In front of them was an endless stream of black demonic wolves that they couldn’t finish killing, while behind them were their reinforcements flooding over like a tide; their war cries shook the heavens, and they were waging war against the tree of the world.
“This…”
“Consciousness is about to be invaded.” Satan said, “They would all instinctively resist that. In this way, his attention will be focused on the Great Wall.”
Sure enough, at the top of the tree of the world, more fog was released that flew toward the Great Wall; the fog battered like missiles against the reinforcements summoned by Satan.
“I’m going to go save people.” Yu Hao said.
Satan looked into the distance and answered, “Archangel, are you sure you want to go there alone?”
Yu Hao stopped. Satan said, “I don’t want to be unable to see you come back alive.”
“Can I understand that as your appeal for help from your friends?” Yu Hao asked.
Satan didn’t answer and just smiled. “They may have been swallowed by the subconscious as well. When you’re looking for them, be careful…let’s kiss?”
Yu Hao blocked Satan. He released the totem’s strength with his left hand, and it formed a silver Golden Crow Wheel shape, while a blast erupted from his right hand; silver flames shot out and opened up a portal, then he kept his wings and threw himself in.
Dream worlds covered by the fog and controlled by aerial roots looked different now, as if they were ruins as they turned into wastelands.
In Chichén Itzá, all of its vegetation had withered. A giant pillar took root beside the pyramid, and all of the light particles in the dreamscape revolved around that aerial root as they were being constantly sucked into the world tree. The aerial root released a billowing fog that was swallowing this dream world. Ren Chong, bathed in black flames, appeared in the fog and said in a low voice, “Everything you seek is but an illusion, such absurd notions…”
With his flying scalpel in hand, Chen Yekai was fighting Ren Chong. In the sky, on the ground, Ren Chong had divided himself into many clones that whizzed through the air, dragging black flames behind them as they knocked Chen Yekai down to the ground.
Chen Yekai kept gasping for breath and struggled to get up, and right at that moment, Yu Hao grabbed Chen Yekai’s wrist and pulled him behind the pyramid!
“Yu Hao?” Chen Yekai uttered in disbelief.
All of Ren Chong’s clones converged once again, revolving as they turned into a whirlpool of black flames and bombarded Chen Yekai’s hiding place. Yu Hao said, “Go in! Into the pyramid!”
The two of them ran into the pyramid. Heaven and earth shook, and Ren Chong had begun to bombard the main door.
“This will be your grave for eternity!”
Chen Yekai said to Yu Hao, “What happened? I suddenly entered my dream and realised that this guy was in my dream, he’s too strong! I can’t compete with him! We need to think of a way to leave this place!”
Meanwhile, Yu Hao pulled Chen Yekai to the terrace of the pyramid atrium. The two of them looked out together.
“No! Cut that pillar.” Yu Hao said to Chen Yekai, He’s drawing energy from your dreamscape. As long as we cut off Ren Chong’s forced invasion, you can drive him out.”
Chen Yekai placed the flying scalpel in Yu Hao’s hand and asked, “My Feathered Serpent God disappeared, so I can’t do anything aside from luring his attention away from you. Can you still fly?”
Yu Hao shook his head. “My powers come from your impression of me. Now that this dream had been invaded by Ren Chong’s will, I’m the same — all of my powers have disappeared.”
Ren Chong soared through the air, releasing black flames and began bombarding the pyramid. The bricks at the top kept collapsing; the two of them avoided the falling stones. Chen Yekai stared at Yu Hao blankly, who was still looking out.
“The only way is to pick up or awaken your impression of me.” Yu Hao turned his head and said to Chen Yekai, “You have to trust me.”
Chen Yekai gazed at Yu Hao, then nodded.
“A brief moment will be enough.” Yu Hao said, “Cut off the aerial root, and you’ll be able to recover.”
Chen Yekai closed his eyes and said, “I’ll try my best.”
Yu Hao ran up to the terrace. Chen Yekai turned around and walked to the main door of Chichén Itzá. The aerial root that support both heaven and earth was not far from the terrace. Yu Hao brandished his dagger, looked back, and saw Chen Yekai’s back.
“Trust me, Chen Laoshi.” Yu Hao said seriously, “Recall the past we shared, give me the strength to fight for you in your conscious world…”
Chen Yekai didn’t look back. He made a gesture, and the main door of Chichén Itzá blasted open. Outside the door, a black robed Ren Chong hovered in the air.
“Finally going to stop resisting and submit to your capture?” Ren Chong’s voice resounded through the sky. Chen Yekai just closed his eyes, as if he had really given up on resisting. Amidst Ren Chong’s arrogant laughter, he opened up both hands; his gun fell on the platform and rolled down.
Ren Chong stretched one hand out, and billowing black flames burst out of his hand that swept over Chen Yekai’s whole body. Chen Yekai, who was burning in those black flames, suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, “Now!”
Yu Hao leapt out of Chichén Itzá’s terrace and jumped towards the aerial root!
Within a moment, countless scenes erupted around Chen Yekai, revolving rapidly around Chichén Itzá! Many memories reappeared like a trotting horse lamp——
On the night of the college celebration, Chen Yekai was always looking up at the singing Yu Hao on the stage in silence.
After the snowy night passed, the morning sun shone brilliantly; Chen Yekai woke up with a hangover and gazed at Yu Hao, who was curled up on the sofa.
“There used to be a saying here. Un…I forgot. In any case, I remember that the suspension bridge was related to some classic.”
“Why did you say it if you have forgotten it?”
In the bitingly cold winter, Chen Yekai stood outside the glass wall of the cafe, looking at Yu Hao’s side profile as he was looking down and brewing coffee.
In the dark night, Chen Yekai’s breathing was both rapid and shallow.
“Give it to me, Laoshi.” Yu Hao said nervously.
Chen Yekai finally released the handle of the scalpel in his hand, allowing Yu Hao to take it away. He watched his back as he left, and after a long time passed, he chased after him and left the enshrouding shadow of the dormitory building. But on the field, Zhou Sheng found Yu Hao.
So Chen Yekai retreated again and sighed wearily.
“Wishing you both well.” Chen Yekai stood in the dark and whispered.
In midsummer, Chen Yekai stood outside the door to Yu Hao’s dormitory. He smoothed his hair, looked down at the sports attire that he was wearing, took his phone out, and after pondering for a moment, finally raised his hand to knock on the door with a smile on his face.
“I’d suggest you forget about all these.”
On the platform at the top of Chichén Itzá, Zhou Sheng scrutinised the scenes of Chen Yekai’s memories.
“That’ll be good too.” Chen Yekai said, “Such indistinct feelings, even if not spoken, would cause a lot of trouble for the other party ba.”
Zhou Sheng remained silent for a moment, but never snapped his fingers and release his golden flames.
“You like him?” Zhou Sheng asked.
“Maybe.” Chen Yekai said, “Actually, it’s okay if you don’t burn these memories. After some time passes, it’ll gradually fade away.”
Zhou Sheng didn’t say anything more and in the end, he put down his hands, saying, “Brother, although I agree that you have to walk out of it, I really can’t help you…”
Chen Yekai smiled, while Zhou Sheng shook his head helplessly. He turned around to leap out of Chichén Itzá, stepped onto his jindouyun, and flew toward the scorching sun in the sky.
In the next moment, all of the memory scenes shattered, bursting into light particles that chased after the faraway Yu Hao! Yu Hao suddenly opened his eyes wide — the wings on his back fluttered out straight; his silver light was so dazzling that one couldn’t stare straight at him, and he was like a celestial body that illuminated the dark night of Chichén Itzá—
He raised his hand, lifted the flying scalpel, and shouted, “Get lost!”
Before anyone could react, the flying scalpel shone with a white light, drawing a crescent-shaped knife Qi that whistled through the air and cut the aerial root that connected heaven and earth straight across its middle into two!
The giant root broke apart; Ren Chong instantly blew up, turning into billowing black flames that dissipated in the sky.
In the world of Chichén Itzá, the moon appeared once again. The leaves of countless rainforests reflected a silver light that surged like a tide. In the sea of consciousness shrouded by the fog, a lone island appeared; a light pillar shot out of Chichén Itzá’s apex, and like a lighthouse in an area fallen into the enemy’s hands, it illuminated a small area.
Yu Hao glided back and hovered in the air in front of Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai resumed his Great Chieftain look, and both of them looked at each other in silence.
Yu Hao raised his hand and threw the flying scalpel back to Chen Yekai. Chen Yekai lifted his hand and caught it, summoned his Feathered Serpent God, leapt onto it, and only said two words, “Go ba.”
Yu Hao stood on the back of the Feathered Serpent God. A moonlight barrier enveloped both Chen Yekai and his Feathered Serpent God. The Feathered Serpent God broke through the fog and meandered as it advanced forward.
“Where’s Zhou Sheng?” After leaving Chichén Itzá. Chen Yekai finally raised a topic.
“Under the tree.” Yu Hao said, “His dark self is guarding the Great Wall. It’s not enough to rely on my strength alone.”
“Dark self.” Chen Yekai smiled, “Never seen him before. Is he a little devil as well?”
“Un…a little.” Yu Hao thought about it, then explained the details that Golden Crow Wheel told him to Chen Yekai.
Chen Yekai muttered, “Ren Chong wants to invade everyone’s consciousness. We must hurry.”
Yu Hao uttered an “un“. Chen Yekai continued, “I thought you’d ignore everything else and kill your way straight through to the bottom of the tree to save him.”
“I am really anxious, and I might have done that in the past.” Yu Hao answered, “But Qihang said some things that made me reconsider a little…He needs you guys. He needs everyone.”
Feathered Serpent God descended from high up and flew into the depths of the fog, revealing the Hanging Gardens concealed by the subconscious. Huang Ting, wearing an Archmage attire, held a magic book in his left hand with its pages fluttering in the wind, and he was currently wandering about and fighting with Ren Chong, who had a trail of black flames behind him — both sides showed no signs of giving in at all!
Ren Chong’s consciousness had not yet completely controlled Huang Ting?! Yu Hao reacted — Huang Ting shouldn’t be afraid of him!
“Huang Ting!” Yu Hao shouted.
Huang Ting released fireballs that filled the sky, and they shot swiftly like meteors towards Ren Chong, who was soaring through the sky. He shouted, “Chop down the bastard pillar for me!”
Chen Yekai and Yu Hao instantly separated in the air. Yu Hao brandished his dagger, which flickered with the arc of a moon as he swung it. The Feathered Serpent God suddenly grabbed Ren Chong from the air and slammed him against the ground, then Huang Ting released a black gravitational field. Ren Chong wailed in anguish as he wanted to fly away, but he was sucked straight into that black hole, and his black flames disappeared with a blast as well.
Huang Ting gasped in the air. When he turned his head around to take a look, Yu Hao had already cut off the aerial root — the half that fell down from the sky was drawn away, while the root that remained in Huang Ting’s dream world turned into black vapour and dissipated.
Huang Ting, “Where’s Zhou Sheng?”
Yu Hao said, “Let’s go find Qihang and Gege first, I’ll explain it to all of you later. I really don’t want to explain the same thing four times.”
Chen Yekai said, “How much longer can the Great Wall last?”
“You’ll have to ask Satan that.” Yu Hao answered, “I don’t know…”