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

Chapter 267 The Current Leader (5.4K)

Time flows like water, slipping silently through our fingers.

For Lin Yi, this voyage was fulfilling and smooth.

He spent most of his time immersed in cultivation.

While consolidating the integration of the three realms and becoming familiar with the various profound applications brought about by the perfection of spatial rules, he also carefully digested some of the insights gained by his senior brother when he was suppressing the prison and moving star systems.

At the same time, he also began to study and comprehend the classic texts on time rules, such as "Three Basic Models of Time Source Induction" and "Dialectical Cognition of Moment and Eternity," which were given to him by his third senior sister, Qianhuan.

Although he had not yet grasped the basics of time rules, those classic texts that pointed directly to the origin of time had already opened a window for Lin Yi, allowing him to have a clearer and more systematic understanding of "time," rather than just seeing it through a fog.

In his spare time, Lin Yi would also appear among the third batch of reserve members, personally training these "new recruits" from the Silver Blue Civilization and the Xina family.

His guidance is often incisive, combining his rich practical experience with the new concept of "becoming stronger first," which inspires these newcomers not only with awe but also with a strong desire to improve.

A year and a half passed quickly amidst this regular practice and intermittent teaching.

The starry sky outside the porthole gradually became familiar, and the outline of the massive and imposing fortress of the Border Legion was already in sight.

As the spaceship began to decelerate, preparing to dock at the fortress airport, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes from his cultivation.

"We're almost at the fortress."

Lin Yi's eyes sharpened.

Returning to the fortress means that the Dongfeng Mercenary Group will once again enter a high-frequency mission cycle, and it also means that his long-planned hunting plan is about to be put on the agenda.

"My current strength on paper is sufficient to hunt down a renowned alien prodigy at the second level of the Domain Realm. However, to ensure success, I still need to further enhance myself," Lin Yi calmly assessed.

The initial formation of the three domains and the perfection of the spatial rules are certainly a huge advantage, but even a lion has to use its full strength to hunt a rabbit, let alone a alien prodigy whose trump cards are unknown.

Lin Yi felt that he had to improve every bit of his strength before taking action.

Improving one's inner self in a short time is not enough, so we have to find a way to improve it from the external world.

With a thought, Lin Yi brought up his points panel in the Star Core-level training camp.

658700 points.

He is 341300 points away from accumulating one million points and automatically advancing to the "third tier" genius sequence in the training camp.

This is not only a symbol of his talent and strength, but it also has intangible benefits for him in recruiting people and developing his power.

More importantly, it can unlock more permissions and resources.

"It's time to challenge the Endless Tower again," Lin Yi decided.

Conquering towers is one of the fastest and most direct ways to earn points.

With his current strength, he is capable of making significant progress based on his previous achievements.

After making up his mind, Lin Yi simply sent a message to several core team members, including Kenx, Xingying, and Amber: "Everyone, I'm going to challenge the Endless Tower in solo mode."

Shortly after the message was sent, Kenx was the first to respond. "Captain! You're going to charge the tower? Great! This time we're sure to reach a new height! We'll be waiting for you at the base!"

Xingying's reply followed immediately: "Based on your recent strength growth model, the probability of passing level 30 is 98.3%. Best of luck."

Amber also sent an encouraging message, her tone cheerful: "Go, Captain! Give those guys another surprise!"

The team members' responses still sounded enthusiastic, but Lin Yi knew in his heart that beneath that enthusiasm lay a hint of unspeakable complexity.

This complexity doesn't stem from jealousy, but rather from a growing sense of distance.

When Lin Yi recalled how he had once broken through all 20 floors of the Endless Tower and displayed his dual domain, Kenx and the others were filled with pure surprise and excitement, feeling honored to have followed a leader with unlimited potential.

However, when Lin Yi casually mentioned during an internal team discussion some time ago that he had "completely comprehended the rules of space, reached the third level of the domain, and begun to comprehend the rules of time," the atmosphere within the team became subtle.

The spatial rules are complete, the domain is tripled, and he has even begun to comprehend the rules of time.
Each of these messages was like a heavy blow to the hearts of Kenx, Starfire, and others who considered themselves geniuses.

They are also outstanding individuals who have emerged from layers of selection and possess their own pride.

But Lin Yi's rate of progress has completely exceeded their comprehension.

Spatial rules, those are higher-level rules!

How many geniuses get stuck at the beginner stage for thousands of years? How long did it take him? He went from beginner to mastery?
Now, time rules also need to be considered.

The huge gap has brought real pressure.

In some highly challenging missions led by Lin Yi over the past year, they found that their role was becoming increasingly smaller.

Often, Lin Yi can quickly open up the situation and secure victory by relying on the power of spatial rules or the absolute power of the triple domain.

They often have to provide support from the sidelines or deal with minor enemies.

This feeling is not pleasant for a proud and arrogant genius.

They began to realize that they seemed to be falling behind their commander.

Lin Yi naturally noticed the subtle emotions of the group members.

Kenx and Amber had even privately suggested that, given Lin Yi's current potential and strength, he might consider joining teams led by top-tier third- or even second-tier geniuses, where he would have teammates who could keep up with him and take on more rewarding and challenging missions.

Lin Yi simply smiled and declined.

He makes friends based on their talent level.

Actually, the real reason is that Lin Yi felt it was unnecessary.

Given his own rate of advancement, if he changes teams now, in a hundred or two hundred years, his teammates might not be able to keep up with him anymore. Would he have to change teams again?
Such trouble only adds to the problem.

Moreover, Lin Yi prefers to create a power that he can completely control, with himself at its core.

By establishing his reputation and leveraging his own strength and potential, he can naturally attract more talented individuals willing to follow him.

Kenx and Starfire, as the original core members, are talented and reliable, and are sufficient to support the team's framework.

Therefore, after rejecting the team members' suggestions, and out of consideration for their feelings and training, Lin Yi has spent more than a year practicing alone or taking on high-scoring tasks that can be completed by one person.

For team tasks, he usually lets the team members try on their own first, and only intervenes if they really can't handle it.

Anyway, even if he didn't participate, if the mission was completed, he would still get a share of the team points, so Lin Yi was happy to relax.

Despite their mixed feelings, upon learning that Lin Yi was going to challenge the tower again, Kenx and the others immediately put down what they were doing and rushed to the foot of the Endless Tower to meet him.

On one hand, they wanted to witness their leader create another miracle; on the other hand, they were also eager to see what kind of interesting expressions the others would have.

They had been keeping this news to themselves for over a year, waiting for this moment.

When Lin Yi, surrounded by his teammates, arrived once again in front of the towering Endless Tower, he indeed attracted a lot of attention.

"Huh? Isn't that Lin Yi from the human race? Didn't he just pass level 20? Why is he here again?"

"Yeah, it's only been a short time. Even if he's talented, he shouldn't be able to grasp the rules this quickly, right? He probably wants to try out team mode?"

"It's possible. I heard his team has recently completed some good tasks, and perhaps their teamwork has improved. He wants to try to reach a higher level in team mode."

Some of the geniuses waiting at the foot of the tower or who had just finished their challenges were discussing among themselves, with most guessing that Lin Yi's goal this time was the team mode.

After all, the progression in personal mode, especially after level 20, often involves intervals of centuries.

However, when they saw Lin Yi walk straight towards the teleportation beam for single-player mode, his figure swallowed by the light, and the status of "Lin Yi" on the huge leaderboard outside the tower changed to "Challenge in Progress" again, with the floor indicator lighting up from floor 20 onwards, everyone was stunned.

"Personal mode? What does that mean? How much improvement can you get in this short time?"

"Could it be that he wants to familiarize himself with the opponents on the 21st floor and solidify his skills?"

"No, look! He's going through 20 floors at that speed!"

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, the floor indicator representing Lin Yi's progress lit up on the 20th floor and then went out almost without pause. Immediately afterward, the indicator for the 21st floor suddenly lit up!

"???"

"He cleared it in a second? He cleared the 20th floor in a flash?"

The exclamations had barely begun when the sign for the 21st floor went out, and the sign for the 22nd floor lit up!
Then, the 23rd floor, and the 24th floor.
The speed did not slow down at all; on the contrary, it seemed to be getting faster and faster.

It was as if the level that would make most fourth-level geniuses rack their brains and struggle for a long time was like a paper wall in front of him, collapsing at the slightest touch!
Destroy everything!

Truly devastating!
Although Kenx, Amber, and the others were mentally prepared, they were still thrilled to witness the terrifying speed at which the tower was being cleared.

A deathly silence fell over the area below the tower. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the rapidly changing floor number indicator in disbelief.

"Lin Yi of the Human Race, once again conquers the Endless Tower, in solo mode!"

"His strength seems to have increased dramatically, and he is progressing at an extremely fast speed, having already broken through the 24th floor!"

"The target seems to be directly aimed at the 30th floor! Or they may have already mastered three areas!"

After a moment of silence, the onlookers below the tower immediately sensed something was wrong, and soon, messages were rapidly spreading throughout the training camp.

Star Core Level Training Camp, Central Area, Outside the Top Training Room.

A handsome young man dressed in a battle robe with star runes, whose eyes seemed to hold the birth and death of countless nebulae, had just finished a deep meditation.

One of his team members immediately stepped forward and whispered the unusual activity in the Endless Tower. "Lin Yi?"

Long Ge Xing Tong raised an eyebrow slightly. He vaguely remembered the name; it was the human newcomer who had quickly passed through the 20th floor more than ten years ago.

"Over a decade or so, trying to climb from the 20th floor to the 30th?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Long Ge Xing Tong's eyes, which then turned into a look of great interest. "Interesting. Let's go take a look."

With a swift movement, he vanished from the spot.

Shadow Hall, the training area.

A slender figure, seemingly blending into the shadows, was toying with a dagger as thin as a cicada's wing.

Upon receiving the message, she paused slightly, a playful smile curving her red lips beneath the shadows: "Oh? Looks like it's not just a flash in the pan. Good, lest it become too boring."

His figure then faded like ink in a painting, disappearing into the void.

Gravity Abyss, High-Tier Zone.

A giant, as imposing as a mountain, with dark gold skin, was enduring terrifying pressure and tempering.

Upon receiving the message, he let out a low roar, his muscles bulging as he defied gravity and strode out, causing the ground to tremble.

Not only these three "second-tier" geniuses at the top, but the news also quickly spread throughout the circle of all third-tier geniuses.

Shuanglan, Shiman, and Chiyan—names renowned throughout the training camp—were all alerted unless they were in an uninterrupted state of deep cultivation.

Whether out of curiosity, scrutiny, or a sense of potential competition, they all converged on the direction of the Endless Tower.

Human territory, Starshine Team's base.

Captain Huiyao and Vice Captain Xingyu are working out a combined attack strategy.

When news of Lin Yi's attempt to break into the tower arrived, the two of them stopped what they were doing.

Huiyao took a deep breath, a complex and unreadable expression on his face, a mixture of surprise and emotion.

"He actually got this far. The third level. It seems he's going to cross the threshold of my third level before me."

Xingyu stood to the side, his lips moved, but in the end, it turned into a silent sigh, his feelings a mixture of emotions.

He clearly remembered that not long ago, he had tried to recruit Lin Yi into the Xinghui team by offering the promise that the team captain was about to reach the third tier.

Although they felt that Lin Yi had good talent, they did not really regard him as someone who could be compared with the captain.

But who could have imagined that so little time had passed?

Not only did the other party not need their recruitment, but they were also about to officially step into the third tier at a speed that left them far behind!
This contrast made his face burn with embarrassment, and he felt a sense of unreality.

"Let's go."

Huiyao composed himself. "In any case, this is the rise of another top genius of our human race, and we must witness it."

Soon, almost all the core members of the Starshine Team, as well as Qingfeng and other prominent human geniuses from the White Phoenix Team who were well-known in the training camp, were present.

They gathered together, their eyes fixed on the rapidly changing floor number markers on the Endless Tower, whispering amongst themselves.

"27 floors already! How much time has passed?"

"28 floors, that's it, this must be a triple domain."

"A monster is truly a monster."

The surrounding alien geniuses, seeing the human prodigies gathered together, all inquired with those they knew.

"Huiyao, just who is this human Lin Yi? How old is he?"

A third-tier genius of the Spirit Race who had previously collaborated with Huiyao couldn't help but ask.

Huiyao and Xingyu exchanged glances and made no attempt to hide anything.

After all, there's no point in hiding it; if the other party wants to investigate, they can definitely find out. It's just a bit more troublesome.

Xingyu took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm: "Lin Yi, according to the latest news, comes from our newly emerging human civilization, the Silver Blue Civilization, and has been taken as a disciple by our eternal god. As far as we know, his age should be less than three hundred standard years."

"Less than three hundred?"

"This"

The alien geniuses around who heard this news all showed surprise on their faces.

A triple realm of less than three hundred years old?

What kind of concept is this?
Many of the top-tier geniuses present were thousands of years old.

Even those top-tier talents are far older than that number!
A Frost Spirit Clan genius murmured, "Even if he doesn't make it to the second tier this time, having reached the third level at such a young age, he will definitely be among the next geniuses. Your human race is about to produce another leading figure in the next one or two competitions!"

This statement was echoed by many geniuses around him.

Their gazes toward the human race were tinged with envy.

The quantity and quality of top talents in a race's younger generation are considered the most direct benchmark of a race's potential.

"I think, at this rate, Lin Yi will definitely be able to break into the top tier next time, right?"

Another voice rang out, tinged with amusement.

The human prodigies glared angrily upon hearing this.

This was because it was said deliberately by a prodigy from a race that was not on good terms with humans.

They knew very well that this guy wasn't genuinely praising Lin Yi, but rather deliberately trying to undermine him by flattering him and making enemies, since there were second-tier geniuses present.

Huiyao, being the highest-ranking human present, scoffed and said, "The first tier is incredibly difficult to achieve; many training camps don't even produce one. You don't need to make a fuss about it here. Besides, what do the first and second tiers have to do with you? In this session, you don't even have a third tier, do you?"

The man, his sore spot touched, snorted coldly and disappeared in a huff.

Amidst the clamor, the light representing Lin Yi's progress on the Endless Tower suddenly broke through the barrier of the 30th floor, lit up on the 31st floor, and then went out.

The clamor below the tower reached its peak at that moment, then eerily fell silent for a brief instant.

The teleportation beam lit up, and Lin Yi's figure slowly stepped out from it.

His expression was calm, and his aura was restrained, as if he had just completed an ordinary training session.

Everyone immediately noticed that the green halo representing the fourth rank had disappeared from Lin Yi's feet, and in its place was a blue halo symbolizing the upper ranks of the training camp.

Three gears!

He succeeded!

Moreover, they advanced with overwhelming speed and force.

Kenx, Amber, and the others excitedly surrounded them, their faces beaming with pride and excitement.

Just then, the crowd automatically parted to create a path.

Long Ge Xing Tong and You Lan Ying Ge, these two second-tier prodigies of the Spirit Clan, walked over side by side.

"Lin Yi? Congratulations. I am Long Ge Xing Tong." Long Ge Xing Tong spoke first.

Lin Yi showed great respect to the current top talent in the training camp, responding earnestly, "I am Lin Yi. Thank you."

"Youlan·Yingge".

The spirit woman beside him spoke in a languid, magnetic voice, "I look forward to the day I fight you."

"There will be opportunities," Lin Yi replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

This simple conversation, however, represents the top circle of the training camp's formal recognition of this newly promoted Tier 3 talent—no, it should be said that this rising star with the potential to break into Tier 2.

Then, Xuan Zhong strode over and offered his congratulations in a deep, booming voice.

Immediately afterwards, dozens of third-tier geniuses, including Shuanglan and Shiman, stepped forward to greet Lin Yi and exchange communication codes.

In an instant, Lin Yi became the focus of the entire Endless Tower Square.

Huiyao, Xingyu, Qingfeng, and other human geniuses stood a little further away, watching Lin Yi, who was surrounded by many top geniuses from other races and was dealing with them calmly, and their feelings were complicated and hard to describe.

Xingyu smiled wryly and said in a low voice, "Captain, we were thinking of recruiting him before. Now that I think about it, it's really..."

He shook his head, leaving the rest of his words unsaid.

Huiyao patted him on the shoulder, but his gaze remained fixed on Lin Yi. "Don't underestimate yourself. Lin Yi's rise is also a good thing for us. From today onwards, he is the undisputed leader of our class. We must adjust our mindset and do our best to support him."

Qingfeng nodded gently, her beautiful eyes sparkling: "At less than three hundred years old, we are in the same generation as him in the three realms. We will have many more opportunities to deal with each other in the future, so we must maintain a good relationship."

After exchanging pleasantries with everyone in the crowd, Lin Yi glanced at the many human compatriots present and nodded slightly to them.

Lin Yi knew that from this moment on, his identity in the Star Core-level training camp was completely different.

Because, as the highest-ranked human in the training camp, he represents more than just himself from this moment on.

(End of this chapter)