New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 149 "On the Feasibility of Dream Smuggling"

As a long-time customer of Huangliang Township, Yuan Zhu, after logging in (descending), easily transformed into a holy meteor and fell from the sky, heading straight for the Dream Chasing Tower.

It was already 9 a.m., but Huangliang Township remained in a state of dazzling extravagance, a city that never sleeps. Huge virtual neon photos flickered above the fairy-tale pavilions, forming images of cranes, fairies, plants, and more.

There is no daytime here, nor does the night ever end.

During his descent, he noticed that business in Huangliang Township was rather slow at this time, far less bustling than the previous two midnights. He figured that very few customers were asleep at this hour.

Daytime is the prime time for animals to gather dust and grime; who would daydream in broad daylight? Those still dreaming at this hour are unlikely to have entered this world through sleep.

The "method of entering dreams" is only for the most ordinary (wealthy) mortals, providing them with a way to enter "dreamland" and giving them the opportunity to contact the extraordinary class to inquire about and purchase various life-extending, beauty, and rehabilitation services that are rife with fraud.

The guests still lingering in Huangliang Township are mostly those with abilities who entered through other channels. For example, Yuan Zhu, whose holy light is exceptionally dazzling and impossible to conceal.

As he descended upon the Dream Chaser Tower, the building itself emitted a gentle force, steadily supporting his spirit and softly guiding him to the 33rd-floor platform where distinguished guests would be welcomed.

Then, a pair of beautiful girls dressed in feathered robes came forward and said, "Welcome, esteemed guests. Please come in, Young Master Yuan."

Both the service attitude and the level of hospitality were significantly improved compared to the previous two times. This must be a change brought about by the individual's ability (at a spiritual level).

A young woman grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the attic, asking, "May I ask, young master, did you come here simply to enjoy the music, or do you have other business to attend to?"

Feeling the amazing elasticity in his arm, he let the girl pull him forward: "Same as last time, first open a banquet hall for me, I'm going to host a private party later. Now... who's in charge of your Dream Chaser Tower? I want to ask some questions about [Dreamland], so I need to find someone knowledgeable, influential, and capable to come see me."

“Yes, Young Master Yuan.” The soft-spoken girl leaning against Yuan Zhu nodded, then looked at the other girl, who was also clinging to his arm, and urged, “Didn’t you hear me, little sister? Hurry up and go fetch someone.”

The second soft-spoken girl, slightly inferior in status, rubbed against the large candle with resentment: "Young master, you must wait for me. I'll be right back, hmph!"

...

In the highly private attic room, Yuan Zhu, now possessing a fortune from the [Gods' Space], was no longer as stingy as before. He ordered the best drinks and snacks from Dreamland, enjoying the food and drinks while watching the young ladies' song and dance performance, feeling as if he were attending a 'privately customized Peach Banquet song and dance performance'.

This live, immersive song and dance experience is completely different from watching it on television. No, it's a world of difference!
Although the number of dancers was small, the immersive experience was extraordinary. Behind me, seven musicians sat around me, playing the pipa, guzheng, and xiao... it was truly surround sound; the picture clarity far surpassed 4K, allowing me to look anywhere I wanted, the sharper my eyesight, the whiter and more detailed the image; when the girls waved their wide sleeves, it was not only beautiful but also smelled wonderful...

In a daze, he felt a kind of joy like that of Marshal Tianpeng. He wondered if, once his career was stable, he could follow in the footsteps of Belt Brother and start a "Cantonese-style Twin-Tailed Celestial Maiden Dance Troupe," performing exciting little shows for him every day?

Just as he was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door from the outside, interrupting his reverie.

A mature and reliable-looking middle-aged man walked in and looked at Yuan Zhu: "Young master, I am Xie, the deputy manager of 'Dream Chaser'. I heard you have something to consult me ​​about?"

Although he felt awkward being a manager in a magnificent, antique-style palace, he quickly adapted and waved away the girls around him, saying, "Manager Xie, please take a seat. I have some questions I'd like to ask you."

"You're welcome."

The other person sat down next to Yuan Zhu, gesturing for the girls to leave. Once the large room had quieted down, the other person said, "If you have any questions, please ask. I will answer them to the best of my knowledge."

Considering that the other party was an industry insider who could open a shop in [Huangliang Township], he should know more about the secrets of 'dreams and nightmare layers', so he decisively asked: "It's like this, I would like to ask Manager Xie if you know a way to contact a 'small dreamland prototype' in an unknown dimension within the [nightmare layer] in the present world of the spirits?"

"If the difficulty is too high and it cannot be done, we can also settle for second best. For example, in the already mature [Huangliang Township], we can contact another 'Dreamland' deep in the Nightmare Layer? And we can strengthen the 'passage' that connects the two Dreamlands to ensure that the supplies between the two sides can be transported normally."

After speaking, Yuan Zhu looked expectantly at Manager Xie, who was clearly no ordinary person and whose mental strength was much stronger than his own.

However, the other party fell into a long silence. His expression remained unchanged, but the look in his eyes as he looked at Yuan Zhu became extremely strange and bizarre, revealing an extremely incredulous emotion.

Yuan Zhu was puzzled and asked politely, "Uh, why doesn't Mr. Xie answer? Did my question violate some taboo that cannot be spoken to others?"

Manager Xie composed himself and did not answer directly, but instead chose to probe: "Young Master Yuan, are you perhaps just making fun of me or teasing me?"

“Absolutely not! Is there something wrong with my question? Please speak frankly, sir.”

Seeing that Yuan Zhu's attitude was very sincere, neither seeming to be making fun of him nor fishing for information, Manager Xie pondered for a moment and then explained:

"Young Master Yuan, you may not know this, but the Nightmare Layer is chaotic and disordered, and countless evil gods are hidden within it. They all want to infiltrate the Spirit Realm through the connection of dreams, let alone reality. Therefore, the major powers in the world have an agreement to prohibit civilian organizations from illegally exploring, responding to, or connecting to unknown 'Nightmare Signals'."

"Any attempt to connect without knowing the source could lead to the contamination and invasion of evil gods, infecting a large number of dreams and causing endless harm. The [Huangliang Township] we are in is a 'legitimate, fully enclosed dream dimension' that is officially registered, constantly monitored, and equipped with multiple dream defenses. Therefore, we cannot and have no right to connect to unknown [Nightmare Dimension Signals] at will."

"Doing this is not only a violation of regulations, but it will also trigger an alarm immediately and attract official control. In the end, our [Dream Chaser Tower] is just a hotel built in [Huangliang Township]. The building was constructed by hired professionals. Although we are familiar with the rules of 'Dreamland,' we have no ability to build, modify, or communicate with the dream world."

The other party emphasized in their last sentence that they might not actually lack the ability to transform 'Dreamland', and that communication had connected them to unknown chaotic signals deep within the [Nightmare Layer].

It was simply an excuse. The two sides were not familiar with each other, nor were they any close, unbreakable allies. Naturally, neither had any interest in helping Yuan Zhu communicate and connect to the dangerous [Nightmare Layer. Chaos Signal], and they didn't even bother to ask any further questions.

After realizing that altering dreams in the Spirit Realm, the Spirit World, or Huangliang Village, attempting to bypass the firewall of the Spirit Star, and illegally communicating with the Nightmare Dimension without authorization is an extremely suicidal act.

Yuan Zhu also realized that connecting to [Cockroach Village] and opening up the smuggling route to the 'Spirit Tablets - Underworld' would be no easy task, and would likely attract layers of investigation, making it an extremely serious matter. If the [Yellow Millet Village] route was not feasible, they could try the [Rain Courtyard. Nightmare School]. This school should have authorization to explore the [Nightmare Layer].

Furthermore, within this vast Huangliang Township, there might very well be some evil organizations involved in the gray and black markets. Wasn't that criminal in the Security Bureau, brainwashed by the "Pink Waterweed," connected to the illegal sale of "mushroom drinks" and his dream of contacting an extraterrestrial evil god?

This kind of thing can't be rushed. We can consider finding illegal organizations in Huangliang Township and cooperating with them secretly. But before that, we need to create a fake account to distance ourselves from the situation.

Seeing Yuan Zhu's slightly furrowed brows and unpredictable expression, Manager Xie, who did not want to be associated with 'illegally colluding with an alien nightmare god,' prepared to take his leave.

At this moment, Yuan Zhu suddenly came to his senses and became quite interested in the other party's previous words: "Manager Xie, I have a few more questions. You said you don't understand the power to interfere with and change 'dreams.' Then, what is the basis for your, or rather, the 'Dream Chasing Tower' behind you, to establish itself in [Huangliang Township]? What kind of power allows you to travel between the outside world and the dream world? And why did you start a restaurant?"

Having determined that Yuan Zhu was a complete novice, lacking any common sense, and a newcomer still in the process of condensing a [Soul Crystal], and considering the other's excessively youthful soul state and impressive [Sanctuary] background, he decided to offer a few more explanations.

The young man's enthusiasm for 'contacting the Outer Nightmare Dimension' led him to guess that the young man was eager to make a name for himself and possessed some kind of trump card, so he wanted to do something big, using 'holy light' to hunt down, purify, and refine an 'Outer Nightmare Demon'?
These arrogant and reckless prodigies of the Holy Temple are not to be trifled with. It's best to be polite and answer all questions.

"Safe dream realms like [Huangliang Township], with their extremely perfect and stable structure, environment, and rules, are very easy to enter. Ordinary people only need to ensure their soul structure is intact and their mental state is healthy, and then drink a bottle of [Huangliang Echo] to travel here. This is true for mortals, and those of us who possess extraordinary power and even stronger mental strength can easily enter without [Huangliang Echo] as long as we master the small techniques that suit us."

"This [Huangliang Village] is equipped with multiple comprehensive defensive measures. Therefore, ordinary ability users, as long as they are not labeled with tags such as 'dangerous, evil, polluted, hostile faction, etc.' by 'Dreamland', and have entered it once and completed the matching level of mental fluctuations, can go back and forth based on their strength."

"If an ability user's supernatural system leans more towards the 'mental side,' like Young Master Yuan, then acting in dreams is like having wings, with additional enhancements and benefits. For scholars of the [Nightmare School], it's practically their home turf. And the power behind me is a commercial deity whose hotel business spans the [Spirit Realm]. Our 'Dream Chasing Pavilion' has expanded its business to Huangliang Township, naturally pursuing profit, expanding our commercial brand, and gaining more customers and connections, all to enhance the influence of this 'deity'..."

A business tycoon who controls hotel chains?
Yuan Zhu immediately thought of his own [Mao Mao Wang], who was the god of the weaving industry who controlled [luxury children's clothing]!
At this point, he had figured out the nature of the 'Dream Chasing Tower'. They might not be an extraordinary group that possessed 'dream power', but they were very likely to have the power to manipulate 'dreams,' otherwise they wouldn't have expanded their business to [Huangliang Township].

[Mao Mao Wang] has never sold clothes in his dreams.

If the "Children's Clothing God" places his business empire in the "Nightmare Bubble Layer," then the "Chain Hotel God" has established his base in the "Spirit Realm Layer + Yellow Millet Village."

Yuan Zhu: "Is the deity behind the Dream Chaser Tower the [Anti-Law Demon God]?"

Manager Xie shook his head: "I don't know about the [Anti-Law God]. I have never seen the Venerable God sign an 'Anti-Law Contract' with a mortal. The Venerable God is a genuine [Business God]. In fact, this [Huangliang Township] has countless magnificent buildings and houses many Business Gods."

Yuan Zhu countered, "Aren't all business tycoons anti-law tycoons?"

"The two overlap. A God of Commerce can be an Anti-Law God or not. The God of Commerce and the God of Industry share the same origin and even overlap. However, some Gods of Commerce have abandoned the God Kingdom of Industry and chosen to rapidly increase their 'divine power' through the 'Anti-Law Demonic Path,' retaining only the 'brand divine office, divine status, and divine power,' thus giving rise to a completely new form."

Yuan Zhu suddenly realized: "Oh, I understand. The god of the real economy and the god of the virtual economy!"

Industry, commerce, and anti-law are deeply intertwined, mutually entangled, yet not entirely overlapping.

"Any other questions?"

Yuan Zhu shook his head: "That's all for now. Thank you for your answers, sir. If I have any business collaborations in the future, I will definitely choose to cooperate with you first."

"It's a deal. Should I set up the banquet venue for you right now?"

Yuan Zhu nodded: "Let's begin now. I need 33 individual seats and standard food prepared."

Manager Xie also enthusiastically said, "The dream projection range of [Huangliang Township] overlaps with the humid zone on the northern part of the west coast of the New World. It is currently daytime in the present world. Would you like us to provide a special service to pull your guests into the dream?"

Yuan Zhu replied confidently, "No need, I have the ability to do it."

The last time he entered his dreamland, he was anchored by the faith of the [Tiger Demon] and pulled 33 members of the 'Wishing Society' within Running into the dream, thus rebuilding this collapsed underground society.

But now, a person's abilities change dramatically every three days. The Tiger Demon has not only seen a surge in its own strength, but has also become more adept at understanding the 'faith' that binds it to; moreover, it has cultivated a 'dream embryo' within the Shadow Domain, and although it has not mastered the 'nightmare power,' it has learned how to use it.

At this moment, he could fully utilize the combined power of the Dream Chasing Tower and Huangliang Township, and mobilize the power of a mere 'banquet hall' (temporary collateral) to manipulate the dream, and along these lines of faith, pull his employees (believers) into the dream.

...

In Running's world, in different companies, pharmacies, dance halls, theaters, etc., one after another, the instructors who had once signed contracts with the [White Feather Wish Society], were later inherited and controlled by the Tiger Demon, and were bestowed with the [Holy Cough Blessing] by Yuan Zhu, all felt a sense of drowsiness. Some of them felt a slight fever in their bodies, which made their chests feel warm, reminding them of the source of this drowsiness.

Soon, some people found an excuse to leave work early and go home; others went to quiet and safe places to doze off...

In broad daylight, faint streaks of light descended upon the city that never sleeps, and the blurry phantoms gradually coalesced into real figures, appearing behind each table and chair.

The familiar scene unfolded once again, with some people excited and expectant, while others felt fearful and uncertain, believing they could not escape the clutches of the 'new, unfamiliar cult leader,' and filled with pessimism and desolation.

"Greetings, Master!" "Greetings, Master!" "Greetings, Your Excellency!"...

Upon seeing the masked cult leader, the believers and instructors greeted him politely.

After saying goodbye to his plastic family in [Pastoral Village], the henchmen of [Taixi Miscellaneous Fish Merchant Guild] came online again, so Yuan Zhu was no longer alone. Wherever he went, he was a superior person.

(End of this chapter)