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

Chapter 356 I Need to Say Goodbye for Now

After stepping into the portal, Lin Yi felt as if he had passed through a layer of cold, viscous water film, or as if he had stepped off a cliff into a bottomless abyss.

All external sounds, light, and even a stable sense of space are instantly stripped away.

Instead, there was a feeling of weightlessness and dizziness, along with violent and primal spatial fluctuations surging from all directions.

However, this feeling did not last long.

Soon, he appeared on a "land"—if such a constantly twisting, stretching, and occasionally bursting and reforming platform like a bubble could be called land.

Lin Yi noticed that the semi-transparent silver substance beneath his feet was reflecting the bizarre and colorful scene above.

Above, there is no sky, only layers upon layers of spatial folds, like an abstract painting spilled from an overturned bucket of paint, with silver-white, deep purple, dark black, and dark blue. Various colors and lights representing different spatial states and dimensions are annihilated and reborn within it.

In the distance, enormous spatial rifts opened and closed like living things, spewing out chaotic fragments of laws. Closer at hand, subtle spatial ripples emanated incessantly, emitting a hum that reached the very essence of the soul.

Just standing here, Lin Yi felt the power of the spatial laws he had initially grasped stirring within his body, like a drop of water yearning to return to the sea.

"It truly lives up to its reputation."

Lin Yi sighed silently, then quickly regained his composure.

His gaze swept across the relatively stable platform, and he realized that he wasn't alone. Several other blurry figures sat cross-legged in the distance, each enveloped in their own protective force field, undisturbed by the others.

Lin Yi didn't waste any time, after all, every second he spent here was burning precious points.

He quickly chose a relatively secluded spot at the edge of the platform, with a slowly flowing silver spatial barrier behind him as a natural shield, and sat down cross-legged.

Then, with a thought, the laws of time quietly unfolded, forming a stable spherical space with a diameter of about ten meters, isolating the most violent and disorderly spatial turbulence from the outside world.

With preparations complete, Lin Yi took out four items that had been prepared beforehand from his storage bracelet.

A deep blue crystal that seemed to contain countless fragments of space flowing inside; a grayish-white stone with a silver halo flowing inside; a crystal bottle containing tiny, shimmering dust particles; and a transparent chip as thin as a cicada's wing that constantly flickers between reality and illusion.

It was he who spent a lot of points and battle merits to purchase the Void Source Core, Void Stone, Void Resonance Dust, and Dimensional Anchoring Chip.

These four treasures, from the four dimensions of "facing the origin", "perceptual anchoring", "environmental resonance" and "origin affinity", constitute a complete spatial law perception assistance matrix.

"Let's begin."

Without hesitation, Lin Yi directly attached the dimensional anchoring chip to his forehead.

The chip melted upon contact with his flesh, transforming into a cool, silvery glow that seeped into his soul, giving him a strange sense of "anchoring" to his perception of the violent fluctuations in the surrounding space, as if he had grabbed a sturdy cable in a raging storm.

Next, he opened the jade bottle and evenly sprinkled the void resonance dust inside around his body.

The moment the dust came into contact with the space, it seemed to be activated, emitting a faint buzzing sound, which resonated strangely with the chaotic spatial fluctuations around it, making those originally violent and disorderly fluctuations seem to become somewhat traceable.

Then, he held the Void Stone in one hand and solemnly held up the deep blue Void Origin Core in the other.

As the power of the soul touched it, the fragment of the source core suddenly lit up.

Lin Yi felt as if his consciousness was suddenly "pulled" in by an irresistible force.

The scene before my eyes has completely changed.

It was no longer a chaotic silver void, but a "Sea of ​​Origin" that could not be described in words.

There is no color, no shape, or rather, color and shape themselves are arising and disappearing at a speed beyond comprehension.

What he "saw" was the birth and annihilation of the most basic building blocks of space, the instant when dimensions went from shrinking to unfolding, and the essential scene of distance being completely distorted, folded, and even erased.

This is one of the sources of spatial laws, and the core area where these laws manifest.

The fragment of the Void Realm Source Core projected a wisp of his consciousness directly here.

But this is not the limit.

"Spiritual Enlightenment, Ignite!"

Deep within Lin Yi's soul, the vast ocean of purple mist was completely stirred.

Rumble!!

My soul is trembling, my mind is exploding!
In the "direct confrontation with the origin" environment provided by the Void Core Fragment, in the soil of "efficient comprehension" within the Void Corridor itself, and with the triple assistance of the Dimensional Anchoring Chip, Void Resonance Dust, and Void Stone, finally, the ultimate catalyst of "Spiritual Enlightenment Qi"—which can exponentially increase comprehension—is added on.
Quantitative change triggered a terrifying qualitative change.

Lin Yi's understanding of the laws of space began to soar at an unprecedented, even insane, speed!

The subtle mysteries of spatial folds that would normally take months or even years to comprehend are now, through multiple layers of superposition, as if forcibly dismantled and instilled, becoming clear in just a few breaths.

The essence of spatial segmentation, the path of dimensional leap, the construction of dimensional barriers, and the selection of nodes for void traversal.
Countless profound and obscure spatial laws, like a flood bursting its banks, surged into his soul and were rapidly understood and absorbed.

Deep within the soul, the silver-white mark representing the laws of space began to solidify at a visible speed!

1.2% 1.5% 2.1% 3.0%
My understanding of spatial laws is growing exponentially.

Time loses its meaning in deep cultivation.

Lin Yi's entire mind was immersed in this feast of laws.

He forgot everything around him, forgot the embarrassing first battle of the Star Silence Squad, and forgot the pressure of the tribal war.

His consciousness was like the most greedy sponge, frantically absorbing the nutrients of the laws of space.

Inside the void corridor, Lin Yi's body was enveloped in a faint silver-white cocoon of light. It was a protective layer spontaneously formed by the laws of space, and also an external manifestation of his deepening understanding.

The surrounding turbulent spatial currents impacted the cocoon of light, most of which were deflected and eliminated, while a small portion was absorbed and transformed by the cocoon, nourishing his insights in return.

The power of the Void Origin Core Fragment continues to guide the process, the Void Resonance Dust is replenished every ten days, the Dimensional Anchoring Chip provides a stable background amplification, the Void Stone continuously emits gentle primal fluctuations, and the Spiritual Enlightenment Qi serves as the core driving fuel, burning continuously.

One month later, his comprehension of spatial laws exceeded 10%.

Three months later, it exceeded 20%.

Five months later, it broke through 40%!

If word got out about this rate of improvement, it would be enough to leave any god dumbfounded, or even make them question the meaning of life.

But this is precisely the result that Lin Yi sought by concentrating all his superior resources on "radical improvement".

As the cultivation period entered its final month, Lin Yi's understanding of the laws of space had reached a completely new level.

With a slight thought, the space around him folded and expanded like a docile pet, according to his will.

He even began to attempt to combine the laws of time and space in a preliminary way. Although it was only the most rudimentary superposition, the resulting ripples in spacetime caused the silver-white cocoon enveloping him to tremble slightly.

Finally, the six-month period is approaching.

The light of the Void Core fragment began to dim, its internal energy about to be exhausted.

But Lin Yi felt it was worth it, extremely worth it.

As the last wisp of power from the Void Core fragment dissipated, Lin Yi's consciousness was pushed out of that Sea of ​​Origin and returned to his body within the Void Corridor.

He slowly opened his eyes.

In his eyes, the silvery-white light was almost tangible, flowing endlessly, and deep within his pupils seemed to reflect layers upon layers of illusory images.

The spatial law fluctuations emanating naturally from his body were solid and weighty, a world of difference compared to half a year ago.

He slightly raised his hand and gently clenched his fist.

Click!

A hundred meters ahead, a previously stable area of ​​space was shattered by his hand as if it were glass, revealing a dark and chaotic dimensional rift behind it. However, the edges of the rift were firmly bound by an invisible force, preventing it from spreading.

"My control has improved by more than one level."

Lin Yi sensed the spatial law imprint deep within his soul and made a rough estimate.

53.7%!

In just six months, a leap of more than 50 percentage points!
This is the result of concentrating resources and maximizing output.

"It's time to get out." Lin Yi glanced at the still chaotic but no longer tangible spatial turbulence around him, and crushed the void positioning talisman.

The locator was activated, and a stable spatial coordinate force enveloped him.

The next moment, a flash of silver light.

Lin Yi's figure disappeared from the void corridor and reappeared behind the silver palace.

With his feet firmly on the ground, feeling the spatial parameters return to normal and become incredibly stable, Lin Yi felt as if he had been transported to another world.

"Xuanji, find the fastest commuting route to Dingkong Palace and book the shuttle immediately." He gave the order in his mind as he walked quickly through the silver palace.

The Dingkong Hall was another place he chose, besides the Void Corridor, for cultivating his understanding of the laws of space.

"Yes, Master. The shuttle has been booked according to the route plan and is expected to arrive in 10 minutes."

Lin Yi kept walking.

Because the effects of treasures that aid in comprehension, such as Void Source Cores and Dimensional Anchoring Chips, are not constant.

When used for the first time, the soul and the treasure's energy and laws are in a fresh resonance period of initial contact, and the effect is often the best, achieving twice the result with half the effort.

As the usage time increases, the soul will adapt, and the treasure's energy will naturally decrease, greatly reducing its auxiliary effects.

In particular, the manifestation of the primordial essence sealed within the Void Core is unique and consumable, and it becomes completely ineffective after six months. However, the impressions and inertia left upon first contact may last for a period of time.

He had just experienced six months of intense shocks to the laws of space, and his soul's sensitivity to and understanding of the laws of space was at an unprecedentedly active peak.

Going back to rest now and letting this state cool down naturally would undoubtedly be a huge waste.

Therefore, we must strike while the iron is hot, taking advantage of this lingering momentum and the assistance of other treasures that are still in effect, to push our understanding to a higher level in one go!
The characteristic of Void Resonance Dust, which "periodically falls and triggers resonance," means that it is consumed.

After six months of continuous use, half of the first bottle has already been used up.

To maintain this highly effective resonant environment and continue the sprint, replenishment is necessary.

Ten minutes later, the shuttle arrived on time.

Lin Yi ascended the shuttle, his target pointing directly to the Sky Palace.

Upon arriving at the Dingkong Hall and having his identity verified, Lin Yi was led into a grand hall with a style completely different from the Void Corridor.

The space here was spacious, with intricate runes engraved on the walls and domed floor. The internal spatial parameters were outrageously stable. If the Void Corridor was the extreme of spatial movement, then the Fixed Void Hall was the extreme of stillness. Lin Yi didn't waste time admiring the environment. The effects of the dimensional anchoring chip and the Void Stone were still ongoing. He immediately sprinkled the dust, and the familiar subtle hum sounded again. Combined with the extremely stable environment inside the Fixed Void Hall, it created a peculiar state of enlightenment: "inspiring deep ripples in absolute tranquility."

Lin Yi sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and concentrated.

Deep within his soul, the imprint of the laws of space shone brightly, and countless primal mysteries absorbed over the past six months surged into his mind like a tide.

After the fragments of the Void Source Core failed, he lost the "indoctrination-style" enhancement that directly confronted the torrent of origin, but in its place was a more systematic sorting and expansion.

He no longer passively receives information, but actively uses the laws he has comprehended as a foundation to deduce more complex spatial structural changes and to understand the deeper connections between space and matter, energy, and even time.

The Void Palace provides an excellent environment, with Void Resonance Dust maintaining efficient perception and resonance, while Dimensional Anchoring Chips and Void Stones continuously provide assistance from different aspects.

Lin Yi's soul, supported by the relentless burning of spiritual energy, operated at high speed like the most sophisticated instrument, thoroughly digesting his previous gains and launching an assault on the unknown.

Time flows silently.

One month, two months, three months
The rate at which my comprehension level increases has slowed significantly compared to the six months I spent in the core of the Void Corridor.

Starting from 53.7%, every percentage point forward requires a deeper understanding and more difficult construction.

But Lin Yi was determined, had ample resources, and a clear direction.

He delved into the paradoxical unity of spatial blockade and spatial penetration.

He attempted to analyze the stable architecture behind large-scale space teleportation.

He explored how to apply spatial segmentation to more micro or macro levels.

He even began to vaguely touch upon the edge of "space creation," which is not about creating something from nothing, but about defining and stabilizing a tiny, independent space bubble within the existing cosmic framework.

Some of these explorations were successful, leading to a substantial increase in his understanding. Others failed, but they also deepened his understanding of the underlying logic of spatial laws.

Day after day, month after month.

Inside the Dingkong Hall, only Lin Yi's even breathing and the increasingly profound silver-white aura of law surrounding him flowed slowly.

The halo sometimes expanded, sometimes contracted, sometimes remained as stable as a mirror, and sometimes rippled with subtle waves, reflecting every adjustment and sublimation of his understanding of the laws deep within his soul.

Two years felt like only a few deep breaths to Lin Yi, who was immersed in the ocean of laws.

When the timed closing time of the Dingkong Palace arrived, and when the effect of the last wisp of void resonance dust finally dissipated completely, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.

This time, there was no longer any compelling silver light in his eyes. All the brilliance of the laws was restrained to the extreme, leaving only a strange depth in the deepest part of his pupils, as if it could devour light.

His aura was harmonious yet obscure; sitting there, he seemed to be one with the surrounding space, yet also seemed capable of transcending it at any moment.

Lin Yi focused his thoughts on his soul.

That spatial law imprint was so complex and precise that it was beyond description. Layers upon layers of void runes formed a near-perfect three-dimensional structure, slowly rotating and emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation.

Perception of spatial laws: 81.7%.

From 53.7% when he emerged from the Void Corridor to 81.7% now, despite losing the greatest boost from the Void Origin Core Fragment, he managed to increase the spatial laws by another 28 percentage points within two years, thanks to the assistance of other treasures, the superior environment of the Fixed Void Palace, and his own relentless efforts.

A comprehension rate of 81.7% means that his mastery of the laws of space has reached an extremely high level.

"Phew, finally, we've reached a temporary stage." Lin Yi stood up and stretched his body slightly.

He felt the surging power within him and the unparalleled sense of control over the space, and a sense of security and confidence welled up within him.

He then left Dingkong Hall without stopping and boarded the return shuttle.

Sitting inside the flying shuttle, Lin Yi closed his eyes and concentrated, carefully comprehending the immense gains he had made during this seclusion.

"With 80% comprehension of the spatial laws, combined with the perfected temporal laws, and the Sky Shuttle's ability to complete its next mission, it will no longer be a burden."

Lin Yi was absolutely certain of this.

It is important to understand that mastering the two laws means reaching the combat power threshold of a powerful deity.

As far as he knew, Lan and Mingluo's comprehension of the Second Law in the Star Silence Squad was less than 30%.

Furthermore, considering his mastery of the perfected Time Law, his attainments in both superior laws have reached a high level, and a certain marvelous synergistic effect has been produced.

Even without relying on any divine artifacts or combat skills, his understanding and application of the laws of spacetime alone are enough to give him an advantage among ordinary gods.

"Moreover, with a deeper understanding of the laws of space, I will be able to control the Sky Shuttle more easily. In addition, after returning, I will need to combine my new insights to cultivate the first level of the Space-Time Rift."

"However, before that, I need to talk to my clone and ask him to come back. After all, his strength has increased so much that he needs to switch clones again."

The shuttle cut through the sky, heading towards Lin Yi's manor.

New forces require new adjustments and new battlefields to be tested.

But in any case, that "rookie" who was flustered in front of the Void-Eating Jellyfish and needed extra care from his teammates is gone forever.
-
Frontline fortress, "Stardust Afterglow" tavern.

The tavern was dimly lit and played soothing melodies. Small groups of powerful beings, some of whom were drinking alone, were chatting quietly.

In a semi-enclosed booth by the window, the four members of the Star Silent Squad were sitting together.

Captain Yueming was still dressed in a moon-white battle robe, his expression aloof, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the menu projected onto the desktop.

Lan sat opposite her, her light wings retracted, holding a drink that shimmered with starlight in her hand, but her gaze was fixed on another light screen in front of her that displayed the task list.

Minglu leaned back in his chair with a nonchalant air, several empty cups in front of him, and was looking through information about weapons and equipment on a data panel.

Lin Yi's clone sat next to Lan, his silver-gray metallic face expressionless, simply listening quietly.

His divine body had long been repaired. In the past two and a half years, he had followed the team on two more missions. His performance was somewhat better than when he fought the Void-Eating Jellyfish for the first time. At least he was more skilled at using the Sky-Piercing Shuttle and had better teamwork with his teammates. There were no more dangerous situations that required the captain's emergency rescue.

However, in the eyes of veteran deities like Yueming, Lan, and Mingluo, the progress was still only barely acceptable, far from meeting the baseline for taking on high-level combat missions.

"Tsk, these missions are either routine patrols or clearing out some scattered star beast lairs. The battle merits they give are too stingy." Mingluo pouted. "At this rate, when will we ever accumulate enough battle merits to exchange for the third level of 'Extermination'?"

Lan scrolled through the mission screen and said gently, "The safest missions are like this. After all, our team is still in the adjustment period, so choosing low-risk missions is more appropriate."

As he spoke, he glanced at Lin Yi beside him.

Yueming did not express his opinion, but simply watched the scrolling information on the screen.

Lan's finger suddenly stopped. He clicked on a mission detail, looked at it carefully, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes: "Captain, Mingluo, what do you think of this mission?"

The screen was magnified, and the mission information was displayed in front of the group.

[Emergency Support/Clearance Mission: Sector XT-7783, signs of Void Zerg 'Shadow Locust' activity detected, suspected of constructing a temporary hatchery. Initial colony size assessment: Small. Mission Requirements: Confirm hatchery location, eliminate the queen and main escort forces, and destroy the hatchery. Mission Risk Rating: Medium (Note: This sector is near the edge of the Outworld's actual control area; encounters with enemy squads are possible, with a low probability of confrontation). Mission Rewards: Base merit 1400 million gold merits; confirming and successfully destroying the hatchery grants an additional 600 million gold merits. Bonus merits are calculated based on the enemy units encountered. Completion Time Limit: 2 standard years.]

"The Shadow Locust. These things are fast, and their attacks have a spatial tearing effect. The mother larva is a bit troublesome, but not too difficult to deal with. The key is the battle merit reward," Mingluo stroked his chin, his eyes shining, "2000 million in base and additional rewards! That's more than what we got from fighting the Void-Eating Jellyfish! If we also run into a few clueless Eclipse Clan scum..."

Lan nodded and said, "The reward for battle merits is indeed very tempting. The risk rating is medium, mainly because of the 'low probability of combat risk'. I know about the XT-7783 star sector, which is located on the edge of our territory and the territory controlled by the Eclipses."

Yueming's gaze lingered on the mission details for a moment before slowly sweeping over his three team members.

Her gaze lingered on Lin Yi for a moment longer, though she quickly looked away.

"As for the mission itself, with our strength, completing it shouldn't be a problem." After a moment of contemplation, Yue Ming finally spoke. "We are familiar with the characteristics of the Shadow Locust swarm. The queen is at most a peak ordinary god-level being. Lan's Law of Light and my Law of Life and Death can effectively restrain her. Although the number of guard swarms is large, Ming Luo's Breaking Edge Law is good at group attacks and clearing the field."

She paused, then tapped her fingers lightly on the table: "The problem is, there's a low probability of encountering a risk of conflict."

"This means that we not only have to complete the mission, but also be on guard against any potential third-party enemies. Operating in that environment requires the team to have extremely high coordination, adaptability, and comprehensive combat capabilities without any weaknesses."

She didn't say it explicitly, but everyone present understood.

Although Lin Yi possesses a decent divine body and divine artifacts, his combat performance has improved, but it is still not enough.

In an environment where high vigilance is required and chaotic battles or even surprise attacks could break out at any time, a player who is not strong enough, whose teamwork is not yet smooth, and whose on-the-spot adaptability may not be able to keep up with the pace, is likely to become the opponent's breakthrough point or drag down the rhythm of the entire team, amplifying the "low probability risk".

After all, the war has already begun, and there are very few ordinary people among the god-level beings who have survived the extremely high intensity of the early stages of combat.

Therefore, once a small-scale battle occurs, even the Void-Eating Jellyfish can discover that Lin Yi is a weak point. How could those incredibly shrewd enemy gods not see it?

Lan and Mingluo also fell silent for a moment.

They certainly considered this as well.

Mingluo scratched his head, a hint of regret in his eyes.

Lan sighed softly, as if she wanted to say something, but after glancing at Lin Yi, she swallowed her words.

In the end, Yueming gently shook his head, "Let's abandon this mission for now. We'll continue to select other more reliable ones. Teamwork takes time and requires suitable missions to gradually improve. There's no need to take unnecessary risks for high battle merits."

The atmosphere in the booth paused slightly for a moment.

The temptation of high battle merits is right in front of you, but you have to give it up because of the team's integration. Anyone would feel a little unwilling.

However, Yueming's decision was based on the overall safety of the team and is beyond reproach.

Although Lan and Mingluo were disappointed, they nodded in agreement.

They didn't mean to blame Lin Yi; newcomers need room to grow, that's a consensus.

Lin Yi's clone sat quietly, his gaze capturing every subtle change in his teammates' expressions and tones.

He clearly sensed the consideration behind Captain Yueming's momentary hesitation, saw the fleeting regret in Lan's eyes, and noticed Mingluo's head-scratching gesture.

A strange feeling welled up in my heart.

He knew his teammates had done a good job; they hadn't criticized him at all during the last mission, and had instead taken extra care of him.

But it is precisely because of this tolerance and care that he feels even worse now that the team has to give up a high-reward mission because of him.

He became the weak link that needed to be accommodated.

Lin Yi was about to speak, wanting to say something like, "I can try," "I will be more careful," or even just to express his apology and determination.

But then, a thought struck him, and the words he was about to say stopped.

Because, just now, he received a message from Xuanji.

Lin Yi's clone silently processed this sudden news in his mind, and then a relieved smile slowly appeared on his face.

Then he said, "Captain, Lan, Mingluo, I think this mission is perfectly acceptable. However, I'm very happy to have spent time with you all, but I think I have to say goodbye for now."

(End of this chapter)