Chapter 144: What is Her True Power?
Fang Ji rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought, momentarily zoning out, as if he hadn’t just experienced the attack of the black-armored urban legend, nor was he standing in front of the Zoroastrian temple.
What is the root of the problem?
Does she share any common points with calamity?
In his understanding, calamity is particularly special, much like the First Generation Miracle Saint, potentially capable of influencing the future of a region. It is said to be an existence that can create an “apocalypse,” which is why calamity can “borrow” the Miracle Flower from him repeatedly.
Could Shen Baiwei be the same?
However, up to this point, there had been no indication from her that was similar to calamity or the First Generation Miracle Saint…
At that moment, Fang Ji realized he couldn’t ascertain her real age from her exquisite face.
She looked like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, yet there was an underlying charm of a mature woman in her features.
Under his gaze, which was akin to looking at a monster, Shen Baiwei’s amber eyes darted away, and her small hands, feeling somewhat restless, adjusted her hair.
The color of her hair was unique, a blend between black and deep gray, as if the black dye had naturally faded over a long period of time.
Fang Ji wanted to ask Shen Baiwei again about her background, but thinking about how he had just asked a similar question and that she likely wouldn’t answer, he swallowed the words back down.
In silence, he turned to look at the nearby small temple, shrouded in a faint golden light, then glanced back at Shen Baiwei, and sighed silently, “Let’s go, and regroup with the elders.”
Though he didn’t know why his Miracle Flower had transferred to Shen Baiwei, one thing he was sure of was that being with Shen Baiwei would ensure a smooth reunion with the elders.
Since they had already found a temple suspected to contain the tomb of the First Generation Miracle Saint, the next step was to explore the temple, determine the specific location of the tomb, and then present five sacred relics.
Shen Baiwei was very clear about the Miracle Cult’s plan. Upon hearing Fang Ji’s words, she immediately understood his intent and nodded, “Hmm.”
Just as she was about to take a step forward and follow Fang Ji to leave, she noticed him standing still, staring at her with a serious expression, completely unmoving.
“Didn’t we say we’d go to regroup with the elders?”
Fang Ji raised his hand, gestured toward her, and then pointed ahead, saying in a somewhat mournful tone, “You go ahead…”
“It’s safer this way, and it will also be easier to find the elders.”
“You wouldn’t want any accidents to occur during this operation, would you? Didn’t you say you have wishes to fulfill? If you still want those wishes to come true, it’s best to obediently listen to me.”
While common meat shields are either like calamity, with maximum bl**d defense, or like Gu Qiqi with exceptionally high evasion, Fang Ji knew that there’s a special kind of meat shield, one with extraordinary luck that simply wouldn’t be killed by monsters.
In the past, he had been that kind of meat shield, and now… it was clear that Shen Baiwei had replaced him as the meat shield.
With Shen Baiwei leading the way, he felt relieved!
So, under Fang Ji’s pressure, Shen Baiwei scanned the surrounding dilapidated buildings and winding alleys, hesitated for a moment, and pulled out her little notebook.
In the notebook was the simple map she had just sketched.
Having a simple map pointer was certainly more reliable than aimlessly wandering about like a headless chicken, relying on luck to find the elders scattered across various corners of Yumen Pass.
Although she could sense herself inexplicably enveloped in the intense fragrance of the Miracle Flower, she was not a fervent believer in the Miracle Cult and didn’t intend to rely entirely on miracles.
Avoiding the direction where the divine bull summoned through Mithra’s grace had gone, along with the two black-armored urban legends, the two eventually chose a route that appeared relatively safe on the map.
As they moved forward in brief silence, Fang Ji, following behind Shen Baiwei, voiced a question that plagued him, second only to his inquiries about Shen Baiwei’s origins, “I remember you mentioned someone had touched the past… what does that mean?”
Hearing this, Shen Baiwei’s footsteps slightly faltered, stealing a glance at Fang Ji, and explained, “It’s a literal interpretation.”
She paused for a moment, looking towards the small palace at the center of Yumen Pass, and continued, “Someone has touched a person or event from the past through some special means or medium, even causing some disturbances to certain already occurred events.”
“This…” Fang Ji frowned, pondering for a few seconds before asking, “Is it really possible to do that?”
If it could truly be done, wouldn’t it provide a different way to entirely eliminate the First Generation Miracle Saint without risking awakenings like they were now… Fang Ji thought.
Although he was merely a “newcomer” to being the Miracle Saint, he still understood that the so-called tomb of the First Generation Miracle Saint wasn’t really a true grave; from a certain perspective, it should be more accurately called the sleeping chamber of the First Generation Miracle Saint.
Within the Miracle Cult, there has always been a saying—d*ath and rebirth is the greatest miracle.
This saying emerged because the First Generation Miracle Saint often descended again through various unbelievable means.
And based on the golden figure in Qiuchun Town that bestowed upon him the identity and powers of the Miracle Saint, it is highly probable that the First Generation Miracle Saint was able to do this because, in the distant past, he created important opportunities to produce miracles, which are the sacred relics.
If it were possible to influence the past through some means and disrupt the rituals used by the First Generation Miracle Saint to create miracles, then there wouldn’t be a need to take risks by awakening him first.
“Of course it’s possible,” Shen Baiwei replied, “Aren’t there numerous powers of urban legends that can traverse time?”
“Such as?” Fang Ji urged eagerly.
“For instance…” Shen Baiwei opened her mouth, almost ready to blurt out the answer, but as the words reached her lips, she seemed to remember something, pausing for a moment before nonchalantly responding, “I’ve only vaguely heard of such powers existing, but I’m not clear on the specifics.”
As she spoke, fragmented yet painful images quietly flashed through her mind.
……
An empty room, under bright lights, pure white walls glimmering, and in her line of sight stood an elderly man dressed in a tattered cloak, his face completely obscured. He spoke in a hoarse, low voice, “Good girl, try again, with your abilities, you can surely achieve it…”
Upon hearing this, the small girl across from the old man trembled as she raised her hands, which were covered in unhealed scars, crisscrossing as if they had been sliced by countless sharp blades.
In the next moment, agony surged, causing the girl’s body to convulsively spasm violently.
Darkness rolled in, like smoke or clouds, countless chaotic black lines jumping within, plunging everything into a pitch-black void.
As if a volcano erupted, intense negative emotions surged within her heart.
These were the regrets of not confessing to a crush, the remorse of not being able to see her parents before they passed, and the regret of ruining someone else’s happiness, carrying chains for a lifetime… all transformed into solidified knives, poisoned darts, relentlessly damaging the little girl’s body.
None of these were her own emotions, but the past sorrows left behind by others.
……
Cold sweat dripped down her forehead, Shen Baiwei pulled her thoughts away from the painful memories, looked at Fang Ji with a serious expression, and said, “I advise you not to have any ideas in that direction. Trying to influence the past to change the present will require a terrible price.”
After a pause, she added, “The higher the spirit energy fluctuation level of the event you want to influence, the greater the cost you have to pay. If you were thinking about the First Generation Miracle Saint just now, I estimate that there’s no one in this world who can succeed.”
While I could give it a try, what benefit would that bring me? Shen Baiwei thought to herself.
“The past is the past precisely because it has passed, so let it be…”
After saying that, Shen Baiwei turned her head away and continued walking ahead in silence.
Fang Ji’s gaze narrowed slightly, observing Shen Baiwei’s retreating figure, and after a long while, he spoke again, “I have one more question, would you mind answering?”
Shen Baiwei didn’t turn back, merely responding blandly, “Hmm, go ahead.”
“Earlier, you said someone touched the past, and it seemed to put you in a very bad situation. I want to know, what does someone touching the past have to do with you? Why would it affect you? Is it related to your spirit pattern powers?”
“……” Shen Baiwei fell silent for a moment, shrugged, “Sorry, I can’t answer that question.”
“Is that so? Understood.” Fang Ji nodded.
In the information from the Miracle Cult, Shen Baiwei’s spirit pattern powers are [Mythical Species: Asura], yet Fang Ji felt that based on the series of her earlier behaviors, she was very likely lying about her spirit pattern powers.
Her spirit pattern abilities could help her effortlessly cast multiple spell formulas, corresponding to the Asura’s three heads and six arms, or even multi-headed and multi-armed urban legend images…
And her previous demeanor in the Miracle Cult showcased a subtle arrogance towards everyone except for the Left Envoy and Xu Elder, which aligned with the legendary prideful nature of the Asuras…
Everything seemed to have no issues.
However, the Asuras definitely did not have powers that were greatly related to the “past.”
At this moment, hearing Shen Baiwei’s response, Fang Ji immediately formed some suspicions in his heart.
Not being able to answer means there is a connection, but it’s inconvenient to speak about?
Then what is her true power?
If only I had methods like calamity’s, she’s definitely much better than me at prying out others’ secrets… Fang Ji thought.
