Dream Weaver

Another Chaodu asked in surprise, "What does 'borrowing heavenly lightning with one's life' mean? How does one borrow it with their life?"

Chao Du looked at the blood moon in the sky, which was beginning to wax and wane again, and recalled the distant past: "I came up with this idea on a whim back then. At that time, the Yin soldiers attacked the Immortal Garment Pavilion, and there were only three or four people left who could still fight. They were no match for the Yin soldiers at all."

“Yaoyao and Master wanted me to leave again, but I didn’t want to leave them behind, so I tried to find a way. It just so happened that my cultivation was about to break through before I came to Jinxiu City.” Chao Du explained, constantly observing the state of his other self.

The other version of himself, who was in relatively good condition, suddenly realized: "You attracted the Heavenly Lightning Trial by breaking through your cultivation level!"

Chao Du nodded: "Yes, I asked the medical cultivators who came to help for some pills to temporarily improve my cultivation. Several people with minor injuries also transferred their cultivation to me. Then I forced a breakthrough, summoned heavenly lightning to strike the Yin soldiers, and protected the Immortal Robe Pavilion. However, the cultivation I forcibly broke through is ultimately different from the cultivation I cultivated on my own. I almost died in that heavenly lightning trial."

"That's amazing..." Another Chaodu looked on with envy and longing. "To think of such a method and actually do it, but I remember I wasn't even close to breaking through back then... Why?"

Chao Du immediately stopped, placed his hand on her shoulder, and channeled spiritual energy to help her calm her mind.

The other Asakawa managed a weak smile, shifting his shoulder out of Asakawa's grasp: "I'm fine. I was just wondering how we could be so different. What exactly is the difference?!"

Asakawa wanted to know too, but she felt it was more important to reassure her other self first: "Since we are one person, what I can do, you can do too, it's just a matter of sooner or later."

“It’s different… It’s too late, it’s too late. I can no longer save Yaoyao and the others.” Another Chaodu covered his face, his voice trembling, tears streaming from between his fingers. “I’m too late, I can never save them! If I had the same cultivation level as you back then, I could have saved them. My life and their lives would be different!”

Chao Du pressed down on her shoulders again, using his spiritual power to help her calm her violently trembling mind, and gently comforted her, "Look ahead, you also have people you want to protect now, right? Like your daughter, become stronger to protect her. I will protect Yao Yao and the others for you, so don't worry. Now all you need to do is find the sword, become stronger, and protect the people you cherish and care about now, as well as your future self, so that you will have no regrets."

The other Asawa slowly lowered his hand and raised his head, looking at Asawa with a blank yet expectant gaze: "Really? Can I really do it?"

"You can do it." Asaka gently patted her head. "Believe in yourself, if I can do it, so can you."

The other Asaka hugged her for a long time without speaking. When he finally spoke, his voice was choked with emotion but firm: "Okay, this time I really want to become stronger!"

Chao Du said with relief, "Alright, let's look at the next level. To be honest, I'm not very familiar with the levels after this. New reinforcements have arrived, including many powerful sect leaders and elders. When I came out of the lightning tribulation, I was barely holding on and was transferred out as a wounded person by the newcomers."

The blood moon waxes and wanes once more, and a new challenge begins.

Another Chao Du tried to recall: "Let me think... I heard that the 'Dream Weaver' and the Left Protector under the Demon Lord appeared in Jinxiu City that night, but I haven't seen them yet, and I don't know if they will appear later."

Chao Du smiled at her and nodded in agreement: "Possibly. Speaking of the Dream Weaver, I've heard that although he is a demonic cultivator, some people have spent a fortune to have him weave a dream for them."

Another Chao Du said, "I've heard of him too! It's said that he can weave beautiful dreams that people don't want to wake up from, dreams without regrets or pain, only happiness and bliss. And it seems that he was originally one of our Fairy Robe Pavilion members, but he defected before we even entered. His original name was Qing Xin, meaning fresh, but he changed it to Xin himself." Another Chao Du raised his hand and wrote it down for Chao Du to see.

Asakawa seemed to be deep in thought: "Human nature..."

"Oh? So it's you two junior sisters. Do you also want a sweet dream?"

A gentle and melodious voice rang out, carrying a soft, warm fragrance that gently drifted towards the two Chaodu.

Chao Du raised an eyebrow and looked in the direction of the sound at an ancient peach tree that had suddenly appeared in the ruins ahead, its blossoms in full bloom, with a beautiful, languid figure leaning against it.

He was handsome as jade, with a pair of pink and purple eyes that were affectionate and moving. His white hair was lazily tied behind his head with a small peach blossom, with only a strand falling on his chest. His light brocade robe, which was shimmering with color, fluttered in the breeze, like the gorgeous wings of a swallowtail butterfly. Behind him was a bright red, blood-dripping full moon.

Stunningly beautiful, eerily gorgeous.

As a warm, fragrant breeze wafted by, countless petals fell from the ancient peach trees, creating a mesmerizing and enchanting rain of peach blossoms under the red moon. Several glassy butterflies, shimmering with tiny lights, danced and hovered among the petals.

Chao Du raised his hand and used his spiritual power to condense a transparent umbrella, which he held above his own head and the other Chao Du's head.

One or two glass butterflies tried to fly into the umbrella, but the moment they got close, they turned into wisps of smoke, leaving only a few sparkling dust particles that fell to Chaodu's feet.

Chao Du glanced at the few dust particles that were gradually dimming: they were covered with spiritual energy, just like the fragrance and petals from before, all of which were his means of guiding people into a dream.

Another Chaodu looked at the other glass butterflies that were flying nearby in surprise: "His weapon is actually the brocade fairy butterfly from the Fairy Garment Pavilion."

“After all, you’ve gotten used to using them, and they’re quite beautiful, aren’t they?” The Dream Weaver asked with a gentle smile. “Speaking of which, what kind of dreams do you want? Considering we’re from the same sect, I won’t charge you a fortune this time.”

"You don't accept gold, you only accept lives, is that it?" Chao Du chuckled. "First of all, we've been estranged since you betrayed the cultivation world. Secondly, your cultivation level is probably not enough to weave my dream."

"Is that so~" The Dream Weaver drew out the last syllable, chuckling lazily, and lightly tapped Chao Du with her fingertip, as if touching the heart of a heartless person. "This junior sister is so fierce. But, how about we guess when you two entered the dream?"

Chao Du calmly replied, "I understand. I'm just using you to help someone fulfill a dream."

She looked at the person beside her: although the other self was still awake and even looked at her in confusion, this was actually a phantom created by Dream Weaver using illusion magic. The real other Chaodu had already entered her dream long before Dream Weaver appeared on the ancient peach tree. She should have already seen the person she had missed for so long.

The Dream Weaver paused, his gaze shifting between the two Chaodu, his brows furrowing slightly: "You're using me to fulfill her dream? How dare you..." His voice trailed off with anger.

Amidst a shower of petals and swarms of butterflies, Chao Du closed his umbrella, sliced ​​off the phantom beside him with a single sword strike, and, too lazy to continue the act, said leisurely, "Cultivating immortality, how can you not be a little daring? If you want to live longer, you'd better weave her dream properly, make it as perfect as possible—tsk! The Dream Weaver has quite a temper."

The rain of flowers suddenly turned into a rain of swords and blades falling on her. Instead of looking at the sky, Chao Du raised his longsword and plunged it into his own shadow—the shadow let out a scream, and black blood gushed out instantly!

"Such a beauty, it would be a waste to hide her true form in the shadows." Chao Du lowered his head slightly, looking at the Dream Weaver struggling beside him, but pinned to the ground.

"Who...who are you? How can you have such cultivation?!" The Dream Weaver's eyes were bloodshot and red, but her lips were pale and trembling. Her brocade robe, which was full of flowing light, was stained with black blood that was wrapped in demonic energy.

"Shh. This is not something you should ask." Chao Du smiled and sat down next to him. She pressed her fingertip on the ground, and the ground rippled like a lake. The petals and ancient peach tree disappeared into specks of light, and another image of her gathered next to her. She was lying on the ground, fast asleep. This was the real Chao Du.

Chao Du withdrew his hand and snapped his fingers again. Instantly, hundreds of chests of glittering gold surrounded him, but they were all illusions. "Here, take this thousand taels of gold. You weave the dream for her, and you can live until she comes out."

The Dream Weaver was so angry that she gritted her teeth, her face turning from green to white to black, a truly spectacular sight. But looking at the other Asaka's slightly upturned lips, it was clear that he was doing the same thing, trying his best to weave her a perfect dream.

Asakawa raised her hand, and the sword rose with her movement, withdrawing from the Dream Weaver's chest, but hovering high above his heart.

Then Chao Du closed his eyes, placed his hands on his knees and sat cross-legged. The only sound around him was the breathing of the three of them.

What exactly is your relationship with her?

The Dream Weaver's voice, much hoarser than before, rang out, and Chao Du was too lazy to even move.

"Since I'm still trying my best to weave dreams for her, why not satisfy my curiosity?" the Dream Weaver said again. "This is the first time I've ever seen two identical souls with such great differences in personality and cultivation. If this isn't a forbidden soul-splitting technique, what else could it be?"

Asakawa closed his eyes and replied perfunctorily, "Twins."

The Dream Weaver was speechless: "Are you kidding me? Twin souls are only very similar, but they won't be exactly the same. Dear sister, just tell me~ Hiss—"

The sword energy suddenly became several times colder, as if it would freeze his spinal cord. He felt an intense killing intent coming from the sword above him.

Chao Du slowly opened his eyes, looking at him with a half-smile: "Take it easy, my sword is about to give out."

The Wind Weaver trembled but didn't ask any more questions. He knew what the sword couldn't help but want to do: to shut him up completely and forever.

Chao Du then said, "I also have a question for you: why did you betray the Immortal Garment Pavilion back then?"

The Dream Weaver paused, then habitually grinned, her smile both charming and mischievous: "You're also from the Immortal Garment Pavilion. Are you really content to spend your whole life making clothes for others? Rather than spending your life threading threads and weaving cloth to make wedding gowns for others, why not let your heart play the Dream Weaver and be that 'other person'! Right, you really are unwilling to accept this, aren't you?"

The Dream Weaver pointed to the black jade sword hanging over her heart, and with her pinkish-purple peach blossom eyes, through tears of pain, she smiled at Chao Du: "If you are willing, why is your weapon not the Brocade Fairy Butterfly, but a sword? Have you also left the Immortal Garment Pavilion? Hahaha, so we are the same kind after all!"