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

Chapter 347 The Dominator's Intentions and Manipulation
The gate closed silently behind us, shutting out all the noise from the outside world.

The passageway was not long, and at the end was a quiet room with a simple style that was almost empty.

There were no ornate decorations, no powerful energy fluctuations, only a table carved from something resembling jade, and a figure sitting upright behind it.

The Azure Jade Ruler.

He looked like a middle-aged scholar in his forties, wearing a simple blue robe, his silver hair casually tied up. At this moment, he was holding a white jade teacup, and the fragrant aroma of tea filled the air, making one's soul feel refreshed.

There was no oppressive aura as Lin Yi had imagined, nor any flowing light. He just sat there quietly, as if he had merged with the surrounding space and time, achieving the ultimate harmony with nature.

"Lin Yi greets the Lord." Lin Yi bowed respectfully.

"You've arrived." Sovereign Qingyan looked up at Lin Yi, a warm smile on his face. "Sit down."

His voice was gentle and peaceful, like a spring breeze.

Lin Yi bowed slightly, then sat down on a jade stool of the same material opposite the table as instructed.

The Azure Emperor smiled, said nothing more, and simply waved his hand.

On the table, an empty white jade teacup flew up on its own, and the clear, slightly green tea soup in the pot poured into the cup in a graceful arc, filling it exactly eight-tenths full, before landing steadily in front of Lin Yi.

"Try it," said the Azure Emperor.

"Thank you, Master." Lin Yi picked up the teacup with both hands and took a sip without hesitation.

The tea soup is warm and smooth on the palate, then transforms into a clear yet powerful warm current that surges into the depths of the soul.

Lin Yi felt as if his soul was being immersed in warm spring water. Countless tiny impurities, the fatigue accumulated from years of high-intensity training and battles, and even the slight sluggishness brought about by the rapid improvement of the laws of space and time were all washed away and soothed in this instant.

My soul is clear, and my thinking is clearer than ever before.

He could even feel that his 100% understanding of the laws of time had been refined, making its operation more smooth and seamless.

Although he had only recently begun to understand the laws of space, the nascent imprint of those laws had become much more stable under the nourishment of the tea.

nice one!
It is absolutely a top-tier treasure that works on the soul!
Lin Yi was deeply moved, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply put down his teacup and said sincerely, "Thank you for the tea, Master."

The Azure Emperor smiled, offering no explanation of the tea's origin, as if it were merely a casual, trivial matter.

He put down his teacup, looked at Lin Yi, and said in a gentle tone, "You fought well in this battle. You were dominant and turned the tide of the battle, boosting the morale of the entire army. Your achievements are considerable."

Lin Yi was about to say something modest when the Azure Emperor raised his hand to stop him and continued, "The assessment of battle merits is calculated by the battlefield system according to its rules. You will receive all the merits, resources, and privileges you are entitled to. However..."

He changed the subject, his smile deepening: "I'll give you an extra reward personally."

As he spoke, the Azure Blade Master flipped his hand, and a pure white jade box with natural cloud patterns flowing on its surface appeared on the table, gently floating to Lin Yi's front.

"You can study how to use it when you get back." The Azure Emperor didn't explain much, his tone casual, as if he were just giving away an ordinary item.

But Lin Yi knew in his heart that something personally awarded by the Sovereign could not possibly be an ordinary item.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty!" Lin Yi immediately stood up and bowed solemnly.

He didn't rudely open the box to check it on the spot, but carefully put it away.

The Azure Emperor nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Lin Yi's attitude.

He picked up his teacup again, took a sip, and then asked seemingly casually, "The Myriad Mysteries Alliance has explored for countless eras, yet its knowledge of its interior remains limited. It is only known that those who enter and are trapped never return. The fact that you were able to break through and return safely after being stranded for five thousand years is nothing short of a miracle."

He put down his teacup and looked calmly at Lin Yi: "I wonder if you would be willing to tell me about your experiences in the secret realm?"

coming.

Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive.

He had anticipated being questioned by higher-ups about his experiences in the secret realm after he emerged.

I just didn't expect it to alarm the ruler himself.

Despite Qingyan's gentle tone and the use of a consultative "whether you are willing" approach, Lin Yi knew exactly what was going on.

That's just being polite.

If the ruler wants to know a secret, how many of his subordinates would dare to truly say "no"?
Did not say?

They may not openly coerce you, but covert investigations, probing, and even some secret detection methods will likely follow immediately.

However, Lin Yi was not flustered.

Firstly, he had anticipated this, and he was already very familiar with the process of unifying the "external message" with all the members of Xingyuan Society, including the experience of editing and revising the version.

The lines between what can be said and what cannot be said are clearly defined.

Secondly, the reminder from Venerable Xuan Yan at the door earlier—"State your case clearly, answer concisely, and do not say too much"—seemed like an admonition, but it was actually more like a disguised "guarantee" and "signal."

The meaning is obvious.

In the midst of a full-scale war, the Eldar have to consider the thoughts of the Humans, and given his great contributions, they won't do anything to him.

Of course, if the ruler asks you personally, you should still answer, as long as you can justify your answer. But be careful to be concise and avoid saying too much or making mistakes.

At the same time, Lin Yi guessed that the conversation at the door might have been meant for the ruler inside.

Therefore, Lin Yi paused for a moment before beginning his story.

"Reporting to the Lord, shortly after we entered the Myriad Secret Realms, we were ambushed by the combined forces of the Abyss Clan and the Eclipse Clan's prodigies. They all broke through to the Star Vortex level as soon as they entered, and gathered their strength to strangle us."

Lin Yi spoke at a steady pace and with clear logic.

"Inside the secret realm, the fog is divided into three layers: gray, black, and blood. Each layer has extremely strong suppression of rules, greatly restricting source energy and soul perception, but the suppression of laws is relatively weak. We fought and retreated, and when we finally retreated to the depths of the blood fog layer, the team had less than seven hundred people left. The exit was completely blocked by the allied forces of the two races, and we were forced to stay."

Lin Yi recounted his edited and abridged account of his experience, focusing on two key points: "First, in dire straits, everyone worked together. The geniuses of various races voluntarily shared the source essence crystals they had hunted and purified with me." He emphasized the collective choice, adding, "Fortunately, I possessed decent talent, and with the assistance of a large number of source essence crystals, my strength was able to improve rapidly."

"Secondly, with our increased strength, we can hunt high-level mist beasts more efficiently and obtain more crystal cores. At the same time, I can use my clones to burn and purify the crystal cores, which is much more efficient than theirs. The purified crystal cores will be returned to the team according to their contributions and needs," Lin Yi summarized. "In this way, a virtuous cycle is formed, with the strong leading the way, and we will eventually survive the long years and wait for the opportunity to reappear."

The Azure Emperor listened quietly, a gentle smile always on his face. His fingertips occasionally tapped the table, making it impossible to tell whether he believed it or not.

After Lin Yi finished speaking, he nodded slightly and said, "I see. It's very good that you were able to unite as one, use your strengths, and ultimately fight your way out of a desperate situation. As the team leader, you deserve great credit."

That's a nice way of putting it, but Lin Yi isn't naive enough to think that the Overlord actually believes it.

However, the Azure Blade Master did not delve into any details, as if he were merely going through the motions.

He offered a few more words of encouragement to Lin Yi, such as "The safety of the human race's territory in the future still depends on you young people to shoulder the heavy responsibility" and "Cultivate well and step into eternity as soon as possible," before indicating that Lin Yi could leave.

"Lin Yi takes his leave." Lin Yi stood up, bowed again, and then turned to walk towards the gate.

The gate opened silently, and Lin Yi stepped out.

Just as the gate closed again, a thought flashed through Lin Yi's mind:
"That's it... you passed the test?"

He had assumed that the ruler would at least ask about a few key details, and might even use some kind of detection method to verify the truth.

Unexpectedly, it really was just to "listen to a story" and then he was let go.

Such a smooth process actually made Lin Yi feel like it was all too real.

However, he quickly suppressed this thought.

In any case, we've passed this hurdle.

The ruler personally summoned and endorsed his statement, so when other high-ranking officials inquired about it later, his explanation had official backing.

Outside the door, as expected, Venerable Xuan Yan was still waiting there.

Seeing Lin Yi come out, he nodded slightly, without asking any further questions, and simply said, "Come with me."

The two walked one after the other through the complex passages inside the fortress, eventually arriving at a training room located in the core area of ​​the fortress with extremely high defense.

Lord Xuan Yan granted him access and brought Lin Yi inside.

The cultivation room is spacious, well-equipped, and has an extremely high energy concentration, clearly a configuration reserved for important figures.

"This place is temporarily yours to use." Venerable Xuan Yan waved his hand, and two chairs automatically rose in the cultivation room. He casually sat down and looked at Lin Yi, "Lord Qing Yan, what did you ask? How did you answer?"

Lin Yi sat down opposite him and recounted his conversation with the Azure Blade Master almost verbatim, including his own "abridged" version of the experience.

After listening quietly, the Venerable Xuan Yan remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "It's alright. At least it sounds plausible."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi smiled wryly and said, "Your Excellency, you don't believe what I'm saying either?"

"Believe?" Venerable Xuan Yan smiled. "Even Sovereign Qing Yan doesn't believe it. It's important that he asked you what happened in the myriad secret realms, but he doesn't think you'll tell him everything. His main purpose isn't to delve into what specific adventures you had in the secret realms, but to confirm one thing."

He looked at Lin Yi with piercing eyes: "I'm confirming that you, Lin Yi, are still the same human Lin Yi, and not some strange thing that ran out of the secret realm."

Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine and immediately understood the key to it.

For the upper echelons of a group, the extraordinary encounters of geniuses are certainly important, but what is even more important is the controllability of the geniuses themselves.

As long as it's confirmed that Lin Yi is still one of us, then no matter how fast his strength improves or how many secrets he has, it's all tolerable for now.

Lin Yi couldn't help but recall the cup of tea that the Azure Blade Master had given him earlier. Now that he thought about it, it was probably more than just a cup of tea.

Perhaps, in addition to seeing himself with his own eyes, the Azure Blade Master also used physical verification methods.

Presumably, if there were any strange things in one's soul, that cup of tea wouldn't cleanse the soul; it might just burn one to ashes.

"As for fortuitous encounters," Venerable Xuan Yan shook his head, his tone somewhat wistful, "Heh, let alone the Sovereigns, even those who can cultivate to the Venerable level, which one doesn't have their own opportunities and secrets? The universe is vast, and the secret realms are endless; all sorts of strange things can happen. As long as they don't harm their clans or betray the alliance, who would really dig deep enough? If we really wanted to investigate every powerful person's background thoroughly, the Pan-Spirit Alliance would have disintegrated long ago."

Lin Yi nodded in deep agreement.

This is one of the reasons why he dared to use that set of arguments.

It is common for the strong to possess secrets, and as long as they do not cross the line, those in higher positions usually maintain a certain degree of tacit approval.

“However,” Venerable Xuan Yan’s tone changed, his expression becoming more serious, “there is something I need to ask you again.”

"Please ask, Your Excellency." Lin Yi sat up straight.

Lord Xuan Yan stared intently at Lin Yi and solemnly asked, "Is it possible to replicate your experiences in the myriad secret realms?"

Lin Yi had anticipated this question and had a plan in mind. He looked thoughtful, remained silent for nearly ten seconds, and then slowly shook his head, saying firmly, "No."

This statement is half true and half false.

The Purple Mist Space is unique to him, the Star Origin Space is bound to his soul imprint and can only be entered for one year per era, and the core of purifying the source material system is the transformation of Purple Mist. These are indeed impossible to replicate.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Xuan Yan nodded slightly: "I understand."

A fleeting hint of regret crossed his face, but he quickly let it go.

There are countless opportunities in the universe, but only a very few can be replicated on a large scale.

It was already incredibly lucky that Lin Yi and his group managed to catch him even once.

However, what Venerable Xuan Yan said next made Lin Yi's relaxed heart jump again.

"However, Lin Yi," Xuan Yan Venerable Lord changed the subject, his expression serious, "there is something I need to remind you of."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine.

Xuan Yan Venerable Lord continued, "Just because Qing Yan Sovereign lightly dismissed this matter doesn't mean it's truly over. It's just that we are currently at a critical juncture in the war between the two races, and everything is for the sake of the battle. You have just returned from the secret realm and made great contributions; this is the time to boost morale."

"Furthermore, the rules of the myriad secret realms are inherently different from the norm. Your extraordinary encounter this time is likely highly unique, difficult to replicate, and even more difficult to promote as a regular means of improvement. Based on these considerations, the Overlord has chosen to temporarily shelve the matter and not delve into it further."

He looked at Lin Yi with a deep gaze: "But you must understand that temporarily setting it aside does not mean forgetting it permanently. After this war ends and the situation stabilizes, the higher-ups of the Spirit Clan, or other forces, may bring up this old grievance again. If they ask about it then, they won't be as polite as they are today."

Lin Yi's heart sank immediately.

The subtext of the Venerable Xuan Yan is clear: we are not pursuing this now because the war requires you, but this does not mean that the higher-ups really believe that explanation, nor does it mean that they have given up on investigating.

Once the war ends and external pressure decreases, more internal resources will be available to sort things out.

If, at that time, a high-ranking official insists on investigating, the Spirit Clan will still have many methods and means.

"Of course, that's for the future." Xuan Yan Venerable's tone softened slightly, but still carried a warning. "At this stage, you only need to remember two things: First, your previous statement has been filed with the Sovereign. Use the same statement to address others in the future and avoid any contradictions. Second, seize the time to improve your strength."

"As long as you are strong enough that those who want to bring up old grievances will have to think twice about the consequences, then those 'old grievances' may just remain old grievances forever."

"You should know that only the strong have the right to possess secrets."

Lin Yi took a deep breath and nodded solemnly: "Thank you for your guidance, Your Excellency."

He did get it.

Passing this test is only temporary; the real challenge may be yet to come.

He must seize every moment to become stronger, strong enough to deter any potential suitors.

"It's good that you know what's going on." Venerable Xuan Yan nodded, then changed the subject, "However, there is something more urgent than this, and you must pay extra attention to it, especially you, Lin Yi."

"Looking at the geniuses who came out with you, and the way they looked at you, it wasn't just a matter of respect for the team leader and the strong."

Lin Yi did not shy away from this: "After all, we have lived and died together for five thousand years, and fought our way out of the most desperate situation together. Our feelings for each other are naturally different. There are no distinctions between clans in the secret realm, only comrades who have shared life and death. This kind of experience is hard for outsiders to understand."

“I understand, of course I understand.” Venerable Xuan Yan waved his hand. “I’m not going to delve into this. Small groups exist everywhere; yours is just a bit larger, which is normal, especially in your environment. It would be strange if close-knit groups didn’t form. Even…”

He paused, then said meaningfully, "Given the current war situation, the leaders of various ethnic groups would probably be happy to see this happen."

Lin Yi's mind raced, and he immediately understood Xuan Yan's meaning.

Such an alliance, which transcends racial boundaries and is composed of top talents, is undoubtedly an excellent example of propaganda at a time when close unity and cooperation among all races are especially needed.

As long as it does not harm the interests of their respective ethnic groups, the higher authorities may indeed take an encouraging attitude.

“However,” the Venerable Xuan Yan’s tone suddenly became serious, “there is one thing you must pay special attention to.”

Lin Yi's expression hardened. "Please enlighten me, Your Excellency."

"You've spent five thousand years in the secret realm, and your strength has improved too quickly. Especially you, with your Star Core level Time Law at its peak and your Space Law at the beginner level, it's too dazzling."

"The eternal gods may not do anything to you. They have already attained immortality. In the context of the current all-out war, it would be unthinkable for them to harm their own prodigies for a possible but unrepeatable adventure. Once exposed, they would not be able to bear the consequences, and their race would not allow it."

"However, the Transcendent Realm level... that's another story."

A cold glint flashed in Xuan Yan's eyes: "Those guys who have been stuck at the peak of the Yan Realm for countless years, whose lifespans are about to end but who still can't open the door to eternity. Under the pressure of death, in long despair, they are capable of anything. They will cling to any glimmer of hope for a breakthrough as if it were a lifeline."

"Once they believe that you may possess the secret to rapidly enhancing one's understanding of the laws, even if it's just a guess, it's enough to make them risk everything."

Lin Yi was immediately alarmed.

Lord Xuan Yan is right.

After attaining eternity, one has endless lifespan, which means one has reached the shore and is wearing shoes.

These eternal beings have many concerns and still care about their reputation, but those who are about to die of old age and have no hope of breaking through to the next realm can be considered to have nothing to lose!

To prolong their lives, to achieve eternity, they would do anything.

"Therefore, not only you need to be careful, but also those geniuses who came out with you," Venerable Xuan Yan continued. "Once their clans learn that you have come out of the secret realm, they will quickly recall them. As for those geniuses who come from the Spirit Clan or other powerful clans, their clans will naturally provide them with protection."

"But for geniuses from small and medium-sized clans whose families do not have an eternal god to protect them, they are easy targets for certain world-level beings to secretly attack."

Lin Yi nodded solemnly.

This is indeed a big problem.

“Of course, you are absolutely safe in this fortress, on the front lines of the war.” Lord Xuan Yan’s tone softened. “The rules here are strict, and the surveillance is tight. No one dares to cause trouble here. But once you leave the front lines and return to the rear or your respective territories, you must be more careful.”

"Thank you for the reminder, Your Excellency," Lin Yi said solemnly.

Lord Xuan Yan nodded, a smile returning to his face: "Alright, now that we've finished discussing business, Yong Yan will also be transferred to this war zone. As for your hometown, the Silver Blue Star Region race, there will be other arrangements, so you don't need to worry about it."

He stood up and patted Lin Yi on the shoulder: "I have officially connected your permissions to the Pan-Spirit Alliance frontline battlefield system. For specific details, ask your AI life form."

"I imagine you have many things to handle and many people to meet." Lord Xuan Yan smiled, turned and walked outside. "You can access the virtual network here at any time. If anything happens, just contact me directly through the battlefield system."

"Respectfully seeing off Your Excellency." Lin Yi rose to see him off.

After Venerable Xuan Yan left, the gate to the cultivation room closed automatically, and the internal defense system quietly activated, isolating the place into a private space.

Lin Yi let out a long breath and walked to the platform in the center of the training room to sit down.

"Xuanji," he murmured to himself.

"Master!" an excited voice immediately rang out.

Immediately, a pale blue light condensed in front of Lin Yi, transforming into a woman dressed in flowing cloud palace attire.

She wore an elegant updo, her face was refined and rational, and a fleeting glint of data flashed in her eyes—it was the virtual image of Xuanji herself.

After five thousand years, her virtual image has become more solid, and her temperament has become more composed, but the excited light flashing in her eyes at this moment reveals the turmoil in her heart.

"Master, you're finally back." Xuanji's voice trembled slightly, and her fingers tightened gently beneath the hem of her palace dress.

Lin Yi could sense the deep worry in Xuanji's words.

As an intelligent life form bound to his master, Xuanji's torment over these five thousand years is probably no less than that of anyone else.

"You've worked hard," Lin Yi said gently. "It's alright now."

“Yes!” Xuanji nodded vigorously, quickly calming her emotions and regaining her usual efficiency and rationality. “Master, according to the authorization of Lord Xuanyan, your permissions have been updated. Xuanji requests to synchronize the Pan-Spirit Alliance frontline battlefield system and update all databases and real-time information.”

"Approved. Synchronize immediately," Lin Yi ordered.

"Connecting to the main battlefield network. Identity verification passed, permission check and synchronization complete!" Just three seconds later, she looked up. "Synchronization complete. Master, your current permission status is as follows."

"Identity: Astral Army Tactical Advisor (Temporary)".

"Basic authority level: Eternal God level".

"The merit points for the Secret Realm Exit Campaign are being calculated."

"Unlocked permissions include: real-time dynamic map of the front-line battlefield (Eternal God level), internal communication channel of the Pan-Spirit Alliance (Eternal God level), strategic material exchange list (Eternal God level), merit exchange system (full permissions), confidential intelligence database (Eternal God level), access to facilities inside the fortress (Eternal God level), etc."

"His authority has actually been upgraded to the level of an Eternal God." Lin Yi walked to a chair in the room and sat down, slightly surprised.

However, it was only slightly so, since his current understanding of the laws was indeed at the god level, so it was understandable that he could enjoy some treatment ahead of time.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi had an idea and took out the small cyan jade box that had been personally bestowed by the Azure Jade Sovereign.

He was filled with curiosity about the master's actions.

"Xuanji," Lin Yi instructed as he reached for the jade box, "Immediately compile and report the following information according to its importance: First, the key battlefield information I need to know; second, the list of personnel I need to contact or meet urgently; third, important matters pending."

Click.

The clasp on the jade box clicked softly, and the lid was lifted.

The box was lined with soft black velvet padding, and an object lay quietly in the center.

It was a tiny metal figure, less than ten centimeters tall, with a dark gold color and a surface that shimmered like mercury.

The figure's face is blurry, as if shrouded in a thin mist, but the overall lines are smooth, full of an indescribable spirituality and mystery.

"Is this some kind of puppet? Or a special medium for inheritance?"

While secretly speculating in his mind, Lin Yi curiously reached out his finger and gently touched the forehead of the metal figure.

The moment my fingertips touched the little figure.

An unimaginably massive flow of information surged into the depths of his consciousness.

The overwhelming amount of information caused Lin Yi's pupils to shrink sharply, and he remained stunned for three or four seconds before recovering from the shock.

He couldn't help but murmur:
"How can there be something so outrageous?"

(End of this chapter)