Infinite Terror: Infinite Reversal

Chapter 385 Q&A
What's the difference between transcending the box and something else?
Transcendence… is ultimately a description of a level of power. It's just that this power has accumulated to a point where even the multiverse cannot contain it; the differences in their scale are beyond comprehension, hence the shift in perspective. The reason we can observe the rise and fall of eras and the changing of dynasties in the multiverse as if reading a book is ultimately because of this power.

What's outside the box?
Beyond the box… this term is inherently about perspective, not power. The so-called box doesn't actually exist; it's a hypothesis, a concept. A world is perceived in some form by a force outside the world, and this cognitive model can be referred to as a box. The perceived is inside the box, and the perceiver is outside. This perspective is naturally similar to reading a book, but it doesn't rely on transcendent power.

Is this perception unrelated to power?

There is no necessary connection. An old saying is that no matter how high and mighty the observer outside the box is, or how godlike they may seem, their perspective is still based solely on the box. Outside of this cognitive model, they might be nothing… perhaps even unable to intervene, which is entirely different from transcendence.

Could it be that the knower outside the box is actually inside the box?
This is inevitable; by extending the definition to an infinite range, nothing becomes unknowable. What is called indescribable is merely something that cannot be known by a specific object within a certain scope, but generally speaking, it must be knowable. Since everything can be known, everything can be included in the cognitive model called a box.

So what about the box maker? If they don't have the power, how can they make the box?
The box maker's argument is based on the incomplete unity of cognition and reality... At your level, understanding the philosophy of mortals is not difficult; let's use this analogy. This is a lemon that I constructed, which you all see, but what you perceive is a product of your own cognition; the reality remains in my hands. Similarly, the world is the reality, and the box is a reflection of the reality after it has been perceived.

So, what the box maker creates or interferes with is actually a cognitive model, rather than the world itself?

That's right. Whether it's the original "Infinite Terror" or the world I projected into real time, both were initially cognitive models. In other words, the stories perceived by both the so-called authors and readers differ from the reality of the multiverse. Because of the imperfections in these cognitive models, various errors are reflected, but the real multiverse wouldn't have these problems… unless the multiverse truly malfunctions, which would be a terrifying catastrophe.

You were extremely weak back then, so how were you able to transform a projection into reality?

Because I once went beyond the world... Although I did not achieve my original goal, and even erased all traces of my past, I ultimately brought back something from beyond the world.

Beyond this world...?
Yes, that's a different perspective... This perspective is useless in the real timeline, neither aiding in the creation of the world nor helping to overcome the tribulation of ascension. But in the projection that has not yet become part of the timeline, it can play an unimaginable role.

What can be done in a timeframe where nothing actually happens?
You should know that projecting a reality into a real world, from a grand scale of time to a single plane of existence, is beneficial to the multiverse. It is precisely because it benefits the multiverse that it can be exploited… This is the thought of both the serpent and myself. The serpent wants to project the most advantageous projection into a real time scale as the foundation for its comeback; while I want to project that projection into a time scale most beneficial to us, thwarting its schemes and averting further regrets.

Is your ability to modify things simply due to a perspective from outside the world?

This is an indispensable element... In terms of perspective, the viewpoint I gain is entirely equivalent to the "author" the snake relies on. But in truth, I have the upper hand, because the snake and the author are ultimately not of one mind. No matter how powerful the snake is, it hasn't transcended, and cannot transform its power into a perspective outside the world. My perception, however, is unrestricted; I can be both outside the box and within the world.

In other words, back then you...

That's right. The me in this world can fight against the demon team that the other side pushed to the front, while the me outside the box can use the special nature of the reincarnation world to transmit a perspective from outside the world. As the ultimate being, the Lord of Comedy's power can cross infinite timelines and time states to transmit to this world and cancel out the snake's influence; and to eliminate the author's perspective, a perspective of equal level must be placed inside the box.

Does this exclude the author?

That's not enough. The mutual understanding between the two worlds isn't just one possibility… but a convergence of countless possibilities. In the story without me, the author continued writing as before, which is still a projection favorable to the serpent, and could still manifest as a temporal dimension. But in the story with me, the author couldn't continue writing and was excluded, which is a projection favorable to us. In other words, in that battle, the same projection actually split into two different directions?

Yes, ultimately, the infinite possibilities of the two directions converge into two completely different existences... but as a product of the split of the same projection, only one can become a real temporal state. By expelling the author in advance, we gained the upper hand when becoming a temporal state, and ultimately won in the all-out battle between the two quasi-temporal states.

The demon team in that story could win countless times, but we only need to win these few times, right...?

Heh, it's not that simple... From the Lord of Comedy to the power beyond the world, it was all achieved through countless mistakes and failures, finally leading to the best outcome of that battle. The modifications to that projection go far beyond that; I not only want to transform it into a temporal state, but also elevate its level to a higher plane. Therefore, in the end, our temporal state can be transformed into a standard state, severing the layers of historical veils and removing the limitations imposed on many temporal states.

Does "removing the restriction" mean removing the power limit in the time dimension?
Yes, the standard state of the past had no possibility of proving the Great Luo. To go beyond the Great Luo, one must go to the Unique State, which is extremely dangerous and unfair... The blood, tears, and struggles of the Unique State are blood, tears, and struggles. Are the more time states and the more projections fake? Do you really think that everything you experienced while living in the projections was fake?
How could I possibly admit it?

This is it... The temporal state was originally created by the snake forcibly dividing the multiverse, and it is far inferior to parallel worlds; then it continued due to the endless struggle of six, seven, or eight beings. Transforming parallel worlds with infinite possibilities and infinite seeds into an unbalanced, unequal, and uneven temporal state is not only unfair to beings in more temporal states, but also locks in more possibilities for growth in the multiverse.

No wonder...

Therefore, after our projection transformed into the standard state, driving the sublimation of all realms, the originally weak time states of the multiverse grew wildly, not only making up for the loss of the lack of parallel worlds, but also greatly increasing the size and share of the multiverse. The world was divided into pure and impure, obtaining Heaven and Earth, black and yellow; the Human Emperor suppressed the universe, guarded the four poles, and established cultivation, obtaining the Four Symbols, Five Elements, and Eight Trigrams. These are all rewards for expanding the share of the multiverse... and my severing of the veil of history and sublimation of countless time states is also the reason for obtaining great virtue.

Great virtue extends to all directions and all realms...

The concept of "harmony" can refer to location, connection, or association. Starting from a single point, there are six possible directions; taking the focal point of every two directions as the center, there are still six possible directions. This applies to everything from tiny graffiti to the vast universe of runes and the overlapping of infinite time states—the simplest result of the interconnected nodes of all things. This is also the underlying logic of using a newly formed standard state to lock in an infinite number of standard states, and then locking in even more time states—this is the concept of "six harmonies." And bringing countless time states to the same level, collectively providing power for the great calamity of ascension, is the concept of "ten thousand directions."

So, the two virtues anchored Emperor Ming, allowing you to truly return to the multiverse, right? ... Then I have another question: being able to go beyond the world, despite paying almost everything, ultimately bypassed the accumulation of power and gained a perspective no less than that of transcendence... Could this provide assistance for your transcendence?
That's a more distant topic... Do you have any other questions?

Let me ask you this: although you had the ultimate power back then, it was only transmitted through the mask of the Lord of Comedy… Why did you dare to confront the snake and the author directly? Why weren't you worried that your and Zheng Zha's essence would be altered? You haven't transcended your essence, and Zheng Zha is still a projection, different from the one who achieved the ultimate. Even if the snake's power weakens infinitely, it still occupies a higher level.

Yes, it's understandable that you have this question since you haven't fought in the God Realm like we have. In fact, without supreme power, the prerequisite for both the Serpent and the Author to make changes is to first see the truth before they can interfere with the projection with power from outside the world, allowing the projection to be modified in a way that conforms to the multiverse architecture... cognition—modification—effectiveness. Just like the method by which the Lord of Comedy replaced Zhang Heng, we only need to make them mistake their cognition, and this path will naturally become impassable.

Is it blocked?
That's right, this is the most important point in that battle... All the previous failures were because they didn't take this step. When the two Zheng Zha and the two Chu Xuan met, they had already won... Even though various excessive interferences prevented the projection from becoming a true temporal state, they hadn't lost.

An undefeated opponent... Such a familiar tactic.

The key to our victory lies here: blocking their modifications, shielding us from their interference, and breaking free from their unchecked projections.
(End of this chapter)