Chapter 409 Eve 1

Three more days passed after that.

Chang'an is still recuperating and observing in his residence. Old Master Zhu asked someone to help him with the withdrawal procedures from Xianshui University, so that he can be transferred to Luoshan Demon Hunter Academy in the next quarter.

Zhu Shi was also a student at Xianshui University. She had been on leave for a while, but recently, since she had nothing urgent to do in Luoshan, she asked Ma Zao to teleport her back to Xianshui City to continue her studies. Needless to say, Ma Zao would also help Zhu Shi recover her proper alignment of the Heavenly and Earthly Forms for fifteen minutes every day to continue communicating with the forging of the Yama Sword. For Ma Zao, who could teleport back and forth between various places, whether Zhu Shi was at the Luoshan headquarters or in Xianshui City was no different than if she were next door.

I have no intention of continuing my university studies. With my current mental capacity, I could complete all university courses in a single day, and with a little bit of connections, I could graduate immediately. What's important is my upcoming adventure plan.

I've temporarily suppressed Mingzhuo, and Chang'an has been saved. All the pressing issues have been resolved, which makes me feel a little uneasy. I'm starting to re-evaluate what I should do next.

Naturally, many problems will arise later. The method to become stronger, the unknown blessed cultivator from the apocalypse, the seemingly resurrected naval master Xuanwu, the whereabouts of the mountain spirit Liangyi… Each matter has its importance, but none are particularly urgent. I must prioritize them according to their importance and urgency, and deal with them one by one.

However, there is another matter that may be more "imminent", namely the Virtual Realm Conference.

Although the Lord of the Divine Seal has never specified the exact time for the Void Realm Conference, based on past practice, it should be convened soon. I can use this opportunity to confirm Xiao Wan's true identity, while Shen Zhao will also use this opportunity to assassinate the Lord of the Divine Seal. The future situation might drastically change as a result, so we cannot afford to ignore it.

Sometimes, I also reflect on the relationship between myself, Ma Zao, and Zhu Shi, and its instability.

Adventure isn't only about life-or-death battles and predicaments. I accepted Mr. Zhu and Lu Chan's proposal, and Zhu Shi agreed to become my fiancée; we're also embarking on a different kind of adventure. Actually, I've always known that adventure doesn't only exist in fantasy worlds.

War correspondents who risk their lives to gather information in war-torn countries, explorers who traverse mountains and jungles, mercenaries who live on the edge of death, and even criminals who disrupt social stability... Even in the fields of politics and business, which I have no interest in, there are countless battles fought without gunfire.

At the same time, even ordinary people who are not involved in these turbulent fields may face choices in their lives that require great courage.

I've always been aware of this. Yet, deep down, there's always a part of me that never grows up. Even though I'm aware of this, I'm unwilling to let go of it; instead, I revel in it. I know I'm immature, and I'm happy to accept that immaturity. Many people, after realizing their mistakes and evil side, might feel they should deny it, but I accept it, believing that both the good and the bad parts are important factors in who I am.

Therefore, I will not hate myself, nor will I regret what I have done. If painful and tragic tragedies occur on my path, they are the bitter fruits I am destined to swallow. I will even be proud of my unregretful attitude, regarding it as a form of seeking the truth.

But occasionally... really just occasionally, I have thoughts that even I find meaningless—could it be that I actually have other possibilities?

This topic is really meaningless, so let's leave it at that for now and talk about what I did in the past three days.

First, I went to see the initial group of believers that Mr. Zhu had organized. Previously, there had been much talk about how the believer group provided me with a sense of connection and spiritual anchor, but I had never actually interacted with the group itself. I was also interested in who these believers were and what they did in their daily lives, so I couldn't help but observe them in detail.

Mr. Zhu acquired a temple building for sacrificial purposes at the Luoshan headquarters, which will serve as a temporary gathering place for the believers. This building was not purchased with money; it originally belonged to Mingzhuo. Mingzhuo also offered me material compensation, and after Mr. Zhu negotiated with the people of Mingzhuo, he obtained some properties, including this building, as part of the material compensation.

Some of the witchers and agents who decide to believe in me, the newly born Great Impermanence, will come to this building to pray and hold simple rituals, while I will change my appearance and sneak in to observe.

I still can't perfectly customize the appearance I want, and this has nothing to do with control; it's just that my artistic skills aren't up to par. It's like writing fluently with a pen—most people can do that, but not everyone can draw a lifelike portrait. However, if it's simply a matter of adjusting a few details of the face and body to make my appearance seem unfamiliar, I can still manage that.

After observing for only a short while, I understood what Lu Chan meant when he mentioned that "the believers' power is still in its infancy."

It's not just a matter of insufficient participants or inadequate organization—those broad, general issues. Ritual involves many details. For example, the symbol of Catholicism is the cross, so what should my symbol be? What kind of attire should I wear when presiding over a ritual, how many steps should be included, what prayers should be offered, and what taboos should be observed? What principles should believers follow to regulate their daily behavior, and what specific beliefs should they practice during activities?

Some rules and symbols that seem strange to outsiders can strengthen believers' sense of identity and solidarity with other believers—elements that are currently lacking. This is probably Mr. Zhu's first time dealing with operational work related to religious beliefs; for now, simply setting up a rudimentary framework is already a success.

I saw some believers burning flammable objects in a special brazier, then earnestly praying over the roaring fire. Although many things were still uncertain, it seemed to be a consensus among them that fire was a symbol of me. Watching their devout appearance, even though it might be somewhat impolite to these believers, I still felt a strange, inexplicable emotion.

After all, I grew up in an environment where religious faith was lukewarm, and I even took the opportunity to debunk so-called feudal superstitions. And now, I'm being worshipped and sacrificed as a god. Keep in mind that I haven't been in the supernatural world for very long. I know very well that most witchers grow up in an environment where the existence of gods and demons is taken for granted, and I know that they have a different worldview than ordinary people, but I'm still shocked by the cultural differences.

However, at least they believe in a real person like me, and I do possess godlike power, so it should be fine, right?

Incidentally, sometimes miracles do happen when they burn things in the brazier and pray devoutly. Occasionally, magical fluctuations, very similar to my own, radiate from the flames as they pray.

I can even establish a spiritual connection with that flame, just like the spiritual connection I have with fireflies. Once, I couldn't resist testing whether I could really control it, so I made the flame sway from side to side.

This change was immediately noticed by the dozen or so demon hunters around me, who were all highly perceptive. They gathered together, discussing amongst themselves, their expressions bewildered, unable to discern what thoughts or feelings the change in the flames reflected in me.

It turns out that even demon hunters with "extraordinary powers" become just as anxious and uncertain as ordinary people when faced with matters related to the gods. Actually, I didn't mean anything by it, but perhaps the difference between the Great Impermanence and ordinary demon hunters is just too great. Not only does the Great Impermanence view demon hunters as ordinary people, but many demon hunters seem to regard the Great Impermanence as an existence from a different dimension, even believing that every action of the Great Impermanence contains profound and far-sighted meaning.

Thinking about it this way, it's actually Mr. Zhu, Zhu Shi, and Lu Chan who can have normal conversations with me that are abnormal. However, they each have their own reasons. Not only did they know me before I became the Great Impermanence, but they also had intricate connections with the concept of the Great Impermanence before they even knew me.

Mr. Zhu also frequently visited the temple, organizing simple activities and explaining to believers the things I liked and disliked, as well as the things I had said and done in the past. Some believers would even ask about my posture and gestures when I spoke.

I'm not Buddha, so why would I casually point one finger to the sky and the other to the ground, or make complicated and mysterious hand gestures while speaking? And as expected, Mr. Zhu couldn't answer either, so he came back to me, hoping that in the future I'd remember to strike a recognizable pose when delivering any cool lines.

He also planned to design some cringeworthy lines that would make people itch all over, so that I could recite them in front of others whenever I had free time. He also wanted me to come up with some move names so that my followers could imitate me in the future.

Some believers even know me better than Mr. Zhu. They verified my real address and university based on my name and appearance, and even found out where I went to elementary, middle, and high school, my class and classmates' names. They even investigated some of my "dark history" and online statements, and memorized them by heart, and shared them with other believers.

(End of this chapter)