A pitch-black, frigid vacuum, studded with shining stars in the distance, silent and eerily beautiful like a painting. But standing here, Finch Huang has no mind for the scenery; her wrinkled little face is full of worry and confusion.
No matter how beautiful the scenery, it can't compare to her concern for Master.
Separated by ten thousand meters, she keeps her gaze fixed on Andrew Han.
“Wait a moment?”
Master's voice still echoed in her ears. After a moment's hesitation, Finch obediently sat down.
“Strange.”
Finch glanced into the distance. “Ahead lies the Grand Epoch Sect Zone, the star-region where five major stellar systems cluster together... Master said we would quickly choose a site and rebuild our Green Mountain Sect, but now I don't know what happened.”
Sitting down here for no reason, as if something urgent had happened.
She secretly speculated, lightly furrowing her brow, but couldn't guess that Andrew Han was advancing to the Cosmos Union Tier.
All around was quiet, darkness enveloping everything. Only the defensive circle casually drawn by Andrew Han radiated soul power, occasionally flashing streaks of gold-red light. Though it was just an impromptu creation, its depth was unfathomable—no Void Rift-tier life could break through.
As for the Cosmos Union Tier...
Finch, dressed in light-colored clothes, rested her chin in her hand.
She muttered softly, “I'm Starlight Tier—Third-Order Constant Light.”
“Mortal, Energy Fusion, and then Starlight Tier. Master is above that—he's Void Rift Tier, which surpasses Starlight and Stellar Palace.”
It's said Void Rift-tier beings can reincarnate, gaining a single chance to start anew.
But...
Those Void Rift-tier cultivators who choose reincarnation rarely hope to reach the Cosmos Union Tier. Most do so because they're tired of living, and want to gamble everything on one last chance.
During her years of traveling, Finch had actually witnessed a Void Rift-tier reincarnation.
She was lucky enough to see, from afar, a Starlight-tier girl wreathed in milky-white lightning, her expression proud and aloof, gazing down from an unattainable height upon the masses. At that time, Finch had just entered the Starlight Tier.
Crowds gathered around the girl, encircling her like stars around the moon.
Finch stood outside the crowd.
She could only look up, only watch from afar—never approach.
"Void Rift."
Finch sat blankly, her eyes showing a hint of longing. How could she not yearn for it herself? "Our Green Mountain Sect can't rely on Master alone forever. We need at least a few Stellar Palace-tier, or even Void Rift-tier members, otherwise we'll always be a weak sect."
But Void Rift is far too difficult—it means becoming a higher lifeform.
“Sigh.”
Finch gazed toward the Grand Epoch Sect Zone.
Five great star systems, dazzling stars—the brightness of this starfield was even higher, illuminating Finch's eyes, which seemed to contain thousands of photons. A tranquil atmosphere pervaded, and time quietly slipped by—almost half a cycle had passed.
During this time, Andrew Han sat cross-legged, perfectly still.
His green robe occasionally fluttered, but his eyes never opened, as if he were a mysterious statue suppressing the heavens.
Watching from the side, Finch shook her head. She knew worrying was pointless, so she quietly cultivated on her own, not disturbing Andrew Han.
No one knew how much time had passed.
Perhaps a day or two, perhaps a month or two—at last, a gold-red, glassy Soul Crystal-Diamond slowly emerged from Andrew Han's brow beneath his white hair.
A natural, seamless ascension!
It happened just as it should!
If advancing a realm required all sorts of restrictions, endless struggle and explosive effort, it would betray the mystery of the Tenacity Origin Talent and underestimate the Primal-Ancient Heaven-King's greatness.
Cultivation and evolution aren't about forcing a breakthrough—the smoother and purer, the better.
"Cosmos Union Tier."
"I've arrived."
Andrew Han murmured softly, standing up calmly. His mood was tranquil, as still as a deep well.
The Soul Crystal-Diamond floated out, and instantly all images, sounds, starlight, and cosmic vacuum froze—like a silent tableau spreading outward, in the blink of an eye covering a vast area over a hundred light-years, startling countless lives.
Every intelligent being felt a heart-trembling, indescribable sensation.
Including Finch Huang, sitting close by.
Though she was only Third-Order Starlight Tier, the proximity made her perception sharper; her meditative state shattered in an instant, like a lake's surface struck by countless stones, rippling wildly.
"Eh?"
"What just happened to me?"
Unconsciously, Finch opened her eyes, her gaze drawn irresistibly forward. Not just her eyes—her body, mind, and very soul were pulled by an invisible force spreading in all directions, filling her with longing.
The gold-red crystal reflected in her pupils.
A nameless desire surged in her heart.
She almost wanted to rush forward and merge with that gold-red crystal.
Immersed, entranced, intoxicated—countless thoughts filled her mind. Unconsciously, Finch stepped forward; all of heaven and earth seemed to vanish, leaving only that radiant crystal, flawless and complete, filling her entire field of vision.
"So beautiful, so beautiful."
Step by step, Finch drew closer...
"Calm your mind!"
Andrew Han, eyes closed and floating mid-air, gave a low shout, instantly snapping Finch Huang awake.
Like a bell ringing at dawn and dusk, Finch hurriedly retreated, afraid to disturb Andrew Han, backing off to the edge of the ten-thousand-meter circle.
Beyond the ten-thousand-meter circle lay the harsh, dark vacuum, with the five stellar systems shining in the distance.
"What just happened?"
Finch's pupils still held confusion; she forced herself to calm down and looked at Master Andrew Han. "Is this the absolute suppression of life tiers? Is Master undergoing a life-tier leap?"
Thinking this, Finch was truly shocked.
She knew Andrew Han's current realm—Fifth-Order Void Rift Tier. And life-tier ascension usually happens when advancing a major realm.
"Could it be..."
Finch guessed the truth.
Suddenly, a wave of shock swept over her.
Her mind was left with only two words, echoing through her body and soul—Cosmos Union! Cosmos Union!
Cosmos Union Tier—the true entry into higher life.
Hundredfold light-speed, rending space, conjuring matter from nothing—these are but ordinary skills. In most cosmic fantasy tales, Cosmos Union is the pinnacle of combat power: wielding suns and moons, kicking star seas and black holes. Words cannot capture its might.
And her Master, Andrew Han, had reached Cosmos Union Tier in less than half an era.
"Master is truly strong."
Finch felt her mouth go dry as she stared at Andrew Han.
Combat power comparable to Cosmos Union Tier and the real thing—there's still a difference. This isn't just Finch's opinion; even Andrew Han has to admit it.
In terms of heart-force, thought, and the essence of life, he was far inferior to a typical Cosmos Union Tier—his strength lay only in raw combat power.
Of course.
In the starry sky, strength and realm are what matter most.
As for the realm divisions—
Mortal, Fusion, Starlight, Stellar Palace, Void Rift. Then comes Cosmos Union, Return-to-Cosmos, and finally the Universe Eternal Tier—pushing open the Gate of Immortality.
Universe Eternal Tier beings are indisputable higher lifeforms, also called Immortals or Eternals. They break the limits of finite life, gaining endless longevity.
And now—
Andrew Han's soul began to ascend. From this moment, he would no longer be Void Rift Tier, but was about to step into Cosmos Union.
Once at Cosmos Union Tier, with Tenacity Origin Talent and Fate Rebel authority, Andrew Han might be able to confront Universe Eternal Tier beings head-on.
"Soul-Intent Cosmos Union Tier."
This was the realm Andrew Han had long awaited.
From childhood to adulthood, from his youth to becoming the Human King—first Mortal Tier, then Fusion Tier, making his mark on blue Earth, helping end the era of monsters and demons. Andrew Han contributed at least half the effort.
Then he advanced to Starlight Tier, becoming Earth's strongest in history. He swept away demons, annihilated monsters, slew Starlight-tier Ghost Clan Luhui, and Starlight-tier Wild Dragon starfiends. Later, he ventured into the stars, joined the Chenhe Palace of the Chenhe Empire, rose swiftly through the Milky Way, and upon meeting Taichu Haogu, formally joined the Archaic Hall, entering the Hearth Zone's Primal Star Gate.
At Stellar Palace Tier, he became famous in the Hearth Zone, advanced from Primal to Taichu Star Gate, and fought in the Taichu Life-and-Death Battle at Yalu Frontier.
At Void Rift Tier, he reached the summit of the Hearth Zone, becoming the sixth in the Eternal Star Gate. With his own strength, he faced two Heaven-Kings of the Light Clan and five hundred Taichu at the Ash Tribe's gate, making his name known across the stars for the first time.
Scene after scene flashed by quickly.
Each memory marked a chapter of the past.
Like a fleeting panorama, like flowing clouds and water, all his experiences condensed and solidified, ultimately compressing into a single, brilliant light—the light of the soul, the mysterious power of mind, now swirling in Andrew Han's heart.
Innate talent solidified at Cosmos Union Tier, granting insight into heart-force.
Heart-force means truly recognizing oneself as one's own master, gaining profound awareness of one's true self and genuine subjective thoughts.
"In short, it's self-realization."
Andrew Han pondered, "So at Cosmos Union Tier, there's a chance to break free from fixed fate—even if it's only a tiny chance, it's still precious."
Born human, exalted among his kind, Andrew Han was naturally free from the shackles of fixed destiny.
"Fate Rebel..."
"The modification power of the gray-white stream... temporarily summoning the River of Fate... Even if faced with an Eternal, I can now put up a fight." Andrew Han spread his arms wide, chest open, filled with heroic ambition.
The vast universe is a place for great achievements.
His soul true-form began to dissolve—the gold-red crystal, like a vortex, trembled violently, its surface peeling away and scattering like dust. Washed clean, the crystal grew ever brighter, about one ten-thousandth dissolved.
When it's fully dissolved, he'll reach the peak of Cosmos Union Tier.
Gold-red dust drifted all around. It seemed to vanish, but was actually absorbed, merging into Andrew Han's body and soul.
At the same time, the crystal began to solidify, the glassy gold-red light forming a swirling vortex, gathering soul-intent inside. From now on, the soul was no longer a vague concept—the crystal was bound to Andrew Han by an invisible link.
But as it dissolved, it also became more solid.
The difficulty of dissolving increased sharply, and efficiency dropped—the peak of Cosmos Union Tier was not easily attained.
Simply put—
Cultivation at Cosmos Union Tier means dissolving one's true-form, and it naturally gets harder over time.
After a long while, Andrew Han exhaled deeply. The gold-red crystal spun gently at his brow, softly embedded like a mark, the dual-colored crystal adding an air of mystery and majesty.
He looked like a living deity.
"Wow!"
Finch, hiding far away, was nonetheless transfixed.
At the very center of heaven and earth, the surrounding space trembled.
"Master, Master!" She called out excitedly on tiptoe, "Did you succeed? Did you make it?"
Andrew Han turned and smiled, "Of course."
——