meng’s plan since arriving. Yet progress proved difficult – if martial training were easy, his predecessor would’ve succeeded. Still, Zuo Meng clung to hope. His recent dreams felt significant, explaining his Dream World creation attempts. If dreams could influence reality, everything might change.
\n“Slow accumulation then.”
\nSensing his hair-thin inner energy, Zuo Meng sighed.
\n“Senior Brother, morning practice.”
\nJunior Sister Zuo Qiu’s voice rang out. The spirited heroine wore a blue robe and carried a Long Sword, much like TV drama warriors. But Zuo Meng knew she shared his predicament – their mediocre skills resulted from Master Zuo Han Sheng’s lax teaching.
\nMoss-covered stone steps showed their age. The Liuhe Sect founders had chosen wisely – their current mountain stronghold once belonged to an ancient clan.
\nSurrounding them were energetic youths of similar age. Beyond the steps lay a small town-sized compound with tea houses and breweries. Zuo Meng marveled at the pre-industrial architecture, realizing this world differed greatly from his former shut-in life’s memories.
\n“Carriages?”
\nBoarding a carriage with fellow swordsmanship students, Zuo Meng estimated the sect’s population neared ten thousand – fitting for the influential Liuhe Alliance.
\n“Senior Brother, Master’s traveling for half-month. Direct training questions to the Teaching Elder.” Zuo Qiu sat beside him.
\n“Gone again?”
\nZuo Meng shook his head. Their master disappeared nine days out of ten, explaining why their sect faced takeover.
\n“How’s your Taiyuan Sword Techniques?”
\n“Better than yours!”
\nZuo Qiu shut down the conversation.
\nRubbing his nose, Zuo Meng better understood his Junior Sister’s temperament.
\nHmm?
\nZuo Meng stiffened. Strange chains materialized in his vision – familiar Dream World constructs used during “Earth-Fire-Wind-Water” stabilization. Law chains.
\nDream law chains…
\nIn the real world?
\nOthers showed no reaction. He alone saw them.
\n“Dreams bleeding into reality? Or inherent world laws?”
\nHis attempt to touch the chains failed.
\nThe carriage halted abruptly.
\nWhen the carriage stopped, the law chains vanished, and Zuo Meng’s vision returned to normal. Without time to investigate further, he followed the disciples off the carriage into a vast training hall. This place was for practicing basic inner energy cultivation\u2014swordsmanship and other martial arts were usually taught outdoors.
\nThe room smelled of sandalwood incense, its front wall bearing a massive carved “sword” character. Meditation cushions lay beneath it. Zuo Meng and his Junior Sister took a corner spot. Soon, an old man with a white beard in gray robes emerged.
\n“Today’s lesson covers the cultivation method of Xuan Jiao Muscle…”
\nHe began lecturing to himself, paying no attention to the disciples. The scene reminded Zuo Meng of preaching to chaotic beings in his Dream World. Now seated below, he finally understood their confusion\u2014karma struck swiftly.
\n“These Qingling Pills are benefits for inner disciples.”
\nAfter droning on endlessly, the old man distributed pills like company perks. Thanks to their master Zuo Han Sheng’s status as an elder, Zuo Meng and his Junior Sister each received one.
\n“Huh?”
\nAs Zuo Meng held the Qingling Pill, the vanished chains reappeared. The pill’s medicinal energy became visible as a swirling vapor that flowed into his index finger. The pill itself now resembled worthless ash.
\n“Brother, what’s wrong?”
\n“You don’t see it?” Zuo Meng flexed his finger.
\n“See what?”
\nJunior Sister Zuo Qiu saw only a spent pill in his hand. “Nothing.”
\nRelieved others couldn’t perceive it, Zuo Meng relaxed.
\n“Ridiculous,” his Junior Sister scoffed, turning away.
\nWhy not try? Having manipulated law chains extensively in the Dream World, Zuo Meng knew their workings. Since the Teaching Elder’s lecture made no sense and gradual cultivation seemed too slow, perhaps this could change his fate. He touched the chains.
\nHis finger made contact this time\u2014no phantom passing through.
\nRewrite heaven and earth.
\nFailure.
\nMoving mountains and overturning seas.
\nFailure.
\nUnchangeable?
\nZuo Meng first tried altering reality, but the chains didn’t budge. Multiple attempts proved useless\u2014the real world’s law chains were far sturdier than the Dream World’s.
\n“Not immutable… just beyond my current strength.”
\nHe realized the truth. In the Dream World, he’d been an omnipotent creator. Here, he was weaker than ordinary people, possessing only the wisp of energy absorbed from the Qingling Pill.
\n“If external changes fail, perhaps internal ones…”
\nExamining his hair-thin inner energy, Zuo Meng decisively used the chains to rewrite himself…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 3: Dream? Reality? Having witnessed many Jianghu battles, Master Zuo Han Sheng had a special fondness for his disciples. He never forced them to train rigorously – living peacefully seemed to be his ultimate wish for his students. “Clan disciples who read extensively since childhood, knowledgeable yet lacking martial prowess.” Zuo Meng smiled bitterly. No wonder he’d remembered so many ancient texts for\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3],"tags":[],"fcn_genre":[],"fcn_fandom":[],"fcn_character":[],"fcn_content_warning":[],"class_list":["post-1381","fcn_chapter","type-fcn_chapter","status-publish","hentry","category-dreaming-to-become-a-creator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fcn_chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1381\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_genre?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_fandom?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_character?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_content_warning","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_content_warning?post=1381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}