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

Chapter 386 Arrangements before the journey, arrival

“Xuanji.” Lin Yi pondered for a moment before speaking.

A phantom figure in palace attire silently appeared and bowed slightly: "Master."

"Arrange a virtual family gathering for me," Lin Yi said. "Include my parents, Lin Xuan, and Lin Yao."

"Command confirmed. Sending invitations. All invitations accepted. Virtual space construction complete, owner can access at any time."

Lin Yi nodded, his consciousness being drawn in.

Once the virtual space stabilized, he was already standing in a spacious and bright living room.

The decor here has a distinct Blue Star style, with soft fabric sofas, wooden coffee tables, and several landscape paintings hanging on the walls.

Outside the window, the sky is blue and the clouds are white, and sunlight streams in through the glass.

Although simple, it exudes a warm and familiar atmosphere.

"Xiao Yi!"

A familiar voice came from inside.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw his father, Lin Ruiming, wearing a dark blue training uniform. He was taller than he remembered, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a smile on his face.

His mother, Zhou Jinghua, was also wearing training clothes and smiling at him.

"Dad, Mom," Lin Yi greeted them.

During the last family gathering, Lin Yi noticed a change in the aura emanating from his parents.

Star core level seventh and eighth order.

This progress is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but for parents with extremely poor talent, it means five thousand years of persistent cultivation day after day.

Lin Yi remembers that before the war broke out, his parents mostly enjoyed a leisurely retirement, taking in the leisure that came with their long lives.

But ever since news of his disappearance in the myriad secret realms spread and the war between the three races broke out, his parents have changed.

"elder brother!"

Another voice came from the side.

Then, the younger brother, Lin Xuan, appeared.

He looked to be in his early twenties, wearing the standard uniform of the Silver Blue Civilization Garrison, with shoulder insignia indicating his rank of Major General.

Lin Xuan's demeanor at this moment was completely different from that of the纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat) from five thousand years ago. His eyes were steady, his steps were powerful, and his brows carried the fortitude honed by his military career.

Lin Yi looked at his younger brother, and the reports from Xuanji flashed through his mind: Lin Xuan joined the Silver Blue Guard at the beginning of the war, starting as a soldier at the lowest level, and experienced dozens of small-scale conflicts and three large-scale defensive battles, growing rapidly in the flames of war.

He is now a high-ranking officer in the garrison forces, responsible for coordinating security and defense in a certain area of ​​the Silver Blue Starfield.

"Big brother." Lin Yao, the younger sister, was wearing a light blue Dongfeng Military Academy instructor's uniform. Her long hair was tied up in a simple bun, and her temperament was gentle and scholarly.

She is already at the fifth level of the Star-Spinning Realm.

The reason Lin Yi didn't take her back to Origin Star last time was mainly because she had already settled down at Dongfeng Military Academy as an instructor, cultivating the next generation for civilization.

A family of five reunited in this virtual living room.

"Please sit down," Lin Ruiming said, taking the lead and sitting down on the sofa.

Lin Yi sat opposite his parents, while Lin Xuan and Lin Yao sat on a single sofa to the side.

Zhou Jinghua sat down next to her husband, her gaze fixed on Lin Yi.

"Xiao Yi, you've joined us so suddenly this time, are you going on another long trip?" Zhou Jinghua asked, her tone full of concern.

Lin Yi nodded: "Yes. In twenty days, I will be entering the No. 1 Secret Realm. This time, the time inside will be relatively long. There will be no way to contact the outside world inside the secret realm, so I would like to have a get-together with everyone before I leave."

“Secret Realm Number One.” Lin Xuan’s eyes lit up slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. “Brother, the information about this secret realm must have been kept from us. We only know the name. Only those who have passed the screening know the specific details. It is said that there is no danger to life, but no matter what, brother, you must be careful.”

Lin Yao said softly, "Big brother, I recently looked up some case studies about complex secret realms in the military academy's database. The rules of secret realms are often self-contained and may even conflict with the laws of the main universe. Once inside, many of my previous experiences may not be applicable."

"Don't worry, I've made preparations." Lin Yi smiled. "How have you guys been lately?"

Lin Xuan straightened his back: "Everything is normal in the military. After the war, the garrison troops mainly shifted to internal security and disaster response training. I just passed the Star Core level assessment last month and am preparing to advance to the Star Vortex level."

Lin Yi could hear the steadiness in his younger brother's tone.

Five thousand years of war have changed many things. The playboy who used to only know how to race cars and frequent clubs has now grown into a qualified soldier.

Lin Yao's report was more detailed: "At the military academy, I am mainly responsible for the rule enlightenment teaching of Stardust-level students. Recently, I have been trying to extract the commonalities between the rules of life and the rules of water into a more understandable teaching model. In terms of cultivation, the accumulation of Star-vortex-level skills still needs time, but I am not in a hurry."

Lin Yi listened, mentally assessing the situation. His younger siblings had chosen their own paths, and they were all walking them steadily. That was enough.

"Dad, Mom, where are you?" Lin Yi asked his parents.

Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jinghua exchanged a glance.

Lin Ruiming said, "We follow the established procedures. Although the war has stopped, we still practice our cultivation every day to strengthen our bodies."

He spoke casually, but Lin Yi could feel his persistence.

Five thousand years ago, parents cultivated themselves primarily to spend more time with their children and for leisure.

After the outbreak of war, especially during the years he was missing, his parents cultivated themselves so as not to become a burden and so that they might have more power to protect themselves in case of need.

"Before I enter the secret realm this time, I will make some arrangements." Lin Yi went straight to the point. "Xuanji will allocate a portion of the funds under my name and then integrate the routine gifts from those forces. Of course, Xuanji will judge which ones are acceptable and establish a special fund. The main purpose of this fund is to help you two elders improve your cultivation levels."

Lin Ruiming was taken aback: "Xiao Yi, there's no need to go to such lengths. We're perfectly fine as we are."

“Dad, Rule-level items aren’t expensive,” Lin Yi explained. “I can afford to use treasures to force you to reach the Star Domain level right now.”

This wasn't just him making things up. The rule-based treasures that helped his parents fight their way to the Star Domain level probably only amounted to a little over a thousand clan merits, which was nothing to him.

"Forced to the Star Domain level?" Lin Xuan, though much calmer, still gasped in surprise.

Lin Yao also looked at her older brother in shock.

She knew her older brother was now at the god-level combat power, but the fact that he could casually elevate her parents to the star domain level was still beyond her imagination.

“It’s nothing to me,” Lin Yi said calmly. “Besides, it’s what I should do as a son.”

He paused, then looked at his younger siblings: "As for you two, the main focus will be on support, not guaranteed admission. Ultimately, you have to walk your own path in cultivation. I can provide you with the best resources and guidance, but how far you go depends on yourselves."

Lin Xuan nodded emphatically: "I understand, brother! I will definitely work hard and not let you down!"

Lin Yao replied softly, "Don't worry, big brother, we will cherish this opportunity."

Zhou Jinghua's eyes welled up with tears. She reached out and took her husband's hand, then looked at her son: "Xiaoyi, you must take good care of yourself while you're out there. Don't worry about things at home; your younger siblings are here, and Xuanji will help look after things."

"Mom, I know." Lin Yi smiled. "This gathering is short, so I won't say much more. I'll spend more time with you after I come out of the secret realm."

The group chatted about everyday things for a while.

Lin Xuan talked about the recent joint exercise of the garrison troops, Lin Yao talked about several promising students in the military academy, and the parents talked about the recent climate regulation project on Silver Blue Star.

They are all ordinary, trivial things, yet they exude the essence of life.

The virtual gathering ended after two standard hours.

Consciousness returns to reality.

"Xuanji," he called out.

"Master, I am here."

"As I just mentioned, we will establish a 'Family Security and Development Fund.' The funding source will be 10,000 clan merits from my existing liquid funds as start-up capital. You will be responsible for judging all gifts sent to the manor in the future. Regular gifts can be accepted and converted into funds to be added to the fund; any gifts with obvious intentions or that may cause trouble will be returned."

"The main purpose of the fund is: first priority, to ensure the supply of cultivation resources for my parents, with the goal of safely pushing them to the Star Domain level without damaging their foundation. You will be in charge of the specific plan, and it must be done carefully."

"The second priority is to provide my younger brother Lin Xuan and younger sister Lin Yao with cultivation resources, guidance opportunities, and crisis assistance when necessary, but without excessive interference."

"The third priority is to provide limited support to relatives and friends within the Silverblue Civilization who have close ties to our family."

"The operation of the fund is entirely under your supervision. During my absence, you have the right to adjust the allocation of resources as needed."

“All instructions have been recorded.” Xuanji’s palace-clad phantom bowed slightly. “The establishment process for the ‘Family Security and Development Fund’ has been initiated.”

"Very good." Lin Yi nodded. "I need to make final preparations over the next twenty days. Don't bother me unless it's something very important."

"clear."

The twenty days passed in the blink of an eye during focused practice.

On this day, in the deep underground training room of the manor.

Lin Yi sat cross-legged in the center of the cultivation room, his body surrounded by faint ripples of spacetime.

Two figures stood silently in front of him: one was an avatar equipped with the Fearless War God-T714 mechanical body, and the other was an ordinary avatar.

"Time's up." Lin Yi opened his eyes.

Both clones nodded simultaneously.

The fearless war god clone raised its metal hand, a soft, pale purple halo illuminating its palm, and the ordinary clone did the same.

Two beams of light slowly drifted toward Lin Yi and merged into his body.

This is the transmission of spiritual energy.

Lin Yi closed his eyes, feeling the growth of spiritual energy within the purple mist space deep within his soul.

A moment later, he reopened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

"enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, a thought stirred in his mind.

The ordinary clone gradually faded, turning into specks of starlight and dissipating. This was the active cancellation of the clone, and all insights returned to the original body.

Immediately afterwards, the avatar of the fearless war god took a step forward.

Complex runes lit up the surface of the silver-gray streamlined divine body, and the entire body began to shrink and deform. In just three seconds, it transformed back into a palm-sized metal figure, which quietly landed on the ground.

Lin Yi bent down and picked up the metal figurine.

It feels slightly heavy to the touch, with a smooth and cool surface, and you can vaguely sense the immense divine power contained within.

He stored the metal figure inside his storage bracelet, which had a special storage compartment for the Fearless Warrior, keeping it in a dormant state.

After finishing all this, Lin Yi walked out of the cultivation room.

Irelia was already waiting in the living room.

Today she was wearing a dark silver combat uniform, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail, making her look very heroic.

"Ready?" Lin Yi asked.

“We can leave at any time,” Irelia nodded.

Without saying much, the two walked out of the main house side by side.

On the manor's landing pad, a streamlined, silver-gray shuttle was already in position.

The shuttle had a spacious interior. After the two sat down, the hatch closed, the shuttle vibrated slightly, and then steadily took off, passing through the energy shield above the manor and flying towards the outer space of the Origin Star.

Outside the porthole, the landscape of Origin Star flashed by.

About half an hour later, a huge spatial building appeared in front of them.

It was a multi-layered spaceport resembling a honeycomb, its surface covered with silver-white alloy armor, with countless channels extending out like veins.

On one side of the spaceport, a colossal vessel, the No. 1 Secret Realm dedicated spaceship, was parked.

It was a gigantic spaceship, its entire body a dark gold color, with faint patterns of laws flowing across its surface.
Dozens of small escort ships surrounded the ship, their energy shields glowing in a continuous line.

"We've arrived," Lin Yi said. Following the guidance signals, the shuttle slowly entered the designated berth in the spaceport.

The hatch opened, and Lin Yi and Irelia stepped out.

The platform where the berth is located is very spacious and has already attracted a lot of people.

Lin Yi's gaze swept across the room, and he saw many familiar faces.

"Lin Yi!"

A gentle voice came from behind.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw Zhixing walking over.

This eternal human deity, a senior figure on the list, wore a simple white robe and had a warm, welcoming smile on his face.

"Your Majesty, Weaver Star." Lin Yi bowed slightly.

"No need for such formalities," Zhixing said with a smile. "This trip to the secret realm might present an opportunity for cooperation."

"It is my honor to walk alongside Your Majesty," Lin Yi responded.

Zhixing nodded, gave a brief greeting to Irelia, and then walked to the other side, where several other human prodigies from the same list were gathered.

Then, a few more people came over.

"Lord Lin Yi." Shuang Jin's voice was still cold, but there was a hint of approval in his eyes.

This eternal deity, renowned for his combat prowess within the roster, is dressed in dark red armor today.

"Your Majesty Frostfire," Lin Yi bowed in return.

"See you in the secret realm." Frost Ash said succinctly before leaving.

Xinyu, Wuxi, Guiyuan, Ruifeng, and Xuyan—these eternal deities whom Lin Yi had met at the internal gathering of the roster—all greeted him one after another.

Their attitude was more familiar than when they first met.

Besides the list of prodigies, the platform also has many god-level powerhouses that Lin Yi met on the front lines.

"Brother Lin Yi!" a rough voice rang out.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw a burly deity wearing heavy armor striding towards him. This was the captain of a small team that he had helped out on his mission.

"Your Majesty Aihen," Lin Yi greeted with a smile.

"What 'Your Majesty'?!" Aihen patted Lin Yi's shoulder forcefully, a gesture that drew the attention of many surrounding prodigies. "If you hadn't arrived in time last time, my teammates and I would have been finished! I'll remember that favor!"

"It's my duty," Lin Yi said.

"If you run into any trouble, just let me know!" Aihen said, then lowered her voice, "I heard you might be targeted in the secret realm. Be careful."

Lin Yi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded: "Thank you for the reminder."

There are many similar cases.

Lin Yi's performance on the battlefield, especially during the last ten years when his fearless war god clone served as a "lone wolf" on the front lines, repeatedly rescued the divine spirit squad from their predicaments, which earned him many friends.

Two venerable figures even nodded in greeting from afar.

Irelia stood quietly beside Lin Yi, occasionally responding to greetings from a few acquaintances.

"It's time to board," Xuanji's voice reminded Lin Yi in his mind.

The crowd began to move in an orderly fashion toward the spacecraft's access tunnel.

Lin Yi and Irelia followed the flow of people and boarded the ship smoothly. Their cabins were connected luxury suites located in the upper part of the spaceship.

The suite is fully equipped, with a separate meditation room, rest area and viewing window.

After settling in briefly, Lin Yi walked to the viewing window.

Outside the window, the platform of the spaceport gradually recedes into the distance.

The spaceship began to slowly adjust its attitude, the main engine lit up with a dark blue light, and then it accelerated smoothly, leaving the spaceport and flying towards the deep starry sky.

The primordial star gradually shrank in the viewing window, eventually turning into a point of light and disappearing into the vast sea of ​​stars.

Lin Yi stood by the window, quietly watching this scene.

A new journey has begun.

Two years of sailing passed quietly in training and preparation.

The passengers on the ship were mostly geniuses and powerful individuals who were about to enter the No. 1 Secret Realm, so the atmosphere was quite unique, with both a sense of tension before battle and a warm atmosphere of exchange among like-minded people.

Lin Yi spent most of his time studying the "Illusory Annihilation Record" in his suite.

This set of supreme secrets is extremely profound, but the gains are also enormous. He has gained a deeper understanding of the fusion of the four laws of time, space, life and death.

Irelia, on the other hand, focuses on breaking through the rules of gold.

During this time, Lin Yi also participated in several exchange meetings organized on the ship, where participants exchanged some scattered information about the No. 1 Secret Realm.

Finally, after nearly two years of sailing, the spaceship arrived at its destination.

"Passengers, we are about to arrive at the assembly area outside Secret Realm One. Please prepare to disembark." The announcement woke Lin Yi from his meditation.

He walked to the viewing window.

The sight before him caused his pupils to shrink slightly.

It was a cosmic spectacle that defies description.

Against the backdrop of a pitch-black starry sky, a giant vortex rotates silently.

Seven-colored light flowed within the vortex; the light was not static, but rather wriggled and intertwined like living things.

At the center of the vortex was a deep darkness, like an entrance to another universe.

Even from a distance, Lin Yi could sense the immense power of the laws emanating from the vortex.

Spacetime, life and death, light and darkness, the five elements—almost all known laws can be sensed from it, but they are mixed together, forming a chaotic and vast pressure.

The spaceship gradually slowed down and eventually merged into a dedicated channel leading to the magnificent creation in the distance.

That was the Eldar's colossal interstellar fortress.

It is not cast from cold metal, but rather resembles a giant crystal tree rooted in the starry sky, with lush branches and leaves.

Countless crystal-clear branches stretch out, forming natural mooring platforms, defensive emplacements, and living areas. Their surfaces shimmer with a dreamlike energy glow, illuminating the surrounding dark starry sky as if it were daytime.

This perfectly embodies the Eldar style: powerful and elegant.

Opposite this "Crystal Tree" fortress stand two other colossal structures with completely different styles.

The Abyss Clan's fortress resembled an ancient, ferocious beast coiled in the starry sky. It was forged from countless grotesque bones and dark metal, its surface covered with spikes and cannon barrels, exuding a savage, domineering, and undisguised ferocity. Its mere existence dimmed the starlight in the vicinity.

The Eclipse Clan's fortress was even more bizarre, resembling a giant, constantly writhing and multiplying nest. Its surface was covered with a purplish-black biomass carapace, from which countless holes flickered with eerie light, like the breathing of a living creature, emanating a corrosive and chaotic fluctuation that made one's soul uneasy.

The three fortresses occupy three different locations on the outer perimeter of the vortex at the entrance to the secret realm, separated by a considerable distance sufficient to buffer any potential conflict. However, the invisible confrontation and oppression they create are like tangible dark clouds, shrouding the entire star field.

Although the ceasefire agreement temporarily halted hostilities, the tense atmosphere remained palpable, with every spaceship entering and leaving the fortress moving hurriedly and on guard.

Lin Yi and his group's spaceship were heading towards the Crystal Tree Fortress of the Spirit Race.

"Prepare for docking, Eldar 73rd Branch Platform," the broadcast announced.

The spacecraft landed smoothly on a crystal-clear, giant branch platform.

The hatch opened, and Lin Yi and Irelia walked out with the flow of people.

The platform was extremely spacious and had already gathered powerful individuals from various races of the Pan-Spirit Alliance. The noise was somewhat chaotic, but the overall order was well maintained.

Lin Yi's gaze swept across the room and he immediately spotted many familiar faces.

Immediately afterwards, several warm greetings came from different directions.

"Brother Lin Yi, you've finally arrived!" Ming Luo strode up to greet Lin Yi as soon as he saw him.

Almost simultaneously, a gentle, smiling voice came from the other side: "Lord Lin Yi, how have you been?"

Lin Yi turned his head and saw that the Holy Radiance Clan's deity "Radiant Feather" was nodding slightly, his body shrouded in soft holy light, his aura pure.

This person was also rescued from the siege of the Eclipse Clan by Lin Yi's fearless war god clone during an encounter.

"Lin Yi, over here." A slightly cold but kind female voice rang out. It was "Jing Li," a female deity of the Crystal Spirit Clan, whose rhombus-shaped crystal on her forehead shimmered with a faint light.

Beside her was a short, stocky deity from the Li Clan. Both of them had been members of a reconnaissance team that had infiltrated deep behind enemy lines, and they were able to escape only under the cover of Lin Yi's clone.

These god-level powerhouses from different races all formed comrades-in-arms with Lin Yi because of the rescue operations he carried out during his time as a "lone wolf" on the front lines.

Their appearance and enthusiastic attitude drew attention from many other strong individuals on the platform.

Besides these comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side, Lin Yi also felt several more profound gazes, filled with scrutiny and appreciation, cast upon him from afar.

Those were several Venerable-level beings guarding this place.

Irelia stood quietly to Lin Yi's side and slightly behind, keenly sensing the various gazes gathering around her. She knew that Lin Yi had earned his own position and reputation among the frontline experts of the Pan-Spirit Alliance through his solid achievements.

Just then, Lin Yi sensed a familiar presence.

He looked up and saw his Ninth Senior Brother Cangming, along with his Second Senior Sister, Fourth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Sister, and Senior Brother Xuanshu, walking over from the other side of the platform. They had obviously come to greet him upon learning of his arrival.

With a smile on his face, Cangming was about to quicken his pace when Xuan Shu gently tugged at his sleeve beside him.

Xuan Shu gestured with his eyes to Lin Yi's surroundings.

There gathered renowned prodigies such as Zhixing, as well as a group of powerful deities from different races, including Aihen, Huiyu, and Jingli, all of whom displayed a strong aura and showed obvious affinity towards Lin Yi. There were even Venerable-level figures watching from further away.

Cangming and the others paused slightly, instantly understanding Xuan Shu's reminder.

At this moment, Lin Yi was surrounded by a group of top geniuses and veteran gods from the Pan-Spirit Alliance. If they rashly stepped forward to reminisce, it might disrupt this level of communication.

The group exchanged glances and tacitly stopped at a suitable distance, waiting patiently while also taking the opportunity to observe the current aura of their junior brother.

Cangming felt even more deeply moved.

He knew Lin Yi was extraordinary, but seeing with his own eyes that Lin Yi was genuinely accepted and surrounded by so many powerful gods of different races in this tense standoff between the three races at the front line fortress of the Spirit Race, this invisible "momentum" was far beyond what could be summarized by mere talent or strength.

This represents a recognition that transcends racial backgrounds and is based on trust on the battlefield, a more solid foundation.

Xuan Shu, Lie Yang, and the others also revealed a complex expression of mixed relief and shock in their eyes.

Lin Yi naturally noticed the arrival of his senior brothers and sisters.

He quickly finished exchanging pleasantries with Aihen, Huiyu, and the others, and after a polite greeting, he led Irelia toward Cangming and the others.

"Second Senior Sister, Fourth Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Sister, Ninth Senior Brother, thank you for coming all this way to pick me up." Lin Yi's tone was as respectful as ever to his senior brothers and sisters.

"Haha, junior brother, you're the center of attention wherever you go now."

Cangming laughed heartily, and the subtle sense of distance created by the scene instantly melted away when Lin Yi took the initiative to come over. "Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister will arrive a little later. Let's go to the temporary camp first. The situation outside this secret place is even more astonishing than expected."

His gaze swept over the two enormous fortresses in the distance, each with a distinct style, and the vortex of the secret realm in the center that devoured light; his tone became solemn.

The group left the bustling take-off and landing platform and headed towards the area inside the Eldar fortress prepared for them, the "secret realm visitors."

Along the way, through the crystal-clear passage walls, one can clearly see the abyss clan's menacing skeletal fortress and the erosion clan's eerie, writhing creature nests in the distance, forming an extreme and oppressive contrast with the spirit clan's crystal tree fortress at their feet, which is full of vitality and orderly beauty.

Lin Yi knew that the war had been suspended because of the secret realm, but outside the entrance to this secret realm, the three peak races displayed their power and will in another form.

A new round of competition has already begun in this silent standoff.

And he will officially step into the center of this vortex.

(End of this chapter)