Chapter 413 The Last Piece of the Puzzle
This is the first time I have entered the Void Realm since becoming the Great Impermanence.
In the past, I was always pulled into the Void Realm without my knowledge while I was asleep, but now I can vaguely sense the process of being pulled in. First of all, just as I guessed, the Void Realm pulls us Void Realm Apostles into it through fragments of divine seals.
Then……
I observed this space filled with gray mist. Now, I felt as if I could vaguely grasp the reality and illusion of this space.
The feeling I get from the virtual realm is somewhat similar to the independent real space I experienced twice before, created by Ying Lingyun using the power of the fragments of the divine seal.
No, it should be said that the independent reality space is similar to the virtual realm. Moreover, this description might somewhat lower the prestige of the virtual realm; in reality, the difference between the two is enormous. The independent reality space is essentially a truncated reality maintained by the power of the fragments of the divine seal, while the virtual realm is probably an illusory spacetime created from scratch using the power of the fragments of the divine seal.
The gray mist that previously enveloped my consciousness was a manifestation of the power of the fragments of the Divine Seal. It likely first enveloped my consciousness, then traversed space and time, connecting with the gray mist released by other fragments of the Divine Seal. Just as the Divine Seal is currently in a state of being both fragmented and intact, all the fragments of the Divine Seal may also be one, and this connection phenomenon is likely based on this principle. The consciousnesses of the Void Realm Apostles, who were also enveloped within it, also converged together.
Therefore, in a sense, the illusory realm can also be said to be located inside the complete divine seal.
I don't know if my speculation is correct; it's a mixture of my subjective feelings and unfounded reasoning. It doesn't even qualify as reasoning; to those who truly value reason and logic, it's nothing more than a random, random thought that pops into their heads. However, it's merely a view based on common sense, and for me now, this a priori inspiration and intuition seem more credible than any seemingly plausible deduction. I've decided to accept it as a conclusion for now.
I walked deeper into the gray mist, and soon I arrived at the area with the rock seats.
The area looked deserted, but I wasn't the first to arrive. On the rocky seats at the very edge, a woman's figure had already arrived and was sitting there leisurely. That was Number Seven. She didn't say a word about my arrival, only glancing up at me before looking away, seemingly passing the time in a daze.
The Lord of the Divine Seal remained seated at a distance, as always, making one wonder if he had ever risen from that enormous chair. He propped his chin up, motionless, seemingly having temporarily returned to a statue-like state, not even glancing at me.
Neither of them clearly intended to engage in any conversation. I was quite curious about Number Seven, but I could sense an aloofness about her. Even if I spoke first, she would most likely ignore me or offer sarcastic remarks—that seemed to be written on the back of her head.
Even so, I still managed to throw out a question: "Number Seven, are you one of the Lord of the Divine Seal's people?"
From the very beginning, Number Seven gave the impression of having an uncanny understanding of the Void Realm, the Lord of the Divine Seal, and even the competition for the fragments. Even Zhu Shi, upon hearing about Number Seven, suspected that she might be a "clone" planted among us by the Lord of the Divine Seal, meaning she could be an avatar of the Lord of the Divine Seal or a subordinate of the Lord of the Divine Seal.
Number Seven neither confirmed nor denied, and didn't even turn her head, clearly ignoring everything I said. Could I take her attitude as tacit agreement? However, if she truly is a hidden avatar or subordinate of the Lord of the Divine Seal, this seemingly tacit agreement would actually become evidence that she isn't. Because an avatar or subordinate of the Lord of the Divine Seal would certainly want to avoid such misunderstandings as much as possible.
Or perhaps she's taking advantage of my way of thinking? If I keep doubting like this, it'll never end. I can only temporarily pull my thoughts back and focus on my own affairs.
I want to try and see if I can use my power in the virtual realm now.
I raised my right hand, trying to ignite my own flame in my palm. Just like a stove without gas that can't be lit, no flame appeared in my palm.
This round of attempts was not without its rewards. At least compared to before I became the Great Impermanence, I have gained new insights.
First, it's certain that the power didn't disappear within the virtual realm. I can clearly feel that my power still exists here, but I can't manifest it correctly. This feeling is similar to when I tried to infiltrate the firewall of the Humanitarian Division's headquarters; I could sense its interior, but I couldn't send my power in.
However, there is a significant difference between the virtual realm and the independent real space in this respect. The defense of the independent real space against external forces is limited to the boundary between the inside and outside, like a hollow can with a hard iron shell. Once inside, one can unleash power at will.
The Void Realm, however, is entirely different; it is a solid piece of steel. Even if I were to enter it, my power would still be "immobilized."
Normally, let alone being able to "move," I wouldn't even have been able to bring my power here. The reason I was able to do this is because of the power of the fragment of the divine seal.
Although I always say that I cannot use the power of the Divine Seal Fragments, a careful review of my experiences so far reveals that I have actually been using the power of the Divine Seal Fragments all along. Whether it was resisting the power of rebooting in Dr. Silver Mask's independent reality space or invading the Humanitarian Division's main base where Ying Lingyun was located, the power of the Divine Seal Fragments was always supporting me.
Unlike other Void Realm Apostles, they seem to be able to actively manipulate the power of the Divine Seal Fragments, while I can only passively receive their assistance. I am now connected to two Divine Seal Fragments simultaneously, and this feeling is becoming increasingly profound.
Fortunately, even this passive assistance can help me use my power in the Void Realm. This is actually quite reasonable. Since the connection with the fragment of the Divine Seal is the same as the connection with the Void Realm; and as the connection with the Void Realm deepens, I can gradually gain a physical body here and traverse the disorienting gray mist, so my power should naturally be able to enter this place as well.
To put this into practice, we must find the right methods. In my opinion, there are two methods.
The first method is to raise one's power to a level sufficient to disregard the rules of the Void Realm, but let's not even think about that, as I don't believe I can directly confront the power of the Divine Seal; the second method is to adjust one's power to adapt to the Void Realm.
Just as fish living in the sea grow legs to walk on land, as long as I can adjust my power to be in sync with the virtual realm, I can move freely here.
Therefore, the final piece of the puzzle is the "correct alignment of heaven and earth," which can emulate the principles of heaven and earth.
This is also the most difficult hurdle... How can I, who am already in a state of great uncertainty, learn the proper alignment of heaven and earth, which only the "weak" can master?
As I pondered, I heard footsteps in the distance. I reflexively looked up, wondering if it was Xiaowan arriving. But I quickly realized that the footsteps weren't coming from a little girl like Xiaowan, but from an adult man.
It seems that every time I enter the virtual realm, the first thing I want to see is always Xiao Wan.
The source of the footsteps pierced through the gray mist and entered the rocky seating area, revealing itself in the process. Although it was just a blurry black shadow, its identity could still be discerned from its silhouette.
The visitor was none other than Xuan Ming, who had attacked the Luoshan branch base in the name of a Void Realm Apostle some time ago, deliberately trying to smear the Lord of the Divine Seal.
"...Looks like I'm too early."
He muttered to himself as he looked at me and Number Seven, finally fixing his gaze on me.
“Number Three… no, Zhuang Cheng, is that right?” he asked.
It seems Xuanming already knows my true identity. Faced with his casual revelation, I didn't try to hide anything, but simply nodded and replied, "Yes."
“You give me a different feeling than before.” Xuanming seemed to be observing my body. “I see. When we first met, you weren’t fully awakened yet.”
When we first met, Xuanming was wary of me. Given his power in defeating Fu Hongchen and Ming Zhuo, there was no need for him to act that way towards me, who was only at the Great Completion stage at the time. Now it seems he probably mistakenly thought I already possessed the strength of the Great Impermanence.
This is likely also related to the very special environment of the Virtual Realm. In this realm where no one can properly circulate their power, even Xuanming would find it difficult to discern that I, in fact, could not circulate all my power in the real world at that time.
“I’ve heard about you,” Xuanming said. “You defeated Mingzhuo and became the new Great Impermanence of Luoshan, is that right?”
“That’s right. So what?” I asked.
Xuanming said without any hesitation, "If you side with Luoshan, we might end up fighting each other in the future."
After thinking for a moment, I asked, "I've heard about your situation. Why did you become the enemy of Luoshan? I don't mean to accuse you. I don't really feel much of a sense of belonging to Luoshan. I'm just very curious about your reasons for doing this."
"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. That's all."
Xuanming gave a concise answer, while glancing at the Lord of the Divine Seal who was sleeping with his eyes closed in the distance, as if he had some inside information that he did not want the other party to know.
Seeing this, I changed the subject: "You said you arrived early... what did you mean by that?"
Xuanming seemed to smile when he heard my question.
"I have something I want to announce to everyone," he said. "As for what it is, it's best to wait until everyone is gathered before we talk about it."
He seemed to be carrying quite a few secrets this time. Since he was unwilling to say, I didn't press him further. Silence fell between us.
Just then, footsteps sounded again in the distance. I turned to look, and this time the footsteps were noticeably lighter than those of an adult male; they sounded like those of a little girl.
Soon, a small figure entered the rock seating area.
(End of this chapter)
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