CHAPTER 316: CHAPTER316-MIND CORE

"No, there’s no connection between us," Daniel replied evenly.

"Before this, I had never even seen you."

"However, lately... I’ve been hearing your name quite a lot."

"You probably don’t realize it, but in the Origin Land, your name has already become an immense collective of thoughts—almost like a gathering of countless ideas."

At that moment, a notification appeared before Daniel’s eyes:

[The Emperor of Mind wishes to transmit a mental message to you.]

[Do you want to block this message?]

Seeing the prompt, Daniel’s brows furrowed slightly.

Although his psychic senses could read the thoughts of the Emperor of Mind, those thoughts were, much like those of the guardian Enzo, extremely pure. Even if he could see through them, there wasn’t much of value to gain.

After a brief pause for thought, Daniel shook his head, declining the request.

"Forget it. I’d rather not receive a direct message. If you have something to say, say it out loud."

After all, recklessly allowing the mental consciousness of a stranger to enter one’s mind was never a good idea. There was a very real possibility of causing damage.

On the other side, the Emperor of Mind merely gave a small nod when he heard Daniel’s refusal.

"In truth... I simply wanted you to feel how many beings are calling out your name."

"I’ve been keeping watch over the Origin Land, paying close attention to every change there."

"In fact, in recent times, thoughts about you have multiplied dramatically. Even if I wanted to avoid knowing you, I fear it would be impossible."

When he finished speaking, the Emperor of Mind casually waved his hand. Immediately, the space around them filled with a dense scattering of treasure chests.

Daniel swept his gaze across them once. These crude chests possessed almost no genuine defensive measures. All he had to do was extend his mind power over them, and he could read their contents.

"Lord Daniel will definitely lead us to survive until the very end!"

"Even the Emperor of Angels fell at Lord Daniel’s hands. Lord Daniel is far too powerful!"

"I thought that during this millennial Apocalypse, someone like me—a mere ordinary citizen—would never survive. Yet to my surprise, Lord Daniel actually resurrected me."

"Lord Daniel is my faith; I will follow in his footsteps forever!"

...

Daniel could feel it clearly—the massive tide of thoughts flowing from within those chests.

Upon sensing all of this, a gentle, appreciative smile appeared on his face.

Although everything he had done so far was simply according to his own will, without the expectation of any return, it still moved him deeply to be the recipient of such heartfelt gratitude.

At the very least, it proved that all he had done along his journey had been worth it.

But once his emotions settled, Daniel immediately activated Time Stream, returning to the precise moment he had first seen the contents of these chests.

This time, however, his expression remained calm and neutral.

"Emperor of Mind, exactly what is it you want from me?"

At that instant, the Emperor of Mind was also studying Daniel closely.

Yet to his surprise, Daniel had not been affected in the slightest!

On second thought, perhaps it was only natural—at this level, a person’s mental fortitude was unshakably firm.

Daniel, for his part, had no intention of lingering in meaningless exchanges.

"If you can’t tell me what you want in the next five seconds, I’ll be leaving."

Right now, he had far too much on his plate—his Reshaping Quest, his Star Upgrade Quest. He had no time to play mental guessing games.

And so far, the Emperor of Mind had been circling around the subject without actually saying anything.

"Wait—surely you wish to leave the Mental Plane, don’t you?"

"If you agree to my request, I can send you out immediately."

Daniel frowned slightly at that.

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, no... merely proposing a trade."

Hearing this, Daniel let out a quiet, derisive chuckle.

When had simply leaving the Mental Plane become a bargaining chip?

Did the other party think he was so easily swayed?

"Emperor of Mind... do you truly think that’s an appropriate offer?"

Sensing the shift in Daniel’s tone, the Emperor of Mind was momentarily taken aback.

"You’re right—that was poorly thought out on my part."

"In that case, why don’t you state your own terms? If it’s within my ability, I will grant it."

The Emperor of Mind’s tone was generous, as if whatever Daniel might ask would be a trivial matter to him.

Upon hearing that, Daniel’s expression shifted instantly—from cold distance to warm cordiality.

"My friend, is there anything I can help you with?"

The abrupt transformation left even the Emperor of Mind stunned. This was a stark contrast from Daniel’s earlier detached composure—almost as if he had become a different person entirely.

After a pause, the Emperor of Mind finally spoke.

"I wish for the entire Mental Plane to gain freedom. But this is something only you can accomplish."

"In truth, aside from the Origin Land, every single plane of existence is bound by rules."

"You beings from the Origin Land can travel to any plane you wish. But for us, escaping the shackles of our own rules requires an immense price."

Daniel felt a flicker of recognition at these words.

Four thousand years ago, the stellars of the Primordial Land had made a similar request.

It seemed that every plane had its own powerful restrictions. No matter how mighty the beings within became, they could not violate the governing rules.

And now, even the Emperor of Mind had come to him with such a plea.

Daniel remained silent for a moment before replying.

"Your request doesn’t seem simple."

"So before we make any kind of deal, you need to tell me exactly what I must do to give you this freedom."

"And also—if you gain this freedom, what benefit would it bring to the beings of the Origin Land?"

His questions were blunt, straightforward.

The Emperor of Mind answered without hesitation.

"If you can find a way to sever our connection to the Mental Plane, we will be free."

"Or, alternatively, you might find a method to transform us into beings of the Origin Land."

"As for exactly how to accomplish this..."

The Emperor of Mind trailed off, then summoned a shimmering portal with a wave of his hand. He gestured for Daniel to step through.

Daniel considered briefly, then strode forward into the portal.

In the blink of an eye, he arrived in an entirely different space.

Before him, another prompt appeared:

[Mind Core]

[Description: The most vital core within the entire Mental Plane. It is not a living being, but rather a fusion composed of countless thoughts.]