Space-Time and the Dark Universe

Asteroid Belt!

The Asteroid Belt lay between Mars and Jupiter in the Solar System and contained more than 500,000 asteroids.

Though they were called asteroids, they were not particularly large. The largest had a diameter of less than 1,000 kilometers, and the combined mass of every asteroid in the belt was only three percent of the Moon's mass, let alone that of a true planet.

Although there were many asteroids here, their density was still astonishingly low when placed within the even vaster expanse of the universe.

Buzz!

That day, the Asteroid Belt received a special visitor.

A spacecraft engraved with a black dragon pattern drifted through space. Then, as if it had found its target, it flew toward an asteroid with a diameter of a hundred kilometers.

Soon, the Black Dragon Ship stopped above the asteroid. A ring of light appeared out of thin air, and a golden figure was tossed out as though it were garbage.

Having completed its task, the spacecraft swiftly departed, disappearing toward some unknown destination.

"How rough!"

The Golden Dragon Avatar spread out the Space-Time Realm around himself and landed effortlessly on the asteroid.

As an existence with a Gene Level one hundred times greater, the Golden Dragon Avatar was naturally capable of surviving in space and could even travel through the Dark Universe.

The Golden Dragon Avatar landed lightly on the asteroid. Due to its tiny mass, the asteroid had no atmosphere and was more like an oversized meteorite.

Still, although the asteroid beneath his feet was not large, it was just right for the Golden Dragon Avatar at this point.

"Space-Time Realm!"

The Golden Dragon Avatar spread out the Space-Time Realm. An invisible power swiftly enveloped the asteroid beneath his feet and began tugging against the space-time of the Original Universe.

As the Space-Time Realm pulled against the Original Universe's space-time, a Space-Time Magnetic Field formed. This was nourishment for the Golden Dragon Avatar's growth and could also strengthen the Space-Time Realm.

The matter that was devoured would likewise become part of the Space-Time Realm, enhancing its power.

Although the Golden Dragon Avatar's Space-Time Realm was not picky about food, massive Celestial Bodies naturally affected space-time. Thus, the planets and stars found everywhere in the universe became his food. In that sense, he counted as a Starry Sky Beast.

However, unlike other Starry Sky Beasts, the Golden Dragon Avatar fed on Space-Time Power, whose energy quality was extremely high. As a result, he did not need many Celestial Bodies and was not picky about what he ate.

Lu Yunhe suddenly realized that, setting aside their abilities, each of his avatars was remarkably cheap to maintain!

The Golden Dragon Avatar only needed to devour the Celestial Bodies found everywhere in the universe to grow. He was not picky at all, and there was no need to spend money buying food for him. He was the textbook definition of low-maintenance.

The Divine Tree Avatar was even more outrageous. With the Divine Tree Fruit and White Zetsu abilities, it could not only accelerate its own growth, but also help the other avatars and even the human body cultivate.

Beyond that, it could fuse with the other avatars, lending them strength and energy.

Not only could it support itself, it could also give back to the other avatars. Lu Yunhe was practically moved to tears by such selfless devotion.

The only money-burning one was probably the Ultraman Avatar. Being near the Sun only gave it a weak acceleration buff. If it wanted to grow faster, it still needed money.

Although the Ultraman Avatar could use items meant for human cultivation, its Gene Level was naturally ten times that of humans, and its body was far larger than the average human's. The resources it required were undoubtedly enormous.

As for Lu Yunhe's human body, that was simple. When the time came, someone would provide the resources for free and help complete its energy accumulation.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Within the silent Space-Time Realm, the Golden Dragon Avatar used the Space-Time Realm to pull at the asteroid beneath him, devouring massive amounts of Space-Time Magnetic Field.

As he used the Space-Time Realm, the Golden Dragon Avatar's consciousness clearly sensed the fluctuations of the two supreme Origin Laws: the Time Law and the Space Origin Law.

Of the two Origin Laws, the fluctuations of the Time Law were clearer, while those of the Space Origin Law were somewhat blurrier.

At the same time, this difference in clarity was reflected within the Space-Time Realm.

Within the Space-Time Realm, the Golden Dragon Avatar was invincible. He could even directly use the Time Law's three major abilities: Time Stop, Time Acceleration, and Time Slow.

Outside the Space-Time Realm, he could not use them for the time being. That depended on his comprehension of the laws, though the talent bonus should greatly lower the requirements.

As for the Space Law's three major abilities—space Teleportation, Space Strangle, and Space Lock—he could not use a single one.

Nor could he use the Space-Time Reversal that Lu Yunhe had fantasized about. In fact, such an ability did not even exist.

Lu Yunhe even suspected that it was precisely because Space-Time Reversal did not exist that his Golden Dragon Avatar could possess the Time Law's three major abilities. It was likely a compromise between the Illustrated Compendium and the Original Universe.

After gaining time abilities, Lu Yunhe also understood why the Time Law held a greater advantage than the Space Law at low and middle levels.

That was because using time abilities would inevitably affect space, whereas the reverse was not true.

For example, when Time Stop was used, space would naturally be frozen as well. But Teleportation was merely spatial movement and did not involve time.

Of course, that was also because space possessed materiality and ran through every level from low to high, while time was more conceptual in nature.

Within the Space-Time Realm, the Golden Dragon Avatar pondered silently. Without realizing it, he had also crossed the threshold into the Time Law and Space Origin Law.

Meanwhile, after tossing the Golden Dragon Avatar into the Asteroid Belt, the Ultraman Avatar aboard the Black Dragon Ship began accelerating toward its destination.

After completely devouring the Black Dragon Ship's artificial intelligence, Dracion had naturally obtained the corresponding Dark Universe coordinates. Their destination was a prosperous planet 320,000 light-years from Earth—Qiu Long Star.

Limited by the Black Dragon's spacecraft grade, accelerating to Light Speed took time. Its maximum speed was only 1.5 times Light Speed, while its most energy-efficient speed was 1.2 times Light Speed.

The Ultraman Avatar sat quietly aboard the Black Dragon Ship, waiting for it to accelerate to 1.2 times Light Speed.

In the vast universe, the black spacecraft rippled slightly before vanishing directly into space and entering the Dark Universe.

"Finally, we're here!"

The instant he sensed that they had entered the Dark Universe, the Ultraman Avatar opened his eyes. A faint glow radiated from his entire body.

"So this is the Dark Universe? It doesn't feel all that different from the Original Universe!"

Seeing that there was no problem, the Ultraman Avatar immediately grew excited, his entire body transforming into a Red Orb.

Whoosh!

The Red Orb pressed tightly against the ship's inner wall. Then, upon seemingly reaching a certain point, it shot outward in an instant and left the spacecraft.

Faster-than-light flight!

Ever since gaining the Ultraman Avatar, Lu Yunhe had wanted to try this ability, but he had never dared to. Now, he could finally give it a try.

"Compared to the Black Dragon Ship, the Ultraman spacecraft starts faster and travels faster."

Lu Yunhe compared the two. Even at 1.2 times Light Speed, the Ultraman Avatar had not yet reached its limit, but he did not dare accelerate too quickly for fear of getting lost in the Dark Universe.

The spacecraft could navigate, but the Ultraman Avatar itself had no navigation ability.

Within the Dark Universe, Ultraman, in the form of a Red Orb, flew close beside the Black Dragon Ship. All around him were glowing specks of light like fireflies.

"The energy consumption is so fast!"

Although ultra-high-speed flight felt exhilarating, it consumed a great deal of energy. The Ultraman Avatar's energy could only sustain it for half a day, but with the Divine Tree inside his body, it was not a problem.

Traveling through the Dark Universe at 1.2 times Light Speed, they would reach Qiu Long Star in less than ten days. Given the 1:10.081 million distance ratio between the Dark Universe and the Original Universe, it really was quite far.

After flying for a while longer, the Ultraman Avatar, having lost the novelty of it, returned to the Black Dragon Ship and quietly resumed cultivating.

Nine days later, the Black Dragon Ship successfully arrived at Qiu Long Star.