Chapter 112: Singularity Beyond the Universe

Collapse, converge, condense.

In that instant, Xigu’s spirit and body simultaneously “fell” toward a single point.

Yet this did not signify a fall into the abyss—in fact, quite the opposite. It was a symbol of sublimation to a new height.

Like a black hole absorbing all information about the self, the matter, energy, and information constituting Xigu’s body converged toward one point.

That point seemed to distill all the information, energy, spirit, and matter of Xigu’s life into a single essence.

It was absolute existence and the terminus of space and time.

Strings and waves vibrated gracefully in unison, and the cosmic symphony resonated at the very depths of Xigu’s soul in that fleeting moment.

In his perception, his senses were no longer confined to his mere physical form; every fluctuation, melody, and particle’s movement became a medium for conveying information—from celestial bodies vast to quarks minute, the largest was the smallest, the cosmos itself akin to dust.

—Thus, Xigu felt the birth of the “Singularity.”

At the very core of his life, like a black hole, it existed as both matter and beyond matter, both energy and beyond energy, both information and beyond information; seeming to encompass nothing and yet resembling a curled-up universe.

This was the “Singularity.”

A spiritual singularity.

Yet its existence simultaneously rendered it a material singularity.

Surpassing the limits of spirit, it became a conduit connecting to matter; transcending the pinnacle of matter, it delved into the realm of spirit.

—The so-called ‘Singularity’ was not merely the condensation of matter at the center of a black hole.

It was the intersection of spirit and space-time.

In an instant, this realization dawned within Xigu’s heart.

Deep within his spirit, the “Singularity” that had just been born seemed to have been there from the beginning—profound as utter darkness, yet dazzling as a starry sky.

Merely knowing it was there evoked a wondrous sensation; and when Xigu “gazed” upon it with his spirit, an unparalleled emotion welled up within him.

“It… is like a universe.”

A faint voice echoed softly in Xigu’s heart.

Spirit and “Singularity” intersected, and then a marvelous thrill arose within him, akin to Columbus glimpsing the distant edge of a continent emerging over the ocean horizon.

Savoring this thrill like a connoisseur tasting a fine delicacy, in a moment, Xigu understood its origin.

“Through the Singularity… it seems possible to capture some wondrous information?”

Infusing his spirit, the “Singularity” exerted its power beyond space-time, and those messages grew ever clearer—

“The Kingdom of Saint Gionpilon prays to the gods, offering the lives of thirty thousand enemies as a sacrifice, beseeching divine punishment to destroy the impious Orokan and slay the evil dragon…”

“Great fortune shines, the vast heavens loom; the Houyu clan established the nation here, revering the deities above and caring for the people below, praying for favorable winds and timely rains, and prosperous martial fortune…”

“Li Yanfeng, genuine cultivator of the Heshuan sect, has practiced for five hundred years, seeking to transcend the dual calamities of thunder and fire to achieve divine transformation. Through cultivation in harmony with heaven, I have sensed the heavenly laws, committing no killings, creating no karmic consequence. If heaven responds, the tribulations shall be slight…”

“Our true god, this land has endured too long under the poison of order. Please return from chaos and bring us the eternity of randomness… We gouge out our eyes to seek the true god’s sight; sever our ears to hear the true god’s voice; cut off our tongues to taste the deity’s flavor; sever our limbs to return to the deity’s embrace… Hiss… god… god… god… Our hearts are the most exquisite offering to the lord; please savor this sacrifice in chaos… Hiss…”

“A thousand years of mortal fortune, five hundred years of the true essences of the three teachings; I, Yan Zhihuan, have finally unified the three supreme realms of Confucian sages, Buddhist nirvana, and Taoist cosmos, achieving the highest heaven and humanity in the world. Having cultivated to this point, I can ascend at will to become a celestial sovereign; descend at will to the underworld, stirring unrest in the nine abysses. Of all worldly matters, I harbor none, save one displeasure… Why does the highest cultivation only reach the heavenly human realm, but not the heavens? Today, Yan Zhihuan seeks to break unprecedented realms and ask: How many layers lie at the highest place in the heavens?”

“Regarding the carbon-based life gene modification project, the stellar government hereby announces: 1. Any free carbon-based life must be registered under a silicon-based citizen and obtain government permission before gene modification; 2. Any silicon-based citizen modifying genes of their carbon-based pets, slaves, or experimental subjects must also report the modification scope and apply for permission; 3. No gene modifications above level five are allowed for carbon-based life—including, but not limited to, ‘cellular dynamos’ enabling long-distance interstellar travel, or ‘quantum organs’ capable of interstitial space-time traversal…”

“…”

Countless wondrous messages poured into Xigu’s spirit through the “Singularity,” vibrating with exquisite subtlety.

Though even a single piece of such complex, lengthy information might cause an ordinary person’s head to ache, for Xigu—who had reached such a stage—receiving it posed no difficulty at all.

Moreover, as he received these messages, Xigu developed a peculiar awareness, as if he could faintly discern their origin.

“Not within the Solar System, nor within the Milky Way… not even within this universe—they are messages from parallel dimensions, or rather, other universes?”

“In those universes… some are vast expanses composed of countless planets similar to this one; others are worlds with a round heaven and square earth, or cultivation systems based on spiritual energy; still others are crystal-walled divine kingdoms, where continents are densely ruled by gods…”

Xigu’s eyes glittered with radiant light. The information gained through the “Singularity” stirred his intense curiosity.

At this moment, he longed to traverse space-time directly via the “Singularity” and enter other universes governed by different laws and wondrous power systems.

However, judging by the information received through the “Singularity,” his current strength was far from sufficient to breach the barriers between cosmic space-times and journey to other realms of existence.

Although he had sublimated and condensed the “Singularity,” possessing the power of a “curled-up universe” capable of standing apart from this universe and sensing information beyond dimensions, his depth was adequate, but his strength—or the overall capability of his body—still fell slightly short.

As for how much was lacking…

Well, in Xigu’s perception, to transcend this universe and project a portion of his power or existence into other universes, he needed to enhance his strength by about thirty million trillion times.

That level of power roughly equaled twice the mass of the entire Milky Way.

Yet, with Xigu’s post-evolution talent of “growing by one-tenth daily,” reaching that level would take only about 570 more days. After another thousand days, his power would approximate seven hundred thousand times the total mass of the observable human universe.

Of course, before then…

“In this last year or so… I will deploy a few more transcendent beings to shake the foundations of human society, allowing the world to gradually adapt to their existence—then, let this world fully enter the Age of the Transcendent.”

(End of chapter)