A Collapsing World

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“So close,” Fan Qiuming muttered as he sat cross-legged in the Hall of Radiant Mysteries, voraciously absorbing the spiritual energy that filled the heavens and earth, striving to break through to a higher realm.

He had lingered at the pinnacle of the Xuanxiao Continent for too long. Now, he intended to shatter the shackles of the human race, to pioneer a new realm and ascend once more to the summit!

Spiritual energy surged through Fan Qiuming’s body, transforming into spiritual power.

“Just a little more,” he gritted his teeth, a mix of anxiety and excitement flickering in his eyes. He was on the verge of breaking the highest barrier of humanity, about to reach an unprecedented height. Who could not be excited? Who would not feel anxious?

Suddenly, a surge of spiritual power broke free from his control, rampaging through his body and disrupting all his internal energies. That surge of power inadvertently touched upon an old hidden injury, causing him to lose all command over his spiritual force.

The spiritual power, vast enough to fill the world, burst out of his body—he seemed to have exploded!

This breakthrough had ended in utter failure. Worse, the explosion, centered on him, sent shockwaves across the entire continent, injuring its very foundation. Countless living beings perished in the catastrophe.

After the blast, Fan Qiuming dragged his battered body out from the ruins of the Hall of Radiant Mysteries and gazed down upon the continent. The entire Xuanxiao Continent trembled, splitting apart, its spiritual energy rapidly dissipating—soon, scarcely a tenth would remain.

“To think a single breakthrough attempt would unravel the world.” Fan Qiuming wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a trace of guilt in his heart. “It seems this continent won’t last much longer. Damn it, I need to find a way to restore it.”

In the distance, ten shooting stars streaked toward the Hall of Radiant Mysteries, landing beside him. These were his ten celestial artifacts and their spirit guardians.

One among them, a handsome man in white sword robes, with sharp brows and star-bright eyes—the Sword Spirit of the Demon-Slaying Sword, named Hua Qing—stepped forward to support him. “Swordmaster, what has happened? We sensed a great disturbance and came at once.”

“The breakthrough failed. My spiritual power went out of control and I nearly blew myself apart. I’m barely alive, but the continent may not be so fortunate. The explosion wounded its very core. The entire land has begun to collapse.” Fan Qiuming sighed. “This may be the greatest calamity in the history of the Xuanxiao Continent.”

The other artifact spirits were shocked. To have blown up the entire continent and yet survived—Fan Qiuming’s strength was beyond anything they had ever imagined.

They had always known he was strong, but never to what extent. Now, after witnessing this explosion, they finally understood.

“Do any of you have a way to preserve the continent?” Fan Qiuming turned to the other artifact spirits. “I must atone for the mistake I’ve made. Even if it costs me my life, I’m willing to pay the price.”

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Yet all the artifact spirits exchanged helpless glances, none of them knowing what to do. Clearly, this calamity would not be so easily weathered.

“There may be a way, but there’s a high chance it will fail. Will you attempt it, Swordmaster?” Hua Qing spoke.

“Tell me. We have to try.”

“To merge this world with another,” Hua Qing replied solemnly. “There are countless worlds like ours in the void. What we must do is find one that is on the brink of extinction but whose core remains intact, and fuse it with our own.”

At Hua Qing’s words, all fell silent. No one had ever attempted to merge worlds, but that did not mean it was impossible. If successful, they would indirectly save both worlds. If they failed, both would be hastened to destruction.

Fan Qiuming pondered for a moment. “There’s no other option. Though it’s dangerous, it’s worth a try. Go—stabilize the rate of this world’s collapse. Leave the fusion to me. Don’t worry, I can bear it!”

“As you command!” The celestial artifacts turned into beams of light and shot out in all directions, scattering across the land.

Before long, the rate of the continent’s collapse slowed. Seeing the time was right, Fan Qiuming ignored his shattered body, stood up, and summoned what spiritual power remained within him. With a sweep of his right hand, he tore open the fabric of space.

On the other side of the spatial rift was a world much like his own. As the tear widened, the full expanse of the other world became visible.

It was a world devoid of spiritual energy and vitality, yet its core remained unscathed.

Countless surviving creatures looked up at the sky. To their eyes, the shattering of space looked like a vast mirror opening in the heavens, reflecting their own world—except, in that mirror, the world was whole and unbroken.

Fan Qiuming gathered his power, drawing the world within the rift closer, urging the two worlds together.

Below, the living beings watched the ever-expanding world in the sky, convinced the apocalypse had come—the earlier explosion was merely a warning. Some chose to flee, some rebelled, some faced it with acceptance, others gave in to despair.

The entire continent was thrown into chaos.

Gritting his teeth, Fan Qiuming raised his left arm—now missing its hand—and surged with spiritual energy, accelerating the worlds’ convergence.

“I cannot afford another mistake. Come—merge!”

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The two worlds drew closer and closer, on the brink of collision.

At the instant they touched, a pale blue light flared in Fan Qiuming’s right eye, and a mighty force of spatial power enveloped both worlds.

Where the two worlds connected, a beam of white light shot forth, and the worlds began to merge at a furious pace. The core of the Xuanxiao Continent fused with that of the new world. In an instant, the collapse ceased and signs of restoration appeared.

Fan Qiuming withdrew his power from the rift, and the broken space gradually began to heal itself.

His task complete, Fan Qiuming collapsed, legs giving way as he sat before the hall’s ruined gates, his gaze hollow as he watched his body slowly dissipate, his consciousness fading.

“So this is the price. No matter—perhaps this is all I can do for this world in the end.”

“Farewell, Xuanxiao Continent!”

Though regret lingered in his heart, he had no other choice.

“If only I had another chance to begin again!”

He clenched his right fist and raised it above his head, but soon faded away.

As the last motes of light vanished, Fan Qiuming was gone, as if he had never existed, and the world continued on as if nothing had happened—everything proceeding in its ordained course.

But unknown to all, in the Hall of Radiant Mysteries, spiritual energy surged. A statue of Fan Qiuming silently took shape under the influence of the spiritual power. Its gaze was identical to his—vast and profound, as if it could encompass the whole world within its sight.