Chapter 69: Return! Tavern Meeting!

Ding!

Truth-Seeking Moth Has Been Contracted! (1/3)

Mystic Warrior Tier 3 cultivation achieved!

Karn took another look at the Light Bringer Bison before turning toward his newly contracted Mystic Beast.

“Is this creature worth contracting, Little Moth?” Karn asked.

The Truth-Seeking Moth shook her head with a smile. “The Light Bringer Bison is extremely difficult to contract. Its only useful ability is its light. It can wash away darkness, whether that darkness exists within the human heart or within reality itself.”

Karn stroked his beard.

“That sounds like it could be useful, why would anyone not bother contracting it?”

“There are very few creatures capable of doing what it does.” The moth nodded and glanced toward the translucent bison.

“To contract the Light Bringer Bison, one’s heart must be pure enough to communicate with it. Only then can a contract be formed.”

“Koko…” Karn looked at the bison once more. The massive creature remained completely motionless, seemingly indifferent to everything around it.

‘Pure of heart?’ Karn chuckled. The image of Hong Tao, the young man who had fought Rei, flashed through his mind.

“Then this old man has no chance.” Without lingering any longer, Karn turned around and began making his way back toward the campsite where Old Ghost Zhi had been sitting.

As he walked, Karn’s expression gradually became thoughtful. He had obtained a contract with the Truth-Seeking Moth. Most importantly, he now had a path toward seeing through the concealment techniques of other Mystic cultivators.

For his purposes, the trip had been worthwhile but there was only one problem. He had no idea how to leave.

Karn quickened his pace. After passing through the dense forest, the familiar clearing eventually came into view. But the moment Karn stepped into it, his footsteps stopped.

The fireplace was gone. The tent was gone. Even the faint traces of Old Ghost Zhi’s presence had completely disappeared. It was as if the old man had never been there.

“…Koko.” Karn slowly looked around. He walked toward where the fireplace had once been and crouched down but there wasn’t even a trace of ash.

“Should I have asked him more questions before leaving?” Karn sighed.

“You probably should have.” The Truth-Seeking Moth fluttered around his shoulder understanding what he meant.

“Little Moth, whose side are you on?” Karn’s face twitched.

“The truth’s.” The moth nodded three times.

“…Koko.” Karn stood back up. He had no choice but to figure things out himself.

“Do you know how to leave the Dream Plane?”

“No. Mystic Beasts like myself are unable to travel to your world without being contracted.” The moth shook her head.

“Then you don’t know either?”

“I have never needed to leave.”

“Hmm… I see.” Karn stroked his beard.

He looked around the empty clearing again. There was truly nothing. No Old Ghost, no path or any indication of how he had entered this place in the first place.

“Then how do I get out of here? Wait… How did I even get in here?” Karn’s brows slowly furrowed. The memory of entering the dream plane had disappeared completely from his mind.

“You entered through the Dream Plane.”

“I know that…. Actually, I don’t.” Karn paused as he racked his brain to remember how he had entered this world but nothing came to mind.

Even the conversation with the green haired young woman, part of her conversation had disappeared completely form his memory.

The moth giggled and Karn sighed as he sat down on a wooden log that had been placed there since he arrived. The old man was gone, his memory of how he had entered this world had also disappeared. He was left alone along with his two mystic beasts.

“Koko… It seems this old man has walked into a place without knowing how to walk out.”

“Perhaps you should seek someone who knows.” The Truth-Seeking Moth landed on his shoulder.

“And where exactly am I supposed to find someone like that?” Karn glanced at her.

“I don’t know.” The moth tilted her head.

“How useless, I thought you lived here. Shouldn’t you know something?”

“I only answer questions truthfully.” The moth smiled.

“That’s not an excuse.” Karn leaned back and stared toward the endless forest. The Dream Plane was far larger than he had initially imagined. Hundreds of mountain ranges with unknown beasts, strange treasures and Mystic cultivators.

And somewhere within this enormous world was presumably a way back.

“Well… sitting here won’t get me home.” Karn slowly stood.

“Let’s go.” He adjusted his robes and tapped his cane against the ground.

“Where?” The moth titled her head.

“Wherever there are people.” Karn looked toward the distant mountains.

“And if there are no people?” The moth blinked.

“Then this old man will find something that knows the answer.” Karn smiled.

After only a few steps toward the new world, Karn suddenly stopped. His expression became solemn. A faint sensation had appeared in his mind. It was extremely subtle, almost imperceptible but it was there.

A thread. The same invisible thread that connected him to the Truth-Seeking Moth.

“Little Moth.” Karn looked toward the sky.

“Yes?”

“Can you feel that?”

The moth’s expression changed. She fluttered upward and looked in the same direction.

“…Mystic Energy.” The moth responded truthfully.

“Coming from where?” Karn narrowed his eyes.

“Over there.” The moth remained silent for several seconds before she pointed toward the mountains.

“Koko…” Karn’s grin slowly returned.

“Then that’s where we’re going.” He tightened his grip around his cane.

The two began walking toward the distant mountains. Neither noticed the faint distortion behind them. For the briefest moment, the empty clearing shimmered. A small flame appeared where Old Ghost Zhi’s fireplace had once been. And beside it sat the old man.

He watched Karn disappear into the distance, a strange smile spreading across his rotten face.

“Still haven’t realized it?” Old Ghost Zhi chuckled.

“The Dream Plane doesn’t let anyone leave simply because they’ve had enough.” His eyes narrowed.

“Everything has a price.” The rotten smile of the Old Ghost Zhi appeared once again.

The flame flickered and the old man’s figure disappeared once again.

——————

Meanwhile, the green-haired woman was currently sat in a chair inside a tavern within the Dragon Meteor Sect. Her hands counted the number of spirit stones laid on the table.

Many men and women who were enjoying themselves with food and wine were glancing at the table without restraint. Greed was written on their faces.

“33…34….35….”

Just as she was about to complete her counting a slightly chubby man in a dark robe that hid his appearance sat on the same table seat that she was currently at.

“Elder Supreme Dream, thank you once again for responding to my request. Here is the upfront deposit you requested before.” The chubby man spoke as one of the countless storage rings on his fingers flashed. A massive pouch filled with countless spirit stones fell onto the table.

The green haired young woman smiled in response.

“Of course, as long as you are willing to pay the price. I will be at your beck and call.” She quickly weighed the pouch with her hand instantly calculating their number.

“Oh, I seemed to have met the elder you told me to be wary of before. He gave me quite the payment to learn some of my techniques.” The woman chuckled.

“A-Ah! Is that okay? What if Elder Karn learns how to counter your mysterious methods. He is quite the crafty fellow.” The chubby man spoke in surprise.

“Hehe, you have no need to worry. If he desires to counter any of my methods, he would need to learn how to escape that troublesome dimension. To escape from there without a Mystic guide is quite the impossibility. I may have even killed him by giving him the method.” The green haired woman smiled.

“If that is true, then that would alleviate quite a bit of pressure for us Elder Supreme Dream…. If elder Karn truly does die before the succession war I will give you a bonus.” The chubby man quietly prayed that the woman’s words were correct.

“A bonus? Then I will gladly accept it.” Elder Supreme Dream’s smile widened.

“But Elder Supreme Dream, there is something else I wish to ask.” The chubby man nodded before leaning closer.

“Go ahead.”

“If Elder Karn really is trapped within that dimension, how long will it take before he dies?”

Elder Supreme Dream gently tapped her fingers against the table.

“That depends on him. The Dream Plane is filled with dangers that even Tier One cultivators cannot handle. Without the prerequisite knowledge from my sect it would be nigh impossible for that man to escape.”

“Then we can proceed with the plan without worrying about him.” The chubby man’s expression relaxed.

Elder Supreme Dream picked up one of the spirit stones from the pouch and examined it under the tavern’s lantern. Karn’s appearance flashed in her mind once again.

“What a strange fellow…”

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