The Saiyan In The Cultivation World.

Lan Mei sat quietly in the carriage, a complex look in her eyes. When she had made her move, her intention had been to create obstacles for Lianchen, to shape him through adversity, to forge enemies and challenges that would temper him. But she had never expected him to turn that situation around the way he did, twisting even the most carefully laid plans to his advantage.

She glanced at Lianchen, only to find his smug smirk already waiting for her. She sighed softly, shaking her head before her mind drifted back to the past.

"Lan Mei, you are never to interfere when Lianchen faces hardships he must overcome himself. If you are forced to act, do so from the shadows—subtly, in a way that ensures he will not uncover the truth of your strength."

Lan Mei knelt in obedience before Lianchen's mother. Though the woman had just given birth and was still weakened from it, her presence remained commanding. Even now, she had unfinished tasks to see through.

"This lower realm holds many hidden opportunities that will shape Lianchen's future… among them, one concerning my brother-in-law. When he arrives, do not show any sign that you knew he would come. He will test Lianchen's talent, and allow it to happen. But no matter what, you must not let him take Lianchen as his disciple."

Lan Mei's eyes widened in shock. The Sword Dao Ancestor? How was she supposed to refuse him? More importantly, how had Lianchen's mother maneuvered someone of his caliber onto the chessboard she had prepared?

A chessboard designed to guide a single pawn across the board, to reach the other side, to ascend to power.

Lan Mei didn't know all the secrets hidden within this lower realm, nor the full extent of their significance. But Lianchen's mother had told her of the key elements, pivotal moments, and treasures that would find their way to him.

The only question was… Would Lianchen be able to claim them when the time came?

Lianchen was oblivious to all of this—and honestly, he didn't care right now. He was in a good mood. That punch, the sheer overwhelming force he had unleashed, had sparked a thought in his mind.

The concept of power levels in Dragon Ball had always been flawed. It was introduced as a way to quantify strength but was ultimately unreliable when determining combat effectiveness. Power levels primarily measured the raw energy output of a fighter, yet they failed to account for things like techniques, skill, and battle instincts. This was evident in abilities such as Ultra Instinct, which allowed a fighter's body to react automatically, bypassing the need for conscious thought. The transformation itself was another matter, but the technique? That was independent of raw power.

Lianchen's goal was simple, He didn't just want a high power level for someone with his low cultivation. He wanted high combat capability to go with his low cultivation. But the question remained, how would he achieve this?

There were multiple paths he could take, yet Black Flash wasn't one of them. It was an instinct-driven phenomenon, something he couldn't force to happen 100% of the time. It had to flow naturally, triggered in the heat of battle.

No, what Lianchen had in mind was perfection.

If he could achieve absolute mastery over his energy, his reaction speed, and his movements, then his true strength would far surpass anyone within his power range.

Let's break it down.

Many techniques place an immense burden on the user's body. But if someone had perfect energy control—if they fully mastered every aspect of a technique—would that burden still exist?

Now, forget techniques entirely. Consider something as basic as speed enhancement.

Fighters used energy to increase their speed, but there was always a limit—a point where the physical body couldn't handle the strain. The faster they moved, the more energy they had to divert into reinforcing their body to withstand that speed. This meant that a portion of their energy was always being used to protect them rather than fueling their movement. As a result, they could never truly reach 100% of their potential speed.

Short bursts of extreme speed were different—they were easier to control. But even those had drawbacks. Against an opponent who was already on guard, predictable bursts of speed became easy to counter.

Lianchen's thoughts were straightforward, Absolute control. He aimed to achieve absolute control over his energy, ensuring that not even his own power could harm him unless he allowed it.

Of course, the concept of 100% is considered impossible. But that didn't matter to Lianchen. If a wall blocked his path, he would either shatter it or find a way around it. He was a genius after all.

"We've arrived," Lan Mei called out softly as the carriage came to a stop.

Lianchen, who had been deep in image training, slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was Lei Na, who had regained some mass and was starting to look healthier. She remained unconscious, her body busy breaking down the energy from the pill he had given her.

Honestly, he still wasn't sure what use she would be to him. But then again, having more talented individuals around him couldn't hurt.

With that thought, Lianchen stepped out of the carriage—only to be surprised when Lan Mei followed. It was rare for her to accompany him personally, which meant she expected danger. Even Fang Yan joined them, leaving Lei Na behind in the carriage.

"So… what exactly is coming out of the ground?" he asked lazily, glancing at Lan Mei. She hesitated for a moment, debating whether she should answer, but ultimately chose silence. Instead, she gestured toward the horizon.

Lianchen followed her gaze.

Up ahead, the dense trees abruptly ended, revealing a barren wasteland devoid of any plant life. In the very center of this desolate expanse, a colossal hand jutted from the earth, reaching toward the heavens.

Even from miles away, Lianchen had to tilt his head back to take in its full size. The sheer scale was absurd. The hand—if one could even call it that—seemed to be forged from an impossible fusion of metal, gold, and every known ore on the planet. It radiated something ancient—something that didn't belong in this world.

Suddenly, Fang Yan let out a strangled gasp. "Impossible!" he blurted, his eyes wide with pure horror. He stumbled backward as if merely looking at the hand had physically repelled him.

Lianchen turned to him, eyes narrowing. "What is it?" he asked, not a question, but a command.

"That's a Terraspawn..." Fang Yan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "But their race refers to themselves as Titans. They are born on planets where the heavens have already reached the full potential of the lower realm. Their birth signals the destruction of the planet itself."

He swallowed hard before continuing. "The heavens go into a frenzy trying to annihilate them, but this only fuels the Titan's growth, allowing them to devour the very heavens meant to destroy them. Eventually, the heavens of the whole lower reach are forced to send down an ultimate tribulation, pushing the Titan to ascend directly into the immortal realm."

Lianchen's eyes gleamed with intrigue.

"Ohhh... so that's why this hand, with just a simple twitch, could kill a Spirit Ascension realm cultivator," he mused, smirking. "Are they born with cultivation, or are they just freakishly talented?"

Lan Mei rolled her eyes. "They are not particularly talented," she corrected. "They are born at the peak of the Spirit Ascension realm. They are powerful, but there is a race that surpasses even them."

Lianchen's curiosity piqued. "Oh? And who would that be?"

"The phoenixes born from the sun," Lan Mei said lightly. "Their birth doesn't just mean the death of a star, it signals the end of an entire star system. Some of the most talented phoenixes are so overwhelming in their birth that entire galaxies are reduced to ashes just by coming into existence."

Fang Yan's breath hitched. Even for someone as knowledgeable as him, this revelation was staggering.

"Meanwhile, at most, the birth of a Titan would destroy a solar system," Lan Mei continued. "What you're looking at right now, This Titan, Its birth wouldn't have just wiped out this planet, it would have erased this entire system." She paused, watching Lianchen carefully. "But something stopped its birth... and as a result, this planet has been decaying ever since."

Lianchen stood silent for a moment, going through his plans for some time, Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward, walking directly toward the massive, ancient hand.