Chapter 34: Great Gains in a Dream

To Zhang Yang, the "Entertainment Opportunity Guidebook" could also serve as a diagnostic tool. When he first landed the role of Zhao Kuangyin, he had wanted to attempt "dream-entry." On one hand, he wanted to test the effects of the dream-entry for analysis; on the other, the role of Zhao Kuangyin offered the potential to inherit specific talents and abilities. However, when he tried to enter the dream, the guidebook warned him it was not possible because his role in the drama *The Imperial Princess* was too minor, not even qualifying as a proper supporting character. This was one of the reasons he had fought to expand his screen time, and fortunately, the results were positive.

A wave of drowsiness washed over him. Zhang Yang felt his body sink into a deep slumber, yet his awareness of his surroundings became hyper-acute, as if he were viewing the world from a god’s-eye perspective. Before he could fully process this state, the world spun, and his consciousness shifted to a new reality.

*Drip, drop!* The sound of rain hitting leaves echoed incessantly. After a moment of disorientation, Zhang Yang found himself kneeling beside a small stream. The flowing water reflected a plain, unremarkable face. He recognized it immediately—it was his own.

"It feels so real; if I didn't know better, I’d think I had actually transmigrated."

As he processed the fragments of information in his mind, Zhang Yang looked at the stick he was gripping. The rod consisted of a shorter segment connected to a longer one by an iron ring; it was a "shaozi gun," the predecessor to the nunchaku.

"This is the Taizu Dragon-Coiling Staff."

Zhang Yang rose slowly and swung the long staff, finding it remarkably light. Zhao Kuangyin was renowned for his two martial arts masterpieces: the "Taizu Long Fist" and the "Taizu Dragon-Coiling Staff." The Long Fist, consisting of thirty-two forms, was hailed as the "Mother of All Fist Techniques," influencing the development of styles like Qi Family Boxing and Taiji. The Dragon-Coiling Staff, meanwhile, was considered the progenitor of all staff techniques, allowing Zhao Kuangyin to sweep across the battlefield and conquer the eighty-one prefectures.

"The Taiyuan Qingyou Temple is just ahead."

Zhang Yang stowed the staff and walked toward the faint outline of a Taoist temple in the distance. Inside the temple, four or five men were gathered around a fire, drinking heavily and eating meat.

"Fifth brother, we didn't get much on this trip down the mountain. The leader will surely punish us when we get back. It’s a good thing you had the sharp eyes to spot that young lady; I'll see to it you get a few taels of silver for your trouble."

"Many thanks, Third Brother. I originally intended to offer her to you."

"I don't have the stomach for it. Even our chieftain's wife isn't as lovely as this girl. The Second Leader once said that a commoner should not hoard treasure they aren't meant to possess; we aren't worthy of her."

"Third Brother, I have to disagree. You’re one of our best men—surely you can at least have a taste."

"No, that won't do..." The bearded man leading the group shook his head. He knew what his subordinates were thinking—they wanted a taste of beauty. But this girl was a gift he intended to offer the leader to secure his own promotion and wealth; she could not be ruined.

The other four, seeing they couldn't persuade him, went back to their drinking. The leader drank the most and soon fell into a deep, snoring sleep. The others followed suit, drifting off in disarray.

A moment later, a thin, monkey-like man opened his eyes, the firelight dancing in his gaze. It was the one who had called himself "Fourth Brother." Seeing the others asleep, he crept stealthily toward the small, secluded area behind the temple’s stone statue and began unbuckling his belt.

"Damn it, I've never seen such a fair-skinned beauty. Even if I have to die for it, I have to have a taste."

Behind the statue lay a woman in a white silk robe. Her hands and feet were bound with hemp rope, and a rag was stuffed into her mouth. She was snow-skinned with delicate features, her eyes full of charm, now reflecting panic and confusion, tears welling in the corners. She remembered her parents dying at the hands of marauding soldiers, her maid trying to escape only to be killed protecting her, and then her own fall from the carriage. She had woken up here, bound and helpless.

*Snap.*

The sound of a branch breaking echoed. She instinctively turned her head, locking eyes with the lecherous gaze of the monkey-like man.

"The little lady is awake! Just in time to experience a little earthly bliss." The man crouched down to tear at her clothes.

"Mmph! Mmph!" The woman shook her head violently, her eyes filled with desperate pleading. Her resistance only stoked the man’s animalistic urges.

Just as disaster was imminent, a long staff crashed through the window, striking the man square in the chest.

*Thud.*

The man flew several meters backward, spat out blood, and slumped over, lifeless. The woman’s eyes widened in shock as a man vaulted through the window. He was tall and sturdy, with a stern face, piercing eyes, and an aura of nobility. She etched his face into her memory instantly.

"Who goes there!?"

A roar erupted from the front. The man was Zhang Yang. He noticed that Zhao Jingniang looked exactly like Nazha, which made the role feel deeply personal. He didn't waste time talking; he dove into the fray, engaging the remaining bandits. Though they were alert, they were no match for Zhang Yang.

Before he had even finished a set of Taizu Long Fist, the bandits were sent flying, vomiting blood, and meeting their ends. Zhang Yang felt as though he possessed infinite power, wondering if he had somehow gained a cheat code in the dream.

After clearing out the bandits, he rescued Zhao Jingniang, acting with chivalry and grace. Upon discovering they shared the surname Zhao, they addressed each other as brother and sister.

"Do not worry, sister. Though Puzhou is a thousand miles away, I will see you home safely."

After settling Zhao Jingniang into a carriage, Zhang Yang began his escort mission. They encountered some trouble along the way, but Zhang Yang handled it all. Spending day and night together, affection naturally blossomed, and Zhao Jingniang’s gaze toward Zhang Yang began to change.

When they finally arrived in Puzhou, Zhao Jingniang no longer held back her feelings. "Brother," she said, "the world’s splendor matters not; my heart belongs only to you."

Zhang Yang understood her meaning, but his answer was: "A true man’s ambition lies in the world."

Under her lingering, sorrowful gaze, Zhang Yang rode away. By the time they met again, Zhang Yang was the Emperor of Song, and Zhao Jingniang had become a nun.

*Whoosh!*

Zhang Yang snapped his eyes open in his bed. A flood of information surged through his mind, and he felt subtle changes in his body. A moment later, his eyes gleamed.

"The complete Taizu Long Fist, the Taizu Dragon-Coiling Staff, and the Taizu calligraphy style."

"Even the muscle memory is here."

He had made a fortune in this dream. In ancient times, he could have called himself a "Little Taizu." With Zhao Kuangyin’s martial experience and muscle memory, he could easily reach the level of a grandmaster with diligent practice.

"It’s already eight o'clock."

Checking the time on his phone, Zhang Yang quickly got up, washed, and went to Nazha’s door, pressing the doorbell. A moment later, the door opened to reveal Nazha’s naturally beautiful face, devoid of makeup. Seeing Zhang Yang, her eyes lit up with surprise, and she smiled like a blooming flower: "Brother!"

Zhang Yang: ?