Once Anna managed to operate the keys with the preset rules, both keys started to exude a rhythmic resonance. Faint purple light shimmered around the devices, reflecting off the purple light veil within the fissure. As a resonance akin to a wind-chime exuded from the device, the fissure slowly brightened and from it came a bizarre sensation. Hao Ren realized that it was no longer translucent, instead a series of sceneries started to become visible; they could see something like a mountain range, or a row of huge buildings. As the veil shooked, the sceneries blurred...
But the fissure had been activated without question.
"So... it worked just like that?" Hao Ren was in awe of the changes within the fissure. While he was still gawking at the scene beyond the fissure, he took the keys from Anna. It was a 100 % certainty that the stones were indeed keys, and there was no need to call them stones anymore. Anna herself was surprised. She never thought that something she had learned from the vengeful spirit would be useful. "Ohhhhh... it actually worked?"
"Oh you, have more confidence. You opened it alright." Becky patted Anna on the shoulder, almost sending the frail girl into the platform. "So, is the place beyond the fissure my home?"
Lily carefully approached the fissure, and conjured her Frostfire Claws to jab the light veil. She also poked her head to the side to see if her claws went through. When it did, she wagged her tail happily. "It went through!"
It was only then that Anna noticed Lily's ears and tail. She gasped in surprised. "Woooow!! She has a tail!"
"It's been out for a good part of the day already, didn't you know?" Lily's hands were on her waist as she put on a smug face. "Well, it's a beauty ain't it? Much prettier than the country bumpkins in your yard..."
Hao Ren took a good moment to realize that the "country bumpkins in the yard" referred to the Andrea Family's huskies. "You sure have nothing else better to do than to compare tails with other huskies, eh?"
Vivian patted Hao Ren on the shoulder. "Well, just like someone who's made it big in the city brags about their new found wealth when they return to their village, I guess this husky here needed to find something to be smug about in front of her fellow canines too."
Luckily, Anna had grown up in a perpetually haunted castle and she was less judgemental compared to her peers. She was only interested in looking at Lily's tails and ears at the moment. She neither shock nor visibly fearful. After the MDT scanned the fissure for a good while, it confirmed that the area on the other side was safe. "It's passable, and it's a very safe area. All of you, Lil Pea included can survive easily. Becky however, will need a life collar. The air there has poisonous particles and it's harmful to humans."
Hao Ren now realized that the fissure was a very unique portal. It allowed two-way traffic through it, but it also prevented the change of air between the two portal gates. This unique ability was likely designed to allow exploration into worlds with unknown environments. He put his hand through the light veil, and felt thatthe area on the other side was much warmer. "Who's coming with me?"
Unsurprisingly, everyone stepped forward. Even Nangong Sanba volunteered to join. Hao Ren looked at him and cautioned the demon hunter, "Once we go forward, we'll be getting into our 'special mission', you sure you want to join us?"
Nangong Sanba looked at Wuyue. "Can my sister come along?"
"Let him," the MDT interjected. "He's seen quite a bit already and he's pretty reliable. We need an outsider like him on our side as well. Give him a life collar. The air there could affect him as well."
"Alright." Hao Ren nodded at Nangong Sanba and threw him a shining silver collar. "Put this around your neck. It'll ensure your survival in any environment. Becky, you too."
Nangong Sanba mumbled as he put the collar on, "Why does this thing feels so goddamn wrong..."
Lily's ears perked up as she heard it. She obviously had a different view on wearing collars. She loved collars to bits! But sadly, she did not seem to need the life collar this time around...
"Please wait," Anna called out as she noticed that the group was about to go through the fissure. She stepped forward in haste. "Can you bring me along?"
Vivian smiled as she gently pinched Anna's cheeks. "You coming all the way here is dangerous enough. You didn't tell your papa that you came down here, right? Make your way back before he passes out again." Vivian looked at her underling's granddaughter endearingly. Only God knew how many generations had passed since, and she could not help but want to pamper her.
Anna never thought that the witch would be so friendly and she stiffened. Nonetheless, she shook her head with much determination. " I want to see what the other world's like... Papa won't notice."
Vivian looked at Anna's expression, and suddenly realized something. "Because of Tannagost? The vengeful spirit left some impressions of the place in your mind?"
Anna nodded. "Nnn... I don't remember the exact place, but I think I've seen a picture of the other world, and gotten a glimpse of some of the knowledge there. I want to see it for myself, or else the voice won't truly be gone from my mind."
Hao Ren talked to the rest for a bit. In the end, he finally took out a collar and gave it to the young girl. "Put it on. No matter what you see over there, don't panic, and don't run."
After everyone collected themselves, they took a deep breath, and stepped through the light veil.
As they crossed it, a familiar feeling engulfed Hao Ren. His senses were torn away and he felt ephemeral, almost as if the world was from a waking dream. Just as his senses left him, it returned the next second.
His instincts told him that he had indeed crossed the Wall of Reality, and "arrived" in another realm.
As the faint purple light faded, Hao Ren opened his eyes, and found himself in a wide plaza.
Looking around, it was obvious that the plaza was man-made. It was a circular plaza about a few hundred meters wide. Circling the plaza, were stone columns that glimmered in gold; they were almost like Roman columns, just as grand and awe-inspiring. Further in the distance, were identical glimmering infrastructures and a tower of unknown use. All of these buildings were upon a hill, and as Hao Ren came to the border of the plaza, he could see rows upon rows of wondrous buildings beyond it.
However, all these buildings seemed like they had gone through an earth-shattering change. Many of them were already in a collapsed state. Cracks were all over the skyscrapers, and the high towers were in ruin. These cracks glittered under the bright sun, and gave off an atmosphere of grandeur as well as desolation.
The skies were clear with a faint yellow star hanging up in the air. It was a world much more vibrant that initially expected.
"Whoaaaa." Lily gawked at the scene before her as she wagged her tail in excitement. "I thought this place would be as dead as a graveyard...."
"This is the home of the vengeful spirits?" Nangong Wuyue could not believe her eyes. She never thought that the spirits, who brought nothing but destruction and fear could live in such a wondrous world. "This city... is like the realm of gods..."
Hao Ren glanced at Wuyue. "Don't use that comparison. Our goddess' realm seems to get wrecked every now and then."
Lily pointed towards the ruins in the distance. "It's pretty wrecked over there too!"
Becky almost lost it because of the bunch of awestruck fools. "Can you guys focus on the task at hand? Let's confirm if this place is the Plane of Dreams!"
Hao Ren tapped the MDT and the latter flew into the air. It came back moments later. "The universe's background radiation match, the various constants match, but the galactic map needs reconfirmation. I can't calculate it at the moment. Conclusion: This is the Plane of Dreams. Congratulations adventurers, you have found a stable pathway into the Plane of dreams... One of them.
Although Hao Ren had already suspected it earlier, he could not help but heave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness... Looks like Lady Luck is with us today."
Becky was stunned as she heard the MDT's report. She started clapping, glee apparent on her face. She went, "Yeaaaahhh!!!" before falling backwards. Hao Ren quickly grabbed her as he shouted, "Can someone slap the hysteria out of her?!"
The mercenary's eyes lit up as she ran about the plaza like she had overdosed on stimulants. "I'm home! I'm home! I'm finally home!!!" My gold, my mansion, my knighthood! my..."
She snapped out of it halfway through. "...Where's my stuff?"
Hao Ren shook his head as he looked at the greedy mercenary. "Who knows. Your place could be 800 light years away from here. The fissure's connection to the Plane of Dreams isn't the same as the one we used back home. So, can you just pipe down, and join us for some tomb raiding?"
Becky stuck her tongue out before joining the rest to explore the lost world.