Chapter 28: Nightmare

Chapter 28: Nightmare

Huang Wei and Jiang Lei returned to their room, the image of the village children still weighing on Jiang Lei's mind.

As they stepped inside, Li Xin hurriedly approached them, her face etched with worry. "What happened? Did Elder Wu provide any answers?"

Huang Wei sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately, Elder Wu had a meeting with Lord Liang today, so she couldn't offer much assistance. She promised to help later."

Li Xin offered a comforting smile to Jiang Lei. "Lord Wei, please don't be disheartened. She made a promise, and she'll find a way to assist you."

Jiang Lei, though concerned about the dreams, shifted the focus. "I appreciate your kindness, but I'm more worried about your village's situation."

Li Xin's eyes softened, understanding Jiang Lei's concern. "We're indeed facing a dire situation, Lord Wei. It's as if our goddess is angered by our actions and seeks to punish us."

"But, are you just going to stand by and do nothing?" Jiang Lei couldn't fathom their passivity.

"Lord Wei, please understand," Li Xin implored. "My husband is tirelessly traveling miles daily in search of a solution. We've already resorted to eating once a day to feed our children, but it may not be enough."

Jiang Lei's brow furrowed in contemplation. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll try to find a solution."

Li Xin expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, Lord Wei, for your concern, but please don't overexert yourself given your condition. Rest, and we'll continue searching for a solution."

"Alright," Jiang Lei conceded, his tone weary. "I'll rest for now, just leave me be."

"Of course, Lord Wei," Li Xin replied with a respectful salute before leaving the room with Huang Wei.

Jiang Lei sat there for a while pondering his current situation. He still didn't know about his identity, and there was still a possibility that he was not related to this village and its people. Yet, he was receiving so much love and respect from them. He couldn't bear to see them in such a condition.

"Forget about it for now," he told himself. "My priority is uncovering the truth about myself. Without that knowledge, I can't truly help them."

He glanced out the window; it was evening, and he had spent nearly two days in this unfamiliar place.

"Who am I, really?" he murmured softly.

In a hidden underground chamber, Wu Xiu, dressed in a long black robe, walked into a mysterious underground room. It was very dark there, like a thick blanket of darkness. But in this darkness, Wu Xiu herself glowed softly, like a gentle light from another world.

Her body emitted a warm, golden light that illuminated the walls of the hidden chamber. This light revealed special drawings on the walls, drawings that seemed to move and change as if they were alive. Any Foundation Establishment cultivator would recognize it as the special glow emitted by a practitioner at that level.

Wu Xiu's every step brightened the area in front of her. The darkness disappeared, revealing a place that no one had seen for a very long time. Her footsteps made soft echoes as she walked.

Wu Xiu continued through the underground tunnel until she reached a large and mysterious hall. The hall had tall walls adorned with detailed carvings of mysterious and unknown creatures.

In the center of this vast hall stood a large and beautiful idol. This idol exuded a sense of divinity and power. Her appearance was a perfect blend of beauty and strength, like a work of art crafted by the gods.

Every curve and shape of the idol seemed carefully designed for beauty. Her face possessed a mystical charm, like the reflection of the moon on calm water—comforting and intriguing at the same time.

Her silver hair flowed down her back like liquid metal, shimmering like moonlight. Her eyes were full of wisdom and secrets, as if they held knowledge from a distant past. Gazing into them felt like glimpsing into the vastness of the universe.

Her face, strong yet delicate, bore a soft smile. Her presence emanated a powerful force, as if she were a manifestation of the universe's extreme power.

When you looked into her eyes, it felt like you were connecting with something beyond understanding.

"Thump!"

Wu Xiu knelt at the feet of the idol, her eyes filled with devotion. "Goddess, I have waited for this moment for so many years, and it has finally come."

"Please bless me that I will succeed in my task." She bowed deeply, her eyes gleaming with determination.

"Soon, I will reach the Core Formation stage. Thank you, Li Wei, for your help. Thank you so much. Hahahaha."

Jiang Lei was sleeping quietly in his room, bathed in the moonlight that filtered through the window.

His handsome face remained calm, and tranquility filled his surroundings.

But then his face contorted, his expressions writhing as if in extreme pain.

"Aah!" A piercing cry escaped his lips, shattering the serene atmosphere.

"Where am I? Why can't I see anything?" he mumbled, lost in his dream.

Jiang Lei found himself in a strange, dark place where he couldn't see anything, not even himself. He could sense nothing except for the intense pain.

It felt as if a powerful force was drawing him closer.

But then, amidst the darkness, he spotted a bright light that gradually grew brighter and brighter.

"Boom."

The light exploded, radiating an overwhelming brilliance.

"Nooo!" Jiang Lei shouted, jolting awake with his body drenched in sweat.

He took a deep breath. "Another strange dream, and this time it's even stranger. If this continues, I won't be able to sleep peacefully."

"I can't let this go on; I need to uncover the truth about these strange dreams," Jiang Lei resolved.

He glanced at the window; it was late at night, but he couldn't stay idle.

"Time to find some answers," he muttered to himself.

Opening the door, he was surprised to find Zhang Hao waiting outside.

"Zhang Hao, what brings you here at this late hour?" Jiang Lei inquired.

Zhang Hao smiled and replied, "Lord Wei, haven't you forgotten that I am tasked with your protection? What else could I do?"

"But didn't I ask you not to do so?"

"Lord Wei," Zhang Hao said respectfully, "Protector Xian's orders are clear: you must always have someone by your side for protection. You are injured and have no memory of your past; it would be imprudent to leave you alone in such a state."

Changing the subject, Zhang Hao asked, "Lord Wei, where are you going at this time? You should be resting."

Jiang Lei gave a sarcastic smile. "Do you think I don't want to rest? But every time I try, these nightmares prevent me from doing so."

"So, Lord Wei, do you want me to call Long Wei?" Zhang Hao inquired cautiously.

"Now who is Long Wei?" Jiang Lei asked, annoyed.

"She is a healer in our village who greatly admires you. If I inform her about your condition, she will surely help you."

"No, Zhang Hao, I don't need medicine; I need to find out about myself and the truth of these dreams. Zhang Hao, can I meet Elder Wu now?" Jiang Lei asked with expectations.

"I am sorry, Lord Jiang, for your current situation, but Elder Wu can't help you now. She said that she has some important tasks, so she can't meet anyone for the next two days." Zhang Hao was really worried about Jiang Lei.

"So, I can't do anything for now," Jiang Lei said teasingly.

"Lord Wei, if you believe me, you can go to the library of our village; you used to go there in the past. Maybe you will be able to find some answers there," Zhang Hao suggested.

Jiang Lei's eyes shined with hope. "Okay, if it is so, quickly take me to the library."

"Sure, Lord Wei."

...

Zhang Hao and Jiang Lei reached an old building that, its weathered exterior bearing the marks of time's passage.

*Creak.*

Jinag Lei opened the wooden door and entered the library; the library was full of books, and he couldn't see the end in one sight.

Zhang Hao also came slowly behind Jiang Lei; he pointed towards a rack of the Library. "Lord Jiang, you used to read the books there the most."

Jiang Lei looked towards the pointed place and nodded. "I see."

He went towards the rack and picked up a book; he read it for a while. It was about the martial arts, how one can refine their body and become strong.

But the aura present in this village is very low, so no one is a practitioner here; everyone just thinks it as a myth here.

Jiang Lei kept the book again at its place and then picked up another and flipped through it.

He did like this for an hour but he couldn't find anything useful for him.

"Lord Wei, did you find anything?" Zhang Hao, who was waiting in a corner, asked.

Jiang Lei shook his head, indicating that he couldn't find anything from these books.

"Huh, maybe I am being hasty; I should wait for Elder Wu." He said while picking up the book.

He was about to put down the book again but stopped when he saw the title of the book again - The History of Sandhart.