novellhall Chapter 245 Cognitive Distortion [5000 words]
Chapter 245 Cognitive Distortion [5000 words]
Chapter 245 Cognitive Distortion [5000 words]
"Congratulations, Venerable Master."
Without looking up, she had an ancient book bound in black leather open in front of her, the pages of which were made of the skin of some kind of creature.
"Karuru, Master is gone."
"I know!"
She turned a page: "I sensed it, a very warm light, wasn't it? But he didn't have to die if I had developed this transformation array thirty years earlier."
She pointed to a dizzying pattern on the page.
Chen Xun felt nauseous after just one glance.
The pattern was absorbing the surrounding light, even drawing his attention.
"Stop!"
Why?
Karuru finally looked up, his eyes turning pure black with no whites: "Yao, I've come to understand one thing in these past hundred years!"
"Pain, death, loss—these are not necessary."
"We can create a world without these things; it only requires a few small changes."
"Then they would no longer be human!"
"Humans?"
Karuru laughed, his laughter dry: "What's so good about humans? They're fragile, short-lived, and driven by desires."
"We are already a higher level of existence!"
"Yao, admit it, you enjoy this power, you enjoy this feeling of being beyond ordinary people!"
Chen Xun remained silent.
He couldn't deny it.
When you can summon light, sense energy, and live for over a hundred years without aging.
You can no longer see yourself as an ordinary person.
"But I won't use it to distort the essence of life."
He concluded by saying...
"Nonsense!"
Karuru closed the book: "You will regret it, when the people you care about die one by one, when the world you protect is engulfed in war time and time again, when you find that all your efforts are like building a castle on sand—you will come looking for me."
"Then I will teach you real magic!"
She rose and left, her black robe trailing silently on the ground.
Three hundred years.
The apprentices at Kamar-Taj have changed batch after batch.
Some students complete their studies and leave to establish branches around the world.
Some people are of mediocre talent and end up spending their lives here.
Some people couldn't stand the tedious training and gave up halfway.
Only Chen Xun and Karuru remain.
They rarely met, and when they did occasionally bump into each other in the corridor, they would only nod.
Karuru spends most of her time in her tower, researching forbidden techniques.
Sometimes Chen Xun could sense ominous energy fluctuations emanating from the tower.
But every time he rushed over, he only saw Karuru calmly drinking tea.
"Don't be nervous, Your Holiness."
She always said, "I'm just doing some experiments."
The subjects of experiments are usually animals.
Mice, rabbits, and occasionally deer running up from the foot of the mountain.
Chen Xun had seen the animals after those experiments once.
live!
They even look very healthy!
But his eyes were pure black, and his behavior was mechanical, as if his soul had been taken away.
"You created a puppet!"
"I gave them eternity."
Karuru stroked the head of a black-eyed rabbit: "No pain, no fear, no death—is this not compassion?"
"Compassion without free will is imprisonment."
"Free will?"
Karuru scoffed, "Yao, look at those ordinary people down the mountain. Do they really have free will?"
"Driven by desire, controlled by fear, and disciplined by society, I at least gave these little guys peace."
The differences are irreconcilable.
Four hundred and fifty years.
Chen Xun had already gotten used to the title "Ancient One".
The new apprentice didn't even know his real name, only that this Sorcerer Supreme, who had lived for hundreds of years, protected the Earth and fought against threats from other dimensions.
He learned truly powerful magic.
Soul projection: allowing one's consciousness to traverse dimensions.
Mirror Dimension: Creating a dimensional space that overlaps with reality.
Vishanti's Judgment: Summon the power of the Triune God to strike down evil.
He also began to feel the limits of his lifespan.
Vishanti magic can slow down aging, but it cannot grant immortality.
His body was slowly disintegrating, and the rate of cell renewal was getting slower and slower.
He began to understand why some sorcerers would turn to darkness.
Not because of evil, but because of fear.
The fear of death, the fear of losing everything, the fear that the world I was protecting still exists, but I am no longer here.
One night, during his meditation, he sensed a powerful dark presence approaching Earth.
It's not Dormammu, it's something older and more hidden.
Lord of the Void, an Old One who sleeps at the edge of the universe.
And Karuru's tower resonates with it.
Chen Xun instantly teleported to the top floor of the tower.
The door was open, and Karuru stood in the center of the room, in front of a huge, rotating dark magic circle.
At the center of the magic circle, a non-human shadow is taking shape.
"What are you summoning?"
Chen Xun's voice was cold.
"A friend."
Karuru turned around, her eyes now completely black as emptiness, with black energy flowing beneath her skin: "Or rather, a mentor. He taught me a lot, about how to transcend life forms, about how to truly be liberated."
"You've been corrupted!"
"I've been inspired!"
Karuru opened his arms: "Yao, join me. We can create a new world together, a world without pain, without death, without anything that bothers us, where we just need to let go of our attachment to this reality."
A tentacle extended from the shadow within the dark magic circle and gently touched Karuru's forehead.
Her body trembled slightly, then she laughed.
That smile no longer belonged to humans, but to some ancient being.
"Now call me the Voidwalker."
She said, "As for you, my dear senior brother—if you insist on guarding this prison full of suffering, then guard it, but I will soon return and personally open all the cell doors."
She took a step back, merged into the dark magic circle, and disappeared.
Chen Xun was left alone in the tower, along with the gradually dissipating dark magic circle.
He stood there for a very long time.
Five hundred years of brotherhood between master and disciple have finally come to an end.
He is about to face the most powerful enemy he has ever raised.
When Chen Xun woke up in the dungeon, it was just dawn.
He sat on the carpet in his hotel room, drenched in cold sweat and breathing rapidly.
Four hundred and fifty years of memories from within the instance surged through his consciousness like a tidal wave.
The tedium of cultivation, the sorrow of loss, the struggle of ideals, and finally, when Karuru became a Voidwalker, those completely dark eyes.
[Dungeon experience ended]
[Harvest settlement in progress —]
[Gains: Vishanti Magic Basics (Proficient Level), Understanding of Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy (Depth), Perception of Time (Basic), Understanding of Sacrifice and Letting Go (Seed)]
[Side effects monitoring: Mild identity confusion (expected to subside within 72 hours), disorientation in time (expected to adjust within 48 hours), and a brief sense of alienation from modern life (expected to recover within 24 hours)]
[Tip: It is recommended to perform basic meditation today to solidify your anchor point of consciousness]
Chen Xun slowly stood up, walked to the bathroom, and washed his face with cold water.
He saw his young face in the mirror, but he felt old.
Not physically, but mentally.
He lived for four hundred and fifty years.
Chen Xun sat cross-legged on the carpet in the room, with his eyes closed, his hands resting on his knees, palms facing up.
He was reminiscing.
I recall the feeling of successfully channeling the Breath of Vishanti for the first time in the dungeon.
Warm, flowing, and full of life energy.
Recall the precise angle of your fingers when forming the mudra, the rhythm of your breathing, and the subtle state of extending your consciousness and touching the invisible energy.
He took a deep breath and began to form the hand seals according to his memory.
Bend your index finger, lightly tap your thumb, and rotate your wrist thirty degrees —
This is the starting posture of the Vishanti Mudra. He practiced it at least 100,000 times in the dungeon, and the muscle memory is so deep that it's ingrained in his bones.
The room was very quiet.
Chen Xun maintained the hand seal, concentrated his mind, and tried to sense the golden light spots that should exist in the air.
There was nothing there.
There were no lights, no flow of energy, and no familiar warmth.
There was only the dry air of Los Angeles and the occasional car horn outside the window.
Undeterred, he switched to a more complex shield-granting hand seal.
With rapid hand movements, twelve hand seals are completed within three seconds.
This speed is acceptable in the later stages of the game.
He held the last handprint in place and pushed his hands forward.
There's still nothing there.
There was no pale gold hexagonal shield, no flowing Sanskrit script, and not even a wisp of breeze was stirred.
Chen Xun lowered his hand and stared at his palm.
The palm lines are clear, and the skin is young and healthy, but it's just average.
An ordinary person's hand.
"Is it because there is no magic in the real world?"
He muttered to himself, "Or is it because I only experienced it, but didn't truly learn it?"
His phone suddenly rang, startling him.
It's Robert.
"Are you awake?"
Rob's voice was energetic, with the sound of a coffee machine whirring in the background: "I just confirmed with Marvel, and the writers have agreed to the meeting. It's scheduled for next Wednesday at Ganden Monastery. They'll arrange a private meditation room to ensure privacy. Is that alright with you?"
"Wednesday — Okay, I got it."
Chen Xun's voice was a little unsteady.
"Something doesn't sound right to you."
Rob, with his keen intuition, asked, "Didn't you sleep well last night?"
I had a very long dream.
Chen Xun rubbed his temples: "It's okay, Gandan Monastery is in XZ, right? You can arrange the visa and itinerary."
"Leave it to me!"
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xun stood up, feeling a little unsteady on his feet.
He had just come out of the dungeon, and his sense of time was still a bit jumbled.
Four hundred and fifty years had passed in the game, but only one night had passed in reality. This disparity made him feel unreal as he looked at the modern hotel room in front of him.
Chen Xun went back to bed to catch up on sleep.
Unbeknownst to him, a spark appeared out of nowhere in the air right after he left the living room.
It's as if she was struggling to get out, only to be pulled back in!
Early the next morning.
Los Angeles International Airport.
Chen Xun, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, and carrying a simple travel bag, walked through the crowd in the terminal.
His walking posture is a bit unusual.
He's completely different from before.
It exudes an old-fashioned composure.
The distance between each step was almost the same, and the back was ramrod straight, as if they had received some kind of ancient etiquette training.
This is a side effect of the copy.
Four hundred and fifty years of living habits have seeped into muscle memory overnight.
He walked up to the Delta Air Lines counter and handed his passport and ticket to the ground staff.
-
"Sir, your flight is tomorrow."
The young ground staff girl glanced at the ticket, then at the computer screen: "UA2887, Los Angeles to Chengdu, stopover in San Francisco, departing tomorrow at 10:15 AM."
Chen Xun was taken aback: "Isn't today Wednesday?"
"It's Tuesday, sir."
The girl spoke patiently, while secretly glancing at him again.
The voice sounds familiar.
Chen Xun frowned.
In his mind, today is Wednesday.
I woke up from a game last night, and after a night, shouldn't it be Wednesday already?
Wait a minute—one night in the instance, one night in reality, but four hundred and fifty years in between.
My sense of time is completely messed up!
Is Rob referring to today or Wednesday?
Chen Xun couldn't quite remember!
"I need to leave today!"
"If I need to reschedule or buy a new ticket, when is the next available flight?"
The girl typed rapidly: "There's a United Airlines flight to Beijing in two hours, then a connecting flight to LS, but economy class is full, only two seats are available in business class—and the price is three times the original ticket price."
"This is it!"
Chen Xun took out his credit card.
The girl took the card, glanced at him again, and finally recognized him: "Wait—you're Mr. Chen Xun? That actor?"
Chen Xun nodded.
"Oh my god!"
The girl covered her mouth and quickly lowered her voice: "I've seen Guardians of the Galaxy! My boyfriend and I have watched it three times!"
"Could I get an autograph?"
"You can change the ticket."
"6
Chen Xun smiled.
Five minutes later, he walked toward the security checkpoint with his new ticket and a signature on the back of his boarding pass.
The girl excitedly whispered on the phone behind me, "Mom! I met Chen Xun! He's even more handsome in person than in the movies!"
After passing through security, Chen Xun had a cup of black coffee in the VIP room.
The caffeine made him a little more alert, but the feeling of being out of touch with time was still strong.
He looked at the numbers ticking on the digital clock on the wall; it was indeed Tuesday.
After boarding, the business class was very quiet.
Chen Xun's seat was by the window. He put down his luggage, sat down, and prepared to close his eyes and rest for a while.
The mental fatigue from the dungeon runs hasn't completely subsided.
"Excuse me, could you move aside?"
A female voice sounded beside him, speaking in English, but with a familiar accent.
The Tibetan accent is mixed with a standard Oxford accent.
Chen Xun opened his eyes and stepped aside to make room.
A woman walked in and sat down in the seat next to him.
She looked to be around thirty years old, with Tibetan features, a healthy wheat-colored complexion from the high-altitude sun, and striking features, especially her eyes.
It wasn't pure black, but a deep brown, like amber under the cabin lights.
She wore a simple off-white linen long shirt, with a dark blue knitted cardigan over it, and a string of dark beads of indeterminate material around her neck.
She put her luggage down very quietly, and after sitting down, she didn't immediately adjust her seat or ask for a drink. She just looked quietly ahead, her hands naturally folded on her lap.
Chen Xun closed his eyes again, but a few seconds later, he opened them again.
A familiar feeling!
Calm and reserved, yet possessing a quiet, understated strength.
Like Karuru in her youth, before she completely fell into darkness, she was the junior sister who would still worry about her mother's cough.
The woman noticed his gaze, turned her head, and smiled slightly: "Is there something you need?"
"Feel sorry."
Chen Xun looked away: "I just felt like you looked familiar."
A very old-fashioned opening line.
But Chen Xun spoke very naturally.
Because what he said was true.
The woman laughed again, this time with a deeper smile: "Many people have this feeling before going to XZ."
"Highlands, temples, prayer flags—I've seen those scenes so many times in movies and photos that when I actually see similar faces, they feel familiar."
"Have you been there many times?"
"My home is over there."
She phrased it simply, then asked in return, "And you? Is this your first time going?"
"It's partly due to work!"
Chen Xun thought for a moment.
"actor?"
The woman looked him up and down: "I think I've seen you on TV before."
"Chen Xun".
"Zhuoma".
The woman reached out her hand.
When they shook hands, Chen Xun noticed her hand.
The fingers are long and slender with smooth skin, but there are calluses on the palms, and the location is strange, not in the web between the thumb and forefinger, but on the fingertips and pads.
Like someone who practices a particular fine craft for a long time or someone who performs hand seals for a long time.
This thought stirred something within him.
He often saw people with these cocoons in the dungeon.
After the plane took off, the flight attendants served meals.
Chen Xun didn't have much of an appetite and only asked for a glass of water.
Zhuoma did the same. She only asked for a cup of hot water, took out a small paper packet from her small cloth bag, and poured in some brown powder.
"Tibetan medicine?" Chen asked.
"A type of tea."
Zhuoma stirred the cup: "It helps with jet lag and altitude sickness, do you want to try it?"
Chen Xun took the other small paper packet she handed him and soaked it according to her instructions.
The tea soup is deep red in color and has a faint herbal aroma. It is slightly bitter at first taste, but has a very sweet aftertaste.
"Thanks!"
"You're welcome."
Zhuoma looked out the window; a sea of clouds stretched out below. "Are you going to LS, or somewhere else?"
"Gaden Monastery."
Droma turned her head, a fleeting, almost imperceptible glint in her eyes: "That direction, towards the pilgrimage?"
"I'm going to see someone!"
Chen Xun then added, "The screenwriter!"
"Meeting the screenwriter at a temple?"
Zhuoma raised an eyebrow: "An interesting choice."
"The script is about XZ, so I wanted to talk about it in that kind of setting."
Chen Xun said a few words briefly.
"understand."
Zhuoma nodded: "The atmosphere is very important, especially when it involves stories of ancient wisdom."
She paused subtly when she spoke of "ancient wisdom".
The cabin was quiet for a while.
Chen Xun took a few sips of tea and felt that it was indeed effective.
The mental tension from the dungeon run has eased somewhat.
"Do you think there's a way to eliminate all suffering, disease, and death in the world, but at the cost of—"
Would you accept being no longer human?
He suddenly spoke, and I don't know why he asked that question.
Zhuoma turned her head and looked at him intently.
Her eyes appeared exceptionally clear in the dim cabin lights.
"This is a philosophical question."
Are you preparing for a role?
"You could say that!"
"Then I will answer you from the perspective of ancient wisdom."
Droma leaned back in her chair: "Pain, illness, death—these are not defects, they are characteristics. Without pain, how would you know happiness? Without illness, how would you cherish health? Without death, would life still have meaning?"
"But if someone suffers because of this—"
"Then let's go help them."
Droma's tone was firm: "Alleviate pain, heal illness, accompany you in the face of death, but don't try to eliminate them; that's arrogance. And—"
She paused: "What you think of as elimination is often another form of imprisonment, like clipping a bird's wings to prevent it from falling to its death. It may not fall to its death, but it will never fly again."
This is almost exactly what Yao said to Karuru in the dungeon.