316: Chapter 251: The start of the third year of university, the course on the war of the divine kingdom begins.

Xinghai University, early morning.

Mist-like Divine Power Spiritual Qi flowed slowly through the ancient campus, permeating every stone slab inscribed with the traces of time and knowledge, and every spiritual plant bathed in the aura of countless generations of deity students. Compared to the iron-blooded, cold, and perpetually tense atmosphere of the front-line base, this place held a sense of settled depth and vigorous, inquisitive vitality. However, for Lin Zhou, who had just returned from the battlefield of blood and fire, this tranquility made him feel somewhat unaccustomed, as if the low humming of the star gate's pulsation and the violent roar of the Beast God's pursuit still lingered in his ears.

He stood at the entrance of his newly reassigned independent courtyard—a perk for being a captain (though still a student) and a recipient of special meritorious service. The courtyard was several times larger than the previous one, featuring a small training ground, a meditation chamber, a core furnace processing workshop, and even a plot of land for planting spiritual plants. The environment was quiet, and the concentration of Divine Power was higher. The residences of Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, Li Mo, and Qin Qing had also been upgraded to similar detached courtyards, adjacent to each other, making it convenient for mutual support and communication.

Taking a deep breath of the air carrying the crisp scent of grass and trees, Lin Zhou slowly suppressed the battlefield images remaining in his mind. He knew that the intelligence from the front line had already been sent out, and the "Door-Breaking" operation would be handled by the military bigwigs. Now, his identity had returned to being a junior student at Xinghai University, and the core course for the junior year was about to kick off today.

Clearing his mood, he changed into a clean and sharp Xinghai University senior student uniform (black base, dotted with silver star patterns, with grade emblems on the cuffs) and walked out of the courtyard towards the "Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion," the main teaching area of the college. Along the way, many acquaintances or familiar-looking students cast curious, admiring, or complex gazes. The deeds of his squad in the "Fledgling Eagle Project," especially the feat of penetrating deep behind enemy lines to bring back S-level intelligence and returning with all members alive, had clearly spread in a small circle within the campus through certain channels. Coupled with his previous title of "Civilization War Marshal," Lin Zhou was undoubtedly one of the most dazzling stars among the current and even previous batches of students at Xinghai University.

"Hey! Lin Zhou!" A rough voice came, and Wang Meng and Zhao Hao walked over quickly from a side path. Both of them had also changed into student uniforms, but Wang Meng's muscles were almost bursting through his clothes, while Zhao Hao looked refreshed, obviously in a great mood after getting the [Dragon Blood Secret Realm] card.

"Did you hear? We got a huge boost in academic credits after returning! The practical assessment credits for the 'Fledgling Eagle Project' are at the highest level, equivalent to several core courses!" Wang Meng grinned.

"And the military exploits and promotion records have already been entered into the files. It is said that our starting point upon graduation will be shockingly high." Zhao Hao added, his eyes flashing with anticipation for the future.

The three walked together, and soon Li Mo and Qin Qing joined them. The five-person squad reunited; although they were in the quiet campus, the tacit understanding and trust between them, forged through life-and-death tests, were stronger than any Divine Power.

Arriving at the "Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion," this was a grand building covering a vast area, combining classical palace architecture with ultra-modern rule runes. It was said that the interior used spatial folding technology, possessing hundreds of classrooms and laboratories of varying sizes, environments, and rule focuses. The junior year's core course, "Divine Kingdom War Studies," was held in the most famous "War Deduction Hall" within.

Stepping into the hall, the view suddenly opened up. The interior space was far more vast than it looked from the outside. The dome was a hundred meters high, simulating the scene of the vast starry sky, with countless stars slowly moving according to real star charts. The floor was a smooth, mirror-like black material, with faint, constantly changing energy flow diagrams emerging on it. The hall was tiered, with a huge holographic projection platform in the center, surrounded by hundreds of floating student seats resembling individual small platforms, each equipped with complex data interfaces and Divine Thought connection devices. At this moment, many junior students had already arrived early, taking their seats and talking in low voices, a serious and expectant atmosphere permeating the air.

The arrival of Lin Zhou and his four companions caused a slight commotion. Many gazes focused on them, carrying scrutiny, curiosity, and even a trace of imperceptible jealousy or challenge. Those who could enter the junior year of Xinghai University were all outstanding among their peers, and many were arrogant. Although the battle achievements of Lin Zhou and the others were dazzling, they also attracted more attention and potential comparisons.

The five of them remained calm and found their floating seats according to their student numbers (the positions were relatively forward, reflecting the school's recognition of their strength). The seats were comfortable and would automatically adapt to the user's body shape. A translucent operation light screen rose in front, which could connect to the personal Divine Kingdom database, record notes, perform simulated operations, etc.

"Ding—"

A crisp bell sound echoed in the hall, and all whispering stopped instantly. A figure appeared silently on the central holographic projection platform.

It was a middle-aged man who looked about forty or fifty, with a resolute face and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. He wore a stiff dark blue military-style dress uniform. There were no specific rank insignia on his epaulets, but an intricate emblem woven from swords, codes, and stars was embroidered there—this was the mark of the Dean of the "War College" at Xinghai University! The aura he emitted was as heavy as a mountain, yet carried the scent of iron-blooded gunpowder; he was clearly a powerhouse at the Peak of Mid-Tier Divine Power! And definitely not an academic type, but a practical combat expert who had truly fought his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

"I am Lei Gang, Dean of the War College." The middle-aged man spoke, his voice not loud, but clear to every student's ears like clashing gold and iron, carrying an unquestionable majesty. "This semester, I will be personally responsible for the core theoretical lectures and some practical guidance for 'Divine Kingdom War Studies'."

His eyes were like lightning, sweeping across the audience, pausing slightly on Lin Zhou and the others for half a second before continuing: "The fact that you can sit here means that you have already ignited your Divine Fire and possess your own Divine Kingdom, no longer being mere demigods who have just caught a glimpse of the path. But I want to tell you that possessing a Divine Kingdom only means you have the admission ticket to participate in this Universe survival game. And how to transform your Divine Kingdom from a relatively static cradle of faith and resource base into a mobile war fortress that integrates offense and defense and traverses the Star Domain is the key for you to step from 'True God' to a higher level!"

"'Divine Kingdom War Studies' is the knowledge that teaches you how to achieve this. It contains countless branches such as Divine Kingdom power Systems, defense Systems, attack modules, rule confrontation, logistics support, and multi-Divine Kingdom coordinated operations. Its complexity and depth far exceed any course you have learned before. But at the same time, it is also the supreme art that best reflects the great power of deities, determines the rise and fall of civilizations, and even the personal honor and disgrace of life and death!"

Dean Lei Gang's words were like heavy hammers, striking everyone's hearts. Excitement and longing shone in the eyes of many students. Who wouldn't yearn for the majesty of maneuvering their Divine Kingdom, conquering the Star Domain, and spreading faith (or plundering resources)?

"Today is the first lesson." Dean Lei Gang waved his hand, and a highly complex three-dimensional structural diagram composed of countless energy pipelines, rune arrays, core furnace, and rule stabilizers appeared on the central holographic projection platform, slowly rotating and emitting heart-palpitating energy fluctuations. "The foundation of Divine Kingdom war, and also the first step—the Divine Kingdom Power System."

"Without power, the Divine Kingdom can only adhere to specific coordinates, be passively beaten, or drift slowly. With powerful and stable power, the Divine Kingdom can be maneuverable and flexible, attacking when advancing and defending when retreating, or even conducting ultra-long-distance inter-Star Domain voyages and plane jumps." Dean Lei Gang pointed to the core of the structural diagram, "And in the currently known Universe, the most widely used, technically mature, and highly adaptable Divine Kingdom power core is—the Power Of Faith furnace."

"The Power Of Faith furnace, as the name suggests, uses the purest Power Of Faith as fuel, converts it through special rules, and generates a Divine Power torrent that drives the movement of the Divine Kingdom, maintains the stability of the rules within the Divine Kingdom, and powers various war facilities." He explained in detail the basic principles, key structures, and energy conversion efficiency formulas of the Power Of Faith furnace.

[Knowledge Infusion: Divine Kingdom Power Of Faith Furnace (Standard Type)]

Core Principle: High-efficiency burning/conversion of Power Of Faith to generate controllable Divine Power output.

Main Components:

Power Of Faith reserve pool: A place to purify and store massive amounts of Power Of Faith, usually directly connected to the Divine Kingdom's core faith network.

core furnace: An energy conversion matrix built from special rule Materials (such as [Blazing Heart Crystal], [Steel of Order]), which is the "heart" of the furnace and determines the conversion efficiency and output power limit.

Divine Power torrent channel: The energy pipeline network that transports the refined Divine Power to all parts of the Divine Kingdom (driving engines, defensive shields, attack arrays, etc.), requiring extremely high stability and load-bearing capacity.

Rule stabilizer: Balances the rule disturbances caused by the furnace operation, preventing them from affecting the internal ecological environment and dependents of the Divine Kingdom.

Control center: The connection point for the deity's Divine Thought, used to regulate furnace power, output distribution, emergency braking, etc.

Performance Indicators:

Conversion efficiency: Standard type is about 1 unit of standard faith crystal → 0.8 - 0.9 units of usable driving Divine Power (there is loss).

Output power: Depending on the furnace scale (micro, small, standard, large, super-large) and core quality, it ranges from 0.1 standard Star Domain units to 10 Star Domain units of Divine Kingdom movement per day. (1 standard Star Domain unit is approximately equivalent to the power required for an average Divine Kingdom movement speed of 0.1 light-years/day.)

Stability: Affected by furnace structure, Materials, faith purity, and the deity's control level.

Construction requirements: Massive amounts of rare resources (the list is hundreds of items long), at least Lesser Divinity level rule control, and corresponding construction blueprints (blueprints of different qualities can be obtained through college credits, military exploits, exploring ruins, etc.).

Maintenance costs: Continuous consumption of faith fuel, regular replacement of worn parts, and cleaning of rule accumulation.

Dean Lei Gang displayed fragments of Power Of Faith furnace blueprints of several different styles (magic side, technology side, biological side), as well as the different energy characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages they produced when driving the Divine Kingdom.

"Obtaining the blueprint and gathering resources is just the first step." Dean Lei Gang's tone was serious. "The real difficulty lies in construction and debugging. Any mistake in the depiction of the furnace core's rule matrix may lead to energy runaway and blow up half of your Divine Kingdom. The laying of Divine Power channels needs to be perfectly integrated with the existing rules of your Divine Kingdom; otherwise, it will either result in insufficient power or rule conflicts that trigger disasters. This requires you to have an extremely deep understanding and control over the rule structure of your own Divine Kingdom!"

"This semester, one of your core practical tasks is to successfully build and start a minimum standard 'micro Power Of Faith furnace' in your own Divine Kingdom. The college will provide the basic general-purpose micro furnace blueprint (standard version), as well as discount exchange channels for some core Materials. But more resources, more optimized designs, and the final successful construction depend on yourselves."

He paused and looked at the students: "Do not underestimate this micro furnace. It may only allow your Divine Kingdom to gain basic mobility (0.1 - 0.3 Star Domain units per day), but this is a Breakthrough from zero to one! It is a milestone for your Divine Kingdom to transform from a 'homeland' to a 'warship'! At the same time, the construction process itself is an extreme test of your Divine Kingdom's rule organization, resource integration, and engineering management capabilities! Those who successfully complete it will directly receive an excellent evaluation for this course this semester!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the students were even more eager to try. Driving a Divine Kingdom! This was an ability that countless True Gods dreamed of!

"Now, the general blueprints and basic Materials list have been sent to your student terminals." Dean Lei Gang finally said, "I will give you one week to study the blueprints and gather resources. One week later, we will hold the first practical guidance class, and I will personally answer the common questions you encounter during the study process. Class dismissed!"

On the projection platform, Dean Lei Gang's figure slowly dissipated. A buzzing discussion sounded in the hall instantly. The students couldn't wait to open their terminals to check the complex blueprints and the long list of Materials. Some were excited, some frowned, and some had already started calculating their own assets.

Lin Zhou also called up the blueprint. Looking at the dense rune structures, energy circuits, and material requirements, not only did he not feel a headache, but a light of contemplation flashed in his eyes.

Power Of Faith furnace... Burning faith, converting Divine Power, driving the Divine Kingdom...

The "conversion" and "driving" in this are essentially the efficient use of energy and the application of rules.

The Mohist school's "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" focuses on logic, efficiency, and creation. Perhaps it can provide ideas for the structural optimization and energy transmission efficiency of the furnace?

The Taoist school's "Tao Follows Nature" emphasizes following rules and harmonizing Yin and Yang. Perhaps it can help balance the rule disturbances caused by the furnace operation, or even enhance its compatibility with the Divine Kingdom environment?

The Confucian school's "Investigation of Things to Extend Knowledge" is helpful for a deeper understanding of the rule principles behind the blueprints, rather than just copying them rigidly.

And the Fire of Civilization, where the Hundred Schools of Thought gather, can it itself be used as a higher-level "catalyst" or "stabilizer" to be integrated into the furnace core?

A vague, bold idea began to sprout in Lin Zhou's heart. Perhaps he didn't need to copy the college's general blueprint entirely? Could he combine the Hundred Schools of Thought, especially the essence of the Mohist and Taoist schools, to optimize and transform this "micro Power Of Faith furnace" to adapt to his own civilization characteristics? Even if it was just a fine-tuning, as long as the effect was better and more suitable for his Divine Kingdom, it would be a huge advantage!

Just as he was immersed in thought, a cold yet slightly concerned voice rang out beside him: "Are your injuries... all healed?"

Lin Zhou looked up, and what came into view was Su Yueyao's beautiful, peerless face, which now carried a trace of imperceptible worry. She didn't know when she had come to his seat. Her dark hair was like a waterfall, her eyes like cold stars, and she was surrounded by cold Moonlight Divine Power, which was out of place with the slightly restless war atmosphere in the hall, yet strangely harmonious.

"Yueyao?" Lin Zhou was slightly stunned, then smiled, "Almost there, thank you for your concern. Why are you here?" He knew that Su Yueyao majored in ancient civilization research and the Moonlight Divine Power Legacy, not the War College.

"I heard you came back, and... made a great contribution." Su Yueyao's gaze stayed on his face for a moment, as if confirming that his condition was okay, before she breathed a sigh of relief, "I happened to be checking Materials nearby. Also..." She hesitated for a moment, lowering her voice, "Regarding what you mentioned before, the connection between those 'Hundred Schools of Thought' and certain lost civilizations... I recently discovered some potentially useful clues in my Family's ancient library. When you are not busy with your courses, we can chat."

Ancient civilization clues? Lin Zhou's heart moved. This might be helpful for him to understand the Temple of Civilization and optimize the furnace. "Okay, when I get settled, I will definitely come to talk to you in detail."

Su Yueyao nodded, said no more, turned, and left quietly, leaving behind a faint scent of moonlight.

Lin Zhou withdrew his gaze and looked at the complex furnace blueprint on the terminal again, his eyes becoming even more determined.

Junior year begins, the Divine Kingdom War course commences. The first step to driving the Divine Kingdom is already before him. And his path is destined to be different from others.