Chapter 732: Self-Confidence

Li Pin was a bit surprised. "Is attaining the Solar Flare Realm something worth congratulating?"

Hearing that, Sasha couldn't help but think back to Li Pin's accomplishments.

Well, no one has ever doubted that he would reach the Solar Flare Realm. But still...

"You reached the Solar Flare Realm just ten stellar years after entering Starshine. That kind of speed is definitely worth praising. Everyone believed it was only a matter of time, but even the most optimistic estimates gave it a century," said Sasha with a hint of admiration. "And yet, you did it in just ten years."

"A century? You mean the time needed to reach the peak of Solar Flare?" Li Pin asked, feeling the energy fluctuations from the star-like core within his body.

He quickly concluded, "With my energy level jumping to level two, I'll probably need a long time to adapt to this sudden surge in power."

Sasha listened thoughtfully, then considered Li Pin's greatest shortcoming, which was the Perfect Realm.

When he first broke through to the Astral God Realm, he could barely control one million in energy intensity. Though he had made progress over the past ten years, he had only just managed to keep up with the rise in energy intensity.

Now, with his energy level skyrocketing, his power had effectively doubled.

"You'll definitely need some time to improve your Perfect Realm to ensure you can wield the ten million units of combat power. Many Solar Flares struggle to handle the explosive power surge after breaking through and end up burdened with a lot of Eternal Oblivion Force," Sasha said.

"

Hmm

, I think so too," Li Pin replied, calmly sensing his current state.

***

One stellar month later, Li Pin opened his eyes. "It's done."

In the next moment, his body's mass began to compress. The stellar core, located at the heart of the "island," released an intense surge of light. The brilliance was so strong that it even pierced through the entire island.

No, it didn't pierce through the island. Instead, it was the island's structure that shifted, resembling the core of a tranquil star.

Normally, the energy contained within a stellar core would be extremely volatile, and even a small release could cause catastrophic destruction to a planet. But now, the island, which had transformed into something like a stellar core, appeared calm.

Sasha froze.

This is unmistakably...

"Absolute control!" exclaimed Sasha, quickly realizing what had happened. "You've completed it!?"

"Yes, my body can now transform between ordinary matter and a stellar core," Li Pin responded.

Another term for a stellar core was a white dwarf. In other words, Li Pin now resembled a white dwarf with a diameter of over a thousand kilometers.

He turned his gaze to an Astral World Fragment that was approaching and said, "Next, I need to quickly absorb enough fragments to stabilize my current form. Once it's stable, I can start transforming into a neutron star core."

Sasha sensed that while Li Pin emitted an intensely powerful glow, his body remained "calm."

She remained silent for quite a while.

It seemed she was calculating at an incredible speed, just like back then, when she couldn't understand why Li Pin had refused to become the Black Abyss Highlord's disciple.

Although her current administrator, Li Pin, was at a lower level, the surprises he brought her were no less than those from the so-called supreme prodigies.

She couldn't even come up with a proper evaluation at this point.

After a long time, Sasha finally spoke again. "How did you manage to do that?"

"Cultivation realm and talent," Li Pin answered, "My realm was already sufficient, and my talent itself greatly enhances my precision in control. So, at this stage, my rate of improvement is a little faster."

"A little faster?"

"Yeah, a little," Li Pin said. "At least, I still can't transform my body directly into a neutron star core or dark matter form."

Sasha, still sensing the state of Li Pin's being, thought for a long time before responding, "Isn't it because you don't have enough mass that you can't transform into a neutron star core?"

"The mass can be converted from energy," Li Pin replied. "Just like how people used to say the Perfect Realm could only be achieved in the Astral World, yet I mastered it early in the Material World. It shows that it's often not about external conditions, but about one's capabilities."

"Mastering the Perfect Realm in the Material World..."

Sasha reanalyzed this information.

Species that mastered the Perfect Realm in the Material World were not unheard of. But they were either special life forms or possessed extremely rare talent. Even those hailed as human prodigies would find it impossible to accomplish such a feat without comparable gifts.

For a moment, she couldn't help but speak with a slightly mocking tone, "If you're so powerful, why don't you just condense your True Spirit in the Material World?"

"I've considered condensing my True Spirit in the Material World, but the efficiency is too low; it would take too much time. That's why I had no choice but to come to the Astral World," Li Pin replied.

Li Pin stretched out a hand, feeling the terrifying power capable of destroying planets with even the slightest movement. "I push myself with the increasing energy and the strain caused by higher energy levels. Then, under the pressure of the Eternal Oblivion Force, I keep my mind in a constant state of stress, in hopes of quickly reaching the True Spirit."

"..."

Sasha's central processor suddenly began analyzing all the data she had gathered on Li Pin. Almost every piece of information mentioned one key word—arrogance.

At this moment, even she, an emotionless artificial lifeform, couldn't resist thinking to herself that Li Pin being widely regarded as arrogant was entirely justified.

Although what he said seemed somewhat reasonable, it still made people want to label him as such.

He was too boastful, too immodest.

Li Pin smiled and said, "Fortunately, I haven't truly integrated into the Astral World. Once I condense my True Spirit, I can break free from the Eternal Oblivion Force and manifest a universe. By observing the evolution of the universe, I can grasp the secrets of space and time. Once I've understood space and time fully, I'll be able to exit the Astral World and create a universe directly in the outside world.

"This way, I can bypass the need to break through the Astral World to attain Supremacy. It's not that many Heavenly Emperors failed to understand space and time. Their created universes aren't weak either, but they're restricted by the Astral World. Burdened by the overwhelming Eternal Oblivion Force, the universes they create can't function properly, trapping them in the Astral World for life, unable to break free. I don't have that problem."

As soon as he finished speaking, even Sasha was stunned. "Supremacy!?"

Her central processor quickly analyzed the possibilities Li Pin had just revealed.

In just a brief moment, she had already calculated a notable probability.

Far from certain, the idea that a mere Solar Flare Astral God was already eyeing the pinnacle of the universe was utterly unfathomable.

However, there was indeed a very slim chance... and that was already astonishing enough.

"So... you've already mapped out the path to Supremacy?" Shasha murmured.

"Planning early keeps one from losing their way," Li Pin said with a smile.

A newly ascended Solar Flare Astral God was already planning a path to Supremacy!

Just moments ago, she had thought that many of the assessments of Li Pin's arrogance were justified. Now, however, she couldn't help but feel that this truly wasn't arrogance!

It could not be simple arrogance! This was confidence, born from a clear and unwavering conviction. Confidence born from an unshakable belief in his future and the path he had chosen.

It was precisely this absolute confidence that drove him to cut through every obstacle, break every shackle, and crush every cage, step by step, until he reached where he stood today.

So much so that, in the future, he might truly attain Supremacy, becoming a being like the Demon God, the Sovereign, or the Supreme Sage—one of the greatest existences in the universe.

After a long pause, Sasha finally resumed her normal processing. Still, she spoke with genuine sincerity, "If I could witness that moment with my own eyes, it would be my greatest honor."

"I'll try to speed things up," Li Pin said, his gaze returning to the distant horizon.

There, countless Astral World Fragments drifted through the Shattered Star Sea, howling through the void.

"For now, my goal is to reach the peak of the Solar Flare Realm within ten years."

***

Meanwhile, far from the Shattered Star Sea, on a distant continent crowned by a magnificent palace at its center, Astral Gods moved back and forth. Every one of them was a Solar Flare. From time to time, even Cosmic Radiances could be seen streaking by.

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

However, even the Cosmic Radiance, known for its fame in the alien battlefields, held less status than the master of this palace.

This palace's master not only ruled this continent, but he was also the Guardian King of the Heaven Ordainment Sect, one of the six top factions of humanity in the Astral World. He was a Sacred Monarch who had mastered the mysteries of space—King Great Luo of Wisdom.

The king's True Body resided deep within an abyssal rift. What stood here was merely a clone.

Unlike avatars projected across worlds, a clone was a highly valuable creation forged with great resources, tasked with handling trivial matters.

This clone possessed one-tenth of the king's power, with combat abilities enough to rival even some Cosmic Tyrants.

At that moment, a young woman in a white sheer dress, adorned with numerous jeweled accessories, was reporting to him.

"Your Majesty, as the news spreads, the various races nearby are beginning to move. The Divine Race, in particular, is eager for revenge after losing one of their top talents in the Heavenly Prison World. They won't miss this chance."

"Oh? The Divine Race has acted?" the king's clone replied indifferently, though his expression showed that he took the matter seriously.

"The forces the Divine Race sent won't be weak. Should we send some guards to ensure his safety? After all, our goal is to have him join your faction, not destroy him," the young woman respectfully inquired.

"The alien battlefield controlled by the Divine Race is a critical area for our defense. No Cosmic Radiance can infiltrate it, meaning they're most likely sending Solar Flare-level pawns to challenge him. If he can't defend against a Solar Flare-level assassin, it shows that he's nothing more than a so-called supreme prodigy without real ability. At the very least, he doesn't have what it takes to join us."

King Great Luo of Wisdom calmly gave the order. "He once turned down our goodwill. If he doesn't suffer a little now, he might never willingly join our Wisdom Hall. Just keep an eye on him—his life or death will be his own responsibility."