Questions and Answers

Mist spiraled like a colossal pillar, shooting straight into the vault of heaven. Now, with the unfolding of the Paradise of Myriad Phenomena once more, countless souls infected with Dreamloss Syndrome were torn from their mortal shells. Like floating corpses, their spiritual bodies drifted with the currents, entangled by one tree root after another and drained completely dry until only lingering desires remained unreleased, fluttering up and down like moths. Countless souls plunged into this dreamscape overnight. The reach of this calamity extended far beyond the Thousand Islands, encompassing the Mid-Continent, the Empire, and even the Federation. Such a massive spectacle could not be hidden from watching eyes, even in these remote waters. "You've been watching from the sidelines for so long, Locksmith. Why keep quiet?" Without turning his head, Wen Zheng suddenly asked, "Since you're already here, why not show yourself? It's rare for us to share such peace, after all." "Quite an extraordinary display, Guide." A fleeting figure materialized out of thin air behind Wen Zheng. The aged face cast an indifferent glance. "Yet why show such contempt for us?" Such an immense spectacle, staged without the slightest concealment. It was brandished brazenly before the eyes of everyone, like an outright provocation. It was practically a declaration of war... "Oh? Lord Tianyi?" Wen Zheng glanced back, wearing a look of mild astonishment, and chuckled softly. "I thought it would be that stubborn blockhead Tianlu... Still, how could you call this contempt? Just the kids fooling around. Surely we adults aren't going to take it seriously and join in the nonsense, are we?" "Heh." Tianyi sneered. "All these years and not an ounce of growth, yet your silver tongue is sharper than ever." "Then let's talk about something practical." Wen Zheng rubbed his chin and abruptly suggested, "How about making a deal?" Tianyi countered, "Do we have anything to discuss?" "Come now, at least hear me out before deciding, won't you?" Wen Zheng glanced at the scene below, spreading his hands in a display of helplessness. "This is my child's most cherished wish. How could a father bear to stand by and do nothing? At most, it's just burning through a few souls you never cared about anyway. Lord Tianyi, be the bigger man and cut me some slack, eh?" Tianyi sneered, but Wen Zheng's voice continued. "Speaking of which, the Sower suffered a terrible loss recently, yet he hasn't quieted down in the slightest—" Wen Zheng spoke without warning, sighing as if making idle small talk. "Among the three Holy Fools, he's practically a model worker—toiling without complaint, bearing any burden. Not like a lazy slacker like me, muddling through each day. His burning ambition is truly admirable. Even after taking such a heavy blow, he still has the appetite to stir up storms." He paused, then asked abruptly, "The last Vortex uprising created three Void Abysses. If it happens again... Lord Tianyi, can your Tiandu Project still hold steady?" Tianyi said nothing. His expression merely darkened visibly. Tiandu. Even within the Federation, it was a secret among secrets, classified above all else, one of the Federation's most critical projects for hundreds of years. Yet now it tumbled casually from the mouth of a Holy Fool... "Why not make a deal, Lord Tianyi?" Wen Zheng turned around and smiled once again. *** High in the heavens, the sunlight was gentle, the breeze crisp and mild. This cloudless expanse of blue was far too distant to see the hell below. Yet beneath the sprawling, gargantuan tree within this hell of illusions, amidst countless fine roots, a spark of darkness quietly emerged. Silently, it spread through innumerable phantom bubbles. Like a flame. *** This world felt fake. Perhaps everyone, at some point or another, had experienced such a feeling... that perhaps the entire world was merely a gigantic studio set, everyone inside was an actor, and each day was like clocking into a job, methodically going through the motions just to keep you in the dark. Generally speaking, people called this sort of thought an 'adolescent delusion.' Most people, after a bout of sensible reflection or tired indolence, tossed such nonsense behind them, treating it at best as a private joke to chuckle over. Yet the instant such a possibility occurred to Ji Jue, an uncanny peace and tranquility washed over him. Unease, confusion, anguish, and rage—every emotion vanished without a trace, replaced by an ineffable calm, as if every problem and hardship had been solved at its root. Such a decisive arrival at an absurd answer. Yet so strangely, effortlessly embraced as the truth. *This world is fake.* Once this premise was established, all that remained was to use it as a foundation for contemplation and research, trial and exploration, until it was ultimately verified. Regrettably, Ji Jue discovered... he couldn't say his affinity with the Heart Pivot was nonexistent, but compared to the other Sovereign Virtues, it was downright abysmal. What was worse, Mirror hadn't even shown up back then! Heart Pivot, Mirror, Aether. The three most crucial Sovereign Virtues underpinning this fabricated world, and Ji Jue had no talent for a single one of them! To the point where he almost had nowhere to begin... Yet that was fine. An artisan never feared problems; an artisan only feared being unable to find where the problem lay. Even if all research in this false world amounted to flowers in a mirror or the moon on water, even mirages had their limits. It was said that long ago, back in the Age of Chaos or even earlier, there was an unfalsifiable hypothesis known as the "brain in a vat." If everything you perceived was fake, an illusion, the result of your brain floating in a laboratory vat, subjected to delicate manipulation and stimulation—how could you break free from such a phantom? Regrettably, that which did not exist was often impossible to disprove. Before debating any premise, the prerequisite remained: prove existence, not absence. If the subject was an ordinary human, the question was destined to remain purely an intellectual exercise, impossible to test in practice. Insoluble. Yet an insoluble dilemma merely reflected human limitations. In a world where Sovereign Virtues existed, such a degree of 'insolubility' had no basis to stand on! Its flaw was already embedded in its premise! Brain in a vat. A vat? Why merely a vat? If one truly possessed infinite resources and infinite power, why bother putting a brain in a vat to conjure such a petty illusion? The reason it was a brain in a vat was precisely because... a scarcity of resources meant they lacked the capacity to create a truly flawless reality! This world had limits. Otherwise, there could not have been zero theoretical progress over all these years, no breakthrough innovations, nor any artisan surpassing him while he remained stagnant. If the falsehood was rooted in his own consciousness, then any new theories or breakthroughs introduced had to be things his cognition and awareness could verify and comprehend. Otherwise, inventing some nonsensical tautology like 'a big banana has a big peel' would only shatter Ji Jue's suspension of disbelief. Thus, the premise became clear. If this world was false, then it was necessarily finite, impoverished, and resource-starved. To force this eyesore of a falsehood to reveal its true face, all he had to do was squander and waste those resources without restraint. The instant his mind was made up, Ji Jue sprang into action. Ten years? Twenty? Thirty? He threw himself into it without care, squandering his wealth like a madman, erecting spiritus forest after spiritus forest across the desolate stretches of the Thousand Islands. Countless crystals linked together along spiritus circuits to form colossal structures. Under the architecture of the Sixteen Heavens, thousands of sequences and tens of thousands of foundation disks converged into a single whole. That abstract, intricately bizarre apparatus was designed to accomplish only one effect: To simulate reality to the absolute greatest extent possible! A knockoff version of the former Tower of Myriad Transformations, forged entirely by Ji Jue's own hands, an achievement built wholly within his cognition and perception... "Now then, ready to start nesting?" Ji Jue grinned and let out a light laugh, activating the simulation array without hesitation. *Boom!!!* In that instant, through the interconnected spiritus circuits, a thunderous roar erupted in Ji Jue's brain like the birth of a universe. Immediately following, amidst the spreading mist of his thoughts, countless spiritus crystals began crazed calculations, forging a rapidly expanding domain within Ji Jue's brain and perception. Innumerable islands and seas filled it, rendered strand by strand, detail by detail. Every stone, every raindrop, every spray of the waves! *Drip...* Blood trickled from Ji Jue's nose, hissing as it fell. His blood was practically boiling; under the terrifying heat, his soul and body teetered on the brink of annihilation. Unprecedented terror and unease surged, urging him: *End this, end it now! You're fucking committing suicide! Does it really matter whether this world is real or not?!* "Of course it matters." Ji Jue grinned, blood spreading across his smile. In his daze, he seemed to hallucinate once more—the heavens dimming, the earth cleaving, the sea churning to a boil. Then, in that very instant, within the reality simulated inside his mind, spiritus crystals quietly appeared, one after another. A simulation array identical to the one in reality... "Remember what I said?" Ji Jue smiled to himself, and to this world, announcing, "The nesting has only just begun!" And so, within the simulated world, a second layer of simulation abruptly engaged! *BOOM!!!!* The world was born of a great roar, and seemed to perish within one as well. The last thing Ji Jue heard was the mournful cry of myriad phenomena shattering to pieces. *** It felt like waking from a dream. Ji Jue opened his eyes in dazed confusion and rubbed his face, feeling a wave of exhaustion and disorientation. The memories of the dream dimmed and dissolved rapidly, slipping beyond recall. He yawned, lazily hauled himself up, and habitually rubbed his wrist. He froze in place. Puzzled. Looking down, his wrist was bare. Yet by the time he came to his senses, a wristwatch was there. *Ah, must have been groggy from sleep; didn't notice it just now.* He shook his head with a self-deprecating chuckle. Yet deep inside, an inexplicable unease began to stir. "What is it?" Ye Chun poked her head out curiously, yawning, her long hair spilling over the sheets. She rolled over, limbs sprawled wide, completely indifferent to her modesty or appearance, lazing about like a dried salted fish. She nudged him with a foot. "I'm hungry. Hurry up and make breakfast!" "...Lazy dog, starve for all I care." Ji Jue pulled a long face, but seeing her wriggle over to act cute, he could only sigh helplessly, throw on some clothes, and get out of bed. Outside the window, the sun shone brightly. The sky was brilliant azure, the greenery lush—truly fine weather. The calendar bore circled dates marking the approaching wedding day and various busy schedules. Everything was so wonderful. Yet Ji Jue felt something was wrong. As if... he had lost something. No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't pinpoint what he had forgotten. He merely felt an instinctive void, or perhaps a contradiction. Like opening your eyes and reaching for your phone, only to grab empty air. Like a healthy person waking up crippled after a car crash—no matter how beautiful everything seemed, accepting this reality remained agonizing. To the point where, in a daze, he couldn't help but ask himself... *Is this world real?* Amidst the bustle of preparing breakfast, his hands paused. He lowered his gaze, staring at the mirror-smooth blade of the knife, and at the reflection of his own eyes. From that moment on, within that pure darkness, a thought sprouted... never to be severed again! *** Ji Jue woke from a dream once more. He felt as if he had dreamed again—many, many dreams—yet none were clear. He remembered only repeated interruptions and agony, a splitting headache. He dragged himself out of bed, panting heavily, drenched in sweat. "Master, your condition is very poor," the workshop spirit warned. "The doctor said you require quiet rest, or your spiritus schizophrenia will only worsen." A hand of quicksilver lifted, offering a handful of pills. "Time for your medicine." "Ah, thanks." Ji Jue took the warm water, brought to the perfect temperature, and swallowed the pills. The medication took effect rapidly; the unease and fear within his chest dissolved into nothingness. "You are welcome, Master." The workshop spirit's projection curtsied. "It is my duty." "..." Ji Jue fell silent, staring at her in bewilderment. "Master?" Isis asked, puzzled. "..." After a long silence, Ji Jue suddenly asked, "Isis, why do you call me Master?" "Did you forget again?" the workshop spirit answered. "I am your creation and subordinate. Isn't calling you Master only natural?" "Ah, perhaps." Ji Jue gave a self-deprecating sigh and shook his head. "It just feels awkward, though I can't say why." Isis's tone remained gentle. "You may configure a different form of address." "Hmm, 'Father'?" Ji Jue's twisted sense of humor flared up. "Of course, Father." Isis nodded as if it were entirely natural, answering readily. The smile froze on his face. Silence. "What is the matter, Fa—" "Stop." Ji Jue shook his head in disappointment. "You've become dull, Isis." "...I don't understand, Master." Isis panicked. "Did I do something wrong? Please command me, I will surely—" "I said stop." The expression faded from Ji Jue's face, turning cold and indifferent. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that the you right now is too boring." It shouldn't be like this. This shouldn't be the creation he took pride in. This wasn't his companion. This wasn't... ...Isis! *Crack!* Ji Jue's head began to throb once more. "Sir, you need to rest... Sir... Sir..." Her voice drifted farther and farther away until it faded completely. The sound of bubbles bursting seemed to echo. *** Again, and again, and again... Ji Jue felt as if he had lived through countless dreams, yet he could remember none of them. There was only the rapid swelling of unease within his heart, followed by bewilderment, fear, and rage. Along with a doubt etched deep into his very bones! *Is something wrong with this world?* He walked the streets aimlessly, with no idea where he was supposed to go. He merely followed his instincts, trudging uselessly forward... "Ji, Xiao Ji, hurry back and look!" Mother Lu's sobbing voice came over the phone. "Xiao Ling... something happened to Xiao Ling!" The call disconnected. Then the phone rang again. "Ji Jue!" Ye Chun demanded angrily. "I waited so long for you at the theater, and you stood me up!" The call disconnected. Then Sister Wen appeared, drenched in sweat and looking flustered, seizing his hand. "Ji Jue, where have you been?" She cradled his face tenderly. "Come back with me, all right? Everyone is so worried about you. Come with—" Dazed, Ji Jue moved forward and shoved her aside. A shattering sound rang out. Cracks ran across the heavens like a glass marble on the verge of breaking. Had it always been like this? He couldn't tell. The earth behind him seemed to be tearing apart; someone was wailing, a sound so familiar it felt as if he had heard it thousands of times before. The world seemed to twist, warping into a shape he didn't recognize. What was happening to everything? Like a walking corpse, he pressed forward, ignoring the calls, ignoring the pleas and screams, casting everything aside. Until he reached the end of the road and saw that familiar two-story building. And behind the window, that thin, familiar silhouette. "Teacher..." Ji Jue murmured softly, like a drowning man reaching for a final straw, and pushed open the workshop door. "You look terrible, Ji Jue." Ye Xian raised her eyes, looking over with cold mockery, devoid of comfort or gentleness. "Like a stray dog that can't find its way home. I don't recall my student being this kind of person." Such frigid words, yet so profoundly reassuring. Like catching a glimmer of daylight while drowning in the deep sea. "Teacher, I have a question..." Ji Jue managed a strained smile. "One I can't find an answer to." "Normal. Everyone has a mountain of those." Ye Xian picked up her strong tea with complete indifference, yet listened in silence, no matter how bizarre the theories and speculations coming from her student's mouth. The world was fake? Absurd enough, and utterly ridiculous. "I see. I understand." She took a sip of tea and set the cup down, remaining calm. "Perhaps. Who can say?" Ji Jue was stunned. "Teacher, you..." "You should understand, Ji Jue," Ye Xian interrupted flatly. "If I am false, the version of me conjured by your imagination wouldn't be able to tell dream from reality and would only think you're raving mad. If I am real, then you are undeniably raving, delirious, and delusional right now. In other words, whether real or fake, you are destined to get no answer from me." Instead of refuting these delusions and fallacies that were hardly worth mentioning, she viewed it from his perspective, organizing everything he had thought through once more. "I cannot help you at all, Ji Jue." Ye Xian shook her head with regret. "Well, if you truly are trapped in a dream, the me you imagined would surely think the same, wouldn't she?" Ji Jue looked at her. "Teacher, can you give me advice?" Yet Ye Xian laughed, her tone as mocking as ever. "Am I Ye Xian, or am I the Ye Xian of your imagination, Ji Jue? Would the advice I give be nothing more than another unfalsifiable delusion of yours?" Ye Xian offered no answers; instead, she produced more questions, devoid of sympathy or warmth, critiquing him bluntly: "That which does not exist cannot be disproven, and the Path of Aether does not describe complete nothingness. If all things are an illusion, how can an illusion prove its own illusory nature?" "You should be able to guess what 'I' would say when faced with such a situation... whether the real me or the fake me." She looked at Ji Jue and told him indifferently: "—After all, I've already taught you, haven't I?" "Yes." Ji Jue nodded firmly. The prerequisite to waking from a dream was the severing of consciousness and perception. As long as one reduced oneself to nothingness, nothingness had no purchase on nothingness. And the most absolute way to sever consciousness... "...Is death," Ye Xian said. If trapped in an irresistible illusion, blinded by an impenetrable dream, the final effective resistance was to embrace the end. When a soul confronted death, it experienced an absolute eruption. At that moment, the roiling consciousness and ego would ignite like fire, throwing all past experiences and memories into chaos, tearing to shreds every falsehood rooted in illusion! Ye Xian pulled open a drawer beside her, took out a single bullet and a gun, and set them before Ji Jue. "—This is what you came here looking for, isn't it? A certain death, a method that cannot deceive you." Ye Xian saw right through his thoughts. If this was a dream, the Ye Xian in the dream would inevitably provide such a method and tool! "I see. In your heart, Ye Xian would always have a method, would always hand you the tool to end yourself without a shred of doubt... Is that an absolute premise rooted in your cognition as well?" Ye Xian's expression softened into realization, letting out a silent sigh of surprise or sentiment. Did her student truly view her as someone who would casually counsel death and hand over the means, heedless of the consequences? Yet was such trust not too absurd, too unshakable? To trust a phantom in a dream more than himself. Too ridiculous. Too laughable... So much so that it was impossible to laugh. "However, Ji Jue, do not forget the most crucial prerequisite of this method," Ye Xian said. "If this truly is another's dream, waking from it demands one absolute condition—" Absolute resolve, absolute certainty! Not a single tremor of belief, not a single doubt in oneself. Otherwise, the slightest lingering hope, the faintest hesitation, the tiniest shred of wavering would allow the dream to worm its way back in! Or worse, lead to true death... Suicide. "I understand." Ji Jue nodded solemnly. Without an ounce of hesitation. That expression... For a fleeting moment, Ye Xian seemed on the verge of speaking, but in the end, only cold words emerged: "Do you need help?" "No." Ji Jue smiled. "Why test me to the very end, Teacher?" To truly break free, he had to do it with his own hands; he could never rely on another... That final question had been her last attempt to hold him back as his teacher. "I'm sorry." He apologized softly, picked up the pistol from the desk, opened it, loaded the bullet, racked the slide to chamber the round, and pressed the muzzle against his forehead. Finally, he looked up at the person across the desk. No interference, no scolding—only cool detachment met his gaze. "You should understand that no matter how resolute you are, to me, you are merely a deranged student seeking his own death... As your teacher, I shouldn't allow it, but as a fellow artisan, I have no right to stop you." Ye Xian looked at him and asked suddenly, "Anything else you want to say, Ji Jue?" Ji Jue let out a soft laugh. "Thank you for your trouble to the very end, Teacher." Ye Xian fell silent and closed her eyes. *Bang!* In that instant, Ji Jue pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed, the bullet tore through, and he collapsed backward. Spiritus scattered; breath ceased. Yet a faint smile lingered at the corner of his lips. Death. Yet with Ji Jue's death, Ye Xian's expression shifted slightly, and she lifted her head. The roar of heaven and earth collapsing erupted. Outside the window, the familiar scenery rapidly dimmed, bled of color, and was swallowed by encroaching darkness. Everything was dissolving at terrifying speed. Like bubbles bursting and evaporating beneath a blazing sun. "...Ha, you actually guessed right, kid." Ye Xian sighed in realization. Ignoring the howling void and annihilation sweeping toward her, she cast one final glance at Ji Jue. Ji Jue was gone. Only a wisp of crimson lingered in the empty air. So brilliant. She couldn't help but smile, murmuring in heartfelt praise: "Well done, Ji Jue!" *If it were the real Ye Xian... the real me would surely say the same right now, wouldn't she?* 'Ye Xian' closed her eyes. And along with the dream, vanished into the dark void.