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

Chapter 104 Purple Lightning Sparks, Entrance Examination
Lin Yi didn't exchange pleasantries or introduce himself; he went straight to the point, his voice carrying clearly to every corner of the classroom:
"Gentlemen, you are all outstanding talents selected from various settlements, military units, and even all over the world."

"The fact that you are sitting here already proves that you are exceptional in some aspects."

Lin Yi first offered a word of praise, then paused slightly before his tone abruptly changed.

"But before the course officially begins, there is one thing I must clarify first. The entry of source energy into the body is by no means a dinner party. This process will be accompanied by extreme pain, which will directly affect your body and soul."

He noticed that many people in the audience had slightly changed expressions, but most of them still maintained a firm gaze.

"As for how painful it is?" Lin Yi's lips curled into a smile. "You probably can't truly understand it just by describing it in words. In that case, I can let everyone 'experience' it in advance."

Before he finished speaking, he casually waved his right hand.

In an instant, a dazzling azure energy flame erupted from his palm, expanding like a burning ocean and silently hovering above all the students in the classroom.

The massive energy fluctuations caused the air to distort slightly, creating a suffocating sense of oppression.

Immediately afterward, Lin Yi's gaze sharpened!
hum!
The suspended sea of ​​source energy fire seemed to be infused with a soul, and countless fine and violent purple arcs of electricity suddenly emerged, coiling around it and emitting a crackling sound that made one's scalp tingle.

The next moment, this terrifying sea of ​​lightning and fire suddenly split apart, precisely transforming into thousands of tiny sparks, no bigger than a fingernail, yet still burning with blue flames and leaping with purple lightning.

Each flower floated precisely in front of a student, bobbing slightly.

A collective gasp of surprise erupted in the classroom.

Unlike the distant view during the morning ceremony, this incredible scene unfolded right before our eyes, making the impact all the more intense.

Lin Yi's voice rang out again, calm yet tinged with cruelty.

"Touch this ball of purple lightning in front of you. It will simulate the pain that comes when the source energy first washes over your meridians and expands your source sea as it enters your body."

"This kind of pain affects both the body and the soul."

"Remember, if you can hold on until the purple spark in front of you runs out of energy and dissipates on its own, without letting go halfway, then you will have a high probability of completing the entire process of source energy entering your body in reality."

His eyes swept across the room.

It was alright; only a very few people showed signs of fear.

Lin Yi affirmed this in his heart, then a smile appeared on his face.

“If you can’t hold on,” he said, his words devoid of warmth. “Then go back.”

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over someone, causing many people's hearts to sink.

Then, Lin Yi softened his tone and added, "Of course, you don't need to put too much pressure on yourselves. Having a low pain tolerance doesn't mean you're not destined for Source Energy."

"The reason why people feel so much pain when energy enters their bodies is that our bodies have been 'drought' for too long in this environment where energy is extremely scarce."

"It's like when your skin is already cracked in an extremely dry environment, and you suddenly wash your face with water, you'll feel an unbearable stinging sensation. It's the same principle."

"Based on my estimates, if one can nourish the body in a high-concentration energy environment like a training camp for an extended period of time, after about two to three years, most people will be able to complete the energy infusion process relatively smoothly while only experiencing 'moderate pain'."

"This is a category that almost everyone can adapt to."

"Everyone has a different tolerance level, and there is no shame in choosing to give up."

After offering some words of comfort and, at the same time, giving some of the less determined a chance to give up, Lin Yi's tone became serious.

"However, right now, resources are extremely scarce, and every resource must be used wisely."

"Therefore, at this stage, those who cannot endure this pain and cannot quickly form combat power can only leave temporarily and give the opportunity to those who are more patient."

"You can think of this as an entrance exam."

"Now," Lin Yi paused, "let's begin."

The order was given, but the classroom fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared at the tiny yet dangerous purple spark of lightning before them, their eyes filled with struggle.

Chen Yu stared intently at the spark, his teeth grinding together.

He didn't want to embarrass himself, and even less did he want to embarrass Lin Yi. Chen Yu's mind flashed with the expectant looks in his parents' eyes after he was selected, and with Lin Yi's back that had stood in front of them time and time again. He gritted his teeth, a fierce glint in his eyes, and almost snatched out his finger, stabbing it hard at the purple spark.

"Ugh!" The instant the fingertips touched, an indescribable pain swept through my entire body.

It felt as if red-hot steel needles were piercing through my fingertips, instantly flowing through my limbs and bones, while at the same time, my soul felt like it was being whipped by countless tiny bolts of lightning.

He groaned, his body trembling violently, veins bulging on his forehead, cold sweat instantly soaking through his training uniform, but he clenched his teeth tightly, his fingers as if welded shut, refusing to retract.

"We absolutely cannot let go. Brother Yi is watching."

Zhou Yuxuan's actions, however, appeared much more cautious.

He took a deep breath, pushed up his glasses, and his eyes became extremely focused, as if he were conducting a precise experiment.

Then, he slowly and firmly pressed his index finger on it.

A sharp pain shot through him, and Zhou Yuxuan's face turned deathly pale. His body convulsed uncontrollably, and his lips moved slightly, as if he were silently reciting something.

In the auditors' area, Elizabeth gracefully extended her hand.

Her fingertips were even trembling slightly, but her eyes were unusually firm.

The moment the pain struck, Elizabeth's beautiful face contorted instantly, but she managed to suppress any sound of distress, letting out only a suppressed whimper from deep in her throat, while her other hand gripped the armrest of the chair tightly.

"Absolutely, we must not, absolutely cannot lose our composure here."

Adams let out a low growl and, like a wild beast, grabbed the spark.

The agonizing pain caused his massive body to tense violently, muscles bulging, and his eyes instantly bloodshot. Yet, he grinned, revealing an almost ferocious smile, as if enjoying this extreme challenge. "Come on, more intense, that's enough!"

For the first time, a look of pain appeared on Andrei's usually good-natured face. He gasped and muttered, "Oh God, this is much more tiring than training."

His eyes were closed, but his broad palms pressed firmly against the spark. Although he was wincing in pain, he showed no sign of backing down.

The other students also represent a diverse range of personalities.

A seemingly delicate girl cried out in pain the moment her finger touched it, but she bit her lower lip so hard that it bled, and she refused to let go.

A veteran from the Northern Theater Command remained calm, though his brows were furrowed, as if he were under immense pressure, but his body was as steady as a rock.

A few people, within seconds of being touched, turned pale and screamed as they let go. Looking at their fingers, which were still intact but seemed to still be in excruciating pain, they gritted their teeth and pressed on again with all their might.

In the classroom, suppressed groans of pain, heavy breathing, and the sound of teeth chattering rose and fell.

Lin Yi stood on the podium, calmly watching the scene below, looking at the faces that were contorted with extreme pain, yet desperately persevering.

His heart was at peace.

After all, this is just the beginning. If you can't even get past this first hurdle, it's better to go home as soon as possible.

"Showing my understanding of the rules at the Star Vortex level was undoubtedly the right decision," Lin Yi thought to himself.

"The strength of one's soul essence and the precision of its manipulation are positively correlated with the depth of one's understanding of the rules. Now that I can utilize my Star-Spinning level soul manipulation power and understanding of the rules, even conducting such refined teaching demonstrations has become much easier."

"Unfortunately, the increase in the amount of soul power is mainly related to the life realm, and the power of soul power used for direct attacks is really unsatisfactory."

Lin Yi's thoughts began to wander. "Even if a Star Swirl Level 1 soul power is used purely to attack an enemy, its power is probably only equivalent to a Star Dust Level 1 source energy attack. Generally speaking, no strong person would waste their precious and slow-recovering soul power on such an inefficient direct attack. They would only use it to assist in the precise manipulation of source energy and the power of rules."

"After all, once the power of the soul is consumed, it can only be restored by specific treasures or naturally, and its attack effect is not as good as the source energy contained in one's breath. Naturally, no one would do that."

"but."

Lin Yi's eyes flickered slightly. "For me, this is an unconventional method. In critical moments, it might be able to make up for some of the lack of total source energy and have an unexpected effect."

As he thought this, Lin Yi glanced down at the students below the stage again, those who were still persevering through the pain.

"Looks pretty good, no one has given up yet."

"That's true. After all, they all carry the hopes of their hometown. Unless they faint from the pain, no one would give up voluntarily while they are conscious."

(End of this chapter)