To chase a dream, one have to wake up

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--- Chapter 188 ---

Baek Ain observed the surrounding muddy ocean and glanced at the people on the island. They are people from Pill Tower, Ancient Clans, his lovers, and disciples.

After that, Baek Ain raised his gaze to the sky and saw a bright sun hanging in the azure domain.

"We are currently in a pocket dimension." Gu Yuan was the first to open his mouth. "Unfortunately, it wasn't a dangerous but trial-type pocket dimension."

"We are lucky."

'Lucky? I fucking wonder!' Baek Ain ridiculed Gu Yuan's lucky statement.

He didn't hate Gu Yuan, but there was no way in hell this current situation was 'remotely' considered lucky.

In the original story, Bodhisattva Ancient Tree would let them experience something similar to their greatest desire, but it would be fake.

It sounds easy. However, overcoming the greatest desire is often the hardest thing to do.

Even a simple one is hard to pass by.

Still, it's better than the mysterious female cultivator's little game.

'She was actually able to influence the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree.' Baek Ain sighed. He admitted that he underestimated the mysterious female cultivator's prowess from the upper realm.

Fortunately, as long as the mysterious female cultivator is still in this low plane, she won't be able to use her full power.

If they had to fight, Baek Ain was confident to bring down Dou God, who hadn't mastered any bullshit-type skills like altering fate or something similar.

Baek Ain walked to the sandy beach and placed his hand down on the muddy seawater. Just from a touch, a vision suddenly attacked his mind, and it was something related to getting a jackpot from Sign In.

He was thrilled but soon discovered it was fake.

'Fck. I didn't hear Alicia's notification. What a scam!' Baek Ain cursed in his head.

[...]

[This is how you solve your inner desire?]

'You have a problem with it?' Baek Ain countered immediately.

[No...] Even Alicia thought Baek Ain's method was unique.

Baek Ain ignored her and kept testing the muddy seawater, increasing the reach and bottom of it. After a while, he discovered the far or deeper one away from the Isle of Bodhisattva, and the dream or vision they received became more realistic and hard to resist.

It becomes so realistic Baek Ain feels numbly bitter because all those juicy rewards were empty airs.

"Okay, I'll explain what I discover." Baek Ain clapped his hand.

"Listen well, this will decide your survival."

The people nodded and listened to Baek Ain's explanation attentively. The three leaders and Baek Ain's lovers, in particular, frown upon knowing the muddy ocean's effect.

"This is weird... Just what's the purpose of this trial?" Someone uttered.

Baek Ain checked the person and responded, "In my opinion, this trial is to test yourself against temptation. However, I could be wrong."

"Brother Dan, Chief Yuan, Elder Ling. We are the strongest people of the group, and the pocket dimension didn't restrict much of our strength."

"So, do you wanna test the muddy ocean even further?"

"Sure." Yao Dan replied quickly.

"Yes, I'd like to see if the Spatial Strength in this domain is restricted." Gu Yuan rubbed his chin.

"What about you, Elder Ling?" Baek Ain glanced at the attractive woman.

Huo Ling put on a complicated expression and answered, "I will stay behind."

"This group needs someone to protect them."

Baek Ain and two others actually agreed with her taking such a role.

"Very well, then we will leave these people with you." Baek Ain smiled and flashed away with electricity. Gu Yuan and Yao Dan chuckled, following Baek Ain from behind.

Baek Ain, Yao Dan, and Gu Yuan swiftly proceeded north of the Isle of Bodhisattva. They discovered the water level increased as they went further to the north.

BOOM!

Several tentacles made of water burst out and attacked them.

Using his incomplete Ultra Instinct, Baek Ain waved Roc's Spine and blew them away.

Unfortunately, Yao Dan and Gu Yuan weren't so lucky. They got slapped by water tendencies because of the difference in speed, entering a daydreaming-like state.

"Come on..." The corner of Baek Ain's hazel-gold eyes twitched.

Baek Ain thought Yao Dan and Gu Yuan would be helpful in this journey, but no. They are just as burdensome as others.

Baek Ain wanted to use [King of Parasite] but held back. This muddy ocean-filled pocket dimension is not the right place to use such an eye-catching skill.

In the end, Baek Ain sighed and grabbed the two burdens, placing them on his shoulders.

With a single step, he soared and left thunderous afterimages.

The muddy tentacles didn't chase after him.

Baek Ain thought it was weird and kept a note.

Gu Yuan and Yao Dan groaned as they slowly awakened from their inner desire.

"Haha, sorry for our poor performance, Brother Lin." Yao Dan laughed awkwardly.

Gu Yuan wanted to say something but closed his mouth again.

"Thank you." is all he could utter.

If they didn't have Baek Ain, they could have fallen onto the muddy ocean and never returned. Just that smack alone makes them enter a trance and takes them twelve seconds to dispel the inner desire.

Within those twelve seconds, their lives are no different than ordinary people's.

They returned to the Isle of Bodhisattva and noticed everyone was gone!

"Huh??" Baek Ain activated his Origin Ashen Eyes and linked between his parasites, finding his loved ones and disciples underwater.

They are not in grave danger, simply in the state of dream.

Baek Ain told the two men beside him about this discovery, and they sighed in temporary relief.

"What should we do?" Gu Yuan stared at Baek Ain's eyes.

Yao Dan gazed into the muddy ocean and added, "Yeah. We can't leave them behind like this."

Baek Ain closed his eyes and used [Parallel Thinking], trying to solve this problem. Baek Ain wants to put himself in the mysterious female cultivator's position, but he doesn't know anything about her.

On top of that, women are unpredictable creatures.

Sometimes, they are easy to reason with, and one second later, they become unreasonable.

It's like rolling gacha on how they act.

Wait, rolling?

Chasing Dream?

Baek Ain's eyes lit up as he landed on the island, touching the muddy water on the beach. As inner desire vision attacked his mind and heart again, a smirk formed on his face.

"Brother Dan, Chief Yuan."

"Come down."

"I know how to complete the trials."

"Eh, really? So fast." Yao Dan was surprised.

Gu Yuan nodded in similar emotion. "Yeah, Grandmaster Lin's problem-solving ability is a little too fast."

Baek Ain smiled and explained, "The muddy ocean is our way out."

"As we sink deeper and deeper into the muddy ocean, our heart will be enlightened and enter a profound realm where inner desire won't maintain our mind."

In the sky, the mysterious female cultivator smiled.

"Tsk, what a smart fellow."

"Thousand Refining Muddy Flood is an array formation that could wash one's ugly desire away. And he discovered this in a matter of minutes."

Baek Ain, Yao Dan, and Gu Yuan prepared themselves and walked forward into the ocean. Their feet sink in as their whole body is 'instantly' swallowed by the muddy inner desire.

The world turned upside down.

Baek Ain closed his eyes, "To chase a Dream, One must wake up!"

The sentences echoed in the muddy water and reached everyone who soaked inside it. They recited Baek Ain's words and slowly overcame their ugly side.

Baek Ain watched countless dark desires assault his mind and soul, but he wasn't affected much.

[Ding! You have achieved 'The Awakened' Title]

[Name: The Awakened]

[Effect: The Awakened shall resist the corruption, -50% damage taken from Spiritual-type Attack]

Baek Ain grinned and commented, 'This isn't bad.'

'Damn, that woman actually gave me such a chance. Hehe, I wish she had more of this so I could get more titles and skills.'

If the mysterious female cultivator knew what Baek Ain was thinking, she probably would throw a fit. Does this fellow think Heavenly Sovereign-grade Array Formation is cabbage?!

Well, the trial just got started.