The Stars Beyond

Chapter 437: The Forerunner of Mythical Theories

Wang Xuan found himself momentarily lost in thought, challenged by the novel interpretation presented before him. Yet, in his perception, the flower was undeniably real.

"Every person harbors an eternal blossom within their hearts, nourished by aspirations and rooted deeply within all sentient beings. It is this that renders it indomitable, everlasting, and forever in bloom," he pondered, considering the multifaceted interpretations of mythology. Could the intangible myths and the corporeal blood and flesh of humanity be rooted in this concept?

However, now wasn't the time for deep contemplation. Facing the imminent extinguishing of future mythologies, there would be ample time for validation.

Zhang Daoling spoke, "This page you possess is truly extraordinary. It may seem ordinary in appearance, but it might carry the essence of the shattered Celestial Mirror. Should suitable materials be found in the future, reforging the mirror might not be beyond the realm of possibility."

The ability of the page to enter and withstand the domain of nothingness, resisting the corrosion of the red substance, vastly exceeded Wang Xuan's expectations.

"Could it be that some essence of the Celestial Mirror transferred onto this page?" Hades Blood Patriarch proposed.

As they examined the paper and inquired about Wang Xuan's experiences with the scripture, Yan Yan couldn't help but almost laugh despite her initial anger at his earnest practice, noting the deviation in his interpretation from the original text.

"I thought to let Zhang Daoling, with his diagnosis, take the first plunge. Yet, it ultimately fell upon me," Wang Xuan shared.

"Are you asking for a beating, kid?" Zhang Daoling frowned.

Subsequently, Fang Yuzhu, Yan Yan, Zhang Daoling, and Hades Blood Patriarch conducted a consultation for Wang Xuan, assessing his mental state in conjunction with the surrounding environment and the page in question. They were astounded to find their appearances were indeed linked to Wang Xuan.

"Boy, you truly are audacious, envisioning us in your meditation on the scripture of mental ailment, creating shadows of us based on your interpretation. In a sense, we are your 'external sensation,' mere illusions, with you as the sole reality," they concluded.

Yan Yan added, "Your split psyche harbors the Demon Flower, intertwined with this page and fragments of the Celestial Mirror, manifesting some of its powers, especially this page. Could it indeed be a receptacle for the 'Dao Marks' of the destroyed treasure?"

Zhang Daoling nodded solemnly, "Stop pondering the transformation of the unreal into reality. What's pressing is addressing your mental illness. From the essence of the scripture as you've understood it, we are mere external sensations to you; only you are real. Unless you dissolve these illusions, your psyche will remain fractured, as if split."

Wang Xuan was agape, struggling to comprehend how he'd apparently become genuinely unwell, especially in the realm of the mind. He felt his only mistake was perhaps mishandling his practice.

"This feels like retaliation, a blatant mockery!" He refused to accept their diagnosis.

Fang Yuzhu spoke with unprecedented seriousness, "This matter demands your full attention. Essentially, everything traces back to this page; its divine essence has severely impacted you."

She activated the ancient page, which then radiated a dazzling light, resonating with patterns on her own being.

"What's happening?" Wang Xuan was bewildered.

Fang Yuzhu explained, "Your mental meditation, in connecting with this page, has had terrifying consequences. You've indeed fragmented psychologically, splitting into entities like me, Zhang Daoling, Yan Yan, Ming Xue, and the Demon Ancestor."

Yan Yan added, "Given the Celestial Mirror was a supreme treasure, its essence is naturally formidable. Your envisioning of us, facilitated by this page, sought to breathe life into these figments, turning the unreal into reality. That's truly alarming."

"So, you've all become avatars birthed from my mental split?" Wang Xuan grasped, astonished.

"It seems so, making this page all the more terrifying. It's no wonder it survived numerous mythological eras, bearing the legacy of a supreme civilization without destruction," agreed Hades Blood Patriarch, wary of the page's almost demonic allure.

"Apologies then," Wang Xuan said awkwardly, realizing the enormity of having these powerhouses as manifestations of his fractured psyche.

"Apologies, my foot!" snapped Yan Yan, striking him lightly. "Continuing this way, parts of our spiritual essence will indeed be usurped by this page and merge with you. What kind of aberration will you become? Will you even be yourself afterward? Hardly. You'd either be mentally disordered or severely split, meeting a grisly end."

Wang Xuan listened, filled with trepidation.

The predicament stemmed not only from the terrifying nature of that page but also from the fact that Zhang Daoling held fragments of the Celestial Mirror, unwittingly channeling, drawing in the others like Yan Yan, Ming Xue, and Fang Yuzhu into the mire.

And as for entities like the Demon Ancestor and Qi Teng, they likely possessed pieces of the Mirror as well. Without these fragments, even with Wang Xuan's mental constructs and the aid of the page, summoning portions of their spiritual essence would have been a far reach.

"How do we solve this?" Wang Xuan queried.

Zhang Daoling, with a hint of mirth, responded, "Your interpretation of the scripture veered off. This civilization's supreme scripture speaks of the 'sole self', yet you've externalized it en masse, leading to a splintered psyche. Therefore, a correction is in order. Of course, everyone sees different truths in scripture, so your understanding isn't entirely wrong. What if you actually manage to cultivate an anomalous version of this so-called 'mental illness method'?"

"I feel like you're insulting me!" Wang Xuan glared at him.

"Your practice of this scripture might not be mistaken, potentially a fortuitous opportunity," Fang Yuzhu interjected, offering a solution, showcasing her vast knowledge of scriptures.

After some contemplation, she suggested, "We could combine the Demon Seed Method, Spirit Coffin Technique, Soul Splitting, Demon Cycle Mantra, Primordial Avatar Art, and Seed Spirit Technique to create a tailored scripture for cultivating avatars, to send away our spiritual essence and nourish your true avatars."

Wang Xuan was deeply moved by the diversity of techniques involved, covering demons, sorcery, and the strongest practices of the contemporary age.

"I don't wish to cultivate avatars," he stated resolutely, mentioning even the mental illness method; if that was about the sole self, he considered himself perfectly sane.

"You've already embarked on this path by mentally constructing us, and the page has drawn our spirits here. It's a bit late to turn back now without erasing these avatars entirely, which would be costly," Fang Yuzhu reasoned.

Pausing, she added, "However, that's just the first step. By purifying and sending us away, refining your multitudinous avatars, you likely could advance to the forefront of mythology, the eleventh segment. Then, managing to subdue and integrate all avatars could potentially breach the current theoretical limits of mythology, reaching the twelfth segment."

Yan Yan chimed in, "Of course, the difficulty is immense, enough to drive you to despair. Can you really suppress so many avatars on your own? They might not be weaker than you."

Wang Xuan was taken aback, questioning, "I'm splintered in mind, each avatar as powerful as my original self?"

Zhang Daoling elucidated, "Currently, it's the dao patterns left by the page that render them seemingly powerful. How could the parts split from you truly match your strength? However, in the realm of the eleventh segment, should you continue to nourish your spirit and forge your soul in this manner, the future holds promise. A mutated spirit, integrating completely, could indeed result in a tenfold increase in power."

"Truly, almost a tenfold increase," Ming Xue, the Dark Blood Master, indicated. Beyond the four great masters, distant figures like the Demon Ancestor, Qi Teng, and the mysterious man in silver robes emerging from Zheng YuanTian's spiritual ashes were also implicated.

As time passed, half a year in the ethereal domain equated to merely a few days in the external world, allowing Wang Xuan the patience to diligently practice this unique method, fostering his avatars and aiming to dispatch their spiritual essences.

"In a way, this is your own method, birthed from your mental fragmentation and the constructs of us all," they explained during their years of study and refinement.

By the sixth year, Wang Xuan had successfully dispatched their spiritual essences, their armors and relics long consumed by the red substance, leaving behind nothing but their pure spiritual lights. Even the inscribed warnings had become moot, as any memories carried by the spirit upon departure would be cleansed, leaving them immaculate.

In the ninth year, his cultivation of avatars bore fruit, each strikingly potent and unaltered in appearance, leading to an impressive array of personas ranging from Fang Yuzhu, the supreme being of an extraordinary world, to Yan Yan the Demon Queen, and even the enigmatic figure behind Zheng YuanTian.

"YuZhu warned me not to bring them into the real world until they've unified into one, to preserve the 'sole self,' lest it invite disaster," Wang Xuan reflected regretfully. Given the chance, he yearned to showcase each avatar, to engage Old Zhang in casual conversation, discuss matters with the Demon Queen, and confront the dragon in battle.

Nurturing avatars and deciphering scriptures, Wang Xuan reached the pinnacle of cultivation. Throughout his years in the ethereal realm, his combat awareness and experience in transcendent duels improved remarkably, propelling him to unprecedented heights.

Most importantly, he amassed a foundational depth of life, accumulating sufficient essence.

In the eleventh year, Wang Xuan's spirit surged like the ocean and erupted like a volcano. A qualitative transformation occurred, and with a thunderous roar, the outer shell of his spirit disintegrated, revealing a new, more radiant and powerful spirit surpassing its former state.

He had entered the eleventh segment, stepping into this domain at the cutting edge of known existence, where the path ends and forbidden territories begin, reaching the theoretical zenith where no predecessors' paths could guide him.

Furthermore, those predecessors, few since ancient times, had mostly perished.

With a resonant boom, the red substance surged around him, his God-Slaying Banner fluttering fiercely. The ordinary sheet of paper burst into dazzling light, hinting at the ethereal silhouette of an ancient mirror. Simultaneously, the lid of the Life-Nurturing Furnace trembled lightly, emitting brilliance.

Above the meteoric pathway, the demonic flower swayed more vividly as if transcending the void, its petal-light rain extending towards the source of all reality.

In the real world, all beings of transcendence felt a shudder of fear, sensing the ceiling of their world pressing down.

At the same time, in the realm of immortals, several divine treasures manifested, entwined with ripples of the great dao, resonating and vibrating, their supreme patterns expanding endlessly.