156: The decisive blow, the combined power of a hundred schools, shatters the soul.

The Sharp Knife Squad's all-out attack was like a burst dam, carrying the scorching light of burning life and will as it slammed fiercely into the core coordinates of the Lich Lord's existence, marked by Su Yueyao's moonlight!

Scarlet Scale's Dragon Breath was like a pillar of crimson lava; Golden Mane's pulverizing strike caused the air to emit overwhelmed explosions; Glow's Sword of Judgment trailed a tail of Holy Light several meters long; and the arrows, magic, and blades of other heroes merged into a destructive storm of energy!

Rumble—!!!

An unprecedented explosion detonated at the heart of the valley! The earth trembled violently as countless fragments of rock and bone powder were swept into the high sky by the wild air currents, forming a chaotic mushroom cloud of fire, Holy Light, dust, and black death qi! The shockwave completely tore apart and blew away the remaining skeletons and high-level necromancers in the vicinity!

However—

When the smoke and dust slightly cleared, everyone's hearts sank abruptly.

The core coordinate marked by the moonlight was flickering violently between light and dark, enduring immense pressure. Though spatial cracks spread wider around it, it... had not been completely destroyed!

A layer of extremely condensed, almost physical grayish-black Moonlight Divine Power, like the sturdiest eggshell, deathly protected that coordinate! This Divine Power shield did not come from the dying lich's remains, but from the distant direction of the gate of death, from the angry Divine Thought of "Nether Bone" forcibly infused at the critical moment! Although the Mohist Schools Art of Argumentation's [Conjoining Differences] interference and the moonlight marking greatly weakened the efficiency of this remote defense, the Divine Power Rank gap of LV130 versus LV101, along with the natural bonus of the death divine office to death Divine Power, still made this shield appear indestructible!

The Sharp Knife Squad's combined strike, powerful enough to instant-kill an ordinary LV60 hero, only caused the shield to fluctuate violently and develop countless fine cracks, but failed to shatter it completely! The light of the moonlight marking flickered stubbornly behind the shield, but it was like looking at a lamp through frosted glass, becoming increasingly blurred.

"Ant-like power... dares to shake the heavens?" The cold, arrogant voice of "Nether Bone," carrying an even stronger killing intent after being offended, transmitted through Divine Thought once more. Although he sounded slightly strained (maintaining high-intensity remote defense and countering conceptual interference consumed a massive amount of energy), his prestige did not diminish but instead increased! The cracked grayish-black shield, under the infusion of more death Divine Power, actually began to slowly and firmly repair and thicken!

More terrifyingly, at the core of the protected coordinate, an even more evil, chaotic fluctuation with the sense of "Return to the Void" was brewing and gestating! It was as if "Nether Bone" was attempting to send something even more horrific through this channel, or simply detonate this node to perform an undiscriminated annihilation of Laws!

Had they failed? Despite exhausting all efforts, creating an opening, and marking the core, were they still unable to pierce through that absolute chasm of strength?

Despair, like a cold venomous snake, once again coiled around the hearts of the Sharp Knife Squad members. Zhao Hao's eyes were blood-red, nearly ready to burn his Bloodline again to launch a forbidden attack; Wang Meng let out an unwilling roar; Qin Qing pursed her lips tightly, but her Holy Light appeared to be losing momentum; Su Yueyao's face was as pale as paper, as maintaining the moonlight marking and resisting the death pressure had pushed her close to her limit.

Lin Zhou stood at the very front, bearing the primary pressure of "Nether Bone's" Divine Thought. Pale gold divine blood constantly spilled from the corner of his mouth. His Godhead emitted an overwhelmed wail due to the high-load operation and continuous use of Origin powers (Fire of Civilization, Mohist Schools Art of Argumentation), and fine, almost invisible cracks even appeared on its surface. The intense pain of his Divine Soul came in waves like a tide, nearly drowning his consciousness.

However, his gaze was like stars tempered through the ages; not only did it not dim, but in the extreme pressure and desperate situation, it burned with an even purer and more blazing light!

That was his firm belief in the Way of Civilization, his persistence in the wisdom of the hundred schools, and the deepest love and most resolute will to protect that glorious and brilliant home civilization from the depths of a transmigrator's Soul!

"The gap... indeed exists." Lin Zhou's voice was hoarse yet exceptionally calm. Through Godhead resonance, it entered the ears of every nearly despairing teammate. "His Divine Power is more abundant than mine, his Rank is higher, and his divine office fits the battlefield... these are all on the level of 'force'."

"But..."

He slowly raised his hands, palms upward, as if lifting an invisible responsibility and Legacy heavier than Mount Tai.

"What we possess is not just 'force'."

"What we possess is the 'Dao', the 'Reason', and the crystallization of countless sages' wisdom and the practical experience of billions of living beings spanning through the ages—Civilization!"

"A single school of thought may have limitations. Dispersed power may be defeated one by one."

"But if we melt the Hundred Schools of Thought into one furnace, taking the essence and discarding the dregs, using the Fire of Civilization as the guide and the river of civilization as the basis, and condense all 'Reason', all 'Dao', all 'Wisdom' and 'Will' into a single point—"

"That would be... something sufficient to pierce through all falsehood, illuminate all darkness, and shatter all decay—"

"Civilization · Strike of Ultimate Truth!"

Following Lin Zhou's declaration, his Godhead—that pale gold crystal covered in fine cracks—suddenly erupted with unprecedented light! It was no longer a simple pale gold, but displayed a magnificent variety of colors, like the beginning of Chaos when all things were created!

Simultaneously, behind him in the Void Realm, the [river of civilization], which was originally just an extremely faint phantom, manifested so clearly and grandly for the first time!

It was not a real river, but a torrent of light gathered from countless brilliant spots of light, flowing runes, sparks of thought, historical silhouettes, and imprints of wisdom! It came from nothingness and went toward eternity, grand and ceaseless!

The moment the river phantom appeared, the Laws of the entire battlefield (including the distant Lancang River defense line) underwent a subtle yet profound tremor! The erosion of the Death Field was forcibly suppressed and purified, the chaotic offensive of the undead army stalled again, and even "Nether Bone's" terrifying pressure and the repairing shield showed obvious stagnation and loosening!

At this moment, what Lin Zhou had to do was invoke the power of this nascent river of civilization phantom and merge it—briefly, with difficulty, yet unprecedentedly—with the essence of the Hundred Schools of Thought he mastered, as well as the will and power of all his teammates!

This exceeded the load limit of his current Godhead Rank and might even damage the Origin of the river of civilization phantom! But he had no choice!

"Everyone!" Lin Zhou's Divine Thought swept through the field like a burning fire. "Lend me your strength, help me... condense the essence of the hundred schools, and forge the blade of civilization!"

"Confucianism!" Lin Zhou's mind invoked the Jixia Academy phantom to emerge in the river, emitting a warm and resilient light of order, providing a stable and inclusive framework for this soon-to-be-born wild power to prevent it from self-collapsing. The wisdom-enlightening power of [Model for All Generations] permeated the air, making all participants highly focused and their thinking clear.

"Legalism!" The Temple of Law phantom manifested, with cold lines of rules intertwining to organize and constrain the complex power, endowing it with the rigid characteristics of "Sure-hit," "Evil-breaking," and "Punishment," greatly enhancing its penetrative power and destructive force against "illegal" (death, Chaos) existences.

"Mohism!" The light and shadow of the Tiangong Workshop and the Mechanical City flickered, providing exquisite energy structures and operational logic, coupling powers of different attributes together like precise gears, improving energy utilization efficiency and adding the clever force of "Barrier-breaking" and "Mechanical Creation."

"School of Military!" The sound of iron horses and golden spears came from the Martial Temple phantom, injecting the sharpest "Momentum" and most precise "Tactical Intent" into this fused power—concentrating all destructive force into a single point to pursue the ultimate instantaneous explosion and destructive effect!

"Taoism!" The Taoist Temple phantom appeared indistinctly, with Yin and Yang circulating, harmonizing the potential conflicts between different thought powers, making them reach a dynamic, ceaseless balance, and endowing them with a hint of the mystical changes of "Dao follows nature" and "overcoming hardness with softness" to deal with possible Law backlashes.

"School of Medicine!" The clear Glow of the Imperial Hospital fell, stabilizing Lin Zhou's own Divine Soul and body (projection) which were on the verge of collapse, while also providing a hint of "vitality" and "resilience" to this fused power so that it wouldn't disintegrate before being released.

"School of Names!" Logic light flickered within the phantom of the Debate Platform, continuing to maintain the "Conceptual Confusion" interference on the lich's core coordinates, ensuring its defense always had logical loopholes, and adding parts of the "Holding Names Responsible for Reality" characteristic to this fused strike—defining this blow as the "inevitable purification of 'Death Nodes' and 'Chaotic Erosion'"!

"School of Diplomacy!" The light and shadow of the Diplomatic Embassy brought the pull of the general trend, invisibly strengthening the connection between Lin Zhou and his teammates, the river of civilization, and even faintly the weak "Momentum" between this battlefield and heaven and earth, adding a sense of "Mandate of Heaven" to this strike.

"School of Miscellaneous!" The light and shadow of the Library of Diverse Books embraced all rivers, accelerating this unprecedented process of power Fusion, reducing repulsion, and refining the essence while removing the dregs.

Even the newly budding fertile intent of the "School of Agriculture" contributed a slight but solid sense of "vitality" and "Foundation," injecting a subtle hope of "rebirth after destruction" into this devastating strike.

All the brilliance of the Hundred Schools of Thought that Lin Zhou had unlocked or touched were no longer acting independently. Instead, under the framework of the river of civilization, in the smelting of the Fire of Civilization, and under the unification of Lin Zhou's resolute will, they began an unprecedented deep resonance and blending!

The scene was so magnificent and grand that it could not be fully described in words!

Within the phantom of the river of civilization, the pale gold Fire of Civilization served as the core and fuse, burning fiercely.

The white light of order from Confucianism was like skeletal meridians, constructing the main body.

The cold blue light of Legalism was like chains of Law, binding and shaping it.

The bronze luster of Mohist machinery was like gear joints, providing precise transmission.

The blood-red Evil Qi of the School of Military was like a blade's fuller, condensing killing intent.

The clear gray mysterious light of Taoism was like the qi of harmony, circulating and balancing.

The emerald vitality of the School of Medicine was like lubrication and repair, maintaining stability.

The sophistry-laden silver light of the School of Names acted like an enchanting rune, adding a touch of deceptive mutability.

The invisible momentum of the School of Diplomacy acted like a propelling wind, enhancing the overall power.

The inclusive colored light of the School of Miscellaneous acted like a Fusion agent, bonding everything together.

The thick, earthy yellow light of the School of Agriculture acted like a weight-bearing Foundation, establishing the base.

The lights of various schools of thought were no longer distinct, but like a galaxy splashed by a master painter, or the chaotic spectacle at the birth of the Universe, intertwining, penetrating, resonating, and sublimating! They swirled and compressed around the Fire of Civilization, finally condensing into a single point between Lin Zhou's hands... a point of light that could not be accurately described by any color.

It seemed to contain all colors, yet seemed to be no color at all. It was as tiny as a speck of dust, yet it emitted a terrifying aura that made Souls tremble and caused rules to retreat! It was the ultimate manifestation of 'Order,' yet it contained the infinite possibilities of 'Change'; it was the crystallization of 'Wisdom' and the manifestation of 'Will'; it was like a miniature, exploding Civilization Singularity!

This strike had already transcended simple energy attacks, touching the level of the Origin of rules and the fruits of the Way of Civilization! This was a nearly miraculous strike created by Lin Zhou, a being of Faint Divinity, who, relying on the Temple of Civilization and the Hundred Schools of Thought's wisdom, surpassed himself and burned everything in a desperate situation!

For the first time, Nether Bone's Divine Thought emitted a clearly discernible wave of shock! "This... what power is this?! Impossible! How can a Faint Divinity..."

Its terror was justified. Because from that tiny point of light, it felt an existence older than death, more real than the void, and grander than Chaos! It was a fleeting glimpse of 'Civilization' itself in a low dimension!

Su Yueyao's beautiful eyes reflected that magnificent and terrifying point of light, and her cold face showed a mixture of shock and infatuation for the first time. She felt her Moonlight mark resonate more deeply with that point of light; her Moonlight Divine Power was actively sucked in and fused, becoming a cold, bright color within that Civilization Singularity, adding the characteristics of 'Precise Positioning' and 'Purification Anchoring' to it.

“Now!” Pale gold points of light began to seep from Lin Zhou's facial orifices (a sign of excessive burning of his Divine Soul and Divine Power), but his voice was like a great bell, echoing through heaven and earth:

“In the name of Civilization—”

“Hundred schools return to one, the river flows!”

“Break!!!”

He shoved his hands forward violently!

That 'Civilization · Singularity of Truth,' which condensed the essence of the Hundred Schools of Thought, the power of the river of civilization's phantom, the collective will of the Sharp Knife Squad, and Su Yueyao's Moonlight mark, broke free from Lin Zhou's control. It transformed into a torrent of thought that could not be described by speed, rushing toward the Lich core coordinates guarded by the Moonlight mark and the grayish-black shield!

At this moment, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Space disintegrated and gave way layer by layer before that torrent of thought.

Nether Bone's death Divine Power, filled with terror and madness, tried to make a final stand. However, the moment it touched the torrent of thought, it was like snow meeting a scorching sun—it wasn't just pierced through, but washed away, dismantled, and reconstructed at a conceptual level! That solid shield didn't even last a thousandth of a second before it vanished silently, as if it had never existed.

Then, the torrent of thought lightly 'tapped' the core coordinates marked by the Moonlight.

There was no explosion.

There was no loud noise.

There was only a grander, more fundamental 'change.'

It was as if an ancient scroll soaked in stains and darkness was being gently and firmly washed over by the water of a clear, vast heavenly river containing infinite vitality and wisdom.

The complex three-dimensional rune structure (the phylactery/node core) that represented the Foundation of the Lich Lord's existence and was connected to Nether Bone's Divine Power, the moment it was touched by the torrent of thought—

First, it froze.

Then, like a sandcastle or dewdrops in the sun, it began to silently crumble and dissipate from the finest rune structures.

It wasn't destroyed by violence, but rather its 'rationality' and 'Foundation' were gently 'negated' by a higher level of 'Reason' and 'Dao.' The rules of death were overwritten by the order of civilization, Chaos was straightened out by logic, and the void was filled by existence.

“No—!!!” Nether Bone let out a shrill, venomous howl filled with disbelief and despair! This howl didn't just ring in the minds of the Sharp Knife Squad; it even faintly echoed in the depths of the Souls of every undead unit on the entire battlefield!

The howl stopped abruptly.

Because with the complete annihilation of the core coordinates, the Divine Power link between it and Nether Bone was also followed by the torrent of thought, which rushed back along the path and washed over it violently!

From the direction of the distant gate of death came a dull roar, as if something had shattered! Vaguely, the towering phantom of the gate of death shook violently, and one of the three twisted runes on the lintel suddenly exploded and went out! The thick death mist pouring from the gate and the speed of undead summoning plummeted!

And as a backlash from the severance of the Divine Power link and the direct 'purification' of the core node by the Truth of Civilization—

Most of Nether Bone's Divine Thought that had descended here was like noodles thrown into a meat grinder; under the wash of the river of civilization phantom's aftershocks, it let out a silent scream and disintegrated into pieces, being annihilated!

Its true body, that LV130 Undead Deity examinee far behind the gate of death, even with the protection of the Epic building [gate of death], definitely suffered unprecedented heavy damage! Its Divine Soul was damaged, its Divine Fire was shaken, and its Godhead might even have cracks! For a short time, it would likely be unable to perform such high-intensity remote Divine Thought suppression and precise command again!

The battlefield chain reaction exploded with a scale ten or a hundred times more violent than when the Lich Lord died earlier!

First, in the area where the Lich Lord node had completely disappeared, a huge, irreparable 'hole' appeared in the death Divine Power network. With this as the center, Chaos spread like ripples.

Next were all the undead units connected to this node, receiving its Spell buffs and command coordination—

The Soul fires of those thousands of high-level Undead Mages flickered collectively, then went out one after another like snuffed candles, their bodies turning to ash.

Further away, the army of over five million undead on the battlefield—whether they were charging skeletons and zombies, circling Gargoyles, or the Death Knights and Stitched Abominations in the rear—the Soul fires burning in their eye sockets or bodies flickered violently and chaotically at the same time!

Having lost Nether Bone's stable and powerful Divine Thought governance and the Lich Lord node's Spell coordination, and being further affected by the lingering order and purification aura of the Truth of Civilization strike—

Clatter, clatter... like falling dominoes, or puppets that had lost their strings.

The skeleton soldiers in the front row fell apart in swaths, their white bones clattering to the ground as their Soul fires went out.

The zombies' rotting bodies stiffened and then slumped to the ground like mud, completely losing vitality.

The ghosts let out a final, confused wail, their forms dissipating into the air.

Gargoyles fell from the sky like kites with broken strings, shattering into pieces.

The undead warhorses beneath the Death Knights knelt down with a mournful cry, and the Soul fire in the knights' eyes gradually dimmed.

The massive bodies of the Stitched Abominations collapsed with a bang, and the corpses that composed them began to separate and rot.

From the Lancang River front to the rear of the gate of death, as far as the eye could see, the undead fell, disintegrated, and vanished in swaths like a harvested wheat field! They weren't killed; they simply 'collapsed' naturally after losing the core power and unified will that maintained their existence!

In just a few minutes, the five-million-strong undead army fell apart! The battlefield instantly became empty, leaving only ground covered in bone fragments, rotting remains, and rapidly thinning death aura.

All was silent.

Only the phantom of the river of civilization, before slowly dimming and dissipating, let out a final long, ethereal sigh that seemed to pierce through ancient and modern times.

On the southern bank of the Lancang River, along the scarred defensive line, the surviving warriors stared dumbfounded at the sea of undead collapsing like an avalanche across from them, hardly able to believe their eyes.

The valley where the Sharp Knife Squad was located was a mess, with a huge, regularly smooth 'blank' area in the center. This was the mark left by the torrent of thought's wash, where even the ground seemed to have been purified and tamped down by a layer.

Lin Zhou stood at the very front. His body swayed, and finally unable to hold on, he knelt on one knee, gasping for breath. Pale gold divine blood continuously seeped from his mouth, nose, and the corners of his eyes. The light of his Godhead had dimmed to the extreme, and the cracks were even clearer. But the fire in his eyes never went out.

Su Yueyao immediately stepped forward to support him, her cold Moonlight carrying unprecedented tenderness and worry as it poured into his body, trying to stabilize his Divine Soul, which was on the verge of collapse. Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, Qin Qing, and the others also gathered around, their faces a mix of relief at surviving the disaster, and awe and worry for Lin Zhou.

“Did we... win?” Zhao Hao's voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief.

Lin Zhou struggled to raise his head, looking at the distant phantom of the [gate of death], which, though damaged, still stood with its light much dimmed. He then looked at the completely disintegrated undead army and the warriors on the defensive line who were beginning to erupt in earth-shattering cheers.

He pulled out a tired but incredibly bright smile.

“The first round, we won.”

The Undead Calamity was repelled, the Lich Lord was destroyed, Nether Bone's Divine Soul was damaged, and the undead army had disintegrated.

But the gate of death was still there.

Nether Bone's true body still existed.

The final trial of the College Entrance Examination was far from over.

The journey of civilization is full of thorns, but... the first light of dawn has appeared.