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

Chapter 251 Divine Secrets, Ellie's Thoughts (5.8K)
In the grand scheme of things, giving a gift to the junior apprentice was just a minor incident.

After this extra segment came to an end, the pace on the Star Banquet Stage became very casual and homey.

Yes, it's just everyday stuff.

If a group of beings who are at least at the Transcendent Realm level, including two Eternal Gods, can discuss topics that can be described as "casual conversation," then...

On the star-studded stone platform in front of Lin Yi, the delicacies and fine wines still radiated an alluring glow and aroma, but his mind was no longer on these illusory pleasures.

He sat upright, like a naive freshman just entering a vast university, listening attentively as his professors and senior students discussed cutting-edge and challenging topics.

The senior students were clearly used to this kind of gathering, and the conversation naturally turned to things that were of interest to them at this level.

"I heard that there have been some unusual developments in the Ancient Netherworld recently. The spatial turbulence on the outer perimeter has weakened by 30%, and a few old guys have already sent people to scout ahead."

Fourth Senior Brother Lieyang took a swig of the wine that seemed to be made of magma and spoke in a carefree manner.

Sixth Senior Brother Xuan Shu frowned slightly and continued, "The Netherworld Secret Realm is extremely dangerous. It was last opened 700,000 years ago, and quite a few beings perished inside. However, it is said that some people have obtained fragments of the 'Heart of Time' within it. If one can refine them, it will greatly benefit one's understanding of the laws of time."

Third Senior Sister Qianhuan toyed with a strand of hair woven from starlight, and chuckled lazily:
"The Heart of Time? That thing is too ethereal. I did hear that the newly promoted Eternal of the 'Phantom Clan' and the veteran god of the 'Rock Armor Clan' almost came to blows at the 'Pan-Spirit Alliance Arbitration Court' over the ownership of a rare mineral vein star system. In the end, it was only by the intervention of the gods under the 'Star Language Lord' that the matter was settled."

Her beautiful eyes darted around, a hint of mockery in them. "Tsk tsk, they've thrown away all their dignity for a few Star Pattern Gold Cores."

"As a newly ascended Eternal being, with an unstable foundation, it is natural to need resources to consolidate the divine kingdom, and it is inevitable that one will act more aggressively."

Second Senior Sister Heng Huan, as a top-tier cultivator in the realm of evolution who is just one step away from eternity, obviously knows some inside information.

"The Rock Armor Clan, relying on their seniority, tried to gain the upper hand, but they've only just met their match. Such clashes happen every day outside the border."

Lin Yi listened silently, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

Ancient mysteries? Fragments of the Heart of Time? A conflict between gods?
These terms were like gibberish to him.

Lin Yi could only try his best to remember this information, knowing that the vastness of the universe was far beyond what his knowledge of less than ten thousand years across two lifetimes could imagine.

These secret realms, resources, and the interplay between deities are the true high-level structures that support this vast starry sea.

Just then, the usually taciturn Seventh Senior Sister, Bing Ling, spoke in a cool voice: "Bing Zhi of the Cold Feather Starfield has broken through."

Her words were brief, yet they surprised everyone present.

"Bingzhi? That little girl who's been trapped at the peak of the Yan Realm for nearly a million years?"

Qianhuan sat up straight with great interest. "She's following the path of extreme cold and annihilation. It's said that when she tried to break through to the Eternal Realm last time, she almost froze her inner world to pieces. I never expected her to succeed."

Bingling nodded slightly in confirmation, without saying anything more.

However, Lin Yi could sense from the reactions of his senior brothers and sisters what a momentous event the birth of a new Eternal was for the human race, enough to change the power structure of a star field.

Even the eldest disciple, Zhenyu, slowly opened his eyes, which had been slightly closed, after hearing the news.

However, he did not comment on Bingzhi's breakthrough, but instead spoke of another matter in a calm and indifferent tone:

“A few days ago, the seventh level of the prison took in a man named Mu Yan.”

Upon hearing this, Cangming seemed to recall something, a complex expression appearing on his face: "Mu Yan? I remember he rose to fame very early. Before I even entered the Yan Realm, he was already a renowned Eternal God, known for his benevolence and having protected weaker civilizations on numerous occasions, with an excellent reputation. How could this be?"

Zhenyu remained expressionless. "In order to prolong the life of a companion divine tree at the core of his divine kingdom, he secretly sacrificed more than 40,000 low-rated, rudimentary civilizations that had just left the protection period, extracting their stellar origins and the life force of billions of living beings, and disguising them as various accidents. The evidence is conclusive."

The Star Banquet Stage fell silent instantly.

Lieyang frowned, Xuanshu sighed softly, and Qianhuan's playful expression faded somewhat.

It is truly lamentable that a deity once known for its "benevolence" ultimately committed such a horrific crime.

Zhenyu added casually at the end, as if stating a perfectly ordinary fact: "It's a pity I remember he used to be a pretty honest person."

These words, when they reached Lin Yi's ears, sent a chill down his spine more deeply than any previous secrets or gossip.

It clearly reveals a cruel truth: in the face of a long life and great power, one's original intentions are easily changed, and the boundary between good and evil is not eternal.

Even gods can fall into the abyss in their pursuit of power or survival.

In the time that followed, the senior students chatted about other things, and Lin Yi still couldn't get a word in edgewise. He could only be a quiet listener, greedily absorbing the knowledge and information that far exceeded his current level, trying his best to piece together a more realistic, and also more cruel, picture of this universe.

Unbeknownst to them, the simulated light and shadow of the starry sea in the background outside the virtual star banquet platform quietly changed. The brilliant nebula was gradually replaced by a deep blue, as if foreshadowing the passage of time in the outside world.

The eldest brother, Zhenyu, was the first to stand up.

His figure, like a cornerstone of the starry sky, moved slightly, causing ripples in the rules of the entire Star Banquet Platform.

"It's almost time."

Zhenyu calmly said, "I need to go and inspect the prison."

Upon hearing this, everyone stood up.

"Senior Brother, important matters are at hand." Second Senior Sister Heng Huan nodded.

"Take care, Senior Brother," Cangming, Xuanshu, and the others said in unison.

Qianhuan also stopped joking and said seriously, "Senior Brother, you've worked hard."

Zhenyu's gaze swept over the crowd, pausing slightly on Lin Yi. He nodded almost imperceptibly, and then his figure faded and disappeared silently, like ink dissolving in water, leaving no trace.

With Zhenyu's departure, this gathering of disciples naturally came to an end.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the senior brothers and sisters vanished one after another in a stream of light.

Before leaving, Third Senior Sister Qianhuan winked at Lin Yi and said, "Junior Brother, work hard! Your senior sister's planet is waiting for you to take over."

In the end, only Lin Yi and his ninth senior brother Cangming remained.

"How do you feel?" Cangming asked Lin Yi with a smile.

Lin Yi let out a long sigh and said with a wry smile, "There's too much information; it's like trying to see through a fog."

"normal."

Cangming patted him on the shoulder. "We've been through the same thing. Remember what you hear and see today; it will benefit your future. Alright, I should go back now. The things and permissions I've given you will arrive soon, so please check them."

After saying that, Cangming's figure slowly disappeared.

The next moment, Lin Yi felt a slight sense of weightlessness and detachment, as if his soul had fallen from a very high cloud.

Inside the cultivation room, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.

A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes at first, but then his eyes quickly regained their clarity.

He remained seated cross-legged, surrounded by familiar metal walls, the faint aura of energy permeating the air—everything was exactly the same as when he "left."

Lin Yi had only spent less than a day in the virtual network, but returning now gave him a feeling of being in another world.

In my mind, the magnificent scenery of the Star Banquet Platform, those unheard-of secret realms and tales of gods...
And those heavy and precious gifts, especially the promise of the "100,000-life planet" and the "relocated star system," surged into my heart like a tide.

All of this is no longer just data flow in a virtual network, but is truly imprinted on his experiences and future destiny.

Lin Yi raised his hand, vigorously wiped his face, suppressed his turbulent emotions, and instructed, "Xuanji, contact Ellie and tell her that something terrible has happened. Ask her to come over immediately."

“Okay,” Xuanji replied immediately in a gentle voice.

A moment later, the hatch of the training room slid open silently, and Irelia's figure appeared hastily.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and as soon as she entered, she asked anxiously, "Commander, what's wrong? What serious incident has occurred? Has there been a problem with your cultivation, or is it something at the border?"

After his prank succeeded, Lin Yi laughed heartily, interrupting Irelia's questioning, and said loudly, "Irelia, this is indeed a big deal, a tremendously good thing. I've obtained 100,000 life-bearing planets! Isn't that a big deal?"

He had expected to see Irelia's shocked, even incredulous, expression. However, the anticipated excitement did not materialize.

Irelia was taken aback for a moment, but the worry on her face did not disappear. Instead, she hesitated for a moment, as if she was organizing her thoughts.

After a moment, she said softly, "Team Leader, please don't get agitated. The virtual world... it's convenient, but there are also countless scams on it."

"Although you possess exceptional talent and are the most promising person we have ever seen, you ultimately bear the weight of the entire Silverblue Civilization, and even... the burden that our Xina family has forced upon you."

Irelia said apologetically:
"I know this is a lot of pressure, but there's no such thing as a free lunch. A planet with 100,000 inhabitants? Even though you have purple-level access, you might have encountered a carefully designed scam by a high-level circle targeting the virtual network."

Irelia took a deep breath and comforted him, "It's alright, Captain. Even if we were really fooled and lost some star crystals, consider it a lesson learned, and it's worth it. Money is just an external thing; there's no need to blame yourself or let it affect your cultivation."

Lin Yi was stunned, and the smile on his face froze.

Cheated?

He blinked, looking at Irelia's "I understand you, it's okay that you were fooled" expression, before belatedly realizing what had happened.

A feeling of being both amused and exasperated welled up inside me.

Lin Yi shook his head helplessly, looked into Irelia's eyes, and said, word by word, "Irelia, I wasn't deceived. Today, in the virtual network, I attended my sect's formal gathering. I met all my senior brothers and sisters, including my eldest senior brother and third senior sister, who are all Eternal Gods."

He paused briefly, allowing the words "eternal deity" to settle in Irelia's mind, before continuing:

"The 100,000 Life Planet was a gift from my third senior sister, Qianhuan, to me as a token of our friendship."

???

The worry and comfort on Irelia's face—all her expressions—froze completely in that instant.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but found that she couldn't even utter a single syllable.

Seeing Irelia standing there dumbfounded, Lin Yi couldn't help but chuckle.

He could understand her reaction. If he hadn't experienced it firsthand, anyone who heard that a "planet with 100,000 lives" was a "gift" would think it was a fantasy.

Lin Yi gestured for Irelia to sit down, then poured two cups of calming tea and began to recount some details from the sect gathering that could be revealed but did not involve core secrets.

He did not mention the dangers his master faced in challenging the Source Law, nor did he elaborate on the specifics of the "Prison of Sin" guarded by his eldest brother, nor did he delve into the secrets and gossip among the gods.

He simply described the magnificent and wondrous Star Banquet Platform, mentioning two senior brothers and sisters at the level of Eternal Gods, as well as the existence of several senior brothers and sisters at the Realm of Transformation.

Even with this simplified description, when Irelia heard the number "two eternal gods," her hand holding the teacup couldn't help but pause slightly.

Next, Lin Yi briefly mentioned the gifts given by his senior brothers and sisters, omitting details about specific combat trump cards such as the "Burning Void Fire Ring" and the "Crimson Armor Guardian," but emphasizing treasures like the "Void Shadow Shuttle" and the "Frozen Void Jade," which had miraculous effects on the rules of cultivation space.
Third Senior Sister Qianhuan's seemingly casual yet earth-shattering description of the 100,000 life-bearing planets.

Irelia felt her heart surge with excitement just listening to Lin Yi's story.

After saying that, Lin Yi quietly sipped his tea, giving Irelia time to process the huge amount of information.

After a long while, Irelia finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Seeing that Irelia had basically regained her composure, Lin Yi put down his teacup and said seriously, "Irelia, I have a preliminary idea about the 100,000 life-bearing planets that my third senior sister gave me, and I would like to hear your opinion first."

"Please speak, Commander." Irelia sat up straight, knowing that the main topic had arrived.

"First, it's about your Sheena family."

Lin Yi considered his words carefully before saying, "Your Hina family has been migrating to outer space for some time now, but you have been living inside the giant eco-transport ship. Although you are financially secure, it is not a long-term solution and will affect the development and mentality of your people. Your Hina family has been helping me since I was a nobody, providing me with tremendous support in terms of resources and manpower. I will always remember this kindness."

He paused, then continued, "So, I'm thinking of giving a portion of these 100,000 inhabited planets to your Xina family, so you can settle down as soon as possible, rebuild your homes, and properly resettle your people. What do you think?"

In Lin Yi's view, this is a reasonable way to repay the Xina family for their previous personal investment in him.

He had even already decided that he wouldn't be so generous to the Silver Blue Civilization, but would instead use the merit exchange method as usual to grant the civilization the right to use the planet.

However, to Lin Yi's surprise, after listening carefully to his idea, Irelia did not show a happy expression. Instead, she frowned slightly.

She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head and said firmly, "Commander, I don't think this is appropriate."

"Oh?"

Lin Yi was somewhat surprised, "What's wrong with it? Is it because you think the quantity is insufficient, or..."

“No, it’s not a matter of quantity.” Irelia interrupted him, organized her thoughts, and explained, “Commander, think about it, if we directly give the life-bearing planet to our Xena family, then wouldn’t you hand over the remaining planets to the Silver Blue Civilization for development?”

"It's natural."

"That's the problem."

Irelia analyzed, "Our Xena family is, in essence, an 'outsider,' yet you directly gifted planets to us. The Silverblue Civilization is your mother civilization, the root of your civilization. If you treat them differently by exchanging merits or charging for their use, it might create a discriminatory effect. Perhaps the Silverblue Civilization's higher-ups will verbally express understanding and gratitude, but people's hearts are unpredictable. Over time, it's hard to guarantee that some won't feel that you, the leader of this civilization, are 'favoring outsiders' and being harsh on your own people. They will feel that accepting these planets for the development of their civilization is a matter of course and a matter of course."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi was speechless.

Having said that much, with his intelligence, he instantly understood the core meaning Irelia wanted to convey.

He had to admit that Irelia's grasp of the Silverblue civilization, or rather, of "human nature," was indeed extremely accurate.

She pointed out a potential problem that he had not previously considered.

His initial subconscious thought was based on a simple distinction between "personal feelings" and "civilized responsibility".

They believe that giving back to the Hina family is a personal investment, a private matter. Guiding the Silverblue Civilization, however, requires the introduction of rules, making it a public matter.

However, he overlooked the fact that, in the eyes of the Silver Blue Civilization, Lin Yi was first and foremost "one of their own," and his resources, on an emotional level, should be prioritized for the civilization.

When an "outsider" receives a gift while an "insider" has to spend their merits, it can easily create emotional rifts.

"I must say, you really know a lot about the Silver Blue Civilization."

Lin Yi sighed with a wry smile, admitting that he hadn't thought things through.

At the same time, he also realized that Irelia, who had been influenced by thousands of years of Earth's culture, had already deeply understood the sophistication and trade-offs involved.

Considering her past life's ability to lead a mercenary group to rapid rise, it's likely related to her experience as a guardian of Earth.

"So, in your opinion, what would be a more appropriate way to handle this?" Lin Yi decided to listen to Irelia's advice first.

After frowning and thinking for a while, Irelia said, "I suggest we take a different approach."

"For our Sheena family," she pointed to herself, "we will adopt a 'discounted sale' approach. You can transfer ownership of a portion of the planet to us at a reasonable price. This will not only demonstrate your care and affection for the Sheena family, but also avoid the awkward contrast that might arise from a 'free gift.' Our Sheena family will pay a certain price, and acquiring the planet will be legitimate, further motivating our family members to cherish it and work hard to build it up."

"As for the Silver Blue Civilization..."

She continued, "I suggest you retain ownership of the planet and use a 'merit leasing' method to open up the right to use the planet to civilizations."

"Civilizations can accumulate merit by completing tasks you set, achieving development goals, or through future outputs, and use this merit to pay 'rent' to obtain the right to develop and use a specific planet for a certain number of years."

At this point, Irelia hesitated for a moment, but then added, lowering her voice slightly, "After all, Captain, we need to consider the most realistic scenario. If one day in the future, the Silverblue civilization develops and has the ability to give back to you, but they look back on history and feel that they owe too much 'debt of merit' for acquiring the planet, and are unwilling to pay it, or want to renege on their debt, you can't really take action against your home civilization and forcibly demand it, can you?"

She raised her eyes and looked at Lin Yi: "But if it's just renting it out, the initiative is always in your hands. When the lease expires, whether to renew it, and how to adjust the rent, are all your decisions. This can minimize the possibility of future conflicts or even falling out over interests."

Finally, she concluded softly, "Sometimes, it has happened in the universe that powerful civilizations have ultimately come to oppose the civilizations they originated from due to ideologies or enormous interests. It's best to take preventative measures in advance."

After listening, Lin Yi fell completely silent.

He looked intently at Irelia, as if recognizing for the first time her keen insight and decisiveness in this regard.

Lin Yi really wanted to ask her: "Does Li Yue know that things the Hina family could have obtained for free are now being bought with a huge amount of resources, potentially leaving them with a mountain of debt?"

Also, what were you thinking when you said those words that seemed to "drive a wedge" between him and the Silver Blue Civilization, and then just said them so directly?
Is it because of absolute trust, or because...
A deeper consideration?

Irelia seemed to see the complex emotions in Lin Yi's eyes, met his gaze calmly, and said softly:
"Commander, all my suggestions are primarily to ensure that your interests and superior position will not be challenged or harmed in the future. Only if you remain strong and independent can the alliance with our Sheena family and the leadership of the Silver Blue Civilization continue."

(End of this chapter)