Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 232: Strength

Huang He and Zhao Yunlong frowned upon hearing their names.

"Li Pin, what's the meaning of this? Why did you call the two of us?" Huang He asked.

"Didn't I make it clear? The names I call are the ones I will challenge first," Li Pin replied, nodding politely at the two. "Let's add Fang Ziyou to the list. He sent in his challenge quite early. The three of you can come up together."

Zhao Yunlong's face turned grim at these words. He sneered. "Li Pin, it seems like you're planning to face all four of us in succession. First Su Fang, then Huang He, me, and finally Fang Ziyou, with no breaks in between? How arrogant!"

"No, no, no," Li Pin quickly waved his hand. "I don't intend to fight you four one after the other. What I mean is... all four of you, come at me together."

Zhao Yunlong's face flushed red with anger.

Huang He, too, looked as though he had suffered a great humiliation.

"Li Pin, how dare you!" Huang He shouted.

Meanwhile, Fang Ziyou let out a low growl as he leaped onto the stage with explosive force, moving at a speed that even Cheng Yufeng could not hope to match.

"Li Pin, do you really think that just because you won the sixteenth World's Top Martial Competition, you're now invincible?" said Fang Ziyou, his tone cold. "Let me remind you, I was the runner-up in the fourteenth competition, and at that time, I was only a year older than you. By the fifteenth competition, I had already pushed my body to its limits.

"If I had participated then, the title of world champion would've been mine. Even in this year's competition, if I had chosen to step in, I would’ve stood at the pinnacle of the intermediate category. But I believe that each generation has its own set of talents and that we should step aside and give others the chance to shine.

“That's why I didn't participate. Yet here you are, arrogantly thinking you can challenge Su Fang, Zhao Yunlong, Huang He, and me all at once?"

"Fang Ziyou is angry," Zhang Xujin, the former second on the Hidden Dragon List, said with a smile as he watched from the crowd.

"This Li Pin... he's truly arrogant. Does he even know who Fang Ziyou is? He's ranked fourth on the Hidden Dragon List, just a step away from breaking into the top three, and yet Li Pin challenges him like this? What a joke. It's clear he doesn't take Fang Ziyou seriously at all," said the woman in green.

Mu Tingyue had fallen to fourth place due to Li Pin’s sudden appearance in second place. Therefore, when he heard Li Pin’s words, he spat out a single phrase, "Arrogant beyond belief."

Fang Ziyou was no less capable than Mo Tingyu. If challenging Fang Ziyou, Zhao Yunlong, Huang He, and Se Fang all at the same time wasn’t considered arrogant, then what was?

"Two fists can't fend off four hands, let alone face four opponents. Not even Cang Yunxiao, the top of the Hidden Dragon List, could manage that." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

A young woman standing near Mo Tingyu glanced around. "It seems Cang Yunxiao isn't here. If he were, I wonder what he would think of this scene."

"Cang Yunxiao has held the top spot on the Hidden Dragon List for three years and is known as the Golden Dragon. At only thirty-eight, he ranks fourth on the Transformative Dragon List. Rumors even suggest he's already strong enough to challenge the top three. However, he considers only one person as his true rival, Ye Chengyuan, the first on the Transformative Dragon List.

“He's never cared for fame or fortune, devoting instead to secluded training, seeking to break through his current limits."

Another person glanced at Li Pin on the stage. "Cang Yunxiao wouldn't even give a second thought to someone like Li Pin, who's only seeking attention. Naturally, he wouldn't come to watch the match."

While everyone else was busy discussing, mocking, or reveling in shock, Zhang Yuesheng could only cover his face in despair. As for Su Feiyu, she couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.

A few months ago, during the World's Top Martial Competition, Li Pin had similarly surprised everyone whenever he stepped onto the stage. Compared to Zhang Yuesheng, Su Feiyu wasn't as worried. She believed Li Pin wasn't the type to act recklessly. If he dared to challenge all four at once, he had to have some confidence in his ability to win.

Zhao Yushi, watching from the crowd, firmly commented, "Li Pin must have become even stronger.”

"It's not surprising. Li Pin's talent surpasses ours. We've all made significant progress in these past few months, so it's only normal that Li Pin has improved as well," remarked the Great Sun Chosen One. "Back during the competition, his strength was already approaching the third tier. Now... he's probably within the third tier.

"Actually, I've heard that after he won the championship, both the committee and Lord Fu Qingtian rewarded him with two Essence-Gathering Pearls. With those, it's only a matter of time before he steps into the realm of the Extreme Martial Saint. Although he's likely only reached the pinnacle of qi and blood, still short of achieving the double peak of qi and blood and mental spirit."

"An Extreme Martial Saint..." Song Wuya muttered as he tightened his grip on the saber in his hand, his eyes fixed on Li Pin on the stage.

***

"You seem really angry," Li Pin said with a smile as he looked at Fang Ziyou. "But I think you should stay calm. Don't let your rage cloud your judgment and affect your performance. Since I dared to challenge all four of you at once, it proves I'm confident in defeating you all. If I were you, I'd be on high alert right now."

"Hmph... Fight all four of us?" Fang Ziyou sneered. "Who do you think you are, Cang Yunxiao?"

Fang Ziyou had studied Li Pin's battles from the World's Top Martial Competition over ten times. He had to admit that Li Pin was strong. But even then, he was at most only on par with a top-tier Martial Saint.

But he, Fang Ziyou... had reached the absolute pinnacle of human limits as a Martial Saint!

"Don't believe me? What are you waiting for, then?" Li Pin slowly unsheathed the longsword from his waist, smiling as he said, "Come on, fight me."

In the next instant, the power of Li Pin’s qi and blood surged through his body. Within his body that stood no taller than 1.8 meters, a nuclear reactor seemed to have ignited. Violent and blazing power erupted from this reactor in a flash, flooding every corner of his being.

A terrifying and fierce aura exploded from him, rising with such force that it seemed as though it might pierce the heavens.

Fearing that his opponent might underestimate him and fail to reach their peak state, Li Pin had chosen to unleash the might of his qi and blood, putting it on full display.

Fang Ziyou's expression turned extremely heavy as he felt the violent pressure surging from Li Pin. "This qi and blood.... You've already reached your qi and blood limit?"

But it made sense.

During the World's Top Martial Competition, Li Pin had already been just a step away from the human limit of his qi and blood. Later, he was gifted two Essence-Gathering Pearls.

With even a slightly more unique physique, it wouldn't be surprising if he surpassed the forty-five-point human qi and blood limit, reaching forty-six or even forty-seven.

With a physique at the peak of human limits, combined with secret arts that seemed to enhance his qi and blood, the sheer pressure radiating from Li Pin now rivaled that of Astral Cultivator students.

No wonder he was arrogant enough to believe he could face all four of them at once.

Extending his right hand, which was clad in a metallic glove embedded with three gemstones, Fang Ziyou shouted loudly, "Fine! Li Pin, I'll grant you your wish! The rest of you, step back!"

Su Fang, Huang He, and Zhao Yunlong were also on stage. When they felt the terrifying surge of qi and blood radiating from Li Pin sweep over them, their eyes flickered for a moment.

Without a second thought, they really stepped back, choosing not to engage.

"Li Pin, to have raised your qi and blood to such a level in such a short time, I must admit, you have the right to be arrogant. You're the most talented martial artist I've seen this year.

"I sincerely hope to see you continue growing, to stand alongside me, Ye Chengyuan, and Cang Yunxiao in the future, as we battle for the throne of the King of the Century! To reach the pinnacle of martial arts legends!"

Fang Ziyou's expression turned grim. Without hesitation, he unleashed his Blood Core. Simultaneously, he activated a secret art, causing his qi and blood to skyrocket, surpassing even Li Pin's in an instant.

"But talent is still just talent! Until it fully transforms into absolute power, it's not your license for arrogance! Today, here and now, I'll show you how to respect your seniors and what real—"

Before Fang Ziyou could finish, an already peaked qi and blood surged once again.

Blood-Seething Secret Art!

On the foundation of his already formidable fifty-four points of qi and blood, Li Pin ignited the Blood-Seething Secret Art. In that moment, he unleashed his strongest state!

"Take this sword!"

As the sword swung, the terrifying qi and blood, far beyond human limits, erupted like an exploding furnace. Endless flames, intermingled with intense light, shooting up into the sky. It transformed into a visible whirlwind of qi and blood, tearing through the heavens and crossing the very fabric of space.

In Fang Ziyou's eyes, Li Pin had transformed from a mere mortal into a towering ancient deity, tens of meters tall. His overwhelming qi and blood surged across the heavens and earth with full force. Even before the sword reached its target, the sheer force contained within it crashed down like a tsunami of millions of tons.

The air and space seemed to be crushed under the sheer pressure of the sword's aura.

Despite Fang Ziyou being a Martial Saint who had reached the limit of qi and blood, his bones crackled under the pressure, and his breath almost stopped.

The other three on the stage widened their eyes in unison.

"My God..."

"This qi and blood... How is this possible..."

Fang Ziyou's mind reeled, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Even though Li Pin had reached the human limit of qi and blood and used an enhancement secret art, this level of qi and blood... was simply inconceivable.

It not only surpassed him, an Extreme Martial Saint, but it was also in a league of its own. In the face of this terrifying power, even someone like Fang Ziyou, who stood at the peak of human martial arts, felt like he was once again a Core Formation practitioner confronting a terrifying, ferocious beast.

Core Formation, ferocious beast!

What an utterly hopeless gap!

Fang Ziyou roared furiously. "No! The world is mine to conquer, kill!"

Under the guidance of his immense mental spirit, all his qi and blood condensed, transforming him into a towering deity.

As he punched upward, his qi and blood surged in response to his combat technique, morphing into a roaring blood dragon. Accompanied by the deity's strike, it blasted into the sky, shaking the very air.

"Ultimate Ancient God Descent!"