397: Chapter 332: Advancing to the Top 50, Encountering the Primordial Academy Again

The aftershocks of Draka's Divine Realm collapse slowly dissipated in the Void Realm. Those Abyssal Monsters who suffered the backlash were either swept into the turbulence along with the Divine Realm fragments or were obliterated by the invisible power of rules after struggling for a moment in space. The main battle team of the Abyss Contractor Academy, once ranked 11th, was thus completely wiped out.

Inside Xinghai University's preparation space, the atmosphere remained heavy.

No cheers, no jumping for joy. Everyone watched in silence as the spatial rift on the light screen slowly closed, and the dim spots of light belonging to Draka's Divine Fire fragments occasionally flickered at the edge of the rift. Those spots of light soon extinguished completely, as if they had never existed.

Wang Meng broke the silence, his voice somewhat raspy: "That kid... his death really wasn't worth it. A dignified Mid-Tier Divine Power, and in the end, not even a whole corpse was left."

"This is the consequence of making a deal with the Abyss," Qin Qing said coldly, but her hand gripped the Law longsword at her waist slightly tighter, her knuckles turning white. "The School of Law says: 'Misfortunes sent by Heaven may be avoided, but those brought upon oneself, one cannot survive.' He sacrificed his subordinate race and himself, only to be consumed by the backlash. Karma circulates, and retribution is certain."

Su Yueyao's projection Clone had long since turned into Moonlight Power and returned to her main body. At this moment, only Lin Zhou stood at the very front, calmly gazing at the battlefield wreckage being cleaned up by the tournament System. His face was still somewhat pale, his Divine Power consumption was huge, but his gaze was exceptionally firm.

[Battle settlement in progress...]

[Xinghai University Team — Victory!]

- Advancement Status: Advanced to the Top Fifty of the All-Universe Academy Championship.

- This Round Points: +15,000 points (Team), +8,000 points (Lin Zhou personal contribution).

- civilization points Reward: +200,000 points (Due to [Civilization Judgment] ending the battle, an additional 50,000 points reward).

- Spoils of War: Abyssal Gate wreckage (Decomposable), Draka's Divine Fire fragments (Trace amount, purified).

Lin Zhou glanced at the spoils list and frowned slightly. The Abyssal Gate wreckage could be decomposed into some rare Materials, but its value was limited. Draka's Divine Fire fragments had already been purified by the Fire of Civilization, leaving only extremely faint, non-attribute divine essence, approximately 0.3 units of divinity. Better than nothing.

"This little bit of stuff isn't even enough for a fraction of the cost to repair Yue Yao's Divine Kingdom," he sighed inwardly, but didn't show it on his face.

Just then, the light screen in the center of the preparation space lit up again, and lines of golden text appeared:

[All-Universe Academy Championship — Third Stage "Path of Kings" Knockout Stage]

[The Top Fifty have been born! The next round of drawing is about to begin...]

[Drawing...]

[Drawing complete! Xinghai University Team (Milky Way Galaxy) next round opponent—]

The text on the light screen suddenly enlarged, flashing with golden light:

[Honghuang Academy Second Team (Honghuang Galaxy)! Rank: 7th!]

"Honghuang Academy?" Wang Meng's eyes widened. "Ranked 7th? Isn't that even higher than that Abyssal maniac just now?"

"Honghuang Academy is the number one ranked institution in the Universe, and its main team is the top seed of this championship." Qin Qing quickly pulled up the data, her brow furrowed. "Although the second team's strength isn't as good as the main team, being ranked 7th means they are by no means mediocre. Their captain is said to be a True Disciple of the Daoist Sect, with a Divine Realm that is a projection of [Jinao Island], and is extremely skilled in Formations."

Li Mo's projection also pulled up detailed intelligence at the same time, his voice carrying a mechanical coolness:

[Honghuang Academy Second Team Core Intelligence]

- Captain: Dao Xuanzhen (True Disciple of the Daoist Sect, Divine Rank LV520, Early Stage Mid-Tier Divine Power)

- Divine Realm: [Jinao Island] Projection (Epic-tier Wonder Architecture, movable/deployable)

- Divine Realm Characteristics: All Formation effects within range +100%, difficulty of breaking Formations increased by 50%.

- Subordinate Race Composition: Mainly Daoist Sect Disciples (Sword Cultivators, Talisman Cultivators, Formation Cultivators), average Rank LV48-LV55.

- Core Tactics: Using Formations to trap, exhaust, and strangle enemies, coordinated with Daoist Sect Spells for long-range strikes.

- Record: Undefeated in group stages, has not lost a single match in the knockout stages so far, shortest average match duration (average 15 minutes to end a battle).

"Formation effects +100%?" Wang Meng gasped. "Doesn't that make their Formations invincible?"

"Not necessarily invincible, but certainly extremely difficult to crack." Lin Zhou's gaze was calm as he carefully examined the intelligence. "Any Formation has a core Formation Core and operational patterns. As long as the pattern is found, the Formation can be broken."

Qin Qing added: "Moreover, their Formations rely on the [Jinao Island] projection. If we can limit or weaken the projection's power, the Formation effects will also be greatly reduced."

"The problem is how to limit it." Li Mo's projection flickered. "[Jinao Island] projection is not a physical entity but a manifestation at the level of rules. Conventional attacks are ineffective against it; it needs to be interfered with from the level of rules."

Lin Zhou nodded slightly, already having a plan in mind. He pulled up the recording of the previous battle with the Abyss Contractor Academy, focusing on the rule fluctuations when [Civilization Judgment] was cast, while simultaneously comparing the Formation data of Honghuang Academy's second team.

"Their Formations, the core lies in the word 'Innate'." Lin Zhou pointed at the data stream of the [Jinao Island] projection on the light screen. "Innate Formations originate from the Honghuang Heavenly Dao, aligning with the natural principles of heaven and earth, which is why they are immensely powerful and infinitely varied. But precisely because they are 'Innate', they lack a bit of 'flexibility'."

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "And the way of Formations in our Hundred Schools of Thought is precisely the pinnacle of 'Acquired'—using human calculation, deduction, and layout to simulate, restrain, and even surpass the Innate."

"You mean..." Qin Qing's eyes lit up.

"Breaking Formations with Formations." Lin Zhou said decisively. "They set up Innate Formations, we set up Acquired Formations. Using the 'Hundred Schools Myriad Phenomena Array' against the 'Nine-Bend Yellow River Array', using change against constancy, and Acquired against Innate."

He quickly pulled up the [Hundred Schools Battle Array] data developed during previous team training, as well as the [Hundred Schools Myriad Phenomena Array] deduction model derived from it.

[Hundred Schools Myriad Phenomena Array (Under Deduction)]

- Type: Acquired Composite Formation (Fusion of Confucianism, School of Law, Mohism, Daoism, and School of Military)

- Characteristics: The Formation layout automatically changes every ten minutes, with each change randomly selected from nine variations.

- Effects:

1. All attributes of allies within the Formation +20%, skill synergy effects +30%.

2. Enemies within the Formation suffer "Order Suppression", all attributes -10%, and undergo a "Rule Check" every ten minutes; failure results in brief confusion.

3. Each time the Formation Core (Formation Core) changes, its position shifts randomly, increasing the enemy's difficulty in breaking the Formation.

- Current Completion: 78% (Requires further optimization of variation logic and energy distribution).

"This Formation, we've only used it a few times in simulated battles; we lack practical experience." Li Mo reminded him. "Moreover, maintaining the Formation consumes a huge amount of energy, requiring at least five hero units to host the Formation Cores simultaneously."

"I know." Lin Zhou nodded. "So for the remaining time, we need to fully optimize this Formation and conduct practical drills. There are still 48 hours until the next round of the match, which is enough."

He turned, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "Wang Meng, you are responsible for the practical coordination of the School of Military's variations; Qin Qing, you are responsible for embedding the School of Law's rules into the Formation; Li Mo, you are responsible for Formation energy distribution and variation logic optimization; Yue Yao... although her main body is asleep, her projection can assist in maintaining a Formation Core."

"What about Zhao Hao?" Wang Meng asked.

"Zhao Hao's Dragon Legion will serve as the 'hidden force' within the Formation." A cold light flashed in Lin Zhou's eyes. "The Formation traps the enemy, and the hidden force breaks the Formation. When the opponent's attention is entirely drawn by the Formation, Zhao Hao will launch a surprise attack from the flank, striking straight at the heart."

He pulled up a brief tactical diagram: "Our goal is not to compete with them in Formation mastery—that is their strength. Our goal is to make it impossible for them to 'focus' on setting up their Formation. Using change against constancy, surprise attacks against steadfast defense, and Way of Civilization against the Innate Dao."

Everyone looked at the complex yet clear tactical diagram on the light screen, Battle Intent gradually igniting in their eyes.

"In addition," Lin Zhou added, "I need to ask Chen Hai for more intelligence. Detailed battle records of Honghuang Academy's second team, especially details regarding their 'breaking Formations' and 'adaptability'. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

"Understood!" Li Mo immediately contacted Chen Hai through an encrypted channel.

Lin Zhou took one last look at the words "Honghuang Academy Second Team" on the light screen, silently calculating in his heart.

Honghuang Academy, the number one ranked institution in the Universe.

Their second team, ranked 7th, undefeated so far.

Their Formations, hailed as "The Ancestor of All Formations beneath the Innate."

Their captain, a True Disciple of the Daoist Sect, Divine Rank LV520, with unfathomable strength.

This was a tough battle.

A tougher battle than the Abyss Contractors.

But there was no fear in Lin Zhou's eyes, only calm analysis and surging Battle Intent.

"Everyone," he said deeply, "for the next 48 hours, we need to raise the completion of the [Hundred Schools Myriad Phenomena Array] to over 95% and conduct at least twenty practical simulations. The goal: to find the 'key' to counter Innate Formations."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

At that moment, in a corner of the preparation space, next to the floor mat where Su Yueyao slept, a floating moonlight crystal flickered slightly. It was a medium for transmitting information left behind by Su Yueyao's projection Clone after its return.

Lin Zhou walked over and reached out to touch it.

A wisp of cold Moonlight Power surged into his consciousness, carrying Su Yueyao's voice, weak yet firm:

"Lin Zhou... I once studied the Formations of Honghuang Academy. Their 'Nine-Bend Yellow River Array', the core is not in the 'Nine-Bends', but in the 'Yellow River'. The Yellow River is the Primal Chaos Qi. If you can use the way of 'Quietude and Non-Action' to cut off the flow of that 'Qi', the Formation will break itself..."

The voice gradually faded, but light lit up in Lin Zhou's eyes.

"Quietude and Non-Action... cutting off the Qi..." he murmured to himself, his mind quickly deducing.

The Daoist "Quietude and Non-Action" emphasizes following nature and not contending or disturbing. And the core of Innate Formations is precisely "conforming to the Heavenly Dao and nature." If the way of "Quietude and Non-Action" can be used to interfere with the "resonance" between the Formation and the Heavenly Dao, making it turn from "natural" to "intentional," then the power of the Formation will inevitably be greatly reduced.

"Yue Yao, you've helped me again," Lin Zhou said softly, a trace of tenderness and heartache flashing in his eyes.

He turned to face everyone, his gaze even firmer:

"The tactics need a slight adjustment. We are not just going to 'break Formations with Formations', but also 'break the Dao with the Dao'. Use the Daoist thought of 'Quietude and Non-Action' to interfere with the resonance between the Innate Formation and the Heavenly Dao, weakening its Foundation!"

He quickly drew a new tactical diagram on the light screen:

[Formation Breaking Core Strategy (Optimized Version)]

1. Use the [Hundred Schools Myriad Phenomena Array] for a frontal confrontation to draw the opponent's attention.

2. Use the "Quietude and Non-Action" Domain to locally interfere with the resonance between the Formation and the Heavenly Dao.

3. Use the School of Law's "Net of Law" to define the core rules of the Formation and find flaws.

4. Use the School of Military's "surprise attack" tactics to break in when flaws appear in the Formation.

5. Use Zhao Hao's Dragon Legion to strike directly at the Formation Core and break the Formation to kill the enemy.

Looking at this even more refined tactical diagram, the Battle Intent in everyone's eyes grew stronger.

"48 hours, the countdown begins," Lin Zhou said deeply. "Everyone prepare, go all out for the battle!"

Inside the preparation space, energy surged and data flowed.

The core members of the Hundred Schools Society entered an intense state of preparation once again.

And on the light screen, the words "Honghuang Academy Second Team" still flashed with golden light, as if silently taunting.

What awaited them would be an unprecedented duel of Formation paths.

Acquired against Innate, change against constancy, civilization against the Heavenly Dao.

The outcome was yet to be known.