News of Secret Realm One

Lin Yi's application was answered shortly after it was submitted.

The surrounding light shifted and changed, transforming the treatment room into a tranquil starry courtyard.

Beneath our feet lies a smooth, obsidian-like ground, reflecting the starry sky. A few ancient trees with branches and leaves shimmering with Silverblue light are sparsely scattered in the corners of the courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard, beside an ancient gray-white stone table, the Xuan Yan sat, his slender fingers casually tracing patterns in the air, causing a miniature star map composed of countless points of light to rotate.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Lin Yi strode forward, stopped three steps away from the stone table, and respectfully bowed.

Xuan Yan raised his eyes, his gaze lingering on him for a moment before he nodded slightly and pointed to the stone bench opposite him.

"Sit."

Lin Yi sat down as instructed.

Xuan Yan picked up the steaming white jade teacup on the table. "You were in such a hurry to find me because of that Secret Realm One?"

He skipped the small talk and got straight to the point. At his level, his concept of time differed from that of ordinary people, and he didn't need those pointless formalities.

"Yes." Lin Yi also went straight to the point, "Lord, what exactly is that Secret Realm One? How could it make the three races simultaneously put down their fighting and sign this 100- Epoch ceasefire agreement?"

This was the biggest question lingering in his mind.

The Xuan Yan paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the teacup.

He didn't answer immediately, but remained silent for a moment, casting the light onto the illusory, deep starry sky outside the courtyard, as if weighing something.

The emerald green tea in the cup rippled gently, reflecting the fragmented light of the star map.

"According to the rules, at your level, you are not qualified to know information at this level," Xuan Yan finally spoke. "The true origin and core secrets of the Secret Realm One are only known to those at the Venerable Lord Rank and above."

He put down his teacup, turned his gaze back to Lin Yi's face, and a complex consideration flashed in his deep eyes.

"However..." Xuan Yan's tone shifted slightly, "With the talent and potential you've shown, as long as you don't perish prematurely, you will undoubtedly reach the Venerable Lord Rank in the future."

"So... I can make an exception and let you know part of it in advance."

Xuan Yan stared into Lin Yi's eyes and slowly said, "But this is only for your personal knowledge, and you must not disclose it to anyone else in any form."

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately nodded solemnly.

Xuan Yan leaned back in his chair, offering no direct answer, but instead throwing out another question, "In your opinion, under what circumstances could the three races, who have been bloodthirsty and have invested countless resources and lives, simultaneously stop fighting?"

Lin Yi did not answer immediately.

He lowered his eyes slightly, images flashing through his mind.

He recalled the "Silent Starfield" outside the porthole of the "Shadow Shuttle," utterly torn apart by the aftershocks of the battle between the gods, still riddled with spatial rifts; he recalled the cold, long list of the dead in the battle reports.

War is like a destructive machine running at full speed; once started, its enormous inertia is difficult to stop.

What could force this machine to brake suddenly is either a sheer cliff ahead that could shatter it to pieces, or... the appearance of an incredible treasure that the operator cannot refuse and must immediately turn around.

"It can only be profit." Lin Yi raised his head. "Profits large enough to tempt the three supreme beings, perhaps even... something that concerns the fundamental interests of the race's future."

This is the most reasonable conclusion he could deduce based on the available information.

At the Supreme level, ordinary resources and territories are probably insufficient for them to make such a significant strategic shift.

After listening, Xuan Yan nodded slowly, his expression revealing neither approval nor any other emotion.

You're half right.

half?

Lin Yi's eyebrows suddenly rose.

This answer was somewhat unexpected.

He believed that his deduction had touched upon the core of the problem.

Profit-driven motives are one of the most fundamental logics governing the actions of all races in the universe.

"Please enlighten me, Your Excellency," Lin Yi said.

"Interests are certainly one aspect," Xuan Yan, tapping his fingertips lightly on the stone table. "But the probability of obtaining what can be called the 'ultimate benefit' within that secret realm is extremely low, almost nonexistent. This ceasefire is largely due to pressure."

"Pressure?" Lin Yi repeated subconsciously, his heart churning with turmoil.

What else could possibly exert pressure on three races and four supreme beings standing at the pinnacle of the universe simultaneously?

He couldn't imagine it.

In his current understanding, the Supreme Beings are almost the end of the path of cultivation. They are the supreme beings whose words can become law and whose thoughts can create and destroy galaxies. They themselves are the source of pressure.

Seeing the undisguised astonishment and confusion in Lin Yi's eyes, Xuan Yan revealed a faint smile.

There was no ease in that smile; instead, it carried a deeper meaning that Lin Yi could not fully comprehend at the moment.

"That's not something you should know right now." Xuan Yan didn't continue explaining, abruptly ending the topic.

He raised his hand, and the virtual star map vanished, replaced by an extremely simple structural diagram.

A colossal tower, shrouded in layers of mist, with clearly marked tiers on its surface.

"When you can reach the 50th level of that secret realm on your own," Xuan Yan pointed to the middle of the map, which was specially highlighted, "I will naturally tell you what this pressure is. Knowing too much now will not do you any good; on the contrary, it may affect your judgment and state of mind."

50 floors?

Lin Yi's attention was immediately drawn to this specific number.

He had originally thought that the secret realm might be divided into areas, but he did not expect it to be such a clear, hierarchical structure, like a trial or challenge.

"Does the Secret Realm One have many layers?" he asked for confirmation.

"A total of 99 floors." Xuan Yan gave the exact number, his tone calm, as if he were talking about something ordinary.

But Lin Yi noticed that when the Xuan Yan uttered that number, a fleeting hint of... melancholy flashed across the depths of his eyes.

Or rather, it's a mixture of reminiscence and extremely complex emotions.

However, that emotion vanished so quickly that Lin Yi almost thought it was an illusion.

"99 floors..." Xuan Yan repeated softly, then shook his head, a cryptic expression on his face, a mixture of self-mockery and sigh. "But... never mind, there's no point in saying this now. You'll be going in soon, and what you experience, see, and touch firsthand will be far clearer and more profound than hearing me describe it a thousand times in pale words."

He waved his hand, clearly not intending to discuss the issue of hierarchy any further.

Upon seeing this, Lin Yi immediately suppressed the many more questions surging in his mind.

He knew that the Lord had already spoken and made his stance clear; to press further would be tactless and only cause offense.

Some information, if not at a certain level, can become a burden if you know it.

He memorized the two key numbers, "99 floors" and "50 floors."

He quickly shifted his focus back to more realistic and pressing issues.

"My Lord, now that the ceasefire agreement is in effect, what about the Overlord..." Lin Yi carefully chose his words, "Regarding the injuries of the Eternal Beginning Dominator..."

This is one of his biggest concerns.

The Overlord is the pillar of Human Race; its fall would directly lead to a decline in Human Race's standing within the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

"Hmm." Xuan Yan nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Three Sovereigns within the Pan-Spirit Alliance suffered severe injuries this time, and they will all receive treatment from the Supreme One during this hundred- Epoch ceasefire."

Lin Yi immediately felt relieved.

With the Supreme Being personally involved, anyone who doesn't perish on the spot should be able to be saved.

As long as the ruler is not in danger of falling, the sky for Human Race will not fall.

This is arguably the most direct benefit of the ceasefire.

But before he could even catch his breath, the next words from Xuan Yan made his heart leap into his throat again.

"However, you must understand that treatment and recovery are two different concepts." The Xuan Yan's tone was calm, yet tinged with a cold reality. "Even a Supreme Being's intervention is limited to stabilizing the Dominator's collapsing essence and averting their demise. It's like pulling them back from the brink of death at the most dangerous edge."

"As for the subsequent recuperation and recovery..." Xuan Yan shook his head slightly, "The Supreme One still needs to prepare for the resumption of the great war after a hundred Epoch, and cannot do these things anymore. Therefore, these can only be recovered little by little by the Master himself over a long period of time."

He provided a specific timeframe. "This process, at the most optimistic estimate, will take at least ten thousand Epoch. Within these ten thousand Epoch, the Eternal Beginning Dominator will be unable to act, and will even need to remain in an absolutely safe environment for a deep slumber-like recovery."

Ten thousand Epoch...

Lin Yi secretly gasped.

This period of time may not be long for the Overlord, but for the overall strategy of the Human Race, it means a long and dangerous window of opportunity in terms of deterrence at the highest level of combat power.

Although the Overlord has fallen without fear, and the Human Race still has its sky, this sky will no longer be able to shelter the races below from the wind and rain for a considerable period of time, and will no longer be able to form an effective strategic deterrent.

This will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the Human Race's ability to act and its voice in the future interstellar landscape.

He almost immediately recalled Edith's subtle warning earlier.

"My Lord," Lin Yi's tone unconsciously carried a hint of urgency, "I've heard that the Spirit Race might reassess and adjust the subsequent support and resource allocation based on the contributions of their allies in the previous phase of the war. If the war resumes after the Hundredth Epoch, given our Human Race's current accumulated merits and the fact that our Overlord is unable to intervene..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was already clear.

Once the Spirit Race reduce their support, the Human Race will be in a very passive position due to the temporary absence of high-end combat power and their own lack of outstanding combat achievements. They may even become the main targets of attrition in the new round of war.

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Xuan Yan's eyes flashed with surprise. He looked Lin Yi over again, a half-smile on his face. "I didn't realize you were so well-informed. You even managed to catch up on such undisclosed decision-making within the Spirit Race."

He did not deny it; instead, he directly affirmed Lin Yi's concerns.

"Indeed, this matter is basically settled within the Spirit Race's Supreme Council. Only the specific reductions and methods are still in the final stages of negotiation and refinement." Xuan Yan picked up his slightly cooled teacup, took a sip, his tone revealing little emotion. "As for our Human Race... among powerful races, our early battle achievements are indeed not optimistic, ranking us near the bottom."

Lin Yi was not surprised by this.

In the early stages of the war, the Time Lord and the high gods of the Time Law were unable to leave their posts, and the absence of one of their own rulers for five thousand years resulted in the Human Race failing to achieve significant results in several key battles.

The lagging behind in military achievements was an inevitable result of a combination of factors.

"Therefore..." Xuan Yan put down his teacup, "This truce period of one hundred Epoch is not only a time for our Human Race to recuperate, but also our last and best opportunity to catch up on our war achievements and reverse our unfavorable reputation!"

"The Secret Realm One is open to all three races. Inside, although the special rules of the secret realm prevent us from truly killing our opponents, however!" Xuan Yan emphasized, "Killing them and forcing them to leave the secret realm will still be counted as corresponding battle merits."

"Moreover, due to the unique nature of the Secret Realm One and its assigned strategic importance, the bonus coefficient for this type of battle achievement is far higher than that of a regular battlefield. Killing or driving away an opponent of the same level can yield battle achievements equivalent to killing several enemies of the same level in the outside world!"

A glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes, and his heart involuntarily skipped a few beats.

A glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes. The fighting outside had ceased, but a more direct and intense competition would unfold in that mysterious secret realm. Resources, opportunities, and battle merits were all intertwined.

That place will become a new battleground where the three races vie for power and control over the future.

"Secret Realm One... only those at the God-level can enter." He subconsciously repeated this known key restriction.

The Xuan Yan looked at him with profound eyes.

"That's right, the highest level is only accessible to gods."

After saying his last profound words, Xuan Yan did not continue immediately.

He gave Lin Yi a few seconds to digest and absorb the information.

The starlight flowed silently in the courtyard, and Lin Yi could feel something awakening within him.

"Now that we understand the key," the voice of Xuan Yan rang out again, pulling Lin Yi back to reality, "Then the next task is clear."

Lin Yi looked up, his gaze focused.

"For all members who meet the selection criteria and are qualified to enter the Secret Realm One," Xuan Yan lightly traced a line on the edge of the stone table, a tiny glimmer of light flashing, "Before entering the secret realm, you will all receive additional resources from the clan. The sole purpose is to make you stronger before you enter."

"Therefore, what you need to do, or rather, the only thing you need to think about, is two things."

The Xuan Yan held up two fingers. "First, during this limited preparation period before entering the secret realm, make good use of all available resources and do everything possible to maximize your strength. This includes your understanding of laws, your source energy realm, your mastery of secret techniques, and your combat experience."

Equipment... anything that can be converted into immediate combat power is what you should strive for.

He paused briefly, looked at Lin Yi, and only after confirming that the other party fully understood did he slowly lower the first finger and continue, "Second, after entering the secret realm, your objective is equally clear: to do everything in your power to acquire all the resources within the secret realm. At the same time, strive to reach higher levels. Remember, a level itself is a qualification, a privilege, and even... a form of protection."

"And while doing all this..." Xuan Yan's voice deepened, "Protect yourselves, that's the bottom line. On that basis, kill as many enemies as possible. Every enemy member you drive out of the secret realm not only earns you battle merits, but also reduces the effective forces that the enemy clan can subsequently deploy into the secret realm."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi's heart stirred.

He immediately grasped the key information hidden in Xuan Yan: "Reduce the number of times the enemy can enter the secret realm."

This clearly means that the qualification to enter that Secret Realm One is not permanent or unlimited.

Every ethnic group and every individual probably has some kind of limitation on the number of times or the lifespan of their population.

Once you are killed and forced out of the secret realm, it likely means you will completely lose the right to re-enter, or you will have to pay an extremely high price to regain it.

In this way, every successful expulsion weakens the enemy's future potential and high-end combat capabilities.

This is exactly the same logic as external wars, which weaken the opponent's strength by depleting their manpower, except that the battlefield is limited to that special "arena" that can only be entered by beings of the highest level.

However, since the Xuan Yan said that "the specific details will naturally be known later," and had previously clearly stated that many core rules of the secret realm could only be unlocked by reaching a certain level, Lin Yi suppressed the urge to ask about the specific mechanism and allocation method of the "number of attempts."

He believed that when the time came to know, both the Lord and the relevant instructions before entering the secret realm would provide the answer.

At this moment, Xuan Yan picked up his teacup and drank the last drop of tea.

"Later, you prodigies who emerged from the Sacred Tree Secret Realm will return to your respective clans under the unified arrangement of the Spirit Race." Xuan Yan put down his teacup and looked at Lin Yi. "Before returning, you should still have some time within the Spirit Race's territory. Make the most of the battle merit exchange system and some cultivation facilities that the Spirit Race offers to its allies. Don't waste them."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lin Yi immediately understood. This was Your Majesty reminding him that before leaving the Spirit Race, he could still use his battle merits or other means to gain some more benefits and solidify his foundation.

"Go." Xuan Yan waved his hand, his figure blurring in the Star Court, the surrounding starry sky slowly fading away like a faded ink painting. "Rest and recuperate, consolidate your gains. The Secret Realm One... that is the true stage."

"Respectfully seeing off Your Excellency." Lin Yi rose and bowed respectfully once more.

Once the figure of Xuan Yan had completely disappeared and the virtual space had returned to the appearance of his treatment room, Lin Yi finally breathed a long sigh of relief and slowly sat down.

The conversation just now was incredibly informative; he needs time to process it and formulate his next course of action.

The core objective is crystal clear: become stronger, enter the secret realm, and become even stronger, while simultaneously striking down the enemy.

"Continue the treatment first, and while you're at it... learn from their experience."

Lin Yi recalled the exquisite methods by which the Qinglin applied the Life Law, and made a plan in his mind.

Half an hour later, Xuanji's voice suddenly rang out. "Master, Edith, along with Green Leaf, Hui Yao, Valerie, and other prodigies, arrived Healing Hall three minutes ago and submitted a visit request, hoping to see you. The request has passed the initial verification by the hall's system. May I grant them an audience?"

Edith and the others are here?

They're well-informed.

Lin Yi thought for a moment. He had just come out, and they came to visit him. He had to accept their kindness.

"Xuanji, reply that access is permitted, and guide them to my current temporary rest area," Lin Yi instructed.

The Healing Hall provides each patient requiring intensive treatment with a private rest room that also functions as a reception area.

"Command confirmed. Guiding visitor."

Lin Yi walked to the window of the lounge. Outside the window was the artificial scenery of the inner courtyard of the Healing Hall, with flowing water and blooming exotic flowers, exuding a tranquil and peaceful energy field.

He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind about "Secret Realm One," "pressure," and "99 floors," and his face returned to calm.

A moment later, the door to the lounge slid open silently.

Edith entered first, still dressed in a simple silver-white casual outfit, with clear blue eyes. Behind her, several familiar faces, including Green Leaf, Hui Yao, and Valerie, filed in, all with expressions of concern.

"How are you feeling?" Edith stepped forward first, her blue eyes carefully examining Lin Yi's complexion and aura.

"He's mostly recovered; the Spirit Race's healing techniques are truly legendary."

Lin Yi smiled, stretched his arms, and felt the energy flowing smoothly within his body. "Thank you for coming to see me."

"It's nothing," Green Leaf replied, taking out an exquisite crystal box with sealing runes flowing across its surface. "We scraped together some things; although we know you certainly don't need them, it's still a small token of our appreciation, and we hope it can help you recover quickly."

Hui Yao and Valerie nodded in agreement.

What they brought out was also some kind of precious healing or restorative treasure.

Lin Yi felt a warmth in his heart, but he truly didn't need it.

Firstly, his injuries were indeed nearly healed; secondly, he valued the opportunity to continue "observing" the Qinglin's application of the Life Law.

He smiled, but firmly shook his head. "I appreciate everyone's kindness, but this treasure is unnecessary. My injuries are mostly healed, and..." He paused slightly, then said frankly, "The Qinglin who treated me is highly accomplished in the application of the Life Law. I wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about it. Using external objects might interfere with this direct comprehension of the Law."

Upon hearing this, Edith's eyes flashed with understanding.

She herself was a prodigy and immediately understood Lin Yi's plan: he was treating the treatment process as a valuable learning opportunity.

She nodded, gesturing for Green Leaf to put the crystal box away. "Since that's the case, then so be it. It seems that you gained more than just injuries from this trip to the secret realm."

Her words were clever, expressing both understanding and subtly touching upon Lin Yi's last-minute adventure.

Lin Yi laughed heartily and didn't hide anything, "It was indeed a close call. We found a great spot, but unexpectedly it attracted a god-level being, and I was almost slapped out. Before leaving, I risked going back to test it out."

He didn't specify what the "good place" was, nor did he mention the outcome of "giving it a try".

But Edith was an extremely intelligent person. From Lin Yi's bright eyes despite his serious injuries when he was first brought out, she had already deduced that he had probably succeeded.

To be able to snatch chestnuts from the fire under such circumstances and successfully bring "something" out... Edith was secretly awestruck, gaining a deeper understanding of Lin Yi's strength and courage.

She didn't press for details about what the treasure was, nor did she ask if the attempt had succeeded, because that was a matter of personal chance, and asking further would have seemed tactless.

Therefore, Edith merely gave a faint smile, "Congratulations. It seems your gains in this Sacred Tree Secret Realm far exceeded your expectations."

"Likewise," Lin Yi laughed. "You must have gained quite a bit within the secret realm."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to the hottest topic of the moment.

Hui Yao, being straightforward, couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "Do you know anything about that Secret Realm One, or the ceasefire between the three races?"

The others also showed expressions of concern.

Although they each have their own backgrounds and connections, Lin Yi, as the most prominent prodigy of the Human Race at present, may be able to obtain more crucial information.

Lin Yi nodded, his expression turning serious. "I only recently learned about it myself, and I did indeed communicate with the Lord." He carefully chose his words. "I don't know much about the specifics, and due to confidentiality restrictions, I can't reveal anything now, but some general directions are clear."

He looked at the companions before him, who could be said to have shared life and death with him in the Myriad Secret Realm, and solemnly said, "This ceasefire is a joint decision made by the highest levels of the three parties. The external war will not resume within one hundred Epoch, but the competition will shift to the interior of Secret Realm One."

He paused, then continued, "What we need to do now is make good use of the ceasefire period to improve ourselves as much as possible. Whether it's our understanding of laws, our source energy realm, or our secret equipment, every little bit helps. Once we enter the secret realm, everything will be determined by strength. At that time, we will naturally know what we need to know."

These words revealed key information while strictly adhering to boundaries, omitting specific rules, levels, or pressure, while also providing clear action guidelines: accelerate the process of becoming stronger.

Edith and the others were all extremely intelligent, and they immediately grasped the key point from Lin Yi's words, and understood his position that he could not say more.

Knowing these directions is already much clearer and more reliable than many unfounded rumors circulating outside.

"Understood." Edith nodded. "It seems we can't relax for a moment once we get back."

"That's right." Green Leaf clenched his fist. "I thought I could catch my breath after leaving the Sacred Tree Secret Realm, but I didn't expect an even bigger challenge to be waiting for me."

After chatting for a while longer, mainly about their respective plans, Edith and the others got up to say goodbye, not wanting to disturb Lin Yi's continued rest.

The two days flew by in focused treatment and reflection.

That afternoon, he had just finished his treatment and was consolidating his gains when Xuanji's voice rang in his mind, indicating that someone had come to visit again.

The visitor was Yaxi.

This Illusory Law prodigy of the Spirit Race still had a slightly pale complexion from recovering from serious injuries, but his eyes had regained their usual coldness and sharpness.

She came alone, wearing a simple light purple training uniform, her silver hair casually draped over her shoulders.

"It seems you've recovered quite well," Lin Yi said with a smile as he ushered her into the reception room.

Yaxi nodded and sat down in the guest seat, but her gaze remained fixed on Lin Yi's face, as if trying to discern something.

After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly spoke, "You... went again in the end?"

She didn't say where she was going, but they both knew exactly where.

Lin Yi looked into Yaxi's eyes, where the emotions were very complex.

There was curiosity, a desire to explore, and perhaps even a hint of fascination with "successful people" that she herself was unaware of.

Lin Yi suddenly laughed heartily, feeling quite cheerful.

Although the journey to the Sacred Tree Secret Realm was thrilling, the rewards far exceeded expectations.

Facing Yaxi, his former rival and last ally, he had no intention of hiding the outcome.

If it weren't for Yaxi, she would have been kicked out of the Sacred Tree Secret Realm long ago.

With a slight thought, Lin Yi flipped his wrist and took out two items from his storage space.

Above the left palm, fifteen Sacred Source Fruit shimmering with golden-green liquid light, floated silently, emanating a powerful and pure energy fluctuation and a rich aura of the Life Law.

Above the right palm were ten crystal-clear pieces, their interiors shimmering with a bluish-gold light as if alive—these were the Sacred Source Crystals.

Moreover, the size and energy purity of each piece meet a standard.

Fifteen high-quality World Derivation level Sacred Source Fruit.

Ten standard portions of Sacred Source Crystals.

The quiet room was instantly filled with these two superimposed fluctuations.

Even with Yaxi's composure, a slight tremor crossed her usually cold face when she saw these two items, especially the ten standard portions of Sacred Source Crystals.

Seeing her shocked expression, Lin Yi's smile widened.

"Just lucky," he said with a smile, "It worked."