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

Chapter 381 Secret Realm Rules and Alien Figures

"Third Senior Sister!" Everyone inside and outside the pavilion greeted her in unison.

"Oh, everyone's here?" Qianhuan's voice carried her unique languidness and agility. She moved with light steps, seemingly slow, but arrived at the pavilion in one step. "It's been a long time, fellow disciples."

Her gaze swept over Cangming. "Ninth Brother, welcome back. You've just been resurrected and you're already here for a gathering. You're in good spirits."

Cangming laughed and said, "With Third Senior Sister here, what is my little bit of energy? But you, Senior Sister, are even more radiant than before."

Qianhuan waved her hand, her smile bright, then turned her gaze to Lin Yi, her smile widening: "Junior Brother, I didn't expect you to give me such a big surprise, you even outshone your senior sister!"

Lin Yi quickly bowed and said, "Third Senior Sister, you flatter me. I wouldn't be where I am today without your guidance and help back then. By the way, Senior Sister, I heard that you were ambushed by alien races and seriously injured, and you've been recuperating ever since. I wonder how your injuries are recovering now?"

When the injury was mentioned, Qianhuan's smile faded a little, but there was no heaviness in her expression; instead, there was a hint of helplessness.

“The old man didn’t want me to miss the first secret realm.” She pouted, her tone sounding like a complaint, but there was a hint of gentleness in her eyes. “And considering that the war has now ended and Source Law level cultivators can’t enter the first secret realm, his pressure is less, so he used some of his essence to forcibly stabilize my injuries and accelerate the recovery process. Now, there are no problems.”

Lin Yi suddenly understood upon hearing this.

It turns out that it was Lord Xuan Yan who made the move.

Furthermore, considering that the Time Lords have been reviving their own clan's powerful members one after another, it seems that although the Time Lords cannot enter the First Secret Realm, they are all contributing to their clans in different ways. Perhaps other Time Lords will also take action.

"You've gone to so much trouble, Master," Lin Yi said. "It's good that Senior Sister is alright."

Qianhuan looked at him, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a strange light, as if she had discovered something extremely interesting.

“Junior brother,” she said slowly, “Let’s not talk about me, the senior sister who was forced to withdraw as soon as the battle started. As for you, at this speed, it looks like it won’t be long before you surpass me.”

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the pavilion fell silent.

Although Lieyang, Cangming, and the others were also shocked by Lin Yi's progress, the weight of these words carried entirely different weight when they came from Qianhuan.

Lin Yi said with a smile, "Senior Sister has mastered five laws and is close to being a high-level god. I, Junior Brother, am far from that level. I only have a little bit of luck and the external power of the Fearless War God."

That's the truth.

Qianhuan's achievements are the result of a long period of accumulation. His mastery of the five laws, especially the special law of illusion that can simulate all laws, makes his true combat power and foundation far beyond what he can currently compare to.

Furthermore, Senior Sister Qianhuan is the biological daughter of Venerable Xuanyan, and the secret techniques and treasures she possesses are beyond his imagination.

Upon hearing this, Qianhuan was about to say something when the space in the courtyard suddenly froze for a moment without warning.

In the center of the pavilion, a figure silently materialized.

He wore a simple, dark black robe, his long hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and his face seemed ordinary, but his eyes were as deep as the ancient starry sky.

It was none other than the eldest brother, the prison guard.

"Senior Brother!" Everyone present, including Qianhuan, immediately straightened up and greeted him in unison.

Zhenyu's gaze swept calmly over everyone, pausing slightly on Cangming before he nodded: "Ninth Brother, it's good that you're back."

Cangming bowed solemnly again: "Thank you, Senior Brother! I will remember your kindness in reviving me."

Zhenyu waved his hand, "Fellow disciples, there's no need for such formalities. Your return is a blessing for our sect."

He nodded slightly, said no more, and then walked to the main seat in the pavilion and sat down.

As soon as Zhen Yu took his seat, the atmosphere of the entire gathering naturally became formal.

"The main reason we've gathered everyone here is because the First Secret Realm is about to open. Based on the selection criteria circulating among the various races, and the strength and realm of everyone present, we will all be entering the First Secret Realm, barring any unforeseen circumstances."

His gaze swept over the crowd. "As for me, I just received some news about the secret realm."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression turned solemn.

"According to the information relayed back by the advance legion of the Spirit Race entering the secret realm and the limited information revealed by various high-ranking officials, although the rules differ slightly each time, some basic structures remain stable," Zhenyu continued. "The most crucial point is that the secret realm is not a single entity, but rather a hierarchical structure."

"Divided into levels?" Cangming couldn't help but ask, "Senior Brother, do you mean the secret realm will have many levels?"

“Yes,” Zhenyu affirmed. “This secret realm seems to appear once every extremely long period of time. After the initial verification by the Spirit Clan vanguard, its basic rules have been largely clarified. Although there has been no official announcement yet, the high-ranking officials of various races, as well as those of us who are confirmed to enter as high-ranking gods, have already received the specific details of the secret realm's rules.”

He paused, then explained, "The higher-ups haven't explicitly ordered restrictions on the spread of the news, presumably because they believe that allowing qualified geniuses to learn about it in advance and make targeted preparations is beneficial to the overall exploration. So the news will spread quickly. I've gathered everyone here to inform you of the known rules, so that it's good to be able to prepare a little earlier."

Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits lifted, and they all showed expressions of gratitude.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" everyone said in unison.

Knowing the core rules of the secret realm in advance is undoubtedly a huge advantage.

Zhenyu slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, and then slowly spoke.

"First, regarding the nature of this secret realm. Although the high-ranking officials of each race have not explicitly stated it, in my opinion, this secret realm is not the kind of naturally formed cosmic wonder, but rather one that was clearly created by powerful beings."

"Created?" Lieyang raised an eyebrow. "What kind of being could create a secret realm that could cause the three top races to simultaneously cease hostilities and fight over it?"

This is also the biggest question in everyone's mind.

Zhenyu shook his head: "Who exactly it is is currently unknown. The lords seem to know something, but haven't said anything. Perhaps, this is part of the secret of the secret realm itself, and those who enter need to explore it for themselves."

He then shifted his focus to the most crucial part: "This created secret realm is divided into 99 levels."

99层！
Lin Yi was shocked; the information revealed by Venerable Xuan Yan had been confirmed by his senior brother.

“After entering the secret realm,” Zhenyu continued, “you will first enter a special void space. This space is not a true secret realm layer, but more like a transit station for testing and allocation. It will test the entrants in two aspects: first, their talent potential, and second, their comprehensive strength, including equipment and arcane arts.”

“Based on the test results,” Zhenyu’s gaze deepened, “this void space will determine the initial entry level of the entrant. In other words, which level you begin your exploration of the secret realm from is determined by your own conditions.”

Everyone held their breath, for this rule was unheard of.

In the past, most explorations of secret realms involved a unified entrance, where participants would explore on their own, with stronger individuals naturally able to venture deeper.

This model of directly allocating the starting layer based on detection is obviously more sophisticated, and it also means that the competition is layered from the very beginning.

"Based on the feedback from the Eldar vanguard members regarding their initial entry levels, the current correlation can be roughly summarized as follows:"

"Levels 1-7 correspond to the star core level."

"Floors 10-16 correspond to the Star Swirl level."

"Levels 20-25 correspond to the Star Domain level."

"Layer 30-33 corresponds to the Evolutionary Realm level."

"Floors 40-44 correspond to the god level."

The pavilion was completely silent, with only the calm voice of the prison warden echoing through it.

Each level range clearly corresponds to a major realm.

This means that the secret realm naturally separates explorers of different levels. Star core-level geniuses are almost impossible to encounter opponents of the evolutionary realm or even the god level in the early stages. This provides protection to a certain extent, but it also means that in order to obtain resources of higher levels, one must first reach the corresponding level or possess amazing strength that transcends levels.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi was filled with a storm of emotions.

Are floors 40-44 considered god-level?

The 50th floor that Venerable Xuan Yan wants me to reach, doesn't that represent the Origin Law level?!

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning, instantly making him understand the complex meaning behind the words of the Venerable Xuan Yan, as well as the warning, "Knowing too much now will not do you any good."

The 50th floor is a realm that requires strength comparable to a lord or some other qualification to reach.

Just then, the silence was broken by the rough voice of the fourth senior brother, Lieyang.

He frowned, and asked in confusion:
"Senior Brother, why are these levels scattered across different ranges? If levels 30-33 correspond to the combat power of the Realm of Transformation, and levels 40 and above correspond to the God-level, then what about levels 34-39 that are sandwiched in between? Are they empty? Or is there some other explanation?"

Lieyang's question voiced the doubts in everyone's minds.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yu remained calm and explained:

"Levels 34 to 39 should also fall within the realm of the Transcendent Realm. It is highly likely that only those with exceptional talent, potential, and overall strength far exceeding that of ordinary Transcendent Realm experts can directly access these levels."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "I should add that the reason why we say that floors 30-33 are the Evolutionary Realm level is because, according to the information sent back by the Spirit Clan's vanguard legion, the highest floor the Evolutionary Realm level members in their team initially entered was floor 33."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lieyang clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "Good heavens, even the vanguard legion's Transcendent Realm level can only start at level 33. This secret realm has quite high standards." Cangming also seemed to be thinking, "In this way, even among Transcendent Realm level beings, the starting point may differ by several levels, which means that the difficulty and speed of acquiring resources in the early stages will be completely different. A quick start leads to a quick finish, so this initial assessment is crucial."

Zhenyu nodded, confirming Cangming's statement, and then his tone became even more serious:
"Besides the hierarchical rules, there are several core mechanisms concerning the operation of the secret realm. You should pay special attention to these, as they relate to your survival, growth, and ultimate gains within the secret realm."

Everyone immediately focused their attention and listened intently.

"First, let's talk about the Secret Realm Points," Zhenyu said slowly. "There is an independent points system within the Secret Realm. All the resources, treasures, materials, equipment, etc. that you obtain in the Secret Realm can be directly exchanged for the Secret Realm itself in exchange for corresponding Secret Realm Points."

"At the same time, there is a kind of exchange list or resource pool inside the secret realm. You can use your points at any time to exchange for the items you need, which may be cultivation resources, weapons and equipment, or certain special permissions or information."

This mechanism caught everyone's attention.

This means that resources acquired in the secret realm now have a direct channel for monetization and circulation, and can be instantly converted into capital to enhance strength without having to wait until leaving.

But Zhenyu's next words made the atmosphere suddenly become heavy.

"Furthermore," he added, his voice deepening, "killing others within the secret realm—or more precisely, driving them out of the secret realm—not only grants you access to all the resources and treasures they carry, but also half of their current points."

The temperature inside the pavilion seemed to drop several degrees instantly.

Kill the enemy, all treasures will drop, and half of the points will be taken!
This means that the interior of the secret realm is not only a competition of exploration and treasure hunting, but also a brutal battle for points.

This will undoubtedly intensify the competition and killing within the secret realm.

It is foreseeable that fierce competition will be inevitable in order to accumulate points and improve quickly.

Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine. This rule vaguely corresponded to what Venerable Xuan Yan had mentioned before: "Killing or driving away an opponent will earn you a high amount of battle merits," but it was more direct and cruel.

Zhenyu continued, "Besides being used as currency for internal transactions and plunder, Secret Realm Points have another crucial function: they are the only condition for advancing to a higher level, apart from the initial assessment upon entry."

"To advance to a higher level from your initial entry point, you must meet the required points for that level. Only by accumulating enough points will you gain the qualification or key to the next level. If your points are insufficient, you will be unable to enter, even if you find the path to the next level."

This rule completely eliminates the possibility of entering higher levels purely through luck or trickery.

To climb the ranks, one must earn real points, and the fastest way to earn points involuntarily flashes through everyone's minds that cruel option.

"Finally, there's the matter of leaving the secret realm." Zhenyu's tone became exceptionally solemn. "In the secret realm, you can't just leave whenever you want. If you want to take out the items and resources you've obtained in the secret realm that you haven't consumed or exchanged, you must find an escape point that appears randomly within the secret realm."

“Only at the departure point can you safely take your gains out of the secret realm and return to reality. If you choose to leave the secret realm elsewhere, or forcibly leave through other abnormal means,” Zhenyu said slowly, “then, apart from the enhancements brought by the treasures you have already consumed, and the cultivation insights you gained in the secret realm, not only will you lose half of your points, but all the physical resources, equipment, and unused treasures you are carrying will also be lost and cannot be taken out.”

"what?!"

"This"

Even the most knowledgeable senior brothers and sisters couldn't help but be moved at this moment, letting out soft gasps of surprise.

This rule pushes the cost of risk to the extreme.

This means that if you can't find an escape point to bring out the precious resources you desperately obtain in the secret realm, you can only take out a maximum of half of the points.

This tests not only ability and luck, but also human nature.

“What ruthless rules,” Lieyang muttered. “Isn’t this forcing people to fight desperately inside while also having to carefully find a way out? Any gains that can’t be brought out are worthless. This secret realm is simply a giant gladiatorial arena and a sieve.”

Cangming took a deep breath and looked at Zhenyu: "Senior Brother, the God-level only starts from the 40th floor, but the entire secret realm has 99 floors. What will the next fifty-plus floors be like? Even a Supreme Being might not be able to easily create a secret realm with such rules and such levels, right?"

His words expressed the sentiments of everyone.

Such a precise, cruel, and infinitely possible trial ground has exceeded their understanding of the "secret realm".

Zhenyu remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "The realm of the Supreme is beyond our comprehension. But a secret realm of this scale is indeed unprecedented. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that it was able to make the three peak races, who were bloodthirsty and had formed a blood feud, put down their weapons and sign a ceasefire agreement."

Everyone fell silent.

“However, it’s too early to think about those things now.” Zhenyu brought the topic back to reality. “For us, before entering the secret realm, the goal is clear: to do everything possible to improve our strength and strive to enter a higher level in the initial assessment. The higher the initial level, the fewer competitors there may be at the same level, and the more abundant the starting resources are. The starting point for climbing to a higher level and obtaining greater opportunities is also higher.”

Everyone nodded in agreement; this was the most pragmatic goal.

"In addition, there is another situation that the Eldar vanguard encountered and reported back in the secret realm, which you need to pay close attention to."

The atmosphere inside the pavilion became tense once again.

Clearly, the situation that the senior brother mentioned so seriously was no ordinary matter.

"According to reports from some members of the vanguard legion," Zhenyu said in a deep voice, "they encountered some alien races in some levels of the secret realm."

"Hmm?" Cangming frowned. "Other races? Senior Brother means the other two races?"

“No.” Zhenyu denied it directly, his voice carrying an unusual solemnity. “It is not any race within our Pan-Spirit Alliance, nor any known race in the Abyss Clan or the Eclipse Clan camps, nor even a neutral race. It is an unknown race.”

"what?"

"Unknown race?"

"Were there originally natives in this secret realm? Or..."

Lin Yi was also shocked.

Not any known race?
There are two possibilities.

First, this secret realm is not completely sealed off; some kind of original civilization or race already exists within it. Second, other forces from the "unknown lands" have also entered this secret realm!
Either way, it adds an even more eerie and dangerous layer to this already mysterious and unpredictable No. 1 Secret Realm.

Sixth Senior Brother Xuan Shu frowned and muttered, "Could it be that some other secret realms, or even powerful beings' divine kingdoms or small universes, can also connect to enter Secret Realm Number One?"

Zhenyu shook his head and said in a deep voice, "It shouldn't be. The lords seem to know something about this, but they are all vague. However, they have made one thing clear: in the secret realm, anyone who is not from our camp, regardless of their origin, will be treated as an enemy."

Upon hearing this, everyone seemed to be deep in thought.

All should be treated as hostile.

This instruction is simple and direct, yet it carries a hint of cruelty.

This means that after entering the secret realm, in addition to facing the threats of the Abyss Clan, the Eclipse Clan and their affiliated races, one must also be wary of these unknown "alien races".

"In short, the waters in this No. 1 Secret Realm are very deep, and it's not something we can investigate in detail." Zhenyu's tone returned to calm. "Just as Master said, without becoming a Venerable Lord, one is ultimately just nothing."

He didn't say everything, but the implication that "knowing without reaching that level is useless and only adds to the troubles" was clearly conveyed to everyone.

"Let's not talk about that for now," Zhenyu steered the conversation back on track. "For us, the most important thing right now is to seize this opportunity and improve our strength. There are definitely many other minor rules and details regarding the First Secret Realm, so we'll have to rely on the information we get after entering the realm."

He glanced at everyone and said, "Time is short. If you have any questions about the rules of the secret realm or how to improve your strength, you can bring them up for discussion now. Let's start with Junior Brother."

Zhenyu directly named Lin Yi.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi pondered for a moment.

He had originally planned to ask for advice on cultivating the Law of Death at the gathering, and now that his senior brother had asked him to ask the question first, it was just right.

He pondered for a moment, organized his thoughts, and then said, "I would like to ask my fellow senior brothers and sisters about how to quickly improve my comprehension of the Law of Death, for example..."

He looked at everyone and said, “Precautions for combining treasures, selection of cultivation sites, and special treasures or channels that are not in the regular catalog of the clan’s treasure trove but may be more effective.”

His question was very specific, directly addressing his most pressing need.

Rapidly improve your understanding of the Laws of Death in order to fully master them before entering the first secret realm.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the pavilion showed expressions of surprise.

The senior brothers and sisters, including Zhenyu, all looked at Lin Yi with obvious surprise.

Zhenyu asked in confusion, "Junior Brother, if I remember correctly, you should have just come out of the Supreme Sacred Tree Secret Realm of the Spirit Clan not long ago."

"Are you inquiring about the Law of Death now because you feel that the cultivation resources regarding the Law of Life that you obtained in the Sacred Tree Secret Realm are sufficient?"

The prison guard's question was quite natural.

The Sacred Tree Secret Realm is a treasure trove of the Law of Life. Lin Yi has just come out of it, and should be digesting the gains from the Law of Life or seeking resources for further improvement of the Law of Life.

His sudden question about the opposing law of death seemed rather abrupt.

When asked this question by his senior brother, Lin Yi glanced at the questioning looks from the other senior brothers and sisters around him, subconsciously scratched his head, and then confessed:

"Well... I have fully mastered the Law of Life, so I am preparing to begin comprehending the Law of Death."

(End of this chapter)