Chapter 2: Was It All Just a Dream?

Gurgle... The fierce protest from his starving stomach snapped Du Long out of his grief. Only then did he begin to study the valley around him. Clearly, this valley was not large; he could see its end at a glance.

It was an isolated valley of several hundred meters in diameter, surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs. At its heart lay a small pond, over a hundred meters wide. The water was so clear he could see many large fish swimming beneath the surface. Watching the fish glide through the pond, Du Long knew his hunger would soon be sated.

He found a slender tree branch, tied a sharp stone to its tip with a vine, and fashioned a crude spear. Under the curious gaze of the little golden snake, he began the arduous task of spearing fish. Having reached the first stage of Spirit Gathering, his strength had grown, and his senses were much keener. In less than half an hour, he had managed to spear two fish, each weighing over two pounds.

At the edge of the pond, he scaled and gutted the fish, then skewered them on branches he’d prepared. Soon, in the small cave where the golden snake usually lived, a fire was crackling, sending the aroma of roasting fish wafting through the valley.

He grabbed one of the roasted fish and tore into it without a word. After days in this valley without a single grain of food, his hunger was insatiable.

“I... I’m hungry too...” As Du Long devoured his fish, a shy voice echoed in his mind. It was the little golden snake coiled around his arm.

Du Long was not stingy. He reached for the other skewer, stuck it firmly in the ground, and smiled at the snake. “Eat up! This one’s yours. If you can’t finish it, leave the rest for me.”

With no further words, he continued wolfing down his own fish.

The little golden snake, already drooling, slithered off his arm in a flash, opened its jaws wide, and bit fiercely into the fish, easily tearing off a chunk of flesh, which it devoured greedily.

Ordinary snakes usually swallow their food whole, but this little golden snake was different—it tore off pieces and chewed before swallowing, almost like a human.

The strange sight nearly made Du Long forget about his own fish. He shook his head and returned to his meal.

In the end, Du Long finished one fish, but the little golden snake polished off the other completely, not leaving even a bone behind. It even cleaned up the fish bones Du Long had discarded.

Seeing the odd golden snake devour a fish larger than itself without its belly swelling in the slightest, Du Long’s mind was filled with questions. “Little Goldspark, that fish was bigger than you! How does it just disappear when you eat it?”

The little golden snake smacked its lips, as if savoring the taste, and replied absentmindedly, “I’m not sure! Ever since I can remember, I’ve never eaten anything this delicious...”

Du Long was even more curious. “So what do you usually eat? There’s nothing in this valley that looks like it would suit you.”

With a sigh, the little golden snake drooped its head. “I usually eat grass roots and leaves, and sometimes drink water. But those things are so bitter and astringent...”

Unable to resist, Du Long reached out and affectionately stroked the little snake’s head. He didn’t comfort it further; after all, he hadn’t even solved his own problems—how could he sympathize with this pitiful little creature?

He stood abruptly. Outside, the sky was growing brighter and the rain had stopped. He strode out of the cave, the little golden snake instantly curling itself tightly around his arm, even more attached to this human than before.

Standing at the valley floor, he looked up. The clouds that had shrouded the sky for days were finally beginning to part, and a sliver of long-lost sunlight shone through. The gloom in his heart was pierced by a thread of warmth.

“Little Goldspark! The rain’s stopped. I have to leave this valley. Do you want to stay, or come with me and see the world?”

He was silent for a long moment, then made his decision. Since fate had granted him a new lease on life, he could not remain trapped in this isolated valley. It was time to leave.

“Leave?” The little snake was clearly startled by Du Long’s decision. Though it longed to see the outside world, there was a warning deep in its mind urging it not to leave, which made it hesitate.

“I... I can’t leave...” the little snake answered uncertainly.

After talking for most of the day, Du Long had some idea what troubled the snake. He asked, “How long have you been here, Little Goldspark?”

“A long time... I think,” the snake replied, unsure.

“Ten years. In all that time, whoever told you to stay here should have come for you by now. If ten years have passed and no one’s come, something must have happened. The danger is probably long over,” Du Long reasoned.

“But... but...” The little snake hesitated for a long time, unable to form a coherent argument. Clearly, it was locked in an intense inner struggle.

“How about this? We’ll leave a message in the cave, saying you’ve gone with me to the capital of the Vast Sky Empire. If anyone comes looking for you, they can find us there. How does that sound?” With nothing tying him to this world anymore, Du Long hoped the little snake would accompany him. At least then he’d have someone to talk to.

The snake’s eyes lit up. It seemed to think this was a good idea. “Alright! I’ll go with you! Will there be more delicious things like just now outside?”

So that’s its only reason for leaving? Du Long rolled his eyes in exasperation. Good thing he’d given the little snake a taste of good food, or he might never have gotten it out of the valley.

“Of course! There are plenty of things outside even tastier than roast fish!” he replied confidently.

There wasn’t much to pack. After leaving a message in the cave, Du Long surveyed the area, chose a safe spot, and began to climb. The cliffs here were riddled with cracks, offering many footholds. With his new strength and agility, climbing was effortless.

In less than an hour, he reached the top of the cliff. Gazing back at the deep abyss behind him, he sighed, then strode resolutely down Mount Lingyun.

...

At the northern gate of the imperial capital of the Vast Sky Empire, crowds bustled in and out. It was peacetime, so the city guards were lax, and merchants, travelers, and common folk moved freely in and out of the city.

Standing before the familiar gate, Du Long was overcome with emotion—a nameless sorrow swelling inside him. He stared at the gate for a long time, unable to take another step.

“Young master, young master! You’re finally back! It’s been five days. If you hadn’t returned, my lady was going to send someone to Mount Lingyun to find you!” A familiar voice rang in his ears.

Du Long turned to see—it was his childhood servant, Ah Gui.

“Ah Gui? What... what are you doing here?” Du Long stared at his old servant in confusion, something feeling profoundly out of place.

“Young master, what’s wrong? Oh—what happened to you? Did you run into bandits on Mount Lingyun?” Ah Gui exclaimed, finally noticing Du Long’s disheveled state.

Still bewildered, Du Long let Ah Gui drag him through the north gate, along familiar streets, all the way to a place he could never forget—the Du family estate.

Wasn’t the Du family confiscated? What’s going on? Seeing the familiar guards at the gate, Du Long was stunned. In his memory, the estate had been sealed and deserted for years.

“Young master! Madam is waiting for you in the house! Let’s hurry!” Seeing Du Long rooted at the entrance, Ah Gui hurried him along toward the lady’s residence.

East Wing, Du Residence.

“Long’er, what happened to you on Mount Lingyun? Why do you look like this?” In the sitting room, Lady Zhou, Du Long’s mother, gazed at her only son with deep concern, her hands trembling as she stroked his face and body—clearly frightened by his ragged appearance.

“Mother...” Du Long stood dazed, letting her fuss over him. At last, in a hoarse voice, he called out, and in an instant, tears streamed down his reddened cheeks.

What is going on? Am I dreaming? Or was everything that happened before just a fleeting dream? Is this the real world? In that moment, Du Long’s mind was a whirlwind, his eyes blurred with tears. Deep down, he wished with all his heart that this was reality, and all that had come before was just a nightmare.