Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 144: Verification

To avoid arousing his family's suspicion, Li Pin made a quick call home and stayed at the martial society for the next few days.

With Lian Hongchen's appointment as acting chairman and his authority backing Li Pin, coupled with Lian Xiyue's constant companionship, Li Pin had unrestricted access throughout the martial arts association.

Through his interactions with the martial society, Li Pin truly understood the organization's extensive influence across various countries and regions.

Compared to technological weapons and Astral Cultivators, martial artists were undeniably weaker; however, they possessed a significant advantage that the two could not match: their ability to operate in secrecy.

If a martial artist was determined to infiltrate a special organization, it was virtually impossible for said organization to detect or stop them with conventional means. That was especially the case if the martial artist was a Martial Saint. Their powerful mental spirit enabled them to forge their Martial Will. With specialized training, they could even manipulate others' minds.

There was an instance when a Martial Saint, proficient in the art of hypnosis, manipulated a high-ranking military official into ordering the total annihilation of a rival faction, leaving nothing but ruins.

Moreover, Martial Saints had the hope of burning themselves out to forcibly meditate on the Astral God. While the chances of success were extremely slim, those who survived this ultimate ordeal would be rewarded with a boundless, unprecedented expanse of opportunities.

In this context, each martial society wielded immense authority, commanding resources that far exceeded those of the financial, educational, civil, and commercial departments.

As the chairman, Lian Hongchen could, with a single thought, render a major martial arts influence worth over billions, like the Five Elements Sect, unsustainable. He could also effortlessly grant credentials to numerous Core Force martial artists, allowing them to establish martial halls, train disciples, and earn hundreds of millions annually.

However, Li Pin was not concerned with these matters. He spent these days immersed in the martial society's library archives.

Although the Five Elements Sect had many manuals on the martial arts world and various cultivation methods, their completeness paled in comparison to those of the martial society. The martial society's library offered a wide range of both the Aura Cultivation and Martial Saint inheritance, varying primarily in their depth and completeness.

Through studying and researching these manuals, Li Pin’s understanding of the Martial Saint realm became increasingly profound.

***

After a week of recuperating with various medicinal herbs, Li Pin not only fully recovered but also became stronger in many aspects.

Li Pin focused his mind, carefully assessing his condition. The changes that had occurred in him since his battle with Lin Yuzhi half a month ago were now crystal clear.

[Qi and Blood: 39.01], [Primordial Qi: 39.85], [Mental Spirit: 22.14]

[Internal Aura: 91/100]

[Innate Qi-Nurturing Technique, Qi-Refining Chapter: 21/1000, Foundation Building Chapter: 10/45000]

[Blood-Seething Secret Art: 37.81%]

"My qi and blood and mental spirit experienced the most increase from this battle, each having risen by approximately two points."

Li Pin wasn't surprised by this growth. The increase in his mental spirit was a direct result of pushing past his spiritual limits.

Consecutively executing three Spirit Force attacks without the support of his Martial Will exceeded his spiritual limit, but it also allowed him to complete a cycle of breaking and rebuilding. As a result, his mental spirit attribute, which slowed in growth the higher it got, improved by a notable 2.61 points.

Additionally, through half a month of dedicated meditation, Li Pin elevated his mental spirit attribute beyond the twenty-two-point threshold, surpassing the minimum requirement for forging the Martial Will.

As for the increase in qi and blood... it was attributed to the physical liberation experienced under the Spirit Force state. The value surged by 1.35 points, which, to some extent, exceeded the typical limits of a perfected Internal Cultivation practitioner.

By the time he thoroughly completed the Internal Cultivation and Blood Renewal Realm, his qi and blood might still experience a slight increase, but it would ultimately not exceed forty points.

It was evident that he didn’t fall into the category of "born with divine strength" in terms of physical talent. He had likely exceeded thirty-nine due to the physical liberation from the Spirit Force state and the potential unlocked through Foundation Building. This was apparent from the growth the Foundation Building and Qi-Refining Chapter brought.

During this time, he dedicated himself to a deep study of the Taibai Fist Manual and the Great Sun True Radiance Technique, integrating and refining their techniques and practices with his own Eight Enormities True Fire Force. This was a necessary step for any grandmaster who had perfected the Blood Renewal realm.

Though Li Pin hadn't yet perfected the Blood Renewal Realm, he was nearing completion. As the saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.

"When peak grandmasters talk about refining their own martial arts system, they're essentially tailoring external techniques and methods to their own unique attributes, transforming it into the most suitable martial arts for themselves. It’s like everyone has their own typing habits.

"While grandmasters follow established techniques, great grandmasters develop their own unique combinations, much like creating custom phrases for faster typing. In martial arts, this translates to a significant boost in combat effectiveness."

Lately, Li Pin had not just been integrating his martial arts system, he had also been refining his Eight Enormities True Fire Force. He had already successfully merged the powers of the Bifang and Vermillion Phoenix into the formidable Great Sun Golden Crow.

Next up were the Chilong, Tengshe, Qiongqi, Taowu, Hundun, and Taotie. Li Pin already had plans for integrating the Tengshe and Chilong, which focused on body techniques and explosive power. It was only a matter of time until he completed the integration.

As for the Blood-Seething Secret Art, it was the cornerstone of his martial arts system.

Li Pin focused intently and observed his condition. "My qi and blood is nearing its limit. However, unexpectedly, the Blood-Seething Secret Art has shown growth. If I were to push myself to the limit, my enhanced qi and blood would soar to nearly fifty-four points.... This is because I have recorded and replicated the sensation of physical liberation experienced during the Spirit Force state."

He didn't actually use Spirit Force, but rather forced his body to generate power that was almost equivalent to it. Of course, overriding the body's natural instincts was far more perilous than people imagined. Even maintaining this state for a single second was extremely risky, as it could easily cause the body, this intricate "machine," to malfunction.

If a malfunction occurred, the extent of the damage could necessitate anything from extensive repairs to complete disposal.

This meant that recovering from the side effects of the Blood Seething Secret Art would be more difficult than before. The primordial qi from the Innate Qi-Refining Technique won't do alone anymore.

"I need to enhance my self-healing passive ability. This, coupled with my primordial qi, will allow me to continue advancing the Blood-Seething Secret Art and explore the realms beyond human potential."

These were the tasks he would need to complete to integrate his martial arts system once he perfected the Internal Cultivation realm.

Once he had finished organizing all these tasks, he could truly refine his martial arts system from the hodgepodge of techniques and practice methods he had learned from various sources.

This system would gradually and subtly nurture his mind and body, preparing them under the guidance of his willpower. When the time was right, he would be ready to strike at the critical step of forging his Martial Will.

At this moment, Li Pin's phone rang.

He answered the call. Shortly after, he finished his training and went to the living room, only to find Lian Hongchen arriving in a hurry with three others.

"Grandmaster Li, let me introduce you to the three members of the organizing committee for the World's Top Martial Competition. This is Yuan Fang, the head of the evaluation committee. These are his assistants, Commissioner Su Song and Commissioner Zhao Tianqiong," Lian Hongchen introduced the three of them one by one.

Yuan Fang took the initiative to greet Li Pin with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Grandmaster Li."

Though a little surprised, Li Pin nodded. "Nice to meet you."

With the Tianyuan Federation's national competitions still ongoing and the top three yet to be determined, sending out invitations now seemed a bit premature.

Yuan Fang began, "Grandmaster Li, we’ve reviewed the materials the committee submitted regarding you. With your strength, you are qualified to receive an invitation to the World’s Top Martial Competition. However, we still need to confirm a few things..."

As he spoke, he played two videos. One was of Li Pin battling to the death with Qiu Chufeng, the leader of the Solar Vermillion Sect. The other video was of Li Pin's duel with Deputy Chairman Chi Xingyu at the Jiang Province Martial Competition.

Yuan Fang asked, "May I confirm that this is indeed you?"

He quickly added, "Grandmaster Li, I'm not doubting you. However, the World's Top Martial Competition is different from national competitions.

"In the World's Top Martial Competition, aside from a few external aids like Astral Equipment and banned drugs, there are no restrictions on combat techniques. Any dirty tricks, ruthless moves, or even fatal blows are legal. The fatality rate is much higher than in national or regional events, especially this year, where the stakes may be even higher."

He paused briefly and then said in a solemn tone, "So I hope you can confirm that you truly possess such abilities and intend to participate in the World's Top Martial Competition."

Li Pin nodded. "That is me."

"Alright then. We will now inform you about the various requirements and the risks of death involved in participating in the World's Top Martial Competition. If you’re sure you can handle it, we’ll issue you an invitation."

At this moment, Su Song interjected, "Team Leader, I believe we should verify this. Taibai is.... It's not that I doubt Grandmaster Li, but the pervasive atmosphere of fraud within this country's martial arts community concerns me."

Upon hearing this, Lian Hongchen looked somewhat awkward.

While this was the truth, he couldn't help but grow a little angry. After all, he was a member of the Taibai Kingdom and the Chairman of the Jiang Province Martial Society, a heavyweight figure in the martial association’s political hierarchy. He was personally vouching for Li Pin.

"How do you plan to verify it?" Li Pin asked curiously.

"Simple." Su Song smiled slightly. "In martial arts, we don’t need all the pretense. A fight will suffice."

Yuan Fang did not stop him.

Despite the video evidence, the martial arts scene in Taibai was, to put it bluntly, a real mess.

In some countries, invitations weren't reserved for the top three winners of national competitions; even those ranked fourth, fifth, or sixth could receive them.

However, in the Taibai Kingdom, hierarchy and fraud were rampant. Even those in the top three might have a few fakes among them.

If it weren’t for the regulations, it was questionable whether the top three in Taibai would even be invited.

Li Pin nodded, turning to Yuan Fang, "A fight is indeed the most suitable method. Let’s go to the arena then."

"No need. It's not a life-and-death spar. Besides, it’s easy to gauge a martial artist’s true strength. We can just do it right here."

Su Song stepped forward and beckoned with an open hand.

Li Pin was taken aback. "You?"

He glanced at Yuan Fang and then at Su Song, sensing them momentarily to confirm something. After that, he turned his attention back to Yuan Fang. "A grandmaster?"

"Su Song is not only a grandmaster; he is an Internal Cultivation Grandmaster and has made progress in the Blood Renewal realm. If you can achieve his level at your age, you’ll certainly receive an invitation to the World's Top Martial Competition," Yuan Fang said with a smile.

Li Pin looked at Yuan Fang with a puzzled expression.

A grandmaster having only just mastered the External Aura realm and barely tapped into the Internal Aura realm... that's it?