The Light of Eternal Silence!

It's finally here.

Starting from Mist Sea City, he stayed at the Wen Family, broke through to the Eternal Source Realm, cultivated the <Nine Source Eternal Pact Art>, and condensed the Light of Eternal Silence.

After nearly six thousand Epoch of time and such a long period of preparation, the time has finally come to verify the results.

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I'll trouble Brother Wen Xu to lead the way."

Wen Xu nodded and gestured for him to enter.

The two walked side by side through the dark blue stone path outside the Eastern Courtyard, following the energy bridge between the crystal clusters toward the docking platform on the east side of the main crystal cluster.

Soon, the levitation shuttle slowly rose into the air.

Lin Yi looked down through the observation window of the levitation shuttle. The Wen Family family mansion shrank rapidly in his field of vision, and the small courtyard in the Eastern Courtyard was no longer visible, but he still couldn't help but take a few more glances.

Regardless of the outcome of the assessment, his stay at the Wen Family's residence has officially come to an end.

From the initial bewilderment upon arrival to now being about to step into the assessment field of the Constant Guard's garrison, six thousand Epoch have passed—a period longer than his entire previous life combined.

Here, he not only made friends with Wen Xu and Maika at the Wen Family, but also received a lot of gifts, which totaled more than six million Eternal Cosmos Crystal. Even after deducting the Jisu Owl Plume used to save his life and the essence blood that was consumed, the rest was still worth three million Eternal Cosmos Crystal.

Three million Eternal Cosmos Crystal is a considerable fortune for any beginner in the Eternal Source Realm.

A few days ago, Lin Yi had seriously considered whether to sell all these treasures before the assessment and buy himself a good set of equipment. He even took the time to check the prices at the major auction houses in Silent Departure City.

However, after carefully reviewing all the publicly available information about the Constant Guard assessment, he abandoned the idea.

The assessment method for the Constant Guard is not fixed, but one thing is generally agreed upon: the use of external objects is not allowed.

Any external object.

The assessment only considers the individual's abilities.

Therefore, Lin Yi gave up the plan to buy equipment and decided to wait until after the assessment.

If you pass the assessment, you can save a lot of money and use it elsewhere.

Because the benefits of the Constant Guard are so great, the equipment they provide is far superior to ordinary treasures on the market.

Therefore, those convertible treasures lie quietly in a corner of the Divine Kingdom within the body, waiting for a more suitable opportunity in the future to come in handy.

"Brother Lin Yi, speaking of the assessment, there's something I need to tell you beforehand, so you won't find it strange when you arrive at the base."

Wen Xu's voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

Lin Yi turned to look at Wen Xu.

"What's up?"

"The Constant Guard assessment is never publicly announced, nor is any prior notice released. Ordinary cultivators only know the final result. But for the major powers of Silent Left City, each Constant Guard assessment is a very important event."

Wen Xu adjusted his posture, turned to face Lin Yi, and continued, "The Constant Guard often cooperate. Whenever an assessment comes around, any Constant Guard with free time either returns in person to watch or sends out an avatar to see who their future comrades will be."

Lin Yi nodded slightly upon hearing this. This was news he hadn't heard before, but upon reflection, it made sense.

"However, you just mentioned the major powers?"

"Yes. It's not just Constant Guard who came to watch the assessment."

Wen Xu said directly, "Any force in Silent City with a bit of influence will try to get a viewing spot before the assessment begins. One reason is to memorize what the newly promoted Constant Guard look like, so they can immediately inform everyone in their clan, letting them know that this person is someone they absolutely cannot mess with in the future... Hehe, everyone knows that the new Constant Guard will definitely find a target to establish their authority, and no one wants their own disciples to be so blind as to provoke them and become that target for no reason."

"Of course, besides this reason, there is another, more direct purpose: to win over those who failed to qualify. These cultivators who have made it this far to participate in the assessment are all top-notch in terms of strength, talent, and character. Even if they don't become Constant Guard, they are still invaluable talents in any force, and they are all combat-ready forces at the Eternal Source Realm. Winning over even one of them would be a huge gain."

At this point, Wen Xu paused for a moment, then said in a half-joking tone, "However, Brother Lin Yi is quite close to us, so I guess they don't have any intention of trying to win you over. No... ptooey! I mean, Brother Lin Yi has definitely passed the test, so he doesn't need to, absolutely not!"

Seeing his hurried explanation, Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh, "Then I'll take your kind words."

Wen Xu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as well.

But as he laughed, a hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

Lin Yi didn't urge him, knowing that Wen Xu still had something to say, and just waited quietly.

Wen Xu looked up at the road ahead, as if calculating the time it would take to travel this distance, and then finally made up his mind.

"Brother Lin Yi," he said solemnly, "What I'm about to say is just for your consideration; don't feel pressured. It's a well-known fact that the Constant Guard Constant Guard is extremely difficult to pass. Moreover, not only is the assessment incredibly challenging, but there's also a limit to the number of candidates. In the end, it's not just about how strong you are, but also how strong your competitors are. Sometimes, those who could pass the assessment in previous attempts won't pass this time..."

Therefore, it depends not only on ability but also on luck.

"So..." Wen Xu looked at Lin Yi and said seriously, "If, and I mean if you don't pass this time, don't think it's because you're not good enough. One failure doesn't mean anything. There are many cultivators who are obsessed with becoming Constant Guard. If they don't pass in this universe, they'll immediately go to another universe to take the exam when they hear there are openings. There are many cultivators who take the exam two or three times in a Universal Epoch. So even if you don't succeed this time, you'll have another chance next time."

Lin Yi felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this.

He understood the intention behind Wen Xu's words; clearly, he didn't want Wen Xu to bear too much pressure because of the success or failure of the assessment, and he didn't want Constant Guard assessment as the only path.

Lin Yi could only silently appreciate Wen Xu's good intentions.

He's a family member; he knows his own family's affairs.

Other cultivators can take the test once and if they fail, they can take it a second time; if they fail the second time, they can take it a third time; if they fail in one Universal Epoch, they can wait for the next Universal Epoch.

But he couldn't wait that long, and the Rui Family couldn't wait that long either.

However, Lin Yi didn't say these words aloud. He simply lowered his gaze, remained silent for a moment, and then smiled at Wen Xu, "I understand."

Wen Xu glanced at Lin Yi, but didn't continue speaking.

The greatest respect between friends is knowing when to stop.

He then smiled and said, "When you finally wear that golden armor, don't forget to treat us to drinks—the good kind, the expensive kind!"

Lin Yi laughed heartily, "That's for sure."

The air shuttle continued flying for a while.

"We're almost there," Wen Xu said, pointing ahead.

Lin Yi followed the light and looked over. At the end of his vision, an extremely large complex of buildings slowly emerged from the mist.

The complex of buildings appeared very understated, with only occasional flashes of dark golden light across their surfaces.

Lin Yi noticed that the light patterns were similar to the array patterns of the Imperial Army, but with slight differences.

That was the garrison of the Constant Guard in Silent Left City.

The entire base looks more like a fortress than a military camp.

Or rather, it is a fortress in itself, with its outer walls densely engraved with array patterns, and occasionally light points flowing between the patterns, like star trails slowly moving in the night.

As the distance closed, the levitation shuttle was soon gently stopped by an invisible force.

Wen Xu had clearly anticipated this; he took out a talisman, waved it, and then slowly landed the levitation shuttle on a spacious docking platform.

Several gray-white pillars stand around the platform, each topped with a dark golden Light Sphere Light Sphere is slowly rotating and emitting a chilling aura.

"I'll take you this far." Wen Xu stored the levitation shuttle back into his Divine Kingdom, turned around, and pointed towards the main entrance. "There are guides inside; once you're inside, someone will naturally lead you to the waiting area."

He patted Lin Yi on the shoulder, then his smile faded as he looked at Lin Yi seriously, "Go for it."

Lin Yi nodded without saying anything, then turned and walked towards the main entrance.

The main entrance to the black wall was a tall arched doorway. Lin Yi walked along the main passage behind the doorway and soon came to a semi-transparent light curtain. Behind the light curtain, he could vaguely see an extremely open space.

A middle-aged man in a dark gray robe stood before the light screen. He nodded slightly as Lin Yi approached. "Lin Yi, recommended by the Wen Family, verified. Please follow me."

He turned and walked through the light curtain, with Lin Yi following closely behind.

Behind the light curtain is the waiting area for examinees.

It was an extremely wide semi-circular hall, with the floor paved with the same black stone slabs as the outer walls of the encampment. In the center of the hall, there were no superfluous furnishings, only more than a hundred pale silver stone platforms floating in mid-air.

Over a hundred people were already seated on the stone platform.

The moment Lin Yi stepped into the waiting area, dozens of gazes silently swept over him. These gazes lingered on him for a brief moment before withdrawing.

Lin Yi remained expressionless as he walked towards a blank stone platform, subtly scanning the other examinees in the hall.

There were over a hundred people, and each of them concealed their aura, making it impossible for him to discern their specific strength levels.

However, judging from some subtle physical characteristics, he discovered that the candidates' backgrounds were quite diverse.

About two-thirds of the candidates present belonged to the Constant Race major category.

Because the Emperor's Constant Race, is very similar in appearance to the Spirit Race and Human Race, or more strictly speaking, many races with similar forms, such as the Spirit Race, Human Race, and Star Spirit Race, are all classified under the Constant Race category in the Empire's genealogical classification and are regarded as branches of the Constant Race in a broad sense.

These Constant Race generally present themselves in their original form during daily activities, without needing to alter their appearance.

The remaining third of the candidates belonged to the Abyss Race Clan and the Devouring Race Clan.

These two races have significantly different original forms from the Constant Race. According to unwritten rules, these two races will transform their appearance to resemble the Constant Race in public places.

However, this is not a mandatory law. Out of respect for the Emperor, those powerful individuals who have transformed their forms often deliberately retain one or two distinctive features of their clan, both to fulfill the etiquette and to indicate their origin.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over the examinee closest to him. He looked no different from the ordinary Constant Race, except that there was a very thin and small black scale on each side of his forehead, with the edges of the scale gleaming with a dark blue light.

Not far away, another candidate had two deep blue veins on the side of his neck, which would shimmer slightly with each breath, like a bioluminescent jellyfish in the deep sea.

Lin Yi glanced at it a few times before looking away, but he was secretly on guard.

Among these candidates, some must be the most talented individuals selected from their respective ethnic groups, backed by vast resources and intelligence networks.

Just as he was pondering this, a long and deep hum suddenly emanated from the dome of the waiting area.

All the candidates in the hall looked up at the same time.

A pale golden light curtain slowly descended from the center of the dome. At the same moment, all the stone platforms in the waiting area trembled slightly and began to slowly move towards another light curtain at the end of the hall.

The assessment has officially begun.

Soon, the stone platform silently carried the examinees through the second light curtain and into a huge square.

The plaza was very spacious, and the ground beneath our feet was made of a semi-transparent membrane of light. Outside the plaza, there were many stone platforms floating around, and the cultivators on them, though dressed differently, all exuded an aura of power above the Eternal Source Realm.

The most striking feature is a massive, dark gold stone platform at the highest point.

A man clad in golden armor stood in the very center of the stage.

He lowered his head slightly, his hands behind his back, his posture casual yet exuding a cold and imposing aura.

It was Wen Xiao.

His gaze was quietly fixed on the assessment area below.

At this moment, the last stone platform had also stopped moving, and more than a hundred cultivators at the Eternal Source Realm were scattered across the plaza.

Wen Xiao took a step forward and stood at the edge of the main stage.

"Everyone."

Wen Xiao's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly penetrated the depths of everyone's consciousness.

"You are all outstanding individuals in the Eternal Source Realm. Your recommendation to participate in the Constant Guard's assessment demonstrates your exceptional talent and character. First of all, on behalf of the Constant Guard, I thank you all for your recognition and trust in the Constant Guard."

His tone was plain and sincere, without any hint of condescension.

After saying this, Wen Xiao paused slightly, then changed the subject.

"However! The number of spots for the Constant Guard is ultimately limited. Behind each spot lies a responsibility that cannot be neglected in the slightest. Therefore, we can only make selections through assessment. We hope you all understand this."

The examination area remained completely silent, but the expressions in the eyes of many candidates had already changed.

Some people's gazes grew more serious, some nodded slightly, and others pursed their lips almost imperceptibly.

None of those who stand here got there by luck; everyone understands what the Constant Guard assessment means.

Then, Wen Xiao continued, "For this assessment, the final selection will be based on only one criterion: the total time taken to complete the assessment. The candidate who completes all assessment items in the shortest time will receive a spot in the Constant Guard."

"The assessment consists of two parts." Wen Xiao held up two fingers. "The first part is strength."

"Because your cultivation levels are not entirely the same. Some of you have just entered the Eternal Source Realm, while others have already reached perfection. If we were to make you fight each other, it would be neither fair nor in line with the original intention of the Constant Guard selection. Therefore, we will use a different method."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand and waved it lightly in the air.

Immediately, countless pale golden threads fell from the sky, intertwining in mid-air to form a huge ring of light.

The light array slowly rotated, emitting a strange fluctuation that seemed both real and illusory.

"Each of you will face a phantom formed from an illusory realm. This phantom's realm is exactly the same as your own, and you only have one thing to do."

"That is, to defeat the phantom in front of you in the shortest amount of time without getting injured yourself."

As Wen Xiao finished speaking, a very slight commotion finally arose on the assessment site.

The rule seems simple at first glance: it's just about fighting an illusion of the same level. Aren't all the people present among the best of their kind?

But upon closer examination, the difficulty of achieving a swift victory without sustaining injuries is entirely different.

Wen Xiao didn't care what the examinees thought at all. After he finished speaking, he turned around and bowed slightly to the empty space in front of him.

"I trouble Lord Yan to supervise."

There was no response from that void.

However, the array of laws above the assessment area doubled in brightness at the same instant.

Lin Yi raised his head, his gaze lingering for a moment on the empty space above the dome.

Wen Xiao himself is the Inspector of the Constant Guard. What kind of person could be addressed as "Sir" by him and asked for his supervision with such a respectful attitude?

However, the thought only flashed through his mind before he suppressed it.

The most important thing right now is not figuring out the examiner's identity, but the upcoming assessment.

Meanwhile, Wen Xiao had already stood up. He raised his right hand, his fingers forming a sword shape, and lightly drew a line in the air in front of him.

The slowly rotating ring of light above the assessment area suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light, and the threads hanging from the light array vibrated violently at the same time. An invisible force swept across the entire assessment area like a tide.

Lin Yi suddenly felt a white light flash before his eyes.

Suddenly, everything around them changed.

The black floor of the assessment venue, the light patterns of the dome, the audience seats suspended in mid-air, and the other examinees scattered around—everything vanished completely at the same moment, replaced by an endless gray void.

Lin Yi didn't look around much, because his attention was completely drawn to the thing directly in front of him the moment he stepped into this void.

Not far away, a shadowy figure stood.

The phantom was almost the same size as him, but its face was indistinct, as if seen through frosted glass, with only the general outline of its features vaguely discernible.

Lin Yi noticed that the intensity of the law fluctuations emanating from this illusory figure was exactly the same as his, without the slightest difference.

"A swift and unscathed victory..."

99

Lin Yi repeated the sentence in his mind, and then without hesitation, activated the Light of Eternal Silence!