Chapter 429: Choice

Sizzle, sizzle!

A streak of blue light tore through the air.

The dominion of spiritual will over Atomic Will synthesized massive amounts of heavy hydrogen, which were then heated to plasma by temperatures reaching millions of degrees. Confined by force, the charged particles streaked forward like flowing light, striking their target in bursts.

In an instant, Li Pin felt the power penetrate his protective force field. The terrifying heat splattered onto his Heavenly Demon Divine Armor. It seemed as though just half a breath would be enough to completely destroy this legendary astral equipment—not merely damage it, but annihilate it entirely.

Li Pin's expression turned grim as he witnessed the sheer destructive force of the attack. Without delay, he activated the Celestial Shift Technique, darting laterally at supersonic speed in an attempt to evade the Divine Radiance Beam.

However, the Solar Radiance Sovereign had firmly locked his mental spirit onto Li Pin. The trajectory of the Divine Radiance Beam adjusted seamlessly, following Li Pin's movements with relentless precision, never losing its target.

Some of the plasma beams missed Li Pin, striking the ground instead and triggering violent explosions that sent flames roaring into the air. Thick clouds of dust and debris filled the surroundings.

Li Pin quickly realized the gravity of the situation.

I can't hold this off!

He thought.

The Divine Radiance Beam's speed was overwhelming, and its power was even more terrifying. The plasma blasts weren't just incredibly destructive, they were relentless. Every second, dozens of beams rained down on Li Pin.

Li Pin knew the Heavenly Demon Divine Armor wouldn’t last much longer. It would likely shatter within a single breath. While he could manage individual blasts, the relentless barrage was too much to withstand. Once the armor broke, the plasma would incinerate him instantly. No material could endure such extreme heat.

The Legends and Supreme Experts had always assumed that the Solar Radiance Sovereign must have had a trump card up his sleeve when he challenged Li Pin. Otherwise, knowing that Li Pin had single-handedly slain two supreme-level demonic creatures, he would never have dared to confront him.

However, none of them had expected the Solar Radiance Sovereign to display such overwhelming strength as soon as the battle began.

"Legendary Astral Techniques can be used like this? While his techniques might not surpass ours in raw power, their sustained output is on an entirely different level—it’s as if he’s a one-man army, equivalent to dozens of legendary fighters combined!"

"Atomic Will? By dominating Atomic Will with spiritual will, the incoming damage is evenly distributed across all Atomic Wills, forming an atomic shield. My heavens... If I dedicate enough time and effort to study this, I might be able to achieve it too!"

"That furnace inside him... It's modeled after a theoretical nuclear fusion reactor? With the rise of Astral Cultivators in recent years, society has shifted toward integrating astral equipment with technology. Nuclear fusion reactor projects—which might have taken another fifty years to develop—have largely been abandoned.

"Yet, the Solar Radiance Sovereign has replicated one and even uses it as the energy source for his Legendary Astral Technique?"

The observing Legends and Supreme Experts were in disbelief.

What shocked them the most was that, in theory, the techniques Solar Radiance Sovereign displayed were things they could also achieve, given enough time and effort.

Astral Cultivators didn't lack time.

Top-tier Astral Cultivators lived well beyond two centuries, and Legendary beings could easily live for three to five centuries. Techniques that couldn't be mastered in ten years could be learned in twenty, thirty, forty, or even a hundred years.

Yet none of them had ever thought to pursue these directions.

"This doesn't seem normal," Yuan Zhenchuan suddenly remarked. "These Astral Techniques are far too refined—so mature that they don't seem like newly developed ones. Solar Radiance Sovereign, he..."

His words made the amazed Supreme Experts pause in thought. Realization dawned on them. However, instead of anger or accusations, their eyes shone with desire.

Clearly, the power Solar Radiance displayed, so strong it could easily sweep through perilous regions, had awakened a deep longing within them.

Seeing the change in the group's expressions, Yuan Zhenchuan wanted to say something. But when his gaze turned to Li Pin, who was rapidly losing ground and struggling, he could only take back his words, sighing reluctantly.

Qiao Baishi said, "Li Pin might be able to summon Gaia's Celestial Force Field, but doing so would prevent him from dodging quickly. Before the force field could destroy the Solar Radiance Sovereign's physical form, the Divine Radiance Beam would burn him to ash"

He reluctantly declared, "Li Pin has lost."

The plasma blasts neared the speed of light, and Li Pin would soon be out of options. If he didn't surrender, the unimaginable heat of the plasma would inevitably reduce him to ash.

"It's over," the Solar Radiance Sovereign declared. "Let's end this. If you persist, you'll die."

"End?" returned Li Pin.

Still evading, Li Pin looked up at Solar Radiance Sovereign continuously drawing power from the solar furnace within, and said, "This isn't the end."

A flash of insight sparked in Li Pin's mind. He muttered, "Plasma is heated by lasers and confined within special force fields, creating a directional energy weapon.... And as for the force field confinement...."

He stopped abruptly. Then, facing the relentless plasma barrage closing in, he reached out and made a sweeping motion.

"Magnetic field, rotate!"

Sizzle, sizzle!

In the next instant, the plasma beams, constrained by the magnetic field, seemed to meet a mirror and were instantly deflected to the side.

They sliced through the air like divine swords descending from the heavens, crashing into the Redrock Canyon dozens of miles away, where they caused millions of tons of rock to collapse and fall into the abyss.

As the Celestial Magnetic Field surrounding Li Pin spun rapidly, subsequent plasma beams were deflected, shooting off in all directions.

The observers, standing miles away, were forced to retreat under the barrage of deflected plasma. Some unfortunate ones were struck by the Divine Radiance Beam, causing their starlight forms to manifest.

However, no matter how powerful Solar Radiance Sovereign's attacks were, they could no longer harm Li Pin in the slightest. The beams of light shot at Li Pin were fully deflected, scattering in all directions.

Brilliant light engulfed Li Pin, making him appear like a blazing sun.

Solar Radiance Sovereign paused at the sight, a flicker of realization crossing his expression.

A faint smile broke out on Solar Radiance Sovereign's face, and he remarked, "Impressive. You've managed to identify the weakness of this Legendary Astral Technique so quickly and even counter it."

His smile spread into a grin. "But your attacks rely entirely on the Celestial Magnetic Field. Since you're using it to divert my Divine Radiance Beam, it can no longer produce the energy needed to break through my Atomic Force Field. So, how about we call this battle a draw?"

Li Pin looked at the Solar Radiance Sovereign and pressed his hand downward. "Not necessarily."

Rumble, rumble!

In the next instant, an unprecedentedly vast celestial phantom descended from the sky.

It crashed down with overwhelming force, engulfing Solar Radiance Sovereign completely. His Atomic Force Field surged forth, trembling violently under the immense pressure.

Solar Radiance Sovereign said calmly, "In reality, I can hide underground. The Gaia Celestial Force you've invoked isn't the conventional power of celestial movement; it compresses from the outside in.

"In other words, it crushes from above. If I take shelter deep underground and continue to go deeper, the Celestial Force would have little effect on me."

He looked at Li Pin with unconcealed admiration. "I must admit, your excellence surpasses my expectations. However... do you think that if I were to share the powers I've mastered with the world, the contributions I would make would be greater than the help you alone could bring to it?"

Li Pin shifted his gaze from Solar Radiance Sovereign to the distant Legendary figures and Supreme Experts watching from afar. "Share it with the world?"

The methods used by Solar Radiance Sovereign were within the scope of Legendary Astral Cultivators, but their immediate impact on combat capabilities was immeasurable.

He didn't need to guess. If Solar Radiance Sovereign truly shared these powers... it would render everything meaningless.

Solar Radiance Sovereign's power came from other civilizations.

Once others saw that even the world's strongest figure had turned to other civilizations for such extraordinary strength, no one would be able to stop them from seeking similar connections.

Even if he became the first chairman of the Gaia Alliance, it would no longer matter. Because... if every Legend could become as powerful as Solar Radiance Sovereign, his role as chairman, uniting everyone to purge the demonic creatures, would become a joke. At that point, every nation, every individual, would already have the power to eradicate demonic creatures.

There would be no need for unity.

Li Pin asked, "Solar Radiance Sovereign, do you truly understand the consequences of what you're doing?"

Solar Radiance Sovereign glanced at Li Pin and sighed. "Li Pin, you, Yuan Zhenchuan, and many others hold onto your stubborn biases. I won't deny that fairness and morality between civilizations are illusions. It's not wrong to assume the worst intentions from others, to fear they covet what we have. But...."

His gaze swept over the others once more. "Facing an alien civilization alone is highly likely to be a disaster for us. We can't rely on the hope that they'll be magnanimous or kind. But if we share common goals, a mutual enemy, and a superior arbitrator above us both, then contact isn't entirely out of the question."

"What are you trying to say?" Li Pin asked.

Solar Radiance Sovereign replied, "In recent years, I've carefully studied sociology—or rather, the theories of intelligent collective entities. With a superior arbitrator in place, two civilizations can both compete and act as mutual deterrents."

Li Pin subtly grasped something. "Mutual deterrents?"

"A great era is approaching. Clinging to stagnation is a path to self-destruction. I know my actions are risky, but isn't doing nothing also a risk? You, me, and everyone else—we're all just choosing different ways to save this world. Can you be certain that your way is absolutely correct?"

As Solar Radiance Sovereign spoke, he withdrew the Divine Radiance Beam and ended his attack. "Let's continue the meeting and let everyone make their choice. Even if it leads to destruction, they'll bear the consequences of their decision."