Chapter Fifteen: Nirvana! The Phoenix Maiden! (Part Two)

“Fantasy City was founded over eleven hundred years ago. Here’s a question—what era was that?” Vladimir led the group through a tunnel glowing with dim violet light, gesturing to the ever-shifting images on the walls.

“It must have been at the end of the Tang Dynasty, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period,” Ye Ling considered, though she wasn’t entirely sure.

Vladimir snapped his fingers in approval. “Correct, but that only covers China. Have you thought about what period it was in the West?”

“I’m not really sure. Maybe it was still the Dark Ages, under religious rule?” Ye Ling ventured, uncertain.

Vladimir nodded. “That’s close enough. The East was wracked by war, and the West was far from peaceful at that time as well.

“In those days, some far-sighted individuals realized that the state of the world was wrong.” Vladimir lowered his voice, pointing to an image on the wall that resembled a mural. “So, long before the Crusades, a group of scholars retraced the path of Alexander the Great, seeking the world Plato described. But,” Vladimir laughed at himself, “it seems they took the wrong path.

“In the following decades, the East remained in turmoil. Emperors, desperate to secure their power, increasingly mythologized themselves. It was a dark age, where scientific progress stagnated—perhaps even regressed.” Vladimir led the group onward, proudly patting a painting ahead of them. “During this time, some scholars, unable to bear the oppression, fled the Central Plains—some by sea, others westward along the ancient roads of the Silk Route.

“It was an age of hardship. We lost many—yes, many people.” Vladimir guided them past mural after mural, each depicting hardships and dangers: natural disasters, human atrocities, scenes akin to hell itself, and suffering beyond imagination.

“These people were our ancestors. They braved countless perils, all in pursuit of a so-called utopia.” Vladimir sighed. “But reality was cruel. When East met West, they realized there was no utopia in this world.

“Many took their own lives. It was an age of despair; our ancestors could not find an answer.” Vladimir gazed at the mural, where countless figures knelt—some weeping, some struggling, some clutching their chests and pointing accusingly at the heavens.

Though Ye Ling didn’t know much history, she understood how devastating it was when one’s convictions were shattered. “What happened next?” she asked.

Vladimir signaled her not to rush and led them on. In the next image, a young man raised a flag, planting it atop a barren rock as the people below reached up to him, as if in supplication.

“We do not believe in gods or saviors. If utopia is but a fantasy, then we will create it ourselves,” Vladimir smiled. “That young man was also named Vladimir. It was from him that the name began to echo through the history of Fantasy City.

“They planted their flag atop a desolate hill. On that day, Fantasy City was born. Since the city was born from imagination, it was named for it.” In the next mural, Ye Ling saw people building the city. “At first, it was tiny, just a few hundred souls. But as war spread, more and more refugees fled their homelands to join them. This influx spurred the city’s rapid growth, granting our ancestors three decades of peace.

“Fortunately,” Vladimir’s tone lightened, “most who came here were learned, including many exiled officials from the East. Within ten years, the city became a gathering place for the world’s greatest scholars.

“Ten years may change little, but a hundred—or a thousand—changes everything.” Vladimir’s expression grew solemn. “While the West languished in the Middle Ages and the Song Dynasty saw war in the East, we survived our first century. Then the Mongol horde shattered everything.

“In the city’s one hundred and twenty-third year, our ancestors abandoned their homes and hid deep in the mountains,” Vladimir said with a wry smile. “There they stayed, for centuries.”

The next mural unfolded a new story: for hundreds of years, these people battled nature, but never stopped exploring the sciences. Meanwhile, they spread rumors in the outside world, painting their city as a utopia. With each new scholar who joined, fresh ideas flowed in. At last, in the city’s third century, they ignited a mighty industrial revolution—four centuries ahead of the West!

They hollowed out mountains to build vast factories, tunneled through peaks, and opened sea routes to the outside world. One dazzling accomplishment after another foretold the rise of a great city, while the rest of the world remained oblivious.

Within a mere century, the city sparked another industrial revolution, and less than a hundred years later, they reached space, entered the information age, and harnessed atomic power—surpassing the rest of humanity by centuries.

By the mid-eighteenth century, human civilization elsewhere began its own industrial revolution. The people of Fantasy City knew they could not hide forever; someone would eventually find them. So they moved the entire city to the ocean floor, using their advanced technology to create an eternal, resplendent metropolis. All that remained of their past was the name—Fantasy City.

“This city could have ventured out into the universe long ago; our technology was complete. But something else caught our attention.” Vladimir led them to the final mural. “A century ago, we discovered a world opposite our own—a place we call the Dark Side. Everything there defies our world’s logic. It has the same mass as ours, and somehow, it maintains cosmic balance.” Seeing Ye Ling’s confusion, Vladimir smiled. “Never mind, you don’t need to understand. The reason we remain on Earth is to study this. Perhaps one day, when we unravel its mysteries, we’ll leave.”

“Ah, finally done,” Vladimir cried, stretching his arms. “Every newcomer must hear this story. Our ancestors wanted us to remember their footsteps, so we’d know the path ahead and never forget where we came from.”

Ye Ling, overwhelmed by this torrent of history, glanced around in confusion. The intricate murals made her dizzy. “Don’t worry if you don’t remember,” Xie Liu murmured beside her, “I got lost my first time too. It’ll be covered in future lessons.”

Vladimir, walking ahead, laughed. “Xie Liu is right. But the tradition must be honored—it’s been kept for centuries. You’ll understand its meaning one day. Now, look ahead—that’s the highest point of Fantasy City: the Peak of Star City. From there, you can see everything.”

“One step forward, and it’s heaven, the infinite future. One step forward, and it’s hell, for the future has already arrived,” Xie Liu whispered. Ye Ling didn’t understand, but looked at Xie Liu, noting how different he seemed from his school self. Sensing her gaze, Xie Liu looked back. For the first time, Ye Ling met his eyes—large, bright, almost girlish, yet unfocused and distant, with a hint of mischief flickering through.

“What are you staring at?” Xie Liu asked coolly. Ye Ling turned away, ignoring the boyish-faced youth.

At that moment, Vladimir stepped through the rippling light curtain ahead. “Welcome to Fantasy City!”

Ye Ling followed, and instantly her jaw dropped. Overhead stretched an endless starry sky—nebulae swirling, the Milky Way spinning—encompassing the whole universe. She felt as if she stood amid the cosmos itself, worlds unfolding above and below her.

Billions of years of cosmic cycles seemed to pass in an instant. Ye Ling raised her hand, almost able to touch the shining stars. “This is the Peak of Star City in Fantasy City. Right now, you stand in the universe itself.”

“That’s impossible!” Ye Ling exclaimed, gaping at her companions. “We were just under the sea a moment ago!”

“Never doubt our technology. We have always created miracles,” Vladimir replied with a gentle smile, pressing a finger into the void. “Access granted. Welcome to Fantasy City—may miracles be with you.” As he spoke, the universe before them began to contract.

“Don’t be afraid—it’s just spatial compression technology. Now, let’s go to Fantasy City.”

The world vanished. Ye Ling felt solid ground beneath her, nearly collapsing to her knees. “Ugh…” She clutched her chest, suppressing nausea.

“First time crossing space is always rough. You’ll get used to it,” someone said.

“Though the city is on Earth, we use dimensional technology to create many independent spaces—what we call ‘Dimensional Spaces.’ They’re usually small, since maintaining them consumes enormous energy. As far as I know, there are fewer than ten in existence. The Peak of Star City you just saw is the largest.” Vladimir steadied Ye Ling as she swayed. “Now, take a good look around.”