At this moment, in Xuanhuangxing, in an ordinary residential building nestled within the Rose Community, everything seemed calm. The sun was high, the city quiet, and life—at least on the surface—appeared ordinary.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, in the bedroom of this unassuming building, an ancient bronze door appeared out of nowhere. It hovered silently for a moment before creaking open, radiating a soft treasure-like light. And from within, a figure emerged: Xia Chuan.
"Finally… home."
He took a deep breath, feeling the familiar air fill his lungs, a mixture of relief and excitement coursing through him. Just moments ago, he had traveled to a mysterious miniature world—a world that had already changed his life. There, he had acquired not one, but two world props. Gains that, in the right hands, could reshape the very balance of power.
To be honest, he wasn't originally from Xuanhuangxing. Or this world at all. He was, in his first life, just an ordinary human from Earth. Yet now, reborn into this strange new reality, he found it not so alien. The technology level wasn't far from Earth's, and the rules of the world, while slightly altered, were understandable. He adjusted quickly, adapting as humans always did. Fortunately, in this world, he had no attachments, no friends, no family. No one could notice the subtle changes in him, no one to betray his secrets.
"Is this… the world of the ancient gods, where the Master resides?"
The Book of Wisdom's voice broke the silence. For the first time, it had stepped outside its original confines, into this new dimension. Its curiosity was endless, its thirst for knowledge insatiable. It seemed to measure the room, the surroundings, and all the spaces that stretched out far beyond comprehension. The room itself appeared more than a hundred times the combined size of Chen Guo and Tang Guo, a scale that left Xia Chuan's companion both astonished and eager to understand.
"Yes," Xia Chuan nodded, though he didn't mind sharing such information with the Book of Wisdom. They were bound together by destiny and magic—betrayal was impossible.
"But… the world is probably getting more and more dangerous."
Xia Chuan's eyes glimmered with thought. He opened a webpage, and a series of alarming news items cascaded down before him:
A huge sea monster is suspected to have appeared in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. More than a dozen ships have sunk; search and rescue teams are racing against time.
Vampire bats have appeared in the deep mountains, hundreds of farm sheep found completely drained of blood.
Hundreds of ALICE friends have disappeared from Shennongjia, presumed taken by the mountain savages.
A fire raged near Laojun Mountain; armies evacuated tens of thousands of civilians, suspected mass casualties.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Sichuan, devastating dozens of cities and causing tens of thousands of casualties; emergency rescue operations are underway.
A continuous stream of disasters, both natural and unnatural.
"Something… something is happening quietly," Xia Chuan muttered, clenching her fists. Ordinarily, these events might not have raised alarm, but their frequency, the chaotic timing, the sheer number of crises—it all pointed to some deeper, unseen change. Governments were mobilizing, armies dispatched, emergency forces scrambling—anyone observant would sense the instability, yet ordinary people remained blind to the underlying cause.
"Master," the Book of Wisdom said gravely, "the world you inhabit is undergoing drastic changes."
"Upheaval?" Xia Chuan asked. "You… sensed it?"
"If my readings are correct," the Book continued, voice low and precise, "the spiritual energy of this world is recovering."
"Spiritual energy… recovering? What… what does that mean? What is spiritual energy?" Xia Chuan's brows furrowed.
The Book of Wisdom explained patiently: "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is a special type of life force. If living beings absorb this energy, their level of existence can rise. They may transcend, advance to higher realms. The richer the spiritual energy, the more extraordinary beings are born. A world rich in spiritual energy can produce heroes, geniuses, and even monsters of unimaginable power."
"And this world… Xuanhuangxing… it wasn't always rich in spiritual energy?" Xia Chuan pressed.
"No," the Book replied. "It is not a naturally spiritless world, but the spiritual energy here had been depleted, lost over time. A world without sufficient spiritual energy produces only ordinary beings—no extraordinary talents, no exceptional monsters. But recently… the world has begun to recover. Slowly at first, but unmistakably. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is regenerating."
"Regenerating? Why?" Xia Chuan asked, intrigued and concerned.
The Book of Wisdom hesitated, then replied: "The cause is uncertain. Perhaps it is the deeds of humanity in this world. Perhaps it is interference from other worlds. Or perhaps the world itself is healing, restoring balance after long decay. There are many possible explanations, but no definitive answer."
"And what happens when spiritual energy returns?"
"Ah," the Book answered, voice grave, "then the world itself begins to change. Creatures once mundane will evolve into extraordinary monsters. Humans may gain powers beyond imagination. Even the geography may shift: mountains grow, rivers shift, ecosystems transform. The world itself may be remade. Earth-shaking changes… unprecedented upheaval."
Xia Chuan's gaze darkened as he stroked his chin. He thought of recent events in Xuanhuangxing—the sudden anomalies, the strange occurrences, the subtle shifts in nature. Now it all made sense. The recovery of spiritual energy was the root cause, and if it continued, the world could be unrecognizable in the near future.
"And if Xuanhuangxing truly becomes a planet rich in spiritual energy?" Xia Chuan asked aloud.
"Then," the Book of Wisdom replied, "extraordinary beings will emerge, perhaps countless of them. Entire civilizations could evolve, mountains, rivers, and cities themselves may transform. But…" its voice lowered, "with great change comes great danger. Unpredictable threats, unimaginable challenges, unknown calamities."
Xia Chuan clenched her fists tightly. Her eyes glinted with determination. "Then I must become extraordinary myself… as quickly as possible. Master powers of my own. Only then can I survive the changes ahead, only then can I control my destiny in this transforming world."
The room was silent for a moment. The bronze door glimmered faintly, a reminder of the worlds beyond. The air, thick with possibility, seemed to hum with energy. Xia Chuan had already been touched by fate, yet now fate demanded more. More vigilance, more strength, more mastery.
In the distance, unseen by anyone else, a yellow star glimmered faintly in the sky. Slowly, steadily, it pulsed with light—the mysterious star was quietly absorbing spiritual energy, recovering, awakening. Its glow spread imperceptibly across the world, a harbinger of change, a signal of the power soon to be unleashed.
Xia Chuan's pulse quickened. The world was changing, and so must he.
The journey had only just begun.