Chapter 422: Divine

Kui Sha's eyes widened abruptly, his heartbeat quickening. "Information about a more comprehensive cultivation system? Master, do you mean... a realm beyond Legendary?"

The Solar Radiance Sovereign shook his head. "Beyond Legendary? We're far from it. What we call the Legendary realm is merely something we have contrived through the information we obtained from astral energy. We have pieced together fragmented and unverifiable data to create it.

"This misled us into thinking we had reached it. In truth, Legendary... is far more mystical and powerful than we imagined."

The Astral Cultivators' system could evolve from nothing to its current state within a mere century because it drew knowledge from astral energy.

The term Legendary emerged repeatedly in deciphered astral data. It seemed to signify an unimaginably powerful realm, one near the Astral Gods. This was why the term was used to name the current realm of Astral Cultivators.

"We... aren't Legendary?" Kui Sha asked.

"The true Legendary represents beings that can be called cosmic lifeforms. We cannot yet survive independently of our planet.

"At most, we hover at the Heavenly Realm, but even that is an overstatement. We only have the reserves of the Heavenly Realm, not its true strength."

The Solar Radiance Sovereign gazed into the distance, his expression filled with longing. "The power of the true Heavenly Realm... is far beyond this."

"The Heavenly Realm!"

The words instantly captivated Kui Sha and Long Xiang, as though the term carried a unique allure.

The Solar Radiance Sovereign instructed, "Collaborate with Yuan Zhenchuan and accelerate the restructuring of the Human Alliance. When the first election meeting after the Federation's reform convenes, I will reveal this knowledge.

"Moreover, if Yuan Zhen... Tianyuan, the East Sea's Thirty-Six Countries, or the Star Alliance want to contend for the presidency of the Federation Council through strength, we will stand ready."

"Master... are you confident?" Kui Sha asked, his voice trembling with excitement.

"As I have said, the power of the Heavenly Realm... is far beyond your imagination."

The Solar Radiance Sovereign turned around. "Go. I will continue discussions with the envoy sent by the Divine Dragon Empire to liaise with us Gaians. When the Federation's next full assembly convenes, I will make my appearance."

"Yes!" Kui Sha respectfully acknowledged.

As the Solar Radiance Sovereign vanished into the alternate dimension, Kui Sha's eyes brimmed with boundless anticipation and longing.

They had succeeded! The Solar Radiance Empire had established contact with the Divine Dragon Empire and obtained more complete information about the Astral Cultivators' cultivation system.

Armed with this advanced knowledge, akin to technological aid from a higher civilization, they stood on the brink of an unprecedented surge in power.

Could the day when the Solar Radiance Empire restored the glory of the Eternal Sun era and spread its brilliance across the globe be far off?

***

At the Celestial Martial God Hall, Li Pin slowly emerged from a deeply meditative state of inner spirit cultivation.

When he "awoke," he paused, mildly astonished.

"I actually..."

He had completely lost awareness of the outside world, entering a state of rest deeper than deep sleep—something almost inconceivable for someone who had already reached the realm of a Supreme Martial God.

At his mastery, his external perception was exceptionally sharp. He didn't require deep sleep. Even if he fell asleep, the faintest disturbance could rouse him instantly, fully prepared for battle with his Vitality, Qi, and Spirit instantly aligned.

However, just now, his alertness and keen perceptions seemed to have vanished.

No—not vanished; they had been replaced by something else, a higher form of awareness.

"Extrasensory perception?" Li Pin murmured.

This heightened awareness enveloped both his spirit and body, placing them in an unparalleled state of trust and relaxation. Although he had only just begun exploring this cultivation path, upon awakening, he felt his Vitality, Qi, and Spirit soaring to an unprecedented peak.

It was an indescribable sensation. It was akin to an elder who had been worn out by years of hard work, both mentally and physically. Then, out of nowhere, his vitality and energy returned, making him feel like he had returned to his student days. It was still the same person, but the physical and mental burdens each version experienced were utterly incomparable.

"Spiritual Liberation.... This so-called Spiritual Liberation allows the mind to transcend physical and mental constraints, reaching an indescribable state of greatness—a realm called Heart Infinity. It unlocks the full potential of the body and mind."

Li Pin struggled to put the feeling into words.

It was like controlling one's tongue while eating. More often than not, trying to control your tongue while eating would only result in you biting it by accident. However, if you relax and focus on eating, the tongue would do its own thing, functioning with far greater precision.

The power of the inner spirit worked similarly.

In the earlier state of Spiritual Liberation, he had forgotten his surroundings and the passage of time. Yet, his body and mind operated with undiminished efficiency. In fact, his ability to sense danger and refine his combat techniques had only improved.

It was akin to a martial arts master whose discipline had become second nature—every word and action embodying their craft.

The inner spirit enabled the individual to turn their every action, be it walking, sitting, lying down, or standing, into cultivation.

Li Pin closed his eyes, quietly reminiscing. "Incredible."

In addition to that, it also allowed the person to maintain their peak conditions at all times.

As his understanding of the inner spirit deepened, he might develop more abilities in the future. For example, achieving greater results in certain tasks with minimal effort, or unleashing the inner spirit, allowing him to tap into power far surpassing his physical limits.

At the deepest level, it might even enable an equilibrium state—achieving immortality. A perpetual state of balance and immortality.

For any cultivator, this mystical concept was nothing short of astonishing—a pathway to true, everlasting enlightenment.

If the inner spirit were to reach such heights, doing push-ups until one became strong enough to shatter planets with a single punch would no longer be a fantasy. In fact, within this profound state, Li Pin had already glimpsed a path beyond the realm of Supreme Martial Gods.

Earlier, he had thought that he'd have to break the four-digit threshold in mental spirit and then rely on his Clairvoyance ability to begin exploring. However, the revelation came sooner than expected.

"Humans are composed of atoms, as is the universe. Why, then, can the human body not destroy the universe?" Li Pin murmured.

The answer lay in the absence of an inner spirit. By understanding the inner spirit, perceiving atomic resonance, and unlocking the boundless power of the inner spirit, a person could amplify the resonance of atoms infinitely until... the very structure of all atoms is obliterated.

At that point, they would've gained the power to destroy the universe itself.

Li Pin closed his eyes, immersing himself in this surge of inspiration.

Cutting-edge scientific studies suggest a membrane with a diameter of a thousand light-years surrounds our solar system. The relationship between the Sun and this membrane is like that between the cell nucleus and the cell membrane...

When I first used Clairvoyance to observe myself, I suspected this: the human body resembles a universe. The parallels are too many to ignore....

His mind surged with flashes of insight.

And now, at this moment, I've truly confirmed it.

The human body is a universe—a microcosm.

It's just that, until now, cultivation limitations have prevented us from understanding the inner spirit, the key to unlocking this microcosmic universe within.

Li Pin opened his eyes, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

At this moment... he saw the path ahead.

After the planetary lifeform, the next step was the evolution to cosmic life.

"Inner spirit cultivation... Spiritual Liberation is one direction, but other methods can enhance the inner spirit. For instance, actions and behaviors that reduce the burden on the inner spirit..."

Li Pin kept his mind clear. Having just completed a round of inner spirit cultivation, his thoughts were at their sharpest, continuously refining his ideas.

Simply put, reducing the burden on the mind meant minimizing interactions with external causes and effects, allowing the mind to remain untainted by distractions and always pure.

As Li Pin reflected on his journey... he smiled.

He chuckled softly. "No wonder I was lucky enough to enter inner spirit cultivation when I first studied the Frost Ring.

"It turns out that, without realizing it, my actions and behavior throughout life have naturally aligned with the traits that reduce causality. Compared to others, my mind bears little burden, and I carry few karmic ties."

His mind was clear and pure, allowing him to progress effortlessly in his cultivation.

Well, he was not entirely free of causality.

"The Great Moon Imperial Tomb... and the Peach Blossom Secret Domain. It's time to settle those matters," Li Pin said calmly.

After all, he had promised Lin Baizhan and the others that he would rescue them within a year.

Now... he was powerful enough to fulfill his promise.

With that thought, Li Pin touched the Void Ring in his hand.

As the power of the Void Crystal activated, the world around him thickened. Guided by his mental spirit, the tomb where the Ghoul, King Liang, resided appeared in his senses.

However, when he tried to step across, interference arose. The Void Crystal's energy drained quickly, and even after depleting all its power, he failed to bridge the space.

Li Pin was a bit surprised. "I couldn't teleport?"

However, considering that King Liang was a supreme demonic creature and there was an alternate dimension nearby, it wasn't unexpected that there would be interference. He dismissed the thought of teleporting.

Flying there wouldn't take much time.

With that in mind, Li Pin left the training room, quickly taking to the sky. After reaching a certain height, he accelerated sharply, breaking through the atmosphere with a deafening roar, shooting toward the horizon.

The electromagnetic force within his Natal Planet surged—mach one, mach two, mach three... all the way to mach six.

At that pace, a thousand miles was easily covered in no time.

With a meteoric crash, Li Pin landed directly at the entrance of the Great Moon Imperial Tomb.

The dozens of demonic creatures surrounding the entrance were instantly blown away and shredded by the Aura Force and hurricane generated by his descent.

Unlike before, when he had to tread carefully, this time, Li Pin strode boldly into the tomb's depths.