874: Real or not

Real or not

Her head tilted to the side mimicking a very human-like confused expression. 1

"Warp? Means?"

Hao Xuan forced the laughter down since it wasn't appropriate and might even come off as rude, if she had developed such an idea already.

He tried to explain after clearing his throat.

"Um, warp means to change....I think, I hope. Like to twist or distort in the shape of something else. Warping reality would mean...making something out of nothing? Does that make sense?"

She shook her head for the first time.

"Well I don't know how to explain it any other way. Can't you just read my mind? That will be easier."

"I am allowed?"

"Yes, I give you permission. Just don't hurt me."

"Yes, hurt."

"No no, do NOT hurt. Do you understand what not means? It means to-" before he could explain what the word meant the ground beneath his feet cracked open and a red elastic tendril in the shape of a spider web shot out and impacted with the base of his skull.

Hao Xuan froze body and mind as every single memory since he first took breath was copied within a matter of seconds. The tendril detached itself a moment later and receded back into the crack before closing up.

Hao Xuan came to and fell to his knees. His eyes rolled once in their sockets before returning to their normal orientation. He blinked a few times to wet his dried-up eyeballs.

"Well...that felt like someone plowed my brain with a vacuum cleaner."

Across from him the hive queen didn't even have to think before the meaning of the words became clear.

"Vacuum cleaner. A device used to clean. Uses suction."

Hao Xuan gave a weak nod followed by a chuckle, "I'm glad I could help you understand."

He sat down on the ground and allowed his body to relax. The spiky glumes of the wheat flowers moved back and forth in the cool billowing wind. Every tingle against his skin felt as real as it would in the outer world.

"It really does feel too real. If I didn't know it wasn't I would never be able to tell," he commented before meeting the hive queen's gaze.

"Do you like that form?"

She thought about it for a moment and shrugged.

"I do not like nor dislike. It is."

"If you can change it, take any form you want. You don't have to mind on my behalf."

The next moment he blinked and another woman was standing in her place. She was much taller, blonde, and quite....nude.

"CLOTHES! Put on some clothes!"

"But you have many MANY fond memories of this form. Why do you look away?"

"Do NOT, I repeat do not look at those memories!!"

"I cannot not look. They are all inside me."

"Change form then! To something else!"

When Hao Xuan opened his eyes there was another person there in place of the beautiful model from before.

"NOO! Not a guy either, and not naked! Put on clothes for god sakes!"

"But this is the natural human form."

"Yes, it is natural but when humans live in a society they cover themselves up."

"Why?"

"So th- they just do okay, don't question me."

"But you said I was free to choose."

"I take it back, go back to the first form."

Hao Xuan carefully opened his eyes bit by bit and saw the sunflower dress, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Thank fuck. My poor hearts. What is it? Why did you call me in here? Where IS here anyway?"

"We are inside the embryo."

"Inside? Like literally? What kind of illusion is this? Feels very real."

"Literally. The embryo was- IS home to another being. I am only borrowing a portion of it to recreate my true form."

"Does that...mean this place is real?"

"I don't completely understand what real means."

"I mean can I take what is in here to out there? And vise versa?"

"Yes, if that is what real means then this place is real."

"But...didn't you MAKE it from my memories?"

"I did."

"So...does that mean I can take this with me?" he reached out and grabbed one of the wheat flowers.

The hive queen nodded, "Yes. But..."

Approximately 3 minutes later Hao Xuan rematerialized within his Mind Palace. He opened the palm of his hand and found numerous wheat seeds still there. His mouth fell open, "I'll be damned, it is true."

According to the Hive Queen or rather her avatar which was the girl she presented herself as, this black egg actually has a small space inside it. The hive queen did not know how big it was, only that it was much bigger than the section she had taken for herself.

The planet they were on was actually the outer shell of her body. She created it from nothing using her own powers and abilities which included reality manipulation.

Inside that space she could create things from nothing so long as she understood the fundamentals of it. But for now, she could not create anything too complicated or artificial. She had to understand inside and out what the object was, its many uses and types along every method used for its growth or creation. Basically, she needed to know everything down to a single atom.

But long story cut short...she did indeed have the power of creation at her hands.

Unfortunately, it was severely limited not only by her own lack of understanding and a physical body but also by Hao Xuan's cultivation level.

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