From the end of the world

Chapter 715 The Way of Manifestation
As a naturally manifested spirit, I have a greater advantage than Xuanming in simulating the nature of true spiritual power. With a "textbook" and a reference point, it was easy to replicate the "inescapable flames" by imitation. Looking at the flames in my hand, I thought of the fragments of the divine seal.

The fragments of the Divine Seal are unknown to everyone.

The Diviner Master had questioned whether the Divine Seal was a technological product of an ancient civilization, while the Mountain Yin-Yang Master had also wondered if it was a technological product of an extraterrestrial civilization. Regardless of which side's answer was correct, they both shared a consensus: the Divine Seal, this magical artifact, was not based on what is commonly referred to as mysticism or human science, but rather on a completely unknown theory.

On the other hand, most of the Great Impermanences of Luoshan were able to develop and utilize the fragments of the Divine Seal, indicating that they had all found the necessary clues to study them. If nothing unexpected happened, it would be the "Power of the True Spirit."

The research on the fragments of the divine seal is based primarily on Luo Shan's research on the power of the true spirit throughout his long history.

Ying Lingyun's rapid progress in the research of Divine Seal Fragments might also be related to this. His "Possibility Clone" spell summons different possibilities of himself as avatars and connects them into a consciousness network. This later seemingly became one of the foundations for the establishment of the dream network "Shangri-La," and in the definition of the Great True Spirit, everything is a facet of the Great True Spirit. The "Possibility Clone" spell likely possesses qualities that closely align with this transcendent concept.

Ying Lingyun, who fused different possibilities of self-realization through this spell, might, in a sense, be secretly aligning with the path of self-proving one's true spirit while simultaneously experiencing mental madness. The power of the Divine Seal Fragments is the power of the true spirit, and it seems reasonable that Ying Lingyun knows more about how to develop the power of the Divine Seal Fragments than others.

Conversely, despite possessing the immortal body of Naraku, Mingzhuo has consistently struggled to advance his research on the fragments of the divine seal, even outsourcing the project to Shenzhao at one point, perhaps because his mind is too "normal."

Compared to other great impermanent figures like Gua Tianshi, Xuanming, and Fazheng, Mingzhuo is a remarkably "human" character. He fears aging and death, is arrogant and selfish, yet he endures humiliation and admits defeat when at a disadvantage; he is adept at assessing situations, yet unable to completely relinquish his dignity, always harboring a hidden desire for revenge. I'm not saying that ordinary people should have such repulsive flaws, but Mingzhuo is indeed the most human-like character among all the great impermanent figures. In this light, he might actually be a very special type.

Could the Divine Seal Fragments provide clues to conquering the Mountain Yin-Yang? Unlike fire magic, the Mountain Yin-Yang cannot directly interfere with the operation of the Divine Seal Fragments' power. Currently, I can only gather a maximum of twelve Divine Seal Fragments. Furthermore, if Xiao Wan transfers two of her three fragments to me, I can bind fourteen simultaneously. With so many Divine Seal Fragments simultaneously unleashing their True Spirit power, could they contend with the Mountain Yin-Yang?
Useless—that's an easy answer to come up with. Fourteen fragments of the Divine Seal sound powerful, but my compatibility with them is terrible. If the base isn't good, even a high multiplier won't help. Adding them all together wouldn't even increase my power by one percent. It's not even a question of whether they can form any offensive power; I can't even withstand the slightest fluctuation of magical energy leaking from the Mountain Yin-Yang Form. It's just like packaging the Divine Seal fragments together and giving them to the Mountain Yin-Yang Form as a gift.

Even if the compatibility were excellent, and each fragment of the divine seal could grant me a power at the level of Great Impermanence, I still wouldn't be able to wield it freely or raise its density to a level comparable to the Mountain Yin-Yang of the Third Gate.

I then studied the avatar skill that I had learned during my battle with Meng Zhang.

Although this is modeled after Meng Zhang's avatar, unlike Meng Zhang's avatar, whose magic is merely magic, my flames can also be seen as my soul. While editing the command program for my avatar, can I also consider it as me editing its soul?

Meng Zhang's incarnation may not develop a true soul consciousness, but my incarnation has the potential. Perhaps I really can create a new "Great Demon of Calamity," just as Naraku created the Great Demon.

As I continued to explore, I gradually came to understand how I should achieve another goal—to create a blank soul for the small bowl.

At the same time, I also clearly sensed my own limits. The fortune teller's judgment was correct; my current understanding of the soul is still insufficient, and I may need to delve deeper into the path of "manifestation" to achieve this goal.

While diligently studying, the image of the Two Elements of Mountain reappeared in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness. If all my power were taken away, everything I was researching now would become nothing but a mirage.

For me, power is absolutely essential. It's inextricably linked to my adventures; it's the very foundation of them.

It's not that one absolutely cannot take risks without power, but that's like venturing into a raging storm without a ship—you'll drown before you even experience the truly magnificent waves. My numerous adventures in strange worlds corroborate this undeniable fact. Although I've wondered countless times if I'm too powerful, affecting my adventure experience, I've never considered relinquishing my power, much less accept having it completely taken away. Therefore, to a large extent, "possessing power" and "being able to take risks" are synonymous in my mind.

The fear of losing power, the fear of being unable to take risks, was truly before me.

But besides that... I seem to have other feelings too.

Whenever I think of the Mountain Ryougi, images of my own defeat always flash through my mind. This is certainly due to the Mountain Ryougi's extraordinary power, but that alone wouldn't lead me to such thoughts. While I must admit that the Mountain Ryougi is an unprecedented formidable enemy, such unprecedented danger and desperate situations are precisely what I seek, and this isn't the first time I've encountered true despair.

I experienced helplessness the first time I entered the fifteenth-floor basement, but back then I was only focused on how to break the deadlock. Encountering a problem and solving it is that simple.

You should only look forward and keep moving forward, without hesitating even if there's a high wall ahead. You'll either smash yourself to pieces or smash the obstacle into pieces; there's no need to consider other possibilities. But now, I've started looking left and right, even looking back. Why has it become like this? The answer is very clear: because more things have appeared in my world.

The relationship between people is sometimes described as "entanglement" or "bondage." Both words originally mean obstacles that entangle people and make it difficult for them to move forward, and I now deeply understand the meaning behind them.

This can't be a good change. Perhaps I should cut off this thing that's holding me back as soon as possible. Otherwise, I won't be able to become stronger, and I won't be able to defeat the two forces of the mountain.

The words of the old fist god echoed in my heart: "If you wish to attain the correct understanding, do not be swayed by others; look inward and outward, and kill wherever you encounter them."

—"Kill the Buddha when you meet him, kill the patriarch when you meet him, kill the Arhat when you meet him, kill your parents when you meet them, kill your relatives when you meet them, and you will be free from all attachments and attain true liberation."

Without the awareness to make significant sacrifices, one is destined to miss out on truly great gains.

If I want to pursue a higher realm... must I sacrifice something important? I asked myself this question.

Among all the legendary realms, Manifestation is known for its "power," and the Mountain and Yin Realms also pursue Manifestation for the sake of power. However, based on my own experience, the biggest advantage Manifestation brings me is simply that I am very durable and resistant to attacks.

Therefore, my innate manifestation must not be a true manifestation.

A true spiritual manifestation can freely change its soul structure, but I have never changed. I can only constantly decompose and reassemble myself, but I have never, and do not know how, truly changed the form of my soul. It's like holding countless building blocks of different shapes, yet only managing to stack the same structures. A true spiritual manifestation can incarnate and merge with all things in nature, but I can only incarnate and merge into flames.

To become stronger, one must discard the weak old structure and reorganize into a powerful new self... This is the same principle as the old boxing god's "great abandonment".

Thinking about this, a logical answer naturally came to mind.

Perhaps the reason I cannot grasp the true meaning of divine intervention is because I can never let go of "my present self".

I cannot overcome my ego.

Silver Moon fears the path of self-proving her true spirit because it means the complete annihilation of the self, and she possesses an excessively strong ego. Thinking about this, I somewhat understand the possible commonalities between "manifestation" and "true spirit."

Simply understanding is not enough; I must also put it into practice. I must sacrifice the most important things, things that are enough to overturn and deny even my own soul.

To abandon all those important to you in order to take risks, even to the point of killing them all with your own hands—only by going to this extent can you truly sever your old self.

No, even reaching this level is still insufficient. The logic of "giving up the most important thing for something else" is flawed. If one can give up the latter for the former, then clearly the latter is not the most important thing, and the former is.

So what I should really give up is already obvious. But that's something even more impossible. Since it's the most important thing, I can't possibly exchange it for becoming stronger, because "becoming stronger" is a relatively secondary goal.

Killing the old self is perhaps as inherently contradictory as attempting to strangle oneself with one's own hands—an impossible task.

However, a cruel voice in my heart tells me that this is my only way out.

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching in the distance. Turning around, I saw Lu Chan walking towards me.

"What is it?" I asked.

“A guest has visited and specifically asked to see you,” Lu Chan said.

"Who...who are you to see me?" I asked, puzzled.

I'm a big celebrity, so it's not surprising that someone wants to talk to me. But without a specific reason, Lu Chan should have stopped them.

“The other party is an unfamiliar Grand Completion level cultivator who didn’t give her real name. However, she refers to herself as ‘Number Seven.’ She said that once you hear that title, you’ll understand,” Lu Chan said.

(End of this chapter)