All around, only the dance of destruction filled the heavens and earth.
Was this the final hour of mankind?
Suddenly, another phenomenon shook reality. From rifts of space, powerful humans appeared—beings whose presence caused time and space themselves to tremble and fracture. One among them raised his hand and unleashed an attack upon an evolved monster. That beast, once thought invincible, dissolved into nothingness—erased so thoroughly that it was as if it had never existed.
Humanity began to call these people Rankers. Thus began the war between Rankers and the Evolved Monsters.
It seemed, for a fleeting moment, that humanity might achieve victory. But then—something else came.
A dimensional portal fractured open, and through it emerged existences so powerful that even a single strike from them could erase multiple universes at once. They possessed the ability to annihilate the Earth in the span of a single breath.
A student in the class raised his hand and asked timidly:
"Teacher… if they were that powerful, why didn't they destroy Earth in an instant?"
The teacher's voice turned cold and sharp.
"Do not interrupt me. If you disturb my words again, you will regret it."
He continued, his tone echoing with a grim weight.
"These beings who came through the dimensional cracks were called Outsiders. They could easily destroy Earth from afar, yet something… some mysterious force or existence shields this world. None know what it is. But because of it, not all Outsiders can set foot upon Earth. Only a few may enter, and those few are capable of stopping even the flow of space-time itself.
They tampered with the evolved monsters, making them even more powerful—so powerful, in fact, that they too gained the ability to destroy infinite universes. Once again, humanity stood at the precipice of extinction. People believed there would be no salvation this time.
That dark age was later called the Era of Darkness.
Yet, when hope seemed lost, Tier-A and Tier-S Rankers appeared—beings capable of erasing Outsiders themselves. However, these Outsiders were not the most powerful of their kind. They were merely Extra-Universal Outsiders. Above them existed greater threats known as the Great Universal Outsiders, and higher still… the Eternal Outsiders.
Tier-A Rankers could only slay weaker Great Universal Outsiders.
Tier-S Rankers could contend with the high-level ones.
But even Tier-0 Rankers, the supreme beings of humanity, could not truly slay an Eternal Outsider. At most, they could erase half of such an existence's projection—but never its true body.
The Eternal Outsiders are the strongest beings of the Higher Universe.
Understand this well—our cosmos is boundless, absolutely infinite, without end. Within it lie countless infinite cosmoses, all contained within our universe. And our universe itself, too, is absolute infinite, holding its own laws, its own timelines, and countless unknown dimensions.
Above this lies the Higher Universe, which contains infinite universes like ours. Within it exist universes so transcendent that they look upon lower universes as nothing more than a painted canvas stretched upon reality.
And yet, despite their power, the Eternal Outsiders cannot destroy Earth or our universe. Because of that same mysterious existence—the hidden force that even they cannot overcome.
If not for the Rankers entering the dimensional gates to slay Outsiders and monsters, then Great Universal Outsiders would have descended fully into our world. Thanks to Tier-A and Tier-S Rankers, Earth survived once more.
That dimensional fracture came to be known as the Universal Gate.
After the war, the seven continents and nations reshaped themselves under new banners. Yet most of Earth still fell into the hands of monsters. Their powers too became categorized, ranked alongside humanity's system of cultivation."
The teacher turned to the students and recited solemnly:
Monster Hierarchy:
Low-level Monsters – equal to beings stronger than ordinary mortals.
Mid-level Monsters – equal to Tier-E Rankers.
High-level Monsters – equal to Tier-D Rankers.
Monarch-level Monsters – equal to Tier-C Rankers.
Lord-level Monsters – equal to beginner Tier-B Rankers.
Emperor-level Monsters – equal to advanced Tier-B Rankers.
Supreme Monsters – equal to Tier-A Rankers.
"And so," the teacher concluded, "humanity once more began to rise in power."
He faced the class.
"I hope you all now understand the history of our world."
As his gaze swept over the students, it landed upon one youth sleeping at his desk. The teacher's face darkened.
"Zhou Fang! Why are you sleeping in my class?"
The room filled with whispers.
"Isn't that the trash of the Zhou Family? The one without an inner universe?"
Another sneered, "I heard Zhou Fang can memorize anything he sees. But what use is that? He'll still remain trash."
Laughter filled the hall.
Zhou Fang ignored them all, stood, and bowed slightly.
"Teacher, I am sorry."
The teacher scolded him briefly, but finally let him be.
Zhou Fang sat down silently. Yet within, his thoughts were aflame.
They all speak of a mysterious existence that protects Earth from the Eternal Outsiders. But none of them know the truth—that this very existence dwells within me. It shields me, guides me. Whether it was created by an Artifact Sprite or entrusted to it, I do not know. Whenever I ask, it only answers: "When the time is right, you will understand."
I walk with it in silence. It was the one who revealed to me the path of immortal cultivation. They all think I am trash, but no one knows the truth. When I was born, a great heavenly phenomenon swept across the universe. Not even the Tier-S Rankers perceived it. I myself would never have known, had the Artifact Sprite not told me. I was born with a Divine Dao Body—a body that cannot be measured by universes or dimensions. Because of that, they see me as worthless, unable to contain even a single cosmos. But reality is the opposite—my body cannot be measured by cosmos or dimensions at all.
If I step upon the path of the Above Universe and the Star Universe, when I reach the Divine Flame Stage, a world will form within me. A world more infinite than absolute infinity itself, a world that contains all dimensions—even if dimensions extend beyond Aleph Omega itself.
They compare me to Rankers… but they know nothing. For the cultivation system of the Above Universes and the Star Universes is divided into twenty stages—ten mortal, ten immortal.
Mortal Realm Cultivation Stages (within Universe, Higher Universe, Above Universe):
1. Qi Refining
2. Foundation Building
3. Golden Pill
4. Nascent Soul
5. Soul Refining
6. Void Transformation
7. Void Refining
8. Origin Reunion
9. Origin Emperor
10. Master of Origin
Immortal Realm Cultivation Stages (within Star Universe):
11. Tribulation
12. Tribulation Reunion
13. Divine Soul
14. Divine Transformation
15. Divine Master
16. Divine Grand Master
17. Divine Flame
18. Divine King
19. Divine Monarch
20. Divine Dao
Each stage has ten levels, or stars (e.g., 1st-star Soul Refining).
Only the Divine Flame, Divine King, and Divine Monarch stages have three levels: Beginning, Middle, and Peak.
The Divine Dao Stage has no levels—it is absolute.
Zhou Fang closed his eyes, his heart calm as still water.
But I, Zhou Fang, will not walk this limited path. I will not confine myself even to the Star Universe. I will go beyond… beyond all worlds. For that, I must entrust my Divine Dao Body to my soulmate, passing through ten cycles of reincarnation. Only then can I walk paths of cultivation that surpass even the system of the Star Universe. My death will not be the end—it will be the beginning. The true first step toward my goal.
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