Twisting Reality

Because his appearance, his aura...

Could not be captured by any system of cognition.

This was practically Cthulhu.

As he gave this assessment in his heart...

A faint chill even crept up his back.

That fear originating from something indescribable was enough to make one's scalp tingle just by imagining it.

Yet it was precisely because it was too powerful...

That Cao Xin did not dare choose it.

Because once he chose it, it would mean that no living being could define, observe, or even comprehend him.

Simply put, anyone who looked directly at him would go mad.

Anyone who tried to understand his existence...

Even if they merely glanced at him, their minds would be struck by the absurdity of something no logic could contain. At best, they would fall into confusion; at worst, suffer a mental breakdown.

His two fathers, the Tang Sect disciples, and even the friends and companions he might meet in the future...

None of them would be able to interact with him normally anymore.

So, although he would become stronger.

Absurdly strong—so strong that almost nothing in the entire plane could truly threaten him, because they would not even be able to observe him, much less lock onto or attack him.

He would no longer be human.

Because he could not be defined.

A creature that could not be defined.

No race, no classification, no belonging. Every connection he had to this world would be severed.

He would become an isolated existence floating beyond the laws, forever unable to blend into any group, forever unable to truly be seen by anyone.

In the end, after struggling with it for a long time, Cao Xin still gave up on this conceptual ability.

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. Hesitation and reluctance churned in his chest for quite a while before he finally forced them down.

Strong as it was.

He opened his eyes, his gaze clear and resolute.

He still wanted to be a person, after all.

The joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness that belonged to humans, along with human bonds and attachments, were more precious than any power.

After all, while not being human might make him stronger.

Was it really so good to not be human?

Thus, Cao Xin gently shook his head, completely casting aside the regret in his heart before speaking seriously.

"I choose Self, Set Facts Aside, and Alchemy Furnace."

[ Ding! ]

The system's voice rang out.

The next moment...

All the words trembled at once, turning into countless particles of light that shot straight into Cao Xin's chest.

Cao Xin's body jolted violently.

Then, he closed his eyes...

Carefully sensing these three abilities.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked at a book beside his bed.

He picked up the book and simultaneously used [Self] and [Set Facts Aside].

A thought flashed through his mind.

This book was actually a cup.

Immediately afterward, he severed every objective fact concerning "this is a book," while establishing the firm cognition within his consciousness that "this is a cup."

In an instant...

The book was enveloped by distorted light.

Its outline began to blur...

A moment later, a cup appeared in his hand.

An ordinary cup with a fine texture.

Its walls were smooth and warm, and its rim was even and rounded.

As though it had always looked this way.

Yes.

That book had turned into a cup.

And this ability to alter matter...

Almost touched upon creation itself.

At that moment, Cao Xin lowered his head to look at the cup in his palm, a trace of shock and contemplation flashing through his eyes.

A book made of paper and ink had been reshaped into a ceramic object in just a few breaths.

The composition of matter, molecular structure, and changes in form involved in this...

Had already completely surpassed the scope of his understanding.

Cao Xin narrowed his eyes slightly.

He sensed the state within his body.

Turning a book into a cup.

This ability to forcibly alter matter had consumed only the slightest bit of his spiritual power and Soul Power.

Even that tiny expenditure...

Was practically negligible.

Perhaps this was also because affecting inanimate objects was relatively simple.

At this moment, Cao Xin had formed a preliminary judgment.

If the target were alive, a creature possessing its own consciousness, the consumption would likely increase geometrically.

But even so...

The prospects for this ability's use in cultivation, battle, and even daily life already filled him with incomparable excitement.

A moment later, someone knocked on the door again.

This time, it was the voice of a young Tang Sect disciple.

He spoke respectfully from outside.

"Young Sect Master."

"The Sect Master and Vice Sect Master request your presence."

Cao Xin placed the cup that had been transformed from the book back on the table, gathered his thoughts, answered, "Coming," and rose to push open the door.

The disciple outside appeared to be in his early twenties. Upon seeing Cao Xin emerge, he bowed slightly, made a gesture of invitation, then turned and led the way.

A moment later, the two arrived at a room.

It was similar to the awakening room he had just been in, but it was not used for awakening. It was meant for meditation.

The density of heaven and earth energy in this meditation room was so rich that it was practically about to liquefy.

Cao Xin merely stood at the entrance and took a deep breath before feeling a stream of pure energy pour into his body...

Then spread through his meridians to his limbs and bones, instantly invigorating his entire body.

This sensation was several times stronger than the energy density he had experienced anywhere before.

However, judging by the decor of this meditation room.

He could roughly guess that this was Second Dad's personal meditation room.

As for why he had not known this place existed.

That was perfectly normal.

After all, he had not awakened his Martial Soul before and had no need to cultivate in a meditation room, so he had never come here.

At that moment, Cao Xin saw two ring-shaped Soul Tools placed to one side in the center of the meditation room.

They were a pair of rings with deep, heavy colors.

They were currently emitting a faint blue glow.

On the inner wall of each ring floated a halo of a different color.

One was a gentle pale cyan.

The other was a steady golden red.

The two halos slowly revolved. They appeared calm, yet contained surging fluctuations of life energy.

Seeing Cao Xin enter.

Cao Dezhi spoke first.

"Little Xin, these contain the two Soul Rings your Second Dad and I prepared for you."

"Soul Rings?"

Cao Xin was surprised.

After all, just moments ago, his First Dad and the others had been talking about finding Soul Spirits for him.

How had they turned into Soul Rings in less than half a day?

Zang Xin also explained gently.

"Originally, we wanted to find suitable Soul Spirits for you."

"But as it happens, the Tang Sect's current stock of Soul Spirits basically does not suit your two Martial Souls."

He paused, glancing at Cao Dezhi before continuing.

"So your First Dad and I went to the Soul Beast Pool and chose two suitable Soul Rings for you."

"Of course, you do not need to worry too much."

"Like Soul Spirits, Soul Rings are essentially condensed masses of energy and can likewise be upgraded."

"So there is no need to worry too much."