As they entered the forbidden grounds of the Immortal Realm, the air was thick with the scent of ancient decay. At the center of the forbidden area stood a dilapidated altar, above which loomed a massive stone gate. The gate was shrouded in darkness, with nothing visible beyond it.
The closer Xiao Fan got to the stone gate, the stronger he felt the pull of the summoning force. Clearly, something within the gate was calling out to him.
Standing before the stone gate, the Immortal Emperor's eyes were filled with reverence. He turned to Xiao Fan and said, "Beyond this gate lies a chaotic world of darkness, devoid of any life or matter."
"This place marks the beginning of the Immortal Realm's birth and will also herald its destruction."
"In a short time, the darkness will begin to seep from this gate, consuming the entire Immortal Realm."
The Immortal Emperor's voice was tinged with sadness as he continued, "This is the singularity from which the world was born, as I mentioned to you earlier."
"You asked me what you should do," the Immortal Emperor said gravely. "Your task is to become that singularity as the Immortal Realm is consumed by darkness and its energy converges. You must gather all that energy within yourself."
At these words, Xuanwei, observing from outside the Haotian Mirror, felt her face pale with realization. Her earlier suspicion was confirmed.
Looking at Xiao Fan's serene expression in the Primal Emperor City, everything became clear. The reason the lower realms were still intact, with no apparent changes, was not because the plan had succeeded or failed—it simply hadn't started yet.
When Xiao Fan's consciousness completely dissipated, he would become the singularity, triggering the release of all the accumulated energy from the Immortal Realm into the lower realms. This meant that there was no way to save Xiao Fan. Saving him would prevent the lower realms from receiving the energy infusion needed to renew their vitality, leading to their inevitable destruction by darkness.
Given Xiao Fan's nature, once he had made a decision, he would not have left any possibility of reversing it. So, her bold speculation had been correct: Xiao Fan's desire for death wasn't born of despair at being betrayed by his disciples but from a sense of fulfillment after completing everything he set out to do.
Realizing this, Xuanwei clenched her teeth, her fingers turning white from the strain, as a deep, indescribable pain surged in her heart.
Her feelings for Xiao Fan were not those of a traditional master-disciple relationship or romantic love, but something more profound—a bond that allowed her to be her true self, free and unrestrained. To her, Xiao Fan was the most important and cherished person in the world.
In truth, Leng Ruoxue, Huo Ling'er, and the others were also gradually coming to the same realization, though they refused to accept it. They clung to the belief that there must be a way to save Xiao Fan. But their trembling hands and increasingly pale faces betrayed the fear growing within them.
The onlookers outside the Primal Emperor City were not entirely oblivious either, but none dared to voice their thoughts. After all, with the Empresses so intent on saving Xiao Fan, anyone who suggested he was beyond saving would be courting death.
Thus, a heavy silence fell over the surroundings, broken only by the cold, gleeful laughter of the Empress of the Jade Pool.
"Perfect! Xiao Fan, if my husband and I can't be together, then your sacrifice won't be in vain!" she sneered inwardly.
**Within the Haotian Mirror.**
Xiao Fan showed no change in expression upon hearing the Immortal Emperor's words. He didn't ask how to become the singularity. Instead, he slowly walked towards the stone gate. As he drew closer, more truths began to dawn on him, including many things even the Immortal Emperor was unaware of.
This stone gate was better described as the Gate of Heavenly Origin, and it was within the chaotic world beyond this gate that the Haotian Mirror had forged the laws of the current world. The summoning he felt was actually a directive from the Haotian Mirror itself, akin to a master guiding a disciple.
Stepping through the stone gate would signify the official start of the transition from the old to the new epoch. Information began to flow into him as he approached.
The Immortal Emperor, watching silently, did not interfere. It was clear that Xiao Fan now understood what needed to be done.
As Xiao Fan stepped through the stone gate, the body created by Xuanwei was instantly engulfed by darkness, leaving only his consciousness intact.
Once Xiao Fan vanished into the chaotic darkness beyond the gate, the Immortal Emperor sighed heavily before leaving the forbidden grounds. In his final days, he wished only to be by his daughter's side.
Within the Gate of Heavenly Origin, Xiao Fan's consciousness was now in tune with the laws of the world. This was a form of inheritance. Normally, after receiving this inheritance, he would be expected to create the laws of the new world upon its birth.
But it was evident that Xiao Fan had other plans. He intended to channel the energy accumulated from the Immortal Realm's destruction into the lower realms, merging the potential of a new world into the old one. However, since only one creator of heavenly laws could exist in a world without causing chaos, Xiao Fan would have to merge with the Haotian Mirror.
Truthfully, he didn't know what merging with the Haotian Mirror would entail. Perhaps only when the new world was born would he find out. But no matter what the outcome, he had no regrets.
Time passed, though it was unclear how much. The Immortal Realm was now completely decayed, shrouded in deathly stillness.
When Xiao Fan's consciousness emerged from the Gate of Heavenly Origin, the darkness within it began to spread, consuming everything in the Immortal Realm.
As he watched everything around him being swallowed by darkness, Xiao Fan's consciousness felt heavy. Though he had now fully grasped the laws of this world, as the Immortal Emperor had said before, once the end began, it could not be stopped.
With this in mind, Xiao Fan hurried towards Xuanwei's mountain.
Xuanwei stared blankly at the encroaching darkness, watching as everything around her was devoured, unable to escape. It wasn't until she seemed to sense a familiar presence within the darkness that her eyes widened in shock.
"How could it be... Xiao Fan...?"
Before she could process it, Xuanwei lost consciousness. The Immortal Emperor appeared beside her, enveloping her in his immortal essence and placing numerous protective seals around her.
Xiao Fan's consciousness materialized near them.
Though Xiao Fan existed only as a consciousness, the Immortal Emperor, having once controlled the Haotian Mirror, could still perceive him.
"Xiao Fan, the barrier between the Immortal Realm and the lower realms is at its weakest. Soon, I will open a breach with all my strength and send Xuanwei to the lower realms."
He looked at Xiao Fan with deep resolve.
"I'll leave the rest to you!"
---
**Author's Note:** I've been in a bit of a slump these past few days, struggling with this transitional part of the story. I'm aware it might be dragging a bit, but it's setting up the main plot, so please bear with me.
Also, there have been some personal issues at home, so updates have been rushed. What was supposed to be a happy Dragon Boat Festival took a turn when my grandmother fell two days ago. At first, she seemed fine and refused to go to the hospital, as many elderly people do. But yesterday, she suddenly collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Thankfully, she's stabilized now, and the CT scan of her brain showed no serious issues. But at 90 years old, even a seemingly minor fall can have serious consequences, so we're not sure what the future holds.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8