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

Chapter 309 Starry Sea Waves, Crimson Application

The summit of the central sacred mountain.

After defeating the Lothar projection, Lin Yi did not act with the arrogance and domineering attitude that the outside world had imagined.

He simply stood there quietly, feeling the power of the rules within his body slowly calm down, and feeling the blood that had been slightly boiling due to the intense battle gradually cool down.

The astronomical numbers on the leaderboard have now been set.

51100 million.

the first.

He did it.

But the expected ecstasy and excitement did not materialize.

Instead, there was a long-lost sense of fatigue, and the emptiness that followed.

Eight hundred years of hiding, eight hundred years of ascetic practice, eight hundred years of patience.

Everything points to this battle, to this moment when we declare to the stars, "I have arrived."

But now, that moment has passed.

Goal achieved.

what's next?

Lin Yi shook his head slightly, shaking off those inexplicable thoughts.

It's not time to think about "what's next." The battle of geniuses has only just begun. There are still many things to do, such as secret realms, team leadership, and racial competition.

But at least for now, atop this sacred mountain, in the time before the competition ends, he can pause for a while.

Lin Yi looked around.

The sea of ​​clouds churned beneath our feet, while in the distance, the lights of other contestants, like fireflies, chased and fought across the vast continent.

But all this has nothing to do with him.

Presumably, no contestant would be foolish enough to come here and risk their life.

Lin Yi walked to the edge of the platform and sat down casually next to a large, rounded rock eroded by the wind.

He adjusted to a more comfortable position, straightened his legs, placed his hands behind his head, and looked up at the azure sky.

Then he closed his eyes.

It wasn't cultivation, it wasn't enlightenment, it was just spacing out.

Empty your mind and let your nerves, which have been tense for eight hundred years, truly relax for the first time.

All the noise from the outside world seemed to be shut out from this mountain peak.

As the sound of the wind gradually faded away.

Lin Yi's consciousness seemed to sink into a warm and tranquil deep sea.

He wasn't thinking about anything.

Just breathing.

In stark contrast to the almost frozen silence atop the mountain was the tsunami sweeping across the entire Pan-Spirit Alliance in the virtual world.

The main camera shot remains motionless from the moment Lin Yi leans against the boulder, closing his eyes to rest.

There are no intense battles, no dazzling special effects, and not even any unnecessary actions.

Only one figure rests quietly atop the sea of ​​clouds.

However, the number of spectators did not decrease; instead, it surged at an alarming rate.

"What is he doing???"

"Just spacing out? Taking a break? I'm already in first place in points, so I really don't need to do anything."

"No, this is the ninth level of the Central Sacred Mountain! How many people in history have ever reached the summit? Shouldn't he issue a victory declaration or something?"

"Maybe he's just tired? That battle with the Lothar projection must have been extremely taxing."

"Where are those accounts that said Lin Yi was stuck at a bottleneck and that his talent was just so-so? Come out and say something, stop playing dead!"

"I watched the replay carefully. During Lin Yi's final close-quarters combat, his use of the power of rules was abnormally refined. Every strike broke through his defenses. This kind of fighting style consumes more than ten times more mental energy than a simple exchange of blows."

"What incredible nerve! The outside is in an uproar, and he's sleeping here?"

The discussion forum was flooded with messages so fast that the naked eye could not keep up; all that could be seen was a blurry torrent of colors.

Even more frenzied than the discussion forums were the emergency push notifications from Xinghai's various media outlets.

Almost at the same minute that Lin Yi's score was fixed.

Pan-Spirit Alliance News Agency: [Human genius Lin Yi confirms his ninth-level domain, ascends the central divine mountain, and becomes the biggest dark horse of this year's genius battle!]

Starry Sky Observatory: [Nine Layers of Time and Space: Life and Death! In-depth Analysis of Lin Yi's Combat Power]

The Spirit Clan Daily Mirror: [The Light of Lanxing Faces Its Strongest Challenge! Human Lin Yi Displays Ninth-Level Strength, Is Princess Edith's Top Position in Danger?]

Human Race: [Good news! Our race's prodigy, Lin Yi, has reached the summit of the sacred mountain and is currently ranked first!]

The Holy Radiance Clan's Truth Report: [A Dark Horse Emerges: The Unexpected Rise of Human Lin Yi]

Crystal Bulletin of the Crystal Clan: [Technical Review: A Study of Lin Yi's Combat Pattern in Defeating the Projection of Lothar]

The titles are increasingly sensational, and the content is increasingly in-depth.

Analysts, commentators, powerful figures from various races, and even some eternal gods were brought out to provide real-time commentary.

Lin Yi's limited public information was analyzed repeatedly: native of Blue Star, level 7 potential for civilization advancement assessment, Dongfeng Mercenary Group, killing a Kunmo tribe prodigy on the border, and being exceptionally included in the list.
Each fragment was magnified in an attempt to piece together the growth trajectory of this "monster".

And at the same time.

Human territory, including planets, space cities, and fleet bases.

Inside the bar, the crowd that had been cheering for a player from their own civilization to kill an opponent fell silent. They looked up at the dazzling "Lin Yi (Human)" at the top of the screen and the astronomical number following it.

Then, someone smashed the wine glass first.

"Human race!!!"

A roar exploded, carrying with it the pent-up frustration of countless epochs and the ecstatic joy of finally getting what it had been waiting for.

In the college square, the professors did not give lectures. The students sat in neat rows, all staring at the projection screen. Many young people's eyes instantly turned red.

Inside the fleet command center, the captain, who was on patrol, slammed his hand on the control panel: "Order the entire ship! Double the rations today! Let's celebrate!!"

"Yes!"

The staff officer's voice trembled.
-
Origin Star, Star Origin Region.

The Hall of Dawn under the Crown of Stars.

There was no party here tonight, but several figures quietly gathered in the main hall.

Zhi Xing sat in the main seat, with a complete replay of Lin Yi's battle floating in front of her, which had already been played three times in a loop.

Frost Ashes, Heart Whisper, Martial Evening, Return to Origin, Sharp Edge, and Virtual Performance—the other six eternal deities who attended Lin Yi's welcome party are all present at this moment.

"What do you all think?" Zhixing's voice was calm, but a light was flowing deep in her eyes.

"Ninefold, time, space, life and death, extremely high degree of control over the domain."

Frostfire spoke slowly, the female deity who specialized in the opposing rules of ice and fire speaking with a rare air of amazement, "The way he defeated the projection of Lothar was not through stronger combat techniques, but through more refined application of his domain and combat instincts. This refinement is honed through countless trials, not something that can be achieved simply by piling up resources."

"The intensity of the battles he experienced previously probably exceeded our expectations."

Xinyu said softly, "I can feel the suppressed killing intent in his eyes. This is not something that can be cultivated in the training ground."

Wu Xi, a deity known for her fierce fighting style, was currently staring at the scene on the screen where Lin Yi was engaged in close combat.

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! Abandoning weapons and engaging in close-quarters combat, achieving maximum practical effect with minimal rule consumption—this is the choice of someone who has truly crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. No wonder he is a prodigy who led his civilization through real battles in the promotion assessment."

Guiyuan nodded slowly. "His application of the basic rules has reached a level of subtlety. The rule of earth softens the ground, and the rule of water condenses the air. These small techniques may seem insignificant to us, but in a battle at the star core level, using them at the right time can be the key to victory or defeat."

Rui Feng pondered for a moment and said, "All things considered, Lin Yi's strength is among the top tier in the ninth level of the Star Core realm. He may even have the potential to reach the theoretical limit."

Zhi Xing let out a soft breath, a smile appearing on her face: "It seems that the nominations by Venerable Xuan Yan and Venerable Tian Ge were too conservative back then."

Upon hearing this, everyone smiled knowingly.

They all knew that there was a great deal of internal controversy when the list committee approved Lin Yi's exceptional application.

Many people believe that including star-core-level satellites in the list is too risky, easily abandoned halfway, and the return on investment is uncertain.

But now, all the controversy and all the doubts have vanished in the face of those 51100 million points.

The human race has waited far too long, and finally they have a monster who can stand at the very top of the Pan-Spirit Alliance at the Star Core level.

Meanwhile, in Lin Yi Manor, Irelia stared blankly at the figure on the screen.

She remembered the gesture Lin Yi had made to her in the restaurant last night.

"Nine".

It wasn't about offering comfort, but calmly stating a fact: I will win, and I will win without any doubt.

She suddenly felt a soreness in her nose, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.

Outside the manor, the Nagifu team is responsible for security.

All the team members gathered in front of the observation screen, and all was silent.

After a long while, the vice-captain, a burly man at the peak of the Star Domain level, subconsciously swallowed and looked at Nagifeng: "Captain, wasn't this escort mission of ours a great deal?"

Nagi didn't answer; he just stared at Lin Yi's name and score on the screen and remained silent for a moment.

He then took a deep breath, turned to face all his team members, and said, “Listen up! Everyone, be on your best! Your safety is our highest priority.”

"Yes!" the twenty Star Domain-level Guards roared in unison, their eyes burning with fervor.

They all know that this resume will accompany them throughout their lives, becoming their most important asset when it comes to future promotions or resource allocation.
-
Lan Xing, Dongfeng Military Academy Headquarters, Nie Chang's Office.

Nie Chang did not roar excitedly like the others.

He simply sat quietly in his chair, looking at the familiar figure on the screen, at the string of points that he had to count several times to confirm the number of digits.

Outside the window, the excited shouts of the students echoed throughout the entire campus.

"Lin Yi commands nine realms, making him the number one human!"

"Not only are humans number one, but now the Pan-Spirit Alliance is number one!"

"My brother is in the Seventh Fleet, and he said the whole ship has gone crazy. The captain even opened his treasured wine!"

"Is our military academy about to become famous? The commander-in-chief is our school's principal."

"Nonsense! From now on, the first line of the admission brochure will read: Principal Lin Yi, winner of the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle!"

The excited voices of the young man drifted through the window and into Nie Chang's ears.

Nie Chang slowly leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He recalled the young man who, at the beginning of the new era, stood before the abyss beast's lair and said to him, "Leave it to me, trust me."

He remembered when Lin Yi left Blue Star, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Old Nie, I'm leaving the family to you."

Thinking back to all those years, every time I heard doubts about Lin Yi, my unwavering trust in him remained.

“Commander.” Nie Chang opened his eyes, looked at the image frozen on the screen, and revealed a proud smile, “You have finally reached a place where everyone can see you.”

He stood up and walked to the window.

The banner of the Silver Blue Civilization has long been planted throughout the star field.

And now, the one who holds the flag stands atop the sea of ​​stars.
-
A virtual network, an encrypted communication space called "Xu Chen's Rebellious Disciple".

This is a private communication channel between Lin Yi and his senior classmates.

At this moment, messages are scrolling through the channel at lightning speed.

Cangming: Junior brother, I give you full marks for this act. Eight hundred years, you really know how to endure.

Lieyang: Hahahaha! I just browsed the Black Nether Clan's forum, and it was full of wailing. It cracked me up, especially those guys who mocked the junior brother for being stuck at the bottleneck. Their accounts have all been hacked, and they're probably too ashamed to show their faces now.

Xuan Shu: Ninefold Time and Space Life and Death. Junior Brother's foundation is much stronger than ours was back then.

Qianhuan: It's a pity that Senior Brother Zhenyu has been on missions all these years and we can't contact him. He would be very happy if he knew this news.

Bingling: That's for sure. The situation at the border is tense right now, and only a few of us are free.

Qianhuan: Alright, everyone disperse. Junior Brother still has a match to play, let's not disturb him. Let's get together and celebrate his victory after the match.

The channel went silent.

But everyone's heart was filled with joy.

Of course, often, the happiness of some people is built on the unhappiness of others.

The virtual network is the exclusive space of the "Radiant Lord," the Elven race's leader in charge of this year's Genius Battle.

At this moment, the space was completely silent.

The figure of the Radiant Lord was shrouded in a hazy glow, making his expression impossible to discern.

But the dozens of light screens floating in front of him were replaying Lin Yi's entire battle process from the first to the ninth floor at different angles and speeds.

The final battle against the projection of Lothar, in particular, has been played on a loop for the fifth time.

After a long while, a soft sigh, devoid of any discernible emotion, echoed in the space.

"As expected, the human race pulled this trick after all."

The Radiant Lord's voice was calm, but those familiar with him could hear the complex emotions hidden beneath that calm.

"They concealed their strength for eight hundred years, reaching the ninth level of the Star Core level. They concealed it to the point where they were omnipotent in time, space, life, and death." He said slowly, "Xuan Yan and Tian Ge, they have quite the courage and are truly patient."

Iser, standing to the lower left, bowed his head and dared not speak.

"Are you angry?" Lord Radiant suddenly asked, as if asking himself, or perhaps asking Iser.

Iser carefully chose his words: "The human race's actions are indeed somewhat dishonorable. But there is no rule prohibiting them."

"Yes, the rules don't prohibit it."

The Radiant Lord said calmly, "So we can only blame ourselves for our lack of information and for underestimating the extraordinary nature of this exceptional genius."

He certainly had reason to be displeased.

As the host of the nearly 100-year-old genius battle, if a non-spirit race prodigy were to win first place during his term, it would be considered a dereliction of duty no matter how you look at it.

When the news reached his clan, those factions who had disagreements with him inevitably used this incident to their advantage.

But on the other hand
"Are you happy?" Lord Radiant asked a second question.

This time, without waiting for Iser's reply, he continued, "We should rejoice."

His gaze fell on Lin Yi's crisp and efficient battle scene on the screen.

"The two ninth-level beings from the other two races have a very clear objective: to tear open a bloody gap in my Pan-Spirit Alliance's secret realm teams and focus on hunting down our race's prodigies."

“Originally, we only had Edith as our card. Now, we have one more, and it's a potentially stronger card.”

The Radiant Lord's eyes shone brightly. "Two ninth-level beings, both masters of the rules of space and time, joining forces in the secret realm, they can attack or defend as they please, enough to handle most dangerous situations. This time in the secret realm, they can be said to have handled it with ease and composure."

"From the perspective of the overall interests of the Pan-Spirit Alliance and the survival rate of the core members of our Spirit Clan, Lin Yi's sudden emergence is a good thing, a great thing."

Anger and joy intertwined in the heart of the Radiant Lord.

Finally, he gently shook his head.

"Enough. Things have come to this point, there's no point in dwelling on it. Since the human race has revealed their hand, we'll just have to play it."

His gaze shifted to Iser.

"Even if Edith breaks through to the ninth level with the help of the Saint Source Crystal Core fragment, her chances of winning against an opponent like Lin Yi, who has honed the ninth level domain to such a high level, are still not high."

"Give me the order."

Iser immediately straightened up and listened intently.

"Activate the fifth level of the Tower of Time and grant Edith five days to use it. This will allow her to consolidate her realm and familiarize herself with her power after breaking through to the ninth level."

Tower of Time!
Iser was startled.

That is one of the most precious cultivation holy sites in the ancestral court of the Spirit Clan. The flow of time inside the tower is different from that outside, and the difference is greater the higher the level.

The five-day usage period for the fifth floor is equivalent to five hundred years inside the tower!

Although the tower is heavily influenced by the laws of time, making it impossible to cultivate through understanding the rules, it is possible to cultivate combat techniques and secret arts.

Typically, only core members who have made great contributions or significant contributions to the community have the opportunity to enter.

This time, the Lord has really gone all out to make up for Edith's shortcomings.

"Yes! I will do it immediately!" Iser suppressed his excitement and bowed to accept the order.

"Go ahead," Lord Radiance waved his hand. "Also, send a congratulatory letter to the human race in my name. The wording should be formal, but not overly enthusiastic, understand?"

“Understood!” Isel replied knowingly.

This is a two-pronged approach: it demonstrates the Spirit Clan's recognition of Lin Yi's strength and shows their magnanimity, while also being a precaution against unforeseen circumstances.

In case Edith is ultimately no match for Lin Yi, causing the first place to fall to him, it will be easier to bring up the matter when they come into contact regarding the secret realm later.

Once Iser's figure disappeared, the Radiant Lord turned his gaze back to the light screen.

The image remains frozen on the mountaintop, showing the deep blue figure sitting by a boulder with his eyes closed, seemingly resting.

"Lin Yi."
-
The Spirit Race Territory, a vast complex of buildings on a certain inhabited planet.

A meditation room made entirely of pure light energy and crystals.

Edith sat cross-legged on a floating platform of light. In front of her was a fist-sized crystal that seemed to contain a miniature starry sea, slowly rotating and emitting warm and vast energy fluctuations. It was a fragment of the Holy Source Crystal Core.

She was not completely immersed in cultivation.

On one side of the quiet room, a huge light screen was displayed, showing the live match footage of Lin Yi's group.

In fact, after she cleared the eighth level of the Divine Mountain on the first day, she didn't watch the competition for the next few days at all.

Those players posed no real threat to her.

The differences in rules, the levels of domains, and the depth of combat skills—everything is clear and without suspense.

Instead of wasting time watching the battle, it's better to seize every minute and second to purify one's own rules using the fragments of the Holy Source Crystal Core, solidify the foundation of the Eightfold Domain, and launch an attack on the "Ninefold" desired by the Radiant Lord.

Only today did she slightly halt her deep cultivation.

Today is Lin Yi's match day.

As fellow perceivers of the rules of spacetime, Edith had a natural curiosity about Lin Yi.

She was eager to see what was so special about this person who was highly regarded by the human race and even received an assessment from the Star Sea Observer team that he "might be hiding his strength."

Could you offer her some inspiration on how to apply the rules?
Or at least let her understand the extent of humanity's expertise in the realm of spacetime.

So she spared a sliver of her attention and connected to the spectator channel.

then
She witnessed Lin Yi effortlessly and casually climb to the top, starting from the first floor.

Edith's silver eyes, which held the brilliance of a galaxy, went from initial calm to solemnity, and finally to an undisguised shock.

When Lin Yi nearly annihilated the Star Nightmare Clan projection on the eighth floor, Edith involuntarily sat up straight, and the fragments of the Holy Source Crystal Core on the light platform trembled slightly due to her sudden fluctuation of aura.

"Nine Layers: Life and Death in Time and Space"

She murmured to herself, her voice devoid of emotion, but the fingers clasped on her knees tightened slightly.

This goes beyond the scope of simply referencing.

On the same path, a pioneer emerged who went even further than her.

When Lin Yi stepped onto the ninth floor and engaged in a fierce battle with the projection of "Morning Star" Lothar, Edith had completely forgotten about cultivation, and all her attention was focused on the duel.

She watched with utmost focus, her silver eyes reflecting the light and shadow of each clash of rules, analyzing the energy flow of each combat technique, and deducing the gains and losses of each response and choice.

Then, she saw Lin Yi abandon his gun and close in, his fists, elbows, knees, and shoulders raining down like a storm, tearing apart Lothar's magnificent and exquisite defensive system in the most brutal, direct, and "unelegant" way.

Edith's breathing paused for an extremely brief moment.

Her scalp tingled slightly.

It wasn't fear, but rather an indescribable sense of shock.

The Eldar's battles pursue a unity of rules and aesthetics.

Every move and every stance emphasizes the rhythm of energy flow, the coordination of rules, and the posture for launching combat techniques.

Even in the midst of life-or-death battles, one must maintain the composure and elegance befitting a top-tier race.

This is something etched into the genes of the Eldar culture, a battle aesthetic passed down through countless eras.

Edith received this kind of education from a young age.

All the opponents she had encountered, whether they were demonstrations of teaching by strong individuals or sparring matches among peers, followed this paradigm.

Edith never imagined that a battle could be conducted in this way.

Abandon the rule-based enhancement of weapons, and use your body as a weapon; abandon long-range rule-based bombardment, and pounce on your opponent for close-quarters combat; abandon flashy composite combat skills, and use the most basic rule-based micro-management to create opportunities for battle.
brutal.

rough.

Absolutely no aesthetic appeal.

But it's simple and efficient.

Edith could even feel a fine layer of goosebumps rising on her skin.

That's a body's instinctive reaction when its perception is overturned.

She watched as Lothar's projection was gradually defeated by Lin Yi's relentless close-quarters attacks, until it was finally pierced by a single finger and vanished into specks of light.

The image freezes on Lin Yi's solitary figure atop the mountain.

The quiet room was completely silent.

After a long while, Edith slowly exhaled a long breath, and the shock in her eyes gradually settled into a complex contemplation.

She suddenly turned her head and looked towards the doorway.

There, a silver-haired youth dressed in the traditional attire of the Spirit Clan, with a gentle and refined demeanor, appeared quietly.

"Brother," Edith said calmly, her voice cool, "What is it?"

"I have just received the decree from the Lord."

The young man entered the meditation room, his gaze sweeping over Lin Yi's figure on the light screen. "The Lord has granted you permission to enter the fifth floor of the Time Tower for five days of cultivation after you break through to the ninth level with the help of the Saint Source Crystal Core fragment."

Upon hearing this, Edith's silver eyes lit up slightly.

Tower of Time!
Even with her status and talent, she had only entered the Tower of Time a handful of times, and had never been allowed to enter the fifth floor.

The time difference inside the tower was of immeasurable benefit to her in consolidating her initial ninth level of cultivation, familiarizing herself with her surging power, and even deducing new combat skill combinations.

The Lord's move undoubtedly reflects his high hopes for her and his desire for her to close the gap with Lin Yi as soon as possible.

“Please thank Your Majesty for me.” Edith nodded, then asked, “Is it because of him?”

The meaning of "he" is self-evident.

The silver-haired youth gave a wry smile and nodded: "Lin Yi's strength and fighting style have led the Lord to believe that even if you break through to the ninth level, you may still be at a disadvantage in a head-on confrontation. Therefore, you need some additional assistance."

Edith was silent for a moment.

She wasn't angry at being looked down upon; instead, she calmly accepted the judgment.

After witnessing Lin Yi's battle, she knew that even if she advanced to the ninth level, she would still find it difficult to guarantee victory against his honed domain control and almost instinctive combat intuition.

"I understand," she replied calmly, turning her gaze back to the light screen.

In the video, Lin Yi is still "dazed," as if all the noise outside has nothing to do with him.

This composure is equally astonishing.

After a moment of silence, Edith suddenly spoke, her voice very soft.

"Brother, can you do me a favor and help me get his virtual contact information?"

The silver-haired youth looked at his younger sister with some surprise.

In his memory, his younger sister was exceptionally talented, proud and arrogant, and could hardly see anything else besides cultivation and family responsibilities.

From childhood to adulthood, countless outstanding talents from the spirit race and geniuses from other races have tried to approach her, but she has coldly rejected them all, citing reasons such as "wasting time" and "not beneficial to cultivation."

She never, ever took the initiative to ask for the contact information of any man.

Edith

The silver-haired youth hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words, and tried to be as tactful as possible, "This Lin Yi's talent and strength are indeed amazing, truly rare in the Star Sea."

"But he is, after all, human. The gap between the two races in core resources and inherited heritage remains enormous. He is currently dazzling at the Star Core level, but when he advances to the Realm of Evolution, Godhood, or even higher, he may not be able to keep up with your pace. Within our Spirit Race, there are also many outstanding individuals."

"Brother, what are you talking about?"

Edith frowned slightly, a hint of anger flashing across her face.

“I’m just interested in his fighting style. Besides, we’re both people who have grasped the rules of spacetime, so we have more to discuss in terms of understanding those rules.”

"Moreover, when we enter the myriad secret realms, we are all from the same side of the Pan-Spirit Alliance and will inevitably need to join forces to fight the enemy. Isn't it only natural to get to know each other beforehand and establish basic communication channels?"

Upon hearing this, the silver-haired youth breathed a sigh of relief. "I see. I was overthinking it."

He secretly blamed himself for being too sensitive.

My sister has always prioritized cultivation and family. How could she possibly develop other feelings for a human genius just because of a competition?
Indeed, as fellow practitioners of the rules of spacetime and potential allies in future secret realms, it is perfectly reasonable for them to establish contact in advance.

However, before he could fully relax, he heard his younger sister add in that calm, even tone:

"However, brother, the outstanding men of our clan that you just mentioned, despite using so many resources from the family and clan, can't even see Lin Yi's back. How dare you call them outstanding?"

The silver-haired youth was speechless, his bitter smile deepening.

These words may be harsh, but they seem to be true.

The Elven race has countless geniuses, and the resources allocated to them far surpass those of the Human race.

However, at the star core level, those who can steadily reach the eighth level are extremely rare, let alone the ninth level, especially the ninth level which involves all the rules of time, space, life, and death.

Lin Yi's existence is like a mirror, reflecting the true nature of many so-called "geniuses".

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore."

The silver-haired youth raised his hands in surrender, "It's just a virtual contact mark, I'll find a way to get it. The human race shouldn't refuse the Lanxing family's goodwill in making friends."

At the same time, he thought to himself, "My sister's current interest in Lin Yi is mostly due to the mutual respect between strong individuals and her curiosity about novel fighting styles. Once the secret realm ends, or as their cultivation levels rise, the differences in the levels and circles they interact with will gradually become apparent, and then it will naturally fade away."

"There's no need to go against her wishes now, lest it cause unnecessary resistance."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, brother."

Edith nodded and turned her gaze back to the light screen.

interest?

What is the value of communication?
Strategic cooperation?

Maybe both.

But only she knew that when she saw Lin Yi tear apart Lothar's elegant defenses in such a brutal and ruthless way, something deep inside her that had always been solid was gently pried open.

It was a doubt about the established path, and also a quiet yearning for another possibility.

She suddenly felt a sense of anticipation for a genuine exchange with this human named Lin Yi.

And what would it be like to fight alongside him in that perilous secret realm in the future?
As Edith pondered this, she turned her gaze back to the fragments of the Sacred Source Crystal Core floating in front of her.

The cultivation must continue.

After all, only those at the same level can be considered to be communicating, and right now, I am the one who is lagging behind.
-
Amidst the clamor and excitement outside, the ninth day of competition came to an end.

As the gentle notification sound signaling the end of the competition rang in the minds of all the participants, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.

The sea of ​​clouds on the mountaintop remains, but the feeling of being enveloped by virtual rules is rapidly fading away.

Lin Yi stood up, patted off non-existent dust from his body, took one last look at the place where he had climbed to the top and "rested" for so long, and his figure gradually disappeared.

Almost the instant he left the competition scene and his consciousness fully returned, the phantom of Xuanji in palace attire quietly appeared and gracefully bowed.

"Congratulations, master."

Xuanji's voice was light and cheerful, filled with genuine joy, "I reached the ninth level of the Central Divine Mountain and ranked first in the preliminary round of the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh, a feeling of ease and joy welling up inside him.

Having been hidden for eight hundred years, bearing too many expectations and pressures, it can finally temporarily shed them and stand openly at the top.

This feeling is actually not bad.

"Congratulations to you too." Lin Yi waved his hand with a smile, "You deserve some credit as well."

This wasn't just polite talk; without Xuanji's efficient information processing and resource management, his cultivation efficiency would at least be somewhat reduced.

Xuanji pursed her lips slightly, her smile deepening, but she quickly regained her usual composure.

"Master, your virtual imprint received a massive amount of information during your competition."

Xuanji brought up several light screens, on which data streams were scrolling rapidly. "As of now, there are 37123 pending messages and 11773 contact imprint applications. The number of messages is still increasing."

Lin Yi was not surprised by this.

A tall tree catches the wind, and what's more, his tree didn't just "catch the wind," it directly attracted a galactic storm.

"You can do the initial screening of the messages, categorizing them by priority and source. Show me the important ones. For the less important ones, just reply with a standard template thanking you for your attention," Lin Yi instructed.

He doesn't have time to read through tens of thousands of messages one by one.

"Yes, Master. The intelligent screening program has been activated." Xuanji nodded, then paused slightly, her tone becoming serious.

"In addition, it is important to remind the owner that among the 11773 contact imprint applications, in addition to the 279 gold permission marks, 5 red permission marks were also detected."

(End of this chapter)