395: Chapter 330: Civilized Judgment, Defining Sacrifice as Heresy

Draka's frantic sacrifice of his own godhead Origin was like pouring a whole barrel of high-grade fuel onto a bonfire that was about to go out. What roared into existence was the terrifying power of the Abyssal Gate, which instantly doubled in size, and the violent counterattack of thousands of tentacles like a deathbed struggle. However, beneath these intense flames, his own divine fire flickered violently, dimming and brightening, as fragile and unstable as a candle in the wind.

Lin Zhou's gaze, like the most precise scalpel, was locked onto the violently fluctuating dark red dot on the Sandbox, especially that phantom signal representing Draka's divine fire, which was flashing frantically at irregular frequencies. He pushed the sensing and deduction capabilities of the Temple of Civilization to their limit, analyzing and magnifying every detail: the godhead Origin torn by the sacrifice, the chaotic divine fire fluctuations, and the contract link between him and the Abyssal Gate that had become exceptionally tight, twisted, and riddled with cracks due to the forced "renewal." All of this was presented in his consciousness.

Key Flaws Locked:

1. Contract Link Overload: The Abyssal Gate was strengthened beyond its specifications by absorbing the godhead Origin. The contract channel between it and Draka was enduring surges of energy and rules far exceeding its design load, resulting in microscopic structural cracks and rule conflict points.

2. Divine Fire Origin Disorder: Draka's own divine fire suffered damage to its integrity due to the stripping of part of its Origin. Its combustion logic became contradictory (needing to maintain his own existence and divine Domain while continuously supplying the Abyssal Gate), and its stability dropped below the danger threshold.

3. "Unfinished State" of the Sacrificial Ritual: Self-sacrifice is different from the sacrifice of followers; it involves a deeper level of existence binding and future delivery. The sacrifice Draka performed in his rage and anxiety was more of a crude "power infusion." The ritual had flaws that were not fully closed at the rule level, especially the "future potential delivery" part, which was in a fragile "suspended" state relying on continuous will to maintain.

These three factors were interconnected, forming an extremely dangerous yet vulnerable pivot point beneath the violent exterior! Any precise, high-intensity rule interference or negation targeting one of these three, especially the "unfinished state" sacrificial contract, would likely trigger a chain-reaction collapse!

The timing is now! In these last dozen seconds when Draka himself is at his weakest, the contract is at its tightest, and the Abyssal Gate seems strongest but its connection with the host is actually at its most fragile!

"Qin Qing!" Lin Zhou's low shout exploded like thunder in Qin Qing's consciousness. "Law Domain, prepare for maximum resonance! Target: the core of the sacrificial contract between Draka and the Abyssal Gate! Not to attack the contract itself, but to provide an Order pivot and rule anchor for my 'Definition'!"

Qin Qing did not hesitate for a second. Although her Divine Power was more than half consumed and her Divine Soul was exhausted from the continuous high-intensity confrontation, she had an instinctive trust and rapport with Lin Zhou's tactical intentions. She gave a sharp cry and unreservedly contracted and condensed her remaining Law Divine Power. No longer attempting to cover a large area to resist the Abyssal erosion, it transformed into a highly condensed beam of pale gold light. Like the most precise probe, it ignored the violent turbulence of tentacles and chaotic Abyssal Devilish Qi ahead, forcibly penetrating and locking onto the energy channel representing the "sacrificial contract link" shown on the Sandbox, which was fluctuating violently and covered in fine red alarm cracks!

Her Law power was not an attack, but rather the forced creation of a small, temporary, and relatively stable "Order Domain" within those chaotic and violent contract rules. Like a lighthouse standing firm amidst stormy waves, it provided coordinates and support for the subsequent, more powerful rule intervention.

At the same time, Lin Zhou's own aura changed abruptly.

He was no longer just the Dominator of the Starry Sea Divine Domain and the controller of the Fire of Civilization. His figure seemed to instantly become incredibly tall, ancient, and majestic. Behind him, the phantom of the vast, surging river of civilization appeared once more. But this time, what flowed within the river was no longer just soft civilization radiance and epic images, but also a stern, inviolable sense of ironclad rules that judged all things and held authority over regulations!

This was the ultimate manifestation of Legalist thought! It was the absolute Order of "making no distinction between relatives and strangers, no difference between the noble and the lowly, and judging everything by the Law"! It was the impartial ruthlessness of "No Exemption from Punishment for high officials, and no omission of rewards for commoners"! It was the authority of rule definition—"Holding Names Responsible for Reality" and "fixing status to end disputes"!

Lin Zhou slowly raised his right hand, fingers spread as if gripping an invisible ruler of authority composed of countless legal clauses and civilization standards. In his eyes, the pale gold Fire of Civilization burned fiercely, but deep within the flames, a cold, rational light like a metallic code of Laws was reflected.

He spoke, and his voice no longer belonged to an individual. Instead, it seemed to gather the resonance of the wills of countless legislators, Law enforcers, and reformers from the river of civilization. Carrying a grandeur that transcended time and space and an unquestionable decisiveness, it resounded across the rule level of the battlefield, even faintly drowning out the humming of the Abyssal Gate and the shrieks of the tentacles:

"All things operate according to their Dao. The proliferation of civilization and the passing of the torch lies in self-improvement, great virtue, and building on the past to open up the future!"

His voice was like a great bell. Every word triggered a resonance in the rules, causing the tentacles frantically attacking the Serial Maze and Non-Aggression Barrier to stall. Even Draka's flickering divine fire in the distance seemed intimidated by an invisible force, its pulses becoming even more disordered.

"Now there is an Evil Path called 'Sacrifice'." Lin Zhou's gaze was like a cold sword of judgment, piercing through space to look directly at Draka's divine domain core. "Sacrificing external objects is already benefiting oneself at the expense of others, plundering vitality, and defying harmony; it shall be subject to discipline."

His tone suddenly became even more severe, carrying an absolute will like a pronouncement:

"Yet, there are those so arrogant and perverse that they do not care for their own bodies or Origins, sacrificing their own godhead, Bloodline, and future as the price for a moment of frenzy and destructive power! This is to cut oneself off from civilization, to abandon one's Legacy, and is the ultimate Evil Path that destroys the Great Dao!"

"Such behavior disregards the dignity of life, defies the correct path of civilization development, and tramples upon the fundamental principles of passing the torch! Using self-mutilation and self-destruction as a means, and gambling with the severance of the future, what is sought is but a moment of illusory strength, while in reality becoming a Puppet and plaything of higher existences, accelerating one's own downfall! This is not the way of the strong, but the terminal madness of the cowardly, the desperate, and the lost!"

Following his words, within the phantom of the river of civilization, the tributary belonging to Legalist thought burst with light! Countless brilliant specks of light representing Law, Order, rules, and definitions gathered and rose. Above Lin Zhou's open palm, they condensed into a massive, semi-transparent ruler phantom—the [Ruler of Civilization Judgment]—its entire body flowing with pale gold civilization radiance and cold Law runes!

At the same time, the Law beam anchored by Qin Qing seemed to be strongly attracted and empowered by this kindred force. Its light suddenly became intense, creating a mysterious resonance with the [Ruler of Civilization Judgment]!

Lin Zhou poured his final strength and will unreservedly into this ultimate "Definition." Holding the ruler phantom, he made the final, categorical pronouncement toward the coordinates anchored by Qin Qing's Law beam—the "sacrificial contract core" between Draka and the Abyssal Gate:

"Therefore, in the name of civilization, by the principles of eternal Legacy, and by the strictness of the Hundred Schools' Laws—I now define: the act of 'sacrificing oneself in exchange for power' is an Evil Path of civilization development, a reverse current of the Order Universe, and shall be burned by the Fire of Civilization, judged by the light of Law, and rejected by the principles of Legacy!"

"This definition is—Civilization Judgment!"

BOOM—!!!

As the last word fell, the phantom of the [Ruler of Civilization Judgment] in Lin Zhou's hand exploded! But the explosion was not a dissipation; instead, it transformed into billions of fine, pale gold beams of light containing the rules of "Definition" and "Judgment." Like a celestial net, and like precisely guided spears of adjudication, they followed the "Order channel" opened by Qin Qing's Law beam. Ignoring all energy and physical barriers, they instantly pierced through the chaotic Abyssal Devilish Qi and violent tentacle turbulence, striking the target with absolute precision—the core node of the "sacrificial contract link" between Draka and the Abyssal Gate, which was already overburdened and filled with rule cracks and logical contradictions!

This was not an energy attack, nor physical destruction.

This was the purest "Definition" and "Negation" at the rule level! Based on the grand principle of "civilization Legacy and self-improvement," it was a fundamental critique and rule-based dismantling of the behavior of "self-mutilating sacrifice and severing the future"!

The moment the beams of [Civilization Judgment] touched the sacrificial contract core—

Sizzle—!!!

It was as if a red-hot iron had been pressed against the most fragile ice crystal! Or like the sharpest sword of truth had severed a phantom rope!

The sacrificial contract, which was already covered in cracks and held together only by Draka's frantic will and Abyssal power, had its internal logical contradictions instantly magnified and detonated under the rule impact of "Civilization Judgment," which represented a higher level and more fundamental "principle"! Its "unfinished state" flaws were ruthlessly exposed and negated! Its core logic of "self-destruction in exchange for power" was thoroughly refuted and dismantled by the grand principle of "civilization self-improvement and continuous Legacy"!

"No—!!! What power is this?! My contract... Ah!!!"

Draka let out a shrill, terrified, and incredulous scream! He felt that the most fundamental connection between himself and the Abyssal Gate—the power channel obtained by mortgaging his own godhead Origin and future potential—was being forcibly torn apart, defined as invalid, and its existential legitimacy erased from the rule level by an incomprehensible, irresistible, and terrifying force filled with "Order" and "Principle"!

He tried desperately to maintain it, mobilizing his remaining divine fire power and frantic will to resist. But his own divine fire was already disordered and fragile; how could it withstand this rule judgment originating from the river of civilization and condensing the ultimate Legalist thought?

Crack—!

A crisp sound, as if some fundamental contract in the Universe had snapped, echoed in the hearts of all beings capable of perceiving the rule level.

On the Sandbox, the energy channel representing the "sacrificial contract link," covered in red cracks, snapped violently in the middle under the continuous washing of the [Civilization Judgment] beams! At the break, rule fragments flew everywhere, and the remaining Abyssal Devilish Qi and Draka's divine Origin flowed wildly like unbridled horses, conflicting and annihilating each other!

The contract... was forcibly broken!

The sacrificial ritual... was declared an "Evil Path" and negated at the rule level!

"ROAR—!!!"

Sounding almost simultaneously with Draka's scream was the terrifying roar of that massive, hideous Abyssal Gate, filled with unwillingness, anger, and a surge of rage after its rules had been "offended"!

Having lost the "special fuel" provided by Draka's self-sacrifice and the stable transmission of the contract link, this Abyssal Gate, which had been forcibly pushed to an overloaded state, instantly fell into a dual crisis of "supply cut-off" and "rule backlash"!

The writhing flesh on the gateway's surface began to expand and explode uncontrollably, the pale eyes dimmed and shattered in patches, and the flowing lava-like pus and blood rapidly cooled and solidified. The dark vortex spinning rapidly at the center of the gateway, like a gear that had lost its power, slowed down sharply, becoming sluggish and disordered, and even began to flow in reverse! It was as if the Abyssal existence behind the gate felt "cheated" or that the "transaction failed" because the contract was broken and the sacrifice negated, and was now angrily withdrawing its power and even imposing punishment!

The gateway's frame groaned under the strain, dense cracks appearing on the bones made of Abyssal Devilish Iron, and the entire massive gateway began to shake violently and collapse inward!

"Close! Close it for me!! No—!" Draka roared in despair, trying to actively cut the connection, but it was too late. The rule backlash triggered by the broken contract and the anger of the Abyss had already traced back along the remaining connection!

Under the gaze of countless spectators (including the tournament System), that Abyssal Gate, which had long pressured the battlefield, emitted one last unwilling, death-rattle-like moan and roar under the afterglow of the [Civilization Judgment] beams, and then—

Rumble...

The gateway suddenly shrunk inward, the dark vortex completely collapsed, and the flesh and bone on the surface shattered and annihilated inch by inch like a weathered sand sculpture! In just two or three seconds, this Abyssal Gate, which had once brought endless terror and oppression, was completely closed and vanished into nothingness, leaving behind only a scorched area heavily polluted by Abyssal Devilish Qi and with a ruined spatial structure, as well as the fading scent of sulfur and despair lingering in the air.

The Abyssal Gate was forcibly "judged" closed!

The final frenzy Draka had exchanged for by sacrificing himself was interrupted, negated, and dismantled from its rule roots by Lin Zhou using the ultimate Legalist Profound Truth, [Civilization Judgment]!

The battlefield instantly fell into an eerie silence.

All that remained were the purple-black tentacles, which were rapidly shrinking, collapsing, and turning into black smoke as they lost their energy source due to the closure of the Abyssal Gate, and the painful gasps like a dying beast and the chaotic fluctuations of the divine fire flashing violently from Draka's divine domain core in the distance.

Lin Zhou slowly lowered his arm, and the phantom of the river of civilization and the afterglow of the [Ruler of Civilization Judgment] behind him gradually receded. His face was slightly pale; this ultimate judgment, which condensed the essence of Legalist thought, communicated with the river of civilization, and received full cooperation from Qin Qing's Law, had also consumed a huge amount of energy. Divine Power reserve: 95,000/200,000.

But the effect was decisive.

The most dangerous threat, the Abyssal Gate, had been removed.

And Draka himself was about to face a triple predicament: contract backlash, sacrificial backlash, and divine fire Origin disorder!

The tactical goal of delaying for three minutes had been achieved.

Now, it was time to move into the fourth phase—backlash harvesting!

Lin Zhou's gaze, like a hawk's, locked onto the dark red dot on the Sandbox whose divine fire signal was heading toward the brink of collapse.