453: Chapter 388: Infiltrating the Abyss, Disguising as a Demon Viscount

On the Watchtower of the New Universe, the light of the Star Map slowly flowed in Lin Zhou's palm. The last bright star flickered at the edge of the Returning Ruins—it was the final legacy left by The Transcendent. Its location was on the 777th floor of the Endless Abyss, an unexplored region. It was not a territory of devils, nor a nest of demons, but a chaotic zone where the Returning Ruins and the Abyss merged.

[Final legacy · Data]

Location: 777th Floor of the Endless Abyss

Environment: Intersection of the Returning Ruins and the Abyss, a mixture of chaotic energy and Abyssal Devilish Qi

Ruler: None (Chaos Zone)

Entrance: Located deep within the 666th floor (King of Deception's Territory)

Danger Level: SSS+

legacy Status: Intact

"The 777th floor, with the entrance deep within the 666th floor." Lin Zhou put away the Star Map and turned to look at everyone. "To get there, we must first pass through the King of Deception's territory. Last time we took the seed of civilization, we disturbed his treasury. Although he didn't discover it was us, his vigilance has certainly increased."

"Therefore, we need a more sophisticated disguise." Li Mo pushed his glasses. "We can't just rely on the Fire of Civilization to simulate an aura; we also need complete identities, a territory, and followers. We must make him think we are just a passing newly-promoted Devil Viscount."

"Devil Viscount?" Wang Meng grinned. "Captain, can you act like a noble?"

Lin Zhou ignored him and looked at General Rex.

Before retiring, General Rex had been stationed in the Abyss for three hundred years and knew the hierarchy and etiquette of devils like the back of his hand.

"A Devil Viscount is the third Rank of nobility below an Abyssal Lord," General Rex said slowly. "They have their own territories, castles, and armies, and can collect taxes, conscript soldiers, and conduct trials on their land. To disguise ourselves as a Viscount, we need—a castle (a phantom will do), a retinue of followers (us), and a forged lord's authorization."

"Authorization?" Zhao Hao frowned.

"Yes." General Rex nodded. "The Abyss is a place of rules. Devils value contracts above all; any noble territory requires written authorization from a superior lord. The King of Deception's territory belongs to the 666th floor of the Abyss, and his superior is the Abyssal Archduke 'Marbas'. If we can get an authorization from Marbas, we can pass through the King of Deception's territory legitimately."

"Marbas..." Lin Zhou looked at the Star Map.

In the Star Map, the territory of the Abyssal Archduke Marbas was on the 555th floor, far from here.

"Can the authorization be forged?"

General Rex thought for a moment: "Yes. But it requires Marbas's signature and seal. The signature can be imitated, but the seal needs to be condensed using Abyssal Devilish Qi. Li Mo, can you do it?"

Li Mo calculated quickly: "I can. When I took the seed of civilization from the 666th floor, I collected enough samples of Abyssal Devilish Qi. Marbas's seal is recorded in Abyssal contracts; I can simulate it."

"How long will it take?"

"Three days."

"Good. We set off in three days."

"Three days later."

Entrance of the Endless Abyss, the 1st floor.

Lin Zhou, Su Yueyao, Zhao Hao, General Rex, Wang Meng, and twenty elite soldiers stood before the entrance. This time, their disguises were even more detailed—Lin Zhou was disguised as the Devil Viscount 'Eric', wearing a black noble suit, a sword at his waist, and a viscount's crown. Su Yueyao was disguised as the Viscountess in succubus form, her lunar radiance compressed to the limit, revealing only a faint charm. Zhao Hao was disguised as the Viscount's head guard in Abyssal Magic Dragon form, his dragon might restrained, leaving only Abyssal Devilish Qi. General Rex was disguised as the Viscount's advisor, an Abyssal Lich, holding a bone staff. Wang Meng was disguised as the Viscount's captain of the guards, an Abyssal Troll, with bulging muscles. The twenty soldiers were disguised as the Viscount's guard, various low-level demons.

[Disguise · Devil Viscount Territory]

Identity: Eric Shadow (Newly-promoted Viscount)

Territory: A small piece of land on the edge of the 666th floor of the Endless Abyss (Fictional)

Followers: Wife, Advisor, Head Guard, Captain of the Guards, twenty guards

Authorization: Forged, Marbas's signature + seal

Disguise Principle: Fire of Civilization simulating Abyssal aura (both Order and Chaos sides)

"Let's go." Lin Zhou took the lead and stepped into the entrance.

From the 1st floor to the 665th floor of the Endless Abyss, the path was clear. The Abyssal aura simulated by the Fire of Civilization fooled the senses of all low-level devils. Ten days later, they arrived at the entrance of the 666th floor.

The 666th floor, the King of Deception's territory. Last time they came, they took the seed of civilization from the treasury and destroyed seventy-two demon god statues. The King of Deception was furious and had strengthened the territory's defenses. At the entrance, there was an additional team of devil patrols, led by an Abyssal Balrog, Rank LV500.

[Abyssal Balrog · Patrol Captain]

Rank: LV500

Form: Flame giant, five meters tall

Equipment: Abyssal Flame Armor, Flame Greatsword

Trait: Can sense non-Abyssal auras

"Halt!" The Balrog raised his greatsword, blocking the path. "Who are you? Why do you enter the King of Deception's territory?"

Lin Zhou took out a scroll from his robe and unfurled it. On the scroll was the forged authorization from Marbas. Abyssal Devilish Qi flowed over the surface of the scroll, and Marbas's seal radiated a dark red light.

"Eric Shadow, newly-promoted Viscount." Lin Zhou's voice was low and majestic. "By Order of Archduke Marbas, I am heading to the edge of the 666th floor to establish a territory. This is the authorization."

The Balrog took the scroll and examined it carefully. The Abyssal Devilish Qi, Marbas's seal, the format of the authorization... everything was perfect.

[Authorization · Forgery Effect]

Abyssal Devilish Qi Concentration: 100% (Taken from the 555th floor sample)

Marbas Seal: 99% similarity (Simulated by Li Mo)

Format: 100% compliant with Abyssal contract standards

Balrog Identification Result: Passed

"Welcome, Viscount Shadow." The Balrog stepped aside and signaled the patrol to let them pass. "Lord King of Deception is currently in the castle. Do you need to pay him a visit?"

"No need." Lin Zhou shook his head. "My territory is on the edge; I will not disturb the Monarch. Give him my regards."

He put away the scroll and led the team through the entrance.

The 666th floor, the King of Deception's territory. Under the grayish-black sky was a desolate land. In the distance, the King of Deception's castle stood on a mountaintop, its black walls looming in the Abyssal Devilish Qi. Around the castle, a hundred thousand elite devils were arrayed in patrol.

Lin Zhou led the team along the edge of the territory toward the depths. Their goal was a hidden crack deep within the 666th floor—the entrance to the 777th floor.

[Heading to the Crack · Route]

Distance: Approximately five hundred kilometers

Route: Edge of the King of Deception's territory (avoiding the castle)

Dangers: Devil patrols, magic traps, Abyssal beasts

Estimated Time: Approximately three days

On the first day, the team moved along a dried-up lava riverbed. On both sides of the riverbed were dense Abyssal Thorns—they would attack any creature that approached, but they did not react to the team disguised as devils.

[Abyssal Thorns · Perception]

Perception Method: Abyssal aura

For the Disguised Team: Ignored

On the second day, the team encountered a devil patrol. The leader was an Abyssal Succubus, Rank LV450, followed by twenty low-level devils.

[Abyssal Succubus · Patrol Captain]

Rank: LV450

Perception Ability: High (Can identify subtle aura differences)

Behavior: Questioning

"Halt!" The succubus floated to the front of the team, sizing up Lin Zhou. "Who are you? Why are you at the edge of the territory?"

Lin Zhou took out the authorization again.

"Eric Shadow, newly-promoted Viscount. By Order of Archduke Marbas, I am heading to the edge of the territory to build a new castle. This is the authorization."

The succubus took the scroll and examined it carefully. Her gaze lingered on Lin Zhou's face for a few seconds, then swept over Su Yueyao, Zhao Hao, General Rex, and Wang Meng.

"Lord Viscount, your followers... are somewhat special." Her voice carried a hint of suspicion. "This lady's aura doesn't seem like that of a pure succubus."

Su Yueyao smiled slightly. Her lunar radiance flowed within her, but on the surface, she only revealed the seductive aura of a succubus.

"I am a mixed-blood." Her voice was soft and charming. "My father is a succubus, and my mother is a nightmare. Are you interested, milady?"

The succubus was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"Mixed-blood... quite rare." She returned the scroll to Lin Zhou. "I wish you a pleasant life on the edge of the territory, Viscount Shadow."

She left with the patrol.

Lin Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close," Wang Meng whispered.

"Don't relax," General Rex warned. "The closer we get to the rift, the denser the patrols become."

On the third day, the team reached the vicinity of the rift.

The rift was about a hundred meters wide and bottomless. A grayish-white light gushed from within—the product of the Fusion between the Return to Ruin and the Abyss. Within the light, countless distorted faces could be vaguely seen.

[Floor 777 · Entrance Rift]

Type: Spatial Rift

Stability: 20%

Interior: Fusion of Return to Ruin and Abyss

Danger: High

"This is it," Lin Zhou said.

Standing at the edge of the rift, he unfolded the Civilization Projection, enveloping everyone within it.

[Civilization Projection · Deployed]

Coverage: 500 meters in diameter

Consumption: 10,000 Divine Power per minute

Effect: Resists erosion from the Return to Ruin and stabilizes space

"Let's go." He was the first to step into the rift.

Floor 777.

Before them was a grayish-white void. In this void, there was no up or down, no left or right, only floating Rule Fragments—some from the Abyss, some from the Return to Ruin, and some from Chaos. The fragments rotated slowly, like a giant vortex.

[Floor 777 · Environment]

Rule Stability: 0

Return to Ruin Energy Concentration: Extremely High

Abyssal Devilish Qi Concentration: Extremely High

Perception Range: 50 meters in diameter

Time Flow: Chaotic

"Where is the legacy?" Su Yueyao asked.

Lin Zhou closed his eyes to sense the Star Map. In the map, that bright star was directly ahead, about a hundred kilometers away.

"Straight ahead, one hundred kilometers."

The team advanced into the depths.

With every step, the Rule Fragments grew more numerous and the Return to Ruin energy more concentrated. The consumption of the Civilization Projection surged from 10,000 Divine Power per minute to 50,000.

[Civilization Projection · Consumption Increase]

Current Consumption: 50,000 Divine Power per minute

Divine Power Reserve: 5,000,000 → 4,000,000

Estimated Duration: Approximately 80 hours

"Move quickly," Lin Zhou urged.

The team accelerated.

Fifty kilometers... eighty kilometers... one hundred kilometers.

A glow appeared ahead.

It wasn't the grayish-white light of the Return to Ruin, but a cyan-gold glow—the light of the Fire of Civilization.

[legacy · seed of civilization]

Location: Floor 777 Core

Status: Intact

Guardian: None (Eroded by the Return to Ruin and the Abyss, but without a guardian)

Lin Zhou quickened his pace.

At the hundred-kilometer mark, he saw a floating flame.

The flame wasn't large, only about the size of a fist, but its light was brighter than any strand before. It floated in the void, surrounded by countless rotating Rule Fragments. Those fragments, some of Order and some of Chaos, some of existence and some of nothingness, were all "straightened out" one by one under the light of the flame.

[seed of civilization · Data]

Source: The Transcendent

Quality: Legendary++ (Near Mythical)

Status: Intact

Effect: Significantly increases the water level of the river of civilization, the height of the Heavenly Pillar, and the Godhead Rank

Fusion Method: Directly integrate into the Temple of Civilization

Lin Zhou walked up to the spark and reached out his hand.

The spark hopped onto his palm.

But just then, the surrounding Rule Fragments suddenly rioted.

Within the grayish-white light, a massive phantom was coalescing—not the Abyssal Will, but some existence born from the Fusion of the Return to Ruin and the Abyss.

[Return to Ruin-Abyss Aggregate · Awakening]

Rank: LV5000+ (high-tier divine power Peak)

Form: Indeterminate

Traits: Nihility Devour, Rule Distortion, Existence Erasure

Behavior: Attack

"Go, quickly!" General Rex roared.

Lin Zhou gripped the spark and turned to run.

Behind them, the aggregate roared, and a beam of grayish-white light shot toward the team.

[Aggregate · Attack]

Attack Method: Return to Ruin Energy Beam

Power: Full-power strike of a high-tier divine power Peak

Target: Lin Zhou

Lin Zhou dodged, the beam grazing his shoulder.

[Lin Zhou · Status]

Godhead Integrity: 100% → 95%

Wound: Contaminated by Return to Ruin energy (Automatically purified by the Fire of Civilization)

"Go!" he roared again.

Su Yueyao unfolded her Moonlight, enveloping the team within it.

[Moonlight · Protection]

Effect: Resists erosion from Return to Ruin energy

Consumption: 5,000 Divine Power per minute

Duration: Limited

Zhao Hao activated his Dragon Clan Bloodline, his speed surging as he charged forward with Wang Meng.

General Rex released Abyssal aura, interfering with the aggregate's perception.

The soldiers threw Return to Ruin energy grenades, temporarily blocking the aggregate's pursuit.

The team rushed toward the rift.

One hundred kilometers... eighty kilometers... fifty kilometers...

Behind them, the aggregate drew closer and closer.

[Aggregate · Distance]

Distance from Team: Approx. 10 km... 8 km... 5 km...

When they were only ten kilometers from the rift, Lin Zhou stopped.

"You guys go first," he said. "I'll hold it back."

"Captain!" Wang Meng cried out.

"Go!"

Lin Zhou turned to face the aggregate.

He raised his hand, and the transparent Fire of Civilization condensed in his palm—along with the final seed of civilization he had just obtained.

The two flames fused in his palm.

[Fire of Civilization · Fusion]

Fusion Subjects: Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization + The Final seed of civilization

Fusion Progress: 10%... 20%... 30%...

Effects: river of civilization water level +100%, Heavenly Pillar height +200,000 km, Godhead Rank +300

New Ability: [Civilization Judgment]—Forces an instant-death check against the Return to Ruin, Abyss, and Chaos factions (10% success rate)

Lin Zhou clenched his fist, the flame burning in his palm.

"Civilization Judgment!"

A cyan-gold beam of light shot from his palm, striking the aggregate.

[Civilization Judgment · Check]

Target: Return to Ruin-Abyss Aggregate (LV5000+)

Instant-death Success Rate: 10%

Check Result: Failed (Aggregate Integrity 100% → 80%)

The aggregate let out a roar of agony. Its integrity dropped by 20%, but it didn't die.

It became even more frenzied.

Lin Zhou turned and dashed toward the rift.

Behind him, the aggregate pursued, but its speed was much slower—the aftershocks of the Civilization Judgment were still eroding its rule structure.

[Aggregate · Status]

Integrity: 80% (Continuing to drop)

Pursuit Speed: 50 meters per second (was 100 meters per second)

The team charged into the rift.

Lin Zhou was the last to step in.

Behind him, the aggregate's giant hand clawed at the air, missing completely.

[Rift · Closed]

Aggregate: Blocked on Floor 777

Team: Successfully evacuated

Floor 666, at the edge of the rift.

Lin Zhou leaned against the stone wall beside the rift, panting heavily.

"I got it." He raised his hand, revealing the already-fused Fire of Civilization in his palm.

[Fire of Civilization · Final Status]

Quality: Mythical (Fusion of all The Transcendent's sparks)

Color: Transparent (Embracing all colors)

Effects: river of civilization water level +500%, Heavenly Pillar height +1,000,000 km, Godhead Rank +1000

Current Godhead Rank: LV2200 → LV3200

river of civilization Water Level: 700% → 1200%

Heavenly Pillar Height: 1.5 million km → 2.5 million km

"Captain, you've made a Breakthrough?" Qin Qing asked in surprise.

"Yes." Lin Zhou nodded. "The final seed of civilization allowed the Fire of Civilization to evolve to the Mythical Rank."

He stood up and looked into the depths of the Abyss.

"Let's go, back to the New Universe."

"All the legacies have been collected."

The team returned to the New Universe.

On the Watchtower, Lin Zhou stood before the Star Map.

In the Star Map, all three thousand stars were lit up.

Some were bright, some were dim, and some had already gone out. But each one represented a civilization.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?" Qin Qing walked over.

"I'm thinking about The Transcendent," Lin Zhou said. "He left behind three thousand legacies, and we've awakened two thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine of them. The last one is in the depths of the Return to Ruin, unreachable now."

"But we have already obtained enough sparks."

He raised his hand, revealing the transparent Fire of Civilization in his palm.

"With this fire, we can stand against the Return to Ruin."

"We can protect the New Universe."

Qin Qing nodded.

"Captain, what do we do next?"

Lin Zhou looked toward the distance of the New Universe.

"Build," he said. "Build a new home and pass on the Way of Civilization."

"Let this fire never go out."

He walked down from the Watchtower.