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

Chapter 217 A Request for Asylum, Past and Present Lives (5K)

The top-floor reception room of the Blue Star Community headquarters building seemed to be a tranquil world of its own.

Outside the window, the city is bathed in the joy of new life, the air is filled with a faint fragrance of plants, and delicate tea and snacks are laid out on the table.

Soft natural light streams through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the warm, textured wooden tabletop and complementing the several ornamental plants indoors whose leaves shimmer with a subtle, luminous glow.

Xuanji was extremely efficient and had already prepared everything according to Lin Yi's instructions.

Lin Yi and Irelia sat facing each other.

After a brief silence, Irelia decided to get straight to the point.

Grandmother Liyue's words of advice still echoed in my ears.

She was told to make sure she explained the situation clearly and completely, without concealing anything or causing any misunderstandings.

Sincerity is the best strategy when facing this seemingly young but actually mature and insightful human prodigy.

Any attempt to conceal or embellish can become a fatal rift in the long run.

While it may seem embarrassing to admit one's family's predicament, as if they were forced to seek refuge, starting with one lie will only lead to countless more, which is counterproductive. Only by being sincere can one gain genuine recognition.

She took a deep breath, her icy blue eyes looking directly at Lin Yi, and said frankly, "Lord Lin Yi, first of all, I need to clarify that I am not a human, but from the Spirit Race."

Lin Yi nodded calmly: "I know that. Among the basic information about the universe that Master passed on to me before, there was a basic introduction to the major races in the universe."

Seeing that Lin Yi knew about the Eldar, Irelia stopped going on about the background.

Her tone turned slightly serious as she continued, "I come from a star-domain-level family called 'Xina' within the Eldar race. However, our family is now facing a powerful enemy, and the situation is critical. In order to preserve our bloodline and power, we have decided to sell our family property in the Eldar territory and relocate the entire clan to the relatively safer human territory."

She paused slightly at this point.

Throughout her long life, she was well protected in the early stages as the pride of her family, and only needed to focus on her own cultivation.

Later, her family suffered a major upheaval, and she went to the human race to serve as a guardian of civilization. She mostly cultivated in seclusion and observed silently, and rarely needed to reveal her predicament to a "stranger" so directly, especially to make a request that was almost like seeking refuge.

The subject of her attention was Lin Yi, whom she had personally witnessed grow from a novice genius of a primitive civilization to where he is today, and even became a disciple of a deity.

A slight embarrassment swept through her heart, like a tiny ripple on a calm lake.

This feels a bit strange.

Both were trying to ask for help, but when facing His Majesty Xu Chen, she only felt endless majesty and pressure. However, when facing Lin Yi, perhaps because she had witnessed his growth, she felt a little uncomfortable when describing her own "downfall".

Irelia's slender fingers unconsciously clenched together on her knees, but quickly relaxed again.

"However, since I've been protecting the civilization and leader who grew up, it doesn't seem inappropriate for him to protect the future?"

This thought flowed through her heart like a clear spring, calming the ripples within her.

Irelia adjusted her mindset, her gaze regaining its firmness, and continued:

"As a guardian of the Blue Star civilization, I have witnessed your astonishing rise and deeply understand your unparalleled potential. Therefore, after discussing with my family, we have decided that we wish to come to Blue Star and dedicate all the resources, knowledge, and connections we have to help you and the Blue Star civilization grow and develop."

Her words were very direct, without any beating around the bush.

"And our only request is," Irelia leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed intently on Lin Yi, "that when you have truly grown up and possess sufficient power in the future, we hope you can help our Xena family return to the Eldar Leliat Starfield and help our family reclaim our lost home planet."

Leliate!

Lin Yi almost thought he was hallucinating.

He forcibly suppressed his rapidly beating heart and the gasp that almost escaped his lips, using all the composure he had gained in both his past lives to maintain a calm and composed expression on his face.

Leliat Leliat!

Isn't this... isn't this the name of the mercenary group he belonged to in his previous life?!

The "Leliat" mercenary group, where he wandered and struggled in the stars, and finally found a sense of belonging.

The commander seemed cold but was actually protective of his own; the vice-commander always had a smile on his face but was shrewd and calculating; and then there were the brothers and sisters who had risked their lives together on missions. He spent thousands of years there, until that accident.
Countless chaotic thoughts churned in Lin Yi's mind.

After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "Excuse me, Ms. Irelia, you just said that your home star system is called Reliat?"

Irelia watched Lin Yi's reaction with a strange feeling. Could it be that His Majesty Xuchen's information contained some special markings or explanations regarding the Eldar star system "Leliat"?
She was momentarily confused, but she repeated it clearly, her tone filled with deep longing for her hometown and the pain of leaving it behind:

"It's the Leliat Starfield. That's the ancestral land that our Xena family has protected for generations, and it's also my hometown."

After he finished speaking, the reception room fell into a brief silence.

Lin Yi maintained a listening posture, even nodding slightly to indicate that he was seriously considering the proposal.

But in reality, his thoughts were churning wildly.

Home in the Leliat Starfield
Wait, something's not right!

The Leliate Starfield, Irelia, the Xena family.

These names collided and connected in Lin Yi's mind like lightning.

Leliatre!
Irelia!
Hina Family!
Lelina, Lelina!
This...this cannot possibly be just a coincidence.

Lin Yi silently pondered these words, his heart churning with increasingly turbulent emotions.

The mercenary leader Lelina in her previous life was very likely Irelia.

The name of the 'Leliat' mercenary group likely originates from the star system where their family's home planet is located.

Looking at the elegant and refined woman of the Spirit Clan who had to leave her homeland to seek help for the future of her family, Lin Yi felt that she seemed to overlap with the seemingly strong but occasionally weary and lonely figure of his former leader, Lelina.

Once the seed of doubt was planted, some details that Lin Yi had taken for granted and subconsciously ignored in his previous life now seemed so abrupt and suspicious when he looked back on them.

In terms of time, back then, as a free star core-level individual, I used the funds given to me by the guardians of civilization to complete my first interstellar voyage and arrived at Zichen Star, the capital of the Zijin Star Alliance. At the Zijin Star Alliance branch of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance located there, I passed the assessment of a one-star mercenary.

At that time, I was feeling lost and had nowhere to go. Just then, I discovered the newly established mercenary group "Leliat" on the local mercenary group recruitment page. They were recruiting Star Core level mercenaries.

At the time, I just thought it was luck or a coincidence.

But now, upon careful comparison of the timeline, the conclusion of the Blue Star civilization assessment, the end of Guardian Irelia's term, and her quiet departure from the founding of the "Leliat" mercenary group are perfectly aligned.

Clearly, this was no coincidence, but rather a plan that Irelia immediately began implementing after leaving Earth.

Furthermore, after his application to join the Leliat Mercenary Group was approved, Lin Yi discovered that although the mercenary group was newly established, all of its initial members were experienced experts with strength at least at the mid-stage of the Star Core level.

Only he, a newbie who had just entered the second stage of the Star Core level and had no foundation or reputation in the mercenary world, was actually recruited.

At the time, Lin Yi only thought that the team leader was unconventional or that the team was in urgent need of manpower in its early stages.

Looking back now, it's likely that the leader, who used the alias "Lelina," had already made her move when she saw his affiliation information on his rudimentary resume. Clearly, she recognized him, or rather, she recognized that he came from Earth.

The suspicious aspects don't stop there.

In her past life, in the mercenary group, the leader, Lelina, did indeed guide all the members; it was her responsibility as the leader.

But at this moment, after deliberately reviewing the situation, Lin Yi realized that the attention and energy the regimental commander had devoted to him was significantly greater than that of others.

From the most basic energy control techniques to the advanced methods of applying rules, Lelina was always exceptionally patient in guiding him. She would even keep him behind alone when others were resting to correct a minor mistake.

At first, Lin Yi thought it was because he was the weakest and needed more "tutoring".

Looking back now, when he later improved his strength rapidly with his own efforts and this extra guidance, gradually stood out in the team, and even surpassed some of the veteran members, this special care did not diminish, but instead became more in-depth, and began to involve some knowledge of the Star Vortex level.

The teammates would occasionally jokingly say with envy, "The team leader really treats Lin Yi differently." The speaker might not have meant anything by it, but the listeners...
The listener seemed indifferent as well.

Lin Yi felt rather ashamed at this moment.

At the time, I was so preoccupied with the burden of civilization and the desire to improve my strength that I took this unusual favoritism for granted.

Another point Lin Yi recalled was the difficult and dangerous process he went through when he broke through to the Star Vortex level.

Just as he finally succeeded, before his breathing had fully stabilized, Lelina immediately came looking for him.

Now it seems they were clearly keeping a close eye on things quietly.

However, when Lei Lina arrived, she didn't offer much congratulations. Instead, she calmly placed a legacy crystal in front of him, containing a complete Star-Spinning level cultivation technique and a wealth of insights.

That technique was far superior to the common ones circulating in the market. At the time, Lin Yi felt that the leader was generous and deeply grateful.

Looking back now, did this generosity also carry an expectation and investment in the memory of the deceased?

Even after his breakthrough, when he asked her for leave to go to Zichen Star for strength certification and to help his hometown Blue Star become an administrative star, Lelina not only readily agreed, but also gave him an extra life-saving talisman to seal away his full-force attack.

Unfortunately, he ultimately encountered a Star Domain-level opponent, and didn't even have the chance to activate the talisman.
Moreover, there is also the latest evidence.

Just now, the two of them transformed into a stream of light together. Although Irelia deliberately concealed most of her aura, the unique rhythm that seemed to nourish all things and soothe wounds was clearly the same as the life rules mastered by Captain Lelina, which he had experienced countless times in his previous life.

He had fought under its protection, and he would never mistake that warm and powerful life force.

There may be more than one powerful cultivator who has mastered the rules of life, but all the clues, combined with the surname "Xina" and the star domain "Leliat," seem to be guided by an invisible hand, precisely pointing to that one and only answer.

The Irelia Sheena standing before him was none other than Relina, the mercenary leader from his previous life.

Lin Yi carefully considered and reviewed the situation, and combined it with what Irelia had just said about her family encountering a powerful enemy and fleeing to the human territory. Now he thought that the various preferential treatments that Lelina had given him over the past thousands of years might not only be because he had once served as a guardian of the civilization of Blue Star, but also because the two of them shared the same heavy burden and were in the same boat.

As for why she transformed into "Lelina," changed her appearance and name, and established a mercenary group on her own in the human territory.
Lin Yi could guess the general idea almost instantly.

Given Irelia's Eldar beauty, without the protection of her family background, being a Star Swirl-level being would still be somewhat dangerous. Furthermore, she would likely need to avoid potential trouble from rival families.

As for her establishing a mercenary group, she probably wanted to secretly accumulate power and build connections in the human territory, seeking opportunities and allies to help her family break through the current predicament and return to their homeland.

Having figured all this out, Lin Yi felt a surge of indescribable bittersweetness and enlightenment.

Leline—no, Irelia—despite her own family suffering great hardship and displacement, still offered him, a man from her "homeland," all the care and help she could.

Looking back now, without the help and support of Captain "Lelina" in his previous life, Lin Yi would never have been able to break through to the Star Swirl level. And these were precisely the key foundations that enabled him to make rapid progress and snowball his strength in the early stages of the Civilization Assessment in this life, thus leading Blue Star to create miracles.

Lin Yi couldn't help but think of another possibility. If he had only died at the Star Core level, perhaps at the Star Core 5 or 6 level, relying solely on the wonder of his spiritual energy, he might still have a good chance of obtaining a 7th level rating, but the process would inevitably be much more tortuous and lengthy.

But if it takes a year or even several years to effectively eliminate the Star Core-level Abyss Beasts and obtain the Evolution Fluid, then will Li Zhenguo, the core pillar who maintains the efficient operation of Xia Kingdom and even the entire community, still be able to hold on until then, given his already exhausted body and spirit?
Without Li Zhenguo's superb political skills and coordination abilities, can the various forces and departments within Blue Star still maintain that same unity and efficient coordination?

Ultimately, will the Blue Star civilization be able to obtain a Level 5 rating?
If the Blue Star civilization fails to reach level 5, will Master Xu Chen, who is detached from worldly affairs, still have the idea of ​​taking him as a disciple?
Based on Lin Yi's previous observations, it's highly unlikely that this will happen.

Everything will be different.

call.
Lin Yi let out a long sigh of relief.

He stopped dwelling on these assumptions that could no longer be verified.

The past is history; what matters is seizing the present and creating the future.

Regardless, both Lelina in her past life and Irelia in this life have shown him and to the planet Earth a deep debt of gratitude.

This will not change.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi raised his eyes and met Irelia's icy blue eyes, which were slightly uneasy because of his silence, and a gentle smile bloomed on his face.

"Ms. Irelia."

Lin Yi slowly spoke, "I, Lin Yi, on behalf of myself and the entire Blue Star civilization behind me, agree to your and the Xina family's request."

Putting aside the fact that a star-domain-level family has pledged allegiance and provided full assistance, it is undoubtedly a timely help for Blue Star, which has just entered the world of stars, and can greatly shorten the time for accumulation and exploration.

But considering the unspoken bond between them, Lin Yi never even considered refusing.

Moreover, it's not uncommon in the universe to exchange a promise of the future for full support in the present.

Upon hearing this, the barely perceptible tension in Irelia's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a bright, relieved look.

But she remained composed and listened quietly.

“You are the guardian of Blue Star,” Lin Yi continued, his tone sincere. “In the early stages of our civilization’s tentative steps as we faced the unknown starry sea, your very existence was an invisible protection and guidance. To have your recognition and trust is a great honor for me.”

He paused slightly, a perfectly timed, slightly teasing warmth appearing on his face, instantly easing the overly formal atmosphere in the room:
"After all, you are the guardian deity of our Blue Star. Tell me, who could refuse the request of their guardian deity?"

This half-joking remark caught Irelia off guard.

A smile unexpectedly bloomed on her usually cool and beautiful face, like a snow lotus suddenly blooming on an icy plain, breathtakingly beautiful.

Then, Lin Yi suppressed his smile, stared at Irelia, his gaze becoming sharp and resolute like a drawn sword, and then clearly made his promise, word by word.

"Please tell your family that Blue Star will be the most solid rear base for the Sheena family on their new journey across the stars."

Then, Lin Yi's voice suddenly rose, "When I have enough power, I will definitely go to the Spirit Race territory to help the Xina family return to the Leliat Starfield and reclaim their homeland."

The vow, like a resounding bell, echoed in the small reception room. It seemed to penetrate the walls, reaching the stars above and the deepest hell below.

Irelia gazed at the solemn-looking human man before her, and heard his resounding promise, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

After thousands of years of wandering, the family's crisis, and the heavy burden on their shoulders, at this moment, it seemed as if they had finally found a place to temporarily rest and see hope for the future.

An indescribable sense of peace, like warm spring water, quietly soothed her somewhat weary soul.

“Thank you, Mr. Lin Yi,” Irelia said softly.

(End of this chapter)