By Mistake, Twenty Clan Merits

This rune is incredibly complex, as if it contains a miniature, Dynamic universe.

After observing silently for a while, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within his eyes lay a tranquility that seemed to pierce through eternity and disregard the passage of time.

It's a timeless quality that has settled after witnessing so many births and deaths.

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment, as if deep in thought, then gently raised his right hand, a thought stirring within him.

There was no earth-shattering energy eruption, but a small area above his palm subtly changed.

The light there was slightly distorted, and a piece of alloy foil used for recording was suspended within it.

The foil visibly darkened and rusted, then, as if it had existed for millions of years, turned into a handful of ashes and vanished without a trace.

However, the moment the fly ash dissipated, the light in that area fluctuated again, the fly ash reversed its direction, the rust faded, and the foil was restored to its original state, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

Time accelerates its decay, yet also reverses its state.

This is just a very basic demonstration of the power of time.

Then, with a thought, Lin Yi enveloped himself in an invisible silver-gray domain force field.

Within this force field, he is the master of spacetime.

He can adjust the flow of time at will, fold and cut space, endow matter with extreme Sharpness, or instantly strip it of its vitality, or bestow upon it boundless life force.

The four forces of law are perfectly integrated, as if the law follows wherever the mind goes.

Of course, Lin Yi was not misled by this sense of power. First of all, such acceleration and reversal consume a lot of source energy, because it is equivalent to a creature in the River of Time stirring the water to some extent.

Secondly, rules are, after all, just rules, not laws.

Even so, as Lin Yi carefully examined the silver-gray rune representing the Fourfold Domain within his soul, an unprecedented sense of security welled up within him.

After all, putting aside its power, the ability to create clones and revive alone makes it worthwhile.

After a long while, Lin Yi calmed his excited emotions and began to examine the energy consumed by this breakthrough.

It goes without saying that youth fades in Fleeting Splendor, but the Sand of Time continue to exert their effects, lasting for a whole year.

The accumulated Spiritual Enlightenment Qi was originally expected to be enough to push the Time Rule to 100% with some surplus.

Lin Yi sensed the Purple Mist Space.

There is still about eleven years' worth left over.

not bad.

Better than expected.

He was originally prepared to burn up all his Spiritual Enlightenment Qi.

He nodded in satisfaction, then slowly stood up. A flash of silver-gray light appeared in his eyes, and the mysterious aura around him subtly receded.

The door to the quiet room opened, and Lin Yi stepped out.

The Fourfold Domain are complete, Time Rule are fulfilled.

The joy and reflection brought about by this groundbreaking achievement need an outlet for sharing and expression.

He headed towards the Mercenary Group's command post almost without thinking.

Aurelia usually handles Mercenary Group affairs there.

As he walked through the brightly lit metal corridors inside the fortress, members of the East Peak Mercenary Group and even soldiers of the Star Realm Army he encountered along the way bowed respectfully to him, their eyes filled with undisguised respect.

Lin Yi simply nodded slightly in response, without slowing his pace.

The automatic doors to the command center slid open silently.

Aurelia stood before a massive star map, her slender fingers swiping rapidly across the virtual screen, adjusting the deployment of Mercenary Group squads in a certain area.

Her long, emerald-green hair was simply tied back, and her profile appeared focused and gentle under the screen's glow.

Sensing Lin Yi's arrival, she quickly finished what she was doing and turned around.

When her clear blue eyes fell on Lin Yi, her keen senses instantly detected something different.

The Lin Yi before me seemed even more "profound".

It's not an imposing force, but a sense of harmony that seems to blend seamlessly with the surrounding space and time, a profound and understated depth.

"Commander, you... you succeeded?"

Aurelia asked with concern, "Was the retreat going well?"

Lin Yi walked up to Aurelia, looked at the Spirit Race girl who had stood firmly by his side all along, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"Ellie."

Lin Yi smiled, "Thanks to your sponsorship of that military merit, things went much more smoothly than expected."

Then, he raised his right hand, pointed to four fingers, and chuckled.

"Fourfold."

A surge of genuine joy welled up in Aurelia's heart. A slight smile curved her lips, "Congratulations, Commander."

A thousand words seem to be contained within these five simple words.

She didn't need to know the specific details; she only needed to know that he had become stronger and that his future was brighter—that was enough.

Lin Yi nodded, accepting her congratulations, and then said, "I need to contact Third Senior Sister immediately to ask for her advice on some matters. Thank you again for your help with the group's affairs."

"Don't worry," Aurelia replied simply.

Lin Yi said no more, turned and left the Command Center, returning directly to his private area.

He needs an absolutely quiet and safe environment to conduct this virtual communication.

"Xuanji, please send a visit request to my third senior sister."

"Yes, Master."

Xuanji's figure appeared.

The request was sent, but no immediate response was received.

Lin Yi waited patiently. He knew that at his senior sister's level, even a short period of seclusion or a long interstellar journey could take a considerable amount of time.

Fortunately, the access request status changed in less than ten minutes, and access was granted.

The virtual scene in front of you changes instantly.

Lin Yi appeared atop a fairy-tale mountain pavilion shrouded in clouds and mist.

Beneath my feet lies a rolling sea of clouds, while in the distance, cranes carry lingzhi mushrooms by, and a clear spring babbles.

Exotic flowers and rare herbs dot the landscape, emitting a refreshing and delightful fragrance.

What surprised Lin Yi even more was that the Third Senior Sister, Thousand Illusions, who was sitting upright on the cloud platform, was not dressed in the mysterious or languid attire he remembered, but was wearing a set of clothing with a strong ancient Xia Country style.

She wore a flowing, moon-white dress with wide sleeves, the hem fluttering in the breeze. It was embroidered with delicate green bamboo patterns, and a sky-blue silk sash was tied around her waist. Her long, dark hair was loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin, with a few strands falling to her temples, adding a touch of casualness and elegance.

Holding a jade scroll, she moved with elegance, like a fairy stepping out of an ancient painting, perfectly blending into the virtual fairyland scenery.

"Hey, junior brother."

Thousand Illusions raised her eyes, her voice still possessing that unique magnetic quality, but paired with this outfit, it lacked some of her usual playfulness and gained a touch of refined elegance.

"Judging from your expression, what do you think of my outfit, Senior Sister?"

She gently set down the jade slip, her wide sleeves fluttering as she did so, a faint smile playing on her lips, "I had some free time the other day, so I learned about the customs and culture of your home planet, Junior Brother, to avoid any impoliteness when we get together in the future."

"I didn't expect that the ancient culture of your hometown, the Xia Country, would be so interesting, and it really suits my aesthetic taste."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi felt ashamed.

He traversed the sea of stars and witnessed countless civilizations, but he never thought of taking the initiative to delve into the customs and traditions of his senior brothers and sisters to avoid any possible offense.

Although the senior sister's action was spontaneous, it revealed a sense of thoughtfulness and respect.

Lin Yi secretly resolved that upon returning home, he would immediately catch up on his studies, at least to learn about the cultural backgrounds of his senior classmates.

He composed himself and respectfully bowed, this time performing an ancient greeting. "Senior Sister, you are too kind. This is an ancient custom from my hometown. Your elegance perfectly complements this setting and your attire."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Thousand Illusions's eyes, clearly pleased with Lin Yi's response.

She nodded slightly, accepting the praise, then changed the subject, reverting to her teasing tone. "Alright, let's get back to the point. It's been a while since you've come to me for guidance. I heard you're doing very well on that Veteran Platform' platform, even becoming a gold-medal lecturer and making a fortune from military merits."

"Why the sudden change of heart? Did the sun rise in the west today, and you suddenly remember your carefree senior sister?"

Lin Yi was already used to his senior sister's teasing. He remained calm and showed little unease. "Senior sister is too kind. I am foolish and dare not disturb your peaceful cultivation. I have come today because there is indeed an important matter that I need to ask you about."

"Oh?"

Thousand Illusions raised her eyebrows slightly, her jade-like hand gently supporting her cheek. The wide sleeves of her flowing fairy dress slipped down, revealing a section of her fair and jade-like arm.

"Tell me, what urgent matter could have made you, this quiet little rascal, come knocking on my door?"

Lin Yi raised his head, calmly meeting Thousand Illusions's gaze. Without any intention of keeping her in suspense, he said directly, "Senior Sister, I have completely mastered the Time Rule."

His voice was soft and his tone was steady, as if he were stating something perfectly ordinary.

However, these words caused Thousand Illusions to freeze in her languid posture for a fleeting moment.

The playful look in her eyes quickly faded, and she slowly sat up straight, the folds of her flowing dress rippling like water.

"Complete mastery?"

Thousand Illusions carefully examined Lin Yi's virtual projection, seemingly trying to discern something from it.

"Junior brother, do you know what the Time Rule mean? My most optimistic estimate is that, with your comprehension and foundation, it will take you at least three or four hundred years of painstaking effort, plus a considerable amount of good fortune."

"How much time has passed? At most, you've only been exposed to the Time Rule for less than a century, right?"

Her surprise was not unfounded.

As a superior rule, the Time Rule is far more difficult to cultivate than ordinary rules.

A century is a period that many geniuses might not even have reached the threshold of, yet Lin Yi claims to have completely mastered it?

However, after what happened with the Space Rule, Thousand Illusions didn't doubt the authenticity of this matter. She just stared at Lin Yi, seemingly thinking of something, and asked in surprise, "Even with your talent, you shouldn't be this fast. Did you obtain some powerful time-related treasure?"

Without waiting for Lin Yi's reply, she began to analyze the situation on her own.

"That's right. You recently killed two Kunmo Race insects that temporarily reached the Triple Domain using a secret technique, so your military merit reward should be quite substantial. Combined with your decades of accumulation on the platform, it's definitely enough for you to exchange for some truly good items in the military merit vault."

Thousand Illusions's mind was extremely sharp; she quickly locked onto the key point and pressed, "What did you switch to? What allowed you to push the Time Rule to perfection in such a short time? You wouldn't have switched to... Fleeting Splendor, would you?"

Faced with his senior sister's barrage of questions and her increasingly plausible guesses, Lin Yi calmly nodded. "Senior sister, you are right. What I exchanged for was indeed Fleeting Splendor."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Thousand Illusions's expression instantly became incredibly interesting.

She remained silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed softly, and then extended her slender finger, gently tapping the air.

In an instant, a phantom emanating a dreamlike fluctuation of time appeared before Lin Yi.

Its form and aura were exactly the same as the rare flower that Lin Yi had recently obtained by spending two hundred million military merits.

It is but Fleeting Splendor glimpse of beauty.

"Junior brother, oh junior brother"

Thousand Illusions looked at Lin Yi, and said in a tone that was both amused and annoyed, "Since you've chosen to cultivate the Time Rule, do you think I, your senior sister, would really just give you those basic texts and then leave you to your own devices?"

She lightly touched the Fleeting Splendor, ethereal image with her finger and slowly said, "This is a treasure I obtained many years ago in a perilous cosmic place called the Time Sequence Ruins. I acquired three in total."

As Lin Yi gazed at the clear, illusory figure and listened to his senior sister's words, his heart was already filled with turmoil.

He had a vague idea of what was going on.

Sure enough, Thousand Illusions continued, "Because this Fleeting Splendor has its own characteristics, and for things of the same origin, only the first one consumed has the most significant effect. Subsequent consumption will drastically reduce the effect, almost to nothing. Therefore, your senior sister has saved one for you, and the other two..."

Her gaze fell on Lin Yi's face, and she said helplessly, "The other two were useless to me, so I exchanged them for clan merits at a price of two points each. The one I left for you was originally intended to be given to you to help you when you encountered an insurmountable bottleneck in your cultivation."

"Senior sister."

Lin Yi opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

A sense of absurdity, both laughable and heartbreaking, welled up within him, along with a surge of warmth.

Lin Yi naturally didn't believe the claim that he had earned it during his early years of adventure. His "Fleeting Splendor" wasn't even in the military merit database before, and suddenly it appeared on the redemption list a few years ago—could it really be such a coincidence?

Nine times out of ten, it was my senior sister who personally made the trip.

I just don't know how dangerous this so-called Time Sequence Ruins is.

Seeing the complicated expression on Lin Yi's face, Thousand Illusions rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "Who would have thought that you, kid, would actually go back with those basic texts and start trying to comprehend them on your own?"

"And he's so resourceful, managing to accumulate enough military merits on his own to exchange for that thing at the military merit vault."

She pointed to the Fleeting Splendor, illusory image of beauty and sighed, "Do you know that the one you exchanged for was basically one of the two I put in back then? You've come full circle, spending a fortune in military merits, only to buy something I prepared for you."

"If I had known, I would have just given you one directly. Why did you have to waste so much time accumulating military merits?"

Lin Yi was completely speechless.

He recalled his experience of hunting all over the secondary battlefield in order to accumulate military merits, and even having to teach courses on a Veteran Platform' platform later on.

The hardships and calculations involved now seemed somewhat dramatic in the face of her senior sister's words.

It turns out that his senior sister had already paved a short path for him to reach the top.

He simply chose the more difficult and tortuous path, and through his own strength, he persevered and made it through.

However, Lin Yi wasn't too discouraged.

Ultimately, what you earn through your own efforts is the most solid and leaves you with the clearest conscience.

"I will forever remember my senior sister's kindness."

Lin Yi took a deep breath and solemnly bowed to Thousand Illusions.

Although he didn't receive the gift, he still appreciated the gesture; he always knew how to distinguish between these things.

Thousand Illusions waved her hand, her wide sleeves fluttering as if she didn't want to talk about this topic that she felt was "unprofitable" anymore, and the Fleeting Splendor phantom image also disappeared.

She resumed her languid posture, looking at Lin Yi with interest. "Alright, let's not talk about the past. Since you've gotten this far on your own, I'm very pleased."

As she spoke, Thousand Illusions changed the subject, a sly glint in her eyes. "However, since you didn't use any of my previous preparations, they can't be wasted. Besides, I already said that if you could master the Time Rule, I would give you a surprise."

She hesitated for a moment, then gently tapped the edge of the cloud-shaped couch with her jade-like fingers, producing a crisp sound.

"Hmm, how about this? That Fleeting Splendor you didn't use is worth 2 clan merits. The other Time Rule insights resources that I originally planned to give you when you hit a bottleneck are worth about 1 clan merit. And the reward I originally planned to give you is worth about 10 clan merits."

She looked up at Lin Yi with a smile and said something that made Lin Yi's heart skip a beat.

"Okay, senior sister, I'll pick out a suitable treasure for you within a total of 20 clan merit points. How about that? Consider it a surprise to make up for the previous preparations and promises."

20 clan honors!

Lin Yi immediately retracted his previous thought.

I entered the sect through my own efforts, and it was a gift from my senior brothers and sisters. I feel very secure and have no regrets.

After all, the price of the Fleeting Splendor Beauty" medal is enough to show how precious it is.

Based on its value, the 20 clan honors represent at least 2 billion military merits!

However, after the initial surprise, Lin Yi quickly calmed down.

Such a large amount of military merit can be exchanged for a wide range of treasures.

From incredible cultivation resources to powerful Soul Weapon warships, there are many different types.

For a moment, he was indeed struggling to decide what was most needed and most suitable at the moment.

Making a blind choice might waste this valuable opportunity.

Lin Yi suppressed the urge to immediately make a request, bowed respectfully to Thousand Illusions again, and sincerely asked, "Thank you, Senior Sister. However, the range of treasures that 20 clan merit points can cover is extremely broad, and I don't really have a clear idea yet. I wonder if Senior Sister could offer some suggestions based on my current situation?"

Seeing that Lin Yi wasn't overwhelmed by surprise but instead calmly asked for advice, a hint of appreciation flashed in Thousand Illusions's eyes.

She nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and clearly began to seriously consider Lin Yi's situation.