From the end of the world

Chapter 528 Xiaowan's Awareness

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand... What do you mean by 'teleportation' doesn't work, but walking does?" I asked, "Can we walk directly across the void between us and the basement on the fifteenth floor?"

"Yes...the prerequisite is to find the direction of the basement first." Xiaowan actually nodded.

Then she added, "To be precise, we don't actually need to cross this void... the barrier itself does not exist."

"It doesn't exist..." I think I seem to understand.

Xiao Wan continued to explain: "The first thing we can be sure of is that the essence of nothingness is non-existence. There is no space, no time, no matter, and no energy. It cannot be entered or blocked by others, and it cannot become an obstacle to anything.

"On the other hand, the space in the basement on the fifteenth floor is close to the time and space of the apocalypse. If we combine these two clues together, we can come to this conclusion—"

Hearing this, I continued, "The basement on the fifteenth floor...is adjacent to the land of the Doomsday Era?"

"That's right." Xiaowan nodded.

"But I once punched through the wall of the basement on the fifteenth floor and peeked out. There, I saw no apocalyptic land, only endless darkness," I said.

"It is true that the basement on the 15th floor is a space in the void, and it may also be true that it borders the land of the apocalyptic era. Maybe it is in such a mysterious superposition state." Xiaowan said, "This is my speculation. Maybe in general, the basement on the 15th floor is an isolated island lost in the void, and there is no connection with the real world. Only in certain special circumstances will the attribute of 'bordering the real world' appear."

"Some special circumstances..." I thought for a moment, "I still find it hard to believe. Xiaowan, are these speculations you mentioned just your own conjectures, or are they based on your own extraordinary intuition? Or are these speculations actually supported by facts?"

"Of course it's not conjecture. As for intuition... my method of celestial phenomena and earthly phenomena is based on the power of the real world, and it cannot be used to predict things related to nothingness."

Xiao Wan first showed a regretful expression, then said seriously: "What I said is supported by facts. The 'special situation' just mentioned is also related to your past experience, Brother Zhuang Cheng.

"The basement on the fifteenth floor, lost in the void, will only come into contact with the real world under one condition, that is, when fate draws it in with the characters in the real world."

Her analysis made me suddenly realize. Yes, her speculation is supported by facts. In the modern world, the entrance to the basement will only appear when Chang'an and I approach the rental house on the 15th floor. In my previous reasoning, this is because I have a connection with the fragment of the divine seal hidden in the basement, and Chang'an is likely to be in the same situation.

To make lost things return to reality, what is needed is the power of fate... This theory sounds like it can be connected to the impermanence of loss that occurs when fate is lost.

Regardless of whether my previous reasoning was correct, the fact that the entrance would appear as I or Chang'an approached was indisputable. This meant that as long as I actually moved to the time-space border between the Doomsday Era and the fifteenth floor basement, the entrance to it would most likely appear. This was why Xiaowan said that walking was the way to go.

Thinking back carefully, there was something wrong with the vast dark space in the fifteenth floor basement. My flames could not exist in the void, where even space itself did not exist, but I had used my fireballs to wander in the darkness in the past. This presentation of non-void properties seemed to confirm the superposition of nothingness and reality in the fifteenth floor basement.

"But... why can that basement exist in nothingness?" I had this question.

Even the great impermanence cannot maintain existence in nothingness, and although I can do it due to my special nature, it can hardly be said that it can last long.

I had no intention of asking this question to Xiaowan, but at the moment we were in a state of mental synchronization, and this strong question seemed to be sensed by Xiaowan.

Then, she actually gave her own analysis: "The only special thing about the basement on the fifteenth floor is that it used to be the 'container' for storing the fragments of the divine seal.

"Regardless of why the fragment of the divine seal that was originally bound to you, Brother Zhuang Cheng, appeared there, since you can exist in the void to a certain extent, the fragment of the divine seal should not be an object that will be easily destroyed in the void. And maybe the space of the basement itself has also received some kind of blessing and can continue to exist."

I naturally questioned, "But I have already taken away the fragment of the divine seal there. How do you explain that the space still exists?"

“Although the fragments of the divine seal there have been taken away, the Void Realm Apostle who is bound to the fragments of the divine seal is still in the basement and has never gone out.” Xiaowan said.

It took me a while to figure out the logic behind it.

My body is my flame, my flame is my spirit, and where the flame is, there I am. In other words, since the white candle in the basement on the 15th floor has not been extinguished, it means that my existence actually always stays in that space.

Is this okay? Although I have always advocated this in the past, does it really make sense?

"Brother Zhuang Cheng, don't continue observing the basement on the 15th floor. Let's stop for now." Xiao Wan suggested. I followed her suggestion and ended the observation, then exited the state of mental synchronization.

Xiaowan opened her eyes, and the color of her eyes had returned from the abnormal lake blue to ordinary black.

She did not let go of my hand immediately, but continued to hold it gently with both hands as if she was attached to the sense of security, and explained her proposal: "Although I don't know the specific speed of time flow in the basement, at least when we observed there, the white candle was in a normal burning state. From my visual observation, it can only burn for another hour at most.

"I also saw intact candles stored elsewhere. Even if they were burned from scratch, they could only burn for two to three hours at most. Brother Zhuang Cheng, you should have been in the doomsday era for much longer than that.

"This may mean that when we are not observing, even if your connection with the other side is still maintained, the flow of time there is stagnant or extremely slow. And once the candle over there is completely burned out, your hope of returning to the modern world will disappear.

"Besides, the reason why the basement I analyzed earlier can exist in the void is at best a guess I made in the absence of any clues. It cannot be directly used as the truth. Even if the candlelight is still burning, it is possible that it is in a state that can disappear at any time like foam in the sea.

"So before we reach the border between the basement and the real world, it's best not to conduct any form of observation over there... It's best not to even sense the connection between it and the candlelight over there."

Her thinking is very meticulous, and her reasoning ability is obviously superior to mine... While evaluating her intelligence, I asked a question: "So... do you have a way to find the border point?"

"I can't do it yet." Xiao Wan shook her head, "At this stage, either we have to try to further strengthen the connection between you and the candlelight, or rely on the affinity between you and the candlelight and try our luck to see if we can get closer.

"I will continue to think of a solution for the former, as for the latter..."

"If we can do it by chance, maybe the power of the broom star can help us." I said, "Xiao Wan, can you use your perception to observe whether I still have Ma Zao's power of the broom star?"

"Are you worried that your experience in the void has washed away Sister Ma Zao's power of misfortune? Don't worry, that power is still in you for the time being." Xiao Wan nodded, "Maybe it's because my prayers are mixed into your relationship with Sister Ma Zao, and this prayer has a strong power of the divine seal fragment... Based on this relationship, the power of misfortune has been preserved to a considerable extent.

"However, probably because I am too far away from Sister Ma Zao, this force of misfortune has become a sourceless water and is declining."

"Recession..." I subconsciously felt a sense of panic.

Xiaowan seemed to be sensitive to my emotions. She held my palms with a little more force and said to me gently, "Don't worry, Brother Zhuangcheng. As long as you return to the modern world as soon as possible and reunite with Sister Mazao, this problem will be solved naturally. Xiaowan will definitely stand by your side and help you in every possible way."

Return to the modern world... I have no comment.

Xiao Wan seemed to sense something again. She paused for a moment and said doubtfully, "Brother Zhuang Cheng, could it be that you..."

I immediately thought about how to respond to Xiaowan, and after a moment of silence, Xiaowan sighed softly and said, "...Brother Zhuang Cheng, I have to talk to you in detail later..."

"…It's all up to you."

Sometimes when adults do bad things and are criticized by other adults, they will not take it seriously and may even come up with many cunning "philosophies of life" in their minds, believing that they are the right ones.

However, if an innocent child sternly criticizes someone in person, one will inexplicably feel ashamed.

There might be some popular elements in my inner world. Some of my selfish thoughts were caught by the little girl who held my hand softly and was in close contact with me. I felt like a person who had not been exposed to the sun for a long time and walked under the sun. I couldn't help but feel ashamed.

Xiao Wan didn't lecture me right away, but let it go for now and changed the subject: "By the way, Brother Zhuang Cheng, there is something I need to report to you..."

"What's the matter?" I followed smoothly.

"It's about the human-god Huang Quan." Xiao Wan said, "You mentioned at the beginning that the reason you came to the apocalypse was because Huang Quan exiled you into the void with a method of mutual destruction... Is that right?"

"Yes. I think there may be something fishy about this matter. Huang Quan is one of the supreme gods of the Gospel Court after all. I can't understand why such a character would make such a sacrifice in the conflict with me." I said, "Do you have any opinion on this?"

"Well... let me tell you the conclusion first. I don't think Huang Quan is really dead." Xiaowan said.

(End of this chapter)