383: Chapter 318: A Hundred Families Offer Sacrifices, the Heroic Spirit Elwin Returns

Time, caught in the clash of rules between the Fire of Civilization and the Void Realm's Devour, was stretched incredibly long, yet it flowed with exceptional cruelty.

Ten thousand meters in the air, the Fire of Civilization shield held up by Lin Zhou was like a tenacious burning boat amidst turbulent waves. Inside the shield, the light of the Temple of the Eternal Flame flickered but never went out. Outside, the Empress's mountain-like body stood tall, and hundreds of pitch-black devouring vortexes continued to spin frantically, constantly stripping and devouring the pale gold flames of civilization from the shield.

Every second was a squeeze on Lin Zhou's limits.

Divine Power Reserves: 92,500/200,000 (Continuing high-speed consumption; current maintenance of the shield and epic manifestations consumes approximately 4,500 Divine Power per second).

Mental Load: 103% (Has exceeded the safety threshold; Godhead is overclocked and overloaded, minor damage beginning to appear).

Divine Fire Status: Intensified oscillations (The core purple rhythm and Taiji phantom's rotation speed have slowed down; output stability is decreasing).

Fire of Civilization Shield Strength: 41% (Continuing to drop; epic manifestations are significantly effective against devouring, but the consumption is massive).

Godhead Durability: 94% (Damage accumulating due to overloaded operation).

Lin Zhou's complexion had turned from pale to an unnatural pale gold, a sign of excessive overdraft of Divine Power and Divine Soul. Faint golden blood was seeping from his seven orifices. His body trembled uncontrollably as he maintained his posture with arms outstretched, like a cross nailed into the void, enduring the nearly infinite erosion of rules and the devouring pull from the Empress.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the light of the Temple of Civilization had also dimmed considerably. Inside the sanctuary, the roar of the river of civilization continued, but the 'water level' seemed to be dropping. Maintaining the epic manifestations and the shield's rules consumed the 'civilization foundation' settled within the river. The brilliance of the Hundred Schools of Thought still shone, but it was no longer as dazzling as it had been at the start.

Within the shield, those epic scenes—Great Yu Controlling the Waters, The Foolish Old Man Moving Mountains, Jingwei Filling the Sea, the Hundred Schools of Thought Contending... continued to flow and play out. Each scene was like an indestructible reef, tenaciously resisting the erosion of the devouring vortexes. The spiritual power of struggle, resilience, unyieldingness, and wisdom transmitted in the scenes effectively countered the Empress's [Devour] rule. However, the essence of this confrontation was Lin Zhou acting as a bridge, 'exchanging' the spiritual power of the river of civilization for realistic rule power. The consumption was far beyond imagination.

He could feel the shield's strength being ground away bit by bit. The suction of those mouth-vortexes seemed endless, while his Divine Power, spirit, and even civilization foundation were finite. More terrifyingly, the Empress seemed to be 'adapting.' Within its tens of thousands of compound eyes, cold purple light flickered at high speed like a supercomputer, analyzing and deconstructing the rule composition of the Fire of Civilization shield, especially the spiritual qualities contained in those epic scenes. Every analysis added a microscopic 'specificity' to its next devouring impact.

"If this continues, I'll eventually be ground to death!" Lin Zhou's heart was cold. How long could he hold on? Ten minutes? Five minutes? Once he fell and the shield collapsed, the Temple of the Eternal Flame would undoubtedly be swallowed by the Empress. The mission would fail, and everyone... would likely not be spared.

"Lin Zhou!" Su Yueyao's cry, laced with tears, came from behind. She wanted to rush over regardless of everything, but was held back firmly by Qin Qing. Qin Qing's face was equally pale, her eyes filled with anxiety and powerlessness. They could feel Lin Zhou's aura declining at an alarming rate, yet they were helpless. Facing an existence on the level of the Empress, their power would only lead to death if they went up, and might even interfere with Lin Zhou.

Elios, Evelyn, Wren, Kevin, and the others were also doing their utmost to command the remaining troops, clearing out the residual insect tide that had become active again because of the Empress's appearance and was trying to storm the defensive line. They were equally anxious. Looking at that solitary back supporting everything in the sky, their hearts were filled with indescribable and complex emotions—shock, admiration, guilt, and a deep sense of powerlessness. The power they were proud of was like child's play before the Empress, while the young man they had elected as the commander-in-chief was bearing the heaviest and most desperate pressure alone.

"Is there... really no way?" In Elios's golden pupils, a crack named 'despair' appeared for the first time. His clenched fists caused his nails to pierce deep into his palms, and golden divine blood dripped down. The glory of the Eternal Divine Court seemed so pale and ridiculous in the face of his incompetence.

Just as this suffocating atmosphere of despair permeated the entire battlefield, Lin Zhou's Divine Power reserves were about to drop below the 90,000 mark, the shield strength fell to 35%, and his consciousness began to blur due to excessive load—

Hum!

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, that Temple of Civilization, whose light had slightly dimmed, suddenly vibrated violently!

It wasn't a vibration of being damaged, but a resonance triggered by some strong will and a certain resolute emotion!

Immediately after, an incredibly clear mental fluctuation, full of wisdom, vicissitudes, determination, and a hint of... relief, came from deep within the sanctuary, echoing directly in Lin Zhou's nearly exhausted consciousness.

"Lin Zhou... no, my student, my Fellow Daoist."

This voice! Lin Zhou's blurred consciousness jolted! It was Elwin! The first Great Confucian Heroic Spirit who was born because he spread Confucian thought, who accompanied him through his high school years, who sacrificed his own spirituality when Lin Zhou ignited his divine fire, and whose true spirit was ultimately taken in and nurtured by the Temple of Civilization!

"Teacher Elwin?!" Lin Zhou responded in shock within his heart. Elwin's true spirit was being nurtured in the sanctuary; although he had consciousness, it was extremely weak and unstable, requiring a long time to stabilize. How could he at this moment...

"I can 'see' the outside, and I can 'feel' it." Elwin's voice was as gentle as ever, yet it carried an unprecedented resoluteness and enlightenment. "Is that the 'Tribulation' and 'Hardship' you once said one must face on the path of the 'Dao'? It is indeed... awe-inspiring, and... exciting."

His voice paused, as if he were feeling the terrifying pressure and devouring rules belonging to the Empress, transmitted indirectly through Lin Zhou's consciousness from outside the sanctuary. "Cold, greedy, devouring everything... this is the enemy of the 'Great Dao,' and also the enemy of my 'Benevolence,' 'Righteousness,' 'Propriety,' 'Wisdom,' and 'Trustworthiness.' Seeing the enemy of the Great Dao before me, seeing the Dao of Protection about to collapse, seeing my student and the successor of my Legacy in imminent danger..."

Elwin's voice suddenly rose, becoming sonorous and powerful, carrying an inspiring aura of seeing through life and death and sacrificing oneself for righteousness: "Though I am but a wisp of a remnant spirit, nurtured by the Sanctuary and having glimpsed the essence of the Hundred Schools, I understand the truth that 'if one hears the Dao in the morning, one may die in the evening.' Today, with this body and spirit, having encountered the enemy of the Great Dao and witnessing the battle of protection, how can I continue to live ignobly in a corner of the Sanctuary?!"

"What are you going to do?!" A strong sense of unease surged in Lin Zhou's heart.

"Student." Elwin's voice suddenly became incredibly kind, as if returning to the time when he earnestly taught those Elwin students in Lin Zhou's Divine Realm. "You opened this path, allowing us ignorant spirits to see the brilliance of civilization and realize the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. This kindness is heavier than a mountain. Now, your path has met an obstacle, and your Dao has encountered a powerful enemy. As your teacher... my remnant body is useless, leaving only this point of indestructible true spirit awakened by you and nourished by the thoughts of the Hundred Schools."

His voice suddenly became impassioned, like a warrior about to go to the battlefield: "Let me use this true spirit as a guide, and use the 'Faith Power' accumulated over these three years in the Sanctuary—born from the gratitude of countless civilized sub-races—as fuel to add another burst of flame for you and for this Fire of Civilization! To strike open a path of survival for this battle of protection!"

"No! Teacher Elwin! You will completely dissipate!" Lin Zhou roared in his heart. He knew all too well what this meant. Elwin's true spirit was already fragile; even with the Sanctuary's nurturing, it was far from being able to exist independently. If he used his true spirit as a core to forcibly trigger the pure Faith Power of 'Sages' and 'wisdom' accumulated in the Sanctuary—naturally generated by the students of the Hundred Schools (Literary Heart Elves, Tiangong Dwarves, Law Fishmen, and even the later Creation sub-races) during their learning and comprehension—it would certainly explode with powerful force. However, as the catalyst, Elwin's true spirit would inevitably be unable to withstand it and would be completely annihilated at the moment of that power explosion. He wouldn't even have a chance for Reincarnation! That would be a true sacrifice of both form and spirit!

"If one hears the Dao in the morning, one may die in the evening."

"Student, do not be sad, and do not stop me. Remember, the Legacy of civilization has never been the work of one person. My death today is not an end, but... the passing of the torch!"

The moment the words fell, before Lin Zhou could have any further reaction—

Hum! Hum! Hum!

The vibration of the Temple of Civilization reached its peak! Inside the sanctuary, the Heroic Spirit Statue belonging to Elwin, which was originally just a faint phantom, suddenly exploded with a dazzling milky-white glow! This brilliance was not Divine Power, but incredibly pure Faith Power condensed from countless insights of wisdom and pure reverence! This Faith Power, which had gathered drop by drop in the Sanctuary over three years, was originally the foundation for nourishing the Sanctuary and summoning more Heroic Spirits in the future. At this moment, it was actively triggered and ignited by Elwin!

At the same time, above the dome of the Sanctuary, an invisible portal seemed to open. Within the God Realm, in the Jixia Academy and various academies and schools, all the students who were watching this battle, praying for Lin Zhou, and silently reciting the classics of the Hundred Schools in their hearts—whether they were Literary Heart Elves, Tiangong Dwarves, Law Fishmen, or the newly promoted Civilization Elves, Creation Dwarves, and Tianxian Mermen—all felt it in their hearts!

They seemed to hear a gentle yet firm voice, summoning, saying goodbye, and telling a story.

There was no hesitation, no fear. All the students, regardless of their Rank or location, stopped what they were doing, faced the direction of the Temple of Civilization, bowed solemnly, and then recited in unison:

“To establish the heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish life for the people, to carry on the lost teachings of past Sages, and to open up peace for all generations!”

“The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will seek high and low!”

“Wealth and honor cannot corrupt, poverty and lowliness cannot shift, and might and power cannot bend!”

“If everyone under heaven loves each other equally, there will be Order; if they hate each other, there will be chaos!”

...

The classic aphorisms engraved deep in their Souls transformed into the purest and most fervent faith and spiritual power. Like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, they crossed the boundaries between the God Realm and reality (via the channel of Lin Zhou), surging madly toward the Temple of Civilization and toward that burning Heroic Spirit Statue!

This was a collective sacrifice by the students of the Hundred Schools! It was not a sacrifice of life, but a sacrifice of the firmest 'thought', the purest 'faith', and the most fervent 'wish' in their hearts! To Lin Zhou and the Fire of Civilization, who were on the brink of life and death, these powers were no different from rain after a long drought or coal in the snow!

“Now is the moment!” Elwin's True Soul's cry resounded through the Sanctuary!

Boom—!!!

The Heroic Spirit Statue, which had absorbed a massive amount of faith and mental power and was burning to the extreme, exploded! But it wasn't fragments that exploded out, but a highly condensed heroic spirit body composed purely of milky-white light of faith! This body was even more solid and taller than when Elwin first sacrificed himself. His face was clear, his hair and beard were white, and his eyes flickered with the light of wisdom that saw through the world. He wore an ancient scholar's robe, and his body was surrounded by faint phantoms of scriptures from the Hundred Schools!

With one step, he crossed the boundary between the Sanctuary and reality, appearing at the edge of Lin Zhou's Sea of Consciousness, and then, without hesitation, he rushed out!

In reality, behind the Fire of Civilization shield held up by Lin Zhou, above the Temple of the Eternal Flame, space suddenly rippled violently!

A milky-white beam of light, not particularly dazzling but incredibly warm and firm, appeared out of thin air. It penetrated the shield (without causing damage, as if they were one to begin with) and shone directly on Lin Zhou's back!

Then, within that beam of light, Elwin's ten-meter-tall heroic spirit body stepped out! He was composed entirely of pure faith and mental power combined with his own True Soul, existing between the virtual and the real, exuding an aura of righteousness, wisdom, yet tragic determination!

His appearance immediately caught the attention of the Mother Empress. Purple light flowed within its tens of thousands of compound eyes, seemingly developing a deep 'interest' and... appetite for this suddenly appearing 'spirit body' with a completely different energy nature! It could feel that the 'wisdom' and 'Order' rules contained in this spirit body were an extremely rare and delicious 'supplement'!

Elwin seemed oblivious to the Mother Empress's greedy gaze. He first turned around and nodded slightly to Su Yueyao, Qin Qing, and everyone on the defense line who were stunned by his appearance, revealing a gentle and calm smile.

Then, he looked forward at the trembling yet still upright back that was facing him, struggling to support the shield, his eyes filled with gratification and pride.

Finally, his gaze bypassed Lin Zhou, bypassed the swaying Fire of Civilization shield, and locked onto that terrifying, mountain-like Mother Empress body outside the shield!

The gentleness on his face vanished, replaced by a sternness of sacrificing one's life for righteousness and a determination against the enemy of the Great Dao!

He spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to contain some strange power of rules, echoing clearly over the battlefield, drowning out the hissing of the Zerg and the roar of energy, and also penetrating the Mother Empress's mental pressure to ring in everyone's heart:

“I, Elwin, enlightened by civilization, have glimpsed the gates of the Great Dao. Today, I see the enemy of the Great Dao running rampant, the seed of civilization about to be extinguished, and the path of protection about to collapse!”

He took a step forward, and his heroic spirit body began to burn, emitting a milky-white glow more dazzling than the sun! Within that light, countless tiny script characters flew and circulated!

“Though my body is small and my spirit is minute, since I have heard the Dao and seen true knowledge, I have no regrets in this life!”

Another step! The burning intensified! His figure began to become blurred and transparent in the light, but that resolute will soared into the sky!

“With a powerful enemy before me, how can I avoid it for fear of death? How can the civilization Legacy be allowed to be cut off here?!”

He suddenly accelerated, turning into a burning milky-white meteor, charging boldly toward the Fire of Civilization shield. At the moment of contact, he passed through without any hindrance, directly facing the hundreds of terrifying devouring vortices and the Mother Empress's cold compound eyes!

At the final moment, he looked back, as if glancing at Lin Zhou once more, and as if looking toward the mysterious river of civilization and the Sages of the Hundred Schools. A look of complete relief, even carrying a hint of sacred light, appeared on his face as he chanted loudly, his voice shaking the universe:

“If a man hears the Dao in the morning—”

“He may die in the evening without regret!!!”

The moment the final word left his mouth, his heroic spirit body, which had burned to the limit, suddenly contracted inward, condensing into an indescribably bright and scorching milky-white point of light, and then—

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!

Like a supernova explosion! A milky-white glow ten or a hundred times more violent than when the Fire of Civilization shield was formed, accompanied by an unimaginable terrifying energy shock composed purely of positive mental rules such as 'wisdom', 'dedication', 'sacrifice', and 'protection', exploded outward from that point of light! The range of the explosion wasn't large, only covering the area in front of the Mother Empress's cyst, but the rule impact contained within it instantly reached an incredible intensity!

This was not a physical explosion, nor was it an energy explosion, but the purest self-detonation on a spiritual and rule level! It was the ultimate strike triggered by Elwin using his own True Soul as a catalyst and the massive faith and mental power of the Hundred Schools' students as fuel, aimed at an existence like the Mother Empress who relied on cold calculation and devouring rules!

“Screee—!!!!!!”

For the first time, the Mother Empress let out a distorted cry of pain! It was no longer a cold mental wave, but a shriek containing shock, anger, pain, and a hint of... fear!

At this moment, at least one-third of its tens of thousands of cold, flickering compound eyes suddenly dimmed, and fine cracks even spread across their crystalline surfaces! Nearly half of the hundreds of madly devouring vortices twisted, vibrated, and then collapsed like ice caves into which molten iron had been poured! The dark purple void matter flowing on the surface of its cyst actually made a 'hissing' sound when illuminated by that milky-white light, as if splashed with strong acid, churning violently and becoming thin and disordered!

Even more serious was its vast and cold mental will! The core impact generated by Elwin's self-detonation acted directly on the Divine Soul and the core of the rules! That impact, which contained the supreme spiritual Realm of 'hearing the Dao in the morning and dying in the evening', was like the most scorching light, fiercely burning and tearing through the Mother Empress's mental world composed of cold calculation and endless greed! It felt as if its calculation core had been stuffed with countless contradictory paradoxes, and its desire to devour was temporarily 'purified' and 'neutralized' by a pure will of 'self-sacrifice'!

The Mother Empress's massive body leaned back violently for the first time, its limbs waving wildly, churning the space into even more fragments! The rotation speed of the dark halo on the cyst plummeted, and the three divine office symbols flickered uncertainly, especially the [Devour] symbol, whose light dimmed by more than half!

Mother Empress Status (Estimated):

- Divine Soul severely damaged (integrity estimated to have dropped by 15%-20%, calculation ability and mental command significantly decayed).

- [Devour] divine office authority temporarily suppressed (effect reduced by about 40%, devouring ability decreased during the duration).

- Compound eye array partially damaged (detection and locking capabilities decreased).

- Entered a brief (estimated 30 seconds - 1 minute) state of 'rule disorder' and 'mental agony'.

At the cost of his own complete dissipation and the destruction of both body and Soul, Elwin had blasted open a turning point in this desperate battle! He had severely wounded the arrogant Mother Empress's Divine Soul!

The aftershocks of the explosion dissipated.

In the air, only the Fire of Civilization shield remained, still burning but with its intensity already recovering (due to the weakening of the Mother Empress's devouring power and the feedback from the sacrificial power). Behind the shield stood Lin Zhou, frozen in place, his body trembling even more violently, yet he bit his lip hard, his eyes red but unable to shed a single tear.

He felt the determination and calmness of Teacher Elwin at that moment, and he felt the deepest protective intent for himself and for civilization contained within that self-detonation.

“Teacher...” A low murmur, so hoarse it was almost voiceless, squeezed out of Lin Zhou's throat. His clenched fists had nails digging deep into his flesh, and pale gold blood dripped from between his fingers.

But he had no time for sorrow.

The opportunity Teacher Elwin had traded his Soul for was fleeting!

The Mother Empress was only wounded, not dead!

The counterattack must begin now!