460 Waking From a Dream (1/2)
Ming Kunzi heard how Wang Baole addressed him. The smile on his kind face became gentler. He seemed comforted by the fact, and it showed in his eyes. His aged voice was tinged with a certain hollowness, like an echo that had traveled across time and space and was now ringing within the Ten Thousand Art Pavilion and inside of Wang Baole's mind.
”You've realized?”
After hearing that, Wang Baole's breathing quickened. He had realized that everything before him might have been a dream, that perhaps his memories of the Federation were real. However, after hearing what Ming Kunzi had said, ripples of shock still stirred in his heart.
”Have I…” Wang Baole murmured as he looked at the buildings around him. These were as Ming Kunzi was, slowly fading away, and his gaze could see through them. He saw the mountains and the palaces that lay beyond in the outside world. He saw the vast heavens and white clouds. He saw the familiar silhouettes of Dark Sect disciples leaping in the air, moving from place to place.
He could hear the bells of the Dark Sect ringing in the distance, muted and faint in his ear. He could even conjure the scenes of him painting Corpse Faces and other familiar sights before his eyes.
After a long while, Wang Baole asked softly, ”Master, is this a Dark Dream…”
Ming Kunzi didn't give Wang Baole an answer. His smile only became softer and gentler, and his form became fainter. As he raised his right hand, three black glowing lights shot out from the opening of his blurry sleeves and hovered before Wang Baole.
Each one of the black glowing lights was only the size of a fist. However, the power and energy waves that surged from each one of these black lights was immense. It overflowed and spread outward. In this immense energy dwelled nomological power.
He looked more closely. Within these three black lights were separately… a Lone Boat, a Black Robe, and a Lantern Oar!
”The disciples of our Dark Sect can only become a Dark Child after reaching the Spirit Immortal realm. They will receive three Dark Artifacts that will allow them to ferry souls in this universe… on this day, times have changed. The Heavenly Dao has fallen, and these laws and rules no longer apply.”
Ming Kunzi said softly. His ancient voice grew ever more distant. With a fling of his sleeve, the three black lights entered Wang Baole's body. They entered his Dark Core and became three Dark Seals!
”The three souls that you cleansed then, your master, I, have infused them into this Dark Artifact and turned them into Artifact Spirits… Even though everything is happening within a Dark Dream, it is one that I created especially for you… this Dark Dream!
”That's why, when you wake up later, you only need to unleash the power of the Dark Core to inject everything that's happened in this dream into the memories of the three souls. Their original memories will be replaced, and they will truly belong to you then!”
Upon hearing that, Wang Baole shuddered. He understood that this was the time for farewells. The memories he had during his time surfaced before his eyes, and a sense of reluctance unfurled in his heart.
”Master, are you… inside the Dark Artifact on Mars? The one who's been calling for me, is that you?” Wang Baole was silent for a long while before he spoke softly.
Ming Kunzi sensed Wang Baole's unwillingness to leave. He lifted his blurry hand and patted Wang Baole on the head, and his smile grew kinder. After a moment, he sighed softly.
”It is both me and not me.
”Baole, the Dark Sect has fallen. Even I am left with only a remnant of my will, barely surviving in the homeland of the Dark Sect… When you first developed your first Dark Fire, I sensed that and woke up. I've been watching you since then. Until today, I used the Dark Dream Mystic Art to pass down the teachings of the Dark Art… Even I don't know if admitting you into the Dark Sect is the right or wrong thing to do.
”But you must remember… there is no true right or wrong in this world. The Dark Sect might have fallen, but there is no good or evil, no hatred or grudge. There is only the war of the Great Dao!
”We, the Dark Sect, willingly became the servants of the Heavenly Dao because this was the Dao of the Dark Sect!
”The fall of the Heavenly Dao resulted in the collapse of the Dark Sect's Dao. Because of that, the Dark Sect declined and fell… You may be the only Dark Child left of this generation. All you need to do is follow your heart's desires!”
He made himself very clear. Even though Wang Baole had been admitted into the Dark Sect, what he had learned were only the sect's mystic arts and techniques. He wasn't obliged to follow the Dao of the Dark Sect. He had said the same thing after the fight with the Emperor of the Never-Ending Clan, only mentioning the past and the present without mentioning a single word about the future!
Ming Kunzi seemed to sigh at this point. His gaze was distant. It was as if he was remembering the past. He murmured, ”I had an extremely gifted disciple in the past. Unfortunately, following one's heart was something that I only began to understand after the Dark Sect had fallen. Else, if I had enlightened him then…” Ming Kunzi shook his head and sighed softly. His form grew more and more faint, and he was about to end the Dark Dream with a wave of his hand. It was then that Wang Baole, who had heard what Ming Kunzi had just said, froze and suddenly said softly.
”Master, are you talking about Senior Brother Chen Qing?”
This should have been an ordinary question. After what Ming Kunzi said, Wang Baole had naturally guessed the disciple he was speaking about. He didn't expect Ming Kunzi to suddenly raise his head when he said that. There was shock in Ming Kunzi's eyes, and his breathing quickened. The world within the Dark Dream trembled, appearing to be on the verge of collapse!
Clearly, everything was because of what Wang Baole had said. The shock that it had caused Ming Kunzi was unprecedented!