"Brother, is this still Earth?" Zhao Ziyan asked in stunned disbelief.
"The world has changed, the myriad realms have merged. This Earth is no longer the same Earth we knew. It can't even be called Earth anymore. This is a new world, the beginning of a new era," Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, the shock in his eyes still not entirely faded.
Even though he had glimpsed fragments from the Wordless Heavenly Tome, he never imagined the transformation would be so vast—earth-shattering changes that completely overturned everything. The old modern civilization, in the face of this world-altering shift, was like dust—obliterated and buried in the river of time. It could no longer stir up any waves. The only remnants were the survivors before his eyes.
The only remnants were those survivors suspended in the void.
If even these survivors perished, then not a trace of modern civilization would remain.
"Plans can't keep up with change. All the preparations made before the catastrophe are useless now. The supplies at the base are finished. Even if they weren't destroyed, I couldn't find the base even if I tried. As expected, nothing in this world is absolute. Even well-laid plans can amount to nothing."
Yi Tianxing murmured.
He once thought that even if a catastrophe occurred, Earth would merely descend into a post-apocalyptic era, in which his preparations—his stockpiled supplies and underground base—would become his biggest advantage, the cornerstone of his rise to power. But now, all of it had turned to nothing.
This is the uncertainty of the heavenly will.
The world does not revolve around any one person. Effort does not always guarantee reward.
"The size of the Earth is now immeasurable. This is a new world, filled with beings from countless fantasy realms. I fear the world will become unbelievably complex. The future... is unpredictable. No one knows what might happen," Li Zhilin added, equally stunned. Moments ago, he had felt confident in his intelligence—sure he could aid Yi Tianxing in establishing a power base in a chaotic world.
Now, that confidence had been crushed.
He had seen records of legendary strategists in some stellar worlds, men whose plans decided the outcomes of wars, who toppled dynasties with a single scheme. Compared to such monstrous talents, even Li Zhilin didn't dare claim superiority.
RUMBLE!!
The scene of star worlds descending continued endlessly. No one could feel the passage of time. Everyone's gaze was glued to the transforming heavens and earth. The concentration of Heaven and Earth energy was steadily rising, though unevenly. Some places had thin Qi, others were thick with it. In some areas, Heaven and Earth spiritual veins were even emerging.
Massive star realms fused into the Earth. Immortal mountains with sects and palaces appeared, surrounded by divine beasts and clouds—a true immortal paradise.
Phenomena beyond counting unfolded before them.
As more and more worlds merged, the world expanded endlessly. The sky grew ever larger, encompassing even stars from the outer universe, integrating them into Earth's own celestial canopy.
The sun and moon transformed—growing massive and filled with divine power. Suns and moons from various realms merged naturally. On the sun, one could see the Fusang Divine Tree, home to the Golden Crows. On the moon, the Moon Palace Laurel Tree bloomed, its scent drifting across the air.
The Big Dipper and the Zhou Tian stars studded the new firmament, forming a radiant night sky.
All old solar systems were absorbed, becoming part of the new heavens. However, the celestial layer known as the Sky Thunder Barrier prevented anyone from reaching the stars above.
No one knew how long it took, but the fantasy worlds fully integrated. The Myriad Realms became One.
The size of this world was beyond calculation, unimaginably vast. Endless oceans surrounded island-shaped continents scattered across the world.
"Heaven and Earth have evolved. Fantasy becomes reality. The Myriad Realms unite. A new era begins: the Eternal Era. This world shall be called the Eternal World."
Just as the fusion concluded, a nameless divine voice echoed across the void, resonating through the entire world.
"The old world ends, a new epoch begins. Survivors of the old world who cross into the new era shall be the Heaven's Favored."
This Heavenly proclamation now targeted the survivors from the old Earth.
"Heaven's Favored? What's that?"
Some survivors voiced their confusion.
"Survivors, Heaven's Favored—those blessed by the heavens, carriers of great fortune and fate. This is a form of compensation from Heaven and Earth. To survive such cataclysms, one must have incredible luck. Each survivor carries great destiny. That is what Heaven's Favored means," Yi Tianxing said, eyes flashing with excitement.
This was the true reward. Becoming Heaven's Favored meant possessing great fortune. With strong fate, even the deadliest crisis might offer a sliver of hope—a chance to reverse fate.
The importance of fortune was beyond measure.
To be one of Heaven's Favored was the gift of Heaven to the survivors of the old world—a foundation to survive and thrive in this new one. Otherwise, many would perish immediately upon entry.
As the voice faded, Yi Tianxing instinctively felt something new arise within him.
His body recovered; the earlier stasis was undone, and he could move again. But an unseen force pulled him down toward the ground.
Gravity had returned.
"Ah! My body is falling! If I crash at this speed, I'll be pulp!" a survivor screamed.
"I'm afraid of heights!" another wailed.
"Brother!!" Zhao Ziyan cried out.
Yi Tianxing stayed calm. A rope appeared in his hand with a flash of light. He threw it toward Zhao Ziyan and shouted, "Grab the rope! Don't let go! We're definitely falling back to the ground, but the world's will won't let us die like this. Hold on, and we'll land safely!"
"Zitong, Xuerou, Zhilin—grab the rope too! In a world like this, we must stick together to survive. If we're separated, anything could happen!"
Even as Heaven's Favored, blessed with fortune, Yi Tianxing wasn't about to gamble with their lives. There was always the risk of an accident.
"Got it!!"
Tang Zitong and the others all grabbed the rope, binding themselves together as they fell.
High above, even survivors who had been close were rapidly drifting apart. The chance of separation was dangerously high. No one knew where they might land.
In the Eternal World, there were no maps. All former knowledge was obsolete.
If they were separated now, they might never reunite. If anything happened—especially to Zhao Ziyan—it would be an eternal regret.
"Heaven's Favored!!"
As survivors continued to fall, a strange voice echoed once more from the void.
Suddenly, a golden Buddha hand appeared in midair, grabbing several survivors and vanishing instantly.
That single motion seemed to spark a chain reaction.
In hidden immortal mountains and caves, divine lights exploded.
A massive hand snatched a survivor.
A pillar of sword light swept others away.
Survivors screamed in terror.
Even Yi Tianxing's heart pounded. "They're snatching people!"
SWOOSH!
Just then, a white jade-like hand appeared in front of him—reaching for his group.
It blocked out the sky like a veil.
But a divine light shot out and shattered the jade hand—trying to grab them instead.
Then a sword light slashed in.
Three forces clashed, but as if following a secret pact, they avoided true conflict—each seizing one of the girls: Zhao Ziyan, Tang Zitong, and Chen Xuerou.
The rope snapped instantly.
"NO!!"
Yi Tianxing screamed, heart shattered, trying to intervene—but he was far too late. The great hands and sword lights vanished as swiftly as they appeared.
Countless survivors were snatched away in a blink.
Suddenly, another massive hand lunged at Yi Tianxing.
This time, even space itself seemed to freeze.
"With the birth of the Eternal World, the Immortal Mountains shall be sealed. Above the Dharma Form Realm, no being may act. Those who disobey shall face Heaven's Judgment. The Chains of Heaven—Seal!!"
A heavenly decree echoed again, this time laced with divine wrath—sweeping through the skies with irresistible might.