As the colorful glow dissipated, Ma Lang had no time to think before a powerful suction force pulled him in, as if he were being swallowed by an invisible tornado.
He tumbled through the air, the surroundings spinning rapidly, causing intense dizziness. The suction grew stronger, almost tearing his soul from his body.
Just as Ma Lang felt his soul about to be completely stripped away, a massive golden eye slowly opened in his mind's sea. A warm, overwhelming force surged forth from it.
This force was like a beam of light, piercing through the darkness and dispelling the powerful suction. Ma Lang's soul seemed to return to its rightful place, bringing a long-lost sense of security and comfort.
Struggling to open his eyes, the scene before him left him utterly astonished. He was no longer in the dark void but lying in a room filled with futuristic technology.
The walls were made of transparent nanomaterial, and the ceiling hung with several soft, glowing orbs that emitted a warm light, creating a serene atmosphere.
In the center of the room was a floating bed, its surface woven from soft nanofibers, providing a cloud-like comfort.
Next to the bed stood a semi-transparent terminal, displaying complex biological data and health indicators.
On one side of the bed, a holographic projection showed heartwarming family photos, with a seemingly memorial photo floating in the air, and a faint scent of sandalwood permeated the room.
In one corner, an intelligent medicine cabinet was neatly arranged with various bottles and medical supplies.
Beside the cabinet was a small holographic display, showing detailed treatment plans and drug instructions.
At that moment, noisy voices came from outside the room. Despite the lingering pain in his head, Ma Lang supported himself on the edge of the bed and slowly stood up, stepping out of the room.
Before him was a traditional Chinese courtyard. Two familiar figures—a grandmother and a young servant—were being held down by several uniformed men, looking helpless and desolate.
"Stop!" Ma Lang's face changed, a flash of anger in his eyes, and he shouted loudly.
In the fragmented memories of the nightmare world, these two—Grandmother Yilan and the young servant Imi—were among the few bio-androids who had always cared for him, the "mad young master."
Whether it was a dream or reality, he could not tolerate any harm coming to them.
The uniformed men, hearing Ma Lang's shout, seemed to verify some information. Moments later, they released Grandmother Yilan and Imi.
Ma Lang hurried over, carefully checking their conditions. Grandmother Yilan's expression was tinged with sorrow, while Imi appeared weaker, her eyes filled with helplessness.
However, when they saw Ma Lang, their eyes suddenly lit up, as if they had truly come back to life.
"Young Master! It's so good to see you safe! Thank the heavens and the ancestral gods!" Imi said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Are you both alright?" Ma Lang asked with concern.
Grandmother Yilan nodded, her voice slightly hoarse, "Young Master, we're fine."
Imi clung tightly to the hem of Ma Lang's clothes, tears welling in her eyes, "Young Master... we thought we'd never see you again."
To Ma Lang, in the nightmare world, Grandmother Yilan and Imi were not just simple bio-androids; they were family.
"Rest for a while. I'll handle everything," Ma Lang reassured them, turning to the two uniformed men, his expression serious, "May I ask who you are?"
Despite his burning anger, seeing their uniforms, Ma Lang suppressed his emotions.
"We are government officials of the Alliance," one of them replied, "We received a cloud notification that there were lost bio-android service personnel here, and your relatives confirmed they no longer needed to retain them. However, since you are safe and sound, we will terminate this operation."
Ma Lang nodded in acknowledgment, deciding to remain calm in the face of the complex situation.
After sending the officials away, Ma Lang returned to the courtyard, his mind full of questions. Who had abandoned them? And how had he ended up here?
He only remembered being struck in the darkness in his final dream and then waking up. His first action upon waking was to seek help at the ancestral home, and now he stood on land that existed only in his nightmares.
Could it be that because the "he" in the nightmare world had died, he had finally arrived in this world?
Ma Lang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and walked over to Grandmother Yilan and Imi, gently patting their hands to offer comfort.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the tranquility. A "familiar" figure slowly approached—it was Ma Lang's sister, Ma Qing. Her eyes were red and swollen, her usual confident demeanor gone.
She hugged Ma Lang tightly, choking with sobs, "Ancestral gods be praised! Little Brother, it's so good to see you safe!"
Ma Lang felt the warmth of his sister, a wave of warmth flooding his heart. In the nightmare world, after their parents went missing, his sister had taken on the role of a mother, enduring countless hardships to find a cure for him.
"Ah! The disgrace of the Ma family has such a strong fate!" a sharp, malicious voice suddenly rang out.
Ma Lang looked up, his gaze icy, following the voice to see two somewhat familiar figures—his second uncle, Ma Siyuan, and his son, Ma Yuan.
After their parents went missing, Second Uncle had seized the opportunity to take over as clan leader, withholding the divine family subsidies that belonged to Ma Lang.
All of this was because only secret cultivators were eligible to inherit these resources. In the nightmare world, Ma Lang was considered a mad fool, and his sister, being an adopted daughter, had no claim.
"Does it concern you?" Ma Lang said coldly. As soon as he spoke, all eyes in the courtyard turned to him.
Grandmother Yilan and Imi, who had been too joyful about Ma Lang's safe return, had not noticed his unusually normal behavior. Now, they reacted with surprise, seeing him so clear-headed for the first time.
"Praise be to the ancestral gods! Little Brother, you've finally regained your senses! Mother told me this day would come!" Sister Ma Qing hugged Ma Lang even tighter, as if afraid to let go of this miracle.
This was her long-held wish, for which she had sacrificed so much and waited so long.
On the faces of Second Uncle Ma Siyuan and Ma Yuan, a shadow of gloom appeared. Second Uncle managed a strained smile, "Congratulations! Since Lang has recovered, we'll take our leave!"
Ma Yuan sneered, "Waste of space! The cloud network has already notified all relatives of your farewell! We have to inform each one! Even in death, you can't do it properly!"
"It's none of your business! This is the main branch of the Ma family! Recognize your place. Since Little Brother has regained his senses, the clan leader doesn't need a deputy from a minor branch anymore!" Sister Ma Qing retorted sharply, her eyes flashing with determination.
Her tone was firm, and her eyes gleamed with sharpness.
"Not being a secret cultivator disqualifies you from inheriting the family! Being mad was better! A clear-headed waste of space will have a harder time in this world," Ma Yuan shot back, his face dark, with Second Uncle silently nodding in agreement.
"The bloodline of the Ma family! Is it so hard to become a secret cultivator? Since Little Brother has regained his senses, he will reclaim everything! You'll have to answer for your actions!" Sister Ma Qing's eyes shone with resolve, and she hugged Ma Lang tightly, her voice trembling but filled with determination.
Second Uncle's face darkened. He raised his hand to stop his son from continuing, bowed slightly, and silently led Ma Yuan away. A flash of golden light, and they vanished.
"There it is again," Ma Lang thought to himself. This was one of the reasons he found this world surreal—people could appear and disappear at will. Could this be the legendary secret cultivation?
However, what happened next left him even more astonished. The "story" from the nightmare world was no longer vague, and the veil of this world would gradually be lifted...