Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 587: True Spirit

Despite it being the twelfth cycle, people's understanding of Baili Qingfeng remained shallow. This wasn't due to a lack of effort or ability from the pioneers, but rather an inherent fear of the human form of the Void Emperor.

Those who approached him were inevitably sent into the cycle. Even those who didn't get close but merely entertained the thought of acting against him would suffer devastating consequences due to various coincidences. This only deepened the fear.

Ordinary pioneers speculated it was the world's rules ensuring the main plot progressed. The Ace Pioneers suspected the Void Emperor's human form possessed the True Spirit, allowing him to sense danger in advance.

Given these factors, it's natural that people were filled with fear when approaching the Void Emperor.

After all, once trapped in the cycle, a person would endure a hundred years of silence, drifting like a ghost in an empty void. Such a claustrophobic feeling wasn't something anyone could bear easily.

When Li Pin received the intelligence that Fang Zhiqian, Zhao Tiangang, and the others had carefully gathered, he was unimpressed.

"So, this is how you gather information? You just take it from Xiaya, Xiya, and other factions?" Li Pin asked.

Zhao Tiangang and Fang Zhiqian exchanged glances, unsure of what was wrong.

"Have any pioneers made direct contact with Baili Qingfeng for a deeper investigation?" Li Pin asked.

If Baili Qingfeng was really what Li Pin suspected, an avatar of the Void Emperor with the True Spirit, then there was no way that ordinary malice or hostility could be concealed. Through the reflection of the True Spirit, he could directly peer into the deepest part of everyone's soul.

Even if pioneers could hide their mental spirit fluctuations, preventing any emotional or cognitive leakage, they couldn't deceive their own hearts. In this situation, their malice was laid bare before Baili Qingfeng.

It was a terrifying scenario—he could see the hatred directed at him with absolute clarity. The darkest aspects of human nature were fully exposed to him. In the end, what could he do? Kill.

Having the True Spirit was both his fortune and his greatest misfortune. It was like giving a mortal the ability to read minds without the option to turn it off. Every time he saw someone, he would perceive their deepest thoughts and malicious intentions.

Such an ability might not lead to success; for someone with a weaker mind, it could lead to collapse, even madness.

Zhao Tiangang glanced at Li Pin and explained, "The human form of the Void Emperor has always been protected by various factions before reaching the True God Realm. First, it was the Thunder Sect, then Xiya, and later the local factions united under the Golden Twelve Palaces.

"For pioneers to uncover his true information, they must pass through layers of scrutiny and blockades."

When Zhao Tiangang first entered Xiaya, he was stopped by several level ten experts, including Bai Xuheng and Bai Xianglong. It was likely that he was still under surveillance, with countless spies lurking in the shadows.

Zhao Tiangang continued, a hint of resignation in his tone. "The ones monitoring us are small players, insignificant characters. If we wanted, we could crush them all. But if we act against them, it won't be long before Baili Qingfeng comes. His cultivation speed is unmatched, always keeping him among the strongest. Facing him in battle often means certain death for the pioneers."

Li Pin glanced at the intelligence in his hand, knowing he couldn't demand too much from them.

Still... he looked at it once more and said, "The analysis from other intelligence agencies is too far-fetched."

"It's not far-fetched," Zhao Tiangang replied seriously. "Baili Qingfeng is the human form of the Void Emperor. His presence in the mortal world is a game to him, and his fun lies in disguise.

"He presents himself as a harmless, simple figure, as if all the wrongs are the world's fault. Everything he does—killing, arson, destroying families, ruining cities—he claims is out of necessity.

"But from our perspective, are his actions truly justified? Has he never harmed the innocent?"

"What are you trying to say?" Li Pin asked.

"It's all an act," Zhao Tiangang stated firmly. "This is widely accepted among the pioneers. His simplicity is a disguise. His goal is to amuse himself. As the Void Emperor, he enjoys watching mortals speculate, resist, and struggle, all while he toys with them in the palm of his hand."

Li Pin furrowed his brows. "Is this what all pioneers think?"

"It's not a matter of opinion—it's fact," Zhao Tiangang replied. "When judging someone, we shouldn't focus on their words but on their actions. Baili Qingfeng can talk all he wants, but what he does—"

"I think you've misunderstood something," Li Pin interrupted, looking at Zhao Tiangang. "You're holding Baili Qingfeng to the standard of a saint. When he does something right, you take it for granted.

"When he makes a mistake, you nitpick and spread it, even treating it as the truth that exposes his disguise. Yet, he's only human. And humans make mistakes."

Zhao Tiangang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself at a loss for words.

It wasn't that he couldn't argue. It was Li Pin's stance and attitude that caught him off guard.

Li Pin was defending Baili Qingfeng, a shift that left Zhao Tiangang uncertain. Should I change my approach, perhaps praise Baili Qingfeng to show my continued support for the captain?

Fang Zhiqian, who had also noticed this, cautiously asked, "Captain, did you go to find Baili Qingfeng this morning to fight him?"

"Yes." Li Pin nodded. "But he refused."

"Is it possible..." Fang Zhiqian chose his words carefully, "that you've already clashed?"

"Clashed?" repeated Li Pin, his heart stirred.

Then, he quickly understood. "You think I was defeated on the inner spirit level? That my thoughts and will were twisted?"

"Not necessarily," Fang Zhiqian quickly clarified. "Perhaps you were caught off guard, ambushed in some way."

Li Pin glanced at Fang Zhiqian, then at Zhao Tiangang, before turning his gaze inward. He fell silent, deep in thought. With his silence, Fang Zhiqian and Zhao Tiangang also fell quiet, not daring to make a sound, as they patiently awaited his next command.

After a long pause, Li Pin finally spoke. "Do you believe there are truly people in this world who are like blank slates?"

Zhao Tiangang and Fang Zhiqian exchanged glances, unsure of what Li Pin meant.

After a while, Fang Zhiqian carefully responded, "From the moment we exist as life, we inevitably become influenced by external factors, such as our parents' teachings, the expectations of our relatives, our interactions with friends, and the structure of society.

"Their actions and words all impact our lives. Even the environment itself forces life to adapt—adjusting to oxygen, temperature, gravity, and so on..."

"So, humans are inherently part of the Existence faction," Li Pin said.

At that moment, he vaguely realized the truth.

If a being as pure and untouched as a blank sheet of paper existed, and that very being happened to be born with the innate gift of True Spirit—the ability to perceive the good and evil within any other living creature—what kind of life would such a being lead? What kind of life would they desire?

Would they crumble under the weight of it all, succumbing to despair and self-destruction? Or would they rise, steadfast and unyielding, growing stronger with each trial?

If it were him—Li Pin—what would he do? Could he endure it?

Li Pin pondered these questions.

Soon, an answer formed in his mind.

He could endure it. He would not falter. Instead, he would feel joy, even exhilaration.

With the True Spirit gift, he could foresee danger, death, and malice. This would allow him to recklessly test the edge of death.

Time and time again, he would challenge his own extremes, pushing himself to the brink of death only to break through and emerge stronger, thereby achieving the elevation of his life and growing at an incredibly fast pace.

This gift, in its own way, was no less remarkable than Clairvoyance.

But what of Baili Qingfeng? What would he do? Could he endure it?

If he could, what would he do? If he couldn't, how would he react?

Li Pin quickly recalled Shi Yiren's description of Baili Qingfeng. The more he fought, the stronger he became.

No matter how dire the situation, he always found a way to survive, breaking through his limits and emerging victorious. This... was precisely how Li Pin intended to utilize the "True Spirit Reflection."

Li Pin thought. The Void Divine Treasure World... Baili Qingfeng, the human form of the Void Emperor, is the first treasure I've discovered.

He had a strong feeling that by continuing to observe Baili Qingfeng, he might uncover the secrets of the True Spirit. This could allow him to achieve the impossible, gaining insights into the True Spirit Realm and elevating his understanding and application to a level comparable to Cosmic Radiance.

"Keep investigating," Li Pin instructed. "Dig into his background. I need a detailed account of his growth.

"Since we can't access information from Blue Planet right now, I'll handle that later. For now, focus on his life in Xiya—every person he's interacted with, every event he's experienced, from his youth to the present. Leave no detail unchecked."

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