Chapter 305: The Dream Demon Attacking Ninglan New City
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 305: The Dream Demon Attacking Ninglan New City
"If I may be so bold as to ask, your method of utilizing elements is... well, quite unlike anything I’ve seen before." After chatting with the City Lord for a while longer, I steered the conversation toward the topic that truly interested me.
I had already witnessed their use of runes. In my experience, Transcendent power was a means of driving Transcendent energy by using rune rituals as tools—for instance, using a Shaping Ritual to create alchemy items is Alchemy, while forging weapons and condensing Holy Artifacts is Dwarven Forging.
Although the outer armor worn by the City Guard looked somewhat like an alchemical product, there were clearly significant differences.
"Utilizing elements... do you mean Beyonder Power?" Ninglan Qiuyun asked tentatively, unsure of exactly what I was describing.
"Is that what you call it? Beyonder Power... that seems fitting. I mean, for example, the chandelier above us is powered by light elements. The weapons and armor of the City Guard, and even the city walls, all employ methods that utilize this Beyonder Power. We have similar techniques, which we call Alchemy or Solidification Spells."
"Oh, you mean those. My apologies, but those technologies are the very foundation of Ninglan New City’s existence. I cannot explain the technical details to you in depth." Ninglan Qiuyun wore a troubled expression, as if his hands were truly tied.
"I see. My apologies for overstepping." Hearing his refusal, I didn't push the matter further.
From my perspective, this was a form of stagnating in isolation. Technology only truly develops through exchange and communication.
Furthermore, based on the techniques I had encountered so far, even after years of development, I—someone who had only just started learning Alchemy and Rune Technique—could still see right through them. This was enough to prove that their technology wasn't actually that impressive.
But then again, he was the City Lord in charge of the entire Ninglan New City.
As the ruler of a city, his primary goal was stability, followed by development. Had he never considered that making the technology public would trigger a massive technological explosion?
If he hadn't considered it, he would have been showing off and introducing it to me without hesitation, rather than being so secretive.
It felt a bit like keeping the populace in the dark; technology that advanced too quickly could also threaten the stability of Ninglan New City.
"If you are truly interested in this field, you might look for like-minded individuals within the city during your stay. I believe there is an organization called the Beyonder Technology Research Association. Perhaps to people like you, our techniques are nothing more than child's play."
"Is that so? Even just looking at them has given me quite a bit of inspiration." Hearing that such a civilian association existed, I did feel a sudden urge to check it out. After all, technique itself is neither good nor bad, and different civilizations can produce unique sparks when they collide.
The City Lord kept hinting that these techniques were "child's play" to us. He likely sensed from my attitude that I already understood their technology to some extent and had become wary.
After all, if I were to spread advanced knowledge of this field throughout Ninglan New City, it would be far more terrifying than those people who acted like tyrants just because they possessed "Pseudo-Invincibility."
However, seeing his expression—which clearly signaled his wish to drop the subject—I didn't say anything more.
"By the way, would you mind if I learned a bit about your history? I’m quite interested in it."
"History?" Ninglan Qiuyun seemed to relax slightly as I changed the subject. "If you want to learn about our history, you can visit the city's History Museum. It contains not only various creations and relics left behind throughout our history but also the most complete collection of historical records. If you two wish to learn more, I can put in a word with the Curator. He can give you a detailed tour. That Curator is one of our Ninglan New City's..."
Just as the City Lord was introducing the History Museum, the door to the reception room was abruptly knocked upon.
Then, before the City Lord could even say "come in," a figure burst inside.
"Ninglan Qiuyu! Have you forgotten all the etiquette I’ve taught you growing up? To be so rude—could you not even wait for me to tell you to enter?" Ninglan Qiuyun stood up instantly, his aura completely different from the man I had been chatting with just moments ago.
"Dad..."
"Call me City Lord! If this is official business, it is excusable. If it is personal, I will settle the score with you later."
As the two of them argued, Sister Bai and I also stood up. I looked at the relatively young boy. Judging by his name, he was likely the son of City Lord Ninglan Qiuyun and the future successor of Ninglan New City. Being this reckless was indeed unbecoming.
Several others followed him in, perhaps coming along to see what was happening.
"Yes..." Ninglan Qiuyu fell silent after his father's rebuke, but his gaze drifted toward us. He didn't linger long, however; it seemed there truly was an emergency.
"City Lord, that woman... she has appeared again. She’s already caused severe destruction in the main urban area. Evacuations are currently underway, but..."
"What? Where?" Ninglan Qiuyun interrupted before the report could even finish.
"At the Ninglanxiang Hotel. The City Guard is currently battling that monster there."
"The Ninglanxiang Hotel? Why there?"
"It must be those outsiders! Isn't it obvious?" Ninglan Qiuyu said, his gaze sweeping toward us with a hint of hostility.
He seemed to think that we outsiders were responsible for all of this.
But I knew the truth: he was actually right. Most of this had been orchestrated by the Academy Dean. This hotheaded youth had actually guessed correctly.
However, this guy named Ninglan Qiuyu really didn't know how to hide his emotions. He was going to suffer for that eventually.
Looking at us with that kind of gaze—wasn't he afraid we'd take it the wrong way?
"No, I have to go there personally," Ninglan Qiuyun shook his head and said instinctively.
"City Lord, you can't! You cannot go there. That monster isn't something you can resolve just by showing up."
"That's right! You can't gamble with your life!"
The people nearby held the City Lord back until he calmed down and realized he was being impulsive.
"Then authorize the deployment of a Type III Beyonder Killing Weapon. Quickly, drive her out before that monster causes any more damage," Ninglan Qiuyun ordered.
I noticed he said "drive her out" rather than "kill." It seemed that even Ninglan New City didn't have a good way to deal with a Dream Demon.
However, I was clearly more interested in what this "Type III Beyonder Killing Weapon" was. It was likely a weapon manufactured using the Beyonder Power technology he had mentioned... which made me think of alchemy items.
"Has something happened? Perhaps I should go and take a look as well," I offered.
"I wouldn't want to trouble you two with this," Ninglan Qiuyun instinctively refused. After all, what kind of host lets their guests walk into danger?
"It's no trouble. Besides, Dream Demons are our enemies as well. If it's convenient, we don't mind joining forces to see if we can kill that thing. City Lord, you haven't forgotten the characteristics of a Dream Demon I told you about, have you? Um... the monster you just mentioned is a Dream Demon, right?"
"This... yes. In all likelihood, that monster is the Dream Demon you spoke of. In that case, I must trouble you. Qiuyu, take them there." Ninglan Qiuyun looked apologetic, though I suspected he was actually quite hopeful that we would intervene. At the very least, he knew better than to show that emotion directly.
"Let's go then." I nodded and looked at Sister Bai.
Sister Bai had no objections to my decision throughout the entire exchange. Although facing a Dream Demon was indeed dangerous, she was confident she could protect Xiao Han from such a monster.
"Please follow me." Seeing Ninglan Qiuyun's arrangement, Ninglan Qiuyu suppressed his hostility toward us and spoke.
"Right. I hope we aren't being a bother," I said politely, following him out with Sister Bai.
After leaving Ninglan Township Castle, we followed a group of them toward the Ninglanxiang Hotel, while another group went to retrieve the Type III Beyonder Killing Weapon.
As we moved, I noticed that their physical fitness seemed to exceed that of normal humans. No matter how much an ordinary person trains, there is always a limit. It seemed the Beyonder Arts they possessed included methods for body strengthening, and these had already been popularized within the military.
However, we were able to keep up easily. Although I was in a dream, my physical stats reflected my real-world strength. The body strengthening brought by Witchification showed a massive gap between me and these ordinary people.
Along the way, I realized that the Ninglanxiang Hotel was the place used to house us outsiders. In other words, it was where we would usually sleep. The Dream Demon attacking the hotel was very likely because that was where the outsiders were gathered.
Perhaps that was why Ninglan Qiuyu was prejudiced against us.
When we arrived at the disaster zone, the prosperity I had seen earlier was gone. It seemed the evacuation had been very efficient.
From not far away, I heard screams and panic, accompanied by a feminine voice that was as seductive as it was soul-stirring.
"Haha~ you poor little ants, don't run away~ shouldn't you take those long, hard weapons in your hands and skewer me through?~"
"Give me more. Your essence tastes a bit spoiled, but I'm just so hungry~ I'll just have to make do for now~"
"Oh look, has new food arrived?"
Our arrival also caught the Dream Demon's attention.
"Oh~ isn't that the little brother who ran away earlier? And you've brought two beauties to be my side dishes? How thoughtful of you."
This Dream Demon had reached a state of utter lawlessness. Her arrogance was evident from her confident speech and the way she suppressed the City Guard, leaving them as nothing more than prey for her to taste.
"Sister Bai, let me handle this. She isn't worth your intervention yet," I said.
"Careful! That thing is tricky!" Even Ninglan Qiuyu shouted a warning as he saw me step forward.
He wasn't an idiot. Anyone who could rush all the way here without breaking a sweat while chatting with them clearly wasn't a weak, ordinary girl.
"I know. But I'm not weak either."
As I spoke, I waved my hand, and several Evocation Floating Spells appeared. Fireball Spell, Wind Blade, and Lightning Strike—the power of these spells was immense in this environment.
The previously confident Dream Demon looked on with disdain. She waved a hand, preparing a defense to tank the hit directly. But... after taking the first Fireball Spell, she was forced to choose a more conservative response, retreating into reality.
The subsequent spells passed through her body without causing any damage.
However, that first Fireball Spell had already burned away quite a bit of her already sparse clothing. Even her hair looked a bit disheveled from the heat and explosion. It seemed her confident defense had done something; at least that hit hadn't blown her into a state of severe disability.
"You! You're from the Main World... Good... very good! I've been looking everywhere for you, and now you've delivered yourself right to me?" The Dream Demon glared at us viciously. The injury hadn't made her back down; instead, it had ignited her ferocity. She abandoned her previous playfulness and launched an attack.
The madness flickering in her eyes seemed to warp the very world around us in an instant.
"In this world where the dream is invading reality, this is entirely my home field! Die! I'm going to suck your essence dry and drain every drop of your soul essence!"
"The last person who told me that is already dead, with not even ashes left. Honestly, can't you Dream Demons come up with some more creative lines?" I complained while starting to take the fight seriously.
As she said, with the dream invading reality here, this was indeed the Dream Demon's home turf. She held a massive advantage; there was no denying that. As long as she stayed in reality, I couldn't land any effective attacks on her.
But she wouldn't be that stupid. If she stayed in reality, she would face the combined assault of everyone else. Although these people were just ordinary mortals, the weapons, armor, and body enhancements they used were all Transcendent means that she couldn't ignore.
And... hadn't some people just gone to fetch that Type III Beyonder Killing Weapon?
"Quickly! Attack her when my attacks can't reach her! She can't be immune to both me and you at the same time!" I shouted, glancing toward the City Guard and Ninglan Qiuyu. This wasn't just my fight, and they couldn't just stand there watching. I didn't have absolute confidence in killing her on my own.
"Hmm? I see... I understand!"
As the City Lord's son, Ninglan Qiuyu was naturally quick-witted. Moreover, in such a critical moment, he couldn't just let an outsider fight their battle for them.
"Join forces? Even if you join forces, don't think you'll get the better of me again!" The Dream Demon shed her seductive facade, transforming into her ultimate combat form.
Even though her appearance was terrifying, the well-trained City Guard, led by Ninglan Qiuyu, did not flinch.
"The moment you think about not losing, you've already lost. I really overestimated you."