CHAPTER 648: 606 MEET THE PARENTS 1

The higher the density of an object, the easier it is for it to sink into the water.

After deepening my understanding of Magic Density, the density that constitutes my existence has also become increasingly higher. Now, if I wish, I can plunge my perception into deeper domains and observe phenomena that were hard to see in the past, and even accomplish things that were once difficult to achieve.

Back when I first became an Impermanence, I could already observe the Broom Star Power entwined with my fate, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Now I can see myself seemingly standing amidst an immense vortex of fate, something I was completely unaware of in the past.

On the surface, this vortex appears to revolve around Mazao and the people close to him, but behind the scenes, it connects to a colossal entity, and I, swept up within it, feel like nothing more than a speck of dust caught in its current. "On a mountain and not seeing the mountain," they often used this phrase to describe the enormity of me as Impermanence, but now it’s my turn to use it to describe the vastness of other entities.

This enormous entity is the planetary will itself. On this earth, nothing is grander in scale than this entity symbolizing Earth itself. Not even all the Impermanences combined can compare. And now, this colossal entity is focusing on Mazao, attempting to gather all anomalies here.

Both anomalies nearby and those far away are being subtly drawn, at varying speeds, towards Mazao. Not only those mindless monsters but even Impermanences like myself will unconsciously gravitate toward Mazao.

Most of this concentration does not proceed linearly; depending on the distances, real and abstract, the farther and more circuitous the path, the slower the journey, whereas closer ones are quick and direct. The furthest might take ten to twenty years to arrive, while the nearest might come into contact today or tomorrow.

Seen from a long-term perspective, one day all anomalies on this planet will converge around Mazao.

It is simply a fate black hole appearing on Earth.

By then, either Mazao will eradicate every anomaly in the world, or he will be engulfed by them. Now, I thoroughly understand just what a curse the Broom Star Power, bestowed by the planetary will upon Mazao, truly is.

Those qualified to become Impermanence have their Fatian Xiangdi revealed by heaven and earth even before they achieve that status. And if the so-called Fatian Xiangdi is to cause heaven and earth to change for you, then this fate black hole surely is "Mazao’s Fatian Xiangdi."

Even though she hasn’t become a God yet, she already exhibits the traits of the God of Calamity ahead of time.

Fortunately, I can rely on the natural privilege of being an Impermanence to some extent curb this phenomenon and prevent it from affecting unrelated people.

Just as I once said I wasn’t confident in fully containing Mazao’s fortune over the long term, this enormous phenomenon isn’t something I can control as I wish. This isn’t fundamentally the power of Mazao as an Impermanence qualifier but the instinctive self-preservation of the planetary will. Even I can only make it malfunction temporarily.

Or, as Gua Tianshi once observed, I can use my overwhelming presence to cover Mazao, forcing any attracted anomalies to pass through me first. However, this method can’t stop the proliferation of the Broom Star Power.

After I explained, Mazao momentarily relaxed and pondered: "Since the Broom Star Physique resembles Fatian Xiangdi... then, if I become an Impermanence, can I find a way to reverse this phenomenon centered on me?"

"Perhaps," I said cautiously.

"But for now, I have no way to continue growing stronger. I must first completely heal myself..." Mazao seemed to be deep in meditation to find a solution.

Regardless of how much more effort it will take for her to become an Impermanence, to continue growing stronger, she must mend the final wound of her soul.

"By the way, has Little Bowl ever mentioned this to you?" I raised my hand.

Mazao seemed to instinctively ask, "What thing?"

Then, she widened her eyes. In my hand appeared black flames, and within the flames was black water.

She must have sensed the mana fluctuations emanating from this black water. Perhaps she hadn’t personally encountered the mana fluctuations of the Great Demon Xuanwu in the past, but she could likely deduce what this black water with Great Demon mana fluctuations in my hand was through the direction of our conversation.

"Is this... the blood and flesh of the Great Demon Xuanwu?!" she asked in delighted surprise.

Seeing her joyful expression, I felt my efforts to obtain this item had finally paid off abundantly.

How foolish, Zhuang Cheng—I teased myself yet couldn’t suppress the joy in my heart. Knowing full well that Mazao would become my enemy in the future, I’d made up my mind to face her as an adversary, yet here I was holding onto the crucial item to help her grow stronger, flaunting it like a boy showing off his prizes, wanting to present it to her, committing an act tantamount to aiding an enemy—if that’s not foolish, then what is?

Of course, since it’s the collaboration phase now, if Mazao becomes stronger, it’s also beneficial for me. Besides, I never think it’s bad for my future opponent to become strong; strength is what truly matters.

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just having this piece of flesh to use directly for healing.

No matter how infinitely mysterious it is, at its core, it’s just a "material". To fully utilize it, one must go through alchemy or other technical transformations. It’s important to note that this is a massive chunk of super-compressed mana at the level of a Great Demon, and it certainly can’t just be fed directly to Mazao. If it were ingested thoughtlessly as a remedy, the result would only be an internal explosion, leaving not a trace behind.

This morning, when Lu Chan was reporting to me, I sliced off a small portion of the Great Demon Xuanwu flesh for him to take for inspection and experimentation, to see if any professionals could process it into an elixir.

However, just as weapons from the Great Impermanence Domain can’t be forged by ordinary people, neither can the elixirs be studied and developed by the ordinary demon hunters in Luo Mountain. No matter how resourceful Lu Chan is, he might find it challenging to locate professionals who could use the Great Demon Xuanwu flesh as an herbal ingredient for elixirs.

I might still have to visit Water Navy Xuanwu. As far as I know, if anyone in this world can craft an elixir from the Great Impermanence Domain, it would be that man who came back from the dead. I’m not sure if, after expending the last token, he would still be willing to create medicine for Mazao and me again.

If I give a negative review on the Shen Gui Spirit Pill, which didn’t fully heal the soul burn last time, and present the request for crafting a spiritual remedy next time as a kind of "after-sales service", I wonder if he would accept this "order"?

With this thought in mind, Mazao and I finally arrived at the entrance of the bread shop managed by Mazao’s mother.

I initially thought it was my first time personally visiting this place, but upon closer inspection, I realized I had been here several times in the distant past. During its regular business hours, the vicinity of this bread shop was always imbued with the warm aroma of baking, so sometimes, I couldn’t resist becoming a customer. While I have no particular fondness for bread, I must admit the quality here is quite good.

Because today was still a break for adjustments, the front entrance of the bread shop was covered by a gray rolling shutter. However, there was a back door in the adjacent alley. Mazao and I made our way to this back door, intending to knock, when we saw a plainly dressed woman in her thirties exit holding a black garbage bag.

She immediately noticed us standing outside the door and her gaze fixed on Mazao’s face. A second later, the black garbage bag fell from her hand, making a heavy, loud clatter of glass bottles or other hard objects inside.

The woman’s face displayed a dreamlike astonishment and bewilderment.

When I used to visit this bread shop, I had seen her before; likewise, I had come across her appearance in documents relating to Mazao. She is the owner of this bread shop and Mazao’s mother.

"...Mazao?"

She called out tentatively, with excitement embedded within, along with fear, as if dreading that the person in front of her was nothing more than a vivid illusion shaped by mist. If her voice were too loud, the sound waves might disperse the insubstantial mist, shattering the dream she’d be holding onto.

However, this was no dream. Mazao stood vividly by my side and also in front of her, emotions of unease visibly written across her face. Tentatively, she called out, "...Mom?"

"Mazao!" The woman’s excitement finally broke free.

She stumbled forward and embraced Mazao with great force. Unlike earlier when she seemed afraid to destroy a phantom, now she held Mazao tightly as if afraid she might turn into a bird and fly away, squeezing Mazao securely into her arms.

Mazao, initially at a loss, hesitated for two or three seconds before finally reaching out her arms to embrace her back.

This hug seemed to activate a switch, causing the woman to burst into tears, her sobs low and heartfelt.

Just then, a husky male voice called from deeper inside, "What’s happening?"

This was followed by a series of swift footsteps, and soon a man in his late thirties dashed out from the back door, holding a wooden rolling pin dusted with flour. Seeing the mother and daughter embracing, he froze in place.

"Mazao..." He murmured in astonishment.

Unlike Mazao’s mother, who ignored me, he quickly noticed me after his initial daze and asked guardedly, "And who might you be?"

"Hello, pleased to meet you. I’m Zhuang Cheng." I responded earnestly, "I’m your daughter’s boyfriend."

Hearing this, Mazao’s father glanced back at his long-lost thirteen-year-old daughter, then at me, and revealed an expression of utter disbelief, "—Huh?"