"Xiaoliang, I have a feeling that even if I regained my memory on the day we entered the cave after the world was reshaped, I seem to have forgotten something..."

Sealed Yao Qingxue said with a frown.

Upon hearing this, Wu Liang hurriedly stepped forward and made a gesture for silence, fearing she'd continue to recall.

Then he asked solemnly, "Mom, do you trust me?"

"What are you talking about? You're my son. If I don't trust you, who else would I trust?" Commoner Yao Qingxue said with a pout, displeased.

She even raised her hand to knock Wu Liang on the head, a gesture full of affection for him.

After hearing his mom speak like that, Wu Liang sighed and replied, "Mom, whether it's you, Yin Qiming, Dad, or the deceased Wu Quanye, there's a deviation in the memories of all four of you."

"This deviation led to Dad's divine transformation at the time and caused Wu Quanye to disappear for over a decade. It also led Yin Qiming to pursue the wrong direction in the new world."

Sealed Yao Qingxue's attention was immediately drawn.

Because she too was aware of a crucial point—why did she not turn out like them?

"Then how did I..."

"Stop! Mom, don't try to recall where the deviation lies!" Wu Liang interrupted again, "The reason you didn't undergo that divine transformation is probably that you didn't have direct contact with that 'deviation' before the world was reshaped."

"I know you have many doubts now, even wondering if that 'deviation' is related to the Stone Slab."

At the mention of the "Stone Slab," Sealed Yao Qingxue nodded solemnly.

In her heart, the only thing capable of producing such significant changes is that heaven-defying Stone Slab, and she even wants to take it out now and study it further.

Already anticipating his mother's thoughts, Wu Liang shook his head in denial: "No, definitely don't use the Stone Slab."

"Although I haven't had much contact with the Stone Slab, I can surmise that its true effect is to reflect the user's deepest desires and provide a way to obtain them."

"What's wrong with that?" Sealed Yao Qingxue asked with some confusion.

If it weren't for this Stone Slab, Wu Xiaoyao wouldn't have known how to resurrect Wu Liang.

Moreover, this thing only provides a method for obtaining desires; it doesn't inherently have any power to demoralize people or lead them to divine transformation.

"The main point is here: the 'deviation' I mentioned is something invisible, inaudible, unspeakable. Upon knowing its existence in any manner, one will be affected."

"Therefore, don't use the Stone Slab again. I'm afraid it will show this 'deviation' once more."

Wu Liang said through gritted teeth.

How could he not want his mother to know the reason for Dad's transformation back then?

Compared to himself, Yao Qingxue, who was involved in the original event, probably wants to know the ins and outs even more!

But the existence of the Ghost Compendium is just too special.

Once Yao Qingxue is aware of its existence, not to mention any accidents that might happen, if she passes away in a hundred years and her body and will transform into a Fierce Ghost...

Wu Liang doesn't dare ensure he'd have the determination to purge the Fierce Ghost his mother would become, nor does he want to imagine Yao Qingxue's awakened ability turning her into a Fierce Ghost would be a terrifying disaster!

"This..."

At his son's description, a trace of fear flashed in Yao Qingxue's eyes. She really didn't expect that this deviation is something that affects you simply by knowing its existence in any manner.

In some sense, this thing is no less than a planet-destroying weapon!

Especially in today's internet era, making something known to everyone is hardly an impossible task.

But her real fear was not because of this, but her concern for Wu Liang.

"Xiaoliang, knowing this thing's existence, will you someday become like Xiaoyao was?"

Yao Qingxue is truly afraid that the son she and Xiaoyao protected even at the cost of their lives might one day suddenly become a machine devoid of emotion, a monster solely obsessed with exploring the unknown.

For a moment, the whole room fell silent.

Thump thump—thump thump—

The only sounds left were Yao Qingxue's nervous heartbeat and Wu Liang's extremely calm breathing.

Finally, after a few seconds, Wu Liang broke the tension: "No, Mom."

"I will always be your son."

"Even if divinity descends upon me, it can never erase the humanity within me."

"I promise!"

With that, Wu Liang showed a radiant smile.

This smile was like the sun, instantly melting the worries in Yao Qingxue's heart like snow.

As she had said before, she would unconditionally trust her son.

No matter how unbelievable his words sound, he is no exception.

After all, if a mother doesn't trust her own child, who else can he depend on in this world?

She is his last resort.

"Mom, tell me again what Dad and Yin Qiming discussed in the end." Wu Liang steered the conversation back on track.

He doesn't need his mom to recall anything about the Ghost Compendium, just needs her to tell him what happened.

Yao Qingxue raised her eyebrows in contemplation and said, "Xiaoyao said: 'The Fierce Ghost might be the next stage of human evolution. If we can find a way for humans and Fierce Ghosts to transform into one another, we can verify this.'"

"He also said: 'The appearance of the awakened ability is actually a precursor to humans transforming into Fierce Ghosts. Humans don't really 'awaken,' but rather they perceive their own Fierce Ghost abilities. One day, all humanity will be able to discover their own Fierce Ghost abilities.'"

After saying these two sentences, a trace of desolation flashed in Yao Qingxue's eyes.

She never thought such strange words would come from Wu Xiaoyao.

At that time, there was no trace of human emotion in his eyes, only cold, mechanical logic.

After hearing this, Wu Liang's doubts began to clear.

These two sentences were Wu Xiaoyao's assumption in the cave years ago. Not long after he said this, he vanished from the world.

Essentially, from that day, his soul had already been sacrificed.

But Yin Qiming and Wu Quanye kept his words in their hearts, and the first sentence led them to create the Promised Land, merely to verify its authenticity.

Clearly, they made progress.

After all, the rise of Artificial Ghosts and mass-produced Supernatural Objects have proven everything.

But the second sentence seemed peculiar.

What did "humans don't really awaken" and "awakened ability is actually Fierce Ghost ability" mean?