Chapter 538: Daydreamer

The colossal waves parted from the center, like a curtain drawn aside at one corner. As the waves crashed against the reefs, white foam fragments instantly splattered dozens of feet into the air.This time, Chen Ling wasn't flung away.He stood in the gap between the giant waves, completely drenched by the showering spray but otherwise unaffected.His tightly closed eyes slowly opened, his pupils still tinged with anger and sorrow, as if he hadn't yet emerged from the immersive experience he just had.

"This is... 'Sleeve Hand Parting the Heavens'?"Chen Ling lowered his gaze to his palms, still feeling the resonance of that brief moment. He seemed to finally understand what Ning Ruyu meant by the feeling of belief integrating into the Path of the Theatrical Deity.The palm strike he had just unleashed possessed more destructive power than his current full-force 'Court of Judgment' and surpassed the third tier. However, whether it could contend with fourth-tier domains remained unknown. Chen Ling could sense that the true potential of this secret technique was far greater.As long as the immersion was deep enough and the resonance strong enough, the power of 'Sleeve Hand Parting the Heavens' could be amplified several times over. Of course, this level of immersion wasn't something that could be achieved at will; it required the right timing, location, and human connection.This was currently Chen Ling's most powerful trump card, though it couldn't be used casually due to its long wind-up time and fluctuating destructive power. Yet, this also implied its extremely high ceiling.

As the waves on the reef group gradually receded, the scenery around Chen Ling slowly faded.The sky and sea rapidly converged, like paper being folded, eventually shrinking entirely into Ning Ruyu's palm. Only Chen Ling remained, soaked to the bone, standing before the ancient entrance of the Path of the Theatrical Arts. Water still dripped steadily from his hair and the corners of his clothes.

"Junior brother, how do you feel?" Ning Ruyu put away the disc and asked with a smile."...It's wonderful." Chen Ling paused for a long time before lowering his hand. "But I've already memorized this feeling.""That's excellent.""With 'Singing, Reciting, Acting, and Fighting' – the four fundamental secret techniques – plus 'Painting Vermilion Faces', you've now mastered all the core foundations of the Ancient Treasury of Theatrical Arts. These will be with you forever, a gift from our sect.With them, even if one day you are stripped of all your divine paths and even your skills, losing everything, these five secret techniques alone will grant you combat power comparable to any divine path...They will accompany you until your last moment."

Chen Ling turned around, gazing at Ning Ruyu, Luan Mei, and Wenren You, who stood side-by-side. A glint of gratitude flickered in his eyes.He raised his hand again and bowed deeply to his three senior disciples, and to the entire Ancient Treasury of Theatrical Arts behind them:"Thank you, senior brothers and sisters. And please convey my thanks to senior brother Si and master... The kindness of the Path of the Theatrical Arts, Chen Ling will forever engrave in his heart."

"Junior brother, you must be careful on your journey to the Mortal Realm," Luan Mei warned."Be wary of Lord Wuji, I understand.""While you should indeed be careful of Lord Wuji, he is one of the Nine Lords after all, and he needs to maintain the stability of the Wuji Realm's domain, so he can't leave easily," Luan Mei added. "Besides, if he intends to make a move on the Mortal Realm, it won't be quick; the Floating Life Scroll is not to be underestimated.""Beyond him, you must be even more cautious of the Mortal Realm itself.Its allure can be deceiving; don't be misled by its outward appearance... You must use your eyes wisely to discern truth from illusion."

Hearing this, a hint of confusion flashed in Chen Ling's eyes. If Luan Mei was referring to the squalor behind the false prosperity, he had already experienced that. But he had a feeling his senior sister was hinting at something more.Ning Ruyu also spoke seriously:"Lord Hongchen's awakening shouldn't be far off now... If the people of the Wuji Realm truly make a move on Hongchen, junior brother, you must not get involved. Wars between realms have nothing to do with us; there's no need to take risks.Our goal is simply to retrieve Lord Hongchen's corpse and complete the realm funeral, nothing more."

Chen Ling nodded slightly. "I understand."He glanced at the sky; it wouldn't be long until nightfall. He bowed to his three senior disciples once more to bid farewell, then turned and walked directly out of the Ancient Treasury of Theatrical Arts.As the grand red theatrical robe pushed aside the curtain, his figure completely vanished into the Ancient Treasury.

The three senior disciples didn't leave; instead, they remained standing silently, watching the direction Chen Ling had departed. They seemed to be waiting for the curtain to open again, for Chen Ling to return, perhaps saying with a helpless smile, "After thinking it over, I've decided not to leave after all."The Ancient Treasury of Theatrical Arts would then remain as it was, everything as comfortable and joyful as it had been for the past six months.But unfortunately, the return they hoped for didn't happen.They saw Chen Ling go back to Ugly Peak, bid farewell to the Joker, then cast a final glance back before returning alone to the Gray Realm, his figure disappearing beyond the horizon.

A few minutes later, Ning Ruyu withdrew his gaze and let out a long sigh."...He still left.""If Junior Brother had stayed peacefully in the Treasury all along, he wouldn't be our junior brother," Wenren You slowly began. "Fledglings must always spread their wings and fly, especially an eagle like our junior brother.""Alright, it's not like he's not coming back..." Luan Mei looked at the melancholic Ning Ruyu and couldn't help but tease, "Senior Brother, you're really getting old. Why are you acting like a mother?""??? Second, the moment junior brother leaves, you start getting impertinent, don't you?""Hasn't she always been like this?" Wenren You stroked his chin. "When junior brother was here, she was still putting on airs... now she's probably tired of it."Luan Mei gave him a cold glance. "When junior brother was here, you cooked seven or eight dishes a day... Now that he's gone, you're not allowed to make a single dish less.""Wouldn't that be a waste?""With Fifth Brother around, would it be a waste?""...That's true."

Thanks to Luan Mei's interruption, the previously somber and melancholic atmosphere finally lightened a little. The three turned and walked back into the Ancient Treasury of Theatrical Arts.They passed through various zones, eventually returning to the vast, verdant grassland. Beneath the azure sky, a gentle breeze stirred, and six small cottages sat in the distance, creating a scene like a beautiful fairyland.Upon seeing this, the three suddenly fell silent."Should these... continue?" Luan Mei turned to Ning Ruyu.Ning Ruyu looked around with a complex expression, then shook his head."This place was originally built for Junior Brother. Now that he's gone, there's no need to continue expending the Treasury's power to maintain it. Let's dismantle it... But, leave Junior Brother's home."

Wenren You slowly stepped forward, reaching down to the grass beneath him. After a moment of fumbling, he seemed to grasp something and slowly raised his hand.The next moment, the distant snow-capped mountains began to fold and contract. The azure sky and the boundless grassland converged like a tide into Wenren You's palm.The sky transformed into a dark ceiling, the grassland into a plain floor. In the dim light, wooden shelves surrounded an open space, some holding written scripts and plays, others completely empty...It was like a dreamlike scene in a movie that gradually dissipates as the film ends, and the surroundings return to their original appearance.The Ancient Treasury of Theatrical Arts, Textual Area.Among the five empty wooden shelves stood the Sixth Brother's home, where Chen Ling had lived for six months. Its colorful flags no longer fluttered in the wind, dull and lifeless amidst the dim bookshelves... As if the boundless grassland had merely been a grand dream.Three figures stood silently among the dim bookshelves, like statues.In Wenren You's palm, a disc glowed faintly:— *The Secret Life of Walter Mitty* (USA), Ben Stiller, 2013.