276: Chapter 211: The Reward for Winning the Championship, and the Ticket to the Blessed Land

Deafening cheers, applause, and even some uncontrollable exclamations and discussions surged like continuous ocean waves inside and outside Xinghai University's Central Arena for a long time before slowly subsiding under repeated signals from the referee panel and school staff.

The starlight on the dome resumed its soft flow. The basic platform formed by the chaotic clear light of the Dao Debate Platform had not disappeared, but the projection frames representing the rules of both sides had vanished without a trace. The left side was empty, leaving behind a trace of indescribable desolation and the aftershocks of disordered Laws. On the right, Lin Zhou remained sitting cross-legged. Although the faint blue phantom of the river of civilization beside him had dimmed significantly, it still flowed quietly, revealing a more condensed resilience after surviving the ordeal.

Xuanyuan Hao had long since been rushed away by professors and medical staff (gods possessing healing divine offices) from the Imperial Academy. When he was taken away, his eyes were still hollow, and his aura was withered to the extreme. The imperial robe he wore was stained with pale gold divine blood, looking exceptionally piercing. The son of heaven sword broken, the nine cauldrons cracked, the Dao Heart shattered... this series of blows was almost devastating for this "Star Sea Crown Prince" who had always enjoyed smooth sailing and held himself in high regard. No one knew if he could recover from this blow, or what changes would occur if he did.

In the audience, some were excited and agitated (supporters of the School of Literature and Law and the Hundred Schools), some sighed with emotion (neutrals), and some had complex expressions of indignation (supporters of the Imperial Academy and some traditional divine domains). But regardless, the outcome was decided, and the champion had emerged.

The Principal did not let these complex emotions linger for long. His old and majestic gaze swept across the field, and his voice rang out again, pulling everyone's attention back.

"Silence."

As the single word was uttered, it acted like a Law, and the entire venue instantly became deathly silent.

"The 7843rd Academy Hegemony Tournament of Xinghai University has hereby reached its Perfection.‐ The Principal's voice returned to its usual state of being as calm as ancient well water, yet it carried an unquestionable authority. "This tournament has seen many brilliant duels emerge, showcasing the spirit of our school's students in their relentless exploration and courage to climb. Especially the final, where both sides took a different path, using a Dao debate of rules and a clash of ideologies to perform a contest that transcended mere force and pointed directly to the essence of a deity's path. Its significance is profound and worthy of deep reflection by all teachers and students."

He paused slightly, his gaze falling on Lin Zhou, his deep eyes seemingly containing many unspoken meanings.

"Now, in accordance with the tournament regulations, the grand championship rewards will be presented."

As his voice fell, the Principal lightly waved his sleeve.

Buzz——!

In the center of the Dao Debate Platform, a dazzling pillar of light descended from the sky. It did not come from the simulated starry sky of the dome, but directly pierced through layers of space, as if connected to the deepest treasury of Xinghai University. Within the pillar of light, three items slowly emerged, emitting heart-palpitating, surging energy and mysterious auras.

The first was a fist-sized, crystal-clear [faith crystal (Giant)] that seemed to have nebulae flowing inside. The moment it appeared, the surrounding space distorted slightly, and the Power Of Faith was so dense it was almost overflowing, causing all deities (whether students or audience) to feel a burst of Soul-felt longing.

[faith crystal (Giant)]

Quality: Epic (Purple)

Contained Faith Value: 100 Million Units

Description: Highly compressed and condensed from the purest Power Of Faith. It can be directly absorbed and converted into Divine Power or used for Divine Kingdom construction, blessing followers, etc. For a True God, this is a massive amount of resources sufficient to support a medium-scale divine war or drive a small leap in the development of a Divine Kingdom.

*One of the basic championship rewards.

The second was a palm-sized, token-like item, neither metal nor jade, its surface covered in natural Dao patterns and emitting a misty purple Qi. It suspended quietly, and amidst the lingering purple Qi, phantoms of mountains, rivers, the sun, moon, and stars could be faintly seen rising and falling, a natural Dao charm.

[Unnamed Grotto-Heaven Exploration Ticket]

Quality: Legendary (Orange)

Type: Special Permission Item / Coordinate Token

Effect: Holding this ticket, one can apply to the Academy Secret Realm Management Office to open a one-way teleportation channel to a top-tier Grotto-Heaven numbered [Chaos-749-Unknown] that has not been fully explored or developed. Maximum exploration time: 3 natural days (The time flow ratio inside the Grotto-Heaven to the main world is 1:1, meaning 300 days inside). The channel is one-time use. After the exploration ends, a return mechanism is automatically triggered (If the return point is not reached within the time limit or other return conditions are not met, one may be stranded).

Restriction: Limited to personal use, non-transferable. The user must be at least of the True God rank (Faint Divinity and above). The dangers inside the Grotto-Heaven are unknown; opportunities and risks coexist. Historically, some explorers have obtained Heaven-Defying Opportunities, while others have permanently lost contact. Please be sure to make full preparations.

Special Note (Engraved in pale gold small characters on the back): "This Grotto-Heaven was discovered in Star Sea Calendar year 7715 by the 'Star Patroller' (the title of the late former Principal) in the Chaos borderlands. The entrance is extremely hidden and unstable. Preliminary detection shows that its internal rule structure is exceptionally ancient and complex, with a very high energy level. There are residues of large-scale civilization activities and signs of intense conflict, suspected to be related to a certain 'Ancient Civilization Fall' event that affected the multiverse. Extreme dangers such as 'Rule Turbulence', 'Space-Time Fragments', and 'Conceptual Remnants' may exist inside, as well as sealed lost knowledge, technology, and even... a seed of civilization."

*Core championship reward, unique to this tournament.

The third item was not presented by the Principal, but was a product automatically condensed by the rules of the Dao Debate Platform—it was a small portion of the most essential rule fragments and material particles left behind after Xuanyuan Hao's [son of heaven sword projection] shattered. They were originally about to be completely annihilated in the void, but were captured and condensed by the chaotic clear light of the Dao Debate Platform, finally forming a [son of heaven sword fragment (Incomplete)] about three inches long, dull and lusterless, yet still possessing a faint but extremely high-level aura of sharpness and majesty. It floated down in front of Lin Zhou.

[son of heaven sword fragment (Incomplete)]

Quality: Mythic (Gold) [Due to severe shattering, current state is between Legendary and Mythic, effect greatly weakened]

Type: Divine Artifact Fragment / Special Materials

Status: Severely damaged, rule structure on the verge of collapse, spirituality almost annihilated.

Current Attributes/Effects (Extremely Unstable):

Material Properties: Contains trace amounts of "Human Emperor Purple Gold" and "Heavenly Mandate Law" residues, making it an excellent material for refining top-tier divine weapons or special wonders (Requires extremely high forging skills and matching rules).

Rule Residue: The fragment Seals a very small amount of conceptual rule fragments such as "Orthodoxy," "Judgment," and "Fate-Severing," which can be slowly analyzed and absorbed (Must match one's own path, otherwise prone to backlash), or used for specific rituals and divine arts.

Bloodline Resonance: Has a faint resonance with the Emperors Bloodline and those Cultivating paths like the "Imperial Way" or "Sovereign Way," which may trigger unknown reactions.

Civilization Repulsion: Because it originates from the core of the "Imperial Way," it has a natural rule conflict with Way of Civilization. Direct use or Fusion will trigger a violent rejection reaction.

Description: Fragments remaining after the disintegration of a projection of the former Human Emperor's symbol, the [son of heaven sword], carrying part of the Imperial Way's glory and its doomed fate. It is both an extremely precious material and a symbol of an old Orthodoxy shattered by the tide of "Civilization."

*A derivative product of the Dao Debate Platform rules, the winner has the right to collect it.

The three items floated before Lin Zhou, emitting distinct lusters and auras, also symbolizing the rich harvest and profound impact of this championship battle.

One hundred million faith! Enough to instantly fill his Divine Power reserves and support his Divine Kingdom in a leap-forward construction!

A Legendary-grade Grotto-Heaven Exploration Ticket! A key to the unknown and Opportunity, even involving the shocking secret of the "Ancient Civilization Fall"!

A Mythic-grade Divine Artifact fragment! Though broken and conflicting, its essence was extremely high. Whether used for research, Artifact Refining, or other purposes, its value was immeasurable!

Bursts of envious exclamations and gasps came from the audience. This was the treatment a top-tier tournament champion deserved! Especially that Legendary-grade Grotto-Heaven Exploration Ticket; its value simply couldn't be measured by ordinary resources!

Lin Zhou took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in his heart caused by the massive harvest. He stood up, first bowing solemnly toward the referee panel and the Principal, and then reached out with both hands, wrapping them in Divine Power to carefully put away the three rewards one by one.

The faith crystal and exploration ticket were directly stored in the space provided by the Temple of Civilization (which was safer and more stable than ordinary spatial equipment). As for the [son of heaven sword fragment], the moment it touched his Divine Power, it actually trembled slightly, emitting a very faint sense of resistance and wailing, but it was immediately suppressed and smoothed over by the more vast and inclusive aura of the Fire of Civilization, finally landing obediently in his palm, and was stored in a specially made jade box carved with simple Seal formations.

Having finished all this, Lin Zhou bowed slightly to the audience in all directions again, and then, under the guidance of the staff, slowly walked down the Dao Debate Platform to join the excitedly approaching Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, Li Mo, Qin Qing, and others.

"Old Lin! Awesome! So freaking awesome!" Zhao Hao slapped Lin Zhou's shoulder hard, incoherently excited, "One hundred million faith! A Legendary Grotto-Heaven! And the fragment of that broken sword! Hahaha, let's see if that kid Xuanyuan Hao dares to be arrogant ever again!"

Wang Meng grinned and nodded vigorously: "President, you're amazing! Even thoughts can be used as weapons, I'm truly impressed!"

Li Mo pushed his glasses up, his eyes behind the lenses staring fixedly at the spot where Lin Zhou had put away the fragment and the Exploration Voucher, filled with a researcher's fanaticism. "President, that Cave-Heaven... and the data from that fragment, could you..."

Qin Qing was relatively calm, but her eyes also overflowed with joy and admiration. "Congratulations, President, on winning the championship. This battle is of extraordinary significance." She paused and lowered her voice. "My Family just sent a message. They evaluate your performance very highly, believing 'Way of Civilization' has infinite potential, and there may be more possibilities for cooperation in the future."

Lin Zhou smiled at everyone. Although exhausted, his heart was quite stirred. "It's the result of everyone's joint efforts. Without your previous hard fighting and everyone's support, I wouldn't have reached this step, let alone had the chance to clash with Xuanyuan Hao on the Dao Debate Platform."

He knew that this victory belonged to the entire Hundred Schools Squad and all the society members who supported them.

Next was a grand award ceremony and closing ceremony. High-level university officials and guests from all walks of life gave speeches, awarding medals and certificates to the top ten teams. These processes lasted for several hours. As the champion, Lin Zhou was naturally the focus of focuses, receiving countless congratulations, brief interviews, and scrutinizing gazes, both overt and covert.

When he finally dragged his exhausted but excited body back to the Hundred Schools Society headquarters, the night was already deep.

Inside and outside the society headquarters, lights were brightly lit and voices were bustling. Almost all society members were gathered here, holding spontaneous celebrations. Seeing Lin Zhou return, a sky-shaking cheer erupted. Lin Zhou had to force himself to celebrate briefly with everyone, thanking them for their support and promising to share some of his gains and insights (the parts that could be shared, of course) later. Only then was he able to escape and return to his exclusive private quiet room.

Inside the quiet room, the outside clamor was isolated. Lin Zhou breathed a long sigh of relief and relaxed completely, feeling a wave of intense weakness and fatigue from the depths of his Divine Soul. The continuous high-intensity Dao debates and the final ultimate strike that condensed the words of a Hundred Schools had consumed far too much.

He didn't rest immediately. Instead, he sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing for a moment. Once his state had stabilized slightly, he sank his consciousness into the Temple of Civilization.

Within the sanctuary, that [faith crystal (Giant)] and the [Unnamed Cave-Heaven Blessed Land Exploration Voucher] were floating quietly. The Power Of Faith, so dense it seemed inseparable, made the Fire of Civilization in the sanctuary leap joyfully. Meanwhile, the ancient, mysterious, and slightly dangerous aura emitted by the Exploration Voucher caused the sanctuary itself to produce a faint resonance and... a longing?

Lin Zhou's Divine Thought carefully "read" the small pale gold characters on the back of the Exploration Voucher.

"Fallen ancient civilization... traces of civilization activity... signs of intense conflict... rule turbulence... spacetime fragments... concept residues... seed of civilization..."

Every word made his heart race, while also making him feel a chill.

This was clearly not an ordinary Cave-Heaven Blessed Land. It was more like a civilization's grave, a battlefield ruin of a lost era. The level of danger was absolutely beyond imagination; even the "Star Patroller" Principal Gu had failed to fully explore it after discovering it, only marking it down.

But similarly, the Opportunity was also absolutely massive. To be associated with the "fallen ancient civilization" event, the things that might be preserved within were of incalculable value. Especially for Lin Zhou, who possessed the Temple of Civilization and walked "Way of Civilization," the "lost knowledge," "technology," and "seed of civilization" that might exist there held a fatal attraction for him.

"I need preparation, thorough preparation," Lin Zhou thought to himself. "At least I must recover to my Peak state. It would be best if my godhead could be improved further, and my vassals also need to be strengthened. Also, I must collect more information about 'fallen ancient civilizations,' 'rule turbulence,' and 'concept residues'..."

He then turned his attention to the jade box holding the [son of heaven sword fragment]. Opening the jade box, that dull fragment lay quietly inside; only when approaching could one feel that faint but extremely high-level sharpness.

Lin Zhou tried to carefully make contact with a wisp of Fire of Civilization.

Sizzle—!

The fragment instantly erupted with a strong golden light of resistance. However, in the face of the even more vast and inclusive Fire of Civilization, which seemed capable of dissolving all Laws, that golden light lasted for less than a breath before quickly dimming. The fragment itself emitted an almost inaudible, wail-like slight tremor.

Lin Zhou did not force a refinement, but slowly nourished and analyzed it with the Fire of Civilization. He could feel that the rule concept fragments remaining in the fragment, although conflicting with "Way of Civilization," were not entirely impossible to convert. The "inclusive" characteristic of Way of Civilization might be able to slowly strip, absorb, and transform the beneficial parts (such as the fairness of "Judgment" and certain concepts of Order from "Orthodoxy") into its own nutrients. And the remaining "Human Emperor Purple Gold" material was an even more top-tier material.

"This fragment might serve as the embryo for a special 'vessel,' or... be integrated into some future 'Great Civilization Artifact'?" Lin Zhou mused.

Just as he was immersed in the inventory of his gains and future planning, the door to the quiet room was lightly knocked upon.

"President, it's me, Qin Qing. Also... Senior Su Yueyao is visiting, saying she has important matters to discuss."

Lin Zhou composed himself and stood up to open the door.

Outside the door, Qin Qing and Su Yueyao stood side by side. Su Yueyao was still in a moon-white long dress, her temperament cold and ethereal as an immortal, but at this moment her face carried a hint of faint weariness. Deep in her eyes, however, flashed a certain strange radiance, as if she had just experienced or learned of something important.

"Senior Yueyao, Qin Qing, please come in." Lin Zhou stepped aside to let them in.

Su Yueyao stepped into the quiet room, her gaze first landing on Lin Zhou's face as she nodded slightly. "Congratulations on winning the championship, Junior Lin Zhou. Your performance on the Dao Debate Platform today... was shocking." Her tone was sincere, with undisguised admiration.

"Thank you for the information and reminders before, Senior," Lin Zhou thanked her.

Su Yueyao shook her head gently, then her expression turned serious as she went straight to the point. "I am visiting late at night because I just learned from an uncle-ancestor of my Family, who has been researching ancient secrets for many years, some more specific and also more dangerous information regarding the Cave-Heaven pointed to by that [Cave-Heaven Exploration Voucher] in your hand."

Hearing this, both Lin Zhou and Qin Qing's expressions tightened.

"Please tell us more, Senior."

Su Yueyao took a deep breath and said slowly, "According to my uncle-ancestor's deductions combined with certain extremely ancient and incomplete records, that Cave-Heaven numbered [Chaos-749-Unknown] is likely not naturally formed, but... a civilization core fragment that was forcibly 'cut,' 'exiled,' or 'sealed' from the history of the Main Universe during the 'fallen ancient civilization' event!"

"Its internal time, space, and rules may all be in an extremely distorted, broken, and self-contradictory state. The so-called 'rule turbulence' and 'spacetime fragments' may only be the surface. Deeper down, there might even exist 'Concept Scars' left by the ultimate conflict that led to the civilization's fall, or even... 'Resentment Collectives' or 'Rule Ghosts' generated after the annihilation of the civilization's collective consciousness."

Her voice was very light, but the content of her words was as heavy as ten thousand tons.

"My uncle-ancestor asked me to tell you," Su Yueyao gazed at Lin Zhou, "if you are determined to explore it, you must be extremely careful. The greatest danger that may exist there is not a tangible monster, but distorted rules and residual Civilization Obsessions. They might directly impact your Dao Heart, distort your cognition, and even... assimilate you into a part of that lost civilization, trapping you forever in those spacetime fragments."

A silence fell over the quiet room. Only Su Yueyao's cold voice echoed, describing a bizarre yet incomparably dangerous unknown world.

Lin Zhou was silent for a long time, the Fire of Civilization burning quietly in his eyes.

The danger was beyond imagination.

But the Opportunity was also unprecedented.

A 'cut' civilization core fragment... What did this mean for the Temple of Civilization and for his path?

He looked up, his gaze becoming firm once more.

"Thank you for the warning from you and your uncle-ancestor," Lin Zhou said solemnly. "I will make full preparations. This exploration... I must go."

Not just for the potential Opportunity, but also because, in the dark, he felt that there might be deeper secrets regarding 'civilization' hidden there, perhaps even some connection with his Transmigration and the source of the Temple of Civilization.

Seeing the unshakeable determination in Lin Zhou's eyes, Su Yueyao sighed softly in her heart and then nodded. "In that case, I will do my best to help you collect more relevant information. Additionally, when you explore, if you need assistance... you can inform me at any time."

Qin Qing also spoke up, "On the society's side, we will fully support the President's preparations. Any resources or intelligence needed, we will do our best to collect."

A wave of warmth rose in Lin Zhou's heart, and he thanked the two of them again.

After seeing off Su Yueyao and Qin Qing, Lin Zhou returned to the quiet room, facing alone the quietly floating Exploration Voucher and the blade fragment in the jade box.

The clamor of celebration from outside the window could be heard faintly, but his mind had already flown to that unknown land of Chaos where the remains of an ancient civilization were buried.

The glory of the championship was already in the past.

A new, even more magnificent and challenging journey was about to begin.