439: Chapter 374: Post-Battle Gains, Divine Power Breakthrough to 550

The aftermath of the beast tide's dispersal slowly faded into the greyish-white mist.

The Great Wall of Civilization stood tall, its pale gold walls appearing like an insurmountable natural chasm in the greyish-white light of the Chaos Star Domain. On the wall, the lines 'If the Flying General of Dragon City were still here, no nomadic steeds would dare cross the Yin Mountains' still glowed faintly, illuminating every weary yet resolute face.

Lin Zhou stood on the wall, looking at the projection of the Return to Ruins in the distance. That greyish-white orb of light was still writhing and struggling, but it was no longer advancing. It seemed to be waiting for something—perhaps gathering strength, or perhaps summoning more Chaos Beasts. Regardless, Lin Zhou knew the true final battle had not yet arrived.

But for now, the battlefield needed to be cleared.

"Wen Yuan, compile the battle losses and gains." Lin Zhou turned and walked down the wall.

"Yes!"

Wen Yuan led the soldiers of the Research Hall Camp to begin clearing the battlefield. Bodies of Chaos Beasts were piled up like mountains, and greyish-white Chaos energy slowly leaked from the remains, being absorbed by the Great Wall of Civilization and the divine kingdom's projection.

[Battlefield Cleanup · Data (First Round)]

- Chaos Beast Corpses: Approx. 120,000

- chaos crystals: Approx. 15,000 (from corpse decomposition)

- Rule Fragments: Approx. 3,000 (dropped from Beast King class)

- Chaos Beast King Cores: 5 (5 out of 10 Beast Kings were killed, the rest fled with the tide)

- Residual Energy from Guixu Projection: Faint (absorbable)

"Commander, these Rule Fragments and Beast King cores can be used to strengthen the divine kingdom and equipment," Wen Yuan said excitedly. "Especially the residual energy from the Guixu Projection; though faint, its quality is extremely high. If the river of civilization can absorb it, we might just break through the Bottleneck."

Lin Zhou nodded but did not act immediately.

He first walked to the casualty area.

There, hundreds of heavily wounded soldiers lay. Medics were busy treating them with Fire of Civilization and potions. The groans of the wounded, the comforting words of the medics, and the bubbling of potions... intertwined into a tragic yet heroic battle song.

[Casualty · Data]

- Heavily Wounded: Approx. 300 (curable)

- Lightly Wounded: Approx. 800 (treated)

- KIA: Approx. 80 (confirmed)

- Stone Statue Guardians: 50 lightly damaged, 20 heavily damaged (require repair)

Lin Zhou walked to a heavily wounded soldier and knelt down.

The soldier's abdomen had been torn open by a Chaos Beast's claws, and his rune armor was shattered, revealing a wound contaminated by Chaos energy. At the edges of the wound, greyish-white Chaos energy was slowly spreading, which a medic was purifying with the Fire of Civilization.

"Commander..." the soldier said weakly, "Can I... still fight?"

"You can." Lin Zhou took his hand, condensing a wisp of Fire of Civilization in his palm and channeling it into the soldier's body.

The fire seeped into the wound, stripping away and purifying the Chaos energy bit by bit.

[Fire of Civilization · Purification]

- Target: Heavily wounded soldier

- Contamination Level: Moderate

- Purification Progress: 10%... 20%... 30%...

- Estimated Complete Purification: Approx. ten minutes

"Rest for a few days, and you'll be fine," Lin Zhou said.

Tears welled up in the soldier's eyes. "Thank you, Commander..."

"No need for thanks." Lin Zhou stood up. "You bleed for me, so I heal you. It is only right."

He moved to the next wounded soldier, continuing the purification with the Fire of Civilization.

One, two, three...

By the time Lin Zhou finished purifying the thirtieth soldier, his Divine Power reserves had dropped to 50,000 points.

[Lin Zhou · Status (Post-Purification)]

- Divine Power Reserves: 50,000 / 300,000

- river of civilization Level: 80% (20% permanently consumed to cast the Great Wall)

- Godhead Integrity: 100%

- Mental State: Fatigued

"Captain, you should rest." Qin Qing walked over, looking at him with concern.

"There are seventy more," Lin Zhou said.

"I'll do it." Qin Qing took over for him. "The Law Enforcement Team of the Administration Hall Battalion also knows the basic applications of the Fire of Civilization. While not as skilled as you, it's enough to purify light to moderate contamination."

Lin Zhou was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright. I'll leave it to you."

He turned and walked toward the command tower.

At the top of the command tower, Xu and Shou were on guard. The runes surrounding Xu flickered slightly, while Shou lay on the roof, watching the distant Guixu Projection vigilantly.

"Master, the energy fluctuations of the Guixu Projection are weakening," Xu reported. "It may be gathering strength, or it may be retreating."

"It won't retreat." Lin Zhou shook his head. "The Return to Ruins does not retreat. It is simply waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for us to get tired," Lin Zhou said. "Waiting for us to let our guard down. Waiting for us to think we've won, and then it will suddenly strike back."

Xu fell silent.

"So, we cannot relax," Lin Zhou said. "Wen Yuan, what is the progress on the Formation repairs?"

Wen Yuan's voice came through the communication link: "Commander, Formation stability has recovered to 80%. The rune batteries are replenishing energy and are expected to be fully restored by tomorrow morning. The Great Wall's stability is at 98% and is self-repairing."

"Good." Lin Zhou nodded. "Tomorrow, we deal with the Guixu Projection."

"Yes!"

Lin Zhou sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.

His consciousness sank into the Divine Kingdom Core.

In the Temple of Civilization, the river level had dropped to 80%. The water still flowed, but the flow rate was slower than before. The Heavenly Pillars still propped up the heavens, the names on the pillars still glowing. The qiankun tripod hovered in the center of the sanctuary, the inscriptions of the Hundred Schools on its body slowly circulating.

Lin Zhou walked to the riverbank, knelt down, and reached out to touch the water.

The water was warm, like human body temperature.

"River, are you alright?"

The water rippled slightly, as if in response.

Lin Zhou smiled.

"Thank you for your hard work."

He stood up and walked to the sanctuary's storage area.

There, the spoils of war seized from the battlefield were piled high—chaos crystals, Rule Fragments, Beast King cores, and residual energy from the Guixu Projection...

[Loot · Manifest]

- chaos crystals: Approx. 15,000

- Rule Fragments: Approx. 3,000

- Chaos Beast King Cores: 5

- Residual Energy from Guixu Projection: 1 orb (faint)

Lin Zhou picked up a Beast King core.

The core was greyish-white, with chaotic rule runes flowing on its surface. It was the size of a fist, but weighed as much as a thousand catties—it was a concentration of Chaos energy.

[Chaos Beast King Core · Data]

- Quality: Epic

- Contained Energy: Roughly equivalent to 10,000 chaos crystals

- Properties: Can be refined into 'essence of order' or 'Chaos Spiritual Qi'

- Risk: Direct absorption may lead to godhead contamination

Lin Zhou placed the core over the Fire of Civilization.

The fire scorched the core, and the greyish-white shell began to crack, revealing a pale gold inner core.

[Beast King Core · Refining]

- 10%... 20%... 30%...

- Output: essence of order × 100 units

- Byproduct: Chaos Spiritual Qi × 1,000 units

- Consumption: None (automatically refined by Fire of Civilization)

All five Beast King cores were refined.

[essence of order · Total: 500 units]

- Effect: Can increase Godhead Rank (every 10 units ≈ 1 Rank)

- Allocatable to: Godhead, river of civilization, Heavenly Pillar, qiankun tripod

Lin Zhou fused 300 units of essence of order into his godhead.

[Godhead · Absorbing essence of order]

- Godhead Rank: LV780 → LV800 → LV820 → LV850

- Every 10 units increases 1 Rank; 300 units increases 30 Ranks

- Current Godhead Rank: LV850 (Mid-Tier Divine Power High-Stage)

As his Godhead Rank broke through to LV850, Lin Zhou felt his perception range expand several times over, and his Divine Power limit increased from 300,000 to 350,000.

[Lin Zhou · Godhead Data Update]

- Godhead Rank: LV850

- Divine Power Limit: 350,000

- Godhead Integrity: 100%

- Rule Perception Range: 1,000 km diameter

- New Ability: [Eye of Order] — Can perceive all rule anomalies within range

The remaining 200 units of essence of order were distributed by Lin Zhou to the river of civilization and the Heavenly Pillars.

[river of civilization · Absorbing essence of order]

- Water Level: 80% → 85%

- Flow Rate: Restored to normal

- New Trait: [Order Affinity] — Within Chaos Star Domains, river consumption is reduced by 20%

[Heavenly Pillar · Absorbing essence of order]

- Height: 70,000 km → 80,000 km

- Stability: 98%

- New Trait: [Heavenly Pillar Pressure] — Enemy attributes within range are reduced by 10%

After processing the essence of order, Lin Zhou looked at the orb of residual energy from the Guixu Projection.

It hovered in a corner of the sanctuary like a mass of greyish-white mist. Within the mist, one could faintly see countless distorted faces—the remains of civilizations swallowed by the Return to Ruins.

[Guixu Projection Residual Energy · Data]

- Source: Leftover after the Guixu Projection was repelled by the Great Wall of Civilization

- Nature: Between existence and non-existence

- Risk: Improper absorption may lead to godhead contamination

- Potential Output: Unknown

Lin Zhou hesitated for a moment, then decided—to refine it with the Fire of Civilization.

He cast the residual energy into the Fire of Civilization.

The fire made a sizzling sound as it contacted the greyish-white mist. The distorted faces in the mist struggled and wailed in the flames before gradually quieting down.

[Return to Ruins Energy · Refining]

- 10%... 20%... 30%...

- Output: Void Divinity × 1 wisp (faint)

- Byproduct: None

- Consumption: None

Void Divinity.

Lin Zhou had obtained a wisp of it before during the Academy Championship; fusing it had granted his divine kingdom Void adaptability. This time, it was another wisp.

[Void Divinity · Data]

- Quality: Faint

- Effect: Can increase the divine kingdom's resistance to the Void, Chaos, and the Return to Ruins

- Fusion Method: Integrate directly into the Divine Kingdom Core

Lin Zhou fused the Void Divinity into the Divine Kingdom Core.

At the edges of the divine kingdom, the pale purple void membrane became more solid.

[Divine Kingdom · Void Adaptability Increased]

- Void Resistance: +10% → +20%

- Chaos Resistance: +5% → +10%

- Return to Ruins Resistance: +0% → +5% (New)

After processing all the loot, Lin Zhou's Godhead Rank reached LV850, the river of civilization's level restored to 85%, and the Heavenly Pillar's height reached 80,000 kilometers.

But he still felt as if something was missing.

Missing... a partner who could help share the pressure of battle.

He looked toward the Sword Tomb.

In the Sword Tomb, twelve thousand Flying Swords were quietly planted in the ground. Their Sword Intent remained, but they lacked someone to command them.

"Wen Yuan, have any sword spirits been born among the Flying Swords in the Sword Tomb?" Lin Zhou asked.

Wen Yuan was taken aback. "Sword spirits? Sentience in Flying Swords? Theoretically, only Legend-grade Flying Swords can birth sword spirits. In our Sword Tomb, there is only one Legend-grade—the zhan nian sword. The others are all below Epic-grade."

"Then why do I feel a sword calling to me?" Lin Zhou frowned.

He walked toward the Sword Tomb.

Twelve thousand Flying Swords simultaneously emitted a low hum.

Lin Zhou walked to the center of the Sword Tomb. The zhan nian sword was stuck in the stone platform, showing no unusual movement. But next to the zhan nian sword, another sword was vibrating slightly.

It was a cyan-white sword, its blade slender, with a pale gold crystal embedded in the crossguard. On the blade, two small characters were engraved—Qing Lian.

[green lotus sword · Data]

- Quality: Epic (but contains special Sword Intent)

- Properties:

1. Qing Lian Sword Intent: Sword moves carry a 'purification' effect, +200% damage to the Chaos faction

2. Unity of Poetry and Sword: When resonating with the Dao of 'Poetry', sword power is increased by 100%

3. Dormant Sword Spirit: A semi-awakened sword spirit sleeps within the sword

- Sword Spirit Status: Dormant (about to awaken)

"Qing Lian..." Lin Zhou murmured.

He gripped the hilt.

The moment the sword entered his hand, a massive surge of Sword Intent flooded his consciousness.

It was—a poetic Sword Intent.

It was not a sharp, murderous intent, but an elegant, free-spirited Sword Intent that carried the scent of wine.

Within the Sword Intent, a voice was reciting:

"'A man killed every ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles. When the deed is done, he shakes his robes and leaves, hiding his identity and fame.'"

In Lin Zhou's consciousness, a phantom appeared.

It was a young man dressed in white, with a wine gourd hanging from his waist and a long sword in his hand. His features were handsome, his gaze untamed, and the corners of his mouth carried a hint of a cynical smile.

"Who are you?" Lin Zhou asked.

"Li Bai," the phantom replied. "Named Disciple of Shushan, Sword Cultivator, poet."

Lin Zhou was stunned for a moment.

Li Bai? A Named Disciple of Shushan?

"Aren't you... a poet from the Tang Dynasty?" Lin Zhou asked.

Li Bai laughed. "Tang Dynasty? That was my identity after Reincarnation. Before Reincarnation, I was a Named Disciple of Shushan, kicked off the mountain by my Master for my incurable love of wine. After Reincarnation, I became a poet, but my Sword Intent remained."

He raised the sword in his hand, the blade flowing with cyan-white light.

"This green lotus sword was forged by me when I was at Shushan. It followed me through Reincarnation and followed me back to Shushan. Now, it is waiting for you."

"Waiting for me?"

"Yes." Li Bai nodded. "Waiting for someone who can inherit my sword dao. Your Way of Civilization has commonalities with my path of poetry and sword. Using poetry to enter the sword, and using the sword to defend the Dao."

He walked up to Lin Zhou and handed him the green lotus sword.

"From today on, the green lotus sword belongs to you. My sword spirit will remain in the sword to assist you in battle."

[green lotus sword · Sword Spirit Awakened!]

- Sword Spirit: Li Bai (Pseudo)

- Rank: LV500 (Mid-Tier Divine Power Initial-Stage)

- Form: Can materialize (consumes Divine Power)

- Skills:

1. [Qing Lian Sword Song]: Summons Qing Lian Sword Intent to perform continuous strikes on enemies within range (Attack Power = Mid-Tier Divine Power Mid-Stage × 10 combo hits)

2. [Unity of Poetry and Sword]: When reciting poetry, sword power is increased by 100% for ten minutes

3. [Drunken God Incantation]: Consumes Divine Power to temporarily increase all attributes by 50% for five minutes (1-hour cooldown)

4. [Sword Intent Incarnation]: Can briefly materialize to fight independently (Cost: 10,000 Divine Power, duration ten minutes)

- Loyalty: 100% (Recognizes Lin Zhou's Dao)

Lin Zhou took the green lotus sword.

The blade vibrated slightly, as if cheering.

"Li Bai, welcome to the Civilization Guardian Legion," Lin Zhou said.

Li Bai smiled. "Commander, is there any wine?"

Lin Zhou was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"There is. After we finish off the Guixu Projection, I'll buy you a drink."

"It's a deal."

Li Bai's phantom dissipated, returning to the sword.

Lin Zhou tucked the green lotus sword into his waist and carried the zhan nian sword on his back.

Two swords—one representing 'Zhan Nian' and the other 'Qing Lian'. One hard, one soft; one orthodox, one unconventional.

[Lin Zhou · Equipment Update]

- Main Weapon: zhan nian sword (Legend-grade)

- Sub-Weapon: green lotus sword (Epic-grade, Sword Spirit Li Bai)

- Sword Arts Proficiency: 150%

- Number of Controllable Flying Swords: 3 → 5 (with green lotus sword's enhancement)

He walked out of the Sword Tomb and returned to the command tower.

Qin Qing was waiting for him at the top of the tower.

"Captain, your godhead... broke through?"

"Yes, LV850." Lin Zhou nodded. "Also, I found a new partner."

He patted the green lotus sword at his waist.

"A sword spirit?"

"Yes. Li Bai. A Named Disciple of Shushan, a poet of the Tang Dynasty."

Qin Qing was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"Li Bai? The same Li Bai who wrote 'Raising my cup, I invite the bright moon; facing my shadow, we become three'?"

"Yes."

"How could he be here?"

"He was a Shushan Disciple before his Reincarnation," Lin Zhou said. "His sword dao is a great fit for my Way of Civilization."

He drew the green lotus sword; the blade was cyan-white, and its Sword Intent was elegant.

"Tomorrow, when we deal with the Guixu Projection, he will help us."

Qin Qing nodded.

"Captain, you should rest. Tomorrow will be a tough fight."

"Okay."

Lin Zhou sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The green lotus sword lay across his knees, and the zhan nian sword was planted beside him.

The Sword Intent of the two swords blended with his Fire of Civilization, forming a warm, protective Domain.

He fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, Li Bai danced with his sword under the moon, reciting 'A man killed every ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles.'

Lin Zhou watched his sword, watched his poetry, and watched his free-spirited nature.

"Perhaps this is the highest Realm of a Sword Cultivator—using poetry to enter the sword, and using the sword to defend the Dao."

He smiled.

Tomorrow, the Guixu Projection.

He was ready.