Chapter 646: Enter

Li Pin remarked, "The information I currently have access to may be limited, but it's clear that the universe is caught in a struggle among various races. The reason humanity remains relatively stable is simply because it stands as one of the most powerful races."

Because of humanity's strength and the fact that he lived within its domain, the urgency of this conflict didn't feel pressing. Forget ordinary cultivators, even many Astral Gods treated it as mere entertainment, watching wars between races unfold with the detachment of bystanders.

These endless battles were fought not only for living space and resources. There also seemed to be a struggle for fortune itself.

Rumors had it that large-scale competitions involving countless races were held from time to time, with prodigies from various races participating each time.

Li Pin studied the concept of fortune. "The saying '

When the time is right, all forces in the world align

' is the most fitting explanation for it. It may not be useful to me now, but in the future... when my cultivation reaches a critical bottleneck and I'm unable to progress even an inch, fortune may really come into play."

Perhaps... I can start with the Yin Luo Galaxy and the Xianying Star Cluster. As for the Yuan Yang Star Domain, where several Eternal Solar Flare-level factions resided...

Li Pin thought of Ai Sa.

"It's not entirely impossible," he muttered.

The prodigy of the Golden Emperor Clan, Ai Sa, possessed an energy intensity close to a million. That was comparable to an Astral God's true body.

Li Pin pictured himself with that much power. If he could fully control it, he would be no different from the legendary World-Anchor Astral God or an Astral God's true body.

Even the so-called Divine True Essence of an Astral God had its flaws. While it's true that Astral Gods could unleash their full power by using Divine Beings as a medium, Divine Beings were still only Divine Beings, at the end of the day. Their Mini Astral Worlds couldn't sustain the prolonged eruption of a million-level energy intensity. Sooner or later, the world would collapse, forcing them to end their Divine True Essence state.

Beings like Ai Sa were different. They possessed that power inherently and could sustain it indefinitely.

"The only issue is... having such high energy intensity will make ascending to Astral God even harder. If things go wrong, I might end up exactly as Yu Jianglong said—cutting off my own path to becoming an Astral God entirely."

Li Pin pondered for a long time but was unable to decide whether to continue increasing his energy intensity. In the end, he murmured. "I'll decide after I complete the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative assessment.

"Once I gain Level-40 Clearance, I'll review all available information on the Astral World and the impact of energy intensity on integration before making a choice."

With this in mind, Li Pin calmed himself.

He turned his attention to studying inner spirit-based secret arts, focusing particularly on the techniques used by Shang Jinzhao, Zi Zhongtian, and the others.

Li Pin had somewhat deviated from his initial Transcendent path. Yet, he himself remained unaware of this change.

He continued to press forward in the direction of omniscience and omnipotence. To achieve that, he couldn't afford to be ignorant of inner spirit-based secret arts. Mastery wasn't necessary, but at the very least, he needed a thorough understanding to counter them effectively.

***

Time passed. More than two stellar years went by in a flash.

During this time, Li Pin remained in the Yin Luo Galaxy, guiding Li Yunyao, Xiang Tianxing, and the others in their cultivation while collaborating with the Si and Yu Clans to expand Gaia Civilization's influence.

With his victory over the Aristocratic Alliance, no forces in the Yin Luo Galaxy could threaten him anymore. Even the Lin, Ying, and Shuo Clans sent envoys bearing generous gifts, hoping to seek Gaia Civilization's forgiveness.

He entrusted Yuan Zhenchuan, Xiang Tianxing, Si Yue, and Yu Jianglong with handling these matters. As expected, they secured great benefits, pushing Gaia Civilization's expansion even further.

Meanwhile, the once-dominant Golden Emperor Clan had inexplicably gone quiet. To outsiders, it seemed as though Li Pin had gained the upper hand in his clash with Ai Sa, further accelerating the Gaian Civilization's rise.

Over these two stellar years, almost every stellar month saw significant advancements. This progress created a positive cycle in terms of fortune, and with Li Pin's direct guidance and a continuous influx of rare resources, growth surged forward.

At this rate, Li Yunyao would be fully capable of reaching Tier Six Legend before the day of Astral God Yin Luo's heir selection.

***

At Planet Taibai.

This place had almost become Li Pin's personal training ground.

At his level, every action could cause immense destruction. If he wasn't careful, a single uncontrolled burst of power would wipe out Gaia. It was best for him to keep his distance.

In fact, if not for his habits, he should have been billions of kilometers away to ensure Gaia's true safety.

"The strength of an Astral God is measured by a simple standard—the Supreme Ladder," Li Pin remarked.

Upon entering the Astral World, an Astral God's first priority was to build up energy intensity, aiming to surpass three million. Once past that threshold, they would work on raising energy levels. When energy levels doubled, they could start preparing for the Eternal Solar Flare Realm.

If divided into stages, securing a foothold and mastering the Perfect Realm marked the early stage. Reaching an energy intensity of three million marked the middle stage, while surpassing a 2x energy level signified the late stage.

Of course, many other factors also played a role in this process. Hence, the best way to test one's progress was the Supreme Ladder.

Only those who could ascend thirty or more steps were truly ready to challenge the Eternal Solar Flare Realm.

Upon reaching Eternal Solar Flare, early and mid-stage progress still revolved around increasing energy levels, while the later stages focused on True Spirit mastery and inner spirit-based secret arts.

Energy, energy levels, inner spirit, and cultivation realm together determined an Astral God's strength.

"In a sense, there is no qualitative leap between Starshine and Solar Flare. With the influence of precious treasures and Divine Weapons, strength isn't absolute. There have even been instances where a Brilliant Starshine slaying an Eternal Solar Flare with a Cosmic Radiance Divine Weapon."

Li Pin pondered this, then shifted his gaze to another set of documents.

"The vastness of the universe ensures the unimaginable will always happen. There will always be unparalleled prodigies achieving feats beyond common understanding. Even the legendary Cosmic Radiance, known for condensing True Spirit, has, on rare occasions, been slain by an Eternal Solar Flare Astral God."

Seeing such a description, even Li Pin couldn't help but feel astonished.

A Cosmic Radiance with True Spirit mastery holds an overwhelming advantage over an Eternal Solar Flare. A Cosmic Radiance could see through almost every thought going through the mind of an Eternal Solar Flare. How is it possible for a Cosmic Radiance to fall at the hands of an Eternal Solar Flare? It just doesn't make any sense.

Even with Li Pin's current level of insight, he couldn't wrap his head around it. He couldn't fathom how the Eternal Solar Flare had managed to defeat the Cosmic Radiance.

Li Pin remarked sincerely, "The universe is vast, and there are countless geniuses."

It was precisely because of these countless geniuses that the universe remained ever-changing and magnificent, transforming the world into a vibrant tapestry. This was what drew him in completely, compelling him to carve out a dazzling legacy, one that included not just others, but himself as well.

Ring, ring!

Just then, he received a notification on his communication bracelet.

Li Pin smiled as he glanced at the message. "It's finally here."

He sent a voice transmission. "Xing Ying."

Soon, a figure appeared before him. She was Xing Ying.

Li Pin hadn't paid much attention when others transitioned to the path of Astral Cultivators, but Xing Ying was different.

Back during the Gaia era, she had followed him diligently, tending to his every need. Thanks to the deep bond they shared, he had lent her considerable help. Now, she had already grasped inner spirit power.

Inner spirit power marked the divide between ordinary members and the core of aristocratic clans.

With her talent, she shouldn't have had any hope of reaching this level in her lifetime. There was no certainty whether or not she could even achieve the Legendary Realm. Yet, under Li Pin's guidance, she now possessed strength on par with the core members of aristocratic clans.

This was the epitome of "One rises, and those around them rise as well."

Xing Ying bowed respectfully and greeted, "Hall Master."

Li Pin instructed, "I need to enter seclusion for a while. During this time, seal off Planet Taibai and take charge of the formation's core. Ensure that no one disrupts my cultivation."

Xing Ying complied, "At your command, Hall Master."

Li Pin nodded, then activated the formation.

Xing Ying quickly stepped into the formation's core.

As waves of energy spread outward, a layer of flowing light enveloped Planet Taibai, sealing it completely.

In addition to having Xing Ying, a Tier Four Legend with inner spirit mastery, guarding this Astral Formation, it was also anchored by several Divine Equipment. Its defenses were so formidable that even a Divine Being would need considerable effort to break through.

As for Astral God's avatars, by now, few in Yuan Yang remained unaware of Li Pin's name. No one would be foolish enough to provoke a Supreme Divine Being with tier nine combat strength.

***

Once the formation was fully activated, Li Pin arrived at an Astral Gate on the planet.

Planet Taibai now had its own Astral Gate, allowing direct access to the White Dove Federation, where one could transfer further to the Galactic Core. But this time, he wasn't here to travel to the White Dove Federation.

As he activated the Astral Gate, a unique energy frequency rippled outward, spreading through the void. The frequency continued resonating for half an hour until, suddenly, an immense force seemed to capture it.

In the next moment, a powerful summoning force surged forth.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Guided by this force, Li Pin took a single step forward and vanished from Planet Taibai.

The unique sensation of traversing an Astral Gate flooded his senses.

The stars shifted, and the Big Dipper turned.[1]

The transition this time was far more intense than before. Even Li Pin could feel the strain pressing against him.

The burden lingered for a while until, suddenly, his surroundings changed drastically.

A vast plaza emerged in his perception, along with countless figures gathered from across the world. These were all candidates who had qualified for the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative.

1. A poetic and vivid way to describe the sensation or visual experience of traveling through space or time. It evokes the idea of celestial bodies (stars and constellations, like the Big Dipper) appearing to move or change position as the observer (Li Pin) moves across vast distances or experiences a significant shift in perspective. ☜