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Chapter 230: Eighth-Tier
Chapter 230: Eighth-Tier (Seeking Subscription)
"I wonder how much merit this piece of information is worth."
Lin Yuan felt a surge of anticipation as he thought about the numerous privileges that came with being a Level 7 citizen. He was eager to attain the status of a Level 8 citizen as soon as possible.
In the entire Annan Star Alliance, there was only one Level 8 citizen in this era, and that was the Speaker of the Star Alliance.
Even the likes of Chi Kun, the Star Master of the Red Kunlun Star, and Jiu Long, the Star Master of the Nine Dragons Star, who were unbeatable existences at the eighth tier, had to show respect to a Level 8 citizen.
However, it was incredibly difficult to advance from a Level 6 citizen to a Level 7 citizen, and progressing from Level 7 to Level 8 was even more daunting, akin to crossing an insurmountable chasm.
Chi Kun, the Star Master, had slain countless powerful beings from other races, and yet he still hadn't accumulated enough merit points to advance to a Level 8 citizen.
Even the Evolutionary Scholars who had discovered complete eighth-tier evolutionary paths often didn't qualify for Level 8 citizenship.
Lin Yuan was well aware that the intelligence he had provided wouldn't be enough to earn him a promotion to Level 8 citizen, but it would certainly reduce the difficulty of attaining that status in the future.
An hour later, the voice of the Goddess of Wisdom echoed once more.
"Honorable Level 7 citizen, Lin Yuan, your information has been evaluated and deemed to be worth 1.5 million merit points. Would you like to receive them now?"
"1.5 million merit points?" A smile spread across Lin Yuan's face.
He had only earned 3 million merit points for creating the 'Seventh Tier of Martial Arts' chapter, and now a single piece of information was worth half of that?
"Please proceed with the distribution."
Lin Yuan was pleased.
After all, the information he had provided seemed to be a new method for human civilization evolvers to understand the severed body.
However, it was just an idea.
How many evolvers could actually accomplish such a feat?
Understanding three thousand three hundred and thirty-three types of evolutionary paths was a daunting task, and for almost all evolvers, this method was far more challenging than directly cultivating a single evolutionary path.
Therefore, the fact that the Goddess of Wisdom deemed this information worth 1.5 million merit points had exceeded Lin Yuan's expectations.
It was similar to evolutionary paths—if a path were rated as ninth-tier, tenth-tier, or even higher, its value would be immeasurable.
However, if that evolutionary path were preceded by the condition of being 'unable to be cultivated,' its value would plummet. The information Lin Yuan provided fell into this category, as no evolver, at least in the current stage, could possibly comprehend three thousand three hundred and thirty-three evolutionary paths.
Even if someone were capable of doing so in the future, it would be a long time from now.
Whoosh.
As Lin Yuan agreed, 1.5 million merit points were deposited into his account.
"However, if one were to simply cultivate a single evolutionary path, perfecting and completing it, even the most powerful beings could achieve this. Logically, the most powerful beings should have already condensed their Demon Jade Seals and be aware of the method I spoke of."
Lin Yuan suddenly had a thought.
"Perhaps the conditions for the most powerful beings to condense their Demon Jade Seals are different from ours?"
Lin Yuan speculated that the most powerful beings, from their lofty heights, would find it relatively easy to simply perfect and complete a flawed evolutionary path.
Based on the difficulty of becoming an ordinary member of the Demon Jade Pavilion, the trials for the most powerful beings should be even more challenging, or perhaps their entry into the Demon Jade Pavilion would automatically grant them a higher starting position.
Several days later, Lin Yuan opened up the cosmic star map of the human civilization's territory.
"My senior brother has chosen to preside over a star domain at the southeastern edge of human civilization's territory, bordering several powerful races."
Lin Yuan had already learned from his senior brother where he would be heading to preside over the star domain.
The newly established star domains of human civilization were not like the Red Kunlun Star Domain, which had been cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years and could be considered an established stronghold, free from danger.
The star domains at the edges of the territory were newly established and bordered other races, and many areas within them remained uncleared.
There might be special life forms dwelling in certain areas, or cosmic secret realms waiting to be discovered.
All of these would require the attention of the Star Masters.
The newly promoted eighth-tier evolvers were expected to preside over their star domains for five hundred years, not to enjoy a leisurely life but to actively contribute to the defense of human civilization.
"My senior brother has chosen a good location. At least it doesn't border any peak races."
Lin Yuan thought to himself that bordering a few powerful races was relatively safe, as those races wouldn't dare to openly oppose human civilization.
They certainly wouldn't dare to act against a Star Master, for if they did, their strongholds would be eradicated by human civilization the very next day.
However, peak races were a different matter.
Of course, under normal circumstances, the major peak races, including human civilization, maintained a delicate balance, refraining from provoking each other. The recent commotion in the alien battlefield was an exception, as the insectoid race had been desperate to obtain a supreme evolutionary path.
The prospect of obtaining a supreme evolutionary path that could birth a supreme being was enough to make the insectoid race reckless. Even after the incident, the insectoid race and its allies faced repercussions from human civilization, with many powerful races within the alliance suffering heavy losses, and a tenth of the Black Abyss race's stronghold being annihilated.
When it came to the birth of supreme beings, peak races like the insectoid race were willing to risk their relationship with human civilization. However, in other matters, they refrained from taking such drastic actions.
Although there was mutual infiltration and assassination of talented individuals from opposing races, the overall situation remained relatively stable.
"When I reach the eighth tier, I'll also need to choose a star domain to preside over."
Lin Yuan had communicated with his senior brother on multiple occasions, ostensibly out of concern, but also to gather information for himself.
After all, Lin Yuan was just a step away from the eighth tier, and his Mental Will Index had skyrocketed to over nine thousand eight hundred points after he condensed his Demon Jade Seal.
He was now tantalizingly close to the ten-thousand-point threshold.
Once his Mental Will Index reached ten thousand points, Lin Yuan would be able to directly step into the eighth tier.
"When the time comes, I'll send my main body to preside over the star domain, while my Yin Spirit remains in the alien battlefield to comprehend the Eternal Space Rift, and my Yang Spirit stays on the Red Kunlun Main Star. I'll also leave a drop of my bloodline here."
Lin Yuan made his plans.
His main body possessed the greatest strength, and its presence in the star domain would ensure overwhelming combat power.
Even if something unexpected happened and his main body perished, he could rely on his 'Blood Rebirth' ability, and the drop of bloodline he left on the Red Kunlun Main Star would rapidly grow and 'return' in its most perfect form.
There would be no need to resort to the method of deriving a physical body from his Yin and Yang Spirits.
Of course, to minimize losses, the main body that went to preside over the star domain wouldn't carry any precious treasures. If he died and lost those treasures, Lin Yuan would be heartbroken.
His physical body could be reborn, but the treasures would be lost forever.
"Maybe I'm overthinking this."
Lin Yuan pondered for a moment and then shook his head slightly.
According to the data from the Human Civilization Alliance, the mortality rate for newly promoted eighth-tier evolvers presiding over the edge star domains was quite low.
This was the case for ordinary eighth-tier evolvers, let alone Lin Yuan, who could already overwhelm most eighth-tier evolvers at the seventh tier. Once he reached the eighth tier, his combat power would undergo another significant transformation, possibly rivaling those at the peak of the eighth tier.
Lin Yuan sat in a corner, chatting leisurely with Gao Wufeng.
Recently, Gao Wufeng had been cultivating an evolutionary path he had realized from the severed body, and he almost lost himself in the process. Fortunately, his teacher, Jiu Jian Xingzhu, had suppressed it in time, and he had barely recovered after that misstep.
"I finally understand why you, the Thirteenth Peak Master, didn't cultivate the evolutionary path within that severed body. You were aiming for the second method." Gao Wufeng exclaimed with newfound realization.
"Hehehehe," Lin Yuan shook his head, smiling.
Not long ago, the Goddess of Wisdom had announced that in addition to directly cultivating the evolutionary paths within the severed body, there was another way—to realize a certain number of evolutionary paths.
The Goddess of Wisdom had specifically emphasized that this method was extremely challenging and had not been disclosed initially. Instead, a select group of genius evolvers had been chosen to 'test' it. Now that it was deemed safe, the method was being made public.
"So, the Goddess of Wisdom has made the second method public?" Lin Yuan mused to himself.
After some contemplation, Lin Yuan understood the reasoning behind the decision. Making this method public wouldn't cause any issues as long as the exact number of evolutionary paths one needed to realize to succeed remained a secret. Even if the other races knew about it, they wouldn't gain much.
Sometimes, having a clear goal was crucial. If one didn't know how many evolutionary paths they needed to realize, the strong members of other races would likely give up.
After all, the mental pressure emanating from the severed body was an extreme form of torture, and one's state of mind heavily influenced their rate of realization.
Lin Yuan's initial intention had been to temper his mental will, and he had accidentally stumbled upon the realization of three thousand three hundred and thirty-three evolutionary paths, ultimately condensing his Demon Jade Seal and achieving enlightenment.
As for the others, they barely managed to hang on.
"Back to comprehending, then."
Lin Yuan's thoughts converged, and he once again raised his head to gaze at the severed body beneath the vast sky.
Although Lin Yuan was now an ordinary member of the Demon Jade Pavilion, there were also core members and those of even higher status within the organization.
"I wonder if I can gain a higher status in the Demon Jade Pavilion by realizing more evolutionary paths?" he thought. The most important thing was that comprehending the evolutionary paths within the severed body benefited Lin Yuan greatly, allowing him to analyze and integrate their essence.
Furthermore, it continued to strengthen his mental will.
It was a triple benefit.
Naturally, Lin Yuan had no intention of giving up.
Even after his imminent promotion to the eighth tier, he wouldn't abandon this endeavor.
And so, Lin Yuan once again immersed himself in his realizations.
Days turned to months, and two months slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Whoosh.
Under the endless mental pressure.
Lin Yuan's will seemed to have reached its limit, and it began to crumble from the outer reaches.
"Just a little longer."
Lin Yuan persevered.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly, and then, suddenly, Lin Yuan's mental will underwent a transformation. Initially, his mental will had been a mere illusion, but now it emanated a deep glow, almost as if it had become a tangible entity.
"Phew."
Lin Yuan exhaled softly, having almost given up at the last moment.
Fortunately, he had held on.
"My mental will has definitely improved since the last time," Lin Yuan noted, sensing the enhancement in his mental will.
"Let's see what my Mental Will Index is now," he thought, disconnecting from the virtual world and resting for half a day to ensure he was in peak condition.
Then, he entered his personal space and connected with the Goddess of Wisdom.
"Goddess of Wisdom, I request a measurement of my Mental Will Index."
"Honorable Level 7 citizen, Lin Yuan, without using any physical or soul power, solely rely on your mental consciousness to impact your surroundings," the Goddess of Wisdom's solemn and chilly voice instructed.
Lin Yuan complied, and his immense mental will pressure surged, enveloping the area.
Vaguely, even the air seemed to distort.
A moment later, the Goddess of Wisdom's voice echoed once more.
"Honorable Level 7 citizen, Lin Yuan, after the test, your current Mental Will Index is approximately 11,200."
"It increased by so much?" Lin Yuan was elated.
A Mental Will Index of 10,000 was the threshold that determined one's ability to smoothly overcome the Heart Devil Tribulation.
Similarly, the difficulty of increasing one's Mental Will Index beyond 10,000 would surge exponentially.
For Lin Yuan to have a Mental Will Index of over 11,000 as a seventh-tier evolver was extraordinary.
In the history of human civilization, very few individuals had likely achieved this feat.
"My Mental Will Index has exceeded 10,000," Lin Yuan thought, his thoughts converging as he made a decision.
"With everything in place, it's time to break through to the eighth tier."
(End of Chapter)
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