Grand Finale: A Dream Within a Dream

Everyone was extremely astonished upon hearing this.

Lin Tian looked at the box, a myriad of emotions surging through his heart.

At that moment, the figure in the black robe suddenly shouted, "No matter what it is, we must have it!"

With that, they charged toward the box once more.

Lin Tian and the others immediately stepped forward to block them.

Amidst the fierce battle, the leader of the black-robed men finally managed to snatch the box.

He laughed triumphantly, "Ha, the treasure finally belongs to me!"

Yet, the moment he opened the box, a beam of light shot forth from within, striking him directly.

The leader of the black-robed men let out a miserable scream as his body began to gradually dissolve.

Seeing this, the remaining black-robed men retreated in terror.

The entity within the crystal coffin spoke, "This treasure recognizes only those destined for it. Those with evil in their hearts can never claim its power."

Lin Tian stepped forward and looked at the vanished black-robed man, feeling a complex mix of emotions in his heart.

He understood that although this battle had ended, the road ahead remained long. There were still many dark forces existing in the world, and they needed to continue safeguarding world peace.

The elder of the Xiao family picked up the box and handed it to Lin Tian, saying, "You shall keep this treasure. You are the most worthy of all." Lin Tian accepted the box, feeling the weight of a heavy responsibility.

"Let us go, leave this place, and seek the true path of peace."

With these words, Lin Tian and the others left the mysterious realm together.

When they emerged from the palace, the sunlight fell upon them, seemingly heralding a new beginning.

Yet they knew that the path ahead was still fraught with the unknown and challenges, and they would press on carrying the treasure and their convictions.

Their figures gradually vanished into the valley, leaving behind only the mysterious palace that silently recounted this suspenseful and thrilling tale. Everything they had experienced would also become a legend passed down through the ages...

Next, Lin Tian and the others would embark on a new journey carrying the treasure.

They needed to find a way for the power of the treasure to truly benefit the entire world.

During one of their travels, they arrived at a village destroyed by war.

The village was a scene of utter devastation, and its people were displaced.

Seeing this, Lin Tian felt a profound sorrow in his heart.

He opened the box, concentrated his mind, and attempted to guide the power of the treasure.

A gentle radiance emanated from the box, enveloping the entire village.

Bathed in this light, collapsed houses were rebuilt, barren lands turned fertile, and the injured gradually regained their health.

Upon seeing this, the villagers broke into cheers. They felt immense gratitude toward Lin Tian and the Xiao family, regarding them as deities. But Lin Tian knew this was only the beginning; there were still many more places that needed their help.

As their journey continued, more and more people learned of the treasure's existence. Certain malicious individuals began to stir once again, attempting to seize it. Lin Tian and the Xiao family found themselves plunged into crisis once more.

Some of these people came from other evil organizations, while others were martial artists blinded by greed. They continually set traps in an attempt to snatch the treasure. Yet, relying on their wisdom and courage, Lin Tian and the Xiao family repeatedly turned danger into safety.

During one intense battle, the elder of the Xiao family was gravely injured while protecting Lin Tian and the treasure.

From that day on, looking at the elder's weakened frame, Lin Tian secretly vowed to make the treasure unleash its utmost potential, so as not to fail everyone's sacrifices.

He carried on with the elder and the rest of the group, searching for a way to make the treasure's power even greater.

Finally, they found a clue in an ancient temple.

A high monk in the temple told them that to truly unlock the treasure's power, they needed to find five mystical gems and fuse them with the treasure.

Without a moment of hesitation, Lin Tian and the Xiao family embarked on the quest to find the gems.

They knew this would be an even harder journey, but for the sake of world peace, they chose not to retreat.

Throughout the quest for the gems, they encountered all sorts of difficulties and challenges.

Some gems were guarded in perilous valleys surrounded by traps and beasts;

Others were hidden within mysterious caves that required solving complex puzzles to locate.

Yet Lin Tian and the others never gave up.

Supporting one another, they conquered one difficult hurdle after another.

During this process, Lin Tian gradually matured into a true powerhouse, gaining a deeper understanding of the treasure's power.

After countless hardships and efforts, they finally found the five mystical gems.

The moment they fused the gems with the treasure, the artifact emitted a dazzling brilliance.

This light illuminated the entire world, seemingly dispelling all darkness and evil from the mortal realm.

From then on, peace gradually returned to the world. People lived and worked in contentment, free from war and strife.

Lin Tian and the others became heroes in the hearts of the people, yet they did not grow proud or complacent because of it.

They knew that peace required constant vigilance, and they would continue striving for the betterment of the world.

In times of calm, Lin Tian would often recall that suspenseful and thrilling experience.

He knew that all of this was the arrangement of fate, and that he and the Xiao family had fulfilled their mission.

Their story would forever inspire future generations to strive for peace and justice.

In the days after peace was restored, Lin Tian and the Xiao family did not halt their steps. They traveled far and wide, spreading the philosophy of peace and helping those still struggling in adversity. As time passed, their tales were passed on by word of mouth, becoming a legend that inspired generation after generation to pursue peace and justice.

However, the peaceful days did not last for long.

One day, while Lin Tian and the Xiao family were helping a small town build water conservancy facilities, an eerie rift suddenly appeared in the sky.

A potent and evil aura emanated from the rift, sending a chill through everyone present.

Looking up, they saw a swarm of dark shadows pouring out from the rift.

These shadows varied in shape; some resembled giant bats, while others looked like humanoid monsters, lunging ferociously toward the town.

A jolt ran through Lin Tian's heart, and he instantly realized that a new crisis had arrived.

"Everyone, be careful!" Lin Tian roared, rushing forward first. The treasure in his hands emitted a faint glow the moment it sensed the evil aura, seemingly responding to the enemy's challenge.

The members of the Xiao family reacted swiftly as well, displaying their martial arts to engage in a fierce battle with the dark shadows.

The strength of these shadows was formidable, and their attacks were fierce and erratic, making them hard to guard against.

Despite fighting back valiantly, Lin Tian and the Xiao family gradually found themselves in a predicament.

At that moment, the townspeople also picked up weapons and joined the fight.

Their courage and unity deeply moved Lin Tian, strengthening his resolve to protect everyone.

Amidst the fierce combat, Lin Tian discovered that these shadows seemed to be controlled by some kind of evil force.

He decided to seek out the source of the shadows and destroy this evil power in one fell swoop.

Taking advantage of a lull in the fighting, he quietly crept toward the direction of the rift.

As he approached the rift, an even more overwhelming evil aura washed over him.

Lin Tian took a deep breath, concentrated his mind, and prepared to face the impending challenge.

The instant he stepped into the rift, the scene before his eyes suddenly shifted.

He arrived in a dark space filled with swirling black mist, making it impossible to discern directions.

"Welcome to my world, Lin Tian." An eerie voice echoed in the darkness. Lin Tian vigilantly scanned his surroundings, trying to locate the source of the voice. "Who are you? Why attack our world?" Lin Tian demanded coldly.

"Who I am does not matter. What matters is that I will plunge this world into endless darkness," the voice laughed coldly. "And the treasure in your hands is the key to achieving my goal."

Lin Tian's heart tightened; he instantly understood that the appearance of these shadows was entirely to snatch the treasure he held. "In your dreams!" Lin Tian roared, the treasure in his hand blazing with intense light. He decided to take the initiative and find the enemy's flaw.

In the darkness, Lin Tian engaged in a heart-pounding battle with the mysterious foe. The enemy was immensely powerful, attacking like a violent storm. Relying on his wisdom and courage, Lin Tian dodged the enemy's attacks time and again while seeking opportunities to counter.

During the fight, Lin Tian gradually realized that this enemy's power seemed different from the evil forces he had encountered before. It was older, more mysterious, and inscrutable. Lin Tian understood that this battle would be far more difficult than he had imagined.

Just as Lin Tian found himself cornered, he suddenly remembered a mystical power he had learned from a wise man during his search for the gems. This power could merge with the treasure's energy to unleash even greater might.

Lin Tian decided to take the risk. He concentrated, summoned the mystical power within his body, and fused it with the treasure's energy.

Instantly, a dazzling radiance erupted from his body, illuminating the entire dark space.

Bathed in this light, the mysterious enemy finally revealed his true form.

He was a gigantic demon engulfed in black flames, a sight to chill the bone.

Seeing Lin Tian's power suddenly surge, a trace of surprise and fear flashed in the demon's eyes.

"Impossible! How could you master this power?" the demon roared. "No matter who you are, I will not let you destroy this world's peace today!"

Lin Tian let out a mighty roar, the radiance in his hand transforming into a powerful beam of light that shot toward the demon.

The demon tried to dodge in panic, but it was too late. The beam struck his body with a deafening crash.

The demon's body gradually disintegrated within the light, vanishing without a trace. With the demon's disappearance, the dark space began to collapse as well.

Taking the opportunity, Lin Tian escaped the realm and returned to the real world.

Back in the town, he found that all the dark shadows had vanished.

The townspeople cheered wildly, crowding around to express their gratitude to Lin Tian.

The members of the Xiao family also gathered around him, their eyes filled with admiration and relief.

"Lin Tian, you did it!" the Xiao family elder said excitedly. "No, this is everyone's shared achievement," Lin Tian replied with a smile. "Without everyone's help and support, I could never have defeated that demon."

To prevent similar crises from happening again, Lin Tian and the others decided to delve deeper into the treasure's power and the evil forces lurking in the shadows.

In the days that followed, Lin Tian and his companions embarked on a new journey of exploration.

They traveled everywhere searching for clues related to the treasure and evil forces, visiting numerous wise men and mystical practitioners.

Until one day, Lin Tian was called by a mysterious voice:

"Lin Tian, do you still remember yourself?"

"Who are you?!" Lin Tian sat up abruptly, shouting.

"Who I am doesn't matter. The important thing is who you yourself are."

The voice rang out once more: "Do you really think the current you is the real you? Have you truly lost yourself?"

"What on earth do you mean?" Lin Tian panicked inexplicably.

The voice continued: "Lin Tian, stop running away from yourself! Face your reality! Stop losing yourself in illusions beyond recovery!"

"Who on earth are you? What running away from yourself? What reality? What losing myself in illusions?"

Lin Tian shouted to the heavens, suddenly feeling a rush of heat to his head, burning with anxiety like an ant on a hot pan.

Before his eyes, even his vision seemed to blur with afterimages.

For a moment, it was as if a memory sealed away for a very, very long time was surfacing in his mind...

It was the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. He had gone with Xiao Ruoli to visit the Xiao family elder.
On the way back, he had quite literally run into a group of villains who licked blood off their knife blades.

And it was on that very night that he had actually fallen in a pool of his own blood, without any celestial eyes or golden fingers coming to save his life.

As for the series of events that followed, the plot developments, and the environment he currently found himself in...

Thinking of all this, even the blood throughout Lin Tian's body turned cold, and he collapsed onto the ground limply as if all his strength had been drained.

*Gah-gah—*

Lying prone on the ground, Lin Tian made indistinct, ragged sounds in his throat.

For a moment, he hardly looked human anymore...

"So... so I died long ago..."

Lin Tian's consciousness gradually blurred.

When he finally forced his eyes open one last time, he had collapsed into the cold wind of that fateful night.

Blood... it was blood!

Lin Tian's vision was filled with blood, and his entire body was covered in it!

So... everything he had experienced was merely the phenomenon of the brain's final flash of light before death!

So he was meant to die long ago...

Thinking of this at the very end, Lin Tian wanted to let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh, but due to excessive blood loss, he helplessly and resignedly closed his eyes, thus departing from the mortal world.

Ultimately, he did not survive that year.