227: Despite the defeat, there was still honor; the principal personally commented and praised the performance.

The time on the Void Battle Platform seemed to freeze at the moment Lin Zhou exhausted his last bit of strength to activate "Hundred Schools Contending" to resist Xuanyuan Hong's crushing rule. Those short yet long thirty seconds were the most stubborn and tragic burning of the Fire of Civilization in the face of absolute power.

The colorful brilliance of the Hundred Schools of Thought, like a candle in a gale, flickered and wavered, threatening to go out under the wash of Xuanyuan Hong's increasingly precise "Conquest Order" torrent. Every second of persistence came at the cost of burning Lin Zhou's godhead Origin potential, overdrawing the Foundation of the river of civilization, and the near-life-burning will of all his followers.

Lin Zhou's consciousness, in the afterglow of his overclocked state, was like shattered colored glass, enduring the tearing sensation brought by billions of rule collisions. He could "see" the expanding cracks on the Confucian Vast Righteous Qi barrier, "hear" the mournful wails of the Legalist silver chains snapping one by one, "perceive" the chaotic energy flow guided by Taoism being gradually straightened and assimilated, and "feel" the defensive devices temporarily constructed by Mohism being consumed at an alarming rate... The intense pain and emptiness coming from deep within his godhead had reached the edge of numbness. His Divine Power was completely zero, his civilization points were burned away, and even his divine fire was so dim it seemed it could go out at any moment. What supported him was only a will that refused to fall and the most instinctive protection of his own path.

Opposite him, the initial shock in Xuanyuan Hong's eyes had faded, replaced by pure seriousness. He no longer viewed this battle as an "assessment" or "guidance" for a junior, but truly saw it as a duel worthy of his full effort. Although his opponent's power level was still far below his, that brilliant and resilient "principles of civilization," that never-before-seen path, earned his respect.

"Your persistence is admirable." Xuanyuan Hong's Divine Thought, for the first time carrying clear emotional fluctuations, crossed the battlefield and clearly entered Lin Zhou's nearly dissipating consciousness. "But, this is the end. Your godhead is overburdened, and your 'principles' have reached their limit. If you continue, your Foundation will be completely destroyed."

He wasn't intimidating; he was stating a cold fact. He could clearly perceive the extremely unstable state of Lin Zhou's godhead on the verge of collapse, as well as the increasingly violent conflicts and disorders within the forcibly fused brilliance of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

"Let me see the final brilliance of your 'Way of Civilization'." Xuanyuan Hong no longer held back, his Divine Thought sinking into the core of the throne of conquest.

[Xuanyuan Hong · Finishing Move Preparation]

Skill Name: [Order Judgment · Conquest's End (Weakened Version)]

Effect: Centered on the throne of conquest, it mobilizes the resonance of over 70% of the divine kingdom's rule network to condense a conceptual strike composed purely of the "Conquest" Law. It ignores most conventional energy and physical defenses, directly striking the target's rule core and existential essence.

Restricted Version Trait: The power has been significantly suppressed, aiming to "defeat" rather than "destroy" the opponent's divine domain, avoiding permanent and irreparable damage.

Manifestation: A beam of dark gold light, condensed to the extreme and appearing capable of absorbing all light, shoots from the top of the throne of conquest's phantom. Wherever the beam passes, even the Void Realm seems to be "conquered" and "solidified," losing all change and possibility.

Target: Lin Zhou's divine domain core—the Temple of Civilization, and the "Hundred Schools Contending" barrier that is still struggling to hold on.

The dark gold beam, silent and soundless, yet carrying a pressure that made the Souls of all spectators on the Void Platform tremble, slowly shot out. Its speed wasn't fast, but it gave off a sense of inescapable, irresistible fate. It was pointed directly at the only place in Lin Zhou's tattered divine domain that still emitted a steady (though weak) light—the Temple of Civilization.

Qin Qing wanted to return to help, but was tightly entangled by the Holy Radiance Angel, and the light of the judgment sanctuary had also dimmed to the extreme.

Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, and others could only watch from the spectator seats with eyes nearly splitting, but they were powerless.

The entire Xinghai University virtual plaza was dead silent; everyone held their breath.

Lin Zhou watched the slowly approaching dark gold beam representing the end of "Conquest," and his overclocked state finally ended completely. His godhead transmitted a sharp pain as if porcelain were completely shattering, and his consciousness rapidly sank into darkness. But at the last moment, his remaining will felt no fear or despair, only a nearly calm unwillingness and realization.

"Still... a bit short..." This final thought flashed through his mind. Then, using his last ounce of strength, not to defend or attack, but to the Temple of Civilization, to the river that was about to dim, and to all the followers still persisting, he transmitted one last Divine Thought, weak but clear:

"The Sanctuary shall not fall... The river shall not cease... The Way of the Hundred Schools... The fire... shall be passed on..."

As if in a final response, the "Hundred Schools Contending" barrier, just before the dark gold beam hit, suddenly contracted and condensed inward! It wasn't a defense, but a final bloom like a martyr's explosion! All the remaining Confucian benevolence, Legalist severity, Taoist naturalness, Mohist ingenuity, and Military decisiveness... all the brilliance of thought was no longer a scattered resistance, but transformed into a condensed, rainbow-colored civilization fire that actively crashed into the dark gold "Conquest's End"!

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

Only a soft ring at the rule level, like a sigh.

The rainbow civilization fire was like a moth to a flame before the dark gold beam, instantly swallowed and annihilated for the most part. The remaining dark gold beam, unstoppable, pierced through the final obstruction and lightly touched the gates of the Temple of Civilization.

"Clang—!"

A clear yet Soul-permeating chime rang out.

The Temple of Civilization shook violently, and the light flowing on its surface dimmed by more than ninety percent instantly, becoming like the most ordinary stone building. Inside the sanctuary, the phantom of the surging river of civilization let out a sorrowful low cry and suddenly contracted, almost disappearing, leaving only the weakest, nearly imperceptible trickle.

Lin Zhou's divine domain projection, like a powered-off image, instantly became extremely ethereal and transparent, then slowly dissipated into the Void Realm. His consciousness completely fell into the deepest darkness and silence.

On the other side, Qin Qing's divine domain also reached its limit at the same time. Under the Holy Radiance Angel's final wave of attacks, the light of the judgment sanctuary went out, and she was judged to have lost her combat capability.

The battle ended.

Xuanyuan Hong won.

The rule protection light of the Void Battle Platform lit up in time, stabilizing and isolating Lin Zhou and Qin Qing's near-collapsing divine domain projections and beginning basic repairs to prevent actual damage to their Foundations.

The winner was decided.

However, in the virtual plaza, there were no expected cheers or sighs. A strange silence enveloped everyone. Whether they were supporters of Lin Zhou, those just watching the fun, or even Xuanyuan Hong's admirers, everyone felt as if something was blocking their throats, unable to speak.

They had witnessed a battle with an extreme disparity in power, yet the process was Soul-shakingly intense. That freshman named Lin Zhou, using a method they had never seen and could hardly understand—not relying on powerful followers or vast Divine Power, but on those ethereal yet real "thoughts" and "principles"—had managed to hold out for a full fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds against the Top Student, Xuanyuan Hong!

Only twenty-three seconds short of the standard of "persisting for the duration of an incense stick (fifteen minutes) to pass the challenge"!

Moreover, the final brilliant light of "Hundred Schools Contending," the tragic strike of the condensed "civilization fire" facing "Conquest's End," and the final Divine Thought of passing on the fire even before his consciousness dissipated... all of this was deeply etched into the hearts of every spectator.

It wasn't a simple victory or defeat; it was a demonstration of a path, a proof of will.

The silence lasted for several seconds.

Then, a peaceful, aged, yet infinitely majestic and wise voice, as if from the deepest part of Xinghai University, from the endless ocean of knowledge, slowly sounded, spreading to every corner of the virtual plaza and into the ears of Lin Zhou, who had just exited the battle platform and was still somewhat dazed.

"Freshman, Lin Zhou."

The voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone quiet down and listen respectfully. Because this was the voice of the Principal of Xinghai University! An ancient existence who was at least at the Peak of Mid-Tier Divine Power, or perhaps even touching the threshold of high-tier divine power, and one of the titans of the Human Race's Education world!

"I have observed your battle." The Principal's voice was calm and steady, yet contained a power that saw through to the essence. "The power you use is not Bloodline talent, nor elemental authority, nor an accumulation of faith. You use 'thought' as your base, 'civilization' as your fire, and 'principles' as your blade."

He paused, as if weighing his words, then said clearly:

"By using thought as a weapon, you have demonstrated the resilience of civilization. In the face of an absolute power gap, your 'Dao' may be immature, crude, or unsustainable, but its core—that inclusiveness that embraces all rivers, the proactivity in defining Order, the unyielding resistance against absolute power, and the continuity of not forgetting to pass it on even at the final moment—is precisely the Foundation upon which any civilization is born, develops, and establishes itself in the Universe."

The Principal's evaluation was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake!

"I have taught at Xinghai University for over seven hundred years and have seen countless prodigies. There are those who prove their Dao through strength, those who become gods through faith, and those who become saints by studying rules. However, like you, attempting to use a 'system of thought' as the core to construct a divine domain, evolve rules, and open a new path... they are few and far between, and most die young or remain superficial."

"Today, although you lost, it was not a defeat of power, but because the time has not yet come and your accumulation is insufficient." The Principal's voice carried a hint of imperceptible praise. "To be able to use the power of 'thought' to such an extent during the freshman stage, resisting the rule crushing of a middle-stage Lesser Divinity divine kingdom for over fourteen minutes, such a performance is truly stunning."

"Therefore, in this battle, you are not only without fault but have merit. You have shown the entire faculty and student body a unique and infinitely potential possibility. This is the merit of a pioneer." The Principal's tone became solemn. "Xinghai University encourages innovation and is inclusive. For pioneers with true potential and courage, the school is never stingy with resources and support."

"Lin Zhou, by decision of the Academic Affairs Office, you are specially awarded the 'Special Extraordinary Performance Award' for this 'Top Student Challenge'. The rewards are as follows:"

"First, three additional entry permits to the [Spring of Time Echoes] Secret Realm (each stay in the Secret Realm can last for fifty days)."

"Second, browsing permission for the seventh floor and below of the library's 'Forbidden Book Zone' (which contains some lost civilizations and forbidden knowledge) is open to you (subject to relevant regulations)."

"Third, a reward of 1,000 credit points, which can be directly exchanged for some high-level courses or rare resources."

"Fourth, the school will coordinate and apply for a one-time usage qualification for the [High-Level Rule Healing Chamber] to help you repair your godhead damage."

"I hope you will avoid arrogance and impetuosity, and continue to perfect your 'Way of the Hundred Schools'. In the future, the Human Race needs more heroes like you who dare to think, dare to practice, and dare to open new paths."

As the Principal's voice fell, the entire virtual plaza completely erupted!

The Principal personally commented! Highly praised! He even used words like "opening a new path," "merit of a pioneer," and "stunning"! And those rich, envy-inducing rewards! Especially the usage qualification for the [High-Level Rule Healing Chamber], which was a precious opportunity that even many upperclassmen found difficult to obtain!

How was this a loser? This was clearly being defeated but honored; one could even say he gained greater glory and recognition than simply winning a match!

"Even the Principal said so!"

"Opening a new path... My god, this evaluation is too high!"

"Special Extraordinary Performance Award! And the High-Level Rule Healing Chamber! This treatment..."

"Lin Zhou is really going to be famous throughout Star Sea now!"

"The Hundred Schools of Thought... it seems it really isn't simple!"

"From today on, who would dare say Lin Zhou is just a 'dark horse' who relies on tricks?"

At the Hundred Schools Society headquarters, Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, and others were so excited they almost jumped up. Their previous worry and suppression were swept away, replaced by unparalleled pride and excitement. Su Yueyao stood quietly, looking at the Void Realm that had returned to peace on the light screen. A shallow, gratified smile spread in her cool eyes as she murmured to herself, "The resilience of civilization... the Principal's insight is truly accurate."

Lin Zhou, whose consciousness had just returned and who was feeling the stinging pain in his godhead and total exhaustion, listened to the Principal's words and the mountain-like waves of discussion around him. A tired but bright smile slowly appeared on his pale face.

He knew he had won his gamble. Not just winning time and a chance to breathe, but winning true respect and an opportunity for development.

At this moment, his private communication channel lit up. It was a message from Xuanyuan Hong, brief and powerful:

"You have earned my respect. Heal well, I look forward to our next battle. Also, regarding the construction principles of those buildings in your divine domain, if you have time, we can exchange ideas. Attached: My Divine Kingdom Warfare notes (partial), they might be useful to you."

Immediately after was a message from Qin Qing: "I'm waiting for you outside the healing chamber. Also, the elders of my Family heard about you and are very interested in the 'Legalist' thought you mentioned. They hope to invite you for a chat when you're free."

Then came Chen Hai, Li Mo, and countless congratulations, inquiries, and cooperation invitations from both familiar and unfamiliar people... Lin Zhou took a deep breath, feeling the waves of weak stinging pain from his godhead and the cluster of Fire of Civilization that had reignited and become even more determined in his heart.

In this battle, he lost.

But he and his Way of the Hundred Schools had truly gained a foothold in Xinghai University, in this vast sea of stars, emitting a light that could not be ignored.

The road ahead is long and difficult.

However, now that the fire has been lit, it should illuminate the path ahead, never turning back despite a hundred setbacks.

The legend belonging to Lin Zhou and the Hundred Schools Temple has only just begun.