Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 450 - 420 Power of Divine Seal Fragments

Chapter 450: 420 Power of Divine Seal Fragments

I recalled the scene when Xuanming suddenly attacked Little Bowl.

At the time, seeing Xuanming suddenly gather flames and strike at Little Bowl, I reflexively thought he intended to kill Little Bowl. In hindsight, I realized that was not the case. His "attack" lacked murderous intent. If his flames could adjust the level of harm like mine, those flames likely truly wouldn’t have killed Little Bowl.

Zhu Shi suspected that Xuanming’s goal was not "to kill" but "to capture," and I found this expression quite fitting. Indeed, the intent within those flames, along with the action of ultimately engulfing Little Bowl, carried a strong sense of control and capture. Xuanming might have really planned to seize Little Bowl at the moment the Void Realm was destroyed.

But what exactly was his purpose?

Furthermore, since he wanted to capture Little Bowl, why did he previously warn Little Bowl, explicitly stating the value and danger of the Divine Son, and even advised Little Bowl to be cautious?

I sensed a contradiction here. However, I couldn’t determine if this contradiction arose from my reasoning or from Xuanming himself.

Mazao still worried about losing contact with Little Bowl in the Doomsday Era, and I tried hard to comfort her. In fact, I didn’t believe I would never meet Little Bowl again. It’s just that, to outsiders, my reasoning might seem ephemeral.

In my heart, my adventure began when I met Mazao, propelled by her mysterious powers. Immersed in her vortex, I could not only encounter countless bizarre events I couldn’t before but also meet Little Bowl, who lived in the future. And this series of events is not something I could easily walk away from, as there’s no "abandoning midway" due to its inescapability, thus, there’s no interrupted adventure.

In other words, it’s impossible for me to sever all ties with Little Bowl before unraveling all her mysteries and truly understanding each other. We definitely will meet again somewhere. Even without any tangible evidence, I have no doubt about this.

I understand that this belief has transcended into superstition. Yet, I have such faith in Mazao’s powers. Even if many demon hunters now view me as a God, and Mazao as a girl under my protection, in my own eyes, Mazao is my true God.

Under my seemingly flawed reasoning, Mazao gradually calmed down, as though she believed in my words.

Zhu Shi looked at me and Mazao, suddenly saying, "Speaking of which, now that it’s confirmed I’m not Little Bowl, about the marriage agreement..."

"Are you planning to break off the engagement?" I asked.

Hearing me mention "breaking off the engagement," Zhu Shi seemed to associate it with something, covering her mouth with a chuckle, then quickly regaining a serious demeanor, continued, "Well, let me clarify first, I have no objections against Senior Brother Zhuang. It’s just that since I’m not Mazao’s friend from the Doomsday Era, it would be hard for Mazao to accept me having children with Senior Brother Zhuang, right, so..."

"No, I have no objections," Mazao said seriously, "In fact, if Zhu Shi, you indeed want to have children, I hope it’s with Zhuang Cheng."

"Why? Is it because you think Little Bowl might be my child?" Zhu Shi retorted, "But even if Little Bowl is my future daughter, she might not necessarily be the child of Zhuang Cheng and me, right?"

"However, Little Bowl, like the young Zhu Shi, is a Divine Son, isn’t she?" Mazao said, "I heard Divine Sons are rare to be born in future eras, yet Little Bowl appeared, so assuming the father is Impermanence is plausible, right?"

If speaking of Impermanence most likely to have a marriage and children with Zhu Shi, the only one that comes to mind is me—Mazao probably means to say this.

Taking a step back, considering that Little Bowl has Zhu Shi’s childhood memories, the speculation that "Little Bowl is actually Zhu Shi" hasn’t been entirely dismissed. It’s possible that due to some anomaly, Little Bowl experienced a fault making her unable to accept the names Zhu Shi and Zhu Jiuxing again.

In reality, there’s some evidence that Mazao perhaps didn’t think of, which is based on the fact "Little Bowl has Zhu Shi’s childhood memories."

It’s not odd for a demon hunter to actively record and pass on their skills to their descendants, what is odd is even childhood personal memories being recorded. Such a case might only occur in Demons naturally capable of passing on memories to offspring, and it just so happens that I might also belong to that type of "Demon."

My entire body’s flesh and blood are composed of flames, or rather an imitation of Spirit, capable of preserving memories, even my genetic material may possess this attribute. Combining my knowledge of Mysticism, it can be hypothesized that after my genetic material enters Zhu Shi’s womb to form an offspring, this offspring might also extract the mother’s memory information during the absorption of physiological and spiritual nourishment.

This is absolutely not mere fantasy, similar examples can be found in the historical records of Luo Mountain, where some demon hunters of hybrid descent indeed exhibit this nature.

The possibility seems increasingly high that Little Bowl is the daughter between Zhu Shi and me.

Zhu Shi seemed to want to refute something, and perhaps thought of a similar direction to mine. After silently opening and closing her mouth several times, her face slowly showed a mixture of realization and shock, she looked towards me.

"No, no, that’s... too ridiculous, the idea that Little Bowl is my daughter with Senior Brother Zhuang or something... Ultimately, if not for Mazao, I and Senior Brother Zhuang wouldn’t truly know each other..."

"But in the Doomsday Era, there’s no need to anchor this idea. Impermanence, even without anchoring, can normally interact with the abnormal world, meaning even without me, Zhuang Cheng can meet you, a demon hunter, Zhu Shi," Mazao surprisingly revealed wisdom not usually seen, "After you and Zhuang Cheng meet, your grandfather would certainly try to matchmake you two, and you probably wouldn’t have any reluctance to marry and have children with him, right?"

"...Uh, it seems to be so." Zhu Shi could only admit.

I also had to nod.

According to Mazao’s reasoning, the birth of Little Bowl between Zhu Shi and I afterward is a natural progression. Although I don’t understand why neither I nor Zhu Shi were by Little Bowl’s side in the Doomsday Era, upon careful consideration, this reasoning even seems much more reliable than what Little Bowl said in the Void Realm.

"And if Little Bowl indeed needs a father, I hope it’s Zhuang Cheng who becomes Little Bowl’s father."

Mazao seems to have mixed in some odd personal motive within her reasoning.

"Reasoning alone isn’t sufficient; we still need verification in the end," I reminded.

"Hmm, verification, verification..."

Mazao racked her brains thinking, then as if a lightbulb lit up over her head, said, "—Otherwise, why don’t Zhuang Cheng and Zhu Shi first decide on a name they would give to a daughter, then bring it up when they meet Little Bowl in the future?"

My rightful romantic partner actually urged me to discuss with another woman what name we should give a daughter... I was taken aback.

After that, perhaps worried that her presence might hinder my discussion with Zhu Shi, Mazao left first.

Zhu Shi, with a joking tone, said, "Senior Brother Zhuang, do you think Mazao hates you? It feels like Mazao is desperately trying to push me onto you?"

"If that’s the case, I would actually be relieved."

This was a casual remark, for if Mazao did hate me, I certainly couldn’t be relieved, but the issues with Mazao could be far more complex than that.

I wish to have Mazao all to myself, yet she lacks that kind of intent. Is it because she doesn’t like me? I think it’s quite the opposite. Although saying that sounds narcissistic, I believe Mazao is extremely attached to me.

And while being attached to me, Mazao doesn’t have possessiveness over me, and I think it’s because she lacks a survival desire.

Though she no longer harbors a worldly disdain or occasionally shows self-destructive tendencies as before, she still carries a strong habit of self-destructive thinking. Such long-standing behavior might have ingrained itself into her underlying logic. Such inertia could lead her, when facing crucial decisions, to focus more on "what to die for" rather than "what to live for."

I don’t know if she’s doing it consciously or unconsciously, but she seems to think about the time after she disappears from my side.

On one hand, I hope she can change and face this world with a healthy and positive mindset; on the other hand, I find even her fragile and morbid side adorable, wishing to keep her as she is, while wanting to fully embrace her and keep her warm.

After casually discussing a few terms with Zhu Shi, she left first, leaving me in the room, testing the connection between me and the Divine Seal Fragments.

Even if Little Bowl is not by my side at the moment, it seems that the blessing she bestowed upon me hasn’t entirely faded. Perhaps it’s because Little Bowl is still praying for me in the Doomsday Era. The effect is not as strong as when we were in the Void Realm, but still provides a significant assist to me.

Currently, I am in an optimal state, with all my indicators, including Perception, being highly flexible. Although not exceeding the limits, reaching such a state close to the limits is not easily achievable. Using this momentum, I’ve grasped a deeper understanding of my connection with the Divine Seal Fragments, even vaguely perceiving the mysterious powers within them.

At some moment, like a cogwheel of the spirit accurately meshing with another gear, my spirit seemed to finally pry open a bit of mysterious power, allowing me to draw it out.

Subsequently, I let my spirit envelope that tiny thread of mysterious power, attempting to reveal it. As I lifted my right hand, like using a lighter, an orange-red flame ignited at my fingertip.

This flame, infused with the Power of Divine Seal Fragments, revealed that I had successfully drawn out the power of the Divine Seal Fragments!

Though minimal, and incapable of delivering potent effects, it’s a leap from zero to one, proving that I am also qualified to wield the Power of Divine Seal Fragments.

This tiny flame appears very similar to the flames I usually summon, though I immediately discerned the differences within.