Chapter 575: Understanding

On a platform of about ten square meters atop a cliff over forty meters high, Li Pin was familiarizing himself with the various constraints this world imposed on its power system.

Unable to contact the other pioneers immediately, he had no way of understanding basic information about the world, such as cultivation systems or techniques. He could only explore on his own.

Fortunately, his Clairvoyance remained intact. Even though his mental spirit was partially obscured, he adapted quickly.

Li Pin tested each force in turn.

"Force works, Core Force works, Aura Force works, and even Spirit Force works as well."

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Not only were Core and Aura Force usable, but there seemed to be even greater potential waiting to be unlocked. It was as if the limits of the human body in this world exceeded those of Gaia and the vast universe.

After a brief period of practice, Li Pin quickly realized something. "The qi and blood within a martial artist's body seem to have another form..."

He refined and compressed his qi and blood, and soon a new type of energy emerged.

Li Pin was surprised. "Primordial qi?"

He then sensed that, due to the large amount of qi and blood mixed in, the primordial qi leaned more toward explosive enhancement than nourishing the body.

"Should this be called true qi? Then... the Innate Qi-Refining Technique...."

He activated the technique for a moment.

Before long, he confirmed the technique worked, and the results were unexpectedly good. It even surpassed Xuan Pin's Gate and the Five Elements Body-Refining Art.

Without hesitation, Li Pin consumed the flesh and blood of the Blood Wolves.

The qi and blood contained in these ferocious beasts were substantial. Thanks to his absolute control over his body, he enhanced his stomach's digestion, quickly feeling a surge of Spiritual Qi within him.

Using the Innate Qi-Refining Technique, he refined this energy, converting it into highly explosive power now stored within him.

In just a few hours, the energy was usable.

"Refining essence into qi... If I had cultivated this energy earlier, I wouldn't have been in such a sorry state when dealing with those six Blood Wolves."

Sensing the flow of energy, now called true qi, Li Pin muttered, "So... this is actually a world of Immortal Cultivation?"

But then, what about the information Shi Yiren had sent? The power ceiling by the third phase was peak Demigod! The Void Emperor had stepped onto the Supreme Path by the end of that phase!

It didn't quite seem like an immortality cultivation world either.

Just then, Li Pin sensed something.

A figure was swiftly approaching from a distance. Judging by his physique, he seemed on par with Li Pin, perhaps slightly weaker. But his luck was clearly better. Only three beasts were chasing him. Li Pin couldn't make out the exact species.

Sensing Li Pin's gaze, the man immediately called out, "Are you also a pioneer sent into this underground world in the latest cycle? Please, lend me a hand, and I'll exchange valuable information in return!"

Before finding this platform, Li Pin had prepared various weapons, including long spears crafted from sturdy wood.

Hearing the plea, he didn't hesitate. He grabbed a spear and took aim.

A surge of Force coursed through him. The spear tore through the air with a sharp whistle, piercing one of the beasts in an instant.

The sheer accuracy and explosive force made the man's pupils dilate.

Li Pin repeated the process. Moments later, all three beasts lay dead.

"My thanks." The man stopped at a cautious distance and offered a respectful salute. "I am Zhao Tiangang, a Silver Pioneer from the Heaven Pierce Divine Treasury Hall. I entered the Void Divine Treasure World 444 stellar years ago and have undergone four cycles of reincarnation. If you have any questions, I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

"444 stellar years?" Li Pin immediately noticed the aura of aging clinging to him. "You're a Legend?"

Zhao Tiangang nodded. "I am."

Then, with a bitter expression, he added, "I reached Tier Five Legend over two hundred stellar years ago but have never been able to sense the Astral World. Born into a humble background, I had no choice but to join the Divine Treasury Hall to exchange for cultivation treasures.

"For over a hundred stellar years, I struggled through three divine treasure worlds, eventually earning Silver status. But the gains were meager, so I took a gamble and entered the Void Divine Treasure World..."

Li Pin thought,

Two centuries to reach Tier Five Legend, another century refining his state of mind, and then 444 years trapped here... He was nearing a Legend's lifespan limit.

If he escaped this cycle, he could immediately seek out a primary planet and transition to Demigod cultivation to extend his life. If not... once his time ran out, he would die here.

Li Pin sighed. "Demigods live long but cannot enter the divine treasure world. Legends... their lifespan is simply too short."

Divinity was the most fitting choice to serve as a pioneer.

Of course, it was Zhao Tiangang who chose to enter the forbidden divine treasure world, sealing his own fate.

As for other divine treasure worlds, it usually took several hundred stellar years to break through the world.

Li Pin offered some encouragement. "The Void Divine Treasure World is of great significance. To break open this world, the Divine Treasury Hall has issued a summons. There is a high chance of success in this cycle."

Zhao Tiangang's eyes brightened, a hint of anticipation flickering within him. "Summons?"

But then, as if realizing something, he sighed helplessly. "The Void Divine Treasure World is incredibly difficult to breach. Its cycles are long. I have only gone through eleven so far, and even the Gold Pioneers haven't uncovered all its secrets.

"Even with a summons bringing in a large number of pioneers in this cycle, the first and second cycles are typically spent adapting and gathering intelligence. A true breakthrough might not come until the third, fourth, or even the fifth or sixth cycle..."

His lifespan alone was uncertain. Whether he could even survive this cycle remained unknown.

Li Pin had no words of comfort. The Void Divine Treasure World's cycle was indeed far too long.

At that moment, Zhao Tiangang seemed to realize something. "Did you enter as a new pioneer under the summons?"

Zhao Tiangang glanced at the supplies Li Pin had prepared. A realization began to dawn on him.

A new pioneer? And deployed during the same phase as the veterans? That could only mean one thing.

"You're one of the new batch of pioneers sent here?" Zhao Tiangang asked.

"Yes," Li Pin replied with a nod. "Tell me more about this world."

Understanding the significance of being among the first batch of newly deployed pioneers, Zhao Tiangang's demeanor shifted to one of respect.

Zhao Tiangang offered, "I'll start with the world's structure, its societal framework, and the cultivation system. Then I'll cover the main storyline and the relationships between key figures."

Li Pin responded, "I know a bit about the world structure. It's divided into the Mortal Domain, the Celestial Barren Domain, and the Moon Demon Domain. Or, at this point in time, they're still called the Twin Moon Domain and the Wasteland Domain, right?"

Zhao Tiangang confirmed, "Correct. The Void Divine Treasure World consists of three worlds. The Mortal Domain has little relevance to the story. It's a technologically driven society with a minor spiritual energy system, but it's not worth our attention. The main focus is on the Twin Moon Domain and the Wasteland Domain."

He structured his words carefully. "The societal structure is closely tied to the cultivation system, especially in the Twin Moon Domain. It's a society dominated by divine sects. The deities are categorized into four tiers: Ancient Gods, God Monarchs, God Kings, and True Gods."

Li Pin's expression turned odd. "Ancient Gods?"

Why not call them God Emperors? That would make it just like the Mara World.

Zhao Tiangang explained, his tone tinged with resignation, "True Gods, God Kings, and God Monarchs—there's no real difference in their essence. As for strength, they're roughly at the Legendary level. Even the strongest God Monarch only has the combat power of a Tier Two Legend at best.

"But the world's storyline moves too fast. In just a few years, Ancient Gods have already entered the stage. Each of them is equivalent to a Demigod. What's worse, the high-level zones are limited to the Twin Moon Domain, and several Demigods are stationed right outside it."

Li Pin immediately understood the gravity of the situation. The pioneers would have to face these Demigod-level Ancient Gods, up close and on their own turf.

"This is still a bit vague. Let me explain the world's cultivation system," Zhao Tiangang continued. "Below the Legendary level, the systems are mostly irrelevant.

"But since this world has almost no supernatural energy and its laws lean toward the mundane, even we Legends cultivate at a snail's pace. That's why the lower-tier systems, like the Supreme Expert and the Nine Tier Martial Arts, are still worth mentioning."

He went on to describe the characteristics and strengths of each system in detail.

Li Pin listened quietly, comparing it to his own understanding.

The Legends here are similar to those from Gaia Civilization before they encountered cosmic civilizations. They're about the same level. And without the Light of the Ark, Yin Luo, they lack the infinite energy of the Heavenly Realm.

It was a case of different paths leading to the same destination. In the same universe, cultivation systems naturally developed similarities.

Zhao Tiangang said, "I've been through four cycles now. I can't claim to fully understand this world's plot, but I've seen enough to recognize the patterns. The core of the story lies in the second and third phases.

"The first phase is mostly about the meeting, acquaintance, and growing bond between Baili Zhu, the owner of the divine treasure world, and Baili Qingfeng, the Void Emperor. It's essentially the beginning of their relationship."

Li Pin was speechless. "So... we're stuck watching them fall in love at this stage?"

"It's not exactly a love story. It's more like the foundation for an eventual one-sided devotion."

Zhao Tiangang glanced around. "Judging by our location... we're not far from Blood Wolf City, maybe a few hundred kilometers. According to the plot, Baili Qingfeng will soon meet Baili Zhu."

He paused, then added thoughtfully, "He'll appear in her life when she's at her loneliest, weakest, and most fearful. Like a beam of light, he'll illuminate her heart and brighten her world. For anyone, that kind of moment would be unforgettable."