Father-Daughter Conversation, Exceptional Admission Application

Lin Yi was somewhat surprised to hear this, but before he could ask any more questions, Thousand Illusions's figure vanished like a dream.

Left with no other choice, Lin Yi could only stand amidst the mountains and rivers, patiently waiting.

Meanwhile, a strange dimension exists, attached to the membrane of the real universe.

Within this plane, there are no sun, moon, or stars; only the ever-changing, eternally illusory light shines down, illuminating a vast and boundless territory below.

The mountains and rivers seem both real and illusory, sometimes clear as a tangible object, and sometimes transformed into flowing colors and light spots. Exotic flowers and plants exhale the rhythm of laws, and all living things possess a touch of unreal, hazy beauty.

This is the Illusory Reality Divine Kingdom, and also Thousand Illusions's daily residence.

At the heart of the Divine Kingdom, a palace entirely formed from the materialized and condensed laws of illusion and reality floats silently.

The palace has a translucent, glassy texture, sometimes clear as if carved from crystal, revealing every detail, and sometimes blurry like a reflection in water, swaying in the wind.

The hall contained no ordinary furnishings, only ever-changing illusions of laws that resonated with Thousand Illusions's emotions.

At this moment, deep within the palace, on the jade couch formed from endless dreamlike clouds, Thousand Illusions slowly opened her closed eyes.

Without pausing, she rose silently from the jade couch and took a step forward.

Space seemed to have lost its meaning for her.

Her figure did not break through the void to leap or traverse in the conventional sense, but rather seemed to "walk" directly from one "scene" into another.

The scene of the Illusory Reality Divine Kingdom faded behind her, and a completely different scene appeared before her.

This is no ordinary starry sky; there are no familiar stars or nebulae, only boundless, absolute darkness that seems capable of swallowing all light and heat.

However, in the center of this darkness, a group of ancient palaces stands majestically.

The palace complex is entirely dark gold in color, and its material is neither stone nor jade. It is more like a combination of some solidified cosmic law and immortal divine metal, exuding a heavy aura of eternal immortality.

They are incredibly vast in scale, stretching for countless miles, with an ancient and imposing architectural style. Every pillar and every wall seems to bear the marks of time and the epic history of Human Race's conquest of the stars.

Outside the palace complex, faint energy barriers flickered, isolating the inside from the outside.

At this moment, in the void surrounding the palace complex, streaks of light flashed intermittently, revealing figures with auras as deep as abyss.

Judging from their auras, they are mainly of the World Derivation level, with many even being Eternal Divinity, and a very small amount of Star Domain level auras mixed in.

However, no matter how powerful they were in the outside world, upon arriving here, they all disembarked and walked along the road when they were still a long distance from the palace complex.

Unmanned flight is an unspoken rule, and also a sign of reverence for this sacred place.

Just then, a unique streak of light disregarded the default rules and came straight from the distant void at an incredible speed, without slowing down or falling in the slightest. Its target was the most majestic and ancient main hall in the very center of the palace complex.

On the ground, a powerful cultivator from the Realm of Derivation, walking alongside his companion, seemed to sense something. He looked up, a hint of surprise on his face, and whispered, "Who is so bold as to fly directly through the Evergreen Palace?"

An older companion beside him also looked up, and the moment his gaze fell upon the streak of light, his pupils contracted, and he immediately lowered his voice, saying, "Silence! Look closely. That's His Majesty Thousand Illusions."

"Your Majesty Thousand Illusions?"

The powerful figure from the Derivation Realm who had spoken earlier was taken aback, then suddenly realized, but a deeper doubt arose within him, and he murmured in a lower voice, "So it was her. Not just rumored, she and the Venerable One..."

Be careful what you say!

His older companion immediately interrupted him, "How dare we presume to discuss the affairs of our lord's family? Focus on your own business."

The two said no more, quickened their pace, and walked forward without looking to the side, as if they hadn't seen or discussed anything.

The streak of light had already traversed a vast distance, ignoring the many complex gazes below, and landed directly before the towering gate of the central main hall, which was ten thousand feet high and engraved with reliefs depicting the sun, moon, stars, and the history of Human Race warfare.

At the gate, two guards, clad in full dark gold armor and with their faces covered by masks, stood like statues.

They made no attempt to stop or question Thousand Illusions's arrival, not even a flicker of their gaze, as if it were her natural course of action.

Thousand Illusions didn't even glance at the two guards. Her flowing robes fluttered as she walked straight into the magnificent palace gate that seemed capable of swallowing all light.

Inside the main hall, the space is far more expansive than it appears from the outside, as if it were a small world of its own.

The dome is high and distant, with a recurring image of stars Illusion Annihilation.

The ground was paved with smooth, mirror-like black jade, reflecting the starlight from the dome.

The interior of the hall was so simple that it was almost empty, except for a seemingly ordinary, dark throne placed on a nine-tiered platform in the deepest part.

At this moment, a figure sat casually on the throne.

He wore a simple black robe, his face shrouded in a hazy halo, making it difficult to see clearly. Only his eyes remained calm and still, as if they contained all the time from the beginning of the universe to the present, so deep that one dared not look directly at them.

Below the throne, slightly forward, another Eternal Divinity clad in intricate star-patterned armor bowed slightly, seemingly reporting something.

Thousand Illusions's footsteps as she entered the hall were soft, yet they seemed to break some kind of invisible balance.

The deity, who was reporting, paused, seemingly sensing something. Turning around and seeing Thousand Illusions, a clear look of surprise flashed in his eyes, which he quickly concealed. He then respectfully addressed the figure on the throne, saying, "Your Majesty, since Your Thousand Illusions has arrived, I will take my leave and report to you later."

The figure on the throne seemed to pierce through the halo and land on Thousand Illusions, then sighed softly.

"Very well, there's no rush. Please wait in the side hall for a moment."

"Yes."

The deity turned around decisively and walked out of the hall.

As he passed by Thousand Illusions, he paused slightly and gave her a Thousand Illusions nod in greeting.

Thousand Illusions nodded slightly in return, her expression calm.

As the two passed each other, the deity thought to himself, "Although rumors have circulated that the Lord and this daughter have a long-standing strained relationship, they are still blood relatives, bound by blood. Moreover, this Lady Thousand Illusions possesses exceptional talent; it's best to be polite. After all, who can predict what will happen in the future?"

In the blink of an eye, he had already quickly left the main hall.

In the vast main hall, only the figure on the throne and Thousand Illusions standing in the center of the hall remained.

A moment of silence followed, then the figure on the throne slowly spoke, his voice echoing through the hall, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"The last time you came to see me here was 102 Epoch ago. At that time, you came to me to ask for a spot for your senior brother to enter the Void Graveyard Secret Realm."

He paused, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the void and see into the past. "What is it this time?"

Thousand Illusions looked up, meeting the gaze from behind the hazy halo, and said without any beating around the bush, "For my junior brother, Lin Yi."

"He is exceptionally gifted. In just over three hundred years of cultivation, he has already reached the pinnacle of the Star Core level, the fifth level of the Domain, and has fully comprehended and successfully integrated the principles of spacetime, life and death, and the Golden Rules. I believe he fully meets the qualifications and potential standards for Special Talent Cultivation Roster the Human Race."

Lin Yi.

The figure on the throne whispered the name over and over, seemingly unsurprised.

"I know him. He's definitely a promising talent."

"However, the inclusion of Star Core level in the list is against the rules."

"Rule?"

Upon hearing this, Thousand Illusions sneered, "Back when you fought against the Spirit Race for your mother, why didn't you ever mention the word 'rules'?"

The figure on the throne seemed to move slightly, and the surrounding aura rippled almost imperceptibly.

But he neither refuted nor got angry; he simply remained silent.

Thousand Illusions continued, "Furthermore, don't think I don't know the rules. Usually, a genius at the World Derivation level is admitted after an application is submitted by one Venerable Lord and reviewed. However, for special cases where a genius has not yet reached the Transcendent Realm but has shown extraordinary potential, as long as two Venerable Lords submit applications simultaneously, they can also be admitted exceptionally. This is not without precedent. Flame Lord and Void Derivation were both admitted exceptionally when they were at the Star Domain level. My junior brother Lin Yi, in terms of potential, is no less than them back then."

Upon hearing this, the figure on the throne seemed to deepen the gaze behind the hazy halo.

He paused for a moment before slowly saying, "Thousand Illusions, you may not know this, but the expectations and scrutiny that those who are exceptionally added to the list bear are far greater than those of ordinary members. It's not as simple as just being nominated by the two Venerable Ones."

"Because the list of those exempt from the usual procedures will be submitted to the Sovereign for review. If the person on the list subsequently performs poorly and fails to meet expectations, not only will he/she be removed from the list, but the Venerable One who made the nomination will also be left with the impression of being a poor judge of character in the Sovereign's mind."

"This impression may not be harmful in the short term, but its impact can be immeasurable at certain crucial moments of decision-making."

He looked at Thousand Illusions, his tone solemn. "You must understand, the fundamental purpose of the roster is to cultivate as many future leaders of our Human Race as possible, or even higher!"

"The resources it allocates are the core treasures accumulated by its race over countless years, each one invaluable. Investing these resources in a Star Core level individual who has yet to prove their own unparalleled talent on the path of the laws is extremely risky."

"Historically, there have been many examples of people who made rapid and astonishing progress in the Rule Stage, only to slow down in the Law stage after entering the Derivation Realm, ultimately fading into obscurity."

"The reason why the standard threshold is set at the World Derivation level is precisely because at that level, the adaptability to the laws and the future path have a relatively clear outline, and the risks are greatly reduced."

These words were profound and insightful, analyzing the pros and cons and getting straight to the heart of the matter.

This is not a simple excuse, but a fact from the perspective of resource allocation and risk control for the entire Human Race.

However, Thousand Illusions's sneer grew even more pronounced, even taking on a hint of mockery.

"Under normal circumstances, if you were to spout these high-sounding principles to me, I would have no objections, turn around and leave without a second thought, and I would never let my junior brother get involved in this mess."

"But!"

She abruptly changed the subject, "Don't think I'm truly indifferent to what's happening outside. You know the current situation better than I do. The atmosphere of an impending great battle has even been sensed by many well-informed World Derivation level. How could you not know?"

"At times like these, our community needs more than just steady progress; it needs to increase its influence throughout the Pan-Spirit Alliance!"

Thousand Illusions's voice rose a few decibels, "If, and I mean if, in the next Genius Battle, our Human Race's geniuses can win the Star Core level with an absolute advantage and overwhelming force, wouldn't the influence and hidden benefits brought by that be enough to compensate for the resource costs invested in the early stages of the roster?"

She gazed at the silent figure on the throne and slowly said, "Besides, as you just mentioned, the roster has its own review and removal mechanism. If my junior brother Lin Yi's performance is unsatisfactory after entering the World Derivation level, and his potential is exhausted, then we can ask him to be removed from the roster according to the rules."

Silence fell once more in the hall, with only the faint, Illusion Annihilation light of the stars in the dome filtering through.

Finally, Thousand Illusions added slowly, a smile playing on her lips.

"Furthermore, Father, some geniuses, if the Human Race doesn't cherish them and doesn't give them the attention and support they deserve, other races will understand their value and be willing to pay any price to win them over."

Above the throne, the hazy aura seemed to finally show a slight fluctuation.

The gaze behind that hazy halo seemed to traverse endless time and space, looking towards a distant past, at a figure equally brilliant but unable to fully display their talents for various reasons.

Or perhaps, it foresaw the regrettable situation in the distant past, when Human Race, due to momentary hesitation, missed out on a future pillar of strength.

A deeper silence fell over the hall, with only the ever-changing light and shadow cast by the simulated stars on the dome illuminating the father and daughter facing each other below.

After a long silence, a long and complex sigh, as if from the end of time, broke the silence.

The figure on the throne spoke slowly, "The matter of the register... I can take care of it for you."

Thousand Illusions's eyes brightened slightly, but she didn't immediately show any joy. She knew her father would have more to say.

Sure enough, the voice continued, "But the reason is simply because, in terms of the Rule Stage, their talent and potential do indeed meet the minimum standard for exceptional entry into the list. Furthermore, I trust your judgment, not..."

He paused for a moment, "Instead of what you just said, he will definitely win first place in the next Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle with overwhelming force."

Upon hearing Thousand Illusions, Qianhuan's delicate brows furrowed immediately.

She had immense confidence in Lin Yi, a confidence stemming from witnessing firsthand his terrifying rate of growth and profound understanding of the rules.

In her view, with Lin Yi's current foundation and the infusion of rare resources unimaginable to outsiders, it would be almost a matter of course for him to stand out in the next Genius Battle and even win the championship.

Why do you say that, Father?

"Given my junior brother's current talent and temperament, and with the help of the roster resources, if he dedicates himself to cultivation for a period of time, he should have a very high chance of winning the next Genius Battle. Even if there are setbacks, you don't seem to have much faith in him."

It's not that I don't believe in his potential.

The figure on the throne shook his head slightly. "It's you who, perhaps too absorbed in your own cultivation, haven't paid enough attention to the true strength and operational methods of other races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance, especially the Spirit Race, in the Genius Battle."

"Did you know that the geniuses sent by the Spirit Race to participate in the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle are often not the strongest geniuses of their generation?"

Not the strongest?

Thousand Illusions was slightly taken aback; this statement was indeed somewhat unexpected.

The Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle is an important stage for all races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance to showcase their new generation's strength and vie for glory. Moreover, it is related to the Myriad Secret Realm, so each race should send its strongest representative.

"Good."

The figure on the throne affirmed, "Before each Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle officially begins, the Primal Ancestral Court, the highest training ground within the Spirit Race, will first hold an internal selection. The intensity of this selection far exceeds outsiders' imagination. The top three winners will receive generous rewards that would even tempt Eternal Divinity. Not only will they gain the qualification to cultivate in the Spirit Race's most core secret realm, but they will also be able to directly enter the Myriad Secret Realm without participating in the Genius Battle."

He paused, his tone tinged with a hint of sarcasm. "But as a price, or rather, as a strategy for the Spirit Race to maintain its transcendent status and mystique, these top three usually don't participate in the subsequent Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle."

Thousand Illusions immediately understood the key point. "Concealing our strengths? And simultaneously building up our true high-end combat power?"

"That's exactly right."

The figure on the throne nodded.

"Doing this will prevent the full strength and trump cards of the Spirit Race's most outstanding new generation of prodigies from being exposed too early, making it difficult for potential opponents to fathom their limits."

"Secondly, it also saves face for other races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance, preventing the Spirit Race geniuses from sweeping everything away in every Genius Battle, leaving all other races in despair. This helps maintain the alliance's superficial balance and cohesion."

Thousand Illusions remained silent.

As the initiator of the Pan-Spirit Alliance and one of the oldest and most powerful races, the Spirit Race has always acted in ways that are far-reaching and unpredictable. Upon closer examination, such an arrangement is indeed reasonable. This cast a shadow over her previous expectation that Lin Yi would easily win the championship.

"So, the one who participated in the Genius Battle is the fourth-place winner?" she asked.

"Usually."

The figure on the throne said, "The fourth-ranked member of the Spirit Race possesses talent and strength that are often enough to crush most of the so-called number one geniuses carefully cultivated by the vast majority of races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance. Winning the Genius Battle championship with such strength is enough for the Spirit Race to maintain its apparent glory and interests."

Thousand Illusions frowned even more deeply. "Although the fourth person sent by the Spirit Race is already extremely strong, my junior brother..."

"That's not the problem."

The figure on the throne interrupted her, a rare hint of solemnity in his voice, "There are always exceptions, and the Spirit Race are not always bound by convention."

"To ensure that the glory of the Genius Battle never falls into the wrong hands, as this honor is of great symbolic significance to their maintenance of leadership in the alliance, the Spirit Race will conduct a comprehensive evaluation before the start of each Genius Battle."

He looked at Thousand Illusions, "If the assessment concludes that the fourth-ranked candidate, sent out according to convention, is not strong enough to secure first place and risks being unexpectedly overturned by other races' prodigies, then they will not hesitate to break with convention and choose the most suitable candidate from the top three, or even directly send the true first-place winner selected internally to participate in the battle."

Thousand Illusions's heart sank slightly.

"The true number one selected from within the Spirit Race 'Primal Ancestral Court, judging from the information we've gathered from the Myriad Secret Realm, typically comprehends and integrates the rules to the seventh or even eighth level at the Star Core level stage."

"Seventh or eighth level of domain?" Thousand Illusions's eyes narrowed sharply.

She herself was an unparalleled genius, and she knew that at the Star Core level level, the difficulty increased exponentially with each additional rule fused.

It's important to understand that the Spirit Race's top genius could not possibly comprehend common rules; he must at least be at least guided by a higher-level rule!

"And this is only assuming they don't use any obviously excessive treasures."

The figure on the throne added, his tone deep and serious.

"The Spirit Race's foundation is far deeper than many races can imagine. If they are determined to secure first place, the resources and means they can utilize are extraordinary."

He looked at Thousand Illusions, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate her thoughts.

"Now, do you still believe that your junior brother Lin Yi, with only a fifth-level Fusion Domain, can overwhelmingly win first place in the next Genius Battle after obtaining the list of resources?"

Thousand Illusions fell silent.

She had indeed underestimated the Spirit Race's commitment and limits in the Genius Battle, as well as the potential heights her competitors might reach.

Lin Yi's talent was indeed exceptional, but as the Spirit Race who had ruled the Pan-Spirit Alliance for countless years, how could the most elite prodigies they cultivated be easily matched?

Moreover, the other party may have a longer cultivation period, more top-tier resources, and even a more secretive and powerful lineage.

The starlight inside the hall seemed to have dimmed slightly, illuminating Thousand Illusions's stunning profile.

"Seven or eight layers of domains... truly astonishing."

Thousand Illusions spoke slowly, her voice regaining its calm, "But that's only the strength the Spirit Race might send; it's not a certainty."

She raised her head, looked directly at the figure on the throne, and spoke slowly.

"As you just said, you acknowledge his talent and that he has met the criteria for exceptional entry into the list. Being included in the list signifies recognition and investment from the community."

"As for how far he can ultimately go, and whether he can win supreme glory for the Human Race in the Genius Battle, that will require time, resources, and even more so, his own hard work and opportunities."

"I am here today to fight for him a fair starting point, a platform that allows him to grow faster. As for where the finish line is..."

Thousand Illusions smiled slightly, "Just as I believed that Senior Brother would definitely break through to the Divine Realm, I have just as much confidence in Junior Brother."

"I'll leave the matter of the list to Father. As for the Genius Battle..."

She bowed slightly, her flowing robes trailing on the ground. "I believe my junior brother will give me a surprise."

Having said that, she said no more, turned around, her skirt swaying, and walked out of the hall.

The figure on the throne watched her depart.

"Based on time and space, life and death have cycled for over three hundred years."

A low, muttered voice echoed in the empty hall, "Thousand Illusions's judgment has always been discerning. For her to recommend me so strongly, even resorting to accusations of the past and threats about the future..."

He slowly shook his head.

"Fine."

The moment the words fell, silent ripples spread through the space surrounding the figure in the black robe on the throne.

His figure did not stand up, but quickly became illusory in the ripples.

A moment later, outside a cluster of equally ancient yet stylistically different buildings, the space Gentle Ripple, and a figure in a black robe silently appeared.

The architecture here features colder, sharper lines, as if sculpted from the Astral Core Marrow, exuding a sharpness that stings the soul.

This is one of the secluded cultivation sites of another Venerable Lord, the Sky Halberd Lord, located on the outskirts of the "Myriad Arms Tomb".

The figure in black robes took a single step, bypassing countless outer barriers and sentries, and appeared directly in front of a pitch-black palace shaped like an inverted giant sword.

There was no one in front of the door, but an incomparably sharp will had already locked onto him.

"Xuan Yan, what brings you to my Hidden Edge Hall?"

A cold, hard voice came directly from inside the hall.

Sky Halberd Lord is known for his decisiveness and formidable combat power. Although his relationship with Xuan Yan is not particularly close, they have always been reliable allies on matters of great importance to the Human Race and on key issues.

Xuan Yan was used to this unconventional style, and in a flash, he entered the hall.

The hall was empty, with only the phantom of an ancient stone spear constantly emitting subtle chaotic energy floating in the center. A tall figure dressed in a simple Gray Robe, with short hair like a halberd, was facing away from him, looking up at the stone spear, as if comprehending the supreme way of killing.

"I'm making an exception and nominating him for one person," Xuan Yan said succinctly.

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