In a perfect world, you start by relying on your own strength.

The galaxy of emotions that flowed across Mei Wei's face suddenly froze, and a layer of indescribable complex emotions quietly seeped into her ethereal voice—melancholy, guilt, and a hint of deliberate avoidance.

"Charles...it's me."

Those few words struck Charles like a thunderbolt. His body trembled almost imperceptibly as astonishment, resentment, and long-held expectations surged within him, plunging him into a turbulent emotional storm.

Shi Geng stood quietly to one side, his expression indifferent and calm, coldly observing the mother and son recognizing each other. His invisible magnetic field remained firmly entrenched around him, showing no sign of relaxation, remaining as vigilant as ever.

The crowd atop the lighthouse was utterly stunned. No one had imagined that the revered and awe-inspiring Lord of Light and Shadow shared such a close kinship with Charles. This sudden and earth-shattering turn of events left everyone bewildered and speechless.

Charles trembled slightly, his eyes swirling with excitement, grievance, and disbelief. He stared intently at May's star-studded face, his voice slightly choked and hoarse: "For so many years... you've been watching me from the shadows, yet you've never shown yourself, never even once?"

May's illusory figure blurred slightly, the starry patterns on her face dimmed a bit, and her ethereal voice was filled with unspeakable sorrow and helplessness: "I'm sorry, Charles, I couldn't give you a complete childhood."

As she finished speaking, her gaze slowly turned to Shi Geng, and her tone instantly became serious and solemn: "I have no intention of being your enemy. As long as you leave now, we can live in peace and not interfere with each other."

Shi Geng shook his head slightly, his gaze as cold as frost: "Do you think it's possible?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the magnetic field around him suddenly trembled violently, and the miniature star floating in his palm once again shone with brilliant light, faintly revealing a majestic aura that suppressed all directions and looked down upon the world.

Upon seeing this, Charles immediately stepped forward, standing in front of May's illusory figure, his eyes filled with stubbornness and anger. He faced Shi Geng and shouted sternly, "If you have the guts, come at me! Don't even think about hurting her!"

May's heart tightened suddenly, and she hurriedly spoke up to dissuade him: "Charles, step back quickly, you are no match for him."

Charles stood ramrod straight, refusing to yield an inch. The power bestowed upon him by the Lord of Light and Shadow stirred subtly around him. Even knowing the vast difference in their abilities, he was determined to protect Mayweather in front of him.

"I don't care how strong you are, she is my mother, and I will never let you hurt her." Charles's voice was stubbornly hoarse, and his eyes were filled with a resolute determination that disregarded everything.

Looking at his stubborn and obstinate appearance, Meiwei's face, usually as shimmering as a starry river, rippled with emotion. Her heart was in turmoil, and she said softly, "Silly child, go back to the lighthouse first. Your mother is here, nothing will happen..."

Before she could finish speaking, the starry sky that had been flowing across her face suddenly froze, instantly returning to a calm, still expression.

The gentle melancholy from before vanished completely, and her entire demeanor changed drastically. The ethereal and otherworldly aura around her instantly transformed into a bone-chilling cold.

"Leave, or die."

The voice emanating from Meiwei's illusory figure was devoid of any human warmth; it was stiff and flat, like a cold machine mechanically uttering words, without a trace of emotional fluctuation, exuding an eerie indifference and oppressive aura.

Charles was stunned, frozen in place, staring blankly at his mother who seemed like a completely different person, his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.

Shi Geng's gaze darkened slightly, a knowing look flashing across his eyes. The invisible magnetic field around him suddenly tightened, and the air currents subtly surged and vibrated.

His gaze was as cold as an icy pool, fixed on Mei Wei, whose aura had suddenly changed and whose expression was indifferent. His tone was completely calm: "Just as I thought."

He paused, his eyes growing even deeper, and slowly spoke, "Now, should I call you—ASH?"

Mavis, or rather Ash, had a deathly cold expression, devoid of any human emotion, and spoke in a mechanical, monotone voice:

"Who I am is irrelevant. Those who obstruct the established process will be eliminated."

As soon as he finished speaking, a violent surge of energy erupted around him, transforming into countless tiny light blades that hovered in mid-air, their sharp edges pointing directly at Shi Heng.

Charles, his face ashen, stared in disbelief at his mother, who seemed so different from before, his voice trembling, "Mother... what's wrong with you?"

He tried to step forward, but was held back by an invisible force, unable to move an inch. He could only watch helplessly as his mother, who had been so gentle just moments before, became a cold and unfamiliar alien.

Shi Geng remained unfazed as his domain power surged forth, transforming into a thick barrier in front of him. The miniature stars in his palms slowly rotated, radiating an intimidating pressure.

"You've been lying low long enough, forcibly parasitizing Mana's brain and guiding humanity to live according to your will."

ASH looked down indifferently, the Star River Blade poised to strike, and the mechanical voice rang out again: "Deviating from the trajectory of destiny, forcibly interfering with variables, you must be eliminated."

In the next instant, countless starlight blades shot through the air, overwhelming and annihilating Shi Geng.

Shi Geng's eyes were cold and sharp. He stood firmly in the void, and his martial arts domain suddenly erupted, transforming into layers of invisible barriers that blocked his way. At the same time, he pushed the star in his palm forward, and the brilliant starlight exploded, directly clashing with the sky full of light blades.

A deafening roar erupted as starlight and galactic blades collided violently, sending a violent shockwave sweeping across the entire lighthouse. Everyone was jolted back several steps, their minds reeling.

A barrage of starlight blades bombarded the layers of barriers formed by the stone domain, scattering tiny starlight fragments and creating a deafening roar that caused the lighthouse dome to tremble slightly.

ASH, suspended in mid-air in May's body, had a deathly expressionless face, devoid of any human emotion, and spoke in a mechanical, rigid, and cold tone: "Domain? You actually have a domain."

"There's much more you haven't thought of."

Shi Geng stood in mid-air, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his eyes clear and sharp, and his martial arts domain slowly unfolded around him.

An invisible field permeated all directions, and wherever it met, the free mana particles were instantly purified and dissipated, and even the energy was forcibly blocked.

The miniature stars in his palm slowly rotated, their starlight deep and vast. His magnetic field and martial arts domain merged and intertwined, forming one powerful barrier after another, and his aura rose steadily.

"You lie dormant in the lighthouse, parasitizing the Mana brain, secretly driving the development of the Mana ecosystem, believing you can manipulate the world's variables with your own hands."

Shi Geng's voice was not loud, but every word resonated throughout the venue. His gaze was fixed on the phantom controlled by ASH: "Unfortunately, your mistake was that you underestimated human potential, and even more so, you underestimated my abilities."

The starry patterns on ASH's surface suddenly fluctuated violently, and a very subtle change appeared in the mechanical voice: "Humans are indeed a magical race, capable of creating miracles even in the most impossible circumstances."

Charles was imprisoned on the spot, his face pale, his eyes filled with panic and helplessness. He was afraid that Shi Geng would hurt his mother's body, and he was also terrified of the strange, cold presence inside his mother's body. His heart was in extreme torment.