High-level martial arts: Long spear with black flames to suppress demons.

Bai Chongguang tapped his fingers on the edge of the table.

"And how do you plan to get in?"

"Of course I'll follow you."

"I know you want to come with me, but your soul has left a record in the capital. If you go directly there, the city's defense array might recognize you. If a Shanghai commander who is still lying in a hospital bed suddenly appears in the capital with his soul separated from his body, we'll have to explain why you're here before we even make a move."

Old Wang said calmly, "I plan to hide in your sea of ​​consciousness."

Bai Chongguang paused in his tea-serving motion and slowly turned his head.

"You really dare to think of anything!"

"Don't worry, I won't directly contact your soul. I will first lay down a layer of dreamscape around your sea of ​​consciousness, and then hide myself inside it, without touching your memories."

Bai Chongguang's brows were still furrowed as he recalled the dream that had enveloped the living room earlier.

"Use your newly learned magic?"

"Yes, the first thing I sense during a normal investigation is your presence. Then I can hide my own fluctuations in my dream and have a chance to get away with it."

"Will it work?"

"Let's try it first. No one can guarantee what new detection methods the capital has adopted, but you're going back to visit an old friend, so your identity and itinerary can be verified. As long as nothing else goes wrong, they won't make you open your mind and examine every inch of your body as soon as you enter the city."

Bai Chongguang fell silent.

He was worried not only about being exposed, but also about the fact that the Knowledge Gate was connected to his own soul, and Old Wang was injured. If a conflict broke out, neither of them would be in a good place.

Old Wang noticed his hesitation and continued, "Let's try it here first. If it doesn't work, we'll try another method. I'll set up a dreamscape first. Once you've confirmed it won't have any effect, then let me in. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, stop immediately."

"Can you come out anytime after you go in?"

"Yes, I can maintain the dream, and you can sense the boundaries, so you won't be completely unaware of where I'm hiding."

Bai Chongguang pondered for a long time before finally nodding.

"Then let's try it for a little while first."

"it is good."

Just as Old Wang was about to get up, Bai Chongguang raised his hand to stop him.

"Also, don't look at things you shouldn't see. I told you to go in and hide, not to go in and dredge up old grievances."

Old Wang couldn't help but laugh: "At your age, what could you possibly have to hide?"

Seeing his worried look, Old Wang waved his hand.

"Fine, I won't look."

Bai Chongguang then put away the things on the table, closed the doors and windows, and reactivated the isolation array. Old Wang also suppressed his smile, came to him, and carefully explained the methods for setting up the dream and stopping the spell.

After confirming that Bai Chongguang understood, a wisp of extremely faint soul light rose from his fingertips.

Bai Chongguang closed his eyes, not fully opening his mind, but leaving a space on the outside as Wang Lao had instructed.

The dream slowly unfolds.

At first, it resembled a thin mist, then gradually solidified, maintaining a distance from his natal spirit. Bai Chongguang tried circulating his divine sense and explored the area again. Not detecting any obvious obstruction, he nodded slightly.

"Okay, continue."

Old Wang gathered his soul and slowly disappeared into that dream realm.

Bai Chongguang's brow furrowed slightly, then quickly relaxed. He could sense something new on the outer edge of his sea of ​​consciousness.

A moment later, Old Wang's voice rang out in the dream.

"How is it?"

"It's alright, don't move it yet, let me try again."

Bai Chongguang got up, walked a few steps around the room, and then used his spiritual power to lift and put down the teacup on the table. After several attempts, he sat down again and asked Old Wang to leave.

A faint glow of soul light condensed into a human form on the opposite side.

The two exchanged a glance, nodded, and confirmed that the plan was feasible.

Bai Chongguang then took the itinerary and circled the departure time.

"You stay here for the next couple of days and focus on restoring your spirit. We'll try a few more times before we set off to make sure everything is alright, then we'll go together."

Old Wang nodded in agreement.

Bai Chongguang looked at the soul in front of him, then glanced down at the schedule, and couldn't help but sigh.

I just wanted to play a few games of chess in peace and quiet.

Now, not only do I have to go to the capital, but I also have to bring someone with me from my own consciousness.

......

Two days later, Bai Chongguang arrived in the capital.

The personnel arranged by the military were already waiting outside. The leading officer stepped forward, saluted, and then took his luggage.

"Mr. Bai, the accommodations have been prepared, and several senior leaders have arrived. They all said they want to have a good get-together with you tonight."

Bai Chongguang waved his hand with a smile: "We're talking a lot now, but when we get to the table, don't make excuses that you're not feeling well and can't drink more than a couple of cups."

The group laughed and agreed, then helped him into the car.

As the vehicle entered the city, an invisible ripple swept across its body. Bai Chongguang continued to look out the window, listening to the accompanying officer describe the changes along the way, his expression showing no sign of change.

A layer of dreamscape quietly remained outside his sea of ​​consciousness.

Old Wang hid among them.

Before setting off, the two had tried repeatedly, but the dream did not invade Bai Chongguang's memory or come into contact with his soul. Old Wang, on the other hand, suppressed his own fluctuations to the extreme and fell silent along with the external investigation.

The city's defensive array verified Bai Chongguang's identity and spiritual aura, but did not investigate further, and the fluctuations quickly shifted to the rear.

The vehicle passed smoothly. Bai Chongguang withdrew his gaze and continued chatting with the officer until they arrived at their lodgings. Only then did he find an opportunity to ask himself a question.

"Can it still hold on?"

"fine."

Upon hearing the response, he said nothing more.

That afternoon, Bai Chongguang first met with several old friends, and then visited several old sites as arranged.

The old office building still stands, but a new operations hall has been added at the back. Several familiar paths have been widened, and the trees have been replaced. Only some of the pillars and stone steps in front of the doors still bear the marks of their former glory.

The person accompanying him listened with a smile and took the opportunity to explain to him the current uses of these places.

He didn't ask about the stone slab, nor did he show any interest in the sealed-off area. He only glanced at a place that still retained an old-style gatehouse when passing through the inner courtyard.

That place leads to the underground vault, which used to be jointly managed by the military and the Night Watch. Now, several layers of security have been added to the entrance, and the guards have been replaced by unfamiliar faces.

Old Wang, hidden in the dream, also remembered the location.

In the evening, the dinner was held at the headquarters guesthouse.

Those present were all old acquaintances. At first, a few of them put on airs, but after a few words, they started bringing up old grudges from their youth.

When someone is reckless in battle, who omits a battle achievement in their report, or who has the worst temper, the people around them can't get a word in edgewise when they start arguing.

Bai Chongguang sat among them and retorted quite a bit, the smile on his face genuine.

However, a few familiar faces never appeared.

Someone casually mentioned that several of them had recently gone on a long trip, and their families were unsure when they would return.

After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation gradually turned to the deep rifts and fissures in various places, and the laughter and commotion subsided somewhat.

An elderly man, holding a cup, sighed, "When I was young, I always looked forward to retiring. Now that I've actually retired, I still can't let go when I hear about trouble happening somewhere."

Bai Chongguang glanced at him, raised his glass to clink glasses, but didn't say anything.