I opened my eyes, finding myself suspended in the vastness of space. The distant planets and bright, twinkling stars surrounded me, a breathtaking and surreal sight. It was as if I were drifting in a dream, the universe itself unfolding before me.
I blinked, and suddenly, everything shifted. The planets I had just seen were gone, replaced by others—different shapes, different colors, and in entirely different positions. The stars, too, had rearranged themselves, forming unfamiliar constellations. The very fabric of the cosmos seemed to be in constant flux, shifting with each heartbeat.
After each blink of my eyes, the scenery around me shifted in an instant. One moment, I was surrounded by the tranquil beauty of distant planets and stars; the next, I was staring into the swirling abyss of a black hole, its gravitational pull distorting the very fabric of space.
I blinked again, and the black hole was replaced by the violent explosion of a supernova. The brilliant, blinding light consumed everything, a celestial event of unimaginable power and beauty. The force of the explosion seemed to echo through my entire being, as if the universe itself was speaking to me through these cosmic phenomena.
Another blink, and I was witnessing the birth of a star, its radiant energy illuminating the darkness around it. The star pulsed with life, a symbol of creation and renewal in the endless void.
Each scene was more awe-inspiring than the last—a cosmic ballet of destruction and creation, chaos and order. I felt as though I were being shown the very secrets of the universe, a glimpse into the infinite cycles that governed existence.
But what did it all mean? Why was I seeing these things? Was this some kind of vision, a message from the voice that had spoken to me? Or was it something deeper, something that connected me to the very essence of the universe?
As the scenes continued to change with each blink, I realized that the universe was vast, mysterious, and ever-changing. And I was not even a speck of dust in the vastness of the universe.
After witnessing countless breathtaking spectacles, I found myself standing in a serene garden, vibrant with countless beautiful flowers of every hue. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of blooms, and the atmosphere was calm, almost surreal. My eyes were drawn to a lady sitting elegantly under the shade of an umbrella.
She had the most radiant white hair, cascading down her back like a waterfall of snow. Her attire was as immaculate as her hair: a white ball gown that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, a delicate white hat perched on her head, and a white fan held gracefully in her gloved hand. The whole scene was bathed in a soft, golden light, adding to the ethereal quality of the moment.
"Care to join?" she asked in a melodic voice that seemed to harmonize with the gentle rustling of the leaves.
There was something undeniably otherworldly about her, and I knew at once that she was no ordinary woman. That was the only thought in my head as I made my way toward the empty chair opposite her.
"It's good that you are being cautious," she said with a sweet smile, her eyes twinkling with a knowing look. "But you don't need to be concerned, as I only want what's best for you."
The realization hit me: she could read my thoughts. I sat down, still wary but unable to ignore the sense of calm that her presence seemed to exude. She poured me a cup of tea, the steam curling up in delicate tendrils as she handed it to me.
"Do you know why I showed you everything just now?" she asked, her voice gentle yet filled with purpose.
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The cosmic scenes I had witnessed were beyond my comprehension, yet they felt deeply significant.
"To show me the vastness of the universe? To remind me how utterly insignificant I am?" I ventured, trying to piece together the meaning of it all.
She chuckled softly, her laughter like the chime of distant bells. "In a way, yes. But there's more to it than that. I want you to realize there is more to life than simply having a family and being content with it. Of course, there is nothing wrong with living a simple life, but you can be destroyed in the blink of an eye, just like what happened inside the dungeon."
Her words resonated within me, speaking to a deeper truth I had yet to fully understand.
"So you're the reason I died in that dungeon," I said. "There's no way anyone could clear a dungeon that difficult, no matter who they are. Killing thousands of those monsters as a mortal? That's straight-up suicide."
"That's not entirely true, but I must confess that you were destined to fail there. However, I was also the one who separated you from that assassin when he took you inside the portal," she said with a calm look on her face. "I sent you to a place I created where your powers would be sealed. You need to realize how meaningless cultivation and the magic you use are. The moment they are sealed, you become nothing."
She paused for a moment and continued, "But if you had control over concepts, nothing could seal it—not even me." I was paying attention to everything she was saying. "The world as you know and cherish will be destroyed because our 'enemies' are strong, and we need you to become as strong as 'we' are. That is also the reason why I reincarnated you and gave you a second chance."
"Wait, you reincarnated me?" I asked, even though I had my speculations.
"Yes," she said matter-of-factly.
I let her words sink in for some time and asked, "Why? Why me? I don't think you would bother reincarnating just anyone."
"Why? Because you were born with the blessing of the universe," she said. "Not everyone can learn to control concepts; they need to have the blessing, which no one can create."