While Li Pin tirelessly honed his energy control and amplified its intensity, his arrival at the Humanity Sanctum had sent ripples through its halls. One after another, renowned figures ranked on the Starfire, Wildfire, and even the prestigious World Glory List turned their attention toward the island where he resided. "The strongest in the Heavenly Prison World, capable of suppressing all races single-handedly? Quite the boast!" "Li Pin may have failed to become a Highlord's direct disciple, but the fact that he caught a Highlord's eye speaks volumes about his talent. "In a way, he has become a benchmark, showing us exactly what level of talent it takes to make a Highlord or even a Supreme consider taking a disciple. Even if he ultimately failed, he's shown us the threshold of their consideration." "To become a personal disciple of a Supreme or Highlord—that's the true ascent to heaven in a single step. It's a pity Li Pin didn't have that fortune. But since it eluded him, that destiny should be rightfully mine. I believe that in terms of strength, talent, and destiny, I, Lou Chunyu, surpass him in every way." "Who is the first to wake from life's grand dream? Of all men, I alone know true its theme. Slumbering deep in my humble cottage, spring's embrace lingers. Beyond the window, the sun tarries, slow and languid...[1]. Hahahaha, life has been dull for too long. At least now, there's something to look forward to. Li Pin, don't disappoint me." Discussions, debates, sighs, and laughter echoed across the many islands and mountain peaks of the Humanity Sanctum. Countless individuals clenched their fists, eager to use Li Pin as a stepping stone to catch the eye of the Supremes, and perhaps even the Highlords. Neither the Humanity Sanctum nor the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative, not even its most talented prodigies, could claim absolute certainty of attaining Cosmic Radiance Realm. No matter how confident, even arrogant, they were, they couldn't deny the difficulty of achieving Cosmic Radiance, let alone the realms beyond: Tyrant, Sacred Monarch, and Heavenly Emperor. That was a height so distant that aside from a select few, most wouldn't even dare dream of. But what did Li Pin bring with him? The attention of Highlords, the regard of Supremes. Forget those in the sanctum who hadn't even reached Cosmic Radiance. Even those who had would scramble for the chance to become a Supreme's disciple. With such a level of attention, it was no surprise that Li Pin had become the focal point of all discussion. "So, he's finally here." On a towering peak, a man draped in a crimson robe murmured to himself. This man was Di Yiliu, ranked twenty-first on the World Glory List. Unlike the Starfire and Wildfire Lists, the World Glory List held far greater prestige. The other two rankings held little significance outside the Humanity Sanctum. Only those who reached the top three—or better yet, first place—would garner slight attention from major figures. Even then, that attention was minimal. Like promising startups in the market, they might be noticed, but without proving their worth, no major investor would rush in. The one ranking that truly mattered was the World Glory List. Cultivators who reached this level were often not far from stepping into the Cosmic Radiance Realm, commanding the respect and scrutiny of countless powerhouses. The Humanity Sanctum, in its effort to nurture talent, granted the second and third-ranked individuals on the Starfire List the Sacred Children title. However, in the eyes of the outside world, the real focus was on the top hundred of the World Glory List. Yet, Li Pin was different. He entered the Humanity Sanctum with an already legendary reputation. Before joining, he had nearly become a Highlord's direct disciple. Di Yiliu exhaled slowly. "A Highlord's personal disciple. Six thousand years. Six thousand years I've spent in the Humanity Sanctum, climbing higher with each passing century. "Now, unaided by any external treasures, my strength alone carries me to the fifty-ninth step of the Supreme Ladder. Give me a Cosmic Radiance Divine Item, and I'd surge straight to the sixty-fourth, sixty-fifth, perhaps even the sixty-sixth step!" The sixty-sixth step aside, even the fifty-ninth step of the Supreme Ladder was no small feat. In all the Humanity Sanctum, only twenty could claim such heights. These were the very names ranked above his on the World Glory List. Yet all these years... not once had any significant figure expressed interest in taking him as a disciple. The only ones who ever hinted at accepting him were three Cosmic Radiance cultivators. Pathetic. Cosmic Radiance cultivators barely ten steps ahead of me on the Supreme Ladder wanted to take me as a disciple? Do they take me, Di Yiliu, as some worthless fool? They think they can get a future Cosmic Radiance powerhouse for free? "If you want to take me as a disciple, you'd better at least be a Tyrant," muttered Di Yiliu. He paused briefly before correcting himself. "No, even a Tyrant isn't enough! It has to be a Sacred Monarch." A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "My Heaven Origin Strike is nearing major completion. Once I master it, I may even step onto the sixtieth step of the Supreme Ladder. At that point... I might even catch the attention of a Heavenly Emperor." All he needed was a chance, a moment to prove his formidable talent to the Tyrants, Sacred Monarchs, and even the Heavenly Emperors. And Li Pin was precisely that chance. He carried an enormous amount of fame and attention. If Di Yiliu could defeat him, his name would echo not just through the halls of the Humanity Sanctum, but across the entire human domain itself. By then, he could easily find a true talent scout to recognize his worth. Just imagining the day when he would enter the tutelage of the Sacred Monarch or even the Heavenly Emperor filled Di Yiliu with anticipation. Yet he knew challenging Li Pin now would be futile. As a Solar Flare cultivator, facing an opponent who hadn't even hit the Astral God Realm was not something he would do. The mighty would only view him as a bully preying on the weak. A true duel would have to wait until they reached the same cultivation level. "Grow stronger, Li Pin. Quickly reach the Solar Flare Realm... and then, be defeated by me. With your great reputation, I will rise to prominence, earning my place under the Sacred Monarch and the Heavenly Emperor. When that time comes... I'll be sure to thank you sincerely," Di Yiliu muttered to himself, his gaze toward Li Pin burning with anticipation. As for whether Li Pin would accept his challenge? Di Yiliu had no doubt he would. That's because... he possessed something Li Pin could never refuse. In the cultivation chamber. A sword light cut through time and space, appearing in an instant over a boulder in the training area. The next moment, the space around the boulder shattered like a broken mirror. A dark point emerged beyond the fragments, like a black hole, devouring all surrounding matter and energy. Even space and time in that area became chaotic, forming a prison-like distortion that trapped everything within, preventing any escape. This phenomenon lasted only briefly before the world's restorative force smoothed it over, returning the training grounds to tranquility. Not far away, Li Pin approached with the Ruoxi Sword in one hand. "The improvement in power is remarkable," mused Li Pin. He examined the divine weapon in his hand. "This sword already had the ability to distort time and space, allowing near-instant strikes. I always suspected its properties were extraordinary. Now that I've deepened my understanding of divine weapon classifications, I have ascertained that this sword has the potential to become one of the strongest divine weapons... a Sovereign Divine Weapon at the Heavenly Emperor level!" Heavenly Emperor level was a weapon capable of manipulating time and space. In common terms, such Divine Weapons were simply called Sovereign Divine Weapons. Cosmic Radiance Divine Weapons were categorized into ordinary, mid-grade, high-grade, top-tier, and peak-tier. Top-tier corresponded to Tyrant, while peak-tier aligned with Sacred Monarchs. However, Sovereign Divine Weapons surpassed these classifications entirely, shedding the "Cosmic" prefix and standing as a league of their own. "The Ruoxi Sword was once called the Supreme Demonic Sword... Seems it was well-deserving of its title after all." Li Pin studied the sword, sensing its influence over his inner spirit, and the temptation it exuded. If he were willing to nurture its growth, it wouldn't be a distant dream for this High-Grade Cosmic Radiance to ascend into a true Sovereign Divine Weapon. Owning a Sovereign Divine Weapon meant he might be able to challenge a Sacred Monarch once he became a Cosmic Tyrant. Even so, he wouldn't let the Ruoxi Sword evolve uncontrollably. If it were to grow, it would do so under his control. For now, it simply served as a reliable weapon. "With my experience in the Primordial Supreme Technique, my mastery of Sword Point Intent has progressed faster than expected. In just a dozen stellar years, I've already reached minor completion. Though I haven't refined it further, its power... surpasses all my previous techniques by an immeasurable margin." With minor completion in Sword Point Intent combined with the Ruoxi Sword, Li Pin had a strong premonition that if he were to challenge the Supreme Ladder now, he wouldn't stop at the ninth step. He could potentially break into the tenth step, where combat power exceeded a million units or even higher. As for how far exactly he could go? He would only find out once he took the challenge. However, within the Humanity Sanctum, where an entire Astral World existed, more than half of the beings here had already reached the tenth step and beyond on the Supreme Ladder. Whether he reached the ninth, tenth, or even the eleventh or twelfth step, it wouldn't make much difference. If he were to attempt the Supreme Steps, it would be after attaining Astral Godhood and completing his cultivation at that stage. Li Pin glanced at his communication bracelet. He had received a message not long ago. He left the cultivation chamber without notifying his guard captain, Hou Yun, and headed straight toward the Astral Gates. Along the way, he encountered many people. More than half of them recognized him, and quite a few even greeted him. But... he didn't recognize any of them. Unlike other factions, where people had to queue for hours just to use a single Astral Gate, the Humanity Sanctum had more than enough to spare. They could even be used freely for personal travel. Li Pin quickly located the Astral Gate leading to the Frostbound Star Abyss. After a brief operation, he entered an internal coordinate. Moments later, the Astral Gate activated. He stepped through and vanished from the Humanity Sanctum. After several warp jumps, he emerged from the final Astral Gate. Before him lay a four-thousand-kilometer-wide planet, entirely constructed from metal. He had arrived at the Void Divine Treasury Hall. The message he received earlier came from Hall Master Bai Chao. It was a reminder that the Void Divine Treasure World was about to open. 1. It's a Chinese poem that implies a philosophical detachment from society's hustle, portraying the speaker as someone who has awakened to life's deeper truths. Instead of chasing fame or wealth, they find fulfillment in simplicity, nature, and inner wisdom ☜