Still at the Bottom, but...
Upon hearing Lin Yi's words, the atmosphere in the booth instantly froze.
Moon Abyss, Lan, and Ming Luo were all stunned for a moment, and then all three of their eyes focused on him.
"Saying goodbye?" Ming Luo was the first to react, her voice rising several decibels, "Brother Lin Yi, what do you mean by this? Just because the captain said to give up on this mission? It can't be that bad! We're not blaming you, really! All newbies go through this!"
Lan quickly put down the crystal in her hand, "Brother Lin Yi, please don't be impulsive. We can choose another mission; a longer adjustment period is normal. Your talent and potential are undeniable; your future achievements are limitless. It's our team's good fortune to have you. Please don't leave because of temporary gains or losses."
Even the usually aloof Moon Abyss showed a flicker of emotion in her pale purple eyes. Looking at Lin Yi, she slowly said, "Lin Yi, we've all seen your progress. Giving up a high-reward mission was a comprehensive consideration for the team's safety, not a denial of your personal abilities. Since the Star Stillness Squad invited you, they're prepared to grow together."
They had clearly misunderstood, thinking that Lin Yi chose to leave voluntarily because he felt guilty for holding the team back, so that the team could take on high-yield missions without restrictions.
Lin Yi felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at his three teammates' reactions, but at the same time, he was also a little amused and exasperated.
He quickly waved his hand and explained, "Captain, Lan, Brother Ming Luo, you've misunderstood. I don't want to leave the team."
"Huh?" Ming Luo was taken aback.
"Not quitting?" Lan was also somewhat puzzled.
Moon Abyss's gaze sharpened slightly, awaiting the next words.
"It's like this," Lin Yi said, organizing his thoughts. "I just received a message from my Main Body. Main Body cultivation on Origin Star has made some crucial progress. He feels that in my current state as an avatar, I might not be able to fully bear and unleash my newest power. Therefore, it's necessary for me to go back and summon a 'newer' avatar."
He phrased it rather tactfully, but his meaning was clear.
The characteristics of the Time Rewind Clone Technique dictate that the clone is summoned from a certain point in the past, and its understanding of the laws is basically fixed at the moment of summoning.
If the Main Body's understanding of the laws makes a leap forward, the old clones will not be able to obtain these improvements in sync.
The best way to give a clone the latest power is to disband the old clone and summon a new one from the more recent past.
Upon hearing this, Moon Abyss and the other two realized what was happening and their eyes showed surprise.
"So that's how it is!" Ming Luo slapped his thigh and laughed, "You need to go back specifically to change your clone? Brother Lin Yi, your progress is quite significant, isn't it? Could it be that your comprehension of the Space Law has broken through 20%? Or even 30%?"
Lin Yi smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
Seeing this, Lan, who was standing nearby, also laughed.
He remembered that when Lin Yi joined, the Law of Time was perfected, but the Space Law had only just begun.
How long has it been?
A mere two years is but a fleeting moment for a god-level being with an endless lifespan—is that even the time it takes to take a nap?
In just this short time, Lin Yi's Main Body had made such rapid progress during his seclusion on Origin Star that he needed to update his clone?
This rate of progress is rather alarming.
However, having stronger teammates is obviously a good thing. Wasn't the reason they so strongly invited Lin Yi to join the team that they believed Lin Yi talent would lead to rapid improvement?
His initial regret vanished instantly. "If our strength has truly improved significantly, then we can indeed reconsider this Shadow-Skimming Locust mission. If our team's overall combat power can be raised to a higher level, we'll have a much better chance of handling it."
They weren't too surprised that Lin Yi's Main Body strength would increase so rapidly.
After all, Lin Yi had just returned from the Myriad Secret Realm with a full load of loot and had made great contributions, receiving a generous reward from his clan.
Although they didn't know the exact amount, they guessed it wouldn't be small. In their view, with Lin Yi's talent, combined with the superior environment of Origin Star and the treasures he exchanged, it was inevitable that his strength would enter a period of rapid development.
They just didn't expect this speed to be so fast; in just over two years, they would need to specifically update their clones to match it.
Moon Abyss didn't immediately respond. After a moment's thought, she looked at Lin Yi's clone and asked a crucial question, "This mission in the XT-7783 star sector requires completion within two standard years. Even if we travel by god-class spaceship, is there enough time for a round trip from the fortress back to Origin Star?"
The fortress is extremely far from the Origin Star located at the core of the Human Race territory, and conventional travel takes a long time.
Lin Yi's clone nodded firmly. "There's enough time. I won't take the conventional route. I'll use the Divine Kingdom's teleportation channel. Although it's more expensive, it can directly teleport me to a designated coordinate near the Origin Star region, and then I can take a spaceship for a short journey. The return trip will also be via the Divine Kingdom's teleportation, saving a lot of time. A round trip should take about a month to return to the fortress."
Hearing Lin Yi say that, the last trace of doubt in Moon Abyss's eyes disappeared.
Without further hesitation, she lightly tapped the task screen with her fingertip.
"Alright. Mission accepted." Moon Abyss said, "Lin Yi, set off as soon as possible. We'll handle the other preparations before the mission and continue gathering detailed intelligence on the XT-7783 star sector and the Shadow-Skimming Locust. We'll finalize the operation details once you return with your new clone."
"Understood." Lin Yi stood up. "I'll go prepare right away, and we'll depart immediately."
Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and turned to leave the "Star Dust Afterglow" tavern.
A moment later, a jet-black spaceship silently departed from the No. 3 spaceport of the Frontline fortress. The spaceship's tail thrusters lit up with a ghostly blue flame, and it rapidly accelerated, disappearing into the vast sea of stars.
This is the Shadow Shuttle, a god-class spaceship that Lin Yi purchased for himself. It has a balanced performance, combining speed, stealth, and a certain level of defense, making it suitable for long-distance solo travel.
--
Origin Star, Lin Yi Manor Cultivation Room.
Lin Yi Main Body cross-legged, his aura perfectly balanced and restrained.
After returning from the Space-Stabilizing Hall, he did not immediately begin new cultivation. Instead, he spent some time carefully reflecting on and consolidating the insights gained from his leap forward in the Space Law, and experiencing the wondrous resonance and synergy between the laws of spacetime and time deep within his soul.
"The hardware has finally taken a big step forward," Lin Yi thought to himself. "But, having an understanding of the laws alone is not enough."
His foundation in the two superior laws is now extremely solid, even surpassing that of ordinary gods. However, he needs corresponding "software" to transform this solid foundation into real combat power.
That is, a secret technique.
<Space-Time Rend>, a time-space god-level attack technique; <Veil of Delusion>, a time-space god-level support technique.
These two secret techniques cost him 100,000 clan merits. Now that his comprehension of the laws has reached the required level, it is time to put them on his cultivation schedule.
"My clone is on its way back." Lin Yi calculated the time. "It will take some time, which is perfect. I can use this time, with the help of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi, to get a basic understanding of the first level of these two secret techniques."
He made this decision after careful consideration.
The cultivation of secret techniques, especially profound divine-level techniques, is extremely difficult and takes a very long time.
If it were left entirely to the clone to slowly comprehend and explore on its own, it would probably take thousands of years to barely even grasp the first level.
That's too slow.
Time is the measure of victory; time is the measure of strength.
With stronger clones, they can play a greater role in carrying out missions for the Star Stillness Squad and earn more battle merits more efficiently.
Military merits can be exchanged for more resources, creating a virtuous cycle.
"Sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood," Lin Yi thought to himself. "Using some Spiritual Enlightenment Qi to accelerate the entry into these two key secret techniques is worthwhile. What I lack right now isn't this little bit of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi for quickly cultivating the secret techniques, but battle merits, and the large sums needed to exchange for auxiliary law comprehension treasures."
Of course, there is an even more important reason.
While summoning a new clone doesn't consume as much energy as resurrecting someone else, it still puts a burden on the soul and the power of time. Generally, a buffer period of several decades is needed in between, and it's not feasible to update it every few days.
Therefore, with each update, it's best to ensure that the clones maximize their current strength.
Having made up his mind, Lin Yi sat down cross-legged and retrieved all the cultivation information for the first level of <Space-Time Rend> and the first level of <Veil of Delusion> from his mind.
Two complex beams of light and shadow, composed of countless runes of spacetime laws and energy flow diagrams, slowly unfolded in his consciousness.
This information is as vast as the starry sky, involving the intricate combination of spacetime forces, the special construction of energy circuits, the coordinated oscillation of law fluctuations, and so on, and is extremely profound.
For ordinary deities, it might take decades just to understand these basic pieces of information.
Lin Yi calmed his mind and carefully reviewed the cultivation method of the first level of <Space-Time Rend> from beginning to end.
The core of this attack technique lies in combining the stagnation, acceleration, and disorder properties of time with the cutting, folding, and shattering properties of space in a specific ratio and sequence to form an attack that can simultaneously affect the spacetime structure.
"I roughly understand the principle; the key lies in grasping the connection point and ensuring the stability of energy output."
The next moment, Lin Yi's thoughts sank into the depths of his Soul Origin, to that vast ocean of purple mist.
"Spiritual Enlightenment Qi, ignite!"
Boom!
A purple flame of enlightenment rose within his soul, and Lin Yi's Thought Speed, comprehension, and deductive abilities instantly soared to their peak.
The vast and complex cultivation information of the first level of <Space-Time Rend> was like being thrown into the most efficient analytical furnace. Every difficulty was quickly overcome, every key node was clearly grasped, and the trajectory of energy circulation was as clear as if one were seeing it with one's own eyes.
He saw how the power of time, like the most sophisticated catalyst, was injected into the cutting edge of space, causing a qualitative change in its destructive power.
He sensed the terrifying frequency, powerful enough to tear apart the protective divine power of ordinary gods, when the spacetime ripples overlapped and resonated.
He simulated the energy output process countless times, searching for the most stable and energy-efficient path.
With his Spiritual Enlightenment Qi burning relentlessly, Lin Yi is absorbing and mastering this divine-level attack technique, which would normally take a long time for a deity to learn, at an astonishing speed.
Time passed little by little.
When the Spiritual Enlightenment Qi was completely exhausted, Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes.
He raised his right hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and gently drew a line in the air in front of him.
Where his fingertips traced a line, a thin, silvery-gray crack quietly appeared.
The space around the crack was slightly distorted, and light was strangely deflected as it passed through it. There was also an obscure fluctuation that seemed to freeze and rupture time itself.
The crack lasted for more than three minutes before slowly healing and disappearing, leaving behind a tiny ripple in the space.
<Space-Time Rend>, Level One, Beginner's Guide!
"It consumed a little more than expected." Lin Yi sensed the depletion of his Spiritual Enlightenment Qi and silently assessed the situation. "However, the effect was indeed overwhelming. The power of this attack, combined with the Sharpness of the Sky-Evasion Shuttle, could definitely pose a fatal threat to ordinary gods. It's also thanks to my high level of comprehension of the laws of spacetime. My comprehension of the Space Law is only around 50%. To even begin to understand them, I estimate I would need at least 250 years of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi."
After catching his breath, Lin Yi turned his attention back to the <Veil of Delusion>.
This auxiliary secret technique focuses more on the precise manipulation and deception of spacetime information. Its principle is to simultaneously disturb the flow of time and spatial fluctuations within a small area around oneself, and release carefully designed false law fluctuations, thereby achieving the purpose of concealing one's true state, location, and even presence.
The cultivation difficulty is also extremely high, requiring a profound understanding of the laws of spacetime and extremely precise control.
Lin Yi once again activated his Spiritual Enlightenment Qi.
The purple flames reignited.
His consciousness was immersed in how to weave this invisible curtain, how to make the Time Gap so natural as to go unnoticed, how to make the spatial refraction seamless, and how to simulate the false law fluctuations that were indistinguishable from reality.
This is an extremely delicate "weaving" process.
After the ninety-year share of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi had been burned out, Lin Yi's thoughts stirred slightly.
A hazy halo, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, quietly spread out from him.
Within this halo, his aura became erratic, sometimes as powerful as a god, sometimes as faint as Star Dust, and his positional perception also became significantly inaccurate.
The Veil of Delusion, First Level: Introduction!
"It's done." Lin Yi withdrew his secret technique, and the aura dissipated.
A look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
The first level of the two divine-level secret techniques consumed a total of approximately 210 years' worth of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi.
This consumes a lot of resources, but the resulting increase in combat power is real. The means of attack, stealth, and deception are more abundant, and both survivability and lethality have taken a big leap forward.
"Xuanji," Lin Yi said, "With my current level of understanding of Space Law, and having initially mastered the <Space-Time Rend> and <Veil of Delusion>, where would my strength be roughly at the god level?"
Xuanji's illusory palace attire appeared, and after a moment, she respectfully replied, "Master, based on the analysis of the Pan-Spirit Alliance's public database and god-level battle information, combined with your perfected Time Law, 81.7% comprehension of the Space Law, and the two newly mastered god-level secret techniques (first level), a comprehensive evaluation has been conducted."
She paused for a moment, then concluded. "Your fundamental strength has reached the mid-level of a powerful deity."
"Oh?" Lin Yi raised an eyebrow slightly.
Xuanji continued, "However, the evaluation model also shows that, compared to those veteran gods, there is a significant gap in your practical experience at the god level, your ability to adapt to changing situations, and your strategies for dealing with different types of opponents. These shortcomings will weaken your actual performance in real combat."
"Therefore, taking all factors into consideration, it is advisable to position your current combat strength as having just stepped into the threshold of a powerful god."
Hearing Xuanji say this, Lin Yi's face showed no disappointment, but rather a satisfied smile.
He chuckled and shook his head. "So, I'm still at the bottom. But the good news is, I've gone from being at the bottom among ordinary gods to at the bottom among powerful gods."
Xuanji quickly replied, "Master, with your talent and growth rate, reaching the level of a powerful god is merely a small stop on your journey. Given time, these shortcomings in experience will be quickly overcome."
Lin Yi chuckled, "Xuanji, I didn't realize your emotional intelligence had improved so much. How's the clone doing? Where is it?"
"Reporting to Master," Xuanji replied immediately, "The Shadow Shuttle has entered the outer perimeter of Origin Star and is expected to arrive at the manor's airport tomorrow afternoon."
"Hmm." Lin Yi nodded, looking out the window. "The timing is perfect."
The following afternoon.
Origin Star, Lin Yi Manor's underground secret chamber.
The interior is bathed in a constant, soft light, and the walls and floor are inscribed with complex runes for energy isolation and stabilization.
Lin Yi sat cross-legged, his aura harmonious and restrained, as if he had merged with the surrounding space, carrying an unfathomable meaning.
The alloy door to the secret room slid open silently, and a figure walked in.
The silver-gray streamlined divine body is Lin Yi's clone, equipped with the Fearless War God -T714 mechanical divine body.
He finally arrived after traveling from the distant fortress Frontline via teleportation from the Divine Kingdom and the Shadow Shuttle.
"I'm back," the clone said.
Lin Yi opened his eyes, looked at his clone, and nodded slightly.
The clone stopped a few meters in front of Lin Yi. "Over at the fortress, the Star Stillness Squad has accepted the Shadow-Skimming Locust mission in the XT-7783 star sector. They'll set off after I return. There's still plenty of time."
"Hmm." Lin Yi's Main Body stood up and walked to his clone.
The two stood face to face, like looking in a mirror, one a body of flesh and blood, the other a cold, mechanical divine body.
"Let's begin," Lin Yi said.
The clone nodded, touched Lin Yi's fingers, and transferred the Spiritual Enlightenment Qi it had accumulated over the past two and a half years to him.
Although it's not much, every little bit counts, and we can't afford to waste a single bit.
"So, what's next?" Lin Yi's Main Body looked at his clone.
"Understood," the clone replied calmly.
He knew his mission was complete and it was time to disband and make way for a stronger clone.
There was no farewell, nor was it necessary.
A clone is merely a shadow of the past.
With a thought, Lin Yi's Main Body caused the Time Law imprint deep within his soul to tremble slightly, and an invisible wave enveloped his clone.
The clone's silver-gray mechanical body began to blur, like a faded image.
Its core "anchor" from a point in the past was released, and the spacetime force that sustained its existence flowed back.
The entire process was quiet and swift. In just two or three seconds, countless tiny specks of light drifted from the mechanical body. These specks of light quickly dissipated into the air like Star Dust, leaving no trace.
Only the mechanical body of "Fearless War God -T714," which had fallen into a dormant state after losing its soul binding, remained standing.
Lin Yi silently pondered the experience transmitted back by his clone, then let out a soft breath.
Each time I disband my clones, even though I know it's just a return to the river of time, I still feel a subtle sense of emptiness as I watch them disappear.
It felt like I had personally killed my past self.
However, he quickly suppressed this feeling.
He needs to summon a new clone.
Lin Yi walked to the silent, Fearless War God's body and closed his eyes to concentrate once more.
As the power of the laws of time surged, Lin Yi precisely anchored himself on his trajectory at a point approximately "one second ago".
"Anchoring successful. Time and space serve as a bridge, summoning the shadow to the present world."
Lin Yi simultaneously activated the Space Law to construct a stable summoning channel, with source energy surging in as fuel.
Inside the sealed room, ripples spread across the space like water.
A figure identical to Lin Yi slowly stepped out from the ripples of time and space.
Black hair, a calm face, and an aura of timelessness and profound space flowing naturally around him; his eyes are sharp and clear.
A new clone has been successfully summoned.
After the clone appeared, it exchanged a glance with Lin Yi's Main Body, and without saying a word, walked towards the body of the Fearless War God.
The same process is playing out again.
The clone touched the forehead of the metallic divine body with its finger, and then turned into a speck of light and was absorbed.
The patterns on the surface of the Fearless War God's body lit up again. The silver-gray streamlined shell, the law patterns engraved on the shoulder armor and arm armor seemed to be more complex and profound than before, faintly resonating with the clone's powerful understanding of the Space Law at this moment.
The Sky-Evasion Shuttle that surrounded him appeared automatically, and the runes flowing on the surface of the silver shuttle appeared even more dynamic.
"How are you feeling?" Lin Yi asked.
The new clone stretched its arms, clenched its fist, and felt the surging power within the divine body. A silver glint flashed in its eyes. "Very good. The resonance between the laws and the divine body is stronger, and my control over the Sky-Evasion Shuttle has also improved by more than one level. The operating paths of <Space-Time Rend> and <Veil of Delusion> are clear. My strength is now far greater than before."
"That's good." Lin Yi nodded. "Time is of the essence. You must immediately board the Shadow Shuttle and return to the fortress. The Star Stillness Squad is still waiting for you."
"Understood." The clone turned and walked out of the secret chamber without hesitation.
As he reached the door, he stopped and glanced back. "That clone from the main battlefield over there at the fortress—should we wait a hundred years before bringing him back?"
Lin Yi understood the meaning of the clone.
Besides the clone that is about to return to the Star Stillness Squad, he also left another clone at the Frontline fortress.
That clone mainly operates on the surface battlefield, serving as the core of the warband and controlling the Source Giants in combat.
However, since the Devouring Race and the Abyss Race are currently on the defensive, the clone only needs to show up periodically and exert its power to earn a decent amount of battle merits, which can be considered a stable source of resource income.
"Yes, he's not moving for now," Lin Yi nodded. "The situation on the surface is stable, his mission isn't too stressful, but the rewards are consistent. And..."
He paused, then said helplessly, "As you know, I've summoned three clones in three years, and my Soul Power is already overloaded. I won't be able to summon clones again anytime soon; it will take at least a hundred years."
The clone nodded silently. He naturally knew, but he was just confirming it one last time before leaving. Seeing that Lin Yi had no intention of changing his mind, he reached out and said, "Give me the things. I have to go."
Lin Yi then took out a palm-sized metal box with simple sealing runes engraved on its surface from his storage equipment and handed it to his clone.
This contains some treasures containing Lin Yi's insights into Star Domain level Rule Comprehension, which he prepared for Ellie.
With his current strength and ability to acquire resources, the cultivation resources for the Rule Stage are no longer a burden. He only spent a small fraction of his clan merits to prepare a complete set for Ellie.
The clone nodded, carefully put away the metal box, and then, without saying another word, quickly left the secret room.
A moment later, the Shadow Shuttle once again quietly took off from the Origin Star Spaceport, disappeared into the hyperspace channel, and sped towards the distant Frontline fortress.