As the entire crew stepped out of the starship, a portal manifested directly in front of them.
The instant they saw it, everyone understood what it was. They had spent considerable time learning about the Andromeda Galaxy from the Andromeda Local Net, especially information about UNI-Hub. Even though this was their first time setting foot in the hub itself, they had already learned how things functioned here, so nothing about the sight surprised them.
This was a teleportation portal, designed to transport travelers out of the docking ring section. A single docking ring alone housed millions of beings at any given moment and spanned an absurdly vast area. Navigating such a space manually would waste enormous amounts of time, and these portals existed precisely to solve that problem by transporting visitors directly into the hub's inner regions.
The portal shimmered with a soft blue-white radiance, its edges perfectly smooth and stable.
Even though they knew what this was, Lysandra, Selena, and the others could not even perceive how the portal manifested at all.
"I can't see the formation structure," Selena murmured, her eyes narrowing as she tried to trace the runic patterns. "It's like trying to read text that isn't there."
Lysandra shook her head slowly, "The symbols exist, but they're beyond our current perception."
The concept of portals itself was not unfamiliar to them. Back in the Milky Way Galaxy, portals had been rare and mostly undeveloped because they required massive quantities of Void Crystals to function, and the essence cost increased sharply with distance. However, after the release of Origin Ink, the limitations tied to elemental crystals had been removed. While distance-based energy consumption still existed, small-scale travel portals had become viable and increasingly common. With Origin Ink accelerating the Milky Way Galaxy's development, such technologies had begun to spread rapidly.
But this portal was different, because they could not even see how it worked at all.
This was because it was formed using a divine formation, and their current perception was still incapable of directly observing divine essence or rule symbols.
Adrian, however, could see it clearly.
He examined the formation briefly, his perception tracing its structure. Divine formations were etched using a divine concept rather than arcane ones, and this divine concept seemed to be far more powerful and efficient.
In the universe, instead of relying on the raw arcane space concept, such portals were constructed using a particularly refined divine concept for this exact need. And since the universe did not possess Origin Ink, these formations were powered by divine essence crystals aligned with those divine concepts.
Activating his Source Eyes, Adrian immediately identified the divine concept underpinning the formation. The divine concept seemed to be created using Space, Void, Boundary, and Continuity. Even though concepts like Boundary and Continuity were things he was encountering for the first time, he instinctively understood their nature.
He tried to comprehend them.
The symbols woven into the portal's formation operated on principles that transcended simple spatial manipulation. Boundary defined the separation between locations, whilst Continuity ensured seamless transition without rupture. Together with Space and Void, they created a pathway that existed outside normal reality.
He could read this, but however, he could not fully comprehend the arcane concepts from this divine formation alone.
He focused more and saw that the arcane components within the divine concept were incomplete, especially when compared to Space and Void, which he had already comprehended fully.
That realization reinforced what he already knew. Divine concepts were not raw fusions of arcane concepts. They were purified combinations, blending only specific essential aspects of several arcane concepts into a unified, more powerful whole. Naturally, reading a divine concept would never grant complete understanding of its foundational arcane concepts.
Adrian did not linger on this observation. He led everyone forward and stepped into the portal.
The sensation of passage was instantaneous. They faced no disorientation or spatial distortion. One moment, they stood in the docking ring, the next, they occupied an entirely different location.
They materialized instantly within one of the inner regions of the UNI-Hub. For a moment, everyone stood still, taking in the scene before them.
This was the UNI-Market.
The structures around them were astonishingly advanced, rising in layered tiers, some floating freely beneath an artificial sky that stretched overhead. Buildings constructed from materials that gleamed as polished steel extended upward in spiraling patterns, their surfaces etched with glowing formations. Bridges of pure light connected floating platforms, whilst streams of beings moved across them in perfect order.
The entire region was filled with breathable air, carefully regulated and stabilized, even though most cultivators here didn't need to breathe air. Millions upon millions of alien beings moved through the space in orderly flows, navigating without chaos, each minding their own affairs.
Overhead, holographic displays projected information in the language of mana, constantly shifting and updating.
Yet none of that was what truly shook them.
What stunned them was the sheer number of powerful cultivators.
Most of the beings they sensed were Stellars, and a staggering number of them were Stellar Lords and Warlords.
Gary's expression froze, "That's... how many?"
"Too many to count," Septimus whispered.
Draven's usual casual demeanour vanished. "We're surrounded by beings who could have ended our entire demon war easily."
They had read on the forums that the UNI-Hub functioned as a universal safe zone within any developed galaxy, typically populated by traveling mortals and outer disciples from various sects. But seeing it still shook them. Alice stared around in disbelief and muttered, "If we had this many Stellar Warlords back home, the entire demon war would have ended before it even began."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Before the rise of the Origin Clan, their entire galaxy had possessed only a handful of Stellar Warlords. Seeing so many gathered in one place left the rulers deeply shaken.
Zerathul exhaled slowly, "Our entire empire's military might would be insignificant here."
"Less than insignificant," Drazmir corrected quietly. "We wouldn't even register."
Adrian nodded as well. Although he had not experienced the full extent of the war as they had, he could understand their reaction.
They could also sense the presence of divine beings within the hub. Even if they could not determine their exact stages, the aura of divine concepts radiating from their bodies was unmistakable.
Sentinel placed a protective hand on Aerin's shoulder, "Stay close."
"I know," Aerin said, her eyes wide as she watched a four-armed being carrying glowing orbs float past.
Once the initial shock settled, the group began moving toward a massive golden-white structure at the center of the UNI-Hub, which was the UNI-Bank.
As they walked, they took in the sights of the UNI-Market around them. The sheer scale of commerce overwhelmed the senses. Platforms stretched in every direction, some stacked vertically, others suspended by formations. Each level housed different specializations, marked by floating symbols.
They passed UNI-OS distribution centers where travelers could purchase new devices. Along the main thoroughfare, countless specialized shops catered to cultivators of every need.
They noticed Lifeforce Rejuvenation Centers, something they had read about in the forums. Through transparent walls, they could see beings of various species reclining in crystalline pods, their bodies suffused with emerald radiance.
Normally, once cultivators reached SSS-rank and refined their bodies to withstand the void, their cells, tissues, and organs ceased to age rapidly. They no longer required air or food, but that did not mean they possessed infinite lifespans.
That was because of Life Force.
Every being was born with a finite amount of life force. As one cultivated and ascended, that life force would replenish and expand. But if a cultivator stopped advancing, their life force would eventually begin to deplete, leading to death.
This issue was mitigated by life essence users. If one could simply find such a being, then they could have them replenish one's life force.
Back in the Milky Way Galaxy, this was a privilege mostly reserved for royalty and nobles. After the Origin Ink spread, formations allowed anyone access to similar benefits.
In the universe, however, life itself had become an entire field.
Major and Great sects conducted extensive research into the concepts of Life and Death, offering services related to longevity. Lifeforce Rejuvenation Centers were facilities created from those researches, and this facility was standard in UNI-Hubs, allowing anyone to replenish their life force simply by paying UNI-Coins. This enabled most cultivators to live indefinitely, as long as they avoided dying in combat.
"Immortality for sale," Sentinel said quietly, his tone carrying an edge of wonder. "Truly, the universe has turned existence itself into commerce."
Without the Origin Ink, these things would have been an luxary for those back in the Milky Way.
At that moment, Aerin caught sight of a massive food area and immediately ran toward it, drawn by the rich fragrance of mana-infused sweets.
"Aerin!" Aurelia called out, but the child had already slipped between two towering alien beings.
The crowd was incredibly dense, and a child running off alone could easily get lost. Beings of different sizes moved in organized streams, some floating, others walking, a few even phasing partially through matter. The sheer variety made tracking difficult.
Back in the Milky Way Galaxy, this had not been a serious issue, but here nearly everyone present was a powerful cultivator. Expanding perception would cause countless energies to clash, making precise tracking difficult, especially for those unfamiliar with such environments. It would take time to adapt to such an environment.
Adrian reacted immediately, weaving through the crowd and catching Aerin before she could get too far. Within seconds, he reached her just as she was about to disappear around a corner.
Lifting her up, he said firmly, "Aerin, if you run off like that, you could get lost."
She pouted, her small hands gripping his robes. Then she pointed excitedly toward a nearby store selling mana-enriched white sponge-like spheres suspended in clear gel. The vendor, a being with translucent skin revealing flowing energy beneath, arranged them in neat pyramids. "Uncle, that smells so good. Buy me that."
The fragrance was indeed remarkable, sweet but layered, carrying undertones of concentrated spatial essence that tickled the senses.
Adrian did not recognize the food, but he remembered reading that mana-based foods were extremely popular in the universe. Since cultivators could passively expand their Mana Seas, such foods played a significant role in cultivation.
"I'll buy it for you after we visit the UNI-Bank, alright?" he said gently.
She puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, crossing her arms.
Adrian had no choice. He only carried low-tier mana crystals, which were not accepted here. He needed UNI-Coins before he could purchase anything.
Aurelia and the rest of the group soon caught up. The crowd made their movement slow, and unlike Aerin, who was small, they could not easily slip through, nor could they force their way through without causing trouble. They navigated carefully, avoiding unnecessary disturbance.
Aurelia reached Aerin and gently scolded her, taking the child from Adrian's arms. "Aerin, what did I tell you before we left the ship?"
"To stay close," Aerin mumbled, not meeting her mother's eyes.
"And what did you just do?"
"...not stay close."
Aurelia's expression softened but remained firm. "This is not our home galaxy. You cannot cause trouble by running off on your own. There are millions of beings here, and if we lose you, finding you again would be nearly impossible."
Sentinel stepped closer, his hand resting on Aerin's head. "Your mother's right. The rules here are different. We don't know what's dangerous yet."
Aerin nodded slowly, though her gaze kept drifting back toward the food stall. "I understand mama."
"Good." Aurelia set her down but kept hold of her hand.