Who could ever predict what life would bring? One day you might be at your lowest, and the next, fortune smiles upon you!
Ma Lang had always lived his life taking things as they came, and when it came to his situation, one couldn't entirely blame him. The misfortunes he endured were such that no one could bear them with equanimity.
Since childhood, Ma Lang had experienced two lives—one in dreams and one in reality, intertwined without end!
In his dreams, the boundaries between Darkness and light blurred, distances vanished in an instant, and people no longer bore the burdens of daily life. The great powers of the universe could be felt, and the world was a place of wonder beyond the realm of reality.
Even the world itself could ascend, or get stuck halfway, creating a surreal and absurd situation!
In the real world, he seemed to be living a careless life, but in truth, he was very rational. Unable to commit himself fully to anyone, he chose solitude to avoid burdening or disappointing those he loved.
Ma Lang always believed that one day his luck would change, bringing him a peaceful and happy life. However, things often took unexpected turns.
What he did not anticipate was that the nightmare that plagued him for half his life didn't disappear; instead, he himself was pulled out of this world.
He continued his fragmented life in the dream world, in a place called the Ascended Immortal Realm, where the future was uncertain and fortune and misfortune unpredictable.
---
A wave of dizziness washed over him, the world spinning as if the space around him was collapsing. A powerful suction force then enveloped him.
Ma Lang felt like a jelly being sucked into a giant mouth, losing all control over his body. In a flash, he was torn away from this world.
After the sensation of weightlessness, a nauseating vertigo struck again, followed by a headache so intense it felt like a nuclear bomb exploding inside his head.
He struggled to maintain his balance, kneeling on one knee and supporting himself with his hand on the ground. Forcing his eyes open, he saw a kaleidoscope of colors before him.
Dazed, he noticed two large cat faces peering curiously at him, their expressions filled with a hint of schadenfreude.
Weren't these the two old cats his grandmother used to keep?
How did they end up here?
Hadn't they disappeared after his grandparents passed away?
Ma Lang paid little attention to the dizziness, weightlessness, and excruciating headache, having long grown accustomed to them.
He suffered from narcolepsy, falling asleep uncontrollably since childhood. His dreams were vivid and bizarre, pieced together into a fragmented life.
As a child, his family found his sudden sleep and talking in his sleep endearing. It wasn't until he fell asleep in class and his parents were called to school countless times that they realized something was wrong.
Due to the lack of medical knowledge back then, doctors could only diagnose it as a neurological disorder, offering no effective treatment.
Years later, Ma Lang learned about narcolepsy and was surprised to find that over 700,000 people in the country suffered from this strange condition.
When his parents were at a loss, his grandfather came to the rescue. Every holiday, Ma Lang spent time at the ancestral home with his grandparents.
His grandfather made him perform the traditional three kneelings and nine kowtows before the ancestral shrine. Yes, the shrine! According to his grandfather, their ancestor was God Ma, the Great Emperor of Radiant Light
Young and innocent, Ma Lang could do nothing but follow along. After the ritual, his grandfather solemnly passed down a set of breathing and meditation techniques, allegedly handed down through generations. He also taught Ma Lang various Taoist scriptures, Buddhist texts, and classical Chinese literature.
Strangely, after practicing these techniques, Ma Lang gradually gained control over his sleep. Although he still needed to sleep, he could now manage it better, significantly reducing the duration of his dreams.
In recent years, his skills had improved further. He could delay the onset of sleep for up to four hours and complete a dream cycle in just ten seconds.
This change went unnoticed by others, and few knew about his condition anymore.
However, at the age of thirty-six, his symptoms began to worsen. After much deliberation, Ma Lang remembered his grandfather's final words, advising him to seek help from the ancestral shrine when his condition became uncontrollable.
Exhausted and frustrated, he decided to trust his unreliable grandfather one last time. He took leave from work and returned to the ancestral home.
But what he didn't expect was that during the ritual, his "condition" suddenly flared up.
Just as he finished the three kneelings and nine kowtows and looked up, a beam of golden light shot out from the third eye of God Ma's statue, heading straight for his face. Then, everything went black.
---
Ma Lang stared at the black and white cat faces, their expressions far more human-like and mischievous than the cute, playful ones he remembered from childhood. He felt this nightmare was becoming increasingly absurd.
"That's enough! Why did things get worse after the ritual? I knew that old man was unreliable! When I meet him in the afterlife, I'll tell Grandma about this and let her deal with him."
According to his grandmother, the Ma family had a legacy of unreliability, passed down through generations. His grandfather, father, and even he were all seen as irresponsible troublemakers, always boasting and chatting but never doing anything substantial.
Ma Lang admitted this was true. His grandfather and father were indeed carefree and irresponsible. As for himself, perhaps because of his illness, he felt that today was all he had, and he saw through the superficialities of life. Though he was usually quiet, his laid-back attitude was another form of irresponsibility.
His inner turmoil was something no one could understand. Despite appearing carefree, he was very rational. Knowing he couldn't commit himself fully, he chose to live alone, avoiding the burden of hurting those he loved.
Whenever his parents asked, he remained silent and withdrew for a while. His older brother, who had always been diligent and successful, had already started a family and carried on the Ma family name. Given his own condition, his parents no longer pressured him and left him to his own devices.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Ma Lang refocused on the two cat faces before him.
He instinctively put on a stern face, glaring fiercely and shouting, "Lín bīng dòu zé jiē zhèn liè qián xíng (a Daoist incantation)! What kind of demon are you? Retreat immediately!"
Having been trapped in nightmares for so long, he had become adept at creating his own entertainment, often using self-invented incantations to amuse himself. He would play the role of a powerful figure, commanding "demons" to flee, finding joy in this illusion.
But this time, the incantation had no effect, leaving him greatly surprised. He thought to himself, "Are these cat demons so powerful that they don't fear the descendant of the great God Ma?"
Cough! It seemed he had gotten into the habit of making up stories. His mumbling and incantations might make him seem crazy to anyone watching.
Ma Lang stroked the black cat's fluffy head, deciding to give up and rest. "I'm tired today. No more games."
Sitting between the two cats, he tried to find a comfortable position to relax and pet them.
"What are you doing? Meow! Little Lang! You don't even greet your Uncle Cat? We've been thinking about you and came here to help you."
The black cat arched its back, struggling to resist the pleasure of being petted, barely managing to suppress a purr. It raised its paw, showing its teeth in a mock threat.
"Meow! That's right!" The white cat chimed in, "Interesting! The feeling is so real!"
Ma Lang pinched their ears and scratched under their chins. Instantly, both cats lay on their backs, tails twisting into beautiful braids, unable to control their purring.
"Meow! Little Lang! Purr! Stop! We have important matters to discuss. Time is limited! By the order of our ancestor, the God Ma, we are tasked with taking you through time and space to this world to undergo a trial of the heart, meow!"
The black cat struggled to say this, lying down and closing its eyes. The white cat, unable to resist the pleasure, continued, "Meow! Little Lang, don't stop! No, don't pet us! You need to continue your spiritual journey, spread the teachings, and purify your immortal soul. Completing the family trial will gradually light up the star cloud in your mind, granting you corresponding rewards. Be careful! Meow! So comfortable!"
Seeing the white cat lie down again, the black cat regained some composure. Closing its eyes, it resisted the pleasure and added, "Once the star cloud is fully lit, the trial will be complete. Meow! That's all we need to convey. Time's up! See you next time!"
"Meow! Goodbye!" The two cats wriggled free from Ma Lang's grasp. A colorful light enveloped them, shooting a beam of golden light into Ma Lang's forehead. Dazed, he watched as the light faded, and the cats disappeared, as if they had never been there.
"Is this nightmare finally over?" Ma Lang wondered, puzzled. It felt too real this time.