Star Core "Extreme Realm"

Before long, the commotion at the foot of the Endless Tower gradually subsided.

The onlookers, whether they were the second and third-tier prodigies or the more fourth-tier members who were just there to watch the spectacle, all left with varying degrees of shock and reflection.

After this battle, Lin Yi's name has undoubtedly been deeply imprinted in the hearts of almost all the geniuses in the Star Core level Training Camp.

Kenkes clenched his fist and growled, "Ha! Did you see the look in those guys' eyes? Hahaha!"

Amber's eyes gleamed as she leaned closer to Lin Yi and whispered, "Commander, now we've truly made a name for ourselves."

Lin Yi smiled but didn't say anything. He was about to lead his team away when he saw that Hui Yao and the other Human Race geniuses hadn't left with the crowd but were waiting on the sidelines. They walked over together at that moment.

With a sincere smile, Hui Yao spoke first, "Lin Yi, congratulations! From today onwards, our Human Race has gained another member in the third tier of the training camp."

Xing Yu, standing to the side, had a much more complex expression. He looked at Lin Yi, his lips moved slightly, and finally turned into a congratulatory smile.

Qing Feng stood a little behind with several core members of the White Phoenix Team.

She was dressed in a sleek, fiery red battle dress, exuding a cheerful and generous air. At this moment, she stood with her arms crossed, a curious smile playing on her lips as she sized up Lin Yi, making no attempt to hide her curiosity.

A woman with a cool and aloof demeanor whispered something to her from behind. Qing Feng smiled and nodded, her eyes brightening even more.

Hui Yao's gaze swept over Kenkes and the others beside Lin Yi, nodding to them as well, before finally settling on Lin Yi.

"Your advancement to the third tier is a joyous occasion and deserves celebration. Tonight, I'm hosting a banquet in the virtual community ' Star Sea Pavilion ' for everyone to gather together. Firstly, to congratulate you, and secondly, to take this opportunity for us, the pride of Human Race, to get closer and exchange ideas. What do you think, Lin Yi?"

Since the other party took the initiative to extend goodwill, and did so in the name of the entire Human Race, Lin Yi naturally wouldn't refuse.

He had already learned from Kenkes that Hui Yao came from an extraordinary background, being a direct descendant of a Human Race Lord of Source Laws, and that the power and connections behind him were not to be underestimated.

Building good relationships with such a person, as well as with the entire circle of Human Race geniuses, would be more beneficial than harmful to his future development.

"Captain Hui Yao, you're too kind," Lin Yi replied with a smile, his tone calm. "I am deeply grateful for everyone's hospitality, Lin Yi I will certainly be there on time for the banquet tonight."

Seeing Lin Yi's quick agreement, Hui Yao's smile widened even further.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries and agreeing on the specific time and virtual coordinates, he took his leave with everyone.

Before turning around, Xing Yu's gaze briefly met Lin Yi's, and he finally nodded slightly, indicating that he had completely let go of the previous grudge.

Qing Feng waved to Lin Yi with a bright smile, "See you tonight." Then she turned and followed the group.

"Commander, this Captain Hui Yao is quite a righteous person; he doesn't have the airs of those aristocratic scions at all."

Kenkes watched them walk away and said, as an intelligence officer, he had some understanding of the various people in the training camp.

Lin Yi's gaze was profound. "Those who can gain a foothold in the training camp and be entrusted with high hopes by the Lord are no ordinary people."

After a brief celebration with his teammates at a small gathering point and a few cups of specially made energy drinks, Lin Yi returned to his private space assigned to him in the training camp.

He needs to take advantage of the large number of Points he has just gained and quickly convert those resources into immediate combat power.

With a thought, he summoned Xuanji.

"Owner."

"Pull up the training camp Points redemption list, filter it into three categories: weapons, armor, and energy training aids, and prioritize them according to my needs."

"Instruction confirmed."

A huge screen of light unfolded before Lin Yi, with countless items, each shimmering with a faint glow, scrolling, filtering, and freezing rapidly. Lin Yi's gaze remained calm as he quickly began to browse through it.

He first looked at the weapons category.

While the previous "Nine Radiance Thunder Pearls" was good, it was more focused on energy bursts and long-range control. As his strength increased, especially as the importance of close combat became more prominent, he needed a main weapon that could perfectly bear the Sharpness of his Metal Rule, the unpredictability of his Space Rule, and the resilience of his Life Rule.

"Soul Weapon, requirements: extreme sturdiness and Sharpness; materials must be able to withstand the power of Triple Domain and the cutting of Space Rule; the form must have the characteristics of being separable and combinable to adapt to different battle situations."

Quickly narrow down the list to a few items.

[Cosmos Ripper]: Modified from fragments of a World Derivation level weapon, consisting of ninety-nine dark gold blades that can be separated and combined, moving like a dragon soaring through the void with unpredictable trajectories. Characteristics: Extreme Sharpness, spatial affinity, armor penetration. Points: 180,000.

[Thousand-Prism Blade]: Composed of countless mirrored prisms, its form shifts between a battle blade and a prism storm, unpredictable and ever-changing. Characteristics: Illusion, Deflection, Cutting. Points: 165000.

Lin Yi's fingertips traced the virtual image of [Cosmos Ripper], feeling the ultimate sharpness of the simulation. Although Cosmos Ripper was more expensive, it was obviously more suitable for him.

"Exchange [Cosmos Ripper]."

"Redemption successful. 180,000 Points deducted. Items will be delivered to your designated location via secure channels."

Next came the battle armor.

Domain Armorization is the primary defensive measure for powerhouses at the Dual Domain or above. An excellent physical battle armor is more like an "inner armor" and a "platform," requiring it to be lightweight and not hinder movement, perfectly capable of supporting the outer armor formed by amplifying domain power, and also possessing some practical functions.

[Voidwalker Suit]: Woven from the molted skin of a "Void Worm" and "Star Core Adamantite," it is as light as a feather, possesses astonishing defensive capabilities, exhibits excellent conductivity to Space Rule, and has a large built-in storage space. Characteristics: Spatial affinity, extremely high physical/energy resistance, lightweight, built-in storage. Exchange Points: 120,000.

[Lifeweave Light Armor]: Woven from the fibers of the Ancient Tree of Life and the Starry Silver Threads soaked in the Spring of Eternity, it not only possesses powerful defense but also continuously nourishes the wearer's life essence, accelerating injury recovery and providing additional bonuses to the application of Life Rule. It has a built-in active storage space that can store living things. Exchange Points: 135,000.

After a moment's thought, Lin Yi chose the [Voidwalker Suit].

Its space-friendly design and larger built-in storage space are more practical for him at present.

The nourishing effects of the Life Rule can also be achieved within his own domain.

"Exchange for [Voidwalker Suit]."

"Redeem successful, 120,000 Points deducted."

Finally, there is the support of source energy cultivation, which is the foundation and must not be neglected.

The effects of the auxiliary cultivation materials he had previously exchanged were gradually becoming insufficient to meet his current needs.

[Heart of Stars Fragment]: Contains extremely pure star origin power. Wearing it can greatly accelerate the speed of Star Core condensation and source energy refining, with an effect approximately three times that of the "Source Core Spirit-Gathering Array". It has no usage interval and can be continuously effective. Exchange Points: 150,000.

"Exchange for [Heart of Stars Fragment]."

"Redeem successful, 150,000 Points deducted."

At this point, Lin Yi had just received 400,000 Points, plus some previous savings, totaling 497,000 Points. He immediately spent 450,000 Points, leaving only 47,000 Points for daily classes and facility use.

Looking at his nearly empty Points balance, Lin Yi felt no heartache, but rather was filled with anticipation.

These three treasures will comprehensively enhance his combat abilities and cultivation speed.

--

In the evening, Lin Yi teleported according to the coordinates provided by Hui Yao.

The scene before him suddenly opened up, and what appeared before Lin Yi was a magnificent pavilion floating atop a sea of clouds, exuding the ancient charm of the Xia Country.

With its flying eaves and bracket sets, carved beams and painted rafters, vermilion pillars and white marble railings complement each other beautifully. Palace lanterns hanging under the eaves emit a soft glow, virtual Flowing Cloud flow slowly beneath your feet, and simulated cranes cry out as they fly by in the distance.

The plaque bears the three characters "Star Sea Pavilion" written in vigorous calligraphy.

Kenkes, Mo Yuan, and others also appeared beside Lin Yi almost simultaneously.

On such a formal occasion, they were all Human Race and, as Lin Yi's core team, naturally had to attend together.

Hui Yao, who had been waiting at the door, immediately greeted him with a smile, but his words surprised Lin Yi slightly. "Brother Lin, you've arrived."

"Brother Lin?"

This name, reminiscent of the ancient Xia Country, stands out prominently in the common language environment of Xinghai.

Seeing the surprise on Lin Yi's face, Hui Yao laughed heartily, with a hint of smugness. "What? Not used to this form of address? I've done a thorough review of your Silver Blue Civilization, including the banquet venue we've arranged for this time. How about it, isn't it authentic?"

He even imitated a slightly awkward fist-and-palm gesture.

Lin Yi couldn't help but chuckle, his opinion of Hui Yao rising even higher.

He returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, replying in fluent Xia Language: "Brother Hui Yao, that's very kind of you!"

This interaction instantly eliminated the awkwardness of their first formal social interaction.

Xing Yu, standing to the side and behind Hui Yao, was clearly stunned for a moment. He looked at his captain in surprise, then shook his head, seemingly unsure how to describe it.

"Haha, it's a rare gathering, we need something new."

Hui Yao smiled and led Lin Yi and his group into the pavilion.

Inside the Star Sea Pavilion, there are pavilions, towers, bridges, and flowing water. Virtual moonlight shines on the lotus pond, creating shimmering ripples.

The ninety-one Human Race geniuses in the training camp had gathered in twos and threes, some gazing into the distance from the railing, others conversing by the water.

Many people turned their attention to Hui Yao as he led Lin Yi in.

Qing Feng was chatting and laughing with several female team members on a winding bridge when she saw them. She immediately called out, "Hui Yao, you've chosen a great spot!" Her words were echoed by many people around her.

"It's truly unique; Captain Hui Yao has put a lot of thought into it."

"I didn't expect virtual communities to have this style; it's quite novel."

"The environment is beautiful."

Whether or not they genuinely appreciated this ancient style, everyone politely offered a few words of praise, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Hui Yao smiled and nodded to those around him, then led Lin Yi to the platform in front of the main hall.

He clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention, and his clear voice rang out. "Fellow countrymen, the primary reason we gather here today is to celebrate the addition of another top genius to our Human Race — Lin Yi, who has officially advanced to the third tier!"

Hui Yao raised his Ancient Jade goblet first, "Virtual wine, true sentiment! Let us drink this toast together, to Lin Yi, and to our Human Race!"

Congratulations!

Everyone responded in unison, raising their glasses regardless of where they were in the pavilion, creating a lively atmosphere.

Regardless of their personal relationships, at this moment, under the banner of "Human Race," everyone showed unwavering unity.

After finishing their drinks, the atmosphere became even more lively, and the rest of the time was dedicated to free socializing.

Qing Feng was the first to approach, carrying a cup. She walked briskly, her smile bright and cheerful, "Lin Yi, Triple Domain, I admire you! If there's anything we can do to cooperate in the future, just let me know."

As she spoke, she casually patted Lin Yi's arm with her free hand, appearing quite familiar with him. Behind her were several women of different temperaments, all curiously observing Lin Yi, yet all poised and confident.

"Captain Qing Feng, you flatter me." Lin Yi smiled and clinked glasses with her. "The White Phoenix Team is just as capable as any man; if I need their services, they will certainly be given priority consideration."

"That's great!" Qing Feng laughed heartily, tilting her head back to down the glass of fine wine in one gulp. "Then you go ahead and get busy. I'm sure you'll have plenty of people asking you to drink today. We'll chat later."

After saying that, she led her sisters in a hurried manner towards another group of people.

Then, more and more people stepped forward.

Some were calm and reserved, like Canglan from the Vast Sea Team, who simply offered a congratulatory message, "Congratulations, looking forward to cooperation," and exchanged Contact Mark.

Some are good at socializing, such as a handsome young man named "Mo Yu" from the "Thousand Machine Team". He can quickly find topics to talk about and chat about interesting things in the training camp or his experience in a certain mission.

There were also some slightly inexperienced newcomers who came to congratulate him with admiring eyes, and Lin Yi responded gently to them all.

Kenkes stayed close to Lin Yi throughout, not only whispering information about the newcomers when needed, but also actively engaging in conversation with other members of the opposing team when Lin Yi was talking to someone, maintaining a positive atmosphere.

His presence allowed Lin Yi to focus more on communicating with key figures.

Just then, a tall, thin man with sharp, hawk-like eyes walked over carrying a wine glass. Upon seeing him, Kenkes's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, then he quickly whispered to Lin Yi, "Commander, this is Ling He, the captain of the Sharpness Team, a peak fourth-tier fighter. My brother once asked me to join his team."

Lin Yi understood.

Ling He approached and first raised his glass to Lin Yi, "I've long admired your name! Meeting you today, I can confirm your reputation is well-deserved. Advancing three levels in such a short time, I'm truly impressed!"

After clinking glasses with Lin Yi, he turned his gaze to Kenkes, a complex smile appearing on his face, tinged with a hint of emotion. "Kenkes, long time no see."

Kenkes calmly replied, "Captain Ling He."

Ling He looked at Kenkes, then at Lin Yi beside him, shook his head, chuckled self-deprecatingly, and said, "Your brother told me before that you'd rather join an unknown rookie team than come here. I laughed at you in my heart, thinking you had bad taste and were wasting your talent. Now it seems I was the one with bad taste, being narrow-minded! You have even better judgment than your brother."

These words not only affirmed Kenkes's choice but also elevated Lin Yi to a very high position.

Kenkes smiled slightly and straightened his back unconsciously, "Captain Ling, you flatter me. I was just lucky to run into you, Captain."

Lin Yi spoke up at the opportune moment, "Captain Ling, you flatter me. Kenkes is my right-hand man. Our team's success today is inseparable from the efforts of each and every one of them. The Sharpness Team has a great reputation, and perhaps there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future."

Upon hearing this, Ling He He's eyes lit up; this was exactly what he wanted to hear. "Haha, great. With that in mind, I'm relieved. I look forward to cooperating!"

He chatted with Lin Yi and Kenkes for a few more minutes before leaving, satisfied.

This little incident raised the opinion of Lin Yi even higher among those who were following the situation.

Not only is he incredibly strong, but he also commands the unwavering loyalty of his subordinates—something that can't be achieved through force alone.

After chatting with several familiar geniuses for a while, Hui Yao found an opportunity to walk with Lin Yi to a relatively quiet corridor.

Kenkes wisely chose not to follow, instead staying put to network with other key members of the teams and further expand his connections.

Leaning against the carved wooden railing under the eaves, outside lies a rolling sea of clouds.

"Brother Lin," Hui Yao cut straight to the point, "Your cultivation years are still short, but your Rule Comprehension is already far ahead of others, which is astonishing. I wonder what level your Source Energy realm has reached now? If there is anything I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask." He asked very skillfully.

Lin Yi felt there was no need to hide this, so he frankly said, "I just recently condensed my ninety-first Star Core."

Ninety-one Star Core?

Hui Yao's face revealed a knowing look, and he exclaimed, "As expected! For us, it's usually the Source Energy Realm that struggles to catch up with the Rule Comprehension, often troubled by the fact that our Star Core are full but we can't break through the domain's shackles. I didn't expect that Brother Lin's situation would be completely reversed."

Lin Yi naturally understood what Hui Yao meant.

At the Star Core level, for ordinary cultivators, condensing 99 Star Core is the ultimate goal, leaving no room for further improvement; the only option is to break through.

But for geniuses, especially those who can comprehend a field, this path is far from over.

Each time a domain is mastered, the power of the domain can be used to forcibly compress and gather the already condensed Star Core, breaking the upper limit and gaining an additional space to condense 100 Star Core.

In theory, if one can master the Ninefold Domain, one can condense a full 999 Star Core at the Star Core level, reaching the legendary "Extreme Realm"!

This is why many prodigies would rather remain at the Star Core level for a long time, painstakingly comprehending the rules, than easily break through.

Even if we reach the theoretical limit of 999 Star Core, the total energy source is actually only about the same as the most basic first-order star spiral.

But that's not how it works. The more Star Core has, the stronger its foundation and the greater its future potential.

This fundamental advantage is something that no aspiring practitioner would want to miss.

Comparatively speaking, while treasures that accelerate source energy cultivation and condense Star Core are equally precious, they are much more affordable than rare items that can enhance one's Rule Comprehension.

Therefore, what limits the number of Star Core a genius can obtain is often not resources, but rather the bottleneck in their Rule Comprehension.

Hui Yao gently swirled the wine in his glass, a complex smile playing on his lips, tinged with self-mockery.

"Brother Lin, to my shame, I overestimated myself and condensed my Star Core to the upper limit of the Dual Domain, which is 299, long ago. As a result, I have been hovering at the threshold of the Triple Domain ever since. With the next Genius Battle approaching, I am truly anxious. After all, before you appeared, I was the strongest of our Human Race in this competition. If my performance is too poor, I will not only lose face for myself, but also for my family elders and even for the Human Race."

"But thankfully, you appeared."

As he spoke, Hui Yao paused, his expression turning solemn. The next moment, a soft Star Radiance gathered in his palm, quickly condensing into a constantly rotating lotus flower.

"This is the Star Vortex Twin Lotus."

Hui Yao pointed to the light and shadow and explained, "This is a treasure I prepared for myself years ago to accelerate the condensation of my Star Core. Unfortunately, it must be consumed within three hundred years of being harvested, otherwise its effects will be greatly diminished. Now, with the expiration date approaching, I have been unable to break through the Triple Domain and continue condensing my Star Core, so consuming it would be a waste."

He looked at Lin Yi, his tone sincere, "I thought that rather than wasting it, I should give it to Brother Lin to lend you a hand. It would be my way of contributing to the future pillars of our Human Race as a member of the Human Race. I hope Brother Lin will not refuse."

Lin Yi looked at Hui Yao, feeling quite emotional.

Hui Yao's move was very clever; he delivered a generous gift while preserving face for both sides, demonstrating the skill and tact of a scion of a prominent family.