I Can Merge Techniques

There was no sky and no earth here.

All that could be seen were fragments suspended in a purple-black void.

Some were inverted mountain peaks, with waterfalls flowing toward the heavens;

Some were giant weeping faces, their tears turning into burning flames;

And in other fragments, black-and-white silent films played out, where faceless figures screamed without a sound.

It was bizarre and fantastical, suffused with a nauseating chaos.

This was the Foundation Establishment realm of the "Great Dream Reincarnation Technique"—the [Chaotic Soul Realm].

Chu Fan felt he had lost his human form, transforming into a flickering halo of light.

All logic of reality was lost here; only a powerful Divine Soul could maintain one’s true self.

If he hadn’t lived two lives, making his Divine Soul inherently tougher than an ordinary person’s, he would have become lost the moment he entered. He might have started seeing himself as an inverted waterfall or a weeping face, ultimately losing his mind.

’This is Soul Forging...’

Chu Fan steadied his mind, preparing to control the Power of Dreams.

The moment his Cultivation Technique activated, the chaotic fragments around him seemed to be pulled back, slowly retreating.

A faint, shimmering "river" surged forth from the void.

It was not real water but a convergence of colorful specks of light, shattered memories, and thick, dream-like murmurs.

It snaked through the void, its origin and destination unknown.

This was the core of the "Great Dream Reincarnation Technique"—the [Dream River].

Chu Fan felt like a fish in a drought suddenly returned to water.

The pleasure that radiated from the depths of his soul nearly made him moan aloud.

Every drop of "water" in this river nourished his Divine Soul and expanded his Sea of Consciousness.

But when he fully immersed himself in the Dream River, the sight before him made his heart tremble.

He was not the only "fish" in the river.

Within the vast Dream River swam many luminous bodies of various shapes.

Some resembled long-tentacled serpents, others looked like burning Ghost Fires, and still others were like miniature infants...

These were all the Divine Souls of Cultivators practicing the "Great Dream Reincarnation Technique"!

They were either disciples of the Moon Worship Sect from various regions or Independent Cultivators, like the black-robed woman, who had stumbled upon the technique.

The strange thing was, none of these "fish" were in the right state.

They seemed to have lost their minds, moving only by instinct, rushing madly downstream with a mix of ecstasy and fervor.

’Downstream...’

Chu Fan’s "gaze" drifted into the distance.

The Dream River’s current gradually quickened.

At the river’s end, deep in the far downstream, there seemed to be a massive, profound shadow.

An indescribable temptation emanated from it.

It was like a mother’s embrace, a stairway to immortality, the ultimate destination of all worldly desires.

It was as if the further downstream one went, the more powerful one’s Divine Soul would become.

From the depths of his soul, a voice whispered incessantly:

"Go with the flow, the ultimate truth of the Great Dao lies there..."

"Give up your resistance. Only by drifting with the current can you attain eternity..."

"Come, return to the Mother’s embrace..."

Under this temptation, Chu Fan’s Divine Soul felt as if it would dissolve. He wanted nothing more than to stop thinking and let the current carry him to that unknown end.

But he did not move.

An unprecedented horror shot through his consciousness like an electric current.

He recalled a scene from his past life: fishermen casting their nets downstream, placing bait within.

The fish would swim downstream, thinking they were chasing food and freedom, when in reality they were rushing into a deadly trap.

’This Cultivation Technique is strange!’

Chu Fan’s consciousness fluctuated violently.

’If the "Great Dream Reincarnation Technique" is an orthodox and profound Cultivation Technique, why are all its Cultivators’ Divine Souls so lost and listless? This isn’t experiencing the myriad facets of life at all! It’s clearly a case of all rivers flowing to the sea, just waiting to be harvested! Did the higher-ups of the Moon Worship Sect really pass down this technique to nurture their disciples?’

Realization dawned on Chu Fan, and he hastily "swam" toward the bank.

The moment he reached the bank, he felt an indescribable sluggishness.

Only in the Dream River could his Divine Soul grow quickly;

though he could still perform Soul Forging on the bank, the speed was at least ten times slower.

After a moment of silence, Chu Fan jumped back into the Dream River and tried to go against the flow, fighting that terrifying suction force.

RUMBLE!

The Dream River seemed enraged. Its waters turned violent, and countless bizarre illusions assaulted his consciousness.

There were Demon Fiends trying to devour him, beautiful women trying to charm his soul, mountains of gold and seas of silver...

Chu Fan guarded the clarity of his mind, using Visualization to see himself as an unyielding, ancient Stone. He let the river wash over him, remaining completely unmoved.

This struggle was incredibly draining on his mind.

Every breath felt like a saw was cutting into his skull.

But he remained firmly rooted in place. Even if he could only absorb the thinnest Power of Dreams from upstream, he would not take a single step toward the tempting downstream.

An unknown amount of time passed. It felt like an instant, yet also like a hundred years.

When his exhaustion reached its peak, Chu Fan struggled back onto the bank.

His consciousness went black, and the sensation of weightlessness hit him again.

"HUFF!"

「In the real world, inside a bedroom of the Seven Stars Gang.」

Chu Fan’s eyes shot open. He was drenched in sweat, his chest heaving violently as if he had just been pulled from the water.

He gasped for air, and the terror in his eyes slowly faded as he stared at the familiar ceiling.

His head was splitting, yet amidst the pain, there was a thread of sharp clarity and strength.

Although he had only struggled at the edge of the Dream River for a short while, he clearly noticed his vision was sharper. He could even distinctly hear the wingbeats of an insect flying dozens of feet outside his window.

His Divine Sense had truly grown stronger!

And it had been done in the "dumbest," most "tiring," but also the safest way.

[Skill: Great Dream Reincarnation Technique (Uninitiated) Progress: (29/100)]

Chu Fan sat up. Though mentally exhausted, his eyes were sharper than ever.

Outside the window, the sky was growing bright. Dawn was approaching.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, got out of bed to quickly wash up, and then prepared to head for the West City Vajra Gate.