Pretending to be a genius starts with the civilization advancement assessment.

Chapter 181 12 minute
After returning to Dongfeng Military Academy, Lin Yi's life entered a new rhythm.

He would still appear in the large classroom, analyzing the source energy theory for the students and answering their questions, but what was reflected in his deep eyes was more the trajectory of invisible rules.

He devoted most of his energy to exploring the rules.

As a coastal city, Helu City's boundless sea became his favorite place to linger and reflect.

He liked to stand on the rocks where the waves crashed at dawn.

It's not about watching the sunrise, but about closing your eyes and concentrating to feel the immense and boundless "momentum" contained in the ceaseless surging of the vast ocean over millions of years.

He compared this "momentum" with the "enterprising spirit" and "overcoming obstacles" of the metal system rules, and realized that the rule, which seems gentle, actually contains overwhelming power.

He would also stroll on the beach under the moonlight, a wisp of ever-changing source energy swirling around his fingertips.

Sometimes, the source energy condenses into a thread as thin as a hair yet indestructible, easily cutting through the surging waves. This is his attempt to hone "ultimate sharpness".

Sometimes, the energy source simulates the moment when waves crash, suddenly bursting open and turning into a fine cloud of golden foam that instantly crystallizes the sand beneath your feet.

This is his exploration of the forms of "violence" and "impact".

Sometimes, the energy source becomes heavy and solid, like mercury spilling onto the ground, silently seeping into the depths of the sand layer, and then suddenly thrusting upwards. This is his practice in understanding "penetration" and "penetration".

The tides of the ocean seemed to resonate in a strange way with the flow of his inner energy and his understanding of the rules.

However, Guangwu alone is not enough.

Theory needs to be tempered by practice, and insights need a target to test them.

While constantly reflecting on the rules, Lin Yi's figure also frequently appeared near nests of various levels.

He is no longer just a cleaner, but more like a rigorous and discerning "researcher".

Faced with a "Refracting Giant Crab" whose shell contained a strange source energy circuit that could deflect most source energy attacks, Lin Yi did not use the Omni-Sphere. He simply flicked his finger, and a highly condensed, high-frequency oscillating source energy, like the most precise drill bit, ignored the deflecting force field and left a hole in its shell.

He nodded slightly: "The penetrating effect of the Zhenjin Technique is remarkably effective against energy-interference type defenses. It can be recorded."

Alternatively, Lin Yi may have approached a group of "Sound-Piercing Flying Bats" that attack by relying on sound wave resonance, and attempted to practice the meaning of "resonance".

He transformed the source energy into an invisible shockwave domain. The sonic attacks that the flying bats were so proud of collided with this domain, but instead, they were shaken off balance and their attack rhythm was disrupted.

"The approach of reverse interference at the rule level is feasible, but it consumes too much resources and the structure needs to be optimized."

Lin Yi calmly analyzed the situation and casually dealt with the bewildered abyssal beasts.

These hunts often yield not crystals, but rather the inspiration that sparks in the moment of battle, verified data, or discovered flaws.

Those abyssal beasts, whether strong or weak, became the best touchstone for him to hone his understanding of the rules.

At the same time, some techniques that he discovered during the verification process contained a trace of the true meaning of the rules and were suitable for Stardust-level students to study in depth were casually sorted out and thrown into the Merit System.

As a result, a few secret manuals labeled "Lin Yi - Derivation of Rule Comprehension" would occasionally appear on the platform. The names were simple, but they attracted all Stardust-level students.

These unique skills, though far inferior to Lin Yi's own level of mastery in integrating rules, each point directly to a specific sub-direction of the metal-element rules, illuminating the path for stardust-level students.

Looking at the newly appeared "Golden Binding" on the platform, Nie Chang sighed to Liu Qiying, "The principal's cultivation is simply paving the way for the entire Yuanwu Army. The things he casually throws out are enough for those kids to digest for several years."

Looking at the impressive number of merits, Liu Qiying smiled wryly and said, "It's just that the threshold is a bit too high."

Lin Yi himself didn't care at all. For him, creating these unique skills was like a natural expression when organizing his own knowledge system; it was a byproduct of cultivation.

After he threw them away, he paid no more attention to them, and his mind once again sank into the vast ocean of rules.

Time flies, the sun rises and the moon sets, the tides rise and fall, and a year and a half has passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Lin Yi sat quietly on the rock by the sea where he usually stayed, letting the salty sea breeze blow on his face.

He looked inward and silently assessed his own progress in comprehending the rules.

31.5%.

A barely perceptible sigh welled up in Lin Yi's heart.

"For now, this is the best we can do."

During this period, he first spent a year thoroughly digesting the aftereffects of his previous enlightenment, increasing his comprehension level from 31% to 31.5%.

After that, for more than six months, his understanding of the rules made almost no progress.

Of course, it can't be said that there is none at all.

If measured by the most precise and rigorous standards, perhaps there is even the slightest progress.

If we were to quantify it, it would probably barely reach 0.00001%.

Lin Yi felt a bitter smile creep onto his face.

"Understanding the rules becomes increasingly difficult as you progress."

He clearly recognized this: "It seems that, with my talent, every step in understanding the rules will require unimaginable effort and time."

Lin Yi knew very well that, based on the current almost stagnant speed, even if he exhausted all the theoretical lifespan of the Star-level cultivator, which was as long as 100,000 years, and kept comprehending day and night, he would probably only achieve 70% or even just 60% comprehension at most, let alone the 100% Domain Realm.

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

"It seems that even if we could do it all over again and have the advantage of foresight, we could only get more points during the assessment phase, gain some status for Blue Star, and acquire some extra initial resources. Then, once our potential is exhausted, we would just fade into obscurity and return to a slightly stronger, but ultimately ordinary, Star Swirl level?"

Lin Yi shook his head inwardly.

The Star Swirl level is ultimately too weak; the Star Domain level is the true starting point for having a voice on the cosmic stage.

If it cannot be reached, the so-called advancement of civilization may ultimately just be jumping from a larger pond into the bottom of a more cruel and vast ocean, continuing to struggle.

"fortunately."

Lin Yi felt a surge of relief.

Fortunately, there is the Purple Mist Space; fortunately, there is the Spiritual Enlightenment!
This is his true reliance in breaking conventions and defying fate.

Lin Yi immersed his mind in the purple mist space deep within his soul's origin. He clearly sensed that the wisps of spiritual energy drifting within the purple mist space had accumulated quite a bit over the past two years.

"After nearly two years of accumulation, I had a full 12 minutes for sudden enlightenment."

Lin Yi calculated the number, his heart burning with excitement.

(End of this chapter)