Before him, a massive beast roared, its colossal body bearing down like a mountain. Its gigantic claws sliced through the air, carrying an aura of destruction as it lunged toward Ye Chen. Gritting his teeth, Ye Chen took a deep breath, his mind racing.
"Just using brute force won't work; my imagination isn't strong enough. I need to find a way to leverage my strengths."
He understood that relying solely on physical power would eventually drain his imaginative energy. It was time for a change in strategy. He realized that the knowledge he had brought from Earth was his greatest asset in this world.
"I can't just fight; I need to start building my own world." Suddenly, Ye Chen recognized that this looming crisis could also be an opportunity.
Liya cried out anxiously, "What are you waiting for? Run! Its power is increasing!"
But Ye Chen smiled slightly and planted his feet firmly. He slowly closed his eyes, envisioning a world forming in his mind.
He imagined the beginning of all things in Chinese mythology—a void of chaos, where the heavens and the earth had not yet been separated, and all things slept in that primordial state. He was determined to carve out a new world from this chaos.
"If this is a world of imagination, why can't I create my own realm?" Ye Chen murmured. As his consciousness delved deeper, an unprecedented force surged within him.
"Sky-Opening Axe!"
With a fierce shout, the battle axe coalesced in the air again. But this time, it was more than just a weapon; it symbolized the chaotic world he was envisioning. The massive axe blade emitted a blinding light as if it were meant to split the very heavens apart.
"Boom!"
With a deafening explosion, Ye Chen swung the axe down at the beast. The creature let out a pained howl, staggering backward under the immense force.
"How is this possible? He's actually using his imaginative power to create part of a world?" Liya exclaimed in astonishment.
Ye Chen didn't respond; his entire focus was on his imagined world. As he continuously infused it with his imagination, the light from that chaotic realm grew brighter, and his world began to take shape—sky, land, mountains, rivers—all rapidly forming within his consciousness.
"This is my world!" Ye Chen felt a rush of excitement.
However, the beast clearly wasn't ready to concede defeat. It let out an angry roar, its eyes glowing with an even more intense red. Then, it opened its massive jaws and unleashed a beam of black energy straight at Ye Chen.
"Watch out!" Liya gasped, instinctively stepping in front of him.
"It's fine; leave it to me." Ye Chen chuckled softly, and the axe in his hand transformed into a gigantic shield, blocking the black energy beam. The shield shimmered with the light of his newly formed imaginative world, as if an endless power was flowing from it.
"Boom!"
The black energy collided with the shield, creating a deafening explosion that seemed to suck the air from the surroundings. Liya stared in disbelief, unable to comprehend how Ye Chen could withstand such a powerful attack.
"What… what kind of power is this?" she stammered.
Ye Chen smiled and replied, "This is the world I constructed using my imagination. While it's not yet perfect, it's enough to defend against this level of attack."
With that, he stepped forward and swung the shield back into the axe, aiming for the beast's neck. Before the creature could react, the massive blade struck home, blood gushing as it let out a terrible wail before collapsing.
"Done!" Ye Chen looked at the fallen beast with satisfaction, wiping the sweat from his brow with a smug grin.
Liya regarded him with a mix of astonishment and admiration. "Are you really just a newcomer? How do you seem stronger than those so-called powerful fantasists?"
Ye Chen shrugged. "Maybe it's because I have a wealth of knowledge from Earth. After all, who hasn't read a few myths and legends?"
Though he appeared nonchalant, he knew that this battle had deepened his understanding of imaginative power. The rules of strength in this world were far more complex than he had imagined. His grasp of Earth's mythological systems undoubtedly gave him a significant edge.
As they prepared to leave, they heard a round of applause nearby.
"Wonderful, simply wonderful!" a clear voice called from behind them.
Ye Chen and Liya turned to see a young man in an elaborate robe stepping out from the trees. He wore a smile, his hands lightly clapping, clearly impressed by Ye Chen's recent performance.
"Who are you?" Ye Chen frowned, wary.
The young man replied with a grin, "I'm Chu Tianyi, one of the fantasists in this area. I thoroughly enjoyed your battle, especially your world-building—it was textbook material!"
Ye Chen's gaze sharpened; the appearance of Chu Tianyi stirred a sense of unease. The aura he exuded was strong, clearly indicating he was no ordinary fantasist.
"I mean you no harm," Chu Tianyi seemed to sense Ye Chen's wariness. "But I am curious. Are you new here? The imaginative power system you just used seems quite different from the mainstream around here."
Ye Chen smiled faintly, weighing his response. Chu Tianyi clearly knew a lot about the rules of this world, and since Ye Chen was just starting out, gaining more information from him could be immensely helpful for his future explorations.
"Sort of; I did just arrive not long ago," Ye Chen replied. "What do you mean by the 'mainstream imaginative power system'?"
Chu Tianyi stepped closer, his gaze filled with appreciation. "In our world, most people enhance their imaginative power by cultivating rare resources, thereby increasing their capacity to build stronger worlds. Your approach seems more like creating directly with imaginative power."
"You noticed that?" Ye Chen was surprised.
"Of course," Chu Tianyi chuckled. "While your method may be rough, it's already impressive at this stage. Most newcomers can't achieve this."
Ye Chen felt a spark of interest. "Can you tell me more about the rules of imaginative power?"
Chu Tianyi flashed a knowing smile. "Well, I can share some information, but you'll need to show some sincerity first."
"Sincerity?" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"Nothing major," Chu Tianyi replied with a light laugh. "I'd like to see the world you built. After all, it's rare to find a newcomer who can grasp world-building so quickly."
Ye Chen pondered for a moment and nodded. "Sure, no problem."
Chu Tianyi nodded in satisfaction. "Great! Let's agree on that. But I'll warn you, the rules in this world are complex and unpredictable; don't trust anyone too easily, including me."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Ye Chen watched Chu Tianyi's retreating figure, a mix of emotions swelling within him. He realized he had stepped into a far more dangerous world than he had anticipated, where everyone seemed to harbor their own agendas.
"We need to be careful," Liya whispered.
Ye Chen nodded, filled with determination. "No matter what, I will build my perfect world."