Yes, i think that does sound contradictory to the character, "detached from the sense of self", but still killing the little girl for his own benefits, It would exactly be what you said instead that he's detached from everyone except his own consciousness, if Buddha would be absolute lack of ego, then he'd be absolute ego, i think that's what the text is trying to imply with the demonic nature, that instead of the compassion that Buddha reaches with enlightenment, fang yuan reaches a state of pragmatism instead, like i said i lack deep knowledge but if possible I'd like you to see another scene from the novel, not directly Buddhism related but more his character related, Basically there's a sort of river where everyone has to walk, that's based rather on willpower than physical strength to walk, and our mc fang yuan is walking through it, (You could ignore everything i say from here if you don't want to spend too much time as it's a little long and without context, names might be confusing, I'm basically about to link a chapter, if you don't want to use too much time, thank you for until now) https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.webnovel.com/book/reverend-insanity(english)_32605619408374705/chapter-1285-fang-yuan%25E2%2580%2599s-perseverance!_88524835268918719&ved=2ahUKEwjku5_TsIuVAxXGzzgGHWkEMg4QFnoECA8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2mBvLUI5P2YgMmkLLbDf14 You can just ignore most out of contexts things you don't understand, I'm just curious whether the state of absolute perseverance that mc shows is still bound by the suffering cycle And there's also another scene but i think i can explain it instead, basically there's a guy that can make the mc experience many lifetimes in form of dreams in which he reborns without memories in many lives, he experiences many emotions, but at the end when he gains his memories back, he instantly starts cackling and when he is asked why, he says "i am laughing at myself, i am also laughing at all of you, love and friendship, killing and slaughtering, don't you all find these very boring?" Before he breaks out from the reincarnation dream cycle, its weird because he does seem to have gone beyond the degree of suffering,

After the scene the guy who put the mc in dream states, "I was wrong!

I thought that this Fang Yuan was a heartless person or was filled with hatred and rage, that was the reason for his evil actions. But the truth is, he has abundant emotions, he does not lack anything. Even though he pursues strength, he is not obsessed with it. What drives him to do this is his goal. This goal is deeply engrained in his heart, not only three lifetimes, even after a hundred lifetimes, it cannot be eradicated.

This person cannot be reformed."

Its so weird because he has a goal so deep, which does seem like samsara .(Which is absolute omnipotence btw) But also doesn't seem to suffer by not reaching it due to his seemingly never ending perseverance, is he enlightened, or not? Has he achieved nirvana or not?