"What is it that you seek?"
...
"What is it that you seek?"
...
The mysterious voice echoed in the deepest part of the soul, resonating with it, tearing at the last flickering soul flame that was long dilapidated and seemed on the verge of extinguishing at any moment.
Memories had long since shattered, leaving only fragments, quietly awaiting erasure. But that mysterious voice still shook him. That power, speaking of boundless greatness, made him want to submit, to become one with that great existence.
But he knew that if he yielded, then everything he had would vanish—his existence, his memories, everything!
The tearing of the soul continued. That great existence seemed unsatisfied, delving deeper into the soul flame, seeking only the answer.
"What is it that you seek?"
Yes, what am I pursuing?
Unconsciously, I began to question myself. As if in response, countless fragmented images suddenly emerged from the foundation of my soul!
When I saw those images, I understood. That was my life—a peaceful, uneventful, numb existence!
I was born into an ordinary family, just like most people, without any extraordinary events. I spent a carefree childhood, followed the prescribed path through school, then graduated, found a job, got married, and had children. Aside from watching anime, playing games, daydreaming, and seeking entertainment, my life should have been just as mundane.
But why was there always a voice in my heart telling me this wasn't what I needed?
The only thing that made this ordinary life different from others was the death brought upon me by this property dispute, right?
However, I wasn't afraid of death. What worried me was whether my parents would grieve without me, and whether that grief would cause them harm.
Now, thinking carefully, I realized how much I despised this predictable life. If I had the ability, if I could surpass everyone, then nothing would happen. I would obtain everything I needed, and the process of striving for it and surpassing everyone would surely make me experience a passionate life unlike the past.
Yes, that is what I pursue—the thrilling desire to transcend everything in the world!
"What are you pursuing?"
"What I pursue is transcendence! Be it miracles or divine signs, nothing can stop me. I will surpass it all and ascend to the highest throne of heaven!"
With a hoarse voice, I responded to the question from the unknown source. In this place where sound was impossible, the soul, which shouldn't be able to produce any sound, erupted with unimaginable power. The foundation of the soul, like the Big Bang, transmitted this sound!
…
Silence. Endless silence, as if the voice was pondering, without any reaction! But I had finally regained consciousness from my shattered soul, and now I could only wait quietly.
"What are you pursuing?"
Finally, the voice seemed to have finished its contemplation. The endless words began to change, but at the same time, a new problem emerged.
Yes, how can I transcend it? My consciousness had returned, and I could finally think. Sinking into quiet reflection, my life echoed in my mind. Specific memories were lost in the damage to my soul, but the general experiences were still deeply engraved upon it. And among these, what was most deeply imprinted on my soul was...
The blazing fire, the splattering blood, the wails of the dying...
This was the last impression remaining from my life, and at this moment, I suddenly realized that this was exactly what I needed!
"As you wish!" As if finally satisfied, the mysterious voice made its decision. The thunderous sound was like a stone thrown into water, and the endless, great power swept through everything in the soul!
From the perspective of my soul, everything before me was pitch black, without a trace of light. I could perceive nothing except my own consciousness!
Now, this silent space suddenly collapsed under the power of that sound. Countless tiny cracks appeared like spiderwebs, crisscrossing the endless darkness. What was revealed behind the cracks was not the long-lost light, but...
Blood flames. The embodiment of crimson flames, carrying the power of death, emerged from the void, forming a world of blood-red fire! The next moment, this world was like the end of the universe, and the soul consciousness at its center was pulled away like a whale sucking in water!
Feeling this endless blood flame rushing toward "me" like a weary bird returning to its nest, my consciousness was immersed in the blood flame, yet there was no pain—only a warmth like being in a mother's embrace. I could clearly feel that "I" was being reborn within that blood flame!
Endless flames gathered in one place, and slowly, within the burning of this death flame, a "person" gradually took shape.
My soul and consciousness grew increasingly joyful. The blood flame seemed sentient, slowly nourishing the soul that had been damaged to the point of near extinction. The memories that had dissipated with the soul were also gradually regained. During this process of reorganization, I could also feel some unknown knowledge flooding into my soul.
Finally, the flames erupted from the void, and my body became clearer and clearer. I impatiently opened my eyes, but I also knew that some details of my memory were lost forever. After all, my soul had been broken for too long and had merged into this sea of origin!
Yes, the Sea of Origin! From the knowledge granted by the blood flame, I learned the name of this place I was in!
I observed the world after my rebirth with my eyes. There was no color, yet it seemed to contain all the colors in the world. This was a place indescribable in words. There was clearly nothing here, yet if you felt carefully, you could find that it contained everything. Everything you could conceive of and knowledge beyond your comprehension could be found in this "sea" before you!
Because this was the beginning of all things and the end of all things, this was the deepest part of the multiverse—the Sea of Origin!
Once again immersed in my newfound knowledge, even though I had lost some details during the blood flame's reshaping, I was content. Losing only a few insignificant memories, I had gained this adventure and rebirth. For anyone, this trade was worth it!
…
The Sea of Origin, simply put, is where the world begins and ends. The endless worlds of the multiverse are all born here, and when a world dies, it returns here, just like the cycle of life and death!
Therefore, this place holds the knowledge and power of these infinite worlds. As a human, a tiny being relative to the multiverse, if the soul survives death, it should follow the laws of its world and reincarnate within it. However, due to the mysterious power within the jade pendant, the soul enveloped by that power was perceived by the Sea of Origin as a world itself, and thus arrived here!
It was conceivable that the power contained within that small jade pendant was immense and mysterious. That power alone was as great as a world!
Such tremendous power completely surpassed my understanding!
…
Origin is a concept possessed by every being. Souls reincarnate infinitely. When a living being dies, its soul sheds all past existence and enters the cycle of reincarnation, repeating the process over and over. So, where did the first soul originate in the beginning?
That is the Primordial Sea of the world. From this Sea of Origin, the world was born, and the core of the world is the Primordial Sea. All souls are born within it and flow into the world, their paths predetermined from the outset. These are individual concepts. However, souls that leave the Primordial Sea are contaminated upon entering the world, and their initial concepts and directions are obscured when they transform into living beings. This is also why the characteristics of living beings overwhelm their origins. Each species lives according to its own way of survival, rather than the origins of its soul.
Few can eliminate the contamination of the soul within the world, return to the original pure state through their own souls, and thus awaken their origin. But everyone who awakens their origin will instinctively delve deeper into exploring it!
Yet most perish in this process of exploration. For example, if a person's origin is the concept of "curiosity," those who awaken to it will follow this concept, harboring curiosity about everything and using all means to satisfy it! However, human society is not a place where one can do as they please. While satisfying curiosity, one might break taboos and regulatory barriers. Such behavior, violating the interests of the majority, can only lead to destruction!
If someone awakens their origin and follows it without being assimilated and destroyed by it, then as they delve deeper, their power will naturally grow stronger. They might even be able to trace the direction of their origin back to the Root of Origin, the Primordial Sea. At that time, if they possess sufficient knowledge, will, and strength to resist the world's assimilation, they will be able to accomplish everything a world can do—just like a world itself!
Furthermore, if one can use the world to reach the Sea of Origin, the place where the multiverse is born and dies, becoming an omnipotent "God" is no longer a delusion!
Of course, awakening one's origin isn't the only way to reach the Primordial Sea, or even the Sea of Origin. There are three thousand great paths to reach it, and many methods besides! The path of origin is the simplest, yet also the most difficult!
It's simple because one need only follow the direction of their origin and continue delving deeper to arrive. Yet it's difficult because no being can guarantee they can resist the soul's original pure concept. No matter how powerful a being is, when faced with this original direction, they start from the same point as those without any power! This has nothing to do with one's will, strength, or wisdom but is more likely a matter of irresistible luck and fate.