Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 354: Fierce Battle

"Roar!"

As soon as the towering, 3.5 meters tall Pale Boarman noticed Li Pin, it brandished its equally massive meteor hammer and charged straight at him without a moment's delay.

With each thunderous step, its enormous frame seemed to shake the palace itself, dislodging dust and small shards from the ceiling.

The Pale Boarman wasn't the only danger. The giant Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent, pitch-black and sinister, also sprang into action. Despite starting a fraction behind, its astonishing speed allowed it to reach Li Pin first.

Each of its movements radiated a raw, primal power. This intense aura of qi and blood far surpassed any Top-Tier Astral Cultivator, even Masters.

However, starting from the Top-Tier Astral Cultivation realm onward, these two systems emphasized different aspects.[rerf]referring to the Astral Cultivators system and the demonic creatures system.[/ref]

The Pale Boarman and the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent possessed qi and blood levels that dwarfed those of Master Astral Cultivators. However, they lacked control over this force, leaving their power untamed, resembling Astral Cultivator students who had only reached the limit of their qi and blood.

Their immense strength granted them remarkable offense and defense, but they lacked the precision that would allow them to efficiently use their qi and blood. This rendered them more durable yet unwieldy.

This imbalance was precisely why Li Pin had decided to confront them despite knowing they were as powerful as Master Astral Cultivators.

Li Pin's qi and blood surged, and he let out a low shout, "Good!"

With his own qi and blood just over three hundred, he faced the two fearsome creatures without hesitation, like those Martial Saints who could challenge Astral Cultivators of far greater strength.

Under the heavy pressure of the Boarman and Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent's qi and blood, Li Pin's mental spirit intensified, merging seamlessly with his qi and blood until each ounce of power felt alive.

At that moment, the Celestial Martial God Manual activated fully, releasing the Celestial Magnetic Field, modeled after a celestial body, from within.

In an instant, a powerful repulsive force formed between Li Pin and Gaia's field, propelling him forward like a springboard. He shot ahead with lightning speed just as the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent struck with its giant pincers.

Passing by the creature, Li Pin delivered a precise strike to its back with the Sword of Destiny.

The moment the blade collided with the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent's armor, it sparked a shower of fiery streaks, visible to the naked eye.

Had Li Pin wielded ordinary top-tier astral equipment, the attack might have barely scratched the scorpion's hide.

Sword of Destiny might have been modest in its attributes, but it boasted unique properties that came in handy. Its armor-piercing trait rendered the creature's tough hide, capable of withstanding top-tier equipment attacks, entirely vulnerable.

Amid a burst of sparks, the serpent's back armor split open, spraying green blood as a deep, two-meter wound tore through its flesh.

Yet, before Li Pin could exploit this opportunity to land another hit, the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent's massive tail lashed toward him like a whip.

Meanwhile, the Pale Boarman surged forward, its meteor hammer crashing down with a thunderous roar that seemed to tear the very air.

Li Pin couldn't see the attack, but he could feel his skin prickle from the lethal danger emanating from the strike.

The two lord-level creatures had executed a combined assault.

Li Pin's mind raced.

Just as the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent's tail was about to strike him, the Celestial Force Field within him erupted, generating a formidable barrier around him.

As the tail landed, the Celestial Force Field reacted, and electric sparks flew as the powerful repulsive force propelled Li Pin away.

This impact sent tremors surging through him. The terrifying power of the scorpion's qi and blood sent shockwaves through his internal organs.

However, having used the scorpion's attack to escape, the Boarman's meteor hammer missed him and smashed heavily into a wall.

The sturdy wall, as if struck by a cannon, shattered under the explosive force unleashed by the meteor hammer, and a crater dozens of meters wide formed at the point of contact, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading outward.

Hundreds of tons of debris and stone fragments erupted, propelled in all directions. They traveled with enough force to cleave any human in two.

This level of destruction triggered a partial collapse in the area occupied by the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent and the Boarman.

However, before the falling debris could entrap them, the Boarman and the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent charged forward at an even greater speed, targeting Li Pin once more.

"Hahaha! Perfect!"

Li Pin laughed, feeling the Celestial Force Field within him shake perilously, close to shattering.

He charged back into the fray, darting along the walls and skillfully maneuvering to bait the Pale Boarman into attacking him.

As the Pale Boarman swung its meteor hammer again, Li Pin propelled himself off the wall, leaving another impact zone across a hundred-meter radius riddled with flying stones and dust.

Using the chaos as cover, he bolted toward the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent, moving like a flash of lightning.

He had discerned that the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent was much faster than the Boarman; if he didn't take it down or cripple its mobility, defeating both lord-level monsters at once would be very challenging.

That was especially the case since he could faintly sense that there could be even more creatures lurking deep within this underground palace.

Quick as his thoughts moved, Li Pin maintained his speed.

The confined palace restricted him, preventing him from using Celestial Shift or Assassination Techniques.

As Li Pin maneuvered, he noticed the exposed back wound of the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent aligned perfectly with the trajectory from which he could launch his attack through the Celestial Force Field.

Seizing the opportunity, his Celestial Force Field flourished and activated.

Bolts of lightning erupted from his hands, casting a dazzling light that illuminated the entire underground palace. This brilliance disoriented the Pale Boarman and the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent, both adapted to the darkness.

Just as their vision faltered, Li Pin's Sword of Destiny surged forward. Propelled by the Celestial Magnetic Field and Gaia's Celestial Force Field, it cut through the air like a flash of electricity.

With a speed that far surpassed the reaction time of any living being, it plunged directly into the wound Li Pin had just torn open in the Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent's back.

The Celestial Sword Technique!

Bang!

The Sword of Destiny erupted with a terrifying force as it pierced through the lord-level creature, unleashing an Aura Force that tore it apart, nearly splitting it in two.

After inflicting such devastating damage, the sword continued on its trajectory. It shot through the creature and crashed into a stone pillar dozens of meters away, shattering the three-meter-thick stone pillar into dust.

Rumble!

The sound of the sonic boom echoed loudly throughout the underground hall.

"Hiss, hiss!"

The heavily wounded Dark Scorpion-Bodied Serpent shrieked in pain, its massive pincers flailing wildly. They repeatedly struck the ground and walls in desperation, tearing deep rifts dozens of meters wide and sending debris flying.

The ground seemed as fragile as tofu before its terrifying might, shattering to dust.

It was no wonder these creatures could carve out vast chambers beneath the palace.

Yet at this moment, Li Pin paid no attention to the wounded lord-level creature. With nearly a third of its body destroyed and only a few tendons connecting the remaining parts, this injury was beyond what a lord-level creature could endure.

Despite their immense qi and blood and formidable offense, defense, and vitality, these creatures could not heal like Master Astral Cultivators through starlight transformation.

Bang!

As the Pale Boarman's meteor hammer came crashing down, Li Pin narrowly dodged, electric arcs crackling around him.

The force of the impact and the shattering stone fragments from the wall struck him with the force of a heavy truck.

Fortunately, though Li Pin's Celestial Magnetic Field wasn't particularly strong, he could rely on his superior cultivation base to precisely focus the Celestial Force all around him. This allowed him to withstand the residual force that would have forced a Master Astral Cultivator to transform into starlight to avoid.

He was thrown back by the shockwave but emerged looking only slightly battered.

Before he hit the ground, he regained his balance through sheer control of his magnetic field. Then, using the repelling force between his field and Gaia's, Li Pin burst forward, crackling with electricity.

The Pale Boarman's hammer slammed down on the sturdy floor again, creating another massive crater and sending cracks radiating out for dozens of meters.

Li Pin seized the opportunity and appeared next to the Sword of Destiny, brushing his right hand over it.

He reignited his Celestial Magnetic Field and propelled himself hundreds of meters through the air. With a few swift leaps along the palace walls, he fixed his gaze on the Pale Boarman pursuing him.

The beast's roar echoed through the palace. Li Pin took a deep breath and thrust the Sword of Destiny with incredible speed.

Dozens of sword auras merged with the Celestial Force Field, transforming into the Cosmic River Sword Attack that screamed through the air, aimed directly at the Pale Boarman.

The creature sensed the impending danger, but it was too late. In an instant, it was riddled with blood-soaked holes.

A few sword auras missed and struck the ground, carving deep gashes a dozen meters long and flinging shattered stones into the air.

"Roar!"

Despite its severe injuries, the Pale Boarman still bellowed, defying its fate.

Its qi and blood value of possibly over a thousand, exceeding those even of Master Astral Cultivators, lent it an unmatched tenacity. Even in such a dire state, it retained the strength to fight back.

"Too bad... I can't use the Celestial Assassination Technique," Li Pin lamented.

If he had integrated into the Celestial Force Field, he could have leaped a thousand meters in an instant. However, he didn't have enough room within the confined underground space to execute the Assassination Technique. The acceleration might send him crashing into a wall, leaving him dazed and providing the Pale Boarman with an easy meal.

However, while he couldn't execute the technique, he could exploit the creature's lack of sharp perception. Humans would become wary if consistently attacked from specific angles, but demonic creatures seldom possessed such insight.

Taking advantage of this, Li Pin continued to unleash the river of sword qi, methodically whittling down the Pale Boarman.

Eventually, the Pale Boarman, drained of blood, succumbed and fell to the ground in defeat.