For Andrew Han, the Void Rift Tier was not exactly distant, but it couldn't be called close either.
"I possess Void Rift-level combat strength."
"My actual realm is Stellar Palace Tier."
Murmuring quietly, Andrew Han gazed up at the twin suns.
The dazzling sunlight illuminated his face, seeming to refract a glow called longing. The breeze occasionally brushed past, flowers and grass filled the air with fragrance, and all around was tranquil.
For now, he set aside thoughts of the Void Rift Tier.
The Stellar Palace Tier consists of five stages, each focused on advancing the Origin Mystic Palace—a process crucial for shaping one's foundation and nearly determining the future limit of cultivation. So, rather than rushing for a sudden breakthrough, Andrew preferred a steady climb: "I have more than enough resources for cultivation. I can refine myself gradually, tempering bit by bit, growing stronger day by day. At least, advancing through the fourth stage of the palace shouldn't present any obstacles."
Soul cultivation, for him, was naturally unobstructed.
Having surpassed ten thousand Consciousness Nodes meant not only formidable strength, but also that the process of soul evolution was relatively smooth, without so much turmoil and interference.
"Moreover,"
"My Consciousness Node count is still rising." Andrew Han lightly touched his brow, sensing the many gold-red Star-Maps within his soul space, faintly weaving into a mysterious palace that stored vast energy and generated soul might—the very first Phantom Palace of his Origin Mystic Palace.
For a Stellar Palace lifeform, cultivation centers on constructing the Origin Mystic Palace.
Whether it's genes or soul, Life-Synthesis or Sealed Celestial Path, the Origin Mystic Palace is the power core, the foundation of life, and an irreplaceable source.
"At the Stellar Palace Tier, one masters the power of palace energy."
After a moment's thought, Andrew Han raised his palm, letting gold-red power dance at his fingertips.
Spinning... leaping... In truth, the spontaneous evolution of the Origin Mystic Palace fascinated Andrew Han most—he even thought his martial arts deductions could benefit from its process.
Why does a Stellar Palace lifeform possess an Origin Mystic Palace?
Because of the wondrous power of Creation Light.
Five ranks of Starlight, countless streams of Creation Light. The word 'creation' signifies evolution and innovation—a limited interval radiating outward, containing infinite possibilities and pointing toward the endless frontier.
Simply put, when Starlight reaches its peak, it gains a touch of Creation Light. Then, using a life-level leap as the driving force, the Creation Light is ignited—reborn through burning, sublimated through destruction, and propelled toward higher levels of the Stellar Palace Tier. Ultimately, the vast, intangible starlight is consumed and transformed into a tangible foundation, forging a rising Origin Mystic Palace!
"That's right."
"It was Creation Light that nurtured the Origin Mystic Palace."
Andrew Han's eyes flashed with insight as he stood there, lost in reflective thought.
The tightly interlinked cultivation system gave him new inspiration; sparks of insight flickered in his mind, fueling even deeper ideas for deducing martial arts.
In reality—
Both the advancement from Starlight Tier to Stellar Palace Tier, and from Stellar Palace to Void Rift Tier, are leaps in the level of life itself. Only, when a Stellar Palace lifeform ascends to Void Rift, the universe itself conducts an inspection, so there's a chance to trigger a Universe Phenomenon. Otherwise, to create a phenomenon from nothing—even an Eternal King could not accomplish such a feat.
Universe Phenomena are exceedingly rare.
Such things are far beyond the reach of ordinary Geniuses.
"...The Prismatic Star Cloud." Andrew Han recalled how Serena Huang drew forth a Universe Phenomenon, stirring the winds of fate and captivating the entire Spark-Heritage Zone with that once-in-an-era spectacle. He couldn't help but feel a deep, nameless yearning.
"Even in the Primeval Gate, Universe Phenomena are not a standard occurrence. Serena Huang is truly extraordinary—worthy of being the number one in the Primordial Gate. But I wonder, when I break through to Void Rift, what kind of phenomenon will I evoke?"