177: The integration of Confucianism and Legalism, with the mandate of Heaven governing order.

Time seemed to be pinned down by the spear of light piercing through its chest, stalling for an instant.

Pfft—!

The Glazed spear of the light of civilization sank deep into the crystallized shadow armor on the Abyssal Lord's chest.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a subtle sound like a hot knife cutting through grease, and as the spear entered, a shrill wail erupted from the cracks in the armor, as if countless wronged Souls were screaming simultaneously!

Centered on the point where the spear of light pierced, spiderweb-like cracks spread frantically across the dark red, almost black, armor.

What gushed out from the cracks was no longer pure purple-black energy, but a chaotic, conflicting stream of light mixed with the Glazed radiance of civilization!

The Abyssal Lord's two cold, white-flame eyes flickered and contracted violently for the first time, like a candle in the wind!

【Spear of the light of civilization · Critical Damage Effect】:

Hit Location: Estimated near the energy core/divine office node.

Damage Type: Extensively concentrated impact of "principles of civilization," carrying multiple conceptual damages such as "Purification," "Order," "Wisdom," and "Legacy," with restraint against chaotic/destructive divinity entities.

Direct Damage: ??? (Beyond current analytical capabilities, but clearly caused substantial critical damage to the demigod lord)

Additional Effects:

Divinity Interference: The activity of the Abyssal Lord's 【Destruction】 divinity is forcibly suppressed by approximately 40%, and the "Armor Break," "Annihilation," and "Termination" characteristics attached to its attacks are significantly weakened.

Energy Disorder: The internal Abyssal energy cycle is invaded by the principles of civilization, causing violent conflict and internal friction, reducing energy output efficiency by approximately 30%.

Law Erosion: The principles of civilization persist and slowly spread at its wound, continuously causing "Order" damage and inhibiting its self-healing ability.

Connection Fragility: The connection with the Abyssal Fissure, already disturbed, has become even more unstable.

Lord Status Change: Its aura has plummeted from absolute suppression to a relatively "weak" level (relative to a demigod). The shadow armor's radiance is dim, and the Abyssal storm cloak behind it has become thin and unstable. Movement shows significant sluggishness.

"Did it succeed?!" Behind the defensive line, countless people with their hearts in their throats almost cheered out loud!

The Dominator's earth-shattering strike had actually critically wounded that arrogant demigod monster!

However, there was no joy on Lin Zhou's face.

His entire body felt as if all strength had been drained; he fell powerlessly from the air and slammed heavily onto the scorched ground at the edge of the "Pure Land of Order," kicking up a cloud of dust.

He struggled to stand up, but only coughed up mouthfuls of filthy blood mixed with pale golden Divine Power and fragments of internal organs.

His vision was blurred, and a sharp buzzing filled his ears.

The sound coming from his Divinity was no longer cracking, but a desperate, icy coldness on the verge of complete silence.

【Lin Zhou · Terminal Status】:

Divine Power Reserve: 0 / 5000 (Completely exhausted)

Divinity Load/Integrity: 99% / Integrity 41% (Divinity covered in cracks, core processing unit severely damaged, rule maintenance ability dropped to freezing point, on the verge of collapse)

Divine Fire Status: The Glazed flame is as faint as a bean, as if it will extinguish in the next second.

civilization points: 120 / 8570 (Near exhaustion)

Physical Status: Multiple severe injuries, damaged internal organs, shattered Meridians, extremely withered Divine Soul, consciousness drifting on the edge of a coma.

Combat Ability: Basically lost.

Unable to actively cast any divine arts or mobilize the power of Law.

This strike, "Hundred Schools Return to Origin · Civilization Exorcism," had drained everything from him—Divine Power, Divine Thought, the Foundation of civilization, and even his Origin of life!

It was truly a desperate strike that gambled everything!

The effect was significant, but... it was not enough to kill a demigod!

Especially a demigod who had been provoked, critically wounded, and had fallen into madness and rage!

"Urgh... Ah...!!!" The Abyssal Lord let out a physical roar completely different from its previous cold intent, filled with pain and boundless violence!

The sound was like thousands of pieces of glass scraping simultaneously, deafeningly harsh!

It looked down at the wound on its chest, which was still leaking Glazed light dust, and the coldness in its white-flame eyes was replaced by a hysterical madness that wanted to drag everything into the Abyssal abyss of destruction!

It had been hurt by an "ant"!

Its Origin had been hurt!

This humiliation and pain must be washed away with the most thorough and cruel destruction!

"Ant... you... must... die... the most painful death!!!" Its intent was intermittent due to rage, but even more terrifying.

It no longer cared about the energy disorder and Law erosion caused by the chest wound, and forcibly mobilized all its remaining power!

The cracked patterns on the shadow armor were forcibly bridged by violent energy (though the Glazed light dust remained), and the Abyssal storm cloak behind it became thin and unstable.

Movement showed significant sluggishness.

It wanted to drag this area, along with that detestable fire seed and all surviving Order creatures, into the purest "Terminal Destruction" where even the Soul would be annihilated!

"Ultra-high-risk energy reaction detected!

The Lord is forcibly condensing the divinity Origin, preparing to launch... 【Abyssal Termination · Great Annihilation】!

Estimated effect: Ultra-large range indiscriminate Law annihilation attack!

Enough to destroy all non-demigod units and buildings on the current battlefield!

Including the remnants of the river of civilization phantom!" The final alarm from the Star Gazing Platform rang out weakly but desperately.

Rock Shield, who could still move (kept alive by Qing Lin with her last bit of School of Medicine secret arts), the severely wounded Stone Spirit Leader, Fire Hammer struggling to crawl up... everyone could feel the ominous sign of death that froze the Soul before destruction descended!

Even the seven Observers in the air, the light of their star map phantom contracted violently, seemingly ready to cut off the "Observation" link at any time to avoid being affected.

Is it over?

Having exhausted everything to critically wound the demigod, yet still unable to change the fate of destruction?

Lin Zhou lay on the cold ground, his vision covered alternately by blood-red and darkness.

He could feel the frenzied gathering of the Abyssal Lord's destructive energy, could hear the desperate gasps of his subordinates, and could feel the last bit of residual warmth from his Divinity fading away...

No... cannot... end like this...

The Way of the Hundred Schools... the Fire of Civilization... how can it be extinguished here?

His consciousness sank into the endless darkness, yet he seemed to touch something more profound, more fundamental.

It was the deepest part of the Temple of Civilization, above the brilliance of the Hundred Schools classics, where two more ancient and fundamental "principles" seemed to be floating and resonating.

One, grand and righteous, emphasizing Education, Order, benevolence, righteousness, and ritual Laws, advocating for "rectification of names," pursuing "cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world," its power core lies in "defining status," "establishing rules," and "educating the world"—Confucianism!

The other, cold and harsh, focusing on Law, punishment, governance, and effectiveness, advocating "the Law does not coddle the noble" and "No Exemption from Punishment," pursuing "governing the state by Law" and "enriching the country and strengthening the military," its power core lies in "establishing legal measures," "clarifying rewards and punishments," and "regulating behavior"—Legalism!

Confucianism and Legalism, while seemingly one emphasizing moral Education and the other emphasizing penal Law, have different paths and even had many disputes in history.

But in the river of civilization of the Huaxia Civilization, they often complemented each other, mutually reinforcing, together forming the cornerstone of ancient social governance— "Confucian on the outside, Legalist on the inside," "Confucian-Legalist convergence"!

"Establishing rules" and "establishing legal measures," "Education" and "punishment," "status" and "rewards and punishments"... is not their core about establishing and maintaining a kind of "Order"?

A kind of "Order" that allows civilization to survive, develop, and prosper!

And at this moment, what the Abyssal Lord wants to do is to use the "Destruction" divinity to launch the ultimate "disorder" and "collapse," destroying all "Order"!

Then, let "Order" face "disorder"!

Let the "principles of civilization" face the "Destruction" divinity!

Confucian "Words as Law" is the use of one's own understanding of "Dao" and "principles" to trigger the Laws of heaven and earth, making words possess the efficacy of Law, which is the highest manifestation of "educating the world."

Legalist "Net of Law" is the formulation of rules by one's own will to form a Domain, regulating and judging everything within the Domain, which is the embodiment of "establishing Law and setting Order."

What if the two are combined?

Using the Legalist "Net of Law" as the framework Foundation to delineate the "Domain of Order"; using the Confucian "Words as Law" as the supreme command to issue irrevocable "core decrees"?

This is—Heaven's Constitution in one's mouth, Words as Law, establish Order!

This thought was like the last spark ignited in the darkness, igniting Lin Zhou's consciousness that was about to go silent!

His Divinity, covered in cracks, and his Divine Fire, as faint as a bean, seemed to have a flash of recovery, simultaneously lighting up with strange radiance!

Within the Divinity, the budding 【Education】 divine office (one of the cores of Confucianism) and the embryonic 【Law】 divine office (the core of Legalism), in this moment of life-and-death desperation and clarity of philosophy, produced an unprecedented deep resonance and... a trend of Fusion!

Hum—!

Within the ruins of the shattered Temple of Law, a pale blue light—faint yet incomparably resolute—shot up into the sky!

Upon the crumbling remains of the Jixia Academy, a pale golden pillar of light, filled with majestic righteousness, appeared simultaneously!

The two beams of light converged in the air; instead of repelling each other, they began to rotate and merge like the Yin and Yang symbol!

Lin Zhou exhausted his last ounce of strength, struggling to kneel upright. He raised his head; on his blood-stained face, his eyes were as clear and resolute as bedrock. He no longer looked at the Abyssal Lord gathering destruction, but instead cast his gaze toward the merging pale blue and pale golden lights, toward the two embryonic divine offices resonating within his shattered godhead, and toward the principles of civilization deep within the Temple of Civilization that represented the fundamentals of both the Confucian and Legalist schools.

He opened his mouth. There was no roaring, no shouting, only a declaration so calm it seemed to contain the ultimate truths of heaven and earth and the Laws of eternity. The voice was not loud, yet it rang out clearly in the hearts of every Order being, even drowning out the humming of the Abyssal Lord's destructive energy!

"By my authority of Education, to distinguish right from wrong, and to enlighten heaven and earth!"

"By my handle of Law, to establish rules, and to adjudicate Order!"

"Now, in this Domain, I establish the supreme decree—"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable majesty that seemed to be revered by heaven and earth:

"Wherever my Order resides, wherever the radiance of civilization shines—"

"All acts of 'destruction', 'collapse', and 'disorderly end'—"

"Are all illegal!"

"In this place—destruction is prohibited!"

"Words as Law · Integration of Confucianism and Legalism—'Decree Prohibiting Destruction', established!"

Rumble—!!!

A tremor of rules, even more violent and fundamental than when the river of civilization manifested, swept across the entire battlefield! This was no longer a manifestation of some power, but a direct definition and prohibition at the level of rules!

The merging pale blue (Legalism) and pale golden (Confucianism) lights instantly expanded and intertwined, forming an unprecedented, denser, more complex Net of Law rooted in the underlying rules of this battlefield! Every "thread" of this net seemed to be composed of the purest rules of Order, shimmering with Confucian core concepts like "Ritual," "Law," "Benevolence," "Righteousness," "Trust," "Loyalty," "Filial Piety," "Integrity," and "Shame," as well as Legalist core concepts like "Punishment," "Reward," "Command," "Law," "Prohibition," and "Penalty"!

This net was no longer just for monitoring and judgment; it was for direct definition and prohibition!

And Lin Zhou's words, "In this place—destruction is prohibited!", transformed into the core, supreme, and inviolable fundamental statute of this new Net of Law, deeply branded onto every node of the net like a seal!

【Integration of Confucianism and Legalism · Words as Law · 'Decree Prohibiting Destruction'】:

Caster: Lin Zhou (Triggered by the Fusion trend of the Education (germinal) and Law (embryonic) divine offices, forcibly activated by borrowing the Foundation of the remaining Temple of Civilization and the remnant intentions of battlefield Order).

Core Decree: "In this place, destruction is prohibited!"

Effective Range: Centered on Lin Zhou, a radius of approximately 800 meters (covering the main engagement area and the core of the territory).

Rule Tier: Demigod-tier rule prohibition (Due to the Fusion of two embryonic divine offices and the principles of civilization, it touches the roots of rules and possesses the ability to interfere with demigod skills for a short time).

Specific Effects:

Direct Suppression: Within the range, all skills, energy, and rule effects involving concepts of "destruction," "collapse," "annihilation," and "complete ending" have their power, range, and activation speed forcibly suppressed, delayed, and weakened!

Targeted Target (Abyssal Lord · 【Abyssal End · Great Collapse】):

Skill casting speed reduced by 80%!

Final skill power weakened by 60%!

Skill effective range forcibly limited to within a 100-meter radius (originally capable of covering several kilometers)!

Top-tier effects accompanying the skill, such as "rule annihilation" and "instant death," are significantly weakened or nullified!

Duration: 30 seconds! This is the limit Lin Zhou's current state can support, and the limit of time this decree can interfere with demigod skills. After 30 seconds, the decree will dissipate as the caster is unable to maintain it.

Additional Effect: All Order units within the range (including Lin Zhou's dependents, Stone Spirit, etc.) gain the temporary status 【Order Protection】.

【Order Protection】: Resistance to "destruction" attribute damage +30%, mental resistance +20%, morale slightly increased.

Consumption and Cost:

Divine Power Consumption: 1000 units (Instantly drained Lin Zhou's last potential and the emergency feedback from the Temple of Civilization; it is effectively overdrawn).

Godhead Cost: Forcibly fusing the trend of the embryonic divine offices and casting a rule prohibition beyond his own rank caused the cracks in the godhead to further expand, with integrity dropping to 35%, bordering on total fragmentation. The two embryonic divine offices also suffered backlash, their light dimming, and the Fusion process was interrupted.

Divine Fire Cost: The Fire of Civilization is so faint it is almost invisible, its color dimmed.

Caster Status: After roaring the decree, Lin Zhou fell into a deep coma, his vital signs extremely weak, hanging by a thread solely through a sliver of stubborn will and unwilling conviction.

Note: This is an over-limit outburst in a desperate situation and cannot be replicated. Its success is based on Lin Zhou's profound understanding of Confucian and Legalist thought, his initial possession of the two divine offices, the support of the Temple of Civilization's Foundation, and the resonance of the battlefield's remnant Order beliefs. It is a combination of wisdom, will, Foundation, and luck.

The moment the "Decree Prohibiting Destruction" took effect, the Abyssal Lord's nearly completed 【Abyssal End · Great Collapse】 felt as if it had been violently choked by an invisible hand!

The dark destructive energy crazily gathering around its body, capable of annihilating rules, seemed to crash into an invisible Wall of Sighs formed by the two words "Prohibited"! The speed of energy gathering plummeted, and the originally world-destroying might was forcibly suppressed and contracted! The omen of death that had suffocated all living beings was also suddenly reduced by more than half!

"What...?!" The Abyssal Lord's violent consciousness was filled with unbelievable shock! It felt that its core 【Destruction】 divinity, and the ultimate skill launched based on this divinity, had actually been forcibly interfered with and suppressed by an "Order Prohibition" that also touched the roots of rules but was of a completely different nature! It was like a wild beast trying to charge with all its might, suddenly shackled by heavy chains!

It tried to struggle, tried to use a more powerful divinity to break through this prohibition, but the prohibition seemed to be rooted in the temporary Foundation of "Order" in this place (the purification of the river of civilization, the remnants of the Pure Land of Order, the beliefs of all living beings, etc.), and it was exceptionally tenacious! For a short time, it was unable to break free immediately!

Thirty seconds! It had been forcibly delayed for thirty seconds by this sudden, damned "prohibition"!

And thirty seconds, on a life-and-death battlefield, is enough time for too many things to happen!

"Dominator... succeeded!" Fire Hammer collapsed beside the console, looking at the Abyssal Lord in the distance, which was bound by invisible power and whose energy fluctuations had become chaotic and stifled, and then looking at the unconscious Lin Zhou. Hot tears mixed with blood flowed down. "Quick! Everyone who can still move! Carry the Dominator to the depths of the Imperial Hospital! Lady Qing Lin! You must hold on!"

The surviving warriors burst into cries and roars of surviving a catastrophe. They didn't know what had happened, but they knew that the Dominator had once again created a miracle, buying them the final time!

"Stone Spirit... warriors..." The Stone Spirit Leader dragged its shattered body, its consciousness conveying, "The final... time... cover... them... retreat..."

The Stone Spirit Guards and Dwarf Warriors who could still move began to exhaust their last strength, transferring the unconscious Lin Zhou, Qing Lin, Rock Shield, and other severely injured personnel to the rear. At the same time, relying on the remaining fortifications, they nervously watched the Abyssal Lord, which was temporarily bound by the "Decree Prohibiting Destruction" but still exuded a terrifying aura.

In the air, the seven Observers fell into a long silence.

After a long time, the star map phantom let out a long sigh that seemed to contain endless emotion:

"Words as Law, establishing Order... To use embryonic divine offices, borrowing the Foundation of the battlefield's remnant Order, to be able to briefly establish a prohibition that interferes with a demigod... This is not brute force, but an understanding and application of the essence of 'rules' and 'Order' that has reached a marvelous state. The convergence of Confucianism and Legalism... actually has such power. This child... is no longer just a 'fire seed'."

"Thirty seconds..." The emerald green light cluster swayed, "The chance of survival... lies in these thirty seconds..."

Everyone's gaze turned toward the unconscious youth, and toward the Abyssal demigod that was struggling crazily under the "prohibition," gathering strength for an even more terrifying counterattack after thirty seconds.

The final countdown had begun. And where... was the key to breaking the deadlock?