Chapter 2, Dreaming Among Clouds

It was so close that it was difficult to discern that the object falling from above was a body. Yang Jin could clearly see the texture of Xingtian's skin and the sweat hairs dancing in the wind. Li Mu steadied himself, gathering strength in his arms, preparing to support Xingtian's body with divine power. Yang Jin placed his hopes on Li Mu, but Li Mu soon disappeared into the mass of pressed muscles.

Yang Jin shouted, but the flames beneath Kuafu surged even more fiercely; he had taken to the sky and quickly vanished into the heavens

Beep ... ... beep ... ... beep ... ...

It is Xing Tian! Who could it be that uttered such a terrified cry

I do not understand

"Is he a fool?" The rock beside Yang Jin began to move. He saw the moving rock shedding its gray-black hue, transforming into a metal that was smoother and brighter than repeatedly forged wrought iron. The metal stood up and turned into a person

The starlight twinkles, and the flowing light pierces the void

The enemy has launched nuclear weapons, and the computer automatically takes over the main control firepower system, executing a nuclear counterattack according to the plan

I am curious, who are you, and why do you seem as if you have just arrived in this world! The metal figure examined Yang Jin with great interest, its mask lowered, and a series of symbols leaped out from the position of its eyes, which should be some form of writing, right? Before Yang Jin could comprehend it, the mask rose again: "Through detection, you are human!"

Where is this place? The moment this question flashed through Yang Jin's mind, an unexpected sensation of weightlessness caused his body to plummet rapidly. Yang Jin flailed his limbs, screaming in an attempt to grasp something to save himself. His uncontrollable screams nearly tore his throat apart, yet he could not hear his own cries; around him was only an endless silence, a silence that could swallow all sound.

"Who am I? This is not important; what matters is that we are of the same kind."

That is not correct! Kuafu should have succeeded, at least his companions or his descendants succeeded

"Brother, we have arrived at Yunchong County!" His younger brother, five-year-old Yang Xu, tugged at his shirt corner and said with a smile.

"Of course we are fighting against Chiyou!" As the monster spoke, a strong gust of air burst forth from its mouth. "Why do you look so foolish?"

Yang Jin closed his eyes in pain, and he never understood what Kuafu was saying, but he could comprehend that everything Kuafu did was certainly for the sake of all humanity. Therefore, this hopeless struggle deeply saddened Yang Jin

"You... what kind of monster are you?" Yang Jin, who had witnessed the grand scenes of ancient wars, still found it difficult to suppress his astonishment

The sun. Yang Jin still did not discover anything of value

Before and after, there is a vast expanse of Qin commoners, some driving carriages, others walking, carrying bundles, slowly traversing the flat land. On both sides of this procession of people stand Qin soldiers wielding spears and bows, their postures remaining upright despite having traveled a long distance

A voice suddenly sounded from the metallic figure, and Yang Jin was taken aback: "Kuafu? The Kuafu from legend who chased the sun?"

Yang Jin suddenly noticed red light spots flashing on the walls of the transparent house, and a mechanical voice announced: "The enemy has launched nuclear missiles, the enemy has launched nuclear missiles"

This is not just the cry of Yang Jin; the inspiring shouts resonate throughout the mountains and valleys, rising and falling. Yang Jin is drenched in sweat, unaware of when his screams ceased, nor does he understand how he stands unharmed on this unfamiliar land, only the feeling of having survived a catastrophe leaves him drenched in sweat

Hello

As Yang Jin and Li Mu were conversing, the sounds of battle cries rose to the heavens from the front lines, like an invisible hurricane sweeping across the Zhuolu Plain. Under the impetus of this hurricane, the Xuanyuan army surged down the hills like a flood breaching a dam, the first wave of their formation clashing against the towering enemy forces.

We are commanded by heaven! This voice suddenly became grand and solemn, as if tens of thousands of yellow bells were ringing in Yang Jin's ears

No, look up! The metal man slightly raised his arm.

The metal man seems to believe that as long as he is human, he cannot possibly be an enemy, completely dispelling any sense of vigilance: "This is a biological mimicry camouflage suit, capable of adapting to various environments to conceal itself. Its hardness and flexibility are exceptionally outstanding, and the close-fitting design does not hinder movement at all"

"Are you looking down on me with that gaze?" The voice sounded again

"Monster? Hehe," the metal man pressed a button beside his ear, and the metallic mask on his face lifted, revealing a normal human face. "I haven't heard that ancient term in a long time."

Yang Jin found that the scene before her suddenly froze, the soldiers were gradually fading into nothingness, the countless soaring iron birds in the sky, the massive fortress on the ground, and the light shooting out from the iron pipes were all becoming thin and gradually disappearing

This must be a mythical world

Without the poisonous fog barrier, the Xuanyuan army quickly forced the Chiyou army to retreat in defeat with overwhelming advantage. Just as every soldier in the Xuanyuan army was bravely vying to advance, Yang Jin suddenly felt his feet leave the ground, or more precisely, he was propelled upward from the ground, his body lifted by the powerful force surging from below. It was not just him; everyone on the battlefield was bouncing repeatedly under this strange force.

"And what about you?" Yang Jin finally recalled the identity of the strange person, after all, he was very enthusiastic towards this "uninvited guest".

A colossal head rose on the horizon, its face adorned with totemic paint, and hair braided into two strands hanging by the ears. Following this were his neck, shoulders, and chest... At this moment, Yang Jin finally realized that the giant was not rising from the ground, but was approaching the battlefield with steps that shook the mountains, the very rhythm of the battlefield being disrupted by his moving footsteps

Yang Jin gazed at the unfamiliar wilderness, Yunzhong County; this would be his home from now on

Yang Jin looked in the direction indicated by the metal man, and the desolate earth was empty, to which he replied blankly: "Stone"

It turned out to be a dream, and a bizarre chain of dreams at that! Yang Jin, still haunted by the aftereffects, gasped for breath.

Yang Jin let out a sigh of relief, but he realized that he was not alone; in front of and behind him stood a crowd of strange people, all cheering and raising their arms, while he himself was clad in animal skin armor, holding a bizarre weapon.

Such a stunning appearance, concluding with a hasty ending, was beyond everyone's expectations. Amidst the cheers of the Xuanyuan army, the massive body of Xing Tian fell onto the battlefield. However, Yang Jin could not feel joy, for he saw a dark shadow pressing towards him—the distance between Xing Tian's body and Yang Jin was rapidly closing. Yang Jin ran swiftly away from the shadow, but the edge of the shadow always moved ahead of him at the same speed. Yet, Yang Jin could not feel joy, for he saw a dark shadow pressing towards him—the distance between Xing Tian's body and Yang Jin was rapidly closing. Yang Jin ran swiftly away from the shadow, but the edge of the shadow always moved ahead of him at the same speed.

Who are you, what exactly are you saying? Hello?

Am I dead?" Yang Jin muttered to himself, scratching his head

This new recruit must be stunned!

If he is indeed the legendary Kua Fu, then... he must have failed

The metal man responded at the collar position: "Kuafu understands!"

Immediately, he realized that everyone in the transparent house had turned pale, just like he had before. Ironically, he was the only one who remained calm, because... he had no idea what a nuclear missile was.

Kua Fu, prepare to take action

Are they all dead

Yang Jin found herself still suspended in the vast starry sky, and if everything that had just happened was a dream, it felt so real.

"Everyone will answer that it is the sun," the metal man said with indignation, "but it is not. Each and every one of us knows it is not. From the moment we were born, we have never seen the real sun! We all know this..."

Camouflage uniform? Mission?" Yang Jin murmured the words he could not understand.

Yang Jin could not help but scream, yet he was unable to jump up; he suddenly realized that a strap was tied around his waist, securing him to the chair

"Do not point the axe at Emperor Xuanyuan, for it is a weapon of his invention." The strange man respectfully glanced at the person in the wheelchair and brushed Yang Jin's hand away

Survival is an innate instinct of humanity, yet the choices made by humans in the name of survival are often accompanied by desire and destruction. Children, for their sake and for your own, save!

Where am I!

Are you in despair? It is still too early for you to feel despair; I have been fighting against this feeling for hundreds of thousands of years

Flames erupted from the boots on his feet, and his body began to levitate

In the midst of struggle, Yang Jin suddenly sat up, and a large leaf, the size of a fan, that had been covering her face slid down to her chest. The scorching sun hung high in the sky, and even through the dense canopy, the burning sunlight could be felt. Yang Jin recalled that during the team's break, the sun was in the same position as it is now

He hurriedly opened his eyes and suddenly realized that he was sitting on a strange chair at that moment. On both sides of his body and opposite him, many young people were sitting neatly, all dressed in uniform battle armor that looked both imposing and quite peculiar.

It was not an illusion. Yang Jin turned over and sat up from the ground, alertly surveying the surroundings. However, there were no humans in sight, nor any living creatures; all that could be seen were the barren rocks.

It is over, everything is over! A faint voice echoed in Yang Jin's ear

Yang Jin suddenly thought that Kuafu was a mythical figure that had long existed in his world. In his world, people lived on the surface, where there was sunlight and a starry sky

Yes, whether it is the people or the castle, everything has turned to ashes

Yang Jin could not afford to pursue the answer, covering her ears and moaning in pain

A dazzling white light streaked across the sky, breaking through the dark shadow that obscured the sun cast by Xing Tian. Within the white light, a figure could be faintly seen sitting on a chair, the wheels of the chair spinning rapidly, stirring up swirling flames. The Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan sheathed his sword and piloted the chair back to the center of the battlefield, turning his back to Xing Tian, not casting another glance.

Xingtian will rise again, the legend of the headless Xingtian fiercely battling Xuanyuan is well-known even among the children in Xianyang City, Yang Jin thought in despair

Although Xingtian's entire body has not yet been fully revealed, his figure has already obscured the sky, resembling a mountain rising on the horizon. Xingtian raised his arms, and the clash of his halberd produced a resonant sound that echoed through the heavens and the earth. At the same time, he let out a deafening roar, and a fierce gust of wind surged forth from his gaping mouth. Yang Jin was knocked to the ground by the powerful airflow rushing towards him, and in the moment he fell, he even caught a glimpse of the quivering uvula deep within Xingtian's mouth.

Although Yang Jin was puzzled about the source of this sound, he was more concerned about everything he had just witnessed, including the soldiers he had only seen once, particularly the one who had mocked him.

Li Mu's body was impervious to blades and bullets; he charged into the battlefield with bare hands, using strength capable of splitting mountains and shattering stones to send the Chiyou army into disarray. Yang Jin was almost pushed onto the battlefield by a slap from Li Mu, and with no choice but to brace himself, he shrank behind Li Mu's massive figure, feigning bravado and shouting hoarsely.

"How come you don't recognize anyone? That is Feng Hou," the eccentric proudly declared, "the left arm of Emperor Xuanyuan, capable of controlling hurricanes and stirring up sand and stones."

What fog formation is this? Are we fighting against the Rongdi? Yang Jin was completely bewildered, and when he asked, he finally saw the terrifying face beside him, smeared with paint, which frightened him so much that he involuntarily took several steps back, gasping in shock

A sudden feeling of desperate pain surged within Yang Jin. He had clearly only met those people once, to be precise, for less than half the time it takes to burn an incense stick. They had not even had the chance to exchange a single word, yet he felt a sense of blood connection with them

"Who exactly are you? Why do you possess the art of transformation?" Yang Jin inquired, yet his questions were as numerous as the stars in the sea.

Yang Jin turned his gaze towards the source of the sound, but there were only rocks there. He suspected that the sound he had just heard was an illusion and returned to contemplating his own life and death.

What are you here for? A monotonous voice sounded in my ear

Yang Jin stood completely naked, his long hair flowing, stretching out like a fetus in the womb. He had never experienced such clarity of vision, as if he could pierce through this boundless darkness with a single glance. Meteors streaked past him, while nebulae swirled above his head. In the depths of the void, two bursts of light occasionally collided, compressing and expanding, before returning to darkness

Haha! The fog has lifted!" The strange person with eyes like copper bells and sharp fangs laughed excitedly

If I fail, there is still you, and you must continue to fight on! It is our emotions that make us human; we must never descend into mere mechanical existence, becoming slaves to data and logic

Yang Jin lay on the ground, gasping heavily. He saw the pale sky, and not only was there no sign of Xingtian, but even the sounds had vanished without a trace. The surroundings were eerily silent, and beneath him was hard rock. This was not the Zhuolu Plain; could this be the world after death? Yang Jin was somewhat uncertain about having escaped death, so he did not dare to rise hastily.

The true sun is outside, not this thing before us. Since our defeat, we have been imprisoned on this planet by them, so I will break through the veil that obscures the sky and reclaim the starry sky that belongs to us

The Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan seemed to hear someone discussing him from behind. He turned around and glanced, his gaze sharp as a sword beneath the crown.

He seemed to be in a long, oval-shaped room, which was gradually becoming transparent. To his horror, he realized he was suspended in mid-air, surrounded by countless bizarre, massive iron birds soaring through the sky, their bodies gleaming with a metallic luster reminiscent of the attire of Kuafu. Above the ground, a castle protruded with thick, hollow iron pipes, emitting beams of light into the sky. When struck by these beams, the iron birds would erupt in smoke and fire, shattering into pieces, with iron shavings and blood flying through the air. Their bodies gleamed with a metallic luster reminiscent of the attire of Kuafu, while the castle above the ground extended thick, hollow iron pipes, sending forth beams of light into the sky. When struck by these beams, the iron birds would erupt in smoke and fire, shattering into pieces, with iron shavings and blood flying through the air.

Why are you still standing there foolishly? Li Mu forcefully patted Yang Jin's shoulder, moving his arms that had long been unable to contain themselves.

Kuafu smiled at Yang Jin and said: "I want to leave the underground and see the real sun! I am going to reclaim the true sun for humanity. Goodbye, young man!"

Chi You opened his mouth wide, swallowing clouds and exhaling mist, wielding a double-edged axe, sending a group of Xuanyuan soldiers soaring into the sky. The mournful cries surged into the heavens, and suddenly, a "rain of people" began to fall from the sky. The two vice generals, who controlled the wind and rain, did not show any weakness, following closely beside Chi You, leading the charge. The two forces quickly engaged in a thunderous and earth-shaking battle on the Zhuolu Plain, a scene so spectacular and bizarre that even the best historians of the Qin Dynasty would find it difficult to record it accurately.

A straight line appeared on the neck of Xing Tian, gradually tearing into an ever-widening gash, as if another mouth had grown on his throat. Blood gushed from that wound, splattering into the sky like a rain shower. Xing Tian's head tilted back at a ninety-degree angle, and this angle continued to decrease. It was not only his skin that was splitting, but also his muscles, followed by his bones. Finally, Xing Tian's head fell backward, unseen by anyone, yet the tremendous sound and force of that boulder-like head striking the ground could be felt.

Who is that person? Although Yang Jin had the answer in her heart, she could not help but raise the weapon in her hand and point it at the person sitting in a chair with wheels at the front of the formation

Has Yunzhong County arrived

Yang Jin decided to remain silent, staring blankly at the metal man, knowing that he would continue speaking on his own

It's over! It's over! Death has left Yang Jin in despair, yet the fall seems endless, the sensation of weightlessness feels like a hand gripping his heart, continuously pulling it away from its original position, extracting it from his body, the pain of wanting to cry without tears makes Yang Jin scream in agony

Yang Jin suddenly realized, otherwise how could everything before her be explained

Ah! Yang Jin finally heard her own voice again, as if the endless void had suddenly been lifted like a curtain, and Yang Jin found herself standing on the stage behind the curtain

"Who are you?" This question startled Yang Jin after hundreds of thousands of years

"Indeed, this is a daunting task that determines the survival of humanity," the metal man said solemnly, pointing to the horizon, "What do you see?"

A warrior looked at him with disdain, whispering among themselves

The Battle of Zhuolu? Don't be ridiculous! Yang Jin was unable to voice this rebuttal; he was originally accompanying General Meng Tian's army to the Yuzhong Commandery to guard the borders and repair the Great Wall. How could he have inexplicably returned to an ancient battlefield from thousands of years ago? The bizarre and strange creatures surrounding him, which were either demons or monsters, could only be found in ancient myths.

Which one? Yang Jin, unable to raise her hand again, could only lift her chin, indicating the woman with four pairs of wings growing from her back, hovering in mid-air before Emperor Xuanyuan... It should be a woman, but Yang Jin could not be certain.

I am naturally the right arm of Emperor Xuanyuan," the strange man said, lifting his shoulders, his strong muscles bulging together, proudly declaring, "Powerful Limu! The invincible Limu!

The leader of the enemy, standing over two zhang tall, was entirely dark, resembling a piece of charred coal after being burned. He had two horns on his head, legs like those of an ox, and flames flickered in his eye sockets. He was undoubtedly the legendary Chiyou, but the only difference from the legend was that this Chiyou before us appeared even more ferocious and terrifying