"Have you found a spot?" Alka asked Jason as he entered the lobby.
Jason nodded. "Urulius's been flying around a lot lately, so she's already found several good spots."
Only then did Alka nod.
Then everyone packed up their belongings and checked out of the hotel, declining the innkeeper's offer to stay and thanking him for his kindness. They followed Jason out of the city.
They had already decided to find a good spot outside and set up a temporary camp.
While the hotel was definitely more comfortable, it was located in the city after all, with its many people and eyes. They were also too conspicuous, making it difficult for them to move around or do anything else.
For example, they planned to practice cultivation during this time.
But practicing in such a densely populated city would be a bit too much of a hassle.
After all, there were few good training venues here, although they could train in a shared dreamscape.
But for them, it was still a dream, not as direct as reality.
No matter how they trained in the dreamscape, they had to integrate it into reality. It might just take much less time, but it was still possible.
Furthermore, their meditation had a significant impact on the surrounding magical fluctuations, with the immense suction constantly drawing magic away.
At sea, the potential impact was limited to the area surrounding the Voice of Dawn, and at most, an additional 10 meters around the ship.
At least on the ship, they could clearly sense someone meditating, even someone breaking through.
At sea, their influence over such a large area was naturally difficult to conceal.
After all, the sea was vast enough. If any lifeforms approached within 10 meters of the Voice of Dawn and they hadn't detected them, they would have seriously reflected on their actions.
But in a city, a hotel only occupies a limited amount of space, and the impact of their meditation with the Magic Gathering Stone on the surrounding area is quite noticeable.
Especially when the Magic Gathering Stone gathers magic power.
Furthermore, this is the Land of Fragrance, the place where the Flower Fairies are revived, and it can be said to be the power center of the entire spiritual land.
Once they began meditating, they would likely attract the attention of the entire city.
After all, how could such a large-scale concentration of magic power not attract attention?
During this period, they would meditate by switching people outside the city, and then returning for another person after the meditation was over.
Aboard the Flying Swallow, they saw a crystal dragon streak overhead, flying forward.
The boat they were driving soon arrived at the place where the crystal dragon had landed.
It was a forest, but the trees were not very tall, and they looked different from the trees they had seen before. The overall height was only about seven or eight meters, but the characteristic dense, intertwined canopy still existed.
Docking the Flying Swallow outside, everyone looked inside.
It was quite different from what they had expected; it was a perfectly natural camping spot.
Inside, there was a small cluster of large rocks sticking out of the water, and the rocks appeared relatively flat.
The trees had grown around the rocks, forming a perfect circle with the reef exposed in the center. Inside, various hay and branches had been laid out.
These licorice branches were covered with a faint layer of crystal fragments.
It was obvious that the Crystal Dragon had rested here before, outside the city.
Everyone stepped slightly over the surface of the water and stepped onto the rocks to take in the surroundings.
"This place is really nice."
"Okay, everyone, clean up and give it a good look."
Everyone nodded and set to work.
Soon, the moss on the reef was cleared, dried, and the uneven bumps were smoothed away.
This place became a dry platform.
Simon stretched out his hand and began to manipulate the metal to secure the surrounding area.
Julia used a special spell to control the vines wrapped around the branches. They changed their direction, slowly growing around them and overlapping with the metal blocks Simon had created.
In an instant, a semicircular wall formed around them, extending and wrapping around them until an opening appeared in front of them. The roof was also made of branches and hay, with some metal supports.
A simple campsite, perfectly suitable for living, was finally built.
Alka took out the magic gathering stone and began to activate it experimentally.
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but he felt something was amiss about this place.
Of course, it wasn't a dangerous feeling, but rather a strange one.
As the magic gathering stone activated, magic began to gather.
Alka sat beneath the magic gathering stone, sensing the difference in the magic gathering around him.
After a moment's reflection, he nodded.
"This is actually a node, a node in the magic veins."
Hearing this, Jason looked at Ululius, who was lying next to him.
"Boogie."
"She said she found this place by feel."
"So it's some kind of gift, isn't it?" Alka said.
But this was naturally a good thing for them.
It could slightly speed up their meditation, and this place wasn't far from the Land of Fragrance.
They only needed to briefly talk to the head gardener and the others before entering the city.
If anything happened, they would naturally come here to find them.
…
Night.
Arka sank into his dream world.
His dream bubble remained unchanged, just as it always had.
His dream bubble was filled with all sorts of exotic, fluorescent plants, and various dream creatures he had created lived freely in his world.
It was a shame, they could only live in his dreams.
Stepping out of his dream bubble.
Arka looked around.
At this moment, the entire Mirror Royal Court was under construction in full swing.
Everywhere was a pale white mist covering the area. These mist-covered areas, large and small, were scattered throughout the Royal Court.
Some areas had already taken shape.
For example, beneath Alka's dream was a massive platform.
A circular crystal ring sat beneath it, perched atop a pyramid-like structure.
Alka's dream world sat atop this circular crystal ring, seemingly suspended.
His dream bubble had appeared at some unknown moment, at the highest point of the royal court.
It was like the sun there.
As for Sofia and the others, their dreams were logically arranged and surrounded below.
Around the pyramid were rings of mirror fragments. They orbited Alka's dream, slightly rotating like satellites.
Forming something like a band of light.
This was just the top corner. The area where Alka and the others' dreams resided had received top priority for construction.
That's why it appeared so intact.
Below was completely shrouded in mist. This area, completely covered by the white mist, could be imagined as a construction site.
That was the sign of the mist-like creatures engaged in construction.
Sensing his approach, Hirvi scurried over, treading on the air, to his side.
Alka stroked Hirvi's deer head and said, "Take me to Shadow Robe."
Alka nodded, carried Hirvi on his back, and sprinted rapidly through the dreamland's royal court.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Alka seemed to feel his mirrored royal court expanding outward.
Closing his eyes, he carefully sensed it.
It was truly expanding on its own, without him needing to worry, expend effort, or exert any influence.
Because the royal court of a dream god was being built here.
The area within the mirror was merging with the surrounding environment, Alka's royal authority automatically expanding. The entire mirrored world also began to expand outward.
He had no idea how far this would extend, and he couldn't quite grasp it right now.
Soon, Alka arrived at Shadow Robe's location.
It was a platform floating within the dream world.
Besides Shadow Robe, there were several mist-like creatures at the fifth level of strength. Shadow Robe seemed to be discussing something.
Listening, it sounded like he was discussing something resembling a construction plan.
The other mist-like creatures nodded from time to time.
Shadow Robe was now the chief architect of the entire royal court. According to White Horse, Mirmi's royal court was his earliest masterpiece.
Upon seeing Alka arrive, they paused briefly, then bowed in Alka's direction as a sign of respect.
"King."
Arka nodded, then looked at Shadow Robe and said, "I have something to discuss with you."
The other mist-like creatures nodded and slowly withdrew.
"King, are you confused?"
Arka nodded and said directly, "I recently encountered two incomplete gods in the outside world. One of them can wield black mist, similar to the shadow creatures.
He calls himself the Fear Nightmare and seems to have had connections with the Gatekeeper. Do you know who he is?"
"Fear Nightmare, and black mist..."
Shadow Robe pondered for a moment and then asked, "Do you know where his territory is?"
Powerful beings like these, existing within the dream world, must have their own territory.
Just like the dream kings, or powerful dream creatures.
Arka nodded.
"You should know where I am right now. It's right around the dreamscape corresponding to my current reality."
Shadow Robe nodded.
Most of the powerful mist creatures in the royal court kept a close eye on the area where Arka's reality and dreams corresponded.
So they could provide support when needed.
"I remember that area. Let me think about it."
After a moment, he seemed to recall.
"It's the Shadow of Terror, the god you mentioned. It must be the former Shadow of Terror.
Don't worry about him. He's completely fallen. What you see now is probably a large fragment of his fallen body, forming an independent consciousness."
Hearing this, Arka frowned and asked, "Can a fragment of a god have independent consciousness?"
Because his immediate thought was the one he had devoured.
Shadow Robe nodded, then added, "Don't worry, the piece in your body has been digested by you; it didn't exist originally."
"A fragment capable of forming consciousness must fall into the dream world, and it must be large enough. It requires certain coincidences, such as a certain number of believers."
Hearing this, Alka nodded, perhaps understanding. While this resurgence was related to the former god, the connection was less significant.
It was probably akin to the reappearance of a new life, and it could only occur within the dream world of this spiritual world.
Perhaps he had simply regained some of his original memories.
Luckily, the god he had consumed had very few believers.
He then asked, "Is he a danger to us? Or could he pose a threat to me in the dream?"
Shadow Robe shook his head. "Don't worry. The area he's currently in is where he died and collapsed. Once he leaves there, his strength will plummet.
There are too many shadowy dream kings watching there. If he emerges, he might be torn to pieces before he even sees you."
Hearing this, Alka nodded in relief.
I see. That guy is a tempting prize in the dream.
"Why are so many shadowy masters watching him?"
"Just like you, just like His Majesty Mirmi in the past. They all aspire to advance.
And fragments of gods similar to them are the easiest way."
Hearing this, Alka's mind began to search through the fragments of Mirmi's memories from earlier.
Alas, only a few fragments could be found. "Your Majesty, you are fortunate. You have obtained both a fragment of a god and the right to kingship.
I don't know what kind of existence the god whose fragment you obtained once was, but since Princess Miami once needed it, it must be related to the mist creatures.
Each god fragment may not bring much power, but it will bring a fatal attraction to these dream creatures, especially to the shadow creatures."
"What?" Alka's curiosity was piqued.
"It will make it easier for them to enter reality. For shadow creatures with a strong desire for destruction, being able to enter reality, even slightly easier than before, is fatal."
Hearing this, Alka nodded in understanding.
Although the barrier between dreams and reality is strong and difficult to break through,
But gods, after all, belong to the world. Whether in dreams or reality, they are part of it.
They are naturally more able to travel between the two realms than normal beings.
Especially Alka.
The fragment he consumed once guarded the two gates.
Considering this, the god whose fragment he consumed might have once been even more powerful than he.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to withstand the shadowy creatures seeking to enter the real world.
After their conversation, Alka nodded.
Bidding farewell to the shadow robe, he continued his own business within his dream.
...
Time flew by.
They had been in the grove outside the Land of Fragrance for almost five months.
A massive figure streaked across the sky.
The figure was utterly white, radiating a brilliant glow in the sunlight, with hints of rainbow hues visible.
She fluttered her enormous wings.
She was now larger than before, her growth accelerating over the past few months.
Jason sat on his back, slightly bent over, crouching and staring ahead.
In the swampy waters ahead, a figure was also swimming rapidly forward, not even daring to look back.
And this person was Jason's target.
When he realized they were close enough, Jason immediately stood up, stood on the dragon's back, and raised his right hand.
A spiral of iridescent light converged into a sharp crystal, which he then launched.
The crystal streaked across the sky, leaving a long, crystalline trail like a rainbow.
It instantly penetrated the water's depths, blood instantly staining the emerald water red.
The figure swimming underwater was forced to poke its head out, gasping for air, clutching its wounds, and running forward and sideways.
Although the water level wasn't high in this area, it was already buried up to its chest, making its run pointless.
Urulius dove, its largest form crashing directly into the water, sending up a massive splash.
The splash streaked across the sky, landing on the crystals on her body, filtering through the sunlight. A small rainbow seemed to form around it.
The surrounding color perfectly matched Urulius's overall appearance.
Jason leaped from the dragon's back, the crystal in his hand spinning to form a slender blade. He brought the blade directly to bear on the crouching figure, barely revealing only his neck and head.
"Still running?"
"Not running, sir."
Jason narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.
The blade swung gently, slicing through the man's shoulder. Then, he gently slashed his shoulder twice.
Seeing this, the man's eyes widened, his magic gathered in his hand, ready to attack.
Before he could strike, the crystal blade had already pierced through his body.
Blood once again dyed the surrounding sea red.
"Don't get so excited. You cultists really don't understand you. You don't believe in normal gods, but these monsters and demons.
Don't you even consider the price of this power?"
"Price... price, hum." The man, blood already flowing profusely, snorted disdainfully and fell into the water.
Looking at the corpse, Jason didn't show any disdain. He searched the body. He truly didn't find much information, and sighed helplessly.
Looking at the tattoo revealed on the cut shoulder,
"Another little shrimp, their hiding spot exposed again. We'll have to find a different spot next time."
With that, he leaped back onto Ululius's back.
"Let's go back."
"Boogie!"
"Still eating? You've almost finished the whole box I sent you. Let me tell you, I don't have much money right now."
Despite saying that, he took out a gem and tossed it into the crystal dragon's mouth.
Satisfied, Ululius soared high into the sky, heading towards the camp.