"Now I see why those who possess a domain are practically invincible at the Planetary Level."
Within the range of Yu Duan's domain, he could exert a degree of control over both space and time.
And that wasn't all. Once someone reached the Domain Level, even without unfolding a domain,
the power of their body, soul, Origin Energy, and will, fused together, was enough to crush others at the same level and multiply their combat strength more than tenfold.
Unfolding a domain could raise their combat strength by a geometric factor!
After a moment, Yu Duan calmed down and turned his attention back to the Book of Causality.
"The price for advancing a First Layer Light Domain is 100,000 hours of bathing in sunlight... That's about eleven and a half years."
Yu Duan frowned slightly at the rate. He wasn't satisfied.
If advancing a single domain layer required this much time, then when he eventually touched upon the more profound laws of the universe, wouldn't the time required be astronomical?
"I have to find a way to research this and improve my progress-grinding efficiency."
Yu Duan watched the progress bar on the Book of Causality. It was nearly imperceptible, but it was indeed creeping forward. Then he looked up at the pale fluorescent tubes on the gravity room's ceiling.
Clearly, artificial light sources could also provide a little "progress," but the efficiency was appallingly low—roughly ten seconds of illumination for the progress bar to grudgingly move forward by one second.
"What if I switched to the light of a real star? Could the efficiency leap forward? Or... perhaps even more powerful, artificial high-energy radiation?"
Efficiency was the main concern. It determined whether he could achieve twice the result with half the effort, or half the result with twice the effort.
But improving efficiency would require careful research and plenty of experiments.
"I've been cooped up in the gravity room for ten days. Time to get out and breathe some fresh air."
Yu Duan stood, stretched his limbs, and walked toward the gravity room's alloy door.
"Hiss—"
The sensor door slid open, and Yu Duan saw Master Zhen Li and the other two standing outside the gravity room, their eyes burning with excitement.
"Uh... Seniors, I was just about to come find you and ask for your guidance." Yu Duan paused, then hurriedly adopted an eager, teachable expression.
"I just made a breakthrough. I think I may have comprehended... a domain, like the one described in the records?"
At Yu Duan's question, Kun Zhu and Shen Jian said nothing, merely turning to look at Master Zhen Li.
Master Zhen Li let out a long breath, suppressing his excitement. "That's right. What you've comprehended should be the legendary domain."
As he spoke, Master Zhen Li raised his right hand. A faint light shot from the Optical Computer on his wrist, projecting dozens of translucent screens.
Each screen played a different battle video.
Countless beams of light crisscrossed as terrifying waves of energy rampaged through scenes of powerful beings fighting across the universe.
"These are videos of powerful beings dueling in the universe. What they're using... is the power of domains!" Master Zhen Li's voice unconsciously took on a note of reverence.
"Yu Duan, you may not realize this, but even among Universe Level experts, the vast majority don't possess a domain!"
Master Zhen Li waved his hand. Most of the screens vanished, leaving only three still playing battle footage.
The experts in the videos wielded domains almost identical to the Light Domain Yu Duan had just displayed, only with a wider range and greater power.
"According to Number One's preliminary analysis, what you've comprehended is a domain, and it should be a 'light'-type domain!"
After speaking, Master Zhen Li turned to Kun Zhu and Shen Jian, his tone firm. "Yu Duan's talent is even greater than we imagined. I'll stay behind to guard the clan during this trip to the universe. Let Yu Duan go."
"With his talent, if he can join a major power in the universe, his future will be limitless."
"As long as our clan can produce even one powerful expert, we'll be able to escape the fate of a slave race!"
Clearly, Master Zhen Li had had the spaceship for longer and knew far more about the civilizations of the universe than Kun Zhu and Shen Jian.
"Go into the universe? I have no problem with that." Yu Duan nodded at once, his expression serious. "I'll master the Universal Language as soon as possible!"
Master Zhen Li nodded repeatedly. "All right. Yu Duan, stay with me for the next few days. Number One and I will explain what you need to watch out for when entering the universe. Don't take anything lightly!"
Yu Duan nodded. "Then I'll have to ask you to guide me, Master."
Over the next few days, Master Zhen Li carefully explained all kinds of things Yu Duan needed to keep in mind.
One point was emphasized repeatedly: he must never reveal that he came from a primitive planet while he was out there!
Afterward, Yu Duan returned to grinding progress, testing various artificial light sources and even simulating stellar radiation at different intensities.
After nearly half a month of experimentation, he settled on the method that raised his progress bar most efficiently.
In the Light Source Star System, 2.4 million kilometers from the sun, a disk-shaped, single-person airship floated silently through space.
It was a small rescue craft carried aboard the B6-class Chilian Star. It was only A6-class, and its interior was cramped, leaving little room to move or exercise.
Inside the airship, Yu Duan gazed toward the Light Source Planet, 79 million kilometers away. From this distance, the blue-green world teeming with life looked as tiny as a speck of dust.
If Yu Duan weren't a Planetary Level expert, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to see the Light Source Planet with the naked eye from this distance, especially with the intense light in the way.
"How are you feeling? Can you adapt to the conditions in space?"
A light screen projected itself in front of Yu Duan for a video call. The bald, white-robed Shen Jian appeared on it, a warm smile on his face.
"I feel great. Unless something unexpected happens, I won't need to return until my supplies run out."
Feeling the scorching rays of the blazing star pass through the transparent shield and fall upon him, Yu Duan smiled as he replied to Shen Jian.
In truth, Yu Duan didn't feel great. The airship was too close to the star. Its terrifying heat radiation had driven the cabin temperature high enough to melt lead and tin. The air shimmered with heat, and the metal walls were too hot to touch.
For an ordinary life-form, this was a deadly oven.
The temperature wouldn't kill Yu Duan, but it was like being outside under the midday sun in the middle of summer—almost unbearable.
Temperature control was a basic function of an A6-class airship, but the progress-grinding efficiency was highest at these temperatures.
Shen Jian coughed twice, barely concealing his curiosity as he asked, "Ahem... Yu Duan, does this method really help with comprehending a domain?"
"I feel like it helps quite a bit. Of course, this method might not work for everyone."
Yu Duan glanced at the progress bar on the Book of Causality. Its speed had increased thirty-sevenfold.
At this rate, he would need less than 118 days to advance his comprehension of the Second Layer Domain.
And that was the most efficient method he had managed to devise under the current conditions.
Once he joined a major power in the universe, he was sure to find an even more efficient method.
Shen Jian nodded. "I see. Then I'll discuss it with Kun Zhu and ask him to try cultivating in seclusion in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. We'll see if it helps him comprehend the Earth Artistic Conception. I won't disturb you any longer."
After the call ended, silence returned to the cabin. Only the low hum of the star's light passing through the shield remained, along with the suffocating heat that seemed to be everywhere.
Yu Duan turned around to face the blazing star that filled the viewport, as if it could set his very soul alight. He felt the sting of the heat on his skin and the thrill of power surging faster through his body beneath the light.
"Time to grind!"
Yu Duan grinned. Sweat dripped from his chin onto the scorching floor with a soft hiss, sending up a wisp of white steam.
Amid the extreme light and heat, Yu Duan immersed himself in the joy of the Book of Causality's progress bar surging upward. A nearly "deranged" smile appeared on his face.
The stars moved silently through their orbits, and time slipped by beneath the sun's eternal light.
In the blink of an eye, more than three hundred days had passed.
Throughout those days, Yu Duan had remained in the inferno near the star, practicing and contemplating the mysteries of domains.
On the Light Source Planet, the seasons had turned. Only three days remained until the First Day Festival in New Era Year 52.
"It's time to go."
Inside the airship, Yu Duan, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes. A brilliant radiance flashed in them.
In an instant, three dazzling, layered fields of light burst out around him, illuminating the depths of space!
The light domains swirled, seemingly made of countless tiny prisms of light nested within and reflecting one another, making the cramped cabin shine like a Divine Kingdom.
Within their reach, even the star's violent light seemed to be sorted and tamed, taking on a strange rhythm.
Light Domain—Third Layer!
More than two hundred days earlier, he had already "ground" the progress bar to completion for advancing one domain layer. Without the slightest hesitation, he had then advanced his comprehension of the Second Layer Light Domain.
The price for advancing his comprehension of the Second Layer Light Domain was still bathing in sunlight, but the time required had doubled to 200,000 hours.
But with the thirty-sevenfold increase in efficiency, he hadn't needed the full 200,000 hours. It had taken just 225 days to fill the progress bar.
Before entering the universe, Yu Duan had successfully become a Planetary Level expert with a Third Layer Light Domain!
Please support the novel and vote for it! Sob, sob...
Before you continue