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

Chapter 362 Utter Silence (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"According to ancient records, the first step in the fusion of space and time is to make the two imprints of laws resonate, and then attempt to construct a space-time base point."

Lin Yi recalled the few words mentioned in the spatial law insights given to him by his senior brother Zhenyu, as well as the information he had collected from other channels.

There are no shortcuts in this process; practitioners must use their own souls as a furnace and the two perfect laws as materials to carefully attempt this step.

Failure is the norm, and sometimes even the soul can be damaged due to conflicts with the laws.

But the rewards after success will be astonishing.

"I have the foundation for perfecting both laws, and more importantly..."

Lin Yi looked at the vast purple mist space deep within his soul, which, though somewhat depleted, still held immense spiritual energy. "I still have enough spiritual energy."

Therefore, Lin Yi did not leave the Wanxiang Guiyuan Terrace.

Although the spatial laws and environment here no longer directly amplify his abilities, their stability is extremely high, effectively isolating him from external interference, making it an excellent place to attempt fusion.

Lin Yi closed his eyes again, immersing his mind in the deepest part of his soul.

There, the silver-gray imprints of the laws of time and the silver-white imprints of the laws of space floated silently, each radiating flawless fluctuations of their respective laws. Though very close, they seemed separated by an invisible barrier, clearly distinct.

"Let's begin."

Lin Yi took a deep breath and controlled the two marks to slowly approach each other.

嗡.
Just as the distance between the two shortened to a certain critical point, a sudden change occurred.

The Time Imprint shone brightly with silver light, emanating a law-like intent that sought to solidify everything, while the Space Imprint surged with silvery-white light, conveying a strong tendency to expand and fold.

The moment the two completely different laws came into contact, a fierce conflict arose, like the collision of water and fire.

Lin Yi's soul jolted violently, a tearing pain shooting through him. The two marks trembled violently, as if trying to break free from his control and fly away.

"Hold on!"

Lin Yi gritted his teeth and persevered, unleashing his full soul power to forcibly bind the two marks to their fixed positions.

At the same time, his thoughts stirred the purple mist space.

"Spiritual energy, ignite!"

The spiritual energy itself does not possess the characteristic of reconciling conflicting laws, but it can greatly enhance Lin Yi's thinking speed and control precision, allowing him to more accurately grasp the balance point and reduce the backlash from conflicts.

With the aid of spiritual energy, the pain in the soul was slightly reduced.

Lin Yi seized this brief opening and began to try to understand the essence of the conflict between the two laws.

"The desire for time to freeze and space to move is not a simple opposition." He discarded appearances and delved into his perception: "The laws of time pursue the continuity and certainty of states, while the laws of space pursue the diversity and possibility of positions. The root of their conflict lies in the struggle for the right to define the form of existence."

As the spiritual energy burned brightly, the enlightenment in my heart gradually emerged.

Lin Yi stopped forcibly suppressing the conflict and began to guide it.

Using his own will as a bridge, he attempted to leave room for the changes in the laws of space within the solidification of the laws of time. And within the stability of the laws of space, he incorporated the fluid nature of the laws of time.

This is an extremely delicate and mentally taxing process, like carving a design on the tip of a needle or searching for a needle in boiling oil.

The slightest misstep could trigger an even more severe backlash.

But Lin Yi's will was as firm as iron, and his soul, supported by the spiritual energy, maintained extraordinary clarity and resilience.

One day, two days, three days.
Time slowly passed amidst the painful tug-of-war.

The light from the two marks no longer clashed fiercely, but began to flash alternately at a strange frequency, as if they were testing each other and adapting.

A month later, the flashing frequencies gradually converged.

Two months later, the law fluctuations emitted by the two marks began to show subtle synchronization.

Three months later, the silver-gray and silver-white light showed signs of merging for the first time. Although it was only a wisp, it marked a breakthrough from zero!

Lin Yi was greatly encouraged and devoted himself to it with even greater focus.

The process of fusion is like the melting of ice and snow; it is slow and difficult at first, but once a gap is opened, the subsequent speed gradually increases.

Five months later, one-third of the light from the two marks had merged, forming a faint, strange luster that was a mixture of silver-gray and silver-white.

Six months later, the fusion portion exceeded half.

When the cultivation period reached a full ten months...
hum! !

Deep within the soul, a grand and solemn resonance resounded.

At this moment, the silver-gray mark of the law of time and the silver-white mark of the law of space completely lost their boundaries and perfectly merged into one, transforming into an even more complex and profound mark!

This new mark is a light, chaotic color, with what appears to be a silver galaxy flowing within it, surrounded by the phantom image of the river of time.

This step is of great significance.

From now on, every attack, every defense, and every movement of his will naturally carry the dual attributes of time and space, multiplying his power and making him infinitely versatile.

"It's done. Spacetime fusion."

Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting, chaotic light flashing within them, and the surrounding space and time seemed to ripple slightly with his breath.

He raised his hand, palm up.

A thought subtly stirred within me.

A faint light appeared above the palm.

Then, the faint light expanded and transformed into a sphere the size of a fist.

Inside the sphere, the flow of time is completely different from that outside, and the spatial structure is also layered, like a miniature independent spacetime.

This is a "spacetime bubble" that he created by hand using the spacetime laws he had initially integrated.

Although it is still very fragile, has a very small range, and a short duration, it represents a qualitative leap.

"call"

Lin Yi exhaled a long breath, dissipating the spacetime bubble in his palm.

After four years, the laws of space have been perfected.

After nearly a year of hard work, time and space began to merge.

Having completed the spacetime fusion, Lin Yi did not rush to leave.

The five-year usage right to the Myriad Origins Platform was earned with real gold and silver in battle merits, and now there are still nearly two months left. It would be a real pity to waste it.

"Perfect timing, time to cultivate Space-Time Rift and Illusion Veil."

With a thought, Lin Yi recalled the contents of two divine-level secret techniques.

He did not use his spiritual energy, but relied solely on his understanding of the laws of space and time to begin his systematic comprehension.

Time slips away when you're focused.

Although it was only two months and he didn't use spiritual energy, his understanding of the laws had improved significantly compared to before. In addition, the environment here was unique, so he also gained some knowledge. Although the spacetime rift and the illusory curtain did not directly connect to form the second level, the distance between them was not far. Moreover, the first level's moves were executed more smoothly, and the energy consumption was reduced considerably.

Just as Lin Yi was about to continue his in-depth practice, a gentle notification sound rang out from within the silver void:

"Your Excellency Lin Yi, your time to use the Myriad Phenomena Returning to Origin Platform is about to expire. Remaining time: half a standard hour. Please prepare to leave."

"Is it time?" Lin Yi exhaled and slowly stood up.

Five years of seclusion yielded tremendous results.

He sprinted from 81.7% to perfection in the laws of space, completing the fusion of space and time, and his two divine-level secret techniques advanced further. This was enough for him to digest and utilize for a long time to come.

He took one last look at the silvery cultivation space, then turned and headed towards the exit.

The light membrane opened silently.

After leaving the Wanxiang Guiyuan Platform, Lin Yi boarded the commuter shuttle that Xuanji had reserved in advance.

The commuter shuttle flew smoothly along the designated routes within the Origin Star, with an eternally dazzling artificial sky and orderly clusters of buildings visible outside the window.

Lin Yi sat in the cabin, closing his eyes as he sorted out the gains of the past five years.

"Owner."

Xuanji's palace-dress phantom quietly appeared beside him, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible joy.

"Hmm?" Lin Yi opened his eyes.

“There are three things I need to report to you.” Xuanji bowed slightly. “First, three months ago, the Spirit Clan officially notified us through official channels that the Supreme Sacred Tree Secret Realm will officially open seven standard years later. At that time, the Spirit Clan will send a special envoy to guide all cultivators who have obtained the qualification for the secret realm to the Sacred Tree Star.”

Lin Yi's eyes narrowed: "So it's finally settled?"

“Yes, Master,” Xuanji replied. “In addition, the notification specifically noted that your comprehension time is not the ten days you received as a reward, but sixty days.”

"Sixty days?"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Yes, sixty days,” Xuanji confirmed. “The notification explained that this is a special reward for your outstanding performance in the myriad secret realms, as well as an adjustment based on your understanding of the laws. At the same time, the notification mentioned that after you arrive at Sacred Tree Star, you need to prepare detailed requirements for the creation of the artifact embryo. After the secret realm ends, the Spirit Clan’s Sacred Forging Institute will arrange a time to discuss the customization with you.”

Lin Yi nodded.

Sixty days, a full fifty days longer than the original ten days.

This means he can obtain more Sacred Source Fruits in the Sacred Tree Secret Realm and improve his Source Energy Realm further.

"Although I rejected the Radiant Lord's offer, it seems that the Spirit Clan did not hesitate to give me the reward I deserved." Lin Yi thought to himself, "Or rather, this is the Spirit Clan's higher-ups showing goodwill towards me, their number one prodigy. But that's probably not it. At the Spirit Clan's level, what does even a Radiant Lord count for? It's most likely just the Spirit Clan's arrogance."

But either way, it's a good thing.

"And the second thing?" Lin Yi asked.

“Secondly, many people have recently sent you messages informing you that they have also obtained the qualification to enter the Sacred Tree Secret Realm.” As Xuanji spoke, she waved her hand, and a semi-transparent light screen unfolded inside the cabin, displaying a dense list of names and messages.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over them, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes: "So many people?"

The list on the screen was long, and he was familiar with all the names. Edith, Aoba, Huiyao, Liuyun, Kenx, Valerie—almost the entire Star Origin Society was on the list.

"Did they all qualify?" Lin Yi asked.

“Yes, Master,” Xuanji replied. “All the prodigies who left the secret realm with you have obtained the qualification to comprehend the Sacred Tree Secret Realm, and the vast majority of them will have three days to comprehend it.”

“Three days.” Lin Yi said thoughtfully.

Although this period of time is short, it is already a rare opportunity.

After all, in the past, this was a reward that only the top few in the Pan-Spirit Alliance's Genius Battle could obtain. It seems that the Spirit Clan has really gone all out this time.

"Where is Edith?" Lin Yi asked.

“Edith’s comprehension time is fifteen days.” Xuanji pulled up Edith’s message, “In her message, she mentioned that this is related to her comprehension of the laws of time breaking through 70%.”

"The 70% time rule." Lin Yi nodded.

Edith's comprehension of the Law of Time exceeded 30% when she left the secret realm. She would definitely have plenty of resources and treasures after she came out, so it's normal that her comprehension has now exceeded 70%.

“Master, based on the available information and other news circulating on the virtual network, there is a general standard for the entry threshold of the Sacred Tree Secret Realm this time,” Xuanji continued. “The Star Core level requires six or more realms, the Star Vortex level requires at least 10% comprehension of a law, and the Star Domain level requires complete mastery of a law.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi quickly assessed the situation in his mind.

The threshold for the sixth level of the Star Core is actually very high.

Looking across the entire Pan-Spirit Alliance, those who can reach the sixth level of the Star Core realm are at least in the top ten of the Genius Battle. However, considering that the Genius Battle was suspended after the outbreak of war, it is reasonable for the Spirit Race to directly select people based on their comprehension of the rules.

To reach the Star Swirl level, one needs to comprehend 10% of the laws. This threshold is actually much more difficult. Usually, the top three geniuses of each generation are at the Star Swirl level, and only they can barely reach this threshold.

It is precisely because the situation of these Star Origin Society members is so special that a large number of people meet the requirements.

However, the Spirit Clan was quite magnanimous and did not raise the bar just because there were more people, since that would be too unfair to the geniuses from other generations.

As for the Star Domain level, it requires a complete mastery of a single law.
"This requirement is really not low," Lin Yi pondered. "Although a Star Domain level lifespan is ten epochs, it is still extremely difficult to fully master a law. But thinking about it carefully, it seems normal. If one only masters a part of the laws, then the requirement is too low. Many geniuses can achieve that over ten epochs."

To fully master a law, one at the star domain level is already considered half a god.

"It seems that this Sacred Tree Secret Realm has gathered true elites from all levels." Lin Yi understood.

Xuanji asked at the opportune moment, "Master, do we need to reply to these messages?"

"Reply in batches," Lin Yi instructed. "Say that I have received the notification that we will meet at the Sacred Tree Star seven years from now. Also, remind them to be prepared, as the competition in the secret realm will be fierce."

"Yes." Xuanji replied, the phantom of her palace attire fading away as she began to carry out the instructions.

The shuttle had now entered the Star Source Zone airspace, and the outline of the manor in the distance was faintly visible against the backdrop of the energy barrier.

Looking out the window, Lin Yi began to plan the next seven years.

"Seven standard years isn't a long time, but it's not short either," he silently calculated. "The spacetime fusion has just been completed and needs time to consolidate. The *Spacetime Rift* and *Veil of Illusion* still require extensive practice to master. Furthermore, the requirements for the artifact embryo need careful planning."

These all take time.

Fortunately, seven years is enough time.
-
Seven standard years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The core of the Spirit Race's territory, the Sacred Tree Star.

This is a huge, life-bearing planet, entirely emerald green, with its surface covered by incredibly dense forests. Towering ancient trees, some thousands or even tens of thousands of meters tall, can be seen everywhere in these forests.

At the very center of the planet, a colossal sacred tree stands reaching into the clouds, its trunk flowing with pale golden patterns of laws, its canopy covering a small portion of the planet.

The Sacred Tree Secret Realm is located in the core area of ​​this Sacred Tree.

At this moment, at the foot of the sacred tree, in a magnificent hall, geniuses from various races of the Pan-Spirit Alliance had gathered.

The interior space of the main hall utilizes spatial folding technology, making its actual usable area more than a hundred times larger than its exterior.

The dome is a flowing illusion of starry sky, and the ground is smooth as a mirror of white jade. All around stand giant pillars carved with the totem of the sacred tree of the Spirit Clan. Soft light shines down and shines on the smooth ground, reflecting the figures of the geniuses of various races.

The largest group, the Star-Spiral class, occupied the most open area in the center, numbering over a thousand.

They gathered in small groups, forming little cliques, talking in hushed tones, occasionally bursting into suppressed laughter or gasps of surprise.

They were clearly quite familiar with each other. Two warriors from different races bumped fists and pounded each other's shoulders, while several others surrounded a cold-looking female Elven, listening to her whisper something.

Whenever the light and shadow at the entrance shift slightly and a new face steps in, it always attracts a brief glance. Then, those who recognize an acquaintance will wave and greet them warmly, pulling them into their circle, with greetings rising and falling.

Those few Star-class beings standing alone on the edge or in a corner appeared particularly isolated and silent in this dense and spontaneous social atmosphere, and could only pretend to be focused on admiring the reliefs on the walls of the hall, or repeatedly check their personal equipment.

The dozen or so Star Domain level beings were scattered on both sides of the main hall, near the windows or pillars, each occupying a crystal round table.

They were surrounded by subtle fluctuations of laws, causing a delicate distortion in the surrounding space and naturally forming an invisible "domain" that isolated them from the noise of the outside world.

Some closed their eyes to rest, while others sipped the drinks provided by the Spirit Clan, their gazes calmly fixed on the branches and leaves of the sacred tree outside the window. They did not exchange any words with each other, as if they were in different dimensions of time and space.

They are the embodiment of the law, beings who have already touched the threshold of divinity; their silence itself represents majesty and distance.

And star-core level
There were only a few of them, as if they had been unintentionally left behind in the most inconspicuous corner of the main hall, sitting together around a crystal table.

Jianhe is one of the few star-core level prodigies.

He comes from the human race and has just turned four thousand years old this year. He was born into an ordinary star-domain-level family. Because he showed extraordinary talent in the war, he was taken in as a disciple by an eternal god and was greatly cultivated. Now he has reached the sixth level of the star core realm and is quite famous within the human race.

However, he was extremely lucky to be able to obtain the qualification to study the Sacred Tree Secret Realm for three days, because he had just broken through to the sixth level of the realm ten years ago, which was considered to be just barely meeting the standard.

Besides Jianhe, who came from the human race, there were two girls from the spirit race, a young man from the crystal spirit race, and a cultivator from the holy radiance race.

The atmosphere here was far less lively than on the Star Swirl level; instead, it carried a sense of awkwardness born of shared misery.

Jianhe sat at the table, the cup in his hand containing "Qingxin Lu," a specialty of the Ling Clan, a drink that could calm the mind and nourish the soul.

But he had no appetite for it at the moment.

Because the varying degrees of law fluctuations emanating from his Star-level beings were like invisible tides, washing over his senses wave after wave.

Not to mention those star-domain level beings in the distance; even a mere wisp of their aura, if accidentally leaked, would send shivers down his spine, like an ant looking up at a mountain.

"Don't be too nervous." The spirit girl next to him seemed to notice his tension, and her voice was as gentle as the wind. "Being able to come here proves that we are qualified."

She looked like a human of fifteen or sixteen years old, but her aura was solid, already at the seventh level of the realm.

Jianhe forced a smile, took a sip of his drink, and felt the cool liquid slide down his throat, but it couldn't completely suppress the heavy weight in his heart.

"I know," Jianhe said with a wry smile, "it's just that the pressure is a bit much."

His gaze swept across the main hall.

On the Star Swirl level, he saw several familiar faces, all of whom were human prodigies he had met on the virtual network, some of whom were even his idols.

But here, those prodigies are just ordinary members of the Star-level group, and are not particularly noticeable.

Needless to say, those at the Star Domain level are figures he needs to look up to.

The young man from the Crystal Spirit Clan also leaned over and lowered his voice, "Do you think any important figures will be going in this time? Like a Venerable One leading the group or something?"

“No.” The spirit girl shook her head, clearly more knowledgeable. “You may not know, but the energy limit at the entrance to the Sacred Tree Secret Realm is only below the Star Domain level; those stronger cannot enter. However…” She paused, a glint of surprise in her eyes, “I heard that this time there will be someone comparable to a great figure, like that one in the Myriad Secret Realms.”

She hadn't finished speaking.

In a small, star-level circle near the entrance, someone's gaze inadvertently swept towards the outside of the hall, then their movements suddenly froze, and a voice uttered.

"coming."

The sound wasn't loud.

But almost instantly, a strange silence spread rapidly like ripples from the center of that sound.

The closest small circle of Star-level beings was the first to react. Their conversation abruptly stopped, and they silently rose to their feet, looking towards the entrance of the main hall.

Their actions inspired those around them, and a chain reaction began to occur.

One circle, two circles, three circles. The once noisy and bustling central area quickly fell silent, replaced by the rustling of clothes and the soft sounds of people getting up.

More and more people stood up, their gazes drawn as if by a magnet, fixed on the two massive doors at the entrance of the hall, engraved with sacred tree totems and now faintly illuminated by the outside light.

Jianhe and the other star core-level beings were completely bewildered, but seeing everyone stand up, they didn't dare to remain seated and hurriedly followed suit.

Here, they dared not freely unleash their soul power to probe indiscriminately, as that would be a very impolite and provocative act.

Jianhe could only stare wide-eyed, just like everyone else, at the area that had suddenly become the focus of attention.

He noticed that even those star-level beings who had always remained aloof were now reacting.

They gradually opened their eyes from their closed or contemplative state, their brows furrowed slightly, looking at the crowd that had suddenly stood up with a hint of surprise, and then following everyone's gaze toward the entrance.

Although they still appeared calm, with their surrounding laws fluctuating steadily, perhaps out of caution for the suddenly changed situation, or perhaps simply because they didn't want to appear out of place, they slowly stood up as well.

It took no more than three to five breaths.

Everyone silently rose to their feet, and the magnificent hall, which had been filled with hushed conversations and the soft clinking of cups, suddenly fell into an absolute silence so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Thousands of gazes, some intense, some curious, some scrutinizing, some filled with awe, focused on one point.

The air seemed to freeze, and even the nebula illusion flowing across the dome seemed to slow down.

The soft light inside the hall blends with the vibrant green light filtering through the sacred trees outside, creating a hazy, dreamlike space at the entrance.

then.

Within that field of light, a figure walked in unhurriedly.

　I have some things to take care of when I go back to my hometown these past two days, so I might be a little late tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)