Ascendant Rule, Divine Handiwork

The question about Cang Ming successfully drew everyone's attention to Lin Yi's cultivation path.

They have all gone through this phase and know that the choice of rules is crucial to the subsequent path.

In an instant, everyone's attention was focused on this junior disciple who had joined the sect the latest.

Lin Yi immediately felt an invisible pressure, but he knew very well that this was not only a test of his teaching skills, but also guidance. Moreover, it was a window to obtain resources and understand the temperaments of these powerful senior brothers and sisters.

He took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Reporting to Ninth Senior Brother, fellow senior brothers and sisters, regarding the next rule, after careful consideration, I do indeed intend to comprehend the Space Rule."

"Space Rule, higher-level rules?"

Upon hearing this, a strange look flashed in the eyes of the senior brothers and sisters.

On the path to advancing from the Star Domain level to the Derivation Realm, one needs to comprehend nine rules.

Among them, the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are the foundational rules. Although the names may differ in various civilizations and ancient texts, the underlying principles are the same.

These five fundamental rules are essential for building a perfect Star Domain level and attempting to construct Internal World. Therefore, regardless of the order in which they are practiced, they must all be comprehended in order to ultimately advance to the next realm.

In addition to the five basic rules, the other rules are divided into three categories.

Advanced rules, higher-level rules, and superior rules.

Advanced rules are single derivative enhancements of the five basic rules. For example, Frost and Blazing Sun are both advanced rules.

Elements such as life, death, light, darkness, or illusion and destruction, which are derived from the fusion of multiple fundamental rules, belong to higher rules.

Lin Yi's second rule, the Life Rule, is a higher rule.

As for higher-level rules, there are only two types: Space Rule and Time Rule.

Among the nine rules at the Star Domain level, the remaining four rules can be freely chosen, and one must select one rule as the core to comprehend the law.

Therefore, this will largely determine the future direction of development and the level of strength.

Space, as one of the higher rules, is extremely powerful and has endless uses, involving supreme fields such as time travel, dimensional folding, and dimensional confinement. However, it is also known for its profound and obscure nature, and the extreme difficulty in entering and mastering it.

Most Star Domain level systems choose five basic rules plus four advanced rules, while a few may choose one or two high-level rules.

Because the more complex the rules, the more difficult it is to comprehend the laws. Many Star Domain level even choose to use the foundational rules as their core.

Even though the people present were all quite talented, they had basically chosen to advance to the next realm using advanced or higher-level rules.

Lin Yi's ambition and courage to challenge the universally acknowledged "hard nut to crack"—the higher-level rule of Life Rule —after already comprehending it is truly extraordinary.

"Good lad, you have ambition!" Fourth Senior Brother Lieyang was the first to break the silence.

He slapped his thigh hard, causing the Star Radiance stone platform beneath him to tremble slightly. "This thing is quite troublesome; one wrong move and you can easily get lost in the spatial turbulence, but..."

Lieyang changed the subject, his eyes showing admiration, "If you can really master it, this will definitely be it. Fighting, escaping, ambushing—it will be invincible."

He gave another thick thumbs-up, making no attempt to hide his admiration.

Sixth Senior Brother Xuanshu still maintained his gentle and refined demeanor.

He nodded slightly and gently reminded him, "Junior Brother has such ambition, which is excellent. However, the Space Rule are indeed profound and extraordinary, involving many aspects such as dimensional cognition, distance control, and structural stability. It is extremely difficult to get started, and it requires extremely high levels of Soul Origin strength, affinity with rules, and even talent in spacetime perception."

"Since you have this ambition, you must be prepared for a long period of arduous study, and that progress may be exceptionally slow. Do not become impatient or seek quick results simply because you are not yet finding the right approach."

Second Senior Sister Henghuan sat upright like a pine tree, the eerie light on her armor subdued. Her words were concise yet to the point. "On the battlefield, those who are proficient in the Space Rule are nightmares no opponent wants to face. They can attack unexpectedly, retreat a Qianli in an instant, control the rhythm of the battlefield, and are impossible to defend against."

"If you can achieve something, it will greatly benefit both your personal survival and any potential future ethnic conflicts."

She affirmed it from the most brutal and practical perspective.

Seventh Senior Sister Bingling Ling was surrounded by a faint mist of cold air. She did not speak, but her clear and cold gaze lingered on Lin Yi for a moment before she nodded slightly.

Third Senior Sister Thousand Illusions rested her chin on her hand, a smile of great interest on her exquisite face.

"Junior brother, you've got quite the ambition. The Sharpness of metal, the longevity of life, and now you want to venture into the vastness of space. Tsk tsk, you've certainly taken a wide path. However, the Space Law are your senior brother's specialty; you certainly know how to choose the most difficult, and also the best, to learn."

Her words, seemingly joking and somewhat playful, subtly elevated the senior brother and pointed out who among those present was most qualified to judge Lin Yi's choice.

Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Prison Suppressor merely raised his eyelids slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over Lin Yi without uttering a word.

Cang Ming that his senior brother had nothing to say, Cangming laughed and drew everyone's attention back.

He declared loudly, "Since Junior Brother has such a spirit of not fearing difficulties, wouldn't it be petty of us senior brothers and sisters not to show our support? In cultivating the Space Rule, talent and opportunities are certainly important, but suitable resources and treasures are indispensable stepping stones and boosters. Come on, since I started, let's start!"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a condensed silver stream of light, like a small fish with life, nimbly swept across the sky Star Banquet Platform without causing the slightest spatial fluctuation, and hovered precisely in front of Lin Yi.

The light faded, revealing the phantom of a shuttle-shaped token about three inches long.

The token has an antique design, and its surface is covered with fine and intricate silver patterns that seem to be slowly moving as if they have a life of their own.

The projection was extremely realistic, even simulating the texture of the materials, but Lin Yi could clearly perceive that it was not a physical object.

Lin Yi was somewhat surprised and couldn't help but look up at Cang Ming, "Ninth Senior Brother, didn't you already..."

He was referring to the "Life Source Fruit" and some Rule Comprehension artifacts that were given to him during their Cang Ming meeting.

Cang Ming quickly winked at him, "Hey, how can that be the same? That was a personal gift from your senior brother before, a little reward because I thought you had potential. This is a proper sect gathering, a gift for a new junior brother's initiation. The rules are different, but the meaning is different!"

"Besides, Space Rule are notoriously difficult to master. Since you dared to choose this thorny path, as your senior, I naturally have to give you some solid, hard-earned knowledge to lend you a helping hand."

Next, Cang Ming explained to Lin Yi in detail, "This item is called the ' Void Shadow-Escape Shuttle.' Note that it is not a physical weapon or a flying magic treasure, but a one-time use item that assists in Rule Comprehension the rules."

He pointed to the moving patterns on the projection. "Do you see these ' Void Divine Runes '? They are traces of rules captured, peeled, and solidified from the depths of extremely high-level void turbulence using special techniques. You only need to immerse your mind in the entity in an undisturbed environment and use your Soul Power to activate that spatial trace at its core."

At the center of the Cang Ming Void Projection, an extremely tiny dark spot appeared. "At that time, this shuttle will transform into an invisible bridge, guiding your consciousness to break free from the constraints of your physical body and embark on a brief and wondrous journey through the void."

"During your spiritual journey, your consciousness will be like a speck of dust, attached to this pure primordial power of the void. You will no longer be an observer, but will be personally immersed in it. You will be able to directly experience the mysteries of Space Rule at both the micro and macro levels. This immersive, firsthand experience is a thousand times more effective than simply observing spatial cracks, listening to explanations of rules, or reading cultivation manuals!"

"Especially for practitioners like you who are just beginning to explore the Space Rule, it can be like a precise key, forcibly opening a window in your soul, allowing you to glimpse the scenery behind the door, greatly reducing the most difficult cognitive barrier at the beginning, and helping you quickly establish the most basic and profound first impression of the Space Rule."

"This is just a projection to show you what it looks like; the actual item will be delivered to you later through the Human Race Chamber of Commerce Guild."

Looking at the small "Void Shadow-Escape Shuttle" projection, Lin Yi understood that his Ninth Senior Brother's gift was of immeasurable value.

He bowed Cang Ming to Cangming, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift Ninth Senior Brother."

Cang Ming nodded in satisfaction, patted him on the shoulder, and said no more.

After Cang Ming presented his gift, the atmosphere quieted down slightly.

Immediately, Seventh Senior Bingling's clear, cold voice, as sharp as shattered jade, rang out, breaking the brief silence. "Space is not only about flow and movement; it can also stagnate to the extreme, returning to nothingness."

Then, with a gentle tap of her slender, jade-like fingertip, a crystalline light emanating a faint chill condensed before Lin Yi, transforming into a strange gem about the size of a fingernail, its interior seemingly covered with countless tiny, snowflake-like cracks.

The projection was equally lifelike, perfectly simulating the refreshing coolness and the subtle feeling that made the surrounding space seem more stable.

"This is the Space-Freezing Cold Jade."

Bingling's voice remained largely calm, "It was conceived in the Star Core that were about to enter heat death and whose spatial structure was freezing. Only through billions of years and a series of coincidences could it condense a trace of the rules and essence of a frozen space."

She continued, "This jade has two main uses. First, wearing it for a long time will subtly nourish your soul with its serene and cool aura, helping you enter a state of deep meditation more easily, eliminating distracting thoughts, and greatly enhancing your perception and understanding of the structural stability and energy inertia of space itself."

"This is of great benefit to beginners learning Space Rule, preventing the collapse of spatial structures and subsequent backlash due to misunderstandings or improper manipulation."

"Secondly," she paused, "It can also be considered a passive protective item. When you encounter relatively weak spatial disturbances, low-dimensional tears, or ordinary spatial cutting attacks, this jade can spontaneously activate the trace of stagnation within it, forming an invisible spatial stagnation force field around you."

"While it's not enough to completely block an attack, it can greatly slow down the speed and impact of spatial attacks, giving you more time to react. For you at this stage, it's an extra layer of protection."

She added, "I will give the physical item to my Ninth Junior Brother, and it will be delivered by the Human Race Chamber of Commerce along with his gift. Just be ready to receive it."

The gift wasn't extravagant, but it was incredibly thoughtful and practical.

Lin Yi instantly sensed this senior sister's personality: aloof, focused, yet with an inner warmth.

He bowed again and said sincerely, "Thank you, Seventh Senior Sister."

Bingling nodded slightly, said nothing more, and resumed her aloof and detached demeanor.

Following this, the sixth senior brother Xuanshu, smiled and slowly said, "Junior brother, the gift from the seventh junior sister emphasizes 'stillness' and 'defense.' However, cultivating Space Rule, especially in the early stages when attempting to invoke and manipulate spatial power, is often accompanied by unpredictable risks. If it gets out of control, at best it will tear apart the meditation room, at worst it may banish oneself to an unknown spatial rift, or even attract an even more terrible spatial disaster."

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and a stream of light composed of countless spatial runes shimmering with subtle silver light automatically curled and converged in the air, eventually transforming into an ancient silver scroll.

On the surface of the scroll, the spatial runes were still slowly flowing, combining to form various images.

"This volume of the ' Spatial Domain Stabilization Canon ' is not some profound technique of attack or escape."

Xuanshu's voice was gentle, "It is an auxiliary spatial technique that places great emphasis on fundamentals and focuses on 'stability' and 'positioning.' Its core lies in teaching you how to use your own source energy and Soul Power as a guide to construct a 'spatial stability field' around you, like casting a solid anchor on a raging sea."

He explained in detail, "If you practice diligently and become proficient, you can set up a barrier formed by this technique in advance in a quiet room during your daily practice of Space Rule. This barrier can effectively absorb and calm the spatial ripples and energy turbulence that you unintentionally cause during your practice, preventing them from leaking out and causing damage. It can also protect you from being injured by uncontrolled spatial forces."

"Furthermore," Xuanshu continued, "This technique also includes some skills for setting spatial coordinate anchor points. Although you are limited by source energy and can only set one, and the activation range cannot achieve ultra-long-distance teleportation like some top-tier spatial treasures, in critical moments, you can increase your chances of escaping a predicament by relying on the pre-set coordinate anchor points."

His words were full of concern for his junior brother's safety, and this gift reflected his meticulousness, thoughtfulness, and foresight as the "chief steward" of the sect.

Xuanshu concluded, "The complete content of the technique has been recorded in a specially made inheritance crystal, and along with the auxiliary visualization diagram of the physical scroll, it will be delivered through the merchant guild. You can study the crystal first, and then refer to the scroll to deepen your understanding."

"Thank you very much, Sixth Senior Brother!" Lin Yi said solemnly.

Xuanshu nodded encouragingly.

When it was the fourth senior brother, Lieyang's, turn, he could no longer contain himself. He laughed heartily, his voice echoing across the Star Banquet Platform: "Good, good, good! It's finally my turn."

"Junior brother, I'm not like them, always tinkering with fancy gadgets. I don't understand Space Rule, but I know that in a fight, no matter what tricks the opponent uses, brute force is the only true principle."

As he spoke, he suddenly waved Lieyang large, fan-like hand, and a crimson stream of light, carrying a scorching and violent aura, condensed in front of Lin Yi into a dark red metal ring phantom with countless intertwined flame patterns on its surface, resembling flowing magma.

The terrifying destructive intent emanating from the projection almost suffocated Lin Yi.

"This thing is called the Space-Burning Fire Ring!"

Lieyang's voice boomed like a bell, "Listen up, this is a one-time use item. It contains the original imprint of my peak-era fist intent, unleashed with all my might. If you ever encounter someone who's too blind to believe you, don't hesitate, just smash this thing in their face!"

He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth. "My fist intent doesn't burn physical objects; it only incinerates energy and the structure of laws! Even someone who has just entered the Realm of Evolution will lose at least half their life if they take a hit from me. Whether you smash a path to survival or blast your opponent and the laws around them to smithereens, let's see how you use it."

"However, remember, this is for you to save your life or create an opportunity to retaliate, not for you to use to provoke others."

Simple, direct, and violent, it embodies Lieyang's unique style of "if it can be solved with fists, then there's no point in wasting words."

He added in a muffled voice, "I'll have someone deliver it to you then. There will be several layers of stabilizing seals on the outside, so be careful when you receive it, don't detonate it prematurely."

Looking at the small circular projection that seemed to hold a volcano about to erupt, Lin Yi had no doubt that if this object were used at a crucial moment, it could definitely turn the tide of battle.

He quickly bowed, "Thank you, Fourth Senior Brother! This item is absolutely magnificent."

Lieyang laughed heartily with satisfaction, clearly very pleased with his gift.

Next, Second Senior Sister Henghuan flicked her finger.

A stream of dark golden light condensed into a small, metallic phantom made entirely of some kind of crimson divine metal.

The figure is dressed as a heavily armored warrior, with his hands resting on his sword on the ground; the details are incredibly lifelike.

"This is the ' Crimson Armor Guard,' Star Domain level combat puppet."

"Once activated, it will possess physical defense and energy control capabilities equivalent to a first-tier ordinary Star Domain level. Its built-in energy core is sufficient to support it in a high-intensity battle that lasts for a considerable period. I will handle the entity's recognition of its master core and delivery through a special secure channel within the Star Realm Army."

A puppet with Star Domain level combat power!

In the perilous cosmos, its value cannot be measured by ordinary resources.

Lin Yi sincerely thanked her, saying, "Thank you very much, Second Senior Sister!"

Henghuan nodded slightly, acknowledging his gratitude, and said no more.

Then, everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to the Third Senior Sister Thousand Illusions.

Based on her abilities and status, it's her turn.

Thousand Illusions smiled sweetly, her gaze sweeping over Lin Yi as if assessing something.

Then, Thousand Illusions's voice carried a hint of laziness and amusement. "Junior brother, the people before you have brought out all their best treasures. I'm even a little envious."

She paused, a hint of helplessness on her face. "However, my major is the Illusory Law, which involves playing with the interplay of reality and illusion. I don't actually have any Space Rule artifacts suitable for your current stage. I can't just stuff you into the illusion space and let you comprehend it on your own, can I?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi quickly replied, "Third Senior Sister, you flatter me. The gifts from all the senior brothers and sisters are all extremely precious and of immense benefit to me. Lin Yi am already very grateful, how could I dare to ask for anything more?"

Thousand Illusions waved her hand, interrupting him with a smile, "However, I just heard Master mention something before he left. He clearly values the ' Silverblue ' civilization in your hometown quite a bit, saying its core has great potential. I'm thinking about it."

She gently tapped her smooth chin with her finger, as if deep in thought. "When Master accepted you as his disciple, he probably already emptied his savings of many years to exchange for a spot in the Primordial Source Sea. He was probably dirt poor, so he probably didn't give you any decent resources. After all, Master... well, sometimes he doesn't care too much about these mundane things."

Then, in a relaxed and casual tone, as if discussing what to have for lunch, she said, "Well then, I don't have anything else to give you, and those things are actually enough for you. So how about I just give you 100,000 life-bearing planets? I think that should be enough for the early development of your Silver Blue Civilization, right?"

How many!???

Lin Yi almost thought he was hallucinating.