353: Chapter 288: Junior Year Ends, Divine Rank Exceeds 400

Xinghai University, Main Campus.

When Lin Zhou's group returned to campus low-key through a special channel provided by the military, it still caused quite a stir.

Although the school's top brass and the military intentionally controlled the detailed dissemination of information, the core news that "Lin Zhou obtained a Heaven-Defying Opportunity at the Ancient Battlefield, his strength skyrocketed, he counter-killed a Mid-Tier Divine Power assassin, and was awarded the military's Special Class Combat Merit Medal" had already spread to every corner of the campus as if it had grown wings. Especially when Lin Zhou himself appeared wearing that ancient and mysterious [Special Class Combat Merit Medal] on his chest, which emitted a faint pressure, the visual impact was unparalleled.

Along the way, whether it was fellow students, upperclassmen, or even some lecturers and professors, they all cast gazes of awe, curiosity, envy, or complexity. Whispers were incessant.

"That's Lin Zhou... he feels even more unfathomable in person than in the images!"

"Is that the Special Class Merit Medal on his chest? It's my first time seeing the real thing!"

"His aura is so restrained, but he feels like a calm volcano..."

"I heard their team suffered heavy losses on the Ancient Battlefield; Wang Meng and Zhou Yan both..."

"Shh! Stop talking, look at his eyes..."

Lin Zhou had long since grown accustomed to these gazes and discussions. With a calm expression and steady steps, he walked straight toward the Chancellor's office—according to protocol, he needed to report the general situation of this trip to the Ancient Battlefield to the Chancellor (some details required secrecy) and formally receive the rewards and new privileges from the academy for himself and his society.

Su Yueyao and Qin Qing returned to their respective residences first to rest and begin handling accumulated affairs.

Inside the Chancellor's office, the Chancellor of Xinghai University—an elder whose Godhead level was unfathomable and who was perpetually shrouded in gentle starlight—personally received Lin Zhou.

Without excessive pleasantries, the Chancellor carefully listened to Lin Zhou's brief report regarding the encounters at the battlefield's core, the discovery of the civilization Legacy (already reported to the military and Research Institute top brass), and the final counter-kill incident, only occasionally interjecting with questions about key details.

"You have done very well." After listening to the report, starlight swirled in the Chancellor's eyes, filled with admiration and relief. "Not only did you seize the Opportunity yourself, causing your strength to leap forward, but you also discovered an important Legacy concerning the civilization's inheritance. Furthermore, when facing injustice and assassination, you displayed the character and power of a Star Sea student. The academy will remember the sacrifices of students like Wang Meng and Zhou Yan, and their families will receive the best compensation and glory."

He paused and said solemnly, "By the joint decision of the Board of Directors and military representatives, you are hereby formally granted the following rewards and privileges:"

"First, personal resource rewards: 5 units of Attribute-less divinity crystals; one Epic quality [Star Core Stabilizer] (which can significantly enhance the stability of the Divine Kingdom space and resist external rule impacts); and permanent Class-A access to the [Academy Vault] (allowing exchange for items including some Legendary-grade resources)."

"Second, society support: The Hundred Schools Society is promoted to a 'University-Level Strategic Club.' The independent base 'Hundred Schools Palace' (located in the East District of the academy, covering fifty acres and equipped with a multi-functional training field, Advanced research labs, a library, etc.) is commissioned immediately. The annual special budget is increased to 50 million credits. It also enjoys priority usage rights and a 30% time quota for three Advanced cultivation sites, including the 'Ancient Secret Realm' and the 'Elemental Tide Pool'."

"Third, personal privileges: Your campus privilege Rank is promoted to 'Special Class,' equivalent to an Academy Vice-Chancellor. You may consult most of the forbidden knowledge base, apply to use some of the academy's strategic reserve resources (subject to review), and possess a certain degree of course exemptions and independent research rights."

This reward was exceptionally heavy, far exceeding the norm. Attribute-less divinity crystals and Star Core Stabilizers were treasures that could be sought but not easily found, and Class-A vault access was something even many professors might not possess. As for the support for the society, it directly pushed the Hundred Schools Society to the pinnacle of Xinghai University's student organizations!

"Thank you, Chancellor. Thank you, Academy," Lin Zhou bowed solemnly. He knew that this was not just a reward, but also an investment and expectation from the academy for his future.

The Chancellor smiled and waved his hand. "This is what you deserve. Use these resources well to consolidate and improve. The 'All-Universe Academy Championship' in your senior year is the true stage. I look forward to seeing what kind of brilliance you can radiate there with The Way of the Hundred Schools."

After leaving the Chancellor's office, Lin Zhou did not immediately go to check the new base or use the resources. Instead, he chose to return to his Advanced Meditation Quiet Room on campus.

He needed time and silence to thoroughly digest all the gains from this trip to the Ancient Battlefield and to completely stabilize and internalize his skyrocketing power.

The door of the quiet room closed, and layers of isolation and protection arrays lit up, completely cutting off the interior from the outside.

Lin Zhou sat cross-legged on the Spirit-Gathering Array core in the center of the quiet room and slowly closed his eyes.

His consciousness sank into his Divine Kingdom, into the deepest part of his own Godhead.

First was the absorption of those 5 units of Attribute-less divinity crystals. These crystals were of extremely high purity and could be directly absorbed by the Godhead with almost no need for conversion, used to consolidate the Realm he had just broken through and to lay a more solid Foundation for further improvement.

Absorption process:

divinity crystal consumption: 5 units.

Godhead level changes: LV450 → LV455 → LV460 ...→ LV470 (reached after consuming 3 units). The remaining 2 units are stored for later use.

Godhead essence: Further solidified, with rule patterns becoming clearer and more profound.

Divine Power limit slightly increased: Approx. +5,000.

Next was the thorough organizing and absorption of the vast information and rule insights brought by the baptism of the civilization Legacy. This was not something that could be achieved overnight but was a long-term process that would require several years or even longer. However, in the quiet room, Lin Zhou could concentrate his energy on first digesting and fusing the core parts that were most compatible with his own Way of the Hundred Schools.

His consciousness wandered within the river of civilization. The river was wider and deeper than before, with a dense network of tributaries, each representing a fragment of absorbed foreign civilization essence. With his "Huaxia Civilization Subject"—based on the School of Confucianism and supplemented by the Hundred Schools—as the core, he acted like a master weaver, skillfully weaving these high-quality foreign "threads" into his own civilization scroll, taking the essence and discarding the dregs to enrich his own rule system and ideological connotation.

Deep integration of the river of civilization (preliminary):

Deepening of Hundred Schools of Thought: The level of understanding and application of core concepts such as Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, Trust, Law, Technique, Authority, Universal Love, Non-Aggression, Nature, Non-Action, Military Dao, Agriculture, Medicine, Dialectics, Diplomacy, and Miscellaneous has been elevated by a whole stage.

Rule system optimization: The Law network constructed within the Divine Kingdom based on the Hundred Schools of Thought (Education, Law, Production, Creation, Nature, War, etc.) is more rigorous, flexible, and efficient, with enhanced mutual connectivity.

Knowledge base expansion: Obtained a large amount of basic knowledge, technical principles, and artistic form fragments from foreign civilizations (different systems such as magic, technology, biology, and psionics), greatly enriching the "database" of the river of civilization for future research, reference, or transformation.

Inclusivity enhancement: The ability to "understand" and "tolerate" alien civilizations and rules has significantly increased; the civilization rejection rate when fusing alien cards in the future is expected to decrease by 15%-25%.

Then, he handled the [god-king fragment] that had just been fused and was beginning to slowly release its power. Lin Zhou carefully guided the Fire of Civilization, like a precision carving knife, to strip away the last trace of "Ego" paranoid intent that might remain in the fragment (most of which had already been purified by the principles of civilization), absorbing only its purest rule structures and high-dimensional energy. Simultaneously, he took the vague insights and road imprints regarding the "God King" Realm contained within the fragment and compared, reflected upon, and critically absorbed them against his own "Way of Civilization," using them as a "stone from another mountain" for his own path.

god-king fragment absorption progress (acceleration phase):

Current absorption progress: 0.08% (absorption speed has slightly increased due to focused seclusion and active guidance).

Main benefits:

Implicit growth of Godhead potential: Feeling that the Godhead's "capacity" and "growth potential" are continuing to expand slowly.

Expansion of Rule Vision: The perspective on viewing rules has become more "lofty," allowing him to vaguely perceive deeper rule connections that transcend his current divine Rank.

Warning from Negative Examples: The obsession and destructive consequences of the "Solipsistic" path serve as a constant reminder for Lin Zhou to maintain the "Inclusiveness" and "Balance" at the core of Way of Civilization.

Meanwhile, his Divine Kingdom was also undergoing rapid changes with each passing day.

After fusing with the [Star Core Stabilizer (Epic)], the spatial structural stability of the Divine Kingdom reached an astounding level, enough to withstand a collision with a Mid-Tier Divine Power level Divine Kingdom without easily collapsing. Under the continuous nourishment of Legacy energy and the refinement of rules, the area of the Divine Kingdom steadily expanded to 320 square kilometers. The core area (about 50 square kilometers) was highly developed, with buildings standing in rows and rules manifesting; the peripheral areas gradually formed a more natural and harmonious ecological transition zone.

Current state of the Divine Kingdom (at the end of the Junior year):

Divine Kingdom Area: 320 square kilometers (continuing to expand naturally and slowly).

Ecological Environment: A complete ecological cycle has been preliminarily established. In the core area (Cultural Education, Law, Heavenly Craft), artificial regulation and the natural environment are perfectly combined; in the expansion zone, farmlands, forest farms, pastures, lakes, and small mountain ranges are orderly distributed, with a mild climate and four distinct (simulated) seasons; the marginal zone sees energy gradually thinning out, transitioning into the Divine Kingdom Crystal Wall. The air, water, and soil contain faint spirituality and the breath of civilization, which is beneficial for the growth and Cultivation of the vassal races.

Basic Rule System: Firmly established and operating efficiently.

Confucian-Legalist Fusion (Etiquette-Law Order): Covers the entire territory, maintaining basic social Order, moral norms, and Law Execution, with efficient and stable faith collection and conversion.

Taoist-Mohist Fusion (Natural Creation): Regulates the environmental Spiritual Qi cycle and natural resource regeneration (speed +200%), while boosting the efficiency and inspiration for all manufacturing and R&D activities (+150%).

Military-Agricultural Complementarity (Armament Foundation): Standing army training and agricultural production complement each other, with sufficient reserves of combat Materials and a smooth military-civilian conversion mechanism.

School of Medicine Health Preservation: Significantly reduces non-combat attrition, increasing average lifespan and the population growth rate (annual growth rate of about 8%).

School of Names, School of Diplomacy, School of Miscellaneous, etc.: Permeate various aspects such as Education, diplomacy, and cultural Fusion, enhancing overall intelligence and adaptability.

Status of Core Vassal Races:

Civilization Elves: Totaling about 14,000, with an average Rank of LV52. Some elites have begun to experiment with more complex Words as Law applications, such as accelerating plant growth cycles in small areas, faintly dispelling negative energy fields, and temporarily boosting certain attributes of companions. The hero unit [Great Confucian · Elwin] is LV60 and presides over the Jixia Academy, with significant Enlightenment effects.

Creation Dwarves: Totaling about 9,000, with an average Rank of LV50. Preliminary progress has been made in repairing the remains of the god-slaying blade and heaven-guarding shield, successfully separating some usable divine Materials and designing several new runic turret and individual armor prototypes based on them. The hero unit [Divine Craftsman · Li Mo (Core Consciousness)] is LV55, with R&D capabilities approaching the Great Master level.

Law Heavenly Decree Envoys: Totaling about 5,500, with an average Rank of LV48. The crime rate within the Divine Kingdom has dropped to nearly zero, the Law Enforcement Team is highly efficient and can assist in stabilizing the Divine Kingdom's rule network. Although the main body of the hero unit [Chief Justice · Qin Qing (Permanent Divine Thought)] is away, her Law intent has been deeply bound with the Divine Kingdom, forming an invisible deterrence.

Total Number of Fused Cards: 55 (including resource cards, terrain cards, race cards, special building cards, etc.). Recently, the focus has been on fusing several rare (Blue) quality cards exchanged from the Academy Treasury that help stabilize rules and develop the potential of vassal races, such as the [Pure Heart Jade Bamboo Forest] (improves Comprehension Ability) and the [Rule Resonance Stele] (faintly improves Divine Kingdom rule activity).

Total Population of the Divine Kingdom: Approximately 300,000 (mainly the three major vassal races, including a small number of other auxiliary races).

Average Daily Faith Output: Stable at around 13 million units, with the proportion of pious believers maintained at a high level of 90%.

Comprehensive Evaluation: The Divine Kingdom has moved from "initially scaled" to having a "profound Foundation," possessing the potential to support the long-term development of a Mid-Tier Divine Power and even serve as a mobile war fortress. The self-consistency and prosperity of the civilization ecosystem and rule system are its greatest features and advantages.

Time passed quietly during the deep secluded cultivation.

When Lin Zhou opened his eyes again, the natural light simulated in the quiet room had already gone through several cycles of light and dark. He slowly exhaled a long breath, and within it, phantoms of chapters of civilization faintly appeared and vanished.

Lin Zhou's Final Personal Status (at the end of the Junior year):

Godhead Rank: LV420 (deliberately suppressed some rapid increases to ensure a firmer Foundation; actual potential has far exceeded this Rank)

Divine Power Reserves: 180,000/180,000 (Full)

Divine Fire: Pure gold, stable and efficient, with a further optimized conversion ratio of 1:8,500 faith.

Godhead Essence: Solid and stable, with enormous potential and a high affinity for civilization rules.

Divine Soul Strength: 96% (approaching the Embryo of Immortality).

river of civilization Stability: 98% (highly integrated, operating freely).

Titles/Medals: [civilization warlord], [Holder of the Medal of Extraordinary Merit].

Combat Power Assessment: Firmly at the Peak of Lesser Divinity (LV420). Relying on the uniqueness of Way of Civilization, the Foundation of the god-king fragment, the empowerment of the Divine Kingdom, and various other means, he can contend with an ordinary LV500-LV550 Mid-Tier Divine Power without being defeated, and even has a chance to emerge victorious over them.

He stood up and stretched his muscles and bones, a faint series of energy explosive sounds coming from his body, which was a manifestation of having complete, perfectly harmonious control over his power.

Walking out of the quiet room, his wrist-worn personal terminal emitted a series of notification sounds. Most were Society affairs reports, greetings from friends, and the Academy's notice regarding the official end of the Junior academic year and the arrangements for the Senior year.

He first opened the message sent by Li Mo (who had returned to the Academy from the Research Institute): "Boss, out of seclusion? Everything is fine on the Academy side, and the recruitment of new members is booming. Currently, the official members of the Society have exceeded 3,000, with about 500 core members, and all Halls are running smoothly. I have some new ideas for the 'civilization resonator,' waiting for you to come and see. Also, everyone is raring to go, just waiting for the Senior year to do something big with you!"

Looking at the messages, a genuine smile appeared on Lin Zhou's face. The development of the Society was even better than he had expected. With 3,000 members, it was already a force not to be underestimated.

Next, he saw messages from Su Yueyao and Qin Qing, both concerned about his secluded cultivation and asking for a meeting to discuss follow-up matters.

Finally, there was the official Academy notice: "Congratulations on completing all required courses and practical assessments for the Junior academic year. Comprehensive Evaluation: Super Grade. You have officially entered the Senior year. The on-campus selection and special training for the 'All-Universe Academy Championship' will start in ten days; please prepare in advance."

Senior year...

The Hegemony Tournament...

Lin Zhou looked out the window; the Xinghai University campus appeared quiet yet full of vitality under the starlight.

In three years, he had gone from an ignorant high school student newly arrived in this world to the "civilization warlord" whose name was famous throughout the Galaxy. His Divine Kingdom had grown from a wasteland to a 300-square-kilometer paradise with a profound Foundation and refined rules. Like-minded partners gathered around him, and an increasingly growing Society stood behind him.

All of this originated from that mysterious [Temple of Chinese Civilization], from his ideal of passing on the Legacy of civilization deeply rooted in his Soul.

The figures of Wang Meng and Zhou Yan flashed through his mind, bringing a faint ache, but even more motivation to move forward.

"The road is still long," Lin Zhou whispered to himself, his eyes becoming increasingly firm and bright. "The Way of the Hundred Schools shall radiate its true brilliance on the cosmic stage."

He straightened his lapel, and the [Medal of Extraordinary Merit] on his chest shimmered with a warm and majestic luster under the indoor lighting.

The next step was to integrate all forces and prepare for the ultimate arena where the top academy geniuses of the entire Universe gathered!

The Senior year chapter belonging to Lin Zhou and the Hundred Schools Society was about to begin.