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

Chapter 280 A Twist of Fate, Twenty Clans' Merits (5K)

This rune is extremely complex, as if it contains a miniature dynamic universe.

After observing silently for a while, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.

In the depths of his eyes lay a calmness that seemed to see through eternity and disregard the passage of time.

It is a timeless quality that has settled after witnessing too many births and deaths.

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment, as if deep in thought, then gently raised his right hand, his mind stirring slightly.

There was no earth-shattering energy burst, but a small area above his palm subtly changed.

The light there was slightly distorted, and a piece of alloy foil used for recording was suspended in it.

The foil visibly darkened and rusted, then, as if it had existed for millions of years, turned into a handful of ashes and vanished without a trace.

However, the moment the fly ash dissipated, the light in that area fluctuated again, the fly ash reversed its direction, the rust faded, and the foil was restored to its original state, as if everything just now was an illusion.

Time accelerates its decay, yet also reverses its state.

This is just a very basic demonstration of the application of the power of time.

Then, with a thought, Lin Yi enveloped himself in an invisible silver-gray domain force field.

Within this force field, he is the master of spacetime.

He can adjust the flow of time at will, fold and cut space, give matter extreme sharpness, or instantly strip it of its vitality, or endow it with boundless life force.

The four forces of the rules are perfectly integrated, as if the rules follow wherever the mind goes.

Of course, Lin Yi was not misled by this sense of power. First of all, the acceleration and reversal consumed a lot of source energy, because it was equivalent to a creature in the river of time stirring the water to some extent.

Secondly, rules are, after all, just rules, not laws.

Even so, as Lin Yi carefully experienced the silver-gray rune representing the four realms within his soul, an unprecedented sense of security welled up in his heart.

After all, putting aside its power, the ability to create clones and revive alone makes it worthwhile.

After a long while, Lin Yi calmed his excited emotions and began to examine the energy consumed by this breakthrough.

It goes without saying that youth fades in an instant, but the Sands of Time continue to work, and their effects can last for a whole year.

The accumulated spiritual energy was originally expected to be enough to push the time rules to 100% with some surplus.
Lin Yi sensed the purple mist space.

There is still about eleven years' worth left over.

not bad.

It's better than I expected.

He was originally prepared to burn up all his spiritual energy.

He nodded in satisfaction, then slowly stood up. A flash of silver-gray light appeared in his eyes, and the mysterious domain force field around him quietly subsided.

The door to the quiet room opened, and Lin Yi stepped out.

The four realms are complete, and the rules of time are perfected.

The joy and reflection brought about by this groundbreaking achievement need an outlet for sharing and expression.

He headed towards the mercenary group's command post almost without thinking.

Irelia usually handles mercenary group affairs there.

As he walked through the brightly lit metal corridors inside the fortress, members of the East Peak Mercenary Group and even soldiers of the Astral Army he encountered along the way bowed respectfully to him, their eyes filled with undisguised respect.

Lin Yi simply nodded in response, without slowing his pace.

The automatic doors of the command center slid open silently.

Irelia stood before a massive star map, her slender fingers swiping rapidly across the virtual screen, adjusting the deployment of mercenary squads in a certain area.

Her long, emerald-green hair was simply tied back, and her profile appeared focused and gentle under the screen's glow.

Sensing Lin Yi's arrival, she quickly finished what she was doing and turned around.

When her clear blue eyes fell on Lin Yi, her keen senses instantly detected something different.

The Lin Yi before me seemed even more "profound".

It's not an imposing force, but a sense of harmony that seems to blend into the surrounding space and time, a profound and deep-rooted quality.

"Commander, you...did it?"

Irelia asked with concern, "Was this retreat going smoothly?"

Lin Yi walked up to Irelia, looked at the Eldar girl who had stood firmly by his side all the way, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"Ellie."

Lin Yi smiled and said, "Thanks to your sponsorship of that military merit, things went much more smoothly than I expected."

Then, he raised his right hand, held up four fingers, and chuckled.

"Fourfold."

A surge of genuine joy welled up in Irelia's heart. She smiled slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Congratulations, Captain."

A thousand words seem to be contained in these five simple words.

She didn't need to know the specific details; she only needed to know that he had become stronger and that his future was brighter. That was enough for her.

Lin Yi nodded, accepting her congratulations, and then said, "I need to contact Third Senior Sister immediately to ask for her advice on some matters. I'll continue to trouble you with the affairs of the group."

"Don't worry," Irelia replied simply.

Lin Yi said no more, turned and left the command center, returning directly to his private area.

He needs an absolutely quiet and safe environment to conduct this virtual communication.

"Xuanji, please send a visit request to my third senior sister."

"Good host."

Xuanji's figure appeared.

The request was sent but no immediate response was received.

Lin Yi waited patiently. He knew that at his senior sister's level, even a short period of seclusion or a long interstellar journey could take a considerable amount of time.

Fortunately, the access request status changed in less than ten minutes, and access was granted.

The virtual scene in front of you changes instantly.

Lin Yi appeared atop a fairy mountain pavilion shrouded in clouds and mist.

Beneath my feet lies a rolling sea of ​​clouds, while in the distance, cranes carry lingzhi mushrooms by, and a clear spring babbles.

Exotic flowers and rare herbs dot the landscape, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

What surprised Lin Yi even more was that the Third Senior Sister, Qian Huan, who was sitting on the cloud platform at this moment, was not dressed in the mysterious or languid style he remembered, but was wearing a set of clothing with a strong ancient Xia Kingdom style.

She wore a flowing, moon-white dress with wide sleeves, the hem fluttering in the breeze. It was embroidered with delicate green bamboo patterns, and a sky-blue silk sash was tied around her waist. Her long, dark hair was loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin, with a few strands falling to her temples, adding a touch of casualness and elegance.

Holding a jade scroll, she moved with elegance, like a fairy stepping out of an ancient painting, perfectly blending into the virtual fairyland scenery.

"Hey, junior brother."

Qianhuan raised her eyes, her voice still possessing a unique magnetism, but paired with this outfit, it lacked some of her usual playfulness and gained a touch of refined elegance.

"Judging from your expression, what do you think of Senior Sister's outfit?"

She gently put down the jade slip, her wide sleeves fluttering as she did so, a faint smile playing on her lips: "I had some free time the other day, so I learned about the customs and culture of your home planet, junior brother, so that I might not be impolite in the future."

"I didn't expect that the ancient culture of your hometown, the Xia Kingdom, would be so interesting, and it really suits my aesthetic sense."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi felt ashamed.

He had traversed the cosmos and witnessed countless civilizations, yet he had never considered taking the initiative to delve into the customs and traditions of his senior brothers and sisters to avoid any potential offense. His senior sister's action, though spontaneous, revealed a thoughtfulness and respect.

Lin Yi secretly resolved that when he returned this time, he would immediately catch up on his studies, at least to learn about the cultural background of his senior brothers and sisters.

He composed himself and respectfully bowed. This time, he performed an ancient greeting: "Senior Sister, you are too kind. This is an ancient custom from my hometown. Your elegance and attire perfectly complement this scene."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Qianhuan's eyes, clearly pleased with Lin Yi's response.

She nodded slightly, accepting the praise, then changed the subject, reverting to her teasing tone: "Alright, let's get back to the point. It's been a while since you've come to me for guidance. I heard you're doing very well on that veterans' platform, even becoming a gold-medal lecturer, and making a fortune from your military merits."

"Why did the sun rise in the west today, and you suddenly remember your carefree senior sister?"

Lin Yi was already used to his senior sister's teasing. He remained calm and showed little unease: "Senior sister is too kind. I am foolish and dare not disturb your cultivation. I have come today because I have an important matter to ask you for advice."

"Oh?"

Qianhuan raised her eyebrows slightly, gently supporting her cheek with her jade-like hand. The wide sleeves of her flowing fairy dress slipped down, revealing a section of her fair and jade-like arm.

"Tell me, what urgent matter could have made you, this quiet little rascal, come knocking on my door?"

Lin Yi raised his head, calmly meeting Qian Huan's gaze. Without any intention of keeping her in suspense, he said directly, "Senior Sister, I have completely mastered the rules of time."

His voice was not loud, and his tone was steady, as if he were stating something perfectly ordinary.

However, when these words reached Qianhuan's ears, her languid posture froze for a moment.

The playful look in her eyes quickly faded, and she slowly sat up straight, the folds of her flowing dress rippling like water.

"Fully grasp?"

Qianhuan carefully examined Lin Yi's virtual projection, seemingly trying to discern something from it.

"Junior brother, do you know what the rules of time mean? My most optimistic estimate is that, with your comprehension and foundation, it will take at least three or four hundred years of painstaking effort, plus a considerable amount of good fortune."

"How much time has passed? At most, you've only been exposed to the rules of time for less than a hundred years, right?"

Her surprise was not unfounded.

As a superior rule, the time rule is far more difficult to cultivate than ordinary rules.

A century is a period that many geniuses may not even have reached, yet Lin Yi claims to have mastered it completely.
However, after the incident involving spatial rules, Qianhuan didn't doubt the authenticity of this matter. She just stared at Lin Yi, as if she had thought of something, and asked in surprise, "Even with your talent, you shouldn't be this fast. Did you obtain some powerful time-related treasure?"

Without waiting for Lin Yi's reply, she began to analyze the situation on her own.

"That's right. You killed two Kunmo Clan insects a while ago, which were temporarily upgraded to the third level of the realm using a secret technique. You should have received a lot of military merits. In addition, your accumulation on the platform over the past few decades is enough for you to exchange for some really good things in the military merit vault."

Qianhuan's mind was extremely sharp, and she quickly locked onto the key point, pressing, "What did you switch to? What allowed you to push the rules of time to perfection in such a short time? You wouldn't have switched to... Fleeting Beauty, would you?"

Faced with his senior sister's barrage of questions and her increasingly accurate speculation, Lin Yi nodded calmly: "Senior sister, you are right. What I exchanged for was indeed a fleeting moment of beauty."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Qianhuan's expression instantly became incredibly interesting.

She remained silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed softly, and then stretched out her slender finger and gently tapped the air.

In an instant, a phantom emanating a dreamlike fluctuation of time appeared before Lin Yi.

Its form and aura were exactly the same as the rare flower that Lin Yi had recently obtained by spending two hundred million military merits.

It is but a fleeting glimpse of beauty.

"Junior brother, oh junior brother"

Qianhuan looked at Lin Yi and said in a tone that was both amused and annoyed, "Since you have chosen to cultivate the rules of time, do you think that your senior sister would really just give you those basic books and then leave you alone?"

She lightly touched the fleeting, illusory image with her finger and slowly said, "This is a treasure that I obtained many years ago in a dangerous cosmic place called the Time Relics. I got three in total."

As Lin Yi gazed at the clear, illusory figure and listened to his senior sister's words, his heart was already filled with turmoil.

He had a vague idea of ​​what was going on.

Sure enough, Qianhuan continued, "Because this fleeting beauty has its own characteristics, the effect is most pronounced only when the first flower is consumed, and subsequent consumption will drastically reduce the effect to almost nothing. Therefore, your senior sister has saved one for you, and the other two..."

Her gaze fell on Lin Yi's face, and she said helplessly, "The other two were useless to me, so I exchanged them for clan merits at a price of two points each. The one I left for you was originally intended to be given to you to help you when you encountered an insurmountable bottleneck in your cultivation."

"Sister."

Lin Yi opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

A sense of absurdity, both laughable and heartbreaking, welled up within him, along with a surge of warmth.

Lin Yi naturally didn't believe the claim that he had earned it during his early years of adventure. The "Fleeting Glory" skill wasn't even in the military merit database before, and it suddenly appeared on the exchange list a few years ago. What a coincidence!
Nine times out of ten, it was my senior sister who personally made the trip.

I just don't know how dangerous this so-called Timeless Ruins really is.
Qianhuan looked at the complicated expression on Lin Yi's face and rolled her eyes at him, saying, "Who would have thought that you would actually go back with those basic texts and start trying to comprehend them on your own?"

"And he's still so resourceful, managing to accumulate enough military merits on his own to exchange for that thing at the military merit vault."

She pointed to the fleeting, illusory image of beauty and sighed, "Do you know that the one you exchanged for was basically one of the two I put in back then? You've come full circle, spending a fortune in military merits, only to buy something I prepared for you."

"If I had known, I would have just given you one directly. Why did you have to waste so much time accumulating military merits?"

Lin Yi was completely speechless.

He recalled his experience of hunting all over the secondary battlefield in order to accumulate military merits, and even having to teach courses on a veterans' platform later on.
The hardships and calculations involved now seemed somewhat dramatic in the face of her senior sister's words.

It turns out that his senior sister had already paved a short path for him to reach the top.

He simply chose the more difficult and tortuous path, and through his own strength, he persevered and made it through.

However, Lin Yi wasn't too discouraged.

After all, what you earn through your own efforts is the most solid and what you can be most proud of.

"I will always remember my senior sister's kindness."

Lin Yi took a deep breath and solemnly bowed to Qian Huan.

Although he didn't receive the gift, he still appreciated the gesture; he always knew how to distinguish between these things.

Qianhuan waved her hand, her wide sleeves fluttering as if she didn't want to talk about this topic that she felt was "unprofitable" anymore, and the fleeting beauty of that phantom vanished.

She resumed her languid posture and looked at Lin Yi with interest: "Alright, let's not talk about the past. Since you've gotten this far on your own, I'm very pleased."

Then, Qianhuan changed the subject, a sly glint in her eyes: "However, since you didn't use any of my previous preparations, they can't be wasted. Besides, I already said that if you could master the rules of time, I'd give you a surprise."

She hesitated for a moment, then gently tapped the edge of the cloud-shaped couch with her jade-like fingers, producing a crisp sound.

"Hmm, how about this? That fleeting beauty you didn't use is worth 2 clan merits. The other time rule insights resources that I originally planned to give you when you hit a bottleneck are worth about 1 clan merit. And the reward I originally planned to give you is worth about 10 clan merits."

She looked up at Lin Yi with a smile and said something that made Lin Yi's heart skip a beat.

"Well, Senior Sister, I'll pick out a suitable treasure for you within the total of 20 clan merit points. How about that? Consider it a surprise to make up for the previous preparations and promises."

20 clan merit points!
Lin Yi immediately retracted his previous thought.

I entered the sect through my own efforts, and it was a gift from my senior brothers and sisters. I feel very secure and have no regrets.

After all, the price of the "Fleeting Beauty" is enough to show how precious the clan's honor is.

Based on its value, the 20 clan honors represent at least 20 billion military merits!

However, after the initial surprise, Lin Yi quickly calmed down.

Such a large amount of military merit can be exchanged for a wide range of treasures.

From incredible cultivation resources to powerful soul weapon warships, there are many different types.

For a moment, he was indeed struggling to decide what was most needed and most suitable at the moment.

Making a blind choice might waste this valuable opportunity.

Lin Yi suppressed the urge to make a request immediately, bowed respectfully to Qian Huan again, and sincerely asked, "Thank you, Senior Sister. However, the range of treasures that 20 clan merit points can cover is extremely wide, and I don't really have a clear idea yet. I wonder if Senior Sister could offer some suggestions based on my current situation?"

Seeing that Lin Yi was not overwhelmed by surprise but instead calmly asked for advice, a hint of appreciation flashed in Qian Huan's eyes.

She nodded slightly and pondered for a moment, clearly beginning to seriously consider Lin Yi's situation.

(End of this chapter)