Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent
Chapter 543: Compete

Chapter 543: Compete

On the other end, Si Yu exclaimed in genuine amazement.

—He defeated an Astral God's avatar! His strength and potential are unbelievable.... This is far beyond what ordinary Divine Beings can achieve.

Si Xing froze upon hearing Si Yu's exclamation. "An Astral God's avatar!?"

He was aware that Li Pin was a Divine Being. From Li Pin's feats of shattering the Frost Dragon Planet and slaying its Demigod, Li Pin's strength undoubtedly placed him within the ranks of Divinity.

But being a Divine Being was one thing, and defeating an Astral God's avatar was another. Such an accomplishment placed Li Pin among the elite of all Divine Beings.

Li Pin... In less than five stellar years, he has not only attained Divinity but also advanced so far along its path!?No wonder the clan was eager to recruit him as an elder.

Si Xing muttered the name repeatedly, "Li Pin... Li Pin..."

He could hardly believe Li Pin had reached such heights.

Si Yu's voice was filled with envy.

—Ah Xing, you've truly struck fortune this time. As the saying goes, proximity brings opportunity. It goes without saying how influential an elder can be. The benefits Elder Li could bring to our branch are immense. Make the most of this opportunity. In the future, if not the entire clan, at least within our branch, no one will dare oppose you.

Si Xing quickly caught on. "Does this reflect the stance of our branch?"

—Of course. The entire branch is in agreement. Although the clan hasn't made an official announcement, once it's public, they'll definitely assign someone as a liaison to handle interactions with Elder Li.

—Since you've had a head start and knew the to-be Elder Li for a few stellar years, it's almost certain this role will fall to you.

Si Xing quickly grasped the situation. Si Ling's sudden visit was undoubtedly aimed at securing the liaison position.

"So that's how it is...."

—Build a solid relationship with Elder Li. If you manage this well, it'll become the most brilliant achievement of your life.

Si Xing nodded. "I understand."

After inquiring about a few more details, he ended the communication and waited quietly.

Before long, a pitch-black spacecraft suddenly appeared near Si Xing's silver vessel. Compared to Si Xing's relatively compact ship, this one was massive, with a diameter exceeding ten kilometers.

It was equipped with an array of weapons, particularly the enormous cannon at its forefront. Even in its idle state, it exuded an intimidating aura.

This battleship was considered advanced even on a cosmic scale. It was capable of spatial jumps and surpassed the Astral Gates in terms of utility, though its astronomical energy consumption made it far less cost-effective by comparison.

For heirs of powerful clans, however, cost-efficiency wasn't a concern.

As the two ships docked—or more accurately, as Si Ling's battleship absorbed Si Xing's vessel into its hold—Si Ling arrived at the docking bay with a group of attendants.

The moment Si Xing stepped out of the ship, the cold and aloof Si Ling, dressed in a striking red gown, spoke indifferently. "Si Xing, you're dismissed. The Qi Fang Headquarters' Command Fleet is heading to the Galactic Core. You'll accompany the ship under orders."

Si Xing glanced at her and responded calmly, "I'm currently serving in the Homo Sapien Alliance. Since when could the clan's orders override the authority of the Alliance's executives?"

"Just submit a report to the Alliance yourself," Si Ling replied. "Or have you decided to abandon your roots and no longer recognize yourself as a member of the Si Clan?"

"The clan wouldn't issue such an order knowing I have official duties. I'll appeal to the family, and once I receive a formal directive, I'll handle the report accordingly," Si Xing replied firmly, standing his ground.

"How dare you!" Si Ling's expression darkened. "Si Xing, your time with the Homo Sapien Alliance has clearly inflated your ego. You've been abusing the family's reputation and acting recklessly, tarnishing our name—"

"That's enough!" Si Xing cut her off sharply. "You think I don't know your intentions? The clan plans to recruit Li Pin as an elder, and you're vying for the liaison role. You assumed I was unaware and tried to use this as a pretext to remove me?"

Si Ling's expression didn't waver despite her motives being exposed. "If you already know, then you should understand that compared to a mere Tier Three Legend like you, I am far more qualified to serve Elder Li. If his needs go unmet due to your incompetence, how do you think he'll view our clan?"

"I'll take this directly to the Patriarch and see if this is truly the clan's stance," Si Xing shot back, raising his communication device.

"Don't you dare!" Si Ling snapped. "The Branch Patriarch has already approved me as the liaison. Defying this order suggests your entire family branch no longer wishes to remain part of the Si Clan."

Si Xing demanded, "If the Branch Patriarch truly approved it, where's the official decree? At the very least, there should be a written order. Show it to me.

"And how does standing up for the clan's best interests equate to severing ties with it? Or do you believe our branch isn't part of the clan and intends to separate?"

"Hmph. No point arguing with you. The resources and conditions I can offer are far superior to yours. I'll approach Elder Li myself. When he sees the stark difference in value, I trust he'll know who can better serve him."

Si Ling sneered and turned to leave.

As she departed, Si Xing pulled out his communicator and sent a message to Li Pin.

Si Xing: I'm ready now.

Li Pin: So soon? Are you sure?

Li Pin sounded surprised in his response.

Si Xing: Absolutely. I've never felt more prepared.

Li Pin: Then come to Zanglong City.

Si Xing: Understood.

***

Everyone has a place etched deeply in their memory. For Li Yunyao, that place was undoubtedly Zanglong City, where she spent her days training under Li Pin.

Later, upon realizing that Li Pin was no longer the same person, Li Yunyao left the Celestial Martial God Hall and returned to the Divine Martial Sect, located between Zanglong and Jiang Province City.

In the present day, as Astral Cultivation became accessible to all, traditional martial arts began to fade.

Those determined to pursue martial arts gravitated toward the Celestial Martial God Hall.

Over time, the Divine Martial Sect grew irrelevant, becoming a relic of the past. It was eventually absorbed into Zanglong City, becoming part of Li Pin's private territory, and became Li Yunyao's personal sanctuary.

***

Li Pin gazed at Li Yunyao, now bathed in a faint starlight glow, feeling a touch of emotion. "Astral Cultivator."

She had ultimately chosen the path of an Astral Cultivator.

He could have guided her along the martial arts path, but that was a path whose future was uncertain, even to him. The path of Astral Cultivation, however, lay clearly ahead.

The only challenge to be wary of is the battle for Astral God Yin Luo's successor, Li Pin thought.

He was prepared for it.

Some noble families might have already sent their prodigies to the Yin Luo Galaxy to seek the Astral God's legacy. However, unless they saw a real chance of success, they wouldn't pour all their resources into securing the successor position.

But he was different. His next destination was the Void Divine Treasure World.

Such a forbidden place would lead to one of two outcomes for him.

One... he would break open the Void Divine Treasure and reap endless rewards. If he succeeded, the benefits would be vast. Integrating the Astral World Fragment into the Astral World would make achieving the Astral God Realm far easier.

As for the other outcome... that was failure. He would be trapped within the forbidden Divine Treasure World, aging until death.

No matter the result, he wouldn't take his Divine Weapon into the Void Divine Treasure World.

In other words, if he perished there, the three Divine Weapons—Ruoxi Sword, World Heart, and Immortal Staff—would become resources for Li Yunyao to claim the successor position.

If she succeeded and became an Astral God, Gaia would have the protection of an Astral God, ensuring the legacy endured.

If she failed... he had at least done his best.

He owed nothing to heaven, earth, or his own heart. That was enough.

***

Li Yunyao, having transitioned from a Supreme Martial God to an Astral Cultivator, advanced at an astonishing pace in the early stages.

As she completed the transition, the cultivation materials Li Pin had prepared arrived in abundance—Astral Source Spirits, Primordial Spirit Essences, everything she needed.

The sheer quantity of Astral Source Spirits alone could mold her into a genius. With an unlimited supply of Primordial Spirit Essence, her growth was poised to rival even the most extraordinary prodigies.

With the hundreds of thousands of Divine Treasury Points Li Pin had set aside, Li Yunyao could reach the Legendary Realm within three years. Further advancing to Tier Three Legend within a decade would hardly be a challenge.

While overseeing Li Yunyao's cultivation, Li Pin detected three unfamiliar legendary auras entering his perception. "Hm?"

The trio arrived from outer space. Two of them had even mastered the inner spirit power.

Despite their strength, their demeanor remained polite. They refrained from concealing their presence and carefully controlled the friction between their power and the planet's force field to avoid disturbing the surroundings.

Realizing they were heading directly toward him, Li Pin pondered briefly before stepping into the void. Ripples spread through the Celestial Force Field, carrying him to the firmament above.

The trio descending from the sky spotted him.

The descending trio spotted him. The leader, a woman in a red dress, approached with respectful poise and bowed gracefully. "Divine Li, it's an honor to meet you. I am Si Ling, the eighth heir of the Flame Luminary branch of the Si Clan."

Li Pin glanced at her. "The Si Clan?"

Cultivating the inner spirit power explained her ranking among the top ten heirs of her lineage.

"What's the matter?"

"On behalf of the Si Clan, I've come to invite you to join us. The clan is prepared to grant you the position of an honored guest," Si Ling said respectfully.

Having completed his inner spirit cycle and embarked on the path of omniscience and omnipotence—a path typically reserved for Cosmic Radiance Astral Gods—Li Pin's keen observation discerned a subtle oddity.

The Si Clan hadn't sent Si Xing, someone with a closer relationship to him, but had instead dispatched this woman.

While her status outweighed Si Xing's, the choice was peculiar. The Si Clan's elders couldn't have overlooked it.

Li Pin shook his head. "I'll discuss this matter with Si Xing—"

"Wait," Si Ling interjected, her tone quick but respectful. "I came here specifically to present you with a gift from the Si Clan."

She raised her hand, summoning a projection resembling an altar.

"This is..." Li Pin examined and quickly identified it. "An Ascension Platform?"

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