Ye Chen and Lia continued their journey deeper into the forest, where an air of mysterious power enveloped them. Every inch of this world seemed to harbor endless possibilities. After several battles, Ye Chen gradually adapted to the rules of this new world and began to understand how imagination operated. Most importantly, he realized that the Earth myths and legends he possessed might be his greatest weapons for survival and ascendance in this realm.
After walking for a while, Ye Chen halted and looked up at the dimly visible sky, lost in thought. Lia noticed his expression and asked with concern, "What are you thinking about?"
Ye Chen remained silent for a moment before slowly replying, "I was wondering if the myths and legends from Earth could hold any power in this world."
Lia paused for a moment, then expressed her curiosity, "Myths? Are you talking about those fictional stories?"
Ye Chen nodded, a glint of determination in his eyes. "Exactly, myths. Those stories considered fictional on Earth might not be so in this world, where 'imagination' is the core power."
Lia blinked, clearly intrigued by Ye Chen's thoughts. "But those are just stories; in this world, imagination doesn't work just by telling tales."
Ye Chen smiled. "True, the stories are fictional, but the power and beliefs behind them are real. Think about it—there are countless myths on Earth, each constructing a complete worldview filled with deities, monsters, heroes, and legends. Everyone has their own imagined mythological world. If I can integrate these myths into my imagination, perhaps I can create a world more powerful than others."
Lia pondered this for a moment and nodded thoughtfully. "That does make some sense; the world of imagination is built on human creativity. If your foundation of imagination is strong enough, you might indeed be able to create a world beyond the ordinary."
"Precisely," Ye Chen said, his confidence shining through. He had been fascinated by myths since childhood and was well-versed in many ancient mythologies from Earth—be it Pangu creating the world in Chinese mythology or Zeus wielding thunder in Greek legends. While these stories were mere tales on Earth, in this world, they could be endowed with genuine power.
Just as they were deep in conversation, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the distant woods. Ye Chen immediately raised his head, his eyes sharp with alertness.
"Someone is coming!" Lia quickly reacted, gripping the short sword at her waist.
Soon, a ragged young man burst through the underbrush, panic evident on his face, clearly in grave danger. Upon seeing Ye Chen and Lia, his eyes lit up as if he had found salvation, and he rushed towards them.
"Help me! Please help!" the young man shouted, his expression frantic.
Ye Chen frowned, about to ask what was wrong when suddenly a pack of vicious black creatures sprang from behind him. They resembled wolves, but were significantly larger, with cruel red eyes gleaming ominously—clearly a type of monster from this world.
"Shadow Wolves!" Lia exclaimed, her tone filled with alarm. "These guys are tough!"
Ye Chen had no time to think. He swiftly drew his battle axe, channeling his imagination as he charged toward the pack of shadow wolves.
"Come on!" Ye Chen shouted, swinging his axe in a fierce arc toward the lead shadow wolf. The blade, infused with the power of his newly constructed world, struck down hard.
"Boom!"
With a loud crash, the shadow wolf was split in half, blood splattering. The remaining wolves seemed enraged, lunging toward Ye Chen in unison.
"Looks like I'll have to try something new!" Ye Chen thought, focusing on enhancing the world he had just imagined. He closed his eyes, visualizing a new myth—"Nüwa Creates Humanity" from Chinese mythology.
He envisioned Nüwa molding clay figures in the chaos, infusing the core power of this myth into his imagination. As he imagined, a golden light began to emanate from his axe, as if endowed with the power to create life.
"Let's see how this works!" Ye Chen swung his axe with all his might, and a beam of golden light burst forth, hitting several of the advancing shadow wolves. Strangely, as they came into contact with the golden light, the wolves began to twist and transform, growing larger and more menacing.
"What…?" Lia exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "They're getting stronger!"
Ye Chen was also taken aback; he hadn't anticipated his imagination would have such an effect.
"Oh no, I've done the opposite!" Ye Chen couldn't help but mutter. "It feels like I just gave them a buff!"
Lia was panicking. "You're helping the enemy! Think of a way to stop it!"
"I'm trying this for the first time too!" Ye Chen shouted in exasperation.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Ye Chen remained composed. He recalled the parts of Earth's myths concerning the control of power and quickly adjusted his imaginative constructs.
"Creating humanity wasn't instantaneous; it involved constant improvement and refinement to turn the initial clay figures into real beings. I need to gradually control my imagination as well."
He took a deep breath, focusing again, and swung his axe. This time, he was no longer in a rush; he carefully guided the power released from the blade, slowly directing the golden light back into the world he was constructing.
"Whoosh—" Ye Chen felt a gentle power flowing through him, stabilizing his imagination. The empowered shadow wolves returned to their original forms, appearing weak and feeble.
"It's over." Ye Chen looked coldly at the wolves and swung his axe once more, sharp arcs slicing through the air, swiftly dispatching the remaining monsters.
Lia finally sighed in relief. "That was a close call! You almost gave me a heart attack with that last move."
Ye Chen grinned. "Sorry, it's my first time wielding the power of myths, and I didn't control it well."
At that moment, the young man finally reached Ye Chen, his face full of gratitude. "Thank you for saving me! If it weren't for you, I would have been eaten by those shadow wolves!"
Ye Chen sheathed his axe and stepped forward to ask, "How did you end up being chased by those wolves?"
The young man gasped for breath. "I… I'm from a village in the east. Recently, many strange things have been happening there—several villagers have gone missing, and some even went mad at night. I came here seeking help, but then I encountered these shadow wolves."
Ye Chen frowned. "An eastern village? This doesn't sound simple."
Lia's expression grew serious. "Although this world is fraught with danger, shadow wolves shouldn't appear in such numbers in this area; they seem to be driven by some force."
Ye Chen nodded, feeling an unsettling unease within. Clearly, there was more than just personal conflict in this world—greater dangers lurked beneath the surface.
"We need to check out that village," Ye Chen decided firmly. "Perhaps I can seize the opportunity to further understand the rules of imagination and uncover the true workings of this world."
The young man nodded eagerly. "That would be great! If you're willing to go, the people in our village will be incredibly grateful."
Ye Chen patted him on the shoulder. "No need for thanks; we have our own goals too. Alright, lead the way."
As they traveled towards the village, Ye Chen reflected on the battle he had just experienced. He realized that the power of myths couldn't simply be activated by replication. Each myth held complex symbolic meanings and powers, which he needed to deeply understand and gradually master to truly integrate them into his imagined world.
"It seems I need to spend more time studying the essence of Earth's myths," Ye Chen thought to himself, filled with anticipation and determination for the future.
However, little did Ye Chen know that the challenges he was about to face would be far more complex than he had imagined.