451: Chapter 386: Star Chart Analysis, Discovery of Other Remnant Points

The New Universe camp had transformed from a few rows of simple wooden huts into a fledgling town within just three months. On both sides of the bluestone-paved streets were orderly stone houses; in the center of the plaza, the Fire of Civilization burned upon a stone tablet; on the outskirts of the town, Guixu energy conversion furnaces were lined up, their flames atop the furnaces illuminating the night sky.

Lin Zhou stood on the highest watchtower of the town, overlooking this thriving new home. Five thousand soldiers had dispersed everywhere—some were building houses, some were reclaiming farmland, some were training recruits, and some were researching technology. One thousand one hundred Stone Statue Guardians stood silently around the town, like eternal gatekeepers.

But Lin Zhou's brow did not relax.

He raised his hand, and a phantom image of The Transcendent star map emerged in his palm. In the star map, five hundred bright stars had dimmed—those were the ruins he had already awakened in the Chaos Star Domain. However, the star map contained more than five hundred stars. There were many more—farther, deeper, and more dangerous.

[The Transcendent Star Map · Complete Analysis]

Total Marked Ruins: 3,000

Awakened: 500 (Chaos Star Domain)

Not Corrupted: Approximately 200 (Scattered across various dangerous lands in the old Universe)

Corrupted by Guixu: Approximately 300 (Inaccessible)

Status Unknown: Approximately 2,000 (Located deep within Guixu, currently unreachable)

Currently Explorable: Approximately 200

“Two hundred...” Lin Zhou murmured.

He zoomed in on the star map, focusing on those stars still lit in the old Universe. They were distributed across various dangerous lands—some in the abyss, some in the Void Realm, some in stellar cores, and some on the edge of black holes. Each location sealed the essence of civilizations from the previous Universe—seed of civilization, technology, thought, and art.

“Captain, what are you looking at?” Qin Qing walked onto the watchtower, holding a cup of hot tea.

“The star map,” Lin Zhou said. “There are still two hundred ruins that haven't been swallowed by Guixu. They are scattered throughout the old Universe, waiting for us to awaken them.”

“The old Universe? Hasn't Guixu already swallowed half of it?”

“That's why we must be fast.” Lin Zhou zoomed in on the star map and pointed at the nearest star. “This one is on the 666th floor of the Endless Abyss. Danger rating: SSS. However, its light is very bright, indicating the ruins are well-preserved.”

“The Endless Abyss?” Qin Qing frowned. “That's the territory of devils. The 666th floor is the ruling area of the Abyssal Lord ‘King of Deception.’ He is at the Peak of high-tier divine power, LV4800, and is famous for being extremely cunning.”

“I know,” Lin Zhou said. “But we must go.”

He turned and walked down the watchtower.

“Summon Li Mo and Wang Meng for a meeting in the conference room.”

Ten minutes later, in the conference room.

Lin Zhou stood before the star map, with Li Mo's projection, Qin Qing, and Wang Meng behind him.

“Brothers, there are still two hundred ruins in the old Universe that haven't been swallowed by Guixu. Among them, the nearest one is on the 666th floor of the Endless Abyss.”

He pointed at that bright star on the star map.

“This star represents a ‘legacy’—a seed of civilization left behind by The Transcendent. Its light is very bright, which means it's well-preserved. However, its location is extremely dangerous.”

[Endless Abyss · 666th Floor · Data]

Ruler: King of Deception (Peak high-tier divine power, LV4800)

Territory Range: Approximately 10,000 kilometers in diameter

Environment: Abyssal Devilish Qi (Continuous corrosion for non-abyssal units)

Guards: 100,000 elite devils, 3,000 layers of magical traps, 72 Demon God Statues

Legacy Location: The deepest part of the King of Deception's treasury

Danger Level: SSS+

“LV4800...” Wang Meng gasped. “Captain, we're only LV1500. The gap is too large.”

“That's why we can't use brute force,” Lin Zhou said. “We need to use our wits.”

He looked at Li Mo: “Li Mo, is there a way to disguise ourselves as abyssal creatures and sneak in?”

Li Mo pushed his glasses up: “Yes. The Fire of Civilization can simulate any aura, including Abyssal Devilish Qi. However, it will take time to study the rule structure of the Abyss.”

“How long?”

“One month.”

“Good.” Lin Zhou nodded. “Qin Qing, you're in charge of intelligence. Gather all information about the King of Deception—his personality, weaknesses, habits, and the defense mechanisms of his treasury.”

“Yes!”

“Wang Meng, you're in charge of security. Select elite soldiers and prepare infiltration equipment.”

“Yes!”

The group dispersed.

Lin Zhou stood alone before the star map, looking at that bright star.

Endless Abyss, 666th floor.

King of Deception, LV4800.

100,000 elite devils, 3,000 layers of magical traps, 72 Demon God Statues.

Dangerous.

But he had to go.

One month later.

Li Mo's research was complete.

[Abyssal Disguise · Technical Data]

Principle: Using the Fire of Civilization to simulate the rule structure of Abyssal Devilish Qi

Effect: Can disguise as abyssal creatures (aura, appearance, behavior)

Duration: Infinite (as long as Fire of Civilization is continuously consumed)

Consumption: 100 Divine Power per minute

Disguise Rank: Can deceive abyssal creatures below Mid-Tier Divine Power; there is a risk of being detected by high-tier divine power

“There's a risk of being detected?” Lin Zhou asked.

“Yes.” Li Mo nodded. “The King of Deception is at the Peak of high-tier divine power and has extremely strong perception. If we get too close, we might be exposed.”

“Then we won't get too close,” Lin Zhou said. “Our target is the treasury, not the Monarch.”

He turned and looked at Qin Qing.

“Qin Qing, how is the intelligence gathering going?”

Qin Qing opened a thick file.

[King of Deception · Intelligence Summary]

Personality: Suspicious, crafty, cruel

Weakness: Extremely arrogant, overconfident in the treasury's defenses

Habit: Leaves his territory once every century to attend the ‘Myriad Demon Assembly’ at the core of the Abyss

Next Departure Time: Approximately three months from now

Treasury Defense: 100,000 elite devils, 3,000 layers of magical traps, 72 Demon God Statues

Treasury Entrance: Requires a specific password (unknown)

Treasury Interior: Unknown

“Three months later...” Lin Zhou calculated.

“That's enough,” he said. “We will set out in three months.”

Three months later.

At the entrance to the first floor of the Endless Abyss.

Lin Zhou, Wang Meng, Li Mo (projection), Qin Qing, and fifty elite soldiers stood before the entrance. Each of them used the Fire of Civilization to disguise themselves as abyssal creatures—Lin Zhou as a Devil Noble, Wang Meng as an Abyssal Troll, Qin Qing as a Succubus, and the soldiers as various low-tier demons.

[Disguise Squad · Data]

Number of People: 54

Disguise Rank: Can deceive those below Mid-Tier Divine Power

Equipment Carried: rune armor (Abyssal Version), Chaos Resistance Talisman, Guixu Energy Grenade

Objective: 666th floor of the Endless Abyss, King of Deception's treasury

“Let's go.” Lin Zhou was the first to step into the entrance.

From the first floor to the 665th floor of the Endless Abyss, each floor had different lords, different environments, and different dangers. However, under the disguise of the Fire of Civilization, they proceeded without any obstacles.

[Abyss · Transit Progress]

Layers Passed: 100... 200... 300...

Time Spent: Approximately ten days

Encountered Danger: Low (disguise successful)

Consumption: 100 Divine Power per minute from the Fire of Civilization

Day ten.

They reached the 666th floor.

Before them was a dark void. In the void floated a massive castle—the palace of the King of Deception. The castle walls were a hundred meters high, covered in abyssal runes. The gates were tightly shut, and two Demon God Statues stood before them, about ten meters tall, wielding giant swords.

[King of Deception · Palace]

Wall Height: 100 meters

Gates: Tightly shut

Demon God Statues: Two (Rank LV800)

Inside: 100,000 elite devils, 3,000 layers of magical traps, 72 Demon God Statues

Treasury Location: Deepest part of the palace

“How do we get in?” Wang Meng asked in a low voice.

Lin Zhou did not answer. He closed his eyes and sensed the star map.

In the star map, the light of the legacy radiated from the depths of the palace. It was bright and warm.

“Wait,” Lin Zhou said. “Wait for the King of Deception to leave.”

Three days later.

The King of Deception left the palace to attend the ‘Myriad Demon Assembly’ at the core of the Abyss.

The palace's defenses weakened.

“Go.” Lin Zhou led the team toward the gates.

The two Demon God Statues looked down at them.

“Password.” One Demon God Statue spoke, its voice like metal grinding.

Lin Zhou did not hesitate.

“Civilization.”

The Demon God Statue was silent for a moment, then stepped aside.

[Demon God Statue · Identification]

Identification Result: Passed (Abyssal aura simulated by the Fire of Civilization)

Gates: Slowly opening

The team entered the palace.

Inside was a massive plaza. On the plaza, 100,000 elite devils stood in formation—they wore black armor, held spears, and their eyes burned with abyssal fire.

[Elite Devils · Data]

Quantity: 100,000

Rank: LV300-LV400

Equipment: Abyssal Armor, Abyssal Spear

Traits: Highly disciplined, coordinated combat

Lin Zhou led the team across the edge of the plaza.

The elite devils only glanced at them and did not block their path.

[Disguise · Effect]

Elite Devil Perception: Low

Identification Success Rate: 100%

The team crossed the plaza and entered the interior of the palace.

The interior of the palace was a long corridor. On both sides of the corridor, there was a layer of magical traps every ten steps.

[Magical Traps · Data]

Quantity: 3,000 layers

Types: Lethal, restraining, warning, teleportation

Rank: LV300-LV500

Countermeasure: Using the Fire of Civilization to ‘define’ them as invalid

Lin Zhou raised his hand, and transparent Fire of Civilization condensed in his palm.

“Define: This trap is invalid.”

The flames swept through the corridor, and 3,000 layers of magical traps simultaneously became ineffective.

[Magical Traps · Status]

Invalidated Quantity: 3,000 layers

Consumption: 10,000 Divine Power

Effect: Permanently invalidated

The team passed through the corridor and entered the palace core.

The core area was a massive hall. In the center of the hall floated seventy-two Demon God Statues, each ten meters tall and wielding different weapons.

[Demon God Statues · Data]

Quantity: 72

Rank: LV600-LV800

Traits: Coordinated combat, immune to physical attacks, high resistance to energy attacks

Activation Condition: Detection of non-abyssal aura

Lin Zhou stopped.

“Li Mo, can we bypass them?”

Li Mo calculated rapidly: “No. The perception range of the Demon God Statues covers the entire hall. As soon as we enter, we will be discovered.”

“Then we'll break through by force,” Lin Zhou said.

He stepped into the hall.

The seventy-two Demon God Statues opened their eyes simultaneously.

“Intruders!” they roared in unison and lunged at Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou drew the zhan nian sword, and the green lotus sword unsheathed.

“Civilization Sword River — Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin!”

The Civilization Sword River surged out from the Divine Kingdom, turning into countless sword shadows that shot toward the Demon God Statues.

[Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin · vs. Demon God Statues]

Sword Shadow Quantity: Approximately 20,000

Attack Power: 10x full-power strike of a Peak Mid-Tier Divine Power

Consumption: 50,000 Divine Power

The sword rain fell, and the seventy-two Demon God Statues were submerged.

[Demon God Statues · Status]

Damage: 50 heavily damaged, 22 lightly damaged

Counterattack: Commencing

The Demon God Statues roared and launched a counterattack against Lin Zhou.

Wang Meng charged forward, swinging his battleaxe at the head of one Demon God Statue.

[Behemoth Battleaxe · Damage]

Target: Demon God Statue (LV700)

Damage Value: Full-power strike of a mid-stage Mid-Tier Divine Power

Effect: Cracks appeared on the Demon God Statue's head

Qin Qing deployed the Net of Law, defining the Demon God Statues' actions as ‘illegal’.

[Net of Law · vs. Demon God Statues]

Effect: Demon God Statue attack speed -50%

Duration: Ten minutes

The soldiers threw Guixu Energy Grenades, shattering three Demon God Statues.

[Guixu Energy Grenade · Data]

Power: Full-power strike of a Peak Lesser Divinity

Range: 10 meters in diameter

Effect on Demon God Statues: Effective (energy attack)

The battle lasted about thirty minutes.

All seventy-two Demon God Statues were destroyed.

[Demon God Statues · Status]

Destroyed: 72

Consumption: 100,000 Divine Power, 50 grenades

Losses: 10 people lightly injured

“Go.” Lin Zhou led the team toward the treasury.

The treasury door was a massive bronze gate. Countless abyssal runes were carved upon it. The light of the legacy seeped through the cracks in the door.

[Treasury Door · Data]

Material: Abyssal Devil Iron

Defense: Can withstand a full-power strike from a high-tier divine power

Opening Method: Specific password (unknown)

Lin Zhou raised his hand and pressed his palm against the door.

The Fire of Civilization seeped into the door.

[Treasury Door · Analyzing]

Analysis Progress: 1%... 2%... 3%...

Estimated Completion: Approximately one hour

One hour later.

The door opened.

The treasury was filled with treasures—abyssal crystals, Divine Artifacts, armor, scrolls...

But Lin Zhou's gaze fell only on one place.

In the deepest part of the treasury floated a cluster of flames.

It was not the Fire of Civilization, but rather—a seed of civilization. It was more powerful than any wisp he had obtained in the Chaos Star Domain.

[seed of civilization · Data]

Source: The Transcendent

Quality: Legendary

Status: Intact

Effect: Can significantly increase the river of civilization's water level, Heavenly Pillar height, and Godhead Rank

Fusion Method: Integrate directly into the Temple of Civilization

Lin Zhou walked to the spark and reached out.

The spark jumped onto his palm and fused with the Fire of Civilization within him.

[Fire of Civilization · Fusion!]

Fusion Object: seed of civilization (Legendary)

Effect: river of civilization water level +50%, Heavenly Pillar height +100,000 kilometers, Godhead Rank +200

Current Godhead Rank: LV1500 → LV1700

river of civilization Water Level: 500% → 550%

Heavenly Pillar Height: 1,000,000 kilometers → 1,100,000 kilometers

Lin Zhou clenched his fist.

“Let's go.”

The team left the treasury, left the palace, and left the Endless Abyss.

One month later.

They returned to the New Universe.

Qin Qing was waiting at the Light Gate exit.

“Captain, did you find it?”

“I found it.” Lin Zhou raised his hand, and the Fire of Civilization condensed in his palm. “A wisp of a spark.”

“There are seven more,” he said, looking at the star map. “Seven legacys, scattered across the old Universe.”

“We'll find them one by one.”

In the following days, Lin Zhou led his team through various dangerous lands in the old Universe.

Abysses, the Void Realm, stellar cores, black hole edges...

Each location held a wisp of a seed of civilization.

Each wisp made his Way of Civilization even more powerful.

[Legacy Exploration · Progress (One Year Later)]

legacys Explored: Five

Sparks Obtained: Five wisps

legacys Corrupted by Guixu: Three (Inaccessible)

Remaining legacys: Two

Godhead Rank: LV1700 → LV2200

river of civilization Water Level: 550% → 700%

Heavenly Pillar Height: 1,100,000 kilometers → 1,500,000 kilometers

One year later.

Lin Zhou stood on the watchtower of the New Universe, looking at the distant starry sky.

In the star map, there were two legacys left.

One was at the edge of Guixu. One was deep within Guixu.

The one at the edge of Guixu could still be reached. The one deep within was already inaccessible.

“Captain, are we still going?” Qin Qing asked.

“Yes,” Lin Zhou said. “The one at the edge of Guixu can still be salvaged.”

He turned and walked down the watchtower.

“Prepare to set out.”

“Yes!”

The team set out once again.

This time, their target was the edge of Guixu.

There, a legacy awaited.

Waiting for him.