Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent-Chapter 402: Avatar

Wu De and Zhao Kunwu shouted at the same time.

"Not good!"

"Quick, dodge!"

They quickly tried to turn back to offer assistance. However, by the time they reacted, it was too late.

At that moment, a strange wave of energy erupted.

Buzz, buzz!

In the next instant, Li Pin—who shouldn't have had enough time to intervene—disappeared without warning.

Just as the Ox Demon Bishop was about to devour Xiao Donghai, Li Pin appeared between them. He used his own body to block the consuming dark magic of the Ox Demon Bishop.

Xiao Donghai didn't hesitate for even a moment. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly abandoned the part of his body corroded by the dark magic, while the rest transformed into starlight and fled over a hundred meters.

Meanwhile, Li Pin, who had withstood the full-force attack of the Ox Demon Bishop, felt the dark magic surge wildly within his Heavenly Demon Divine Armor, amplifying his own strength.

Li Pin swung the Sword of Destiny, piercing the Ox Demon Bishop with lightning speed.

However, as the sword penetrated through the bishop's skin, Li Pin made a shocking discovery—the Ox Demon Bishop had become incredibly weak.

Ever since it released its dark magic, the Bishop's strength had fallen to that of a lord-level creature with qi and blood of only around 1000. As it turned out, the Bishop's true strength lay in its dark magic. It was merely a container for that power.

As the Sword of Destiny pierced through the Bishop, its body shattered like a fragile porcelain.

The creature, seemingly capable of instantly killing a Legend, reduced to countless fragments.

This scene left everyone stunned—Xiao Donghai, who had barely escaped with his life; Wu De and Zhao Kunwu, who had feared the worst; and even Li Pin himself, who was caught completely off guard

Such a powerful bishop-level demonic creature... is dead? Just like that? Killed so easily, like a lord-level creature with barely a thousand points of qi and blood?

Wu De could hardly believe his eyes. "How could this be...?"

As they reveled in their shock, the spiritual energy above the hall started to dissipate with the death of the Ox Demon Bishop, severing the spiritual resonance among the demons.

Freed from the resonance, the remaining demonic creatures fell into panic. The signs of collapse from earlier reemerged.

With the Special United Squad officially entering the grand hall, the situation escalated

This time, no third Ox Demon Bishop stepped forward to turn the tide.

Li Pin paid no attention to the changes around him. His full focus was on preventing the dark magic from overtaking his body.

Though the dark magic didn't reach the atomic level like starlight, it still directly altered his genes. It was like starlight-powered nanobots attempting to restructure him from within.

The power, far stronger than the Purgatory Stone's, was already causing uncontrollable mutations within Li Pin. Despite his continuous effort to stabilize himself, he couldn't stop the transformation.

Xiao Donghai quickly noticed that something was amiss with Li Pin. "Hall Master Li, are you alright?"

Li Pin didn't respond. His Clairvoyance talent allowed him to track the dark magic ravaging through him precisely. Using his immense spiritual strength, which had reached the genetic level, he guided the dark magic into his arm.

In an instant, Li Pin's arm swelled rapidly, and scales sprouted on it in abundance. His fingernails grew long and sharp, resembling those of a demonic creature.

When his arm grew to nearly two meters long, Li Pin decisively drew the Sword of Destiny and sliced it off with one swift stroke

Even after being cut off, the arm continued to mutate under the influence of dark magic, growing and evolving as if becoming an entirely new type of demonic creature.

Meanwhile, the dark magic inside Li Pin, now vented, was gradually coming under control.

"Hall Master Li, your arm..." Xiao Donghai said.

"It's nothing," Li Pin replied.

Xiao Donghai was about to mention a treasure they possessed for regrowing limbs but stopped short at the sight of the wound. Flesh and blood surged rapidly from the stump. The arm seemed like it was already regrowing on its own.

Xiao Donghai's eyes widened in disbelief. "Do Martial Gods.... possess such abilities?"

"It's far inferior to starlight transformation," Li Pin said calmly.

Having confirmed that Li Pin was fine, Xiao Donghai and the others felt a sense of relief. They shifted their attention to Li Pin's severed arm, which was on the verge of becoming a completely new kind of demonic creature.

"This is..." Wu De looked surprised. "It resembles purgatory energy."

Li Pin glanced at them. "You're familiar with it?"

Zhao Kunwu explained briefly, "About ten years ago, someone discovered this power. It causes mutations in living beings, granting them immense power. However, because such mutations are rare, it's considered an anomaly.

"Some special departments have been researching it, but they haven't made much progress. They did develop a potion that greatly enhances physical strength, called Golden Blood."

"Purgatory energy..." murmured Li Pin. After a moment, he shook his head. "You could call it dark magic. This power likely comes from another civilization."

"Another civilization!?" Xiao Donghai's expression darkened. "Are you saying... is this civilization interfering with the competition for dominance within our world using such means?"

Li Pin replied calmly, "Exactly. If I'm not mistaken, the large number of Purgatory Stones distributed before were meant to find a race or individual capable of bearing dark magic. The Ox Demon Temple was clearly one of their chosen targets.

"Moreover, Purgatory Stones serve other purposes. They act as vessels, devouring astral energy to strengthen the internal purgatory energy. Or rather, the dark magic.

"Once this power reaches a certain level, it can be concentrated into an individual, creating an entity similar to an avatar that can move freely within our world."

Li Pin's words came as a shock to Xiao Donghai. "Like an avatar?!"

Xiao Donghai's gaze quickly turned to the Ox Demon Bishop's corpse. "Are you saying... that Ox Demon Bishop, who withstood my Legendary Astral Technique head-on, was an avatar of a powerful demonic creature from another civilization?"

Li Pin nodded, his mind racing. "Even if it wasn't an avatar, it could be a form of possession—an attachment technique designed to counter early-stage astral energy."

Wu De and Zhao Kunwu frowned at the terms. "Avatar? Possession?"

They understood the concept of avatars. They, too, could project avatars of themselves through special methods. However, their avatars were extensions of their main bodies and required direct control.

However, the Ox Demon Bishop didn’t seem like something under control.

Moreover, civilizations weren't supposed to make contact before the second phase of the competition began. Would their opponent dare use such a direct intervention like avatars in Gaia's contest for dominance?

Li Pin explained, "The avatars or possessions I'm talking about aren't the same as what you're familiar with."

He extended his hand, and a single drop of blood fell. Despite being just a drop, the vitality it contained resembled a distinct lifeform.

The pupils of Wu De, Zhao Kunwu, and Xiao Donghai dilated sharply at the sight.

"Martial Gods... have this kind of power?!"

Li Pin explained, "The cultivation of Martial Gods focuses on unlocking the body's potential. From what I understand, the process is divided into three stages: Flesh Regeneration, External Incarnation, and Blood Rebirth."

By now, his regenerated arm was already beginning to take shape.

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He glanced at the drop of his blood, then at the severed arm, which was on the verge of transforming into a demonic creature. "I'm currently in the Flesh Regeneration stage. The master behind this dark magic has at least reached the External Incarnation stage and has a profound understanding of its power.

"They only need to release a part of their strength, and that part will grow on its own—like a completely new life. These new lifeforms will absorb nutrients on their own and, when the time is right, return to the original body, making it unimaginably stronger."

The three Supreme Experts exchanged glances. "This..."

Li Pin's explanation subtly reminded them of the selection process for the great Astral God's successor!

Li Pin looked at the severed arm that had mutated into a demonic creature. "Since the second phase hasn't begun yet, the Homo Sapien Alliance is still observing, trying to determine which civilizations are qualified to compete.

"The master of this dark magic dares not act too openly. They can only infiltrate our world using covert and compliant methods. These avatars grow by taking the form of demonic creatures of our world, evading the Homo Sapien Alliance's surveillance."

Li Pin paused for a moment, then said, "Destroy this creature."

"How do we destroy it?" Wu De asked.

"Use astral energy," Li Pin replied. "Astral energy has the ability to purify dark magic."

Xiao Donghai looked surprised. "Astral energy can purify dark magic?"

Li Pin nodded. "The essence of astral energy operates at the atomic level, while dark magic works at the genetic level, at most.

"The two aren't even in the same realm, so astral energy can naturally purify dark magic. The result depends on the user, of course."

Xiao Donghai's face flushed with embarrassment.

Without hesitation, Wu De and Zhao Kunwu stepped forward, summoning their astral energy. It transformed into radiant, pure starlight that surged toward the demonic creature formed from Li Pin's severed arm, washing over it in waves.

Faced with the cleansing starlight, the creature released a substantial amount of dark magic, attempting to erode, neutralize, or even convert the astral energy. However, as the starlight intensified, the dark magic reached its limit. Shortly after, the creature was reduced to ash, purified on the spot.

As the purification ended, a Purgatory Stone was left behind.

Xiao Donghai stepped forward. "I'll destroy it."

Li Pin picked up the Purgatory Stone and intervened, "There's no need. The master of this dark magic isn't merely infiltrating us just to provide covert assistance.

"From what we can infer about this Ox Demon Bishop, it's clear they've already sent avatars into our world. They're using some of our legendary-tier demonic creatures here as vessels. We can't stay on the defensive any longer."

He paused briefly before adding in a resolute tone, "We must hunt down every avatar infused with dark magic."