Grand Epoch Sect Zone, on the edge of the five linked star systems.
The vacuum was dark and cold. A defensive circle ten thousand meters wide surrounded Andrew Han and Finch Huang, driving away everything—including cosmic dust.
"Yes!"
Finch Huang gazed eagerly at her master, Andrew Han, who smiled and nodded in confirmation. Her eyes shone, and in her joy she leapt three feet high, raising both hands in a familiar gesture that made Andrew laugh despite himself.
It was the old photo pose—he hadn’t seen it in years.
"What are you so excited about?" Andrew Han beckoned calmly, signaling Finch Huang to come over. It was time to set out and choose a site to rebuild the Green Mountain Sect.
"Cosmos Union!"
Finch Huang sniffed, her delicate nose twitching—her innocence was quietly endearing.
The mundane, Fusion, Starlight, Stellar Palace, and Void Rift realms—these five stages were all part of the energy-based process of sublimation. Only at the Cosmos Union Tier did one finally begin to touch the universe’s higher powers.
Above Void Rift, Cosmos Union cultivators awaken Heart-Force.
It is the power of the heart and mind—ethereal and elusive, seemingly impossible to grasp, yet always present. High-level lifeforms can use subjective emotion to alter objective reality.
Now, Finch Huang was witnessing her master, Andrew Han, become a Cosmos Union being… No matter how high one’s realm, it was impossible to predict the exact moment of breakthrough, because this was not a mere leap but an evolution—something that could not be calculated.
"It’s like luck falling from the heavens."
Her heart surged, blooming with joy—she could barely speak. Standing on tiptoe, eyes ablaze with worship, Finch Huang gazed up at the crystal diamond at Andrew Han’s brow, his weathered white hair drifting like that of a god ruling the sea of stars.
"Oh..." Finch Huang replied softly, her voice tinged with shyness.
"Gulp."
Finch Huang quietly swallowed, a little dazed, her heart pounding wildly.
"Stop staring."
Andrew Han’s face darkened. He grabbed Finch Huang’s arm; as he moved, even the vacuum itself seemed to tear.
……
Subspace shimmered with brilliant colors, filled with endless chaotic currents.
Fortunately, with Andrew Han’s protection, Finch Huang was safe. If she had fallen into Subspace alone, survival would have been impossible.
"Cosmos Union, Cosmos Union!"
Finch Huang felt surrounded by dazzling colors, the brightness far greater than before—so vivid and radiant, so bright it even carried a hint of fragrance. The increased brightness was just a psychological illusion, but the scent was real.
This subtle, mystical fragrance came from the gold-red crystal diamond at Andrew Han’s brow, slowly dissolving and releasing an almost imperceptible scent.
Finch Huang sniffed hard, her delicate nose twitching—she looked adorably cute.
"It smells wonderful."
She took a deep breath.
Andrew Han turned and smiled faintly. "That’s Sublimation Breath."
"Huh?"
Inside Subspace, Finch Huang was a bit bewildered.
She’d never heard the term Sublimation Breath before. Andrew Han explained softly, "I’m not yet a fully stabilized Cosmos Union lifeform. Life evolution is a transitional sublimation stage, not yet finished. Some power naturally leaks out, and the subtle aura that manifests is called Sublimation Breath."
"Oh, okay…" Finch Huang replied in a shy, small voice.
Of course she knew that after a breakthrough, there was always a transitional phase. It was like a blazing star turning into a deep black hole—a long, gradual process, never instantaneous, always passing through intermediate stages before finally becoming a black hole.
Life evolution was much the same.
Right now, her master Andrew Han was neither Void Rift nor fully Cosmos Union, but in the midst of sublimation. As long as he lived and time passed, Andrew Han would become a true Cosmos Union existence.
"Then…"
Right after that—
She murmured softly, "If you go by the experience of those who came before, even a full epoch might not be enough."
Ordinarily, the Starlight-tier sublimation stage takes two or three months; Stellar Palace-tier, about half a year. The higher the realm, the longer sublimation requires. But Andrew Han is a new-generation Primal-Ancient Heaven-King—he can’t be measured by common standards.
"Very soon."
Andrew Han patted Finch Huang’s head, but didn’t mention any specific time.
Cultivation and evolution are deeply private matters—no matter how close, one can’t simply share them.
Step by step, colors of Subspace brushed past Andrew Han as he advanced at speeds countless times faster than light, entering the heart of the star system. After a moment’s thought, he added, "I am a Primal-Ancient Heaven-King—my foundation is flawless, so my Cosmos Union sublimation phase will be much shorter."
"Oh."
Finch Huang nodded obediently, not asking any further.
She realized her question had been a slip—getting too excited made her forget herself. Casually asking about a high-level lifeform’s cultivation progress was a major taboo in the cosmic world.