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

Chapter 409 Frostwind Base, News from Senior Brother

The Shadow Shuttle silently pierced through the void of the 47th floor, like a shadow sweeping across the deep sea.

Two years of sailing is but a fleeting moment to the gods.

Lin Yi sat cross-legged in the main cabin, his aura smooth and unimpeded. The vast small world within his body had expanded to the limit of the Derivation Realm, its power as profound as the sea.

"It's reached its peak." Lin Yi sensed the solid barrier within his body, a barrier that could no longer expand even slightly.

He knew that the next step was to reach the higher level of the "Source Law" and use its power to govern and suppress the world within his body in order to expand further.

The road ahead is long, there's no need to rush.

"Arm up everything you can first." With a slight thought, Lin Yi caused ripples to spread in the space around him, and two figures connected to his origin appeared, which were the two newly summoned clones.

Immediately, Lin Yi waved his hand, and the space inside the cabin flickered with light, revealing a dazzling array of weapons, armor, shields, and various treasures that floated and appeared like stars.

These are all exquisite items seized from the gods of the Abyss Clan and the Eclipse Clan, many of which were plundered from their allies in the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

"Pick something suitable," Lin Yi said to his ordinary clone, his gaze sweeping over the spoils of war.

The equipment of the fearless war god clone is of excellent performance and does not need to be replaced, but he himself and this ordinary clone need to upgrade their equipment.

After some deliberation, Lin Yi quickly selected his target.

A semi-transparent longsword, its name unknown, but capable of greatly amplifying the power of the laws of spacetime, with a time-erosion effect on its blade, perfectly suited for his use.

There is also a set of silver-gray close-fitting battle armor, which not only has good defensive capabilities and can effectively weaken divine power attacks, but also significantly improves the stability, speed and stealth of spatial travel.

The only high-quality equipment based on the laws of time and space was the one Lin Yi had chosen. Therefore, after a moment's thought, the ordinary clone selected a set of equipment that focused on the laws of life and death.

A spear wreathed in a dark aura of death and vibrant life; when it attacks, it can draw upon the power of the cycle of life and death, eroding vitality or infusing it with the intent of death.

There is also a set of armor that is half black and half white. The left side of this armor is engraved with death runes, which can weaken the enemy's attacks, and the right side is engraved with life patterns, which can accelerate the recovery of one's own injuries.

The two immediately refined the essence and dressed themselves properly. Lin Yi's true form possessed a restrained and profound aura, while his ordinary clone subtly circulated the energies of life and death.

"That's enough." Lin Yi nodded in satisfaction. His gaze swept over the spoils of war, and a thought struck him: "I almost forgot, we also need to replace the spaceship. Xuanji," he summoned the intelligent life form in palace attire, "take a look at these spaceships I captured, and see which one has the best performance. Stealth, speed, and defense must all be taken into account."

Upon hearing this, Xuanji showed a rare look of helplessness on her face.

She bowed slightly. "Master, with Xuanji's current Transcendent Realm level abilities, I'm afraid I cannot select the best option for you from these captured god-level spaceships."

Lin Yi was taken aback: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Xuanji explained, "The spaceships that Master captured are at least models commonly used by high-level gods, and some of them are even high-quality pieces used by superior gods. Their core smart locks, energy-driven codes, and internal defense and self-destruct protocols all correspond to god-level or even higher."

"With Xuanji's current capabilities, it is completely incapable of cracking the code, let alone comparing its performance. Therefore, Xuanji is incompetent and cannot replace even one ship at present."

Lin Yi raised his hand and slapped his forehead, a sheepish smile on his face: "It's my fault, it's my fault."

He then said seriously, "Once we reach the evacuation point and settle down, the first thing to do is to exchange for the corresponding materials to help you evolve to the god level. If you're going to evolve, let's go straight to the upper god level!"

Xuanji's palace-dress silhouette brightened noticeably for a moment, and she immediately bowed deeply, "Thank you, Master!"

"Of course, you should have upgraded long ago." Lin Yi waved his hand and put the remaining treasures back into his divine kingdom. "Let's move forward. The 'Shadow Shuttle' is still usable for now."

"Okay, master."

With all its cloaking runes activated, the Shadow Shuttle blended into the starlight and sailed deeper into the distance.

Time flies, and more than two thousand standard years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The 47th level of the secret realm is vast and boundless, where danger and opportunity intertwine.

Lin Yi piloted the "Shadow Shuttle" through various dangerous places.

He once ventured into the vortex of time, collecting the Sands of Time at the edge of the chaotic timeline; he once approached a supernova on the verge of exploding, braving the violent energy flow to obtain the "Star Core Embers"; he also ventured deep into the "Chaotic Void Maze," using his mastery of spatial laws to find the "Void Stone."

Every exploration comes with risks, but also with rewards.

Battle was, of course, inevitable.

About eight hundred years ago, he encountered a small team of alien beings consisting of three high-ranking gods.

Seeing that he was traveling alone, the enemy intended to surround and kill him.

Unaware of his opponent's true strength, Lin Yi did not underestimate his opponent. He immediately used the "Heart of the Abyss," and his main body and ordinary clones also launched a coordinated attack, demonstrating the terrifying combat power of "one person forming a team."

The laws of time and space control the rhythm, while the laws of life and death erode life force. With a precise and combined attack, the three alien gods were instantly defeated.

This battle yielded secret realm resources and point crystals, totaling approximately 2.5 billion points.

Exploration, battles, gains, and cultivation. The days passed in a mix of fulfillment and adventure, and Lin Yi's integration and application of the nine laws became increasingly proficient.

On this day, the Shadow Shuttle was sailing on the edge of a relatively calm stardust belt.

Xuanji's voice rang out: "Master, we have detected a Pan-Spirit Alliance standard spaceship identification signal three standard units ahead, with its course intersecting ours. The other side seems to have also spotted us, slowing down and sending a general greeting signal."

Lin Yi extended his divine sense forward and soon saw a dark blue spaceship with rock reliefs in the style of the Li Clan.

"Reply with the signal and identify yourself," Lin Yi ordered.

Encountering allies of the Pan-Spirit Alliance within the secret realm is common; simply maintain basic courtesy.

"Signal sent. The other party requests to establish audio communication."

"Connect."

A clear, cheerful male voice came through the communication channel: "I am Xingqiong from the Spirit Race. Your signal seems unfamiliar. Are you a new friend?"

Lin Yi replied, "I am Lin Yi from the human race. I just arrived at the 47th floor and am still getting familiar with the environment."

"Lin Yi?" The voice on the other end of the communicator paused noticeably, then chuckled, "So it's Lord Lin Yi! Your battle on the 45th floor was so satisfying, we've all seen the footage, we didn't expect to run into you so soon!"

At this moment, another voice, crackling with electricity, interjected: "Ha! It really is Lord Lin Yi? A pleasure to meet you! I am Ting Zhen of the Lei Miao Clan, and I've long wanted to see what you look like in person!"

Another voice, as steady as a rock, simply said: "Li Clan, Gangyan."

The other party's enthusiasm immediately eased the atmosphere.

Lin Yi smiled and said, "You three are too kind. What brings you here?"

“We just came from the Frostwind Base, the evacuation point, and were preparing for some exploration and hunting,” Starry Sky said. “Lord Lin Yi, you probably haven’t been to the evacuation base yet, otherwise the news would have spread long ago. Do you need specific directions?”

"Thank you, I haven't been there yet."

Xingqiong smiled and said, "Then I'll send you a copy. If you don't mind, we can get closer and talk face to face? There's some information about the evacuation point and the surrounding area that might be helpful to you."

Such proposals are common among allies, and Lin Yi naturally had no reason to refuse: "Okay."

The two spaceships slowly approached each other and eventually hovered relative to each other in the void.

Lin Yi's fearless war god clone flew out of the "Shadow Shuttle" and hovered in the starry sky.

The main body and the ordinary clone remained inside the spaceship.

Xingqiong, Tingzhen, and Gangyan also left their spaceship.

The leading male spirit was handsome and had a deep, composed aura; he had reached the peak of a high-ranking deity.

When he saw Lin Yi, his eyes lit up, and he greeted him with a smile: "Lord Lin Yi, I have long admired your name."

"Nice to meet you," Lin Yi replied politely.

Tingzhen's entire body was composed of blue lightning energy, and his battle halberd was crackling with lightning. His voice crackled as he said, "Finally, we've seen you in person! Your battle got us all fired up. We should have dealt with those bastards like that a long time ago!"

Gangyan was a burly man with skin the color of gray granite; he simply nodded calmly.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xing Qiong took the initiative to bring up the matter: "By the way, Lord Lin Yi, there's something you might not know. One of your human race's spatial law deities has been waiting for you at the Frostforetold base at the evacuation point for over five hundred years!"

Lin Yi was taken aback: "Wait for me?"

“Absolutely true!” Tingzhen said quickly. “That gentleman named Xingliu came more than 500 years ago and has stayed in the hub ever since. Many strong teams invited him to join, but he declined them all, saying only one thing: He was ordered by the Overlord to personally deliver the item to Lord Lin Yi, and he would not leave until he saw him.”

"Something the Overlord asked me to deliver?" Lin Yi's heart stirred upon hearing this, and he immediately became expectant. He said, "I really didn't know that. Thank you for letting me know."

"Your Excellency need not be so polite." Xing Qiong waved his hand, his expression sincere: "As members of the Pan-Spirit Alliance, it is our duty to exchange information. There is also something else that Your Excellency Lin Yi may not know. Your human race's Lord Zhenyu is currently stationed at the Frostwynn Base, and he is renowned for his prestige."

"Senior Brother?" Lin Yi's eyes lit up.

"It is indeed Lord Zhenyu," Tingzhen said, his tone filled with obvious respect. "He not only possesses unparalleled mastery of the laws of space, but also wields a powerful Origin Treasure. In a previous medium-sized conflict, he single-handedly restrained two Origin Treasure holders from the Abyssal Erosion Alliance who also possessed the laws of space, winning a valuable opportunity for our Pan-Spirit Alliance. Currently, within the Frostwing Base, Lord Zhenyu is recognized as one of the top combat forces." Xingqiong nodded, his expression solemn. "Lord Lin Yi may not be aware, but our Spirit Race, the Mechanical Race, and several other powerful races' high-ranking deities have joined forces to establish a large star base called the Frostwing Base around the evacuation point, which currently houses over three thousand deities." Among them, more than forty are known to possess Origin Treasures, representing the pinnacle of combat power at the base. These Origin Treasure deities are the highest level of combat strength guaranteed by the base.

"More than forty people?" Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine; this number was much higher than he had expected.

He couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate. The Pan-Spirit Alliance base alone had gathered more than forty Source Treasure Gods, so there must be at least 200 active Source Treasure Gods in the vicinity. Fortunately, he immediately kept a low profile and began to improve his strength after entering, instead of taking advantage of his Source Treasure to go around recklessly.

“Forty may seem like a lot, but we are still on the defensive overall.” Xingqiong sighed softly. “There are nearly sixty known Source Treasure Gods on the Abyss Eclipse Alliance side. In addition, there are quite a few on the alien race side as well. Those alien races are constantly fighting among themselves, and they also have frequent conflicts with us and the Abyss Eclipse side, making the situation complicated.”

"So nowadays, we rarely fight those decisive battles. It's mainly medium-sized clashes led by the Yuanbao God, or small teams like ours that focus on reconnaissance, hunting, and resource competition."

Lin Yi understood. This situation of multiple parties fighting and restraining each other requires more caution for lone wolves.

The two sides then had a brief exchange on the distribution of known resource points in the nearby star system, the marking of high-risk areas, and the common activity patterns of hostile squads.

About half a standard hour later, Xingqiong and the other two took their leave: "Lord Lin Yi, we have accepted a reconnaissance mission, so we will not disturb you any longer. We wish you a speedy reunion with Lord Xingliu and continued improvement in your strength!"

"Please go ahead, gentlemen. Until we meet again!" Lin Yi said with a smile as he saw them off.

After watching the three streaks of light disappear into the depths of the starry sky, Lin Yi returned to the "Shadow Shuttle".

The hatch closed silently, and the spacecraft reactivated its stealth mode.
-
Meanwhile, Star Dome, Thunderclap, and Granite have also returned to the spaceship.

"Captain, we're really lucky this time. We actually ran into Lin Yi." Tingzhen grinned. "He's a peerless genius who's now recognized as having the potential to dominate the world. We'll have plenty to brag about when we get back."

Gang Yan said in a muffled voice, "Indeed. Although he deliberately concealed his aura, he gave me a faint sense of danger. I feel that he should have more than just the sixfold laws shown in the circulating images."

Xingqiong nodded, but his expression was thoughtful: "Although only a few thousand years have passed, with his talent and the resources he obtained on the 45th floor, his strength is probably stronger than we imagined."

“Very likely,” Tingzhen said in a deep voice. “To be able to travel alone on the 47th floor for so long without any harm, and even appear to be undamaged, how could he not have some trump cards up his sleeve? Don’t forget, he is a god of the laws of space and time. What we see may just be what he wants us to see.”

Gangyan was silent for a moment, then said, "In any case, he was very polite to us and had no airs. People like that are worth befriending."

“That’s right,” Xingqiong laughed. “That’s why I told him about Xingliu’s arrival and about Lord Zhenyu’s activities at the base. It’s always good to build good relationships. Who knows, there might be opportunities to cooperate in the future at Shuangyong Base or on the battlefield.”

Tingzhen chuckled: "That's true. But speaking of which, the Sovereign personally sent someone to deliver the goods. That's quite a treat. Once Lin Yi arrives at the base and gets the goods, his strength will probably increase dramatically. At that time, the situation on the 47th floor might even change because of him."

"Perhaps." Xingqiong looked ahead, his gaze distant. "Let's go, hurry up and set off. Also, report back the news of our encounter with Lin Yi. There are probably quite a few people waiting at the Shuangyong Base."
-
Inside the "Shadow Shuttle".

As soon as Lin Yi returned to the spaceship, a light screen appeared in front of him with a thought.

The screen displays several key information points mentioned by Xingqiong and the other two, as well as the safe flight path marked by Xuanji based on the latest star chart.

His finger lightly swept across the screen, pausing on the line "Starflow has waited for more than five hundred years".

“Over five hundred years. That’s not a long time for a high-ranking deity, but to have stayed at the evacuation point all this time shows a really strong sense of mission execution.” Lin Yi thought to himself, “I have a vague impression of this person. He seems to be one of the people under Lord Xuan Yan. It’s true that our own people are reliable.”

He then looked at the line that read, "The prison is at the evacuation point, holding the Source Treasure, with a formidable reputation."

Unexpectedly, the senior brother was doing quite well at the evacuation point, and even more unexpectedly, he also possessed a Source Treasure.

"I just don't know where his nascent Yuanbao came from. Was it bestowed by his clan, or did he obtain it by chance, just like I did?"

Regardless, the combination of spatial laws and the Source Treasure can indeed unleash terrifying combat power in an environment like the 47th floor.

With him there, I'll not only be safer once I reach the evacuation point, but I'll also be able to quickly understand the true situation on the 47th floor, and might even receive some guidance.

Finally, Lin Yi's gaze fell on the information: "More than forty of our own Source Treasure Gods, nearly sixty of the enemy's Source Treasure Gods, and a mixture of alien forces."

"The situation is more complicated than expected," Lin Yi thought to himself. "With so many Source Treasure holders, it means that clashes among top-tier combatants will be more frequent and intense. The multi-party battles may seem balanced, but there are undercurrents beneath, and a major war could break out at any moment due to some trigger. Solo exploration requires more caution to avoid being drawn into large-scale conflicts or being targeted by multiple Source Treasure holders."

Thinking of this, Lin Yi couldn't help but frown slightly.

I originally thought that once I reached the 47th floor, I could explore it with relative ease thanks to the combat power of my "one-man team".

But now it seems that the level of danger here is even higher.

Source treasures are practically standard equipment for top-tier experts here.

Although he possessed the "Heart of the Abyss," the risk remained significant, especially given the potentially larger number of enemy Source Treasure holders, particularly if they possessed methods to counter the laws of spacetime or Source Treasures.

"However, risks and opportunities coexist." Lin Yi's eyes gradually brightened. "Precisely because strong people gather here and the competition for resources is fierce, those who can stay are either extremely powerful or reap rich rewards. Whether it's killing enemy gods to obtain points and treasures, or exploring those high-value areas occupied by the strong, the gains will far exceed those of the 45th floor."

"Moreover, fighting against more powerful individuals at the same or even higher levels will greatly improve one's ability to integrate laws and gain practical experience, far surpassing what those at the lower levels can achieve."

He turned off the light screen, stood up, walked to the porthole, and looked at the stars rushing past outside.

"The remaining voyage will take about three hundred standard years. This is just enough time to further familiarize ourselves with the new equipment, deepen the integration of the nine laws, and especially to more seamlessly incorporate the newly mastered fire, earth, and metal basic laws into the 'Void Annihilation Record' system. At the same time, we also need to deduce several tactical plans to deal with different numbers and types of Source Treasure holders."

“Xuanji,” he began, “mark several areas in the flight path plan that are suitable for short-term stops, live-fire exercises, or equipment testing. Requirements: relatively concealed, with an environment that can simulate different combat scenarios, and not far from the main flight path.”

“指令确认。正在扫描航线周边星域.已标记三处符合要求的区域，分别为：编号YT-47-8832小行星带（多障碍环境）、编号QR-47-4417离子风暴区（高能量干扰环境）、编号HK-47-7798双星引力紊乱区（复杂力场环境）。预计分别可在第12年、第135年、第258年抵达。”璇玑迅速回应。

“Very good.” Lin Yi nodded. “Remind me when we reach these areas. Also, continuously monitor energy fluctuations and signs of life in the large star field ahead and around the route. Report any abnormal or noteworthy signals to me immediately. Maintain the highest level of stealth during the journey and avoid unnecessarily exposing yourself.”

“Received, Master,” Xuanji replied.

The spaceship continued its journey through the deep starry sky, quietly heading towards its predetermined destination—the evacuation point on the 47th floor occupied by the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

Three hundred standard years of travel is but a moment on a cosmic scale, but for Lin Yi, who was constantly deducing laws and refining combat skills aboard the "Shadow Shuttle," it was three hundred years of solid accumulation.

"Master, we are about to reach the target coordinates." Xuanji's cold voice rang out in the cabin.

Lin Yi slowly withdrew from his deep cultivation, opened his eyes, and a vortex of stars seemed to flash within them.

He stood up and walked to the main control window.

At the edge of the horizon, the once desolate starry sky has been replaced by a massive, complex man-made structure.

This is completely different from the relatively simple and single-function "evacuation point camp" on the 45th floor.

The first thing that catches the eye is the tens of thousands of various mechanical creations on the periphery, which either cruise regularly or hover in place.

From fist-sized swarms of reconnaissance bees flashing red light to mobile defensive fortresses as large as small planets with numerous cannons.

They form a three-dimensional, dynamic warning and defense network, with energy scanning ripples spreading out like water, covering several surrounding star fields.

Further inside is the main area, constructed using several modified rocky planets and numerous spliced ​​alloy platforms.

The enormous energy shield, like an inverted bowl, shimmered with iridescent light of laws, tightly protecting the core area.

Complex law-based runes occasionally appeared and disappeared on the surface of the shield, clearly indicating that it was a combined defensive measure that integrated multiple advanced laws.

Inside the shield, towering, mountain-like structures can be seen.

Some are energy towers, constantly drawing energy from the void; others are factories, spitting out metal and flowing light, manufacturing or repairing all kinds of war machines.

The entire Frostwynn Base is more like a fully-equipped, heavily armed military fortress. These superior gods have arranged it like the Pan-Spirit Alliance's headquarters on the 47th floor.

Lin Yi was not surprised by this.

Those who can reach the 47th floor and establish themselves are all the best among the high-ranking gods. Perfecting all nine laws is basically standard for them. The only difference is whether they have completed the fusion of the nine laws, as well as the difference in combat techniques, secret arts, and treasures.

At this level, the ultimate goal of all gods is the unattainable yet maddening "Source Law".

This will lead to a polarization of the wealth possessed by the deities on this level.

Those who are poor will be extremely poor.

In order to touch or even cross that threshold, these top-tier gods, especially those who have perfectly integrated the nine laws but have been stuck at the last step for countless years, will devote most of their wealth, energy and time to finding that sliver of a breakthrough opportunity.

They either exchange for rare treasures that can help them comprehend the laws of origin, or purchase special treasures that can simulate and carry the power of the laws of origin for experience, or even seek guidance from a supreme being at any cost.

Therefore, most of these kinds of deities are very poor.

On the other hand, those veteran deities who have repeatedly failed to break through to the peak and become disheartened will be very wealthy.

Since they had no hope of breaking through, they would no longer waste resources trying to break through the source law, and instead invested the accumulated resources in "external things" that could instantly improve their combat power.

Top-tier divine weapons? Buy! Powerful single-target or group defensive treasures? Trade! Various auxiliary combat machines, high-level spaceships, etc., anything that helps with combat and survival, will be considered.

This creates a peculiar phenomenon on the 47th floor.

Some gods only brought some healing items and necessary weapons and equipment when they entered, while others brought enough to wage a local war at the god level.

The Frostfortress, resembling a super war fortress, is the result of the combined efforts of these wealthy deities.

(End of this chapter)