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

Chapter 406 Qingyan's Attitude, Astonishing Wealth

Upon seeing this, the Venerable Tianhe couldn't help but chuckle.

He pointed at Xuan Yan, then looked at Tian Ge and teased, "Xuan Yan is asking you, since I've already given you the Qingcang Ship, as the recommender, is there anything you want him to arrange to bring in for Lin Yi?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Ge's face immediately darkened.

He glared at Tianhe and said irritably, "You know me. I'm all alone, with no family descendants to take care of, and I don't manage any power. I use most of my resources to improve my strength and study secret techniques. Where would I have anything suitable to send into the secret realm?"

“However,” Tian Ge pondered for a moment, then continued, “How about this? I don’t have the item, but I can give him a chance.”

"Chance?"

Xuan Yan raised his eyebrows slightly.

"A chance to enter the Ten Thousand Soldiers' Tomb."

Tian Ge spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it made Xuan Yan and Tian He's eyes light up at the same time.

Xuan Yan responded almost immediately.

"Alright! Tian Ge, it's settled then!"

Tianhe clicked his tongue twice, surprised, and said, "Then you've bled. I remember that opening the Tomb of Ten Thousand Weapons once requires consuming the power of the Death Source Law accumulated inside your Annihilation Stone Spear, right? You've nurtured that thing for countless epochs, and you usually treasure it like the most precious thing. You actually gave it away this time?"

"What's there to be reluctant about?"

Tian Ge remained calm, as if he wasn't referring to his own treasured secrets: "I was unwilling to open them before because those guys' talents weren't worth my help. Going in would have been a waste of time and yielded little."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yan immediately laughed, "Tian Ge, that makes sense. Real resources should be used in the most suitable places. Those mediocre people will only waste opportunities."

Tianhe nodded in agreement, and then said seriously, "Since the three of us have all expressed our opinions, then let's settle this matter."

The three of them chatted for a while about some details.

“In that case, let us each go our own way.” Xuan Yan was the first to stand up.

Tianhe and Tiange also stood up.

The three exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and their thoughts stirred slightly.

The verdant fields, the tea pavilion with its green vines—the surrounding scenery began to fade rapidly, like a painting that had lost its color.

The next moment, the three figures simultaneously opened their eyes in their respective real-world locations.
-
And almost at the same time.

Beside the entrance to the secret realm, deep within the crystal tree fortress that shimmers with a dreamlike glow.

Two figures were walking in a wide and quiet corridor.

The walls on both sides of the corridor seemed to be solidified from pure starlight, smooth as a mirror, reflecting the figures of those present—it was none other than the Spirit Clan's Lord Lanzhi, and the Spirit Clan's high-ranking deity, Adele, who followed half a step behind her, appearing somewhat nervous yet unable to hide her excitement.

The two walked slowly, yet silently.

The energy concentration in the surrounding area was astonishingly high, and even the air had a viscous texture. It was a unique force field that could only be formed in places where the Overlord resided.

Finally, they stopped in front of a large, unassuming door made of some kind of dark silver metal.

There was nothing in front of the gate, no guards, and no signs.

But Adele could sense an invisible yet vast, star-like will enveloping the area.

She subconsciously suppressed all her aura, even trying her best to calm the fluctuations in her soul.

Lord Lanzhi stopped in her tracks, straightened her emerald green robe embroidered with the patterns of the ancient tree of life of the Spirit Clan, and bowed slightly to the massive metal gate with a respectful expression.

"Lanzhi, along with our clan's high deity Adele, requests an audience with the Azure King."

The mental fluctuations were transmitted, but they disappeared without a trace.

But only three breaths had passed.

The massive, dark silver metal door slid open silently, revealing a misty space behind it composed of countless cyan light spots.

A gentle, calm voice resounded directly in Lan Zhi and Adele's consciousness:

"Come in."

Lord Lanzhi's expression turned solemn. She gave Adele behind her a look, signaling her to follow, and then stepped into the space filled with swirling blue light.

Adele took a deep breath, calmed her wildly beating heart, and followed suit.

The massive metal gate closed silently behind them.

The space behind the door is not large; it is more like a simple, quiet room.

In the center, behind a blue table that resembled jade but was not, the Azure Emperor sat upright, holding an ancient scroll made of some kind of animal hide, seemingly reading it.

He was still dressed in a simple white robe, his face somewhat blurred in the hazy light, only his gentle and peaceful eyes were clearly reflected in the eyes of the newcomer.

"Greetings, Lord."

The Venerable Lanzhi bowed deeply in respect.

"Adele greets Your Majesty!"

Adele lowered her head, this was the first time she had ever seen the tribe's ruler so closely.

After bowing, Lord Lanzhi stepped forward and respectfully reported, "My Lord, the incident at the entrance of the secret realm was caused by Lin Yi. Our Panling Alliance fought a decisive battle with the Yuanshi Clan around the evacuation point. Lin Yi, with his strength at the level of a high god and wielding a source treasure, played a decisive role."

"In addition, one of our high deities, Adele, who had just emerged from the evacuation point, recorded key footage of the final battle on the 45th floor of the secret realm using her All-Seeing Star Eye."

"Oh? Lin Yi?"

The Azure Emperor put down the book in his hand, his gaze falling on Adele, and nodded, saying, "Adele, you decisively gave up the opportunity to continue exploring and obtaining resources, and left the secret realm with the important images as soon as possible to bring the news back. This action of caring for the clan is very good."

Upon hearing this, Adele was overjoyed. She hadn't expected such an unexpected gain. Suppressing her excitement, she bowed again and said, "Since Adele works for Star Ring Media, it is her duty to bring important information back to the clan in a timely manner. She doesn't deserve such praise from the Sovereign."

The Azure Emperor nodded slightly, offering no further praise, and turned his gaze to Lan Zhi: "Show us the details, and release the footage."

"Yes," Lord Lanzhi replied, then looked at Adele.

Adele immediately understood, stepped forward, and respectfully took out the silver-white "All-Seeing Star".

Soon, the light screen unfolded in the center of the quiet room.

A figure with black hair stood alone before the vast enemy ranks.

The azure fist energy, refined to its fullest extent, silently tore through the starry sky.

Hundreds of seven-colored rays of light exploded simultaneously, like a devastating galaxy painting.

The formation collapsed, and countless gods fled in terror, their treasures scattering like rain.
The entire playback was completely silent in the quiet room.

The Azure Emperor watched quietly, his expression remaining largely unchanged from beginning to end, except for a fleeting hint of surprise deep within his gentle eyes.

The video ended, and the light curtain disappeared.

The quiet room was once again enveloped by a hazy blue light.

The Azure Emperor remained silent for a moment, then lightly tapped his fingers on the table, producing a crisp "tap" sound.

He first looked at Adele, who was still standing respectfully, and said, "Adele, the footage you brought back is of extraordinary value."

Adele's heart pounded, and she listened intently, holding her breath.

"Go," said the Azure Emperor. "Release the footage you recorded. Currently, our Pan-Spirit Alliance is generally at a disadvantage within the secret realm, and we do need a resounding victory like this to boost morale."

"Yes! I will obey the Lord's command!"

Adele bowed deeply, and then, at the signal of Lord Lanzhi, left the quiet room.

The metal door opened and closed quietly, leaving only Lord Qingyan and Venerable Lanzhi inside.

The atmosphere seemed to have relaxed a bit, but Lord Lanzhi remained respectful.

The Azure Emperor's gaze fell on Lan Zhi, and he sighed softly, "Lan Zhi, do you still remember? The first time I met Lin Yi was outside the entrance to the Myriad Secret Realms, when the Genius Battle had ended and they were about to enter the secret realms."

Lord Lanzhi nodded: "Your subordinate remembers. At that time, Your Majesty personally encouraged all the prodigies who entered the secret realm."

"Yes."

A hint of reminiscence flashed across the eyes of the Azure Blade Master. "Back then, I felt that this child was calm and composed, with a light in the depths of his eyes, and was no ordinary person. I just didn't expect that his growth rate would be so rapid. In less than 30,000 years, he had mastered six laws. Such progress is rare even in the long history of our Pan-Spirit Alliance."

Lord Lanzhi deeply agreed, then hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously, "My Lord, Lin Yi's talent is so extraordinary, and he has made such a great contribution, which is a blessing for our Pan-Spirit Alliance. But for the human race, I'm afraid Lord Hengshi will pay even more attention to him. Should we... take some countermeasures?"

He didn't spell it out, but his meaning was clear.

Should we consider using some means to try to win them over, or even poach them?

Upon hearing this, the Azure Emperor revealed a half-smile on his face. He looked at Lan Zhi and asked in return, "How do you intend to deal with this? Like we have dealt with some promising prodigies in the past, offering them great benefits, high positions, or even marriage alliances, subtly influencing them until their core interests are ultimately bound to our Spirit Clan?"

Lord Lanzhi lowered her head slightly: "This subordinate only feels that it would be a pity if such a talent were to belong entirely to the human race. If we could win his heart towards my spirit race, even if it's just to have more goodwill and contact, it would be beneficial for the future." "Not a bad idea." Sovereign Qingyan nodded, then changed the subject, his tone calm but making Lanzhi's heart tremble, "But you may not be aware of something."

Lord Lanzhi looked up, her eyes filled with doubt.

"Lin Yi likely came into Heng Shi's sights a long time ago, otherwise, where did his nascent Origin Treasure come from? If he got it by luck, the probability is too low. And that guy Heng Shi," the Azure Yan Sovereign's lips seemed to curl into a smile, "is extremely protective of his own and uses ruthless methods. You should have heard about what he did to take Xuan Yan away back then, right?"

Lord Lanzhi felt a chill and quickly said, "Back then, my strength was still shallow and I had not yet reached the Origin Law Realm. I only heard about it later. It seems that I fulfilled my agreement with the Supreme One and fought against three opponents. In short, it caused quite a stir."

He only knew that it involved a little-known clash between the Elven race and the human race, but he didn't know the details.

"Have you heard a little about it?"

The Azure Emperor chuckled, his laughter carrying an indescribable meaning. "I was one of the three rulers he beat back then."

"Forehead"

Lord Lanzhi froze, her pupils suddenly contracted, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped out from her back. Almost instinctively, she bowed and begged for forgiveness.

Qingyan, the ruler, casually waved his hand, interrupting him: "It's alright, it's all old news. We became friends after a fight. And because of that incident, I'm actually one of the rulers of the Spirit Clan who has a relatively good relationship with Hengshi."

Lord Lanzhi breathed a slight sigh of relief, but the shock in her heart did not diminish in the slightest.

Did the Lord of Hengshi really fight three opponents single-handedly and succeed?
It's important to know that Qingyan, the ruler, is renowned for his formidable combat prowess within his clan. Doesn't that imply that Hengshi is incredibly strong?
"So, do you understand now?" The Azure Emperor's smile faded, and his gaze deepened. "If it were an ordinary genius, we could just poach them. Heng Shi might even thank us for helping him filter out those with weak wills, and we wouldn't bother with it. But someone like Lin Yi is different."

He shook his head and said, "This is not just a matter of talent and potential, but also involves Hengshi's bottom line and face. He was able to go to such lengths for Xuan Yan back then, and now he's doing it for Lin Yi, whose potential surpasses even Xuan Yan's."

Lord Lanzhi finally understood, and even more cold sweat broke out on her back.

Undermining someone's career in this way is no longer a simple struggle for interests; it could very well trigger a conflict at the level of dominance, ultimately resulting in more harm than good.

"Of course, it's not that we're afraid of Hengshi. After all, no matter how strong Hengshi is, a Supreme Being can suppress him with a flick of the wrist. So, the most crucial point is," Qingyan Sovereign's voice slowed down and became solemn, "you may not know yet, or rather, you haven't fully realized it. The direction has changed."

"It's changed?" Lord Lanzhi was taken aback and asked subconsciously, "Please enlighten me, Master."

The Azure Emperor raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the quiet room and reaching into the endless, distant depths of the universe.

"Supreme Zhaoyue believes that the future of the Pan-Spirit Alliance lies in cooperation and a true alliance, rather than one party dominating. She believes that some of our Spirit Clan's past strategies towards allies need to be adjusted. We should increase our support for promising talents from all races and help them truly grow."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Lan Zhi, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "The Supreme One doesn't want to be trapped here."

The Venerable Lanzhi was struck dumb, standing there stunned.

Zhaoyue Supreme!

That was a newly promoted Supreme Being of the Spirit Race!
If the other supreme being does not explicitly object, then her will is the will of the highest level of the entire Spirit Race!
"Therefore," Sovereign Qingyan concluded, his tone returning to its usual gentleness, "our strategy towards Lin Yi also needs to change. Let him grow, let him become stronger, regardless of whether he can meet the Supreme's expectations, but this attitude must be shown."

Lord Lanzhi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging storm in her heart, and bowed solemnly, saying, "Your subordinate understands. Thank you for your clarification, Your Majesty!"

The Azure King's gaze fell back on the Venerable Lanzhi. "Therefore, we don't need to do anything special to Lin Yi now, let alone try to win him over or be wary of him. That would be a bad move and would only offend Hengshi. Besides, he is, after all, a prodigy of our Panling Alliance. He has made such a great contribution, which is also a great honor for our Panling Alliance."

“Those who have rendered meritorious service should be rewarded; this is common sense.” He paused, tapping his fingertip lightly on the table. “Lanzhi, since you are responsible for treating the seriously injured deities at the exit of the secret realm, keep an eye out for them. If Lin Yi completes his exploration and comes out of the secret realm, bring him to see me immediately.”

The Venerable Lord Lanzhi felt a chill run down her spine and immediately bowed, replying, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

The Azure Emperor nodded slightly, said no more, picked up the animal skin scroll on the table again, and seemed to be engrossed in it once more.

Lan Zhi knew this was a signal to end the conversation, and bowed respectfully again: "This subordinate takes her leave."

He slowly stepped back a few paces before turning and walking toward the dark silver metal door.

The door slid open silently, and he stepped into the corridor. The door behind him closed quietly, shutting out the quiet room filled with bluish light.

Walking through the corridor bathed in starlight, Lord Lanzhi's mind was filled with a jumble of thoughts.

The meaning of the Overlord's final instructions was clear: the Spirit Clan's attitude towards Lin Yi was "rewarding merit," "normal commendation," and "recognition and support among allies," rather than an additional attempt to poach him.

This aligns with the new direction set by the Supreme Being of the Moon and avoids the minefield that might touch the sensitive nerves of the Primordial Ruler.

"When the last time the Azure Blade Sovereign summoned Lin Yi, he bestowed upon him a fearless war god, which shocked all sides at the time."

Lan Zhi, the Venerable One, recalled that scene from the past, "Now that Lin Yi has displayed such astonishing combat power in the secret realm, and has also mastered the Origin Treasure and possesses the Six Laws, his potential and value have increased by more than a hundred times compared to before?"

He could almost foresee that when Lin Yi emerged from the secret realm again, his strength would likely have been at least firmly established at the peak of the upper god level, and he might even have reached an even higher threshold.

At that time, the Azure Jade Sovereign summoned him again and bestowed a reward upon him, praising the treasure's immense value.
"I'm afraid even I, the venerable one, would feel envious."

Lord Lanzhi smiled silently, a hint of curiosity and anticipation rising in her heart. "I wonder what the Sovereign will bestow this time? A secret treasure containing Sovereign-level insights? Or some kind of rare and precious cosmic treasure?"

He shook his head, suppressing these speculations.

He couldn't fathom the thoughts of the ruler.

He only needed to do his job well, keep an eye on the exit of the secret realm, and take Lin Yi to see the Sovereign as soon as he came out.
-
The secret realm, level 45, is a star battlefield that has just witnessed an earth-shattering battle.

The pervasive energy turbulence is slowly calming down under the self-healing power of the universe's laws, and the shattered spatial cracks, like hideous scars, are gradually healing.

Lin Yi's figure hung alone in the center of this starry sky.

During the previous battle, when the allied forces were routed and treasures rained down, he quickly swept up all the spoils and stored them in his storage equipment.

Only now, with all the powerful enemies gone and the battlefield deathly silent, did he finally have the time to begin taking stock of the gains from this earth-shattering battle.

Lin Yi focused his divine sense into the storage equipment he carried with him.

The first thing that catches the eye is a mountain of various god-level weapons, armor, shields, fragments of secret treasures, and puppet remains. They come from the Abyss Clan, the Eclipse Clan, and other vassal alien races, each with its own unique style and extraordinary materials, many bearing strong ethnic characteristics and the imprint of laws.

Although most of them were damaged to varying degrees in the battle just now, their basic materials and the partial law patterns they contained are still quite valuable. Selling them or reforging them would bring in a huge fortune.

These physical loot items, which were "brought in from outside and could not be directly exchanged for points in the secret realm," were so numerous and varied that even Lin Yi was slightly taken aback.

A rough estimate suggests that its total value, if converted into currency or resources circulating in the outside world, would be an astronomical figure that would tempt even ordinary lords.

But this is just an appetizer.

Lin Yi's divine sense swept over these physical equipment, focusing on another, even more dazzling area.

What's suspended there is the core of this harvest.

Those massive amounts of native resources from the secret realm that can be directly exchanged for Shiyu Tower points in the Shiyu Tower exchange space!
Various minerals, crystals, plant essences, liquid energy clusters, and exotic metals, shimmering with strange luster and radiating powerful or pure energy, are on display in a dazzling array.

These are the results of the nearly seven hundred enemy gods who were severely injured and eliminated, painstakingly searched and accumulated in the secret realm, or snatched from other races and even the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

But now, all of these have become Lin Yi's spoils of war.

Lin Yi held his breath and began communicating with the secret realm's imprint, rapidly scanning and valuing this vast ocean of resources.

The information flow from the imprint feedback swept through his consciousness like a waterfall.

[Scanning loot]

[Scan complete.]

[Estimation of exchangeable resources in progress]

[Calculation complete.]

A number was imprinted clearly in the depths of his consciousness.

Even with his experience of living two lives, enduring countless life-and-death trials, and weathering many storms, his heart still pounded uncontrollably when he saw that number.

"It's out."

Lin Yi murmured, "This time... we've really struck it rich."

It's no wonder he lost his composure like that.

Because, based on the recent inventory and valuation of the Secret Realm Marks...
This excludes physical treasures such as weapons and equipment that need to be taken out of the country before they can be sold.

These are simply native resources of the Secret Realm that can be directly exchanged for Primordial Tower Points in the Secret Realm Exchange Space.
Its total value is an astonishing 1791 billion Origin Tower Points!

This number, like a blazing sun, scorched Lin Yi's senses.

1791 billion!
"1791 billion." Lin Yi repeated the number again, this time his voice was much more stable, but the blazing flame deep in his eyes burned even more fiercely.

He knew that this wealth was the reward he deserved after taking a huge risk, using himself as bait, turning the tide in the decisive battle, and almost single-handedly defeating the main force of the Abyss Erosion Alliance.

But this wealth also means that he has now become the most lucrative and dangerous "prey" in the eyes of those top experts.

It's obvious that the gods of the Abyss and Erosion races who went out wouldn't keep it a secret for him, and the gods who came in later would definitely bring the news into the secret realm.

Clearly, once he rises to a higher level, he will become the primary target for those top-tier rivals, especially those rivals who also possess Source Treasures.

However, Lin Yi felt no fear at this moment, only a boiling fighting spirit and boundless anticipation for the future.

After all, 1791 billion is an incredibly terrifying concept.

Lin Yi subconsciously used a low-level source crystal to perform a conversion.

Based on 1700 billion points, that's enough to exchange for 34 low-grade source crystals!
(End of this chapter)