Chapter 338 Zhu Shiwenxin 2
I immediately realized that Zhu Shi's question had hit the most fatal part of the relationship between Ma Zao and me.
Is she able to ask such a question because she is an outsider and can see the whole picture, or because she has the ability to see through flaws, even in interpersonal relationships?
"Senior Brother Zhuang... Zhuang Cheng, to you, is it Ma Zao herself that matters, or Ma Zao's ability to attract strange entities?" she asked.
"...Isn't your question a bit like worrying about nothing?" I asked. "This question is like a wealthy person with a harmonious family suddenly starting to wonder whether their spouse loves them more than their wealth and social status..."
"I don't think this question is worth exploring in depth. It's fine as a mind game to pass the time, but there's no need to waste time getting bogged down in it. If I had to answer, it would be that both are important."
“But your position isn’t that of the rich man, but rather that of the spouse,” Zhu Shi pointed out. “When a rich man has nothing better to do than ponder these kinds of questions, he’s just being sentimental and getting stuck on things he can’t find the answers to. Unless he’s going to put on an act to deceive his spouse, saying that he’s lost his wealth and social status and is going to conduct a loyalty test on his spouse—that would be wrong of him.”
"But you can find the answer. At the same time, you also need to clarify your own inner thoughts."
I asked, "What do you mean by 'necessary'?"
At the same time, I am also trying to clarify my true thoughts.
Love is a very complex concept, and because it is complex, it allows for a great deal of room for impurities to enter. Sometimes, impurities can even take the lead, without the person involved being aware of it.
Some people are drawn to the strong in society, to those in positions of power and wealth, yet they possess a mismatched moral compass. They understand that their choice of a partner is immoral, and thus unconsciously deceive themselves into believing they love the person themselves. Only when the other person loses their wealth and status, and suddenly fades from their eyes, may they realize that what they truly loved was the person's wealth and position, not the person themselves.
Without a doubt, the reason I like Asaho is because she can change my boring life and be of great use to me. If this crucial element hadn't existed from the beginning, would I still have developed romantic feelings for her? Would she have made my heart flutter to this extent?
I must face my own heart and honestly admit to myself—it's impossible.
Perhaps my feelings for Ma Zao and my feelings for my friends have something in common.
Chang'an treated me as a friend because he mistakenly thought I was the object of his admiration; and after his disillusionment with me, his friendship with me also cracked.
That being said, the many memories we've built up together won't disappear, and perhaps Chang'an can still consider me a friend, albeit not as close as before. Our relationship can probably never go back to what it was.
So, if Asaha loses her jinxed constitution in the future, will I still like her? Even if the memories we've accumulated don't disappear, will I still be able to see her with the same eyes? In my feelings for Asahaha, does the jinxed constitution merely serve as a stepping stone, or is it an indispensable foundation?
The answer is slowly taking shape in my mind.
Zhu Shi then answered my question.
“If you value Ma Zao herself, then you should find a way to get rid of that cursed constitution for her.” She said seriously, “Zhuang Cheng, half a year ago, before Xuan Ming defected and Fu Hongchen was killed… Luo Shan had a full ten Great Impermanences and more than a dozen Great Completion level cultivators… Don’t you think that the ratio is a bit off?”
Hearing her point, I thought for a moment and then asked, "Are you saying there are too many Great Impermanences, or too few Great Accomplishment Ranks?"
“Both of these statements are valid. Although the birth experience of each Great Completion stage is unique and cannot be replicated, they at least share a commonality: they must break through the barrier of knowledge and abandon all preconceived notions in their hearts, returning from the acquired to the innate,” Zhu Shi said. “Becoming a Great Impermanence is different. Each Great Impermanence is a special case of turning the impossible into the possible. Not even one in a hundred Great Completion stages may be able to become a Great Impermanence.”
"Even Xuanwu, who is qualified as a Great Impermanence, spent three hundred years without becoming one. This is definitely not because he was slow in his cultivation or lacked talent, but because becoming a Great Impermanence is extremely difficult. Senior Brother Zhuang, you are an exception among exceptions. It would be hard to find another genius like you after the Mythical Era. Normally, even becoming a Great Impermanence is not something that can be done immediately."
"The reason there are so many Great Impermanences is because they live as long as heaven and earth. Throughout history, although some Great Impermanences have died or disappeared, their numbers have accumulated to this day... While those at the Great Completion level cannot live as long as heaven and earth, they have countless ways to prolong their lives. As long as they don't want to die, they won't die. It's extremely rare to hear of a Great Completion level person dying of old age. However, in Luoshan, there are only a dozen or so Great Completion level people today. Do you know why?"
Although Zhu Shi is currently discussing the reasons for the scarcity of Great Completion level cultivators, the core issue is still Ma Zao's problem. Therefore, after combining the commonalities of the two topics, I came to the conclusion: "—Is it because demon hunters and strange things are mutually attracted?"
“That’s right. Although a fully-fledged Demon Hunter is powerful enough that 99% of strange events pose no threat to them, they still cannot sever their connection with the strange world.” Zhu Shi said in a deep voice, “In the long course of their lives, even if only one out of a hundred strange events is worth their serious attention, they will still encounter that ‘one percent’ again and again… and if they make a mistake even once, it will be an irreversible disaster.”
“The Great Impermanence is different. Their power is so great that even that ‘one percent’ does not exist… or even that ‘one ten-thousandth’ does not exist. At the same time, strange things will keep their distance as if they know their greatness.”
"Whether it's the Witcher or the strange creatures, the Great Impermanence is a true transcendent being, an existence from a different dimension."
However, it's different for Ma Zao.
Mazao is only at the Great Completion stage.
She possesses the power to rewind time, granting her eternal youth and an endless lifespan. However, unless faced with the Great Impermanence, as a highly accomplished being, she will inevitably be bound by a malevolent fate intertwined with strange calamities. Sooner or later, this terrifying destiny will drag her to her utter destruction.
Even under the influence of her jinxed constitution, her self-destruction would accelerate tenfold, a hundredfold, or even a thousandfold. Rather, it's a miracle that she has survived to this day in a post-apocalyptic world already teeming with bizarre creatures.
So, does that mean that once she becomes the Great Impermanence, she won't have to worry about this anymore? No. The aversion I had to the strange world in the past was a premature manifestation of the Great Impermanence's tendency to be avoided by strange beings. And since Asaho's jinx constitution can even cover that up, it means that even after Asaho becomes the Great Impermanence, her jinx constitution will still drag her into the vortex.
Of course, with the power of Great Impermanence, Asaho might be able to withstand all calamities on his own. However, becoming Great Impermanence is not so easy. Although it was easy for me to achieve it, it is precisely because I have already become it that I understand just how impossible it is to go from the Great Completion stage to becoming Great Impermanence.
I will try my best to protect Asa, but if Asa herself does not have the ability to protect herself from all disasters, there will eventually be times when I cannot protect her.
The best way is to eliminate the jinx constitution from Ma Zao.
I understand what Zhu Shi meant by "necessity".
“Even if that opportunity really comes, Mazao might not choose to give up her jinxed constitution. Because for her, it's a very important power that can be used for you and that you can like, and it's no longer just a cursed constitution,” Zhu Shi said. “But Zhuang Cheng… how do you see it yourself?”
"If you're just worried about losing your connection with the supernatural world, our Zhu family can help you establish enough connections there to anchor you in this world... Isn't that enough?"
Not enough.
Simply being able to continue interacting with the bizarre world is far from enough to satisfy my current appetite. Especially now that I possess such immense power, encountering only one or two insignificant strange events every now and then is hardly enough to entice me. If I want to plunge into a terrifying vortex that threatens my life and that I cannot resist, the existence of a jinx is indispensable.
Zhu Shi observed my expression, then said in a conciliatory tone, "Okay, maybe I asked too hastily. So let me ask you another question: if Ma suddenly lost her jinx status one day... would you still like her?"
I gave the answer that had already formed in my mind: "I will."
"Even if the anesthetic was no longer useful to you at that time?" Zhu Shi asked.
"To put it bluntly, Zhu Shi, do you think you and Chang'an are of any use to me now?" I asked.
"You really are quite impolite!" Zhu Shi was dumbfounded.
“But Zhu Shi, if you are in danger, I will risk my life to save you, just as I do for Chang’an now,” I said.
Zhu Shi countered, "So, did you put yourself in danger to save me, or did you put yourself in danger to save me?"
Without hesitation, I answered, "Both are me."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Shi looked surprised, examined me very seriously, and then smiled with relief.
“That’s good,” she said.
A moment later, Mr. Zhu was ready to go out, while Ma Zao finally gave up his attempt to awaken Zhu Jiu with the power of return and came downstairs.
We set off for the headquarters in Luoshan.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com