351: Chapter 286: Counterattack to Establish Authority, Demonstrating the Strength of a Weak Peak

The dim blue light of the "Shadow Corridor" cast mottled shadows on the metal walls. The low hum of energy flowing through the pipes intertwined with the faint airflow of the environmental circulation System, creating an oppressive background noise. The air was permeated with a faint scent of metal mixed with old lubricant.

Lin Zhou led his team with steady steps, yet each footfall was precisely placed on nodes where the energy flow within the passage was relatively stable, facilitating instantaneous turns or formation deployment. His Divine Thought, like invisible mercury, silently permeated every corner of the passage, providing clear feedback on the movements, approximate strength, and even some emotional fluctuations of the three factions tailing them from behind.

Analysis of the Tailing Factions (Lin Zhou's Divine Thought Perception):

First Group (Galactic Royalty · Allen Starlight): Approximately three hundred meters away, in a loose pursuit formation. Core Target: Allen Starlight (High-Tier Lesser Divinity, around LV480), specializes in "Starlight Domain" (Order/Holy, defense-oriented amplification) and "Stellar Strike" (high-energy rays). Accompanied by six followers, all Lesser Divinity (LV410-LV450), with attributes leaning towards Light, Stars, and Order. Emotions: Greed, arrogance, slight wariness. Tactical Intent: Frontal pressure, waiting for an opportunity to snatch, possibly utilizing some royal secret treasure that binds or interferes with space.

Second Group (War God Academy and its allied forces): Approximately two hundred and fifty meters away, located in a parallel side passage, attempting to flank. Core Target: A hooded, scar-faced elder (alias "Rock Fiend," Peak Lesser Divinity, LV495, formerly a War God Academy elite, Divine Domain is a "Lava Behemoth" variant), with a violent aura and strong aggressiveness. Four accomplices, average LV430, Divine Domains mostly offensive or control-oriented (Orcs, Elements, etc.). Emotions: Resentment, killing intent, urgency. Tactical Intent: Primary assault, creating chaos, coordinating with the first group to pin them down, target directed squarely at Lin Zhou himself.

Third Group (Shadow Snake Organization): Distance erratic (one hundred to four hundred meters), completely integrated into the shadows and energy turbulence, difficult to pinpoint accurately. Estimated at least two people; the leader's aura is cold and obscure, suspected Mid-Tier Divine Power (LV520+), specializing in assassination, curses, and spatial interference; the other is weaker (around LV460), responsible for support and intelligence shielding. Emotions: Cold, focused, emotionless killing intent. Tactical Intent: A fatal blow, target likely Lin Zhou or Su Yueyao and other key figures, skilled at exploiting opportunities created by the first two groups.

"One Mid-Tier Divine Power assassin, and lackeys led by two Peak Lesser Divinities..." Lin Zhou quickly assessed in his mind. "A head-on clash isn't the best choice, but if they successfully surround us, especially with that 'Shadow Snake' assassin lurking in the dark, it will be troublesome."

His gaze swept across a slightly open intersection area ahead in the passage. It was the junction of several maintenance pipes, where the space was relatively spacious but structurally complex, filled with thick energy pipes and maintenance platforms, forming natural obstacles and cover. More importantly, the spatial structure there was more unstable than in other areas due to years of energy erosion and repairs, and there were several old blind spots in the monitoring arrays.

"That's the place." With a flicker of Divine Thought, Lin Zhou transmitted clear tactical instructions to Su Yueyao and Qin Qing.

Su Yueyao's eyes narrowed, and the moonlight at her fingertips quietly changed its flow frequency, becoming more restrained while secretly beginning to accumulate power. Qin Qing slightly adjusted the angle of her sword, the golden light on her Law longsword flickering uncertainly, as if silently "defining" the regional rules that were about to become the battlefield.

Lin Zhou himself began to quietly mobilize the power of his Divine Kingdom, especially parts of the power from the newly evolved [Civilization Elves Mage Corps] and [Creation Dwarves Mechanists]. Through the river of civilization and faith links, he performed ultra-long-range precision "pre-loading." Simultaneously, his own Divine Power operated slowly in a special, near-dormant mode, like a taut bowstring, waiting to be released.

He intentionally slowed the team's pace slightly, showing some "exhaustion" and the panic of being "in a hurry to travel," with his aura appearing slightly disorganized (disguise). The intensity of his Divine Thought detection was also "just right," maintained at the level of an ordinary High-Tier Lesser Divinity, as if he hadn't discovered the sophisticated tracking and flanking from afar.

The prey was seemingly fleeing in panic toward a preset "dead end."

From behind, Allen Starlight perceived the "change" in Lin Zhou's aura through a royal secret treasure, a cold smile curling on his lips. "It seems he's at his limit, having overextended himself too much in the Ancient Battlefield. Speed up! Block them at the intersection ahead! Note, I want him alive; at the very least, I must know what he obtained!"

Rock Fiend (the scar-faced elder) received his companion's signal, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. "Finally can't run anymore? Kid, today I'll use your blood to sacrifice to the heroic Souls of my War God Academy! Flank them from the side, don't let them slip away through the left pipe!"

The Shadow Snake assassin leader, like a true shadow, showed no emotional fluctuation. He merely adjusted his distance and angle from the prey with the precision of a venomous snake calculating its prey's heartbeat, searching for that foolproof moment to strike. In his hand was a black short blade as thin as a cicada's wing that reflected almost no light, absorbing all subtle energy fluctuations around it, including the residual scanning ripples from the monitoring arrays.

A few breaths later, Lin Zhou's team "hurriedly" rushed into that open intersection area, seemingly trying to use the complex terrain to shake off pursuit, only to "unfortunately" find that this was a relatively enclosed space. The retreat passage was already blocked by Allen Starlight's group, who slowly revealed themselves. At the entrance to another pipe on the left, Rock Fiend appeared with four others, grinning savagely. To the right were thick metal walls and the roaring main energy pipes.

"Junior Lin Zhou, why such a hurry?" Allen Starlight stepped forward leisurely, his Starlight Domain silently unfolding. The pale silver light, carrying royal majesty and a sense of Order, attempted to envelop the area and suppress them. "We just want to 'have a good talk.'"

Rock Fiend was even more direct. Violent Divine Power like molten lava erupted, forming a looming phantom of a Lava Behemoth behind him. The scorching heat distorted the air. "Hand over what you obtained on the battlefield and cripple your own Godhead; perhaps I'll leave your companions' corpses intact!"

Two powerful Domain forces (Starlight Order and Lava Fury) pressed in simultaneously, making Su Yueyao and Qin Qing feel their breathing hitch. The team members turned pale, the Domain suppression effect being obvious.

However, Lin Zhou, at the center of the pressure, suddenly looked up.

There was no longer any trace of "panic" or "exhaustion" on his face, only a cold, indifferent calm. Deep in his eyes, the phantoms of the civilization epic instantly accelerated their flow!

"Talk?" Lin Zhou's voice wasn't loud, yet it rang out clearly under the suppression of the dual Domains, carrying a hint of faint mockery. "Coming to 'talk' with killing intent and greed?"

He slowly took a step forward.

With that single step—

"Boom!!!"

An indescribable, vast aura, as if from the dawn of the Universe and the beginning of civilization, erupted violently with Lin Zhou as the center!

It was no longer the previously restrained High-Tier Lesser Divinity fluctuation, but like a sleeping dragon awakening, a dormant volcano erupting! The materialized phantom of the river of civilization manifested so clearly in the real world for the first time!

A brilliant river of light, thirty meters wide, with no known source or end, surged out from behind Lin Zhou! In the river were no longer blurred waves, but clearly visible scenes of countless civilizations: characters carved on bamboo slips, iron forging, the promulgation of legal codes, beacon fire signaling, school lectures, mechanism operations... The chanting of the sages of the Hundred Schools, the prayers of countless intelligent beings, and the roar of civilizational progress intertwined into a grand masterpiece that shook the Soul!

[river of civilization · Materialized Manifestation]

Range: One hundred and fifty meters in diameter (covering the entire intersection area and parts of the passages)

Effects:

Domain Coverage/Suppression: Temporarily covers and rewrites local area rules with "principles of civilization," exerting strong repulsion and suppression against hostile Domains (suppression effect depends on the degree of conflict between the opponent's Domain and the concept of "Civilization").

Environmental Buff: Allied units within range gain the [Civilization Enlightenment] state (+15% to all attributes, +20% to skill effects, +30% to energy recovery speed).

Information Interference: A strong flow of civilizational information impacts and interferes with enemy Divine Thought detection, locking, and precision skill release.

Rule Revelation: Makes hidden rule attacks, curses, spatial traps, etc., easier to detect.

"What?!" Allen Starlight's expression changed drastically. He felt his "Starlight Domain" hit a wall of sighs containing infinite history. Not only could it not advance, but it was also being washed away by the "inclusive Order" flowing in that river—distinct from the royal "exclusive Order"—causing it to teeter and its light to dim rapidly! His followers groaned repeatedly as their Domains were directly crushed and their Divine Power circulation became sluggish.

Rock Fiend's "Lava Domain" was even more incompatible with the river of civilization. The violent flames and lava phantoms, under the illumination of the civilization's glow, were like meeting their natural enemy, quickly extinguishing and solidifying, with their power dropping by more than forty percent! The Lava Behemoth phantom behind him let out an unwilling roar, yet it appeared illusory and powerless.

"His strength... no! This isn't High-Tier Lesser Divinity! This is... rule control approaching Mid-Tier Divine Power!" Rock Fiend lost his voice in horror.

However, Lin Zhou's counterattack had only just begun!

The first strike, aimed at the Galactic Royalty team!

"Starlight? Imperial power? Before the river of civilization, they are but a corner of light, a temporary Order." Lin Zhou shouted coldly, his right hand pointing like a sword, making a phantom slash forward!

Within the river of civilization, waves belonging to the Legalists, the School of Military, and parts of the Mohist Non-Aggression thought suddenly brightened. They gathered into an incredibly condensed, pale-golden civilization sword qi, its edges flowing with legal texts and phantoms of weaponry. It tore through the air, ignored the remaining defenses of the Starlight Domain, and slashed straight at Allen Starlight!

This strike was fast! Accurate! Ruthless! Moreover, it contained a higher level of understanding and suppression of the concept of "Order"!

In haste, Allen Starlight sacrificed a royal-issue [Star-Patterned Heart-Protecting Mirror (Epic)], the mirror surface bursting with brilliant starlight in an attempt to block it.

"Qiang—Crack!"

Amidst the crisp sound of shattering, the Star-Patterned Heart-Protecting Mirror supported itself for only half a second before becoming covered in cracks and exploding violently! The pale-golden sword qi's momentum remained unabated, slamming heavily into the protective divine armor Allen Starlight had hastily condensed!

"Puff!" Allen Starlight spat out a mouthful of blood laced with starlight. The divine armor on his chest caved in, a deep sword mark appearing. His Godhead shook violently, his aura instantly withering, his eyes filled with unbelievable terror. With just one strike, he was already heavily injured! Two followers beside him who tried to rescue him were swept by the sword qi's aftershock, screaming as they were sent flying, their divine fires flickering and nearly extinguishing.

The second strike, aimed at the War God Academy team!

"Lava? Violence? At the beginning of civilization, fire and force were also needed to lead the way; however, fire needs restraint, and force needs guidance. Falling into pure destruction is seeking one's own end." Lin Zhou's left hand made a grasping motion, as if seizing the ideological essence of the School of Agriculture's fertile soil, Daoist nature, and parts of Mohist craftsmanship from the river of civilization, and pressed forward!

It was not a direct attack, but a change in environmental rules!

Centering on the palm Lin Zhou pressed down, a soft, earthy-yellow halo imbued with vigorous vitality and firm will rapidly expanded, instantly covering the area where Rock Fiend was located.

[Divine Art · Fertile Soil of Civilization · Suppress]

Effect: Temporarily and significantly strengthens the structural stability of matter and the concept of 'Life' within the range, while powerfully inhibiting rules and energy with attributes such as 'Destruction', 'Violence', and 'Burning'.

Environmental Change: The ground (metal) instantly becomes as heavy and solid as divine iron; the air is inertized, and fire element activity is suppressed by 90%.

Rock Fiend roared repeatedly, activating his lava Divine Power, but he felt as if he had fallen into the thickest swamp. Every movement was incredibly heavy, and his most relied-upon lava attacks retained less than ten percent of their power! The phantom of the Lava Behemoth behind him let out a wail of pain, its body rapidly covered in a grayish-white rock shell, its movements becoming stiff.

“Now is the time!” Lin Zhou's Divine Thought flickered.

The power of the hundred Civilization Elves Mage Corps (projections) and fifty Creation Dwarves Mechanists (projections), which had long been 'pre-loaded' via the Divine Kingdom link, suddenly descended under the blessing of the river of civilization!

The mage group chanted Confucian classics and Legalist Edicts in unison, condensing them into a [Net of Law · Binding] that covered Rock Fiend and his group, while simultaneously releasing [Literary Qi Impact · Chaos] to interfere with their Divine Soul.

The mechanists worked together to activate the [Mohist Mechanisms · Earth-Binding Stake] and [Chain Crossbow · Armor Piercing] that had been arranged in advance (via Divine Kingdom rule projection) around Rock Fiend! Dozens of thick ground spikes glinting with metallic cold broke through the soil (metal ground), entwined with chains to fiercely restrict his movements, while countless bolts tempered with armor-piercing runes shot out like a torrential rain!

“No—!” Rock Fiend was shocked and furious, struggling frantically. But under the triple blow of environmental suppression, Law binding, and mechanism siege, he was like a trapped beast in a heavenly net. Although his strength was formidable and his lava Divine Power violently broke through some of the restraints and destroyed many mechanisms, dozens of wounds still instantly appeared on his body. His divine fire fluctuated violently; he was already seriously injured. The four accomplices he brought were even worse off; under the dense strikes, two were instantly immobilized by the Net of Law and then shot into sieves by the mechanism bolts, their divine fire extinguished. The other two fell to the ground heavily injured, losing their combat effectiveness.

Two strikes, in the blink of an eye, the Galactic Royalty team retreated with heavy losses, the War God Academy team lost more than half its members, and their leader was seriously injured!

All of this happened too fast. From Lin Zhou's outburst to the two forces being crippled, only two or three breaths of time had passed!

Only at this moment did the most dangerous third force hidden in the shadows—the leader of the 'Shadow Snake' assassins—finally find the long-awaited, perfect assassination opportunity when Lin Zhou's old strength had just been spent and his new strength had not yet arisen (seemingly), and his mind was slightly distracted (by dealing with the two groups of enemies)!

Without any omen, without any energy fluctuation.

Behind Lin Zhou, in the shadow where light and shadow flickered most violently due to the roar of the main energy pipe, a black line as thin as nothingness silently stabbed toward the back of Lin Zhou's heart! Wherever the black line passed, even the radiance emitted by the river of civilization seemed to be 'cut open' with a tiny, brief gap! This strike not only condensed the entire cultivation of a Mid-Tier Divine Power assassin but also carried the triple terrifying effects of [Instant Death Curse], [Divine Soul Tearing], and [Spatial Anchor] (to prevent teleportation evasion)! Fast! Eerie! Poisonous! It far surpassed any previous attack!

“Watch out!” Su Yueyao and Qin Qing were both startled simultaneously, but their speed was simply not enough to intervene!

At the critical moment!

Lin Zhou, however, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.

He didn't even turn around.

Only the corner of his mouth curled into an extremely cold arc.

“I've been waiting for you for a long time.”

The moment the low voice sounded, within Lin Zhou's body, that [god-king godhead fragment] which had been slowly releasing rules to nourish him was, for the first time, actively and violently triggered by Lin Zhou to release a trace of true power!

“Buzz—!!!”

An indescribable, terrifying pressure—as if from a higher dimension and a more ancient era, supremely noble and uniquely dominant (the residual will had been converted, leaving only the essence of power)—mixed with Lin Zhou's own Fire of Civilization, boomed out from his body!

The river of civilization surging behind him underwent an earth-shaking change under the injection of this power!

In the center of the river, the vast scenes of civilization suddenly parted to both sides, and an even more magnificent, more ancient illusory throne, seemingly condensed from the endless starry sky and the rules of the Dao, rose above the river! Upon the throne, a blurred but majestic God King Phantom, emitting an aura that suppressed all ages and stood above the Nine Heavens, slowly emerged! Though illusory and blurred, that Supreme air of looking down on everything and treating rules like playthings in his palm was undeniably real!

[river of civilization · God King Blessing (Pseudo)]

Essence: Invokes a trace of the Supreme rule power remaining in the god-king fragment (with the 'Ego' will removed, leaving only the essence of power), temporarily merging it with the river of civilization to form a brief God King-level status pressure and rule interference capability.

Effect:

Absolute Rule Suppression: All rule effects below the God King level within range are weakened by 30%-70% (depending on the level and integrity of the rules).

God King Phantom Deterrence: Causes strong Divine Soul deterrence (fear, paralysis, Divine Power disorder) to life forms below the God King level.

Power of a Single Strike: Can mobilize a trace of God King-level rule power for an attack (consumes a huge amount of energy, the fragment's energy temporarily goes dormant, long cooldown time).

The moment the God King Phantom appeared, time in the entire junction area seemed to freeze for an instant!

That eerie and poisonous pitch-black assassination line, when it was only three inches from the back of Lin Zhou's heart, seemed to hit an invisible wall composed of the most fundamental rules. It suddenly solidified, revealing its true form—a pitch-black, lusterless snake-shaped short blade!

The 'Shadow Snake' assassin leader holding the blade had his perfect concealment state forcibly broken. His figure stumbled out of the shadows. He wore an expressionless metal mask, but his only exposed eyes were now filled with unparalleled shock and... fear! God King pressure! Although it was just a phantom, just a manifestation of a trace of residual power, that absolute suppression originating from the level of life and rule status made him, a Mid-Tier Divine Power assassin, feel a Soul-deep shudder and a severe blockage in the operation of his Divine Power!

“The third strike will send you on your way.” Lin Zhou's voice seemed to come from above the Nine Heavens, cold and heartless.

He slowly turned around, facing the assassin leader who was deterred by the God King pressure and sluggish in movement, and extended his right index finger.

At his fingertip, a point of extremely condensed dark-golden light—fusing the Fire of Civilization, the power of the god-king fragment, and all the anger and resolve of the river of civilization—lit up quietly like the first light of the Universe's birth.

Then, he lightly tapped out.

There was no earth-shaking sound, no brilliant energy explosion.

Only a tiny dark-golden beam of light, seemingly able to pierce through time, space, and rules, shot out from Lin Zhou's fingertip. Silently, it pierced through the frozen pitch-black short blade, through the dozen layers of shadow shields, curse counters, and substitute techniques the assassin leader had hastily deployed, and finally, tapped onto the cold metal mask at the center of his brow.

“Pop~”

A light sound, like a bubble bursting.

The assassin leader's movements completely froze, the shock in his eyes solidified. A needle-sized hole appeared on the metal mask at his brow.

Behind the hole, his Divine Soul core, his divine fire Origin, and all traces of his existence were completely annihilated under that dark-golden light containing God King rules and the power of civilization's judgment.

Mid-Tier Divine Power, the ace assassin of the Shadow Snake organization, had fallen!

Only then did the pitch-black short blade fall to the ground with a 'clink'. The assassin leader's body slowly fell backward, and before it even hit the ground, it dissipated into the finest dust, as if it had never existed.

Another weaker Shadow Snake member had been scared out of his wits the moment the God King Phantom appeared, collapsing limply on the ground. Seeing his leader perish so bizarrely, he was now even more Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, scrambling and crawling as he tried to flee into the shadows.

Lin Zhou didn't even give him a glance. With just a thought, a wisp of a wave separated from the river of civilization, turning into a Law chain that firmly bound and suppressed him.

The entire junction area was deathly silent.

There was only the roar of the surging river of civilization and the suffocating residual pressure left behind as the God King Phantom gradually faded.

Allen Starlight slumped on the ground, his face bloodless, looking at Lin Zhou as if looking at an invincible god or demon. His followers had long since lost all will to fight, shivering uncontrollably.

Rock Fiend was half-kneeling on the ground, covered in blood. Looking at the Mid-Tier Divine Power assassin who had perished in an instant, and then at Lin Zhou whose aura was as unfathomable as an abyss, his eyes were filled with despair and disbelief. His two remaining heavily injured accomplices were huddled together like quails.

Su Yueyao and Qin Qing also stared blankly at Lin Zhou's back, their beautiful eyes shimmering with brilliance, shocked into silence. They knew Lin Zhou had become stronger, but they never expected him to be this strong! Three strikes, crushing all resistance, killing two Lesser Divinities (followers), severely wounding two Peak Lesser Divinities (Allen, Rock Fiend), and instantly killing a Mid-Tier Divine Power assassin! What terrifying strength!

Lin Zhou slowly withdrew his finger, and the phantoms of the river of civilization and the God King behind him both slowly dissipated. His face was slightly pale (invoking the god-king fragment consumed a huge amount of energy), but his posture remained as upright as a pine tree.

His cold gaze swept over the surviving Allen Starlight and Rock Fiend. That gaze contained no emotion, yet it made the two feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.

“Get out.”

Only one word.

Yet it was more powerful than any threat.

Allen Starlight felt as if he had been granted a grand amnesty. Supported by his followers, he rushed back the way they came without looking back, in a state of utter wretchedness. Rock Fiend also forced himself through his injuries, taking his two remaining heavily injured subordinates and stumbling away, not even daring to leave a single harsh word.

The suppressed Shadow Snake member had his cultivation casually crippled by Lin Zhou, his relevant memories erased, and was thrown into a corner for the transit station's subsequent patrol team to handle.

Soon, only Lin Zhou's team remained in the junction area, along with the energy ripples and the faint scent of blood that had not yet completely dissipated in the air.

“Let's go.” Lin Zhou turned around, nodded to Su Yueyao and Qin Qing, his tone returning to its usual calm, “To the safe house.”

The team set off again. This time, no one dared to block them. Even other teams encountered along the way, sensing the lingering killing intent on them and that vaguely remaining, heart-palpitating high-level pressure, respectfully made way.

After this battle, Lin Zhou's name would surely spread in all directions in an even more shocking manner.

Lesser Divinity? No, he already possessed terrifying combat power that rivaled or even surpassed an ordinary Mid-Tier Divine Power! And his unfathomable potential, along with that brief glimpse of the 'God King Phantom', made countless people feel wary and speculative.

The rising star of the sea of stars had already begun to show its prominence and sharp edge; no one dared to slight him again.