Chapter Thirty-Six: The Evolution of the World

A thunderous boom erupted out of nowhere within the small world, shaking mountains and stirring the earth. The beasts roared in confusion, the whole realm quaking as if on the verge of collapse. Yet, just as suddenly as the tremor began, it ceased; the mountains stood firm, the earth stilled, and tranquility returned as if nothing had happened.

The disciples of the Five Elements Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect, who were training within the small world, were baffled, unable to fathom the cause of the tremor. But Zhang Meng, Wang Bo, and Lü Tian understood: it must have been caused by Chen Yi refining the Heart of the World, stirring a resonance within the realm.

At the very moment when turmoil erupted within the small world, the four elders of the Integration Stage outside also perceived the disturbance. Fearing for their disciples, they quickly channeled their spiritual power into their eyes, which began to shine with golden light—employing some arcane spell to peer into the small world’s interior.

Eight beams of golden light pierced through the world’s barrier, cast by the elders’ enchanted gaze, sweeping through the realm to check on their disciples. The light began at the periphery, scanning the disciples as they trained or battled beasts. Those illuminated felt as though their very souls were laid bare, but the gaze did not linger long—moving on, searching for the source.

When the golden light reached a hidden cave atop the central peak, they finally discovered the cause of the upheaval. There, within the cave, was a disciple of the Five Elements Sect—none other than Chen Yi—before whom floated an object, crimson like a beating heart. With every pulse, the small world shuddered.

After laboriously refining for a long time, the once faint red essence had now utterly consumed the Heart of the World; Chen Yi had completely assimilated it. When he imprinted his spirit upon the heart, he felt as if he could command wind and rain within the small world, omnipotent, and acutely aware of everything occurring—every disciple, every corner.

Chen Yi had not expected that refining the Heart of the World would cause such a powerful resonance, shaking the entire realm. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, calming the turbulence with the Heart of the World.

But just as calm returned, golden beams from the outside world penetrated the barrier, sweeping toward his cave. Instantly, Chen Yi used the Heart of the World to shield his presence. A faint “Eh?” sounded in the void, and the golden gaze vanished without a trace.

Chen Yi surmised that the golden light must have come from the elders outside, who had likely seen him acquire the Heart of the World. This thought made him uneasy, for who would not covet such a treasure? He feared the elders might try to seize it by force.

Yet, worrying was pointless. All would be revealed upon his return to the outside world. Besides, he was not afraid—for having fully refined the Heart of the World, he could now use it to teleport himself anywhere within the small world, even in the face of an elder’s attack. This ability was one of the gifts granted by the Heart of the World.

This power of teleportation was Chen Yi’s ultimate trump card. Unless a Tribulation-Transcending powerhouse intervened, no one could interrupt the Heart’s transmission. The force of this small world rivaled that of a celestial immortal; even a cultivator of the Tribulation Stage could only disrupt the teleportation, not directly destroy the holder of the Heart.

With this in mind, Chen Yi set aside his worries and used the Heart of the World to transport himself to the lair of a beast suited for honing his swordsmanship. He hoped, in the time that remained, to bring his Wind and Thunder Illusion Sword to full mastery.

Before acquiring the Heart of the World, Chen Yi had never dared hope to attain mastery of his sword technique here. But while refining the Heart, he had achieved new insights into the Wind and Thunder Illusion Sword, filling him with confidence that he could reach perfection.

During the refinement, Chen Yi’s mind had slipped into a strange dream. In a boundless, primordial chaos, a tiny bubble manifested, absorbing some mysterious energy from the void, slowly growing larger. In this realm of chaos, time did not exist—nothing changed, save for the bubble, which, over countless ages, expanded into an immense, barren space, devoid of any life.

The vast space cared nothing for its own desolation, tirelessly absorbing the energy of chaos, expanding ever outward. Until one day, a deafening explosion echoed through the void; the chaos was shattered, and fragments of worlds were born. One colossal shard crashed into the barren space, infusing it with the breath of all creation, transforming desolation into vitality.

Over eons, the world fragment merged seamlessly with the empty realm, forming a vast new world teeming with life. Eventually, someone breached the world’s barrier, sending many into this new land—and among them, a young man set about refining the Heart of the World. Here, the dream ended.

When the vision faded, Chen Yi slowly opened his eyes, still dazed. The dream had lasted so long that he could scarcely distinguish between reality and illusion.

It was only then that he realized: the endless dream was the life of the small world itself. In the depths of his refinement, the Heart of the World had drawn his spirit within, replaying the world’s history through the dream. Fortunately, Chen Yi’s spiritual strength was immense, or else that endless span would have eroded his will, leaving him a living husk. Misfortune and fortune are ever intertwined; from witnessing the world's evolution, Chen Yi’s heart and mind were elevated, granting him new understanding.

Moreover, the tempering of countless ages had advanced his spiritual cultivation from the Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage, even awakening his divine sense ahead of schedule. Witnessing the world’s evolution had brought him innumerable benefits, resulting in a qualitative leap in all aspects of his being.