"Is this okay now?"

"What else? Just make do. Brother, I'm the Sleep god, and I don't mind using the sky as my blanket and the earth as my bed. Are you still being picky?"

Near the Bear Hug Tribe's territory, on a slope lush with vegetation, two figures lay flat on the grass amidst the surrounding mist. Their faces were serene, head to head, sharing a golden, soft pillow. However, Wu Wang's feet faced south, while the Sleep god's feet faced north.

As the slightly plump Innate God said, "Sleep," the man and the god shut their eyes simultaneously.

Then... Wu Wang's eyes snapped open instantly, bloodshot. Hearing the Sleep god's snores already starting above him, he reached up, grabbed the Sleep god's neck, and shook it vigorously.

Sleep! What kind of sleep is this! Give me back my right to a sound sleep!

"Oh, right. You can't just fall asleep directly."

The Sleep god chuckled. The two sat cross-legged, pondering for a while. They tried several times to help Wu Wang regain his confidence—his confidence in sleeping. Eventually, the Sleep god said, "You hold onto—cough—let Ming She maintain contact with you. I'll take you over there for a look first so we can discuss how to deal with it."

Ming She immediately stepped forward. Her gaze was calm, but her slightly trembling fingertips and tightly pressed lips indicated...

She was willing!

Wu Wang, however, said, "Ming She, go and bring Suqing here."

"Yes, Master."

Ming She obeyed softly, stepping back several paces into the mist before vanishing in a flash.

Ultimately... the master's will could not be disobeyed.

While Ming She was away, the Sleep god raised an eyebrow at Wu Wang and mumbled, "This little Evil God has good strength and potential. If she could grasp the true Dao of Heaven and Earth in the future, she could be a great help to you. Won't you consider it?"

"Consider what? Isn't she my subordinate?"

"See? See?" The Sleep god chuckled, his chubby face crinkling his eyes into slits. He mumbled, "We're both men. You think I don't understand you?"

"I'm very serious!" Wu Wang huffed, a slight smile in his eyes. He said gently, "Just these two alone are giving me a headache. It's better if I calm down and focus on cultivation."

The Sleep god mumbled, "It's not like they've started fighting, have they?"

"Can that be guaranteed? The road ahead is long; nothing is certain."

"Your other subordinate, that little Heavenly Immortal named Crispy Cone, doesn't she have an elixir that can make people not feel jealousy after taking it?"

Wu Wang cursed immediately, "What would that make me? Brother, your thinking is problematic! I'd rather just choose one in that case!"

The Sleep god chuckled and winked at Wu Wang.

Faint ripples appeared in Heaven and Earth beside them, and two figures flew into the mist together. Wu Wang looked up and naturally saw Lin Suqing, and the little head poking out from her arms. She had come along too.

Wu Wang laughed and said, "Suqing, come and help me. I need to fall into a stable, deep sleep."

"Ah, sure," Lin Suqing agreed, but then she pushed the Blue Bird out, laughing. "Why not let Senior Blue Bird stand on you? I need to sit down."

She did that on purpose.

Wu Wang smiled and nodded. While the Blue Bird was still somewhat bewildered, Lin Suqing directly 'tossed' it out. It spread its wings and landed on Wu Wang's shoulder.

Wu Wang looked down at the Blue Bird. Before he could offer a sufficiently warm smile, he rolled his eyes and slowly fell backward onto the golden pillow.

"Alright," the Sleep god waved his hand. "You two stand guard nearby. We're going to enter a dream."

Lin Suqing glanced at Ming She and, with a smile, retreated a few steps.

Ming She, however, looked uneasily at the Sleep god, standing her ground with her hands behind her back. The Sleep god paid her no heed and cheerfully lay down on the other half of the pillow, head to head with Wu Wang, the two of them forming a straight line.

The God of Yun Meng (the Sleep god) seemed to think of something. A slight, somewhat sinister smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

He closed his eyes. The golden pillow emanated a soft, warm halo that spread to the Blue Bird, making her feel overwhelmingly sleepy. A small yawn escaped her tiny beak. Fearing she would fall off Wu Wang's shoulder if she fell asleep, the Blue Bird leisurely walked to Wu Wang's chest and lay down slowly. Tiny puffs of breath escaped her beak.

Ming She frowned tightly, hesitating whether to immediately 'rescue' the Blue Bird, when a wisp of the Sleep god's voice entered her ear. The voice was lazy. "If you don't want your master to scold you when he wakes up," it said, "just stay put and properly fulfill your duties as a mount."

Ming She was about to retort when her Evil God's heart trembled slightly. Her pupils turned icy blue, yet a sense of fear still flickered in her eyes.

Several puppets emerged from the Sleep god's sleeve, swiftly transforming into beautiful women who knelt beside him, gently fanning him, massaging his legs, and kneading his shoulders.

Sleep was a sacred affair.

***

"'Little brother, little brother?'"

In a drowsy haze, Wu Wang's consciousness slowly returned, as if he were opening his eyes on his bed. But what he saw was a place shrouded in mist. His Dao Heart immediately attained enlightenment: this place had to be a creation of his brother, the Sleep god's, divine skills.

A wisp of cloud drifted over from the side, and a figure emerged, standing silently before Wu Wang, startling him.

Is this Brother Sleep god? Impossible. Even if the Sleep god slimmed down, he couldn't possibly look... look like...

Wu Wang looked at the Ancient God before him. He was clad in a cloud-patterned, light purple robe with a high collar, fastened without any buttons, and exuded a mysterious Dao charm. The face above the high collar featured star-like eyes, thick brows, and a narrow, straight nose. Its contours leaned slightly feminine yet conveyed no effeminacy, possessing instead an androgynous quality.

Seeing this face, the words 'Yun Meng' naturally came to Wu Wang's mind. This had to be Brother Sleep god's true visage. His previous corpulent appearance, if not a case of 'time is a butcher's knife,' must have been an intentional disguise to appear ordinary.

Wu Wang smiled. "Brother, is this your true appearance?"

The voice he spoke with seemed to echo in his own ears, sounding muffled.

The Sleep god blinked and laughed, pointing a finger at Wu Wang. A few lines of an incantation immediately sprang into Wu Wang's mind. After familiarizing himself with the incantation and understanding how to communicate normally here, he transmitted his Divine Thought, asking the Sleep god with a smile, "Brother, is this your true appearance?"

"Of course," the Sleep god replied with a chuckle.

The Sleep god outside always chuckled, his laughter having a hint of slyness; but the Sleep god here, when he laughed, truly embodied the elegance of an Ancient God, making Wu Wang feel a bit... ashamed.

Too handsome, I can't compete.

"These are all external appearances," the Sleep god said warmly. "Our essence as Innate Gods is, in truth, merely a flutter of the Great Dao."

Wu Wang smiled silently.

Then the Sleep god added, "As for you, little brother, that outfit and hair accessory of yours are truly... peculiar."

Wu Wang paused, stunned. He looked down and saw the all-too-familiar, close-fitting, light-blue spacesuit. He reached up to his head; the communication device was still there...

"This...?"

The Sleep god explained, "This place is our shared Dream Realm, the borderland of our consciousnesses. The projections of ourselves that appear here are reflections of our deepest self-perceptions."

"Can I hide it?"

"Of course. I am the God of Sleep and Dreams, after all," the Sleep god said, his eyes narrowing into a smile as he pointed at Wu Wang again.

Wu Wang 'stood' in this desolate Dream Realm, pondering for a moment. Soon, silvery-white starlight enveloped him. He changed into a white robe, his long hair once again bound by a Daoist circlet.

The Sleep god blinked but didn't press further, merely gesturing for Wu Wang to proceed.

"Come, let's go meet your little Daoist partner."

Before Wu Wang could speak, the Sleep god had already turned away, murmuring softly, "In essence, this is still a Dream Realm, much like a Void Zone jointly imagined by the three of us. Therefore, we can also control its rules. However, don't try too hard. Controlling the rules isn't easy and could easily cause the Dream Realm to collapse. I've already secretly restricted your ability to interfere here. Look, isn't that it ahead?"

The moment the Sleep god finished speaking, the mist ahead parted to the left and right like a curtain.

Wu Wang saw a small expanse of sea, dotted with dozens of stars, their light converging on the familiar desolate island. In the center of the island, the Divine Wood, radiating a soft, glowing light, made the Dream Realm seem even more fantastical.

Almost subconsciously, Wu Wang looked at a particular branch of the Divine Wood and saw... he saw the delicate figure with her back to him. Her waterfall of long hair cascaded down, her light green skirt fluttered in the wind, and her two smooth, slender feet, like carved white jade, swung gently.

It was Jingwei.

Wu Wang almost instinctively took a few quick steps forward, splashing into the shallow sea.

The Sleep god watched this scene with a smile, then retreated into the mist and politely turned his back.

SPLASH, SPLASH—

The sound of wading through water echoed in the small Dream Realm.

The girl humming a cheerful little tune on the tree branch turned her head curiously, and her body suddenly stiffened. Her large eyes filled with bewilderment, and a blush crept onto her pretty face as she almost instantly leaped down from the tree.

Wu Wang walked briskly towards her, a wide smile about to break out.

Jingwei took a few steps towards him, her pale pink lips parted as if to speak, but instead...

"CHIRP! CHIRP!"

Oh no, I've given myself away! Panic filled her eyes.

Wu Wang couldn't help but laugh heartily. He began to run through the water, a gentle breeze at his back making him seem like a soaring hawk as he reached Jingwei.

He stopped, feeling it was the right moment.

Jingwei averted her gaze, her slender fingers nervously twisting the corner of her tunic. Even her collarbones, delicate as flower buds, flushed a faint pink.

"I actually..."

"I've known for a long time," Wu Wang said, cutting her off.

"Then... then you..." Jingwei stammered, unsure what to say, her heart pounding as a whirlwind of thoughts confused her. She was so flustered that the thought even crossed her mind: He must be upset with me.

"Can I hug you?" Wu Wang suddenly asked.

Jingwei was visibly startled. Before she could react, a figure was already standing before her. Wu Wang took two steps closer, his arms half-raised. He didn't embrace her immediately, waiting until the panic in her eyes subsided and her face grew even redder, until she whispered,

"Mm."

The moment she agreed, she felt a pair of arms encircle her. The arms were surprisingly strong, making it hard for her to breathe for a moment. The embrace was tight enough to be slightly painful, her face pressed against his firm chest.

Jingwei's delicate body tensed instantly. Her small hands wanted to move, perhaps to push him away or hold him, but there was no space for them to do so.

It was quiet beneath the tree; the sea of clouds churned ever so slightly.

When Wu Wang's grip loosened slightly, he felt two small, cool hands press against his back. A soft nose nuzzled gently against his chest.

After what seemed like an eternity...

"Senior."

"Mm?"

"Don't turn into a bird anymore."

"No."

"COUGH, COUGH COUGH!" Violent coughing came from the distant mist; the Sleep god's languid voice drifted over. "Are we getting down to business or not? Time in dreams can be elastic, but we can't just dally like this!"

Jingwei's face flushed crimson. She hurriedly pushed Wu Wang away and, with a POOF, transformed into her divine bird form, flapping her wings and playfully swatting at him.

Wu Wang couldn't stop laughing. He offered his hand for her to perch on, then turned to look at the God of Yun Meng. With a flick of his Daoist robe's hem, he strode forward like a shooting star, chasing the clouds.

This place was a Dream Realm the Sleep god had constructed from the consciousness of all three of them. The next step was for their dream-consciousnesses to detach from this realm and seek the other 'Dream Realm' the Sleep god had previously marked.

There were many more instructions, which the Sleep god patiently explained. However, seeing Wu Wang's mind was clearly elsewhere, he could only shake his head helplessly. With a wave of his large sleeve, the power of the Great Dao enveloped Wu Wang and Jingwei, and the trio plunged into the clouds ahead.

Into the Dream Realm beyond the Outer Sky, seeking the god's trail.

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