"Entering dreams?"

Zhong Yuan heard this and shook his head. "Little Gu, entering dreams isn't that simple. My realm is far higher than yours. Even if I open my mind, you'll probably find it difficult to enter my dreams."

Zhong Yuan was telling the truth.

For ordinary psychic ability users, hypnotizing someone one level higher was already extremely difficult.

Not to mention crossing two entire major stages.

"How will we know if we don't try?"

Gu Shen smiled. "If Brother Zhong Yuan is willing to trust me, how about opening your mind?"

"Alright."

Zhong Yuan closed his eyes.

He relaxed his mind and entered a state of ease.

A few seconds later, he felt a wisp of heat coming from between his eyebrows… and then, the "unease" lingering in his heart slowly dissipated.

He hadn't felt this way since leaving the Toru River.

With Zhong Yuan's cooperation, Gu Shen entered his dream.

The characteristic of Chi Flame (Crimson Flame) was actually very gentle.

Gu Shen's current true mental strength was at the peak of Tier 3, and he was trying to break through for the third time, so the gap between him and a Tier 4 ability user wasn't that great.

When escaping the storm, he could even hypnotize the entire Second Team, including Yuan Yuan and the other thirteen ability users, on his own!

It could be said that as long as an ability user's mental level was below that of a titled powerhouse, Gu Shen could hypnotize them as long as they opened their minds.

Of course.

If the other party resisted… that would be another matter entirely.

…

…

Zhong Yuan's dream was shrouded in a layer of black mist.

Black snowflakes drifted towards him.

After entering the dream, Gu Shen came directly to the foot of the "Snow Mountain" in Zhong Yuan's dream.

Looking back, the Toru River snaked and crawled at the foot of the mountain, and in the distance were towering mountain peaks that blotted out the sky, as if all the light was blocked by that high mountain.

Gu Shen knew that this was just a dream… the scenery in the dream didn't completely correspond to the real appearance inside the "Disaster Zone."

But perhaps he could find clues to what was causing Zhong Yuan and Mu Wanqiu's "unease."

"It seems… it's not caused by the 'river poison'."

Gu Shen suddenly had such a premonition in his heart.

Their unease had nothing to do with the Underworld.

After confirming that the dream was stable, Gu Shen slowly walked towards the summit.

He walked very slowly and wasn't in a hurry. Although he was only an "observer," he still needed to be extra careful when entering such a nightmare… real disasters could be spread through the mind.

Black snow fell one after another.

Gu Shen stopped, feeling that these "black snowflakes" were a bit strange, not just simple black snow particles.

"Chi Flame… emerge."

A faint flame ignited in Gu Shen's hand, turning into a lantern.

He carried the lantern and walked towards the summit.

"The resistance is starting to increase…"

Gu Shen's expression froze. He felt that the snow sticking to his body was becoming heavier… as if an invisible force was stopping him from continuing forward.

"Could it be… that the source of the 'ominous' is ahead?"

Gu Shen raised his head.

He stared at the summit of the snow mountain… the sunlight was blocked by the mountain peak, revealing only a sliver, which was dazzling and eerie. There was no warmth on this snow mountain, only coldness.

The cross pendant also sent out a faint guidance.

Unexpectedly… even though he was in a dream, this sealed item could still function.

Gu Shen stroked the pendant and murmured softly, "Is this telling me that it's best not to go forward?"

The guidance from the pendant was very subtle.

Gu Shen pondered for a moment.

"This is just a dream… I can withdraw at any time. What's the harm in climbing to the top of this black mountain?"

He was really curious.

If he really climbed up, would he see the scene of "the world as a mirror" that Zhong Yuan mentioned?

However, reason told Gu Shen.

The purpose of this dream entry had already been achieved.

He had already confirmed that Zhong Yuan's "nightmare" didn't originate from the Underworld.

"Dream… release."

Gu Shen took a light breath. He shook his hand and dispersed the lantern, choosing to stop here.

"Whirring…"

Black snow began to dance wildly.

Exiting the dream should have been instantaneous… but this time there was an accident. A gale swept through the mountainside, and the black snow swarmed up, as if like bats, wanting to drown him.

Gu Shen's pupils constricted.

He was pushed down the summit, and as he fell heavily, a sliver of light flashed past, and he saw the "mirror dream" that Zhong Yuan mentioned.

The whole world was a huge mirror.

But at this moment, the mirror surface was no longer a mountain.

It was the sky.

Black snow filled the air, and the dark sky was "clear." He fell like this, but as if he was falling into a lake, falling back into another world.

With a "boom"!

Gu Shen returned to reality, his back already soaked in cold sweat.

What was going on?

The main body of this "mirror dream" wasn't that mountain at all… was this a "curse" aimed at every dream entrant?

Gu Shen stretched out his hands, still feeling lingering fear.

The cross pendant slowly emitted warmth at his chest, reminding Gu Shen that everything was over.

He had returned to reality.

But Gu Shen still felt a sense of oppression in his heart.

He had the same illusion as Zhong Yuan… He always felt that the two ends of the mirror were two worlds, one real and the other fake, and he seemed to have come to the fake world.

Zhong Yuan slowly opened his eyes, feeling that his mind was obviously much better.

But when he turned his head, Gu Shen's face looked a little pale.

"Little Gu, you can really enter dreams…" Zhong Yuan slowly exhaled a mouthful of foul air, "Did you see that black mountain?"

"…Yeah."

Gu Shen got up and went to the washroom, cupped a large handful of water to wash his face, repeating the action over and over again.

After dozens of seconds, he slowly recovered from this strange "disorientation."

Chi Flame was burning, his heart was beating, everything was normal.

But after leaving that dream.

It was like a seed had been buried in his heart… Gu Shen uncontrollably had the illusion that the world in front of him was "fake."

"Are you alright?"

A voice suddenly came from behind him.

Gu Shen was mentally confused and didn't even notice the movement in the room.

He rubbed his cheeks hard, smiled wryly, and said frankly, "Your dream… has a bit of a kick."

He had entered so many dreams.

What nightmares hadn't he seen?

This situation… was really a first!

"But it's not a big problem." Gu Shen said seriously, "I'm not someone who personally entered the Disaster Zone, I'm just peeking at the contents of the dream… there won't be too many aftereffects."

Because he followed the guidance of the cross pendant.

The confusion between reality and illusion came quickly and dissipated quickly.

Gu Shen quickly returned to normal.

This rootless mental curse couldn't be endless, how could it keep sticking to him? However, because he peeked into the black dream this time, he shared some of the curse, and Zhong Yuan's pressure should be reduced a bit.

"I still have to thank you for this."

Zhong Yuan said in a deep voice, "Your mental strength is indeed amazing… Little Gu, you shouldn't be an ordinary transcendent, right?"

Gu Shen smiled and said nothing.

He poured another cup of tea and motioned for Zhong Yuan to sit down. "I'm very interested in what happened in the Toru River Disaster Zone… This restart mission is actually to find the [Gate]. Have you ever thought that the [Gate] might be on that snow mountain?"

"My encounter, and this dream, were reported to the legion commander as soon as possible."

Zhong Yuan shook his head and said in a low voice, "The investigation corps later sent people to that snow mountain… No one else was abnormal except for me. After they came back, they didn't have similar 'illusions'."

Gu Shen raised his eyebrows.

This was interesting… Was this a "mental curse" aimed solely at Zhong Yuan?

Or did he accidentally touch something when climbing the mountain, causing the descent of this mirror dream?

"What about Mu Wanqiu? What about the content of her dream?" Gu Shen became interested and continued to ask.

"Little Qiu…"

Zhong Yuan paused, a little embarrassed. "She refused to let Lu Zhe enter her dream, and she also refused hypnosis… You should know that in this case, we must respect the opinions of the person involved, and…"

Gu Shen understood when he heard this, and immediately continued, "And, the mental strength of this person involved is strong enough. Without permission, even the captain of the first team can't enter the dream smoothly."

"Yes." Zhong Yuan sighed softly, "I don't know what she saw, why she has to refuse others to enter her dream?"

Her mental state wasn't good.

Having a reliable, stronger psychic ability user than herself willing to enter the dream for treatment was the best thing.

There weren't many people in the entire North Continent who were more suitable than Lu Zhe.

But Mu Wanqiu refused and strongly opposed it… She chose to fight the "nightmare" alone, which was something Zhong Yuan couldn't understand.

With a "clang," Gu Shen put down the teacup.

Zhong Yuan was slightly startled. "Little Gu… what are you doing?"

"Mu Wanqiu is upstairs, right?" Gu Shen said, "I'll go visit her."

…

…

Long night.

A boundless long night.

The river churned with raging waves. Standing on this broken log, Mu Wanqiu looked up and couldn't see the end of the great river. She could only see endless darkness and infinite depth.

Behind her, a huge snow-white ghost shadow floated.

Wearing a tall crown, with a large robe flying, a pale face, and bright red lips.

This was the S-level ability that the investigation corps had cultivated with all its strength, [Judge]… This ghost shadow spread its arms wide and stood across Mu Wanqiu's back, like a huge mast, doing its best in the raging waves to fight against the great river.

[Judge]'s fangs were staggered, staring at the distance.

This lone boat struggled in the raging waves, desperately crashing towards the end of the long night.

In Mu Wanqiu's hand, she held a black writing brush as tall as a person. She used the brush as an oar, stirring up her spirit, trying to resist the rapids!

It was a pity that this great river was darker than all the ink in the world.

No matter how she wrote or paddled, it was all in vain…

In this darkness, advancing and retreating seemed meaningless.

She didn't know how long she had struggled, but the darkness didn't dissipate, but became even more intense.

Mu Wanqiu stared at the outline that vaguely emerged in the darkness.

That was the very beginning of the "Great River."

At the end of this boundless dark nightmare, stood a tall, dark, and gloomy throne.

And at the foot of the throne, in the middle of the great river, a tenacious stone was prostrate and standing.

Two words were written on it.

"Nether River."

…

…

(ps: I'm not in a good state tonight, so there's only this chapter. It's difficult to guarantee the quality if I continue writing. There will be another update at 12 noon tomorrow.)