In a tranquil courtyard floating above a verdant nebula in the distant territory of the Spirit Race.
Beside a stream flowing with the spring of life, in a quiet room entirely formed by the natural growth of living ancient trees, Liyue Sheena slowly opened her eyes.
She was dressed in elaborate traditional Spirit Race attire, her hair flowing like moonlight, and her eyes held the wisdom and gentleness that comes with the passage of time.
But beneath this gentle facade lurked a deep-seated anxiety.
Liyue has just ended a cross-galactic communication with her granddaughter Aurelia, who is far away in the Human Race realm.
During the communication, Aurelia's tone seemed no different from usual, still cool and composed, as she reported on her routine work.
But no one knows a grandson better than his grandfather, Liyue keenly sensed the subtle change beneath that calm tone.
This reignited the unease that had been lurking in her heart.
Her slender, jade-like fingers tapped unconsciously twice on her knee.
"Old buddy."
Liyue's voice, tinged with coldness, shattered the tranquility of the quiet room.
" Aurelia first sold the life-bearing planet I gave her for her thousandth birthday, and now, through encrypted channels, she's applied for full access to the reserve funds our family holds in the Human Star Sea Bank."
As soon as she finished speaking, the space beside Liyue rippled slightly.
A phantom figure, composed entirely of soft light, slowly materialized.
It was Orlan, the Intelligent Life that had accompanied Liyue for countless years.
Orlan stood quietly to the side. As Liyue's father, the Intelligent Life left behind by that fallen World Derivation level being, he had spent far more time with Liyue than any of her blood relatives.
Because Orlan still possesses information access at the World Derivation level, which is extremely important for a Star Domain level family.
Therefore, within the family, Orlan is not only the highest-level Intelligent Life, but also a pillar of stability.
Moreover, for Liyue, Orlan, who had been with her since childhood, was both a father and a friend, and her most solid support throughout her long life.
" Liyue." Orlan's voice was gentle and steady. "That child, Aurelia, has been exceptionally intelligent and acts with propriety since childhood. Selling the inhabited planet might be for a more important purpose. As for that sum of money, you and I both know that the amount held by the Human Race is not large to begin with; it's just a drop in the ocean for our race."
"Perhaps she simply discovered some worthwhile investment opportunity in that unfamiliar star system?"
Liyue slowly shook her head, her emerald eyes filled with even deeper worry.
"The financial loss is a minor matter. What worries me is that during our conversation just now, when I asked her about the reason, she was evasive, only saying it was a necessary investment, but refusing to elaborate on the details. She has never hidden anything from me before."
"Old friend, do you think she encountered some unspeakable trouble in Human Race territory? Or... was she deceived?"
"If it were just a matter of being scammed out of money, that would be fine. But you know, we Spirit Race take emotions very seriously."
Her words carried the natural worry of a grandmother, as well as the wariness of a family leader who had seen the darker side of the universe.
Liyue knew very well that the Human Race, which was rapidly rising in power, did not have a benevolent territory.
Orlan's figure shimmered slightly, as if he were also deep in thought.
" Aurelia has grown up. Perhaps she just doesn't want you to worry. Too much interference might not be a good thing."
"But Orlan, knowing she might be in trouble, still ignored it and let things develop unpredictably. This is extremely irresponsible behavior. Her Parents..."
Liyue stopped mid-sentence, then looked at Orlan and changed the subject, " Aurelia's Intelligent Life ' Xingyu,' though now an independent entity, is still, at its core, Sub-body you separated from, and your superior authority should still exist."
Orlan's illusory figure stiffened, its light flashing violently, revealing clear resistance. " Liyue... prying into the privacy of an individual... isn't that inappropriate?"
"If it turns out she wasn't in any danger, but was simply making an investment she considered important and safe..."
Liyue interrupted him, her tone extremely serious, "I swear, I will never let her know what happened today, nor will I interfere with any of her decisions. I simply want to confirm whether my granddaughter is safe."
Her gaze was intense, filled with a rare worry and anxiety.
Orlan was silent for a moment, then finally let out a long sigh.
"Alright, since you insist, Liyue, I hope you're right."
After speaking, Orlan's figure became more solid. He raised his hand, made of light, palm facing upwards, and a connection quietly extended to the distant other side of the starry river, to the Intelligent Life attached to Aurelia — Xingyu.
In an instant, a massive amount of information, like a bursting dam, flooded into Orlan's processing core, where it was highly refined and compressed, transforming into mental images and data streams that Liyue could intuitively understand, which slowly unfolded before her.
He saw that blue planet— Blue Star.
They saw the terrifying golden Rule Domain that enveloped Mount Everest and instantly purified all the Abyssal Beast within an area of millions of square kilometers.
I saw the young human named Lin Yi, whose personal evaluation Points was a staggering 97 million Points.
I saw his personal milestones, each shining with purple and gold light: [ Domain Mastery ], [ Civilization Leadership ], [ Teachings Across the World ].
I saw that the Blue Star Civilization had a rating Points of nearly 50 million.
We witnessed the golden milestones achieved by the Blue Star Civilization, such as [ Civilization Revival ] and [ Light of the Alliance ].
I saw how Aurelia's initial observation report, which was just a preliminary observation, gradually evolved into shock and anticipation, and even now, she has stopped all her cultivation resources to devote herself to it.
I saw her secretly selling off planets and applying for funds, all so that she could provide "assistance" to Lin Yi and the Blue Star Civilization after the assessment.
The Information Flow gradually subsided.
Orlan silently withdrew the link.
Liyue's Hina sat there quietly, without moving for a long time.
The worry and coldness on her face had vanished, replaced by a complex expression.
Star Core level, a Level 7 Rule Domain individual rating approaching a Level 5 Civilization Rating— all of this, how could it happen to a rudimentary Human Race in an " Origin Energy Barren Belt "?
Her granddaughter, Aurelia, didn't encounter trouble or deception; instead, she discovered an incredible treasure with limitless potential.
She is trying to seize this once-in-a-millennium opportunity, to fight for an unprecedented future for herself, and perhaps also for her family.
Silence spread through the quiet room, broken only by the gentle murmur of the spring water.
After a long while, Liyue slowly raised her hand and gently pressed her brow, as if to digest the overwhelming amount of information.
". I see."
Liyue murmured to herself, those four words seemingly containing a thousand unspoken words: relief, amazement, realization, and anticipation.
She finally understood the scheme behind Aurelia's seemingly unusual behavior.
This was not an impulsive act, but a high-stakes gamble.
The stakes were her entire fortune, and on the other side of the table was a Human Race Lin Yi, and behind him, a blue star that was shining brightly.
However, Liyue was, after all, a very experienced Star Domain level expert and the leader of an ancient family. Soon, her initial shock subsided and turned into a deep sense of satisfaction.
But beneath this sense of relief lies a hint of helplessness and affection, a knowing look from someone who has experienced life's vicissitudes when observing the actions of younger generations.
"Achieving a Level 7 rating Assessment Period. Over forty years of Rule Comprehension Star Domain level rules."
Liyue repeated these key pieces of information in a low voice, a smile involuntarily curving her lips, like an orchid quietly blooming in a secluded valley.
" Orlan, look at Ellie, this little girl, she actually has such good fortune to meet such Human Race that even you and I have to take seriously."
The fact that Liyue could think of using the Human Race Civilization Advancement Assessment as a path to contact the Eternal Divinity naturally indicates that they have a far greater understanding of the Human Race and its assessment mechanism than ordinary people. This includes a great deal of hidden information that Orlan collected using his high-level privileges.
She knew that while Aurelia's actions of selling planets and requesting the transfer of her meager reserve funds showed determination, in her and Orlan's eyes, they still carried a touch of childish naiveté.
Those resources might be a huge sum for Aurelia, Star Vortex level expert, but they would probably not cause much of a stir in the eyes of any Star Domain level expert.
After all, with Orlan's assistance in management, the Xina Family had established emergency fund accounts in the territories of more than a dozen powerful races under the Pan-Spirit Alliance, so the reserves in a single Human Star Sea Bank account were really nothing.
Liyue knew very well that once this assessment was over, the various organizations belonging to the " Purple Gold Star Union " would swarm in like sharks smelling blood, extending olive branches to Lin Yi and the Blue Star Civilization.
It could be a gesture of goodwill, an investment, or even a combination of threat and investment.
At that point, the support Aurelia can offer now will likely pale in comparison to the conditions offered by those behemoths.
"Now that we've encountered such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we must seize it decisively and without the slightest hesitation or stinginess."
A resolute glint flashed in Liyue's eyes. She looked at Orlan, her gaze questioning, but even more so, filled with the determination to make a shared decision. "To forge this initial bond with someone who will at least reach the World Derivation level in the future, and perhaps even have the potential to reach the God Realm, is a tremendous opportunity for my Xina Family to escape this quagmire and return to the Star Sea. Orlan, what do you think?"
In the light and shadow of Orlan, ancient runes flowed slowly as he deduced using the underlying logic of the World Derivation level and a vast information database.
After a moment, he spoke, "The risk is moderate, but the potential return is extremely high. However, the scale of the investment needs to be reassessed."
Having gained Orlan's approval, the last trace of hesitation in Liyue's heart vanished.
She took a deep breath and said firmly:
"That's right, either we don't do it at all, or we do it right the first time, overwhelming everyone else. I'm going to offer a price that those forces that follow will absolutely not be able to match!"
After speaking, Liyue's gaze sharpened. " Orlan, help me contact Selena, the patriarch of the 'Shadowthorn' family."
Even Orlan, upon hearing this name, paused for a moment, revealing the worry characteristic of an elder.
" Liyue, Selena. Our feud with the Shadowthorns runs deep, and now that they are powerful, it is time to contact them."
His dissuasion was not out of fear, but based on prioritizing the safety of Liyue and his family.
"It's precisely because she has a huge advantage now that I need to find her."
Liyue snorted coldly, "Tell her that our Xina Family is willing to give up our ancestral land."
"Abandon our ancestral land?!"
The light and shadow of Orlan vanished abruptly, then quickly coalesced again, and the voice rose, " Liyue, be careful! That is Sheena's root, the place our old master once protected!"
"Isn't what Selena is coveting the core 'Lanshui Stone' vein on our ancestral home planet?"
Liyue's lips curled into a cold smile, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
"Give it to her! But tell her we want 70 billion Moonwave Crystal. Once we get this money, our Xina Family will immediately leave the Spirit Race's territory and flee to the Human Race."
Orlan remained silent for a moment.
He wasn't calculating gains and losses; with his abilities, he had already arrived at countless possible deductions in an instant.
He was sensing Liyue's do-or-die determination.
After a while, seeing that Liyue showed no sign of changing her mind, Orlan spoke again, his tone shifting from persuasion to a realistic reminder: " Liyue, Selena is greedy and cautious. She might not agree to such a huge deal. She's more likely to choose to exploit you slowly."
"No, she'll agree."
Liyue's voice carried a certainty, "We've been fighting for so many years, I know her too well. She's greedy, but also suspicious, and lacks patience. She knows what our Xina Family would do in desperation."
Liyue paused, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "She understands me, just as I understand her. She knows I have the ability to completely destroy the core of the mine, leaving her with nothing."
"While 70 billion Moonwave Crystal is a huge sum, it's not a crippling blow to the Shadowthorn Family right now. They can use this money to completely eliminate a major threat and secure a complete and undamaged Lan Shui Stone mine. She can make that choice."
She looked at Orlan. "Tell her, this is my final condition, presented on behalf of the Xina Family by Liyue Sheena. If she doesn't agree now, then there's no point in talking anymore. Even if we end up trapped and dying in this star system, she won't get what she wants."
Orlan's shadow flickered slightly, and he fell silent again.
This time, he was using his World Derivation level authority to simulate countless possibilities for negotiating with Selena and to assess the risks and opportunities of traveling to the Human Race.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice tinged with helplessness, "Even if the deal is struck, abandoning our ancestral lands and moving to Liyue, the Human Race territory, there are still many clansmen unwilling to leave from the elders' council. The resistance will be beyond our imagination."
Liyue's eyes suddenly turned cold, and the gentle life aura around her instantly vanished, replaced by an air of authority and ruthlessness that came with long-held power.
This is the spirit she honed when she led her family to struggle for survival amidst the storms of adversity and absolute disadvantage.
"Elders?" Liyue gave a soft hum. " Orlan, in my name, urgently summon all the core elders for a meeting. They will agree."
After speaking, Liyue paused, "As for those ordinary clansmen, they usually enjoy the clan's protection. Now that the clan has reached a critical juncture where it needs to break through and rebuild to secure its future, they have no choice but to either follow the clan or remain in this ancestral land that is about to change hands and fend for themselves."
"I understand, Liyue."
Orlan gave Liyue a deep look, a look that contained the care of an elder, the trust of a comrade, and the absolute execution of the highest command by an Intelligent Life form.
"Instructions confirmed. Initiate encrypted communication with Selena, prepare the elders' meeting agenda in sync, and begin a feasibility rehearsal for the entire tribe's migration."
Liyue nodded slightly and closed her eyes again.
A storm that will determine the fate of a family is about to break out in this ancient territory of the Spirit Race.
Together they will stake everything on a future created by a young woman and her granddaughter on a distant blue planet.
--
The next day.
The headquarters building of the Blue Star Commonwealth Headquarters stands like a sharp sword piercing the sky.
The main circular conference hall, which can accommodate a thousand people, was packed to capacity.
Not only were all the high-ranking officials of the Blue Star Community present, but the hall was also filled with nearly three hundred energy fluctuations of varying strengths, all equally unsettling.
All registered Star Core level powerhouses from around the world gathered together.
This is a grand occasion that the Blue Star Civilization has never witnessed since the outbreak of the Abyssal Beast Crisis.
However, at this moment, the place where this enormous power was gathered was filled with an uncontrollable commotion and whispers.
Everyone's conversation revolved around the earth-shattering scene that took place on Mount Everest yesterday.
"Have you heard? All the Abyssal Beast in the Mount Everest main nest are gone! Just yesterday afternoon, in an instant!"
"Nonsense, the global energy monitoring network has been overwhelmed, how could we not know? The question is, how did it go down?"
"Wasn't it said that Lin Yi was there? And Commander Chen Yu was also there."
"It must have been them! But what methods did they use?"
"I heard there wasn't even a sound of an explosion, nor any sign of energy clash; it's as if all the Abyssal Beast in the main lair territory have collectively evaporated!"
Speculation, doubt, shock—a mix of emotions spread through the crowd.
Most of the Star Core level powerhouses knew the result through various channels, but they knew nothing about the process. This unknown brought them even deeper awe and confusion.
They whispered among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing at the empty seats at the front of the hall, especially the middle seat that belonged to Lin Yi.
Several representatives or powerful figures from countries like America and Russia, which possess global high-precision monitoring capabilities, had somewhat unusual expressions.
Their organization did indeed mobilize the most advanced observation equipment and capture that brief but mind-blowing scene above Mount Everest —the invisible force field that enveloped the heavens and the terrifying sight of the Abyssal Beast disappearing as if erased by an eraser.
But it was precisely because they saw it that they were even more terrified.
That was completely beyond their understanding of power.
Before Lin Yi made a clear statement, no one dared to risk angering Lin Yi by making the observation results public.
Therefore, they could only keep their lips tightly shut and let the powerful figures around them, who were unaware of the truth, speculate.
As a result, everyone's attention was focused on another "participant" at the scene— Chen Yu, who was surrounded by a large group of Star Core level experts.
At this moment, Chen Yu was enjoying an unprecedented moment of glory in his life.
He was naturally outgoing and flamboyant. As one of the earliest veterans to follow Lin Yi and one of the first powerhouses on Blue Star to break through to the Star Core level, he had long been accustomed to the praise and attention he received.
However, being surrounded by so many Star Core level experts of the same rank, like stars around the moon, and being watched with eyes full of curiosity, inquiry, and even a hint of flattery, is a completely different feeling!
" Old Chen, tell me quickly! What exactly happened back then? You were closest to the commander, so you must have seen it clearly, right?" A burly man of the Star Core level from the Europa Federation urged in a loud voice.
"What method did you use? Is it some newly created rule or secret technique?" a female Star Core level being from the Europa region asked softly.
Chen Yu stood in the center of the crowd, feeling the powerful auras around him holding their breath because of him, and his vanity was greatly satisfied.
He cleared his throat, trying to put on a serious and profound expression, but the barely suppressed smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.
"Cough cough!"
He deliberately kept everyone in suspense, glancing around and enjoying the feeling of being anticipated. "The scene back then, wow, let me tell you, I was only a few hundred meters away from the Principal, I saw it all clearly!"
The surroundings fell silent instantly, and everyone pricked up their ears.
"You didn't see it, those dozen or so Star Core level Abyssal Beast, at least Tier 3 or higher, they pounced with their claws outstretched, their momentum... tsk tsk, if it were me, I probably would have turned tail and run!" He described vividly, gesturing with his arms, "But guess what? The Principal just stood there, not even moving an inch!"
He paused, noticing the tense yet expectant expressions on the faces of those around him, before lowering his voice as if sharing some earth-shattering secret. "Then, I felt a chill all over my body, as if the whole world had changed. I can't quite put my finger on how, but it just felt different, and then..."
He suddenly opened his hands outward and then clenched them tightly, accompanied by wide eyes.
"Just like that, really, just like that, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone. All gone!"
"From the strongest Star Core level leaders to the countless lowly minions below, they were all gone. Not even a speck of ash remained! All that was left were Spirit Shine Crystal, falling like rain!"
He described it in an extremely exaggerated way, his spittle almost spraying onto the faces of the people in front of him, but the core process remained vague, only repeatedly emphasizing the shock of that instantaneous annihilation.
"What kind of power is it? A rule-based attack? Or some kind of method we can't understand?" someone couldn't help but ask.
Well...
Chen Yu stroked his chin, his eyes flickering. Lin Yi hadn't explicitly forbidden him from revealing it, but he himself couldn't accurately describe that power. More importantly, he had a deep-seated intuition that perhaps it wasn't his place to speak of that level of power.
He chuckled, "Anyway, it's awesome, invincible! All you need to know is that with the Principal around, what are the main nests and Abyssal Beast? They're nothing but chickens and dogs."
His statement, which was half boasting and half concealing, further piqued everyone's interest and made the atmosphere even more restless.
Just as Chen Yu was getting overwhelmed by the questioning and was about to make up some more details,
Buzz.
An invisible and intangible fluctuation, like mercury spilling onto the ground, silently enveloped the entire conference hall.
In an instant, all the discussions ceased.
Nearly three hundred Star Core level powerhouses, including Chen Yu who was bragging, felt their source energy slightly stagnate, and a natural awe and obedience to a supreme being emanated from the depths of their souls.
They all straightened their backs, held their breath, and turned their gazes toward the podium.
Without a sound of footsteps or a burst of energy, Lin Yi appeared before the main seat as if he had always been there.
He was still wearing that seemingly ordinary combat uniform, and there was no imposing aura emanating from him. But when he stood still and his gaze calmly swept across the entire scene, everyone felt as if that gaze had pierced through their souls and seen through all their inner thoughts.
The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Lin Yi slowly sat down. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Please, everyone, have a seat."
Everyone immediately returned to their seats.
After everyone was seated, Lin Yi slowly began to speak:
"What happened on Mount Everest yesterday was my doing."
He got straight to the point, without any pleasantries or preamble.
"It's neither a new weapon nor a specific secret technique."
Lin Yi paused, seemingly considering how to explain a concept beyond their current understanding to everyone, "My Rule Comprehension has recently broken through to a new level."
A new realm?
Everyone held their breath, even Chen Yu's eyes widened. He only knew that Lin Yi was ridiculously strong, but he didn't know exactly what level he was at.
Lin Yi's gaze seemed to pierce through the dome of the conference hall, looking towards the endless sea of stars. "In the cultivation techniques I practice, there are a few words mentioned regarding the realm of Rule Comprehension above the Star Vortex level. Some of you who exchanged for cultivation techniques dropped by the main nest leader may have heard of them."
"Above the star vortex lies the star field."
Starfield!
These two words resounded like thunder in everyone's minds.
"One of the hallmark abilities of Star Domain level Rule Comprehension is the Rule Domain." Lin Yi's voice remained calm, as if stating an objective fact. "Yesterday at Mount Everest, I first experienced the power of the Metal-type Rule Domain."
Rule Domain!
Lin Yi didn't give everyone much time to process this shocking information.
Because, besides explaining everything that happened on Mount Everest, he has something even more important to do today.
That means wiping out the remaining five main nests and ending the assessment as soon as possible.
Of course, this needs to be phrased differently.
Therefore, Lin Yi changed the subject, and his tone became serious.
"Everyone, I think you all have doubts about this sudden apocalypse. Even now, we still don't know where these Abyss Beast Nest came from or why."
"We also don't know what the real purpose is of the mastermind behind creating and deploying these nests."
Lin Yi's gaze swept over the faces below, some shocked, some bewildered, and some thoughtful.
"However, I believe that when we, at our own pace, completely eradicate all the Abyss Beast Nest, including the last five main lairs, from Blue Star, those behind-the-scenes manipulators will not remain indifferent."
A chill ran down everyone's spine.
"Perhaps some people think we should continue to wait, accumulate more strength, and develop more advanced technology, until we are absolutely certain before facing that unknown enemy."
Lin Yi's tone suddenly sharpened, "But who can guarantee that these Abyss Nest entrenched in our homeland aren't a deliberate smokescreen set up by the enemy? Waiting might not bring us stronger forces, but rather a more sophisticated plan from the enemy, or... a crueler truth."
He stood up, looked at everyone, and slowly said:
"Therefore, I've decided that since I have the capability to Exterminate Main Nests, I will no longer wait."
"Everyone."
"Prepare for the Decisive Battle."