Li Shishi's Massive Social Death Scene

Jiang Rongyue learned the truth about her abilities for the first time.

This should have been enough to elicit strong moral condemnation and a tremendously complex shock, but the girl's sword heart remained unshaken, and the lake within her Sea of consciousness was calm and serene, as if she had never been enlightened by the Manas consciousness and learned the truth.

She could understand the sins she had committed based on the moral concepts and conventional understanding imposed upon her by the world, but she still could not gain any empathy, pity, or guilt.

The reason is simply because...

--That's all her.

--Those were women who felt that living a meaningless existence was pointless and that they would never find a place to call home.

--That's all Jiang Rongyue, who would feel content just to see this future where she has found her home.

If the truth behind this ability is that it comes at the cost of other people's lives, the girl would naturally consider it an unforgivable sin. However, if the life of Jiang Rongyue, whose life trajectory is exactly the same as her own, is exchanged for, this feeling becomes infinitely indifferent.

This is not because Jiang Rongyue believes that it is only natural for the other versions of herself in other worlds to sacrifice themselves for her.

On the contrary, she herself couldn't even determine whether she was the original Jiang Rongyue from the Proper World.

In that mountain forest teeming with demons, how many deaths will a frail child, possessing nothing special except for the power amplified by the Stigmata, face? The memories in between are all ambiguous and unclear, like looking at flowers through a fog, making it impossible to trust those seemingly reliable feelings and memories.

From which parallel universe does the current version of Jiang Rongyue originate?

Or is it truly such a coincidence that in all the other worlds, Jiang Rongyue followed her mother's dying wish and chose to die, leaving behind the Jiang Rongyue of this Proper World who has survived to this day?

Everything is unknown and unclear; it's a mess that cannot be calculated or measured using normal logic, moral concepts, or even empathy.

Even if one has always remained completely oneself, never been replaced or superseded, and is a complete beneficiary of the existing system, the question remains unclear.

If we look at this issue from the perspective of Jiang Rongyue's personality and thoughts, the so-called "interests" are inherently very subtle.

The girl was more morbid and had a severe tendency toward self-destruction than Su Qing'an when she first came to the Proper World. She chose to continue slaying demons not because she believed she had a duty because she possessed Stigmata, nor because she wanted to gain status and reputation in the martial arts world, nor because she was driven by so-called empathy and moral values.

The real core reason is simply to wear oneself down in a way that is reasonable and does not affect one's efforts to improve oneself.

Immortality is not a reward.

Knowing the future in advance is meaningless.

Even if she could combine the power of dozens of herself to reach a height that transcends the mortal realm, it would not bring her any solace.

Therefore, Jiang Rongyue could not naturally see herself as a beneficiary, nor could she derive any sense of guilt or negative emotions from it.

Moreover, Jiang Rongyue, as a firsthand witness, discovered this reality earlier than Su Qing'an.

That is Jiang Rongyue, who can have a quantum entanglement with herself, and without exception, all of them possess the various abilities resulting from this phenomenon.

The reason is simple.

Of course, there are countless parallel worlds where Jiang Rongyue can find her own place and obtain happiness. Her situation is not absolutely special or inevitable in the sense of loneliness. Most of her loneliness is due to her experiences after birth.

Among all these experiences, the major turning point that led the infinite world toward an inevitable outcome was when his mother took him to a mountain forest full of demons and instilled in him the idea that death was better and the delusion that being invincible in the world would bring happiness.

It was this experience that led to the creation of the original Jalana, where morbid ideas took root and became difficult to change, ultimately leading to the subsequent tragedy.

But what about Jiang Rongyue, who didn't experience these things?

He's most likely just an ordinary Stigmata holder.

But what if we extend this further? Is it possible that there's a Jiang Rongyue from some other world who failed to awaken her Stigmata?

Furthermore, due to the iteration and shift of the central finite curve, is it possible that she might have an extremely happy life, a complete family, a normal life trajectory, and ultimately die peacefully in her old age?

Regardless of whether Jiang Rongyue is entangled in the same phenomenon, she remains completely outside of this distorted phenomenon and is not bound by this deformed spiral.

Based on the knowledge provided by Su Qing'an, Jiang Rongyue tentatively assumes that she in the Proper World is the straight line in the central finite curve, and that she is the most [Jiang Rongyue] in the infinite parallel world.

Those Jiang Rongyue who can be similarly entangled with her are all [Jiang Rongyue] who are extremely close to her within the central finite curve.

Therefore, we can draw a conclusion.

In other words, all those [Jiang Rongyue] who could be replaced by her would inevitably be both victims and beneficiaries of this phenomenon.

The reason is simple: without this ability, Jiang Rongyue, who had experienced the same turning point, would not have been able to survive in that area full of demons, and would not have had such a distorted self. Therefore, it would be impossible to get close to Jiang Rongyue, who is at the center of the central finite curve, and thus impossible to engage in quantum entanglement with her.

From this perspective, she is neither special nor does she need to bear much responsibility for it.

Since they were all such distorted versions of themselves, they wouldn't feel any regret or hatred for dying for it. In fact, the original owner of the body that was replaced during that Ascending Tower State might even think that being able to see such a future was already a great fortune, offering more solace than the inevitable and bleak end they would have faced.

So although it sounds strange, the girl at this moment, apart from a slight shock at learning such advanced knowledge and bizarre truth, had no other emotions. To put it bluntly, she felt that dying a few more times so that more people like herself could see such a future and be freed sooner might be happier.

However, Jiang Rongyue has also had ten years of experience in the world, and she clearly understands the universal concepts and moral principles of normal people. Therefore, she can also use this perspective to see whether her own thoughts at this moment are normal or not.

The answer is obvious: she is not a normal person.

This led to a very delicate problem. At this moment, Jiang Rongyue felt the worried gazes of her two elders and didn't know what to do.

Would it seem a bit too heartless to just say I don't care?

But if I were to explain it in detail, wouldn't it make me seem very abnormal?

What should she do? She absolutely doesn't want to ruin her image as a well-behaved child in her master's eyes. Should she pretend to be more upset and even more unable to accept it?

But her acting has always been terrible, and she's never lied to anyone. Yet she keeps hesitating and dragging her feet on speaking, as if she cares a lot. Won't it become increasingly difficult to explain herself?

Besides, even if this were explained, no one would normally understand it, right?

Jiang Rongyue, always true to herself, maintained her squatting posture, her expression indifferent, but her heart was unusually troubled. After pondering for a long time, she finally said dryly:

"This disciple understands and will not take risks lightly again in the future."

Su Qing'an remained silent for a while. Without deliberately blocking it out, her Manas consciousness's empathic ability allowed her to clearly perceive the strong emotions of nearby beings.

However, he did not sense any of the other person's emotions at the moment.

This means that Jiang Rongyue did not find the truth unacceptable at all. She was neither bewildered and at a loss due to the upheaval of the world, nor did she feel numb or intense guilt.

It was only then that Su Qing'an realized something absurd: he discovered that he had never truly understood Jiang Rongyue's personality.

Previously, I had always regarded him as a quiet, Stigmata, stigmata-possessed, rather old-fashioned, serious, and love-starved good child.

It's not exactly bad now, but things have inexplicably become chaotic.

But how should I put it?

Although it was strange that Rongyue didn't react at all, it was still much better than the serious scene he had initially imagined. He had transferred all the relevant knowledge to her for the sake of easy understanding, and he figured she would know how to use this ability correctly without harming herself. As long as that was met, he had no other requirements.

Therefore, the boy pretended not to know, ruffled Jiang Rongyue's hair, and sighed:

"As long as you know what you're doing, we won't interfere with anything else."

The Immortal Chi Yuan on the other side was completely unaware of this, and simply offered sincere words of comfort:

"Ignorance is no excuse, Rongyue, you don't need to worry about it too much."

"The past cannot be changed, but the future can be traced back; simply avoid intentionally abusing it in the future."

She handed the [Demon Slayer] sword, which was attached to her waist, to the girl, and then personally tied up her hair with the dark blue silk ribbon, saying softly:

"Also, your ability to [predict the future] shouldn't be overused, even when deemed necessary."

"Although Qing'an's ability can help you filter out unnecessary information, your soul cannot bear the cost of contacting the Manas consciousness again and again."

"Besides, [the pilgrimage] is not as important to me as you, my disciple."

Jiang Rongyue blinked her peach blossom eyes and lowered them, obediently holding [Demon Slayer] in her arms, nodding to show that she understood. A warm current swept through her chest, letting that emptiness understand this unfamiliar emotion.

In a sense, she successfully preserved her image as a good child.

"Okay, I understand."

Su Qing'an glanced at Li Shishi, who was still fast asleep beside him, and immediately released the interference of the Manas consciousness.

After Jiang Rongyue recovers to normal, it's likely that her swordsmanship will be largely restored.

However, Li Shishi was ultimately just a mortal with a normal level of Soul Essence. Once the signs of her sword heart shattering appeared, it would be extremely difficult to completely repair it in the future. The connection between the sword heart, which was sufficient to replace the soul itself and sublimate into the Manas consciousness, and the Sea of consciousness was extremely profound.

Any unusual activity, unless one possesses Soul Essence far exceeding that of ordinary people and establishes an extremely profound foundation and resilience, will inevitably have aftereffects.

Although the situation has been dealt with in time, Li Shishi will probably never reach the Taixu realm in this lifetime, and may even waste a long time in the State of Dustless without ever reaching the Clear Mirror Realm.

Su Qing'an glanced at the meek Jiang Rongyue, then at the beautiful woman in red lying on the soft grass, and thought that considering Li Shishi's personality, the reasons behind the outcome were more worthy of attention than the outcome itself.

At this moment, Li Shishi's consciousness, which had been freed from the influence of the Manas consciousness, gradually returned.

She could vaguely hear indistinct sounds nearby, among which the voices of Sister Chi Yuan and Su Su were very clear, while that person's voice mixed in was extremely abrupt, startling her who was not yet clear about the situation. However, she was also stunned by the aftereffects of her almost shattered sword heart and was unable to get up to check the situation.

However, the sword heart, which should have been slowly repaired, gradually began to recover under Jiang Rongyue's gentle murmurs. However, some gray cracks could still be vaguely seen between the ice and the heart, and it had not yet been repaired.

So... the information Su Su conveyed was true.

To avoid further complications, Su Qing'an did not fully disclose the true nature of Jiang Rongyue's abilities. He only stated that her abilities were extremely unique, allowing her to remain immortal and successfully return to her original state.

Therefore, at this moment, Li Shishi did not dwell on whether the Jiang Rongyue in front of her was the same Jiang Rongyue she knew.

She just wanted to try to open her eyes, get up, and make sure the other person was really alright.

On the other hand, Li Shishi also realized how much information and details her actions and the near shattering of her sword heart would reveal from the perspectives of Sister Chi Yuan and Su Su.

She was torn between two conflicting feelings, yet she couldn't resist the urge to see her beloved whom she hadn't seen for two years.

Just as the woman was gradually regaining control of her body, and was hesitant about whether to Awakened at this moment, a familiar voice echoed softly in her Sea of consciousness.

"Senior Sister Shishi, pretend you don't wake up for now."

"Your letter and your actions today have made it impossible to hide anything."

"Let me just state the conclusion: you like Jiang Rongyue, and not just any ordinary kind of liking."

"While neither Chi Yuan nor I have any opinion on this, don't you want to know what Rong Yue thinks about it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shishi felt a wave of guilt followed by a profound sense of shame, as if she were dying in society. Amidst this mix of emotions, she also felt that the timing was wrong. If the two had arrived just ten minutes earlier, she wouldn't have been seen so thoroughly. Moreover, the fact that they had seen through her as soon as they returned was something she found hard to accept.

Moreover, the fact that Su Su and Sister Chi Yuan were completely unmoved by this made her feel even stranger.

Why is it that it took me five years to gradually accept this strange thing, and I still have some reservations about it now, but you guys accepted it so quickly after you came back!

Wouldn't that make me look stupid for worrying about this all along?

How awful! How awful! How awful!

I want to strangle myself.

This mixture of unease and strangeness, the joy of being recognized, the social death of being seen through, the thrill of something lost and found, and the expectation of knowing the answer, all mingled together in an instant like a dye vat, forming an extremely awkward state.

Li Shishi felt her head buzzing. The aftereffects of her almost shattered sword heart, coupled with her complex emotions, made her plan to pretend to be asleep very successful. As long as she let her tired and lazy body continue to drift off, she would be a qualified sleeping beauty.

Seeing this, Su Qing'an's lips curled slightly, but she quickly concealed the smile and said to Jiang Rongyue, who hadn't noticed Li Shishi lying nearby:

There's one more thing.

The young man looked at Jiang Rongyue, who had turned her head, and sighed:

"Rongyue, during the two years you were missing, your Senior Sister Shishi was searching for you. Before we arrived, she found you, but she was probably shocked by what she saw of you sealing yourself at the bottom of the Cloud Dragon Waterfall, and her sword heart almost shattered."

"I've intervened and her condition has stabilized somewhat, but there are still considerable potential problems later on."

"Now that this matter started because of you, the one who tied the knot must untie it. You carry her back to Fuyun Temple, and you will take care of her for the time being."

"The matters concerning [Chao Xian] can be handled with the information you left behind. Let's stay with him at Fuyun Temple for a while."

Jiang Rongyue had barely heard Li Shishi's name when she immediately spotted the pale-faced girl lying in the distance, dressed in red and still damp.

Her fingertips, which were unconsciously stroking the hilt of the [Demon Slayer] sword, trembled slightly. She couldn't help but walk in that direction and embrace it in a bosom softer than the grass. She barely understood Su Qing'an's subsequent arrangements and simply nodded silently in agreement.

At this moment, an emotion completely different from the warm feeling that had swept over me surged up, making me feel a pang of bitterness, intense pain, and regret.

Two years.

So two years have already passed in the outside world.

During the chaotic period of self-imposed isolation, the passage of time is as blurry as the blink of an eye.

Jiang Rongyue thought she would die directly at the bottom of Cloud Dragon Waterfall, but she never expected that the power displayed by this phenomenon that was entangled with her would only dissipate after she sincerely wished to die.

But after having a master, the head of Mount Taixu, Li Shishi as a friend, and the Karma of establishing [Chaoxian], she was actually unwilling to leave this world without realizing it. That's why she was able to keep her soul bound to her body for two years and not die directly.

If it were my former self, I probably would have truly perished after being frozen and losing all life force.

But at that moment, the girl asked herself a question.

At that time, she no longer knew whether her master and Grand Martial Uncle would be able to return to Mount Taixu in their lifetime. This was the core reason why she left behind that letter that resembled a will. On the other hand, [Chaoxian] also left behind enough information to support a clear system, so there was no need to worry about it anymore.

After discarding all of these, the only element that truly makes one want to stay in this world and continue living is...

--Li Shishi.