The dreamscape was a special dimension completely independent of the real world, entirely separate. Nothing that happened within the dream would affect reality. Therefore, once Su Ran entered the dream space, she quickly recovered from the weakened state.

"Where am I?" Su Ran looked around, bewildered. Within the dream, she could clearly see the dungeon surroundings, yet the others in the real world couldn't see her.

"Su... Su Ran?" Lin Qingqing also looked confused. Hearing Lin Qingqing's voice, Su Ran called out and instinctively walked towards her. However, after just a few steps, she found herself back where she started. Panic flickered across Su Ran's face. Without hesitation, she activated the Assassin skill Ghostly Steps, accelerating towards Lin Qingqing. Yet, the faster she ran, the further away Lin Qingqing seemed to become.

Through his connection with the Nightmare Sovereign, Gu Chen perceived the situation within the dreamscape. "Forget it, you guys go in too," he waved his hand. "Inside the dream, you won't be affected by the Gray Mist Curse. I'll let you out once the mist dissipates." As soon as he finished speaking, the space before Lin Yuan, Lin Qingqing, and Wu Ziyi suddenly fractured like shattering glass. Dark cracks spread rapidly towards them. Then, a terrifying hand formed of black mist reached out from the fragmented space, split into three, and instantly pulled all three of them into the dreamscape.

Everything within the dream perfectly mirrored the dungeon scenery. The only difference was that the four of them couldn't interact with Gu Chen, existing as they were in separate dimensions.

"The weakened state really disappeared?" Lin Qingqing exclaimed in surprised delight upon seeing Su Ran inside. "Gu Chen said this is a dreamscape? How did we get in here?" Lin Yuan stared incredulously at the ghostly black shadow that was the Nightmare Sovereign. "Nightmare Sovereign... definitely a summon. I can't believe Gu Chen contracted a second one so quickly! Not only is it an energy body, but it's also a rare space-type!" Wu Ziyi instinctively tried to check the summon's stats but only saw question marks. "So, the dreamscape is the Nightmare Sovereign's skill? We're inside its skill? What kind of skill can last this long?" ...

Although the Nightmare Sovereign could freely traverse dreams and reality, keeping the dreamscape open for such an extended period consumed a vast amount of energy. Previously, this would have been impossible for it. However, after its Bloodline Awakening, its [Sweet Dreams Come True] talent reduced its own consumption by 80%, significantly boosting the skill's sustainability.

With Lin Yuan and the others safely tucked away, the Blood Progeny Overlord continued clearing the path, with Gu Chen and the Nightmare Sovereign following behind. As they ventured deeper, the weakening effect of the Gray Mist Curse intensified. By the time they reached the plaza area before the main hall, Gu Chen felt his own attributes had been reduced by 30%. What did this mean? His stats, originally nearing 200, had dropped to the low 170s (Note: text says "originally near 100", but previous chapter showed 170s. Translating according to the immediate context here), and his movements had noticeably slowed. The Blood Progeny Overlord was similarly affected. The weakened state severely impacted its combat effectiveness; Level 5 guards that previously died to a single bullet now required two shots.

As Gu Chen entered the plaza, large numbers of Sunken Guards spawned from all directions, appearing every few steps. Furthermore, every few waves included an Elite Guard, albeit of varying levels. For instance, they encountered a Level 7 Elite at the temple entrance, and the Blood Progeny Overlord had just killed a Level 8 Elite moments ago. And now, directly in front of Gu Chen, a Level 9 Elite Guard was lumbering towards him.

[Otherworldly Race: Sunken Guard · Elite] [Level: LV.9] [HP: 16000] [Attributes: Strength 80, Agility 87, Constitution 122, Spirit 95] [Skill I: Gray Mist Curse] [Skill II: Iron Guard] [Skill III: Giant Axe Cleave] [Skill IV: Whirling Blood Blade]

This Level 9 Elite Guard was like a small giant, its pitch-black heavy armor radiating authority. Its HP reached a staggering sixteen thousand, and its primary attributes were all nearing or exceeding 100. It was, without doubt, the most powerful non-boss creature Gu Chen had encountered in the dungeon so far. As the Level 9 Elite Guard approached, the surrounding gray mist thickened further, blurring even the Elite Guard's features. It carried a massive blood-colored greataxe, the end of its handle connected to a black iron chain, the remainder of which was wrapped around its exceptionally thick arm.

Swish! Suddenly, a sharp sound of something slicing through the air echoed in the mist. [Giant Axe Cleave] The blood-colored greataxe was thrown without warning, its sharp blade cutting through the air like a thick bolt of crimson lightning, hurtling towards the Blood Progeny Overlord at extreme speed. The Gray Mist Curse emanating from the Level 9 Elite Guard reduced the Blood Progeny Overlord's attributes by 40%. Its speed was hampered, preventing it from dodging in time. The sharp axe blade struck its body. Schlick! A ghastly wound appeared on the Blood Progeny Overlord's torso, spraying blood. The blow nearly cut him in half. Fortunately, this Elite Guard specialized in Constitution, meaning its attack power wasn't proportionally as high. Even so, the single hit instantly erased over 4000 HP from the Overlord. After reaching Level 7, its HP had surpassed ten thousand. This one skill from the Elite Guard had wiped out nearly half of its health.

"ROAR!" The Blood Progeny Overlord's face contorted in pain as it let out an agonized roar.

"That's the Level 9 Elite Guard?! It's terrifying!" Wu Ziyi exclaimed from the dreamscape, his eyes wide with horror as he watched the Overlord's health bar drop by nearly half. "This is the first time the summon has taken such heavy damage. Hell Mode really is horrifying," Lin Qingqing couldn't help but sigh. "That Elite Guard is so strong! Maybe... should the Nightmare Sovereign go help?" Lin Yuan suggested nervously, glancing at the ghostly black shadow beside them. Within the dreamscape, the four watched the battle unfold, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Out in the plaza, however, Gu Chen remained standing calmly, his expression composed. Although the Gray Mist Curse had reduced the Blood Progeny Overlord's stats and prevented it from dodging the attack, it was still a Blood Progeny! For them, as long as an injury wasn't instantly fatal, any other wound could be rapidly healed. This wasn't a skill; it was instinct!

The Blood Progeny Overlord grunted, forcefully pulling the embedded greataxe from its flesh. The next moment, the bleeding stopped, and the gruesome wound began closing at a visibly rapid rate. In the blink of an eye, the horrifying injury had vanished as if it never existed. If not for the dark red bloodstains still marring its formal suit, it would be hard to imagine it had nearly been cleaved in two just seconds before. Although the wound had closed, its health bar was still hovering near the halfway mark. However, thanks to the [Blood Progeny Instinct] talent, its HP was rapidly regenerating.

Seeing this, Gu Chen decided not to waste any more time. He retrieved a vial of Healing Potion from his storage space. [Healing Potion: Consuming grants resistance to Gray Mist Curse for 10 minutes.] The Blood Progeny Overlord took the potion and, without hesitation, swallowed it, glass vial and all. The next second, a layer of white energy bloomed across its body, and the weakened state instantly vanished. "ROAR!" The Blood Progeny Overlord let out a furious roar, its earlier sluggishness completely gone. Under the effect of the Healing Potion, its attributes and health rapidly surged back to their peak.