In the sky.
Xiao Han shot straight up toward the heavens, breaking through the cloud layer in the blink of an eye.
The outline of New York shrank rapidly behind him; the city lights became tiny dots, finally swallowed by the deep blue of night.
The altitude continued to climb, and the air grew thinner.
His biofield automatically adjusted, so he felt no ill effects.
His skin could sense the faint touch of cosmic rays, but to his steel-like body, it was like a gentle breeze brushing across his face.
"Not fast enough yet," he muttered.
He adjusted his posture, arms tight against his sides, forming a streamlined barrier of biofield along his body.
"Accelerate."
Bang!
His speed surged violently — over 100 Mach, then 130 Mach, until he reached the edge of the atmosphere.
The curvature of the Earth became clearly visible, the blue oceans and white clouds intertwining in a breathtaking sight.
The last thin layer of atmosphere tore apart. Xiao Han had officially entered space.
In the boundless darkness, he streaked like a reverse meteor toward the Sun.
Without air resistance, his speed only increased: 0.1c… 0.2c…
During his last absorption inside the Sun, his maximum speed had already reached 0.5c.
"At this rate, it'll take only a dozen minutes to reach the Sun."
He relaxed his body, letting inertia carry him forward.
His super senses picked up the slightest ripples in the universe.
Far away, astronauts on the International Space Station gazed at Earth through the windows.
Even farther out, several satellites moved silently along their orbits.
On the other side of the planet, a cloaked alien reconnaissance ship lay hidden.
Super vision locked on instantly — an oddly-shaped scout ship floated above, its surface cloaked with some optical camouflage. But to Xiao Han's penetrating gaze, it was completely useless.
"This isn't Earth tech… nor is it Asgardian style."
The ship seemed to sense a threat and suddenly ignited its engines to flee. Xiao Han hovered in place, golden light flashing in his eyes.
"Since you're here… don't leave."
His eyes blazed, two scarlet beams of heat vision cutting through the void.
No massive explosion, no scattered debris. The heat vision pierced the engine core with precision, and the ship silently disintegrated like a popped balloon.
Fragments brushed past his cheek, vaporizing instantly on contact.
"Someone seems very interested in Earth," Xiao Han noted, recording the coordinates.
After annihilating the remaining debris, he continued to accelerate.
The blackness of space unfolded before him.
Here, he felt true freedom.
No gravity to bind him, no air resistance — only eternal starlight.
The Sun's rays wrapped around him gently, like a mother's embrace.
Warm, comforting, full of power.
"This… is what home feels like!"
He let himself go, letting the Sun's gravity pull him in.
Golden energy coursed through his veins, every cell rejoicing.
As he drew closer, the Sun's coronal plasma danced vividly before his eyes.
Xiao Han spread his arms, plunging into the Sun like a child returning home.
The flames kissed his skin — not burning, but filling him with unprecedented vitality.
He inhaled deeply. Though space lacked air, the Sun's radiation served as perfect nourishment.
Adjusting his posture, he began to slow down.
Golden plasma surged like waves, while occasional solar flares released energy capable of destroying planets.
But to Xiao Han, this was pure power.
"Now…"
He settled into a cross-legged position amidst the roiling corona, golden energy flowing around him.
Flames wrapped him, energy flooding every cell like a tide.
"It's time to start the experiment."
"If my power comes from the Sun, can magic also use solar energy as a medium?"
This thought had lingered in his mind for some time.
Back in Karmathege, Gu Yi had once said:"Magic's essence is the flow of energy; the medium is merely a tool of guidance."
So if his body itself was already an energy vessel, could it serve as the medium for casting spells?
He wanted to understand the essence of magic.
Xiao Han closed his eyes, recalling the knowledge he had learned in Karmathege.
Ordinary mages relied on rings or magical implements, borrowing energy from other dimensions, channeling it with incantations and gestures.
Gu Yi's power partly came from the Dark Dimension, but her true strength came from her understanding of the rules.
Xiao Han's energy, however, came from the Sun — fully internalized, needing no external source.
"If I can use my own energy directly instead of borrowing from other dimensions, then magic no longer requires external mediums."
"Perhaps… I should try a self-contract?"
He raised his hand, golden light glimmering at his fingertips, softly chanting Karmathege's contract spell:"By my will, bind the flow of the multiverse."
Instantly, he felt the solar energy inside him tremble, pulled by some invisible rule.
But soon, the energy stabilized.
The contract was formed, yet no channel of flow opened.
He realized Karmathege's magic system was based on borrowed energy, while his energy belonged entirely to him — no contract needed.
"Perhaps… I don't need to follow their rules."
"My rule is the rule."
Xiao Han decided to abandon imitation. He would guide the energy his way.
He tried for the first time, imagining energy flowing from his fingertips, forming sparks.
Only scattered sparks flickered briefly before vanishing.
On the second attempt, he shaped the energy like a biofield around his palms.
The sparks lasted longer but still did not form.
On the third attempt, he let the energy flow naturally, like breathing.
"Maybe magic doesn't need forceful shaping… it just needs to follow energy's nature."
Xiao Han relaxed, letting go of notions of correct casting.
He closed his eyes, envisioning himself merging with solar energy.
"I need no borrowed power. I am the power."
He slowly lifted his hand — no circles, no incantations — letting energy release naturally according to his will.
Buzz!
A golden spark erupted before him, expanding rapidly into a fully-formed teleportation portal!
On the other side, Earth's clouds were clearly visible.
"Success!"
Xiao Han felt that each spell consumed minimal energy, continuously replenished by the Sun's radiation.
"As long as I stay within solar exposure, or don't drain my body's stored energy all at once, I can cast endlessly."
This meant unlimited teleportation, independent of rings, opening portals at will.
The spells would be more powerful — solar energy was purer than typical dimensional energy.
And he could develop a unique solar-based magic system, entirely his own.
Floating amidst the Sun's flames, his eyes glimmered with thought.
"This ability has enormous potential."
For instance, he could compress energy, concentrating solar power into magical projectiles or weapons.
He could even interfere with dimensions, stabilizing or disrupting other dimensional pathways.
Or… combine magic with superpowers.
Heat vision with magic for soul-burning attacks.
Trapping enemies in mirror dimensions.
Or using spatial magic with super speed for interstellar teleportation.
Xiao Han suppressed his excitement — magic and superpowers complemented each other, and with his physicality, few could challenge his advanced spells.
He gazed toward Earth, a smile playing on his lips.
"It's still early. Why not try a more complex spell before heading back?"
Without hesitation, he raised his hand, golden energy pooling in his palm.
This time, he tried creating a portal to another dimension.
Perhaps a portal to the Hell Dimension, to see what hell looked like.
Or maybe check if Dormam truly wanted negotiations.
Whatever the case, Xiao Han wanted to experiment — like a child encountering a smartphone for the first time, eager to tap everything.
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