Making Friends, Time Is Running Short

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi paused in his tracks.

He turned around and looked calmly at Wen Xu.

"My name is Wen Xu, the sixth child in my family. May I ask how this centurion should be addressed?"

Seeing Lin Yi stop, Wen Xu took two steps forward, closing the distance between Lin Yi.

As he spoke, he gave a slight bow, a gesture that was not exactly formal, but certainly not perfunctory.

This is a very precise level of politeness, neither making people feel neglected nor overly enthusiastic and uncomfortable.

Lin Yi nodded in return. "Lin Yi, Centurion, Imperial Army of Mist Sea City."

"So it's Centurion Lin." Wen Xu's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze subtly swept over the centurion badge on Lin Yi's chest and the Blue Feather that was quietly moored behind him.

The spaceship's hatch was closed, and the light from the crystal clusters flowed across the deep blue hull, reflecting a dreamlike iridescent glow.

"To be honest," Wen Xu withdrew his gaze and looked back at Lin Yi, explaining, "It's rare for my third sister's spaceship to return. When my siblings and I heard that the spaceship had returned, we rushed over to greet it, but it was you, Lin Baichang, who got off, and we didn't see my third sister herself. It would be a lie to say that we weren't disappointed at all."

He smiled helplessly as he said this, his expression frank and revealing no other meaning.

"Our third sister commands the fleet in Mist Sea City most of the year and rarely comes home, nor does she send back many messages. We, her younger siblings, naturally miss her. Since Commander Lin is serving in the army in Mist Sea City, could you perhaps give us a brief update on our third sister's recent situation? That would put our minds at ease."

After listening, Lin Yi understood the situation.

The sixth son of the Wen Family spoke flawlessly, and the reasons he gave were perfectly reasonable.

But how could Lin Yi not understand the true meaning behind those words?

She genuinely cared about her third sister, but she also genuinely inquired indirectly about the origins of this stranger who had stepped off her third sister's spaceship.

This is only human nature.

After all, anyone would be a little suspicious if their older sister's private spaceship suddenly brought back a strange man.

Therefore, Lin Yi felt no displeasure; on the contrary, he saw it as an opportunity.

The reason he was planning to leave was because the other party hadn't asked, and he didn't want to bring it up himself.

Now that the other party has brought up the subject, it's a good time to clarify things and avoid any misunderstandings later.

Moreover, although all of these people in front of him, except for the youngest one, were at the Eternal Source Realm, he wasn't really afraid of them.

However, his confidence did not come from Wen Qianfei, who brought him here.

It was Wen Xiao.

Because he had already learned about the basic situation of the Wen Family through the silver-armored Mechanical Servants during the voyage.

The Wen Family has three experts at the Constant Source Realm, two of whom are at the Early Constant Source Realm and are in charge of the family's internal and external affairs respectively.

The third is Wen Xiao, a high-level Constant Source Realm and an Imperial Constant Guard Inspector.

Although Wen Xiao did not hold a specific management position in the family and did not pay much attention to the daily affairs of the family, his status was still there.

More importantly, his identity as the Constant Guard Inspector itself indicates that the Wen Family who are still active are not likely to have any major problems with their conduct on the surface.

The reason is simple: there has always been a saying circulating in the empire about the Constant Guard.

"The first sword strike upon entering the forbidden realm shall slay a member of one's own clan."

This means that the first thing every Constant Guard does after being officially appointed is to thoroughly investigate their own family.

If any member of the family abuses their power, violates laws and regulations, the Constant Guard will personally take action to clean up the family, ranging from confinement to execution.

This is an unspoken rule among the Constant Guard.

Because if one's own family has problems, it will be used against them by their enemies sooner or later, so it's better to take matters into one's own hands.

Therefore, all the families of the Constant Guard will be cleansed, and those who want to curry favor with the Constant Guard must carefully consider whether their background is clean.

Over time, families originating from the Constant Guard became one of the most trusted forces in the empire.

Wen Xiao was able to rise to the position of Inspector because he possessed exceptional cultivation, character, and skill.

He could not tolerate any illegal or disorderly conduct within his family. If the Wen Family really had any problems, it would have been used as leverage against him by Wen Xiao's former adversaries long ago, and would not have remained quiet until now.

Based on his trust in Wen Xiao, Lin Yi wasn't too worried that these "young masters" would actually do anything outrageous. Therefore, he was happy to resolve any potential troubles so he could focus on making money.

With that in mind, Lin Yi spoke frankly.

"Sixth Young Master Wen, you're too kind. The situation at the Frontline is indeed not easy," he said, carefully choosing his words. "The outbreak in the Black Mist Sea is still ongoing, and the pressure on the defense line is considerable. But overall, the defense line of Mist Sea City is relatively solid, and there haven't been any major breaches so far."

Wen Xu nodded, his expression remaining unchanged.

"As for Commander Wen himself," Lin Yi said with a helpless smile, "Forgive my frankness, but I am merely a centurion, and I have only met Commander Wen once. His daily command and Operations Department are not matters for someone of my rank to concern myself with."

He spoke frankly, neither exaggerating his relationship with Wen Qianfei nor deliberately avoiding it.

Wen Xu was somewhat surprised.

This answer was somewhat unexpected.

Based on his experience, if an ordinary True Source Realm cultivator had the opportunity to ride in the military lord's private car to the Wen Family, they would most likely hint at their good relationship with the military lord, which would undoubtedly bring many potential benefits.

But this Lin Baichang in front of him not only did not take the opportunity to curry favor, but also frankly admitted that he had very little contact with the military commander.

Or perhaps this person is simply straightforward by nature.

Alternatively, this person doesn't need to rely on currying favor with the third sister to elevate their own status.

Either way, it was much more interesting than he had expected.

"As for why I came here on Lord Wen's private spaceship," Lin Yi changed the subject, revealing the most crucial information, "It's because Lord Meng valued me and recommended me to Inspector Wen Xiao to participate in the Constant Guard assessment held more than five thousand Epoch later. Lord Meng allowed me to stay at the Wen Family's residence until the assessment is over."

The moment the words left his mouth, everyone present was taken aback.

Constant Guard).

These three words would be enough to draw attention anywhere in the Silent Square Megacity, let alone in the Wen Family.

Wen Xiao himself was the Constant Guard Inspector, and the entire Wen Family family understood the weight of this title better than anyone else.

The red-haired fifth young lady, who had been crossing her arms and looking impatient, visibly froze for a moment upon hearing those three words.

The Ninth Miss, who was holding a long sword, finally looked away from the scabbard and looked directly at Lin Yi for the first time.

The young Sixteen stared blankly at Lin Yi, looking as if he wanted to say something but didn't know what to say.

Prince Tran's reaction was the most restrained, but when he heard the words "Constant Guard," his fingers, which were tucked behind his back, still curled slightly.

The other two people present, Miss Four and Wen Xu, did not show much change in expression, but their expressions simultaneously became serious.

Even the steward, Wen Twenty-Nine, who had been quietly waiting to the side, looked at Lin Yi in surprise, and suddenly realized what had happened.

This morning, he received instructions from his butler that the military lord's private spaceship, carrying a centurion Lin Yi, was about to arrive, and that he should come to the docking platform to greet him. No further instructions were given.

He assumed he was there to welcome a centurion. Although he wondered why he was arranged to stay in the Eastern Courtyard, a place traditionally used to receive guests from the Eternal Source Realm, the steward did not explain the reason, and he did not press the matter further.

Only now did he understand that the reason why a centurion at the True Source Realm was arranged to live in the Eastern Courtyard was not because of the military lord's special favor, but because of the guest's own identity and future status, which made him fully deserving of such treatment.

"No wonder it's Eastern Courtyard..." Wen Twenty-Nine muttered to himself, but dared not show the slightest sign of anything amiss on his face.

Wen Xu was the first to react.

The polite yet somewhat distant smile on his face suddenly became genuine at that moment.

He knew all too well how high the status of the Constant Guard was.

On the surface, there are sixty-three Constant Lord in the entire Jigong Cosmic Region.

The Constant Guard, however, number only one hundred in the entire Silent Quadrant.

One hundred.

This number is only slightly more than the number of Constant Lord.

The selection of the Constant Guard has never been based solely on cultivation level, talent, or potential. In addition, character and temperament are highly valued. Many High Order of the Eternal Source Realm do not even qualify for a recommendation.

But the Lin Yi before them was the True Source Realm cultivator.

Everyone present knew the reason why a True Source Realm had received a recommendation for the Constant Guard assessment.

In Wen Xiao and Wen Qianfei's judgment, Lin Yi has a very high probability of getting a formal spot.

Thinking of this, Wen Xu's smile grew even brighter.

"So it's you, Commander Lin, here to participate in the Constant Guard assessment. My apologies for my rudeness." He bowed slightly to Lin Yi, this time with much more formality than before. "Since Third Sister and Eldest Brother both approve of you, then you are naturally a distinguished guest of our Wen Family. I hope Commander Lin will forgive my earlier rudeness."

Lin Yi politely returned the greeting, saying, "Sixth Young Master Wen, you're too kind. Mutual care between siblings is only natural; there's no presumption involved."

Wen Xu was quite pleased to see that Lin Yi was polite.

If an ordinary True Source Realm centurion had treated him, an Eternal Source Realm expert, this way, he would have frowned inwardly. But after learning about Lin Yi's background, he found it quite pleasing.

After all, he and his elder brother Wen Xiao were born at vastly different times, and their cultivation levels were disparate. Wen Xiao also didn't care much about the Wen Family's affairs. Although they were nominally brothers, they were more like elders and juniors, with little contact between them.

He dared not bother his elder brother with anything. To him, having an elder brother who was an inspector was not necessarily as valuable as having an ordinary Constant Guard as a friend.

Therefore, he reached up and swiped at his waist, and a small, silver-white communication talisman appeared in his palm.

The talisman was oval-shaped, only the size of a thumb, with the Wen Family family crest engraved on its surface, and a faint aura of energy emanating from it.

"Commander Lin," Wen Xu handed the communication talisman to Lin Yi, "This is my personal communication mark. You are a guest of the Wen Family. You may not be familiar with the area in Silent Square Megacity since you've just arrived. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask. Although our Wen Family isn't the most powerful force in Jifang City, we've been operating for many years and have quite a few connections and channels in various fields."

He paused for a moment, then added, "If you don't mind, once you've settled in, I'll find some time to host a welcome dinner for you, as a way of showing you hospitality."

Lin Yi glanced at the communication talisman, then at Wen Xu.

The other person's smile was very sincere.

He didn't hesitate and reached out to take the communication token.

"Thank you very much, Sixth Young Master Wen. Once I'm settled, I'll certainly be of great concern."

Wen Xu laughed heartily, "It's good to hear you say that, don't be so polite with me."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Wen Xu wisely refrained from further conversation.

What needed to be said has been said, and what needed to be left a mark has been left; continuing the conversation would only seem contrived.

"Lin Baichang has had a long and tiring journey. Please go with Wen Twenty-Nine to stay and get some rest."

"Farewell." Lin Yi nodded slightly to everyone, then turned and followed Wen Twenty-Nine toward the exit on the other side of the mooring platform.

Four servants immediately followed.

Wen Xu watched Lin Yi's figure disappear around the corner of the platform, his smile gradually fading, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

Before he could say anything, Wen Qianlan, the youngest of the three, spoke first.

"Sixth Brother, he just said he came to participate in the Constant Guard assessment, but he... he clearly hasn't reached the Eternal Source Realm."

Although she is the youngest this year, she is still at the high level of the True Source Realm and her knowledge of cultivation is not bad. She has known since she was a child that the entry threshold for the Constant Guard is the Eternal Source Realm.

Fourth Miss Wen Qianqing sighed softly and reached out to rub her younger sister's head. "Little sister, you're right. He hasn't reached the Eternal Source Realm yet, but that's precisely why he's even more terrifying."

"Terrible?" Wen Qianlan was taken aback.

"Sigh, you've been too well protected in your family. Think about it, what kind of person is your third sister? And what kind of person is your eldest brother?"

Wen Qianqing withdrew her hand, her gaze falling on the flowing, dark blue crystalline shell of the Blue Feather in the distance. "Since they unanimously agree that it's worth recommending, it means that in their eyes, Lin Baichang breaking through to the Eternal Source Realm before the assessment begins is no problem at all. In fact, they don't even think it's something to worry about."

Wen Qianlan was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening, and her expression changed slightly.

She has cultivated for so many years, but she hasn't even reached the peak of the True Eternal Source Realm, let alone the True Source Realm.

That feeling of helplessness—being able to only move forward inch by inch in the face of the vast, Chaos Rules —is a common pain for all True Source Realm cultivators.

However, the third sister and eldest brother's assessment of this Centurion Lin was that "breaking through to the Eternal Source Realm is definitely not a problem."

They didn't even take the question of "whether or not they could break through" seriously.

"It seems..." Wen Xu finally spoke slowly, his gaze still fixed on the direction Lin Yi had disappeared in, "This Centurion Lin must be a promising talent that Third Sister discovered in the Imperial Army of Mist Sea City. If Third Sister didn't truly believe in his character, she would never have recommended him to Eldest Brother."

"That's right," Wen Qianqing affirmed. "A person like that is worth befriending."

Wen Xu nodded, acknowledging Wen Qianqing's statement.

He had this intention in mind when he proactively handed over the communication talisman.

Although the Wen Family has deep roots in Jifang City, the larger the family, the deeper the waters run inside. Although the Wen Family has its own clan rules, the power struggles within those rules are no less intense. Having one more Constant Guard friend is definitely of great significance.

Maika Trant, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly spoke up, "Next time you invite Centurion Lin, take me with you."

He hadn't said a word while Lin Yi was talking to the others; he had just been observing silently from the sidelines.

From the conversation just now, he came to the conclusion that Wen Qianfei's interest in this Lin Baichang was clearly only out of appreciation for his talent and to expand the Wen Family's network of connections.

She discovered a rare talent, finding him to be of excellent character and ability, and recommended him to Wen Xiao. As for lending him her private car to take him to Jifang City, that was probably just a side thing.

This is quite normal.

After all, for a genius of this caliber and character, sending them away in a private spaceship is no big deal. If it were him, and he discovered that he had such a promising talent under his command, he would only go even further.

Having figured this out, Maika Trant felt much better.

Not only that, he also developed a desire to befriend this Lin Baichang.

A Constant Guard will undoubtedly wield considerable influence in the Jigong Cosmic Region in the future.

His pursuit of Wen Qianfei was not just a matter of personal feelings; more importantly, it was because she was Wen Xiao's sister.

He is indeed a direct descendant of the Tran Family, but he is not the only direct descendant of the Tran Family.

There are always various power struggles and infighting within such a large family as the Tran Family, and he doesn't want to disappear without a trace one day.

A close friend of a Constant Guard is, in a sense, a security guarantee that everyone can see.

After all, if he were to suddenly disappear under some kind of trick, it would inevitably trigger an investigation by his friends.

In addition, making friends with a Constant Guard would be a powerful endorsement of oneself.

Ask yourself, who wouldn't want to befriend the Constant Guard if they considered themselves cultivators of the Lawful Alignment?

Wen Xu glanced at his friend and immediately understood what he was thinking.

The internal competition within the Terlan Family was no less intense than that within the Wen Family Wen Family, and their standards were also lower. Knowing his friend had a tough time, he smiled and said, "Okay, I'll call you then."

Maika Trant smiled and nodded. "Then it's settled. Wen Xu, what kind of gift do you think I should give you?"

Wen Xu's brow twitched upon hearing this, and he quickly said, "Don't go too far. My siblings and I aren't as wealthy as you. If you give us something too valuable, it will make us look very stingy. Here's what we'll do: I'll set a price for you, but don't exceed 100,000 Eternal Cosmos Crystal."

"Uh... alright, 100,000 it is." Maika Tran gave a wry smile. "Since you've set a limit, I'll have to think about it carefully. He's currently stuck at the peak of the True Source Realm. I have several treasures that help me comprehend the Chaos Law. I originally planned to use them myself, but later I switched to more efficient ones, so these have been sitting idle. But they're rare, so I haven't been willing to give them away. Now they're just gathering dust here, so I might as well give them to him as a favor."

As he spoke, he mentally calculated. "Two kinds of Chaos Law aiding in the comprehension of treasures, combined, are worth about 100,000 Eternal Cosmos Crystal. Not particularly valuable, but not insignificant either."

Wen Xu laughed upon hearing this, "You're quite generous. But let me warn you first, the Constant Guard are very sensitive about gifts. If you give something too valuable, it might backfire."

"I know what I'm doing," Maika Trant nodded. "I won't make that kind of basic mistake."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Wen Xu suddenly remembered something and turned to look at his brothers and sisters present.

"Speaking of which, among our brothers and sisters still in the clan, aren't we the only few who haven't started families yet?"

"You all heard that. This Centurion Lin is highly likely to become Constant Guard in the future. He's reliable and his talent is undeniable. He'll be staying with our Wen Family for a long time, which is a good choice. Of course, don't make it too deliberate; just let it happen naturally. Making it too deliberate will only make people uncomfortable."

Fourth Miss Wen Qianqing was slightly taken aback, but then she understood what he meant.

According to the Wen Family's rules, after the direct descendants get married, they must move out of the main building on the main crystal cluster and live independently on the surrounding sub-crystal clusters.

Only those who are not yet married can linger in the main building.

As a result, they lived in the same building as Lin Yi, so they naturally had many more opportunities to meet and communicate with each other than others.

Fourth Miss Wen Qianqing nodded slightly, while Ninth Miss Wen Qianluo remained silent, still holding her sword, but did not object either.

The youngest, Wen Qianlan, had her eyes darting around quickly, seemingly lost in thought.

The red-haired fifth young lady Wen Qianqi, crossed her arms and suddenly spoke up, "He is a centurion. Now that the Black Mist Sea has erupted, he must have been fighting on the Frontline for quite some time, right?"

Wen Xu nodded. "That's for sure. If you're not a fighter, even if you have great talent, you probably won't catch Third Sister's eye."

Wen Qianqi seemed thoughtful and didn't ask any further questions.

After talking for a while, everyone dispersed.

On the other side, Lin Yi followed Wen Twenty-Nine as they walked slowly through the manor.

Underfoot was a path paved with dark blue flagstones, the surface of which was covered with naturally formed patterns, and the edges were tinged with the unique ethereal blue light of the crystal clusters themselves.

The path was flanked by a meticulously maintained garden, planted with many plants that Lin Yi couldn't name.

He followed Wen Twenty-Nine through several courtyards, then around a rockery, and finally arrived at a secluded courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't particularly large, but its layout was very elegant.

The courtyard wall is made of light blue crystal, with simple geometric patterns engraved on the surface. It is not ostentatious, but exudes a low-key elegance.

"Commander Lin, this is your residence." Wen Twenty-Nine stopped in front of the courtyard gate, turned around and said to Lin Yi.

The four servants behind him had already dispersed automatically; two stood guard on either side of the courtyard gate, while the other two went inside to conduct a final check.

"The Eastern Courtyard is a separate courtyard used by the Wen Family to receive guests from the Eternal Source Realm," Wen Twenty-Nine said as he pushed open the courtyard gate. "The cultivation rooms inside are equipped with independent energy supply systems, and the energy concentration is more than twice as high as outside. If you have any other needs, you can call the courtyard's management AI, and I will arrange it as soon as possible."

Lin Yi stepped into the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over its layout.

In the center of the courtyard is a small pond, its edges formed by natural crystal clusters. The water is crystal clear, and several silvery-white fish are swimming leisurely among the water plants.

In the center of the pond stands a small artificial hill, with a fist-sized pale blue bead atop it, emitting a soft glow that envelops the entire courtyard in a faint energy field.

Lin Yi sensed the strength of this energy field and nodded slightly in approval.

Although its defensive capabilities aren't particularly strong, it's excellent at blocking detection, clearly showing a strong emphasis on guest privacy.

"Is Lin Baichang satisfied with the environment here?" Wen Twenty-Nine asked.

"Very good," Lin Yi said with a smile, "Much better than the training rooms on the warship."

Wen Twenty-Nine also laughed, "I'm glad you're satisfied."

He paused, then added, "The Wen Family doesn't have many rules, but there are a few I should mention to you. The deepest part of the manor is where the elders reside; unless there are special circumstances, please don't go near there, Mr. Lin. Also, the married members of the direct line live on that crystal cluster to the east; they don't usually come to the main building, so you don't need to worry about them too much. The main hall of the main building occasionally receives important guests of the family; if you pass by, you don't need to deliberately avoid them, but if there are people discussing matters, it's best not to stop."

Lin Yi noted down all the rules and nodded.

Wen Twenty-Nine gave a few more instructions on daily life, then took his leave and left the Eastern Courtyard with four servants.

The courtyard gate closed gently behind me with a crisp click.

Lin Yi stood in the courtyard and let out a long breath.

We've finally settled down.

He stepped into the small building and looked around the living room on the first floor.

The living room was simply and comfortably furnished, with a round reception table in the center and a pot of blooming crystal flowers on it. He didn't linger in his new residence, but went straight down the stairs to the basement and found the cultivation room.

As Wen Twenty-Nine had described, the cultivation room was indeed perfectly arranged. The central cultivation platform was cut from a single piece of dark cyan crystal, and the ground around the platform was engraved with energy guiding patterns, which were now emitting a pale blue halo.

Lin Yi sat cross-legged on the cultivation platform, but did not begin cultivating immediately.

He first focused his mind on the hundred-long badge, while simultaneously infusing it with the Chaos Power.

The dark red patterns on the badge's surface lit up.

He couldn't wait to know how many military merits his clone had accumulated on the Frontline during this long voyage. Soon, the hundred-long badge connected to the Imperial Army system in the Silent Square Megacity and began data synchronization.

A moment later, the final result was announced.

Balance: 510 million.

Lin Yi couldn't help but rub his temples.

The number was less than he had expected.

But thinking about it carefully, it seems normal.

After all, what remained on the Frontline was only his clone. Although his strength had increased, his operational efficiency was not necessarily much higher than that of his Main Body and clone acting together. In addition, he was affected by the threshold of the number of Black Silence Beast, so the increase in the amount of military merits he could obtain was not very high.

Lin Yi sighed inwardly, thinking, "Looks like I need to find a quick way to make money. I'll gather more detailed information about the Silent Square Megacity first, and then find an opportunity to ask those Wen Family family thugs I just met. I need to ensure my safety while also earning 300,000 Eternal Cosmos Crystal within two thousand Epoch."

The reason for the two thousand Epoch is that Lin Yi felt he should reserve at least three thousand Epoch for a breakthrough to be on the safe side. After all, the True Source Soul Crystal is not a divine medicine that can make you break through with just one bite. You always need to spend some time comprehending before you can break through.

Lin Yi mentally estimated that, including the balance after the gift from the Rui Family and the expected military merit income in the next two thousand Epoch, there was still a shortfall of about 300,000 Eternal Cosmos Crystal.

As True Source Realm cultivator, earning over 300,000 Eternal Cosmos Crystal within two thousand Epoch is extremely time-consuming; clearly, taking the conventional route is not feasible.