Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 582: Plan

Fang Zhiqian, Shi Keqing, Shi Yiren, and the others greeted Li Pin.

"Captain."

"Pioneer Li."

Hearing how they addressed Li Pin, Zhao Tiangang realized he had indeed attached himself to someone formidable.

The Void Divine Treasure World was inherently dangerous. Aside from a handful of pioneers willing to gamble their lives, most who entered this divine treasure world were Silver Pioneers, confident in their abilities.

To lead a team among such individuals, earning their trust as captain, one would need to be at least a Gold Pioneer—and an exceptional one at that.

Li Pin had already impressed Zhao Tiangang by reaching tier ten as a martial artist in just a few months. But now, seeing these distinguished pioneers address him with such respect confirmed Zhao's suspicions.

"Is this your temporary base?" Li Pin asked. "Have you contacted the other team members?"

"Not yet," Fang Zhiqian replied. "This world is too dangerous. The others are likely focusing on cultivation first, ensuring they can protect themselves before regrouping in Xiaya. I happened to land nearby, so I came quickly."

Shi Keqing chimed in, "I arrived directly in Xiaya through inner spirit connection with my sister."

Li Pin turned to Shi Yiren.

"Come inside first," she said, glancing briefly at Zhao Tiangang with a hint of curiosity.

Zhao Tiangang quickly caught on. "I'll keep watch outside, in case of any unwanted attention."

"He's a new peripheral member I recruited," Li Pin explained. "A Silver Pioneer who's survived four reincarnation cycles."

Shi Yiren frowned slightly."Silver?"

With our team's standards, peripheral members would need to at least be Gold Pioneers.

But since the decision had already been made, she refrained from saying more and stepped aside to let them in.

The courtyard, though small at less than eighty square meters, was elegantly decorated. A small pavilion offered a quiet retreat amidst the city's noise.

Once inside the pavilion, Li Pin cut to the chase. "The Void Emperor. Is he really Baili Qingfeng, the one living at the foot of Mountain Qingyuan? There's no mistake?"

"That's right." Shi Yiren nodded. "Baili Qingfeng is the form the Void Emperor took when walking the mortal world."

"It's really him?" Li Pin was surprised. "He hasn't awakened yet?"

"Awakened?" Shi Yiren paused. She then understood. "You think Baili Qingfeng is just an avatar of the Void Emperor, a disguise to experience the mortal world? That's not the case."

She confidently asserted, "Baili Qingfeng is the Void Emperor's original form. He started as this mortal, underwent trials, and eventually became the Void Emperor."

"It's really him?" Li Pin was confused. "But isn't the Void Emperor extremely dangerous? They say even looking at him could lead to annihilation."

"I can't explain that," Shi Yiren admitted. "But from my discussions with other experienced pioneers, it seems to come down to hostility. Baili Qingfeng can sense hostility and killing intent. If he detects it, he strikes first and eliminates the threat."

"He kills anyone who shows hostility?"

Li Pin pondered. The reason Baili Qingfeng hadn't attacked me was that I hadn't shown hostility? Just fighting intent wasn't enough?

Fang Zhiqian added, "Actually, I've gathered a rather valuable piece of information from my conversations with other pioneers. Encountering the Void Emperor's mortal form almost always ends in inexplicable death.

"If you mention certain key phrases like 'I'll kill you,' 'I'll wipe out your entire clan,' or 'this won't end until one of us is dead,' he'll hunt you down relentlessly."

He said helplessly, "No matter where you hide, he'll find you."

"It's not just about finding you," Shi Yiren interjected. "The world's rules enforce it. Even if you flee to the Twin Moon Domain or some distant mortal world, you'll still meet all kinds of misfortunes leading to your death."

She looked at Li Pin. "You might be wondering. If he reacts to hostility this way, with so many hostile pioneers, how could he kill them all? But he doesn't have to. The world's rules will do it for him."

Li Pin chuckled. "Wow. We're here to mediate, and this is how we're treated?"

But Shi Yiren didn't laugh, nor did Shi Keqing or Fang Zhiqian.

Seeing their expressions, Li Pin shrugged. It seemed there was no avoiding this reality.

"That being said, if he only reacts to hostility and killing intent, then as long as we suppress those emotions, we should be fine, right?"

"That's the strangest part," Shi Yiren said, taking a deep breath. "His perception of hostility and killing intent, to some extent... transcends time."

"Transcends time!?" Li Pin paused, his expression growing slightly more serious. "Are you saying that even if we hold no intent to kill or hostility now, the mere possibility of such feelings arising in the future could trigger the same outcome?"

"Yes," Shi Yiren nodded. "Death comes like a coincidence. Whether or not you harbor ill will now, the pieces seem already set. It's as if you're caught in a spider's web. Any movement could attract him, or some other form of predation, leading to an inexplicable death."

"You've confirmed this from multiple sources?" Li Pin asked.

"Confirmed from multiple sources, and even witnessed it firsthand." Fang Zhiqian, standing nearby, let out a bitter laugh. "The whole process... I can't understand it, but it left me deeply shaken."

"Coincidence..." Li Pin muttered. After a moment, he smiled. "I don't believe it's mere coincidence. I'd say it's more like... a game."

Fang Zhiqian didn't understand. "A game?"

"A game played by an immensely powerful being who has turned their gaze toward the mortal world," Li Pin said. He continued calmly, "Imagine focusing on a planet only tens of thousands of kilometers in diameter. We extend our spiritual power to cover its entirety, perceiving every living being and every change in climate.

"We then pick one person, designate them as the 'chosen one,' and manipulate their surroundings, geography, weather, even the actions of others. With absolute control, we can shape events so that this chosen one achieves any goal we set, without even having to manipulate the mind of others through inner spirit power."

His words left Shi Yiren, Fang Zhiqian, and Shi Keqing deep in thought.

"The reason we see this as a coincidence, or even fear it, is simply because we're too weak," Li Pin said. "If the chosen one, or their opponent, reached the level of such a being, could this game continue?"

Shi Yiren understood. "You're saying the mastermind is the Void Emperor? That Baili Qingfeng isn't his true form, but just a role he's playing on a whim?"

Li Pin's eyes burned with an indescribable intensity. "It's just speculation, but I hope it's true."

If this were the case, the person he had been fighting wasn't Baili Qingfeng at all. It was the Void Emperor!

The opponent had deliberately matched his strength within the rules of the game, engaging him on equal footing.

How was this any different from a Transcendent Being of the Void faction suppressing their power to spar with him?

At that moment, Shi Keqing spoke up. "Are we focusing on the wrong thing? Our goal in entering the Void Divine Treasure World is to break it open. Its owner is Baili Zhu. Shouldn't our efforts revolve around her?"

Shi Yiren snapped out of her thoughts. "True. But Baili Qingfeng and Baili Zhu are deeply connected. If we want to reach Baili Zhu, we can't avoid dealing with Baili Qingfeng."

She added, "At least in this first phase."

"This task is yours. I'll handle Baili Qingfeng," said Li Pin.

Shi Yiren responded, "Alright. According to our research, this divine treasure world is essentially a marital dispute. To unravel it, we have two options: reconciliation or separation.

"And achieving either outcome is fairly straightforward. Either we deepen their bond or we make Baili Zhu realize her feelings for Baili Qingfeng aren't as strong as she thought, leading her to let go."

"Given that Baili Qingfeng's feelings for Baili Zhu have always been complex—more one-sided infatuation on her part than genuine love—separation is the easier path."

She picked up a booklet from the pavilion. "Baili Zhu spends most of her time with Baili Qingfeng. The moments when they are apart are rare but crucial. One such moment is coming soon."

Shi Keqing and Fang Zhiqian had already seen this report before, so they didn't chime in.

Shi Yiren continued her explanation to Li Pin. "After a series of events, Baili Qingfeng will take Baili Zhu to the Twin Moon Domain—partly to purchase supplies, partly to investigate her identity and family. That will be our chance."

"Baili Zhu's identity, her family..." Li Pin quickly understood. "Are you saying we should pose as her family? For example, I could pretend to be her father, take her away openly, and separate her from Baili Qingfeng? Ensure their lives never intersect again?"

Shi Yiren responded, "More than that. We must also prove to Baili Zhu that she can live a better life without Baili Qingfeng. That means surviving the coming events—the turmoil in the Twin Moon Domain and the catastrophe that follows, when the Void Emperor severs all ties with the world, the Absolute Banishment."

Her expression turned grim. "The upheaval in the Twin Moon Domain will be deadly for anyone below the level of a True God. And the Absolute Banishment... it will forcibly imprison all beings above the True God level. Imprisonment is no way to live. We can't let that happen. So..."

She paused briefly, then added, "A battle with the Void Emperor is inevitable."

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