Yunmi Mark and Trial Function

In the void, another palace appeared...

It must be said that because the Zerg Mother Empress members are so few, the resources available to each of them are far too abundant.

By comparison, Cai Yi could discern that this palace was likely the hive of a Mother Empress, and in terms of aura alone, it was no less impressive than the previous Mother Empress palace; it was clearly a top-tier heavy treasure!

"Little Cai Yi, be respectful in a moment. That is the teacher of our mothers, Lord Yunmi."

Isabella gave Cai Yi a gentle warning before carrying her into the palace.

It was likewise a divine power avatar, seated upon a throne.

As expected of the Zerg, who are filled with beauties, Cai Yi felt she was starting to suffer from aesthetic fatigue just by staying here...

Cai Yi looked at the beauty on the dais, but before she could think much, she felt Isabella, who was holding her, bow slightly.

"Isabella pays respects to Teacher."

"Evangeline pays respects to Teacher."

Cai Yi was stunned for a moment, then followed suit:

"Cai Yi pays respects to Lord Yunmi."

Well, she said the words, but she couldn't actually bow, as she was still being held in Isabella's arms.

"Is she the child of you two?"

Lord Yunmi's charming and affectionate eyes turned toward Cai Yi; she felt as if something was slightly off, but she didn't pay it any mind.

"Yes, Teacher. Her name is Cai Yi."

"Mm, a good name."

Lord Yunmi smiled and offered praise, then asked directly:

"Is there something you need from me?"

"It is like this..."

Isabella recounted Cai Yi's recent feats, then had Cai Yi demonstrate her seventh-level domain and her insights into the threshold of the Law of Wind before Lord Yunmi.

Watching Cai Yi's seventh-level Domain of Wind, Lord Yunmi was stunned, then nodded with a smile.

"Very good. Born not long ago, reaching the ninth rank of the Planetary Level, comprehending a seventh-level Domain of Wind, and even crossing the threshold of the Law—this already meets the standard of a genius."

The point was not that she had comprehended a Domain of Wind at the Planetary Level, nor that she had crossed the threshold of the Law, but that she had been born so recently!

That's right, Cai Yi had only been in the Empress Universe for a short time; even counting the time spent absorbing nutrient fluid, it had only been a week.

Comprehending a seventh-level domain in one week was already incredibly exaggerated, let alone stepping into the threshold of the Law!?

Lord Yunmi's thoughts stirred, and Cai Yi felt a mark appear on her soul. Although she didn't know what it did, she was certain it wouldn't harm her.

"This is my soul mark. With this soul mark, you are now considered a key genius cultivated by the Zerg. You already possess the inherited memories of Evangeline, and with the addition of the race's prioritized resources, I look forward to your future achievements."

"Cai Yi, hurry and thank Lord Yunmi."

Isabella set Cai Yi down and signaled for her to bow in thanks.

"Cai Yi thanks Lord Yunmi."

"No need. As long as you can demonstrate sufficient achievements, that will be the best thanks you can give me."

Lord Yunmi smiled and waved her hand, signaling that they could leave.

Isabella led Evangeline and Cai Yi in bowing once more before flying out of the palace.

"With this mark from Teacher, little Cai Yi, you are now a genius with the highest priority for our Zerg resource allocation."

Evangeline laughed.

In the Zerg, resource allocation has priorities. Cai Yi's priority was the highest, equivalent to a genius of the Virtual Universe Company's Primordial Secret Realm—though, of course, even more so!

After all, the number of geniuses in the Primordial Secret Realm was far greater than the number of Zerg Mother Empresses with the highest priority.

Oh, besides that, the Primordial Secret Realm was only a cultivation institution belonging to the Virtual Universe Company. There were four other major powers with their own institutions, and the resources they invested, when calculated, amounted to only one-fifth of the Zerg Mother Empress's top priority.

Of course, income from trials was not included...

Upon returning to the Mother Empress palace, Cai Yi began preparing to break through!

With her vast resources, Cai Yi's progress was much faster than Hen Ren's; in just one week, she had reached the ninth rank of the Planetary Level.

Hen Ren was currently only at the eighth rank of the Planetary Level, and that was only because she had spent a significant amount of time creating the [Devouring Heaven Demon Art]; otherwise, she would likely be even slower...

Energy accumulation becomes slower the further one progresses...

As Cai Yi broke through, Hen Ren began to study her Jie Secret.

As for Xu Ai, she turned her attention to the trials.

Tapping on the trial function, Xu Ai felt her vision blur for an instant, and then she felt 'herself' situated in an incomparably vast space.

"Consciousness entry? It must have split off a portion of my consciousness, which doesn't affect control of the outside world."

This was her first time doing this. Previously, when entering the virtual space, she could only look after things with Hen Ren, and she had no way to leave a portion of her consciousness outside.

Unlike the 'avatar' function, Xu Ai's memories contained no introduction to this feature, so she could only explore it herself.

"Trial, Trial Tower? It should just be a combat platform, right? Then..."

Xu Ai shifted her consciousness, and ten thousand Reckless Bull monsters appeared before her. Reckless Bulls belonged to a mid-tier category among monsters and had never produced a King-level Monster, but under Xu Ai's control, every single one of these monsters possessed the strength of a King-level Monster!

Very good!

With a single thought, Xu Ai covered herself in a combat suit and manifested a Longquan Treasure Sword in her hand.

Three minutes later...

"Having a domain really makes a difference; fighting is so easy..."

The specific process was simple: Xu Ai enveloped them with her Fire Domain, and the group of monsters became as sluggish as if they were stuck in a quagmire, their movements slowed to a crawl, leaving them to be slaughtered at her will...

"But if this is all there is to it, this 'Trial' function isn't all that impressive..."

Xu Ai let her thoughts wander again. Since she could simulate a group of monsters, she should be able to simulate people too, right?

Like the Killing Field in the Virtual Universe?

Thinking this, a peerless beauty wearing a ghost-face mask appeared before Xu Ai.

Yes, it was none other than Hen Ren! Or rather, a virtual Hen Ren!

Planetary Level eight, Nine-Fold Domain, and having grasped the essence of the Law of Water—she was incredibly fierce!

The moment Xu Ai released the virtual Hen Ren, five slender fingers pressed against her chest. Without a sound, Xu Ai was finished...

"Too strong!"

She hadn't had the slightest ability to resist, but that was normal. Xu Ai was only at Planetary Level one, and with only a first-fold Fire Domain, she couldn't compare to Hen Ren in any aspect, so naturally, she couldn't win!

"Lower Hen Ren's strength to match mine at Planetary Level one, remove the threshold for the Law of Water Origin, and set her Water Domain to only the first fold. Alright, continue!"

Xu Ai released Hen Ren. This time, the fight wasn't a one-shot kill, but it was still a total rout!

Two or three minutes later, Xu Ai was blown away again...

"That's going too far! How can she get stronger the more she fights!?"

The first minute was fine, with Xu Ai only slightly at a disadvantage, but then Hen Ren inexplicably fell behind, only to suddenly break through to a second-fold domain! What followed was the start of a one-sided crushing, which was just too terrifying!

But it had to be said, the simulation was very realistic...

One had to remember that she was Hen Ren. Why was she called that? Because she was ruthless—ruthless to her enemies, and even more ruthless to herself!

During the battle, Hen Ren had inexplicably let herself be struck by a sword, which caused her to fall into a disadvantageous position.

Xu Ai didn't quite understand at first, but after it ended, she thought about it from Hen Ren's perspective and realized...

Because this wasn't a sparring match, but a deathmatch. The virtual Hen Ren had intentionally held back to put herself in a desperate situation! Then, by finding a way to survive from the jaws of death, she achieved a breakthrough in the heat of battle...

This was using the great terror found between life and death to squeeze out one's own potential. It was just too excessive!

In any case, Xu Ai would definitely never do something like that. Putting herself in a life-or-death situation? Impossible!