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

Chapter 349 The Four Realms of Gods
Prison Warden: "."

He suddenly jumped up from his chair.

"Of course I know what a fearless war god is! Sovereign Qingyan gave you one?" Zhenyu's voice rose several decibels. "Isn't there only a few of those things even the Venerable Ones have? The Sovereign just gave them to you?!"

Seeing his senior brother's rare loss of composure, Lin Yi couldn't help but smile. "That's what the Venerable One said too."

There was a hint of relaxation in that smile.

In front of Zhenyu, he didn't need to maintain the same decisive and ruthless demeanor he displayed on the battlefield.

Zhenyu circled Lin Yi twice, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"Incredible, incredible! With this, you are now a true god-level fighter. Although you're only at the weakest level, your potential is limitless, and your future improvement is enormous!"

Lin Yi could sense the excitement in Zhen Yu's words.

Throughout its eternal lifespan, Zhenyu has witnessed the fall of too many powerful figures and the shattering of too many hopes.

Seeing his junior brother not only return alive but also receive such a high-level opportunity, he was truly happy.

Zhenyu leaned back, arms crossed. "So... Lord Xuanyan is serious about asking you to consider joining the Gods' Squad or going solo?"

"Yes." Lin Yi nodded. "I would like to ask Senior Brother, what are the advantages and disadvantages of these two options? What types of missions are they usually used for? How do the risks compare?"

He asked directly; there was no need to beat around the bush in front of Zhenyu.

Zhenyu stroked his chin and began to think seriously.

Now that our junior brother has truly acquired god-level combat power, this question becomes of utmost importance.

"That's right. A divine squad usually consists of three to six eternal gods, and sometimes a small number of elite peak-level beings at the realm of evolution are assigned as support or reconnaissance units."

Zhen Yu paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"The team's advantages are obvious: they have excellent teamwork, can support each other, and have strong survivability."

"The missions carried out are also diverse, such as eliminating key enemy strategic targets, escorting critical supplies or personnel, raiding enemy rear supply lines, supporting endangered defense lines, and even participating in the encirclement and killing of isolated enemy deities."

As Zhenyu spoke, he took out a bottle of wine from his storage space, unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back and took a swig, and then handed it to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi took it and drank a sip as well.

The taste was quite strange, spicy with a hint of sourness, but it invigorated him.

Zhenyu took the bottle of wine Lin Yi handed back and continued, "But there are drawbacks too. There's relatively less freedom of action; you need to obey the team's overall command and tactical arrangements. The distribution of spoils usually follows fixed rules, so individual gains may not be as good as when you're working alone. And..."

He looked at Lin Yi, his expression turning serious.

"If the team's overall strength is insufficient or they encounter a strong enemy, there is also a risk of being wiped out."

Lin Yi listened in silence.

"As for solitary beings," Zhenyu paused, then took another swig of wine, "solitary gods are generally extremely confident in their own strength, or possess special means of concealment and escape."

He placed the bottle on the table with a soft "thump".

"They are free to act, can choose their own targets, and keep all the spoils. They usually take on missions such as assassination, reconnaissance, harassment, or searching for specific resources."

Zhenyu stared at Lin Yi with piercing eyes.

"The risks are obvious, and even higher. Without teammates to support you, if you get surrounded or encounter a strong enemy who counters you, you are likely to be isolated and helpless. On the battlefield, a lone god is often the enemy's favorite target to hunt."

He reached out and patted Lin Yi on the shoulder.

"Given your current situation, my personal advice is to join a reliable team of deities in the early stages. This will allow you to quickly accumulate combat experience at the deity level, become familiar with the rules of the battlefield, and have someone to look out for you. Once you've fully adapted and your strength has improved, then you can consider whether to go solo."

Lin Yi listened attentively, his mind racing as he weighed the options.

Joining a team offers a high level of safety and a gentle learning curve, but it also comes with more limitations.

Going solo offers freedom and potentially higher rewards, but it carries immense risks, especially for someone who is still a "novice god."

A thought suddenly struck Lin Yi.

"Senior Brother, which squad are you in?"

Since the senior brother is there, joining any other team is not as reliable as joining the senior brother's team.

Upon hearing this, Zhenyu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

"I am a loner."

He paused, then couldn't help but add, "The eternal deities of the spatial laws are almost all solitary beings. We not only have to undertake the task of supporting the entire battlefield, but also intercept the enemy's spatial law deities."

Zhenyu looked at Lin Yi, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes: "Of course, someone like you who has only grasped a smattering of the laws of space certainly doesn't count. I'm referring to a god who has completely mastered the laws of space."

Lin Yi suddenly realized.

Indeed, with the eldest brother's elusive abilities, he is better suited to traveling alone.

"Does Senior Brother have any recommended teams?" Lin Yi asked.

Instead of answering directly, Zhenyu posed another question.

"How much do you know about the power levels of Eternal Gods?"

Lin Yi thought for a moment and said, "I know that once you reach the level of an Eternal God, you basically don't care about your realm anymore, because there are too many factors involved. So it's basically based on combat power. I only know that there are four levels: Ordinary God, Powerful God, High God, and Upper God."

"As for how these four levels came about, with my previous information access, I only knew that they were related to a cosmic wonder, but I didn't know much about the specifics."

“That’s normal. These things won’t be developed for those below the god level, no matter how strong your talent was before.” Zhenyu shook his head with a chuckle. “After all, everyone has worked hard to cultivate to the god level, and they also have some pride. They don’t want to be compared with other gods.”

As he spoke, he walked back to the table and pointed in the air.

A stream of dark golden light emerged from Zhenyu's fingertip, meandering through the air like a living thing before finally disappearing into Lin Yi's brow.

Lin Yi quickly digested the information, a flash of understanding appearing in his eyes.

It turned out to be the case.

"The Four Abyss Stars?" he repeated.

“Hmm.” Zhenyu nodded. “A super gaseous planet with a diameter of over 100 trillion kilometers, divided into four layers from the outside in. With each inner layer, the suppression of the laws doubles.”

"In the outermost Starlight Abyss, ordinary gods are considered qualified if they can remain stable inside. In the Qingheng Abyss further in, those who can break in and bring back the Qingheng Crystal are recognized as powerful gods. In the Origin Abyss, which goes even deeper, one must be able to withstand a chaotic torrent without retreating to be qualified to be called a high-level god."

Zhenyu paused, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"The innermost layer is called the Abyss of Desolation. Those who can stay in the Abyss of Desolation for more than a day during the Four Abyss Extreme Stars' eruption period are high-ranking gods."

Lin Yi quickly grasped the key point: "Therefore, the Four Abyss Stars are both resource points and a touchstone."

“Yes.” Zhenyu nodded. “Before the war broke out, almost every god would go there. The Four Abyss Stars has a small outbreak every ten epochs and a large outbreak every hundred epochs, which brings many rare resources. The things produced in each layer are different, and the deeper you go, the more precious they become. The second is to define your own position and see clearly which level you are on.”

His tone became more serious: "However, the war is intense right now, and the Four Abyss Stars are a region of dual contention. Although the competition is not fierce because it has not yet reached its peak, newly promoted gods do not have time to venture out. So now, as long as you demonstrate the corresponding level of combat ability, such as being able to fight against enemies of the corresponding level, you can gain recognition."

Zhenyu looked at Lin Yi: "In the battle when you first came out of the secret realm, you already demonstrated the perfection of the Law of Time. Coupled with the fearless war god, you can be considered to be at the standard of an ordinary god. However, if you want to go further, you will have to rely on your battle record."

Lin Yi wrote down the name.

Four Abyss Polar Stars.

It is not only a benchmark of strength, but also contains resources that would drive even the gods crazy.

Once the fighting eases up a bit, I'll definitely have to go there.

“I understand,” he said in a deep voice. “So at this stage, as long as I achieve the corresponding results with the Fearless War God, I can gain a foothold.”

“That makes sense.” Zhenyu grinned. “Alright, you can digest the classification stuff later. Let’s get down to business first. Have you decided which squad you want to join?”

Lin Yi shook his head: "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."

Zhenyu didn't mince words and said directly, "I suggest you join a team led by a powerful deity and composed of ordinary deities. This is the most common and numerous configuration for a deity team."

"As for more powerful teams," Zhenyu shook his head, "Although I know quite a few teams led by high-ranking gods, I don't recommend you go. With your current level of combat strength, which is just at the beginner level, even if they reluctantly accept you, you will become the team's weak link."

"That would not only be a hindrance, but would also make us an easy target for the enemy. It's okay if the clone dies, but it's not so easy to get another one if the Fearless War God is destroyed."

Lin Yi wholeheartedly agreed.

That fearless war god was bestowed by the ruler, and its preciousness is self-evident. If it were truly destroyed on the battlefield, he could not expect the ruler to give him another one.

"Does Senior Brother have any specific recommendations?" Lin Yi asked.

Zhenyu pondered for a moment, then whispered an order, after which a virtual screen lit up.

“These guys have a good reputation and are quite strong.” Zhenyu pointed to the first file. “The Star Torch Squad’s captain is from the Holy Radiance Clan. He is a member of the Law of Light and has mastered three god-level secret techniques. He is good at direct attacks.”

A figure of a Holy Radiance Clan member, clad in golden armor and with six illusory wings of light behind him, appeared on the screen.

The battle footage played rapidly, showing that the figure on the battlefield was like a blazing sun, melting away the Eclipse Clan wherever it passed.

"The second one is the Rockheart Squad." Zhenyu switched the file. "The captain is Rock Fortress of the Crystal Spirit Clan. He is a master of the Earth Law and has extremely strong defensive capabilities. He is good at protracted battles."

“The third one is the Frostwhisper Squad,” Zhenyu continued. “The captain is Lan from the Protoss race, a master of the Law of Frost, who excels at surprise attacks and reconnaissance.”

Zhenyu paused, then looked at the last file.

His finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds before tapping it.

“Oh, right, there’s also the Star Silence Squad,” Zhenyu turned to look at Lin Yi, “Mingluo from your Purple Gold Star Alliance is one of them. Although he’s just an ordinary god, he has mastered two god-level secret techniques, so his combat strength is not bad.”

“The captain is Yueming of the Spirit Race,” Zhenyu added. “Judging from his achievements in battle recently, he is almost at the threshold of becoming a high god.”

Screen switching.

Lin Yi's gaze fell on the Star Silence Squad's file.

明洛
There was indeed some interaction between them; as the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Purple Gold Star Alliance, he even sent a congratulatory gift during the Genius Battle.

"I've marked the characteristics and reputation of these squads." Zhenyu packaged the four files and transmitted them to Lin Yi through the battlefield system. "If any other squads have vacancies or are recruiting new members, you'll have to check the battlefield system or ask Lord Xuanyan for a recommendation."

He smiled, a hint of teasing in his smile.

"I think your name will soon appear on the list of gods in the battlefield system. Although the title of Fearless War God will be listed after it, with the power of the Time Law, even if you don't have much experience among the gods, I estimate that many teams will be willing to accept you."

As he spoke, Zhenyu opened a document.

"This is the current publicly available combat strength evaluation of the gods in the Pan-Spirit Alliance. The war has gone on for so long that it is no longer a secret. Of course, it is just a reference. There are definitely many people here who have been hiding something. I will send you all of these together. You can take your time to look at them when you get back."

Lin Yi nodded repeatedly; this was all information he urgently needed.

“Oh, right.” Zhenyu suddenly remembered something and sat up straight. “Your fearless war god, remember to do a few things after you’re bound to him.”

He held up three fingers.

"First, familiarize yourself with its basic operating mode. The combat methods of the mechanical race's divine bodies are very different from those of us flesh and blood. It would be best to upgrade your intelligent life form and let it assist you in battle."

"Second, test its maximum output and endurance. Don't wait until you're on the battlefield to find that you don't have enough energy or your output is insufficient."

“Third,” Zhenyu’s tone became serious, “we need to find out its repair costs and timeline.”

"This thing is extremely valuable. If it needs major repairs, the cost might be greater than you imagine. I've heard that the repair quotes from the Mechanical Race are enough to bankrupt an ordinary god."

Lin Yi nodded solemnly.

"I see."

The two brothers chatted for about half an hour.

Lin Yi asked more questions about the details of god-level battles, such as how to judge the difference in strength between the enemy and ourselves, common traps and ambushes on the battlefield, and how to deal with laws that counter us.
Zhen Yu was very open with his knowledge and shared all his battlefield experience with him.

He recounted an incident where, during a reconnaissance mission, he was nearly surrounded and killed by five Eclipse Gods, but managed to escape only thanks to his precise understanding of spatial rifts.

He recounted witnessing a squad led by a high deity being ambushed due to their recklessness; only two of the five-man squad escaped, and the captain was killed in action.

Finally, Zhenyu patted Lin Yi on the shoulder.

"Don't rush things regarding Ninth Junior Brother." His voice was lower. "Although the resurrection sequence is slow, you'll definitely be resurrected once you're in the queue. Your priority now is to establish yourself and improve your strength."

He stared into Lin Yi's eyes.

"Only when you have enough strength can everything be done smoothly."

“I know,” Lin Yi said in a deep voice.

He knew what "suppressing the prison" meant.

On this battlefield, strength is the power to speak, the capital to survive, and everything.

After sitting for a few more minutes, Lin Yi got up to say goodbye. Zhen Yu saw him to the door.

"Contact me anytime if anything happens," Zhenyu said. "I'll probably be resting in the fortress for a while. I'll let you know before my next mission."

"Okay." Lin Yi nodded.

The metal door closed behind him.

Lin Yi stood in the corridor, surrounded by cold alloy walls, with pale light shining from the overhead lights.

He paused for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and then walked towards his training room.

Footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.

As he walked, he sorted through the information he had just received in his mind.

We can rest assured about Ninth Brother's situation for now; his resurrection is promising, it's just a matter of time.

I need to make a choice as soon as possible: whether to join a team or go it alone.

He tended to take his senior brother's advice first, join a small team, and quickly adapt to the combat rhythm of the god-level.

However, we need to find out which one to join.

In addition, the "Fearless War God" also needs to be bound and familiarized with as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, a sharp glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes.

He instructed Xuanji: "Xuanji, do three things."

"First, search all publicly available information, recent mission records, member changes, and reputation reports of all registered deity squads in the fortress, and analyze and sort them according to dimensions such as overall strength, mission type, style characteristics, and member compatibility, and provide me with a recommended list."

"Second, apply for a training ground where god-level combat power tests can be conducted."

"Third, reserve a medium-sized conference room this afternoon. Later, I will gather the prodigies who came with me for a meeting to discuss some matters."

“Yes, Master.” Xuanji responded immediately. “The training ground application has been submitted. According to your authority, it is expected to be approved within one standard time. The meeting room has been reserved, number B-1177, and will be available from 14:30 today, for a duration of three standard times.”

Lin Yi nodded, and then he said softly, "Now, help me contact Irelia."

Tell her

He paused.

"I'm going to see her."
-
On the other side of the fortress, in the officers' quarters, training room E-47.

Irelia sat cross-legged on the jade platform in the center of the training room.

At this moment, her left arm was suspended in mid-air.

On his arm, a gruesome wound extending from his shoulder to his wrist was slowly healing.

It wasn't a wound from a metal tear; the skin and muscle were an unnatural dark green, and the edges were still slightly wriggling, trying to spread outwards.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Irelia's forehead.

She is operating the rules of life.

After all, there were too many wounded, and since she herself cultivated the rules of life, she didn't intend to take up the time of the medical staff.

Emerald green light emanated from her body, like a gentle stream, softly enveloping her entire left arm.

The light contained a vibrant life force, and wherever it passed, the dark green traces began to slowly fade away, like ice and snow encountering the blazing sun.

But this process is not easy.

Each time the dark green faded, it was accompanied by intense pain.

That is the pain of eroded tissue peeling away and new cells growing.

Irelia frowned slightly, but she didn't make a sound.

Having spent five thousand years on the battlefield, she had long been accustomed to pain.

She simply focused more intently on mobilizing the life energy within her body, cleansing and repairing her injured arm little by little.

Time passed by minute by minute.

The energy fluctuations in the training room were sometimes strong and sometimes weak, as Irelia adjusted the rhythm of her healing.

Life's rules are not a panacea; overtreatment can damage the foundation, so precise control is essential.

Sweat slid down her cheeks and dripped onto the jade platform, leaving dark marks.

What she lacks most right now is time.

There are so many wounded soldiers in the battle group waiting for her to return and take command, so many things to handle, so many.
Irelia took a deep breath and forced herself to concentrate.

Let's heal the wound first; we can deal with the rest later.

About twenty minutes later.

The dark green marks on my left arm have finally faded completely.

The new skin still looks a bit pale, but it has already regained its normal elasticity and temperature.

Irelia slowly opened her eyes.

A hint of weariness flashed in his icy blue eyes, but it was quickly replaced by calmness.

She reached for her sword and swung it a few times with her left arm. It was still a little stiff, but its basic functions had been restored.

The reflection of the sword revealed Irelia's face.

Five thousand years have passed without leaving any trace on her face; her lifespan at the star domain level is still very long.

But her eyes changed.

Those once vibrant, icy blue eyes now hold something deeper within them.

It is composure, it is calmness, it is...exhaustion.

Irelia stared at her reflection in the sword and fell silent.

Then, she began to recall the scene she had witnessed on the battlefield.

Lin Yi rode the magnificent giant of laws, clearing a million-kilometer star field with a single sword strike.

There was also the awe-inspiring scene of thousands of geniuses breaking through simultaneously as he walked out of the secret realm.

Each of those prodigies emanated a clear fluctuation of law, and each of them was a true monster.

Lin Yi stood in the center of them, like a king.

Irelia pursed her lips.

When she first saw Lin Yi return alive, she was genuinely happy; it was a pure joy that came from the bottom of her heart.

But after the initial excitement subsided and I calmed down, a more realistic feeling welled up inside me.

gap.

a very wide distance.

Five thousand years ago, although Lin Yi was very talented, he didn't have any reliable people around him.

At that time, as a star-level combatant, she could still provide him with practical help.

But now.
Lin Yi now has a large group of geniuses who have fought alongside him for five thousand years.

Irelia could clearly see the look in their eyes when they looked at Lin Yi on the battlefield; it was an unreserved trust born from the test of blood and fire.

In terms of feelings, she only spent a little over a thousand years with Lin Yi, while these people had stood shoulder to shoulder with her through dire circumstances for five thousand years.

In terms of strength
Irelia raised her newly healed left arm and looked at the pale, new skin.

After five thousand years of trials by fire and blood, and with the assistance of the Spirit Enlightenment Crystal, she has now reached the realm of fusion of the four domains of light, darkness, life, and death. In the Star Domain level, this is already a remarkable achievement.

Many veteran star-level beings have been stuck in the second or third level for tens of thousands of years without being able to break through, but she only took five thousand years to reach this point.

Normally, this would be enough to make her proud.

But compared to the geniuses around Lin Yi who are now all at the Law level...
It offers no advantage whatsoever.

Moreover, the Dongfeng Mercenary Group is now practically defunct.

Of the old comrades who joined the Astral Army with her back then, less than one-tenth are still alive today.

Chen Yu is dead. Zhang Zhen, Wang Lie, Liu Feng—familiar names like these are all on the list of casualties in the battle reports over the years.

Irelia leaned against the cold metal wall and closed her eyes.

She felt a sense of alienation.

It wasn't a distance from Lin Yi, but a distance from the past self.

Five thousand years ago, Irelia would have contacted Lin Yi without hesitation.

But the current Irelia
She is tired.

After watching people around her die one by one on the battlefield over the years, she learned to accept reality.

I've learned not to expect things that aren't realistic.

Therefore, she did not go to Lin Yi.

Although she was happy for his return and delighted by his achievements, she felt that there didn't seem to be much more interaction between them anymore.

If he thinks of me, he will naturally contact me.

If not, that seems normal.

After all, she was just a star-domain-level battle leader, barely able to protect herself on the front lines.

One is in the sky and the other is on the ground.

Why force it?

Thinking of this, Irelia felt a tightness in her chest.

But she quickly suppressed those emotions.

Five thousand years of battlefield experience taught her one thing: don't have unrealistic expectations.

The higher your expectations, the greater your disappointment.

Survival is the most important thing.

Irelia opened her eyes, her gaze returning to calm.

She walked toward the entrance of the training room, preparing to return to the battle group's base.

There are still many things to handle: casualty statistics, equipment repair, and battle damage reporting.
However, just as she was about to leave—

"Owner."

The voice of intelligent life resounded in my consciousness.

The voice was as calm as ever, but Irelia keenly detected a hint of joy in it.

That was an emotion he rarely displayed in recent years.

Irelia paused.

She was silent for two seconds.

"What is it?" she asked calmly.

"Commander Lin Yi has sent a communication request," Yin Yi said.

Irelia felt her heart skip a beat.

Then, she took a deep breath and said calmly:

"Connect."

(End of this chapter)