Sylvia didn't know how long she had been asleep.
But one thing was certain: this was the deepest, most restful slumber she'd had in a long time.
It made sense, honestly. Once someone reached a certain level of strength, sleep wasn't really a biological requirement to maintain mental clarity anymore.
Most of the time, she slept simply to enjoy that rare, blissful sense of total relaxation.
But this time?
Sylvia felt the genuine, soul-deep satisfaction she used to experience back in her previous life—that feeling of collapsing into bed after an agonizing, sleepless cram session for final exams.
She blearily opened her eyes.
Above her, she could see the dim, flickering pulse of indicator lights. Beside her, a machine emitted a rhythmic, steady beep-beep.
"..."
This didn't exactly look like a professional setup. Sylvia muttered a dry, groggy complaint to herself. Where on earth did she end up? Was she even sleeping here when she dozed off?
Before her brain could fully reboot, a pleasant voice drifted over from nearby.
"You're awake. Congratulations. The surgery was a success; you're no longer human."
"..."
Well, that's a rude way to start a conversation.
Sylvia curled her lip and turned her head. There, sitting at a workbench with a pair of eccentric goggles perched on her face, was Ruan Mei.
She seemed to be taking a break. A mechanical arm glided over to serve her a tray of pastries and tea. With graceful, fluid movements, Ruan Mei removed her goggles, stood up, and carried the tray over to Sylvia.
"Here, have a bite. You've been asleep for two days."
"Two days? Seriously?"
As her mind finally cleared, the memories flooded back. Sylvia sat up, propped herself against the headboard, and popped a piece of pastry into her mouth. It was still warm—freshly made.
"Mhm. You're quite the sleeper. But those two days allowed for some new progress in my research."
"What kind of progress?"
"I'll tell you in a bit. It's almost finished."
"?"
Sylvia chewed thoughtfully, her brow furrowed in confusion. Ruan Mei just smiled, offering no further explanation. Maybe she just wanted a moment of peace. Deciding not to press her, Sylvia finished the snack.
She noticed that Mei was nowhere to be seen, so she decided to wander around. The lab was bright, but being cooped up underground without a glimpse of the sky was starting to feel a bit oppressive.
However—the moment the lab doors slid open, Sylvia froze.
"???"
What in the world were those things? Creatures that looked suspiciously like dragons were frolicking in the sky, underground, in the water, and across the lawn.
She glanced up and spotted a few little ones chasing Bella in a high-speed game of tag.
Where was she? Was this really still Separius?
"How about it? My Draconic progeny."
Ruan Mei's voice drifted from behind her. Sylvia blinked, staring at the motley crew of creatures. They were all bizarre, yet if you looked closely, you could indeed find faint traces of draconic lineage in each of them.
"You made all of these? In just two days?!"
Sylvia's pupils shook. She knew that even the Cat Cake creations could be "one-click generated" with a simple rice cooker, but this was on a completely different level!
These were entities carrying their own Paths, and they clearly weren't all the same species. You could just mass-produce these with the push of a button?
Ruan Mei ignored the shock in Sylvia's eyes, calmly walking past her to step out of the lab. "Is it a lot? Once you've mastered the method, it's just a matter of permutation and combination. But putting that aside, do you feel it?"
"Feel what?"
Sylvia looked around, utterly perplexed. She didn't feel anything. Could there be some mystical telepathic connection between dragon-kin?
"Hmm... is that so? Why don't you try manifesting your draconic features?"
Ruan Mei tilted her head, looking almost genuinely curious—a rare expression that actually looked rather cute. But a sense of foreboding washed over Sylvia.
Oh no.
Don't tell me this woman fed me something weird while I was dead to the world?
Nervously, Sylvia channeled the power of Permanence throughout her body.
Almost immediately, her familiar white dragon horns and tail broke through her clothes. But this time, she felt a strange, surging energy moving within her. Her back began to burn.
Rip!
A pair of slender, snow-white dragon wings tore through her shirt and unfurled behind her. Fine, shimmering white scales bloomed across her forearms, thighs, and jawline.
In a spot she couldn't see, her blue pupils slowly sharpened into vertical slits.
Then, the power of the Path of Permanence, which usually plateaued once it reached a certain limit, was suddenly catalyzed by these new traits, surging upward in a massive, overwhelming spike.
BOOM—
Sylvia struggled to control her new wings. A single, clumsy flap of the long, slender membranes whipped up a violent gale, lifting her off the ground as the sheer force threatened to defy gravity entirely.
Ruan Mei didn't flinch, leaning into the wind while scribbling notes on her tablet.
She muttered to herself, "The effect is lower than expected. It still fails to reach the standard of true dragon-transmutation. Are there some kind of restrictions? Theoretically, the logic should be sound. Why can't I break through this limit?"
Ruan Mei frowned, contemplating the flaw. The power of a High Elder was said to rival that of an Emanator.
Even if the truth was more nuanced, she had already successfully cloned an Emanator of Propagation; there was no reason she shouldn't be able to perfect a creature of the stunted Path of Permanence.
Hearing the muttering, Sylvia knew she had been a victim of Ruan Mei's "handiwork."
"What exactly did you stuff into me? My power has more than doubled!"
"Nothing much. Just a serum to facilitate your transformation into a dragon. Only a twofold increase, though... it seems I failed after all."
Ruan Mei had run dozens of iterations on her other synthetic dragon-kin; this latest version was the best yet. But clearly, it wasn't enough.
Sylvia was more powerful, and she looked more draconic, but she wasn't a real dragon.
What was she missing? Maybe she had to experiment on a genuine High Elder.
She didn't believe her technology was flawed; if there was one missing variable, it was that she had handled the remains of an Emanator to create her Propagation clone, but she had never touched a High Elder—or even a pure-blooded member of the Vidyadhara.
That must be it.
Ruan Mei walked up to Sylvia and said quite earnestly, "My dear, do you know any High Elders of the Luofu? I suspect the secret to true dragon-transmutation lies with them."
"..."
Sylvia was speechless. Dude, really?
Are you actually serious? You're targeting a High Elder now? Aren't you afraid the Xianzhou will sail their frigates over here to have a "discussion" about the justice of big guns and warships? This little planet couldn't survive an orbital bombardment!
"I'll... ask around, I guess. But don't get your hopes up."
She could check with Dan Heng, but the Vidyadhara were notoriously protective of their secrets, and considering the trauma Dan Heng had endured in his past life, Sylvia wasn't about to promise she could convince him.
Ruan Mei nodded and wandered off, unbothered. If this lead didn't pan out, she'd just have to keep tinkering in the Simulated Universe. It would just take more time.
Sylvia went to find Mei and eventually located her in the train's kitchen. Mei was busy cooking and didn't seem too happy that Sylvia had chosen the most inconvenient time possible to wake up.
After a meal shared together, complete with a dessert Mei had whipped up, Sylvia decided it was time to head back to Penacony.
"I'm planning to take a trip to Penacony."
"I see."
Mei just nodded, continuing to clear the table without missing a beat.
"You're not coming?"
"These are sensitive times. I'd rather stay here."
Entering Penacony meant diving into the Dreamscape, and their current standing there was... precarious, to say the least. Mei had no intention of tagging along.
"Oh... alright, then."
Sylvia nodded and, without wasting a second, teleported directly to Robin's residence. She sensed a few guards lingering outside, but the interior seemed undisturbed. Finding a dream pool in the guest room, she sank into the Dreamscape.
She was promptly intercepted by Sunday in the deserted, dilapidated version of the Reverie Hotel.
"Where is Robin?"
Sunday was aggressive. Before Sylvia could even wait for Sleepie to pick her up, Sunday had tracked her down. In the empty, desolate hotel, there were no bystanders. He had come alone.
Sylvia peered behind him, curious. "You didn't bring any Bloodhounds?"
"If I had brought the Bloodhounds, you wouldn't be leaving here in one piece."
Sunday was still dressed in his elegant formal attire, though it was clear his mental state was fraying. Sylvia shrugged, not bothering to argue. Instead, something else caught her attention.
"In the last few days, didn't Robin send you a message or anything?"
"You know where she is?!"
"I do. I can promise you that she's safe. But since she hasn't reached out to you personally, I don't feel it's my place to say."
Sylvia spread her hands, helpless. She had assumed Robin would at least send a ping to her brother while hiding out in Dreamflux Reef. How could she leave her brother completely in the dark?
"..."
Sunday's expression shifted, his gaze becoming sharp and predatory.
It was clear he was weighing whether or not to use force to squeeze an answer out of her. Sylvia, however, wasn't afraid. She had just been powered up—she was actually looking for a sparring partner.
"Heh... so you refuse to talk? Very well. Forgive me."
Sunday bowed slightly, a gesture that felt more like a formality than an apology, and then—
"O Triple-Faced Soul, please sear her tongue and palms with a hot iron, so that she will not be able to fabricate lies and make false vows—"
Along with the incantation came a bizarre, oppressive power. The harmonics of the Path of Harmony attempted to warp her psyche. Sylvia felt shackles of sound and will trying to bind her.
But she hadn't come here to earn Sunday's trust. She had been suspicious of him and the Dreammaster from the start; what use was their trust?
Sylvia's white wings burst forth, shimmering with silver light. She formed a mudra with one hand, and a massive water dragon roared into existence!
"Don't think your tricks will work every time!"
BOOM!
The water dragon tore through the corridor, its draconic howl instantly drowning out Sunday's voice. The constraints he tried to impose—the mental intrusion—couldn't force Sylvia to bow her head. Her mental resistance was simply too unreasonable.
"What—"
Pinned against the wall by the water dragon, unable to move, Sunday stared at Sylvia in disbelief.
"How are you unaffected?"
He had used this move countless times; it was the first time it had failed this utterly. Plus, the obvious physical traits—and the intelligence reports linking her to the Xianzhou...
Is your true backer actually the Xianzhou Luofu?
He didn't ask the question out loud. Whether it was true or not, Sylvia would never admit it.
She had been operating outside, using her friendship with the Xianzhou as a cover to hide her own identity as a Vidyadhara. She definitely had an agenda.
Sunday's face darkened, his mind racing. Was the Xianzhou Alliance trying to claim a piece of the pie in Penacony, too?
"There is no 'why'."
Sylvia stared down at him coldly. She had no idea what Sunday was thinking now that he'd seen her full draconic form. It was obvious that, like his sister, he wasn't built for direct combat.
"Since we're in a dream, and I don't have much in the way of mental attacks, I suppose... just taste death!"
A complex array formed from water, circling Sunday in the center.
In a heartbeat, the water dragon split into dozens of torrents, each striking with the force of a blade and a hammer. With raw, absolute violence, she tore Sunday's projection to shreds.
His fragmented limbs dissipated into memetic substance, leaving no trace behind.
"Tch, overprotective brother complex."
Sylvia glared at the empty floor. You better pray you're not the final boss, Sunday. Because if you are, I'm definitely going to add a few extra slashes to your tab in your sister's name.
Still, this power boost was significant. She felt like she could crush most Pathstriders just by using the power of Permanence alone.
"Sleepie—come on out. Don't let the Bloodhounds catch up."
"Roar~"
From the shadows of the corridor, Sleepie popped its head out happily. With a flick of its form, it whisked Sylvia away in an instant. As for the Bloodhounds who had sensed the commotion and were rushing to the scene, they arrived only to find absolutely nothing.
--+--
In Dreamflux Reef, Sylvia found the young lady, Robin, sitting on a balcony near the accretion disk, studying hard.
She was so engrossed in her notes—poring over some data from who-knows-where—that she didn't even notice Sylvia walk up behind her.
"Robin, how have you been holding up?"
Hearing the voice, Robin looked up, dazed. The moment she saw Sylvia, she sprang to her feet.
"Hm? Oh—Sylvia! You're here?!"
She didn't hesitate, lunging forward and wrapping her arms tightly around Sylvia's neck.
"Mmm... yeah."
Sylvia embraced her, wrapping her arms around Robin's waist. Her small wings stretched out in pure joy, inadvertently slapping Sylvia in the face.
But a moment later, Robin pulled back abruptly. Her flushed face had turned serious and sharp.
She looked like she was about to explode with anger.
"Sylvia... did you run into my brother? Did he try to hurt you?!"
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL