Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 566: Investigation

Void, the greatest enemy of the Existence faction. It erased existence, turned immortality into death, transformed possession into loss, and annihilated everything.

Just as the world had a front and a back, existence and void were natural opposites. The Astral World lay between these two.

By harnessing the Void's power through the Astral World, people neutralized forces that might otherwise burden them, eliminating all negative effects and stabilizing their state to ensure eternal existence.

But that's not the point.

"Did you just try to manipulate me with your inner spirit power?" Li Pin asked.

Ran Shenji looked at Li Pin, his inner spirit power brushing past like a gentle breeze.

Through his mastery of the Perfect Realm, Ran Shenji had concealed his inner spirit power to the point where even another Astral God would fail to detect it. But Li Pin had managed to sense it.

During the three stellar years when Li Pin helped Li Yunyao and Si Xing comprehend inner spirit power, he had also refined his own using the power of the Ruoxi Sword. Moreover, the Solar Flare Divine Weapon he wore enhanced his resistance to inner spirit influence.

After three years of relentless effort, he had mastered the Perfect Realm at the Divine level. He could control and release power up to 300,000 without relying on the World Heart.

In other words, Ran Shenji's attempt to affect Li Pin with inner spirit power was no different from showing off in front of an expert. Li Pin wasn't the same as when Astral God Mi Meng had done the same to him back then.

But Ran Shenji clearly didn't realize this, and he was caught by surprise when his inner spirit power failed to affect Li Pin.

According to their intelligence, Li Pin, though formidable, was barely at the Divine level. He mostly relied on the Solar Flare Divine Weapon to achieve his feats of strength.

As an Eternal Solar Flare, carrying the prestige of the Third Hall Master of the Void Divine Treasury Hall, he held an advantage in presence alone. A mere glance, coupled with a release of inner spirit power, should have been enough to influence Li Pin's inner spirit with just a glance and a release of his inner spirit power, compelling him to answer any question.

Yet, to his surprise... that wasn't the case.

Though his attempt to manipulate Li Pin had failed, Ran Shenji's expression didn't change much.

"No need to change the subject. Just answer my question," he said calmly.

"No, this matters to me," Li Pin replied.

Whatever respect Li Pin had for the Third Hall Master of the Void Divine Treasury Hall had evaporated. He stood straight and looked Ran Shenji in the eye. "Did you just attack me?"

"Insolence," Ran Shenji remarked lightly, his tone void of warmth.

The meaning behind his words carried a trace of sternness. "I am fulfilling my duty. I must ensure that the person about to enter our Void Divine Treasury Hall remains aligned with us, not someone who has fallen into Void."

His voice remained indifferent, but there was no room for argument. "Now, answer me. Have you come into contact with the power of the Void in the Mara World?"

Li Pin was silent for a long moment.

Ran Shenji didn't press him, merely observing.

The vast, empty hall, the oppressive atmosphere, and the authority of the Eternal Solar Flare made the air heavy and suffocating.

Anyone with weak inner spirit power would already feel unsettled, their heart filled with anxiety. In severe cases, some might even struggle to breathe, their mind blank.

After what felt like ten breaths, Li Pin finally understood the situation.

He kept his gaze fixed on the third hall master and spoke slowly. "So, you're just looking for trouble?"

A cold glint flashed in Ran Shenji's eyes. As he moved, the entire hall seemed to ripple like the tide, spreading outward from him in every direction.

"How dare—"

Li Pin raised a hand to interrupt. "Save the formalities."

He stared at the avatar of the Eternal Solar Flare. "Just answer me—yes or no."

From his high platform, Ran Shenji looked down at Li Pin. "Li Pin, you are bold indeed. I am the Third Hall Master of the Void Divine Treasury Hall, an Eternal Solar Flare. Yet you dare speak to me in such a manner—"

"Enough with the posturing," interrupted Li Pin, smiling. "It doesn't matter whether you admit it or not. I know you're targeting me, and that's enough. Besides, you know exactly what you're doing, so why all the pretense?"

He spread his arms. "Go ahead! Third Hall Master of the Void Divine Treasury Hall, esteemed Eternal Solar Flare. Use your power—or summon whatever forces you can muster to speak with me. This avatar of yours isn't enough.

"Send your combat-specialized avatar. Crush my will, shatter my inner spirit. By then, there would be nothing stopping you from getting the information you want. Why all this unnecessary drama?"

Ran Shenji's gaze grew colder. A mere Divine Being. Not even an Astral God. A Divine Being with a lower chance of reaching the Astral God realm than a Tier Six Legend. Yet...

Even an Astral God had no right to act so arrogantly before an Eternal Solar Flare!

This is the material world! How many years had it been? How many years since anyone dared speak to me this way?

Ran Shenji took a deep breath, as though trying to regain his composure as the third hall master of the Void Divine Treasury Hall. "Li Pin... you truly have some nerve—"

Before he could finish, Li Pin cut him off with a growl. "Are you deaf?"

He fixed his gaze on the Hall Master and stepped forward aggressively. "I said, if you want trouble, just send your combat-specialized avatar down here! Crush my will and inner spirit! Once my inner spirit cycle is shattered, won't all the information you need be right there? Can't you hear me?"

At those words, the Astral God could no longer maintain his lofty stance.

"Insolence!" Ran Shenji roared.

The power of his Eternal Solar Flare avatar surged outward, unleashing a violent wind that howled through the hall. The air thickened, turning viscous, suffocating.

Crushing spiritual shockwave and inner spirit pressure surged toward Li Pin like an unrelenting tsunami.

But... it was useless.

Whether they were the Dazzling Starshine or Eternal Solar Flare avatars, an Astral God's avatars were always of the same level to avoid bearing the weight of the Eternal Oblivion Force.

At most... the differences lay in their combat techniques, battle experience, and secret arts.

Each Astral God had lived for countless years, perfecting their skills to the highest degree. Even if there were differences, they wouldn't be significant.

In other words, this avatar of the Solar Flare Astral God, meant only for communication and handling affairs, posed even less of a threat to Li Pin than Cui Fan's combat-specialized avatar.

Standing firm within the raging storm, Li Pin lifted his gaze. "This is it?"

Despite Ran Shenji standing at a higher position, his eyes carried a faint sense of condescension.

Before their conflict could escalate further, the grand hall's doors suddenly burst open, and a figure strode in. "Hall Master Ran, what do you think you're doing?"

Ran Shenji's expression shifted slightly. "Bai Chao."

He hadn't expected the fourth hall master to arrive so quickly.

Bai Chao said, "We've already looked into the Mara World matter. Even if you still have concerns and want to question him again, it should be done in the presence of the other hall masters or executors. How could you interrogate a special pioneer with Ace-level privileges in private?"

Ran Shenji quickly reined in his aura, regaining his usual composed demeanor. "Just asking a few basic questions in advance."

"Do basic questions warrant such a grand display?" Bai Chao retorted.

He turned to Li Pin. "You may leave."

Li Pin cast a glance at Ran Shenji, a little surprised. "Leave?"

The tension had already built up to this point, and now I was just supposed to walk away?

But Ran Shenji no longer spared him another look, as if his earlier outburst had never happened. Or perhaps... those emotions had merely been a means to an end.

Hah. An Eternal Solar Flare avatar. I had hoped he would send a combat-specialized avatar, but...

Even an ordinary avatar could still be worth testing against. He was curious how it compared to a Brilliant Starshine avatar.

Yet, with the Fourth Hall Master interfering, it seemed a fight was out of the question.

Suddenly, Li Pin found himself uninterested.

"How dull," he muttered to himself, then turned to leave.

Watching him walk away, Ran Shenji let out a faint snort. "This pioneer... doesn't seem so easy to deal with."

"Geniuses always have their unique ways," Bai Chao commented casually, then fixed his gaze on Ran Shenji. "I know what happened recently hit you hard, and you still haven't moved past it. But... control your emotions."

Ran Shenji asked, "You don't suspect him? You've already received his detailed records, haven't you?"

"By cross-referencing planetary records, we can clearly determine that after he emerged from that lake, his Vitality, Qi, and Spirit underwent a significant transformation. If he isn't a descendant from the Void, then what is he?"

Bai Chao argued, "It's just one possibility. He could have awakened an innate wisdom, or he might be the reincarnation of someone whose true spirit never perished. It doesn't necessarily mean he comes from the Void."

"Once could be a coincidence. But for him to breach the Mara Divine Treasure World so quickly? And that treasure is closely linked to the Void Divine Treasure World... How can I not suspect something? After all... the Void Divine Treasure World became a forbidden divine treasure world precisely because of that existence..."

Ran Shenji's expression grew solemn. "There's even data suggesting that the collapse of the Ancient Astral World was closely tied to that existence as well..." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"That existence..."

Hearing Ran Shenji's words, Bai Chao fell silent.

That existence was a being whose mere mention would mark anything as taboo—the Void Emperor.

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