Chapter 823: Humanity

The Divine Martial Emperor Palace.

The participants began to scatter. Zhan Tianxiu, Yan Sheng, Yu Shenghui, Zi Zaitian, Luo Wuji—none of them even tried to step onto the Supreme Ladder.

On one hand, they knew that no matter how well they performed, there was no way they could compete with experts like Emperor Ara and Li Pin for the position of lead commander. On the other hand... they didn’t want to embarrass themselves.

But avoiding the Supreme Ladder didn't mean they were willing to stay silent during the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War, especially after witnessing Li Pin's strength. When people started saying he might sweep through all the races, they couldn't help but admire him. Still, that admiration came with a burning sense of frustration.

They couldn't aim for the top spot, but on the battlefield, they had to hold their ground. No matter what, they couldn't afford to perform poorly. Otherwise, how could they face anyone and say they once fought alongside Li Pin?

This war would be remembered for a long time. They didn't want people, looking back, to simply say, "That guy? He never won a single match. He just showed up and did nothing."

So while Li Pin and the other two had to win in the disputed category of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, the rest of them had to win in their own assigned categories too.

Through victory after victory, they needed to show the entire universe that the dignity of the human race, as a Sovereign Race, was not to be challenged. Not even by the other eight Sovereign Races.

***

As the crowd dispersed, Emperor Ara and Yao Ji left with Gu You and Tai Yi.

Li Pin returned with Ji Shun to his residence in the Divine Martial Emperor Palace. As soon as they stepped inside, Ji Shun couldn't hold back his question. "Don't tell me your goal is really to sweep through all the races."

"Why not?" Li Pin replied with a smile.

"You made it to the ninety-fourth step on the Supreme Ladder. That means you already have enough power to drag a Pinnacle Sacred Monarch down with you, or even take on some newly ascended Heavenly Emperors who haven't yet built a solid foundation. With that kind of strength, you'd be at the top of any faction. No one can really tell you what to do anymore."

Ji Shun paused, then added, "I just want to say this. This round of the Ten Thousand Tribes War is going to be more dangerous than anything before. Even if you do plan to sweep through the races, it doesn't have to be this time. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood. Stay alive, and anything is still possible."

Li Pin smiled. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

Seeing this, Ji Shun let out a sigh and didn't press the topic further. He changed the subject. "This time, the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War will take place in the Chaos Clan's territory. It'll take us three or four years just to get there. If all goes smoothly, you'll leave in a year or two. Is there anything you need me to help prepare?"

"Prepare..."

Li Pin paused to think. He didn't need Ji Shun to explain how dangerous the war was. He understood it better than anyone. He also knew just how hard it would be to sweep through the myriad races. This journey... might very well be a one-way trip.

Of course, by "one-way," he meant falling from the Astral World, unable to return.

Besides, the cultivation goals he'd set for himself in the Astral World were nearly complete. He might enter seclusion directly in the cosmos, spending a thousand years or more to fully comprehend time and space. Then, he could take the step he had paved for himself—Liberation. To liberate from the universe itself.

Of course, that would be a matter of millennia, perhaps several. But in the upcoming Dominion War, if he truly reached the point of Eternal Oblivion, he would lose everything. Not just his cultivation or power, his Divine Weapons, treasures, as well as everything tied to the Astral World. They would vanish along with him. So, he had plans for the things he no longer had use for.

Li Pin took out several storage-type divine items and said, "I've prepared some gifts for Wang Fuyun and Yun Lai. When you meet Emperor Mo Xuan, please pass them along."

"One more thing..."

Thinking of the Astral Gods and cultivators who shared karmic ties with him, Li Pin took out a few more resources—Creation Profound Crystals and basic Cosmic Radiance Divine Weapons. He handed them over to Ji Shun, one by one. "When you have time, give these to them."

Ji Shun looked at the items Li Pin had carefully sorted, feeling a heavy weight in his heart. After a long pause, he said, "For the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War... do you really want to take it this far? You could easily be the lead commander."

"I have my own Dao," Li Pin said with a smile, pushing the items toward Ji Shun. "So don't try to stop me."

Ji Shun studied Li Pin. He thought he might understand, but at the same time, he didn't. Still, seeing that smile on this "young" man's face, the shock inside him lingered.

"Your Dao... is that it?"

"Yes. The Dao I seek. My Dao."

"To keep going even when you know it's impossible...?"

"No, it's not about whether to do it or not."

"Then what is it?"

Li Pin looked at the Heavenly Emperor of the Sacred Flame Hall.

Ji Shun understood the meaning in that look. Even if Li Pin explained, he probably wouldn't truly understand. It would be pointless to say it out loud.

But still, Ji Shun didn't take his eyes off Li Pin. He wanted to know the answer.

"If it's not about doing or not doing, then what is it?" Ji Shun asked again.

Li Pin saw his persistence and smiled. "What is Dao?"

He reached out and pressed his hand against his chest. "It's me."

Then he stretched out his arm and opened his palm. In the center of his hand...

"It's everything."

Ji Shun looked at Li Pin, feeling a silent tremor deep inside. But he didn't know where the tremor came from. But he understood this tremor was what pushed Li Pin to keep moving forward, step after step, without stopping.

And now, once again... he planned to sweep through the tournament with his strength alone.

Ji Shun seemed to grasp something. "Everything, huh."

Everything.

"Maybe it's because your heart is always ready to give everything for the Dao you believe in that you've reached such heights in just a few hundred years..." Ji Shun sighed, speaking with true admiration. "I'm not your equal."

"Different people have different choices, and different choices shape different destinies..." Li Pin responded.

But halfway through, he felt it sounded a bit too mystical. He chuckled and shook his head. "Forget it. I won't say more."

"Then rest well," Ji Shun said, standing up. "If you need anything, just tell me. Or you can tell Divine Martial. All of us Heavenly Emperors will be your guardians from the moment we set out to the tournament."

Li Pin nodded.

With that, Ji Shun left.

The palace that the Divine Martial Emperor had arranged had many attendants. Some were even Cosmic Radiances who had condensed their True Spirit. With a single order from Li Pin, almost any request could be granted.

But none of that mattered to him. He had always known his path. The scenery along the way might make him smile, but it would never stop him.

"Space," he murmured, recalling the battle on the ninety-fourth step of the Supreme Ladder.

That fight was against an opponent from the Sky Clan. Every member of the Sky Clan was naturally gifted with space abilities. When he faced the ambush of a Sky Clan Sacred Monarch, the experience he gained from fighting the Canaan Clan Sacred Monarch on the ninety-third step was useless.

His Eternal Swordlight couldn't harm that Sky Clan opponent at all.

In the end... he relied on the Heavenly Fate Art's "Insight into the Past," combined with his Primordial Abyss True Demon Form and Infinite Star Abyss Body, to devour that Sky Clan Sacred Monarch.

Yes, devour. The Primordial Abyss True Demon Form consumed its inner spirit, while the Infinite Star Abyss Body swallowed its physical body.

"Why does it feel so much like an Abyssal Beast? Or maybe it's because I fought so many Abyssal Beasts in the Abyssal Rift while training these two secret arts and combat skills that I unconsciously started imitating them," Li Pin muttered.

Of course, there were still clear differences between him and an Abyssal Beast. At least, he couldn't dissolve that Sky Clan Sacred Monarch completely. He could only devour him, then trigger an explosion to take them both down.

Tyrants, Sacred Monarchs, and Heavenly Emperors all belong to the same power tier in theory. So a self-explosion that takes down a Sacred Monarch isn't impossible.

Because his foundation came from the Great Dao Radiance, even after self-destructing, he didn't die. Plus, since the explosion happened inside the Supreme Ladder, once he left it, his body recovered quickly.

Li Pin sighed with some emotion. "In the end, the spacetime power I wield comes from the Ruoxi Sword, not from myself. It might be enough to overpower Tyrants, but against a Sacred Monarch, it's clearly not enough, especially facing a Sky Clan Sacred Monarch, someone who's naturally skilled with space itself. I was powerless."

Still... it wasn't a total loss. At least after these two fierce battles, he had gained new insight into the law of space. Though far from mastery, he had started building a foundation in it.

***

Time passed. A year flew by in the blink of an eye.

After a year of rest and recovery, everyone had fully regained their strength.

On this day, all the participants gathered at the Divine Martial Emperor Palace.

Even Yue Shu and Xuan Chengming, who had been secluded in cultivation for a long time, were present.

Li Pin greeted the two, and they returned an awkward but polite smile.

After assembling at the Divine Martial Emperor Palace, the group headed to the Central Sovereign Hall of the Myriad Astral God Hall.

Inside the grand hall stood not only the Sovereign Heavenly Emperor—the nominal leader of the human race—but also many other Heavenly Emperors and Sacred Monarchs from various halls.

Most of these Heavenly Emperors came from the Sacred Flame Hall, Endless Divine Mountain, Heaven Ordainment Sect, Omni-Merchant Guild, and Astral World Research Institute. Though they were officially assigned to the Myriad Astral God Hall and answered summons rather than direct orders, nearly all appeared before the send-off due to the great importance of this year's Tournament.

At a glance, there were over a hundred of them.

As for the Sacred Monarchs and Tyrants, their numbers were even greater, bustling and mingling amid the swirling mist and clouds.

Everyone's gaze fell on the dozens of participants. Their faces were solemn, filled with blessings and good wishes.

The Central Sovereign Heavenly Emperor gave a rousing speech. By the end, his voice was filled with passion, "To all the proud talents here today, may you return bearing glory!"

He then performed a ceremonial gesture known throughout humanity. "The light of humanity is with us. To the eternal ascent of humanity."

The dozens of participants returned the gesture and responded together, "To the eternal ascent of humanity!"

"Set forth! Carry on the will of our ancestors and fight across the myriad races!"