Departure, Ambush, Instant Kill!

"Understood, thank you both for reminding me," Lin Yi said solemnly. "We will consider it carefully."

After finishing his conversation with Yan Long and Qing Ling, Lin Yi turned to look at the waiting team members.

"The situation is not good."

Lin Yi didn't hide anything and relayed the information Yan Long and Qing Ling had given them to everyone in detail. "In the past thirty years, traces of Abyss Race and Devouring Race squads have been discovered more than once in the star field surrounding the evacuation point, possibly for purposeful reconnaissance and probing. Seventeen years ago and eleven years ago, two conflicts occurred, and one of our deities was forced out of the secret realm."

"They suspect that the existence of the evacuation point may have been exposed, or that the other side has other plans in the vicinity and has intensified its activities. Although no large-scale gatherings have been detected, this could very well be the calm before the storm."

Upon hearing Lin Yi's words, everyone's expressions immediately turned serious.

Hui Lie spoke first, "So, this area has become a danger zone. The evacuation point is like a whirlpool, attracting more and more hostile forces closer. Since Yan Long and his men are also gathering surrounding squads to try and hold this place, the possibility of further conflict or even large-scale battle is extremely high."

Shi Feng nodded, his expression serious. "That's right. Once a strategic location like an evacuation point is discovered, it will inevitably become the focus of contention among all parties. We've rested here for a century, and although our strength has improved, the risk of getting involved in a major conflict is too high."

He looked at Lin Yi and suggested, "Captain, I think we should leave as soon as possible before the conflict fully erupts, especially since you still have the nascent form of a Source Treasure on you. We absolutely cannot afford to get trapped here."

A flicker of hesitation crossed Sevilla's emerald eyes. She said softly, "Shi Feng is right; risk aversion is a wise move. However..."

She paused. "Yan Long and Qing Ling's team, along with other Pan-Spirit Alliance teams that might be gathering nearby, are all trying their best to hold this evacuation point that is advantageous to our Pan-Spirit Alliance. Now that we've arrived here, is it really appropriate to just flee now that we've sensed danger?"

"More importantly, if we leave now, we might run into enemy squads that are gathering here or roaming the outskirts, making us targets for interception. The risk is considerable. Staying here, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily mean we can't win."

Both viewpoints have merit.

One approach is to seek advantage and avoid harm, and to withdraw as early as possible.

Another option is to consider the bonds of friendship and potential risks, remaining behind to observe or assist in defense, but this comes at the risk of being drawn into a major war.

All eyes turned to Lin Yi.

Now that a team has been formed and a captain has been elected, Lin Yi naturally needs to make the decision at this crucial moment.

Lin Yi remained silent, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the inner wall of the spaceship.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind, taking into account his latest changes in strength and the nascent source treasure that was being nurtured.

Evacuation points can indeed become the eye of the storm.

Once a large-scale battle breaks out, even with his current strength, he cannot guarantee his safety, especially since the priceless nascent Origin Treasure must not be lost in the chaos.

But Sevilla's words also make sense; leaving rashly at this point, with an unknown route, carries the risk of being ambushed by an enemy squad.

More importantly, he needs time.

The nurturing of a nascent Yuanbao requires a relatively safe and stable environment, as well as time.

After a long pause, Lin Yi slowly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Let's go," he said, his voice clear and firm. "We need to get out of here first."

Everyone's expressions shifted; it seemed the captain had chosen to avoid the risk.

But Lin Yi's next words took them somewhat by surprise.

"But not a long escape." Lin Yi's gaze swept over the puzzled faces of the crowd. "We're leaving the evacuation zone, but we won't go too far."

"Go, but not go far?" Hui Lie repeated, puzzled.

Lin Yi looked at everyone and knew that he needed to give a sufficiently convincing reason in order to reach a consensus.

He took a deep breath and dropped a bombshell.

"Everyone, there's something I need to inform you all," Lin Yi said calmly. "During this century of secluded cultivation, thanks to the abundant resources I exchanged at the evacuation point, I've made some progress. I've successfully mastered the fifth law, the Law of Water, and completed its initial integration."

"Based on my estimation, my current overall strength should have barely reached the threshold of a high-level god."

"What?!"

"The threshold for becoming a high-ranking deity?!"

Everyone was startled upon hearing this, and even the aloof Liu Na's emerald eyes were instantly stirred with emotion.

Hui Lie opened his mouth, and after a long while, he said, "Captain, you, you've mastered a new law in less than ten thousand years? And you've even touched the threshold of a high-level god?"

He knew that Lin Yi was the number one person in the Pan-Spirit Alliance in this generation, with unparalleled talent, and with the support of the resources obtained from exchanging a massive amount of Points, his improvement would inevitably be huge.

But to master a new law in less than ten thousand years?

This speed is simply unbelievable!

It's important to know that the time they spend mastering a new law is measured in Epoch!

Moreover, those who can cultivate to the level of high-level deities are all exceptional talents of their clans, having undergone countless trials and tribulations.

Lin Yi wasn't surprised by the crowd's reaction. He nodded and confirmed, "It was a stroke of luck, coupled with the accumulation of resources, that led to this breakthrough."

Upon hearing this, Shi Feng smiled wryly and said, "I can only say that compared to you, even geniuses of our caliber pale in comparison."

The others nodded in agreement.

Lin Yi simply smiled modestly, offering no explanation. After everyone had processed the news and calmed down, he changed the subject, steering the conversation back to:

"Although my personal strength has barely reached the level of a high-ranking god, if a great war were to break out here in the near future, the number of high-ranking gods participating would certainly be considerable, and among them there would likely be gods who are proficient in the Space Law. Under such a chaotic siege, even a single high-ranking god might not be able to guarantee absolute safety."

"Of course, more importantly, the nascent Origin Treasure we possess is not yet fully formed. In a battle of this magnitude, if we are forced out of the secret realm, this treasure will fall, which would be tantamount to aiding the enemy."

Everyone agrees with this point.

Indeed, anything can happen in the midst of chaos.

"Thanks to the information everyone provided, with my Main Body and my clone working together, the nascent Yuanbao will only need a little over ten thousand standard years to fully develop. At that time, everything will be completely different!"

Lin Yi looked at everyone, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. "Everyone knows what a fully formed Source Treasure means in the secret realm. When I return to this area with the strength of a high-level god and wield the Source Treasure, the situation will be completely different!"

"Therefore," Lin Yi said solemnly, "I intend to leave the evacuation point, this potential eye of the storm, and operate in the surrounding area not too far away, continuing to nurture the nascent Yuanbao. Once it is fully formed and our strength reaches its peak, we will decide whether to return to fight, depending on the situation! This is the best strategy, allowing us to advance or retreat as needed."

Lin Yi paused, a slight smile playing on his lips, "As for everyone's concerns about potentially encountering enemy squads ambushing us along the way..."

As he spoke, a fierce glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes. "Heh, I actually hope they come! It'll be a good opportunity to test my newly broken-through strength and also give us some more Points and spoils."

None of the gods present were fools. After listening to Lin Yi's complete plan, they only hesitated for a moment before expressing their agreement.

"Brilliant!" Hui Lie was the first to clap his hands in praise. "Let's escape the potential danger vortex first, and use the time to complete the final incubation. Once we have the Source Treasure in hand and our strength has reached its peak, we can come back! The initiative is completely in our own hands!"

Shi Feng nodded excitedly, "The captain is right. Now that the captain has reached the level of a high-ranking god, the risk of being ambushed along the way has been greatly reduced. We definitely can't just wait here foolishly. If a major battle really breaks out and we get caught up in it, wouldn't it be too unfair to lose the Origin Treasure? The best thing to do is to jump out of here first, wait for the treasure to be formed, and then come back with overwhelming force."

Sevilla's eyes lit up, and she quickly added, "I agree. This avoids unnecessary risks, and with the captain's strength greatly improved, the overall safety of our team is also much more guaranteed."

Finally, Liu Na's cool voice rang out, with its usual conciseness. "Feasible."

The plan was thus finalized, and no one raised any further objections.

"Now that the decision has been made, there's no time to lose."

Lin Yi immediately ordered, "Board the ship and depart! We will avoid the known conflict coordinates provided by Yan Long, but we will not stray too far from the Star Shatter Belt. We will explore within a range of approximately one hundred standard years' journey from the evacuation point, while simultaneously searching for a relatively secluded area with a stable energy environment to serve as our temporary base for the next phase."

Soon, the emerald green "Azure Spirit" spaceship took off again, changed direction, and sped towards the star field that was at a certain angle to the evacuation point and those known danger zones.

Before leaving, Lin Yi sent a short farewell message to Yan Long and Qing Ling, which basically said: Thank you for the intelligence. The team has decided to continue exploring and will be leaving now. Best wishes for the best.

He did not mention his breakthrough in strength or his detailed plans regarding the Source Treasure; he only stated his intention to leave.

--

The evacuation point is located beside the vortex, on a platform covered in rubble.

Yan Long and Qing Ling received Lin Yi's message almost simultaneously.

Yan Long's rocky face was expressionless, but a soft sigh came from his mental fluctuations, "Lin Yi has finally decided to leave. The defensive forces at the evacuation point have lost another vital member."

Qing Ling's pale blue wings folded slightly, her tone calm, as if she had expected this. "These things can't be forced. Over the years, haven't we seen enough of this kind of situation?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Long's laughter, sharp as rocks grinding together, immediately rang out. "Haha, you're right! It's good that they're gone; one less thing to worry about. We'll kill one of those insects that come, and two if they come! We'll just guard this place!"

Afterward, the two veteran deities said no more and turned their attention back to monitoring and defending the surrounding star systems.

--

The starry sea stretches endlessly, and time slips away quietly during the voyage.

The "Azure Spirit" has been flying along its planned route for more than a standard year.

During this time, they carefully avoided several areas with abnormal energy fluctuations or suspected spatial folds, and did not encounter any other teams along the way, whether friendly or hostile.

Inside the cabin, everyone was meditating.

Just as the spacecraft was about to enter a relatively quiet star belt composed of thin interstellar dust and cold debris.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

A piercing alarm suddenly blared inside the spaceship, shattering the tranquility that had prevailed since the start of the voyage.

Almost simultaneously, Liu Na's urgent voice came through. "My Intelligent Life tells me that the ship's wide-area detection system has detected an anomaly! There are eight high-intensity sources of divine power rapidly approaching from our side and rear! They are moving at extremely high speeds, and their trajectories are clearly pointing towards us!"

Everyone instantly awoke from their respective states, their divine power surging, and they instantly entered a state of highest alert.

A flash of silver-gray light appeared in Lin Yi's eyes, and his figure appeared in front of the main control window.

His sharp gaze followed the direction indicated by the alarm, his soul perception and the laws of space and time spreading outwards simultaneously.

The eight sources of divine power are clearly hostile!

Clearly, the other party first used a secret technique to conceal their movements, silently closing in close enough before abandoning the attempt to hide and approaching at full speed.

After all, the long-range detection capabilities of a god-level spaceship are still insufficient in the face of a deliberately concealed god-level powerhouse.

Therefore, the Azure Spirit only discovered its presence after the other side actively exposed itself.

"Let's go out first."

Lin Yi's calm voice rang out, "Liu Na, stow the spaceship to prevent it from being damaged in the battle."

"Okay." With a thought, Liu Na's emerald green "Azure Spirit" spaceship instantly transformed into a stream of light and was absorbed into her Divine Kingdom.

The five people then appeared in the cold starry sky and hovered in place.

The speed of a god-level being flying at full speed is much faster than that of a god-level spaceship. There would never be a ridiculous situation where a higher-level god cannot catch up with an ordinary god because their spaceship is not fast enough.

The reason why powerful individuals typically use spaceships during long-distance interstellar travel is simply to save energy, while also allowing them to comfortably cultivate, recover, discuss tactics, and even comprehend the laws within the cabin.

However, in actual skirmishes or pursuits, the true ultimate speed of a deity's Main Body is what allows them to fly.

Therefore, there's no way to escape by running.

Of course, they never intended to run away.

Although the visitors seemed hostile, the crowd was not nervous at all; instead, they became excited.

Shi Feng chuckled, "I didn't expect there would actually be an ambush. I just don't know how they discovered our whereabouts—was it by chance, or through some special means? But they must have known we were only a five-person team, probably thinking that with eight against five, they could easily take us down." He licked his lips, "But little did they know, they're in for a world of trouble this time."

Hui Lie's body shimmered with holy light, his fighting spirit soaring. "Perfect timing to test the results of a century of secluded cultivation. Captain, how should we fight this battle?"

Lin Yi stood at the very front, the power of spacetime rippling around him like water.

His soul perception and understanding of the laws of space and time had extended outwards, allowing him to clearly see the eight sources of divine power rapidly approaching.

Five Abyss Race and three Devouring Race.

Of these eight divine power reactions, two were clearly superior, indicating they were likely at the peak of higher deities.

"Two peak-level players. Their lineup is not weak." Lin Yi quickly assessed in his mind, "It seems that the other side did come prepared, possibly a special interception team targeting the Pan-Spirit Alliance squad leaving the evacuation point."

He quickly relayed his instructions via telepathy. "The enemy has a numerical advantage, but we have the advantage in top-tier combat strength. I will take care of one as soon as possible. Each of you just needs to hold off one of their gods, and I'll handle the rest. Remember, prioritize your own survival; don't engage in direct combat."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

After saying that, a cold glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes, "It just so happens that everyone's Points are running low, their arrival is just in time, let's go!"

As Lin Yi finished speaking, the five of them transformed into streaks of light and charged straight towards their opponents.

At this moment, eight streaks of light, exuding a violent and chilling aura, tore through the starry sky and appeared in sight.

Leading them were a peak-level deity of the Abyss Race, covered in dark gold scales and resembling a giant lizard, and a peak-level deity of the Giant Devouring Race, whose carapace was dark purple.

Their cold gazes swept over Lin Yi group of five, finally settling on Lin Yi, who was clearly the leader.

The peak deity of the Abyss Race saw that instead of fleeing, the five streams of light coming straight at him, and he vaguely sensed something was wrong deep in his soul.

It Soul Transmission to the Devouring Race's peak member and other team members beside it. "Something's wrong. Be on high alert. Those brats from the Pan-Spirit Alliance not only didn't run away, they're actually coming to meet us."

The mantis-shaped Devouring Race's peak compound eyes flickered as it replied, "Could it be that there are Space Law lying in ambush nearby, which is why they are so fearless?"

The Abyss Race's peak-level giant lizard god's soul fluctuation deepened. "That makes sense! First, use treasures to seal off the space, don't let them..."

Before it could finish speaking, a vast and exquisite silver-gray spatial fluctuation, like an invisible tide, erupted from Lin Yi and swept across this star field in an instant.

Space lockdown!

With Lin Yi's current mastery of the laws of space and time, the spatial blockade he casts is not only extremely wide in range, but also exceptionally stable in structure, far surpassing that of ordinary space deities.

"No! It's a spatial blockade! There's a spatial deity among them!" The peak-level mantis -Devouring Race was shocked, his soul hissing, "But not only did they not run away, they actively blocked the space?!"

The Abyss Race Giant Lizard God immediately roared, "Full defense!"

However, it was too late.

Before it could finish speaking, the figure at the very front of the five streams of light that were coming towards them suddenly vanished!

In the next instant, Lin Yi's figure appeared without warning beside a beetle-like Devouring Race God who was slightly behind in their ranks.

These carapace-covered Devouring Race possess astonishing defensive capabilities thanks to their naturally thick shells. To conserve their divine power, they typically only unleash their defensive treasures and armor when necessary, preferring to use their divine power for offense.

At this moment, it was charging forward with the team, its attention focused on the enemy coming from the front. Since the battle had not yet begun, it naturally did not waste its divine power by activating all its defensive measures.

Lin Yi's appearance was too abrupt, too close, and the timing was perfect.

Time stands still!

The radiance of the Time Law spread instantly from Lin Yi as the center, enveloping the Devouring Race deity and a small area around him.

Within this region, the flow of time has been forcibly slowed down to an extremely low level.

The movements, thoughts, and even the speed at which this Devouring Race God mobilized his divine power all experienced an extremely brief stagnation.

This seemingly insignificant stagnation becomes an insurmountable barrier in a life-or-death battle between gods!

At the same time, the Sky-Evasion Shuttle Spear in Lin Yi's hand had already transformed into a silver-gray blade of light that had been condensed to its extreme.

With this strike, he held nothing back, channeling all the power of law that had brought him to the threshold of a high-level god, combined with the most penetrating point-breaking techniques from the Void Annihilation Codex, into the tip of his spear.

Void Annihilation - Severed Void!

The gun was fired, but silently.

That thick, naturally formed armor was easily pierced like paper by the spear tip, which was imbued with the power to annihilate time and space.

The divine shield beneath the carapace didn't even have time to fully rise before it was torn to shreds by the ensuing Space-Time Rend.

"Pfft!"

A slight piercing sound was heard.

A silver-gray spearhead pierced through the beetle god's back and emerged from its chest, leaving a terrifying wound the size of a bowl, its edges shimmering with a silver-gray annihilation aura.

At the wound, the power of time and space was frantically eroding its divine body structure and the Soul Origin.

"Ugh!"

A heart-wrenching, piercing scream suddenly erupted, then abruptly ceased.

The light in the compound eyes of this Devouring Race deity dimmed instantly, and its life force vanished at an alarming rate.

Before it could even fully muster the thought of defense, its injuries had become so severe that they triggered the automatic protection mechanism of the secret realm's rules.

Buzz!

A dazzling seven-colored light suddenly burst forth from its dying divine body, forming a thick light shield that enveloped it.

The next moment, a violent flash of light appeared, and the figure of the Devouring Race deity, along with the seven-colored light shield, vanished without a trace.

In the starry sky, only its original suspended position remains, now filled with numerous floating objects.

The shattered carapace fragments, the pair of giant bone blades it used, a shield, several insect-shell-shaped storage containers, and scattered materials.

Instant kill!

From Lin Yi's instantaneous appearance to the freezing of time, and then to the fatal blow, the entire process was as fast as lightning.

By the time the other seven opposing deities realized what was happening, one of their companions had already been sent out of the secret realm, leaving behind only a pile of remains.

After doing all this, Lin Yi's figure became blurry again. He used the Void Annihilation Step and disappeared from the spot like a ghost. In the next instant, he was back beside Liu Na, Hui Lie and the others.

The five people hovered in the air, forming a semi-encirclement around the remaining seven Abyss Race and Devouring Race gods.

The situation reversed in an instant!

The seven enemy gods were both shocked and enraged. Their divine power surged wildly, and various defensive techniques, divine shields, and treasures lit up one after another, protecting themselves thoroughly as if facing a formidable enemy.

Lin Yi looked at his opponent, who had activated layers of defenses and was staring at them with suspicion, and knew that the method he had used to take advantage of their carelessness and launch a sneak attack to kill them was no longer viable.

The gods of the Devouring Race prefer to use their divine power for offense, and their reliance on and activation of defensive treasures are sometimes a beat slower. This allowed him to take advantage of the situation. Now that the enemy is on guard and has activated all their defenses, it will be difficult to replicate the previous victory.

Therefore, Lin Yi was not in a hurry to take action immediately.

Since the surrounding space had been firmly sealed off by his spacetime power, these gods were trapped like turtles in a jar, unable to escape.

So he wanted to try and get some information out of them, to learn more about the area around the extraction point, and how they managed to find his squad so precisely.

Lin Yi hovered in the air, his cold gaze sweeping over the seven tense and vigilant enemy gods. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips as he sneered:

"What, you all rushed over here so urgently? Did you know we're short on Points and wanted to kindly send us some?"

His voice, amplified by divine power, resonated clearly throughout the star field, carrying a mocking tone reminiscent of a cat toying with a mouse.