Chapter 556 ·【Land of Desire】

“Indeed, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Madam President, I believe I’ve already grasped how to summon a strong and lasting emotion.”

Gifted ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with an exceptional level of comprehension, Janna quickly mastered the key to entering the 【Land of Desire】 after just a single piece of guidance from Yoya–Bauhinia.

“Mm, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍remember the feeling you have right now. No matter what you may see later in the 【Land of Desire】, don’t forget the emotion you’re feeling at this very moment.”

Hearing ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yoya–Bauhinia’s reminder once again, Janna nodded earnestly.

“Next, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I’ll create the second layer of the dream. During this process, you don’t need to do anything—just close your eyes and accept the dream.”

Following ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍her instruction, Janna slowly closed her eyes and continued guiding her emotions, keeping her consciousness in a heightened state of activity.

“Whoo—”

While she was still waiting for the dream to descend, the sensation of weightlessness suddenly struck again without warning. Accompanied by a rushing wind in her ears, Janna resisted the urge to open her eyes and instead focused on accepting the dream.

“Splash—”

Like a pebble dropping into a lake, as the weightlessness faded, Janna felt as though her body had fallen into a calm lake and was continuously sinking deeper.

“So this is the second layer of the dream?”

Feeling the dual sense of weightlessness in both her body and consciousness, Janna—who had yet to open her eyes—could still tell from the sensation that the dream constructed by Yoya–Bauhinia was exceedingly real.

“Open your eyes, and step through that door.”

Just as Janna felt herself about to sink to the lake’s bottom, Yoya–Bauhinia’s voice echoed softly by her ear.

“Gululu—”

A stream of bubbles escaped from Janna’s mouth. When she opened her eyes again, she finally saw her surroundings. “So, this isn’t a lake… but an ocean—”

Vibrant coral, countless dazzling fish, and enormous pearls glowing faintly with a soft white light—had Janna not known she was in a dream, she would have truly believed she’d entered a fantastical underwater world.

“The door Madam President mentioned… it must be over there.”

Following her thought, Janna sensed the pressure of the seawater around her and transformed her dream-form into a Mermaid Form. Then, she swam toward a massive giant clam nearly five meters wide in the distance.

“Phew—”

Having reached the clam, Janna gazed at the pitch-black opening before her. Feeling both tense and determined, she took a deep breath through the gills at her neck, then exhaled slowly.

“Splash—”

After steeling her mind—aware that Yoya–Bauhinia had limited time to assist her—Janna flicked her tail forcefully and swam straight toward the clam’s gaping shell.

“Crack—”

The moment she entered, she felt as though an invisible hand had gripped her organs tightly. Then, in the next instant, a violet-black crack suddenly split open in the pitch-black darkness before her—like night itself opening its eyes. Janna’s consciousness instantly plunged into the rift and went blank.

“Remember—always channel your emotions. Don’t let those desires taint your thoughts—”

As Yoya–Bauhinia’s final words echoed in her mind, Janna—whose mind had gone blank—immediately roused her emotions and began to observe her surroundings with her consciousness once more.

“So… this is the 【Land of Desire】—”

As her awareness stabilized, Janna finally saw what the witches had described.

It was a color beyond description—neither the darkness of space nor any hue found in any 【Plane World】. It looked like a cocktail mixed from liquid rainbows and melting memories. With every shift of Janna’s conscious focus, the colors changed anew.

“This should be the entrance to the 【Land of Desire】. If I mark and fix the coordinates here, it should work in theory… Hmm?”

Just as she was about to activate her “Spirit Traverse” ability to establish a coordinate point within the 【Land of Desire】, the surrounding colors suddenly began to churn violently. Countless semi-transparent bubbles emerged from the colors, struggling to escape.

Yet each time one drifted too far, tendrils resembling serpentine sea tentacles extended from the colored mass, dragging the bubbles back inside.

“That must be what Madam President referred to as the 【Threads of Desire】—”

Though the bubbles were small, Janna could still see scenes “unfolding” within each of them.

Some showed lovers in embrace, some people attaining wealth overnight, others descending into bloodthirsty slaughter—all were manifestations of memories woven from desire itself, playing out within those translucent spheres.

“According to Madam President, only the shallowest desires gather near the outer edges of the 【Land of Desire】, while those buried deepest in the heart—the most secret obsessions—reside in its core.”

As she gazed at the ever-shifting colors, Janna felt her own emotions grow increasingly restless. Quickly, she used her 【Authority of Emotion】 to smooth out the madness sprouting within her mind, stabilizing her reason through her emotion of “longing to explore the unknown transcendental realms.”

“Now… I just need to find a stable energy equilibrium point to establish the coordinate.”

With that thought, Janna withdrew her gaze from the surrounding scenery and began sensing the flow of energy around her through her spiritual consciousness.

As the semi-transparent bubbles around the 【Land of Desire】 gradually thinned, she finally detected the moment of lowest energy fluctuation—the third minute.

“Spirit Traverse—”

The talent activated, light began to flow.

A silvery glimmer, dazzling as starlight, appeared within Janna’s consciousness. Time seemed to halt. The riot of colors vanished, leaving only a golden nebula surrounded by countless fragments—reflections of memories from beings of countless planes and dimensions.

“Found you— the coordinate of the 【Land of Desire】!”

Looking at the expanding nebula, Janna swiftly imprinted her soul mark onto one of its smallest, most inconspicuous clusters.

Seeing her objective accomplished, she followed the method Yoya–Bauhinia had taught her, immediately severing her connection with the 【Land of Desire】. A powerful suction force then pulled her consciousness free, ejecting her from that mystical realm born of life’s desires and obsessions.

“It seems your progress is far smoother than I expected—”

RelatedRelatedRelated