Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 479: Change

Hearing Fu Qingtian's words, Mo Wangqing, Fu Yixue, and the others' eyes widened with shock.

Invincible in the world? Master... has succeeded!? He believes he's already invincible!?

Before going into seclusion, Fu Qingtian had already been a Supreme Expert, standing at the pinnacle of the world.

The Gaia Alliance had been established mainly through the Tianyuan Federation, represented by him, and the Great Shang, represented by Zhao Kunwu.

The alliance's goal was to unite Gaia's forces to face the increasingly complex external situation.

Since he had dared to unify Gaia's strength, he had to have been confident in his ability to control Gaia and become its top figure. In fact, he had almost done that.

Had it not been for his folly regarding Li Pin's incident, he would've certainly become the supreme commander of the Special United Squad.

Fu Qingtian was a true Supreme Expert, unlike the underpowered Yuan Zhenchuan. Even without the Void Ring, his combat power put him among the strongest of Gaians.

His power, reputation, and status would have been enough to control the Special United Squad and prevent disobedience. freeweɓnovel.cøm

Furthermore, if things had gone smoothly, he would've had a seventy to eighty percent chance of becoming the Gaia Alliance's first chairman.

Therefore, when the crowd heard him claim invincibility, they couldn't help but seriously assess his words due to his credibility.

If he claimed to be invincible in the world, it had to be true... right?

Well, no.

As Mo Wangqing thought about the recent events in Gaia, his expression stiffened.

First, during Fu Qingtian's time in seclusion, the Solar Radiance Sovereign had brought the Cosmic True Dragon Secret Art to Gaia. This secret art had boosted the combat power of various "Legends" and further revealed the divisions of the Heavenly Realm.

At the time, the Solar Radiance Sovereign had relied on the Cosmic True Dragon Secret Art and his Ordinary Heavenly Realm combat power to render Li Pin, the world's number one, helpless.

Soon after, however, Li Pin comprehended the profound Vacuum Pulverizer Technique, making a massive leap in his Power Level. He reached a level comparable to the Invincible Heavenly Realm, easily defeating and killing Heavenly Realm practitioners.

Then came the Divine Dragon Empire's arrival!

Yan Zhong, wielding Legendary power, had been ready to crush all of Gaia with overwhelming force. The pressure he brought had once driven Gaia's Heavenly Realm practitioners to despair.

But then... Li Pin broke through again, successfully completing the Celestial Breaker phase.

He had descended upon the Divine Dragon Empire invaders with overwhelming power, unleashing his godly might and defeating Yan Zhong.

Afterward, Li Pin issued a challenge to Yan Zun, the Divine Dragon Empire's peak Tier Two Legend and its "Sea-Stabilizing Pillar."

Yan Zun answered swiftly, quickly gathering his allies. With the help of thirteen Legends, he had executed a covert plan to besiege Li Pin. However, the absolute difference in strength had rendered their efforts meaningless.

Nine Early-Stage Legends died, while three Tier-One Legends were captured and incorporated into Gaia's lineup, becoming one of its strongest fighters and serving its interests.

As for Yan Zun, the peak Tier Two Legend who had once terrorized the Dragon Swamp Nebula, Li Pin had slain him on the spot, reducing him to ash and smoke.

The Divine Dragon Empire had been reduced to a mere province of Gaia ever since.

Gaia not only completed its leap from a planetary to a cosmic civilization, but it also inherited the Divine Dragon Empire's legacy, becoming the new ruler of the Dragon Swamp Nebula.

In a spirit of harmony and friendship, neighboring powers such as the Celestial Dragonians, Flaming Dragon Empire, Burning Sun Nation, and Golden Glory Federation spared no effort in assisting Gaia, pouring investments into its future.

A year had passed since those events. By now... who knew what level Li Pin had reached?

Fu Qingtian might have made a breakthrough, but his combat power had only been that of a weak Heavenly Realm cultivator, to begin with. At most, a breakthrough would propel him to the standard of the Heavenly Realm. It might even put him at the Top-Tier Heavenly Realm. But he still wouldn't even be a Tier One Legend, a far cry from the formidable Tier Three Legend that Li Pin had become.

Li Pin had left him in the dust, putting Fu Qingtian three entire realms behind.

It was like a Martial Saint who had finally transitioned into an Astral Cultivator and an enemy who became a Legendary Astral Cultivator.

Mo Wangqing really wanted to tell his master: Master, your understanding of the world is seriously outdated. Not just one version, but three.

Others already had the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Armor, and here he was, still celebrating getting his hands on a Heavenly Demon Divine Armor.

But since Fu Qingtian was his master, he couldn't be that blunt.

Yuan Zhenchuan had already sent a message asking what had happened. To avoid unnecessary embarrassment, Mo Wangqing could only say, "Master, a lot has happened in Gaia these past years. Let's go back, and I'll tell you everything in detail."

"Oh? A lot has happened? Over the past few decades, Gaia has seen some changes, but nothing major enough to make you this cautious, unwilling to speak plainly. There can only be one possibility—it concerns our Gaia's Supreme Martial God, Li Pin."

Fu Qingtian smiled slightly, a confident look on his face. "It seems that during my seclusion, Martial God Li has made quite a few new accomplishments, huh? He must have created a few miracles as usual, right?

"That's great. My breakthrough is also tied to his Celestial Martial God Manual. I was planning to have a good talk with him.

"Perhaps my breakthrough into the realm beyond Legendary could inspire him and help him break through to that realm too."

Fu Yixue couldn't take it anymore. "Father... let's talk about it when we get back...."

"Mm!?" Their demeanor caught Fu Qingtian off-guard. "Has he really broken through?"

Seeing the two of them unsure of how to respond, Fu Qingtian couldn't help but sigh. "As expected of Li Pin. As I grow, so does he. It's great that he has broken through. I once thought I had become invincible, that no one could sit and discuss the Dao with me anymore.

"But now that he's broken through, I have someone to converse with. Gaia has gained another elite combatant. This is a good thing. Perhaps in the second phase of the competition, it will give Gaia an edge."

Fu Yixue quickly said, "Stepfather... Li Pin's different now... like, really different...."

Fu Qingtian chuckled lightly. "You've lost faith in me?"

Fu Yixue spluttered, "It's not a matter of faith, it's just—"

Mo Wangqing stepped forward, his voice trembling with emotion. "Master, times have changed."

He operated his bracelet, quickly projecting a holographic footage. "Just look at this scene, and you'll understand."

Fu Qingtian shook his head. "You don't understand. During my seclusion, aside from my own breakthrough insights, I also greatly drew from the Celestial Martial God Manual, trying to discern the key to Martial God Li's strength from this technique. But that's not the point.

"The key is, when I cleared my mind and focused on keeping my inner spirit pure, by a stroke of fate, I glimpsed deeper layers of information within the astral energy. I even... sensed Gaia. Ultimately, with that tiny touch that reached deep into my heart, I broke through."

Despite his words, Fu Qingtian still turned his gaze to the footage Mo Wangqing had shown him, out of curiosity to understand the latest developments in the outside world.

However, that brief glance made his nonchalant, confident smile stiffen, his face frozen.

When he saw Li Pin extend his hand, effortlessly unleashing a sword aura so powerful it could tear apart falling meteors, binding and annihilating one expert after another—each stronger than any "Legend"—he felt his entire body stiffen.

The world seemed unreal at that moment.

It took him a long time to turn his head and look toward Mo Wangqing, as if he wanted to ask something.

Mo Wangqing smiled bitterly and nodded.

There were no words, yet thousands of meanings were conveyed.

Buzz, buzz!

At that moment, Yuan Zhenchuan, who seemed to have remained silent for a long time, finally teleported here through the Void Ring.

Seeing Fu Qingtian emerge safely from his seclusion, completely unharmed, a look of genuine joy appeared on Yuan Zhenchuan's face. "It's good that you're alright. As long as you're fine."

He spoke with deep emotion. "Old Fu, things have changed. Gaia isn't the same anymore. We no longer have to risk our lives, gambling on breakthroughs with nine deaths and one survival."[1]

Fu Qingtian didn't respond. Instead, he pointed at the projection Mo Wangqing was playing. "What's this about?"

"You didn't get a chance to look at the Cosmic True Dragon Secret Art I gave you, did you? If you had, you'd understand... It's a long story," Yuan Zhenchuan said.

"I've got time," Fu Qingtian replied flatly.

"Then..." Yuan Zhenchuan's tone was patient. "I'll start with the Cosmic True Dragon Secret Art."

The two old friends walked toward the Tianyuan Capital as Yuan Zhenchuan explained everything. He started with how the Solar Radiance Sovereign had brought the Cosmic True Dragon Secret Art, which led to the crisis with the Divine Dragon Empire.

He recounted how Li Pin repeatedly broke through, defeated the Divine Dragon Empire's invasions, counterattacked, and ultimately turned the Divine Dragon Empire into Gaia's Divine Dragon Province.

He spoke slowly, but every detail was clear, leaving nothing out.

"So... Gaia is already considered a cosmic civilization? The second phase arrived faster than we expected?"

Yuan Zhenchuan explained, "The second phase has, in a sense, already begun. Lord Si Xing, the Civilization Guide, has started providing us with knowledge support.

"Many technologies and facilities haven't been delivered yet from the Homo Sapien Alliance, but they're expected to arrive in the next few months."

Fu Qingtian's expression dimmed with an indescribable melancholy. "So... my near-death breakthrough... really doesn't matter anymore?"

It was as though he had spent a lifetime perfecting a godly skill, only to emerge and find the world at peace, with no place left to use it.

No! It was even more exaggerated than that! It was as if he had spent his whole life in seclusion, perfecting his martial skills, only to find that immortal qi had filled the world and that everyone had switched to immortal cultivation, marking the end of the martial era.

He had expected to emerge from seclusion and be showered with the masses' adoration, but he had become nothing more than a regressive martial legend.

Yuan Zhenchuan hesitated, pondering how best to comfort his old friend. "It's not that it's useless...."

After a moment, he thought of something. The previous Supreme Experts and Legends of Gaia... had been nowhere near the caliber of actual Legends.

This old friend of his....

Astonished, Yuan Zhenchuan asked, "So you really broke through?"

"Yes," Fu Qingtian answered flatly.

He briefly described the breakthrough he had attained. "By reverse-engineering the Celestial Martial God Manual, I bypassed the Atomic Will and comprehended the Celestial Force Field...."

The more Yuan Zhenchuan listened, the more he found Fu Qingtian's words familiar.

What Fu Qingtian was explaining was described in the records of the Heaven-Subjugating Technique....

Fu Qingtian noticed his reaction and sensed something off. "Is something wrong?"

Yuan Zhenchuan hesitated. "No... nothing..."

After a long pause, he finally congratulated his old friend, though in a somewhat roundabout way. "Congratulations. You've successfully transitioned from an incomplete Heavenly Realm Astral Cultivator to a qualified Heavenly Realm Celestial Martial Artist."

1. a Chinese idiom which refers to a dangerous situation where odds of survival are extremely low. ☜