This time, the wind in the desert seemed stronger than ever.

The disorderly wind swept across the sand dunes covered with rugged rocks like a sweeping cloud, and the raised dust swirled and danced dozens of meters in the sky. In the distance, a huge ochre-colored "barrier" was gradually rising into the sky - a bigger storm was brewing in that barrier, as if it was accumulating enough power to sweep the world.

However, all these stirring sandstorms suddenly stopped a few meters away from Vanna and the giant. The raised sand and dust swirled around them like the scenery in the eye of a storm.

Fanna noticed the changes in the surrounding environment at the first moment. She looked at the stirring dust in the distance in amazement, especially the khaki sandstorm in the far distance that was rising from the ground like a sky-high barrier. She had never seen such a scene before, and she felt uneasy at the first moment: "What is that?"

The old giant in tattered robes lowered his head and looked gently into Vanna's eyes: "It is a storm, traveler. It is a storm you created with your own hands."

"I caused the storm?" Vanna was stunned when she heard that. She looked at the giant in astonishment, "When did I ..."

"Not yet, but soon - time begins to flow again, traveler, it is flowing in all directions, can you feel it? The world is changing... After such a long period of stagnation, this stone covered and imprisoned by sand is finally starting to roll again."

Fanna was stunned as she listened to the incomprehensible words the giant suddenly said to her. She thought of something from these vague words, but before she could ask, the giant waved his hand at her: "Don't ask too much, traveler. This place is finally coming to an end. The more you know about it at this time, the more you will establish an inseparable connection with it. I don't want you to be the next person wandering in this desert."

Vanna finally noticed something different from the giant's words and the eyes burning with dim yellow flames.

This "god who lost his memory" came to say goodbye to himself.

"Come with me, traveler," the giant beckoned to her, "accompany me one last time and bring this journey to an end."

Vanna was slightly startled, and quickly followed the giant's footsteps while asking: "Where are you taking me? What happened here?"

"Let's go back to the 'big pit'," the giant slowed down and lowered his head slightly, "I began to recall some things. There is what I have been looking for... Maybe there is also what you want."

In the sudden gust of sand, Vanna and the giant disappeared into the depths of the sand sea at the same time.

★Illustration 1★

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The sun has almost completely set below the sea level - in the vast ocean, only the huge "luminous geometric body" is still floating quietly on the sea, and the endless "sunshine" it emits gently spreads, spreading along the slightly undulating waves to infinity.

The Breeze Harbor that was once illuminated by this "sunshine" has disappeared on the sea. At the original location of the Breeze Harbor, there now stands an astonishingly magnificent phantom - countless strands of invisible things like hair rise from the sea, entangled between the sky and the sea, and transformed into a projection of trees that are larger than the city-state.

This giant tree between reality and illusion is still growing, as if it is still drawing nutrients from the disappeared Breeze Harbor, and moving one step closer to reality every minute and every second. After every breeze and every wave, its trunk appears a little clearer and its magnificent crown a little more solid. Now, it stands in the sunlight that fills the sea, blocking out the sun. Even the magnificent church ark on the sea in the distance seems like a "small boat" compared to it.

The fleet of the Academy of Truth has been ordered to withdraw from the projection range of Silantis. Now the ark and the escort fleet are wandering on the sea outside the giant tree phantom.

However, within the projection range of the giant tree, on the sea covered by the towering tree canopy, a sailing ship burning with blazing ghostly flames was moving all the way towards the "trunk".

The translucent spirit sail has been hoisted, and an invisible force is inspiring the Lost Homeland, pushing it towards the World Tree in the distance that is like a towering peak. In the burning flames, this huge ghost ship makes a low, disturbing creaking sound all over its body, as if it is facing heavy pressure and fighting against a repulsive force.

After the Lost Homeland came within twelve nautical miles of the tree trunk, the expected "conflict" occurred.

The waves were rising, gradually forming a storm. Waves higher than the last surged over from the direction of Silantis and began to violently hit the bow of the Lost Homeland, even flooding onto the deck at one point. There were also whistling and roaring sounds coming from the direction of the giant tree, and every loud noise seemed to shatter this ghost ship that continued to move forward in the wind and waves.

And in this constantly surging force, there is almost a tangible resistance and...anger.

Silantis did not like this ship, this ghost whose keel had been built from her branches and reborn on the spine of Sasloka.

She was confused, angry, and even horrified.

But the raging waves outside the cabin and the roar of the World Tree had almost no effect on the stability inside the ship.

Duncan walked down the stairs, through the long dim corridors, the tilted old stairs, through the warehouses with reversed lights, and the cabins that made strange noises, step by step towards the deepest part of the ship.

In one hand he held the lantern that emitted a faint green flame, and in the other hand he held the "square wood" obtained from the city-state of Plande.

He could feel that the block of wood in his hand was emitting slight heat and vibrations. This "sample" cut from the original keel of the Lost Homeland seemed to sense something and was becoming increasingly restless.

Agatha's voice came from the shadow beside him: "The wind and waves outside are very strong. Silantis is trying to stop the Lost Homeland from approaching."

"You can hardly hear any noise here," Duncan just smiled, "It seems the sound insulation down here is pretty good."

"Alice tied His Majesty Rune to a pillar with a rope, saying that she was afraid that the old gentleman would be thrown out - His Majesty Rune was in poor condition and could not resist... I advised him, but Alice didn't listen. She said that this was common sense when going out to sea, and she also said that she was an old sailor on the ship..."

"…As long as she's happy," Duncan said without stopping, "Are those ropes happy?"

"...It should be quite fun. It's not common to tie the Pope to a boat."

"That's good."

Duncan said calmly, then pushed open the last door leading to the bottom of the cabin.

The shattered bottom structure of the Lost Homeland appeared in his eyes.

No matter how violent the storm on the sea, this "bottom cabin" half-submerged in the warp is as quiet as ever - the broken hull structure is still floating quietly in the void, and the chaotic light from the warp flows disorderly between the huge cracks in the hull. It was so a century ago, and it is still so today, a century later.

Duncan slowly came to the middle of the broken cabin and stood next to the largest crack.

Agatha's figure rose up beside him and she spoke with a hint of caution: "Is this really okay?"

Duncan lowered his head and looked at the crack under his feet and the light flowing in the crack.

"The keel of the Lost Homeland was once made of branches from Silantis. Later, the spine of Sasloka replaced that keel and, with the authority of the 'Lord of Dreams', reshaped the Lost Homeland that was swallowed by the warp through the method of 'virtual-real conversion'. So in a sense, the Lost Homeland is another Silantis."

He slowly bent down and placed the block of wood on the ground in front of him.

"Memories and dreams, Sasloka wanders in the realm of reality and illusion. He created Silantis in his dreams, and reconstructed the Lost Homeland in his dreams. He extracted everything from his own memories, but the only problem is that he doesn't remember himself - he doesn't even know that he can dream."

Duncan tapped his fingers lightly on the surface of the wooden block.

A cluster of green flames jumped up at the corner of the wood and almost swallowed up the entire piece of wood in the blink of an eye. In the swift spiritual flames, it took on the same ghostly, illusory and transparent texture as Duncan's body at the moment.

"Sasloka is the original 'dreamless man' - the most unorthodox doctrine actually contains the simplest truth."

Duncan stood up and kicked the burning piece of wood towards the rift leading to the warp.

It rolled and fell from the edge of the hull, and disappeared in the dark and chaotic space almost in the blink of an eye, disappearing in the ups and downs of light.

A strange creaking noise began to be heard in the distance.

“So the key for us to enter the depths of Silantis’ dream is not to wake her up—Silantis is already awake, she doesn’t need to be awakened at all.

"What we want to awaken is Sasloka, this spine immersed in the warp.

"We need to establish communication between Sasloka and Silandis - after so many years, let this 'Dreamless One' realize His dreams."

The strange creaking sound gradually reached a peak, and then suddenly, dark green flames began to surge and rise from the cracks in the shattered hull!

The spiritual fire flowed rapidly throughout the entire cabin. Wherever the flames reached, huge cracks began to heal and disappear at a speed visible to the naked eye. The broken hull began to gradually repair itself, and the bottom structure of the Lost Hometown became complete!

Before the largest crack healed, Duncan saw the scene underneath the crack out of the corner of his eye.

That was the real "bottom" structure of the Lost Homeland, the real bottom cabin wrapped around the keel.

The huge and desolate spine of the ancient god is immersed in the warp space, floating and sailing in the chaos and nothingness.

New green branches grew from the cracks in the bones, spreading to every part of the spine as the flames spread.

"Now, the two dragon bones have become one."

Duncan said softly.

In front of him, the last crack in the bottom of the Lost Homeland slowly healed.

He raised his head and called out in his heart: "Sasloka."

The goat-headed voice then rang out: "I'm here, Captain."

"Full sail, full speed, let's go find your sapling."

"Aye captain!"