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

Chapter 249 The Rules of the Upper Realm, A Divine Manifestation (5.4K)

The question about Cangming successfully drew everyone's attention to Lin Yi's cultivation path.

They have all gone through this phase and know that the choice of rules is crucial to the subsequent path.

In an instant, everyone's attention was focused on this junior brother who had joined the school the latest.

Lin Yi immediately felt an invisible pressure, but he knew very well that this was not only a test of his teaching skills, but also guidance. Moreover, it was a window to obtain resources and understand the temperaments of these powerful senior brothers and sisters.

He took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Reporting to Ninth Senior Brother, fellow senior brothers and sisters, regarding the next rule, after careful consideration, I do intend to comprehend the rules of space."

"Spatial rules, higher-level rules?"

Upon hearing this, a strange look flashed in the eyes of the senior brothers and sisters.

On the path to advancing from the Star Domain level to the Derivation Realm, one needs to comprehend nine rules.

Among them, the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are the foundational rules. Although the names may differ in various civilizations and classics, the underlying principles are the same.

These five fundamental rules are necessary for building a perfect star domain and attempting to construct an inner world. Therefore, regardless of the order in which they are practiced, they must all be comprehended in order to ultimately advance to the next realm.

In addition to the five basic rules, the other rules are divided into three categories.

Advanced rules, higher-level rules, and superior rules.

Advanced rules are single derivative enhancements of the five basic rules. For example, Frost and Blazing Sun are both advanced rules.

Elements such as life, death, light, darkness, or illusion and destruction, which are derived from the fusion of multiple fundamental rules, belong to higher rules.

Lin Yi's second rule, the rule of life, is a higher rule.

As for higher-level rules, there are only two types: spatial rules and temporal rules.

Among the nine rules at the star domain level, the remaining four rules can be freely chosen, and one must select one rule as the core to comprehend the law.

Therefore, this will largely determine the future development direction and level of strength.

Space, as one of the higher rules, is extremely powerful and has endless uses. It involves the highest realms such as time travel, dimensional folding, and dimensional confinement, but it is also known for its profound obscurity and extreme difficulty in entering and mastering it.

Most star-domain level systems choose five basic rules plus four advanced rules, while a few may choose one or two high-level rules.

Because the more complex the rules, the more difficult it is to comprehend the laws. Many star-domain level entities even choose to use the foundational rules as their core.

Even though the people present were all quite talented, they had basically chosen to advance to the next realm using advanced or higher-level rules.

Lin Yi actually wanted to challenge the higher-level rules, which were recognized as "hard nuts to crack," after he had already comprehended the higher-level rules of life. His ambition and courage were truly extraordinary.

"Good lad, you have ambition!" Fourth Senior Brother Lieyang was the first to break the silence.

He slapped his thigh hard, causing the starlight stone platform beneath him to tremble slightly. "This thing is quite troublesome; one wrong move and you can easily get lost in the spatial turbulence, but..."

Lieyang changed the subject, his eyes showing admiration, "If you can really master it, then this is definitely it. Fighting, running away, ambushing people, you'll be invincible."

He gave another thick thumbs-up, making no attempt to hide his admiration.

Sixth Senior Brother Xuan Shu still had that gentle and refined appearance.

He nodded slightly and reminded him in a calm tone, "Junior Brother has such ambition, which is very good. However, the rules of space are indeed profound and extraordinary, involving many aspects such as dimensional cognition, distance control, and structural stability. It is extremely difficult to get started, and it requires extremely high levels of soul origin strength, rule affinity, and even time-space perception talent."

"Since you have this ambition, you should be prepared for a long period of hard work and the possibility that progress may be extremely slow. You must not become anxious or impatient for quick success because you cannot find the right approach for the time being."

Second Senior Sister Heng Huan sat upright like a pine tree, the eerie light on her armor subdued. Her words were concise yet to the point: "On the battlefield, those who are proficient in the rules of space are a nightmare no opponent wants to face. They can attack unexpectedly, retreat a thousand miles in an instant, control the rhythm of the battlefield, and are impossible to defend against."

"If you can achieve something, it will be of great benefit to both your personal survival and the ethnic conflicts you may face in the future."

She affirmed it from the most brutal and practical perspective.

Seventh Senior Sister Bing Ling was surrounded by a faint mist of cold air. She did not speak, but her cold gaze lingered on Lin Yi for a moment before she nodded slightly.

Third Senior Sister Qianhuan rested her chin on her hand, a smile of great interest on her beautiful face.

"Junior Brother, you have quite the ambition. The sharpness of metal, the longevity of life, and now you want to venture into the vastness of space. Tsk tsk, you've certainly taken a wide path. However, the laws of space are Senior Brother's specialty, and you certainly know how to choose the most difficult, but also the best, to learn."

Her words, seemingly joking and somewhat playful, subtly elevated the senior brother and pointed out who among those present was most qualified to judge Lin Yi's choice.

Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Zhenyu merely raised his eyelids slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over Lin Yi without uttering a word.

Seeing that his senior brother had nothing to say, Cangming laughed and drew everyone's attention back.

He said loudly, "Since Junior Brother has such a spirit of not being afraid of difficulties, wouldn't it be too petty of us senior brothers and sisters not to show our support? In the cultivation of spatial rules, talent and opportunities are certainly important, but suitable resources and treasures are indispensable stepping stones and boosters. Come on, since I started, let's start with myself!"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a condensed silver stream of light, like a small fish with life, nimbly swept across the sky above the Star Banquet Platform without causing the slightest spatial fluctuation, and hovered precisely in front of Lin Yi.

The light faded, revealing the phantom of a shuttle-shaped token about three inches long.

The token has an antique design, and its surface is covered with fine and intricate silver patterns that seem to be slowly moving as if they have a life of their own.

The projection was extremely realistic, even simulating the texture of the materials, but Lin Yi could clearly perceive that it was not a physical object.

Lin Yi was somewhat surprised and couldn't help but look up at Cangming, "Ninth Senior Brother, didn't you already..."

He was referring to the "Fruit of Life" and some universal artifacts that were given to him during their private meeting.

Cangming winked at him quickly, "Hey, how can that be the same? That was a personal gift from your senior brother to you before, a little reward because I thought you had potential. This is a proper sect gathering, a gift for a new junior brother's initiation. The rules are different, but the meaning is different!"

"Besides, spatial rules are notoriously difficult to master. Since you dared to choose this thorny path, as your senior brother, I naturally have to give you some solid, hard-earned knowledge to lend you a helping hand."

Next, Cangming explained to Lin Yi in detail, "This item is called 'Void Shadow Shuttle'. Note that it is not a physical weapon or a flying magic treasure, but a one-time use item that helps with the perception of rules."

He pointed to the moving patterns on the projection: "Do you see these 'Void Runes'? They are traces of rules captured, peeled, and solidified from the depths of extremely high-level void turbulence using special techniques. You only need to immerse your mind in the physical entity in an undisturbed environment and use your soul power to activate that spatial trace at its core."

At the center of the Cangming Void Projection, there is an extremely small dark spot. "At that time, this shuttle will transform into an invisible bridge, guiding your consciousness to break free from the constraints of your physical body and embark on a brief and wondrous journey through the void."

"During your spiritual journey, your consciousness will be like a speck of dust, attached to this pure primordial power of the void. You will no longer be an observer, but will be personally integrated into it. You will be able to directly experience the mysteries of spatial rules at both the micro and macro levels. This immersive, firsthand experience is a thousand times more effective than simply observing spatial cracks, listening to explanations of rules, or reading cultivation manuals!"

"Especially for practitioners like you who are just beginning to explore the rules of space, it can be like a precise key, forcibly opening a window in your soul, allowing you to glimpse the scenery behind the door, greatly reducing the most difficult cognitive barrier when you first enter the field, and helping you quickly establish the most basic and profound first impression of the rules of space."

"This is just a projection to show you what it looks like. The actual item will be delivered to you later through the Human Race Merchant Guild."

Looking at the small "Void Shadow Shuttle" projection, Lin Yi understood that his Ninth Senior Brother's gift was of immeasurable value.

He bowed deeply to Cangming and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Ninth Senior Brother."

Cangming nodded in satisfaction, patted him on the shoulder, and said no more.

After Cangming presented his gift, the scene quieted down slightly. Then, Seventh Senior Sister Bingling's clear and cold voice, as cold as shattered jade, broke the brief silence: "Space is not only about flow and movement; it can also stagnate to the extreme and return to nothingness."

Immediately, with a gentle tap of her slender, jade-like fingertip, a crystalline light emanating a faint mist of cold light condensed in front of Lin Yi, transforming into a strange gem about the size of a fingernail, with countless tiny snowflake-like cracks growing inside.

The projection was equally lifelike, perfectly simulating the refreshing coolness and the subtle feeling that made the surrounding space seem more stable.

"This is the Frosty Jade of the Void."

Bingling's voice remained calm, "It was conceived in the core of some aging stars that were about to enter heat death and whose spatial structure was freezing. It took billions of years and a series of coincidences to condense a trace of the rules and artistic conception of the frozen space."

She continued, “This jade has two main uses. First, when worn for a long time, the quiet and cool aura it emits can subtly nourish your soul, helping you to enter a state of deep meditation more easily, eliminate distracting thoughts, and greatly enhance your perception and understanding of the structural stability and energy inertia of space itself.”

"This is of great benefit to beginners in understanding spatial rules, preventing the collapse of spatial structures and the resulting backlash due to misunderstandings or improper manipulation."

"Secondly," she paused, "it can also be considered a passive protective item. When you encounter a not-too-strong spatial disturbance, a low-dimensional tear, or a common spatial cutting attack, this jade can spontaneously activate the trace of stagnation contained within it, forming an invisible spatial stagnation force field around you."

"While it may not be able to completely block an attack, it can greatly slow down the speed and sharpness of spatial attacks, giving you time to react. For you at this stage, it's an extra layer of protection."

She added at the end, "I will give the physical item to my Ninth Junior Brother, and it will be delivered by the Human Race Merchant Guild along with his gift. Just be sure to receive it."

The gift wasn't earth-shattering, but it was incredibly thoughtful and practical.

Lin Yi instantly sensed this senior sister's personality: aloof, focused, yet with an inner warmth.

He bowed again and said sincerely, "Thank you, Seventh Senior Sister."

Bingling nodded slightly, said nothing more, and resumed her aloof and detached demeanor.

Immediately afterward, the sixth senior brother, Xuan Shu, smiled and slowly said, "Junior brother, the gift from the seventh junior sister emphasizes 'stillness' and 'defense.' However, the cultivation of spatial rules, especially in the early stages when attempting to invoke and manipulate spatial power, is often accompanied by unpredictable risks. Once out of control, at best, it can tear apart the meditation room; at worst, it may banish oneself to an unknown spatial rift, or even attract more terrible spatial disasters."

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and a stream of light composed of countless spatial runes shimmering with subtle silver light automatically curled and converged in the air, eventually transforming into an ancient silver scroll.

On the surface of the scroll, the spatial runes were still slowly flowing, combining to form various images.

"This volume of the 'Airspace Code' is not some profound technique of attack or escape."

Xuan Shu's voice was gentle. "It is an auxiliary spatial technique that places great emphasis on the fundamentals and focuses on 'stability' and 'positioning'. Its core is to teach you how to use your own source energy and soul power as a guide to build a 'spatial stability field' around you, like casting a solid anchor on a raging sea."

He explained in detail: "If you practice diligently and become proficient, you can set up a barrier formed by this technique in a quiet room during your daily practice of spatial rules. This barrier can effectively absorb and calm the spatial ripples and energy turbulence that you may unintentionally cause during your practice, preventing them from leaking out and causing damage. It can also protect you from being injured by uncontrolled spatial forces."

“In addition,” Xuan Shu continued, “this technique also includes some skills for setting spatial coordinate anchor points. Although you are limited by source energy and can only set one, and the range of activation cannot achieve ultra-long-distance teleportation like some top-level spatial treasures, in critical moments, you can increase your chances of escaping a predicament by relying on the pre-set coordinate anchor points.”

His words were full of concern for his junior brother's safety, and this gift reflected his meticulousness, thoughtfulness, and foresight as the "chief steward" of the sect.

Xuan Shu concluded by saying, "The complete content of the technique has been recorded in a specially made inheritance crystal, and along with the auxiliary visualization diagram of the physical scroll, it will be delivered through the merchant guild. You can study the crystal first, and then refer to the scroll to deepen your understanding."

"Thank you very much, Sixth Senior Brother!" Lin Yi said solemnly.

Xuan Shu nodded encouragingly.

When it was the turn of the fourth senior brother, Lieyang, he could no longer contain himself. He laughed heartily, his voice echoing across the Star Banquet Platform: "Good, good, good! It's finally my turn."

“Junior brother, I’m not like them, always tinkering with fancy gadgets. I don’t understand spatial rules, but I know that when fighting, no matter what tricks the opponent plays, brute force is the only true principle.”

As he spoke, he suddenly waved his large, fan-like hand, and a crimson stream of light, carrying a scorching and violent aura, condensed in front of Lin Yi into a dark red metal ring phantom with countless intertwined flame patterns on its surface, resembling flowing magma.

The terrifying destructive will emanating from the projection almost suffocated Lin Yi.

"This thing is called the Sky-Burning Fire Ring!"

Lieyang's voice boomed like a bell, "Listen carefully, this is a one-time use item. It contains the original imprint of my fist intent unleashed at my peak. If you ever encounter someone who's too blind to believe you, don't hesitate, just smash this thing in their face!"

He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth: "My fist intent doesn't burn physical objects, it only incinerates energy and the structure of laws! Even someone who has just entered the realm of evolution will lose at least half their life if they get hit by this. Whether you smash a path to survival or directly blast your opponent and the laws around them to smithereens, it depends on how you use it, kid."

"However, remember, this is for you to save your life or create an opportunity to fight back, not for you to use to provoke others."

Simple, direct, and violent, it embodies Lieyang's unique style of "solving things with fists if possible, without wasting words."

He added in a muffled voice, "I'll have someone deliver it to you then. There will be several layers of stabilizing seals on the outside. Be careful when you receive it, kid, don't detonate it prematurely."

Looking at the small circular projection that seemed to hold a volcano about to erupt, Lin Yi had no doubt that if this object were used at a critical moment, it could definitely turn the tide.

He quickly bowed, "Thank you, Fourth Senior Brother! This item is absolutely powerful."

Lieyang laughed heartily, clearly very pleased with his gift.

Next, Second Senior Sister Heng Huan flicked her finger.

A stream of dark golden light condensed into a small, metallic phantom made entirely of some kind of crimson divine metal.

The figure is dressed as a heavily armored warrior, with his hands resting on his sword on the ground, and the details are lifelike.

"This is the 'Crimson Armor Guardian,' a Star Domain-level combat puppet."

"Once activated, it will possess physical defense and energy control capabilities equivalent to a first-tier ordinary star domain. Its built-in energy core is sufficient to support it in a high-intensity battle that lasts for a considerable period. I will communicate with you through a special secure channel within the Star Realm regarding the entity's recognition of its master core and delivery."

A puppet with star-domain level combat power!
In the perilous world of space, its value cannot be measured by ordinary resources.

Lin Yi solemnly thanked her, saying, "Thank you very much, Second Senior Sister!"

Heng Huan nodded slightly, accepting his gratitude, and said no more.

Then, everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to the third senior sister, Qianhuan.

Based on her abilities and status, it's her turn.

Qian Huan smiled sweetly, her gaze sweeping over Lin Yi as if assessing something.

Then, Qianhuan's voice carried a hint of laziness and amusement: "Junior brother, the people in front have brought out all their best treasures. I'm even a little envious."

She paused, a hint of helplessness on her face. "However, I specialize in the Law of Illusion, which involves blurring the lines between reality and illusion. I don't actually have any spatial artifacts suitable for your current stage. I can't just stuff them into the illusion space and let you comprehend them on your own, can I?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi quickly replied, "Third Senior Sister, you flatter me. The gifts from all the senior brothers and sisters are all extremely precious and of immense benefit to me. I am already very grateful and would never dare to ask for more."

Qianhuan waved her hand, interrupting him with a smile, "However, I just heard Master mention something before he left. He clearly values ​​the 'Silver Blue' civilization in your hometown quite a bit, saying its core has great potential. I'm thinking about it..."

She gently tapped her smooth chin with her finger, as if deep in thought. "When Master accepted you into the sect, he probably had already emptied his savings of many years in order to exchange for a spot in the Primordial Origin Sea. He was probably penniless and didn't give you any decent resources. After all, Master... well, sometimes he doesn't care too much about these mundane things."

Then, in a relaxed tone as if discussing what to have for lunch, she said, "Well then, I don't have anything else to give you, and those things are enough for you anyway. So how about I just give you 100,000 life-bearing planets? I think that should be enough for the early development of your Silver Blue Civilization, right?"

How many!???
Lin Yi almost thought he was hallucinating.

(End of this chapter)