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

Chapter 411 Star Soul Crystal, This Feels So Good!

Thinking of this, Lin Yi instructed, "Xuanji, call a base commuter shuttle for me. Destination: core area evacuation point."

"Command confirmed, shuttle in transit. Expected arrival in three minutes." Xuanji's response came quickly.

Three minutes later, a standard silver-gray shuttle silently glided to a stop on the platform outside the residence.

Lin Yi boarded the shuttle, which started smoothly and headed towards the heavily guarded core area along the complex but well-organized air routes within the base.

Along the way, Lin Yi observed the details of the massive base through the porthole.

The towering energy tower, the maintenance workshop spewing forth torrents of metal, and the meditation room area faintly emanating powerful law fluctuations—everything showed that this place was worlds apart from the evacuation point on the 45th floor.

Soon, the shuttle arrived at an area heavily guarded by multiple law shields and mechanical sentry towers.

After undergoing several identity verification scans, the shuttle was finally allowed to enter.

In the center, a slowly rotating pure white energy vortex floats quietly, emitting stable spatial fluctuations.

This is the evacuation point entrance of the Frostwynn Base, the passage leading to the "Beginning Universe Tower" exchange space.

Lin Yi stepped off the flying shuttle and walked alone into the vortex.

The moment I touched the edge of the vortex, a familiar suction force came through, and the surrounding scenery was quickly replaced by pure white light.

After a brief sensation of teleportation, he stepped into that familiar pure white space once again.

At the center, there remains that eternally suspended, soft sphere of light.

"Start exchanging." Lin Yi wasted no time. With a thought, he took out all the loot he had obtained from exploring and fighting on the 47th floor, which could be exchanged for points.

In an instant, various colors of light shone and piled up into a small mountain.

The light sphere casts a scanning beam for rapid evaluation.

A moment later, the message arrived:

[Redeem complete.]

Current points balance: 351.42 billion points.

"351 billion." Lin Yi looked at the number and nodded slightly in his heart.

This wealth is definitely considered substantial even on the 47th floor.

But this was just the beginning; he was even more eager to see what treasures the 47th floor held that were not available on the 45th floor.

"Bring up the complete list of redeemable items and break it down by category," Lin Yi said.

The screen in front of me refreshed instantly, and a waterfall of information flowed out.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over them quickly, sharp as lightning.

Weapons and armor of the higher deities range in price from hundreds of millions to billions, with a wide variety of types and attributes, including many exquisite pieces that can amplify the laws of time and space, life and death.

Various powerful magical artifacts, some for defense, some for attack, some for concealment and escape, and some for temporarily enhancing the power of laws, are all quite expensive, often costing billions.

The section for arcane manuals is dazzling, and the prices are naturally shockingly high, with arcane manuals costing hundreds of billions of points being commonplace.

But Lin Yi's gaze was quickly drawn to the top of the list, to a few categories that were listed separately.

"Source Law Auxiliary Comprehension Techniques" and "Source Law Breakthrough Secret Techniques".
His breathing quickened slightly without his realizing it.

Clicking on "Source Law Auxiliary Enlightenment Category" reveals a series of treasures whose names alone are enough to make your heart race:

[Time Source Law Resonance Crystal Core]: Guides the soul to achieve a deep resonance with the Time Source Law, increasing comprehension efficiency by approximately 10 times. Duration: 10 standard years. Requires: 520 billion points.

[Spatial Source Law Path Diagram]: Observing the strange diagram inscribed with some manifestations of the spatial source law can deepen understanding and slowly improve perception of the spatial source law over a long period. Overall comprehension efficiency increases by approximately 30%. The diagram's energy can be released sustainably for approximately 2000 standard years. Redemption requires: 210 billion points.

[Death Source Law Experience Talisman]: Upon activation, it allows brief (10 standard years) immersion in a simulated Death Source Law environment, experiencing the operation of the Death Source Law's power, and providing inspiration for impacting the Death Source Law. Requires 280 billion points to redeem.

Lin Yi quickly browsed through the pages, his brows furrowing more and more as he read.

Expensive! Outrageously expensive!

That Time Source Law Resonance Crystal Core has an enticing effect description, promising ten times the efficiency of enlightenment, but it only lasts for ten years and costs 520 billion!
Lin Yi quickly calculated in his mind that 520 billion points, if all of them were exchanged for low-grade source crystals, would be enough to exchange for more than 1000 years of enlightenment time. For him, using this alone without stacking other high-amplification items would undoubtedly be uneconomical.

If it were any other high-ranking deity, they might grit their teeth and buy it, because usually, deities rely primarily on their own enlightenment. They only use treasures or sacred sites to aid their enlightenment when they break through bottlenecks or suddenly experience a flash of inspiration.

对他而言，那种500亿提升10年10倍感悟度是明显不大划算的，因为500亿可以兑换1000年的灵悟之气。

However, the "Spatial Source Law Network Diagram," although its total improvement is only 30%, lasts for two thousand years and costs 210 billion, so it seems to have a higher cost-performance ratio when calculated.

However, two thousand years is but a fleeting moment in terms of impacting the source law, and it is hard to say how much of a difference a 30% increase can make in the long journey of enlightenment.

"As expected, once you reach the level of impacting the Source Law, every insight becomes incredibly precious, and the price naturally skyrockets." Lin Yi suppressed a surge of excitement in his heart, reminding himself to stay calm.

These things are good, but given his current points and needs, they are not the best choice.

He closed the heart-pounding category and continued browsing other miscellaneous lists, looking for something more suitable for the current stage that could maximize his immediate combat effectiveness and potential.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on an item under the "Special Resources" category, and his heart skipped a beat.

【Star Soul Crystal】

[Type: Special Resources/Souls]

[Description: A mysterious crystal containing the pure essence of celestial spirits, capable of gently nourishing and refining the soul's essence, permanently and slightly enhancing soul comprehension. Usable by life forms at the Star Origin Realm.]

[Effect: After use, the user's soul comprehension will receive a slight, permanent boost.]

[Limitation: Each life form can use a maximum of 10 tokens; exceeding this number will render the tokens invalid.]

[Exchange requires: 5 million Shiyu Tower points per token.]

Enhance comprehension?
Or is it a permanent upgrade?!

Lin Yi's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared intently at the few simple lines of description.

Since his rebirth, he has made great strides in his understanding of the laws by relying on the spiritual energy transformed from the Purple Mist Space. However, deep down he has always known that his true "original comprehension" is very ordinary and far from being comparable to true geniuses like Edith.

Comprehension is one of the most fundamental qualities of a cultivator, and it is almost impossible to change it later in life. This is a hidden pain in his heart.

And now, a treasure that can enhance one's comprehension has appeared!

Although the description is vague, only mentioning "slight improvement" and "minor permanent improvement," the word "permanent" carries immeasurable value!
Lin Yi's heart was pounding, and he almost wanted to exchange it immediately to try it out.

But he forcibly suppressed his impulse; 50 billion was no small sum, and he had to be careful.

He took a deep breath, quickly scanned the remaining list, and after confirming that there were no other special items with similar effects or that were more appealing to him, he decisively requested to leave the list.

A flash of pure white light, and Lin Yi's figure reappeared outside the vortex at the Shuangyong Base evacuation point.

Instead of returning to his residence, he immediately contacted the town prison through the base's internal communication network.

"Senior Brother, there's something I'd like to ask you. Is that a convenient time?" Lin Yi's message was simple and direct.

Soon, Zhenyu replied, "Looks like you've been to the evacuation point. Come over here." At the same time, precise location coordinates were sent over.

Lin Yi immediately summoned the flying shuttle and, following the coordinates, quickly arrived at Zhenyu's residence within the base.

Zhenyu was already waiting in the living room, with a light screen floating in front of him browsing information, and a cup of beverage with a faint fragrance beside him.

Upon seeing Lin Yi enter, he waved to close the light screen and laughed, "You're out so soon?"

Lin Yi sat down opposite the prison, and without any pleasantries, went straight to the point: "Senior brother, I saw something in the exchange list called Star Soul Crystal."

Upon hearing this, Zhenyu's face showed a knowing expression, and he chuckled: "I guessed you would ask this. After all, who can resist the temptation to improve their comprehension?" He picked up his cup and took a sip, his tone calm, "However, this thing... how should I put it, for you right now, it might be a bit of a waste, better than nothing. Of course, if you really have plenty of points, you can exchange some for it."

"Something is better than nothing?" Lin Yi's heart sank, but he still pressed on, "Senior brother, what exactly do you mean?"

Zhenyu put down his cup, leaned forward slightly, and explained, "Junior brother, you've probably noticed that the evaluation criteria of this so-called Origin Tower are different from those of our main universe. From star cores to gods, they should all belong to the Star Origin Realm. As for this Star Soul Crystal, we have already tested and studied it through various channels."

"Its improvement is not proportional, but rather has a fixed amount of gain. According to the calculations and analysis of those mechanical race members, even if all ten are used up, the total improvement effect is roughly equivalent to the comprehension of an ordinary genius who can only cultivate to the level of an ordinary god."

Zhenyu looked at Lin Yi, his tone tinged with helplessness: "For those of us who have already reached the peak of the upper gods, or even begun to touch the threshold of the Source Law, this kind of improvement, when calculated, is probably less than five percent of our overall comprehension. So everyone privately lists it as an option to be considered only when resources are extremely abundant, as the cost-effectiveness is very low."

"As for you, Junior Brother," Zhenyu carefully considered his words, "with your talent, the improvement that this Star Soul Crystal can bring you is probably less than one percent, or even less. Although comprehension, even if it can only be improved by a tiny bit, is still valuable on the scale of endless eras, it does need to be carefully weighed in comparison to its total price of 50 billion points."

Fixed increase range?

Can he reach the comprehension level of an ordinary god-level genius?
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi was first stunned, and then an indescribable joy almost erupted like a volcano!
He used immense willpower to control his facial muscles, preventing the corners of his mouth from uncontrollably turning upwards. Instead, in accordance with Zhenyu's words, he slightly furrowed his brows, revealing a perfectly measured hint of disappointment.

"I see."

Lin Yi slowly exhaled, as if he was genuinely regretful, "Now that you mention it, this thing is indeed not very meaningful for experts of your level, senior brothers. It can only be considered as a last resort."

“Not bad.” Zhenyu picked up his cup and took another sip. As if remembering something, he added, “However, although this thing is of little use to people at our level, if we have extra points in the future, in addition to exchanging some for our own use, we might as well exchange some more to take with us.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi raised his gaze and looked towards Zhenyu.

Zhenyu put down his cup and slowly said, "Many of the exchange items in the Shiyu Tower are either not available outside or extremely rare. These Star Soul Crystals offer only a slight boost to us, but they can bring about a qualitative change for those with ordinary or even poor talent."

He paused, his voice tinged with emotion: "Many Venerables and even Rulers in the main universe have a few particularly favored descendants whose talents are not quite satisfactory. For powerhouses of their level, 10 billion points may just be a number, but treasures that can improve the talents of their descendants are extremely rare and hard to come by."

Zhenyu looked at Lin Yi: "So, if we can exchange some and take them out, we can sell them to those powerful individuals who need them and make a profit. For them, these are precious items that solve a major problem, so the price will definitely not be low. Hundreds of billions of points are a huge sum for us, but for those beings, it might just be a drop in the ocean." As he spoke, Zhenyu chuckled, "Of course, we definitely won't be able to sell them for a high price now, because powerful individuals who urgently need them have already sent their subordinate high-ranking gods in, but... we can stockpile them for now."

Yup!

Upon hearing Zhenyu's words, Lin Yi immediately understood.

This thing can not only be used by yourself, but you can also take it out and let others use it!

Although the parents have embarked on the path of cultivation with the resources they provided, their talents are truly limited. Their younger siblings are not much better, at most reaching the Star Domain level.

Ellie has good talent, but it will still be difficult for her to break through to become an eternal god on her own.

Also, the high-ranking members of Silverblue and those he values ​​within the East Peak Mercenary Group.
Although 5 billion points is not a small amount for him at present, the Origin Tower will be open for a long time, which will be enough for him to earn a lot of points!

Thinking of this, Lin Yi felt a surge of excitement and quickly asked, "Senior brother, next time I go out, I'd like to exchange some for my parents and others. Does each Star Soul Crystal provide the same level of improvement? Are there any specific data on the effects of consuming them?"

Upon hearing this, Zhenyu suddenly realized and laughed, "I forgot, you're still too young. Although you have no descendants, your parents are still alive, and you still have those followers." He recalled briefly, "I hadn't paid much attention to what you're saying. Let me check the previous message records."

He tapped his finger lightly in the air, bringing up a light screen that quickly scanned the data. After a moment, he said, "Found it. According to the test data from the Mechanical Race: taking the first pill increases one's talent to the level where one can stably cultivate to the Star Domain level; taking three pills raises one's talent to the level sufficient to support cultivation to the World Transformation level; and using all ten pills will allow one to reach the comprehension level of an ordinary god-level genius."

Lin Yi listened attentively, quickly calculating in his mind.

Therefore, when we go out for the first time, it should be enough to exchange three coins for each of our parents and Ellie.

Three of these items are enough to raise one's talent to the Transcendent Realm level. With sufficient resources, reaching the Transcendent Realm level in the future shouldn't be a problem. This will ensure that there are no lifespan issues during the Origin Tower Secret Realm.

"However," Lin Yi reminded himself, "we'll have to deal with all that after we get out. Right now, the priority is to improve my own strength. After all, the stronger I am, the faster I can earn points."

After exchanging a few more words with Zhenyu about other facilities and precautions within the base, he got up to take his leave.

As soon as he boarded the shuttle back to his residence and the cabin door closed, Lin Yi leaned back in his seat, his tense body finally relaxing slightly, and his eyes burst forth with a dazzling light.

"A fixed improvement. Reaching the comprehension level of an ordinary god-level genius." He repeated in a low voice, his heart pounding powerfully in his chest.

For Zhenyu, for Ellis, and for those prodigies whose innate comprehension is already at its peak, this improvement is naturally insignificant.

But for him, it was a magical artifact tailor-made for him!
Soon, the shuttle arrived at the residence, and the cabin door opened.

Lin Yi did not get off the plane, but instead gave the order to the intelligent system: "Change destination, proceed to the core area evacuation point."

"Command confirmed. Route replanned." The shuttle silently changed direction and accelerated again.

A moment later, Lin Yi's figure reappeared in that pure white exchange space.

The central sphere of light floats silently, radiating an eternal, gentle glow.

"Exchange for ten Star Soul Crystals," Lin Yi said without hesitation.

The sphere of light shimmered and swirled.

[Exchange for 10 Star Soul Crystals, requiring 50 billion points. Confirm?]

"confirm!"

[Redeem successful. 50 billion points deducted.]

Current points balance: 301.42 billion points.

Ten azure crystals, each seemingly containing starlight that rotated slowly inside, appeared out of thin air and floated in front of Lin Yi.

These crystals emitted a gentle yet strange soul fluctuation; just getting close to them made Lin Yi feel a refreshing coolness in his soul.

Lin Yi carefully stored the ten Star Soul Crystals in the safest location within his divine kingdom.

He didn't leave immediately; his gaze returned to the exchange list.

The entries for "Source Law Auxiliary Comprehension" and "Source Law Breakthrough Secret Techniques" were still flashing at the top. He clicked on the latter and quickly browsed through it.

【Traces of Time - An Introduction to the Laws of Time (Volume 1)】: A collection of insights left by a powerful cultivator at the Source Law Realm of Time, systematically explaining how to perceive, access, and initially activate the power of the Source Laws of Time after achieving mastery of the Laws of Time. Requires: 25 billion points from the Primordial Universe Tower.

["Moment and Eternity: An Analysis of Two Paths to the Law of Time"]: This book compares and analyzes the different paths, difficulties, advantages, and disadvantages of impacting the Law of Time with the core characteristics of "moment" and "eternity." Requires 20 billion points from the Primordial Tower to redeem.

【"The Technique of Capturing Tributaries of the River of Time (Basic Edition)"】: Records a secret technique for actively seeking out and briefly contacting subtle tributaries of the River of Time (a form of manifestation of the Source Law), which can aid in comprehension. Requires: 15 billion points from the Primordial Tower.

The three secret manuals, totaling 60 billion points.

Lin Yi's eyes flickered as he looked at the descriptions of the three secret manuals.

Now that he has perfected the nine laws, the next step is to prepare for the breakthrough of the source law, and the first source law he has chosen must be the source law of time.

The reason is simple: once his comprehension of the Time Source Law reaches 100%, he can have a third clone!
While these secret texts are merely theoretical knowledge, summaries of past experiences, and guides for the path, rather than treasures that directly enhance understanding, their importance is undeniable. This is especially true when attempting to reach the profound and mysterious realm of "Source Law," where the correct direction and methods are essential.

I'll have to buy it sooner or later anyway, and I can't save any money this way compared to accumulating points, so I might as well buy it early and learn sooner.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi decisively said, "Exchange for 'Traces of Time - A Beginner's Guide to the Laws of Time (Volume 1)', 'Moment and Eternity: An Analysis of Two Paths to the Laws of Time', and 'The Technique of Capturing Tributaries of the River of Time (Basic Edition)'."

[Redemption confirmed. Redemption successful. 60 billion points deducted.]

Current points balance: 241.42 billion points.

Three beams of light containing a vast flow of information entered Lin Yi's brow and were temporarily sealed deep within his soul, to be studied carefully later.

At this point, Lin Yi had achieved his main objective in entering the pure white space.

He glanced at his remaining points and didn't redeem any other items.

Other things, such as materials to upgrade Xuanji or treasures to aid in comprehending the laws of time, are not the most urgent needs for the time being. He plans to save them for now and see the effects of improved comprehension before making a decision.

"leave."

Enveloped in pure white light, Lin Yi returned to the outside of the vortex at the Shuangyong Base evacuation point in the next instant.

He summoned the shuttle and returned to his dwelling.

After closing the door to the quiet room and activating all protective and isolation measures, Lin Yi sat down cross-legged and finally took out the first Star Soul Crystal.

The crystal felt warm to the touch, and its deep blue light shimmered softly in the quiet room.

Following the instructions he learned during the exchange, Lin Yi slowly probed his soul power into the core of the crystal.

Buzz.
The Star Soul Crystal trembled slightly, then transformed into a warm, deep blue stream of light, which silently merged into Lin Yi's brow along his soul connection, reaching the depths of his soul's origin.

There was no excruciating pain or strange phenomena as I had imagined; instead, there was a comfortable feeling, as if I were soaking in a perfectly warm spring.

Lin Yi felt as if his soul was being gently caressed by a soft force, and some sluggishness that was usually difficult to detect was being quietly smoothed out.

He closed his eyes and carefully experienced this change.

About half a day later, the effect of the first Star Soul Crystal was completely absorbed.

Without pausing, he took out the second and third coins.
The absorption process is calm and continuous.

The enhancement brought by each Star Soul Crystal is subtle yet substantial, like the most patient craftsman sculpting his soul essence bit by bit.

After the energy of the sixth, seventh, and tenth Star Soul Crystals was fully integrated into his soul, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.

"This feeling," Lin Yi thought with a slight tremor, "is like...frosted glass that has been polished!"

This analogy suddenly popped into Lin Yi's mind.

Previously, viewing the laws was like looking through a layer of frosted glass covered with moisture or stains. Although you could see the outline, it was never very clear and required a lot of effort to wipe it clean and understand it.

Now, the frosted glass has been polished to a shine!

"Is this the comprehension of a god-level genius?"

Lin Yi murmured to himself.

He attempted to harness a sliver of the power of the laws of time, and a silvery-gray light flowed between his fingertips.

Previously, precise operations required deliberate control to achieve, but now they can be completed almost instantly with a thought, as the power of the law extends like an arm, completing the task with precision and fluidity.

He then attempted to simultaneously invoke the two laws of spacetime to construct a simple spacetime bubble.

The entire process was smooth and seamless, with the two laws working together perfectly, significantly reducing the mental and spiritual burden.

"The improvement in comprehension not only leads to faster learning and understanding of new things, but also to more refined, efficient, and less resource-intensive application of the rules we have already mastered." Lin Yi quickly assessed the changes in himself. "In the long run, the benefits are simply immeasurable."

He stood up and paced around the quiet room, savoring the feeling of being refreshed.

"This feels amazing!" Lin Yi finally couldn't help but smile.

With this level of comprehension as a foundation, he will be able to digest the three Time Source Law Secrets more efficiently, and his future attempts to break through to the Source Laws will be much smoother.

More importantly, he saw hope in making up for his biggest weakness.

Star Soul Crystal is just the beginning; there may be other opportunities to enhance one's comprehension in the future.

Even without it, with his current comprehension and the power of spiritual enlightenment, his future growth rate will far exceed that of the past.

(End of this chapter)