Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 356: Space

Li Pin's mind raced at lightning speed.

By the time the Legendary Ghoul rose from its coffin, he had already devised a plan of escape.

Li Pin finally understood why many High-Class Astral Cultivators often vanished without a trace as they ventured deeper into seemingly low-risk perilous regions; they, too, often had no idea what awaited them inside.

Li Pin knew there was only one way to escape from this deadlock.

In the next moment, the Zhulong of Time ignited, and time slowed down by about tenfold.

In this sluggish state, he calculated the precise distance between himself and that door.

It was 126 meters!

He had thought about executing the Celestial Shift Technique and rushing toward the door as fast as possible, but 126 meters was barely a fraction of what the technique could cover!

Nevertheless... Li Pin was left with no other option.

Sizzle, sizzle!

Thunder roared!

Li Pin swiftly repositioned himself, and soon after, Gaia's Celestial Force Field enveloped him.

He had no clue what lay beyond that door. If it led to a dead end or a solid wall, he might end up crashing into it with his astonishing speed, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

If this happened, he would've dug his own grave.

When facing a legendary creature, even the slightest moment of distraction could be fatal.

No one would choose to install a door on a solid wall, right?

However, as concerned as he was about the possibilities, he had no choice. His only gamble was to use the Celestial Assassination Technique to smash through the door. He was hoping to find another grand hall beyond this one—one spacious enough for him to quickly disengage from the insane propelling effect of the Celestial Assassination Technique.

Driven by the thought, Li Pin shot forward like a comet. He seemed to turn into a flash of lightning, with the Sword of Destiny acting as the tip of the bolt.

As he unleashed the Celestial Assassination Technique, the bolt's tip pierced and shattered the tightly sealed door.

Amidst the flying debris, a new world unfolded before Li Pin.

However, what appeared before Li Pin wasn't the grand hall he had expected. Instead, a space appeared before him. Or rather, what he stepped into was a realm that theoretically should not exist within the Grand Imperial Tomb.

As soon as Li Pin entered, he broke free from the merged state of the Celestial Assassination Technique and the Celestial Force Field.

After sensing his surroundings closely, he came to a conclusion he found hard to believe.

He was no longer on Gaia! The movement trajectory of the Gaia Celestial Force Field was completely absent.

Li Pin's pupils dilated. "What the...."

He abruptly looked up.

Above him was a sun, a blue sky, white clouds, mountains, and trees. It was as if he had transmigrated again, crossing over to a brand new world. He had escaped the dim, oppressive underground space and arrived at a valley of blue skies and clear waters.

However, it didn't take long for Li Pin to realize that something was amiss. "Something's off!"

The sun didn't feel right! It didn't resemble a sun at all. Rather, it looked like an artificial celestial body or, perhaps, a man-made sphere of light.

At this moment, a wave of exclamations erupted from a distance.

"Not good! Is King Liang here?!"

"Wait, that doesn't seem to be King Liang?!"

Li Pin noticed the numerous traps laid down as well as the many people around him. He sensed they were all Astral Cultivators!

Moreover, as more time passed, he saw more and more individuals hurrying over.

However, Li Pin ignored them and continued to scan his surroundings, trying to discern whether the flowers, grass, and trees were real.

Have I perhaps fallen into some kind of illusion?

As Li Pin's mind tumbled with possibilities, the crowd around him swelled by the minute.

"Why can't I feel the unique fluctuation of a powerful Astral Cultivator from him?"

"He doesn't seem to be an Astral Cultivator? But how could someone who isn't an Astral Cultivator break through King Liang's corpse and enter our world?"

"Wait, look! What he's holding seems to be our royal treasure, the Sword of Destiny! Could he be one of our royal family members?!"

As more and more people arrived, they scanned Li Pin, their exclamations growing louder. At this point, Li Pin had gained a clearer understanding of his surroundings. The sun was fake, and the blue sky was equally suspicious. However, the mountains and trees around him were undeniably real.

At that moment, another wave of gasps rippled through the crowd.

"Elder Baizhan is here."

The people around watched as a highly respected elder made his way through the traps and mechanisms, surrounded by a throng of followers.

The elder's arrival caught Li Pin's attention, and he turned to look at the man. "A Master Astral Cultivator?"

The elder, escorted by the crowd, first examined the Sword of Destiny in Li Pin's hand. After sensing the aura emanating from him, he said, "You lack the bloodline of the Lin Royal Family. So, can you tell me where you obtained this sword?"

"Are you the elite forces of the Lin Clan that retreated to the Grand Moon Imperial Tomb?" inquired Li Pin, replying to the question with another question.

He glanced around. "Could this be... the alternate space you discovered back then?"

"You seem to know a lot, but shouldn't you first reveal your identity and confirm whether we are friends or foes?" Elder Lin Baizhan said in a low voice.

"This sword is one of the tributes the Lin Clan offered in exchange for my protection," Li Pin stated.

"A sword offered for protection?" Lin Baizhan frowned. "Are the Lin Clan members outside... in a difficult situation?"

"I've answered your questions; shouldn't you answer mine?" Li Pin's eyes shifted around the various traps and mechanisms. "Besides, shouldn't we head somewhere else if we're going to talk?"

"No rush. We first need to clarify your identity," Lin Baizhan replied, waving his hand. "Also, you're not a Master Astral Cultivator, are you? It seems you've managed to evade King Liang's senses because of this?"

"Could it be that King Liang is no longer outside? Can we leave?" a nearby companion speculated, excitement creeping into his voice.

The people around him buzzed with enthusiasm. "If someone can come in, we can definitely get out! Finally, we won't be trapped here anymore...."

Watching the self-absorbed chatter of the crowd, Li Pin recalled the Lin Clan's way of doing things.

"I don't like this method of conversation," Li Pin said.

Numerous traps lay ahead. Yet, these traps wouldn't even ensnare a Master Astral Cultivator, let alone the legendary demonic creature outside.

It remained unclear whether the limitations stemmed from conditions or technology.

Li Pin crouched slightly.

Seeing this, Lin Baizhan frowned. "I advise you not to do anything that might cause misunderstandings... How brazen!"

Before he could finish, Li Pin was engulfed in a flash of electric light, launching himself like a cannonball into the air.

Despite being unable to sense Gaia's Celestial Force Field, he relied on his own Celestial Magnetic Field to break through the area. Various mechanisms within the space became meaningless as he burst forth into the vast, boundless sky.

The Astral Cultivators were enraged, and they began to shout one after the other.

"How absurd! A non-Lin Clan member dares to run rampant in my clan's Peach Blossom Realm!"

"Since he refuses to cooperate, seize him. We'll interrogate him ourselves!"

Lin Baizhan let out a low growl, "Get down here!"

He slammed a white jade staff into the ground.

Behind him, a massive phantom resembling an eagle-winged human soared into the air. As it pursued Li Pin, it reached out its right hand, aiming to capture him directly.

Li Pin saw through the intricacies of the Astral Technique with just one glance. "Decent astral energy—nearly on par with Master Astral Cultivators. However, your application of Astral Techniques falls short compared to Ying Zhao and Hong Zhenshan."

As he swung the Sword of Destiny in his hand, he transformed into a bolt of lightning descending from the heavens, striking fiercely against the massive eagle-winged human phantom.

Upon impact, a ferocious sword aura erupted alongside the highly condensed astral energy, creating a terrifying shockwave that tore through the clouds above.

The eagle-winged human phantom made of astral energy shattered under the force.

"Not good!" Lin Baizhan realized at the first moment what had happened and shouted, "Fall back!"

Rumble, rumble!

Lightning pierced the sky!

Having shattered the eagle-winged human phantom, Li Pin descended like a bolt of thunder toward Lin Baizhan's position, resembling a meteor tearing through the atmosphere.

As he struck the ground, the earth within a hundred-meter radius sank, causing countless rocks and soil to suspend in midair due to the rapid descent.

Before those floating rocks, soil, and vegetation could fall back down, an unprecedented shockwave, mixed with a devastating whirlwind, erupted violently and spread outward.

Some of the weaker Astral Cultivators were swept into the air by the explosive wind. Even the High-Class Astral Cultivators struggled against the barrage of sand and stones and were pushed back relentlessly.

Only the Top-Tier Astral Cultivators could barely withstand the force of the dispersing wind, yet they still retreated dozens of meters to avoid embarrassment.

Dust filled the air!

As the whirlwind rapidly spread outwards for hundreds, even thousands of meters, at the center of a crater nearly a hundred meters wide, Li Pin slowly stood up and stepped out of the pit.

With each step he took, the once-vocal Astral Cultivators, who had clamored to capture and interrogate him, couldn't help but back away. It felt as if a terrifying prehistoric beast was emerging from that crater.

Even Lin Baizhan, who had exuded confidence and arrogance moments ago, paled, his gaze filled with dread as he looked at Li Pin.

"What... what do you want?"

Li Pin ignored him. After stepping out of the crater, he stood on slightly elevated ground, observing the frightened retreat of the Astral Cultivators, some of whom were just managing to rise after being tossed aside. He calmly stated, "Now, can we have a proper conversation?"