Chapter 630 - 389: Ineradicable Additional Thoughts

Chapter 630: Chapter 389: Ineradicable Additional Thoughts

Ideas and thoughts that weren’t his at all lingered in his mind.

Before awakening his current Talent, Lu Cang hadn’t even noticed that these thoughts weren’t his own. He had just thought they were logical, ordinary, and perfectly normal.

Not until he awakened this Talent...

...did he suddenly realize.

His mind had been tainted with so many implanted thoughts.

’When?’

’Who did this?’

Lu Cang didn’t suspect Luoti at first. He just felt that ’Luoti would never harm me.’

Lu Cang watched this very thought drift through his mind.

It was a thought that was completely foreign to him.

But it had appeared nonetheless, and it was beginning to sway his thinking.

"Luoti..."

Lu Cang couldn’t muster any anger. He just felt as calm as still water, completely unable to hate Luoti.

He already knew Luoti was behind this.

And yet, he felt no sense of rejection toward her.

’I have to get rid of these thoughts.’

So he thought.

Lu Cang calmed himself and, using a Meditation Technique he had learned, quieted his Mind.

There were many meditation methods in the world, and they were useful in many situations.

For a Warrior, meditation could regulate their Qi and breathing. For a Mage, it could accelerate their Magic Power recovery. For a Healing Mage, it could restore a certain number of their daily uses of Healing Techniques.

Meditation was the regulation of consciousness and the Mind.

In many cases, consciousness and the Mind affected one’s personal state, which in turn influenced one’s combat power and progress.

A distracted Mage could not learn things as effectively as a focused one.

’Calm...’

’Meditate...’

’Purge these distracting thoughts from my mind.’

He tried to eradicate those baseless ideas.

But as Lu Cang closed his eyes and meditated, he felt these thoughts were deeply ingrained. He could clearly see them and knew they weren’t his, but he was powerless to expel them.

Even knowing they weren’t his, he was still influenced by them.

It was like someone on a diet who knew they shouldn’t eat high-calorie food but still couldn’t control their cravings.

He knew what he shouldn’t do, but he lacked the self-discipline to stop it.

’Luoti and I have an agreement. According to our deal, I should help her fulfill her wish.’

’With Luoti’s help, I can navigate this world with ease.’

’A Divine Artifact is very important to me. By investing in a true Divine Spirit, I’ve been promised a Divine Artifact in return.’

’If Luoti really becomes Moon, I’ll be Moon’s first Disciple. In this vast world, no one would dare to cross me.’

Some of these thoughts were not his at all.

As for the others...

He had probably already been influenced.

The Mind isn’t black and white. It can be subtly influenced. Hearing what others say can change one’s opinions and thoughts.

He had been mulling over these things for so long.

Perhaps these hidden thoughts had already altered his original ones to some extent.

’If I let these thoughts continue to influence me for much longer... ’

’...will I even be myself anymore?’

It was... a terrifying thought the more he dwelled on it.

’But what should I do?’

There was no way to reject these thoughts. If it weren’t for awakening this Talent, he would never have been able to distinguish them in the first place.

They were like saltwater mixed into freshwater; on the surface, they felt exactly the same.

And they couldn’t be separated.

Even after discovering them, the thoughts continued to influence his actions.

For example, right now, he felt no hatred toward Luoti, nor any desire for revenge.

The good news, however, was that he could now see them.

And that meant he could be on his guard.

"An Su."

WHOOSH—

Lu Cang looked at An Su, but what he saw was not the shriveled, twig-like body. Beneath it was a sturdy, well-built physique.

His ancient, dark skin was like that of a Pharaoh of Egypt from Earth.

The patterns on his body were filled with mystery.

’An Su has secrets, too.’

And it was a secret Lu Cang had never imagined.

"Kid."

"You’re giving me that unsettling feeling again. Your progress is truly astounding."

"A Level 6 Decryption Scholar."

"A Level 6 Decryption Scholar at your age... you might be the first in all of history."

"Is this the Spirituality brought by the Highest Leaf? It truly makes this old man envious."

Lu Cang’s voice was flat and cold. "Why the sudden pleasantries?"

"An Su, what’s with the appearance underneath your skin?"

"You’ve never mentioned it before."

An Su paused for a moment, then chuckled. "So, you’ve discovered it."

"It’s not really anything worth mentioning, so I never thought to bring it up."

"Beneath this outer shell, what’s sealed away is merely my original corpse."

"The me you see now is the me that was reborn through Reincarnation in this era. But of course, I couldn’t just casually toss away the corpse from my first death."

"Corpse? But aren’t you a Spirit Body now?"

An Su was a soul residing in his Sea of Consciousness. A physical body couldn’t possibly enter the Sea of Consciousness.

"Soul, body... must the two really be distinguished?"

"Spirit and flesh are fundamentally one."

An Su was well-versed in the ways of the soul, and Lu Cang’s own Ten Thousand Battles Absolute Body Talent had also brought about the Unity of Spirit and Body for him.

So, Lu Cang could agree with that point of view.

"Kid."

"That’s not what you really wanted to ask me just now, was it?"

Lu Cang sneered. "You can read minds, too?"

An Su said, "I’ve lived for so many years. While I wouldn’t say I can see right through you, I can usually tell what kind of shit someone’s about to take just by the way they squat."

Lu Cang said, "You’re right, I do have something to ask you."

"You probably remember me mentioning Luoti. I’ve now discovered that many of my thoughts were implanted by her."

"These ideas are impossible to get rid of."

"What do I have to do to expel them?"

After hearing Lu Cang’s description, An Su stroked his chin, gazing up at the boundless starry sky from the attic in the Sea of Consciousness.

He sank into thought, countless ideas flashing through his mind.

"There’s no way."

"With your current mastery of the Mind, it’s impossible for you to compete with Luoti in mental Control."

"In fact, the very reason you were able to maintain your sense of self after seeing her again is a testament to your incredible luck."

"Actually, I get the feeling that she doesn’t bear you any great malice."

"If she truly wanted to Control you, a single thought would have been enough."

"From your current perspective, you can’t possibly imagine how powerful a Divine Spirit at their true Peak—a complete Level 9 Reincarnator—really is."

"A so-called Divine Talent is merely the threshold to becoming a Level 9 Reincarnator."

"You have a Divine Talent, but so do others. What makes you think your Talent alone gives you an advantage over them?"

"However, you wield the Power of Reincarnation."

"If you were to die and undergo Reincarnation, you might be able to escape this mental influence."

’Of course, that’s only a maybe.’

That thought from An Su flashed by, and Lu Cang caught it.

"Of course, you have another choice: ignore the mental influence. Let the thoughts exist until you become a being on par with Luoti."

"Or... you could try talking to Luoti again. Heh... the one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. Having her personally retract the mental Control would be far simpler than finding a cure yourself."