"Five hundred years of my life passed, and it only amounted to this?"
Adam, who had the appearance of a dying old man, looked around his laboratory. It was a vast building, and he was utterly alone. Forsaking everything in his life to achieve the maximum power and become the most intelligent individual, only to die in the end.
Adam's face had an inexplainable look of disappointment, yet no traces of regret could be seen. His mindset had been forged for hundreds of years, helping him achieve the pinnacle of rank 6. Plotting and deceiving thousands of cultivators, he was labeled the Deceiving Demon.
The Spring and Autumn Palace that was created to last eternally was crumbling from the passage of time and vigorous attacks from outside.
Adam had no fear in his eyes. Hearing threatening voices and curses from outside, he completely ignored them.
"You Demon! Give up on yourself. This place is already filled with thousands of inescapable traps, and it is only a matter of time before you die."
"All the major factions in the southern continent sent people to deal with you. If you surrender, we will give you a quick death."
"You only have yourself to blame. Using the righteous Wisdom Path to do such sinister and despicable acts. Colluding even against Humanity. You must be punished for it!"
Adam knew that there was no way out. Yet he showed no traces of fear nor the need to repent for his acts. All the things he heard were the plain truth, and there was no reason for him to fight back.
All the voices that echoed outside created a slight reverberation on the thousands of Dream Shards that ominously filled the room.
Years of studying and cultivating this path brought him an unmeasurable amount of knowledge. After becoming aware of Dream Realm's existence, Adam decided to dedicate his entire life to studying and developing this wondrous path.
As for the fact that he was colluding against Humanity, this could also be considered authentic because, in fact, humans had the lowest affinity toward this new path.
All the thousands of Dream Shards were perfectly placed, having the exact same distance between them. Together, all of these Dream Shards formed a magnificent formation.
This formation had an ellipsoidal format. Being in one of the focuses, Adam looked toward the thing in the other focus.
That thing was a homunculus in the form of an embryo, and it was also one of the main reasons why Adam was considered a Demon. Using thousands of humans as experimental rats and the life force of hundreds of thousands of babies and children, all for the creation and perfection of this body.
No life could be seen on its pale body; it also didn't resemble a humanoid embryo.
In Adam's view, this body had achieved perfection. Thoroughly mixing the high affinity toward the magic that other species had with the distinct characteristics that creatures from the dream realm possess. Allowing this new body to cultivate the mysterious Dream Essence instead of regular Mana.
He, who couldn't use any type of Dream Magic, needed Dream Shards' assistance to use them successfully. Casting a rank 0 spell would generally require one to two Shards, but a formation filled with thousands of Dream Shards was needed for his new spell.
"If all of my studies were not in vain, nor my understanding of this path is flawed, I shall reincarnate in this body!"
Ending his speech, a gentle breeze that soonly transformed into a hurricane was created outside.
"What is happening?"
"What is this feeling of magical intoxication. My Mana seems to be corrupted by a strange force!"
"I-Is this the mysterious Dream Realm? Is he really creating a link to the Dream Realm? Hahahaha. They really didn't lie to me, and even our Heavenly Pavilion doesn't have any of these!"
All the cultivators outside were utterly flabbergasted. Even in their wildest dreams, nothing of this sort could have happened. But in this situation, their desperation to invade the Spring and Autumn Palace tripled. They not only wanted to kill Adam but also rob his research and forcefully absorb his knowledge.
"If this works, I shall still be a demon in my next life!" Traces of thrill enveloped him. Adam's mind was then liked to the tiny embryo in front of him.
Even though Adam was currently a rank 6, using all of his Mana, these Dream Shards that created a Formation and the peculiarities of the Dream Realm, Adam started casting a Rank 7 Spell:
[Rank 7 Dream Spell. Dream Realm Reincarnation!]
BAM. His consciousness blackened. His soul was then transported to the embryo and his previous body, with all the remaining buildings, exploded, ravishing the lands and inflicting severe injuries on the cultivators. They were harmed, and some even died in the explosion's aftermath.
As Adam had planned and prepared, the embryo entered the Dream Realm through a small gap, successfully escaping and traveling to the northern continent, where the regular cultivator was weaker. Almost no one knew the existence of his southern continent. There, the resources were scarce, and Adam's enemies wouldn't have no influence in these barren lands.
It was not that Adam was the most powerful existence. In fact, compared to the major factions, he could be considered a frog in a well. Having a low understanding regarding cultivation and only achieved rank 6 in all of his life.
. . . . .
After his consciousness blackened out, Adam didn't see the route that the embryo was carried through.
The Dream Essence from thousands of Dream Shards started dissipating while impulsion Adam forward. It was unknown to him how much time had passed.
'My senses are still clouded. My vision is completely dark, and I can't hear anything... What is happening?'
He was unsure of his success, yet he patiently awaited his subsequent actions. Knowing the environment would greatly benefit him in his plans.
. . . . .
Half a month later
"Help! Help! The Madam is bleeding more than normal labor was supposed to. I'm afraid she may not survive."
"Don't worry, my child. I am here, so there is nothing that can possibly go wrong."
A young woman desperately called for help while a dying old woman, who looked well past 100 years old, helped the childbirth.
Adam was finally brought back to the world.
Unfortunately for the woman and her husband, one died from the two children born. Even the old doctor couldn't do anything about it.
"Sob Sob Sob. Husband, our child, h-he is dead." The pretty-looking woman said this in a sorrowful mood and had deep traces of sadness and hopelessness on her face.
"Don't worry, Alicia. I'm grateful that you and he could survive this painful and stressful process." Said the husband, caring and longing.
"Is there something wrong with this baby? He didn't cry or anything... Are his lungs working properly?" With ingenuity, said the young woman who helped the old doctor in childbirth.
Hearing this, the face of both Alicia and her husband paled. One of their newborns was already dead, and there was a slight possibility of their second one dying because of his malfunctioning lungs? This instantly brought them too much pain.
"Shhh, my child! Don't say such things. Bring him here. Let me check on him."
Receiving the child in her arms, the old woman used a rank 0 spell that roughly checked all vital points in the human body.
'Oh, so this woman is at least an Adept. Not bad, not bad at all. This means I still have some ways to get resources in the future.' Thought Adam was being thoroughly checked on.
"Hmm, this is good. He doesn't have anything wrong at all. Try using the same spell I used to check him, and use the [Rank 0, Lesser Restoration Spell] on him."
The young woman, who looked to be in her seventeens, also checked Adam's body and started casting [Rank 0, Lesser Restoration Spell]. This was, in fact, a straightforward spell used to heal minor wounds or simply help with colds and small diseases. Using it was unnecessary, but this was a regular procedure that the old woman had. She was trying to teach her disciple how to properly treat a child who possibly had been injured during the labor process.
Adam's eyes opened, and he was now staring at the young woman gently carrying him.
'Sigh, my years to come will be really boring...'