Chapter 55

Chapter 55

In the center of the Celestial Dome:

"Yaoguang?" Long Jianlu's voice echoed from within the radiance.

As Yaoguang reached out to touch the glow, that familiar voice resounded once more after a long absence.

"Is it you?" Long Jianlu continued, "You've finally come. I've been waiting for you a long time."

Tears welled up uncontrollably in Yaoguang's eyes as the light enveloped him gently.

Moving toward him within the warm glow, Long Jianlu held a crystal pulsating with blue light in his hand. He wore a tailored scholar's robe with black trousers, adorned with shimmering patterns of constellations on the garment and an enigmatic rune, "Light," embroidered on its lapel.

His appearance remained unchanged, with a slender braid woven at the temples and a golden crown, symbolic of the University's scholars, adorning his head.

"Are you looking for this?" Long Jianlu said softly, "Losing it has made you uneasy? Trust me, you'll regain it soon. You'll be returning to your realm right away. Don't worry."

"No, no," Yaoguang replied promptly. "Maybe I don't need this crystal anymore. If it hadn't fallen into Shan Rong's hands, I wouldn't have even wanted to search for it."

"This is a very important device," Long Jianlu said as he sat down beside Yaoguang. "In my final moments, I left this message, hoping it would be of assistance to you."

Long Jianlu didn't respond to Yaoguang's words, nor could they communicate. He was merely a pre-recorded holographic projection.

Staring blankly at his actions, Yaoguang watched as Long Jianlu reached out and said, "At first, I was curious about where you got it from. Perhaps it happened in your plane of existence. Was there any special meaning behind the Origin Crystal choosing you? Or perhaps everything is meaningless, just like the birth of our world, which occurred simply because of a single thought? In the same way, your existence to yourself?"

Muttering to himself, Yaoguang asked, "What exactly is this?"

Long Jianlu: "…It comes from a realm higher than the one you're in, an existence that's two levels above. First, let me explain the concept of planes of existence born vertically."

With that said, Long Jianlu stood up and walked under the celestial sphere. Yaoguang followed him and stood before him.

"First, I want you to understand the concept of parallel universes." Long Jianlu snapped his fingers, and countless scenes appeared around them. Among these scenes were versions of Yaoguang living different lives in reality.

"Yes," Yaoguang said, his gaze returning to Long Jianlu.

"There's a theory that the choices we make in the present world give birth to countless parallel universes, which are infinite possibilities."

"So this is a parallel universe?" Yaoguang asked, puzzled. "What choice did I make to end up in a space-age world?"

"Using this as an analogy, I only want to illustrate the complexity and diversity of time and space. Just like the existence of 'parallel universes,' we need to introduce the concept of 'temporal dimensions.'"

Long Jianlu spoke calmly, as if lecturing to students. With a snap of his fingers, an image appeared in the sky above them, showing Yaoguang typing away at his desk through the night in the real world.

"This is my world!" Yaoguang exclaimed in shock. "How do you have this image?"

Long Jianlu merely looked up at the scene and said, "This is your life, recorded within the Origin Crystal."

Immediately after, the real world transformed, branching into four temporal dimensions—a dystopian world where the "Tree" resided, a cultivation world, an alternate ancient era, and the starry world they were currently in.

Among these, the starry world shimmered with light.

"Our coordinates lie here," Long Jianlu explained.

Yaoguang began to grasp the concept. Long Jianlu continued, "You created the plane we're in, so where we are now is a lower plane in your plane. And above your plane..."

With a gesture from Long Jianlu, the scene of Yaoguang's writer identity was then adorned with countless vague images of higher planes stretching to the horizon.

Yaoguang: "!!!"

Long Jianlu: "Isn't it fascinating? I bet you're wondering now how your plane was created. Let's backtrack to when you crafted this place. You're a creator, right? In your world, you became a writer... So, we can deduce that the plane you inhabit..."

Yaoguang's voice trembled. "Is also a book?"

"Exactly," Long Jianlu explained. "It was created by a higher existence. However, there are many ways to create, not just through storytelling. It could be an experiment, a performance, or even something beyond our comprehension. For example, a daydream, which is a thought conjured in one's mind, or a drama played out on an electronic medium or a 2D animation."

"In fact, at every moment in every world, someone is creating a lower-level plane. Many planes often originate from a single idea, like a bubble appearing out of nowhere and evolving on its own. This process is known as 'Vacuum Fluctuation.'"

Long Jianlu chuckled and turned around. "Let me give you an example. There are many life forms in this world, and this is an ordinary human from Earth."

With a snap of his fingers, a young man with average build appeared.

"He has a crush," Long Jianlu continued, "but he lacks the courage to confess. One day, while at school, he starts daydreaming about a date with her. The instant that thought arises, a lower-level plane is born."

"Ah?" Yaoguang responded instinctively.

But Long Jianlu couldn't hear him. He merely said, "You might now connect the dots and realize that there are many directors, playwrights, painters, and even musicians who function as 'creators.' However, countless ordinary people are also constantly creating. Trillions upon trillions of worlds rise and evolve within their minds..."

As Long Jianlu taught, the scenes suspended in the air transformed and branched out vertically, shrinking like interconnected stars in an endless expanse.

"This is the birth of a vertical plane," Long Jianlu explained. "But most planes are highly unstable. They emerge and vanish through fluctuations, a process known as 'collapsing.'"

In an instant, all the symbolic scenes vanished, and the sky returned to the reality where Yaoguang resided, along with the four branching worlds he had created beneath it.

"Some unique planes, however, can solidify," Long Jianlu continued. "They are recorded, like your stories."

"In recording it," Yaoguang murmured, "you give it an ending!"

"Of the three worlds you've created," Long Jianlu said, "one remains unconsolidated."

"I didn't write it down!" Yaoguang whispered. "After returning to the real world last time, I didn't turn the previous world into a book, giving it an ending."

"An unconsolidated world is very unstable," Long Jianlu added, "and it can have numerous effects. One concrete example is that it allowed me to retain my memories as an emperor."

"After all that," Long Jianlu mused, "let's talk about the Origin Crystal."

He raised his hand, and the Origin Crystal ascended, its form undergoing a strange transformation. The crystal structure inside was magnified, breaking down into individual facets that shimmered like glittering fragments, refracting light.

"The Origin Crystal originates from a plane higher than where you reside," Long Jianlu explained. "Perhaps it arrived in your world through an experiment or a creative endeavor."

"Could it be the creator of our world?" Yaoguang speculated.

Long Jianlu replied, "The information it contains is immense, far beyond what our current technology can fully decipher. If you so wish, after retrieving it, perhaps you could create a corresponding lower plane where technology has surpassed our wildest imaginings. That way, you might access the vast knowledge locked within..."

"However, that's not the most crucial point," Long Jianlu continued earnestly. "After the incident with the Star Gate explosion, I infiltrated Shan Rong's domain, 'Pillar of Creation,' and stole it."

"The Origin Crystal was in my possession for two hundred years. During that time, I was able to discern its preliminary functions."

"Its first function, naturally, is to carry its creator into the lower planes they've designated for observation and adjustment of that plane's laws," Long Jianlu explained. "So I speculate that it was created by a civilization surpassing our technological level, initially serving as a tool for research."

"But the second function is its most significant one."

Long Jianlu recalled all the crystals back into the crystal: "Under certain conditions, it can grant 'immortality' to the plane."

"What's that?" Yaoguang asked.

Long Jianlu responded, "You're aware that the birth and demise of longitudinal planes are highly unstable. Perhaps, this is a protective mechanism of the universe itself, not allowing too many planes to come into existence without reason. All planes, even those reinforced by creators, face eventual extinction."

"…The book you pen might be lost in the dust of history, unread and forgotten. The film you shoot could vanish with decaying film and the passing of its creator. When the last person to have read it or watched it dies, the reinforced Lower Plane loses its final observer and all possibilities of future observation collapse, causing it to disappear instantaneously."

"Of course, the birth and demise of longitudinal planes are as common as life and death for mortals," Long Jianlu remarked. "There's no need to mourn too deeply over this. However, the creator of the Primal Crystal has left us a glimmer of hope. Certain planes that meet specific requirements will be exempt from this rule, ultimately achieving 'immortality'."

Yaoguang: "…"

Indeed, Yaoguang had once been curious about the origins and function of the Primal Crystal. But Long Jianlu's explanation exceeded his comprehension, leaving him feeling dizzy.

"I need to process this," Yaoguang said. "I'm struggling to follow the latter part."

Long Jianlu: "In simpler terms, the Primal Crystal makes you the game master of your world, allowing you to modify your setting at will. And after the story concludes, it ensures your creation's eternal existence. Does that sound like an experiment? Through the experiment, you gather data, and after it ends, you preserve the sample, allowing it to evolve on its own."

"…So I'd guess its initial purpose was for research purposes."

After that, they fell into a long silence, both Yaoguang and Long Jianlu gazing at the crystal suspended in the air.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Long Jianlu broke the quiet.

Despite knowing this wasn't the real Long Jianlu, Yaoguang still acknowledged with an "mm-hmm," subconsciously studying his profile.

"The Origin Crystal is an almost flawless creation," Long Jianlu said. "Even in our plane, we cannot grasp all its knowledge. It chronicles the tales of numerous longitudinal planes and deems them eternal. Yet, in my studies, I discovered another piece of information that might be crucial to you."

"I… I'm not sure if you can even receive this message," Long Jianlu mused. "I didn't know if you'd ever appear, where the Star Gate sent you. Were you wandering alone at the edge of the universe? I'm sorry, Yaoguang… I failed to find you, and I…"

Yaoguang: "The one who should apologize is me, Long Jianlu…"

In that brief moment, the wise glint in Long Jianlu's eyes was replaced with confusion.

"I remember you, I've always remembered you," Long Jianlu whispered. "Time may have blurred the memories of our time together, but I believe our happiness outweighed our suffering. Look, I still kept this token at the Academy…"

He showed Yaoguang the embroidered star crystal on his robe that read 'Light.'

"I see it," Yaoguang's voice trembled. "Yes, we were happy together."

But just as quickly, Long Jianlu's emotions returned to their previous state.

"I must warn you," Long Jianlu continued, "if you're seeing this message someday, it means Shan Rong will start searching for you. You thought he was a character you created, didn't you?"

Yaoguang, still grappling with sorrow, looked blankly at Long Jianlu's ethereal figure.

"Perhaps this fact will astonish you," Long Jianlu said, "So listen carefully now."

"The Primordial Crystal, by its initial design, has a restriction for two operators; I'm unsure if there are other components, but at least in this device, it requires two individuals to jointly observe and calibrate the Lower Planes. The primary operator is known as the 'Observer,' while the secondary is called the 'Corrector.' The 'Observation' role entails maintaining the crystal's operation and utilizing its various functions, whereas the 'Correction' role is responsible for adjusting the crystal's parameters and rectifying any unforeseen circumstances."

"In the analysis of the first three worlds, I discovered your identity as the Corrector..."

Just then, the ground beneath them shook violently.

Yaoguang nearly lost his balance and almost fell. He quickly grabbed onto anything he could for support.

"Long Xiao!" Yaoguang cried out. "What's happening?!"

No one in the Celestial Dome responded. The Academy City was crumbling under the relentless bombardment of the Void Army. Long Jianlu soared above the vast sea, his demonic wings spread behind him. His windbreaker was in tatters, but the power of the Immortal World swirled around him, transforming into the garb of a scholar.

Long Jianlu flickered repeatedly before assuming the form of a grand scholar. With both hands pressed together in front of him, his short hair danced in the air. In the sky, starships pierced through the atmosphere, their particle cannons primed and ready to fire upon the land.

Tens of thousands of light pillars shot towards the planet, shaking the heavens and stirring the oceans. Steam rose into the sky as an eerie glow enveloped Long Jianlu, as if he were preparing for a grand ceremony.

From his vicinity, countless lightning bolts shot out in all directions. The seawater began to ionize, releasing hydrogen gas. Under the immense energy, nuclear fusion ignited.

The fusion of hydrogen instantly formed a blinding sphere of light, further tearing apart the space. The entire planet seemed to be shredded in a tempest, as warped hyperdimensional space unfolded like an enormous curtain!

Starships began their retreat. Shan Rong, clad in a silver mask, shot towards the center of the battlefield like a meteor!

"Already in the Interstellar Age..." Long Jianlu opened his eyes and said solemnly, "And we're still resorting to one-on-one duels."

A burst of light erupted, distorting the space. Nearly a third of the planet's surface was torn apart, and the nuclear fusion triggered a chain reaction of explosions!

Flashes illuminated all around. In the distance, the largest starship activated its planetary cannon, firing a howling blast towards them!

As the Academy City crumbled and fell, Long Jianlu, after unleashing that earth-shattering move, resolutely turned away from Shan Rong. He transformed into a beam of light, shooting towards the top of the city!

In the expanse of the heavens, the towers of the Academy City toppled and plunged into the sea. Yaoguang stretched out his hand, trying to steady himself amidst the weightlessness, but everything floated away.

"Long Jianlu!" He instinctively reached for the holographic projection, as if life itself held no significance compared to the hope that their reunion wouldn't be so fleeting.

Immediately, the surrounding stars vanished, leaving behind an infinite sea of flashes. It was the power of the chain reaction from the fusion process.

Yaoguang plummeted into the abyss, reaching out towards the sky. Alongside him, Long Jianlu's holographic projection fell too, and in the next instant, it seemed to materialize into reality.

Time seemed to slow, and the holographic projection shifted, depicting a great knight in a trench coat flying towards him, outstretched hand reaching forth.

"Yaoguang!" Long Jianlu's voice boomed.

His fedora was swept away by the tempestuous wind, only to see him transform in the next instant into a devilish figure cloaked in black, robes billowing.

"Long Jianlu?" Yaoguang stared at him, dumbfounded.

As they plummeted through the sky, a massive gravitational vortex emerged on the ocean surface after the scholastic city's collapse.

Then, armor materialized, shimmering with golden light. All sound faded as Long Jianlu, clad in an indigo scholar's robe with his short hair whipping about, drew closer to Yaoguang.

Their fingers brushed, and Yaoguang felt that gentle touch.

Before he could ponder further, he was pulled into Long Jianlu's embrace, held tightly against the other's chest!

"Yaoguang," Long Jianlu whispered.

"Is it really you?" Yaoguang murmured, still in disbelief.

In that instant of being embraced, the sensation was incredibly real and familiar. The void shattered before him, replaced by the howling snow and tempest at the entrance of the Holy Hall, the vast sky above the ten thousand miles of the Immortal Realm, stretching across the northern lands, and the river that separated life from death...

Long Jianlu's voice rumbled deeply, "I've waited for you for four thousand years, my wife."

Yaoguang wept, hugging Long Jianlu's neck tightly.

Time returned to its normal flow. Shan Rong shot forward swiftly, his pendant floating before him, shimmering with light. Just as he reached the gravitational vortex, Long Jianlu lifted his head and made a casual farewell gesture.

With a loud "Boom," both of them were simultaneously sucked into the hyper-dimensional gravitational vortex. Shan Rong pulled up sharply, then turned, hurtling back towards the spaceship.

Ten seconds later, the Arrow of Destiny collapsed, detonating instantly. It produced a radiant flash that spread through space.