When Yan Qing personally visited Gaia and provided substantial technological support, the people of Gaia had already surmised one thing: Li Pin was safe. Moreover, over the past few dozen stellar years, they had reached the conclusion that he had to have accomplished something extraordinary. This suspicion was confirmed when envoys from the Yun, Wang, and several other clans arrived bearing gifts. It became clear that during his disappearance, Li Pin had entered the trial grounds of a top-tier figure. With his unparalleled talent, he assisted that figure in completing an experiment and was personally selected to stay. There was even a possibility that he might become the direct disciple of this top-tier being. Upon receiving this news, the Gaia civilization breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their anxieties were finally put to rest. With the direct and indirect support of these major clans, coupled with Yan Qing securing the backing of the Homo Sapien Alliance, Gaia underwent a dramatic change. By the time Li Pin returned, the civilization had already reached new heights. Space cities rose one after another, planetary shields enveloped entire worlds, and vast amounts of stellar and cosmic vacuum energy were harnessed. With the astral energy of Light of the Ark, Yin Luo, now depleted, technological civilization had reclaimed its place on the stage of the Yin Luo Galaxy. Spaceports crowded key transportation hubs, bustling with fleets of ships coming and going. Stellar-class and galactic-class warships patrolled the starry expanse, safeguarding the security of the star domain. By any measure, Gaia had ascended to the ranks of an advanced interstellar civilization. Even without Li Pin, the civilization still had Li Yunyao, a Tier Six Legend, and Tier Five Legends like Xiang Tianxing and Ge Lin. Supported by an arsenal of advanced war machines, Gaia had become an undeniable hegemon of the Yin Luo Galaxy, second only to the Shuo, Ying, and Lin Clans. Of course, with the Shuo and Ying Clans being held accountable by the Homo Sapien Alliance, their decline was inevitable. In the near future, Gaia would reign supreme over the Yin Luo Galaxy. "To achieve this level of development in under a hundred stellar years is no small feat," Li Pin remarked as he glanced at the warship beside him. "Technology has its merits. "Compared to the Astral Gates, which are only connected to a few hundred regions within the Astral Worlds, traveling in these technological warships is far more convenient." The warship they were on was Yan Qing's official vessel, a product of the Homo Sapien Alliance and a masterpiece of the universe's most advanced technology. Its value far surpassed that of Ordinary Divine Item. Sasha explained, "Due to the existence of the Astral Worlds, cultivators can essentially overpower technological civilizations with ease. "No matter how formidable a technological civilization's defenses or how powerful their warships may be, a cultivator can traverse the Astral Worlds, appear directly in the heart of their capital, and decapitate their leadership in an instant. "Without its leaders, a technological civilization collapses almost immediately." Sasha smiled and continued, "This is why technological civilizations have never become the dominant force in the cosmos—they can only serve as tools for cultivators." She paused briefly before adding, "Of course, at the planetary and early cosmic civilization stages, technology holds a clear advantage. At those levels, cultivators haven't even begun to explore the Astral Worlds." Li Pin reflected on the unique nature of the Yin Luo Galaxy. Astral God Yin Luo had to have understood how easily Astral Cultivators at the planetary and early cosmic stages could be crushed by technological civilizations. That was why it integrated its will into the astral energy, suppressing technological civilizations that hadn't advanced beyond the atomic level. As they conversed, the warship entered Gaia's orbit. At the spaceport, only a handful of figures stood waiting. Xiang Tianxing, Yuan Zhenchuan, Li Yunyao, Si Xing, and Si Yue were all present. Among them was a face that felt both familiar and distant—Fang Lingjue. As for others, Li Pin hadn't made any special announcements about his return. He had been deliberately distancing himself from Gaia. Now that the civilization had established itself as the true overlord of the Yin Luo Galaxy, there was no longer a need for him to constantly appear to assert his presence. Upon seeing Li Pin, the group quickly stepped forward. "Chairman." Li Pin nodded at them, then turned his gaze to Fang Lingjue. "You've condensed your inner spirit? Not bad." "It wasn't easy." Fang Lingjue sighed. "Watching familiar faces around me grow old, wither away, and turn to dust, witnessing the rise and fall of civilizations as I traveled across countless lands... "I finally understood the true meaning of your words back then. This world is ever-changing—only by anchoring my heart can I move forward without hesitation, unshaken and eternal." "It's good that you've grasped this,” Li Pin said. “I was worried you wouldn't pass this trial and would have no choice but to take the Demigod Path." Becoming a Demigod granted immense longevity. Even those who hadn't condensed their inner spirit could live for tens of thousands of stellar years. For those who had, their lifespan could theoretically extend to a hundred thousand stellar years. That was equivalent to an entire cosmic epoch. However, that path was a prison of stagnation, an existence of mere survival rather than true life. Now, with his inner spirit awakened and an extra few hundred stellar years added to his lifespan, Fang Lingjue had more possibilities ahead. He could set his sights on the Astral God Realm, or perhaps take another path—the path of Ascension. "The hardest trial is behind me," Fang Lingjue said with a relaxed smile. "I believe I can take one or two more steps forward." Li Pin nodded. Among all those he had influenced, Fang Lingjue had been affected the most. Because of that, he had managed to defy fate itself. A life that, by all accounts, should have never reached this point, had instead been pushed forward to the point of becoming a Tier Four Legend. In the future, as long as he stayed true to his current inner spirit state, he would be able to continue advancing on his path. He could perhaps even surpass Xiang Tianxing, whose talent far exceeded his own. Between the two, Xiang Tianxing's cultivation advances stemmed from innate talent and abundant resources, while Fang Lingjue's growth came from a profound transformation of his inner spirit and character. Judging by the current trend, if Xiang Tianxing's chances of becoming an Astral God were one in ten thousand, then Fang Lingjue's... were at least one in a hundred. "I look forward to the day we meet again in the Astral World," Li Pin said with a smile. Fang Lingjue responded with a smile of his own. "I will do my best—not seeking to live without regrets, but to live without remorse." After that, Li Pin exchanged a few more words with Xiang Tianxing, Yuan Zhenchuan, Si Xing, and Si Yue. Xiang Tianxing and Yuan Zhenchuan had stopped reporting to him as frequently regarding Gaia. They already understood Li Pin's intentions and didn't want Gaia's affairs to hinder his progress. They would do everything in their power to resolve issues on their own. Even when faced with insurmountable challenges, they wouldn't disturb Li Pin unless the survival of the Gaia Civilization was at stake. Only in such dire circumstances, when they were truly powerless, would they turn to him for help. After a brief discussion, Li Pin turned to Li Yunyao. "On my way here, I spoke with Yan Qing, the head of the Homo Sapien Alliance's Yin Luo Galaxy Office. We will soon push forward with the birth of Astral God Yin Luo's heir. Get ready to accompany me to the Galactic Core." "Now?" Li Yunyao was taken aback. "Isn't it still decades away?" Li Pin was momentarily puzzled. "Decades?" After a moment, he realized that since Li Yunyao had spent most of her time on Gaia or in its controlled territories, she was still accustomed to Gaia's timekeeping system. In contrast, he had long adapted to measuring time in stellar years. Three to five stellar years... For ordinary people from Gaia's era, that would be the equivalent of half a lifetime. It's certainly a considerable amount of time. "A few years' difference doesn't matter. The timing doesn't need to be that precise. Becoming the heir sooner means inheriting Astral God Yin Luo's power earlier, reaching Astral God status sooner, and entering the Astral World faster." Li Pin paused slightly before continuing. "However, Astral God Yin Luo was originally an Elder of the Homo Sapien Alliance's Elder Council. Once you become an Astral God, you will join the Homo Sapien Alliance and receive their guidance. During this time, focus on cultivating and achieve the Solar Flare level as soon as possible." Li Yunyao nodded. She was well aware of this. The Homo Sapien Alliance operated under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council, functioning somewhat like a state council with lesser authority. Joining it would mean a future of limitless possibilities. "Lord Li, if you can truly obtain the great Light of the Ark's inheritance and ascend to Astral Godhood, then Gaia's position in the Yin Luo Galaxy will become unshakable," Yuan Zhenchuan said with a smile. "You may all come along as well," Li Pin added, then asked. "Has Gaia made the necessary preparations regarding the Shuo and Ying Clans?" "Gaia is no longer what it once was. We now have no shortage of Legends. Even without the top-tier leadership, we can easily swallow up the Shuo and Ying Clans in one go," Xiang Tianxing replied. Si Yue added, "The Si Clan will provide full assistance as well." After a brief exchange, he didn't linger in Gaia any longer. Eager to proceed to the Humanity Sanctum, he wanted to resolve the matter quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications. The next day, he took Li Yunyao, accompanied by Xiang Tianxing and Si Yue as witnesses, aboard a spaceship bound for the Galactic Core Meanwhile, Yuan Zhenchuan, Si Xing, and their forces headed toward the star rings where the Shuo and Ying Clans were located to seize their assets. Conflicts were inevitable in the process, but Li Pin had no intention of interfering. This would also serve as an opportunity for Gaia to adapt to the realities of interstellar civilization warfare. On the primary planet where the Homo Sapien Alliance Office was located, a grand altar stood. It was formed by 1,024 towering stone pillars, each reaching over ten thousand meters in height. Yan Qing had completed her preparations. At the center of the altar, there was a massive sphere of light, spanning over a thousand meters in diameter. An overwhelming concentration of astral energy radiated from it. This was the very core of Astral God Yin Luo's inheritance. Beyond the altar, hundreds of Astral Gods had descended in their avatar forms to witness this momentous event. Among them were Astral Gods from the Homo Sapien Alliance, curious onlookers from the Yuan Yang Star Domain, and others who, having heard of Li Pin's remarkable deeds, sought to make an impression in his presence. Despite the sheer number of people, the area around the altar remained spacious. Amidst this grand scene, Li Pin arrived at the altar's perimeter with Li Yunyao.