221: Advancing to the top eight, the academy's reputation resounds throughout the starry sea.

In the rest area of the virtual combat network, the flow of time was adjusted to one percent of the outside world, granting contestants precious time for recovery and adjustment. However, for Lin Zhou, this small amount of time was far from enough.

Defeating Thor brought not only the glory of advancing to the semi-finals but also a heavy price. The subtle yet real cracks on his godhead were like ice patterns on porcelain; every flow of Divine Power brought needle-like pain and a sense of stagnation. Although his Divine Power reserves had recovered to the 30% safety line under the System's basic replenishment, the sense of weakness originating from his Foundation and the mental exhaustion from forcibly manifesting the river of civilization could not be eliminated in a short time.

He sat cross-legged with eyes closed, his consciousness sinking deep into his divine Domain, attempting to communicate with the Temple of Civilization. The sanctuary remained majestic, emitting a warm and broad aura, and the phantom of the flowing river of civilization had quieted down significantly, though its light was somewhat dim. The sanctuary transmitted a faint, soothing warm current that slowly soaked into the damaged godhead; though the repair speed was slow, it was better than nothing.

“Godhead damage is extremely slow to repair through conventional means. It seems I need to find Heaven And Earth Treasures containing 'rule mending' or 'civilization accumulation' characteristics, or wait for the sanctuary's next upgrade...” Lin Zhou pondered, his brow furrowed slightly. The semi-finals were close at hand; in his current state, let alone continuing to manifest the river of civilization, he even lacked the strength to maintain high-intensity Formation operations and multi-layered command.

Just as he was silently regulating his breath and taking stock of his remaining available combat power (the Tian Gong Institute's reserves were critical, Gongsun Li was unconscious, Xuan Zhenzi was exhausted, and the dependents were generally injured), the rest area's access notification sounded—someone was requesting a visit.

The visitor was not a comrade like Zhao Hao or Wang Meng, but a name that slightly surprised Lin Zhou—Qin Qing.

Light and shadow coalesced as Qin Qing's Divine Thought projection appeared in the rest space. She was still in her clean and capable Student Union Enforcement Department uniform-style divine robe, her black hair tied up meticulously, her face cold. However, those eyes that had always carried scrutiny and aloofness now flickered with complex light—concern, inquiry, and even a hint of... heat that was hard to hide.

“Your godhead is damaged,” Qin Qing spoke, her voice clear and cold, yet not as a question but as a statement. Possessing the Judgment Angel divine Domain, her perception of 'Order,' 'Rules,' and 'Damage' was exceptionally keen.

“Just a price,” Lin Zhou opened his eyes and responded calmly, without denial. Before someone like Qin Qing, who was perceptually sharp and also followed the path of Order, concealment was meaningless.

Qin Qing fell silent for a few seconds, her gaze seemingly penetrating Lin Zhou's projection to fall on the vaguely visible divine Domain phantom behind him, which flowed with the aura of the Hundred Schools. “When you defeated Thor, that... 'river' you manifested, and the Formation that trapped the Titan before, the sense of 'Statute' and 'Law' contained within... was very pure, even...” She paused, seemingly searching for the right words, “even more than many Law-type divine Domains that purely pursue power and punishment, it is closer to the essence of 'Law'—definition, constraint, and balance, rather than mere punishment.”

Lin Zhou's heart stirred slightly. Qin Qing had indeed noticed. The core of Legalist thought was by no means Enforcers and harsh punishments, but the combination of 'Law, Method, and Authority.' It was a System of rules built on social consensus (or the ruler's will), whose purpose was to maintain Order and expectations; rewards and punishments were merely means. Qin Qing's Judgment Angel leaned toward 'Execution' and 'Punishment,' not touching deeply upon the levels of 'Legislation' and 'Interpretation,' whereas the Legalist power Lin Zhou displayed happened to complete this link.

“That is part of 'Legalist' thought,” Lin Zhou said frankly. “Law is that which is compiled in books and records, established within government offices, and promulgated among the common people. No Exemption from Punishment for high officials, and no omission of rewards for the common man. Its core lies in 'judging all by the law' and 'fixing rights to end disputes.'”

“fixing rights to end disputes...” Qin Qing repeated in a low voice, her eyes growing brighter. These words practically struck the pursuit she had always vaguely felt but failed to clarify. Her Judgment Angel maintained Order, but many times it only passively punished 'disorder' and failed to truly 'fix rights' from the source to prevent 'disputes.'”

“Your opponent in the next round is the 'Heart of Bedrock' Alliance,” Qin Qing suddenly changed the subject to business. “A typical traditional defensive-counterattack powerhouse. Their core consists of two deities sharing Divine Power, specializing in Earth Guardianship and Thorn Reflection, complemented by three teammates skilled in endurance and healing support. They do not seek quick victory but excel at dragging battles into long wars of attrition, grinding down opponents with absolute defense and slow but fatal 'rule erosion.' Your divine Domain has just undergone a bitter battle; you excel at bursts and deception, but your sustained combat capability and Divine Power reserves, I'm afraid...”

She didn't finish, but the meaning was clear. In Lin Zhou's current state, what he feared most was this kind of 'sticky' opponent. The opponent clearly laid out a defensive attrition strategy; your clever schemes and burst assassinations would find it hard to find a Breakthrough, and instead, you would be dragged into their most unfavorable rhythm.

Lin Zhou also frowned. He had seen the data on 'Heart of Bedrock'; they were indeed the type he least wanted to encounter right now. Head-on? Their defense was like a tortoise shell. Tactics? Their Formation was stable, moving step by step. Attrition? He was currently in a low-health state.

“I have a proposal.” Qin Qing looked directly at Lin Zhou, a serious expression appearing on her cold face. “For the next round, we will form a temporary team. One of my Judgment Angel divine Domain's core abilities is the [Divine Edict Barrier], which can grant 'Order Protection' (increasing defense and status resistance) to allies on a large scale and counter 'rule erosion.' At the same time, the Judgment Angel's [Righteous Judgment] skill has an additional armor-piercing effect against 'unrighteous' (subjectively definable) units that hold fast without coming out. This can exactly compensate for your current lack of defense and weakness in attacking fortified positions.”

She paused and added: “I watched part of the recording of your last match. Your 'Net of Law' skill has the potential for complementarity or even resonance with my [Sacred Decree] on a rule level. If we join forces, we might be able to construct an 'Absolute Defense' System far beyond the ordinary, establishing ourselves in an invincible position before seeking to defeat the enemy.”

A sharp light flashed in Lin Zhou's eyes. Qin Qing's proposal had indeed hit the mark. The Judgment Angel's Order defense and Evil Breaking characteristics were precisely the Sharp Weapons for dealing with a 'Heart of Bedrock' style iron-bucket Formation. More importantly, this might be an opportunity—an opportunity for this Student Union Enforcement Department head, who worshipped Order but held doubts about the Hundred Schools, to personally experience and understand the power of Legalist and even Hundred Schools of Thought.

“And the price?” Lin Zhou asked. He didn't believe Qin Qing would lend a hand for no reason, especially when she had previously held a reserved attitude toward the Hundred Schools of Thought.

“The price is that after the match, I need your complete theoretical exposition on 'Legalist' thought, and... to observe the construction principles of the [Temple of Law] within your divine Domain.” Qin Qing's answer was straightforward. “I need to verify if your 'Law' can truly complete my path of 'Judgment.'”

A very fair trade. Using one opportunity for practical cooperation in exchange for a chance to deeply contact the core of Legalist thought. For Qin Qing, this was an attempt to explore a higher path of Order; for Lin Zhou, this could not only solve the current combat dilemma but also potentially win the recognition of an important potential ally to further promote the Hundred Schools of Thought.

“Deal,” Lin Zhou nodded. “Happy cooperating, Classmate Qin Qing.”

“Happy cooperating.” Qin Qing nodded, the corner of her cold mouth seemingly twitching upward very slightly. “Then, let's formulate a tactic. My divine Domain data is as follows...”

Semi-finals: Lin Zhou & Qin Qing temporary duo vs. the 'Heart of Bedrock' Alliance!

The battlefield was the [Echoing Corridor], a complex labyrinthine terrain composed of countless giant, smooth, nested circular rock walls. The rock walls towered into the clouds and were indestructible (limited by environmental rules), and the passages were narrow, greatly restricting the deployment and maneuverability of large-scale military groups, yet very suitable for the defending side to construct layer upon layer of defensive lines.

The five members of 'Heart of Bedrock' were already waiting in the most central and spacious 'Inner Ring Square' of the labyrinth. Their divine Domain projections were closely linked, like five giant rocks of different colors but integrated as one. In the divine Domains of the two core defensive deities, there were densely packed runic stone tablets, granite golems, and activated leyline shields, emitting an aura as heavy as a mountain and unbreakable. The divine Domains of the three auxiliary deities flowed with healing light springs, grew spiritual plants providing sustained recovery, and suspended curse totems that weakened enemy statuses.

Their tactic was simple: use the labyrinth corridors as a natural barrier, resist step by step, lure the enemy into pre-set layers of defensive works, and wear down the opponent with endless attrition and slow rule erosion (such as doubling gravity, energy loss, slow life deprivation, etc.).

However, when the divine Domain projections of Lin Zhou and Qin Qing appeared at the entrance of the corridor, the members of 'Heart of Bedrock' discovered that the opponent's Formation was completely different from what they had expected.

There were no vanguards rushing to advance, no scouts scattered to explore. Lin Zhou's divine Domain was in the front, but it did not deploy an offensive Formation. Instead, with the remaining [Temple of Law] (in urgent need of repair, but basic functions still existed) as the core, the Literary Heart Elves priest group and Law Fishmen adjudicators surrounded it, emitting a solemn, majestic, and inviolable rule aura.

Qin Qing's divine Domain was closely behind Lin Zhou's. Her divine domain core was a towering [judgment sanctuary], and at the top of the sanctuary floated a giant phantom of the scales of Law composed of light. Hundreds of Judgment Angels (mostly four-winged, with a few six-winged elites) stood solemnly in the air, their wings white, their armor shining with a cold metallic luster, and the swords of Order-fire in their hands pointing to the ground. They were expressionless, with only absolute rationality and the will of adjudication flickering in their eyes.

【Temporary Combination Tactic: Union of Confucianism and Legalism · Absolute Decree Defense Line】

Core Idea: Use Lin Zhou's Legalist 'Legislation and Regulation' to define the Foundation of battlefield Order, and use Qin Qing's Judgment Angel 'Execution and Guardianship' to provide rule enhancement and defensive entities, constructing a mobile, unshakable 'Order Fortress' to crush and advance from the front.

Skill Linkage Activated:

Lin Zhou: Deploys the damaged but core-rule-intact [Net of Law (Weakened Version)]. The core legal clause defined this time is: “Within this corridor, any unauthorized energy dissipation, non-orderly erosion, and malicious rule changes targeting our side are illegal, and their effectiveness is reduced by 70%!” Simultaneously, define the ally Formation area as an “Absolute Order Domain,” where allies within the range receive legal protection.

Actual Effect: Greatly weakens the effects of various slow rule erosion skills from 'Heart of Bedrock' and suppresses some 'non-orderly' effects like passive damage reflection and curse auras within their defensive works.

Cost: Due to his damaged godhead, Lin Zhou found it quite strenuous to maintain this net, consuming 80 units of Divine Power per second, and its range was limited to five hundred meters around his own side.

Qin Qing: Simultaneously activated [Divine Edict Barrier]. Centered on the judgment sanctuary, a golden light curtain of Order, like an inverted giant bowl, enveloped Lin Zhou's divine Domain and their own angel legion. Barrier Effect: All defense attributes of allied forces within range are increased by 40%, resistance to 'Chaos', 'Erosion', and 'Curse' effects is increased by 60%, and existing negative states are continuously purified.

Key Synergy: Qin Qing's [Sacred Decree] energy actively interfaced and fused with the rules of Lin Zhou's [Net of Law]! The Order Divine Power of the Judgment Angels became the potent Execution energy and manifestation vehicle for the 'Law' that Lin Zhou 'established'! Upon the golden barrier's light curtain, faint legal provisions composed of light began to emerge—the very content defined by Lin Zhou! The rule-binding force of the Net of Law, having received the injection and 'endorsement' of the Judgment Angels' Divine Power, became more stable and authoritative, with its suppression effect increasing from 70% to 85%! Meanwhile, the defensive power of the Holy Barrier, now supported by clear 'legal principles', became more 'justified,' responding more keenly to specific violations.

Defense Data Manifestation (Allied Vanguard):

Elf Priest/Fishman Law Enforcer: Physical/Magic defense temporarily increased to levels comparable to heavy armor units of the same tier, and they became nearly immune to erosion effects.

Judgment Angel: Inherently high in defense, under the dual enhancement of the barrier and Law, their defensive power reached an absurd level, and they gained extremely high resistance to the various weakening skills of 'Heart of Bedrock'.

Overall Battlefront: Like a metal fortress radiating golden light and legal script, moving forward slowly and resolutely.

The members of 'Heart of Bedrock' were stunned. They had never seen this style of combat! No rushing to attack, no probing; they just activated an 'invincible' defensive aura and pressed straight toward their core positions along the main corridor, step by step! The traps, deceleration fields, and curse totems they had placed throughout the corridor were weakened by over eighty percent upon touching that golden Law barrier, feeling like nothing more than a gentle breeze! The giant stones thrown by their granite golems could only stir a ripple upon hitting the barrier before being shattered and dissipated by the legal provisions!

"Attack! Concentrate fire! Break that turtle shell!" the commander of Heart of Bedrock roared.

Various Earth Spears, Rockslides, energy beams, and even slow but highly penetrative rule-erosion ripples poured down like a rainstorm onto the moving 'Fortress of Order'.

However, the results were negligible.

Under the definitions of the [Net of Law], the 'erosion', 'slowness', and 'weakening' effects attached to many attacks were directly judged 'illegal' and significantly weakened. The remaining pure physical and energy impacts were mostly blocked by the high defense damage reduction of the [Divine Edict Barrier] and the active guardian sword Formations of the Judgment Angels.

Lin Zhou and Qin Qing's Divine Power consumption was stable and controllable. Lin Zhou was responsible for maintaining the rule framework of 'legislation', while Qin Qing provided the energy support and physical defense for 'Execution'. Although their Divine Power attributes were different (Fire of Civilization and Holy Order), they produced a wonderful resonance and complementarity at the levels of 'Order' and 'Rules', making their efficiency higher than if they had fought individually.

The attrition tactics that 'Heart of Bedrock' was famous for met their Waterloo for the first time. Not only could they not wear down their opponents, but they also felt immense pressure as the other side steadily advanced, constantly compressing their space for movement. Their defensive works even began to show signs of instability under the pressure of the absolute Order Domain—those facilities relying on 'Chaotic Earth Power' or 'Dark Erosion Rules' saw their operational efficiency drastically reduced under the thick radiance of Order and Law.

When the 'Fortress of Order' irresistibly advanced to the edge of the 'Inner Ring Plaza' and engaged in close-quarters combat with the main defensive positions of 'Heart of Bedrock', the battle almost lost all suspense.

Qin Qing's Judgment Angel legion, under the dual enhancement, was like tigers among a flock of sheep. Their [Righteous Judgment] skill—with Qin Qing adapting to the battlefield situation (the opponent's stubborn delay obstructing the advancement of 'Order') and Lin Zhou's 'legal' support—easily defined all the opponent's defensive units as 'barriers obstructing the Order of justice'. Their attacks gained incredible armor-piercing effects and bonus damage against buildings and barriers!

The angels' longswords burned with golden fires of Order, easily tearing through the shells of granite golems and severing the Foundations of runic stone monuments. Lin Zhou's followers provided stable long-range support and rule interference from the rear, ensuring that the healing and buffing effects of the enemy's auxiliary deities could not take effect smoothly.

An expected long-term battle of attrition turned into a one-sided crushing advance.

The defensive lines of 'Heart of Bedrock' collapsed layer by layer, and their divine Domain connections became precarious under the scorching of the fires of Order and the suppression of legal rules. Finally, after the divine Domain barrier of the core defensive deity was broken by the concentrated attack of the angel legion, the five of them had no choice but to admit defeat.

A victory by a huge margin! Clean and efficient!

When the light of victory enveloped Lin Zhou and Qin Qing, the spectator channel had already been flooded with countless exclamation marks and question marks.

"That's it? 'Heart of Bedrock' was just steamrolled like that??"

"What the hell is that golden light dome? The defensive power is too insane!"

"I saw that the angels' attacks seemed to have special armor-piercing? The stone men on the other side were like they were made of paper!"

"It's the effect of their combined skills! Lin Zhou's 'Law Net' and Qin Qing's 'Barrier' linked up!"

"Legal provisions were even manifesting on the barrier! What is that? Rule Fusion?"

"So defense can be played like this? It's not about tanking hits; it's using rule definitions to weaken attacks and then using the power of Order to strengthen defense..."

"Is this the 'Legalist' path Lin Zhou mentioned? How can it be such a perfect match for the power of the Judgment Angels?"

On the Xinghai University campus forum, a post titled "Shock! The Freshman Cup Dark Horse Joins Forces with the Enforcement Department Head to Demonstrate Absolute Defense! Is the The Way of the Hundred Schools the Next Generation Tactical System?" was pushed to the front page with astonishing speed, with the number of replies skyrocketing every second.

The post analyzed the recent battle in detail, capturing images of the linkage between the Net of Law and the Divine Edict Barrier, and quoted Lin Zhou's previous statements about 'fixing rights to end disputes' and 'judging all by the law' (recorded and spread by someone unknown), sparking a heated debate.

"Traditional divine Domain development routes, whether Dragons, Titans, Angels, or Demons, all focus on racial specialties, energy levels, and individual might. But Lin Zhou's 'Hundred Schools Divine Domain' seems to be exploring a way to use power based on thoughts, rules, and Systems! This isn't just a tactic; it might be an entirely new developmental concept!"

"Agreed! His power doesn't come from some powerful race or element, but from a complete, self-consistent set of 'principles' that can even influence external rules!"

"The synergy between Legalism and the Judgment Angels is proof! This shows that the Hundred Schools of Thought might possess extremely strong inclusiveness and fusibility, capable of producing chemical reactions with other divine Domain traits!"

"Isn't that an exaggeration? It's just one match. It was just a clever coordination that happened to counter 'Heart of Bedrock'."

"Clever? Can you use 'cleverness' to head-on crush 'Heart of Bedrock', which is famous for its defense? You call this clever?"

"If this truly is the power of a System, then where is its upper limit? What Lin Zhou is showing now is probably just the tip of the iceberg!"

"Regardless, the Hundred Schools Society is truly famous this time. Even Department Head Qin Qing personally stepped in to cooperate..."

Lin Zhou temporarily had no time to worry about the clamor on the forum. As the battle ended, he and Qin Qing exited the virtual battlefield together.

Inside the rest space, the way Qin Qing looked at Lin Zhou had completely changed. The previous scrutiny and doubt had vanished, replaced by a burning inquiry and recognition, as if she had discovered a new continent.

"Your 'Law' is not just power; it's a set of... 'principles'," Qin Qing said slowly, seemingly digesting the experience of their cooperation. "It defines what is acceptable and what is not allowed. And my judgment is more like the tool that executes this set of 'principles'. Before, my tool didn't have a clear 'instruction manual', but now... I seem to see it."

"Law has no fixed form; it is established according to the time and the situation," Lin Zhou said with a smile. His face was still pale, but his spirits were fair. "Today's cooperation is but one small application of 'Law'. If Student Qin Qing is interested, you are welcome to exchange ideas anytime after the competition. As for the Temple of Law, once I have repaired it, I can also open partial access for you to observe."

"Good." Qin Qing nodded solemnly, then hesitated for a moment before saying, "Your godhead is significantly damaged. I have an [Order Crystal (Blue)] bestowed by my Family. It has some effect on stabilizing rules and repairing Order-type damage; perhaps it will be useful to you. I'll have someone deliver it to your society later."

This was a gesture of reciprocity and also indicated an attitude of further friendship.

"Thank you." Lin Zhou did not decline; he truly needed such resources right now.

After Qin Qing left, Lin Zhou's communication was immediately overwhelmed by Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, Li Mo, and others, all filled with congratulations and excitement. The headquarters of the Hundred Schools Society fell into a frenzy, as many freshmen and seniors who were originally waiting on the sidelines began frantically inquiring about the requirements to join the society.

While dealing with the communications, Lin Zhou checked the rewards for the quarter-finals he had just received—a generous resource pack, and more importantly, a [Special Preparation Secret Realm Entrance Ticket for the Semi-Finals]. It was said that the Secret Realm contained a special environment that could accelerate recovery and might even hold opportunities to mend rules.

He rubbed his still-throbbing brow, but his gaze became increasingly firm.

Advancing to the final four, making the society famous, establishing preliminary cooperation with Qin Qing, and sparking campus-wide ideological discussions... all of this was just the beginning.

The road of the The Way of the Hundred Schools was still very long.

And his opponent for the next semi-final would be one of the other two top teams that had fought their way through a sea of blood. Before truly stepping onto the finals stage, he had to repair his godhead and restore his combat power as quickly as possible.

"Go to the Secret Realm first, and then..." Lin Zhou looked at the heated discussion thread on the campus forum, a trace of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Perhaps it's time for the 'Hundred Schools Forum' to officially begin its lectures."

The spark of civilization, by way of this clean and efficient victory, had cast its first undeniable ray of light into the hearts of many young deities at Xinghai University.