The truth, defined as the counterpart of falsehood. However, that's not the truth…
Words exist in various languages to describe concepts, each carrying a nuanced meaning.
The truth - the dao - could also be translated as truth, but not that particular kind of truth.
But what was the true name of that thing?
Various words in different languages might allude to it, but they were merely placeholders, shadows of something greater.
Therefore, at this moment, as Niu Chang contemplated the truth, he no longer relied on the languages from his previous and current lives.
He didn't label it as the truth; instead, he employed an indescribable abstraction more potent than any linguistic representation of truth.
He invoked the direct derivation of truth, yet not truth itself.
Thus, if he were to articulate it aloud, reality would suffice to mend and reshape itself according to that utterance.
For it existed on a higher plane than the constructs of this reality.
The concealed madness in his thoughts subsided subsequently, and he noticed this seemingly empty void felt distinct from before.
"It has become unsettling somehow," Niu Chang commented as his eyes darted around, seeking the crux of his uncertainty.
As the sole existence within this non-existent place, he could perceive a presence that eluded him previously.
'It wasn't within this place, but rather beyond. It's as if a veil exists both in existence and nonexistence, and from beyond that veil…'
He halted his train of thought deliberately, resisting the urge to delve deeper. His luminous form trembled slightly, as though a cold wind grazed his skin.
'I know I want to learn more about the truth, but not now. My level is too low to confront these end-game entities.'
Strategically, Niu Chang withdrew from the mental battlefield, deliberately ignoring his disdain for the fact the characters in stories paled in danger unknown to them.
Just as he intended to leave this place using the 'exit' he had encountered earlier, he realized it was no longer in its usual position.
'Hey, where did that 'eternity' go?' he jested.
He scanned left and right, unable to locate it. 'Should I wait for another 'eternity' to come around?' he mused, considering the idea as he began to fly around in search of the exit.
Before long, he frowned. 'As I suspected, in this expanse of emptiness, Their presence is more easily perceived.'
Beyond the range of his perception that could encompass the entire void, an unsettling gaze was fixed upon him. However, this gaze didn't exhibit much interest. It was akin to a giant opening its eyes and gazing across a vast landscape, indifferent to anything smaller than a strand of its hair.
The previous Niu Chang had been like a blank canvas, devoid of color awareness.
But now, after being imbued with the direct derivation of the truth, he possessed his own hue.
Thus, amid everything, he naturally became aware of the presence of other colors too.
In the expansive ocean of colors, his own shade was smaller than a drop of ink.
As his thoughts raced to find the exit, the tension in his mind heightened, setting off a chain reaction in the void.
Being the sole existence, the weight of his thoughts and perceptions was remarkably heavy.
Consequently, if he harbored fear or grappled with incomprehensible doubts, dire consequences would indeed unfold.
'Damn boy! I truly miss my 'calm' button right now!' he exclaimed internally.
The convenience granted by his second brain had been paramount throughout his life, facilitating his actions and decisions.
He could have simply drifted through life like an untroubled fish, unaffected by the passage of time.
Yet, now stripped of that convenience, he was no different from a delicate creature burdened with the turbulence within its own mind.
The void grew more oppressive, though this escalation wasn't gradual or linear.
Due to the unique nature of 'time' in this realm, something could spontaneously manifest as if it had existed since time immemorial, patiently awaiting Niu Chang's arrival.
Taking a sharp, deep breath, Niu Chang halted his movement and forcefully suppressed all emotions in his mind.
The nerve-wracking atmosphere that had been building up instantly dissipated.
'Come here,' he bellowed into the void.
Then, something indiscernible came into his perception, though it seemed to be nothing.
He reached out for this void, and his body surged with the energy he had once possessed.
Preventing his mind from straying into the realm of sanity and doubt, he vigorously restored his existence.
The boundary between nonexistence and existence proved to be fragile and feeble. However, when these two boundaries converged, the rules took on a peculiar turn.
As his right leg transitioned into a state of existence, he encountered an obstruction.
Two obstructions, to be precise.
The first was the karmic assault from those who held karmic bonds with him; they had been sacrificed to erase Niu Chang from existence. Despite the fact that the target remained somehow 'alive,' they persisted in their unrelenting onslaught.
The second was the seal left by the Land Dao Spirit.
Neither of these obstacles wielded substantial power in comparison to the present might of Niu Chang. However, due to his current unnatural state, they posed significant challenges to his quest for restoration.
'Since I haven't been fully revived, the karmic bond with the Land Dao Spirit won't be initiated, given that the karmic assault hasn't concluded,' he deduced.
With one foot in the realm of existence, he was no longer confined within his own 'time,' thus events transpired in real time according to the local time of the continent.
As a result, in order to breach the barrier before him and reclaim his existence, he needed to amass sufficient energy.
'But the predicament lies in the gradual passage of time in this place, and my energy source comes from two followers who don't even draw breath.'
'Ages and eons might elapse, and they wouldn't provide me with a fraction of a second's worth of energy, not even a thousandth of an amoeba.'
With his other part naked in the realm of void, he felt as if he were bound to an unpredictable presence that could emerge at any given moment, ready to tease his cheeks.
The mere thought of it made him profoundly uncomfortable, almost to the point where he wished he could trade this state for death, rather than enduring prolonged unease.
'Even if I were to attempt a return now, it seems impossible,' he conceded.
Resigned to his fate as a captive of time's whims, he opted to find a more comfortable position in an attempt to alleviate his mounting anxiety, positioning himself slightly sideways.
Exhaling a sigh, Niu Chang tried to console himself. 'At least in this circumstance, I no longer sense Their presence.'
'If only this endless sea weren't devoid of any form of life. At the very least, I could create some new karma…' he mused, his imagination drifting.
Shifting his focus to his "minuscule" existence, Niu Chang ruminated, 'Regardless of the situation, since I have reverted to an existence of 0.000000000000…1, this also implies that my array of techniques and skills are applicable once again.'
In the void of emptiness, Niu Chang was unable to do anything since the rule in that place was different from anything he knew and thus the preparation was incomplete.
Only Death's Ignorance, a skill tethered to the system, could influence him. However, with his energy depleted and his body in a notably—ahem—incomplete state, numerous skills would remain beyond reach.
Yet, some skills would operate in the background, akin to bloatware. The second brain was naturally one of these, as it remained intricately linked to Niu Chang's mental activity. As long as he could think or retain a sliver of consciousness, it would remain operational.
Following suit was the Impossible Idea, a body-tempering technique that indeed lived up to its name. It existed primarily as a concept. This very nature, however, granted it extensive coverage, extending into the realm of possibilities alone.
'If my memory serves me right, one among the numerous functions… one of the numerous skills integrated within the Impossible Idea was the ability to autonomously adapt and evolve.'
Separated from the direct link with the second brain, Niu Chang's capacity to recuperate and access his memories remained severely limited.
Nonetheless, he retained a general grasp of information regarding his diverse techniques and skills.
The skill he referred to wasn't exactly a skill, but rather, another body-tempering technique that could be cultivated independently of the Impossible Idea.
On a more advanced level, it practically defied death, only threatened to instantaneous termination, as the fleshly body would endlessly adapt and evolve.
This technique bore the name "Nature Abomination Scourge." While its title lacked pleasantness, it served one purpose: it had been crafted by Niu Chang—or rather, by the second brain. It had somehow emerged from the fusion of several body-tempering techniques employed during the initial creation.
The second brain detected and archived it, while Niu Chang, though he had read about it, filed it away as information he couldn't utilize.
Given its potential for perpetual adaptation and evolution, its end result wouldn't manifest as a handsome man or a celestial beauty. Instead, it would exhibit characteristics developed through the harsh testaments of long existence, adapting to various dangers from both the living and the environment.
However, this was not the current focal point. What truly mattered was its adaptability and its capacity to extricate the practitioner from predicaments where direct action was unfeasible—much like Niu Chang's present circumstance.
Niu Chang found himself existing on an infinitesimally minute scale, bombarded by karmic fire catalyzed by the principle of equivalent exchange—one life for another life. Despite facing multiple instances of it, he also contended with being sealed within the deepest layers of space, followed by a series of potent seals.
'Well, at least with my arsenal, the wait shouldn't be too protracted. Perhaps the second brain will evolve first, or adaptation and evolution will proceed faster than I anticipated.'
'Hehehe. See that?' Niu Chang called out to himself. 'This is how one should engage in the game of reincarnation: perpetually prepared, drawing from the knowledge of the first life, and not being fished by others on the nose.'
Although the second piece of advice had led to his current predicament, he deliberately chose to remain blind to this fact.