366: Chapter 301: Civilization Devouring, Titan Kingdom Becomes Nourishment

The clamor of victory gradually settled, replaced by the solemnity and busyness unique to the aftermath of War.

Across the floating archipelagos, surviving followers began clearing the battlefield under the command of hero units. Tiangong Dwarves engineering teams used specialized rune tools to recover machine parts and metal Materials that were not yet completely damaged; Wenxin Elf Priests chanted prayers of requiem and purification, as soft light brushed over blood-stained reefs and rainbow bridges, smoothing over the energy wounds left by the fierce battle and guiding the Souls of the fallen back to the Divine Kingdom; Law Murloc patrols moved through the waters and hidden corners, checking for any remaining enemy traps or lurking units.

Beneath the 'Star Gazing Platform' of the central main island, inside the temporarily established command center, data streams refreshed like waterfalls on the dozen or so light screens in front of Li Mo.

"Preliminary battle damage statistics are complete." Li Mo's voice carried fatigue, but was mostly characterized by professional calmness. "Total follower deaths: 8,712. Among them, the Tiangong Dwarf Warriors suffered the heaviest losses, approximately 4,200 people; Wenxin Elf Mages and Priests lost about 2,100 people; Law Murlocs and other subordinate races lost about 2,400 people. Those heavily injured and unable to fight exceed 15,000, and full-scale medical treatment is underway."

"Defensive fortification damage assessment: The outer barrier is completely shattered and needs reconstruction. Among the middle-layer defense tower groups, 19 main towers and 47 sentry towers were completely destroyed and cannot be repaired; another 32 main towers and 89 sentry towers have moderate to severe damage and require major repairs. The damage rate of ground fortresses is about 40%, and structural cracks have appeared in some areas of the underground works. The energy network is interrupted in multiple places, and repair priorities have been listed."

"Resource consumption: Divine Power reserves recovered to 158,000/200,000 after the battle (natural recovery + civilization furnace accelerated conversion). Reserve spiritual liquid consumed 35%, various magical Materials consumed about 28%, and conventional supplies consumed about 22%. After routing the Titan Legion, we captured some damaged Titan weapons, armor fragments, as well as a small amount of high-quality 'Thunder Crystals' and 'heart of the earth' fragments; the specific value is being analyzed."

A series of numbers coldly stated the price of this victory. To defeat the eighth-ranked powerhouse team, Xinghai University itself had paid a considerable price in damage. But in everyone's eyes, there was no dejection, only determination and a hint of relief at having survived a disaster. They had won, and in a head-on confrontation, they had repelled a top-tier team whose strength on paper far exceeded their own! This record and conviction were far more precious than any material gain.

Lin Zhou sat quietly in the center of the command hub, with Su Yueyao sitting by his side, slowly channeling pure Moonlight Power into his body to help him calm the emptiness and stinging pain brought about by the excessive consumption of Divine Power and mental energy. He closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, but his mind was not blank; instead, he was carefully sensing the unique Aura remaining on the post-War battlefield.

In addition to the blood, smoke, and shattered chaotic rules, there was something deeper and 'heavier' permeating the Void Realm, especially in the area where the Titan Legion had finally collapsed and been forcibly teleported away.

That was... the rule fragments and Origin Aura remaining after the shattering of a Divine Kingdom.

With the Titan Domain Academy eliminated, their Divine Kingdom projection naturally dissipated, but those imprints of [Strength], [Earth], and [War] that went deep into the rule level, as well as some core rule structures closely linked to Octavius's Godhead, could not be completely annihilated in an instant. They were like broken porcelain; the fragments still contained some of the original characteristics and information, scattered in the 'layers' of the battlefield space and the depths of the energy turbulence.

Ordinary deities might only feel that the energy in this area was chaotic and the rules were unstable, requiring time to settle. But Lin Zhou, who possessed the [river of civilization], could clearly perceive the existence of these 'fragments' and could even vaguely 'hear' the wild and majestic 'echoes' of the Titan civilization remaining within them.

The river of civilization itself had the quality of carrying, recording, and merging thousands of civilizations. These Divine Kingdom fragments might be 'pollution' and 'trash' that other deities would need to expend effort to purify or avoid, but to the river of civilization, they were... 'nutrients' that could be analyzed, absorbed, and turned to one's own use!

A bold and tempting thought rose in Lin Zhou's heart.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep, looking at Su Yueyao, Li Mo, and the others.

"Battle damage and repairs will proceed as planned. Qin Qing, strengthen the wide-area alert, especially the detection of abnormal fluctuations at the rule level. Zhao Hao, expand the patrol range, but do not move far from the core defense circle of the archipelagos." Lin Zhou issued the routine instructions, then changed the subject, "In addition, I need some time to process the battlefield 'remnants'."

"Remnants?" Su Yueyao stopped channeling Moonlight Power and looked at him in confusion.

"You mean... those rule fragments from after the Titan Divine Kingdom disintegrated?" Li Mo reacted extremely quickly, immediately understanding what Lin Zhou meant, and his eyes behind his glasses suddenly lit up. "Theoretically feasible! But the risk is enormous! Those fragments contain the opponent's divine imprint and violent rule power. Forcing contact or absorption can easily cause rule conflicts, mental pollution, or even backlash! Even with the inclusiveness of the river of civilization, it requires extremely cautious guidance and purification!"

"I know the risks." Lin Zhou nodded. "But this is also an opportunity. Although the Titan civilization emphasizes strength and the physical body, its understanding and application of 'Strength Condensation', 'Earth Bearing', and 'War Aura' have reached a considerable height, forming a unique rule system. If I can take the essence and discard the dregs, integrating it into my Way of Civilization, it will surely make my Divine Kingdom's Foundation even more solid, and my followers will gain benefits at the strength level."

He paused and looked out the window at the Void Realm, which was still filled with faint golden-brown light specks and unstable energy ripples: "Moreover, after defeating a powerful enemy, if one cannot draw growth from their defeat, the value of victory is halved. Way of Civilization is like the sea, accepting all rivers; its greatness lies in its capacity. These 'all rivers' naturally include the 'rivers' that have fallen before us."

Su Yueyao was silent for a moment, then gently took Lin Zhou's hand, her voice as clear and cold as moonlight carrying determination: "I will be your Protector. If there is any backlash or abnormal movement, my Moonlight Power can help you purify and stabilize."

"I will monitor all energy and rule data. Once changes exceeding the safety threshold occur, I will warn you immediately." Li Mo also solemnly stated his stance.

"Thank you." Lin Zhou said no more and closed his eyes again. His consciousness sank into the core of the Divine Kingdom, completely connecting with the ceaselessly surging river of civilization.

Buzz—

On the Star Gazing Platform, the space around Lin Zhou rippled slightly, and that translucent phantom of the river of civilization, carrying countless civilization lights and shadows, emerged once again. But this time, the river did not show a posture of attack or defense; instead, like a docile and curious dragon, it slowly stretched its body and extended its 'dragon head' toward the battlefield void, the area where the Aura of the Titan Divine Kingdom fragments was most concentrated.

The 'river water' was formed by the manifestation of pure principles of civilization, Power Of Faith, and Lin Zhou's own understanding of the Hundred Schools of Thought. At this moment, the river water flowed gently, washing over that area of the void.

At first, there was nothing unusual. But soon, as the power of the river deeply penetrated and 'poked' at the rules of that area, those dormant, scattered Titan rule fragments began to 'become restless' like a disturbed swarm of bees!

Boom! Boom!

In the void, several balls of golden-brown energy sparks abruptly exploded; it was the residual violent thunder power within the fragments resisting. At the same time, a heavy, arrogant, and oppressive fragment of will (belonging to Octavius and the Titan race) hissed like a wounded beast, attempting to strike the river's 'perception'.

"As expected, unwilling to perish..." Lin Zhou snorted coldly in his heart, his consciousness guiding the river of civilization. "But since you have already fallen, you should merge into the long river of history, becoming a lesson for future generations, or a grain of sand for the Foundation of civilization!"

"Confucian Righteousness, Suppress!"

Above the river, a pure and grand white light suddenly lit up, acting like a stabilizing pillar to suppress those chaotic and violent fragments of will, forcibly stripping and purifying the negative emotions such as 'malice', 'resentment', and 'madness' within them.

"Legalist Edicts, Analyze!"

Pale gold phantom chains of Law reached deep into the fragments. Like a precision scalpel, they began to analyze and peel away the specific rule information contained within—concepts such as 'how to resonate and condense physical strength with the heart of the earth into a single point,' 'how to construct a stable Divine Kingdom structure capable of bearing immense force,' and 'how to stimulate and guide a group's Aura into a substantial boost during War,' among others.

"Mohist Logic, Construct!"

Countless minute geometric shapes and runes made of light flowed through the river. They began to attempt to understand, dismantle, and then reconstruct those analyzed Titan rule fragments according to the logic of the principles of civilization. They stripped away parts that relied too heavily on racial talent or conflicted with the overall philosophy of civilization, such as pure destructive desire or contempt for 'wisdom'.

"Taoist Nature, Assimilate!"

The river's inherent characteristics of inclusiveness, nourishment, and silent growth operated at full power. Like a warm womb, it began to slowly absorb and assimilate those analyzed and reconstructed rule 'nutrients,' making them a part of the river itself.

This was a delicate, complex, and risk-filled process. Lin Zhou had to maintain absolute control over the river of civilization at all times, balancing the different roles of the Hundred Schools of Thought while resisting potential rule backlashes and mental shocks. Fine beads of sweat gradually seeped from his forehead, and his face, which had just regained some color, turned pale again as his Divine Power continued to be consumed.

Su Yueyao watched him tensely, ready to intervene at any moment. On the monitoring screen in front of Li Mo, various data curves fluctuated violently, but they were always kept below the preset yellow warning line and never touched the red danger zone.

Time passed bit by bit.

Under the continuous washing, analysis, and absorption of the river of civilization, the golden-brown light specks and energy turbulence in the void gradually became thin and dim. That overbearing sense of oppression also dissipated like a receding tide.

In its place, the river of civilization itself began to undergo subtle yet clear changes!

First, the 'water volume' of the river seemed more 'abundant,' and its flow became more steady and heavy. This was not just a simple increase in Divine Power or Power Of Faith, but an enhancement of its rule Foundation. This improved the river's capacity as the 'rule carrier' at the core of the Divine Kingdom. Indirectly, Lin Zhou's Divine Kingdom stability, rule repair speed, and the upper limit for accommodating and analyzing alien rules all saw a slight increase.

Second, and the most significant change—next to the main trunk of the river of civilization, formed by the convergence of countless ideological tributaries, a new and relatively small 'tributary' quietly branched off!

The 'water' of this new tributary was a deep, steady dark gold. It flowed silently, yet gave off a texture as heavy as a mountain and as powerful as a thousand tons. Looking closely, strange phantom runes—Titan Runes—occasionally surfaced in the dark gold water. These were the Titan civilization's understanding and condensation of conceptual rules such as 'Strength,' 'Earth,' and 'Fortitude'!

This new tributary did not fully merge with the existing tributaries of Confucianism or Legalism. Instead, it was like a relatively independent 'subsidiary channel,' maintaining a loose connection with the main trunk and other tributaries, yet truly becoming a part of the river of civilization. It functioned like an independent module specifically for storing, processing, and applying 'strength-type' rules.

[river of civilization Fusion Progress Updated]

Main Trunk: Stable, Carrying Capacity +5%.

New Tributary: [Titan Power] (Weak). Characteristics: Analyzed and stored partial rule essences of 'Strength Condensation,' 'Earth Bearing,' and 'War Aura' derived from the Titan civilization. Through this tributary, related rule characteristics can be applied to the Divine Kingdom and followers to a limited extent.

Derived Divine Kingdom Characteristic: Based on the integration of the [Titan Power] tributary, the Divine Kingdom gains a new characteristic—[Texture of Force] (Nascent).

Effect: The physical attack effects of all followers within the Divine Kingdom (including but not limited to strength checks, physical damage, and physical defense penetration) are permanently increased by +15%. This effect can stack with skills, equipment, battle formations, and other boosts.

Scope: Divine Kingdom-wide, effective for all followers under Lin Zhou (including those added or converted later).

Note: This characteristic originates from the absorption and transformation of alien civilization rule fragments, perfectly integrated into the framework of the Hundred Schools of Thought civilization without rejection. it symbolizes the potential of Way of Civilization to 'be inclusive and turn enemies' strengths into one's own'.

The moment this new tributary completely stabilized and the [Texture of Force] characteristic fully integrated into the Divine Kingdom's rule network, Lin Zhou's body jolted, and he opened his eyes.

The divine light in his eyes was restrained, yet seemed to have gained a bit more of a heavy texture. He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, which faintly carried a trace of very pale, deep gold light before dissipating.

"Success."

He could clearly feel that the Divine Kingdom had become 'sturdier.' It wasn't an expansion of area (though the enhancement of rule Foundation would slightly promote the natural growth of the Divine Kingdom, it wasn't immediate), but a solidification of the Foundation. In particular, the followers, even while busy with repair work, could feel a hidden, steady strength within their bodies. Every movement—carrying heavy objects, wielding tools, or even just standing—seemed easier and more powerful.

Su Yueyao sensed it carefully, and the brilliance in her beautiful eyes grew even stronger: "I can feel that your Divine Kingdom... has become 'heavier,' not in a clunky way, but more stable. The Auras of those dwarves and elves have also become much more solid."

Li Mo stared at the data screen, recording excitedly: "Rule Fusion degree is perfect! New characteristic loaded stably! Average physical attack strength of followers is estimated to increase by 14.7%-15.3%, consistent with theoretical values! Fantastic! This validates the feasibility of the river of civilization's 'Devour and Evolve' path! Although we can currently only absorb these masterless rule fragments from defeated opponents, and the process carries significant risk, it is undoubtedly a shortcut to rapidly enhance our Foundation!"

Lin Zhou nodded. Despite being heavily drained (Divine Power dropped to 145,000/200,000, and mentally exhausted), he felt invigorated by the wonderful state of his Godhead and Divine Kingdom becoming more solid and stable.

Devouring the Titan Divine Kingdom fragments not only provided a tangible combat boost ([Texture of Force]) but also verified and expanded the growth path of Way of Civilization. This gave him more confidence and anticipation for facing more diverse and powerful enemies in the future.

"Cleaning up the battlefield yields more than just points and physical items," Lin Zhou said slowly, looking out the window at the starry sky that was gradually returning to calm but was now quietly different at the rule level. "The paths, experiences, and even the rule legacies of the defeated can be used by me, becoming stepping stones for civilization's progress. This, perhaps, is the most cruel and yet most real side of 'civilization'."

"However," he changed his tone, looking at Li Mo and Su Yueyao, his voice becoming steady again, "this method must not be abused, let alone relied upon. It must be based on a solid Foundation of our own civilization and requires careful screening, purification, and transformation. Otherwise, biting off more than one can chew might lead to pollution by alien rules, shaking our very Foundation."

"Understood," Su Yueyao and Li Mo replied solemnly.

Just then, Qin Qing's slightly grave voice came through: "Lin Zhou, we've monitored multiple rule detection waves of varying intensities from different directions, frequently scanning the star sector we are in. A few of them... are very strong, with clear undertones of scrutiny and investigation, likely from top-ranking teams. We've entered the top hundred and just went through a major battle; it seems we've become a 'focus of attention'."

Lin Zhou's expression remained unchanged, as he had expected this.

"No matter." He stood up, and though exhausted, his spine was as straight as a pine tree. "Let them look. It's just as well; let them see if we, the 'ninety-ninth place,' truly deserve our rank."

He walked to the edge of the Star Gazing Platform and looked out at the infinite sea of stars. The river of civilization flowed quietly within him, the new dark-gold [Titan Power] tributary reflecting the white of Confucianism, the gold of Legalism, and the blue of Mohism.

Devour, grow, transform.

Though the road ahead is perilous, my Dao flourishes daily.

This endless star sea elimination tournament is far from over. And Xinghai University, having gained new nutrients, will face the coming storms with a more steady and powerful posture.