Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 487: Different

Li Pin flipped through the list of techniques available for exchange. There were many options.

Initially, he had thought that the techniques required to reach the Astral God level would be expensive. However, when he searched for Astral God techniques, he was surprised to find that they were surprisingly cheap.

The prices, measured in Divine Treasury Points, ranged from ten to a hundred thousand.

After thinking it over, he understood why.

On one hand, the value of Divine Treasury Points was higher than he had anticipated. Ten thousand Divine Treasury Points could be worth tens of trillions, or even hundreds of trillions, in Secondary Cosmic Currency.

On the other hand, anyone who entered the divine treasure world and survived would, to some extent, receive Astral God inheritance.

Therefore, acquiring such techniques wasn't as difficult as he had imagined. As a result, techniques for cultivating ordinary Astral Gods weren't too expensive.

Of course, this was also due to the internal anti-monopoly and anti-blockade measures among humans. If the techniques were too expensive, wouldn't it stifle potential talents?

After some searching, Li Pin quickly found a familiar technique. "The Heaven-Subjugating Technique!?"

Does this technique have the Demigod, Divine, and Astral God Chapters?

He glanced at the prices. The Demigod and Divine Chapters together cost only 1,100 Divine Treasury Points, but the Astral God Chapter was priced at 30,000.

"I had previously thought that I was likely at the early stage of the Divine Realm.... I'll use this technique as a starting point to gain a better understanding of the Divine Realm."

He immediately exchanged points for the Demigod and Divine Chapters.

Next, he turned his attention to a technique priced at 11,000 Divine Treasury Points, which allowed direct progression to Astral God through the Legendary Astral Cultivator path—the Astral Observation Manual.

The Astral Observation Manual was said to be the origin of all Astral Cultivator techniques. It centered on the principles of equilibrium and tranquility, possessing a harmonious compatibility with all things.

Though it lacked any unique features, it offered the easiest path to cultivation. Furthermore, it provided the most comprehensive depictions of each realm of Astral Cultivators, making it an ideal choice for Li Pin, who sought to understand their defining characteristics.

After obtaining the techniques, Li Pin didn't linger. He quickly returned to the mountain peak that would be his long-term residence.

However, to his surprise, someone was already waiting at the mountain peak, which he hadn't even moved into yet.

Upon seeing Li Pin, the Tier Four Legend approached with a smile and a cupped-hand salute. "Pioneer Li, I'm your neighbor, Cang Beiyou. I'm a fellow Provisional Pioneer from the same cohort as you.

"I came over to greet you. If we have the chance to explore the divine treasure world together, it will be good to look out for each other."

Li Pin nodded, briefly familiarizing himself with the person before heading up to the mountain peak.

The mountain had several palaces. In the plaza in front of the "Guest Palace," a middle-aged man with Legendary cultivation, accompanied by a dozen or so people, was already waiting.

These were the palace's staff, responsible for handling the trivial matters of the Pioneers.

Those with status often brought their own entourage to handle such things, but Li Pin clearly didn't have many servants or followers.

After greeting the head steward and briefly learning about the palaces on the mountain, he went directly to the main palace's study.

The study was filled with numerous books, most of which were about the divine treasure world, Mara, and the surrounding Divine Treasury Halls.

Li Pin decided he'd read through them in his spare time, but now he was most interested in understanding the specific differences between Legendary, Demigod, and Divine realms.

***

Several stellar days passed.

By now, Li Pin had gone through the Heaven-Subjugating Technique Demigod and Divine Chapters. He had also flipped through the Astral Observation Manual's Tier One to Tier Six sections, up to the methods for becoming an Astral God. Yet, he still hadn't found the answers he sought.

Li Pin pondered. The Divine Realm is a path created by Demigods who weren't willing to resign themselves to the slim prospects of becoming Astral Gods. They emulate the avatars of Astral Gods, carving out new paths of cultivation. In a sense... they are mobile, immensely powerful Legendary beings.

Between them and the Legends, one path used an Astral World Fragment to create a small domain for personal amusement, while the other, in stark contrast, united countless forces to dominate the vast Astral World.

"Like Si Xing said, the greatest difference between a Tier Four Legend and a Demigod is control. The power of Tier Four, Five, or Six Legends is cultivated and refined through their own efforts. It is entirely theirs and completely under their control.

"In contrast, Demigods merge with a planet, borrowing its power to fuel their strength. They are two entirely different paths...."

Borrowed power would always be borrowed power.

"In essence, Divines are no different from peak Demigods. Refining a planet grants them great power, but it severely limits their ability to enter the Astral World and ascend to Astral God status."

Li Pin looked at the Divine Chapter of the Heaven-Subjugating Technique. "I haven't obtained an Astral World Fragment, nor have I refined a primary planet. The reason I can contain a planet is that this planet only has the properties of a planet, not the actual mass. It merely manifests in the real world in the form of a planet."

His eyes gleamed. "In other words, this planet still belongs to my power. So, my path should lean more toward the Legendary path—absolute control over power."

The reason people mistook him for a Divine Being was simply that his combat power had leaped too greatly at the time. Moreover, his battle style, using planetary projections, resembled that of a Divine Being.

But resemblance didn't mean he followed the path of Martial Divinity.

Li Pin then focused on the differences between Tier Four and Tier Five Legends. The inner spirit cycle.

He muttered, "Inner spirit reaches perfection at the fifth tier. After that, it's about understanding the Astral World and entering it..."

He carefully studied the Heaven-Subjugating Technique's Martial Divinity Chapter and the Astral Observation Manual's Tier Six Legend Chapter, comparing them to his own path. However, he still couldn't find any commonality between them.

After a long while, Li Pin set the two techniques aside.

"Martial Divinity is Martial Divinity, and Tier Six Legend is Tier Six Legend. They are not the same as me. My path, from here on out, will be based on my Natal Planet, manifesting star systems, constellations, until it becomes a universe... a microcosmic universe derived from myself."

Li Pin paused to think, for the first time considering a new question. How could my body bear the power of a Natal Planet?

Although the power of his Natal Planet was a concept rather than an actual material planet within him, what was the source of this power? Was it spiritual power? Or atomic force?

Unfortunately, no matter how long he thought about it, he still couldn't find an answer.

It wasn't until Fei Bo delivered the Astral Beast Blood Crystals and Primordial Spirit Essence he'd requested that his thoughts were interrupted.

It was like seeing a car and wondering how it was built, trying to recreate it yourself. That wasn't an easy task.

The vast universe was full of extraordinary people and events. His perspective might not even match that of a Tier One Legend from a major clan. Trying to understand the truth behind a few isolated cases was inherently difficult.

Even those great beings at the pinnacle of the Astral World wouldn't dare claim to be all-knowing. When facing special life forms, they couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of creation.

"I can't even explain how I got from Blue Planet to this universe..." Li Pin muttered.

He stopped short.

The universe!? Has the universe changed!?

Or could it be... that I came from another universe and was inherently incompatible with this one?

He recalled descriptions of the Astral World from ancient times. Back then, only true Astral Gods could enter. But now, with the collapse of the Astral World, it seemed to have lost its mysterious aura. It had fallen from a higher dimension and transformed into a high-energy world.

It could now accommodate living beings and allow Legends and Divine Beings—those who hadn't yet ascended to Astral Gods—to enter.

The only special rules left were the power of Eternal Oblivion, the cosmic scale, and the inability of ordinary life forms to survive here.

The gap between the ancient and modern eras was immense. His current condition, incompatible with both the Legendary and Divine systems, might be due to the environmental changes that occurred from the ancient to the modern world.

Li Pin muttered, "Those who left behind divine treasures were the strongest Astral Gods of the ancient era. If placed in today's world, each would be comparable to the likes of the Light of the Ark, Yin Luo... Perhaps I can identify the differences between the two eras in their divine treasures and find answers to these issues."

He had a vague feeling that his guess was correct. The exact solution, however, would likely be found within the divine treasures. Perhaps even... the shattered Astral World might hold the key to the truth.

With that thought, Li Pin calmed himself and pulled out the information Fang Chunyang had sent him regarding the Mara Divine Treasure World. "These are just basic materials, offering a general overview of Astral God Mara's life..."

Li Pin flipped through the documents detailing the Astral God's history. It didn't take long before he arrived at a conclusion.

A cruel, indifferent, and heartless Astral God.

However, the researchers' evaluations followed. "No living being is born heartless."

Following this line of thought, they soon found a crucial lead. Before becoming an Astral God—more accurately, before entering the starry sky—she had undergone a profound spiritual awakening.

Therefore, if she had left behind a divine treasure, the evolution of the divine treasure world would inevitably be linked to this massive awakening.

As the researchers delved deeper, and with recent intelligence gained from another divine treasure, the answer gradually unfolded.

"Mara... it's the term for 'demon' in many civilizations' myths and legends. It can even be directly translated as 'demonic path'!"

Li Pin stared at the passage. They outright called it the demonic path! A Demonic Path Astral God? What a peculiar title.

"According to another set of data from a divine treasure, Mara... her name was Cang Ruoxi, an unmatched great demon who killed all the cultivators of her era. She then severed the heavens and earth, destroying their cultivation system and turning their world into one where cultivation was impossible..."

Li Pin flipped through the documents.

"In an effort to resist her cruelty, the descendants of those powerful cultivators used the Divine Weapons from the old cultivation era to gain power and became the weapon masters to fight back...

"But since she ultimately ventured into the cosmos and became the formidable Astral God Mara of the ancient times... their fate is all too clear..."

Li Pin looked at this "demon lord's" growth story and could already foresee the dangers lurking in this divine treasure world. He wouldn't be surprised if he entered and encountered scenes of bloodshed and apocalyptic chaos.

Li Pin couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. "No wonder this divine treasure world is rated at a danger level of three...."

However, considering that his cultivation path might involve the differences between the ancient and modern worlds, he made up his mind. No matter the danger, he would explore it.