Near-Godhood, Haiyuan City

Although the surgery to transplant Chiyou Gene was put on the agenda after this conversation, Su Qing'an needed to wait for Kevin's Chimera Project to stabilize before the transplant could actually be carried out.

Otherwise, with two of the remaining individual combatants capable of fighting the Herrscher already asleep, Yae Sakura, who was the weakest of the three, would be left to fend for herself alone, facing considerable risk.

Currently, in order to prevent attacks from external enemies, this shift system is the only option.

After all, both the Chimera Project's phased shaping process and the initial gene fusion require a certain amount of time and cannot be disturbed during this period.

After ending the call with Mei, Su Qing'an fell into deeper contemplation.

He knew that he would have to face Fuxi sooner or later, so he had to understand him better, and also understand himself better.

The boy did not intend to continue forcibly using Udu-dust to correct his consciousness again, as such an inefficient action was unnecessary at the moment.

They await the results of the Hyper-Mutation Factor Research, and then inquire about Fu Hua's wishes. If she agrees to accept it, then Udu-dust will be able to find a suitable master.

At that time, the task of liberating the legacy of [Bewitchment] can be entrusted to her.

Now, more than anything else, knowing that he will inevitably face Fuxi afterward, Su Qing'an has no choice but to push his Soul State abilities to their limit and become his equal.

Otherwise, even without becoming Fusion Warrior, one could only withstand the [Purification] field for a few seconds.

This is one of the reasons why he was willing to undergo gene transplantation even before verifying the idea.

Since they are essentially not much different, we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater or avoid the issue altogether.

Su Qing'an held the little girl's hand and walked between the boundless blue sky. Soft, cool clouds surrounded them, and wispy wisps of mist swirled around them. The road ahead was bathed in sunlight, its golden hues weaving a beautiful landscape.

"Xiao Xi, do you think Fuxi also existed in this war in the previous timeline?"

After thinking for a moment, Su Muxi said:

"I don't know, I don't recall Xiao Fu mentioning any of this."

"Does Xiao Su think that Fuxi's existence was not necessarily inevitable, but rather a product of coincidence?"

Su Qing'an nodded and said:

"Well, although I don't know why, I think that a special being like Fuxi is not a product destined to appear. She is more like an accident, a miracle that would be difficult to create even once in ten thousand timelines where humanity is defeated."

The boy had his reasons for this conviction. He was now quite certain that the [Sword God] and the Ascended State created by Fu Hua were not truly related to Fu Fuxi, but were merely paths that would eventually lead to the same destination but different outcomes.

The reason is very simple.

That is, the path that exists because Fuxi did not have his own Previous Civilization, and therefore could not possibly lead to the world line he had experienced.

After eliminating all the impossibilities, we can only conclude that Fuxi was not a product that was bound to appear.

The girl clearly understood what the other person was thinking, and she simply said softly:

"But she was born, embracing all of humanity's hatred for the Honkai, yet she sought to destroy all All living beings, like her former self, were struggling in this world."

"How ironic."

Su Qing'an savored the comment, his heart filled with unspoken emotions. He suppressed them deeply, and a flickering fire seemed to emanate from his eyes, which reflected the golden sunlight.

"Therefore, we still have a chance to win."

"Because she has not yet attained Buddhahood."

Su Muxi didn't understand the meaning behind his words. She tilted her head, her hair, tied in a bun, swaying cutely. She blinked her beautiful, dark eyes and said earnestly:

"Don't know."

Why is Fuxi's realm defined by Buddhism?

Su Qing'an said softly:

"After the sword heart is sublimated, it is no longer a purely idealistic organ, but a more ethereal and elusive thing. You said that Hua called it the Manas consciousness."

"This term comes from the Buddhist concept of the Eight Consciousnesses."

"What we like, we crave; what we dislike, we hate. We experience pleasure when we gain what we like, and suffering when we lose it. We experience suffering when we gain what we dislike, and pleasure when we escape what we dislike. Most All living beings cycle through this cycle of pleasure and suffering. This is the normal state of ordinary people, and it is a perfectly normal and natural reaction for human beings."

"You once said that for Hua, entering the Manas consciousness is not a very happy thing, as it will gradually cause one to lose all feelings for the world."

"This aligns with part of the Buddhist interpretation of the Manas consciousness, which involves the Manas consciousness distinguishing and selecting among the first six consciousnesses. This may be the origin of the name Hua gave it."

The girl understood part of the answer and responded:

"Fuxi's ability to reside permanently in the Manas consciousness is more accurately described as her mode of existence and the natural order, thus making her a near-divine being."

Su Qing'an countered with a question:

"Xiao Xi, what do you think the Ascended State's is?"

She responded:

"I don't know, but if one can only enter the realm of enlightenment by using the Manas consciousness as a springboard, then the Ascended State must be something even deeper. If we follow the Buddhist explanation, it might be the process and key to approaching or even reaching the Eighth Consciousness."

Su Qing'an said softly:

"The eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha."

"That is, the Alaya-Vijnana, according to Buddhism, is the origin of the 'self' of the world and All living beings. It contains the seeds of all things and is also the subject of reincarnation and the basis for liberation."

"I didn't know what the so-called 'Ascended State' was before, but after meeting Fuxi and learning her true identity, I understood the essence of the unity of heaven and man and the interaction with all things."

"Only by sublimating the sword heart and reaching the Manas consciousness, and using special senses to infinitely approach a higher realm, can one achieve the unity of heaven and man. In the process of the Ascended State, the so-called distinction between strength and weakness is nothing more than who is closer to the Alaya-Vijnana."

"The closer one gets to this realm, the higher the level one can reach. You said Hua's realm is much stronger than that of Cheng Ling Shuang. Perhaps this is the real reason why her emotions have almost completely faded in the modern era."

"Xiao Xi, now I ask you, why did the Immortal Chi Yuan plant countless Heart Seal at the foot of Mount Taixu in his early years?"

Su Muxi was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized:

"Udu-dust is a recorder, Divine Key that is born with the ability to record the host's memories, experiences, and even the emotions within them. It is a manifestation of the power of consciousness."

"If, before entering the Manas consciousness and reaching a higher realm, these memories are separated from the self and transformed into Heart Seal, then the Xiao Fu will eventually be able to reclaim its former self."

"At the same time, by gradually shedding this part of oneself, leaving emotions blank, and refining one's state of mind to an immortal level, it becomes easier to enter High Command of Ascended State, and finally... to fight against the Honkai."

"No wonder, even though Kevin received one more Chimera Project than her, and possesses the most powerful attack from the Divine Key, the Judgment of Shamash, and his talent in all aspects far surpasses Xiao Fu's, and he has become much stronger in the Sea of Quantum, there are still many uncertainties in the outcome of their battle."

In those long five thousand years, no one knew how many thresholds that once so frail and timid girl had crossed, how many unimaginable costs she had paid, all for the sake of her conviction and to protect that promise, in order to almost take the first step in the formation of another power system.

But in the end, the realm that was so painstakingly reached vanished in an instant, leaving nothing but emptiness.

Su Qing'an said softly:

"When she met me in the previous timeline, her sword heart was already shattered, so her path to entering the Manas consciousness and ascending to the Ascended State was abruptly interrupted, and thus her emotions were able to recover over a long period of time."

The girl thought for a moment and said:

"That's why Xiao Fu fell in love with Xiao Su. Otherwise, given Xiao Fu's state a long, long time ago, it would have been impossible for her to fall in love with anyone."

Su Qing'an remained noncommittal. In his mind, if the subtle emotions left behind by their initial meeting in that timeline hadn't sown the seed, Fu Hua from the previous timeline still wouldn't have developed any feelings for him.

"A sword heart shatters and dissipates in an instant. Even if one enters that realm, one cannot remain constant due to the constraints of the physical body. These are the thresholds for mortals who aspire to become gods or Buddhas."

"Fuxi represents All living beings; theoretically speaking, she is the innate Alaya-Vijnana."

"Xiao Xi, you were right that day. I could never be a match for Fuxi."

"But the reason is not simply that she can remain in the Ascended State indefinitely, but because the ultimate realm that ordinary people strive for in the Ascended State is the Primordial Realm of Fuxi."

"We use the Manas consciousness as a springboard to pursue the unity of heaven and man in the Alaya-Vijnana, and to interact with all things. But that is only a stage of approaching that level. In the process of infinitely getting closer, we merge with nature, with all things, and with the world, thereby obtaining more powerful strength."

"But Fuxi is heaven and man, is nature, is the essence of all things."

"Whether it's Cheng Ling Shuang, Hua, or even me later, none of our Ascended State can surpass Fuxi Xi."

Su Qing'an gazed at the even higher heavens, above which lay another realm beyond his reach, and he murmured:

"I used to think that gods were beings from another dimension, which is why they could manipulate the so-called world lines, restart the time and destiny of all things, start the so-called game, and give some kind of completion condition."

"And are the so-called 'Ascended State,' 'Manas consciousness,' and 'Alaya-Vijnana' we are currently in, the process and threshold by which humanity transcends its own dimension?"

"If so, then by shedding all shackles, can one achieve so-called transcendence, truly ascend to immortality, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods?"

Su Muxi thought for a moment and asked:

"Is the Void Sword Qi the path to godhood?"

Su Qing'an remained silent for a moment before giving her reply:

"Theoretically speaking, the Void Sword Qi created by Hua can only be a path close to godhood."

"Many things are just hypothetical at the moment, but the Void Sword Qi bestowed by the gods is different in some ways, such as the [Stigmata] which is a manifestation of the soul."

"It is something that comes together from a variety of elements, including one's own experiences, the traces left in the world, and even the essence of the soul and the nature of the self."

"If this is truly the same thing as Fuxi's [purification], then many things become much more meaningful."

The girl didn't quite understand what he was saying, so she thought for a moment and then asked:

"According to Xiao Su, hasn't Fuxi already become a god? Why do you still say she hasn't become a Buddha?"

Su Qing'an said softly:

"Because she is All living beings, and can only be All living beings."

"Therefore, the Alaya-Vijnana that Fuxi reached is also the Alaya-Vijnana of All living beings."

"She is the embodiment of All living beings, carrying All living beings souls. These souls manifest the will of All living beings. Even if she is born at the pinnacle of the Ascended State, what she possesses is not a realm truly her own, but rather the realm of All living beings."

Therefore, Fuxi has not yet become a Buddha, and is destined never to become a god.

Su Muxi understood what he meant, and she said:

"If Fuxi were to unify every single drop of water from that ocean of countless streams of consciousness, truly bringing All living beings to oneness, she could become a Buddha, right?"

Su Qing'an said:

"The number of consciousnesses gathered by Fuxi makes it many times more difficult for her to take that final step compared to ordinary people. She is a person born close to Buddha, yet she is destined to never achieve Buddhahood."

"But Mei and I hope she can attain Buddhahood."

The girl asked:

"Why?"

Su Qing'an ruffled her bun and responded:

"Only a unified consciousness makes normal communication possible, and communication offers the hope of avoiding war and even gaining allies to fight the Honkai together. Otherwise, it is destined to be a battle with little chance of victory."

"I believe in Mei, but only in the hope that there is any chance of victory."

"If there's a possibility of not having to be hostile to them, that would naturally be best."

Su Muxi seemed to understand, but not quite. She tilted her head back, her dark eyes reflecting the boy's lowered brows, staring intently without blinking.

"No matter what, I will always be with Xiao Su."

"I won't run away or disappear; I won't forget you or die; this will remain true until the very end of this world."

Su Qing'an was silent for a moment, then said softly:

"I won't lose, Xiao Xi."

"I have my own plans and ideas."

The girl said obediently:

"Yes, I believe in Xiao Su."

The boy cleared his mind of all distractions. Contemplating the existence and definition of gods was meaningless at this moment; facing the next step of the Honkai and Fuxi were the issues he should be considering now.

In order not to bring his emotions and anxiety to Fu Hua, he chose to walk in the clouds. He needed some space to sort out his feelings and make plans for the future, so as not to reveal any trace and cause worry to those important to him.

This is actually a bad habit.

Su Qing'an had realized this bad habit a long time ago.

But with Su Muxi by his side, this willfulness seemed harmless.

He thought for a long time and whispered:

"According to Buddhist teachings, the seventh consciousness, Manas, has the ability to transmit information to Alaya-Vijnana. Perhaps if one wants to communicate with Fuxi, one must reach the Great Void and elevate the sword heart to the Manas consciousness."

"At least at that time, we were on the same stage, and we had the possibility and chance of competing with them."

"While Mei is certainly there to help, there are some things that require a certain level of understanding to grasp how to deal with them."

"During this time, Xiao Xi repeatedly changed forms so I could observe the properties of her Soul State."

"Although it's far less easy to learn than directly witnessing Fuxi's flesh and blood transform into a soul, it still has some reference value."

The boy gazed at the White Sparrow hovering beside his finger and smiled.

Let's take it one step at a time.

Whether it's the Realm of Great Void or the Complete Soul State, both have already passed the most difficult initial threshold. As long as they continue to cultivate, they will naturally reach that point.

There is at most one year left before Fuxi awakens. Even if this time is cut in half again, it will still be enough for the accumulated water to overflow and trigger a qualitative change.

As for the method of sublimating the sword heart, a purely spiritual organ, to briefly enter the Manas consciousness.

As per the [Sword God's] instructions, entering the Void will allow you to do so naturally, without any worries.

The transformation into Ascended State still requires some contemplation, but its essence is to gradually approach the Alaya-Vijnana from the Manas consciousness, which should not be difficult.

The difficulty lies not in how to get close, but in how to reach deeper levels without being swallowed up.

Only after all the above preparatory steps are completed can the two exist in the same dimension.

The only cards I can play left are some speculations about the Fusion Warrior combined with the Soul State, and the final step of [Stigmata].

Leaving the former aside for now, the many unknowns within the latter are the key to what is worth looking forward to.

Su Qing'an actually knew in his heart that his [Stigmata] was mostly different from the manifestation of Fuxi's soul.

Whether this difference can offer a chance for survival remains to be seen.

But... there is still hope.

For Su Qing'an, who has been struggling alone all this time, a glimmer of hope is enough to fuel her will and keep her going until the very end.

Beneath the Haiyuan City, a Soul Steel Tower spirals inverted into the seabed rock formation. This mysterious building seems to breathe as if it were alive, its cavities exhaling, causing ocean currents and whirlpools that sweep across the middle of the sea, reflecting beautiful scenery in its transparent, specially designed glass.

The girl pressed her palm against the cool glass, gazing at the dazzling, mesmerizing scene outside, finally focusing her gaze on her face reflected in the glass as the light refracted.

It was a beautiful face, with eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like clear springs, and pink and moist lips with a natural upward curve at the corners, making her seem to always have a smile on her face, giving off a natural and intimate atmosphere.

Her slender figure wasn't fully showcased by the combat uniform, but her excellent curves were still visible.

Wan Ning, a member of the seventh squad of the Moth to Fire.

This is her name. Her former name.

Now, Wan Ning stared intently at her palm resting on the glass surface.

On the back of that fair hand, the bluish-green veins turned pitch black, as if thick oil flowed inside, making it look extremely strange.

The girl smiled; she was Flora.

She was... a missionary.