A Life-Risking Method, Ellis's Gift

Within the Frost Eternal Base, not all areas are as solemn and austere as the Core Zone.

In a relatively open platform area in the eastern district, several buildings of different styles surround a central space resembling an open courtyard. There are no strict patrols here, and the atmosphere is much more relaxed. It is one of the places where the gods in the base communicate and gather in their spare time.

At one of the open-air taverns called Stardust Glimmer, several strangely shaped tables were occupied by several powerful deities.

They were all among the most outstanding of the higher deities, and Prison Suppressor was one of them.

He sat in a chair, holding a pale golden drink that exuded the fragrance of herbs, listening as a Thunder Mist Race friend beside him recounted with great enthusiasm how he had outmaneuvered a small alien squad during their last mission.

... Then I had that kid Kanila disguise himself as an energy turbulence and drift behind them, hey!

Those guys were completely focused on what was ahead; they had no idea...

The Thunder Mist Race Spirit Clan deity as he spoke, causing several other deities from the Holy Radiance Race and Crystal Spirit Race nearby to burst into laughter.

Prison Suppressor also wore a relaxed smile, occasionally taking a sip of his drink.

This kind of time, free from the pressure of tasks and filled with casual conversations with close friends, is a rare moment of relaxation on the 47th floor.

Just then, Prison Suppressor's smile suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was listening intently to something.

The others at the table also noticed his unusual behavior. Even the Thunder Mist Race deity, who had been speaking eloquently, stopped and looked at Prison Suppressor with curiosity.

The expression on Prison Suppressor's face quickly changed from focused to incredulous. Then, a bright, even somewhat joyful and proud laugh bloomed on his usually calm face!

"Prison Suppressor, what's going on? What's making you so happy?" His friend from the Holy Radiance Race asked hurriedly.

Prison Suppressor's smile faded slightly, but the excitement in his eyes was impossible to hide. He looked at his friends and announced loudly, "Just now, I received a message from my junior brother Lin Yi— he's emerged from seclusion! And he's officially entered the Time Origin Law!"

"What?!"

"Lord Lin Yi... you've entered the realm of Time Origin Law?!"

"So fast? It's only been a short while..."

The deities at the table were taken aback at first, then their faces all showed shock.

They all knew that Lin Yi had claimed at the core meeting that he was expected to master the 700 standards within the year, but that was the Time Origin Law!

Even with the most optimistic estimates, doubts are inevitably lingering deep down.

Who would have thought that it would actually succeed in such a short time?!

"Congratulations! Congratulations, Prison Suppressor! Congratulations, Lord Lin Yi!" The Thunder Mist Race deity was the first to react, excitedly raising his cup, "Your Human Race has gained another quasi -Venerable Lord Rank warrior!"

"Excellent, Prison Suppressor, this is a joyous occasion." The other deities also raised their glasses in congratulations.

They were all close friends of Prison Suppressor and had a strong relationship with the Human Race. Lin Yi's breakthrough was a huge boon for them and for the entire base.

"Congratulations! Congratulations!" Prison Suppressor raised his glass and downed it in one gulp, laughing heartily. "That's great! All the preconditions for the plan set at the previous meeting have been met. I think those alien races and Abyssal scum who dared to provoke us won't escape this time!"

"That's right! With two quasi-Lords in charge, they'll definitely not return alive!" The crowd was in high spirits.

Overjoyed, these deities immediately spread the explosive news that "Lin Yi has emerged from seclusion and officially entered the Time Origin Law" through their respective channels.

They weren't deliberately publicizing it; rather, this momentous news, concerning the fate of the base and the vital interests of everyone, simply couldn't and didn't need to be hidden.

Moreover, this is within a secret realm, where only reliable experts from various races can enter. Furthermore, even communication between our own side is extremely difficult, and the base is heavily guarded, so there is no need for the other two sides to notice.

The news spread like wildfire.

One tells ten, ten tell a hundred.

In almost half a standard hour, the news that "Lord Lin Yi has successfully entered the Time Origin Law" swept through nearly three thousand gods in the entire Frost Eternal Base like a violent energy Tide.

In the meditation chamber, a deity meditating suddenly opened their eyes; in the mission hall, a deity browsing the light screen stopped what they were doing; in the trading hall, a deity conversing looked up; even some deities deeply immersed in meditation were awakened by urgent messages from close friends...

Shock, excitement, anticipation... all sorts of emotions surged within the hearts of all the gods.

"It really worked..."

"Less than two thousand years... from the initial comprehension to formally entering the field... this, this is simply..."

"Two Quasi-Lords! Our Frost Eternal Base now has two Quasi-Lords!"

"I was worried about the enemy's strength before, but now... I'm only worried that they haven't brought enough good stuff."

"Haha, raising resources before was definitely the right thing to do, now we're all set."

"A banquet! A grand celebration banquet must be held!"

The atmosphere inside the base instantly became high-spirited.

This means that the strategic plan formulated at the previous core meeting, which relies on the combat power of the two quasi-Supreme Lords to counter or even annihilate the enemy, has been fully implemented!

Lin Yi's residence.

After briefly informing his senior brother Prison Suppressor of his successful breakthrough, Lin Yi went to the living room and tidied himself up a bit.

Not long after, Xuanji's voice rang out. "Master, Prison Suppressor requests a visit."

"Please come in, senior brother." With a thought, Lin Yi temporarily opened a door in the protective barrier of his residence.

Prison Suppressor strode in, his face beaming with undisguised smile and pride.

He looked Lin Yi up and down, and his eyes lit up with even more joy after sensing the profound rhythm emanating from Lin Yi.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother!" Prison Suppressor said with a smile, "You've mastered the Time Origin Law in less than two thousand years!"

Lin Yi smiled slightly, "Senior Brother, you flatter me. I was just lucky and gained a little. I'm still far from truly mastering the Origin Law."

"This is no small achievement," Prison Suppressor, speaking seriously, "That 1% threshold has shut down countless talents. For you to cross it in such a short time requires talent, perseverance, and opportunity—all three are indispensable. I am truly happy for you, Senior Brother."

He paused, a look of emotion on his face. "Speaking of which, Junior Brother, you've become the first Source Law level being in our sect. I wonder how happy Master will be when he hears this news after he comes out of seclusion."

Prison Suppressor laughed as he spoke, "Haha, I'm already a little curious about what kind of expression Master will have then."

When Prison Suppressor mentioned Xuchen, the master who changed his fate, Lin Yi's smile gradually faded.

He was silent for a moment, then hesitated before speaking, "Senior Brother, there's something... I'd like to ask you."

Seeing Lin Yi's serious expression, Prison Suppressor also suppressed his smile, "What is it? Tell me."

"I didn't know much about the Source Law level before, so I didn't think much of it," Lin Yi said carefully, choosing his words. "But now I know that if ordinary methods of comprehension aren't enough to break through the bottleneck, there's a more dangerous method called the Origin Insight Method."

He looked at Prison Suppressor and slowly said, "Master... was this the one he used back then?"

The term "Origin Insight Method" was something Lin Yi only learned about when he was studying those three classic Time Origin Law.

This secret method is mentioned in all three classic texts.

Its principle is to allow practitioners to fully open the Soul Origin, enabling the most essential part of the soul to directly contact and experience the Origin Law.

This method can indeed greatly increase a person's comprehension in a short period of time and make their comprehension efficiency soar. However, once used, it cannot be broken free by external force. One can only break free on their own through the "enlightenment" that comes after breaking through the current bottleneck in the comprehension of the Origin Law.

If one fails to break through the bottleneck for a long time, one will get lost in the vast Origin Law and eventually die from exhaustion of Soul Origin.

This method is a do-or-die gamble, and very few high-ranking deities are willing to use it.

Death caused by the depletion of Soul Origin is irreversible.

Upon hearing Prison Suppressor, Zhenyu's smile slowly faded.

He was silent for a few seconds, then sighed, "You guessed right. The method Master used back then was indeed the Origin Insight Method."

Lin Yi's heart sank slightly.

Prison Suppressor continued, "At the time, I didn't understand. I always felt that Master clearly had an eternal lifespan and could have tried things slowly, so why was he so radical? Although Master gave a reason, saying that if the Origin Law couldn't be realized, it would ultimately become a pawn... but I always felt that this wasn't the main reason."

He looked up at Lin Yi, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Only now, seeing you on the 47th floor, junior brother, do I understand how Master felt back then."

Lin Yi frowned slightly. "You only understood after seeing me?"

"Yes." Prison Suppressor gave a wry smile, "I've seen you catch up quickly, junior brother, and soon you'll surpass me."

Haha, I'm happy for you, but I also feel the pressure.

He paused, his tone becoming somewhat somber. "I suppose you felt the same way when I excitedly told my master that I had perfected the Nine Laws and reached the peak of the Upper God realm."

Lin Yi understood the meaning behind Prison Suppressor's words.

Master Xuchen watched his disciples grow up one by one, especially his eldest disciple Prison Suppressor, who had reached the peak of the Upper God and was beginning to touch the threshold of the Origin Law.

As a mentor, he was both happy for his disciples and felt the pressure—their disciples had all caught up, and if he, their mentor, remained stagnant...

This pressure may be one of the reasons why Xuchen chose to use the radical "Origin Insight Method".

Seeing Lin Yi's thoughtful expression, Prison Suppressor added, "By the way, junior brother, let me tell you a secret that's not exactly a secret. The reason Ellis broke through so quickly was also because he used the Origin Insight Method."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi couldn't help but gasp.

Ellis really that ruthless to herself?

With his talent and resources, he could likely have broken through by simply waiting a little longer, yet he chose to risk his life?

"Is it really necessary..." Lin Yi murmured.

Prison Suppressor laughed, "Of course. Who among those who have cultivated to this level doesn't have something they firmly believe in?"

Let alone Ellis...

He paused, his tone becoming serious. "Once this great battle is over, your senior brother also plans to start using this secret technique."

Lin Yi was immediately alarmed and quickly dissuaded him, "Senior brother, this is too dangerous! If the Origin Insight Method is lost, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Prison Suppressor waved his hand. "Junior brother, don't worry. Your senior brother has never used this kind of secret technique before; this is the first time. Taking advantage of this novelty, it's relatively safe to use it to break through a few minor bottlenecks."

Lin Yi's brows remained furrowed upon hearing this.

In his view, the Origin Insight Method is somewhat like a Russia roulette with dozens of bullets in the magazine. The risk is not too high in the first few times, but the more times it is used, the more difficult it is to break through the bottleneck. The number of "bullets" in the "magazine" will increase, and the risk of getting lost will rise sharply.

What's even more frightening is that this method can easily lead to dependency.

Once you've tasted the sweetness of that skyrocketing efficiency in gaining insights, it's hard to go back to the slow, conventional way of gaining insights.

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Senior brother, even if it's the first time using it, there are risks. Moreover, this method can easily lead to dependence, making it difficult to control the urge to continue using it. I hope you will consider this carefully."

Seeing the worry in Lin Yi's eyes, Prison Suppressor smiled and said, "Hey, I will, don't worry. Your senior brother here has lived for so long, I'm not some greenhorn. I'll be careful about everything."

He patted Lin Yi on the shoulder and changed the subject. "Alright, let's not talk about that. Let's get back to business. Junior brother, the news of your successful breakthrough has spread throughout the base. Everyone is very excited and thinks it's a great event. So, the idea of holding a grand celebration banquet has been brought up again."

"Firstly, it's to celebrate you and Ellis both reaching the Quasi -Venerable Lord Rank, a significant boost to the base and even the Pan-Spirit Alliance's strength on the 47th floor; secondly, it's to boost morale and unite everyone before the great battle. I'm here on behalf of everyone to ask for your opinion."

Lin Yi pondered for a moment.

He naturally disliked noisy occasions, but now that his status was different and he was part of the base community, some social obligations and rituals were unavoidable.

Moreover, this is indeed a good opportunity to boost morale, and everyone means well.

"I certainly can't refuse everyone's kind offer," Lin Yi smiled and nodded in agreement. "However, I've never experienced a banquet of this caliber before. I'm wondering what I should be mindful of? I would appreciate any guidance from you, senior brother."

Seeing Lin Yi agree, Prison Suppressor's smile widened, "Actually, there's nothing particularly special to note. The core of this kind of celebration banquet is congratulations and exchanges; the atmosphere will be quite lively. As one of the main characters, you just need to accept everyone's congratulations. Bota will send you the specific procedures and arrangements later."

"However, there is one thing. According to custom, at banquets celebrating newly promoted powerhouses, the attendees usually prepare a congratulatory gift for the main character. This time, it's being hosted by you and Ellis together, so... Junior Brother, you should prepare a congratulatory gift for Ellis. Similarly, Ellis should also prepare one for you. This is a matter of etiquette and a sign of mutual respect."

Lin Yi nodded in understanding; this was perfectly reasonable, tantamount to mutual congratulations.

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, senior. I will prepare a suitable gift."

"Good, it's good that you understand." Prison Suppressor saw that Lin Yi had agreed and didn't say anything more about it. "Since you have no problem, the time is tentatively set for two standard days from now. The location is the Central Plaza of the base, there's enough space there. Bota will handle the specifics, and I will also help with the reception. You can take these two days to rest and prepare."

"Alright, thank you for your help, Senior Brother and Bota."

After seeing Prison Suppressor, Lin Yi began to think about what gift to prepare for Ellis.

Too light a weight would seem disrespectful, while too heavy a weight might seem deliberate. Besides, the other party was a descendant of the Spirit Race's supreme being, who had seen countless treasures. Ordinary things would probably be beneath his notice. After pondering for a while, a unique idea suddenly came to him.

Time passed quickly.

Two standard days later, the entire Frost Eternal Base was enveloped in a festive atmosphere.

Frost Eternal Base, Central Plaza.

The interwoven bands of energy light illuminated the entire venue as if it were daytime.

A long, circular table was laden with delicacies and fine wines from various ethnic groups. Nearly three thousand deities gathered, conversing according to their respective tribes, while sunlight occasionally shone towards the entrance of the square.

Bota shuttled between various locations to coordinate the process, while Prison Suppressor and Sijia stood near the entrance, responsible for receiving and accepting the congratulatory gifts from various tribes.

"Prison Suppressor, this is a small token of our appreciation for Lin Yi."

A deity of the Holy Radiance Race handed over a jade box inlaid with golden sun patterns, saying, "Inside are three Crystals of Radiant Origin, a small congratulatory gift."

Prison Suppressor accepted the jade box with a smile on his face, "The Holy Radiance Race is very thoughtful; Junior Brother will like it."

The assistant stepped forward to register and collect the items.

Following that, the gods of the Thunder Mist Race, Crystal Spirit Race, Li Race, and other clans stepped forward to offer their congratulatory gifts.

The Prison Suppressor received each of them with a warm and courteous attitude.

These gifts were all quite valuable, although for people like Lin Yi and Ellis, they were mostly symbolic, but the sentiment behind them was very important.

"Prison Suppressor," Sijia walked over, looking at the densely filled records in the register, and smiled, "It seems everyone values Lin Yi and Ellis very much."

Prison Suppressor nodded and said, "That's for sure. The simultaneous birth of two quasi -Venerable Lord Rank combatants is a huge boon to the entire base. Moreover..." He lowered his voice, "The plan set in the previous meeting has now met all the prerequisites, and everyone is eager to make a big splash."

Sijia smiled knowingly, "Indeed, an enemy force of six thousand divine units... If handled properly, the gains from this battle will be unimaginable."

As the two were talking, a slight energy fluctuation came from the direction of the plaza entrance.

All eyes turned to it.

Two very different Flying Shuttle landed at their designated berths almost simultaneously.

The Flying Shuttle door on the left slid open, and Ellis stepped out, dressed in a dark gold Spirit Race robe.

His face was cold and stern, and the vortex of time and space in his eyes slowly rotated. The faint fluctuations of the Origin Law around him brought invisible pressure. After successfully entering the Time Origin Law, his aura became even more profound and sharp.

The right Flying Shuttle door opened simultaneously, and Lin Yi stepped out, dressed in a silver-gray fitted battle robe.

His expression was calm, his eyes gentle, and his demeanor restrained and harmonious, yet the unique rhythm that resonated with time, as well as the confidence and composure he exuded after entering a new realm, were equally undeniable.

The two stepped off the Flying Shuttle, their eyes meeting in mid-air.

Ellis smiled slightly, nodded to Lin Yi, and took the initiative to walk over.

Lin Yi returned the smile and stepped forward to greet him.

According to etiquette, as the two main characters at the banquet, they need to congratulate each other and exchange gifts before entering.

"Lin Yi, congratulations." Ellis's voice was less cold than usual. "To have mastered the Time Origin Law in such a short time, you truly deserve to be called the First Heavenly Prodigy."

As he spoke, a flash of light appeared in his hand, and a square jade box with time-space runes flowing across its surface floated in his palm.

The moment the jade box appeared, the surrounding space and time produced an extremely subtle synchronous rhythm.

Lin Yi also raised his hand, and an object materialized in his palm.

It was a chessboard carved from warm, white jade. The chessboard was smooth and flat, with countless tiny black and white jade pieces cleverly arranged in the center to form a perfectly formed, interconnected Tai Chi Yin-Yang fish pattern.

The pattern is full of Dynamic and profound philosophical thought, which is incongruous with the surrounding powerful divine aura, yet strangely harmonious.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency Ellis," Lin Yi said, handing over the chessboard with a gentle smile. "This is a type of chess from my home Blue Star, called Go. I personally crafted this chessboard and pieces using Tranquil Jade and Meditation Obsidian."

He paused, then added, "When I encounter bottlenecks in my cultivation and my mind becomes restless, I summon my clone and play a few games of chess by myself. It helps me calm my mind and sometimes even gives me new ideas. This thing isn't worth much; it's just a token of my goodwill. I hope you go further and further on your path of pursuing the Origin Law."

Ellis's gaze fell on the chessboard, especially on the yin-yang symbol formed by the black and white pieces.

With his vision and understanding of time and space, he could naturally see that the pattern subtly embodied the supreme philosophy of the unity of opposites and the cyclical recurrence of the universe, and was faintly connected with the origin of time and space that he pursued.

However, there are many similar patterns in the universe, so he values Lin Yi's words more. "When you encounter a bottleneck, you should play a few games of chess by yourself."

"When you hit a bottleneck, do you play a few rounds...?"

Ellis thought to himself, looking at the black and white pattern that contained endless variations, "This pattern... a calm and focused game... is quite interesting."

The cold lines on his face softened slightly as he solemnly extended both hands to accept the warm, smooth jade chessboard.

"This is quite nice. Thank you, Lin Yi. I appreciate your kind gesture," Ellis said earnestly, then carefully put the chessboard away.

Then, he handed the dark gold jade box in his hand to Lin Yi.

"Lord Lin Yi, when we first met, I noticed that you were using a water-attribute source treasure, which prevented you from fully utilizing your strength."

He smiled and continued, "I happen to have a spare time-attribute source treasure here. Although its quality isn't high, it's barely enough for use within the secret realm. I'll give it to you as a Lin Yi gift today, hoping it will help you progress more smoothly on the path of time."

Upon hearing this, even Lin Yi, with his resolute will, couldn't help but have his pupils shrink slightly.

A time-attribute Source Treasure as a congratulatory gift?

Judging from Ellis's nonchalant tone, not only does he possess a powerful Source Treasure himself, but his clones are likely also equipped with Source Treasures. And now he can casually take out a "spare" Time Source Treasure and give it away?

Is this the true potential of the direct descendants of the Spirit Race's supreme ruler?

Although Lin Yi envied the wealthy man, he had no intention of accepting the gift, as its value far exceeded that of a present.

He quickly declined, saying, "Your Excellency Ellis, this... this is too precious, I cannot accept it."

"Lin Yi," Ellis said, raising her voice slightly, feigning displeasure, "I, Ellis, never take back what I've given away. Besides, this is just a low-grade Time Source Treasure; it only has some value within the secret realm. Once outside the secret realm, with your strength and potential, the gifts from those Venerable Lord Rank beings will only be worth more."

"This item is merely a spare treasure in my possession, but it can realize its greatest value in the hands of Lord Lin Yi. What, does Lord Lin Yi not consider me a friend and think I didn't deliver this congratulatory gift to you?"

These words were a bit harsh, but they put Lin Yi in a position where he could no longer refuse.

Looking at Ellis's serious gaze, which seemed to say, "If you don't accept it, you're disrespecting me," Lin Yi finally shook his head with a wry smile.

"You flatter me, Lord Ellis. Well then... I'll accept it with all my might." He solemnly extended both hands and took the heavy, dark gold jade box.

That's right.

Seeing that Lin Yi accepted the gift, Ellis's smile returned.

Immediately, the two stopped and walked side by side toward the brightly lit banquet square where gods were gathered.

The moment they stepped into the square together.

Swish!

Nearly three thousand deities were present, led by the Prison Suppressor, Sijia, Bota, and the Origin Treasure Deities of various races. All the deities bowed slightly and said in unison, "Congratulations, Lord Ellis, on entering the Origin Law Realm!"

Congratulations, Lin Yi, on reaching the Origin Law Realm!

Amidst the cheers, there were heartfelt congratulations, respect for the strong, and boundless confidence in the future of Frost Eternal Base and the upcoming great battle.

Ellis and Lin Yi steadily walked towards the central position amidst the cheers.

Along the way, deities from various tribes made way, casting their gazes with awe and anticipation.

As the two approached the main seat, Lin Yi had just received a generous gift, politely declined and gave Ellis a look.

After receiving Lin Yi's hint, Ellis didn't stand on ceremony and turned to face the entire room, raising his hand in a gesture of pressing down.

The noise gradually subsided.

"Today's banquet is both a celebration and a pre-battle mobilization." Ellis's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every deity. "Lord Lin Yi and I have successfully entered the Origin Law Realm. According to the plan set at the previous meeting..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena, a fierce fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.

"Next, it's our turn to teach those alien races and Abyssal scum who dare to provoke us a lesson they'll never forget!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the square erupted in thunderous cheers.

"War! War! War!"

"With you two leading the way, we will ensure they never return!"

"Let them know that Frost Eternal Base is not a place they can covet!"

The atmosphere instantly reached its peak.

Standing beside Ellis, Lin Yi felt the surging fighting spirit of the entire arena, and a surge of pride welled up in his heart as well.

The Time Source Treasure... this gift is indeed too precious.

Although Ellis claimed that low-level Time Source Treasures were worthless outside, Lin Yi knew very well that a large part of the value of various treasures lay in their scarcity.

In the secret realm, this is the most top-tier treasure.

Once he has fully refined this Origin Treasure, and combined it with the Time Origin Law he has already mastered, his combat power will experience a qualitative leap.

Add to that Ellis, a quasi-Lord who has also entered the realm of Time Origin Law and possesses even deeper foundations...

In his eyes, the enemy army of over six thousand gods was nothing more than another gluttonous feast waiting to be enjoyed!