Chapter Seventy-Six: A New World

"Lan Meng's dreams have been utterly shattered."

Standing on the deck, gazing at the slowly sinking Easter Island in the distance, Bai Ci’nan suddenly felt as if a part of his heart was hollowed out, an emptiness lingering within him.

It wasn't that he was reluctant to leave—just a feeling, a sense of loss that something he was meant to accomplish had been done by another.

A sense of wistful longing.

Hmph! Since when have I become so sentimental?

Bai Ci’nan shook his head, dispelling those trivial emotions and contemplating the future. Now that Lan Meng was dead, the greatest shackle binding him had vanished. His master, after years of cultivating himself, no longer sought dominion over the world.

The Saint King of the Bright Moon possessed formidable strength and could threaten him if he risked everything, but so long as Bai Ci’nan didn't cross the line or engage in mass slaughter for amusement, that sentimental fellow would not act against him.

The only uncertainty was his junior brother Liu Tian. Yet according to their master, Liu Tian, too, was uninterested in power struggles; as long as their relationship remained cordial, Liu Tian would not become an obstacle.

Thus, with his current might, nothing in this world could stand in his way any longer.

Next, he needed subordinates capable of carrying out his will. If Lan Meng had survived even a moment longer, Bai Ci’nan could have vented his anger and made good use of him. Still, the remnants of Lan Meng's company might prove valuable.

The more he thought, the brighter Bai Ci’nan's eyes became. The blood of ambition surged through his veins, and the phantom tiger shark behind him gradually solidified, filling his heart with a bold, world-conquering spirit.

...

So be it!

Beside him, Tiandao glanced at Bai Ci’nan, not intending to offer any advice.

Unlike himself, who had gradually relinquished his desires for power through self-cultivation, Bai Ci’nan, the strongest practitioner of demonic martial arts and only half a step from the era-defining Secret Martial King, was poised to enjoy a long life. For him, the journey was just beginning.

He’s young—vigorous, brimming with ambition. Isn't it normal to pursue power?

Besides, he had given up, and Tian’er was too lazy to care.

For the martial path of Tianwu, which valued power, intent to kill, and dominance, it still needed a true overlord to fulfill its essence.

Otherwise, Tianwu would truly become nothing more than a tea ceremony.

While the two pondered, Liu Tian, grasping the rhomboid pillar, landed lightly: "Master, Senior Brother, it's over. Lan Meng took poison and committed suicide. In order to retrieve the rhomboid pillar, I couldn’t bring him back."

"As long as you’re safe," Tiandao replied, utterly unconcerned. "What will you do next, Tian’er? Now you are the undisputed supreme in the world. To think that fifteen years ago you were a little rascal clinging to my legs, and now you’ve reached such heights."

"With you and your senior brother, I have no regrets in this life."

"I’ll keep growing stronger." Liu Tian shrugged. For most people, reaching this point meant they could finally rest, enjoy life.

Looking back on his five years in this world, Liu Tian had hardly ever rested. Training, collecting antiques, resolving crises—these three tasks filled every spare moment.

Now, invincible across the globe, Liu Tian, whose power outstripped the world by an entire era, could do as he pleased—but this wasn't what he desired.

"Even supremacy isn’t enough for you?" Tiandao laughed. "Tian’er, do you really intend to realize your boast of being unrivaled under heaven?"

"We’re not even close," Liu Tian replied. "I haven’t truly conquered this planet, let alone achieved invincibility. Still, I do plan to take a brief respite..."

"How about joining me?" Bai Ci’nan invited. "I intend to swallow the entire Dawn Alliance and establish a super empire—if you come, I’ll reserve the highest position for you. You won’t need to do anything, just lend your name to the empire."

"Beauty, power, martial arts—all yours for the taking. No one can stand against us if Master and we join forces."

"I’ll pass," Liu Tian waved his hand dismissively. "I have no interest in attaching my name to any faction. Besides, for the future, we need this thing’s approval, and who knows what’s going to happen next."

He brought the rhomboid pillar from behind to the front; the countdown displayed on it had already run halfway, unnoticed. At that moment, the slower-moving Saint King of the Bright Moon landed lightly on the deck.

"Is this the complete form of Lan Meng’s long-cherished rhomboid pillar?" Bai Ci’nan asked. "What’s with the countdown?"

"Who knows?" Liu Tian replied. "When I confronted Lan Meng, all the rhomboid pillars on the planet converged, merging into one, and then this countdown appeared inside. I have no idea what it means. Surely, the predecessors didn’t go through all this trouble just to give us a clock?"

"I think I know what it is," said the Saint King of the Bright Moon, whose inheritance was more complete and aided by celestial phenomena and enlightenment. "I’ve seen this thing many times in a recurring dream. It floated in midair, radiating white light, while the earth below was in chaos. Within the white light appeared a planet, similar yet different. Coupled with the prophecy about the gate to divinity—perhaps it’s a key to a door..."

"And this countdown is likely the timer to open it."

"A dream? A new world’s gate—so that’s it."

Liu Tian would not dismiss the Saint King’s visions as mere superstition. After all, with transmigration and golden fingers having occurred, nothing could be ruled out as false until proven otherwise.

Moreover, dreams were reflections of reality. As a martial artist, theoretically, one should not have uncontrollable dreams at that stage. The Saint King, a powerful fighter deeply versed in secret martial arts, coupled with his status as a Tianwu practitioner, made his recurring dreams credible as prophecy.

"A brand new world, huh? Then I’ll wait and see—if anyone’s afraid, they can leave now, or I could step aside first."

Liu Tian glanced at the countdown, now less than a hundred seconds. At this point, there was nothing left to ponder—he had walked every path this planet had to offer, and in terms of martial arts alone, he had memorized and mastered over ten thousand tomes thanks to his eidetic abilities.

Though he still had two thousand source points, achieving immortality would likely require even more, despite the abundance surpassing his expectations.

If a whole new world awaited, he would leave at once—his current power was still far from realizing his ideals.

He didn’t seek omniscience or omnipotence—just immortality, perhaps even the ability to distort timelines.

By the standards of the "Wangba" forum, he was at best a local legend; the road ahead remained long.

Perhaps faced with an uncertain future, Liu Tian’s thoughts soared, and for the first time in ages, he recalled his old days of surfing the web and pondering the fate of nations.

...

No one spoke; the four stood quietly on the deck, watching the countdown slip away—

Thirty!

Ten!

Nine!

...

In the blink of an eye, the countdown gently reached zero. Instantly, a burst of white light erupted from the rhomboid pillar. Voices overlapped—men, women, children, youths—countless languages never before heard, yet everyone understood their meaning:

—All things are connected; heaven and earth are one. Man and woman, old and young, you and I, swept along in the torrent of time and light, ultimately merge and become one.

But oh humanity, beasts endowed with wisdom, your stubborn hearts cannot accept others; your souls, holding fast to the self, refuse to merge. Future humanity, we bestow upon you a gift, embracing all your choices...

As the voices echoed, boundless light surged into the body of Liu Tian, who had held the rhomboid pillar the longest and was its sole bearer.

Then, in a warmth as comforting as a mother’s embrace, a voice sounded—audible only to Liu Tian:

Choose, future human.

Will you remain where you are, or merge with us?

Or will you face a new world, gaining a new experience?

This is our gift to the future, the finest present given to the destined at each turn of the cosmic cycle.

Make your decision, make your decision...

??????

A strange sense of warmth swept through every part of his body, completely relaxing him. It nearly compelled him to nod in agreement and merge as one.

But a comparatively cold energy surged from the depths of his soul, as if drenched in icy water at dawn, instantly snapping Liu Tian awake.

[Effort]!

With a thought, Liu Tian summoned the panel, seeing his stored source points rapidly draining away.

Two thousand, one thousand nine hundred, one thousand eight hundred...

No time for regret, Liu Tian forced his eyes open, his overwhelming aura jolting the other three from their reverie. He shouted, "Take care of my old man and the others for me—you guys handle it! I’m heading to the new world, right now!"

With Liu Tian’s decisive declaration, endless white light erupted again, blasting out from the planet, tearing through the cosmos. A single point of white light enveloped a soul and departed this world.

Then, the forty-nine rhomboid pillars shattered once more, burying themselves deep within the planet, awaiting the next turn of the cosmic cycle...