With the broad framework in place, all that remained were the details of implementation.
Lin Yi rapidly constructed a method of disguise in his mind.
"What I've retained is only that trace of my soul's origin. But it shares the same source as my own soul. Besides, based on what I learned from the Virtual Network in my previous life, I've never heard of any method that can directly examine the origin of someone's soul."
"So, there's little information on the Virtual Network about methods above the level of an Eternal Deity, and no conclusions have been reached. But as long as I don't actively reveal anything unusual, even a normal inspection by a deity shouldn't expose my secret."
"Then, based on that, all I have to do is draw on the memoirs of the universe's geniuses I've read and give everything extraordinary a reasonable explanation. That way, the deity won't suspect anything unusual."
"After all, with a deity's eternal lifespan, they've seen countless geniuses. As long as I don't stand out like a two-headed ant, who would bother scrutinizing an unusually strong ant?"
As Lin Yi tidied his desk, he carefully considered everything.
"My combat experience can be disguised as an innate battle instinct and rapid learning and improvement in real combat."
"My knowledge of Abyss Beasts can be passed off as sharp observation and a knack for quickly identifying patterns."
"As for my cultivation speed and comprehension of the laws, those can be attributed to extraordinary talent and iron will."
"That way, each step will seem like a miracle that naturally occurs when a genius is under immense pressure."
"As for the extent to which I should display my talent..."
At the thought, Lin Yi couldn't help feeling a trace of self-mockery.
What counted as a normal level?
As it happened, there was a ready-made reference.
It was the Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Tournament, held once every five thousand years and organized by the Spirit Race, in which Star Core Level prodigies from all affiliated civilizations competed.
The monstrously talented competitors who emerged from it made the perfect reference.
The Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Tournament was held once every five thousand years. Since entering the universe, Lin Yi had lived through two editions.
The first time, he had only recently entered the universe and was merely at the second tier of the Star Core Level. Since he didn't want to waste the registration fee, he hadn't signed up.
Still, wanting to broaden his horizons, he had watched the broadcast on the Virtual Network. Even then, the freakish levels Star Core cultivators could reach had left him deeply shaken.
Every competitor who made it into the top thousand had formed a domain.
The eventual champion had even revealed a domain that fused six laws during the final battle.
What did that mean?
A domain was the hallmark of the Star Domain Rank, signifying complete mastery of a single universal law.
In other words, the prodigies of every race who made it into the tournament's top thousand had already reached the Star Domain Rank in their comprehension of the laws.
The Spirit Race genius who took first place had even rivaled a sixth-tier Star Domain cultivator.
Of course, this was a competition among the prodigies of every race in the Pan-Spirit Alliance. More than six hundred of the top thousand spots had gone to the Spirit Race, a peak species of the universe. The Human Race had won only a little over forty spots, and just two of their contestants had made it into the top hundred.
So after watching the competition, Lin Yi had only sighed over it. He hadn't felt much else.
The gap was too great to compare.
Instead, it was the champion of the Purple Gold Star Alliance division, who had displayed a grasp of the laws comparable to a fourth-tier Star Vortex cultivator despite being at the ninth tier of the Star Core Level, who had inspired him.
So when the second tournament came around, Lin Yi had confidently paid the fee and signed up.
By then, he had reached the ninth tier of the Star Core Level. With Leilina's guidance, he had also improved his blade techniques and mastered two finishing moves with the power of the Star Vortex Rank.
Not long before, he had even fought two opponents at once during a mission and killed one of them, who had been at the same level as him.
That had given him tremendous confidence.
In the end, the results hadn't been all that bad.
He had passed the qualifiers in seventy-ninth place within his group, but in the preliminaries he had won once and lost nine times, ending his run after the second round.
Thinking of that, Lin Yi shook his head with a rueful smile. He had made back his registration fee and earned ten times as much, but the experience had also made him feel the gap for himself.
The champion of that edition had again been from the Spirit Race. Though not quite as impressive as the previous edition, their grasp of the laws at the Star Core Level had still rivaled that of a fifth-tier Star Domain cultivator.
By comparing himself with these genuine, monstrously talented geniuses, Lin Yi arrived at a reasonably reliable benchmark.
A gap of two major stages counted as monstrous talent, but not something outrageously implausible. So what he most needed to watch out for was the initial phase: he had to conceal himself, progress step by step, and reveal his abilities in a reasonable way.
He couldn't leap three major ranks right from the start and display a Star Vortex Rank understanding of the laws.
As long as his growth followed a discernible path and he didn't show the jarring air of someone who could foresee the future,
then seven days from now, when the illusory Divine Kingdom Projection shrouded the land and the roars of Abyss Beasts tore apart the illusion of peace, he would be able to set out on that blood-soaked trial as a seemingly natural "unpolished genius."
Only then could he withstand the scrutiny that might one day fall upon him.
Lin Yi focused and thought for a moment. A plan for a "genius's rise" rapidly took shape.
He then carefully reviewed the details until he was sure there were no flaws in any part of it. Only then did he let out a quiet breath of relief.
"I have to protect my loved ones and strive for the peak, while carefully hiding my greatest secret beneath a dazzling light."
"Preparation starts now."
With that thought, Lin Yi returned to his bedside, picked up his old phone, and opened his contacts.
As he looked at the names, each one blending with distant memories and gradually coming alive again, a smile finally appeared on his previously serious face.
The summer heat was intense. Sunlight slipped through the gaps between the plane tree leaves, casting shifting patches of light on the concrete ground of the old residential complex.
The days after the college entrance exams seemed to have slowed to half speed, and the air was thick with a lazy sense of relief.
Lin Yi played the role of a "college student-to-be" to perfection, like a drop of water rejoining the brief, fragile pond of tranquility.
Wearing an apron, he helped his mother, Zhou Jinghua, wash vegetables by the sink. Water rushed as her incessant chatter echoed through the cramped kitchen:
"The cucumbers at the market on the east end are two mao cheaper than at the supermarket, though they look a little ugly. Sigh, the price of eggs is enough to make you nervous."
Lin Yi murmured in agreement as he carefully rinsed the leaves, as if it were the most important thing in the world.
At the lunch table that afternoon, steam rose from the stir-fried vegetables as his father, Lin Ruiming, sipped cheap bulk liquor.
The atmosphere was warm and peaceful.
Lin Yi took a few mouthfuls of rice, then raised his head as if he'd suddenly remembered something. His voice carried a hint of hesitation. "Dad, Mom, didn't you mention before that you wanted to hold a celebration banquet for my admission?"
Zhou Jinghua immediately put down her chopsticks. Her face showed undisguised anticipation and a hint of nervousness.
"Of course, Xiao Yi. Getting into Qingteng University is a great honor for the whole family!"
"Even though money's a little tight at home, your dad and I thought we should at least invite our relatives and friends to a meal. It'd be lively, make everyone happy, and give them a chance to celebrate for you."
Xiao Yi was Lin Yi's childhood nickname. Back then, his parents had hoped everything would come easily to him, so they had chosen a name that sounded like "easy."
His father nodded beside her, his wrinkled eyes brimming with simple pride as he chimed in.
"Right, we should hold one! It's been years since our family had such a happy occasion. Besides, it's the proper thing to do. Your cousin got into an ordinary university, and they held one for him too."
Lin Yi fell silent for a few seconds, unconsciously rubbing his fingers along the rim of his bowl as if struggling with a difficult decision.
In Helu City—or rather, in Su Province—the custom was not to accept gifts of money at these graduation banquets. They were purely an expense. That was why Lin Yi hadn't wanted to add to the family's financial burden.
But after a moment's thought, Lin Yi raised his head, a smile on his face as if he'd finally come around.
"Mm, I've thought about it. You're right, Dad, Mom. It's a happy occasion, and we should celebrate. It'd be nice to get everyone together."
He paused, as though giving it serious consideration.
"How about next Saturday at noon? It's the weekend, so everyone should be free."
"As for the venue... I heard the new Hongfu Restaurant outside our residential complex has a good reputation. The portions are generous, the prices are reasonable, and the place is bright and clean. It's close to home, too, so it'll be convenient for everyone."
The date he named pointed precisely to the moment the apocalypse would arrive.
The venue, Hongfu Restaurant, was an even more carefully chosen stage, selected after he had methodically combed through his memories.
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