He set down his pen, rubbed his aching eyes, and stared intently at the notebook's handwriting, slipping into deep thought. These notes were not just a replay of his dream but scattered clues—like a lighthouse in the mist—pointing toward some long-buried secret. He tried to sort through the details and find connections: Were the dragon-patterned stone pillars and the bronze bells features of a Qin-dynasty palace? Was the ritual somehow tied to the dragon motifs, requiring specific offerings or incantations? Did Ying Yue's long gown adorned with star patterns signify a special status? His mind brimmed with questions, yet he sensed that the key to lifting the seal lay hidden within these clues. He turned to a fresh page and sketched the palace outline and dragon patterns in pencil—simple strokes, but his first step toward capturing the dream's imagery.
From that morning on, Li Wei resolved in his heart to actively explore this mysterious dreamscape and, at any cost, find the ritual's secrets. He believed that if he could return to that palace, he would uncover the vital information Ying Yue had left behind, perhaps even speak with her directly to learn the truth of the ritual and how to break the seal. To achieve this, he began experimenting with every method he could imagine, hoping to re-enter that real-yet-mysterious dream world.
Each night before bed, he would solemnly light a stick of sandalwood incense he had procured at an antique market, attempting to recreate its warm, rich aroma from the dream. As the incense burned, pale smoke curled upward and filled his room like invisible threads, wrapping every corner in a fragrance identical to his dream's. Breathing in that familiar scent, a strange calm washed over him, as though he were back in the palace, enveloped by its mysterious power. Seated on the edge of his bed, he cradled the "Time-Space Jade" pendant in both hands, pressing it to his chest to feel its cool surface and the faint pulse within—like the heartbeat of another world. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and whispered, "Ying Yue… Ying Yue… where are you? I am searching for you—please take me back and guide me…" His voice was low and reverent, equal parts prayer and plea to a distant beloved, each word laden with urgency and longing. He strove to deepen his bond with the pendant, hoping it would sense his will and draw his soul back into the dream.
He even arranged antique-style bronze vessels and small bells around the room to simulate the palace's atmosphere. Yet his first few nights of attempts bore no fruit. Though hazy fragments—dragon patterns, bell chimes, sandalwood—appeared in his dreams, they never coalesced into a clear path or guidance back to the palace. Undeterred, he grew even more determined and refined his approach. He began reading histories of the Qin dynasty before sleep, studying architectural styles, sacrificial rites, and legends, seeking any connection to his dream. He pored over ancient texts for palace blueprints and ritual records, even practicing meditation techniques to quiet his mind and enter deeper slumber.
After several nights of trial and error, his efforts finally bore fruit. One night, clutching the jade pendant as he drifted off, the palace's silhouette surfaced in his mind—the towering walls, the majestic columns, the clear ring of bells. He felt a mysterious force tug at his consciousness, dragging him into darkness before a brilliant glow ignited the scene. The palace emerged from the mist before him. He had returned to the dream! This time, he was no longer passive; he stepped forward with a clear purpose: to find Ying Yue and uncover the truth of the ritual.
Back in the dream, Li Wei scrutinized every detail with newfound focus. He noticed that the dragon carvings on the pillars, when viewed from certain angles and under specific light, formed intricate runes whose graceful lines pulsed with energy—far more than mere decoration. He listened to the bells and discerned their fixed rhythm, like an ancient incantation vibrating through the air. He also spotted a heavy stone door deep within the palace, its surface thick with dust and etched with faint archaic characters that echoed the pendant's patterns. He recorded these clues in silence, convinced they held the key to breaking the seal and awaiting real-world verification.
He tried to approach the stone door to read its inscription but the dream began to blur, as if some force resisted him. Though he fought to steady his mind, he was ultimately expelled and awoke. Yet he was not discouraged—instead, his resolve only hardened. He knew that beyond that door lay vital truths and vowed to break through the barrier. His heart brimmed with determination and hope; he understood the path ahead would be fraught with challenges, but he was willing to face any danger for Ying Yue's sake. He believed that through unwavering perseverance, he could uncover the ritual's secret, lift the seal, and rescue her from darkness.
But with every deeper venture came a creeping danger. Each awakening left his body drained as if every drop of energy had been siphoned from him; his mind felt foggy, and sometimes he thought he saw shifting shadows in the corners of his room or heard faint whispers. Though these phenomena unsettled him, he chose to ignore them and press on. He could not shake the suspicion that the dream was more than a dream—that it was a genuine parallel world, and that the "Time-Space Jade" had singled him out for a reason. These questions swirled around him like mist, but he was determined to pierce the veil, uncover the truth, and achieve Ying Yue's redemption.