Chapter Seventy-Three: Within the Nightmare

Hey, hey, stop! Listen to me—Xiao Huo grew anxious, struggling desperately forward, bursting in front of Karle. Hey, these two are powerless, incapable of lifting even a chicken; they have nothing to do with the disputes of the underworld. Besides, they've been frightened, their thoughts are even more muddled, and they can't unlock that lock...

Karle ignored him, suddenly kicked, his foot smashing into Xiao Huo's chest, sending him tumbling twice and falling behind the bookshelf.

Stop or not, that's for me to decide. Here, no one can make decisions for me. Karle's lips curled into a cruel, sinister smile as he bent and watched the glass case drop into the deep well.

Baoling, Baoling... are you alright? Have you awakened? Guan Wen gently called to Baoling. He was so anxious that he felt ablaze, but dared not touch Baoling, fearing dire consequences.

The renowned philosopher Freud believed that sleepwalking is an expression of suppressed subconscious emotions erupting at the right moment. Baoling, haunted by nightmares, carries unimaginable suffering from a past life deep in her subconscious. She is particularly prone to sleepwalking or depressive episodes.

In fact, using the theory of the famous European psychoanalyst Jane David Nasso, sleepwalking can be explained quite directly: when the id accumulates enough power, it breaks through the ego's vigilance like a flood bursting a dam. Facing the overwhelming force of the id, the vigilant ego flees, disregarding its duties, and sometimes is even recruited as an accomplice. Since human speech and behavior are governed by the ego, after the id's rampage and energy depletion, the vigilant ego immediately drives the id back into its cage, restraining it once more. To avoid punishment for negligence, the ego conceals what happened, leaving the sleepwalker completely unaware of recent events upon waking.

This explanation sounds fantastical, but its logic is entirely sound.

Guan Wen hoped to awaken Baoling at this critical moment, so they could face the predicament together. The glass case had dropped five meters, its base nearing the snake pit; venomous serpents writhed impatiently around, flicking their tongues hungrily at Guan Wen and Baoling.

Guan Wen, wake her up, quickly, wake her up! Gu Qingcheng shouted from outside.

Now that both she and Xiao Huo had been captured, the entire team had lost any external support and could only seek a chance to save themselves.

Guan Wen cautiously stepped forward, gently touched Baoling's elbow, but she didn't even lift her eyelids.

I have never opened it; what does it say inside? Baoling asked.

That is the key to exorcism; it contains the wisdom and insights of sages through the ages on banishing evil. If the hidden spell within cannot be grasped, no one can succeed. Open it now, open it... Baoling answered herself.

I've tried thousands of times; it's useless. Baoling asked again.

If it's been thousands, tens of thousands of attempts, then try again—one more time, one more attempt. No excuses, only action. Baoling again answered herself.

The gentle, cultured female voice and the ancient Tibetan female voice rose and fell in dialogue, yet neither was Baoling's true voice, but two other souls voicing their opinions through her lips.

Bang—a venomous snake with a white body and red markings launched itself with such force that its triangular flat head smashed, blood spraying; its corpse was immediately devoured by its companions.

Baoling, stop and look at the predicament before you! Gu Qingcheng shouted desperately, risking everything.

Try once more. Baoling murmured to herself, slowly leaning forward, grasping the key handle in her right hand, twisting it gently. With a click, the lock responded.

Yes, yes, it's her! The ancient Tibetan female voice exclaimed.

Indeed, it's her, wonderful, wonderful! The cultured female voice echoed.

Guan Wen stared unblinkingly at the white copper pillar; though the lock had moved, the pillar itself remained unresponsive.

I understand, I understand. This was Baoling's original voice. The lock has been sealed with extremely complex spells, likely the Five Directions Command Seal from ancient Tibetan Buddhism and the Yin-Yang Treasure Bottle Seal of the Tang Dynasty's esoteric sects. Unless the one who sealed it releases the bonds of their soul, others, even with a key, are powerless. The Five Directions Command Seal is an ancient secret of Tibetan Buddhism, while the Yin-Yang Treasure Bottle Seal is a masterful technique from the Central Plains. How could both be placed on an item from Nepal? Unless... unless... Baoling cried out, suddenly opening her eyes wide.

Directly before her, four or five venomous snakes twisted together into a braid, crawling up along the glass wall, their abdominal scales opening and closing, a terrifying sight beyond words.

Where is this place? What is—no, this is a dream, this is my nightmare! Baoling screamed, immediately shutting her eyes, her body trembling violently.

Guan Wen stepped over, his arm around Baoling's shoulders, whispering comfort: Don't be afraid, the snakes are outside the case, they can't get in.

Am I dreaming? Tell me, is this just a nightmare? Baoling curled up, shaking.

Yes, treat it as a nightmare. Guan Wen replied.

Luckily, you are here. I've hoped for so long, longing for someone to protect me in my dreams, to comfort me, and now it has finally come true. Before, I wished only to wake from the nightmare, but now, I hope this dream never ends... In extreme adversity, a girl's heart is most easily revealed. What Baoling said was absolutely heartfelt.

Guan Wen's emotions were mixed—sweetness at being acknowledged by his beloved, but also the anxiety of being trapped in a desperate situation, powerless to change their fate.

Can you open the lock? he asked cautiously.

Those seals are forged from the life and soul of ancient sages, but their lives remain forever in Tibet; what was placed on the lock is merely their soul within a dream. If it is a dream soul, it must be unraveled in a dream. Hold me, I need a longer, deeper dream now. Baoling answered softly.

A flash of insight struck Guan Wen; he instantly understood Baoling's meaning, helping her to sit down and dragging half of the globe over.

You want a dream, so I will give you a dream. Rest assured, whether in dream or waking, I will be by your side, never leaving. He held Baoling in his arms, her face pressed against his chest, his hand gently patting her back as one would lull a swaddled infant to sleep.

So... I will sleep... I need this beautiful dream... With it, the nightmare will shatter, forever shattered... Baoling murmured, curling her legs, most of her body leaning into Guan Wen's embrace, gradually drifting into slumber.

Those at the top of the cave craned their necks to look down, each face filled with bewilderment and disbelief.

What is he doing? What are they doing? Karle asked through clenched teeth.

I don't understand, but I heard Miss Baoling say—‘the dream soul seal must be unraveled in a dream.’ That phrase is meaningful, worthy of careful contemplation. Xiao Huo lowered his head, chewing over the words repeatedly, his expression grave, as if he were wandering in another world.

Sigh, I originally planned to force out her inner potential with the snake array, but this matter keeps growing more complicated! If only I had invited Asia's top psychologists to handle this sleepwalking woman, it would have been far simpler. I used so much effort, and still can't solve this small issue; how humiliating before Jin Chanzi! Karle scratched his head furiously, pacing around the library.

Who are you, really? Who is Jin Chanzi? Gu Qingcheng seized the opportunity to pursue.

No harm in telling you, since you'll all die here anyway—Karle replied, exasperated.

I understand, I understand, Sister Gu, I understand what that phrase means! Xiao Huo stepped forward, realizing his feet were shackled, and immediately leapt to Gu Qingcheng's side. The key is indeed meant to unlock the white copper pillar, which is sealed by ancient sages, likely left by the two princesses who assisted King Songtsen Gampo of Tubo in subduing evil. However, due to the chronological discrepancy, the two princesses could not have personally come to the Summer Palace, since the manor's construction postdates the Tang Dynasty. Alternatively, it could be explained thus—the white copper pillar was originally kept in Lhasa, first sealed by the two princesses, then lost and became the treasure of the Kanna family. The seal was not applied by ordinary means or normal time, but rather by the dream souls of the two princesses. The old saying goes, only the one who ties the bell can untie it. A seal applied in a dream can only be unraveled in a dream, but after so many years, no one has managed to control their dream to merge with the dream soul seals of the two princesses, to unlock the lock that combines both physical and metaphysical structures.

Gu Qingcheng grasped the idea instantly, responding: Baoling has been tormented by nightmares for so long, and the true cause is rooted in her previous life. Fate has destined her to be the one chosen by the gods to unlock the seal of the two princesses.

Exactly, exactly, this intricate twist is truly marvelous, rivaling the search for reincarnated lamas in Tibetan Buddhism. Without Holmes-like reasoning and repeated deduction, it would be almost impossible to find a solution. The spiritual world of Tibetan Buddhism is so profound, so profound! Xiao Huo couldn't help but murmur repeatedly, clearly overwhelmed with excitement.

In religions around the world, wisdom passed from ancestors to descendants is usually conveyed through secret manuals, handwritten notes, or treasure maps—methods easily understood by ordinary people, passed hand to hand. More advanced are the heart-to-heart transmissions, like the Buddha's smile that enlightens the world. The most profound are transmissions without words, achieved by pure intuition. All traditions fall within these three methods; as long as the successor applies themselves, they can inherit the teachings and accomplish great deeds.

Now, the inheritance carried by the white copper pillar breaks out of these three, becoming an interlinked pattern of dream soul seals, heart-dream transmission, resolving dreams with dreams, and unlocking in dreams, undergoing one, two, three twists and transformations. Whether there are further twists is yet unknown.

To perceive these changes is proof of Xiao Huo's meticulous reasoning, far superior to Karle.

This time, Baoling will surely succeed, Gu Qingcheng said.

Let us hope so; judging by her appearance, she is at her last gasp, unable to break through. She is relying on extraordinary willpower to persevere; if she cannot hold on, she will exhaust herself to death. Then, the secret of the white copper pillar will forever sink into darkness. Xiao Huo sighed deeply.

He had seen through the entire sequence of events, yet could only stand by, unable to lend a hand.