I Have a Golden Crow

In the hospital ward, within a four-person room.

Yang Qingqing, Fu Jianzhou, and Du Yu, each lying on their own hospital beds, slowly closed their eyes.

Li Mengnan and Lin Shiwei stood at the bedside, resisting the flute's melody while silently guarding the three.

Suddenly, on the far right bed, Du Yu abruptly raised his hand, giving a thumbs-up.

It was uncertain if he was encouraging the two younger sisters or indicating that he was in good condition.

The two girls immediately looked over, Li Mengnan with an expression of both exasperation and amusement: "Quickly sleep, sleep!"

Lin Shiwei stepped forward quietly, whispering, "Sleep peacefully, I'll watch over you."

Du Yu lowered his hand, his spirit gradually relaxing. With the poignant and moving melody of the West Xia's flute entering his ears, he slowly drifted into slumber...

Li Mengnan looked between the three, and after hearing the sound of even breathing, she raised her eyes to the clock on the wall.

3:37 AM.

Master Qing said to wake them precisely at 7 AM, so they had about three and a half hours left of dream time.

Since arriving at Xixia Town and conversing face-to-face with the military, Li Mengnan had learned more information: those who fall asleep accompanied by the flute's melody don't necessarily have sweet dreams!

Hopefully, none of them would be plagued by nightmares.

Li Mengnan clasped her hands into fists, placing them under her chin, praying silently in her heart.

The girl's life spirit was diminishing...

Perhaps the girl's prayers truly took effect, for the drowsy Du Yu gradually lost consciousness and then regained awareness in his dream.

"Where is this?" Du Yu curiously looked around.

This was a mountain forest, with blue skies, white clouds, and the sounds of nature, very beautiful.

"Am I dreaming?" Du Yu murmured, raising his hands and clenching his fists.

Dreaming is a common occurrence.

But over the years, Du Yu rarely had self-awareness within his dreams.

Every time, it was only after he woke up and got out of bed that he remembered some fragments of his dreams.

Additionally, in the process of dreaming, there would be many irrational aspects within the dream, but Du Yu, deeply entranced, would be completely unaware.

"Chirp chirp~"

Du Yu looked up, through the gaps in the leaves, he saw several little grey sparrows chirping on the branches.

His curiosity piqued, but before he could step forward, the big tree before him suddenly shrank!

"Flutter flutter~"

The abnormal trees, but the little grey sparrows reacted normally, quickly fleeing.

Du Yu instinctively reached out, and his arm unexpectedly extended and grew longer?

"Whoa!" Du Yu forgot about catching the birds, staring dumbfoundedly at his elongated arm.

Have I become a rubber man?

He looked up, observing the birds' path sweeping across the sky, as his thoughts guided him, his body began to float!

Du Yu: ???

I can fly too?

Could I be the master of this dream realm, free to do as I wish?

Du Yu thought as he flew into the sky, faster and higher.

"Yoohoo!" Du Yu was very excited, unable to hold back a loud shout!

Whether this was a dream or an illusion, the physical sensations felt real!

Flying has always been a human dream since ancient times.

Du Yu's eyes filled with delight, gazing at the azure sky, the clouds seemed like cotton candy.

He immediately flew towards them, diving headfirst into the clouds.

"Nai~"

"Hmm?" Du Yu popped out of the cloud, carrying a faint trail of white mist beneath him.

Looking back, he saw a snow-white deer head emerging from within the cloud.

Bai Yujing?

"Xiaobai, what are you doing here?" Du Yu immediately felt silly as he spoke.

Everything in a dream seems to defy logic.

"Nai!" Bai Yujing emerged from the cloud, hopping lightly through the air.

She slipped beneath Du Yu, forcibly carrying him towards the Twin Trees below.

"Ying!"

"Hmm! Hmm! Hmm!" Suddenly, Bai Yujing was joined on either side by a Three-tailed Fire Fox and a Ghostly Firefly Doll.

Du Yu curiously observed, not knowing when a Little Chi Bear appeared behind him.

A fox, a deer, a bear, a ghostly firefly, accompanied Du Yu, forming a small squad, traversing the sky, diving together towards the ground.

"Wow!" Du Yu gasped in surprise.

The Twin Flower Trees shook their leaves, the water-like cascades slowly unfolding, like a vast bed, embracing the squad within.

The dense foliage shook with rustling sounds.

Du Yu's form fell through the gaps, layer by layer.

"This is so fun~" a charming voice suddenly rang out.

Du Yu's descent halted, hovering steadily mid-air: "Little Fen Yang?"

"What a magical world."

Du Yu: "Are you real?"

"Silly Du Yu~ I'm real of course!" Little Fen Yang's form quietly appeared, hovering in front of Du Yu, her large orange eyes blinking, "Don't forget your plan."

"Right!" Du Yu smacked his forehead, controlling his body, slowly landing.

The scent of pear blossoms filled his nostrils, beneath the beautiful Twin Flower Waterfall, Du Yu began to hum a sad melody.

"Mm mm~mm..."

This was the melody of the West Xia flute playing!

Since arriving at Xixia Town, he'd begun memorizing the flute's tune.

In Du Yu's mind, he thought this might be a way to attract the Artifact Spirit's attention?

After humming for a while, silence surrounded him, with only the gentle sway of the Twin Flower Waterfall.

Little Fen Yang looked up at the Twin Trees, muttering, "This tree is such a nuisance."

Du Yu was inspired, gradually, his body grew larger and larger.

The once sky-covering Twin Trees were now no longer a problem, only reaching the height of Du Yu's ankle.

Looking down at the tiny world beneath him, Du Yu felt for the first time what it was like to be divine!

In front of his enormous pupils, Little Fen Yang's figure seemed pitifully small, yet her voice was crisp and clear.

She gazed at Du Yu's eyes, her expression increasingly captivated: "The Eye of the Burning Sun is so beautiful."

And the flute tune Du Yu hummed through his nose was indeed amplified a thousand times over, the sound reverberating between heaven and earth, again and again, looping endlessly.

It was unknown how much time had passed, but Du Yu persisted, as if he vowed never to stop until his goal was achieved, as if he would hum until seas dried up and stones crumbled...

Just as he once again fell into a continuous loop, faintly, it seemed the sound of a flute entered his ears.

Du Yu's heart trembled as he followed the flute's melody, suddenly turning his head to look back...

"Du Yu?"

The towering figure of Du Yu saw only a mist swirling in front of him, and then he felt someone push him slightly.

Gradually, the mist before him was replaced by the face of a young girl.

"Hmm?" Du Yu blinked hard, and his vacant gaze gradually regained focus.

Beside the sickbed, Lin Shiwei propped one hand on the bed, the other on Du Yu's shoulder, and softly said: "Wake up."

"Ah..." Du Yu indeed awoke, but he was still a bit disoriented; he supported himself on the bed, attempting to rise.

Lin Shiwei helped him sit up, her concern evident: "How are you?"

Du Yu was quite puzzled: "Waking me up so early?"

Li Mengnan, sitting at the end of the bed, softly said: "It's already 7 o'clock in the morning."

Du Yu: "Ah?"

An entire three and a half hours had passed so quickly?

Lin Shiwei softly asked: "Were you having a sweet dream?"

"Hmm?" Du Yu looked up at Third Sister.

Lin Shiwei: "Your mood was very calm, you kept smiling at the start—those warm, heartfelt smiles."

Du Yu nodded thoughtfully: "I seem to have succeeded."

Lin Shiwei was surprised: "Succeeded?"

Du Yu wasn't quite sure what the final misty scene represented. But without a doubt, he heard flute music in the dream!

Could this be feedback from the West Xia Flute Spirit?

Du Yu slightly tilted his head, glancing past Lin Shiwei to the middle bed.

Only to see Master Qing with a lightly furrowed brow, looking quite unwell.

And on a bed farther away, Fu Jianzhou...

Du Yu's heart sank: "What's wrong with Senior Brother Fu?"

"We don't know either." Li Mengnan looked at Senior Brother Fu in the distance, a trace of worry in her eyes.

Compared to Du Yu and Yang Qingqing, Fu Jianzhou's emotional fluctuations were indeed too intense.

At this moment, Fu Jianzhou was tear-streaked!

Honestly, Du Yu found it difficult to accept such a sight.

The Senior Brother Fu he remembered was always positive, sunny, with a warm and kind smile.

Yet now, his face was filled with sorrow, his right hand clenched into a fist, tears having already soaked the pillow.

Lin Shiwei bit her lip: "I don't know whether I should wake Senior Brother; his state is most aligned with the emotions conveyed by the West Xia flute."

"First, wake up Master Qing, let her decide." Du Yu made a decisive call, got out of bed, and gently shook the woman's arm.

"Hah!" Yang Qingqing suddenly opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and grabbed Du Yu's hand with her backhand.

"Crack!"

"Crack!" After the Demon Breath Battle Robe shattered, there was a crisp cracking sound of bones!

"Hiss..." Du Yu gasped in pain!

Such a simple motion by the woman actually crushed his hand bones!

Awakening from a sleeping state, Yang Qingqing seemed suddenly full of life, her Demon Breath fluctuating violently, slowly spreading to fill the ward.

"Master Qing, it hurts... hurts, hurts." Du Yu grimaced in pain.

Yang Qingqing turned to the youth beside her, reacting for a full 2 seconds before hurriedly releasing his hand.

Du Yu held his right wrist with his left hand and stumbled backwards, plopping down on his own bed.

Watching Du Yu's pallid face, Yang Qingqing finally detached from the dream, a hint of guilt in her eyes.

She raised her left hand, a strand of flower vine extended from her fingertips, from which a series of leaves grew, quickly wrapping Du Yu's right hand.

"Sorry." Yang Qingqing supported her forehead with her right hand and exhaled deeply.

"It's nothing, really." Du Yu's smile was forced.

So frustrating~

Still have to smile through it.

After all, she could easily crush his hand bones and just as easily crush his skull.

Come to think of it, ever since becoming a disciple under Master Qing, she hadn't really scolded him much, so today could be considered a make-up lesson...

"Master Qing, please check on Senior Brother Fu." Du Yu stuttered as he spoke.

Yang Qingqing, while healing Du Yu, turned her head to the right.

Upon seeing Fu Jianzhou's abnormal state, Yang Qingqing was taken aback.

The leading disciple was crying like a tearful mess, heartbroken to such an extent, this...

What was his dream?

Li Mengnan looked utterly worried: "Master Qing, should we wake Senior Brother Fu?"

Yang Qingqing got out of bed and went to Fu Jianzhou's side, gently pushing the disciple's shoulder: "Jianzhou."

"Jianzhou, wake up, Jianzhou?"

Fu Jianzhou's body wavered, but still did not open his eyes.

One must remember, Senior Brother Fu was a Great Demon Tamer.

Let alone being woken, the commotion Yang Qingqing made when she woke should have been enough to rouse him!

Yet at this moment, Fu Jianzhou still kept his eyes tightly shut.

His face appeared mournful, his lips subtly quivering, with tears flowing from the corners of his eyes.

Du Yu had forgotten about the physical pain, for the scene before him was truly too tragic. What on earth was Senior Brother Fu dreaming of?

"Sigh..." Yang Qingqing sighed deeply, letting her right hand drop naturally.

"Master Qing?"

Yang Qingqing silently watched her disciple, speaking softly: "It seems he wishes to remain in the dream a bit longer."

Du Yu: "What?"

Was it Senior Brother Fu himself who didn't want to wake up?