Chapter 1267: Returning the Fist Manual with a resounding clang! A series of sharp metallic clinks burst through the air as the ancient figure in the costume swung his long sword—each movement seemed as though he were battling an opponent. The sword scraped fiercely against the air, sending sparks flying. What on earth is going on? Lu Yun was utterly stunned by the ancient figure’s odd behavior. Though the figure now stood taller than Lu Yun himself, this strange phenomenon remained completely incomprehensible to him. Inside his body lived a shy dragon, then there was the ancient figure himself. The village’s lame old man fed strange creatures with his blood, and even his close companions, Yanping and Xīnlán, seemed subtly odd. As for Zhang Ning—Lu Yun had always been puzzled: how could a young woman have so many scars on her back! It seemed only Xīnlán could unravel this mystery, yet would she reveal it to him? Half an hour later, the ancient-clad figure sheathed his sword and stood firm, having completed a series of powerful, resolute, and vigorous stances. He gazed steadily at Lan Yun, who was wide-eyed in astonishment, his hoarse voice rising once more: "I will appear every night until you hold a sword in your hands, carry one in your heart, and master this sword technique." As the words settled, the dressed figure dissolved into a shimmering glow and vanished from Lan Yun's dreams. If, previously, Land Yun practiced the Dream-Entering Fist Technique merely for self-defense, then the ancient-dressed figure appearing in his dreams tonight has now taken on a demeanor that compels him to lift his sword. Though mastering sword techniques doesn't necessarily mean using the sword to kill, the sword remains rather imposing—slightly risky, and a misstep could easily result in serious injury, far less reliable than resolving matters with a solid punch. %&*"; Sitting up, Land Yun took a long, deep breath, wondering whether he should go find Xinlan and ask her about this matter. "Hey, Four-Legged Snake, do you know why an ancient-dressed figure appears in my dreams?" By some inexplicable impulse, Land Yun didn't go to find Fei Xinlan; instead, he directly communicated with the Humble Dragon through his mind. "Although my powers reach the heavens, I still can't enter your dreams. Hey, youngster, tell me—did an ancient beauty appear to you in your dreams? Hmph, you're so fond of women, I'm sure you've done something rather improper to her in your sleep...” Indeed, the pudgy dragon lived up to his name—his tone sounded just like an old rogue, a seasoned scoundrel. Such a character from the Dragon Clan truly brought shame upon the entire lineage. "By the gods, stop making such nonsense! I'm no ordinary man—I'm serious about this!" Before Land Yun could finish speaking, the pudgy dragon cut him off sharply. "Pfft! What kind of a good man are you? Tell me—how many women have you slept with since you've been alive? How many times have you slipped in and out of their beds?" "...” Faced with the dragon's awkward, persistent inquiries, Land Yun felt utterly at a loss, his brow furrowed with confusion. Honestly, if he had known this boorish dragon's character, he'd never have brought up this matter in the first place. Just as Lu Yun regretted deeply and the humble dragon continued to drone on in his usual awkward way, this color dragon suddenly shifted his tone and said, "Young man, tell me—what exactly is the person you saw in your dreams?" Lu Yun rolled his eyes and replied, "I've already told you—what good will it do? I'm just wasting my saliva." "Just tell me, okay? If it's a beautiful woman, maybe I can think of a way to sneak into your dreams. Hehe, then I'll be able to watch you conquer the ladies in your dream world too." The humble dragon once again resumed his unorthodox, mischievous demeanor, grinning slyly and encouraging Lu Yun. "Alright, I've finally got it now—you're nothing but a deserving dragon to be chopped into a thousand pieces and diced. Once I'm strong enough, I'll definitely kick you out of my body and stew you—this grumpy, boorish dragon, right?" Just as Lu Yun was about to lose his patience, the class bell finally rang. Lu Yun stood up and walked toward the courtyard, while Wuyi Long murmured to himself, in a voice only he could hear: "Mom-san, wow, something must have gone wrong with this guy's dream—definitely need to find out what's really happening. If the Magistrate of the Realm invades Lu Yun's dream and starts manipulating things there, I'm going to be in a real bind." "Lu Yun smiled and said, 'I didn't go—I just don't like the class on crooked chicken.' Tie Xinlan slightly furrowed her brows, opened the office door, and gently exhaled, 'Come in, isn't it still about Xiao Ning's matter?' Lu Yun followed Tie Xinlan into the office and shook his head, 'Miss Xinlan, it's not about Miss Ning at all. It's about the martial arts manual you gave me last time.' 'Ah? The martial arts manual? What's wrong now?' Tie Xinlan looked at Lu Yun in surprise. Lu Yun had once told her about the martial arts manual, and had even mentioned his practice in dreams. But back then, she hadn't taken his words seriously. After all this time, had something really gone wrong?" Lu Yun nodded, paused to think, and finally decided to truthfully share with Jixinlan the strange occurrences he had experienced in his dreams, calming his thoughts before speaking slowly, "Miss Jixinlan, I've been practicing the martial arts form you taught me in my dreams—this is true. However, after I've mastered the form, last night while I was sleeping on the playground, that ancient-dressed figure suddenly appeared and asked me to learn how to wield a sword..." He then recounted to Jixinlan in full detail all the strange things he had encountered in his dreams. "Is it really possible for something like this to happen?" Jixinlan stared at Lu Yun in utter astonishment, unable to speak. Lu Yun nodded seriously. By now, there were certain matters that needed to be clarified—his life depended on it. "Lu Yun, stop practicing that martial arts manual. Return it to me." Iron Heart Lan wasn't clear exactly where the mishap had occurred—the very purpose behind originally giving the martial arts manual to Lu Yun had now been completely altered. To prevent any unforeseen issues, Iron Heart Lan decided that Lu Yun should return the manual to her, so she could study it herself and determine precisely where the problem lay.