Supplementary Agreement, Dominating Level 2 (52K)

The screen unfolded, clearly displaying at the top: [Current Military Merit Balance: 20,430,000].

The first part is the 20 million obtained from killing Talolanke, and the second part is a small surplus accumulated from before.

Looking at this long string of numbers, even Lin Yi's composure was slightly disturbed.

This represents a massive amount of resources, enough to drive any Star Core level or even Star Vortex level powerhouse mad.

Lin Yi directly instructed Xuanji: "Selection priority: First, treasures that can greatly accelerate the condensation of Star Core and increase the total amount and quality of source energy; second, rare items that assist in Rule Comprehension, especially those related to the Time Rule."

He was well aware of his current situation.

The rules of the Triple Domain offer a huge advantage, but the energy level of the 91 Star Core becomes a significant weakness.

Especially after his encounter with Talolanke, Lin Yi realized more deeply that when one's understanding of the rules reaches a certain level, abundant source energy is not only a guarantee for a protracted battle, but also the cornerstone supporting the eruption of even stronger rules.

At the same time, the Time Rule are his deepest hidden trump card and his most difficult path, and any possibility that can accelerate his understanding is worth investing all his efforts in.

"Instruction confirmed, currently being filtered."

The list scrolled rapidly, with countless enticing treasure names and descriptions flashing by.

[Heart of Stars (Complete)]: Contains the vast essence of stars, capable of rapidly condensing Star Core, greatly increasing the upper limit of source energy and recovery speed. Requires 5,000,000 military merits to exchange.

(Note: The effect is approximately five times that of fragments, and it also has a certain effect on strengthening the foundation.)

[Primal Origin Spiritual Liquid (10 drops in stock)]: Formed from the chaotic energy left over from the beginning of the universe, pure and flawless, with no side effects. Requires 800,000 military merits per drop to exchange.

[Rule Resonance Crystal]: Slightly increases the efficiency of Rule Comprehension, lasting for thirty days. Requires 1,200,000 Military Merit Points to exchange: 1,200,000 per crystal.

Lin Yi's gaze was calm as he quickly began to calculate.

Energy accumulation is fundamental and must be prioritized.

"Exchange for one [Heart of Stars (Complete)] and three drops of [Primal Origin Spiritual Liquid]." He made his choice. The complete Heart of Stars was enough to support him in rapidly increasing the number of Star Core to near the current limit that the Triple Domain could accommodate (399), while the three drops of Primal Origin Spiritual Liquid would serve as a reserve for rapid recovery in critical moments.

This cost 7.4 million military merits.

"Exchange successful. Items will be delivered via military channels."

Then, his gaze fell upon the treasures related to the Rule Comprehension, especially the Time Rule.

The number of items in this area has suddenly decreased, and each one has an astonishing price.

[Spacetime Leaf (Fragment)]: Picked from the Hyperdimensional Spacetime Tree, it contains a trace of the true essence of time and space. By using it to gain insight, there is a low probability of touching the threshold of the Time Rule. Requires 3,500,000 Military Merits to exchange. (Status: Out of Stock)

[Sand of Time]: Strange sand collected from areas with abnormal time flow. Although its quality is mixed and its effects are far inferior to legendary items, it excels in providing a long-term, stable supply of a trace of the Time Rule, subtly enhancing one's understanding. Estimated to increase the efficiency of understanding Time Rule by approximately 10%. Duration of effect: One year. Requires 10,000,000 Military Merit Points to exchange. (3 units remaining)

Lin Yi's gaze lingered on the [Sand of Time] for a long time.

Ten million military merits!

It was only to increase the efficiency of perception by about 10%, and the effect only lasted for one year.

This price is enough to deter the vast majority of Star Vortex level powerhouses.

It's worth noting that many powerful and common Rule Comprehension treasures only cost around one or two million military merits.

This illustrates just how precious and difficult it is to Time Rule.

[Spacetime Leaf] is completely out of stock, and [Sand of Time] also seems to be almost gone.

While the [Sand of Time] is slow to take effect and expensive, its advantage lies in its long coverage time. When used, it can directly reduce the accumulation time of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi by 10%.

The key point is that there's really no choice now.

"Exchange for [Sand of Time]!"

Lin Yi practically gritted his teeth as he made the decision. Although they weren't needed for the time being, he had to act quickly.

The path of spiritual cultivation is inherently a struggle against fate; one must not hesitate when it is time to commit.

"Exchange successful. Warning: [Sand of Time] energy is special; please use it in an absolutely safe environment."

In the blink of an eye, the 20 million yuan fortune shrank by more than 80%.

Even though Lin Yi was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

These military merits can be spent faster than water.

His gaze involuntarily swept over the top of the list again, to those names that alone evoked despair.

[Time Fragment]: Contains fragments of broken time laws. Refining these fragments can directly increase one's comprehension of Time Rule (the increase depends on the size of the fragment and individual comprehension). Requires at least 80,000,000 military merits to exchange.

[Seed of Eternity (Fake):] A replica of the legendary World Tree core, containing a faint trace of "eternity." Wearing it for a long time can slowly increase affinity with all rules, with a slight effect on time and Space Rule. Requires 150,000,000 military merits to exchange.

[Chaos Chronosequence Flower]: It only grows in places where the chaotic energy of the universe intertwines with the turbulent flow of time. It blooms once every ten thousand Epoch. After consumption, it can place one in the time dimension for a short time, allowing one to directly perceive the secrets of the passage of time. Requires 5,000,000,000 military merits to exchange.

Five billion military merits!

Lin Yi looked at the long string of zeros after [Chaos Chronosequence Flower], and a helpless smile appeared on his lips.

This is beyond expensive; it's an astronomical figure.

Based on the calculation of 20 million military merits for killing a prodigy of Talolanke's caliber, it would require a full 250 such individuals.

The problem is, where are we going to get 250 Talolanke?

This doesn't even take into account the enormous risks and uncertainties involved. With that kind of effort, one could comprehend it entirely through sheer Spiritual Enlightenment Qi.

"Forget it, I won't think about it too much. Let's take it one step at a time," Lin Yi sighed softly, closed the exchange list, and began to wait patiently.

The Star Realm Army's merit exchange channel is extremely efficient. Less than half a day after the application was submitted, three simple-looking metal boxes engraved with countless sealing runes were delivered to Lin Yi's meditation room by a special person.

The first box opened contained the [Heart of Stars (Complete)].

In an instant, the entire quiet room was filled with soft and vast Star Radiance, and Light Sphere the size of a fist, seemingly containing the entire Star Dome, floated within it.

A surge of pure and powerful stellar energy washed over Lin Yi, causing the Star Core throughout his body to emit joyful hums.

Without hesitation, Lin Yi placed it in his palm and began to circulate his internal energy.

Instantly, like a whale sucking in water, the purest stellar essence surged into his body, and the ninety-second Star Core, which had been slowly condensing, solidified at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Suppressing the urge to immediately go into seclusion and absorb the nutrients, Lin Yi opened the second box.

Inside were three drops of [Primal Origin Spiritual Liquid] suspended in a specially designed force field. Each drop was a chaotic color, as if it contained the initial form of all things in the world, and emitted a pure energy fluctuation that made one's heart palpitate.

Lin Yi carefully put it away; it was his trump card for a crucial moment.

Finally, his gaze fell on the box with the most complex seal.

Inside lies the [Sand of Time], worth ten million military merits.

There was no burst of energy as expected when the box was opened.

Only a small clump of seemingly ordinary, grayish-brown pebbles lay quietly at the bottom of the box.

But if you look closely, you will find that the light around these grains seems to be distorted in an extremely subtle way, and a contradictory rhythm, as if everything is slowly aging or reborn in reverse, quietly spreads out.

Lin Yi carefully picked up a small pinch of Sand of Time and placed it on his fingertip.

A strange sensation spread from his arm throughout his body, as if the flow of time around him was slightly different from that of the rest of the quiet room.

"Truly wondrous." He thought to himself, not daring to be negligent, and resealed it.

Using the [Sand of Time] requires an absolutely quiet and undisturbed environment. If he can't obtain other treasures, Lin Yi will naturally wait until he has accumulated enough Spiritual Enlightenment Qi before using it.

Lin Yi carefully put away the three treasures, sat cross-legged, held the complete [Heart of Stars] in his hand, and completely immersed himself in deep cultivation.

The vast cosmic origin, like a river bursting its banks, washed over his veins and filled his Star Core.

Ninety-two, ninety-three. The speed at which the Star Core condensed was astonishing.

Accumulation that would normally take decades or even longer is being rapidly shortened thanks to top-tier resources.

One month later.

"Master, Aurelia has sent word that after initial screening and contact, preliminary agreements have been reached with most of the qualified partners. However, three of them are of higher status and require your personal participation in the final online negotiations."

Lin Yi emerged from his deep meditation, a knowing glint in his eyes.

"Understood. Arrange a virtual meeting room."

A moment later, Lin Yi's consciousness descended into a technologically advanced virtual negotiation room.

The phantom images of Liyue, Aurelia Li Zhenguo, and Zhou Donglai were already present.

The first to negotiate was the representative of the Human Race military industry giant, "Star Dome Dynamics," a sprightly old man in a crisp star-blue uniform who introduced himself as Supervisor Henfei.

After exchanging pleasantries, the discussion moved directly to the main topic.

Star Dome Dynamics presented a very sincere cooperation agreement; however, Lin Yi's keen eyes caught a key clause in one of the clauses.

The agreement regarding the "next Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle".

The terms clearly state. "If Party B (Lin Yi) fails to break into the top 100 of the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle, Party A has the right to unilaterally terminate this agreement without incurring any liability for breach of contract."

Liyue explained in a low voice, "This is industry practice, Commander Lin Yi. A large part of their investment is based on your potential as a 'future top prodigy.' If you can't even make it into the top 100, it means your growth hasn't met expectations, or that your 'genius' aura will be greatly diminished, and your commercial value will naturally shrink significantly."

Lin Yi nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.

In business, it's about making a profit; there's nothing wrong with that.

Investing huge resources naturally requires corresponding returns and risk control.

He raised his head and said, "I have no objection to the clause that terminates cooperation if we fail to make it into the top 100."

The representative from Star Dome Dynamics wore a satisfied smile.

But Lin Yi quickly changed the subject. "However, I think this agreement can be improved. Since a lower limit has been set, shouldn't a corresponding upper limit reward also be set?"

The representative from Star Dome Dynamics paused slightly, then asked with interest, "Mr. Lin Yi, what do you mean?"

Lin Yi leaned forward slightly, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "I mean, what if I not only made it into the top 100, but into the top 10, or even first place? Shouldn't the rewards in the agreement be adjusted accordingly? After all, if that were the case, the brand boost and commercial returns you would receive would be immeasurable."

A moment of silence fell over the meeting room.

Top ten?

First?

The representative from Star Dome Dynamics raised an eyebrow slightly, revealing even greater interest.

"Haha, excellent! Mr. Lin Yi certainly has lofty aspirations!"

The representative from Star Dome Dynamics laughed, "This proposal is very interesting! If you can really achieve this, even just making it into the top ten would be a phenomenal boost to our Star Dome Dynamics brand! Of course, the terms can be changed!"

Whether they believe Lin Yi can actually do it or not, adding this clause is entirely beneficial to them.

What if?

If this actually happens, their current investment will yield returns a thousandfold.

Ultimately, supplementary incentive clauses were added to the cooperation agreement:

If you are among the top ten: in addition to all the rewards for the top one hundred, your basic endorsement fee will increase by 300%, and you will be granted the status of "strategic partner" of the brand, enjoying priority in internal procurement and the right to share technology.

If Lin Yi wins first place in the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle: in addition to all rewards for the top ten, his base endorsement fee will increase by 1000%! He will also receive:

Star Dome Dynamics is gifting you a brand-new military-grade "Deep Space Shadow" personal warship, as well as the right to enjoy one free fleet-level maintenance service every century for the next Epoch.

Looking at these astronomical supplementary clauses, even Liyue and Li Zhenguo felt a little breathless.

Lin Yi calmly reviewed all the terms and conditions, and after confirming that everything was correct, he left his mark on the electronic contract.

"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you, Mr. Lin Yi!" The representative from Star Dome Dynamics smiled broadly.

Regardless of the outcome, the fact that we were able to partner with this currently most popular and promising prodigy is itself a successful marketing campaign.

"It's a pleasure working with you." Lin Yi nodded slightly.

After the negotiations with Star Dome Dynamics were completed, Lin Yi added supplementary clauses for both Tree of Life Pharmaceuticals and Sourcecore Technology.

If they win first place, Tree of Life Pharmaceuticals will provide a legendary "Life Source Elixir" that has the potential to enhance the origin of life, and promise to provide them and designated personnel (up to five people) with lifelong, top-level medical care and gene optimization services.

Sourcecore Technology will provide a custom-designed, evolving Soul Weapon embryo, crafted by a master craftsman of Eternal Divine level (Sourcecore Technology will provide most of the materials), along with a top-level "Combat Intelligence Assistance System".

After dealing with these trivial matters, Lin Yi added supplementary clauses to all partners and then threw himself back into cultivation, absorbing the energy of the [Heart of Stars] as quickly as possible, steadily increasing the number of Star Core.

However, just the next afternoon, Aurelia, with a hint of helplessness, knocked on his quiet room door again.

"Commander."

Her expression was somewhat subtle. "Star Dome Dynamics, Tree of Life, and Sourcecore Technology almost simultaneously announced their strategic partnership with you."

Lin Yi opened his eyes, gesturing for her to continue.

Aurelia paused, then said, "They released some details of the cooperation, and all of them emphasized the supplementary terms regarding the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle. In particular, Star Dome Dynamics added a sentence at the end of their announcement, 'We expect and believe that His Excellency Lin Yi will shine the brightest in the Genius Battle and launch a powerful assault on the highest honor!'"

"On the Xinghai network, the discussion about whether you are capable of winning first place has exploded again."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi was slightly taken aback, then shook his head helplessly.

These business giants, as expected, will not miss any opportunity for hype.

Fortunately, they still had some integrity. They didn't directly announce that he had "locked in first place." Instead, they were vague about whether he was first in this year's competition or the next year's competition. They also used words like "expectation" and "impact," leaving enough room for interpretation.

It's alright.

Lin Yi waved his hand, his tone calm, "They need the buzz, and we need that pressure too. What's said is said, and we'll prove it with our actions."

He was not afraid of the pressure of being in the spotlight; on the contrary, he felt that it would motivate him even more.

Seeing that Lin Yi didn't seem to care, Aurelia breathed a sigh of relief and then reported on another matter, "In addition, as you instructed, we have intensified our intelligence gathering on the Kunmo Race battlefield. It seems that due to the fall of Talolanke, the Kunmo Race's offensive in K-77 and the adjacent star system has somewhat subsided, and they appear to be adjusting their deployment."

A cold glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes:

"To restrain yourself? That won't do."

He stood up and ordered Xuanji, "Xuanji, synchronize the Star Realm Army battlefield mission system and prioritize all high-intensity area missions in the K-level (Kunmo Race) Level 2 battlefields, especially those areas where Kunmo Race prodigies might appear."

"Instruction confirmed."

Then, he looked at Aurelia, a sharp smile curving his lips, "Ellie, pass the word to the East Peak Mercenary Group: end your rest period. For the next while, our main task will be—hunting."

According to publicly available information, the strongest member of the Kunmo Race at the Star Core level is currently only at the peak of the Dual Domain.

"So, for the time being," Lin Yi said with absolute confidence, even a hint of arrogance, "I am invincible on this battlefield. However, I estimate they will soon be calling for reinforcements."

He possesses Triple Domain; this represents a qualitative difference.

More importantly, his third rule is still Space Rule.

Spatial cultivators are the most troublesome beings on the battlefield. If you can't defeat them, you can retreat; but want to gang up on them?

Space folding, teleportation, exile.

There are ways to nullify the opponent's numerical advantage.

"Since we have such a rare window of opportunity, wouldn't it be a shame not to take advantage of it to accumulate some military merits and relieve some pressure on our brothers in the Star Realm Army Kunmo Race?"

Lin Yi's tone carried a hint of cold humor.

Soon, the East Peak Mercenary Group was mobilized again, and news of Lin Yi's "score-farming" journey spread once more, along with his repeated crushing of opponents in the level two battlefield with his Triple Domain and Space Rule.

The morale of the Human Race was soaring, while the Kunmo Race was on edge.

Soon, the Kunmo Race realized that the Human Race Lin Yi was not satisfied with a single successful revenge. He was using his absolute advantage to forcefully reverse the situation on the local battlefield in an extremely domineering manner.