Chapter 316: Dream Encounter

Jiang Li approached Zhang Konghu: “Konghu, you need to be more mindful. How could there possibly be a cultivation method that makes you stronger just by eating and sleeping?”

“Mindful? Mindful of what?” Still unaware he was dreaming, Zhang Konghu showed no surprise at Jiang Li’s appearance.

“…You must cultivate diligently. You still have great potential for growth. Your Witch Clan bloodline remains underdeveloped, and your body refinement technique hasn’t reached its limit. Your current level still falls short of where I was during my Unity Stage days. Don’t slack off.”

Jiang Li exhorted Zhang Konghu to train harder, urging him to become the strongest existence in the Unity Stage and live up to his title as Commander of the Human Sovereign Hall.

Zhang Konghu’s combat prowess ranked among the top three in the Unity Stage, though he still couldn’t match Jiang Li, Bai Hongtu, or Yu Yin during their Unity Stage periods. He could grow even stronger.

“You’re supposed to set an example as the Human Sovereign Hall’s Unity Stage commander. How can you be so lazy?”

“Wake up. Hard work is the true shortcut to power.”

Jiang Li’s words struck Zhang Konghu like enlightenment, making him determined to reform completely.

Slapping his chest, Zhang Konghu vowed: “Brother Jiang, don’t worry! I’ll definitely cultivate diligently from now on and catch up to you!”

Satisfied, Jiang Li nodded and departed for the next dream.

…

Zhang Konghu sat up, waking from his slumber.

“Brother Jiang, I’ll definitely work hard… work hard at what again?” Zhang Konghu couldn’t remember what Jiang Li had said in the dream.

“Did he tell me to work hard at being lazy? And eat snacks?” Scratching his head, Zhang Konghu felt these words didn’t sound like something Jiang Li would say.

“I’ll ask again.” Zhang Konghu lay back down, trying to return to the dream.

“Huh? Old Immortal, you’re back again?”

…

High and mid-level cultivators rarely slept, making Zhang Konghu an exception. After him, Jiang Li never again visited the dreams of high-level cultivators.

He encountered mortals dreaming of possessing single spiritual roots, no longer stuck at the third level of Qi Refining, their cultivation advancing rapidly as they prepared to join major sects.

He saw cultivators surrounded by wives and concubines, indulging in daytime debauchery, where one man and five women couldn’t muster a single piece of clothing between them.

In short – wet dreams.

Other cultivators dreamed of growing stronger simply by staying alive, their increasing cultivation extending their lifespans in a virtuous cycle of endless power growth.

Seeing one young cultivator had already reached unfathomable heights in his dream, Jiang Li stepped forward to test his skills.

Unsurprisingly, the unfortunate young cultivator got beaten up even in his own dream.

Jiang Li carefully comforted the youngster, worried he might develop psychological trauma.

Then there was a Great Zhou Imperial Academy student having nightmares about teachers assigning him endless projects he had to complete to graduate.

The student finally finished writing all his reports through tears, only to have them ruthlessly rejected.

“Unacceptable. Rewrite everything.”

The weeping student had no choice but to continue writing.

This reminded Jiang Li of his own academy days – truly an unbearable memory.

His teachers had wept saying they couldn’t understand his theories, forcing him to repeatedly explain until his mouth went dry.

Jiang Li also encountered a particularly bloodthirsty cultivator who slaughtered indiscriminately in his dreams, breaking through several bottlenecks with rapidly increasing cultivation.

Most disturbingly, this cultivator’s Blood Sacrifice Technique appeared highly standardized – almost professional.

After some thought, Jiang Li noted this person down for investigation into possible demonic cultivation.

Killing to gain power could be explained by bloodlust, but where had he learned such sophisticated blood sacrifice methods? No one could imagine those without firsthand knowledge.

This person was likely a demonic cultivator.

“Quite an education about human nature,” Jiang Li mused, never expecting to encounter so many unique dreams.

Meng Chun smiled: “This is worldly heart-refinement in another form. I once used this method to break through to Unity Stage – very effective. Though the Human Sovereign probably doesn’t need heart-refinement.”

“Worldly heart-refinement is for cultivators who spend years in secluded meditation. I’ve been among mortals since my Qi Refining days. Reaching Unity Stage came naturally – I don’t need this step.”

Meng Chun had heard this generation’s Human Sovereign lacked powerful backing, achieving everything through his own efforts and resources. Such a person truly wouldn’t need worldly heart-refinement.

“Let’s visit one last dream before leaving,” Meng Chun said. Jiang Li nodded and stepped forward.

“Hmm?” As Jiang Li took that step, the entire dreamscape suddenly transformed.

The dream violently expanded then contracted, erupting with extreme light and heat so brilliant it felt punitive.

Great annihilation and destruction appeared simultaneously, twisting the dreamscape like an invisible hand kneading and distorting a sponge.

It seemed the dream was undergoing indescribable changes – or perhaps crossing some impossibly vast space to reach an unreachable world.

“What… what’s happening?” Meng Chun gasped, having never seen – or even read about – such dream transformations.

An overwhelming, domineering presence filled the dream, halting its fluctuations.

“Did you do this?” Meng Chun looked at Jiang Li beside her, thinking he’d stabilized the dream.

“Him.” Jiang Li’s expression turned grave as he observed the figure standing nearby.

The man’s expression matched his aura – domineering, arrogant, lawless, and self-aggrandizing.

“This was merely my conjecture, yet I’ve truly found you through dreams,” the man spoke slowly, looking down on Jiang Li.

“First Emperor Jiang Li?” Meng Chun exclaimed, identifying the figure.

She never imagined actually encountering the First Emperor in a dream.

“Could simultaneous use of the Dao of Dreams by both have created resonance, allowing them to meet?” Meng Chun wondered privately, finding the situation too bizarre to comprehend.

Were dreams passageways between parallel worlds? Or was Jiang Li simply that extraordinary?

First Emperor Jiang Li wore robes of noble black, while Jiang Li stood in white – polar opposites.

“My cultivation stands peerless. Aside from unseen immortals, none should evade my spiritual sense.”

“I theorized someone might be observing me through the River of Time. Yet that can’t be – though I cannot enter the River, I should detect any peeping toms. Even the Ancient and Modern Sword’s attempted ambush couldn’t escape my notice.”

“Perhaps someone wields superior spatial dao? Also improbable. When Venerable Sumeru Buddha spied on me using spatial dao, I remained unaware. Had spatial dao been used against me, I wouldn’t have detected it.”

“Moreover, Venerable Sumeru perished and Brahma Tower lies shattered by my hand. No being should possess spatial dao far surpassing mine.”

“That leaves but one possibility – the still-mysterious Dao of Dreams.”

“Testing this today confirms it. You must be my parallel world counterpart? What a pathetic sight – utterly incompetent.”

“You’re no qualified ruler, lacking the Nine Provinces’ sovereign’s majesty. I refuse to acknowledge you.” The First Emperor looked down on Jiang Li, considering him weak-willed and lacking bloodlust.

“So much talk. I’ll say only this.” As Jiang Li spoke slowly, his aura surged unrestrained, fully displaying his Mahayana-stage might.

“What?”

“You need beating!”

Enraged, both emperors leaped into battle within the dream.