195: The Society's Initial Establishment

The student society system at Xinghai University was extremely free and open.

The university encouraged students to form societies based on common interests, research directions, or developmental philosophies outside of their studies. A society was not just a platform for exchange; it could also apply for activity venues, research funding, task permissions, and even have the opportunity to represent the school in external exchanges or competitions. Powerful societies often attracted outstanding talents, creating a cluster effect that significantly boosted the development of their members.

For Lin Zhou, establishing the "Hundred Schools Society" was an inevitable move. It was not just to gather like-minded people to jointly research and develop the Hundred Schools of Thought system, but also to form a foundation for a preparatory divine system centered on the "Way of Civilization" in the future. In a place like Xinghai University, where ideas clashed fiercely and geniuses gathered, working alone was possible, but developing as a group would undoubtedly allow one to go further and more steadily.

In the second week of the semester, Lin Zhou formally submitted the establishment application for the "Hundred Schools Society" to the university's Student Affairs Department.

Thanks to his status as the "top scholar" of the College Entrance Examination and the implicit support of the "Prodigy" agreement, the application process was exceptionally smooth. A teacher in charge of auditing at the Student Affairs Department even specifically asked about the specific connotations of the "Hundred Schools of Thought." After hearing Lin Zhou briefly explain the core ideas of Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, Taoism, and the School of Military, the teacher nodded thoughtfully and approved the application. Following regulations, he allocated an independent activity room of about two hundred square meters in the Comprehensive Academic District as the society's initial base, along with a small amount of basic startup credits (500 points).

Although the activity room was in a relatively remote location, it was fully equipped with a meeting room, meditation cubicles, basic experimental benches, and a small God Domain simulation combat platform (simplified version). Lin Zhou used the startup credits to purchase some basic furniture, data storage equipment, and a holographic projector for promotional displays.

Next was recruitment.

Lin Zhou did not make a big fuss. He simply posted a recruitment notice for the "Hundred Schools Society" in the student society section of the campus internal network and put up a simple poster at the door of the activity room.

The content of the announcement was concise and clear:

[Hundred Schools Society] Recruitment

Philosophy: Explore the Origin of civilization, practice the Hundred Schools of Thought, and ignite the path of the God Domain with the Fire of Civilization.

Core: Guided by the thought systems of the various schools such as Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, Taoism, the School of Military, the School of Agriculture, the School of Medicine, the School of Names, Diplomacy and Strategy, and School of Miscellaneous, we explore new paths for God Domain construction, follower cultivation, and divine office development.

Goal: To establish a platform for ideological exchange, technology sharing, and mutual growth to jointly face the challenges of the era.

Requirements: Those interested in diverse thought systems, not confined to traditional God Domain paths, and aspiring to explore the Way of Civilization.

Registration: Interview at Room 304, Building D-7, Comprehensive Academic District.

Note: The society is in its infancy with limited resources; the focus is on the alignment of will and philosophy.

After the announcement was posted, Lin Zhou and Li Mo waited inside the activity room.

Li Mo was very excited about the establishment of the society, or rather, he was full of passion for any "new project." While debugging a crude instrument just exchanged from a resource point for analyzing energy circuits, he chattered incessantly: "Boss, how about we set 'High-Level Fusion of Psionic Energy and Steam Power' as our society's first research topic? I think if we can solve the energy dissipation and rune oscillation problems, the output power can be increased by at least 30%! My goblins have already drawn seventeen versions of the blueprints, but there aren't enough Materials to test..."

Lin Zhou sat at the conference table, his notes on "Early Civilization Response Strategies for Astral Erosion" spread out before him. Hearing this, he looked up: "The topic is fine, but we need to clarify the research direction first. The Hundred Schools of Thought is not just technical guidance, but an overall framework for civilizational development. Your Mechanical Goblins technology can be incorporated into the Mohist branches of 'The Exploitation of the Works of Nature' and 'Logic,' but you need to understand core concepts like 'Non-Aggression' and 'Exalting the Worthy' to avoid falling into the trap of purely pursuing destructive power or out-of-control technology."

"Understood, understood!" Li Mo nodded repeatedly. "So we need a 'guiding ideology,' right? I'll have the goblins read the Mozi carefully... Uh, Boss, is there a translated or annotated version? My goblins haven't learned the Common Tongue very well yet, and as for the Ancient Divine Script..."

"There will be in the future," Lin Zhou said. Popularizing the classics of the Hundred Schools was one of the society's important tasks.

The wait was longer than expected.

On the first afternoon after the announcement was posted, the activity room was deserted. Occasionally, a freshman would pass by the door, glance curiously at the poster, whisper a few words, and then leave.

"Hundred Schools of Thought? What's that? A new combat style?"

"It seems to be started by that top scholar Lin Zhou... sounds a bit mysterious."

"Thought? God Domain development relies on resources and the combat power of followers. Can thought put food on the table?"

"Should we take a look? Forget it, feels unreliable. I'm going to check out the 'War God Preparatory Society.' I heard you can learn practical combat skills there, and there are seniors to guide you."

Similar discussions faintly reached Lin Zhou and Li Mo's ears through the crack of the door that wasn't completely closed.

Li Mo couldn't sit still and pushed his glasses: "Boss, it seems... no one is coming? Did we advertise too... abstractly?"

Lin Zhou looked calm and continued reading his notes: "It's normal for novel ideas to be questioned. Although Xinghai University is open, the vast majority of freshmen still follow traditional, proven God Domain development paths. It's not surprising they hold a cautious or even skeptical attitude toward the unknown, especially a system that emphasizes 'thought,' which seems ethereal."

"Then should we show something practical? Like posting my steam mecha blueprints? Or Boss, you could have the murloc enforcement squad stand guard?" Li Mo suggested.

"No need," Lin Zhou shook his head. "Forced fruit isn't sweet. What we need are partners who truly identify with the philosophy and are willing to explore together, not spectators attracted by temporary novelty or a show of force. Let's wait and see."

On the second morning, the situation remained the same. Only a few freshmen poked their heads in to ask a few questions, but most left with a laugh after hearing requirements like "need to study classics" and "thought guiding practice." Most of their God Domains featured common races like orcs, elves, and elementals with fixed development routes, and they had little interest in learning an additional complex thought system.

It wasn't until the second afternoon that the first official "applicant" arrived.

It was a small, somewhat timid-looking boy whose God Domain was... [Slime].

"He-hello... I saw the recruitment notice..." The boy's voice was very soft, and he pushed his thick glasses. "My name is Little Soft Sun... My followers are Green Slimes, average Rank LV5... They are very weak and don't have any special abilities, they just... just eat and split... I-I'm a bit curious about that 'Hundred Schools of Thought.' The notice said 'not confined to traditional paths'... I think my Slimes are probably 'non-traditional' too? So, I just wanted to come and see..."

Li Mo looked at this boy, whose divine aura was pitifully weak, and then at the few wiggling, translucent green jelly-like creatures emerging in the light and shadow behind him. His expression was a bit strange.

Lin Zhou, however, did not show any contempt. He carefully sensed those Slimes and found that although they were weak, their life aura was pure. Their internal structure was simple but contained a peculiar, almost instinctive "devouring" and "adaptation" characteristic. More importantly, in Little Soft Sun's eyes, besides timidity, there was indeed a curiosity about "different possibilities."

"Welcome." Lin Zhou gestured for him to sit down. "The Hundred Schools of Thought covers a wide range; perhaps there's a direction suitable for the development of Slimes. For example, the School of Agriculture's 'Adaptation to Local Conditions' and 'Fertile Soil Technique' might enhance the Slimes' living environment and splitting efficiency; the School of Medicine's 'Using Poison to Combat Poison' and 'Spiritual Qi Acupuncture' might develop the Slimes' toxin or healing potential; even School of Miscellaneous's 'All Rivers Run into the Sea' could improve the Slimes' adaptation and devouring abilities... But all of this requires a lot of research and experimentation. The process may be difficult, and the future is unknown. Are you sure you're interested?"

As Little Soft Sun listened to Lin Zhou's description, his eyes gradually lit up. His Slimes had always been mocked as one of the most useless follower types, and he had almost given up himself. He didn't expect to hear such completely different possibilities here!

"I-I'm willing to try!" He plucked up his courage. "Anyway... my Slimes are already like this; it can't get any worse. If I can find a new path... that would be great!"

Lin Zhou nodded and recorded his information: "Good, you are the first member. In the future, there will be fixed times for ideological study and technical exchange. Specific arrangements will be notified."

Little Soft Sun left happily, yet somewhat apprehensively.

Li Mo watched his back and muttered: "Slimes... that's a really low starting point, isn't it? Boss, is our society's recruitment threshold a bit..."

"The threshold isn't in the strength of the followers, but in the will and philosophy," Lin Zhou said calmly. "Besides, everything has its own Dao. If Slimes can carve out a unique path, it would be the best interpretation of the Hundred Schools of Thought's 'inclusivity'."

The second applicant arrived at dusk. He was a tall, thin boy who looked gloomy and somewhat decadent, named Wu Feng. His God Domain was [Shadow Bat], a type of flying follower skilled in stealth, reconnaissance, and sonic attacks, with an average Rank of LV18. Not weak, but not strong either. His reason for applying was more straightforward:

"My Shadow Bats suffered heavy losses when resisting the whispering erosion of the 'Void Sect.' Most of the survivors are mentally damaged, becoming manic or photophobic." Wu Feng's voice was low and filled with pain. "Conventional holy purification spells are very ineffective and costly. I saw 'School of Medicine' and 'Taoism' mentioned in the announcement; are there ways to calm the mind and dispel evil? I want to try... even if there's only a sliver of hope."

Another example of someone hitting a Bottleneck or even suffering trauma on a traditional path and turning to seek new possibilities.

Lin Zhou inquired carefully about the specific manifestations of the Shadow Bats' erosion and mused: "The School of Medicine's 'Expelling Disease and Strengthening the Body' and 'Spiritual Qi Acupuncture' might stabilize the damaged Divine Soul. Taoism's 'Quietude and Non-Action' and 'Tao Follows Nature' might soothe the mania and dispel residual negative mental influences. However, this requires targeted treatment, and since your followers' attribute is dark-leaning, harmonizing it with the natural power of Taoism requires caution. The process may be slow and might not lead to a complete cure."

"As long as there's a sliver of hope, it's better than waiting for death." Wu Feng clenched his fists. "I'm willing to join and contribute all my research data on Shadow Bat ecology, as long as I can save them!"

The third applicant visited just before closing time at night. He was a stocky, honest-looking boy carrying a large toolbox, named Shi Lei. His God Domain was [Rock Golem], a pure elemental construct follower. They possessed immense strength and outstanding defense but low intelligence and slow movement, with an average Rank of LV22.

"I... I'm not good at talking." Shi Lei scratched his head and chuckled honestly. "My rock men are very tough, but they're just too clumsy. They always charge blindly in fights and even bump into our own people. I saw you have 'Legalism' here, which says it can strengthen discipline? And 'School of Military,' which can teach how to fight? I was thinking, could my rock men also listen to some commands and form a line or something?"

His needs were very practical: to improve the discipline and tactical execution of the Rock Golems.

Lin Zhou evaluated the situation. Rock Golems had Innate intelligence defects. The "Law Shows No Mercy" (immunity to mental control) of Legalist Edicts and the suppression effect of the Net of Law might not be obvious, but the ideas of "No Exemption from Punishment," the School of Military's "Immovable as a Mountain," and "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain" might partially compensate for their flaws through divine command and simple formation training.

"It's worth a try. But it will require you to cooperate with a lot of command training and formation practice. The process will be tedious, and results may be slow to appear."

"That's fine! My rock men and I are least afraid of things being tedious or slow!" Shi Lei patted his chest. "I'm in!"

Thus, the initial recruitment for the Hundred Schools Society, lasting two days, received a total of three applicants: Little Soft Sun of the Slime God Domain, Wu Feng of the Shadow Bat God Domain, and Shi Lei of the Rock Golem God Domain. Including Lin Zhou himself and his roommate Li Mo, the founding members of the society totaled five.

Compared to the attention Lin Zhou's status as the top scholar had garnered among the freshmen, this result was worlds apart—so quiet it was almost ironic.

Inside the activity room, Li Mo looked at the few names in the logbook and sighed: "Boss, just the five of us... and one is a Slime... Can this society really get off the ground?"

Lin Zhou closed his notebook, walked to the window, and gazed at the brilliant night view under the "xinghai dome," his gaze steady.

"Li Mo, do you know why the traditional God Domain development path is followed by the vast majority of people?"

"Because... it's stable? Proven effective?" Li Mo answered uncertainly.

"Exactly. Stable, effective, and low risk. It's the nature of intelligent beings to imitate the strong and take the well-trodden path," Lin Zhou said slowly. "But civilizational progress and racial Breakthroughs often begin with a few 'renegades' who dare to question the beaten path and explore unknown, thorny trails."

"To me, the Hundred Schools of Thought is not about being unconventional for the sake of it, but is the essence of civilization inherited from an ancient homeland. It may seem unfamiliar in the era of gods, but its core—the pursuit of Order, respect for wisdom, harmony with nature, rational use of power, and care for life—is a truth applicable across all heavens."

"We only have five people now, and our followers might be weak, damaged, or clumsy. But this is exactly where the Hundred Schools of Thought's 'Education for All Without Discrimination' and 'Teaching According to Aptitude' can be applied. The potential of Slimes, the salvation of Shadow Bats, the transformation of Rock Golems... these will become the best evidence to validate The Way of the Hundred Schools."

He turned around and looked at Li Mo: "Zhao Hao will join; he just needs some time to convince the Family behind him. I've also received word of interest from Wang Meng's side. Qin Qing... although she's still watching, the attraction of Legalist thought to her is very real. People who truly identify with our philosophy will slowly gather. And before that..."

Lin Zhou's gaze swept across the empty activity room, his voice firm: "What we need to do is lead these first five members well. With real progress and change, we will prove to everyone that The Way of the Hundred Schools is not empty talk, but a Fire of Civilization that can truly ignite the God Domain and light the way forward!"

Looking at Lin Zhou's calm and confident profile, the slight doubt and anxiety in Li Mo's heart gradually settled. He nodded vigorously: "Boss, I'll listen to you! Starting tomorrow, I'll research the energy absorption characteristics of Slimes with Little Soft Sun! Leave the pathological analysis of Wu Feng's Shadow Bats to me too! As for Shi Lei's rock men formations... you'll have to handle that, Boss. I'll be responsible for designing some external armor to strengthen their defense!"

The corners of Lin Zhou's mouth curled up slightly: "Good. Though the road is long, we will reach our destination if we keep moving. Though the society is small, its cry is clear. This first step, we have taken steadily."