Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Zhuang Sheng’s Morning Dreams Confuse the Butterfly Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Zhuang Sheng’s Morning Dreams Confuse the Butterfly Wukong again split off Sun Traveler, gifted him the Green Lotus of the Green Emperor, and sent him toward Tianzhu.

The Heaven-Defying Taoist and Sun Traveler possessed formidable magical treasures, and even if the Sect Founder came in person, they feared nothing, for they could escape if they could not win. The others watched quietly at Water Curtain Cave to see how the various forces would react before making further plans. Nezha and Bai Qi had long been eager to fight, waiting for a grand battle to unfold.

Wukong entrusted all affairs to Yuan Hong and descended into the Reincarnation Netherworld alone.

“Green Emperor, please come in. The Goddess has long foreseen your visit,” said the Yin God at the gate, all smiles, devoid of the former arrogance that declared ‘Dead may enter, the living, stay out.’

“Hmm, then I shall proceed on my own, no need for you to lead the way,” said Wukong, as he entered the Underworld himself.

His arrival had already alarmed Di Jiang and others. Zhu Rong greeted him with a radiant smile, saying, “Oh! Isn’t this the Green Emperor? What brings your esteemed presence to our Reincarnation Netherworld?”

Seeing that Xuan Ming was continuously protecting him, Zhu Rong no longer harbored the intention of finding Wukong’s troublesome side. Moreover, Xuan Ming had now attained sainthood, making her more profoundly mysterious, and the reverence of the Ancestral Witches toward her deepened further.

Wukong bowed and said, “Greetings to all the Ancestral Witches.”

Gonggong’s expression was displeased as he said, “What brings you here now?”

Wukong helplessly said, “I am seeking help from a saint, but although I know them, they do not recognize me. After much thought, the only option I had was to seek out Xuan Ming.”

Di Jiang replied, “Xuan Ming is currently in seclusion, you’ve come at a bad time.”

No sooner had he spoken these words than Xuan Ming’s voice came from within, “Let him come in.”

Di Jiang and the others, feeling helpless and not daring to contradict Xuan Ming’s wishes, stepped aside to make way.

Previously, Zhu Rong did not favor Wukong, but now he spoke on his behalf, saying, “You lot are truly like blocks of elm wood for brains! Can’t you see that there is something between Xuan Ming and him? Always obstructing, no wonder Xuan Ming disfavors you all.”

Houtu said, “Oh! You are indeed very clever.”

Zhu Rong replied, “I always have been very clever!”

While Zhu Rong teased the other Ancestral Witches for their lack of intelligence, the narrative returns to Wukong who had entered Xuan Ming’s abode and saw her seated cross-legged on a cushion of burgeoning essence, her hands forming a spell sign on her knees, eyes closed, her complexion somewhat pale.

“You’ve arrived.” said Xuan Ming.

Only three words, her voice unremarkable and clear like a spring, as though the two were old friends acquainted for tens of thousands of years.

Wukong asked, “Are you injured? How severe is it?”

Xuan Ming replied, “Di Jun is formidable, eight saints were injured by him. However, with the decree of the Hong Jun Taoist Patriarch, he dared not strike lethally, it was just a minor injury, a couple of days of rest should suffice.”

If Di Jun had truly intended to kill, it would be akin to striking the Nine Heavens Profound Lady, causing a grand Dao injury with one blow.

Relieved by her words, Wukong then said, “I’ve come to disturb you again.”

Xuan Ming said, “It would have been strange if you hadn’t.”

Wukong asked, “Do you know why I have come to find you?”

Xuan Ming replied, “I do not know.”

Wukong said, “I’ve heard that saints can control dreams. I wish to enter a dream here and have you control it for me; I want to resolve some matters in the dream.”

A faint smile tugged at Xuan Ming’s lips as she asked, “Is it to resolve your own obsessions? That girl named Zixia?”

Wukong thought for a moment, unsure how to respond, and finally said, “It’s not exactly resolving, rather it’s more about fulfilling a regret in my heart. I have followed an extraordinary path, and only now have I achieved the Great Luo Golden Immortal. But I already feel that the Primordial Golden Immortal Realm is under my feet. Just one more step forward, and I could become a Sect Founder!”

After achieving Perfection in the Three Thousand Great Paths, Wukong felt as if he could see through past, present, and future. He sensed that the Primordial Golden Immortal Realm was right beneath his feet, missing only the opportunity to step across it. Perhaps, by constructing a dream through the Dream Path and having it manipulated by a saint, he could perfect his Dao heart and step into the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm.

Wukong came to sever his obsession, to cut it away, but how could that be easy? This visit was merely to supplement his regrets. The journey to severing obsessions was still a long one.

Xuan Ming nodded and said, “The path of severing the Three Thousand Great Paths has been walked by Di Jun, Hong Jun, and Tong Tian. Di Jun and Tong Tian failed, only Hong Jun succeeded. However, Hong Jun proved the Three Thousand Great Paths as a Heavenly Dao Saint, whereas you started perfecting these paths from the Taiyi Golden Immortal, future attainment of the Dao might be too difficult for you.”

Wukong smiled and said, “Others might fulfill the Three Thousand Great Paths and turn into a Primordial Golden Immortal, perhaps even verifying themselves as a Heavenly Dao Saint quite early on, but my path is far too unique.”

Xuan Ming asked, “What dream do you wish to have?”

Wukong pondered, “A saint can control his dreams, have you ever tried?”

A hint of crimson unavoidably surfaced on Xuan Ming’s face. While saints have no dreams, she, on the contrary, could dream. Zhun Ti could as well. Naturally, she had tried controlling her own dreams. The subtle flavors within were indescribable, left for the readers to carefully ponder and taste. Seeing Xuan Ming’s expression, Wukong dared not look at her, fearing that a glance would make it impossible to look away, which would only lead to an awkward situation for both of them.

Xuan Ming gently coughed, her voice soft as a spring breeze, “I have indeed tried.”

Wukong then asked, “Would it affect you?”

Xuan Ming smiled and said, “It’s your dream, how could it affect me? It won’t.”

Wukong was then reassured, saying, “Good, I was afraid it might affect you, which would be troubling.”

Xuan Ming stood up, handed her derived meditation cushion to Wukong, and said, “Use this cushion for meditation and falling asleep, it will multiply the effects.”

After a moment of thought, Wukong closed his eyes slightly and began constructing a dream within the sea of his consciousness.

A good while later, about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Wukong finally opened his eyes and said, “I have now constructed the dream landscape in the sea of my consciousness and projected it into my Primordial Spirit. Once I fall asleep, you can evolve this dream from my sea of consciousness and then control the direction of the dream. Just, don’t intervene in controlling it thereafter.”

Xuan Ming gave a slight nod upon hearing this and said, “I understand now.”

The dreamscape that Wukong had constructed in his mind was neither simple nor complex, resembling life in Reincarnation, assuming a different identity. Since he couldn’t find Zixia in Reincarnation, he might as well look for her in his dreams. Having seen her features and sensed her aura and disposition through that seed, he could easily imagine her. Perhaps she was the most significant fixation in Wukong’s heart. What he was doing now was to fulfill his state of mind so that he could step into the Primordial Golden Immortal Realm, which would also pave the way for him to sever his fixations and prove the Primordial Dao Fruit in the future.

Wukong asked, “How long will this dream last?”

Xuan Ming slightly closed her eyes and answered, “Perhaps a day, perhaps a year, or maybe ten or even a hundred years. Worse still, it might last a lifetime, making it hard to awake.”

Hearing this, Wukong wasn’t too worried. He trusted his will. Even if Zixia penetrated to the deepest part of his Dao heart, he believed that he could wake up because he still had grand aspirations not yet fulfilled, including revolutionizing the world! A man must be self-reliant; if he cannot even protect the one he loves, what right does he have to speak of love? After all, would he have to make her sacrifice herself for him again?

Wukong arranged the derived cushion and then sat down on it, instantly feeling a tremendous vitality surge towards him. He understood that this cushion was once a treasure of Goddess Nuwa; even ordinary people could greatly elevate their cultivation level after sitting on it for a while. This time, he owed Xuan Ming a great favor.

“I’ll go to sleep now, thank you for your efforts,” Wukong said.

“Hmm,” Xuan Ming nodded gently, sitting down behind him.

Wukong closed his eyes, his mind free from joy or sorrow, entering a clear and boundless state. Soon, he began to feel drowsy.

Wukong’s head drooped slightly, as he was already asleep.

Xuan Ming sighed gently, bent her fingers and tapped lightly behind his head. Wukong’s sea of consciousness instantly began to churn, and the dreamscape he had created entered the Niwan Palace, merging with the projection on his Primordial Spirit, thus entering the dream.

This dreamscape was just a rough framework; of course, it included development directions constructed by Wukong. However, he could not control the dream, and despite his constructs, it may not develop as he had imagined. That’s why he had sought Xuan Ming’s help to control his dream.

Of course, Wukong deeply trusted Xuan Ming. If someone with ill intent had cast a spell, making him lose himself within the dream, that would have been terrible—possibility trapping him for life. His trust in Xuan Ming, and only Xuan Ming, was worthy of him.

This was their tacit understanding, but neither wished to speak of it. Perhaps, it was not necessary to say anything.

Silence choked with emotions. Was this not a supreme state born from deep feelings?

Xuan Ming formed a spell with her hands and began to control Wukong’s dream.

She suddenly decided that she wanted to see for herself, to see how the story would unfold…

Wukong naturally would not expect that Xuan Ming would entertain the idea of “peeping” into his dreams, especially since she was a highly esteemed saint!

A poem by later generations confirmed this, which said: “Zhuang Sheng dreamt of butterflies at dawn, a sleep that stretched a hundred years long. It’s said that the Green Emperor could transform, but upon waking, the leaves had all turned dry and yellow.”

To find out what happens next, please listen to the following chapter.