A Door, the Special Nature of the Realm of Taixu

Two weeks have passed since the surgery officially began.

All the memories and emotions kept repeating themselves during this period, without ever ceasing.

During this period, which could be described as painful or even torturous, the boy was able to clearly perceive subtle changes in his own thoughts.

That is, intention.

It is not a physical entity like the soul; thoughts are merely a tapestry woven from one's personality and memories.

It was originally useless, or rather, it shouldn't have been able to perform operations that resembled the Soul Materialization, thus affecting reality itself and the outside world.

However, this large-scale project that imprinted himself on Su Qing'an led him to conduct an unprecedentedly deep self-analysis.

This is the stage where [thoughts] are separated from the soul as a carrier and the flesh and blood itself, and are tempered and tortured separately.

For everyone in the world, going through this stage has no real significance.

However, this was not the case for Su Qing'an.

Su Qing'an is a normal person, but he also undeniably possesses something extremely special.

The secrets contained within his soul have surrounded him since he came into this world, and even now, after all he has experienced, the true answer has not been revealed.

The boy was able to instinctively understand what price would be paid to unveil that veil.

He himself was well aware that his replication and reproduction of Fuxi's Soul State represented a great deal.

At this stage, after clearly recognizing the change in [thought], the Soul State, which had previously been stuck at two-thirds of its potential, suddenly tore through all its shackles and completely entered a state of wholeness.

The surgery was then completed.

Su Qing'an's consciousness seemed to sink into the abyss, only to be pulled back by the lifeline to the objects on the shore.

He thus regained synchronization with his physical body in the outside world.

My mind was a little foggy, but I could still understand that my Soul State could unconsciously and completely reach that reality.

The boy, dressed in loose, pure white clothing, walked out from inside the large white warehouse. The Black Abyss White Flower beside him shimmered slightly. In just a few seconds, his body had already returned to its best condition.

"Thoughts, the will of the self."

The profound understanding gained during the surgical procedure, leaving an indelible mark, resulted in a outcome I had never anticipated.

[Chiyou Gene (15.12%)]

He glanced at the panel, but could only temporarily set aside the issue of his progress in entering a complete Soul State and becoming Fusion Warrior, and continue to recall what he saw and heard at the moment that opportunity arrived.

It was a door.

It is a door that does not exist.

Only such vague information remained in Su Qing'an's mind.

The term "door" is merely a conceptual expression.

Therefore, it both exists and does not exist.

Before leaving behind a complete imprint of himself, before repeatedly examining all of his life and self a thousand times, that [door] may not have been nonexistent; it was only after experiencing it that he became qualified to recognize the [door].

Su Qing'an could clearly sense that this was a gateway to the Realm of Great Void, and even more so, a gateway to another unknown area.

Prior to this, he also had a subconscious belief that he could enter the Great Void if he wished.

It's like an instinct.

Just as birds can soar in the sky and fish can breathe in the water.

You don't need to understand why or know the principles; you just naturally believe that you can do it, and you can actually do it.

After realizing the existence of the [door], Su Qing'an understood why birds can fly and why fish can breathe in water, and was able to move towards that area more autonomously and clearly.

The realm of the Great Void is within reach.

Step over it, step over it.

Like an instinct within the soul yearning for biological evolution, it urges the self to once again recognize that [door] and push it open.

On the other hand, Su Qing'an once again inexplicably sensed a deep-seated disgust and loneliness in her heart.

Genuine doubts naturally arose.

Why does entering the Void evoke so many inexplicable emotions?

Is it because the final step in the four steps of soul manifestation contains a truly subversive and unique aspect?

Or is it because the Realm of Great Void itself contains strangeness and taboos?

The boy sensed the deathly silence around him; Mei's massive calculations were not yet finished.

At this stage, Prometheus inside the mainframe granted himself permission to leave this location, and he himself became completely immersed in this calculation.

Both Mei's fate and his own problems left him feeling depressed.

Su Qing'an sighed:

"Let's leave it for now."

Suddenly, information from afar led him to choose to leave first.

Outside the Shennongjia area, a secret laboratory.

The damaged Quantum Anchor Point and the wreckage of instruments scattered on the ground, mixed with several body bags bound with practiced skill, silently told the story of the tragedy that had recently taken place here.

The monster was able to arrive through the quantum portal because there was a corresponding Quantum Anchor Point here.

To prevent pursuers from arriving immediately, destruction and looting were undoubtedly the best options.

The place still faintly reeks of Nuclear Radiation and Honkai Energy, like ghosts that linger. The thick stench of blood permeates the atmosphere, while a nauseating metallic smell permeates the nostrils.

After asking the person for help, she successfully underwent the surgery.

As a result of technological advancements, the anticipated negative effects did not materialize.

The environment here, which might have been a deadly poison to his former body, now has no effect on him.

Eden peered out through the open wall.

The outside world is undoubtedly barren land, clearly separated from the distant forest by a distinct boundary.

From a human perspective rooted in the earth, it is difficult to discern how many strange Celestial Phenomenon were triggered by the previous war.

All that could be perceived was the violent roar caused by the collision of the massive, intertwined Honkai Energy phenomena, and the fact that the sky thousands of kilometers away was painted with magnificent colors.

The sunset glowed like blood.

The light that was distorted by a myriad of colors into a single beam at that moment could be best described by these four words.

With this thought in mind, Eden looked back with concern at his comrades who had emerged from the center of that deafening roar not long ago.

She leaned against the corner, looking exhausted. Her eyes were half-closed, and her lips were pale as if she had lost too much blood, yet she still gripped the beautiful, almost work-of-art blade tightly in her hand.

Faintly visible, crimson blood dripped from the palm holding the sword, then was drawn up from the ground by a strange attraction, disappearing into the texture of the blade.

Looking from above, the slender lotus-like arms are wrapped in a thin, delicate layer of keratin, with jet-black scales resembling those of a beast weaving together to form a beautiful outer shell. One can also vaguely see a blade-like texture flowing with a faint luster.

Eden glanced at the arrival time and distance of the medical pod on the terminal, and frowned with worry. She asked softly with concern:

"Are you feeling better now, Miss Fu?"

The girl's profile, bathed in external light, was adorned with a poppy, its delicate beauty enhanced by the ink-like strokes of balsam juice, adding a touch of Yumei Ren to her otherwise cool and pure demeanor.

However, she seemed somewhat dazed and was unable to respond immediately.

A long silence, or perhaps just a few seconds.

Fu Hua replied:

"No need to be so polite, Eden."

Just call me Hua.

The girl's lowered eyes could see Eden's long, wine-red hair in the light, but she no longer had the strength to lift her head and look upwards.

She made a concerted effort to maintain her connection with [Spring Void Roll], stating:

"I'm feeling a little better than before."

"But we still cannot loosen our connection with this weapon, otherwise our bodies will easily continue to collapse and disintegrate."

Eden remained silent for a moment.

She was Fusion Warrior stationed in the rear, and her mission here was to release her Gene Ability in sync with the singing in order to bypass the tedious search work and kill the enemy directly.

However, the situation encountered during this operation was unexpected.

Fu Hua and the other Fusion Warrior were severely injured when they returned from the Shennongjia region.

Fu Hua was able to be the first Fusion Warrior to go deep into Shennongjia to confirm the enemy's life or death, not only because of her ability to manipulate Celestial Phenomenon, but also because of her immortal Gene Ability.

Logically speaking, this level of injury wouldn't be considered fatal even for a regular Fusion Warrior, so it should be even less so for her.

It should never be reduced to the point where one is forced to maintain a prolonged, unnatural link with the Godslayer Seat weapon in order to preserve one's genes at the level of ascension and thus cling to life.

Eden had the idea of personally going out to hand over medical pods to speed up the treatment process.

However, it seems dangerous to leave her here alone for now, so let's leave that aside for now.

Whether medical pods can be effective in this regard is another question.

The remaining Fusion Warrior, who were supposed to be a formidable force in suppressing the double-digit number of Emperor-class Honkai Beast that emerged from the Shennongjia riots, seemed to be stretched thin in this bizarre natural environment.

Under these circumstances, Eden naturally could not choose to leave rashly.

Fortunately, the situation doesn't seem to have reached its worst point. Fu Hua's immortality and the Fusion Warrior's natural regenerative abilities, even though they seem to have been significantly weakened, are still slowly taking effect.

The fact that the other party has regained consciousness and can speak makes this clear.

She accepted the offer and asked:

"Yes, Hua."

"Is the injury it gave you particularly unusual?"

Fu Hua did not answer the question immediately, but said:

"Eden, you must have heard what I said before I lost consciousness, right?"

Upon hearing this, Eden replied:

"If what you said was a warning not to approach the Shennongjia area, then everyone has followed your advice."

"After all, the scale of the operation ahead far exceeds the level of the mission we initially came here to carry out."

Upon hearing this news, the girl seemed relieved and whispered:

That's good.

"Let me get straight to the point. Although I still don't understand what that monster really is, I've had the experience of escaping death inside it once, so I can glean some information about its abilities."

"First of all, under its will, we cannot control even a fraction of the Honkai Energy in the entire Shennongjia region. The only Honkai energy that the Fusion Warrior can utilize is the Honkai Energy produced within their own bodies."

"At the same time, very strange things will happen once the Honkai Energy you control is released."

"That unknown enemy seems to be able to seize the permission for the Honkai Energy I release. Although it cannot completely plunder and utilize it, it can greatly reduce the utilization rate of Honkai Energy during the battle without any problem."

"Secondly, I decided to retreat the moment I noticed the anomaly."

"But as long as you are in the Shennongjia area, you can never escape its attacks. It seems to be able to control all the Honkai Energy in this 4,000 square kilometers, and even do things that are more fundamental... involving concepts, similar to powers."

"But once we reach outside these four thousand square kilometers, all our offensive will naturally crumble."

"That's why I was able to hold on until you came to help."

Fu Hua coughed a few times, blood spilling from her mouth and staining her lips crimson.

"Or rather, it's the reason why we weren't completely wiped out."

Eden had come to a profound understanding of the reasons for the man's defeat.

Rather... it's almost unbelievable that the opposing team was able to hold out until their teammates came to their rescue despite being at such a disadvantage.

If it were any other member of the team, they would not have been able to bring back this information accurately and safely.

She asked:

"Why do you think that a head-on confrontation would result in total annihilation? Is it because of your other abilities that you haven't revealed yet?"

The girl whispered:

"Yes, at first I thought that mountain was it."

"But later I discovered that the entire Shennongjia might be made up of it."

"At first, I thought it could control all Honkai Energy within a certain range, possessing the highest authority in this regard, surpassing even the Herrscher."

"But later I realized that it controlled not only Honkai Energy, but also the four thousand square kilometers of land itself, and even myself inside it."

Eden asked:

"You yourself?"

Fu Hua responded:

"Yes, my ability to control Celestial Phenomenon has been weakened."

"At first, I thought it was because all the external Honkai Energy was in its hands, but after my body's repair speed kept slowing down, I realized that were two completely different things."

Eden took out a handkerchief and carefully helped the little girl wipe away the blood from her lips. She then wiped away the remaining trickling drops of blood and whispered:

"The longer you stay inside, the weaker your Gene Ability become, right?"

The girl closed her eyes, vaguely sensing that the restraint and weakening effect of that existence on her was gradually fading away, her genetic activity was becoming more and more vigorous, and her immortality was gradually and truly reviving.

However... the prolonged integration with [Spring Void Roll] led to the extreme Critical Point being crossed to an irreversible degree.

There's no way to separate the blade from my hand for the time being.

Otherwise, it will only make the injury worse.

The mental fatigue grew increasingly severe; this was the price of using Udu-dust to create vast illusions and mental attacks on the entire area before leaving.

Now, Fu Hua had no time to consider whether any Pseudo-Herrscher Core after this attack.

At this moment, my eyelids, already drooping, were overwhelmed by sleepiness.

She could feel the touch of the man's fingertips brushing against her skin.

This singer, whom I've known since junior high school, seems to possess a gentleness that runs deep in my bones.

Even now, the sounds surrounding me are unhurried, like jade beads falling onto a plate, making my consciousness involuntarily calm down, and even the pain transmitted through my body lessens slightly.

In a daze, Fu Hua felt as if she had returned to the days of that small eastern town.

Even though Shiyu Qiluo never spoke of Eden, she could still find familiar figures and voices in the images flashing on the huge billboard on that sweltering summer afternoon.

There are always some people and some events that represent the rise and fall of an entire era.

These scattered fragments—the tunes hummed by breakfast shop owners, the songs someone secretly played at school, the words of others, and television commercials—have become more vivid and unforgettable with the passage of time.

But after that leisurely daily life that vanished so quickly without a word, only a few things remained in one's hands.

A feeling of loss welled up in my heart at that moment.

The girl was stunned for a long time, until the warmth of the man's hair and breath was so close that it was impossible to ignore, before she was pulled out of this fantastical reality and past, and softly answered:

"Um."

Eden was somewhat worried. After understanding why the other person's injuries had not improved quickly, she could basically confirm that the medical pod would be useful to them, but she still couldn't feel at ease leaving them here alone.

She asked:

"I hope I haven't bothered you. You don't seem to be feeling well?"

Fu Hua said softly:

"No, I'm just a little sleepy, and it also reminded me of some things from the past."

She didn't elaborate, and the man didn't ask any questions.

In such an era, what happened in the past can only be described as wounds today.

Whether or not one speaks depends on the wishes of others.

For someone like Eden, whose very being exudes politeness and gentleness, appropriate silence and refraining from probing are basic forms of courtesy.

As the team leader of this mission, Fu Hua believes that her current situation can be regarded as a dereliction of duty, and therefore she is even less willing to engage in a leisurely and self-analytical dialogue.

She continued to gather her thoughts and said:

"Without knowing what its true nature is, simply increasing its numbers is meaningless, and a protracted war will only lead to defeat."

"Although this situation didn't occur immediately when I first entered the area, it's still better not to enter Shennongjia once it has already begun to operate."

"So, please have Eden pass this information on to everyone currently in the vicinity of Shennongjia."

She replied:

"I have already reported the situation here to my superiors, and the information you provided has been preliminarily summarized and uploaded."

"Don't worry about getting better, Hua."

"Based on your description and the current situation, it should be unable to leave the Shennongjia area."

Within Fu Hua's Mind Lake, crimson feathers swam slowly.

She was about to reply when, as if by divine inspiration, she ignored her fatigue and drowsiness and opened her eyes.

Then.

A boy's ever-reassuring smile, as warm as spring, came into view.

Those eyes were deep and dark, like the cold snow in the dead of winter, exuding a profound mystery.