📖 Chronicles of the Heavenly Dream

I was once a wandering seer who, in a dream, entered the divine city. There, I beheld the celestial river turning in the night, its light shimmering across the galaxy, with the radiant stars shining brightly. Strange beasts roamed, unlike anything known to mankind. Upon awakening, ten days had passed. My body was weak, on the verge of death, yet my spirit soared. I could not tell if my journey was real or a mere illusion. So, I wrote it down, leaving this record for future generations. Desolate hills, cold they stand, where rivers would not flow. The divine palace towers high, into the void unknown. Starry waterfalls descend, their silver glow like snow. In darkness, chaos stirs, where no dragon dares to go. In the abyss, a Go duel plays, against the heavens' might. Sun and moon in endless cycles, by the Taiyi Bell they ride. Sky and thunder stand as one, guarding with a mighty hand. While on the divine stele, prophecy shapes fate upon the land.

The divine city lies beyond the world, where no cosmos abides. Here, the sun and moon fall, as the stars ascend; the four seasons fade away, while only the Eastern Emperor's light endures. Deities dwell here, their beasts strange and wondrous some fleeting as sparks, others enduring as stone only the Supreme Emperor may comprehend the rules within. I wandered in a daze and suddenly found myself before a majestic divine palace. Inside, I beheld two sacred beasts: one of gold, radiant with flowing light and vibrant colors; the other of silver, cloaked in clear light and chill brilliance. The golden beast bore giant horns pointing to the sky, its sacred form, half-deer and half-steed, transcended mortal flesh. Between its horns, a solar wheel hung high, illuminating the Evernight. The fur along its neck radiated with a dazzling glow. Drawn closer, I realized its divinity. With every breath of it, day and night seemed to rise and fall. Yet, its eyes gleamed with gentleness and wisdom. The sunlight scorched, but its warmth comforted me. Perhaps because I was a wandering soul, it showed no intention to attack me. And because the solar wheel shone aloft it, bathing the sky in radiance, the people of the divine city revere it as the beast of "Solar."

Sun and moon illuminate the earth, rising from the East. Within the divine palace dwelt two sacred beasts. One was of gold, radiant with flowing light and vibrant colors; the other of silver, cloaked in clear light and chill brilliance. The silver beast, with fur gleaming like silver, bore the likeness of a lion or a tiger. Its form was seemingly woven of spiritual essence, also rather than mortal flesh. Its mane blazed like the fire of the netherworld, and upon its head rested a silver moon. Though ferocious in form, its nature was gentle. Drawing near felt as though falling into the Evernight, yet also as though basking in the moon's pure light, chill and serene. Upon the road, I encountered a wandering soul who told me this beast was named "Lunar." At the dawn of creation, the divine city was invaded by myriad stars. The sun and moon were cast down to earth, forming two sacred beasts one named Solar, the other Lunar. They have since dwelt eternally within the Hall of Reincarnation, governing the cycle of day and night.

I wandered into the Realm of Chaos and came upon a wandering soul who stopped me from proceeding. "Beyond lies Chaos, the devourer of heaven and earth. Halt, lest danger claim you." Knowing the possible peril ahead, I still wished to press on. As I advanced, a black mist crashed upon me. Failed to evade it, though I managed to escape at last, I felt something had been lost. Upon returning, I encountered the soul once more. "Did you encounter the Chaos Miasma? One of your spirits has been consumed." With these words, the soul left. Still shaken, I dared not move forward again. The next time I met the wandering soul, I learned that the black mist was the Chaos Miasma. In the divine city, there exists a Chaos born from the void, possessing the power of devouring the heavens. When it breathes out, it gives rise to miasmas, which will gradually become entities that mimic the form of the Chaos beast, though lesser in power and shape. These are called Chaos Miasma. A single Chaos Miasma could devour one of my spirits, which is a glimpse of the true Chaos' dreadful power.

After leaving the Realm of Chaos, I journeyed upstream. The banks grew wide, the forest lush. In the void above, I saw giant rays swimming, their faint glow illuminating the night. With wings on their sides and bodies huge enough to shroud the sky, they glided through the trees, feeding upon Nethergrass. As they swam, they sang, their voice like birdsong. Wherever they passed, trails of starlight lingered. One such ray descended to the shore, and wandering souls flocked to ride upon its back. Curious, I asked, "Why do you ride upon it?" One soul replied, "Riding on its back allows one to roam heaven and earth. You should try as well." So I did, soaring through the Evernight of the void on its back. I later learned the river was called the Forbidden Crossing, and the giant ray, the Nightshine Ray, was a native of this land, gentle in nature, often ridden by souls. In the forest, I saw faint lights flickering, sometimes visible, sometimes vanishing. Intrigued, I asked the wandering soul what they were. The soul answered, "That is the Lodestar Deer, born of the Forbidden Crossing. Its body is shimmered with light, akin to the spirits of mountain and wood. It also feeds upon Nethergrass, just like the Nightshine Ray."

Riding upon the ray, I suddenly came upon a desolate land. Surrounded were crumbling walls and toppled towers. Nothing remained but a scene of utter ruin and desolation. I turned to the wandering soul beside me and asked, "Do you know where we are? It is so barren." They replied, "This is the Wasteland. Since the day I came to this realm, it has been like this, seemingly the remnants of a divine war. Though broken and forlorn, this place harbors many strange beasts." We dismounted and stepped onto this land. A wondrous steed appeared before us, with the head of a hound and the body of a horse, wings on both sides, pure white all over, and its scales shimmering. The wandering soul said, "This is the Dragon Steed, said to carry the blood of dragons. It can soar through the heavens and dive to the depths, traversing a thousand miles in but a breath." And with that, they quietly mounted one and rode away. I, too, tried to approach one. Yet it was wary, as though it could peer into human hearts, and kept its distance from me.

As I wandered through the Wasteland, I saw the ruins of a palace, faintly reminiscent of its former glory, now overgrown with vegetation, making it uninhabitable. Strange beasts roamed among the wilds and greenery; though they lacked physical form and were not of flesh and blood, their spirits were extraordinary and quite mystical. Hidden amidst the vegetation lay a cave. As I drew near, I saw countless treasures golden jade, shark pearls, dragon scales but just as I reached to examine them, a small mouse darted out and nibbled my finger. Though frail and harmless, the precious cave belonged to the mouse, so I left its hoard undisturbed. The mouse was a spirit body ethereal and transparent, with Stardust flickering within its form. Later, when I encountered a Wandering Soul and inquired about it, I learned this creature was called a Scavenger Rat: a spirit formed from heavenly Stardust, truly mystical in nature.

When I was wandering the Wasteland, I encountered another wandering soul. As we conversed, a spiritual dog suddenly leapt toward me, startling me into an instinctive flight. But the wandering soul stopped me, saying, "Do not run. This dog means no harm. It just likes your voice and wishes to draw near." Curious, I asked more about it. Then I learned the creature was called the Soundchaser Fox. Resembling a dog, it was not of mortal flesh. It fed upon various sounds, thus often following other beings. Among all, it was especially fond of the resonant cries of the Dragon Steed. To the Soundchaser Fox, the voices of the wandering soul and me were exotic and precious, hence it took a liking to us.

With the body of a wandering soul, I knew neither weariness nor hunger, drifting endlessly through the void until I awakened, as if from a dream spanning an entire era. Upon waking and asking those beside me, I learned that ten days had passed. My body was weak, and I was so close to death. Only by the care of friends and kin was my life spared. Still, I wonder: is that divine city in my dream a real existence or a mere illusion? When we die, would our souls return there? No one knows. I asked all my friends and colleagues, but none had heard of this in-dream paradise. So I have recorded it for those who come after. When the golden elixir is true and bright, following the dream can a soul take to flight. Strange as the fish in the polar sea, bizarre is the steed of illusion that none awake shall see. The stars dwell above, their course ordained, just like the dance of fate remains unchanged. What value holds a century's span, against a dream within the celestial void so grand?