Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 312 - 291 Ying Shen Silver Moon 2

Chapter 312: 291 Ying Shen Silver Moon 2

Buddhist Scripture states that Buddha has three bodies: Dharma Body, Retribution Body, and Apparent Body.

Let’s not talk about what Dharma Body is for now. The Retribution Body refers to the body obtained through spiritual cultivation, which the Ancient Moon God uses to represent the ideological traces left in people’s hearts by the deceased. If a person gains insights while alive and manages to record these insights and pass them down through generations, leaving his ideological traces in the mortal world, it is as if he has left behind a Retribution Body.

Past mathematicians, physicists, and other ancestors passed down their summarized theories to future generations, which can also be considered as leaving behind their Retribution Bodies. The so-called "living in the hearts of the people" is just that.

The so-called Apparent Body is the incarnation of Gods and Buddhas appearing in the mortal world due to certain opportunities. In myths around the world, a god does not necessarily have only one appearance; sometimes they manifest as an old man, sometimes as an animal, and sometimes as natural phenomena. Even Bodhisattvas have the Silent Phase and the Angry Form. For instance, The Bodhisattva Guanyin has an Angry Form called Horse Head Vajra, looking fierce with a necklace of skulls and holding a Skull Magical Tool, vastly different from the compassionate image in people’s hearts.

Different incarnations may symbolize different spirits and codes of conduct, and sometimes they even make people feel as if different incarnations of the same deity are different entities.

Although it’s not exactly the same, for the Ancient Moon, to Ying Shen Silver Moon, it might be similar to a Retribution Body. This Retribution Body certainly does not align with Ying Shen Silver Moon’s own will, but "living in the hearts of the people" probably has such inconveniences. How others understand, expect, and believe in oneself, ultimately differs from how one perceives oneself. The historical figures in people’s hearts and the real historical figures also tend to differ greatly.

Nowadays, the "resurrected" Ying Shen Silver Moon compared to the Ying Shen Silver Moon before her death, seems more like an Apparent Body, having emerged based on the methods and Mana set by Ying Shen Silver Moon before her demise. I think Ying Shen Silver Moon might have embedded her mental materials such as memories into Changan’s Demon lineage, and when Changan’s inherent understanding awakened, these mental materials forcibly possessed Changan.

Changan also experienced uncontrolled eruptions of his Demon lineage in his childhood, probably because he was still in his early years, preventing the Demon lineage from fully unfolding, or perhaps because his tender body and spirit couldn’t bear the memories of Ying Shen Silver Moon, which spanned hundreds of years, leading him to run amok.

Now it’s different. Changan has grown up and developed a robust body and mind, becoming the ideal vessel for the "resurrection" of Ying Shen Silver Moon.

The above is just my speculation. Due to the lack of relevant evidence, I am not sure how accurate it is, but I feel most of it is quite persuasive.

Honestly, I am very reluctant to believe that I have guessed the truth.

Because if this speculation is the fact, it means that there probably never existed the "Changan waiting for my rescue" and "Ying Shen Silver Moon holding Changan’s spirit hostage." What is present there is only Apparent Ying Shen Silver Moon, revived using Changan as a living sacrifice.

Whatever one thinks, it comes down to this. It’s not a problem that can be solved just by knocking down a kidnapper; Changan might have been replaced already. The spiritual contest between Ying Shen Silver Moon and Changan is clear, with Ying Shen Silver Moon’s massive memories lasting at least centuries, suddenly emerging in Changan’s consciousness; while Changan’s own memory, as a normal person, spans only about twenty years or so.

During that span of memories, he was nothing more than a wealthy young master brooding in melancholy, indulging in food, drinks, and entertainment, occasionally committing mischief with friends, and occasionally exploring haunted houses with me, the oddity...

Even if he had led a very significant life, let’s say he was actually a deeply secretive Super Soldier King, or even to stretch it further, what if he was a cultivator who traveled to a fantasy realm and then returned.

Just twenty years of memories, how can they compete against the spirit of Ying Shen Silver Moon, who is akin to a deity.

Even I can deduce this step, and it is very likely that Ancient Moon God has also considered this. The reason she didn’t say this might be to prevent me from falling into pessimistic and negative thoughts. Whether her intentions towards me are good or ill, as long as she and that Ying Shen Silver Moon are adversaries, she would most likely expect me to be responsible for battling the latter. If Changan can’t be saved, then I essentially lack the motivation to fight Ying Shen Silver Moon.

To put it bluntly, I could still use revenge as a reason to battle Ying Shen Silver Moon. However, the one alive today could, in a sense, be said to possess the memories of Ying Shen Silver Moon, Changan. After all, the real Ying Shen Silver Moon probably never truly resurrected.

Me, a supernatural power user who only knows how to manipulate flames, how can I resolve this issue?

This isn’t about giving up; I am seriously pondering this problem right now. Although the truth has not been directly revealed before my eyes, I must prepare a corresponding strategy based on this premise.

Moreover, it seems that at Ying Shen Silver Moon’s side, the shadow of Gua Tianshi is stirring... There are not only issues that frustrate me technically but also entities that overpower me with their strength; merely thinking about it is enough to give me a splitting headache.

"How about it, Zhuang Cheng? How are your thoughts progressing?" Ancient Moon God watched me, "Whatever you wish to know, I will answer to the best of my ability. If you face any difficulties, I am also here to help you.

"I am your loyal companion. As long as you intend to fight Ying Shen Silver Moon to the end, I will assist you until the last moment. If you wish to save Zhu Changan’s spirit, I can also provide you with the power to do so."

"Just as you see, I am currently still in a sealed state. Not to mention providing you with strength, I can’t even take you to Yinyue.

"To break this troublesome seal, only a simple step is needed, and that is to take me out of this fog.

"It’s easy for you, isn’t it?"

The beautiful and pure white-garmented foreign girl spoke to me in a gentle and considerate voice. Hearing this, it’s hard not to be moved.

Indeed, even if I can’t find a way to save Changan myself, the Ancient Moon God in front of me holds the same power as Yinyue and might possess the ability to rival the Impermanence known in history for their mastery of spiritual control through Illusion Technique. Even though she might not match the Yinyue of the past in terms of strength, in vision and technique, she is likely not far behind.

And this route aligns quite well with my taste. The kind-hearted antagonist switching sides to our camp, former enemies becoming partners joining the team in this manner, bringing with them a wealth of precious information, and perhaps even helping us overcome an otherwise insurmountable dilemma. This is very much the unfolding of a classic tale. I feel as though I’ve stumbled into the world of a fictional tale, with the plots I once longed for appearing before me like a dream.

However... Because this path is too perfect, it has led me to become extra cautious at this juncture.

The Ancient Moon God undoubtedly has a good grasp of my personality, could this direction also be a meticulous design of hers? She claims to be an enemy of Yinyue and asserts that she will unwaveringly stand by my side, but is that really the truth?

Could it be that she has always been on Yinyue’s side, now attempting to infiltrate as an undercover agent on my side? Or while she might be an enemy of Yinyue, she might not plan to become my partner, rather looking to act as a third party aiming for self-beneficial deeds?

The Ancient Moon God, as if she could see through my thoughts, first sighed with immense regret, then said, "...It seems I still haven’t earned your trust."

"It’s only natural. You are too suspicious; I cannot trust you immediately," I said, "Next, I need to first take Dong Che and leave this fog, then find Gua Tianshi to see if we can save Dong Che.

"Also, I will test the attitude of Gua Tianshi. If he truly stands with Yinyue, then whether we join forces or not, we will ultimately be unable to win."

She reluctantly said, "The flow of time within the fog is chaotic; you leaving now and coming to see me next time, I might have already been killed by a healed Yinyue."

"You also possess similar power to Yinyue, right? Adjust the flow of time nearby using your power, and hold out until I return," I said.

I thought she would continue to try to detain me or present other arguments to make clear the pros and cons, but unexpectedly, she just sighed again and said, "I understand... I will try my best."

"Don’t you have anything else to say?" I wondered.

"From the very beginning, I’ve told you, I was born from the sincere hopes of humanity, holding no malice toward humans and certainly not delaying someone’s critical life and death matters for my selfish desires. Since you wish to save that boy, then go ahead. I’ll earnestly wait for your return, to take me to break the seal and together combat Yinyue," she said.

"Alright, then goodbye."

After speaking, I made a move to leave. I wasn’t actually acting; at this moment, I truly intended to temporarily leave the fog. Mazao is currently on the edge of the fog; I can contact her through the thermal energy marker and have her take me and Dong Che away.

True to expectations, the Ancient Moon God did not stop me, just quietly watched my retreating figure. Perhaps this choice of mine was also within her expectations. Given that she knows me so well, she should have anticipated that with my tendency to overthink, I wouldn’t trust her immediately. If she does have a scheme, it would likely be built on this assumption. Maybe I am still within her grasp.

And to be able to trust her, I must find a sufficiently credible method of verification.

Do I have such a method?

Indeed, I do.