The founding emperor asked his ministers, "I wish to enlighten the world, so that everyone may become like dragons. What good strategies do you have?"
Lord Bi said, "We can build a Temple of Divinity, enshrine the Yin soldiers and divine generals, rewarding the good and punishing the evil, covering the Nineteen Provinces."
The founding emperor frowned slightly.
Lord Zhao said, "We can compile great classics, gathering myriad benevolent laws, and disseminate them throughout the world."
The founding emperor's expression lightened a bit.
Duke Zhou said, "The common people endure much hardship, working from dawn until dusk; we cannot simply add to their burdens. Establishing a Temple of Divinity and compiling great classics should be the responsibility of the officials, not the common people. The ancient heretical sect, Nightmare Sect, had a law called 'Grand Dream Spring and Autumn,' and a treasure named 'One Dream, Heaven and Earth,' which allowed disciples to kill in their dreams."
"The law knows no good or evil; I can change its use. All subjects of our Zhou Dynasty can awaken their wisdom in dreams without harming themselves."
The founding emperor clapped and laughed heartily, "Good!"
Thus, he ordered Duke Zhou to interpret dreams and spread it throughout the world.
This anecdote, of course, is fictional.
Zhao Xing clearly remembered that the Cloud Dream Academy had no connection whatsoever with the founding emperor or the founding hero Duke Zhou Dan.
The ancient sect, Nightmare Sect, was not a heretical cult at all, but the state religion of the previous Fortune dynasty, Great Li.
The cultivation method 'Grand Dream Spring and Autumn' and the supreme treasure 'One Dream, Heaven and Earth' indeed existed.
The predecessor of Cloud Dream Academy was named 'Grand Dream Academy.'
It was used by the Great Li Dynasty to conduct 'elite education,' attracting geniuses, and it could indeed be used to kill in dreams.
After the fall of Great Li, it passed through several dynasties before being acquired by Great Zhou.
The Zhou emperor wanted to decipher it for his own use, but he never succeeded.
It wasn't until the time of Emperor Wu that the supreme treasure One Dream, Heaven and Earth was deciphered and transformed into 'Cloud Dream Academy' under Emperor Wu's hands.
At the same time, this anecdote came into being.
So why did Emperor Wu attribute the credit to the founding emperor?
Because this treasure was not 'decoded' in his hands, but was discovered by a certain minister who accidentally found the entry method in ancient texts.
It could be entered using the simplest Soul Calming Talisman and Guiding Talisman, combined with a single phrase.
Moreover, its effects had long been nearly fully developed by Great Li, and could be casually modified for use.
Having sought the supreme treasure for many years without finding a way, they finally discovered a method that was shockingly simple!
Additionally, the ancient emperors had already completed what he wanted to do; he only needed to simplify the large-scale implementation.
The proud Emperor Wu felt embarrassed; he seemed to see the emperor of Great Li mocking his incompetence, making it even less likely for him to covet this 'great merit' and 'great virtue' in the eyes of the world.
Attributing it to the previous few dynasties was also inappropriate, so he simply pushed it all onto the founding emperor.
The Soul Calming Talisman and Guiding Talisman glimmered slightly, a wave of drowsiness washed over Zhao Xing, and he suddenly felt his eyelids grow heavy, soon drifting into light snoring.
In the dream, Zhao Xing suddenly sat up and looked up.
Endless clouds enveloped the surroundings, so thick that he could not see clearly.
Only a towering gatehouse appeared before him.
Carved in ancient script were four characters: Grand Dream Academy.
"Did I really come in?"
Zhao Xing's first instinct was to check the panel, but he found he couldn't see it at all, so he truly had entered.
His second thought was:
"I've struck it rich!"
"The early version of the Cloud Dream Academy instance, oh no, it's still called Grand Dream Academy! It's completely an undeveloped gold mine!"
"Compared to the later version, which became a daily instance for players after Emperor Wu emptied the treasures, this is simply incomparable!"
Zhao Xing felt a surge of excitement.
In his previous life, he had missed the good times, but now it was different.
After organizing his thoughts and recalling certain precautions, Zhao Xing stepped into the misty portal.
With a single step, the scene abruptly changed.
Before him appeared palaces wrapped in semi-circular light shields, resplendent and magnificent.
Reincarnation Hall, Heart-Searching Platform, Martial God Tower, Secret Arts Repository, Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Sacred Beast Palace, Fate Palace...
Pavilions and towers, clusters of palaces, corridors and sky bridges, arranged in an orderly manner, layered and shrouded in clouds, as if he were in a fairyland.
Zhao Xing's eyes widened, and he drooled.
In the background story summarized by players in his previous life, Emperor Wu obtained the treasure trove accumulated by Great Li, which gave him the confidence to conquer the Eight Desolations.
Now these treasures were laid out before Zhao Xing, but before he could examine them closely, the vast majority of these palaces vanished into the clouds.
Only a few small pavilions remained.
"Huh? What’s going on?" Zhao Xing was taken aback. "Why did they disappear?"
He quickly chased after the direction of a disappearing palace, but after walking just a few dozen meters, he was blocked by a gentle force, making it extremely difficult to advance, until he could barely move an inch.
After several attempts, it was all the same. Zhao Xing stood still, frowning in thought for a long time before realizing.
This was Grand Dream Academy, not Cloud Dream Academy.
"The Grand Dream Academy of Great Li is specifically for cultivating geniuses, while Great Zhou's 'Cloud Dream Academy' accepts all without regard to aptitude."
"The former not only allows the study of high-level secret arts but also provides tangible rewards to take back, each of which is a precious treasure. However, it has entry thresholds and high difficulty tests."
"The latter mainly focuses on mid to low-level secret texts, with very few tangible rewards. But there are no thresholds; even children can roam freely throughout the academy, and there are no tests."
Having understood this, Zhao Xing could only helplessly watch as the treasures vanished into the clouds.
Now he didn't need to search for them himself.
Because as soon as he moved, he triggered a mechanism, and what remained were the places where he could attempt to claim rewards.
"Let's see what's left; there's no need to rush. There are still a few hundred years before Emperor Wu empties the treasure trove," Zhao Xing's mindset relaxed instantly; he had plenty of time to slowly clear this place.
After waiting for a moment, eventually, the myriad palaces and pavilions disappeared, leaving only a high platform floating in the sky.
The clouds rolled, and a staircase spiraled down from the high platform to Zhao Xing's feet.
"Heart-Searching Platform?"
"It seems my level is too low; I don't qualify to touch anything else, but this 'Heart-Searching Platform,' which is unrelated to cultivation realm, has a chance for me to challenge and earn rewards."
The tests on the Heart-Searching Platform are primarily based on the seven emotions and six desires, tailored to different individuals to create scenarios.
It also has some rules: it creates the most desired or feared situations at that moment.
Looking at the Heart-Searching Platform, Zhao Xing seemed to recall some unpleasant memories.
"It won't be something terrifying, will it...?"
Taking a deep breath, he cautiously stepped onto the first step of the staircase.
"Buzz~"
The surrounding scene suddenly changed, and Zhao Xing suddenly smelled a refreshing fragrance.
The water rippled, flower petals floated on the surface, steam rose, and a beautiful woman was leaning over the edge of a tub.
Half-hidden curves, bare back, fragrant shoulders, flowing hair...
"What? An erotic trial?"
"Heart-Searching Platform, did you make a mistake? What I desire most at this moment is certainly not this lowly pleasure?!"
(End of Chapter)