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While he was still deep in thought, the surroundings abruptly changed. The ground began to rise, and the clouds in the sky rapidly descended.
Giant, towering, grayish-white stone pillars, inscribed with strange patterns and symbols, rose from the ground. At the forefront, on the tallest of these grayish-white stone pillars, the figure of Ariehogg quietly stood.
The surrounding ground quickly transformed into a neat, marble-paved surface. In the blink of an eye, this place became a peculiar structure suspended in the clouds, resembling both a castle and a temple, possessing an aesthetic that was both wild and alien.
Although it was merely a concretization within the spiritual world, it was truly astonishing. Every Divine Kingdom is a miracle belonging exclusively to a Sequence 0!
Perched on the tallest stone pillar, one complex and three-dimensional mystical symbol after another began to glow with a hazy light on the grayish-white scales of Ariehogg's body. They extended inward into its flesh and outward into the surrounding void, as if connecting with some unknown entity.
Merely seeing these symbols caused one to feel mentally disoriented, and their Spirit Body became tainted with various thoughts that seemed to originate from within, making it impossible to concentrate.
Moments later, the mystical symbols shimmering with a hazy light on Ariehogg's body began to recede, no longer polluting one's mind just by looking at them.
"Answer my previous question."
Ariehogg's voice echoed in Leyton's mind, seemingly imbued with even greater authority.
He had just attempted something, but it failed. As soon as the guess began to form, he erased his superfluous thoughts, then carefully began to speak:
"The Quill of Alzuhod should have become part of the Evernight Goddess and Adam's transaction. It has already entered Adam's sight, and the story you once inscribed deep within the collective subconscious will inevitably lead to a different ending."
"In front of the Omniscient One, there are hardly any secrets. He can always know everything he wants to know."
"Helping you might have been a choice made out of emotion, or perhaps it came from the pressure of the Ancient Sun God. As the apocalypse approaches, his return is inevitable."
Ariehogg's vertical, pale golden eyes surveyed Leyton with considerable surprise, as if observing whether he was currently guided by his own will or if the God of Knowledge's will had already quietly descended.
Moments later, he withdrew his gaze, and his majestic and grand voice reverberated through this palace, this dream:
"I am Ariehogg, and I am Ankewelt!"
With this declaration, Ankewelt, who had returned by awakening a personality within Ariehogg's body, seemed to have completely accepted the identity of Ariehogg.
Leyton used reason to control his thoughts, no longer allowing any notions to float, nor speaking, quietly observing the other party, awaiting further words.
The subtle strangeness on the grayish-white giant Dragon perched on the tall stone pillar completely disappeared, replaced by his magnificent voice:
"The Dragon of Wisdom will not have the emotions you speak of. He is a naturally born mythical creature, inherently in a state of absolute rationality. He can display any state that perfectly fits your imagination, but those are merely rational disguises."
"He betrayed me once, and then betrayed the Ancient Sun God once. Rationality will cause him to make the choice most beneficial to himself at the most critical moment. Do you think he can still find a true ally among the current Seven Gods?"
...
Leyton remained silent. He felt that the other party's words were more likely directed at the God of Knowledge.
After a moment of silence, Ankewelt's voice echoed again:
"On the Visionary Pathway, Adam is currently the one who has gone the furthest. As for me now, I only retain a Sequence 2 characteristic, and I cannot even significantly influence his schemes."
"I need to retrieve Groselle's travels and the Quill of Alzuhod."
"That quill is under Adam's gaze."
Leyton simply reminded him.
"The Dragon of Wisdom will have a way. He has always been the most intelligent one."
Ankewelt's words were like stating a fact.
Outside this dream domain, in the dream.
Audrey rubbed her forehead, slightly fatigued. She had tried every method she could think of, but she still couldn't wake Leyton, who was deep in sleep within the dream.
"Audrey, he's not reacting at all."
Susie, the golden retriever, withdrew her head from Leyton's palm; a trace of crimson still stained her teeth.
Her attempt to wake Leyton with pain had also failed.
"I'll try the Psychiatrist's Beyonder ability again. If it still doesn't work, we'll try to explore this dream."
Audrey nodded in response, her expression solemn.
A golden shimmer appeared in her eyes, and her pupils suddenly contracted and became vertical. She intended to use the Psychiatrist's "Deterrence" ability.
If gentle methods like "Pacification" couldn't wake Mr. Tines, then she would have to try a more intense attack method that would cause mental confusion.
As thoughts flickered, a light yellow piece of paper with a golden Sun pattern drifted down from above, gently landing on the ground.
"What is this? Where did it come from?"
Audrey looked at Susie beside her in surprise and doubt.
The golden retriever shook her head repeatedly, replying with a similar tone of confusion:
"I don't know, it just appeared suddenly, as if it broke into this dream from outside..."
Before Susie finished speaking, faint brass-colored glimmers emerged from the light yellow paper on the ground, quickly coalescing and forming in mid-air.
A somewhat illusory figure appeared and rapidly solidified.
He wore a brownish-yellow hooded robe, his exposed face was deeply wrinkled, his hair and beard were withered yellow, and he held a staff that resembled a dead branch.
He benignly surveyed Leyton, who was peacefully asleep, then shifted his gaze to Audrey and Susie, the golden retriever, who were on alert.
After a brief silence, his expression unchanged, he calmly spoke:
"Good evening, ladies. I am here to see an old friend."
"Old friend?"
Audrey asked, puzzled. She thought of the ancient Ancient Dragon mentioned earlier, who had survived since the second epoch. Was the old friend mentioned by this suddenly appearing old gentleman that ancient Ancient Dragon? Or was he himself that ancient Ancient Dragon?
Audrey was still pondering the identity of the old man who had suddenly entered this dream when she saw him slightly raise the staff in his hand, which resembled a dead branch, and gently tap the floor.
Crash!
A sound of illusory things shattering rang out, and the surrounding scene fell away like shards of broken glass, revealing the deeper dream hidden beneath this dream.
This was a peculiar structure floating in the sky, somewhat resembling a temple and somewhat a palace. Many towering grayish-white stone pillars stood around it, these pillars were empty, as if something should have been perched on them.
An incredible structure! It's like a scene from a dream... Oh, wait, I'm already in a dream right now. Audrey quickly came to her senses. She subconsciously followed the old man, who was walking slowly, moving forward.
He walked very slowly, as if deliberately observing the surroundings... But it didn't seem like he was wary of potential dangers; it was more like he was reminiscing about something?
Audrey cautiously observed her surroundings, observing the old man who had suddenly appeared.
Susie, the golden retriever, followed closely by her side, gazing at the surrounding scenery with lingering interest... If I crouched on these tall stone pillars, I would look so majestic!
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