As dawn broke, the sky lightened to a pale hue, and sunlight filtered through thick clouds, casting a revitalizing glow over the forest. Ye Chen and Liya followed the young man as they hurried along, the outlines of the eastern village gradually coming into view. The village appeared peaceful and serene in the morning light, but Ye Chen sensed a troubling air of unease surrounding them.
"We're here," the young man said breathlessly, pointing towards the village. "Strange things have been happening lately, and everyone is terrified."
Ye Chen nodded slightly, his eyes filled with caution. Liya gripped her short sword tightly, her expression serious.
"You should head back to the village. We'll investigate the situation," Ye Chen said firmly. He didn't want to act recklessly, especially since he had only just arrived in this world and was still uncertain about the potential threats posed by magical treasures or powerful dreamweavers.
The young man nodded repeatedly, clearly trusting Ye Chen. "Alright, I'll head back right away. Please be careful."
Once the young man departed, Ye Chen and Liya stood at the village entrance, gazing at the unnaturally quiet settlement.
"It seems peaceful here, but there's a subtle feeling of oppression," Liya said softly. "We need to be cautious; there might be hidden dangers lurking around."
Ye Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his unease. He was gradually learning how to navigate this imaginative and uncertain world, and the knowledge he brought from Earth—especially his understanding of mythology—was becoming his greatest asset.
"Let's go into the village and see if we can find any clues," Ye Chen suggested, stepping toward the village.
The streets were nearly deserted, with doors tightly shut. Only the occasional bark of a dog or the rustling of leaves in the wind broke the eerie silence. As they reached a small square in the village center, a figure suddenly darted out from a corner.
"Hey! You're outsiders, aren't you?" An old man with a weathered face approached, his murky eyes gleaming with caution.
Ye Chen and Liya exchanged glances, and Ye Chen nodded. "Yes, we're just passing through. We heard that strange things have been happening in the village, so we wanted to see if we could help."
The old man scrutinized them, seemingly weighing their trustworthiness. After a moment, he sighed, "Come in; it's not safe out here."
Following the old man into his modest hut, they found a sparsely furnished room with a wooden table and a few rickety chairs. The old man gestured for them to sit, while he slowly settled into the chair across from them.
"The situation in the village is dire," he began, his voice low and hoarse. "A few days ago, shadow wolves appeared near our village—creatures that have never been here before. Soon after, villagers began to go missing, and at night, we often hear eerie sounds, as if something is prowling around."
Liya frowned. "Have you sent anyone to investigate?"
The old man shook his head helplessly. "We sent a few people to check, but they never returned. The number of missing villagers has only increased. We've had no choice but to seal off the village, hoping whatever is out there won't come in."
Ye Chen listened, deep in thought. The appearance of shadow wolves, the disappearance of villagers, and the odd phenomena in the village all pointed to some powerful interference from the dream realm.
"What are the rules of this world?" he recalled the question he had pondered when he first crossed over. In this world, anyone could construct their reality through imagination, and powerful dreamweavers could enhance their imaginative strength with rare treasures. It was conceivable that someone had discovered a powerful artifact near the village, willing to sacrifice villagers to amplify their own power.
"There may be something important hidden here," Ye Chen said after a moment's contemplation. "We need to investigate further."
The old man's face darkened. "Can you help us?"
Ye Chen nodded solemnly. "We'll do our best, but we need you to tell us more details."
Just as the old man was about to speak, a commotion erupted outside, accompanied by screams. Ye Chen and Liya sprang to their feet and rushed out. They saw several villagers running frantically, pursued by a strange black shadow.
"What is that?!" Liya gasped, gripping her sword tightly, ready to fight.
Ye Chen's expression sharpened, and he concentrated his imagination, summoning his battle axe in a flash of light. A myriad of mythological tales from Earth raced through his mind as he considered how to channel a mythical power to address the current crisis.
"Perhaps it's time to attempt creating my first mythical world," Ye Chen thought to himself.
He closed his eyes, recalling the scene from Chinese mythology where Pangu opened the heavens and the earth. Pangu wielded the divine axe with immense strength, cleaving through chaos to establish the world. This myth not only symbolized creation but also represented the ultimate expression of power.
"With the power of Pangu, I shall open the heavens and the earth!"
With a low shout, a dazzling light erupted from the battle axe in Ye Chen's hands. It felt as though the power of creation flowed into the weapon, the blade radiating an overwhelming pressure. Ye Chen swung the axe, its brilliant light striking the approaching shadow.
"Boom—"
A loud crash echoed as the axe collided with the shadow, which was instantly torn apart into countless fragments, dissipating into the air. At that moment, Ye Chen felt his imaginative power experience a sort of elevation, the outlines of his mythical world beginning to take shape in his mind.
Liya stared in awe at the scene. "How did you just do that?"
Ye Chen smiled, gripping the axe. "Earthly mythology indeed holds unique powers. I merely borrowed a bit of Pangu's strength, and it worked quite well."
Liya's eyes sparkled with admiration. "If you can truly integrate these myths into your imaginative power, you might become one of the most powerful dreamweavers in this world."
Ye Chen nodded, yet he knew that the power of mythology was far more profound than this. The countless myths from Earth contained different strengths and meanings, and he was only scratching the surface of these powers.
However, just as he was preparing to explore these strengths further, a louder disturbance erupted from the village. A deep growl resonated from within, and the ground began to tremble slightly, as if a colossal being was approaching.
"What's happening?" Liya asked, her expression shifting to concern as she looked toward the village.
Ye Chen narrowed his eyes, feeling a growing sense of dread. He understood that greater dangers were likely looming ahead.
"It seems our next enemy won't be simple," he murmured, tightening his grip on the axe, ready to confront the upcoming battle.
Liya stood by his side, determination in her eyes. "No matter what it is, we'll face it together."
Ye Chen nodded. "Let's go check it out."
The two hurried toward the heart of the village, where the oppressive presence intensified with each step. Ye Chen could feel it was a far stronger imaginative force than the shadow wolves.
Finally reaching the center of the village, the sight before them left them both stunned. A massive altar loomed in the village square, flames of an eerie hue burning atop it. Surrounding the altar, dozens of villagers knelt with vacant eyes, seemingly controlled by some unseen force.
"What... what is happening here?" Liya asked in shock.
Ye Chen furrowed his brow, an unsettling feeling creeping over him. He realized that this altar was no ordinary structure; it likely concealed some powerful force. The villagers had probably fallen under the influence of an evil imaginative power.
"It seems we're facing more than just the shadow wolves," Ye Chen said quietly, gripping his axe tightly as he prepared for the greater challenges ahead.