Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 192: Momentum

Once Li Pin stepped off the stage, Li Yunyao leaped up and gave him a cheerful high-five. "Yay!"

Amidst the envious and complex gazes of those around, Li Pin calmly made his way to his resting area and began to relax.

Tuo Bafeng opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but ultimately decided not to. As long as he’s happy....

After all, even though Li Pin never followed his advice, he still won every time.

Winning! That's the best answer!

***

As the Great Sun Chosen One announced the name of his challenger, Li Pin looked on with a hint of regret as everyone's attention turned to the other combatant.

Nan Lifeng. He was the competition's biggest dark horse.

The Tianyuan Society’s record had no information regarding him. They hadn’t even known he existed at the start of the competition. Yet, he had made a striking impression in the preliminary rounds, standing out from over a hundred competitors. He even surpassed the top seeds, Duan Yidao and Song Wuya, and secured a spot in the top ten.

No one knew how he had managed to outshine so many Quasi-Martial Saints, or what kind of weapon, fist and body techniques, or secret arts he excelled in. People only knew he came from an ancient sect of the Tianyuan Dynasty, a secret disciple of the Hidden Dragon Sect.

"Ahhh, the Hidden Dragon Sect...."

The ancient Martial Saints would often speak of this faction with a tinge of regret.

"At just thirty-two, Li Xuanzang of the Hidden Dragon Sect was already at the pinnacle of the Martial Saint path. His extraordinary talent led him to challenge the four Extreme Martial Saints to a sword debate at Mount Tian and defeat them all, emerging victorious. For a time, he was hailed as the most likely successor to Fu Qingtian and a strong contender for the title of King of the Century."

Tuo Bafeng, well-acquainted with the tales of the Hidden Dragon Sect, sighed deeply. "It's a tragedy. His brilliance brought him into conflict with Prince Rong, a prince at the time. A year later, he vanished without a trace..."

Intrigued, Lin Xiaolu asked, "Was he... murdered by that prince?"

"There's no concrete evidence. Rumour has it that a Master Astral Cultivator was involved, but no proof was ever found. However, shortly after, the prince was elevated to a county prince.

“Instead of rising to the position of imperial prince, he was effectively sidelined. Even now, three decades later, he rarely returns to the capital and has become a marginal figure within the Tianyuan royal family."

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Tuo Bafeng paused. A few moments later, he continued, his voice heavy with implication. "I believe this speaks volumes."

Hearing this, Lin Xiaolu, Li Yunyao, and Qin Rouran were all filled with righteous indignation.

What a formidable Martial Saint! To have challenged the four Extreme Martial Saints to a martial arts discourse on Mount Tian and emerged victorious, what kind of person could achieve such a feat?

Had Li Xuanzang participated in the King of the Century competition, he would have undoubtedly shone the brightest and had a strong chance of claiming the King of the Century title. After all, he had only been thirty-two at that time. He had had at least a decade before his physique began to decline.

Even if he hadn't won that year, with another ten years of experience, his chances of victory in the next competition would have skyrocketed.

If that had happened, the Tianyuan Federation might have witnessed the rise of a second supreme expert, following in the footsteps of Fu Qingtian, who had similarly rose to prominence from the title of King of the Century.

Yet, such a promising talent had tragically died because of Prince Rong.

Furthermore, despite overwhelming evidence pointing to his involvement, the prince continued to bask in his privileged position, wielding power and influence within his domain.

It was truly infuriating to think about.

"Aren't there many high-ranking officials in the Federation who are, and have been, Martial Saints? Why don't they step up and seek justice for such a promising talent cut down in his prime?" Li Yunyao said.

"A Master Astral Cultivator personally investigated, but they couldn't find any evidence. What can we do? Innocent until proven guilty, remember?" Tuo Bafeng asked rhetorically.

"But...."

Li Yunyao wanted to say something, but Li Pin had already turned his attention to the martial arts arena.

Nan Lifeng was making his way to the platform. He appeared rather unremarkable. He even had a rather sinister aura to him. However, as he stepped onto the stage, his demeanor changed dramatically. His back straightened, and a wild, ferocious aura emanated from him.

It was as if a terrifying beast, brimming with cruel and cold-blooded intent, was slowly awakening from slumber, ready to unleash its catastrophic power upon the world.

Li Pin was highly sensitive to people’s auras and quickly sensed something unusual. He looked at Nan Lifeng with a hint of surprise. "This aura..."

This competitor... Is he really just a Quasi-Martial Saint?

Standing on the stage, Nan Lifeng's mind cleared of all distractions, and his thoughts became pure. "Thirty years."

"Thirty years ago, when I was just three, my master repeatedly told me of my mission—the mission of the Hidden Dragon Sect. And for this, I've waited thirty years!"

The Great Sun Chosen One had already gone up the stage and was standing opposite Nan Lifeng. He stroked his smooth, reflective, bald head, seemingly having sensed something about Nan Lifeng as well.

"Thirty years of hardship, thirty years of relentless training, thirty years of blood and tears... Today, I finally stand on the stage of the World's Top Martial Competition. Just like the founder of our lineage once did at Mount Tian, I will elevate the glory of the Hidden Dragon Sect to its peak."

Nan Lifeng squinted at the Great Sun Chosen One. "Being the first to challenge me is your fortune, for you will witness the supreme martial arts technique of the Hidden Dragon Sect, which has been sealed away for thirty years. However, this is also your misfortune, for...."

In the next moment, he crouched slightly.

"You will become the first stepping stone for my, Nan Lifeng's, rise to fame and my quest to claim the title of the world champion!"

Rumble!

The earth shook!

A violent surge of qi and blood erupted from him, causing the air about his feet to explode, creating visible ripples.

With the ferocity of a dragon rising from the abyss, he leaped into the air, his supreme majesty on full display.

"Hahaha, use your strongest power to entertain me..."

Buzz, buzz!

The blazing sun shone brilliantly!

As the dragon soared skyward, ready to unleash its fury upon the world, a blazing sun appeared in the heavens, illuminating the clouds in a golden glow.

Within that radiant sun, a towering figure emerged, standing countless miles tall, raising its hands to form a sacred seal. With the sun's descending force, it struck down hard on the dragon's head just as it was about to roar through the mountains...ز

"Roar!"

With a pained cry, the sun, golden light, clouds, and dragon seemed to vanish, as if everything before had been an illusion.

What was unveiled in front of everyone was the reality of the confrontation. Nan Lifeng, having unleashed a powerful, dragon-like attack, had been met head-on by the Great Sun Chosen One's equally forceful strike.

Just moments ago, Nan Lifeng had been laughing arrogantly, but that laughter quickly turned into a scream as he was sent flying back with even greater force. He crashed heavily onto the ground and slid for several meters before finally coming to a halt.

"Is that all?" The Great Sun Chosen One tapped his bald head. "You forced me to unleash the Defiant-Buddha Rage Secret Art, and that's the best you can do?"

The Great Sun Chosen One wasn't the only one astonished, the audiences also shared similar reactions. Nan Lifeng had debuted with an impressive aura, and his execution of the Hidden Dragon's Ascent had been truly impressive.

But... that's all there was to it.

Li Pin, having initially misjudged the situation, paused briefly to ponder. "Could it be...."

He made a guess. Could it be... that his technique is actually incredibly advanced, allowing him to cultivate such a formidable aura?

While he was speculating, Nan Lifeng, having slid several meters away, erupted in fury. "Great Sun! How dare you!"

With a fierce slap on the ground, he sprang up, pushing off with his feet as he launched himself once more toward the Great Sun Chosen One. This time, however, he had learned from his earlier experience.

The Great Sun Chosen One's power was simply too overwhelming to confront directly. So, he had to rely on his speed.

In a blur of motion, he circled around the Great Sun Chosen One and launched a powerful right kick aimed at the Chosen One’s head. Like a dragon’s tail, it created a shockwave as it cut through the air.

"Die!"

Bang!

The Great Sun Chosen One raised his arm beside his ear to block against the incoming kick. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, but the Great Sun Chosen One remained completely unmoved.

Reacting instantly, Nan Lifeng shifted to the side and unleashed a vicious right punch at a nearly impossible angle, striking Great Sun Chosen One's chest.

Clang!

The fist force erupted, but the impact of his punch echoed like a deep gong, as though Nan Lifeng had struck not mortal flesh but a statue of iron. A dull ache throbbed in Nan Lifeng's hand.

Nan Lifeng's eyes widened in astonishment. "You...."

He spun away from the Great Sun Chosen One's incoming palm strike and unleashed a rapid barrage of six punches. Each blow landed squarely on the Great Sun Chosen One's chest, with every impact accompanied by a golden glow and the unmistakable clang of metal on metal.

However, these six powerful punches only forced the Great Sun Chosen One's back a few steps and nothing else. The damage they dealt was negligible.

Nan Lifeng's eyes reddened in frustration. Roaring, he leaped into the air and delivered a spinning kick.

However, the Great Sun Chosen One would not be deterred by such a crude and forceful attack. With a thunderous roar, his muscles swelled under the influence of some secret art. He braced himself and met Nan Lifeng's kick head-on.

Bang!

The force of the kick exploded against the Great Sun Chosen One's chest, yet it was Nan Lifeng who suffered.

As the Great Sun Chosen One advanced, the recoil from the kick blasted Nan Lifeng backward. He crashed to the ground and rolled over before coming to a stop.

As he looked up, his eyes were filled with disbelief. "How... is this possible..."