Within the Haotian Mirror, although Xiao Fan had been fortunate enough to gain the mirror's recognition, his mood remained somber. Being the witness and creator of the transition between the old and new epochs brought him no joy.
The decay of the Immortal Realm had already begun, and when darkness fully descended, the Immortal Realm would cease to exist entirely. Once the Immortal Realm was consumed by darkness, it would spread to the lower realms, eventually leading to the complete obliteration of this era's world, vanishing into the dust of history.
Xiao Fan's expression grew increasingly sorrowful. There were many people in the lower realms whom he deeply cared about. He had once sacrificed everything for them, believing that after he left, they would live peaceful lives. But now, he was being told that they would be completely erased in the destruction of this epoch.
He found this hard to accept.
The people he had spent his life protecting would end up with such a tragic fate. He had borne all the sins alone, enduring all the misunderstandings to keep them safe, yet it still wasn't enough.
As these thoughts consumed him, a rebellious spirit began to stir within Xiao Fan. He refused to accept this fate!
Who said he had to passively accept this destiny?
No!
He would change the fate of everyone, including his own.
He would not become the witness and creator of the transition between epochs. Instead, he would prevent the destruction of the old epoch!
With newfound resolve, Xiao Fan looked directly at the Immortal Emperor and asked, "Immortal Emperor, is there truly no way to prevent the destruction of the epoch? Could you tell me if there is any way to stop this from happening?"
Hearing Xiao Fan's audacious question, the Immortal Emperor remained calm, as if he had anticipated this all along. After scrutinizing Xiao Fan's determined expression for a moment, he finally spoke in a grave tone.
"Xiao Fan, do you realize what this decision entails? Do you know what you might lose?"
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Xiao Fan responded without hesitation.
The fact that the Immortal Emperor hadn't outright dismissed his idea meant there was indeed a way. Of course, such a massive undertaking would come at an unimaginable cost. But Xiao Fan had long since cast aside concerns about personal gain or loss.
Perhaps this decision would mean his complete erasure from the world. But for some reason, the thought of defying his predestined fate and altering the destinies of others filled him with a rebellious excitement, a thrill in challenging the forbidden.
Stepping off the beaten path and following his true desires—this was the meaning he had been searching for in his life.
Suddenly, Xiao Fan burst into a fit of unrestrained laughter.
The laughter was abrupt and bizarre, leaving those watching outside the Haotian Mirror utterly bewildered. They couldn't comprehend why Xiao Fan was so suddenly joyous in the midst of such a serious conversation.
Even those who believed they knew Xiao Fan well, like Leng Ruoxue and the others, were at a loss.
Only Xuanwei, upon seeing Xiao Fan's uncontrolled laughter within the Haotian Mirror, felt a sudden jolt of realization. Her lashes trembled, and a thought so unbelievable it took her breath away formed in her mind.
She widened her eyes and turned her gaze towards Xiao Fan within the Primal Emperor City. She had initially thought that when Xiao Fan was surrounded by those he once loved and respected, he had lost all hope, feeling so heartbroken that he chose not to resist and instead embraced death.
But now, seeing Xiao Fan laugh so freely after making his decision, she began to wonder—was his desire for death not born out of despair, but rather because he felt he had already accomplished everything and had no regrets left?
The thought made Xuanwei's heart skip a beat.
If Xiao Fan truly believed he had fulfilled everything he set out to do and had no more regrets, then he might have anticipated his current situation all along. Perhaps he had even predicted that they would use the Haotian Mirror to trace his life memories!
If this were true, it wouldn't be the seven Empresses who had forced Xiao Fan into such a desperate situation—it would be Xiao Fan himself who had driven himself to this point.
This realization left Xuanwei in a daze. If Xiao Fan had truly brought himself to this brink, it meant he had left no room for escape. Even if they continued to search, they might never find a way to save him.
"No, it can't be…" Xuanwei shook her head, desperately trying to dismiss her bold speculation. She must have been overthinking things.
She refocused on the Haotian Mirror, but now her hands were trembling slightly. Panic began to creep into her heart.
Inside the Haotian Mirror, the Immortal Emperor did not interrupt Xiao Fan's sudden outburst of laughter, merely sighing deeply with a complex expression.
He knew what Xiao Fan intended to do and also understood the likely outcome. Guilt gnawed at him because he had played a part in pushing Xiao Fan towards this decision, driven by his own selfish desires.
Sensing the Immortal Emperor's guilt, Xiao Fan ceased his laughter and met his gaze with a calm look.
"Immortal Emperor, you needn't feel guilty. This choice was mine alone; it has nothing to do with anyone else."
However, Xiao Fan's expression suddenly turned curious as he looked at the Immortal Emperor.
"Immortal Emperor, if I'm not mistaken, you had Xuanwei guard the forbidden grounds of the Immortal Realm so that she would be the first to meet me, right?"
Caught off guard by Xiao Fan's direct confrontation of his motives, the Immortal Emperor's face flushed with rare embarrassment. He let out an awkward chuckle.
"You saw right through me."
"Yes, that was my selfish intention. I knew that one day, the chosen one would be drawn to that object in the forbidden grounds. So I wanted Xuanwei to establish a connection with that special being. Perhaps this way, I could give Xuanwei a slim chance of survival."
Hearing this, Xiao Fan frowned—not out of displeasure with the Immortal Emperor's selfishness or premeditation, but at the mention of giving Xuanwei a chance of survival.
Did this mean that even with all the Immortal Emperor's foreknowledge and preparations, the best he could do was secure a slim chance for Xuanwei alone?
The Immortal Emperor seemed to sense Xiao Fan's thoughts and sighed.
"I'm sure you overheard what I said to the other immortals earlier. The decay of the Immortal Realm has begun, signaling the start of the end. Once it starts, it cannot be reversed. The complete destruction of the Immortal Realm is an inevitable fact. Only by descending to the lower realms can there be a glimmer of hope."
The Immortal Emperor looked at Xiao Fan with a heavy expression.
"Xiao Fan, to prevent the lower realms from meeting the same fate as the Immortal Realm, the burden on your shoulders will be extremely arduous. You might even become the most reviled demon in the eyes of all living beings in the lower realms. Even so, are you still willing to make this choice?"
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8