Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 171: Reunion

"World champion!"

These words seemed to possess boundless magic. Even Su Mai, an Astral Cultivator at the top of the food chain, felt his breath grow heavier.

If Li Pin became the world champion, even if it was only for the intermediate category, it would still be an unprecedented achievement for the Taibai Kingdom. Historically, the best result Taibai Kingdom had ever achieved was making it into the top three, and that was including participants from other categories.

If the Taibai Kingdom were to take first place while he, Su Mai, was leading the team, it would be an impressive talking point for him as a prince.

Moreover, while becoming world champion didn't carry the same weight as the King of the Century, every champion would receive focused resources and training. These champions usually had the potential to become Extreme Martial Saints as long as they didn't perish prematurely.

Unlike ordinary Martial Saints who had no choice but to risk everything by refining their qi into Spirit, an Extreme Martial Saint had genuine hope of transitioning into an Astral Cultivator. Historically, many Extreme Martial Saints didn't reach their peak through the pressure of the King of the Century battles but rather by elevating themselves and meditating on the Astral God.

In fact, there had been cases of Extreme Martial Saints breaking their limits during the King of the Century battles and bathing beneath the starlight, stepping into the realm of Astral Cultivators.

Though they might not measure up to the King of the Century in terms of spirit and will, and would inevitably encounter bottlenecks in their pursuit of becoming Top-tier or Master Astral Cultivators, they could still transform into a substantial force that bolstered the Taibai Kingdom's national strength.

Despite these expectations, Su Mai did not show them on his face. Instead, he smiled and said, "You flatter me. Winning first place by luck in hunting ferocious beasts doesn't mean he can dominate the rankings in the round-robin competitions and claim the top spot. Take Yan Hongtu, for example, his efficiency in hunting ferocious beasts also surpassed the Martial Saints and the other two seeded competitors."

Having been modest, he shifted the conversation. "However, I've heard that the dynasty possesses a treasure known as the Essence-Gathering Pearl. Given that Phantom's battle with Li Pin has forced him to use multiple Spirit Forces and drained his stamina and focus, the organizing committee promised compensation. How about providing this item as compensation?"

Su Mai's suggestion caused Wan Qingshan's expression to stiffen slightly.

After a moment, he looked at Su Mai again. "Are you serious, Prince Su? An Essence-Gathering Pearl is forged by a Master Astral Cultivator who meticulously gathers astral energy and refines its essence into a single pearl after achieving spiritual ascension. The process is so intricate that even a High-Class Astral Cultivator would require a full month to complete it!"

A month might not seem long, but if that entire period was spent solely dedicated to harvesting astral energy and refining the Essence-Gathering Pearl, it could be imagined the immense indirect impact it could have on a Master Astral Cultivator.

It was like asking a high-ranking national vice president to spend a month teaching at a university instead of managing state affairs.

"I understand the value of the Essence-Gathering Pearl, but its effects are perfectly suited for Li Pin right now," Su Mai argued. "This treasure allows those without the inherent talent to benefit from a touch of astral energy refinement. It's a rare item for Martial Saints breaking through physical limits.

"With Li Pin's talent, it's only a matter of time until he achieves the Martial Saint status. Once he reaches that level, he will need to accumulate and prepare for the dual limits of his physical body and mental spirit. Mr. Wan, considering his potential, you wouldn't doubt his future achievements, would you? Think of it as an early investment in him."

Wan Qingshan was moved by Su Mai's words. "An early investment...."

Li Pin had keen senses, even capable of detecting Phantom.... At just twenty-three, he was already on the brink of becoming a Martial Saint. With such potential, reaching the pinnacle of Martial Saints in the future was far from a mere fantasy.

An Extreme Martial Saint would only earn Wan Qingshan a glance of respect, but if Li Pin could complete the transformation from Extreme Martial Saint to Astral Cultivator, the value would be entirely different.

Moreover... Li Pin's displayed talent went beyond sensing hidden targets. He could also accurately identify the weaknesses of his enemies, as demonstrated by his flawless execution of killing two mid-tier ferocious beasts with his swordplay.

In some respects, his talent could be compared to innate divine strength. If Tianyuan nurtured him properly, there was no reason he couldn't step onto the stage of the King of the Century and bring honor to the Tianyuan Federation, like Wang Liancheng.

The King of the Century battle was the ultimate international battle!

Having developed to this day, it was overseen personally by some of the world's supreme expert, including Fu Qingtian. Winning the King of the Century title would give the Tianyuan Federation an unimaginable boost in prestige. To prepare for that battle, laying a few more strategic pieces on the board was not unreasonable. It could also foster a favorable relationship with Li Pin.

Wan Qingshan nodded. "Very well, as you suggested, we will give Li Pin an Essence-Gathering Pearl as compensation. However, this pearl could drastically upset the balance of power. It cannot be given to him until after the preliminary rounds."

Receiving an Essence-Gathering Pearl was already an unexpected delight for Su Mai. After all, such treasures were scarce even in the Taibai Kingdom.

However, that was not because they couldn’t refine it, but rather because there was no one in Taibai worthy of the Master Astral Cultivator's effort. Even if Su Mai had to wait until after the preliminary rounds to receive it, he was still very satisfied. "Fine, Mr. Wan, we'll go with your plan."

The two quickly finalized the matter.

"Next, let's announce our findings and clear Li Pin's name," Wan Qingshan said.

***

Li Pin anticipated that reaching first place would cause quite a stir. However, he wasn't too concerned about it.

The intense pressure from his battles with the Orc Fighter and the Crimson-Tooth Tiger, which forced his spiritual consciousness to its peak, had left a deep impression on him. Now, he was determined to recapture that state while hunting for ferocious beasts.

Unfortunately, due to the absence of formidable opponents, he couldn't reach that heightened spiritual clarity no matter how hard he focused his mental perception. It was as if time had slowed down in his battles.

This situation had surprised him a bit. He calmed himself down once again, reflecting on his state and attempting to understand the trigger for this state. However, despite his talent allowing him to perceive every subtle change in his qi and blood and even observe cellular division, the mysterious spiritual state clearly surpassed the limits of his innate "Clairvoyance" talent.

"Talent can only help so much," Li Pin muttered to himself. "Ultimately, it's up to myself."

He recalled his life-and-death struggles with the two Crimson-Tooth Tigers and the Orc Fighter. All three beasts were not at their peak condition, which made their flaws apparent. This allowed him to exploit their weaknesses and deliver fatal blows.

But what if these beasts had been at their full strength? Could he handle monsters that even seasoned Astral Cultivators had to approach with caution?

Li Pin couldn't answer that question with certainty. The disparity in power and speed was too great. In that special state, he could slip a pamphlet into a moving car’s rearview mirror. But what if the car were going over the speed limit? Or if it were a sports car?

"True strength comes from within," Li Pin concluded.

Nevertheless, that state was part of his strength. It's just that it could only be triggered when facing an opponent significantly stronger than him—one that posed a deadly threat.

"Isn't this a bit like Martial Will?" Li Ping murmured to himself.

But isn't Martial Will supposed to be constant? Shouldn't it activate whenever needed?

What kind of Martial Will was this if it only activated in the face of a deadly opponent?

And if this truly was Martial Will, what was the nature of his Martial Will?

Challenging stronger foes?

Surpassing himself?

Transcending himself?

"This is quite...” Li Pin was unsure of the right word to describe this state. After pondering for a while, he uttered, "Interesting."

***

A day later.

Li Pin roasted some Crimson-Tooth Tiger meat and used the Innate Qi-Nurturing Technique to recover. Once his condition was nearly restored, he continued his trek through the forest. However, this time, he encountered no beasts at all after walking for three hours.

It seems that the number of beasts has significantly decreased?

He had expected this. Ferocious beasts had instincts to avoid danger. With over a hundred participants hunting a total population of no more than ten thousand low-tier ferocious beasts, it was likely that more than half of these beasts have already been killed over the past ten days.

The death of so many beasts naturally triggered panic among the remaining ones. Coupling it with the lingering fear of the terrifying upright apes... they would naturally choose to avoid the participants and flee the competition area.

With fewer beasts around, the chances of encountering them naturally decreased.

Even Li Pin, wandering on the edge of the competition area, faced this situation. It was unlikely for other participants to encounter more than three to five beasts a day.

"Hmm?"

At this moment, Li Pin sensed something and paused. He approached the roots of a tree and noticed a mark.

Before the competition, Su Mai had outlined several possible special situations with the four participants, one of which involved an injured contestant being unable to find a safe resting spot. In such a case, if other participants managed to locate a safe zone, they could leave a mark.

Although the competition rules prohibited forming teams, it was acceptable as long as they didn't meet face-to-face. Three of them could set up a safe zone while the fourth rested, providing a bit of breathing room. The mark he saw was a safety signal. However, there was an additional line beneath it...

"Help?" Li Pin muttered.

He followed the direction indicated by the mark and soon arrived at a relatively concealed cave. There was no one inside.

Li Pin waited a while before deciding to search the surrounding area, not willing to waste time. Less than an hour later, his gaze suddenly fixed in one direction. "Who's there?"

"Hmm?"

Soon, a surprised voice came from nearby bushes. Su Feiyu, who had camouflaged herself with leaves, stood up. "Li Pin?"

She was both surprised and delighted to see him.

"Was it you who left the help signal?"

Li Pin glanced her up and down. Although she wasn't as alluring and refined as before the competition, she didn't appear to be injured.