In Heaven.
A bird flew closer and closer.
“Huh? What brings you here?” the Middle-Aged Man asked.
—It was the parrot from Black Flame Bar in Yanmen.
"Yo, Lord Prophet, you really are about to awaken. That's wonderful! The three Ritual Executors asked me to pass along a message."
The parrot called from its perch on a branch.
“What is it?” the Middle-Aged Man asked with a smile.
"Please go to Yanmen as soon as you can. The battle that decides whether we all live or die may be about to begin," the parrot said.
“Why ‘may’ it be about to begin?” the Middle-Aged Man asked.
“That depends on your choice. Both aspects of Truth have perished and haven't been reborn yet. Do we flee or fight? We need to decide together.” The parrot flapped its wings.
"All right. I'll go as soon as I can."
"Then we'll eagerly await your arrival."
With that, the parrot flew away.
That parrot is something else. This is clearly just my avatar, yet it still recognized me.
The Middle-Aged Man looked away and murmured:
"Competition..."
Competition activated once more, and the Fate Position was established!
Xu Yuan reappeared in this world.
With a Flying Sword lodged in his chest, he awoke once again on the Mountains and Rivers Bridge.
"Hiss—I never expected this. The Universe is gone too?"
"Now we're in trouble."
Without bothering to pull out the sword, he immediately took out the Fortune Stick and read what was written on it:
"This last strike was a move in which the Universe used all its strength to perish together with the Ancient God."
"The Ancient God cannot die."
"Nor can the Universe."
"The time the Universe and the Ancient God spend 'dead' will be exceedingly brief. Both will revive before long."
"Restore