Dilemma

The desert's scorching heat had been swept away by the mighty Law of Earth Origin stirred up as Qin Zhao formed his God Clone. A heart-stirring pressure still lingered in the air.

Qin Zhao's true self stood shoulder to shoulder with his newly formed Earth-style Divine Clone. Their consciousnesses were linked, and they carefully sensed how their connection to the Universe Origin had grown clearer after they crossed the threshold of the Law of Earth Origin.

Just then, a hot, immense presence approached rapidly from the horizon. It carried no hostility, yet felt like a blazing sun hanging in the sky, brimming with majesty and boundless power.

At a thought from Qin Zhao, the Earth-style Divine Clone beside him instantly became a Yellow Earth Light and merged into his true self. He took a simple robe from his storage ring and draped it over his bare torso, then calmly looked toward the source of the presence.

A crimson streak tore across the sky like a falling meteor and crashed onto a dune not far from Qin Zhao. As the light faded, it revealed a middle-aged man clad in scarlet armor, his hair standing up like burning flames. His features were stern, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and the energy field he naturally emitted made the surrounding grains of sand turn faintly red and soften.

He was Mu Han, the Flame Meteor Empire's acknowledged strongest warrior and the only Planetary Level Nine Spirit Reader on Flame Meteor Planet!

"Qin Zhao? So it was you!" Mu Han's voice rang out, carrying a metallic edge and a hint of realization. He sized Qin Zhao up, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes. "The energy in this area gathered abnormally just now. It seems you gained far more than an ordinary breakthrough to Planet Level One from your seclusion!"

Mu Han's voice carried a wave of heat, making the air around them shimmer. Though he couldn't sense the existence of a God Clone specifically, an expert of his caliber could hardly miss the unusual energy fluctuations in the area.

Qin Zhao bowed slightly, neither servile nor arrogant. "Senior Mu Han, I was fortunate enough to gain some insight."

Mu Han waved a hand, a faintly kind smile on his face. "There's no need to be modest! To reach Planet Level at such a young age makes you the most outstanding talent Flame Meteor Planet has seen in a century!"

"I came today for two reasons. First, I sensed the disturbance and came to confirm what had happened. Second, I wanted to congratulate you properly on reaching Planet Level. You now truly have the standing to reach the pinnacle of this planet, and... the right to learn the truth about the universe."

"The truth about the universe?" Qin Zhao's thoughts stirred, and he let just the right amount of confusion show on his face. He'd had his suspicions, but hearing the strongest man on Flame Meteor Planet say it himself was different.

Mu Han's smile faded, replaced by a grave expression. He glanced up at the planet that seemed to burn eternally, then surveyed the boundless desert before speaking slowly. "That's right. The truth. A cruel truth about the land beneath our feet, about Flame Meteor Planet, and even about this vast universe."

His gaze returned to Qin Zhao, appraising him, with a hint of expectation. "Qin Zhao, do you think our Flame Meteor Empire is the whole world? Do you think Planet Level is the end of the path of cultivation?"

Qin Zhao remained silent and listened.

Mu Han took a deep breath, his voice low and forceful. "It isn't! In the boundless universe, Flame Meteor Planet is no more than an insignificant backwater world! The so-called Flame Meteor Empire, the so-called Planet Level—in the eyes of true cosmic civilizations, we might be no different from ants in the desert!"

Though he'd been prepared for this, Qin Zhao still played along, letting shock show in his face as his pupils narrowed slightly.

Mu Han wasn't surprised by his reaction. He continued in a solemn voice. "In Universal Language, Planet Level is the first formal step on the path to becoming a powerhouse! Those below it are collectively known as apprentices, and are divided into martial artists and Spirit Readers."

"Above Planet Level are the even more powerful Star Level and Universe Level, as well as Domain Lords, who can be called rulers of their own territories! It's said that such powerful beings can turn an entire planet into a living hell with a wave of their hands. Their power far exceeds anything you or I can imagine!"

Perhaps the word "hell" had triggered a keyword. The system, which had just gone quiet, reappeared before Qin Zhao.

[Congratulations, you triggered the keyword "Hell." You now know of the "Four Supreme Planes" hidden beyond the Material Plane.]

[Achievement unlocked: Erudite!]

[Reward: Comprehension increased by 10%!]

...

[Name: Qin Zhao]

[Talent: Earth Element (Transcendent), Water-style (High)... (High and below omitted)]

[Achievements: Saint Realm, Lowgod, Erudite]

[Secret Technique: 128 Martial Arts Secret Techniques (Mastered 97%)]

[Insights: Earth-style Laws (Earth Element 100%, Pulse of the Earth 2%)]

[Items: None]

[Buff: Comprehension increased by 10%!]

That's enough to unlock an achievement? And the effect is an increase in comprehension! Qin Zhao was quite surprised as he looked at the achievement notification that had appeared in the panel log.

What did an increase in comprehension mean? It could speed up anything from grasping secret techniques to comprehending laws or even origins!

A buff that directly increased comprehension showed that the system was even more extraordinary than Qin Zhao had imagined. The 10% boost wasn't much, but it was practically a free gain—enough to keep him happy for a long time.

Meanwhile, Mu Han paused as if giving Qin Zhao time to absorb the information, then spoke with a hint of bitterness. "And our Flame Meteor Planet has been trapped here like a frog at the bottom of a well. If not for an accident a century ago, we might still know nothing of the universe's vastness."

"An accident?" Qin Zhao seized on the key word.

"Yes, an accident." A complicated look flickered across Mu Han's eyes. "About ten thousand years ago, our ancestors on Flame Meteor Planet discovered an Outer Space Relic."

"It wasn't made by our Flame Meteor civilization. It was a remnant from beyond the stars, left behind by some unknown civilization." Mu Han explained, "The knowledge and technology it contained far surpassed our understanding. It was through that relic that we learned part of the truth about the universe, as well as the classifications of realms like Planet Level and Star Level."

"To this day, our Flame Meteor civilization even uses the Universal Language as its official language! And the benefits this knowledge brought to our civilization have been immeasurable!"

His voice grew even lower. "But more precious than the knowledge and technology in that relic was a fully intact spaceship!"

At those words, Qin Zhao's heart beat a little faster. He knew this was the crucial part.

Pain and helplessness showed on Mu Han's face. "A century ago, Flame Meteor Planet produced a peerless genius named Liu Yuan. He had extraordinary talent and reached Star Level before he was even fifty. He was the brightest rising star of his era."

"He successfully reached the core region of that Outer Space Relic, and in the end... activated the only spaceship there. He left Flame Meteor Planet and headed into the boundless starry sky."

"He... left by himself?" Qin Zhao frowned.

If that was true, they were in trouble! And according to Mu Han, the spaceship was the only one in the core region of the Outer Space Relic. Without a spaceship, they'd be trapped on Flame Meteor Planet forever.

"Yes, he left alone." Mu Han sighed. "No one knows why he chose to leave by himself. He left no message and took none of his people with him. In the century since, no one else has been able to enter the relic! It was as if the relic fell silent after Liu Yuan left."

As he spoke, he fixed Qin Zhao with a blazing gaze. "Now that Liu Yuan has taken the only spaceship, Flame Meteor Planet has lost its sole means of reaching the universe on its own. If we want to make contact with the universe, learn about the outside world, and escape the fate of a backwater planet, our only hope is to enter that Outer Space Relic once more!"