Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 87: Summary

Fang Lingjue couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. "In this place, there's not just jovial conversation but also scholars of profound knowledge. Everyone who comes and goes is well-educated."[1]

Li Pin was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this. Hadn't he used a similar description for Cao Tianyou not long ago?

Reflecting on himself, he considered the following.

Jiang Qingyue needed no introduction; the chairman of the Zanglong City Martial Society, overseeing the entire martial arts community of Zanglong City, and a level-four official in the Taibai Kingdom.

Lian Hongchen, on the other hand, was of a higher rank than Jiang Qingyue. He was comparable in status to the mayor of Zanglong City, though his actual authority was limited due to his deputy role. Nonetheless, his status was highly impressive.

As for Cao Tianyou and Luo Baihe, they were no less significant. One commanded hundreds of loyal disciples and led a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, while the other had built a vast network of connections through his activities in the capital city and was even a prospective candidate for Martial Saint in the future.

None of these individuals had come from simple backgrounds. Yet here they were, conversing with him amiably and even offering gifts. Although each had their own motives, this was a testament to their recognition of his worth.

In this light, Fang Lingjue's description of "Everyone who comes and goes is well-educated" seemed entirely appropriate.

"People engage in social interactions for external gains, but for us martial artists, our inner strength is fundamental," Li Pin remarked.

Fang Lingjue was momentarily taken aback by this statement. He reflected on his own situation. During the recent banquet the Five Elements Sect hosted in Zanglong City, he couldn't secure a seat at the second table. Despite this setback, he remained engrossed in his business ventures, focusing on expanding Changfeng Martial Hall and establishing more branches.

In contrast, Li Pin had not actively sought social connections and seemed indifferent to the Solar Vermillion Sect's threats.

And now? The Solar Vermillion Sect appeared to be preoccupied with their own problems.

While prominent figures such as Jiang Qingyue, Cao Tianyou, and even Lian Hongchen, individuals who Fang Lingjue had once considered beyond reach, were now seeking Li Pin's attention.

It truly echoed the saying: "When the flower blooms, butterflies come of their own accord."

Fang Lingjue felt a surge of emotions within him as he said, "One's own strength is always what's essential. Many things cannot be attained through mere pleading."

Looking back on his past actions, he couldn't help but find them naive and amusing. Fortunately, he was still young and there was still hope ahead.

***

"It looks like the Solar Vermillion Sect had been very confident in their arrangement with the combination of Han Li and Zhou Chaoguang. They haven't scheduled any matches for me this afternoon or tomorrow," pondered Li Pin.

After completing his treatment, Li Pin wandered around the martial competition venue and reviewed his match schedule.

Li Pin then underwent another session of astral equipment treatment before heading home later that afternoon.

He took his medicinal meal and then settled down to reflect on the outcomes of his latest battle.

Han Li... had been stronger than Li Pin anticipated. However, there was something unusual about his strength.

However, that wasn't the main point. The real key point was that he had a fierce battle with Han Li, endured Zhou Chaoguang's fist intent, and later counter-attacked and experienced a life-and-death struggle against an Aura Cultivation Grandmaster. All of this had a profound impact on him. Not only did his mental spirit attribute increase by 0.21 points, but his understanding of Aura Force and the Aura Cultivation realm also improved significantly.

Li Pin quietly recalled the Five Elements Unity he achieved while using the Blood-Seething Secret Art. At that time, the power of the Five Elements Unity was incredibly refined, almost surpassing Core Force and approaching the strength of Aura Force.

In other words, he had nearly unleashed an Aura Force attack through the Five Elements Unity while in the state of the Blood-Seething Secret Art. This Aura Force wasn't about achieving the typical power level. Instead, it was generated from the vibrations of his internal organs, illustrating the extent of control he held over his own strength. The two types of Aura Force were fundamentally different.

"I recall reading in a book about Wang Liancheng from the Tianyuan Federation, a martial artist born with divine strength. He was a prodigy with a peak Core Formation realm qi and blood level of forty-nine. He managed to drive back a Martial Saint by unleashing nine consecutive Core Force strikes.

"While I may not be such a prodigious talent, I can achieve a qi and blood level of forty-five or forty-six by using the Blood-Seething Secret Art. Moreover, this art allows me to unleash Core Force strikes even in this state...."

Li Pin patiently thought about it for a moment and came to the conclusion that, with all these factors in place, Zhou Chaoguang's death at his hands was justified.

Of course, the boost in qi and blood the Blood-Seething Secret Art brought differed fundamentally from innate divine strength. One provided a temporary surge, while the other was a constant state. He was still far from being able to challenge a Martial Saint at the Core Formation realm like Wang Liancheng.

"My progress..." mumbled Li Pin.

He assessed his condition.

[Qi and Blood: 34.42], [Primordial Qi: 31.95], [Vitality: 15.24]

[Aura Cultivation: 34/60]

[Innate Qi-Nurturing Technique: Qi-Nurturing Chapter: 37.31%]

[Blood-Seething Secret Art: 37.31%]

[Astral Fall: 3/1081]

Among these statistics, two showed significant changes; the Aura Cultivation progress and the qi and blood levels. Since these attributes are interrelated, their growth was expected.

Typically, the qi and blood levels of Aura Cultivation Grandmasters ranged from thirty-five to thirty-nine. More specifically, levels between thirty-five and thirty-seven indicated the External Aura realm, while those between thirty-seven and thirty-nine represent the Internal Aura realm. Li Pin's score of 34.42 was nearing the lower range of the External Aura realm.

"The best way to push myself to the limit is through battle. This is the most suitable method to achieve significant growth in strength," Li Pin mused with a smile.

After a moment, he took out the Five Qi's to Primordiality Pill Cao Tianyou had gifted him and swallowed it. Li Pin had heard of this renowned pill before, and it wasn't as easily obtainable as Cao Tianyou had suggested. The ingredients used to concoct it were top-notch, and each pill on the market could fetch up to a million.

Li Pin refined the pill's potency while simultaneously using the Five Qi's to Primordiality Art and Samadhi-Heart Training Art, quietly sensing the pill's nourishing effects on his internal organs.

An hour later, he furrowed his brow. "A pill worth a million, and this is its effect?"

Compared to the results he'd achieve by first strengthening his body with the Samadhi-Heart Training Art and then nourishing it with his primordial qi, the effects of the pill's nurturing and tempering effects were worse.

If I were to switch professions and become an alchemist, I could probably concoct a pill better than the Five Qi's to Primordiality Pill, Li Pin pondered.

However, it was only from Li Pin's perspective that the Five Qi's to Primordiality Pill's effect appeared inadequate. For martial artists at the organ-tempering stage, it was still considered an exceptional pill.

Li Pin carefully studied and researched it, devising some methods for improvement.

He then concluded, "By using the modified Five Qi's to Primordiality Pill alongside the Five Qi's to Primordiality Art, the Samadhi-Heart Training Art, and supporting them with the Innate Qi-Nurturing Technique, the results will be significantly better. Maintaining this trend, I should be able to reach the Aura Cultivation realm within one or two months"

However, one to two months would coincide with the national competition. The Aura Cultivation realm might not be enough to stand out in such a high-level event.

It was said that a prodigious genius had emerged in the capital city, capable of unleashing a strike with Spirit Qi Unity at under thirty years of age. Because of this, even an expert like Gu Haoran, who had refined his qi into Aura Force, had been forced to retreat to Jiang Province to participate in its martial competition in order to avoid facing him.

If Li Pin wanted to achieve something significant in the national competition, he would need the strength to surpass this genius's Spirit Qi Unity.

"The only thing that can counter Spirit Force is Spirit Force...."

Li Pin focused on his mental spirit attribute. If he could also unleash a strike of Spirit Qi Unity, it would be like transferring fifteen points of his mental spirit attribute into his qi and blood attribute. The power of such an attack would surpass even that of the Blood-Seething Secret Art.

As for Spirit Force....

Extreme emotion, pure conviction, and a clear mind!

The three paths described in the Astral Fall martial arts technique flashed through Li Pin's mind. Whether it was aiming to comprehend Spirit Force or approaching the Aura Cultivation realm, he needed to choose among these three paths.

1. The phrase is used to describe a place where there is a great deal of intellectual stimulation and discussion. ☜