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Translator's note: The Chinese idiom "滴水石穿" (dī shuǐ shí chuān) translates to "dripping water wears through a stone" in English.
It metaphorically means that constant effort and perseverance can overcome any difficulty, no matter how insurmountable it might seem at first.
Nightmare planned to wear down Fang Xiu's consciousness with tens of thousands of minds before making its move. Its plan seemed to be working.
Fang Xiu was surrounded by countless consciousnesses, all tearing at him as if they wanted to rip him apart.
But even surrounded, Fang Xiu remained calm. The attacks couldn't shake him at all.
Seeing this, Nightmare was shocked by his strong will. Fang Xiu was like a stone, so unmovable and firm.
Nightmare admired Fang Xiu's will, "You're the most determined person I've seen. I'm curious: what belief supports you, keeping your consciousness intact even under the assault of tens of thousands?"
Fang Xiu thought of his wife. It was hatred that kept him going: hatred for his wife, for Specters, for the world. He wouldn't fall until he had his revenge.
Nightmare warned, "Even the strongest stone can be worn down by constant dripping. I will wear you down today!"
Nightmare was right. Even if Fang Xiu was a rock, the endless attacks were like water drops; enough drops could wear through stone.
Fang Xiu's consciousness began to waver slightly under the relentless assault.
Seeing this, Nightmare urged, "Keep attacking! Scatter his consciousness!" It sent endless fear toward Fang Xiu, trying to break him and make him feel fear.
But Fang Xiu was tough. "Fear? I've discarded such useless things. I've been killed by my wife over and over. I've cried and fought back and begged for mercy. I lost my dignity, everything, just to live. But she never spared me. That's when I learned fear is useless. My will to survive and myself are the only things that can get me through everything. You think you can make me afraid? Who do you think you're?"
Furious, Nightmare yelled, "Tear him apart!"
The consciousnesses screamed, trying to shred Fang Xiu's will.
Attacked from all sides, Fang Xiu felt dizzy, like a small boat in a stormy sea.
As time passed, Fang Xiu felt increasingly drowsy, as if he was truly facing death. He was somewhat reflective, realizing he couldn't even take his own life in this state.
His body, overwhelmed by countless attacking consciousnesses, had lost control and reached its limits.
Surrounded and unable to connect with the hair Specter, he couldn't commit suicide.
It seemed that what was ahead was the dissipation of his consciousness, meaning the loss of all his memories, thoughts, and emotions. He wondered if dying in this state would trigger a death rewind, and if it did, whether he'd return as a fool without any memories at all.
At this critical moment, Nightmare changed tactics. It unleashed endless black smoke, spreading toward Fang Xiu's mental space, targeting his spirit.
Nightmare aimed to enhance Fang Xiu's Spiritual Energy, similar to how it had helped Bai Qi break through to the third tier before.
Nightmare considered Fang Xiu's body as its own and wouldn't allow it to be weak.
Curious about the extent of second-tier foresight, Nightmare was eager to see its potential.
With this in mind, Nightmare generously contributed its power to infect Fang Xiu's spirit, aiding in the awakening of more Spiritual Energy.
The order was crucial; psychic abilities are closely tied to the mind, and once Fang Xiu's consciousness dissipated, his abilities could never grow.
Accelerating the activation of psychic powers could also hasten the collapse of Fang Xiu's consciousness, as rapid activation might lead to mental instability and confusion, risking uncontrolled Spiritual Energy.
This was an attack from both inside and out: countless consciousnesses attacking from outside, and Nightmare disrupting from within.
At such a critical juncture, Nightmare felt it was essential to act quickly, not wanting to drag things out and risk unexpected developments.
With Yang Ming and Bai Qi still fighting in the outside world, any delay could lead to complications, especially if Yang Ming dealt with Bai Qi and intervened.
Though Nightmare didn't consider Yang Ming a big threat, it knew one could never be careful enough when facing God's Plan.
With Nightmare's assistance, Fang Xiu's Spiritual Energy began to increase rapidly.
Having already advanced much before, Fang Xiu's Spiritual Energy was now awakening further.
13%, 14%, 15%... It grew steadily, like a progress bar. Meanwhile, Fang Xiu's consciousness started to show signs of thinning; it was gradually fading away.