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

Chapter 382 Senior Sister Qianhuan's Plea to Stay

Inside the pavilion, you could hear a pin drop.

A few seconds later, Fourth Senior Brother Lieyang slammed his hand on the stone table, making the teacup clatter: "Ah? This, this is it, you've completely mastered it?"

His face was a picture of "Are you kidding me?"

A flicker of emotion crossed the eyes of Second Senior Sister Heng Huan, while Sixth Senior Brother Xuan Shu's teacup hovered in mid-air, and Seventh Senior Sister Bing Ling's eyelashes trembled slightly on her cold face.

Even the usually composed senior brother, Zhenyu, showed a hint of surprise in his deep eyes.

"Completely mastered the Law of Life?" Cangming's mouth gaped slightly, then he gave a wry smile, shook his head and sighed, "Junior Brother, how long have you been out of the Myriad Secret Realms? You haven't even finished digesting the shock of perfecting the two superior laws of time and space, and now you're telling me that the Law of Life is also 100%?"

He patted his forehead and said self-deprecatingly, "My comprehension of the major law is only a little over 70% now. Compared to you, it's really..."

Cangming didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

This speed of progress is beyond what can be described as "genius"; it's as if he's cultivating using a different dimension of time.

Qianhuan watched this scene with a smile, her beautiful eyes sparkling, even showing a hint of pride.

After all, Lin Yi was introduced into the list by her, and she also had a role in passing on his skills as his disciple.

"Now that you have perfected the Law of Life, it is only natural to seek improvement in the Law of Death." Zhenyu steered the conversation back on track. "Life and death complement each other. If you can master the Law of Death as soon as possible, it will greatly enhance your combat power. Does anyone have any suggestions for cultivating the Law of Death that you can give to Junior Brother?"

He looked at his other junior brothers and sisters.

Heng Huan spoke first, “The cultivation of the Law of Death focuses on comprehending the meaning of ending, silence, and return to nothingness. I have been on the front line of the Abyss of Myriad Realms for many years. There are some death zones formed by great battles there, which still retain strong fluctuations of the Law of Death. I can even occasionally find fragments of the Annihilation Stone.”

She looked at Lin Yi: "If you want to go, I can give you a few relatively familiar coordinates, but whether you can find a suitable location and safely experience it depends on your ability."

Lin Yi's heart stirred, and he silently made a note of it.

Xuan Shu continued, "Besides the frontline channels that Senior Sister Heng Huan mentioned, some star regions that have experienced large-scale extinction events may also form areas rich in the Law of Death. I am responsible for coordinating some internal affairs and know of several star regions that are marked as forbidden areas or ruins. However, these places are mostly occupied by certain forces or lone powerhouses. If you want to enter and cultivate, you need to make some connections."

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

Lieyang laughed heartily: "I don't have a deep understanding of the laws of death, but I know a place that might be useful to you—the Fallen Star Abyss. That place is a cosmic wonder, filled with chaotic destructive energy and fragments of the laws of death. Many guys who cultivate the laws of destruction, death, and termination like to go there to try their luck and search for Dark Meteorite Crystal Cores."

"That thing has a miraculous effect on comprehending the laws of death, but it is scarce and fiercely contested. Moreover, the environment inside the Star Abyss is harsh, with spatial storms and energy turbulence being commonplace. If you are interested, I can give you the star map."

Another dangerous place, but judging from the description, the yield might be very tempting. Lin Yi nodded and made a note of it.

Then, Bing Ling's clear, cold voice rang out, "The Ice Skeleton Starfield. Extreme cold can freeze life, simulating annihilation. The eternally frozen graveyard at the core of this starfield holds the remains of countless ancient creatures. Death and cold have intertwined over countless years, forming a unique branch of the law of death: the Law of Ice Silence. If you can adapt to the extreme cold and understand the true meaning of death within it, you may gain something. The guardian there is 'Her Majesty Bing Zhi'."

Bingzhi?

Lin Yi immediately remembered that his senior sister had mentioned this deity's name at the last gathering. This deity was a newly ascended god who had recently ascended to eternity and followed the path of extreme cold and annihilation.

This is clearly a route that requires visiting someone and possibly paying a price to obtain it.

Everyone shared the methods they knew, some dangerous, some requiring favors, and others depending on opportunity.

Finally, everyone's gaze fell upon Cangming.

Cangming had been listening the whole time. Seeing everyone looking at him, he smiled and looked at Lin Yi, "Junior Brother, speaking of special treasure channels related to the Law of Death, do you still remember that Lord Hongyan?"

Lin Yi nodded: "I remember. I attended Hong Hanran's birthday banquet on Wan Huaxing and even received a portion of the Eternal Abyss Water."

He was deeply impressed by that transaction, and the Eternal Abyss Water played a key role in the perfection of his Death Rule.

“It’s good that you remember,” Cangming said. “The lineage from which the Lord of Hongyan came from originated from the eternal god ‘Lord Hongxi’. And this Lord Hongxi’s main cultivation is the Law of Death.”

An eternal god who specializes in the laws of death? Lin Yi's eyes narrowed.

Cangming continued, "His Majesty Hongxi was able to ultimately master the Law of Death and achieve eternity not only because of his own talent, but also because of a rare treasure he obtained in a certain cosmic wonder, the Ancient Turbid Spring."

"The Ancient Turbid Spring?"

Lin Yi repeated the name, thinking carefully, but he had never seen this item recorded in either the clan's treasure trove or in the various books he had consulted before.

“Yes, not many people know about this,” Cangming confirmed. “The Netherworld Turbid Spring can only condense and give birth to a drop of the most essential Turbid Spring Marrow every ten epochs. This Turbid Spring Marrow contains an extremely pure and ancient aura of death, which is of great help in comprehending the laws of death.”

"It was with this very item that His Majesty Hongxi broke through the final bottleneck, fully mastered the Law of Death, and ascended to godhood."

One drop from the Tenth Era!
Lin Yi was deeply shaken.

The production cycle is incredibly long, which also reflects its rarity.

No wonder it's not on the regular list; it's probably a private resource that His Majesty the Emperor and his close associates treasure.

Cangming smiled as he looked at Lin Yi's shining eyes: "Although most of the turbid spring marrow cores that are born each time are bestowed upon the most core descendants by His Majesty Hongxi, they will also take out a portion to exchange for other top-tier treasures or favors that are useful to them. After all, at the level of gods, many cultivation resources cannot be bought with clan merits, and bartering is the norm."

Lin Yi was overjoyed.

This clue is extremely important.

Starting directly with the treasures of a deity who governs the laws of death is far more effective than aimlessly searching for other dangerous places or ruins.

Although the transaction will inevitably be difficult and costly, at least there is a clear direction and goal.

Lin Yi took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and solemnly said to Cangming, "Thank you for your guidance, Ninth Senior Brother."

Cangming waved his hand: "Fellow disciples, there's no need to be so formal. But you should also be prepared that to get your hands on a treasure of that level, you'll need to offer something that will entice the other party."

Lin Yi nodded, preparing to carefully consider the resources at his disposal after the gathering.

Seeing that everyone had given their suggestions, Qianhuan smiled and said, "Junior brother, don't forget, I also have some collections here. Although the Law of Death is not my main focus, over the long years, I've accumulated some miscellaneous gains. I'll sort them out later and see which ones you can use."

Finally, Zhenyu, the eldest brother who had been sitting firmly in the main seat and had also fully mastered the laws of death, spoke up to add his perspective.

“Junior Brother,” Zhenyu’s voice rang out calmly, “I also have some experience with the laws of death. However, my methods may not be suitable for you.”

He paused slightly, his gaze, which seemed to encompass the endless starry sky, falling upon Lin Yi.

"The way I mastered the Law of Death back then was somewhat special. I fought a life-or-death battle with the suppressed gods in the depths of the Abyss of Sin. Through repeated near-annihilation and witnessing the end, I came to understand the true meaning of death. Along the way, I didn't use any auxiliary treasures much."

His words seemed to imbue the air in the pavilion with a chilling and bloody atmosphere unique to the Abyss of Sin.

A hint of approval flashed in the eyes of Second Senior Sister Heng Huan. It was the method of enlightenment she had used, forcing out the true meaning of the law under extreme danger and pressure.

Zhenyu gently shook his head and looked at Lin Yi, "This method requires a specific environment, a long period of time, and the constant risk of death. For you, time is the most pressing resource before entering the first secret realm, so this method is not suitable."

As he spoke, he casually tapped the air with his fingertip.

A deep black mark materialized in front of Lin Yi.

"These are some insights and reflections I gained from personally cultivating the Law of Death, from beginner to mastery," Zhenyu said calmly. "They record my understanding of the true meaning of death, my breakthroughs at various key points, common pitfalls, and some unique application techniques. You can use them as a reference."

"Thank you very much, Senior Brother!" Lin Yi quickly and solemnly expressed his gratitude.

"No need to thank me. It's just a piece of my experience." Zhenyu waved his hand. "If you want something more comprehensive, the list of exchanges also contains various cultivation experiences of the laws collected by the clan or contributed by other powerful individuals. The experiences of the Lord-level and God-level of the Law of Death are all listed."

Lin Yi nodded upon hearing this.

These do exist, and the number of points required to redeem them is not particularly high.

The reason why points are still needed is that for every insight or understanding that is redeemed, the contributor will receive a corresponding share of clan merits. This is a long-term solution to encourage strong individuals to contribute their insights and secret techniques.

At this point, all the advice from the senior students has been heard.

Lin Yi quickly sorted things out in his mind and already had a clear direction for action.

First, try to contact the "Turbid Spring Marrow Heart" through the line of Lord Hongyan.

This is the most clearly known and potentially most effective channel for acquiring special treasures. Although the difficulty and cost of the transaction will inevitably be extremely high, it is worth trying with all our might.

Then, using the existing roster points, clan merits, and battle achievements, exchange for several different styles of divine-level death law insights in the roster resource library, clan merit treasury, and battlefield exchange system. Compare these insights with those given by the senior brother Zhenyu to broaden your horizons and avoid going astray.

Simultaneously, select and exchange for the most effective Death Law Aid Enlightenment Treasures, and combine them with cultivation treasures. If the above methods do not achieve the expected results, then consider whether to risk exploring the "Myriad Realms Abyss Death Zone" mentioned by Senior Sister Hengyuan, the "Fallen Star Abyss" mentioned by Senior Brother Lieyang, or the "Ice Skeleton Starfield Eternal Frozen Cemetery" pointed out by Senior Sister Bingling, depending on the situation and time.

These places are dangerous, but they may offer unexpected gains or insights.

"The essence of the turbid spring," Lin Yi murmured to himself.

In any case, we must find a way to contact Lord Hongyan and sound him out.

If the price is a precious treasure that is also useful to the gods, as long as the value is equal, then I am willing to pay the price.

Just as he was secretly making plans, Zhenyu spoke again, drawing everyone's attention back: "Let's leave the discussion about the Laws of Death here for now. Junior Brother has a direction now, so you can consider it on your own. Next, regarding the First Secret Realm, are there any other rules that need attention, or do you have any questions about improving your strength? You can continue to raise them."

The gathering of fellow students continued to deepen their exchanges and discussions.

For the next while, the conversation in the pavilion turned to other details of the rules of the No. 1 Secret Realm, as well as some strange and unusual things that the senior brothers and sisters had recently encountered, some minor confusions in their cultivation, or what they had seen and heard in the battlefield and ruins.

Lin Yi mostly listened quietly, occasionally interjecting a few words when it came to the laws of spacetime or some general combat techniques.

These high-level exchanges contained a wealth of information and were extremely helpful in broadening his horizons and understanding the true nature of the universe.

Time slipped away quietly as they chatted, and the simulated light and shadow of the starry sea outside the Star Banquet Platform gradually shifted from dazzling to profound.

Finally, seeing that it was almost time, the eldest disciple, Zhenyu, said, "That's all for today. The specific rules regarding the secret realm will be based on what you obtain after entering. Everyone, prepare yourselves and seize the opportunity."

This sentence signaled the end of the gathering.

"Junior brother, keep it up! I'm waiting to see you shine in the first secret realm!" Lieyang walked up and grinned at Lin Yi before his figure faded away.

Xuan Shu smiled and nodded to Lin Yi, "If there is anything that needs coordination, please contact me at any time." After saying that, he also turned into specks of light and disappeared.

Heng Huan and Bing Ling simply nodded to Lin Yi as a farewell, and their figures disappeared almost simultaneously.

"Junior brother, if you need my help with the Turbid Spring Marrow Heart matter, just let me know." Cangming's figure slowly faded away. "I also need to hurry up and earn clan merits."

Soon, only the eldest senior brother Zhenyu, the third senior sister Qianhuan, and Lin Yi remained in the pavilion.

Zhenyu looked at Lin Yi and gave him a final word of advice: "Be cautious in everything you do. Resources may be good, but safety comes first."

"Yes, Senior Brother, I understand," Lin Yi replied respectfully.

Zhenyu said no more, nodded slightly to Qianhuan, and then his figure disappeared silently, just as when he arrived.

Inside the pavilion, only Lin Yi and his third senior sister, Qian Huan, remained.

Lin Yi also prepared to disconnect from the virtual connection, return his consciousness to reality, and begin planning his next move.

"Junior brother." Just then, that uniquely lazy and magnetic voice rang out, "You stay here for a moment."

Upon hearing Senior Sister Qianhuan's voice, Lin Yi stopped disconnecting, stood still, and turned to look at her.

Qianhuan took a few steps closer and stood side by side with Lin Yi, gazing together at the slowly flowing starry sky outside the pavilion.

“Junior brother, while I was listening to your discussion just now, I roughly sorted it out. It’s quite a coincidence that I’ve also come up with a few things that are somewhat related to comprehending the laws of death.”

Qianhuan spoke casually, as if she had found a few old items while cleaning out the warehouse. "They're just sitting there in the warehouse, useless to me, but they might be just what you need."

As she spoke, she gently waved her hand.

The space inside the pavilion rippled slightly, and four halos of light, each different in color and shape, yet each exuding either a strong or pure aura of death, appeared out of thin air, lined up in a row, and suspended in front of Lin Yi.

Each halo contained a clear, phantom image of a treasure, with its name and key information clearly marked in simple silver text beside it.

Lin Yi's gaze was immediately drawn to it, and he quickly scanned it.

The first item is an irregularly shaped, grayish-black stone with a surface covered in honeycomb-like holes, as if it had been completely eroded and weathered by time and death over countless eras.

It floated silently, yet it exuded a heavy sense of the return of all things to nothingness and the extinction of life, making the surrounding virtual starlight appear somewhat dim.

Item Name: Annihilation Stone (Fragment)
Information: Originating from the core of a deathly wasteland deep within the Abyss of Myriad Realms, it has been imbued with deathly energy for billions of years. It contains pure laws of death and annihilation, and can be placed in a meditation chamber to slowly release fluctuations of these laws, aiding in comprehension. This fragment is relatively large, with an effect approximately 60% that of a standard annihilation stone. Status: Inertized (most of its energy has dissipated, and its effect is continuously diminishing).

The second item was a multifaceted crystal, as clear and transparent as black crystal, with what appeared to be a small, constantly churning, miniature dark nebula inside, devouring all light. Upon closer inspection, faint wisps of dark golden, destructive energy could be seen flashing at the center of the vortex of the "nebula."

Item Name: Dark Meteorite Core (Unrefined)
Information: Taken from the inner region of a fallen star abyss, it is a product of the accidental condensation of chaotic destructive energy and fragments of the laws of death under extreme conditions. It contains violent laws of destruction and death; use carries certain risks.

The third item is a small jade bottle, dark blue in color, with intricate runes carved on its surface.

Through the translucent bottle, you can see that it contains about half a bottle of grayish-white viscous liquid that looks like it has been covered with countless dust particles. The liquid itself has no luster, but it gives people a sense of silence that buries everything.

Item Name: Ruins Dust Liquid

Information: Collected from the depths of an ancient battlefield ruin of a completely extinct micro-tribe, this essence is the sedimentation and condensation of countless remains of living beings and creations of civilization in absolute stillness. It contains a large amount of complex and impure thoughts of death and annihilation, requiring purification and refinement using special secret methods before it can be used to aid in the comprehension of the laws of death. The purification process is tedious and has a high attrition rate.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over the three treasures, and he was already shaken.

However, when his gaze fell on the fourth halo, he caught his breath.

It was a tiny crystal box, no bigger than a thumb.

The box itself was simple and unadorned, but the lid was slightly ajar, and wisps of dark air, like living things, were quietly seeping out from it.

Those air currents were not black, but a murky color that seemed to devour all color and vitality. Even as mere phantoms, they made one's soul feel chilled and sink.

The silver lettering next to it made Lin Yi's heart skip a beat.

Item Name: Turbid Spring Marrow Core

Quantity: 3 drops

Information: The essence of the Ancient Turbid Spring, a rare artifact associated with the Law of Death, is condensed into a single drop every ten epochs. It contains the ancient and pure aura of death, and has a powerful enlightening and promoting effect on the understanding of the Law of Death.

Three drops!

The "Turbid Spring Essence" that Senior Brother Cangming just mentioned, which His Majesty Hongxi relied on to become a god and which only produced one drop every ten eras, has now appeared in Senior Sister Qianhuan's collection list, and there are three drops of it!
Qianhuan seemed quite satisfied with Lin Yi's reaction. The corners of her lips curved slightly, forming a charming arc, as she explained, "Many, many years ago, about a hundred epochs ago, that old man Hongxi asked me for help with something. The price was most of his 'Turbid Spring Essence' in stock at the time. I exchanged five drops for it. I used two drops myself while researching the transformation between illusion and reality in life and death, and the remaining three drops have been sitting in the corner of the warehouse ever since."

She spoke in a tone as if she had almost forgotten about this, as if the person she was trading with was not an eternal deity, but just an old neighbor; and the treasure she was exchanging was just an ordinary object.

Lin Yi was speechless.

This level of transaction, this long period of collection, is indeed something only someone like my senior sister, who has lived for countless years and has unimaginable wealth, could accomplish.

"So, junior brother?" Qianhuan looked at Lin Yi with a smile. "Are these four things of any use to you?"

It's more than just useful!
In particular, if he could obtain those three drops of "turbid spring marrow," and combine them with other resources, he would be extremely confident that he could push the Law of Death to perfection before entering the first secret realm.

After the initial shock, Lin Yi quickly calmed down.

He suppressed his excitement and then asked, "I wonder what Senior Sister needs Junior Brother to do? Or, how much are these treasures valued?"

Lin Yi asked very directly.

While the bond between masters and disciples is important, when it comes to specific transactions, especially something that might be just "miscellaneous items" to the senior sister but a treasure to him, it's better to have clear rules for both parties.

After all, the current situation is different from the rule-enlightening treasures that my senior sister gave me before.

His senior sister's gift to him was somewhat like a gift from an adult to a child, or New Year's money, which was only worth a few hundred in the eyes of the eternal gods. As a "child," he had no ability to repay it, so he accepted it.

But things are different now. Lin Yi believes that he has already reached the level of an Eternal God and can be considered an adult. Although his senior sister is a rich woman, it is not his way of life to take her things for free.

Upon hearing this, Qianhuan's eyes showed even greater appreciation.

She looked at Lin Yi, her beautiful eyes gleaming: "Logically speaking, this kind of thing should be used to exchange for treasures of the same level that are useful to me. However..."

Qianhuan deliberately dragged out her words, observing Lin Yi's reaction. Seeing that although he was nervous, his eyes remained clear and firm, she continued:
"Firstly, you definitely don't have a treasure of that level right now. Secondly, you're my junior brother, and you urgently need this item to break through the Law of Death and deal with the Number One Secret Realm. As your senior sister, I can't just stand by and watch you argue with Hong Xi's lineage and get ripped off by them, can I?"

“So,” Qianhuan held up two slender fingers, “I’ll give you two choices regarding these treasures.”

(End of this chapter)