220: A decisive blow, and the long river of civilization is revealed once again.

Dead silence.

The dust from Gru's thunderous collapse had not yet fully settled, hanging over the heart of every Titan like some ominous omen. That Storm Titan, who not long ago roared in fury and took pride in his strength, now lay on his side on the battlefield where scorched earth and frost intertwined. One leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, the rock at his knee shattered, revealing energy veins within that flickered with faint lightning but had grown dim and chaotic. The intense pain, combined with the wounds left by the Behemoths' claws and the Dragon Breath, temporarily robbed him of the strength to stand; he could only let out low, pained groans. Twenty Behemoths surrounded him like a victorious wolf pack, their claws and fangs pressed against his vitals. While they couldn't instantly kill this Behemoth, it was enough to make him completely lose his combat effectiveness, turning him into a burden that pinned down the other Titans.

On the main battlefield, those few Titans who had just experienced a brief and absurd internal conflict were sinking into a state of unbearable shame and uncertainty. The rocky skin on their bodies was damaged, their movements sluggish, and the frenzy in their eyes was replaced by a hint of confusion and lingering fear. Star Shatterer held his war hammer, the rise and fall of his chest showing his unsteady breathing; the "Thunderstorm" skill, which had been forcibly interrupted and affected by the infighting, had clearly caused backlash and energy disorder. The rest of the Titans, whether at the vanguard or the flanks, suffered a sharp drop in morale due to these successive bizarre setbacks. Their once mountain-like, unshakeable Aura now showed visible cracks.

Thor's Divine Thought projection fluctuated violently, like a pool of boiling water into which a massive boulder had been thrown. Rage, shame, disbelief, and a trace of panic that he himself was unwilling to admit intertwined into an almost distorted expression. He stared fixedly at the captured Gru on the right wing, scanned the chaotic Formation in the center, and finally pinned his gaze on Lin Zhou's divine domain core—which seemed on the verge of collapse but was actually as resilient as a reed.

Defeated? How could he lose? His Titans, his power—how could they lose to these tricks that only played at schemes and hid like rats?

No! It's not over yet! The main force of the Titans is still there, and Star Shatterer is still there! As long as the opponent's core is destroyed in one blow, all disadvantages can be reversed! The opponent's Divine Power must have hit rock bottom; that strange Formation's light has dimmed, and those harassing troops are showing signs of fatigue... This is the last chance!

A nearly paranoid frenzy replaced reason. Thor's Divine Thought, like a wounded Vicious Beast, let out a hoarse and resolute roar: "Everyone! At all costs! Target—the enemy's divine domain core! Charge! Crush them! Even if you use your bodies, you must ram a path open for me!"

He no longer cared about Formations, no longer considered losses, and didn't even pay attention to the captured Gru on the right wing or the low-morale Titans in the center. He only wanted one result—the destruction of Lin Zhou!

Star Shatterer was the first to respond. He let out a roar of suppressed fury, forcibly suppressing the energy disorder within his body. Gripping his thunder war hammer with both hands, the dim lightning runes on his dark blue body were forcibly lit once more, even more piercing and unstable than before, faintly exuding a destructive scent of overdrawing! He no longer tried to guide large-scale skills, but instead condensed all his strength, all his anger, and all his humiliation into the next charge, the next hammer strike!

He was going to smash that damned divine domain core, along with the cunning opponent inside, into cosmic dust!

"Roar!!!" Under Thor's reckless urging and Star Shatterer's lead, the other Titans, regardless of their condition, also reignited their desperate ferocity. They roared in unison, treading with heavy, no longer orderly but more frenzied steps, like wounded giant beasts pouncing on their prey for the last time, launching a suicidal charge toward Lin Zhou's position!

This time, no Formation could completely delay them (the Taiji Force Dissipation Field was already in tatters), no harassment could truly stop them (Lin Zhou's long-range firepower was sparse due to his Divine Power running low), there was only the most primitive and savage collision of power!

The spectator channel was in an uproar.

"Thor has gone mad! He's going all out!"

"The Titans' suicidal charge... it's terrifying! Can Lin Zhou still hold out?"

"His Formation is about to fail, and his Divine Power must be running low..."

"Although one was dealt with on the right wing, the pressure in the center is too great!"

"It all depends on this final gamble!"

At the Hundred Schools Society's base, the cheers that had just erupted due to the victory on the right wing were instantly stuck in their throats. Zhao Hao and Wang Meng's Divine Thoughts had just withdrawn from the right-wing battlefield when they felt the overwhelming, destructive charge in the center, and their expressions changed drastically.

"Old Lin!" Zhao Hao's anxious voice rang out in Lin Zhou's communication.

Lin Zhou's state was indeed at its limit. Divine Power reserves: 17%. The Taiji Force Dissipation Field's effectiveness was less than 30%, and its nodes continued to collapse. The frontal buffer defense zone was basically destroyed, with only some wreckage remaining. The long-range firepower units were exhausted, and the reserves of arrows, Ballistae, and Talisman reserves were critical. Gongsun Li was unconscious from overexertion, and Xuan Zhenzi was pale, barely maintaining the remnants of the Formation.

His Godhead (LV150) was operating at high speed, bringing waves of burning pain. Even the divine fire seemed to flicker due to excessive extraction.

Facing the suicidal charge of the Titans that seemed like the apocalypse, Lin Zhou's eyes were like eternal, unmelting ice, without the slightest wobble. Even deep within that ice, a cluster of extremely calm flame danced.

"I've been waiting... for this reckless final gamble of yours," Lin Zhou whispered in his heart, as if everything was as expected. "Anger and despair bring strength, but they also blind the eyes, making one overlook the final trap beneath their feet and... the sharp sword hanging high above their head."

His consciousness sank into the deepest part of his divine domain, into the phantom of the river of civilization that was closely linked with the Temple of Civilization and flowed slowly.

This river had existed since he lit his divine fire and upgraded the Sanctuary; it was the condensation and manifestation of his Hundred Schools of Thought, the faith of his believers, and the principles of civilization. Usually hidden in the void, it only manifested passively to protect its master or provide a boost at critical moments (such as during the College Entrance Examination trial against the Abyssal Lord). But now, Lin Zhou was going to actively—and with control and a specific target—guide its power into the real battlefield!

This was not without a price. With his current strength, forcibly manifesting and controlling the power of the river of civilization, even for a moment, would consume a massive amount of Divine Power and place a heavy burden on his Godhead, potentially even damaging his Foundation. But at this moment, there was no other choice.

"With the thoughts of the Hundred Schools as the source, the faith of the ten thousand people as the flow, and the principles of civilization as the Dao..." Lin Zhou's Divine Thought echoed in the Sanctuary like a sacrificial prayer, "Phantom of the river, hear my command—Manifest!"

"Boom—!!!"

It wasn't a physical loud noise, but a grand roar at the level of rules! It was as if the underlying rules of the entire Immortal Stone Plains were gently plucked by a higher-level existence!

Above Lin Zhou's divine domain core, in the void, a tiny speck of light appeared, then rapidly expanded and extended, turning into an illusory river spanning the sky! This river was not composed of water, but of countless flowing, shimmering characters, images, fragments of thought, and the Fire of Civilization!

One could see the chapters of the analects leaping like fish; the belief in Mozi's Non-Aggression standing tall like a reef; the Concept of Laozi's Tao Follows Nature flowing like mist; the sharpness of Han Feizi's impartial law flashing like sword light... the strategies of the School of the Military, the benevolent arts of the School of Medicine, the fertile soil of the School of Agriculture, the Diplomatic Maneuvering of the School of Diplomacy and Strategy... the Essence of the Hundred Schools was all within it! The river surged endlessly, silent, yet carrying a vast, majestic power that encompassed all things, enlightened all directions, and defined Order!

This was the essence of Lin Zhou's divine domain, the manifestation of his path—the Way of Civilization!

[divine domain core Miracle/Conceptual Manifestation: river of civilization (Phantom)]

Manifestor: Lin Zhou (Active guidance, bearing the backlash).

Manifestation State: Phantom (non-fully physical, between Concept and energy), covering a range of approximately the sky above Lin Zhou's divine domain and the airspace a thousand meters ahead.

Core Characteristics/Rules:

Right of Civilization Definition (Weak): Within the range covered by the river, Lin Zhou can briefly strengthen the weight of his own "civilization"-related definitions and suppress or reject Concepts that contradict them, such as "savagery," "chaos," and "hegemony."

Source of All Laws (Embryonic): Can provide additional rule support and power amplification for skills, Formations, and units based on the Hundred Schools of Thought.

Mental Anchoring: Significantly stabilizes the spirit of friendly units, boosts morale, and counters mental pollution and cognitive distortion.

(Current Active Effect) Conceptual Suppression: Targets a specific group, releasing the suppressive power of the "civilization" Concept against "non-civilized" or "anti-civilized" traits.

Active Effect of this Manifestation (Target: Charging Titan cluster):

Suppressed Concepts: "Supremacy of Brute Force," "Destruction Above All," "Exclusivity of Power Worship" (core traits of the Titan power System).

Manifestation Effect: The glow of the river of civilization (Light of Thought) falls upon the charging Titans.

Actual Data Performance (influenced by Lin Zhou's Divine Power, Godhead Rank, target resistance, and battlefield environment):

Temporary Suppression of All Attributes: -15%! (Strength, Agility, Physique, Spirit, etc., are all weakened!)

Reduced Energy Activity: thunder power damage and effects -20%.

Mental Sluggishness: The will to charge is impacted by the Concepts of "Civilizational Diversity and Inclusivity," resulting in slight self-doubt and hesitation, and a decrease in offensive determination and coordination.

Duration: 5 seconds (Lin Zhou's current limit).

Consumption and Backlash:

Divine Power Consumption: Instantly drains 70% of Lin Zhou's remaining Divine Power (approx. 12% of total reserves), plus an additional 3% per second during manifestation.

Godhead Load: Overloaded operation, resulting in fine cracks (requires long-term nourishment and repair afterward).

Divine Fire Flickering: Stability decreases, and Divine Power conversion efficiency temporarily drops.

Caster Status: Lin Zhou experiences intense mental pain, bleeding from the seven orifices (virtual projection manifestation), and his figure is on the verge of collapsing.

Note: This is an initial application of the incomplete river of civilization. In the future, as the Godhead Ranks up, civilization develops, and the Sanctuary is upgraded, the river will gradually materialize and possess even more powerful and complex capabilities.

Five seconds! All attributes suppressed by 15%! For Titans who rely on absolute strength and Physique for their livelihood, this was no different from a sudden curse of enfeeblement!

“What... is this?!” The Star Shatterer, charging at the very front, bore the brunt of it! He felt as if he had crashed headlong into an invisible, viscous ocean filled with 'logic' and 'Order'! The countless fragments of thought flowing within that vast river were like fine needles, attempting to pierce the cognitive barriers of his pure worship of strength! His majestic power felt as though it had been shackled by a heavy yoke; every step forward felt far more laborious than before, and the boiling lightning on his skin seemed to encounter its natural enemy in the form of water vapor, rapidly dimming and receding! A strange, instinctive sense of dread and discomfort replaced his fury, welling up in his heart.

The other Titans fared even worse. The sudden reduction in strength caused their charging momentum to stall. Their wills, already shaken by internal strife and frustration, became even more scattered under the illumination of this 'strange' radiance. They looked at that illusory yet incomparably magnificent river, watching the characters and scenes flowing within it that they could not comprehend. A sense of insignificance and repulsion—the feeling of being Incarnations of 'savagery' and 'destruction' facing 'Civilization' and 'Order' itself—grew uncontrollably.

Five seconds! In a decisive battle at the level of gods, it was enough to determine life and death!

“Zhao Hao!! Now! ‘Dragonfall’ tactics! Target—Thor’s divine domain core projection coordinates (the approximate location has been calculated by Chen Hai's intelligence network combined with battlefield observations)! Strike with everything you've got, don't look back!” Lin Zhou roared into the communication channel, his voice filled with the resolve of one in intense pain. Simultaneously, he channeled all his remaining mobilizable Divine Power, along with the extra 'rule convenience' (weakening the target's defensive rules) provided by the river of civilization during this five-second suppression period, toward Zhao Hao's dragon units!

Zhao Hao had long been waiting for this moment! He witnessed the manifestation of the river of civilization and felt that vast, majestic power of civilization. Furthermore, he received the coordinates Lin Zhou sent—the fleeting spatial weak point exposed by Thor’s divine domain core as it funneled all its energy into the Titans during their charge!

“Brothers! Gamble everything! For Old Lin! For the Hundred Schools! Dragon Soul Combustion!” Zhao Hao's eyes were blood-red. Holding nothing back, he directly activated a forbidden strengthening skill that the Dragon Clan could currently perform at the cost of damaging their Origin—Dragon Soul Combustion! At the price of temporarily and permanently reducing the dragons' potential and lifespan, they would gain a burst of attributes for a short time!

The remaining four dragons under his command that were in relatively good condition (including Raging Flame) simultaneously let out tragic roars that shook heaven and earth! Their scales stood on end, and blinding blood-red light burst from the gaps between them. Dragon Might rose like physical flames! Driven by the burning Dragon Souls, their attributes temporarily broke through their Rank limits!

【Dragon Unit (Raging Flame, etc.) Temporary Status: Dragon Soul Combustion】

Effect: All attributes increased by 50%, flight speed increased by 100%, Dragon Breath power increased by 80%, attacks carry a 'Dragon Soul Burn' effect (continuous damage, ignores partial resistance).

Cost: After the skill ends, the unit's Rank permanently drops by 1-3 levels, potential is damaged, and lifespan is shortened.

Duration: 15 seconds.

Under the 'cover' and 'blessing' of the river of civilization's radiance, the four dragons burning with blood-flames became like a blood-colored arrow that ignored spatial barriers. They launched a suicidal dive from high altitude at a near-vertical angle toward a specific point on Thor's divine domain core projection (located somewhere above the rear of the Titan legion). That point had become exceptionally bright due to the full-force drive of the Titans' death charge, but its rule fluctuations were also violent due to energy output overload!

Their speed was so fast that they pulled four blood-colored afterimages through the air! Their target was clear, and they were resolute!

“Not good! Protect the core!” Only now did Thor react from the shock of the river of civilization and the rage of his Titans being suppressed, but it was already too late! Most of his Divine Power and attention were focused on driving the Titans' charge, leaving his own defenses relatively empty. He never expected that the opponent, in a seemingly desperate situation, could still launch such a precise and determined decapitation strike!

He wanted to mobilize the Titans to fall back and defend, but the Titans were in a state of weakness and hesitation under the suppression of the river of civilization; their movements were more than a beat slow! He wanted to defend personally, but the Divine Power barrier he hurriedly gathered appeared so fragile before the four dragons, which were burning their Dragon Souls, had surged in attributes, and were bolstered by Lin Zhou's final Divine Power and the rules of civilization!

“Block them for me!!!” Thor let out a desperate roar, frantically converting the Power Of Faith stored in his divine domain into Divine Power in an attempt to reinforce his defenses.

However—

“Boom! Boom boom boom—!!!”

Raging Flame's scorching Dragon Breath was the first to hit the Divine Power barrier, melting a large hole in it! Immediately after, the frost breaths of two blue dragons shot in crosswise. The clash of ice and fire triggered a violent energy explosion, completely tearing the barrier to shreds! Finally, the green dragon's poisonous Dragon Breath and its own massive body, burning with blood-flames, crashed like a final nail into the most fragile rule node exposed by Thor's divine domain core projection!

【Decapitation Strike Settlement】

Attacker: Zhao Hao, four LV36-38 dragons (Dragon Soul Combustion state).

Attack Type: Mixed energy impact (Fire, Ice, Poison) + Physical impact + Dragon Soul Burn + Civilization rule penetration (Faint).

Target: Thor’s divine domain core projection (Faint Divinity Peak, but in an attack output state with detected defensive weak points).

Defense: Hurriedly constructed Divine Power barrier (approximately equal to 30% of normal defensive strength).

Key Buffs:

During the river of civilization's suppression, Thor's divine domain rule stability decreased, and defensive rule strength weakened by approximately 10%.

Lin Zhou's final Divine Power infusion added a faint 'Rule-Breaking' characteristic to the dragons' attacks.

The ultra-high attribute burst brought by Dragon Soul Combustion.

Damage Determination: Overwhelming penetration!

Result: Thor’s divine domain core projection has suffered heavy damage! Serious disorder has appeared in the rule structure, the divine fire is flickering violently, and the connection with the forward Titan legion has been instantly severed!

“Pfft—!” Thor's Divine Thought projection shuddered violently, his face instantly turning as pale as paper, as if his Soul had been struck by an invisible heavy hammer! He felt a tearing pain emanating from his divine domain core; his Divine Power circulation almost collapsed, and his control over the Titans ahead vanished abruptly!

Up ahead, at the exact moment the river of civilization's suppression effect vanished (exactly five seconds), Star Shatterer and the other Titans hadn't even had time to reconsolidate their strength when they suddenly felt the power connection from their god—the one supporting their actions—snap! Like a charging giant elephant having its spine suddenly removed, their movements stiffened instantly, their charging momentum came to a grinding halt, and the fierce light in their eyes was replaced by immense confusion and weakness. Some Titans even stumbled and fell due to inertia, kicking up large clouds of dust.

Having lost the continuous Divine Power supply and mental connection from their god, these Titan followers, though still powerful, had become like trees without roots or water without a source. Their strength was rapidly receding, and their fighting spirit was collapsing like an avalanche.

The phantom of Lin Zhou's river of civilization slowly dissipated. He himself was nearly exhausted, the stinging pain from his divinity causing his vision to darken in waves, but he forced himself to stay upright. He looked at the Titan legion standing frozen in place, at a loss, and at Thor's dim, flickering divine domain core projection in the rear that was on the verge of collapse. Slowly, using his last bit of strength, he uttered a sentence that clearly spread across the entire battlefield via the public channel:

“The winner... has been decided.”

Silence.

Then, a mountain-shaking, sea-churning roar of uproar erupted!

The spectating channel exploded completely!

“He won?! Lin Zhou won?!!”

“My god! What was that river?! It was too terrifying!”

“Directly suppressing Titan attributes! And that decapitation tactic! The coordination was seamless!”

“Thor’s divine domain core was hit! It’s over!”

“The weak defeating the strong! A textbook example of the weak defeating the strong!”

“The Hundred Schools of Thought... can actually achieve this level?!”

“The river of civilization... is this the essence of Lin Zhou’s divine domain? It’s too shocking!”

At the Hundred Schools Society headquarters, after a brief moment of daze, deafening cheers and screams that almost overturned the Star Sea erupted! Zhao Hao and Wang Meng punched each other in excitement. Li Mo slumped into his chair, murmuring, “He did it... he really did it...” Su Yueyao quietly gazed at the figure on the light screen—though swaying, his back was straight—and in her cold eyes, it was as if moonlight had melted, flowing with relief and a trace of indescribable tenderness.

On the battlefield, the referee's light of rules descended in a timely manner, enveloping Thor's nearly collapsed divine domain projection and the Titans who had lost their will to fight. It declared Lin Zhou's victory and protectively teleported Thor away to prevent the divine domain from truly collapsing and causing irreversible damage.

Lin Zhou also received the System prompt and the victory settlement information. He let out a long, slow breath of turbid air, feeling his nearly depleted Divine Power, his aching divinity, and the surging exhaustion and lingering fear in his heart.

This battle had been extremely difficult. It had exhausted almost all his trump cards, damaged his divinity, and come at a great cost.

But, he had won.

Stepping over the shoulders of the S-Rank potential and championship favorite, Thor · Wrath of Thunder, he advanced into the top four of the Freshman Cup!

He hadn't just won a match; he had announced the first emergence of the 'Hundred Schools Divine Domain' and the 'Way of Civilization' to the entire Xinghai University and all the spectators!

“The rest time is very short...” Lin Zhou forced himself to stay alert and began to check his status, preparing for the upcoming semi-finals. “I must recover as quickly as possible... The damage to my divinity might require nurturing in the Temple of Civilization, or...”

His gaze turned toward the items shimmering with tempting light in the victory reward preview.

No matter how many powerful enemies lay ahead, at this moment, he was the victor.

The Fire of Civilization had already left an indelible mark upon these Immortal Stone Plains.