444: Chapter 379: The Palace Gates Open, Revealing the Source of Civilization

The dissipation of the Guixu Projection sent ripples invisible to the naked eye through the Chaos Star Domain.

The grayish-white fragments burned away into nothingness within the Void Realm. Those remnants of civilizations devoured by Guixu for tens of millions of years finally found liberation under the scorching heat of the Fire of Civilization—they no longer wailed or struggled, but instead turned into specks of pale gold light, floating toward the Bronze Giant Hall to be absorbed by the civilization stele within.

[civilization stele · Absorbing Guixu Remnants]

- Quantity Absorbed: Approximately 3,000 pieces

- Awakening Progress: 0.3% → 0.6%

- Stele Status: Awakening slowly

Standing on the high platform, Lin Zhou watched those specks of light float into the hall, a strange feeling welling up in his heart. It wasn't the joy of victory, but rather—compassion. Compassion for the civilizations devoured by Guixu, and for the Souls that had struggled in the void for tens of millions of years.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?" Qin Qing walked to his side.

"I'm thinking that these civilizations once had their own glory," Lin Zhou said. "They had heroes, poets, mothers, and children. They existed, they strove, and they loved. But in the end, they were still devoured by Guixu."

"We won't be," Qin Qing said.

"Why?"

"Because we have 'Zhen'," she looked toward the Bronze Giant Hall. "We have the Fire of Civilization, and we have you."

Lin Zhou was silent for a moment, then smiled.

"Perhaps."

He turned and walked toward the palace doors.

"Come, let's go inside and take a look."

The palace doors had opened completely; the thousand-meter-high bronze gates stood wide open inward, as if welcoming him. On both sides of the door frame, the phantoms of the ancient sages had faded, leaving only faint golden traces to prove they had once existed.

Lin Zhou stepped into the hall.

This time, he wasn't just observing from the entrance, but walking deep inside.

The interior was empty and magnificent. The vault was immeasurably high, inlaid with countless glowing crystals like a starry sky. The floor was a solid piece of bronze, covered in reliefs—reliefs of countless civilizations, placed side by side, independent yet reflecting one another.

He walked past a relief of agriculture, seeing ancestors working in the fields, rising with the sun and resting at dusk.

He walked past a relief of animal husbandry, seeing nomads herding on the grasslands, living where the water and grass were.

He walked past a relief of craftsmen, seeing artisans forging by the furnace, the clanging of hammers echoing.

He walked past a relief of scholars, seeing wise men Discussing the Dao under trees, their voices clear and resonant.

He walked past a relief of a mother, seeing her sewing under a lamp, the stitches long and continuous.

He walked past a relief of children, seeing them chasing each other in the fields, their laughter crisp.

Every relief told a story. Every story was a piece of civilization.

Lin Zhou walked very slowly, for he did not want to miss a single story.

When he reached the center of the hall, he stopped.

There stood a high platform.

The platform was about a hundred meters high, cast from cyan-gold bronze. Every tier of the platform was inscribed with text—not just one kind, but countless scripts. Hieroglyphs, cuneiform, alphabets, syllabaries... they were lined up together, all speaking of the same theme: civilization.

At the top of the platform, a cluster of flame floated.

The flame was not large, only the size of a fist, yet it radiated a warm, steady light. This was not the Fire of Civilization Lin Zhou had fused with before, but the—Origin. The source of the Fire of Civilization, the initial flame brought by The Transcendent from the previous Universe.

[Fire of Civilization · Origin]

- Source: Origin of the previous Universe

- Status: Burning (Unextinguished for tens of millions of years)

- Quality: Above Legendary (Unassessable)

- Characteristics:

1. Civilization Origin: Can ignite new Fires of Civilization

2. Myriad Realms Resonance: Resonates with all civilization ruins

3. Guixu Nemesis: +10,000% damage to the Guixu faction

4. Reincarnation Memory: Can reflect the cycle of birth and death of universal civilizations

Lin Zhou walked up the platform.

Every step was as heavy as a mountain.

The platform had ninety-nine steps, each inscribed with a phrase—not in one language, but the same sentence translated into countless tongues:

"Civilization does not die, it only withers. The spark is never extinguished; it will eventually reignite."

He reached the top of the platform and stood before the flame.

The flame flickered slightly, as if welcoming him.

He reached out and pressed his palm against the flame.

The flame did not burn him; instead, it seeped into his palm, merging with the Fire of Civilization within his body.

[Fire of Civilization · Origin Fusion!]

- Fusion Targets: Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization + Fire of Civilization Origin

- Fusion Progress: 1%... 2%... 3%...

- Estimated Completion: Approximately 100 days

- Effects During Fusion: river of civilization water level +50%, Heavenly Pillar height +50,000 km, Godhead Rank +100

But Fusion was only the beginning.

As the flame seeped into Lin Zhou's palm, his consciousness was pulled into an illusion.

It was not an illusion created by The Transcendent, but the—memories of the flame itself.

In the illusion, he stood in a void.

There was no up or down, no left or right, no time, no space. Only—light.

Light poured in from all directions, gathering into a massive, spinning vortex. Within the vortex, countless Universes were being born and dying—some just born, some in their prime, some ancient and frail, and some already extinguished.

[Universe Birth and Death Reincarnation · Reflection]

- Number of Universes in Vortex: Approximately 10,000

- Status Distribution:

- Newborn Universes: Approx. 1,000 (Just born)

- Prime Universes: Approx. 3,000 (Flourishing civilizations)

- Aging Universes: Approx. 4,000 (Declining civilizations)

- Extinguished Universes: Approx. 2,000 (Devoured by Guixu)

- Current Universe Position: Edge of the vortex (Late prime)

Lin Zhou's pupils contracted sharply.

He saw his own Universe—the one where he was born, raised, and fought. It was at the edge of the vortex, slowly moving toward the center. With every inch it moved, its light dimmed a fraction.

"So this is... the Reincarnation of the Universe?" he murmured.

A voice rang out in his consciousness, not belonging to The Transcendent, but to the—flame itself.

"Universes have birth and death, just like plants. Guixu is the end of a Universe, but also the beginning of a new birth."

"But civilization is different. Civilization never truly perishes. It will be reborn in a new Universe in another form."

"Just like the spark in your hand."

Lin Zhou looked down at his palm.

In his palm, the cyan-gold flame burned. Within the flame, he saw miniatures of countless civilizations—there was Huaxia, Shushan, Yindu, and many more he had never seen. They were all sleeping in the flame, waiting in the flame, hoping in the flame.

"This is... the essence of the Fire of Civilization," Lin Zhou said.

"Yes," the flame replied. "The Fire of Civilization does not belong to any one person, one race, or one Universe. It is the flame of all civilizations, all Universes, and all existence."

"It is eternal."

Lin Zhou fell silent.

He thought of The Transcendent, of King Yin, of the Shushan Sect Head, and of those ordinary people who had left their mark on the river of civilization. They were gone, but their civilizations remained.

"I understand."

The illusion dissipated.

Lin Zhou's consciousness returned to reality.

On the platform, the Origin of the Fire of Civilization had completely merged into his palm. His Fire of Civilization had changed from cyan-gold to transparent—not colorless, but containing all colors.

[Fire of Civilization · Fusion Complete!]

- New Quality: Epic → Legendary

- New Color: Transparent (Embracing all colors)

- New Characteristics:

1. Civilization Origin: Can ignite new Fires of Civilization (Max 9 wisps)

2. Myriad Realms Resonance: Resonates with all civilization ruins, effect +1,000%

3. Guixu Nemesis: +10,000% damage to the Guixu faction

4. Reincarnation Memory: Can reflect the birth and death cycle of the Universe at any time

5. Passing the Torch: Can separate a wisp of the Fire of Civilization to gift to others (Max 9 people)

- Fusion Cost: None

Lin Zhou clenched his fist as the transparent flame burned in his palm.

He turned and walked down the platform.

Qin Qing was waiting for him at the bottom.

"Captain, your fire... has changed."

"Yes," Lin Zhou nodded. "It has become the true Fire of Civilization."

"The true one?"

"Yes. It's not my fire, or The Transcendent's fire, but—the fire of all civilizations."

He raised his hand, and a wisp of transparent flame separated from his palm, floating toward Qin Qing.

"This wisp is for you."

Qin Qing was stunned.

"For me?"

"Yes," Lin Zhou said. "The Way of Civilization is not the path of a single person. You need it."

The flame floated before Qin Qing, hovering over her palm.

She hesitated for a moment, then grasped it.

[Qin Qing · Obtained Fire of Civilization]

- Source: Lin Zhou (Fire of Civilization Origin)

- Quality: Epic

- Characteristics:

1. Order Judgment: +500% damage to the Chaos faction

2. Law Blessing: +200% effect for Law-type skills

3. Civilization Resonance: All attributes +50% when resonating with Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization

Qin Qing looked at the flame in her palm, her eyes slightly red.

"Captain..."

"No need for thanks," Lin Zhou smiled. "You've earned this."

He turned and walked toward other areas of the hall.

In the hall, besides the platform and the civilization stele, there were many secret rooms.

Each secret room stored relics of civilizations from the previous Universe—weapons, armor, tools, artworks, books, and musical instruments.

[Hall Collections · Preliminary Statistics]

- Weapons: Approx. 10,000 pieces (Quality ranging from Excellent to Legendary)

- Armor: Approx. 5,000 sets (Quality ranging from Excellent to Epic)

- Tools: Approx. 30,000 pieces (Can be used for research)

- Artworks: Approx. 100,000 pieces (Can be used to increase civilization points)

- Books: Approx. 1,000,000 volumes (Require translation)

- Musical Instruments: Approx. 1,000 pieces (Including chimes, zithers, harps, drums, etc.)

"Wen Yuan, these things will be enough for us to study for a long time," Lin Zhou said.

Wen Yuan's eyes lit up: "Legion Commander, these books might contain the technology of the previous Universe! If we can translate them, our Way of Civilization can take a huge step forward!"

"Then organize a team and begin the translation."

"Yes!"

Lin Zhou walked toward the secret room at the deepest part of the hall.

That secret room was shrouded in a cyan-gold light barrier. Countless Rule Runes flowed across the barrier, denser and more complex than anywhere else in the hall.

He walked to the barrier and reached out to touch it.

The barrier vibrated but did not crack.

[Secret Room Seal · Data]

- Type: Personally sealed by The Transcendent

- Seal Strength: Extremely high (Requires Fire of Civilization Origin to open)

- Opening Method: Burn with transparent Fire of Civilization

- Interior: Unknown (The Transcendent's final secret)

Lin Zhou raised his hand, condensed the transparent Fire of Civilization in his palm, and pressed it against the barrier.

The flame made a sizzling sound as it contacted the barrier.

[Secret Room Seal · Opening]

- Progress: 1%... 2%... 3%...

- Estimated Completion: Approximately one hour

An hour later.

A crack appeared in the light barrier.

Lin Zhou stepped into the secret room.

The room was small, only about a hundred square meters.

In the center of the room floated a crystal.

The crystal was not large, only the size of a fist, completely transparent like frozen morning dew. Within the crystal was sealed a person—no, not a person, but a phantom. The phantom wore ancient imperial robes, a twelve-tasseled crown, and held a jade tablet. His face was clear, his gaze gentle, carrying the vicissitudes of eternal time.

He was—The Transcendent.

[The Transcendent · Final Remnant]

- Status: Sealed within the crystal

- Purpose: Waiting for the fated one

- Content: The Transcendent's lifelong memories, wisdom, and experience in fighting Guixu

- Condition for Acceptance: Approval from the Fire of Civilization Origin

Lin Zhou walked to the crystal and reached out to touch it.

The crystal glowed.

The phantom of The Transcendent opened his eyes.

"Latecomer, you have finally arrived." His voice was like the tolling of an ancient bell.

"You are..." Lin Zhou asked.

"The Transcendent," the phantom said. "The Child of Civilization from the previous Universe. My physical body has already gone to Guixu, transforming into a barrier. Within this crystal are sealed my final memories and wisdom."

"Accept it, and you will know the true method to combat Guixu."

Lin Zhou did not hesitate.

"I accept."

The crystal shattered, turning into countless points of light that merged into Lin Zhou's consciousness.

[The Transcendent Legacy · Accepting]

- Legacy Content: Memories, wisdom, experience

- Progress: 1%... 2%... 3%...

- Estimated Completion: Approximately one year

- Effects During Acceptance: river of civilization water level +100%, Heavenly Pillar height +100,000 km, Godhead Rank +200

Lin Zhou closed his eyes, feeling the information flooding into his consciousness.

He saw The Transcendent's past—how he grew from an ordinary deity into The Transcendent; how he built the Temple of Civilization, how he fought Guixu, and how he turned his body into a barrier.

He saw The Transcendent's failure—how he was heavily wounded by Guixu, how he watched his civilization being devoured, and how he left behind the spark in despair.

He saw The Transcendent's hope—he was waiting, waiting for someone who could inherit his will, waiting for someone who could ignite the Fire of Civilization, waiting for someone who could oppose Guixu.

"That person is you."

The phantom of The Transcendent slowly dissipated.

Before vanishing, he said one last thing:

"The Way of Civilization is passed from one spark to the next. Do not fail it."

Lin Zhou opened his eyes.

The crystal had vanished, and the phantom of The Transcendent was gone.

But his memories and wisdom remained in Lin Zhou's consciousness.

[Lin Zhou · Status Update]

- Godhead Rank: LV850 → LV900 (Accepting Legacy)

- river of civilization Water Level: 80% → 90%

- Heavenly Pillar Height: 80,000 km → 90,000 km

- New Ability: [The Transcendent's Memories]—Can consult The Transcendent's memories at any time to find methods to combat Guixu

Lin Zhou walked out of the secret room.

Qin Qing was waiting for him at the door.

"Captain, what was inside?"

"The Transcendent's Legacy," Lin Zhou said. "And the true method to combat Guixu."

"What method?"

"It's not combat, but—coexistence," Lin Zhou said. "Guixu is an inevitability of the Universe's birth and death; it cannot be destroyed. But we can delay its erosion to buy time for civilization."

"Buy time to do what?"

"To find a new Universe," Lin Zhou said. "At the end of the previous Universe, The Transcendent found the entrance to a new Universe. But he didn't have time to enter before being devoured by Guixu."

"The entrance to the new Universe is in the deepest part of the Chaos Star Domain."

"We must find it."

Qin Qing was silent.

"What about the Guixu Projections? Will they come again?"

"Yes," Lin Zhou nodded. "The Guixu Projections are just the tentacles of Guixu. Destroy one, and another will come. But as long as the giant hall 'Zhen' is here, they cannot approach."

"So, our task is to guard 'Zhen'."

"And at the same time, find the entrance to the new Universe."

Qin Qing nodded.

"Alright. I'll accompany you."

Lin Zhou smiled.

"Thank you."

He turned and looked outside the hall.

In the grayish-white mist, the fluctuations of Chaos energy still existed. But under the suppression of the giant hall, they could not cross the boundary.

"Brothers, from today on, our mission has changed."

"It is no longer defense, but—exploration."

"To explore the Chaos Star Domain and find the entrance to the new Universe."

"To find a new home for civilization."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

Lin Zhou walked down the platform and out of the palace doors.

Behind him, the character 'Zhen' on the Bronze Giant Hall shone like an eternal lighthouse in the grayish-white mist.

It illuminated the path ahead, and it illuminated the hearts of men.