Domain of Light

"Besides the spacecraft issue, we can also demand some key information from Russia. We just need to concede a bit more in benefits."

Lu Yunhe said with a smile. China had always been accommodating Russia, not only because of external pressure, but also because it coveted the last of Russia's remaining legacy.

"What's the point of simply launching a rocket to the moon?"

Jia Yi clearly did not understand Lu Yunhe's words. Their core objective was to mine the moon, not merely land on it.

"It's fine. Just stuff me into the rocket."

Lu Yunhe casually dropped a bombshell, leaving Jia Yi's mind buzzing.

With the Ultraman Avatar, there was no need to consider survival too much. It could also use Mental Power to lift as much raw ore as possible.

The USA was probably thinking along the same lines. Martial artists were one thing, but Psychic Masters paired with rockets could indeed produce some remarkable results. Even without Planetary Level Psychic Masters, War God Level ones would do.

"Th-this... can it really work?"

"Trust me, Brother Jia."

Lu Yunhe patted Jia Yi on the shoulder, and surging Mental Power unconsciously spread into the surroundings.

In an instant, everyone within several hundred meters felt a tangible pressure, as though the sky had collapsed and was weighing heavily upon both their bodies and minds.

Jia Yi, who stood closest to Lu Yunhe, could even more directly sense that incomparably powerful Mental Power.

After a long while, Jia Yi slowly uttered two words. "Understood!"

Afterward, with Jia Yi—the military's only Planetary Level martial artist—vouching for him, Lu Yunhe's moon-landing plan was finally approved.

The research institute began manufacturing the rocket while negotiating cooperation with Russia, hoping to pry out as much of its reserves as possible.

After a series of schemes and negotiations, Russia finally, albeit reluctantly, brought out its hidden stockpile.

During the Great Cataclysm, Russia still possessed abundant Weapons and Equipment and other supplies, but its population was relatively small. It had practically been trapped to death on that patch of land.

"Since we've decided to do this, we have to do it right."

Light flickered in Lu Yunhe's eyes. The Ultraman Avatar trained its Mental Power, while he himself studied all kinds of books and discussed with specialists how they should operate on the moon.

Two months later, a brand-new rocket was completed—or rather, its modifications were completed. After all, there had always been a launch plan before, only for it to be halted by the Great Cataclysm. Lu Yunhe named the new rocket—Heaven's Gate.

At the same time, the Ultraman Avatar's strength rose from newly entering the fourth Planetary Level to the Fifth-tier Limit, equivalent to advancing one tier per month.

For the Ultraman Avatar in its Infant Stage, Planetary Levels one through three required roughly a month and a half. Levels four through six required about one month per tier. Levels seven through nine required around two months per tier. The accumulation needed to break through from the Ninth Order to the Stellar level was nearly equivalent to all the previous training time combined.

Because of its immense size and the accumulation from the Gestation Period, the Ultraman Avatar did not need much time to grow during its Infant Stage. However, from the Stellar level onward, its growth slowed.

Based on the Golden Horn Giant Beast for comparison, the Stellar level took a hundred years, the Cosmic level took a thousand years, the Domain Lord level took ten thousand years, and the World Lord level only required fifty thousand years of accumulation because talent alone could not break through to immortality.

What a long time. I wonder if I can find any resources in the universe that can assist Ultraman's growth.

Lu Yunhe pondered inwardly. Relying solely on time to accumulate strength definitely would not work. The pace in the early stages of Swallowed Star was simply far too fast compared to the scale of its world.

As Lu Yunhe considered the Ultraman Avatar's growth, he arrived at the rocket's entrance under the staff's arrangements.

"Yunhe!"

Jia Yi, who had come to see him off, looked worriedly at Lu Yunhe, who was carrying almost no equipment.

That was outer space. Even though Jia Yi had reached the Planetary Level, he could not survive in space.

"Don't worry. If anything goes wrong, I'll jump ship whenever I need to."

Lu Yunhe gestured for Jia Yi to relax. On Earth as it was now, unless he actively sought death, it would truly be difficult for him to die.

Hearing Lu Yunhe speak as if he were going on an outing, Jia Yi, whose heart had been tense, also let out a sigh of relief.

"Have a safe journey."

Dong Nanbiao beside them wore an equally solemn expression, but he chose to trust Lu Yunhe. After all, his strength could not affect anything.

"Bye-bye. Wait for my good news!"

Lu Yunhe waved. As the hatch closed, Heaven's Gate One officially launched.

Rumble...

Amid earth-shaking roars, Heaven's Gate One carried Lu Yunhe into space.

Quite a few flying Monsters were drawn to it, but without prior preparations, they simply could not catch up to the rocket that had already taken off.

"Should we consider shooting it down?"

At the same time, the unwilling USA watched Heaven's Gate One ascending through satellite feeds, seemingly considering whether to launch an attack.

They had prepared this global moon-landing plan for a long time. On one hand, it could attract talent from around the world; on the other, it could allow them to establish their position once more amid the Great Cataclysm. Unfortunately, Lu Yunhe had ruined everything.

However, considering that the mainland possessed the ability to retaliate as well, they could only watch helplessly as the rocket flew toward the moon.

"It'd be best if it blew up halfway there!"

Someone uttered the most vicious curse, but he soon had no time to concern himself with matters in the East. The Business Alliance, suppressed by the military, once again sought to reap the fruits of victory, and the conflict stirred up by the Great Cataclysm erupted completely.

Lu Yunhe paid no attention to the USA's hostility. Trying to kill a Planetary Level Psychic Master with missiles was simply a dream.

"So this is Earth from space?"

As the rocket climbed higher, Lu Yunhe had already arrived in space. Using Ultra Vision, he looked directly past the rocket at Earth.

Well, because his eyesight was too good, Earth actually felt rather ordinary to Lu Yunhe.

Compared to Earth, the blazing sun on the other side truly captured his attention.

One million kilometers in diameter, three hundred and thirty thousand times Earth's mass, radiating light and heat throughout the entire star system for hundreds of millions of years.

As Lu Yunhe watched the blazing sun, he directly entered a state of enlightenment—or rather, the Ultraman Avatar entered a state of enlightenment.

The Ultra Light Sphere that had been resting steadily within Lu Yunhe gradually turned fiery red, and the temperature throughout the rocket slowly rose.

The light around Lu Yunhe was continuously twisting and assimilating, submitting to the will of some higher existence, yet seeming as though it had always been one with it. An indescribable sensation rose in his heart.

The anomaly within the rocket threw the other side on Earth into chaos. Their calls received no response, and the distorted light prevented images from being transmitted back.

At that moment, Heaven's Gate One seemed to have been captured by some alien technology, with countless rays of light gathering outside the rocket.

"Gather!"

Lu Yunhe extended a finger and tapped the air. The light enveloping the rocket instantly converged into a Light Sphere, then drifted toward the depths of the universe like a balloon.

"Domain of Light, complete!"