This world is wondrous, yet it operates under strict rules that constrain it.
Though these rules may not be immediately visible, their traces are always evident, waiting to be discovered by those who observe with care.
Rules serve both as protection and as restraint. Whether they are seen as good or bad, opinions about them vary greatly.
Compared to the world of ordinary people, the Xuanjie is a far more perilous place, a realm where personal power reigns supreme, and limitations are more numerous.
The life of an ordinary person is largely confined to their village, with occasional visits to the town. As for the big city, that is a dream, something only imagined in fleeting moments.
This is an invisible rule—one that an ordinary person must unconsciously follow in order to survive. Those who fail to comply are swiftly eliminated.
The method of elimination comes in the form of various dangers.
One evening, Zhao Lun had a dream. He found himself in a perilous town during the Republic of China period. The town was generally harmonious; the people were united and kind. However, the town had a dark side, with frequent accidents and tragedies.
Some people had their essence drained by evil spirits, becoming hollow husks, while others were drained of their blood, turning into walking corpses.
It felt as if Zhao Lun had returned to another world, where he was an ordinary person, devoid of power, forgetting everything else.
Suddenly, a terrifying zombie appeared before him, roaring and gnashing its teeth. Zhao Lun was terrified and immediately turned to flee. But how could he run fast in a dream? The zombie caught up with him, and he was awakened in a panic.
He awoke to find himself nearly falling off the bed. He lay back down, wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel, and activated his lightbrain to examine the dream.
The lightbrain, which could record his thoughts, was blurry, and nothing was retrieved.
Zhao Lun was not overly concerned with this, instead choosing to reflect on the dream and write down his thoughts.
Evil spirits? Zombies? Why did these things appear in his dream? And why had it been so long since he last dreamt, only for this nightmare to occur?
The more he thought about it, the more the details of the dream faded, until they seemed completely forgotten. Fortunately, the remnants of the dream had been recorded, so he could review them later.
Opening the record, Zhao Lun found it somewhat vague. It felt almost like viewing an abstract painting—without a certain skill, it was hard to comprehend.
It was still early in the morning, and he couldn't sleep, so he went outside to the high ground, hoping to witness the same scene he had seen the previous morning.
Mist hung in the air, with a golden-red aura, and a purple hue... It was just like yesterday, but this time, Zhao Lun noticed someone drawing in the golden-red energy.
"It's Mulan!"
He turned to see Mulan sitting cross-legged in a clearing, absorbing the golden-red aura through her nostrils.
"Breathing in energy?"
He wondered, but did not approach to interrupt her.
In the distance, the energy seemed to be stirred by the rising sun, creating a dazzling spectacle. Zhao Lun observed intently, and after a while, he thought he saw "birds" chasing after the energy.
The more he stared, the less he saw the beautiful scenery and the more he focused on the "birds."
These creatures, like birds, frolicked in the radiant light, facing the rising sun.
In the blink of an eye, the birds vanished, and when Zhao Lun refocused, they reappeared, cheerfully fluttering without sound. Their movements were graceful, leaving behind only blurred light trails... the entire scene felt like a hallucination.
By the time the sun had fully risen, the "birds" had dissolved like bubbles.
Zhao Lun felt a sense of loss. No doubt, he had discovered another mysterious "phenomenon" today.
With limited information, he could not yet determine whether these were creatures or some strange illusion.
"Ha!—"
Zhao Lun sighed deeply, his consciousness sinking into the lightbrain, comparing what he had seen with the data it had recorded.
There was no relevant information!
This was not surprising, as although many books had been recorded at Hogwarts, few were about Eastern mysteries.
"I wonder... does Mulan know about this?"
At that moment, Zhao Lun thought of Mulan, the extraordinary culinary goddess.
For a woman to rise to the top of the culinary world, she must have exceptional talent. To surpass those already at the top, talent alone was not enough; it required immense effort.
In this regard, it was even more challenging for women than for men.
Now, Mulan had transcended mortality, becoming someone with the "qualification" to practice cultivation. She must have knowledge of some of these mysterious matters.
Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings reached his ears.
An enormous, exhausted owl appeared before him.
Zhao Lun recognized the large owl; it was from Hogwarts and had frequently delivered messages to him, especially after he had obtained the divine kingdom's spring water. It had become more sentient, often delivering messages and eagerly requesting the spring water afterward.
"Goo-goo~" It softly hooted, asking for water.
"Here."
Zhao Lun retrieved a cup and gave it to the owl. After drinking, the owl's fatigue seemed to vanish, and it stretched its wings in satisfaction. It thanked him and, without waiting for a response, flew off.
"Time really flies!"
After reading the letter, Zhao Lun sighed. The vacation was already coming to an end.
"Gilderoy Lockhart? Well, I hope he brings me some surprises."
Seeing the name, Zhao Lun's eyes gleamed with intelligence, as if he had discovered a treasure.
In addition to the letter, there was a second-year reading list, most of which were books by Lockhart.
"It seems that this fellow's trip to Hogwarts is unavoidable."
The sound of flapping wings returned.
"Hm? Is this another return visit?"
"Oh, no. It seems to be the owl from Penelope."
Zhao Lun easily identified the owl through the lightbrain, recognizing it as one that had also delivered messages in the past. It had even drunk the spring water. Its large size made it easy to distinguish, and its feathers were slightly different from before.
The owl came to ask for water again, a familiar routine by now.
"Here." Zhao Lun gave it another drink from the same cup.
After finishing, the owl prepared to leave.
"Wait a moment."
"Take these packages to your master."
Zhao Lun handed the parcels containing gifts to the owl, which took them and flew off.
The spring water had not only helped the owl grow but also strengthened its power. The parcel was nothing to the owl, which had drunk the spring water multiple times.
Once the owl had gone, Zhao Lun read the letter, which left him in a good mood.
Flap! The familiar sound of wings again.
"Oh? What is it today? Everyone is coming at once?"
As with the previous occasions, the owl was sent off again.
The arrival of the owl added some joy to his day, but his plans remained unchanged.