Night Lingyuan's breath sprinkled onto Zi Linling's face, making her heart race while also sparking a flicker of doubt.
Was she a soul, or her true body, at this moment?
Was the Night Lingyuan before her a phantom, or truly existent?
Of course, Zi Linling quickly found her answer.
She pushed Night Lingyuan away and said with a cold laugh, "Tell me, what would happen if he knew you were tarnishing his reputation?"
Night Lingyuan's eyes held a smile. "How do you know this isn't him standing before you? Perhaps, this is how he always was?"
Zi Linling casually sat on the edge of the bed. "Because you don't understand him."
Night Lingyuan smiled faintly. "Not necessarily! Since I can peer into the depths of your soul, how could I not peer into his?"
Zi Linling scoffed, "You finally admit you're not him. Then who are you? The Altar Spirit?"
Night Lingyuan chuckled, a ripple spreading around him. "The Altar Spirit, how could it be worthy of me? As for who I am, they all call me Nightmare!"
Nightmare?
Zi Linling was greatly surprised.
Nightmare, also known as the Dream Eater Beast or Dream Weaver Beast, was a peculiar spirit beast that fed on nightmares and could weave beautiful dreams, creating illusions.
Spirit beasts were a higher class of beast than demonic beasts. Although they couldn't shapeshift, they could communicate with humans through speech.
The Nightmare Beast was an anomaly among spirit beasts because it could awaken buried memories deep within one's heart and then weave a dream for you.
Therefore, although it couldn't shapeshift, it could manifest any creature. Naturally, its focus was on illusion.
"I originally intended to bestow a beautiful dream upon you, but who knew you'd see through it so quickly? How boring! Utterly boring!"
The Nightmare Beast shook its head and reverted to its original form.
A horse?
Zi Linling was surprised again.
However, this horse was slightly different from ordinary horses.
The Nightmare Beast was entirely black, but its mane was crimson. It had a long nose like an elephant's and a tail like a cow's.
Its four hooves floated, resembling tiger claws, and were surrounded by a hazy substance.
As Zi Linling was astonished, her doubts also began to clear.
It seemed that the weeping of her parents and the betrayal of Zi Xiaoling were merely illusions woven by the Nightmare, based on her deepest yearnings hidden in her memories.
Yet, for some reason, she had a feeling that the two scenes she had experienced earlier, though illusions, felt too real.
"Nightmare... Beast, may I ask you a question?"
Zi Linling raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Yes, those were real, they were merely things that would happen in the future."
The Nightmare Beast's voice had a hypnotic quality.
However, because Zi Linling had nearly fallen into a demonic state earlier, her soul power had become incredibly strong.
Therefore, she was not easily swayed by the Nightmare Beast's voice.
Zi Linling paused. "How did you know I was going to ask that?"
The Nightmare Beast glanced at her disdainfully. "Have you forgotten what my abilities are?"
Zi Linling was slightly taken aback. "Aren't your abilities weaving dreams and eating dreams?"
"Yes, but whether weaving or eating dreams, I must first peer into your soul!"
Zi Linling suddenly understood.
Since it could peer into the soul, it could likely also perceive the fluctuations of the soul.
She looked at the Nightmare intently. "How do you know those things will happen in the future?"
The Nightmare rolled its eyes. "Do you think dreams are woven randomly? When I weave dreams, I naturally see the future within them, because future situations can be inferred from existing circumstances."
Zi Linling's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately had a bad feeling.
"The two dreams you wove for me, approximately when will they become reality?"
The Nightmare Beast yawned. "Hard to say, because time in that world is different from here. But it shouldn't be too long!"
Zi Linling's heart skipped another beat.
But now, she couldn't return at all. How could she save her parents and the Zi Corporation?
"Alright, since this dream has been seen through by you, I'll send you to the next dream!"
As the Nightmare Beast's voice fell, the scenery before Zi Linling's eyes changed once more.
This was... the Zi manor!
Zi Linling looked at the place before her, and her mouth couldn't help but twitch.
She hadn't expected her fourth dream to lead her back to the beginning. Sudan Novel Network.
However, this time, she was an observer, watching everything the original host had experienced.
From the original host's birth, to the great fire when she was six years old, and then to being beaten to death by Zi Jinling.
The original host's tragic life flashed before her eyes like a movie. She seemed to have become a witness to the original host's miserable existence.
Threads of rage filled her soul, making her wish she could kill those who had abused the original host.
But facts were facts, history was etched in stone. She could only watch the original host walk step by step towards death, unable to intervene in that story.
After she had fully witnessed the original host's life, the Nightmare Beast appeared again.
It looked at Zi Linling gloatingly. "How is it? Are you angry?"
Zi Linling nodded.
She would remember the vengeance.
And from the moment she occupied the original host's body, she could no longer stand aside.
Therefore, she would avenge the original host sooner or later.
"Anger is useless! Only when you truly understand these four dreams can you truly do as you please!"
After the Nightmare Beast spoke, it disappeared again, as if it had never appeared.
But its words echoed in Zi Linling's soul—Only when you truly understand these four dreams can you truly do as you please!
Understand? Understand what?
What secrets were hidden within these four dreams?
Zi Linling fell into deep thought.
She had originally thought that the trials of the Ghost Altar were purely to make things difficult for the challengers. Now, hearing the Nightmare Beast say this, these trials must all contain hidden meanings.
Zi Linling's soul floated quietly, looking down upon everything happening within the Zi manor's courtyard walls.
For this trial, the Altar Spirit had given no hints. So, how would it be considered a success?
Time ticked by, and the four dreams replayed in her mind.
"What did I gain?"
She asked herself murmuringly.
In the first dream, she dreamt of her parents' tears.
Stop! Tears? Why tears?
A light flickered in Zi Linling's eyes.
Because of love! Unconditional love!
That's right! Love!
Then... in the second dream, she felt Zi Xiaoling's hatred, and her own hatred after knowing the truth!
Hatred!
In the third dream, why did the Nightmare Beast manifest a Night Lingyuan?
Could it be... affection?
Night Lingyuan had feelings for her, she could sense it. But did she have feelings for Night Lingyuan?
Scene after scene flashed through her mind.