Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 492: Heavenly Demon

"Unstoppable?" Li Pin's pupils dilated. "Do you mean literally unstoppable?"

"Yes," Fang Zhiqian said with a helpless sigh. "No matter how powerful your cultivation is—be it as a God King or a God Monarch—if that sword strikes you, you’ll die. You can't block it. You can't dodge it. The 'rules' will erase you."

He glanced at Li Pin. "It's like playing a game where one player doesn't bother upgrading equipment, adjusting stats, or leveling up. Instead, they directly enable administrator mode, activate absolute hit, and turn on the 'one-hit kill' command. How would you even fight back?"

Li Pin was speechless for a moment.

The rule of "my dad is invincible" was akin to activating invincibility mode. But the "power of the Supreme Demonic Sword being unstoppable" was on another level—it felt like outright cheating, completely breaking the balance.

"The key to the third and fourth stages lies in the Supreme Demonic Sword," Fang Zhiqian continued. "There's a rumor circulating that whoever obtains the Supreme Demonic Sword will have the means to break open the Mara Divine Treasure."

He paused for a moment, a hint of yearning in his voice. "With the power of the Supreme Demonic Sword, the moment it breaches the Mara Divine Treasure, it will grant the wielder Astral God Mara's strength.

"This sword could at least ascend to the level of a Solar Flare Divine Equipment... it might even have a faint chance of evolving into a Cosmic Radiance Divine Equipment."

"Cosmic Radiance Divine Equipment!"

Li Pin understood the weight of those words.

The divine equipment commonly referred to was typically Starshine Equipment, their value ranging from one to five million Divine Treasury Points. But a Cosmic Radiance Divine Equipment... It's not an overstatement to say that, within the cosmos, it is among the most paramount existences.

The universe wasn't inhabited by humans alone but by countless other races. Among over ninety percent of those races, Cosmic Radiance Divine Equipment was revered as a clan regalia, passed down through generations as a symbol of their legacy.

For a major clan like the Si Clan from the Starwheel Sea, obtaining Cosmic Radiance Divine Equipment would mean unimaginable wealth, a meteoric rise in status, and access to entirely new opportunities.

Fang Zhiqian remarked, "The information provided by the Mara Divine Treasury Hall does have its uses. This is indeed a world of divine weapons. In the first and second stages, things are relatively normal as the divine weapons haven't been 'enhanced' to their peak.

"Even the Supreme Demonic Sword is relatively normal at that point. In the third and fourth stages, however, the power of the divine weapons becomes increasingly outrageous. The Supreme Demonic Sword, for instance, features abilities like 'absolute hit' and 'one-hit kill,' akin to cheating."

He paused before adding, "For a regular God King, encountering the Supreme Demonic Sword means instant death with no chance of resistance. However, if you manage to acquire other divine weapons, you might have a slim chance to fight back."

He reached for a recently compiled booklet on the bookshelf.

"The divine equipment is listed here," Fang Zhiqian explained.

Li Pin scanned the names. "Harmony's Vision, Moon Goddess, Reincarnation, Radiance..."

If these weapons could be taken out after breaking through the Divine Treasure World, they would undoubtedly be considered Divine Equipment, each worth millions of Divine Treasury Points.

"The Supreme Demonic Sword isn't ranked first?" Li Pin asked.

Fang Zhiqian replied, "The Supreme Demonic Sword is in a league of its own. It's the weapon capable of breaking the Mara Divine Treasure World.

"If you stay in the world long enough to complete one reincarnation cycle, you'll hear its legend so often it'll leave your ears callused. No need for a detailed introduction."

At that moment, he seemed to recall something and pointed to the sword listed first, the Harmony Vision Sword. "Here's some free information: in the first and second stages, this divine weapon cannot be claimed.

"Doing so will prematurely trigger reincarnation. By the third and fourth stages, the wielder of this weapon will become the primary target of Astral God Mara."

Li Pin glanced at him. "Premature reincarnation?"

"The wielder of this sword is a mythical figure named Yun Xi. The sword's existence is tied to his life, and he is crucial in defeating the Netherlord.

"If he dies, the Netherlord will soon merge with the Supreme Demonic Sword, transforming into an uncontrollable Supreme Demon. This demon will destroy everything, including Cang Ruoxi, triggering premature reincarnation."

Li Pin was speechless. "Why does it always end with some invincible Supreme Demon destroying everything?"

"It's part of the setting." Fang Zhiqian shrugged. "Blame Cang Ruoxi for her peculiar way of thinking."

He paused, as if struck by another thought. "Or blame this world for creating a divine weapon like the Supreme Demonic Sword, which thrives on and feeds off negative emotions."

Li Pin stayed silent. In the divine treasure world, debating "perception" was meaningless. It was like arguing in the real world about why one plus one was equal to two.

"Is Yun Xi an important figure?" Li Pin asked.

"He's a main storyline hero, at least for defeating the Netherlord. But he's just a Myth, akin to an assassin. By the third stage, he's relegated to the background. Once Cang Ruoxi gains control of the Supreme Demonic Sword, Yun Xi becomes her first target.

"His death sparks the Moon Goddess to rally all the top powerhouses to fight Cang Ruoxi, but they are completely annihilated. Rivers of blood flow as they fall."

Li Pin nodded thoughtfully. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"Of the four stages, the first represents the pleasant memories of Cang Ruoxi's youth, a time of calm and uneventful peace. This period lasts roughly three years. These three years should be spent cultivating diligently to aim to reach the power cap of this world—God King!"

He glanced at Li Pin. "Cang Ruoxi has a clear understanding of the number of God Monarchs but only a vague idea of how many God Kings exist, estimated to be over a hundred.

"Since this is merely an approximation, the final count of God Kings in each cycle can range from two to three hundred. However, due to the rules, once the number of God Kings surpasses a hundred, reaching that realm becomes increasingly challenging. It's not unusual for even Gold Pioneers to fail in ascending to God King status."

He added, "The same goes for Myths. The world can only accommodate a thousand Myths at most. Those who fail to become myths in the first stage are essentially out."

"So, over ten thousand Pioneers are competing for just over a thousand Myth and God King spots?" Li Pin asked.

"Exactly. Becoming a Myth is the only way to qualify for the second stage, where they compete for the Supreme Demonic Sword."

At this point, Fang Zhiqian's expression turned serious. "The Supreme Demonic Sword evokes negative emotions in people. This is a power derived from the rules, or rather, you could say it's Astral God Mara's lingering inner spirit launching an attack on you.

"It's extremely difficult to resist. That's why even those who have obtained the Supreme Demonic Sword struggle to control it."

He sighed and said, " In fact, over the past six hundred cycles, we've explored everything there is to explore, and we've tried everything there is to try.

"But as to how exactly to break open this divine treasure world with the invincible Netherlord and the ridiculously overpowered Supreme Demonic Sword looming over us, we've truly run out of ideas. Hopefully, your arrival as newcomers will bring some surprises."

"Are there cultivation techniques?" Li Pin asked.

"Of course," Fang Zhiqian replied. "They're free. They're not worth much anyway. Which one do you want? All of them are God King or God Monarch level."

"Which one?"

"Human cultivation techniques only go up to God King. Anything at the God Monarch level comes from other races and can cause physical mutations. If you're fine with that, it's not an issue," Fang Zhiqian explained. "But honestly, it doesn't matter. Even with a God Monarch technique, if you can't break through, it's pointless."

"Are there God Emperor techniques?"

"God Emperor..." Fang Zhiqian seemed lost in thought, as if he'd been in the Divine Treasure World for far too long. After a moment, he continued, "God Emperor techniques fall under paid services. Want to hear about it?"

"How much?"

"A thousand Divine Treasury Points."

Since registering, Li Pin had been to the Mirage several times; he now had only a few hundred Divine Treasury Points left.

"Forgot you're a newcomer. Let's make it one hundred points."

"This pricing seems a bit arbitrary," Li Pin said.

"The price depends on the level of detail. A thousand points would get you my exclusive intel."

"One hundred points then," Li Pin decided. "If it doesn't feel worth it, once the divine treasure world is broken, I won't pay."

"Fair enough," Fang Zhiqian agreed.

Fang Zhiqian smiled and said, "I can assure you the information I provide is worth the price. Later, you can verify it with others if needed."

With that, he flipped open the small booklet. "Speaking of which, the term 'Mara' is translated as 'Demonic Path' in the Divine Treasury Hall, right? Doesn't that feel awkward? In truth, its precise interpretation here is 'Heavenly Demon.'"

Heavenly Demon Astral God? That doesn't sound any less strange.

"Originally, when she stepped into the vast cosmos, she called herself the Heavenly Demon God Emperor."

Fang Zhiqian continued, "From this title, the lineage of the four imperial clans of the Heavenly Demon Domain emerges: the Heavenly Demon Clan, Moon Demon Clan, Kirin Clan, and Immortal Clan. Each of these clans possesses unique innate talents: mastery over emotions, energy, space, and immortality."[1]

He added, "These innate talents form the third treasure of this world, alongside divine equipment and Astral God inheritances. Based on our analysis, these talents correspond to inner spirit, astral source, space, and immortality."

Li Pin was a bit surprised. "Innate talents?"

"Acquiring these talents isn't simple. The easiest to obtain are inner spirit and astral source talents. You just need to transform into a member of the Heavenly Demon or Moon Demon Imperial Clans."

Fang Zhiqian paused. "Remember, I mean royal bloodlines—not ordinary clan members. To the royals, the common clan members are no more than expendable cannon fodder."

He glanced at Li Pin. "If you're willing to pay extra, I can provide the specific identities of the four royal clans. That might give you a chance to acquire one of their talents. Even gaining just the inner spirit talent could be invaluable. With a gift from a Cosmic Radiance Astral God, you could elevate your inner spirit potential from level three to level five—or even six."

"It's not that I don't want to pay; I simply can't afford it. Before entering the Mara World, I'm not even certain I can break out of the divine treasure world. Naturally, all my Divine Treasury Points have been spent on resources that enhance my strength," Li Pin replied.

"Fair enough," Fang Zhiqian nodded. "Since you now know about the innate talents of the four imperial clans, you should understand the key to becoming a God Emperor. But as for God Emperor techniques—there aren't any."

"Feeding on innate talents? That's really unkind," Li Pin commented.

Human cultivation techniques cap at God King, other races can reach God Monarch, and only the four imperial clans can ascend to God Emperor...

"The first owner of the Supreme Demonic Sword was none other than the founder of the Heavenly Demon Royal Clan—the Heavenly Demon God Emperor. Many have tried to replicate the brilliance of the Heavenly Demon God Emperor and wield the Supreme Demonic Sword. But, sadly... after the Heavenly Demon God Emperor, there has been only one true Heavenly Demon Royalty: Cang Ruoxi."

Fang Zhiqian laughed bitterly. "So, in the end, it all circles back to facing Astral God Mara, Cang Ruoxi. The path of the Heavenly Demon Royal Clan is already sealed."

1. Kirin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature appearing in East Asian mythology, and is a symbol of good omen, prosperity, serenity, and benevolence. ☜