I've never felt happy to become an immortal.

Chapter 34: Making Friends in a Dream, Deja Vu

Bai Xuan was able to realize that he was dreaming and his consciousness was quite clear.

Since ancient times, dreams have been a reflection of the mind. Whatever you think about during the day, you will dream about at night.

After his soul power reaches a certain level, Bai Xuan will no longer dream. This is the case for most true practitioners.

On the contrary, if a true practitioner frequently falls into dreams, it means that the "true self" is out of control, which is a long-term external manifestation of being trapped in demons and inner demons.

At this time, you need to prescribe the right medicine. If you can't solve the problem, you will sooner or later encounter a mental disaster.

Bai Xuan is very experienced in dealing with inner demon tribulations, because all of his disciples have experienced inner demon tribulations without exception, and each of them was solved brilliantly by him, although some insignificant sequelae occurred.

As a professional, Bai Xuan was sure that he did not enter the dream voluntarily.

He squatted on the ground and grabbed a handful of river sand from the riverbank. It felt delicate and silky.

This dream was not created by him, and this scenery naturally has nothing to do with him.

However, through this method, you can judge the ability of the master who constructs the dream. The method is very simple. You only need to observe the authenticity of the dream. The stronger the master of the dream, the more real the dream created will be, and it can even restore some of the five senses.

Obviously, the Lord of Dreams is stronger this time.

If I want to wake up this time, I'll have to put in some effort - it won't work to wake up from the dream by imitating the suicide methods in Japanese anime.

This trick might work if you're facing a weaker dream lord, but if you're facing a powerful and real dream and it kills you, you might end up brain dead.

In the moment when Bai Xuan was distracted, a small hand suddenly grabbed him from behind.

He looked down and saw a girl of eight or nine years old with two pigtails on her head. She smiled and pulled him forward: "Come quickly, Daddy is waiting for you."

The little girl pulled Bai Xuan forward, along the riverbank. After a few steps, they reached the riverbed. However, there was not a drop of water around. It was just a dry riverbed, with fish swimming in the air.

There was a set of stone tables and stone benches in front. An old man in black came forward. He looked quite old, but his face was white and he had no beard. He clasped his fists and said, "You are a distinguished guest. Please take a seat!"

"Come on, sit down." The girl pulled Bai Xuan to the table.

Looking at the father and daughter, Bai Xuan was a little confused: "Who are you two?"

"Haha, you are so forgetful." The old man in black smiled kindly, "Did you forget that you saved my little girl's life today?"

He patted the little girl's head, his eyes full of love. "Two days ago, this girl was playful and secretly ran to the river. She ended up getting lost. She's been gone for over two days. I was almost worried to death. She was almost killed."

"If I hadn't met the gentleman's kindness today, I would have probably met with an accident... Alas, I have only given birth to this one daughter in all these years. If she were to die, I don't know what to do."

The girl was hit on the head unexpectedly, and her eyes immediately filled with tears. She hid behind Bai Xuan pitifully, not daring to face him, so she secretly stuck out her tongue at the old man.

It would be fine if he didn't open his mouth, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the truth was revealed.

Her tongue was flat, thin and forked, clearly a snake's tongue.

The little girl is not a human, so naturally the old man in black is not a human either. The identities of the two are obvious.

Bai Xuan suddenly realized, "So it was Prince Jiang who was in person..."

"How dare I rashly call myself a prince? With the change of dynasties, the incense offerings to my temple have ceased. The so-called Prince Jiang is just a name given by the fishermen and boatmen nearby. I have my own name, Wuyou, which was given to me by a benefactor over three hundred years ago."

The old man was very kind and spoke naturally: "Sir, you saved my daughter's life. We can be friends as equals. If you don't mind, you can call me Lord Black Snake."

Bai Xuan readily agreed: "My name is Bai Xuan, you can call me whatever you want, Snake Lord."

"Courtesy is essential, so I'll call you Sir."

The Snake King stood up and saluted as he spoke. "I lost my daughter earlier. In my anxiety, I overturned a passing ship as a warning. Unfortunately, no one knew, and I had no way to find my daughter. It was my impulsiveness that led me to overturn the official ship and offend my benefactor."

Bai Xuan also stood up and returned the greeting: "Snake Lord's anger actually saved me. There were assassins on the ship at the time, and I didn't have a plan to deal with them. And if Snake Lord hadn't capsized the official ship, I wouldn't have saved the child. It's just karma, so there's no need to thank me."

"Hahaha, that's true. Everything in this world has its reason. Since you are so magnanimous, there is no need for me to be so resentful."

Wu You smiled cheerfully: "When guests come to visit, how can we not have good wine and delicious food?"

With a wave of his hand, the table was immediately filled with all kinds of delicacies.

"These are just dream dishes. They taste only one-tenth or one-twelfth as good as the original ones. They barely satisfy my craving. I apologize for the poor hospitality."

Bai Xuan picked up the wine glass and could taste some of the flavor. He said curiously, "The construction of dreams is not just a fantasy, but requires a foundation... I am curious. The Snake King can transform into such an appearance and has such a good understanding of fine wine and delicious food. But from my observation, the Snake King doesn't seem to have reached the transformation realm yet?"

"That's a good question." The Snake King took a swig and explained, "Mr. Haojiao, you know I was born in Kunlun Mountain. After several years of absorbing and exhaling spiritual energy, I developed my spiritual intelligence. Then, a passing master took a liking to me. After that, I followed him to cultivate. During my experience in the world, I tasted the delicacies of the human world. As a result, I no longer wanted to associate with the wild beasts of the mountains that ate raw meat and drank blood. Then, I settled down in Wujiang. When I receive incense offerings, the offerings are all dishes and fine wines. It's my personal preference."

"As for this appearance... When I first accepted incense, I indulged in the delicious offerings and was tainted by the worldly air of the human world. However, I am a water being, and too much of this air of the human world caused me to frequently hiccup, misfire, and even burst. Later, I sought help from the monks of Penglai Sword Pavilion, who gave me guidance. They sent me a dream and asked the temple keeper to find a painter to draw a human form for me. Then, they could carve it into shape and place it in the temple. This would help to dispel the air of the human world."

"Although the Water God Temple is gone, this appearance has long since merged with my own over the years... If I'm fortunate enough to transform into a human form in the future, I'll definitely look like this." The Wujiang Python paused. "Unfortunately, my cultivation is insufficient. Although I've refined the transverse bone in my throat and can barely speak, I'm still a long way from transforming into a human form."

Bai Xuan poured his wine and raised his glass: "Snake Lord, you have great ambitions. Cheers to your ambitions."

Wu You picked up the wine glass and drank it, then was stunned: "Oh? Sir, you actually understood the hidden meaning of my words?"

"For ordinary great demons, mountain gods, or spirit beasts, transforming into human form is just a matter of time. However, the Snake King, despite his exceptional talent, places such importance on the 'human form' that it seems unattainable. He certainly doesn't simply want to become a human, but is aiming to become a true dragon."

Bai Xuan could see what the python was thinking. It wanted to become a real dragon first and then transform into a human.

Becoming a true dragon means going through tribulation, which is equivalent to undergoing the test of heaven. Only after passing the test can one be certified, which is equivalent to a qualification certificate issued by the state.

The goal of all evolutionary paths of aquatic creatures in the world is to become a true dragon.

But a real dragon cannot compare to a terrestrial immortal, the difference is huge.

"I didn't expect that the gentleman, despite looking so young, is so knowledgeable and has such a strong memory."

"I know a little bit." Bai Xuan said modestly.

Wu You had no idea that the young man in front of him could even arrange his evolutionary path so clearly, so he didn't ask in detail.

Instead, his attitude became more polite and enthusiastic.

On the wine table in his dream, after he and Bai Xuan started toasting each other, he couldn't help but get a little drunk on the conversation.

He hadn't had many opportunities to communicate with other people over the years, so once he started talking, he couldn't stop.

Because Bai Xuan can always easily connect with the topic. Not only is he good at speaking, but he also knows a lot, and many of his views are insightful.

Theoretically, he is a giant python, the Snake King of Wujiang River who actively pulls people into dreams. Ordinary people would be shocked and restless when encountering such a situation, even if they try to remain calm. However, they are of different races, and it is difficult to find a common topic because of their different focuses.

He originally just wanted to express his gratitude and give Bai Xuan a reminder, trying to reduce the debt and cause and effect of saving his daughter.

As a result, once they started chatting, they had no trouble finding topics. This young man seemed to know him very well even though they had just met, and they could easily talk about some of his current pain points. For example, his biggest headache was the cultivation problem. He wanted to become a true dragon, but due to lack of guidance, his path forward was blocked and he could only sigh in despair.

But after listening to Bai Xuan's unintentional words, it seemed to have found some new directions and generated some new ideas, and it was quite eager to try them out.

This kind of whim hasn't happened in decades.

As a result, he was even more reluctant to end the banquet and conversation so easily. He just wanted to chat a few more minutes, perhaps he would gain more. He even forgot the taboo of talking too much with someone he had just met, and almost ignored the fact that this was their first face-to-face communication.

Until three rounds of drinks have passed.

Bai Xuan noticed that Wu You's body was shaking slightly, and he looked like he was drunk.

"Let's stop here today." He took the initiative and said, "It seems that Bai has a little too much to handle."

Wu You's old face flushed, actually he couldn't bear it anymore... It wasn't because he was drunk, but maintaining the dream was mentally exhausting.

The two were still eating and drinking to their heart's content in their dream, so naturally their energy consumption was faster than before, and they were about to wake up from this dream.

"Alas, I wish I could chat with you for a few more days and nights," Wu You said regretfully, "but time is limited, so I really have no choice... It's time to talk about business."

He waved his hand, clearing away the food and wine. At the same time, the surrounding scene grew blurry and hazy. "I'm here today not only to thank you, sir, but also to return the favor and remind you that your current situation is not good."

Bai Xuan stroked the hair of the girl lying on his knees. "Is the Snake King talking about Sorrow Cloud Mountain? Are there really demons in the mountain?"

"Of course there is."

"High cultivation? It doesn't necessarily mean it's higher than the Snake Lord."

"It's just a small demon. If we were to confront it, it would be easy to destroy it... But unfortunately, I can't leave the Wu River or go up the mountain." The Snake King expressed appropriate disdain: "Although the demon is not strong, it still poses a great threat to you now."

"Snake Lord, please elaborate."

The Snake King said, "Sir, you don't know that this Sorrow Cloud Mountain isn't actually a mountain... it's the remains of a ferocious beast. Two hundred years ago, it took advantage of the turmoil of war to stir up trouble. It was killed by the Wu River, and its remains transformed into this mountain. I witnessed this with my own eyes."

"After traveling around the world, I came to the Wu River and took the opportunity to guard the spirit of this ferocious beast to prevent it from causing further harm."

"Its resentful spirit didn't cause much harm. On the contrary, its corpse was an excellent waste material, nurturing many natural treasures."

"The clouds and mist drifting across the mountains originally came from the spiritual energy released after the ferocious beast's flesh and blood dissolved."

"It's just that I didn't realize for a moment that after my most recent retreat, a demon appeared in this Sorrow Cloud Mountain."

"That demon is a mountain spider with the blood of a ferocious beast. It was born from the blood of a ferocious beast and can even be considered a descendant of this ferocious beast."

"The mist in this mountain has also been contaminated by this demon. It's stained with the silk of mountain spiders and contains a poison that can affect the mind... But these aren't the real problems. The real problem is that it's the descendant of a ferocious beast, so this mountain will protect it."

"As long as this thick fog doesn't dissipate, it will come and go freely. Even if a true master from the martial arts world takes action, I'm afraid he won't be able to find it after entering the mountain and will have to return empty-handed."

Wu You's explanation was very clear.

Bai Xuan understood why more than 20 martial arts masters who went to suppress the demons were wiped out.

It seems that this is the demon's territory, and the other side has an absolute home advantage.

The little girl lay on Bai Xuan's knees and shook her head: "If you can't beat them, run quickly and don't get caught. Otherwise, you won't be able to escape and will become a pile here, a piece there, a little to the left, a pile to the right..."

The Snake King also advised, "As long as Sorrow Cloud Mountain is still there, it will be difficult to defeat this demon. Sir, you should leave the mountain as soon as possible. I'm afraid you've already been noticed by now. However, this mountain spider is very cautious. It must know that if it leaves the mountain, it will be killed, so it will definitely not leave Sorrow Cloud Mountain."

"Snake Lord, are you sure it doesn't dare leave the mountain?"

"This mountain spider should know what's good for it." The Snake King laughed and said, "If it really dares to go out of the mountains and seek death, I, Wu, will give it a tail flick!"

Bai Xuan also smiled and said, "Snake Lord's words are enough."

"One word is not enough!"

The Snake King raised his hand, and something flew out of thin air. It was a scale the size of a baby's fist.

"This is my thank you gift to Mr.

"This is my companion scale. There are only three of them. I've raised them for over three hundred years. They have the magical power to avoid water, preventing people from suffocating underwater. If you find yourself in the Wu River, just hold it and send a message through your mind, and I'll know immediately."

"If any villain dares to disturb you while you're crossing the river, they will be eaten by fish."

Bai Xuan looked at the scales in his hand and was a little surprised: "This is too valuable."

"It's okay. My husband and I hit it off right away. This can be considered a first meeting gift. I hope you don't mind."

"Then I will be disrespectful."

Bai Xuan thought it was indeed useful and accepted it directly.

The functionality of the Snake King's companion scales is not weak, and more importantly, it can shake people... no, shake snakes.

This is the local snake of Wujiang River. He has been practicing for more than 300 years and has been a great demon who has served as the water god. He can be said to be the best among the great demons.

"Mr. Bai, I hope we can continue this discussion next time."

"Goodbye, sir." The little girl clapped her hands and said, "Remember to come and play with me."

"Sorry to bother you. I'll come back another day."

Bai Xuan stood up and said goodbye, his figure disappearing in the dream.

Looking at the other person's disappearing figure, the Snake King murmured, "This person, it's clearly the first time I see him, but it feels like I've seen him somewhere before, like I've known him before..."

A distant yet familiar figure flashed through his mind. Wu You was stunned for a moment, then pondered, "Yes, his conversation and temperament are very similar to my benefactor."

……

Chouyun Mountain, mountain temple.

Bai Xuan opened his eyes and woke up to find a scale in his hand.

Keep this item with you.

The young man looked outside the temple, his eyes slightly fixed.

He had already thought of the specific way to kill the monster in the mountain.

(End of this chapter)