Chapter 965: Destiny

"The number one figure of the Ancient Astral World? The strongest among the Transcendents?"

Li Pin pondered briefly. "Is it Transcendent Li?"

According to Creators Miao Ya, Yong Yao, and the others, excluding the Eternal, the number one of the Ancient Astral World was none other than Creator Li, who was in the process of achieving Liberation.

Wan Fagui was surprised. "You know about Transcendent Li!?"

Li Pin had no choice but to explain in terms they could understand.

"I obtained a great deal of information on the Ancient Astral World before I came."

Wan Fagui accepted this explanation.

For an ace like Mu Yunsheng, the Supreme Divine Treasury Hall naturally spared no effort in providing information support.

However, Wan Fagui responded with uncanny precision. "Not Transcendent Li, but another Transcendent."

He added, "Many have tried to investigate his background, but no one has succeeded... After all, this Divine Treasure World exists within the cognition of the Infinite Sovereign. Though a Sovereign is strong, compared to a Transcendent, it's nothing. The gap between them and a Transcendent is far greater than that between a Divine Emperor and a Supreme."

Li Pin nodded. He also had some understanding of the Sovereigns from the Ancient Astral World era. In the present day, they were at most equivalent to Tyrants.

Li Pin speculated.

It was just that for someone to be called the number one Transcendent of the starry skies... was it him? Or perhaps... was it that Eternal?

If he could truly see him, or that Eternal, even if only indirectly through the cognition of this Divine Treasure World's master, it would greatly aid his understanding of such a being.

"That mysterious Transcendent will appear one month after the cycle begins. Perhaps, once you see him, you'll know." Wan Fagui continued. "Also, never interfere with the actions of that mysterious Transcendent. Due to his status as the number one Transcendent of the starry skies and its strongest being, he is seen as invincible in the mind of the Divine Treasure World's master."

After speaking, he seemed to recall something. "The Transcendents of the Ancient Era... even now they're on the same level as the Supremes, truly invincible. Compared to us, so-called divines, they are overwhelmingly more powerful."

Li Pin thought of the Void Emperor from the Void Divine Treasure World.

"Aside from the Void Emperor, the strongest in the Void Divine Treasure World were only peak Demigods, yet this Supreme Divine Treasure has reached the Supreme stage... That's quite the leap."

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"That's exactly why the Supreme Divine Treasure is called the number one Divine Treasure." Wan Fagui smiled bitterly. "The power system is too advanced. It's so far beyond us Pioneers that we can't even hope to measure up."

Li Pin nodded in understanding. But as for whether these Pioneers were truly unqualified, he chose to reserve his judgment. After all, not all Pioneers were equals.

"Since that mysterious Transcendent wished to pass on a cultivation art to Infinite Sovereign, he must have been observing him in secret."

Li Pin asked, "Where is Infinite Sovereign now?"

Wan Fagui hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully. "At this point in time, he should be doing morning exercises in the park. Since he encountered quite a few events today and is on the verge of a breakthrough, the cycle begins at this moment... Or rather, this is when the mysterious Transcendent descends onto this planet."

He quickly added, "Do not interfere with any of Infinite Sovereign's actions. Countless people have tried to do so. The mysterious Transcendent that has already descended will use all sorts of coincidences to eliminate anything that interferes with his goal of passing down the technique. Anyone whose threat level surpasses what the young Infinite Sovereign can handle will be removed. Those with malicious intent are erased entirely, unless your strength just happens to match the level needed to serve as his stepping stone."

"Has no one ever thought of replacing Infinite Sovereign, to enter the gaze of that mysterious Transcendent and receive his teachings?" Li Pin asked.

"There were such thoughts, but this is the world within Infinite Sovereign's cognition. Even if someone did succeed, which is unlikely, it would cause the Divine Treasure World to malfunction and eventually reboot," Wan Fagui replied.

Li Pin did not ask further.

If this mysterious Transcendent truly was one of the two individuals he suspected, then the truth would naturally be revealed once he met him.

In theory... he should have disappeared from Infinite Sovereign's memory. It should have been impossible for a Divine Treasure World to even form around him. His presence here already signifies something extraordinary.

With this thought in mind, Li Pin made his way step by step to the park Wan Fagui had mentioned.

When Li Pin arrived at the park, he could see a young man in the distance doing morning exercises.

"That person there is Infinite Sovereign," Wan Fagui said. "If we go by the timeline, a spacecraft is about to malfunction and crash into this park."

As he spoke, he seemed to recall something and quickly sent over a file. "This is more or less how the scenario plays out. We've seen it many times and even recreated it through other means."

Li Pin looked at the video he had sent. The footage showed a spacecraft crashing, and a figure stumbling out, coughing up blood. But instead of finding a place to treat his wounds, the man immediately pounced at the young Infinite Sovereign.

"The man who fell from the spacecraft... is he a fugitive of this civilization? As a fugitive, rather than hiding, he openly tries to kill Infinite Sovereign?" Li Pin asked.

"We noticed that too. In fact, Infinite Sovereign will face multiple dangers along the way. Our research suggests that these are all coincidences deliberately orchestrated by that mysterious Transcendent to test him," Wan Fagui responded.

"Coincidences?" Li Pin remarked as he watched the young Infinite Sovereign fleeing for his life from the supposedly wanted fugitive in the video. "Interesting."

As the video continued, just as Wan Fagui described, the young Infinite Sovereign barely escaped the fugitive before running into a gang of robbers. When the robbers spotted him, they didn't retreat but drew their blades and attacked. Thus, Infinite Sovereign, who was still a mortal at this point, had to flee desperately once again.

"Once could be considered a coincidence. Twice is deliberate," Li Pin said.

"Exactly. That's also why we believe the mysterious Transcendent had already descended onto this planet by this point and was secretly observing him." Wan Fagui spoke, glancing at the screen showing Infinite Sovereign fleeing in panic. "Because everything we're seeing... truly feels like a setup, filled with deliberate intent."

"So that mysterious Transcendent had already descended onto this planet at that time."

"Yes." Wan Fagui nodded. "Unfortunately, it's almost impossible for us to find him. We can only wait until a month later. After all, he's a Transcendent. If a Transcendent wishes to hide, no one can uncover him."

This was a very logical deduction.

Li Pin did not speak but activated his perception. A mighty wave of perception spread out from him, sweeping in all directions. In the blink of an eye, every movement of the city's tens of millions of residents entered his awareness. But just as he was about to expand his perception across the entire planet, he seemed to sense something.

His perception quickly contracted, focusing back on the very park where they had first seen Infinite Sovereign. More precisely, on the man sitting on a bench in the park.

As Li Pin's perception fell upon him, the man also became aware of his presence. Although there was still quite a distance between them, their gazes silently met. And in that instant of eye contact, a ripple stirred deep within Li Pin's inner spirit.

This man's face was utterly unfamiliar, and Li Pin firmly believed that they had never met. Yet for some reason, seeing him sparked a strange sense of familiarity.

This sense of familiarity compelled him to blurt out the man's name.

"Li Qiuxian!"

He was certain this was Li Qiuxian.

This mysterious Transcendent, however, did not respond, even though he had clearly seen Li Pin. Li Pin could even confirm that their eyes had indeed met just now, yet the man still acted as if he had noticed nothing.

"The first person my divine sense landed on was you. That is destiny or perhaps luck. So, it shall be you."

He wasn't speaking to himself, more like formulating thoughts in his heart. Yet he did not hide his inner thoughts. His inner spirit fluctuations were so pronounced that any—well, even a Cosmic Radiance who had perfected a True Spirit couldn't capture the thoughts of a Transcendent.

But Li Pin was no Cosmic Radiance. He had already become a Liberator, standing at the peak of Creator. Under such circumstances, all the man's thoughts flowed clearly before him. He paid no mind to Li Pin, who was silently watching him, and simply continued doing his own thing.

This scene left Li Pin puzzled.

Clearly, this Transcendent should have seen him.

Is it because this is merely a world within Infinite Sovereign's cognition?

Li Pin's thoughts spun rapidly, but he discarded that notion after only a brief moment.

At this moment, a spark seemed to flash through the depths of his inner spirit.

This abnormality has only one possible explanation!

Since the Transcendent had seen him but acted as though he hadn't, there could be only one reason....

Li Pin's pupils dilated violently. "It is watching him!"

That person watching is....

In that instant, a chilling terror surged through Li Pin's entire being, beyond words. It was the kind of horror akin to dancing on a tightrope, where a single misstep would overturn the future, leading to utter catastrophe and annihilation.

That was because... it was the Eternal!

At that realization, Li Pin halted immediately. The two of them stood on opposite ends of the park, watching each other silently.

The man kept murmuring, planning, scheming. The entire process lasted a full hour. Once everything was arranged, he finally looked up, his gaze seemed to fall upon the young Infinite Sovereign before him.

Or rather, through this youthful form of Infinite Sovereign, the man looked at Li Pin for the first time. He flicked his fingers lightly and spoke a sentence that seemed both meant for Li Pin and a murmur to himself.

"Then let the wheels of destiny...begin to turn..."