Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 224: Revisit

"Martial Saint Li, it really is Martial Saint Li!"

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm seeing Martial Saint Li up close... the world champion from our kingdom!"

"Quick, hurry and take a picture for me! It's Martial Saint Li!"

The crowd, having heard the news, had been brimming with excitement. The moment Li Pin stepped into the hall erupted. A chorus of voices filled the air, and the young people, filled with enthusiasm, quickly took out their phones to snap pictures.

Middle-aged and elderly individuals stood up one after another, eager to approach but hesitant, fearing that their status might be insufficient and could displease such a distinguished guest.

At Mr. Fang's gesture, everyone rearranged their seats, freeing up the seat at the head of the table for Li Pin.

Fang Lingjue, Jiang Qingyue, Tian Feiyu, and the others were reduced to mere supporting figures. Even those who held considerable influence in Zanglong City now displayed a cautious and respectful demeanor, not daring to act out of place.

"Martial Saint Li, later on, please take the stage to offer a few words of blessing for the newlyweds," Mr. Fang said with a smile.

"There's no need for that," Li Pin replied. "Just follow your original plan to avoid disrupting others."

Fang Lingjue smiled and insisted, "It would be much more impactful if you did."

Li Pin pondered for a moment and nodded.

However, news of Li Pin's arrival at the hotel for Fang Yubai's wedding spread rapidly.

Just before the wedding ceremony, the reception area received words that Mayor Wang, Chairman Zhang, Baron Zhu Di, and others had sent over monetary gifts.

Due to the imminent start of the banquet, they couldn’t make it in person and had to send nearby representatives to offer their congratulations to the newlyweds. Yet everyone knew that while the gifts were officially for Fang Yubai and Meng Bingling, they were really a show of respect for Li Pin.

As the wedding commenced, Li Pin took to the stage to offer his blessings, despite being the same age as the newlyweds.

Naturally, many young people wouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to record this moment and post it to their social media.

In no time, the event went viral.

"What kind of heavenly wedding is this!"

"They even managed to invite Martial Saint Li!? Their connections must be out of this world!"

"Forget connections, he's an old friend of Martial Saint Li. I'm genuinely envious. Why are all my friends just a bunch of slackers?"

"Have you ever considered that your friends are slackers because you're the one who rubbed off on them?"

Amid the heated discussions, what started as a standard wedding was elevated to the highest tier with Li Pin’s arrival. After nearly two hours, the grand event came to an end.

Throughout the ceremony, countless guests sought to take photos with Li Pin.

Among them, Zhang Minglong, the Chairman of Hanyang Private University, approached with a beaming smile. "Martial Saint Li, I'd like to toast you... Over the years, we've completely reformed the internal order at Hanyang University, dismissing those who needed to go and severely punishing wrongdoers.

"The atmosphere at the school has been completely refreshed. I hope you'll have time to visit and provide feedback on the reforms."

Li Pin glanced at him, nodded, and did not respond.

Next, the chairman of the hotel's parent company hurried to the scene. He took photos with Li Pin and, in a generous gesture, covered all expenses for Fang Yubai.

The festive atmosphere continued until four in the afternoon, when everyone reluctantly departed.

Li Pin didn't rush off. Instead, he accepted Fang Lingjue's invitation to return to Changfeng Martial Hall in Zanglong City.

As Li Pin and Fang Lingjue entered the martial hall, where they had spent several months together, the students practicing there erupted in cheers. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Manager Su immediately stepped forward, her excitement evident as she led the way. "Li... Martial Saint Li!"

"Prepare tea and snacks," Fang Lingjue said.

Then, seeming to recall something, he added with a smile. "No need to specify what tea to serve, right?"

Manager Su promptly agreed. "The best one, of course."

"It seems I finally get to enjoy special treatment," Li Pin joked, smiling. "But don't waste your precious tea leaves. I can't tell the difference anyway; plain water would be more straightforward."

"It's about creating the right atmosphere," Fang Lingjue said while leading Li Pin to his office.

As they were about to enter, Shan Hu came hurrying over. She was clad in a full set of combat gear, radiating an air of grace as usual. When she spotted Li Pin, she opened her mouth to say something, but the words that came out were simply, "Long time no see."

"It hasn't been that long."

"Not long?"

Shan Hu paused. She quickly recalled that it had only been two or three months since they last met.

However... so much had happened in this short period that it felt like two or three years had passed. After a while, she finally said, "If you have the time, you should come by the Changfeng Martial Hall more often."

Li Pin nodded. "I will."

"Are you still in touch with Yingying?" Shan Hu asked.

Yingying?

Li Pin quickly understood who she meant. It was the young girl from Doctor Liu's family.

He knew why Shan Hu brought her up. He was also aware of Liu Yingying's feelings for him. However...

His path was destined to be one where few could walk alongside him.

"It's been a while since we last made contact," Li Pin replied.

"Mm," Shan Hu responded, offering no further comment.

Fang Lingjue then led Li Pin into the office.

Looking at the office layout, which hadn’t changed much from the past, and then looking at Li Pin sitting across from him, Fang Lingjue felt as if he had been transported back a year, to when Li Pin first arrived at the Changfeng Martial Hall.

It truly felt... like it was just yesterday.

"You've walked a path in this one year that the average person could only dream of in a lifetime," Fang Lingjue stated, then realized his comparison might be a bit inappropriate. "Not the average, but the vast majority."

"I'll take it as a compliment," Li Pin said.

"No need to see it merely as a compliment. Your achievements deserve any praise you receive."

Fang Lingjue looked at Li Pin. "You've genuinely reached the pinnacle of martial arts without bowing to anyone... At least, the pinnacle of the younger generation! I believe that in another decade or so, no matter your age, you will still be able to achieve the top position in Tianyuan, just as you've claimed the title of world champion this time!"

"Really? Then I'll work hard to try and shorten that time frame," Li Pin said with a smile.

Fang Lingjue reflected on the achievements Li Pin had amassed in just one year... question was how much he could actually shorten it.

Nine years!? Six years!? Or perhaps... Three years!?

Any of these miracles weren’t out of the realm of possibility with Li Pin.

Fang Lingjue smiled. "Next, you'll be heading to the Dragon Gate Hall for secluded training, right? The other Dragon Princes have been at the Dragon Gate Hall for over a month now. You've earned the Dragon Prince title, yet you didn't report to Dragon Gate Hall immediately... If the official members and core members find out, wouldn't they be green with envy?"

"Yes, I should be leaving in the next few days if everything proceeds smoothly."

He's been staying at the Guardian Hall this whole time, using the pressure from Xiang Tianxing to fuel his training.

Initially, he directed his killing intent at Xiang Tianxing, and later, Xiang Tianxing retaliated with his own killing intent. The clash of their atomic wills grew increasingly intense.

In this confrontation, his Mental Spirit attribute rose rapidly. In the first half-month, his Mental Spirit attribute increased by two points.

However, as his Mental Spirit attribute continued to rise, the effectiveness of the training began to diminish. After another half-month, when his Mental Spirit attribute surpassed thirty, the improvements became significantly less noticeable.

Increasing his Mental Spirit attribute by just one point now required nearly a year.

Of course, this rate of progress would still be considered exceptional for many Martial Saints, but Li Pin had no intention of persisting in this manner.

On one hand, he couldn't afford to delay his seclusion at Dragon Gate Hall for too long. On the other hand...

The Dragon Gate Hall had a Master Astral Cultivator stationed there. He hoped to test whether he could harness the Master Astral Cultivator's killing intent to trigger atomic disturbances and further sharpen his mind.

As a Dragon Prince, it was feasible to request the help of a Master Astral Cultivator at the Dragon Gate Hall, provided he was willing to spend the necessary points.

With the Dragon Gate Hall currently running a threefold points promotion due to the crisis caused by the Degenerate Temple, he planned to take advantage of this period to accumulate more points, preparing either to redeem opportunities for using the legendary astral equipment or to gather Essence-Gathering Pearls in the future.

"Enough about me. What about you? What are your plans?" Li Pin asked.

"I..." Fang Lingjue thought for a moment before answering. "A thirty-seven-year-old grandmaster is not considered old. In the future, I plan to push myself even further."

His eyes burned with determination. "Though being a grandmaster is an achievement, it can’t compare to a Martial Saint in terms of status. Even if I reach the Blood Renewal perfection in the future, the highest achievement I can aspire to is becoming the chairman of a provincial martial society. But if I can attain the status of Martial Saint... the future will be vastly different."

Li Pin nodded in agreement.

For ordinary people, the only path to success was to strive for the top.

He took a glance at Fang Lingjue, who had noticeably changed after his visit to the White Crane Sect. His demeanor was now more profound and reserved. He had also grown a lot sharper since mastering Aura Force.

For him, becoming a Martial Saint was not out of reach.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Pin said, "You must have heard about my achievements at the Astral Hall. Many people say I have the skills of a great teacher."

Fang Lingjue nodded, but then looked surprised. "Is it true?"

Li Pin nodded slightly.

Fang Lingjue's pupils dilated. "You achieved Martial Saint at twenty-three. I assumed you must have devoted all your time and energy to training. The notion of being a great teacher seemed like something Taibai would use to enhance your reputation. I didn't expect it to be true..."

"If you trust me, come with me to Jiang Province. I will give you three days of training. While it's impossible to fully comprehend the mysteries of Martial Will in that timeframe, I can help you organize your martial arts system. If you follow this system diligently, you should be able to complete the organs-tempering and Blood Renewal phase within a year or two and step into the realm of a great grandmaster."

Li Pin added, "Whether or not you want to join me is for you—"

"Definitely!" Fang Lingjue said without hesitation. "Who wouldn't jump at such a valuable opportunity?"

He then looked at Li Pin. "But will it affect your own training?"

"No," Li Pin replied with a smile. "Then get ready. We'll head to Jiang Province tomorrow."