Back at his temporary lodging in Nuoding City, the moment Xiao Wu saw Lin Nuo, he puffed out his cheeks and snorted, "Hmph, you little Lin, you went off to play and didn't take me with you—see if I talk to you again."
As she spoke, she made a proud pout and turned her head, though the corner of her eye still cast furtive glances at Lin Nuo.
Lin Nuo knew exactly what that dancing bunny was thinking. His eyes slid mischievously to the side and he said to the smiling mei ying, who was enjoying the spectacle: "Mother, while I was traveling, I found many delicious ingredients and invented several new dishes—let me bring them for you to try."
With that, he approached the table and ran his hand over it; instantly, the surface was covered with a feast of fragrant delicacies.
He pointed to a plate and presented it: "These are sweet and sour ribs—sweet and spicy; this is sweet and sour fish—chilly and sour; these are slow-cooked lionfish meatballs; this is spicy diced chicken…"
Dish by dish, he named them, and with each name, Xiao Wu secretly swallowed hard, a mouthful of saliva. The tempting aromas that rose to her nose were the last straw; she gave in, flashed a radiant smile, and greeted Lin Nuo as if nothing had happened.
Mei Ying, still enjoying the show, couldn't help but giggle, which made Xiao Wu stomp her foot, embarrassed and blushing.
A meal, a bountiful table, and the interrogation crisis between mother and daughter was resolved elegantly.
After lunch, Xiao Wu patted his round belly, shot Lin Nuo a furious look, and waved with a small pink fist. "Don't think this is over. Next time you go out, you'll have to take me with you, or else... humph!"
"Yes, yes, yes… I'll definitely take you next time." Lin Nuo smiled indulgently and extended his sinful hand to stroke the two rabbit ears atop her head, receiving another coquettish protest.
After a few more provocations, Lin Nuo dragged the reluctant Xiao Wu into the kitchen to help Mei Ying wash the dishes.
They spent a warm and cozy day; the next morning, Mei Ying went to pick up Xiao Wu and Lin Nuo from the academy.
With their goal achieved, school was no longer necessary—besides, a primary school really had nothing more to teach them.
Upon leaving Nuoding City, the three found a nearby village and settled in a secluded location.
Lin Nuo's main task now was not to search for Dugu Bo, but rather to assimilate the knowledge he had gained from Tang San and merge it into his own foundation—only in this way would his future path expand.
Within the Space of the Pearl of Myriad Beasts, Lin Nuo sat cross-legged beside the Demonic Tree of Nightmares; strands of white mist enveloped him, giving him an ethereal air.
He was using dreams to accelerate the assimilation of the three Cultivation Techniques: Mysterious Celestial Skill, Purple Demon Eye, and Mysterious Jade Hand.
Although they were only Wuxia-level techniques, they still had merit—otherwise, a pure and upright individual would not have valued them so much.
Furthermore, if you wanted to create your own technique, you would need a reference; pure imagination would not be enough.
If Lin Nuo hadn't awakened two powerful Spirits, he too would have needed an art of meditation and then innovated upon it—otherwise, all fantasy would be nothing more than moonlight reflected on water.
In the dream, he was a disciple of the Tang Sect, raised in the sect since childhood. At the age of three, he caught the attention of the sect leader and was accepted as a personal apprentice, beginning his life in the Tang Sect.
In the dream world created by the Demonic Tree of Nightmares, there existed not only the Tang Sect, but also Wudang, Shaolin, and other sects common to the Wuxia worlds.
Although it couldn't replicate their exact techniques, the tree still vividly mimicked their features.
Even Lin Nuo, the newcomer, sighed, lamenting that the people of the Douluo World had squandered a true treasure, possessing a paradise without even knowing it.
The original Shinian was a walking life simulator, but he used his ability for evil and ended up getting involved with Tang San, the trickster—which ended in ruin.
In this dream world, Lin Nuo lived for one hundred and two years and died of old age. He acquired a profound knowledge of the three techniques, but true innovation was still impossible for him.
As he opened his eyes, a fleeting aura of ancient decay emanated from him. He patted the trunk of the Demonic Nightmare Tree. "Thank you for your hard work, Nightmare. Next time, I want you to completely seal my memories and run the process again."
"As you wish, and there is no need for formalities. As you grow within the dream, I also grow. Accompanying you through Reincarnation has deepened my own understanding of the illusory element," an ancient voice echoed in his mind.
With a slight smile, Lin Nuo stood up and vanished in an instant from the Pearl Space of Myriad Beasts.
Outside, he guarded the secret celestial ruler of a hundred transformations that served as his camouflage, spent a relaxing day with Xiao Wu and Phantom, and then returned once more to the Pearl Space of Myriad Beasts to continue his dreamlike reincarnation.
Thus, Lin Nuo traversed the Dream World repeatedly, deepening his understanding of the three great techniques.
After the ninth cycle, he had completely mastered them; he dared to claim that even their original creators understood them less than he did.
Emerging for another day of rest, he returned to the Demonic Nightmare Tree and, after reflecting for a while, transmitted to the tree the plots of various Xuanhuan web novels that he had read in his previous life.
This would help him develop a new technique.
First came the Mysterious Heaven Skill, a Qi cultivation technique; novels set in primordial eras were the obvious choice, but when the tree tried it, the results were poor.
Perhaps the ranking of such Worlds was too high; the imitation lacked life and flexibility, nothing like the vivid simulation of the Tang Sect.
Furthermore, Lin Nuo discovered that the natural laws of different worlds simply could not be copied; the movements performed in them seemed slow—form without substance.
Frowning, he moved on to another novel. Although he was still focused on cultivating Qi, his level was lower than that of the primordial myths.
He failed again, but he wanted to keep trying.
The Demonic Nightmare Tree suddenly spoke: "Little Nuo, this won't work. I can imitate that Wuxia World of the Tang Sect because I saw it myself when you invaded Tang San's memories. Those fantasy worlds of yours are splendid, but I've never personally experienced them, so I can't recreate them in dreams; even if I try, they'll only be half-real."
Hearing this, Lin Nuo understood: tell an elder about a car he's never seen, and no matter how vivid your description, he still won't be able to imagine it.
He pondered and then said, "How about this: adding the settings and elements of those fantasy worlds and letting you create your own dream world—do you think that could work?"
"Very well, I'll try."
The tree released thin mists and pulled Lin Nuo back into the dream world.
The next day, Lin Nuo woke up with a radiant smile—this time it worked, and the results were remarkable.
With the experiment a success, he was determined to compile a stronger and more suitable technique for him than the Mysterious Celestial Skill…