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

Chapter 414 Emergency Meeting, Ellis's Embarrassment
At the same time, Lin Yi had a thought, and he took out the silver-gray "Time-Light Source Law Network Diagram" from his divine kingdom and floated it in front of him.

When the ultimate state of enlightenment brought about by the burning of spiritual energy combines with the special fluctuations continuously released in the meridian diagram, a wondrous qualitative change occurs.

The dark void that had previously rendered even the perfect laws of time helpless now seemed to have been infused with a faint but undeniably present ray of starlight.

The laws of time are no longer untraceable!
Through the blazing purple flames and the resonant waves emanating from the network diagram, Lin Yi's consciousness finally "saw" it.

They are vague, abstract, and elusive, like viewing the outline of distant mountains through a constantly changing thick fog, yet they can indeed be perceived and touched.

That is the "source law" of time, a more fundamental manifestation of the concept of "time" itself, transcending the level of laws.

"This is it. Grab it!"

Lin Yi roared inwardly, immersing himself completely in the process, like the most devout apprentice, trying to guide his soul to resonate and connect more deeply with these vague connections.

Cultivation knows no time, especially when one's consciousness is fully immersed in the exploration of the universe's highest mysteries.

Four hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye, a period of profound reflection.

In the quiet room, Lin Yi, who was sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes.

In the depths of his eyes, it seemed as if countless tiny grains of time were slowly flowing, forming a profound rhythm that was difficult to describe.

His aura did not become stronger; instead, it became more restrained and harmonious. However, a faint sense of presence lingered around him, a subtle manifestation of a higher level of power.

"Finally, I touched it!"

Lin Yi murmured to himself, his voice carrying an undisguised joy.

After four hundred years of arduous cultivation, with the dual blessing of the Time Source Law Diagram and the burning spiritual energy, he finally achieved a crucial breakthrough from nothing to something—truly comprehending and mastering a wisp of the Time Source Law.

Although this glimmer of insight was so faint as to be almost negligible, according to his estimation, it amounted to only about 0.01% of the overall Time Source Law.

But this is a qualitative change, from nothing to something!
With this 0.01% as a foundation and guide, subsequent insights will be like having road signs and directions, and the efficiency will be far superior to the initial blind exploration.

"The hardest part is always the beginning, but we've finally taken that first step."

Lin Yi breathed a sigh of relief, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

He did not immediately continue to engage in reflection.

The intense soul activity that had continued for four hundred years, even with the support of spiritual energy, left him feeling somewhat exhausted.

He needs a short break to sort out his findings and get a feel for the situation outside.

Lin Yi's mind stirred slightly. "Xuanji, retrieve the brief records and resolution summaries of all core meetings of the Shuangyong Base during my seclusion."

"Yes, Master." Xuanji's voice responded quickly, and several encrypted meeting minutes entered Lin Yi's consciousness.

Lin Yi quickly browsed through the pages.

Because he was in deep seclusion, he chose to be absent from several routine core meetings held over the past four hundred years.

According to base rules, absence from meetings is permitted for legitimate reasons, but participants are required to review the meeting minutes afterward to stay informed of the latest developments.

The meeting minutes show that the base's daily operations and mission arrangements are proceeding normally.

However, one thing caught Lin Yi's attention: according to the summary of intelligence from the outside, the frequency of conflicts within the alien forces and between the aliens and the Abyss Eclipse Alliance showed a clear downward trend.

Conversely, small-scale skirmishes and reconnaissance/infiltration incidents have increased in the areas bordering the Pan-Spirit Alliance-controlled territories of these two forces.

Fortunately, Ellis's presence at Frostwynn Base created a formidable deterrent effect.

Several provocations or conflicts that slightly crossed the line were forcefully repelled or suppressed. The Pan-Spirit Alliance did not suffer any losses; on the contrary, they gained some small advantages.

Lin Yi was not surprised by this. He did not know about the situation of the alien races, but on the side of the Abyss Erosion Alliance, although there were also powerful cultivators who cultivated both space and time, they had not been promoted to the level of high gods for long and were still hanging around on the 46th floor.

On the other hand, the Pan-Spirit Alliance has Ellis here. With his terrifying strength as he is about to master the Time Source Law and his top-notch dual cultivation of time and space, he can indeed be called a local overlord, enough to deter the villains.

However, in the summary of the most recent meeting fifty years ago, Bota of the Mech race raised a point that required serious attention:

Analysis of conflict data from the past three centuries shows that the frequency of internal strife among various alien factions has decreased by approximately 97%, while the frequency of medium- to large-scale conflicts between them and the Abyss Eclipse Alliance has decreased by approximately 82%. Simultaneously, reconnaissance, probing, and small-scale clashes between the two forces on the periphery of our controlled territory have increased by approximately 415%.

Based on the above data changes, it is reasonable to infer that: a temporary tacit understanding or loose alliance may have been reached within the alien races; and an informal 'ceasefire' or 'restraint' agreement may have been formed between the alien races and the Abyssal Erosion Alliance after the last medium-scale conflict. Currently, both sides are focusing more of their resources and attention on our sphere of influence.

[Recommendation: All patrol teams should raise their alert level and strengthen monitoring of known high-risk areas. This trend needs to be taken very seriously by all members, especially those at the decision-making level.]

Upon seeing this, Lin Yi felt a slight chill.

"A storm is brewing," he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed slightly.

Botta's analysis is logically clear and supported by strong data.

The fact that the alien races and the Abyss Eclipse Alliance are simultaneously reducing their internal strife and increasing their pressure on the Pan-Spirit Alliance is definitely not a good sign.

This likely means that they are preparing for some kind of larger-scale joint action, or at least have reached some kind of consensus against the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

Pressure is building at the Shuangyong base.

"Although it looks like a great battle is imminent," Lin Yi stood up, paced a few steps in the quiet room, his eyes flashing, "the more this is the case, the less we should lose our composure, and the less we should disrupt our cultivation rhythm because of possible threats."

He stopped in his tracks, his eyes hardening.

"Strength is the only true measure of success in dealing with any change! Even if Frostwind Base is under pressure for the time being, or even if it is temporarily lost in the worst-case scenario, as long as the core strength is preserved, once my understanding of the Law of Time reaches 1%, I can definitely lead everyone to take it back!"

Having figured out the key point, the sense of urgency in Lin Yi's heart did not make him anxious, but instead transformed into a stronger motivation for cultivation.

He sat down cross-legged again and instructed Xuanji:

"Xuanji, I'm going to continue my seclusion and contemplation. Don't disturb me unless there's an emergency."

After saying that, Lin Yi closed his eyes again.

Deep within his soul, the purple spiritual energy was once again stirred and burst into flames!

Before him, the "Time-Light Radiance Pattern Diagram" continuously emitted gentle yet profound resonance.

With that 0.01% of the source law insight as a seed and anchor point, entering the state of insight again feels completely different.

Lin Yi was no longer aimlessly touching that dark void, but was able to perceive the connection between his own faint source law imprint and the larger source law network in the network diagram with relative clarity.

The process of enlightenment becomes a continuous process of understanding, absorbing, and assimilating along this connection, allowing one's own seeds to slowly sprout and grow.

Time, in the midst of selfless practice, once again accelerated its passage.

After 100 standard years, Lin Yi's perception of the laws of time source steadily increased to 0.23%.

In the 500th standard year, the perception level has broken through to 0.58%.

In the 800th standard year, the perception rate reached 0.81%.

In the 1300th standard year, the perception level was raised to 0.93% with great difficulty.

Only 0.07% remain to reach that iconic 1% entry threshold.

At this moment, his understanding of the nature of time and his way of looking at the world underwent a subtle change. Many time phenomena that he had taken for granted in the past could now be seen to operate from a more fundamental level.

The mysteries of the Source Law are like a bottomless abyss. The deeper one goes, the more one feels its vastness and one's own insignificance. However, the increase in understanding the essence of power that comes with deeper comprehension makes him feel intoxicated.

Lin Yi was completely immersed in the slow but determined climb, without any distractions.

Until this day.

"Owner."

Xuanji's voice carried a solemnity unlike any other, resonating deep within Lin Yi's soul, gently yet firmly awakening him from his profound state of enlightenment.

"Shuangyong Base issued an emergency notice: An emergency core meeting will be held in the decision-making hall one standard time later."

Lin Yi suddenly opened his eyes, and the illusion of time flowing in his eyes quickly settled.

"Emergency core meeting. Since this is such an important matter, we don't mind delaying the catalog presentation for a while."

Lin Yi made a decision in an instant.

Cultivation can continue, but if the base encounters problems and loses this stable base, everything else will be meaningless.

"Xuanji, immediately dispatch a commuter shuttle to the decision-making hall."

As Lin Yi gave the instructions, he put away the meridian diagram and then concealed his aura.

Three minutes later, Lin Yi boarded the shuttle.

The shuttle sped along the complex air routes within the base. The scenery outside the window seemed largely unchanged from over a thousand years ago, still bustling and orderly, filled with the stark reality of war.

But Lin Yi could vaguely sense that the atmosphere in the air seemed to be more somber than before.

Upon arriving at the decision-making hall, the heavy metal doors slid open silently.

More than thirty Source Treasure Gods were already seated around the oval, dark gold table.

Senior Brother Zhenyu and Lord Sijia had already arrived. When they saw Lin Yi enter, they both nodded slightly in greeting, their expressions more serious than usual. Most of the other deities also had solemn expressions and were talking in hushed tones. The atmosphere in the hall was noticeably more tense than in previous routine meetings.

Lin Yi walked to his seat to Ellis's left and sat down comfortably.

He could feel many eyes lingering on him briefly. After all, Ellis had already publicly stated that Lin Yi was the one who would "take charge of the base" in the future. Now that a powerful enemy might be approaching, the attitude and reaction of this newly promoted powerhouse who was being given high hopes were naturally attracting a lot of attention.

Time passed by, and the Yuanbao deities gradually arrived.

Shortly after the last deity took his seat, the main doors of the conference hall reopened.

Ellis, dressed in a simple long robe, strode in, and all the gods, including Lin Yi, stood up at the same time.

"Your Excellency Ellis."

Ellis nodded slightly and walked straight to the head seat to sit down.

"I have summoned you all here at this time because an important matter has occurred that concerns the survival of the Frostwind Base."

Upon hearing this, the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were on Ellis, waiting for what would happen next.

Ellis didn't go on with the details, but instead looked at Bota, who was sitting not far to his right: "Bota, tell everyone what's going on." "Yes, Your Excellency Ellis," Bota replied, standing up.

He raised his hand and waved it, and a huge three-dimensional virtual star map instantly unfolded in the center of the hall, clearly marking the boundaries of the Frostforetold Base, the surrounding star fields, and the known control areas of the Pan-Spirit Alliance, the Alien Race, and the Abyss Eclipse Alliance.

The star map is still dynamically adjusting, displaying the latest reconnaissance data.

"About three standard hours ago, multiple sets of concealed ultra-long-range detection nodes that we deployed in the direction of the 'Sea of ​​Dark Dust' and the boundary zone of the 'Shattered Star Abyss' simultaneously transmitted high-energy alarms."

He pointed to two areas on the star map that were far from Frostwynn Base and close to the sphere of influence of the alien races and the Abyss Eclipse Alliance.

"According to preliminary analysis, the alien race detected more than 3100 sources of large-scale gathering of divine power fluctuations. The Abyss Eclipse Alliance detected more than 3300 sources of large-scale gathering of divine power fluctuations."

"Moreover, these two forces are currently moving out from their respective controlled areas, forming a pincer movement, and are making no attempt to conceal their approach towards the border areas of our territory. Their trajectory is clear, and their target is the star system where our Frostwynn Base is located."

He pulled up a set of dynamic trajectory simulation diagrams, where two huge red arrows slowly converged from both sides of the map toward the green dot representing the Frostborn Base.

"Based on their current speed and course, they are expected to reach our outer perimeter within 800 to 850 standard years. This does not even take into account any additional forces that may be hidden within the divine realm."

Botta paused slightly before offering his assessment: "However, I personally believe that they did not engage in large-scale power concealment. The reason is simple: if they truly wanted to hide their strength and launch a surprise attack, they would not have so directly exposed the power of over six thousand gods."

More than six thousand divine units are targeting Frostwynn Base!
Even though everyone present was a seasoned holder of Yuanbao, their expressions turned extremely solemn upon hearing this number.

One of the Spirit Race's Source Treasure Gods couldn't help but speak up: "What are they trying to do? Are they working together to wipe out our Frostwy Base in one fell swoop? But why are they so blatantly displaying their power? Isn't this clearly telling us that they're coming and giving us time to prepare?"

Upon hearing this, a Saint Radiance Clan member who possessed a Source Treasure looked at the two red arrows on the star map and analyzed, "I think their alliance is most likely out of necessity. The reason they chose to put their power out in the open is probably due to this extreme distrust between them."

"If one or both sides hide their main forces within the divine realm, who knows how much real strength the other side has actually deployed? What if they verbally agree to join forces but actually only send a few cannon fodder, waiting for us and the other side to fight to the death before coming out to reap the benefits?"

"Therefore, they would rather let us prepare in advance than not deploy their main forces. Only in this way can they convince the other party of their sincerity. This gives us a warning time, but it also means that their determination to unite is very strong, and they want to crush us with their overwhelming power."

This analysis is reasonable and logically sound.

Many of the deities in the hall nodded slightly upon hearing this, their faces showing thoughtful expressions.

“That makes sense.” A source treasure deity of the Thunderfairy Clan said, his voice crackling with electricity. “By revealing their cards, they’ve lost the advantage of a surprise attack, but they’ve avoided the risk of being stabbed in the back by their allies. It seems they’re determined this time.”

Lin Yi sat in his seat, listening quietly to everyone's analysis and discussion, but his gaze remained fixed on the huge star map in the center.

The fact that over six thousand divine units of alien races and the Abyssal Erosion Alliance could mobilize such a large force clearly indicates that it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather the result of a long period of preparation and mobilization.

Bota's earlier warnings about the tacit understanding reached within the alien races and the informal "ceasefire agreement" formed between the alien races and the Abyss were now being brutally confirmed.

"Why did they suddenly join forces? They were fighting to the death before." A Spirit Race Origin Treasure God asked in bewilderment, "The three of us have been locked in a struggle in this star field for so many years. Although we have had our wins and losses, we have generally maintained a balance. This kind of alliance has never happened before."

Sitting not far from him, a Protoss pondered for a moment before slowly speaking: "I estimate that it might be influenced by Lord Lin Yi's big move on the 45th floor."

Upon hearing this, many deities instinctively turned their gazes toward Lin Yi, who was sitting to Ellis's left.

The Protoss continued, "Previously, Lord Lin Yi, as a high-level deity, severely injured the Abyssal Erosion Alliance with a single blow using a Source Treasure. This battle not only demonstrated Lord Lin Yi's astonishing potential, but more importantly, it demonstrated the enormous influence that a powerhouse of the Transcendental Realm can have on the situation."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Ellis in the main seat. "And Lord Ellis is also a dual cultivator of time and space, and has long demonstrated a very proficient ability to control source treasures. They may not have thought about this before, or made up their minds, but after Lord Lin Yi's reminder of the incident on the 45th floor, they will definitely worry that once Lord Ellis successfully enters the realm of time source law, his combat power will undergo a qualitative change, thus influencing the situation on the battlefield."

"Their joining forces now may be an attempt to take advantage of the fact that Lord Ellis has not yet truly broken through and his combat power has not undergone a fundamental leap, to concentrate their superior forces and drive us, especially Lord Ellis, out of the Frostwind Base, cut off the channels for exchanging Source Law Auxiliary Enlightenment Treasures, and delay or even interrupt Lord Ellis's breakthrough process."

This conjecture was reasonable and logically sound, and many deities expressed their agreement after hearing it.

"I see. They sensed a threat and wanted to nip the danger in the bud."

"They're getting restless because they're afraid Lord Ellis will break through."

After finishing his analysis, the Protoss deity hesitated for a moment, but ultimately looked at Ellis and asked the question everyone was concerned about: "What is Lord Ellis's current level of understanding of the Law of Time?"

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Swish!
All eyes in the hall were focused on Ellis, even Lin Yi glanced at the strongest person in the base.

Facing the almost tangible expectant gazes of the crowd, Ellis's face, which seemed covered in ice, showed a rare hint of embarrassment.

He paused for two seconds before slowly speaking, his voice still calm, but lacking his usual absolute confidence and filled with helplessness: "Reaching the level of Source Law is not as easy as you imagine, uh... I'm still a bit short."

It's still a bit short.

These few simple words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the flame of hope that had just been ignited in everyone's hearts.

Disappointment was hard to suppress and appeared on the faces of many of the gods.

Although they all knew that the threshold of the Source Law was extremely difficult to cross, they still held onto a sliver of hope that this supreme descendant, on whom so much expectation was placed, could create a miracle.

It now appears that the miracle did not occur.

Ellis pursed her lips, said nothing, but turned her gaze to Botta, signaling him to continue.

Botta nodded slightly and continued, "Since Lord Ellis has not yet achieved a key breakthrough, we don't actually have many viable options in the face of an attack by more than six thousand enemy divine units."

He raised his hand and outlined several arrows and areas on the star map.

"Our first option is to concentrate all our forces and launch a preemptive strike, targeting one of the enemy's two routes for a surprise attack, aiming to severely damage or even defeat one of them before they converge."

"However, this plan is extremely risky. Since the other side dares to reveal its strength, it must be prepared for a possible surprise attack. The side we have chosen as our target will most likely not fight us head-on, but will adopt a tactic of containment to keep us occupied."

"At the same time, another enemy force can rush straight to our Frostwind base without any hindrance, first occupy the evacuation point, and then attack us together."

The gods present were well aware of the advantages and disadvantages, but after a moment's thought, they all shook their heads and rejected the plan.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Bota proposed a second plan: "The second method is relatively safe. We should abandon the plan to hold out at Frostwynn Base. Taking advantage of the 800-year window before the enemy arrives, we should exchange the resources stored in the base, as well as our personal points, for as many immediately usable treasures as possible to enhance our strength. Then, we should gather all our forces, retreat proactively, preserve our strength, and carry out a strategic transfer."

He pulled up the star map and marked several possible retreat directions and backup assembly points.

"In this way, we can avoid a decisive battle with the enemy when we are at a disadvantage, and preserve our core strength. We can wait for Lord Ellis to successfully master the Time Source Law, or for the enemy alliance to develop cracks, before we seize the opportunity to counterattack and retake the base."

This plan seems to perfectly align with the military principle of "preserving people even if land is lost, thus preserving both people and land."

However, soon, some deities raised questions.

A deity of the Holy Radiance Clan said, "Taking the initiative to retreat and abandon the base, although it can preserve our strength, also means that we have lost our evacuation point and can no longer exchange for the treasures of the Primordial Universe Tower. For those who are stuck at a certain point in their understanding of the Origin Law, their understanding speed will drop to a freezing point, and they may not make any progress even in billions of years."

Botta nodded: "That's the crux of the problem. Either we fight them head-on with inferior forces, with little chance of winning, or we abandon the base and retreat to preserve our strength, but lose the exchange channel, and our personal strength improvement will be almost stagnant, which would be a major blow to Lord Ellis's pursuit of the Source Law."

"No matter which path we choose, the other side will be able to weaken us and delay Lord Ellis's breakthrough."

Lin Yi listened to Bota's analysis and nodded in agreement.

This is actually an open conspiracy.

Yuan Lu faces countless obstacles, both large and small, on his path of cultivation.

For the gods present who are beginning to touch the source of the law, they may be able to slowly persevere through hard work in normal times, but at crucial moments, they often need to rely on specific enlightenment treasures to try to break through the barriers.

Losing access to the evacuation point to exchange for treasures would have a fatal impact on their future cultivation.

Of course, there are theoretically ways to break this open scheme.

A thought flashed through Lin Yi's mind: concentrate the resources held by all the Source Treasure Gods present, and even the gods of the entire base, and allocate them uniformly, prioritizing the exchange of Time Source Law aids for Ellis. This would allow him to continue breaking through bottlenecks even after leaving the base, without being affected.

This method, though its chances are slim—after all, people usually don't keep many resources and treasures on hand, and Time Source Law treasures are incredibly expensive, costing hundreds of billions of points—even if you emptied your coffers, you probably wouldn't be able to gather many. Moreover, no one can guarantee how long or how many treasures Ellis will need to break through, but it's still a possible idea.

Lin Yi was puzzled for a moment.

Logically speaking, given the intelligence of the gods present and the fact that no one knew the progress of Ellis's comprehension of the Source Law, as the strongest person with the best chance of reaching the Lord level of comprehension, someone should have raised this suggestion for discussion. After all, given Ellis's status, it's not like he couldn't afford to repay it.

However, he found that after Botta finished analyzing the two difficult choices, an eerie silence fell over the hall.

Surprisingly, not a single deity suggested "concentrating resources to help Ellis".

Lin Yi pondered for a moment and quickly understood the key point, and couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself.

Clearly, it's because Lord Ellis isn't exactly popular.

He has a strong personality, speaks bluntly and without reservation, and is arrogant, offending almost everyone present.

In this awkward atmosphere, who would dare to step forward and suggest that everyone pool their precious resources to help someone who usually ignores them or might even make sarcastic remarks?
If this is brought up, and the other gods secretly think it's an attempt to curry favor with Ellis, then you'll be looking down on them for no reason, and you'll lose face.

That would be bad enough, but what's even more terrifying is that if Ellis himself doesn't appreciate it, and thinks it's pity or charity, and coldly refuses on the spot, or even makes a few sarcastic remarks about the person who made the suggestion, then he would really become a laughing stock, and would probably be completely disgraced throughout the entire Pan-Spirit Alliance.

Those present are all prominent and long-established deities, the pride of their respective tribes.

They may not be afraid of death, but this kind of "social death" that occurs in full view of others makes them even more cautious.

You can be resurrected after dying, but if you die and are resurrected, it doesn't work!
Ellis clearly understood the crux of the matter in an instant.

His gaze swept over the group of gods below, each with a different expression but remaining silent. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, but he did not speak.

He didn't offer to ask for help; given his pride, he would never have asked.

The situation seemed to have reached a stalemate.

Lin Yi watched coldly from the sidelines, his mind racing.

"I can make this suggestion that others can't or dare not make!"

"After all, Ellis had shown me some kindness before, and besides, I'll be able to master the Time Source Law soon. My talent clearly surpasses Ellis's. If he doesn't appreciate it and mocks me, he'll end up looking like a clown himself."

"Besides, it's a good time to see who will give me face and who is truly trustworthy. Otherwise, once I reveal my understanding that I'm about to reach the Venerable Lord level, everyone around me will be a bunch of good people, and I won't be able to distinguish between them."

In addition, there is one more crucial point.

The feeling of getting a huge loot drop on the 45th floor was so satisfying.

Therefore, he not only wanted to repel the enemy, but also wanted to take this opportunity to wipe out the invading enemy in one fell swoop.

If he were to attack one side first, the other would surely escape, which would be a great pity. However, if he were to sit at the base and wait for the two sides to converge, directly confronting more than six thousand gods would be somewhat unstable, and he might end up losing.

Therefore, he hoped that Ellis could make use of the resources pooled together and, in one fell swoop, also master the Time Source Law. In this way, they could split up and lead separate teams to wipe out the entire group in one fell swoop.

With that in mind, Lin Yi no longer hesitated.

He took a deep breath and, in the ensuing silence, slowly began to speak:

"Gentlemen, I have a proposal."

　7.5K
　　
　
(End of this chapter)