Chapter 346: Twenty Years

Chapter 346: Twenty Years (5000 characters, please subscribe)

"The Trinity Temporal Index?"

The mighty being, Xia Qin, was stunned. As the pinnacle of the Summer Yin evolutionary path, he was all too familiar with the implications of the Trinity Temporal Index.

Only by attaining an extremely high level of enlightenment in the rules of time could one hope to come into contact with the Trinity Temporal Index. This was evident by its placement in the eleventh chapter of the Summer Yin evolutionary path.

Most evolvers who had just entered the eleventh tier had not yet grasped this temporal index, yet Lin Yuan, a mere ninth-tier being, had done so?

"Are you sure it's the Trinity Temporal Index?" Xia Qin asked, fixing his gaze on Lin Yuan.

In truth, Xia Qin already knew the answer. As a mighty being, how could he possibly forget the conversation they'd just had?

"Yes, the Trinity Temporal Index," Lin Yuan nodded.

The nine mighty beings of human civilization could be trusted implicitly, aside from a handful of secrets like the Gate of Myriad Worlds, the Mysterious Gourd, and the Xuanhuang Secret Realm. There was no need for deception in other matters.

Especially when it came to enlightenment in the rules of time, Lin Yuan would only gain more attention and respect by sharing his insights.

Most crucially, how could he hope to receive guidance from a mighty being if he didn't openly express his confusion?

"The Trinity Temporal Index is a means of measuring the flow of time," Xia Qin explained, his eyes never leaving Lin Yuan as he pondered his words.

Lin Yuan's mind buzzed with activity as he listened, unraveling countless mysteries surrounding the rules of time.

[Your comprehension defies the heavens. By listening to the essence of the rules of time, your understanding of the 1,823rd type of temporal model has deepened.]

[Your comprehension defies the heavens. By listening to the essence of the rules of time, your understanding of the 1,823rd type of temporal model has deepened.]

[Your comprehension defies the heavens. By listening to the essence of the rules of time, you have deduced the 1,823rd type of temporal model.]

In just over half an hour of listening, Lin Yuan had fully grasped the temporal models that had eluded him, gaining a fresh perspective on the rules of time.

"Time... this is time."

Lin Yuan's spirit soared. Xia Qin's explanation of the Trinity Temporal Index had opened his eyes to a whole new aspect of time, beyond just this particular index.

This was a case of learning one and inferring ten, or even a hundred!

Seated on his throne, Xia Qin noticed Lin Yuan's silence and, after a moment, asked, "How is it? Do you understand now? Shall I explain it again?"

Generally, even eleventh-tier evolvers would be incredibly confused when first introduced to the concept of the Trinity Temporal Index, and they would remain perplexed for a while even after receiving a dedicated explanation.

It required constant correlation with the time rules of the main universe to gradually gain an understanding.

"Thank you, Mighty One. I understand now," Lin Yuan replied promptly.

At this moment, he had fully comprehended the Trinity Temporal Index and deduced all 1,823 types of temporal models.

In the short term, Lin Yuan wouldn't encounter any bottlenecks in his understanding of time rules.

"Hmm?"

"You understand already?"

Xia Qin fell silent once more.

"You understood after just one explanation?" he asked, studying Lin Yuan with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

"Yes," Lin Yuan replied, raising his right hand. In an instant, he constructed the 1,823rd type of temporal model, with strands of temporal energy swirling around his fingertips.

Whether it was spatial or temporal models, they were all created by pioneering great scholars of human civilization, who interpreted the essence of space and time in a way that was accessible to the general public.

"Hmm," Xia Qin glanced at the temporal model Lin Yuan had created and immediately knew that he truly understood.

One couldn't create such a model without genuine comprehension. It wasn't something that could be copied or mimicked.

In the realm of rule enlightenment, one either understood or didn't. There was no middle ground.

"Lin Yuan," Xia Qin said, his eyes fixed on Lin Yuan, his heart filled with a mix of emotions. "You never cease to amaze me."

He had long been aware of what transpired in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, and he had originally thought that Lin Yuan possessed an exceptionally high understanding of the essence of space. But he never expected his level of enlightenment in the domain of time rules to be so advanced as well?

To deduce the 1,823rd type of temporal model? At what stage had he, Xia Qin, achieved this feat? It was after he had entered the tenth tier.

Yet Lin Yuan had done so at the ninth tier?

This level of talent in the realm of time rules surpassed even that of his fellow mighty beings during their respective periods!

If Lin Yuan were a special life form, Xia Qin could have accepted it. Certain special life forms with temporal attributes found it effortless to comprehend time rules.

It was similar to how Xinghai Youkun instinctively understood spatial rules.

But Lin Yuan wasn't just a regular special life form; he didn't even possess the bloodline of one.

"It's all luck. I've just been making steady progress in my recent contemplations," Lin Yuan replied humbly.

"Steady progress?" Xia Qin echoed, feeling that something about this statement didn't sit right with him.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Time rules are of utmost importance. The earlier you attain enlightenment in time rules, the more advantageous it will be for your future."

"If you can deduce all the temporal models of the rules of time before stepping into the tenth tier, come find me again," Xia Qin instructed.

Thus far, human civilization had formulated 2,173 types of temporal models.

To deduce all the temporal models was to reach a certain height in one's comprehension of time rules, but it was still a ways off from fully grasping them.

To bridge that gap, an evolver could only rely on their own insights and contemplations.

Of course, certain external forces could also facilitate progress in this area.

"Alright," Lin Yuan nodded. "Then I'll take my leave."

As Lin Yuan finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared beside him.

Previously, when human civilization took action against the Black Abyss Clan for the Insect Clan's behavior on the foreign race battlefield, it was Vice Tower Master Nalanh who had delivered the punishment.

With his own power, he had suppressed several Tenth-Tier ancestors of the Black Abyss Clan, forcing them to hide in the Black Abyss Secret Realm. Eventually, he left only after shattering the entire periphery of the Black Abyss Clan.

Furthermore, it was also Vice Tower Master Nalanh who had personally delivered the Divine Suppressing Pearl bestowed by Xia Qin, traveling a vast distance to place it in Lin Yuan's hands.

Now, Lin Yuan had some understanding of Vice Tower Master Nalanh's strength—he was Tenth-Tier, Grade A, and an especially formidable existence even among his peers.

Currently, in the nine Evolution Towers of human civilization, all the vice tower masters were Tenth-Tier. As for why they weren't Eleventh-Tier, it was because Eleventh-Tier beings were all preparing to challenge the ultimate stage, even if their hopes were slim. They wouldn't directly give up on their aspirations.

The position of vice tower master in the Evolution Towers mainly dealt with trivial matters outside of the evolutionary path, which the mighty beings were too indifferent to concern themselves with, and the Eleventh-Tier evolvers simply didn't have the time for.

Thus, the vice tower masters were usually Tenth-Tier evolvers.

Of course, to uphold the status of the vice tower masters, those who could attain this position were at least Tenth-Tier, Grade A, and Vice Tower Master Nalanh was even more exceptional among them.

"Galaxy Star Master." Vice Tower Master Nalanh nodded slightly, naturally recognizing Lin Yuan as well.

Currently, the name of the Galaxy Star Master could be said to be at the zenith of human civilization. With various accolades, it was difficult not to attract attention.

However, Vice Tower Master Nalanh didn't show any other emotions because the Galaxy Star Master indeed had the qualifications. At the very least, when Vice Tower Master Nalanh had been Ninth-Tier, he hadn't reached the heights that Lin Yuan now enjoyed.

Swoosh!

Lin Yuan exited the mighty being's personal world.

"Mighty one," Vice Tower Master Nalanh raised his head, looking up at Xia Qin seated on the high throne.

"It seems like the mighty one is in a good mood?" Vice Tower Master Nalanh was a little curious. He rarely saw any emotional fluctuations in Xia Qin.

Having reached the mighty being realm and achieved eternal existence, there were very few things that could still spark their interest.

"I see the future of human civilization." Xia Qin smiled as he spoke. Lin Yuan had such insight into the rules of time even when he was at the Ninth-Tier.

Moreover, he had established the martial arts evolution system. In Xia Qin's opinion, Lin Yuan's chances of challenging the ultimate stage in the future were far greater than those of the other Eleventh-Tier evolvers in human civilization.

"The future of human civilization?" Vice Tower Master Nalanh was a little perplexed. Only the mighty beings, who stood at the very top, could shoulder such a weighty responsibility.

Galaxy Main Star.

Lin Yuan sat with his legs crossed.

"The guidance of the mighty being has indeed saved me from taking a few detours." A smile appeared on Lin Yuan's face.

Without Xia Qin's explanation, it would have taken him several months or even one or two years to comprehend the Trinity Temporal Index.

"However, this guidance was entirely built upon my long accumulation of knowledge and experience."

Lin Yuan secretly thought to himself.

Before seeking the mighty being's instruction, Lin Yuan had been stuck at this bottleneck for quite some time, during which he had attempted various approaches.

It was precisely because of these attempts that Lin Yuan could immediately understand with just a slight explanation from Xia Qin.

If he hadn't had these prior attempts and had instead sought the mighty being's guidance at the first sign of a bottleneck, the effect probably wouldn't have been as profound as it was now.

"Xia Qin said that I should find him again after I've deduced all the temporal models of the rules of time." Lin Yuan recalled Xia Qin's instructions before he left.

Galaxy Main Star.

Chunbo, Jiali, Hongpi, Biyan, and several other administrators paid their respects to Lin Yuan.

Normally, matters concerning the Galaxy Main Star and even the Galaxy Star Domain were decided by these administrators through discussion, and the results were then reported to Lin Yuan.

Unless they encountered something they couldn't decide on or something they weren't qualified to decide on, they wouldn't bother Lin Yuan.

"Star Master." Chunbo, Jiali, and the others were very respectful as they looked at the young man sitting cross-legged on the ground. Just looking at him made their hearts tremble, and they couldn't even bring themselves to harbor rebellious thoughts.

It was as if ordinary citizens or First-Tier evolvers were facing a star sea dragon, whose existence was so overwhelming that they didn't even dare to entertain hostile thoughts.

"The Star Master is already doing his best to suppress his aura, but we still feel immense pressure. Just how strong is the Star Master now?" The administrators of the Main Star couldn't help but speculate.

"Nowadays, in our human civilization, the Star Master's reputation surpasses that of many Tenth-Tier evolvers. I don't know how many foreign races both hate and fear the Star Master because of what happened in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm."

As Eighth-Tier evolvers, the administrators on the field were naturally well-informed. They had access to the upper echelons of human civilization and had long heard about what had transpired in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm.

"The Star Master's strength now is probably far beyond that of the previous master, right?" Hongpi and Biyan, the two Eighth-Tier foreign races, marveled inwardly. "The previous master was still worried that the Star Master would be bullied after he first entered the Eighth-Tier and took control of the star domain, but now, after just a short time, who dares to bully the Star Master?"

Hongpi and Biyan felt deeply moved as they were among Lin Yuan's most loyal followers, having served him since he was the Red Kun Star Master and now as the Galaxy Star Master.

As foreign races, Hongpi and Biyan were destined to have limited prospects in human civilization. The only one they could rely on was the Galaxy Star Master.

"What is it?"

Lin Yuan opened his eyes, with most of his attention still on his cultivation, as he looked at the people before him.

He had long given the order that unless there was something they couldn't decide on or something that would affect the entire star domain, they were not to disturb him.

This was the usual state of affairs for most star masters presiding over a star domain—they spent most of their time in seclusion.

"A trade route?"

With his thoughts in motion, Lin Yuan instantly grasped every detail of this matter.

The territory of the Galaxy Star Domain had originally belonged to the Shadow Clan. They had only been forced to evacuate after losing to the Human Civilization Alliance on the foreign race battlefield. Thus, the Galaxy Star Domain actually shared a border with the Shadow Clan's territory.

"I see." Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed in thought.

No wonder Chunbo, Jiali, Hongpi, and Biyan, along with several other administrators, had specifically paid him a visit. This was indeed a decision they couldn't make on their own.

Establishing trade routes with foreign races was always a sensitive matter, especially with a hostile clan like the Shadow Clan.

"Some of the Shadow Clan's resources would indeed be quite useful to our Human Civilization," Lin Yuan mused to himself.

For example, the 'Shadow Stone,' a specialty of the Shadow Clan, was a necessary raw material for building high-grade battleships and could enhance their stealth capabilities.

"Very well," Lin Yuan agreed after some contemplation.

Appropriate trade with foreign races could accelerate the development of the star domain. If Lin Yuan were still an eighth-tier, he wouldn't dare to engage in such deep dealings with the Shadow Clan. But now, as a ninth-tier on the cusp of breaking through to the tenth, their threats held no weight.

As long as he controlled the extent of the trade and implemented regulations on certain resources, there wouldn't be any issues.

Of course, the most important factor was that Lin Yuan held all the power in establishing this trade route with the Shadow Clan, and he could terminate it at any time.

"Alright," Chunbo, Jiali, Hongpi, and Biyan exchanged glances, immediately understanding what they needed to do.

While trading with the Shadow Clan was undoubtedly beneficial, it was a decision that only the Star Master could make.

"Have there been any other significant events in the star domain recently?" Lin Yuan inquired.

"Nothing major," Biyan replied, organizing his thoughts. "With your reputation spreading far and wide, more and more business groups are willing to set up branches on the main star. The development of the Galaxy Star Domain is progressing much faster than expected."

For a fringe star domain of Human Civilization, the first consideration for rapid development was stability and security. As it shared a border with foreign races, collisions and encounters were frequent, hence the importance of a strong Star Master.

A powerful Star Master could protect the star domain and bring a sense of safety to all its citizens. Under such circumstances, large groups and companies would naturally be eager to establish a presence here.

After all, being on the fringes of civilization not only meant access to untapped resources but also implied a level of danger that, if managed properly, could lead to immense wealth.

Lin Yuan continued his discussion with the administrators, gaining a better understanding of the current state of the Galaxy Star Domain. Once he had gathered all the necessary information, he waved his hand, dismissing them.

"The Galaxy Star Domain has started turning a profit," Lin Yuan murmured to himself. "Last year's tax revenue alone amounted to eight thousand units of universe crystals."

He couldn't help but think that eight thousand units of universe crystals were roughly equivalent to the entire wealth of an eighth-tier evolver.

Of course, the Galaxy Star Domain's tax revenue was also a result of Lin Yuan's influence. An ordinary eighth-tier Star Master, no matter how hard they worked to manage their star domain, wouldn't be able to achieve this level of income.

In the depths of the Xuanhuang Secret Realm...

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, his body vibrating with energy before eventually settling, permeating every inch of his flesh.

"The _Xuanhuang Body_... finally, a minor achievement," Lin Yuan said with a smile.

At the same time, an invisible domain expanded from his body, covering an area with a radius of ten zhang.

_Protective Xuanhuang Light_.

This was an ability that only manifested after achieving a minor achievement in the _Xuanhuang Body_, capable of blocking all attacks. Whether it was physical, soul, or rule-based attacks, the _Protective Xuanhuang Light_ could defend against them all.

As long as the _Protective Xuanhuang Light_ remained unbroken, Lin Yuan's body would be invulnerable to disasters.

This was the terrifying aspect of the Xuanhuang lineage's three great protective secret arts, symbolizing the might of their defensive techniques.

"A minor achievement in the _Xuanhuang Body_," Lin Yuan thought, feeling a slight pinch as he considered the cost.

It had consumed at least one hundred million units' worth of Xuanhuang Crystals to bring this secret art to a minor achievement, not including the weapons and treasures he had devoured.

"With just the _Protective Xuanhuang Light_, those special ninth-tiers won't be able to break through my defense," Lin Yuan said, his expression easing slightly. The rewards were indeed commensurate with his investments.

"And there's also the _Xuanhuang Strike_," Lin Yuan added, raising his right hand as strands of energy gathered.

In addition to improving the _Xuanhuang Body_, Lin Yuan had also cultivated the _Xuanhuang Strike_ to the second stage. With a casual gesture, he could maintain a 'permanent' state that exceeded his own strength threefold.

This explosive secret art had minimal drawbacks aside from higher consumption and could be maintained indefinitely. In simpler terms, there was no cooldown period after activation.

"Back to cultivation," Lin Yuan said to himself after a brief assessment of his current state.

While his current strength was indeed impressive for a ninth-tier, it was still far from the pinnacle of the universe. Even with the protection of Human Civilization's strongest beings, Lin Yuan felt that having power in his own hands was the safest option.

Rather than relying on the protection of the strongest, he aspired to become one of them himself.

Time flowed on, and the vast universe with its myriad clans was filled with undercurrents...

Lin Yuan continued his cultivation, steadily enhancing his power.

In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end