Forty Millenniums of Cultivation Chapter 3: The Uncanny Dream

“Damn, Li Yao, it’s no wonder they call you the ‘Traceless Hand’! This 2011 Mustang GT you overhauled can hit a hundred in three seconds flat. It’s like you’ve transformed it into a completely different machine! It’s basically a rocket! I’m losing my mind here!”

“...”

“One minute fifty-nine seconds! One minute fifty-nine seconds! My God, am I seeing this right? A brand new god of the underground racing world has been born!”

“...”

“Give me your word that you’ll stop street racing. If you become a legitimate car mechanic, nobody will look down on you. One day, we’ll even open our own Auto 4S Shop!”

“...”

“Brother Yao, Brother Yao, I’m begging for your help. Just fly one last time. Who besides you can hit a 1:59 on this track? I’m in debt to Violent Scar for 300,000. If I don’t settle up today, I’m dead. I’LL DIE!”

“...”

“Doctor! Doctor! Please, save him! He’s only twenty-three!”

“...”

Li Yao suddenly bolted upright from the floor, a piercing scream caught in his throat. He was soaked through with perspiration.

Morning light streamed through the window, brightening the room. The Hologram Projector chattered away, playing old-school tracks. For thirty seconds, the boy sat motionless like a wooden doll, gradually shaking off the lingering effects of the vivid nightmare.

This dream was his most guarded secret, something he never even shared with the old man. Since his earliest childhood memories, this bizarre vision would recur every few days. It felt like a fragment of a memory he could never truly discard.

In this strange dream, he was still named Li Yao, yet he lived an entirely different existence. He resided in a baffling world, working as a “Car Mechanic” at a place known as an Auto “4S” Shop.

When night fell over a city glowing with neon lights, he was a legendary figure in the “Underground Street Racing Circle,” known for his incredible talent as a racer and car modder. The roar of engines fueled his adrenaline in the dark. He pushed limits and shattered records—until he finally crashed to his death.

He died in that dream world over and over again. Although the experience was harrowing, Li Yao didn't actually hate it. In fact, he felt somewhat fortunate. Without the life experience gained from that dream world, he never would have survived the dangers of the Artifact Graveyard until now.

Whether it was a freakish nightmare or a tangled memory from a previous life didn't really matter.

There are many versions of yesterday, including a yesterday defined by death; there are many versions of today, including a today defined by life.

It was irrelevant who the Li Yao of yesterday had been. Today’s Li Yao was merely a normal high school student from Floating Spear City, in the Star Glory Federation of the Heaven’s Origin Sector.

—A student destined to become a Master Artificer!

He exhaled deeply. After a quick tidy-up of his room and a brief wash, it was just after six. Li Yao slung his bag over his shoulder, grabbed the 3D Hologram Generator, and marched out the door.

It was Monday, and the sun was just beginning to rise. He had to reach school by 7:30.

The distance from Morning Sun Village to the Crimson Nimbus Second Affiliated High School was thirty miles. He could have taken the underground crystal rail, transferring from the third line to the seventh, but that would cost eight bucks in fare.

Li Yao hated wasting money. Stretching out his long legs, he utilized the Body Art of the Spirit Serpent taught at school, darting toward the city center like a bolt of lightning.

The morning sun was ascending, painting the horizon in endless colors; it was a dawn overflowing with spiritual Qi.

From a distance, Floating Spear City resembled a waking titan. The major Sects were all unleashing their power, casting brilliant rainbows of light across the sky.

Numerous Cultivators hovered in the air, taking advantage of the dawn to breathe in solar essence and moonlight. Their bodies twisted and turned, forming the shapes of luminous, eight-figured diffusing glyph scripts. Some were accompanied by fire crows or immortal cranes, while others were orbited by meteoric stones. The air was filled with grand, powerful sounds, creating a scene of absolute dominance.

A massive floating airship moved slowly through the sky, trailing a tail of fire. This fiery streak merged with the blue sky and clouds to form a net of essence. Sleek private flying shuttles darted through this mesh, their whistles creating a beautiful melody.

—This was a typical morning in the Federal Cultivation City of Floating Spear!

Li Yao moved like a coiled spring, leaping twenty meters with every stride. He moved with incredible speed. Though his movements looked awkward and drew stares from bystanders, he ignored them, focusing entirely on practicing his art. He reached the school in just thirty minutes, his head wreathed in white steam and his back coated in a layer of salt from his sweat.

Instead of heading straight through the gates, he darted into a run-down alleyway nearby.

Tucked away in the alley was a weathered shop sign. It read: “Old Wang’s Second-Hand Shop.” Beneath the name was a wall of fine print: “Specializing in all varieties of second-hand artifacts. Services include artifact modding, battle armor refinement, magical beast training, glyph array maintenance, monastery ceremonies, and other professional work.”

As if he had been waiting for Li Yao, a window slid open to reveal a large bald head belonging to a shifty-eyed old man.

“Hah, I dropped two grand playing cards last night and was wondering how to tell my wife, but then the God of Wealth shows up. Little Devil, what treasures have you brought your old grandpa this time?” The old man gave a devious grin.

“Cut the crap! Even if you lost your shirt, don’t think I’m letting you lowball me!” Li Yao casually swatted away Old Wang’s reaching hand. He paused for a moment, and despite his reluctance to let it go, he handed over the hologram projector.

He really wanted to keep the device to study the three-layer stacked crystal chip tech, but cold hard cash was more pressing. Attending a private high school was pricey. To progress in Cultivation, one had to buy essence pills and support gear to boost their combat potential.

Ultimately, the path of Cultivation—whether one was poor in academics or rich in martial prowess—required piles of silver to walk.

“This is actually high-quality stuff!”

Old Wang clearly had an eye for quality. He inspected the Hologram Projector, his eyes gleaming with approval. Without even testing it, he said, “Flat price, 9,500!”

A sense of warmth rose in Li Yao’s chest. That figure was very close to the actual market value for a used unit. Old Wang was looking out for him again.

Despite his suspicious, shifty appearance, this old man was the only person besides the old man who had ever treated Li Yao well. He always tucked a little extra into their deals and frequently gave Li Yao high-paying odd jobs.

If not for Old Wang’s help after the old man passed away, Li Yao likely wouldn't have been able to afford the tuition at his private school.

“I don’t want that much, 9,000 is plenty. Give the other 500 to Ms. Wang and tell her you won it at cards. Don’t thank me; I was just taught to respect my elders. I can’t stand the thought of your old bones kneeling on a washboard to do laundry. I’ve got to get to assembly, so just wire the money to my account!” Li Yao waved and started to hop away.

“Wait a second, Little Devil!” Old Wang called out.

Li Yao paused and teased, “What is it, old man? You think 500 isn't enough?”

“Hmph! In my prime, I was a top-tier master of artifact modding. I could pull in millions in minutes. You think I’m after your pocket change? I wanted to remind you that the university entrance exam is only a hundred days away. You need to focus and get into a decent school. Don't let your repair skills go to your head and make you think you’ve seen it all! The world is vast, and you’ll only realize that once you get to university. Compared to a real Master Artificer, your skills aren't worth a damn!” Old Wang barked.

Feeling another surge of warmth, Li Yao pumped his fist in the air. “I’ll definitely make it into university, Grandpa Wang!”