Arrangements Before Departure, Arrival

"Xuanji." Lin Yi pondered for a moment before speaking.

A figure in palace attire silently appeared, bowing slightly. "Master."

"Arrange a Virtual Network family gathering for me," Lin Yi said. "Include my Parents, Lin Xuan, and Lin Yao."

"Command confirmed. Sending invitations. All invitations accepted. Virtual space construction complete. Owner can access at any time."

Lin Yi nodded, his consciousness being drawn in.

Once the virtual space stabilized, he was already standing in a spacious and bright living room.

The decor here has a distinct Blue Star style, with soft fabric sofas, a wooden coffee table, and several landscape paintings hanging on the walls.

Outside the window, the sky is blue and the clouds are white; sunlight streams in through the glass.

Although simple, it exudes a warm and familiar atmosphere.

"Xiao Yi!"

A familiar voice came from inside.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw his father, Lin Ruiming, wearing a dark blue training uniform. He was taller than he remembered, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a smile on his face.

His mother, Zhou Jinghua, was also wearing training clothes and smiling at him.

"Dad, Mom," Lin Yi greeted them.

During the last family gathering, Lin Yi noticed a change in the aura emanating from his Parents.

Star Core level, seventh and eighth order.

This progress is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but for Parents with extremely poor talent, it represents five thousand years of persistent cultivation day after day.

Lin Yi remembers that before the war broke out, his Parents mostly enjoyed a leisurely retirement, taking in the leisure that came with their long lives.

But ever since news of his disappearance in the Myriad Secret Realm spread and the war between the three races broke out, his Parents have changed.

"Elder brother!"

Another voice came from the side.

Then Lin Xuan, the younger brother, appeared.

He looked to be in his early twenties, wearing the standard uniform of the Silver Blue Civilization Garrison, with shoulder insignia indicating his rank of Major General general.

Lin Xuan's temperament at this time was completely different from that of the playboy five thousand years ago. His eyes were steady, his steps were strong, and his brows showed the perseverance honed during his military career.

Lin Yi looked at his younger brother, his mind flashing back to those reports from Xuanji: Lin Xuan joined the Silver Blue Garrison Force at the beginning of the war, starting as a low-ranking soldier, and experienced dozens of small-scale conflicts and three large-scale defensive battles, growing rapidly in the flames of war.

He is now a high-ranking officer in the garrison forces, responsible for coordinating security and defense in a certain area of Silver Blue Starfield.

"Big brother." Lin Yao, the younger sister, was wearing a light blue East Peak Military Academy instructor's uniform, her long hair tied in a simple bun, her temperament gentle yet with the calmness of a scholar.

She is already at the fifth level of the Star Vortex level.

The reason Lin Yi didn't take her back to Origin Star last time was mainly because she had already settled down at the East Peak Military Academy as an instructor, cultivating the next generation for civilization.

A family of five reunited in this virtual living room.

"Please sit down," Lin Ruiming said, taking the lead and sitting down on the sofa.

Lin Yi sat opposite his Parents, while Lin Xuan and Lin Yao sat on a single sofa to the side.

Zhou Jinghua sat down next to her husband, her gaze fixed on Lin Yi.

"Xiao Yi, you've joined us so suddenly this time, are you going on another long trip?" Zhou Jinghua asked, her tone full of concern.

Lin Yi nodded. "Yes. In twenty days, I will be entering the Secret Realm One. This time, the time inside will be relatively long, and there will be no contact with the outside world inside, so I would like to have a get-together with everyone before I leave."

"Secret Realm One." Lin Xuan's eyes brightened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Brother, information about this secret realm is probably being kept secret from us. We only know the name; only those who have passed the selection process know the specific details. It's said there's no danger to life, but regardless, brother, please be extremely careful."

Lin Yao said softly, "Big brother, I recently looked up some case studies about complex secret realms in the military academy's database. The rules of these realms are often self-contained and may even conflict with the laws of the Main Universe. Once inside, many of my previous experiences may not be applicable."

"Don't worry, I'm prepared." Lin Yi smiled. "How have you guys been lately?"

Lin Xuan straightened his back. "Everything is normal in the military. After the war, the garrison mainly shifted its focus to internal security and disaster response training. I just passed the Star Core level assessment last month and am preparing to advance to the Star Vortex level."

Lin Yi could hear the reassurance in his younger brother's tone.

Five thousand years of war have changed many things. The spoiled brat who used to only know how to race cars and frequent clubs has now grown into a qualified soldier.

Lin Yao's report was more detailed, "At the military academy, I'm mainly responsible for the rule enlightenment teaching of Stardust level cadets. Recently, I've been trying to extract the commonalities between the Life Rule and the Water Rule into a more easily understandable teaching model. As for cultivation, the accumulation of Star Vortex level skills still needs time, but I'm not in a hurry."

Lin Yi listened, mentally assessing the situation. His younger siblings had chosen their own paths and were walking them steadily. That was enough.

"Dad, Mom, where are you?" Lin Yi asked his Parents.

Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jinghua exchanged a glance.

Lin Ruiming said, "We follow the established procedures. Although the war has stopped, we still practice our spiritual cultivation every day to strengthen our bodies."

He spoke casually, but Lin Yi could sense his persistence.

Five thousand years ago, Parents cultivated themselves primarily to spend more time with their children, and for leisure.

After the outbreak of war, especially during the years he was missing, his Parents cultivated themselves so as not to become a burden and so that they might have a little more power to protect themselves in case of need.

"Before I enter the secret realm this time, I will make some arrangements." Lin Yi went straight to the point. "Xuanji will allocate a portion from my funds and then consolidate the routine gifts from those forces. Of course, Xuanji will determine which ones are acceptable and establish a special fund. The main purpose of this fund is to help you two elders improve your cultivation levels."

Lin Ruiming was taken aback. "Xiao Yi, there's no need to go to such lengths. We're perfectly fine as we are."

"Dad, Rule-level items aren't expensive," Lin Yi explained. "I can afford to use treasures to force you to reach the Star Domain level right now."

This wasn't just him making things up. The rule-based treasures that helped his Parents fight their way to the Star Domain level probably only amounted to a little over a thousand clan merits, which was nothing to him.

"Force it to the Star Domain level?" Although Lin Xuan was much calmer, he still gasped in surprise.

Lin Yao looked at her older brother in shock.

She knew her older brother was now at the god-level combat power, but the fact that he could casually elevate her Parents to the Star Domain level was still beyond her imagination.

"It's nothing to me," Lin Yi said calmly. "Besides, it's what I should do as a son."

He paused, then looked at his younger siblings. "As for you two, the main focus will be on support, not guaranteed admission. Ultimately, the path of cultivation must be walked by yourselves. I can provide you with the best resources and guidance, but how far you go depends on yourselves."

Lin Xuan nodded emphatically. "I understand, brother! I will definitely work hard and not let you down!"

Lin Yao replied softly, "Don't worry, Big Brother, we will cherish this opportunity."

Zhou Jinghua's eyes welled up with tears. She reached out and took her husband's hand, then looked at her son. "Xiaoyi, you must take good care of yourself while you're out there. Don't worry about things at home; your younger brother and sister are here, and Xuanji is helping to look after them."

"Mom, I know." Lin Yi smiled. "This gathering is short, so I won't say much more. I'll spend more time with you after I come out of the secret realm."

The group chatted about everyday things for a while.

Lin Xuan talked about the recent joint exercise of the garrison troops, Lin Yao talked about several promising students in the military academy, and the Parents talked about the recent climate regulation project on Silver Blue Star.

They are all ordinary, trivial things, yet they exude the essence of life.

The virtual gathering ended after two standard hours.

Consciousness returns to reality.

"Xuanji," he called out.

"Master, I'm here."

"As I just mentioned, we will establish a ' Family Security and Development Fund.' Funding will come from: 10,000 clan merits will be allocated from my existing liquid funds as start-up capital; all future gifts sent to the manor will be subject to your judgment. Regular gifts can be accepted and converted into funds to join the fund; any gifts with obvious motives or that may cause trouble will be returned."

"The primary purpose of the fund is: first priority, to ensure the supply of cultivation resources for my Parents, with the goal of safely pushing them to the Star Domain level without damaging their foundations. You will be responsible for the specific plan; it must be prudent."

"The second priority is to provide my younger brother Lin Xuan and younger sister Lin Yao with cultivation resources, guidance opportunities, and crisis assistance when necessary, but without excessive interference."

"The third priority is to provide limited support to close relatives and friends within the Silver Blue Civilization who have close ties to our family."

"The fund's operation is entirely under your supervision. During my absence, you have the right to adjust resource allocation as needed."

"All instructions have been recorded." Xuanji's illusory figure in palace attire bowed slightly. "The establishment process for the ' Family Security and Development Fund ' has been initiated."

"Very good." Lin Yi nodded. "I need to make final preparations over the next twenty days. Don't disturb me unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Clear."

The twenty days passed in the blink of an eye during focused practice.

On this day, in the deep underground training room of the manor.

Lin Yi sat cross-legged in the center of the cultivation room, his body surrounded by faint spatial ripples.

Before him stood two figures, one a clone equipped with the Fearless War God -T714 mechanical body, and the other an ordinary clone.

"Time's up." Lin Yi opened his eyes.

Both clones nodded simultaneously.

The Fearless War God Clone raised its metal hand, a soft, pale purple halo illuminating its palm, and the ordinary clone did the same.

Two beams of light slowly drifted toward Lin Yi and merged into his body.

This is the transmission of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi.

Lin Yi closed his eyes, sensing the growth of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi within the Purple Mist Space deep within his soul.

A moment later, he reopened his eyes, a fleeting glint of light in them.

That's enough.

As soon as he finished speaking, a thought flickered in his mind.

The ordinary clone gradually faded, turning into specks of starlight and dissipating. This was the deliberate cancellation of the clone, with all insights returning to the Main Body.

Immediately afterwards, the Fearless War God Clone took a step forward.

Complex runes lit up the surface of the silver-gray streamlined divine body, and the entire body began to shrink and deform. In just three seconds, it transformed back into a palm-sized metal figure, which quietly landed on the ground.

Lin Yi bent down and picked up the metal figurine.

It feels slightly heavy to the touch, with a smooth and cool surface, and you can vaguely sense the immense divine power contained within.

He stored the metal figure inside his storage bracelet, which had a special storage compartment for the Fearless War God, keeping it in a dormant state.

After finishing all this, Lin Yi walked out of the cultivation room.

Aurelia was already waiting in the living room.

Today she was wearing a dark silver combat uniform, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail, making her look very heroic.

"Ready?" Lin Yi asked.

"We can leave at any time." Aurelia nodded.

Without saying much, the two walked out of the main house side by side.

On the manor's landing pad, a streamlined, silver-gray Flying Shuttle was already in position.

The Flying Shuttle had a spacious interior. After the two sat down, the hatch closed, the Flying Shuttle vibrated slightly, and then steadily took off, passing through the energy shield above the manor and flying towards the outer space of the Origin Star.

Outside the porthole, the landscape of Origin Star flashed by.

About half an hour later, a huge spatial building appeared in front of them.

It was a multi-layered spaceport resembling a honeycomb, its surface covered with silver-white alloy armor, with countless channels extending out like veins.

On one side of the spaceport, a colossal vessel, the Secret Realm One dedicated spaceship, was parked.

It was a gigantic spaceship, its entire body a dark gold color, with faint patterns of laws flowing across its surface.

Dozens of small escort ships surrounded the ship, their energy shields radiating a continuous glow.

"We've arrived," Lin Yi said.

Following the guidance signals, the Flying Shuttle slowly entered the designated berth in the spaceport.

The hatch opened, and Lin Yi and Aurelia stepped out.

The platform where the berths are located is very spacious, and quite a few people have already gathered there.

Lin Yi's gaze swept across the room, and he saw many familiar faces.

"Lin Yi!"

A gentle voice came from behind.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw Starweaver walking over.

This Eternal Divinity of Human Race, a senior figure on the list, wore a simple white robe and wore a warm, gentle smile.

"Your Majesty Starweaver." Lin Yi bowed slightly.

"No need for formalities," Starweaver said with a smile. "This trip to the secret realm might offer an opportunity for cooperation."

"It is my honor to walk alongside Your Majesty," Lin Yi responded.

Starweaver nodded, exchanged a brief greeting with Aurelia, and then walked to the other side, where several other Human Race from the same list were gathered.

Then, a few more people came over.

"Lin Yi." Frost Ash's voice remained cold, but his eyes held a hint of approval.

This Eternal Divinity, renowned for his combat prowess within the roster, is dressed today in a dark red battle armor.

"Your Majesty Frost Ash," Lin Yi bowed in return.

"See you in the secret realm." Frost Ash said succinctly before leaving.

Heart Whisper, Martial Evening, Return to Source, Sharp Edge, Void Simulation— these Eternal Divinity whom Lin Yi had met at the internal gathering of the roster—all greeted him one after another.

Their attitude was much more familiar than when they first met.

Besides the list of prodigies, the platform also contains many god-level powerhouses that Lin Yi met on the Frontline.

"Brother Lin Yi!" a rough, hearty voice rang out.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw a burly deity wearing heavy armor striding towards him. This was the captain of a small team he had helped out on his mission.

"Your Majesty Ai Hen," Lin Yi greeted him with a smile.

"What 'Your Majesty'?!" Ai Hen patted Lin Yi's shoulder forcefully, a gesture that drew the attention of many surrounding prodigies. "If you hadn't arrived in time last time, my teammates and I would have been finished! I remember that favor!"

"It's my duty," Lin Yi said.

"If you run into any trouble, just let me know!" Ai Hen said, then lowered her voice, "I heard you might be targeted in the secret realm. Be careful."

Lin Yi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded. "Thank you for the reminder."

There are many similar cases.

Lin Yi's performance on the battlefield, especially during the last ten years when his Fearless War God Clone served as a "lone wolf" on the Frontline, repeatedly rescued the divine spirit squad from their predicaments, earning him many friends.

Two venerable figures even nodded in greeting from afar.

Aurelia stood quietly beside Lin Yi, occasionally responding to greetings from a few acquaintances.

"It's time to board," Xuanji's voice reminded Lin Yi in his mind.

The crowd began to move in an orderly fashion toward the spacecraft's access tunnel.

Lin Yi Lin Yi and Aurelia followed the flow of people and boarded the ship smoothly. Aurelia cabins were connected luxury suites located in the upper part of the spaceship.

The suite is fully equipped, with a separate meditation room, rest area, and viewing window.

After settling in briefly, Lin Yi walked to the viewing window.

Outside the window, the platform of the spaceport gradually recedes into the distance.

The spaceship began to slowly adjust its attitude, its main engines gleaming with a deep blue light, and then it accelerated smoothly, leaving the spaceport and flying towards the deep starry sky.

The Origin Star gradually shrank in the viewfinder, eventually becoming a point of light and disappearing into the vast sea of stars.

Lin Yi stood by the window, quietly watching this scene.

A new journey has begun.

Two years of sailing passed quietly in training and preparation.

The passengers on the ship were mostly geniuses and powerful individuals who were about to enter the Secret Realm One, so the atmosphere was quite unique, with both a sense of tension before battle and a warm atmosphere of exchange among like-minded people.

Lin Yi spent most of his time studying the <Void Annihilation Codex> in his suite.

This Sovereign Secret Canon is extremely profound, but the gains are also enormous. He has gained a deeper understanding of the fusion of the four laws of time, space, life and death.

Aurelia, on the other hand, focuses on breaking through the Metal Rule.

During this time, Lin Yi also participated in several exchange meetings organized on the ship, where participants exchanged some scattered information about the Secret Realm One.

Finally, after nearly two years of sailing, the spaceship arrived at its destination.

"Passengers, we are about to arrive at the assembly area Secret Realm One. Please prepare to disembark." The announcement woke Lin Yi from his meditation.

He walked to the viewing window.

The sight before him caused his pupils to shrink slightly.

It was a cosmic spectacle that defies description.

Against the backdrop of a pitch-black starry sky, a giant vortex rotates silently.

Seven-colored light flowed within the vortex; the light was not static, but rather wriggled and intertwined like living things.

At the center of the vortex was a deep darkness, like an entrance to another universe.

Even from a distance, Lin Yi could sense the immense power of the laws emanating from the vortex.

Spacetime, life and death, light and darkness, the five elements—almost all known laws can be sensed from it, but they are mixed together, forming a chaotic and vast pressure.

The spaceship gradually slowed down and eventually merged into a dedicated channel leading to the magnificent creation in the distance.

That was the Spirit Race's colossal interstellar fortress.

It is not cast from cold metal, but rather resembles a giant crystal tree rooted in the starry sky, with lush branches and leaves.

Countless crystal-clear branches stretch out, forming natural mooring platforms, defensive fortifications, and living areas. Their surfaces flow with a dreamlike energy glow, illuminating the surrounding dark starry sky as if it were daytime.

This perfectly embodies the Spirit Race style: powerful and elegant.

Opposite this "Crystal Tree" fortress stand two other colossal structures with completely different styles.

The Abyss Race's fortress resembled an ancient, ferocious beast coiled in the starry sky, forged from countless grotesque bones and dark metal. Its surface was covered with spikes and cannon barrels, exuding a savage, domineering, and undisguised aura of ferocity. Its mere existence dimmed the starlight in the vicinity.

The Devouring Race's fortress was even more bizarre, resembling a giant, constantly writhing and multiplying nest. Its surface was covered with a purplish-black biomass carapace, from which countless holes flickered with eerie light, like the breathing of a living creature, emanating a corrosive and chaotic fluctuation that made one's soul uneasy.

The three fortresses occupy three different locations on the outer perimeter of the vortex at the entrance to the secret realm, separated by a considerable distance sufficient to buffer any potential conflict. However, the invisible standoff and oppression they create are like tangible dark clouds, shrouding the entire star field.

Although the ceasefire agreement temporarily halted hostilities, the tense atmosphere remained palpable, with every spaceship entering and leaving the fortress moving hurriedly and on guard.

Lin Yi and his group's spaceship were heading towards the Spirit Race Crystal Tree Fortress.

"Prepare for docking, Spirit Race 73rd Branch Platform," the broadcast announced.

The spacecraft landed smoothly on a crystal-clear, giant branch platform.

The hatch opened, and Lin Yi and Aurelia walked out with the flow of people.

The platform was extremely spacious and had already gathered powerful individuals from various races of the Pan-Spirit Alliance. The noise was somewhat chaotic, but the overall order was well maintained.

Lin Yi's gaze swept across the room and he immediately spotted many familiar faces.

Immediately afterwards, several warm greetings came from different directions.

"Brother Lin Yi, you've finally arrived!" Ming Luo strode up to greet Lin Yi as soon as he saw him.

Almost simultaneously, a gentle, smiling voice came from the other side, "Lord Lin Yi, how have you been?"

Lin Yi turned his head and saw that the Holy Radiance Race's deity "Huiyu" was nodding slightly, his body enveloped in soft holy light, his aura pure.

This person was also rescued from the Devouring Race clan's encirclement by Lin Yi's Fearless War God Clone during an encounter battle.

"Lin Yi, over here." A slightly cold but kind female voice rang out. It was "Jingli," a female deity of the Crystal Spirit Race, whose rhombus-shaped crystal on her forehead shimmered with a faint light.

Beside her was a short, stocky deity from the Li Race. Both of them had been members of a reconnaissance team that had infiltrated deep behind enemy lines, and they were able to escape only under the cover of Lin Yi's clone.

These god-level powerhouses from different races all formed comrades-in-arms with Lin Yi because of the rescue operations he carried out during his time as a "lone wolf" on the Frontline.

Their appearance and enthusiastic attitude drew attention from many other strong individuals on the platform.

Besides these comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side, Lin Yi also felt several more profound gazes, filled with scrutiny and appreciation, cast upon him from afar.

Those were several Venerable Lord Rank beings guarding this place.

Aurelia stood quietly to Lin Yi's side and slightly behind, keenly sensing the various gazes gathering around her. She knew that Lin Yi had earned his own position and reputation among the Frontline experts of the Pan-Spirit Alliance through his solid achievements.

Just then, Lin Yi sensed a familiar presence.

He looked up and saw his Ninth Senior Brother Cang Ming, along with his Second Senior Sister, Fourth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Sister, and Senior Brother Xuanshu, walking over from the other side of the platform. They had obviously come to greet him upon learning of his arrival.

With a smile on his face, Cang Ming was about to quicken his pace when Xuanshu gently tugged at his sleeve beside him.

Xuanshu gestured with his eyes to those around Lin Yi.

There gathered renowned Starweaver, as well as a group of powerful deities from different races, including Ai Hen, Huiyu, and Jingli, all of whom exuded fierce auras and showed obvious affinity towards Lin Yi. Even further away, there were Venerable Lord Rank paying attention to him.

Cang Ming and the others paused slightly, instantly understanding Xuanshu's reminder.

At this moment, Lin Yi was surrounded by a group of top geniuses and veteran gods from the Pan-Spirit Alliance. If they rashly stepped forward to reminisce, it might disrupt this level of communication.

The group exchanged glances and tacitly stopped at a suitable distance, waiting patiently while also taking the opportunity to observe the current aura of their junior brother.

Cang Ming felt even more deeply moved.

He knew Lin Yi was extraordinary, but witnessing firsthand how Lin Yi could be genuinely accepted and surrounded by so many powerful gods of different races in this tense standoff at the Spirit Race's Frontline fortress, this invisible "momentum" could not be simply summarized by talent or strength.

This represents a recognition that transcends racial background and is based on trust on the battlefield, forming a more solid foundation.

Xuanshu, Lieyang, and the others also revealed a complex expression of mixed relief and shock in their eyes.

Lin Yi naturally noticed the arrival of his senior brothers and sisters.

He quickly finished exchanging pleasantries with Ai Hen, Huiyu, and the others, and after a polite greeting, he led Aurelia toward Cang Ming and the others.

"Second Senior Sister, Fourth Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Sister, Ninth Senior Brother, thank you for coming all this way to pick me up." Lin Yi's tone was as respectful as ever to his senior brothers and sisters.

"Haha, junior brother, you're the center of attention wherever you go now."

Cang Ming laughed heartily, the subtle distance created by the occasion instantly melting away with Lin Yi's initiative to approach. "Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister will arrive a little later; let's go to the temporary camp first. The situation Secret Realm One is even more astonishing than expected."

His gaze swept over the two enormous fortresses in the distance, each with a distinct style, and the vortex of the secret realm in the center that devoured light; his tone became solemn.

The group left the bustling take-off and landing platform and headed towards the area inside the Spirit Race fortress prepared for them, the "secret realm visitors."

Along the way, through the crystal-clear passage walls, one can clearly see the abyss Abyss Race's menacing skeletal fortress and the Devouring Race's eerie, writhing creature nests in the distance, forming an extreme and oppressive contrast with the Spirit Race's crystal tree fortress at their feet, which is full of vitality and orderly beauty.

Lin Yi knew that the war had been suspended because of the secret realm, but outside the entrance to this secret realm, the three peak races were displaying their power and will in another form.

A new round of competition has already begun in this silent standoff.

And he will officially step into the center of this vortex.