From the end of the world

Chapter 338 Zhu Shi's Heart 2
I realized at the first moment that Zhu Shi’s question had accurately hit the most fatal part of the relationship between Ma Zao and me.

The reason why she can ask this kind of question is because she is standing in the position of an outsider and can see the whole picture of the matter, or because she has the ability to see through the flaws, even the flaws in interpersonal relationships are visible to her?

"Brother Zhuang... Zhuang Cheng, to you, what is more important is Ma Zao itself, or the strange physique that Ma Zao attracts?" she asked.

"...Is your question a bit self-inflicted?" I asked. "This question is like a rich person with a harmonious family suddenly starting to think about whether his spouse likes him or his wealth and social status...

"I don't think this question is worth discussing in depth. It's fine as a mind game to kill time, but there's no need to waste time dwelling on it. If I have to answer, it's that both are important."

"But your position is not that of the rich man, but that of the spouse." Zhu Shi pointed out, "The rich man has nothing to do but think about this kind of problem. Of course, he is just sentimental and obsessed with a problem that he can't find the answer to. Unless he wants to play a trick on his spouse, saying that he has lost his wealth and social status, and wants to test his spouse's loyalty - then he is wrong.

"But you can find the answer. At the same time, you also need to clarify your own heart."

I asked, "What do you mean by 'necessary'?"

At the same time, I am also trying to clarify my true thoughts.

Love is a very complex concept, and because it is complex, there are a lot of gaps that allow impurities to mix in. Sometimes it can even be dominated by impurities, and the parties involved are completely unaware.

Some people just like the strong in society, the rich and powerful, but at the same time they have incommensurate sound moral values, and they understand that their mate selection orientation is not moral, so they will unconsciously deceive themselves while liking the strong, mistakenly thinking that they like the person himself. It is not until the other person loses his wealth and status, and suddenly fades in their eyes, that they may realize that what they really like is the other person's wealth and status, not the other person himself.

There is no doubt that the reason why I like Ma Zao is because Ma Zao can change my boring fate and can be of great use to me. If this key factor is not there from the beginning, will I still have feelings for her? Will she make my heart beat to this extent?

I have to face my heart and admit honestly to myself - it's impossible.

Perhaps my feelings for Ma Zao as a woman and Chang'an's feelings for me as a friend have something in common.

The reason why Chang'an treated me as a friend was because he mistakenly thought that I was the object of his admiration; and after he became disillusioned with me, his friendship with me also began to crack.

Having said that, the many memories we have accumulated will not disappear because of this. Maybe Changan can still consider me as a friend. However, we may not be as good friends as before. The relationship between us may not go back to the past.

So, if Ma Zao loses her jinx physique in the future, will I still like her? Even if the memories accumulated between us will not disappear, can I still look at her with the same eyes? In my feelings for Ma Zao, is the jinx physique just a stepping stone, or an indispensable building block?
The answer is slowly forming in my mind.

Zhu Shi responded to my question.

"If you value Ma Zao herself, then you should find a way to help her get rid of that cursed physique." She said seriously, "Zhuang Cheng, half a year ago, before Xuan Ming defected and Fu Hongchen was killed... Luoshan had ten Great Impermanence and more than a dozen Great Accomplishment level... Do you think this number ratio is a bit wrong?"

After hearing her point this out, I thought about it for a moment, and then asked, "Are you talking about too many Great Impermanences, or too few Great Accomplishment Levels?"

"Both statements are acceptable. Although the birth experience of each Great Accomplishment Stage cannot be replicated, they at least have something in common, that is, one must break through the barriers of knowledge and perception, abandon all prejudices in one's heart, and return to the innate from the acquired." Zhu Shi said, "But becoming a Great Impermanence is different. Each Great Impermanence is a special case of turning the impossible into the possible. Not even one out of a hundred Great Accomplishments can become a Great Impermanence.

"Even Xuanwu, who was qualified to become the Great Impermanence, spent three hundred years and still failed to become the Great Impermanence. This was definitely not because he was slow in his cultivation or because he lacked talent, but because it was so difficult to become the Great Impermanence. Brother Zhuang, you are an exception among exceptions. It is difficult to find a second genius like you after the mythological era. Normally, even those who are qualified to become the Great Impermanence cannot become the Great Impermanence immediately.

"The reason why there are so many Great Impermanence is that they live as long as the heaven and earth. From ancient times to the present, although some Great Impermanence have died or disappeared, there are still so many of them today... and even if the Great Accomplishment level cannot live as long as the heaven and earth, they still have all kinds of ways to prolong their lives. As long as they don't want to die, they won't die. It is rare to hear of a Great Accomplishment level dying of old age. However, there are only a dozen or so people in Luoshan who have reached the Great Accomplishment level today. Do you know why?"

Although Zhu Shi is currently discussing the reason why there are so few Great Perfection Ranks, the essence of the discussion is still centered on Ma Zao's question. Therefore, after combining the common points of the two topics, I came to a conclusion: "——Is it because demon hunters and strange things are attracted to each other?"

"That's right. Although the power of the Great Master Demon Hunter is strong enough that 99% of the strange events cannot pose any threat to them, they still cannot cut off the fate between them and the strange world." Zhu Shi said in a deep voice, "In the long life, even if there is only one out of a hundred strange events that is worthy of their serious treatment, they will still encounter that 'one percent' again and again... and as long as they make a mistake once, they will be doomed.

"The Great Impermanence is different. Their power is so strong that even the 'one percent' does not exist...even the 'one ten-thousandth' does not exist. At the same time, strange things will stay away from them as if they know how great they are.

"Whether it is for demon hunters or strange things, the Great Impermanence is a true transcendent and an existence from a different dimension."

However, Ma Zao is different. Ma Zao is only at the Great Perfection level.

She has the power to go back in time, can stay young forever, and have an infinite lifespan. However, as long as she is not a Great Impermanence, she will definitely not be able to escape the bad fate between her and strange disasters. Sooner or later, this terrible fate will drag her to pieces.

Even under the influence of her jinx physique, her self-destruction progress would be accelerated ten, a hundred, a thousand times. It would be better to say that it was a miracle that she could survive to this day in the doomsday era that was already full of weird things.

So does that mean that as long as she becomes the Great Impermanence, she won't have to worry about this anymore? No. The repulsion between me and the weird world in the past was the early manifestation of the Great Impermanence's nature of being kept away by weird things, and Ma Zao's unlucky physique can even cover this, which means that after Ma Zao becomes the Great Impermanence, her unlucky physique will still drag her into the vortex.

Of course, as long as he has the power of Great Impermanence, Ma Zao may be able to resist all disasters by himself. However, it is not so easy to become Great Impermanence. Although it is easy for me to achieve it, it is because I have achieved it now that I can understand how impossible it is to become Great Impermanence from the Great Accomplishment level.

I will try every possible way to protect Ma Zao, but if Ma Zao does not have the ability to protect himself from all disasters, there will always be a time when he cannot be protected.

The best way is to eliminate the jinx physique from Ma Zao.

I understand what Zhu Shi meant by "necessary".

"Even if that opportunity really comes, Ma Zao may not choose to give up her jinx physique. Because to her, this is a very important power that can be used by you and loved by you, and it is no longer just a cursed physique." Zhu Shi said, "But, Zhuang Cheng...what do you think about it?

"If you are just worried about losing your connection with the strange world, our Zhu family can help you build enough connections in the strange world and anchor you in this world... Isn't that enough?"

Not enough.

Just being able to continue to contact the weird world is far from enough to satisfy my appetite now. Especially now that I have such great power, it is not enough to make me excited to encounter one or two trivial weird events every once in a while. If you want to throw yourself into a terrifying vortex that is enough to threaten your life and cannot be disobeyed, the existence of a broom star physique is essential.

Zhu Shi observed my expression, then said in a compromising tone: "Okay, maybe I asked too hastily. Then I will change the question. If Ma Zao suddenly lost her unlucky physique one day...will you still like her?"

I uttered the answer that had formed in my mind: “I will.”

"Even if hemp was no longer useful to you at that time?" Zhu Shi asked.

"To be frank, Zhu Shi, do you think you and Chang'an are of any use to me now?" I asked.

"You are so rude!" Zhu Shi was dumbfounded.

"But, Zhu Shi, if you are in danger, I will definitely save you at the cost of my own life, just like I am doing to Chang'an now," I said.

Zhu Shi asked back: "So, are you putting yourself in danger to save me, or are you saving me to put yourself in danger?"

I answered without hesitation, “I am both.”

Hearing this, Zhu Shi showed a look of surprise, looked at me seriously, and then smiled with relief.

"That's good," she said.

After a while, Mr. Zhu was ready to go, and Ma Zao finally gave up trying to wake up Zhu Jiu with the power of return and walked downstairs.

We set off towards Luoshan headquarters.

(End of this chapter)