One-star mark, pitiful prisoners

At the edge of the platform, the cold starlight shone through the base's energy shield, casting a cool, silvery edge around the figures of Ellis and Lin Yi.

Upon hearing Lin Yi's whisper, "No wonder... such a secret realm could actually bring the three races to a ceasefire..." a complex expression flashed across Ellis's cold and stern face.

"Indeed... I was also quite shocked when I first saw it. By the way, some of the information in the crystal involves the secrets of my clan and our ancestor, the Primeval Cosmos Supreme. I've already removed it beforehand. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I'll try my best to answer them."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi nodded but did not immediately ask any questions.

He held the now warm and lustrous starry blue crystal in his hand, his gaze fixed on the deep, boundless darkness beyond the shield, lost in deep thought.

The amount of information contained in the crystal is enormous and astonishing.

According to the account, this secret realm, known as the "Origin Universe Tower," has existed since the beginning of the Spirit Race's recorded history, and it appears randomly in the Main Universe approximately every hundred million Epoch, or "one Universal Epoch."

The principle behind its emergence remains a mystery.

The most crucial information is that when a cultivator successfully enters the 50th floor of the Origin Universe Tower, they will receive a clear message from the Light Sphere in that pure white space.

[Obtained = Star Origin Universe Mark.]

The mark itself doesn't seem to have any special function; it's more like a "credential" or "certificate of qualification."

Even more bizarrely, in the instant before the final closure of each Origin Universe Tower Secret Realm, which lasts for approximately one hundred Epoch, all beings who have obtained the "One-Star Origin Universe Mark" simultaneously receive a message devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

[The Origin Universe Tower has not yet met the connectivity requirements. Those who have obtained the mark, please wait patiently.]

It has been like this for so many years.

There was no further explanation, no goal of "connection," and no so-called "conditions."

No one knows what this "One-Star Origin Universe Mark" ultimately represents, let alone the mysterious "..."

What exactly are the stringent conditions that China Unicom needs to meet?

However, over the long years, the supreme beings of the three races, as well as most of the rulers and a very few top-tier powerhouses among the Venerable Lord Rank, have all obtained this "One-Star Origin Universe Mark".

The message also mentioned that the Supremes speculated that the Origin Universe Tower was most likely built by a great being far beyond the "Supreme" level.

Seeing the change in Lin Yi's eyes, Ellis spoke up, "Lin Yi, you should know that after reaching the Venerable Lord Rank, the essence of life leaps, and one gains the initial ability to resist the erosion of chaos, allowing one to pass through the bubble membrane of the Main Universe and enter the Chaos Cosmic Sea of the outside world."

Lin Yi withdrew his gaze and nodded.

He already knew these common-sense facts: the Main Universe was not isolated in nothingness; beyond it lay an even more vast and chaotic expanse.

The "Chaos Cosmic Sea" is full of unknowns and dangers.

"But you may not know that, according to the clan's records, our ancestor, the Primeval Cosmos Supreme, once explored an extremely distant place. That distance was so vast that even with the power of a Supreme Being, it would take countless years to traverse it. However... our ancestor did not discover a second Main Universe."

"Midway, he also encountered an extremely powerful chaotic creature, whose power even troubled his ancestors;

They also encountered chaotic storms capable of tearing apart spacetime, facing numerous dangers. Ultimately, due to the need for supplies, the risks, and their attachment to the Main Universe, the ancestors were forced to return.

Ellis looked at Lin Yi: "Later, during a period of peace in the history of the three races, the three supreme beings even briefly joined forces to explore the depths of the Chaos Cosmic Sea. But the result... was still fruitless."

His tone revealed a rare hint of indescribable loneliness. "Our ancestors have lamented more than once that these so-called supreme beings, who seem to be above all others in the Main Universe, are in reality nothing more than pitiful creatures trapped on this isolated island. There is no way forward..."

"Supreme... Pathetic wretch..." Lin Yi was speechless upon hearing this.

This description is vastly different from his understanding of the supreme being who can create and destroy galaxies with a single thought and wield the power over the universe.

But upon closer examination, if the universe is indeed Cage, then the strongest beings within the Cage and the creatures at the bottom of the Cage seem to be essentially no different in that they "cannot leave."

"So..." Lin Yi continued slowly, following this line of thought, "The Supreme Beings then set their sights on this mysterious and unpredictable Origin Universe Tower, where alien races have appeared?"

"Indeed." Eli nodded. "The Origin Universe Tower is one of the very few known secret realms in the Main Universe that even the Supreme Beings cannot fathom. Moreover, our ancestor once attempted to briefly communicate with powerful beings among those alien races through the deities within the Origin Universe Tower."

"The results of the communication basically confirm that they come from two other different universes in the Chaos Cosmic Sea, and the distance between them and our universe is so great that it would be almost impossible to reach them by our own power in the Chaos Cosmic Sea."

At the same time, their situation... seems similar to ours, also trapped in their own universe.

Ellis's face turned cold. "Later, because of concerns that there might be some kind of competition mechanism within this Origin Universe Tower... for example, if a cultivator from a certain universe were to be the first to meet that unknown connection condition, our universe's Origin Universe Tower would disappear permanently, or lose its eligibility..."

"Therefore, the high-ranking officials of the three races finally reached a tacit agreement: if they meet in the secret realm, there's no need for words; they'll fight directly to weaken the other side's fighting strength and potential for obtaining the mark. Moreover... fighting and battling can better cultivate strong individuals, including encouraging battles with the Abyss Erosion race. Besides preparing for another war after the secret realm ends, this is actually the main reason."

Lin Yi nodded slowly, and many of his doubts suddenly became clear.

But soon, another question came to mind, and he asked with a hint of doubt, "Ellis, according to the information in the crystal, entering the 50th floor will grant you a one-star mark. Then... is it possible to obtain a higher-star mark by entering higher floors, such as the 51st or 60th floor?"

"Perhaps the key to meeting the connectivity requirements is obtaining a higher-star rating?"

Upon hearing this, Ellis gave a wry smile. "Such an obvious clue, do you think the supreme beings of the three races wouldn't have thought of it? Our Spirit Race once expended unimaginable amounts of resources to verify this hypothesis."

"Massive resources?"

Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

"Indeed," Ellis nodded. "A long, long time ago, our ancestors chose a member of their clan who was considered an unparalleled genius in that era, and bestowed upon her top-tier resources—enough to overwhelm even ordinary gods countless times... The sole purpose was to allow her to climb to the highest level possible within the hundred Epoch that the secret realm would last!"

"The resources consumed, it is said, are so valuable that they could even create two or three new rulers."

Ellis's voice wasn't loud, but it struck Lin Yi's heart like a heavy hammer.

Dominate!

Human Race can only have one Overlord!

The Spirit Race Supreme actually expended enough resources to create several Sovereigns just to cultivate a single god to attempt to reach a higher level?

Lin Yi couldn't help but secretly click his tongue in amazement.

According to the information inside the crystal, after the 50th floor, there is no longer Points requirement to go to higher floors; only absolute strength is required.

"The Spirit Race is actually willing to go to such lengths..." Lin Yi couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of your Spirit Race... you have a profound foundation."

Ellis seemed to see through his thoughts, his bitter smile deepening, but a strange light gleamed in his eyes. "Profound? What if I told you that, despite paying such a price, even that peerless genius only reached the 59th floor before the secret realm ended?"

Lin Yi was speechless.

59 floors? Or just...?

According to the information in the crystal, after the 50th floor, the entry threshold increases with each subsequent floor. To enter the 59th floor, the cultivator's combat strength must reach the level of a top-tier Venerable!

With the body of a god, how could one achieve combat power comparable to a top-tier sovereign within a mere hundred Epoch?

The resources required are absolutely astronomical!

Then, a greater question arose in his mind, and he quickly asked, "And what was the result?"

"The result..." Ellis paused, then slowly said, "What she obtained from the core of the secret realm... was still only One-Star Origin Universe Mark."

"59 floors... still only one star?" Lin Yi was stunned for a moment, then sighed, "What a pity, it seems I might have to go to the 60th floor to get the two-star mark."

"Unfortunately... but not quite." Ellis suddenly chuckled. "Because that peerless genius later... became the second Supreme Being of our Spirit Race... She is none other than Bright Moon Supreme."

Lin Yi was taken aback.

"It's actually the Supreme Being..."

No wonder, no wonder he was able to climb to the 59th floor within a hundred Epoch in his divine form.

This is not merely the result of accumulating resources, but also a manifestation of his terrifyingly high level of talent and comprehension.

It is entirely reasonable that such a person would later become the supreme ruler.

"Who can argue with that?" Ellis remarked. "After this epic experiment by the Bright Moon Supreme, the ancestors and the other two supreme beings of the two races have essentially abandoned the idea of allowing successors to obtain higher imprints by attempting to reach higher levels. They have instead pinned their hopes on the possibility that the connection conditions are related to the accumulation of imprints."

"Therefore, the three supreme beings later agreed that no matter the scale of the conflict that broke out in the Main Universe, it must never affect the normal opening and operation of the Origin Universe Tower Secret Realm."

As he spoke, he looked at Lin Yi and said solemnly, "Moreover, this time, for some reason, the Origin Universe Tower opened ahead of schedule. This is clearly inconsistent with the fixed cycle of one Universal Epoch. This anomaly has made the three Supreme Beings take it even more seriously, and the ceasefire is more resolute and thorough than ever before."

Lin Yi nodded in deep agreement. "That's normal. In the Main Universe, there's probably nothing more important than something concerning the future of the Supreme Being himself."

A thought even popped into his mind.

Perhaps the long history of fighting and hatred among the three races was not only due to the struggle for interests, but also, more profoundly, to the desire to cultivate more potential fighters who could earn their mark through battle.

But then Lin Yi thought of a very practical problem and asked doubtfully, "Ellis, the Origin Universe Tower only opens once a Universal Epoch. What if some genius, during the long years between the two openings, has a burst of talent or a fortuitous encounter and advances to the Venerable Lord Rank on their own... wouldn't they have forever missed the opportunity to enter the Origin Universe Tower and obtain a mark?"

Upon hearing this, Ellis smiled slightly.

You can rest assured about that.

He explained, "Generally speaking, in any clan with a Venerable Lord in charge, the clan's powerful members will ask those geniuses who have reached the peak of the Upper God level and have the potential to become Venerable Lords to wait. Even if they don't, the Pan-Spirit Alliance will step in to remind them."

"In this way, they can wait until the next opening of the Origin Universe Tower, enter it, and use the resources of the secret realm for a final sprint and accumulation. If they can successfully enter the Origin Law within the tower and even reach the 50th floor, that would be ideal. Even if not, it's not too late to break through after the secret realm ends."

Therefore, all the existing Venerable Lord Rank beings of the three races have experienced the Origin Universe Tower Secret Realm at least once. However...

At this point, Ellis shrugged, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "The vast majority of them failed to obtain the Origin Universe Mark. There's no way around it; the conditions are too demanding. To have combat power comparable to the most ordinary Venerable Lord at the God level, even for us high-level Origin Law cultivators, besides accumulating an incredibly strong foundation of divine power, we need to have at least a 10% grasp of the Origin Law."

"And to reach this level from the divine realm in just one hundred Epoch..." Ellis shook his head, "It's too difficult."

"Yes... it's too difficult."

Lin Yi nodded in agreement, but a strange thought involuntarily arose in his mind.

It doesn't seem too difficult?

He possesses Purple Mist Space, a stable output of a hundred strands of Spiritual Enlightenment Qi daily, and a massive reserve of Source Essence Crystal... One hundred Epoch?

Lin Yi felt that he definitely wouldn't need that long.

Of course, he would never say that out loud.

Seemingly feeling that the discussion about the core secrets of the Origin Universe Tower had come to an end, Ellis changed the subject and talked about more practical issues.

"Lin Yi, with the Points we've earned this time, we've definitely far exceeded the threshold for skipping floors. According to the rules, we could directly skip to floor 49, or even reach the Points floor 50, which we've already met."

He glanced at Lin Yi: "However, because our strength is insufficient, we cannot choose to directly enter the top 50."

"You can only enter floor 49."

Ellis took a step forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lin Yi, gazing at the starry sky. "I wanted to speak with you alone not only to tell you these secrets, but also to make an agreement that after we finish dealing with the remaining matters at the base, we'll jump to level 49."

"Back on the floor, we can look after each other there."

As he spoke, he flipped his wrist, and a palm-sized, flat device with a distinctly Machine Race style appeared in his palm. He then casually tossed it to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi reached out and caught it.

He looked down and saw a faint silver data stream flowing across the surface of the instrument; it was the Machine Race's point-to-point long-range communication device.

"It seems you know this, which makes things easier."

Seeing the look in Lin Yi's eyes, Ellis knew he recognized the item. "You should know how to use it. I have one too."

Lin Yi nodded. "I understand."

Ellis continued, "The situation on the 49th floor is completely different from below. The gods who can enter that floor are all beings who have officially entered the Origin Law, and their numbers are extremely rare. Sometimes, even after a hundred Epoch, you might not encounter another living cultivator in the vast 49th floor star field."

"According to past practice, after entering the 49th floor, everyone basically explores and cultivates alone, trying to make a further progress in the remaining time before the secret realm ends, and try to reach the final 50th floor to obtain the mark. Because the difference in strength between each other is usually not large, and the goal is clear, even if they happen to meet on the 49th floor, they usually avoid each other from a distance, and rarely engage in pointless battles."

"I suggested we stay in touch, mainly just in case. If we're unlucky enough to encounter extremely rare militants, or discover some dangerous place or opportunity that requires cooperation... having another reliable partner is always a good thing."

Then, Ellis smiled, "Of course, if we're lucky enough to encounter someone injured or otherwise easy to bully... we wouldn't mind teaming up for a heist. After all, having more resources is always a good thing. I also have some ideas about the Origin Universe Mark."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi's lips curled into a slight smile.

I agree.

He had no objection to Ellis's suggestion.

Seeing Lin Yi put away the communicator, Ellis smiled and then asked, "Lin Yi, now that you know all this, what are your specific plans for the future? When do you plan to enter the evacuation point and head to the 49th floor?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi stroked the warm, starry blue crystal in his hand and pondered for a moment.

Reaching the 49th floor... that was naturally the established goal.

But he needs to consider the time.

"The exact time... I'm not entirely sure," Lin Yi said slowly after a moment's thought, "But I estimate it will take about ten thousand standard years."

"Ten thousand years?" A hint of surprise flashed in Ellis's eyes. "You plan to stay on the 47th floor that long?"

Lin Yi nodded. "Yes, about ten thousand years."

He then explained, "Ellis, you and I both know that after entering the 49th floor, although the Points resources are more abundant and there are more high-level items on the exchange list, earning Points is not so easy. Therefore, I plan to sell the spoils I have in the base slowly at 70% of the market value to recoup Points. This will take time and cannot be done overnight."

"In addition, the newly earned Points need to be exchanged for resources for cultivation. The base offers a relatively safe and stable environment, making it more suitable for cultivation."

"Hmm... that makes sense." Ellis's eyes lit up. "The 49th floor is definitely not a good place for large-scale looting. Hmm... now that you mention it, I think I should do that too."

After a moment's thought, he made a decision. "Alright, I'm not in a hurry to leave either. I'll sell the spoils if I can, and once we've dealt with most of them, we'll head to the evacuation point together and head to the 49th floor."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi's lips twitched slightly.

"I'll revise it; the estimated time is now 20,000 years... at least."

"Hmm?" Ellis raised an eyebrow.

Lin Yi explained, "The market suddenly saw nearly double the supply, so it was inevitable that the supply would be extended over a longer period."

Ellis paused for a moment, then suddenly realized.

"Haha, I see! I overlooked that." He chuckled and patted Lin Yi on the shoulder. "It's alright, it's just another ten thousand years, right? For us, it'll pass quickly. Perfect, it'll give me more time to solidify my newly acquired understanding of the Time Origin Law."

Ten thousand years is an incredibly long time for mortal civilizations, but it is nothing to the gods.

"Oh, right," Ellis said, remembering something, "I heard you're planning a secret auction to deal with those seized source treasures? That's a good method—fair, efficient, and it can maximize the return of resources."

Lin Yi nodded. "Yes, the rules have already been announced."

Ellis flicked his wrist, and a storage crystal sphere appeared in his palm, which he casually tossed to Lin Yi.

"I also seized quite a few Source Treasures and prototypes from the main force of the alien race. A total of 29 Source Treasures and 41..."

The prototype of the device is now yours. Handle it using the same covert bidding method.

"Alright." Lin Yi had no objection. "Then let's handle it all at once."

The two exchanged a few more words about the details of the subsequent handover of base affairs, and then went their separate ways.

Thirty days later.

The Central Plaza of Frost Eternal Base has undergone simple renovations.

The once empty square, used for banquets and gatherings, has now been temporarily divided into clearly defined areas.

In the center was a semi-transparent platform, which was the auction stage.

Centered on the auction stage, concentric rings of tiered, suspended seating radiate outwards. These seats, composed of pure energy, emit a soft glow and are large enough to accommodate nearly three thousand deities within the base.

At this moment, the square was bustling with noise, and the atmosphere was extremely lively.

Almost all the gods had gathered here, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation, and the sounds of their conversations blended into a buzzing wave.

"Have you heard? This clandestine auction not only included the 32 Source Treasures and 19 prototypes that Lin Yi seized, but Lord Ellis also brought out his spoils."

"Of course I've heard! In total, there are 61 complete Source Treasures and 73 prototype Source Treasures."

"61 Source Treasures... I've never seen so many Source Treasures placed together in my entire life."

"I absolutely have to buy one. If I miss this opportunity, who knows when I'll get another chance?"

"Have you collected enough Points? This time, the price will definitely be driven up very high in the blind auction."

"I've factored in all the loot I got this time, and even borrowed some from a few friends, so I've scraped together the equivalent of 12 billion Points. I'm going all in!"

"I've only scraped together eight billion... I hope I can snag a bargain and land a prototype with suitable attributes."

Excitement, tension, and a sense of determination... all sorts of emotions filled the air.

For those high-ranking deities who do not yet possess Source Treasures, this is undoubtedly the best opportunity for a qualitative leap in their combat power.

Even gods who couldn't afford to spend their Points wanted to come and see what the fuss was about.

The deities, following their pre-assigned temporary numbers, flew in an orderly fashion to their assigned energy seats and took their places.

Everyone concealed their aura, but the light in their eyes was incredibly intense.

Before long, a composed figure flew onto the central auction stage.

It was Bota of the Machine Race.

"Please be quiet, everyone."

The noise in the square quickly subsided, and all eyes were focused on Bota.

"Today, a joint sealed auction of Source Treasures and Source Treasure Prototypes will be held. A total of 61 complete Source Treasures and 43 Source Treasure Prototypes will be auctioned."

Bota began reading out the rules that had been prepared in advance. The content was no different from what Lin Yi had announced before, emphasizing the core principles such as anonymity, one-time bidding, highest bidder wins, and redistribution of the proceeds.

He explained things clearly and logically, ensuring that every deity present understood them.

After the rules were read aloud, Bota paused briefly, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena.

"Before the auction officially begins, please take your seats, gentlemen."

As he spoke, two large, antique-style, silver-gray chairs slowly rose from beneath the platform at the highest point behind the auction stage.

The seats are prominently positioned with excellent visibility, yet maintain a sufficient distance from the ordinary floating seats below, highlighting their unique status.

The next moment, Lin Yi and Ellis appeared quietly and sat down peacefully.

Swish!

All the deities present stood up in unison, facing the highest point, and greeted in unison, "Greetings, Lord Ellis! Greetings, Lord Lin Yi!"

Ellis simply nodded.

Lin Yi smiled, raised his hand in a gesture of respect, and said gently, "Please, everyone, there's no need for such formalities. Please have a seat."

The gods then sat down again, but their gazes still occasionally drifted reverently toward the higher places.

In the entire square, only those two chairs were occupied by all the other seats.

They are the only two special beings who can utilize the Origin Law within the base.

Lin Yi initially declined this "privilege," feeling it was a bit too prominent.

Ellis didn't care, and Prison Suppressor, Sijia, and others also tried to persuade him, saying that this was a reflection of rules and strength. After his polite refusal failed, Lin Yi had no choice but to accept it.

At this moment, seated in this exclusive high position, overlooking the densely packed deities below, I feel the fervent, expectant, and even awe-inspiring gazes converging upon me...

Lin Yi slightly adjusted his posture, calmly looking down at Bota, who was already ready, and the gods who were rubbing their hands together and holding their breath. The unease he felt earlier quietly dissipated.

He suddenly realized that this feeling...

It seems not bad.