Upon exiting Cai Qiong's room, Wang Jian felt invigorated. He had to admit, Cai Qiong's physical aptitude was truly remarkable. Her progress as a novice was much faster than most; the transition from initiation to sensing energy was almost instantaneous. Although Wang Jian's power had served as a guide, such innate understanding and physical compatibility were rare indeed. After all that, Cai Qiong still had the energy to tease him.

After a few tender moments, they took a slight detour before finally heading to his brother's hospital room.

Cai Qiong said, "Your brother's condition is still very manic. The mere mention of you or other family members triggers a chain reaction. It's quite strange."

They arrived outside Wang Xiang's room and peered at him through the window.

"Are you sure you want to try?" Cai Qiong asked. "It's not that I doubt you, but I think it's better to leave this to a professional like me."

"Trying is better than not trying," Wang Jian replied. "Besides, I think some psychological issues are actually problems of the soul."

Wang Jian's words plunged Cai Qiong into deep thought. It was as if she'd had an epiphany. As a top expert in psychology, she definitely had something to say on the matter if problems of the soul were similar to psychological ones.

Cai Qiong suddenly said, "Following your logic, the essence of the soul is a psychological problem..."

Wang Jian interjected, "It would be more accurate to call it a spiritual problem."

"..." Cai Qiong was once again lost in thought.

Seeing her pondering, Wang Jian wasted no more time.

His Yang Soul directly approached Wang Xiang. But the moment Wang Xiang saw him, he flew into a frenzy, pointing and screaming, "Monster! Monster! Stay away from me! Don't you come any closer!"

Wang Xiang thrashed about on his bed, a complete reversal from their last meeting.

The last time I saw him, Wang Xiang was the terrifying one, but now he's the one who's afraid of others? Is such a drastic change in his condition even normal?

Wang Jian glanced back at Cai Qiong, who could only say, "He's been like this for some time now. I still haven't figured out the reason for the change."

If even Cai Qiong couldn't understand it, then something was clearly wrong. Not dwelling on it, Wang Jian decided to enter Wang Xiang's consciousness in his Yang Soul state to figure out what was happening.

But when he arrived, he found it completely different from Zhang Haiyuan's. Zhang Haiyuan's consciousness was a vast, endless expanse of white. Wang Xiang's, however, was a pitch-black and constricting space.

"How could this be?" Wang Jian blurted out.

A question echoed back from the cramped darkness. "How could what be?"

Wang Jian turned and met Wang Xiang's gaze.

"Brother?"

"Little brother?"

They were both completely baffled.

"What are you doing here?" they asked in unison.

Hmm? Wang Jian quickly noticed something else. The Wang Xiang here was reacting normally, nothing like the man outside. An idea dawned on him, and he took the initiative to ask, "Bro, do you know where you are?"

Wang Xiang paused, a strange expression on his face. "Of course I know where I am. That's why I asked you that question." Without waiting for a reply, he chuckled. "But since you're here, come with me."

Wang Jian was led to the side. As he watched Wang Xiang push something open, he finally realized the constricting space was actually a tiny, cramped room. They had just stepped out through a pitch-black door. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Outside was a clear blue sky with white clouds. The view was filled with flowers and grass, a beautiful landscape. A gentle breeze carried a natural sensation so profound it could tempt a person to retire on the spot.

But this was a world of consciousness! How could such things exist here?

Wang Jian stared, dumbfounded, at his brother's back, momentarily forgetting the purpose of his visit.

"Welcome to my world," Wang Xiang declared proudly, standing in the wind with his arms outstretched.

"So, what do you think, little brother? Isn't the scenery here amazing?" Wang Xiang asked cheerfully. "You won't find this outside."

He waved his hand. "You want wind? I can give you wind!" As he spoke, a gust of wind carrying grass clippings and fallen leaves swept past.

"You want rain? I can give you rain, too!" The wind howled as a light drizzle began to fall.

"Thunder! Lightning!"

Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, riding the soaring wind.

Seeing Wang Jian's silence, Wang Xiang wasn't bothered in the slightest. He simply smiled and pointed to a nearby boulder, which immediately began to shift and re-form itself into a stone house.

Deciding one house wasn't enough, he turned his attention to a tree, and a wooden house instantly took shape.

"If you want, we can settle down here. We can even bring Dad in..."

How is my brother doing this? Are his words manifesting as reality? Even within a person's consciousness, one isn't omnipotent.

Wang Jian was floored. The Wang Xiang here seemed perfectly sane, a stark contrast to the man outside. While the phenomenon resembled a split personality, the manifestations were entirely different. Split personalities project externally, but Wang Xiang was demonstrating unparalleled abilities within his own mental world.

Wang Jian thought of a possibility, then found the answer within his ancestors' memories.

He asked, "Brother, when did you become able to do all this...?"

Wang Xiang paused. "Uh, I'm not sure. I just found myself able to do it one day."

"Is this why you don't want to leave?" Wang Jian asked, his expression growing melancholic.

Wang Xiang's condition meant he was what was known as a Dreamer. They could control their own dreams, becoming omnipotent within them. Though not as powerful as Yang Soul Cultivators, they could command everything in their dream world. They were powerful in a sense, but also weak, as in reality they were usually either mad or foolish.

And Wang Xiang is clearly one of the mad ones!

Hearing Wang Jian's question, Wang Xiang chuckled. "What difference does it make whether I leave or not? I've wronged you all in so many ways. It's better if I just stay in here."

Just as I thought... Wang Jian knew then that his brother was fully aware of where he was.

Wang Jian sighed. "But even the most beautiful dreams must come to an end."

Wang Xiang laughed. "You're right about that." As soon as the words left his mouth, he made a fist in the air, and the world around them shattered like glass, replaced by a boundless white space just like Zhang Haiyuan's consciousness.

Before Wang Jian could speak, Wang Xiang spoke again. "Dreams may shatter, but they can always be dreamed again."

At his words, the beautiful scenery reformed around them, only this time they were at sea. Wang Jian and Wang Xiang stood on the ocean's surface without sinking. The salty sea breeze felt completely real.

But there don't seem to be any living things here, Wang Jian noted.

Wang Xiang's next words sent a chill down his spine.

"There used to be this grimy, black octopus monster in my head, but I roasted and ate it."