458: Chapter 393: The Core of the Treasure Vault, the Wreckage of the Ship of Civilization

The purification of the heart of the abyss continued; transparent flames enveloped that dark red crystal, stripping away and transforming the abyss rules bit by bit. Lin Zhou stood on the Watchtower, watching the blood-red color gradually fade within the flames, yet his heart did not relax in the slightest. In the Star Map, the star belonging to the King of Deception's castle suddenly changed from "dim" to "flickering"—not because of erosion, but because a new aura of ruins had leaked out.

[Star Map · Abnormal Signal]

- Location: 666th Layer of the Endless Abyss, deeper within the treasury of the King of Deception's castle

- Signal Type: Temple of Civilization resonance (extremely high intensity)

- Previous Status: Triple-shielded by ancient Seals + Devilish Qi + Guixu energy

- Current Status: Leakage of ruins' aura due to the heart of the abyss being removed and the Seal being broken

- Distance: Approximately fifteen kilometers underground

Lin Zhou's pupils contracted sharply. Deeper within the treasury? He had infiltrated it twice before, once to take the spark and once to set an anchor, yet he had never discovered a deeper secret chamber. But the Star Map would not be wrong, and the resonance of the Temple of Civilization would not be false.

"Captain, what's wrong?" Qin Qing walked over.

"There's another ruin." Lin Zhou zoomed in on the Star Map, pointing at the flickering star, "Deeper underground beneath the King of Deception's castle. It was previously triple-shielded, so we didn't find it. Now the shielding has disappeared."

"What ruin?"

"I don't know. But the resonance with the Temple of Civilization is very strong, stronger than any legacy left by The Transcendent."

He turned and walked down from the Watchtower.

"Gather Li Mo, Zhao Hao, General Rex, Su Yueyao, and Chen Xuan. We're going to the abyss again."

"But the abyss civil war is intense, the two armies are still fighting..." Qin Qing said worriedly.

"So, no need for disguises this time. Teleport directly."

Li Mo was adjusting the space-folding teleportation array. The anchor set last time was still in the crack of the secret chamber's wall; although it had been discovered by the King of Deception's soldiers, they had only found the defunct Coordinate Stone and not the anchor itself—an anchor shielded by Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization required perception at the Peak of high-tier divine power to be discovered, and those soldiers were clearly not qualified.

[Teleportation Anchor · Status]

- Location: Within the crack of the underground secret chamber

- Concealment: 98% (undiscovered)

- Connection Status: Stable

- Capacity: Ten people

"Captain, the anchor is still there," Li Mo said. "We can teleport."

"Good." Lin Zhou nodded. "This time, we'll teleport directly to the secret chamber, then go down from there to reach the depths."

"What equipment do we need to bring?"

"Fire of Civilization, Array Breakers, Guixu Energy Grenades, and—the qiankun tripod."

Lin Zhou took out the qiankun tripod from the Divine Kingdom Core. The tripod's body shrank to the size of a fist and hovered in his palm, with the Hundred Schools' inscriptions slowly flowing in a seven-colored light.

[qiankun tripod · Status]

- Quality: Legendary (Civilization Sacred Relic)

- Functions: Refining all things, returning to the source, civilization resonance

- Abyss Environment Adaptability: Can simulate abyss aura through the Fire of Civilization

"The qiankun tripod can help us break the Seals in the depths," Lin Zhou said. "That ruin has been shielded by triple Seals for tens of millions of years; ordinary Array Breakers can't open it."

"Let's go."

The ten people stepped into the teleportation array.

A silvery-white light flashed, and they appeared in the underground secret chamber.

The secret chamber was still empty, and the ancient murals on the walls appeared clearer under the illumination of the Fire of Civilization. Lin Zhou walked to the innermost wall of the secret chamber and pressed his hand against the surface. The Fire of Civilization seeped into the stone wall, sensing the structure behind it.

[Stone Wall · Detection Data]

- Thickness: Approximately three meters

- Material: Abyss Magic Iron mixed with ancient sealing stone

- Seal Layers: Three (Ancient Concept Seal, Devilish Qi Seal, Guixu Energy Seal)

- Space Behind: Enormous (at least one kilometer in diameter)

"It's here." Lin Zhou withdrew his hand. "Behind the wall is another space. The wreckage of the ark of civilization is inside."

"ark of civilization?" Su Yueyao asked.

"The final relic left by The Transcendent, older and grander than the Temple of Civilization. It is a ship that carried the essence of civilization from the previous Universe, sailing through the Guixu to find a New Universe. But ultimately, it was shattered by the Guixu, and its wreckage was scattered everywhere."

Lin Zhou took out the qiankun tripod from his robes and pressed it against the wall.

"qiankun tripod—Break Seal!"

The tripod glowed, and the Hundred Schools' inscriptions flew out from its body, turning into countless tiny golden characters that seeped into the stone wall. Wherever the characters passed, the ancient concept Seal began to loosen—not by being violently broken, but by being "assimilated." The resonance between the Fire of Civilization and the qiankun tripod made the Seal mistake them for its "own kind."

[Seal Breaking · Progress]

- Layer 1 (Ancient Concept Seal): 100%...80%...60%... (Assimilated)

- Layer 2 (Devilish Qi Seal): 100%...70%...40%... (Digested)

- Layer 3 (Guixu Energy Seal): 100%...90%...80%... (Refined)

- Consumption: 10,000 Divine Power per minute

- Estimated Completion: Approximately ten minutes

Ten minutes later.

The stone wall silently turned to dust.

Behind the dust was a massive underground space—approximately one kilometer in diameter and five hundred meters high. In the center of the space, a ship was suspended.

No, not a ship, but wreckage.

[Wreckage of the ark of civilization · Data]

- Length: Approximately 300 meters (original length approximately 3,000 meters)

- Material: Unknown (stronger than stellar alloy, with the light of the Fire of Civilization flowing on its surface)

- Status: Severely damaged (hull broken, only the front half remains)

- Preserved Parts: Bridge, core engine, seed of civilization chamber

- Residual Energy: Weak (but not extinguished)

The hull was streamlined, and its shell was covered in reliefs—not of one single civilization, but a collection of countless civilizations. There were palaces resembling Huaxia, Sword Pavilions like Shushan, altars like Yindu, and many more buildings Lin Zhou had never seen before. Every relief was glowing, faint yet steady.

Lin Zhou stepped into the space.

The moment his foot touched the ground, the Temple of Civilization shook violently.

[Temple of Civilization · Resonance]

- Resonance Object: Wreckage of the ark of civilization

- Resonance Intensity: Extremely strong (far exceeding any previous ruin awakening)

- Effect: river of civilization water level +200%, Heavenly Pillar height +500,000 km, Godhood Rank +500

- Current Godhood Rank: LV5000→LV5500 (Mid-tier great divine power)

The reliefs on the hull simultaneously erupted with blinding light.

Within the light, a phantom slowly coalesced.

Not The Transcendent, but—the Vessel Spirit of the ark of civilization.

[Vessel Spirit · Status]

- Identity: Core consciousness of the ark of civilization

- Status: Weakened (due to hull damage and energy loss)

- Rank: LV6000+ (High-tier great divine power)

- Functions: Records the entire history of the ark of civilization and the final words of The Transcendent

The Vessel Spirit's form was unstable, sometimes appearing like a person, sometimes like light, and sometimes like countless fragments of civilizations pieced together. Its voice was like a chorus of ten thousand people, low and distant.

"Latecomer, you have finally arrived."

Lin Zhou looked up at the Vessel Spirit: "You are..."

"The Vessel Spirit of the ark of civilization. The Transcendent created me to carry the essence of civilization from the previous Universe, sailing through the Guixu to find a New Universe. But the Guixu was too powerful. The ship was shattered, and I fell into a deep sleep. Not until your Temple of Civilization resonated did I awaken."

"Where is The Transcendent?"

"The Transcendent... has already walked into the Guixu, turning himself into a barrier to buy time for you." The Vessel Spirit's voice carried sadness. "He failed to board the New Universe. But he left his final words, sealed within my core. Do you wish to hear them?"

"I do."

The Vessel Spirit raised a hand, and a light screen unfolded in the air.

Within the light screen, the phantom of The Transcendent appeared. He was clearer than any time Lin Zhou had seen him before—his face lean and elegant, his gaze gentle, wearing ancient ceremonial robes and holding a jade tablet.

"Latecomer, when you see this image, I will no longer be here."

His voice was calm, carrying the vicissitudes of ten thousand ages.

"The ark of civilization is the culmination of my life's work. It carries the essence of civilization from the previous Universe—three thousand legacies, eighteen thousand volumes of ancient texts, and the wisdom of countless sages. But the erosion of the Guixu was too fast; before I could bring it into the New Universe, the ship was shattered."

"The wreckage is scattered everywhere. This piece you have found is the largest. The Vessel Spirit is still here, the seed of civilization chamber is still here, and the core engine is still here."

He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the screen to look at Lin Zhou.

"Latecomer, you have two choices—"

"First, repair the ark of civilization. Use the three thousand legacies you have awakened, the Fire of Civilization, and the qiankun tripod to fix the ship. Then, pilot it through the Guixu to find a more distant Universe."

"Second, dismantle the ark of civilization. Integrate its wreckage into the New Universe to reinforce the New Universe's rules, so that the Guixu cannot erode it."

Two choices, two paths.

Lin Zhou was silent.

"Captain..." Qin Qing said softly.

"I know." Lin Zhou raised his hand to stop her from speaking.

He looked at The Transcendent in the light screen and remained silent for a long time.

"Senior, if we repair the ark of civilization, can it withstand the Guixu?"

The phantom of The Transcendent replied: "No. The ark of civilization is an 'escape ship,' not a 'warship.' Its mission is to flee the Guixu, not to fight it. By repairing it, you can leave this Universe and find a new home. But the Human Race and all races of the Old Universe cannot be taken with you. The ship is too small."

"What if we dismantle it?"

"Dismantle it and integrate the wreckage into the New Universe, and the New Universe's rules will become incomparably stable; the Guixu's erosion will be permanently blocked. But you will lose the chance to leave. There is only this one ark of civilization."

Lin Zhou fell silent again.

The Vessel Spirit spoke: "Latecomer, The Transcendent did not leave this relic to make the choice for you. It is for you to make the choice yourself."

"Whichever path you choose, I will do my best to help you."

Lin Zhou turned and looked at his teammates behind him.

Su Yueyao looked at him, her eyes full of trust.

Zhao Hao was silent, waiting for his decision.

General Rex was expressionless, but his gaze was firm.

Li Mo pushed up his glasses, ready to execute at any moment.

Chen Xuan smiled, as if he had known the answer all along.

Wang Meng gripped his battle-axe; whatever the Captain chose, he would follow.

"Brothers, I've made my decision."

He turned and faced the Vessel Spirit.

"Dismantle the ark of civilization. Integrate the wreckage into the New Universe."

"Why?" the Vessel Spirit asked.

"Because the New Universe has hundreds of billions of people. It has our Human Race, all the other races, and civilization. I cannot abandon them to escape alone."

"Moreover, the Way of The Transcendent is not escape, but Legacy."

"He turned himself into a barrier to buy time. We will inherit his will and protect the New Universe."

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

"The wreckage of the ark of civilization is not a ship for us to escape in. It is the foundation for us to take root."

The Vessel Spirit was silent for a long time.

Then, it smiled.

"The Transcendent did not choose the wrong person."

It raised a hand, and the core hatch of the ark of civilization's wreckage opened.

Inside the chamber, three items were suspended—

A mass of Fire of Civilization (older and purer than The Transcendent's spark), a World Foundation Stone (a fragment of the New Universe's rule core), and a deep blue crystal (a Space-Time Anchor that could locate space-time coordinates deep within the Guixu).

[Wreckage of the ark of civilization · Core Relics]

- Ancient Fire of Civilization: Mythic++ Quality, can be fused (river of civilization water level +1000%, Heavenly Pillar height +2 million km)

- World Foundation Stone Fragment: Can be integrated into the New Universe core, increasing rule stability by 300%

- Space-Time Anchor: Can locate the "Void Rift" deep within the Guixu without map navigation

Lin Zhou put the three relics into the Divine Kingdom Core.

"Brothers, dismantle the ark of civilization."

Li Mo led the team and began dismantling the wreckage.

[Dismantling Progress · Wreckage of the ark of civilization]

- Hull Shell: Can extract 1,000 units of "Civilization Essence Gold" (used to reinforce New Universe buildings)

- Core Engine: Can be converted into "civilization furnace · Super Version" (energy output +1000%)

- seed of civilization Chamber: Can be integrated into the Temple of Civilization (Sanctuary Status +1)

- Ancient Jade Slips: Approximately five thousand volumes (requires translation)

- Relief Murals: Approximately three hundred pieces (can be used to comprehend ancient civilization wisdom)

The dismantling lasted for seven days.

Seven days later, the wreckage of the ark of civilization was completely dismantled, and all Materials were teleported back to the New Universe.

Lin Zhou stood in the empty underground space, looking at the place where the giant ship once docked, and remained silent for a moment.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?" Su Yueyao walked over.

"Thinking about how many years it took for The Transcendent to build this ship."

"Perhaps a thousand years, perhaps ten thousand."

"But in the end, he still couldn't board it."

Lin Zhou turned around.

"Let's go. Back to the New Universe. Use these Materials to reinforce the New Universe, so that the Guixu can never erode it."

"Yes."

The teleportation array activated.

They returned to the New Universe.

On the Watchtower, Lin Zhou integrated the World Foundation Stone fragment into the core of the New Universe.

The sky of the New Universe suddenly brightened.

The stars grew brighter, the earth became firmer, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi soared.

[New Universe · Rule Upgrade]

- Rule Stability: 85%→95%

- Spiritual Qi Concentration: 10x the outside world → 20x

- Civilization Development Speed: +200%

- Guixu Erosion Resistance: +300%

He handed the Civilization Essence Gold to Wen Yuan to reinforce the town's buildings.

[Building Upgrade · Civilization Essence Gold]

- Temple of Civilization: Defense +500%

- Heavenly Pillar: Height +1,000,000 km

- Town Walls: Can withstand full-power attacks from high-tier divine power

- Guixu Energy Conversion Furnace: Efficiency +200%

He placed the Super civilization furnace in the town center, replacing the original ten small conversion furnaces.

[civilization furnace · Super Version]

- Daily Production: 10 million Divine Power

- Fuel: Guixu energy, Chaos energy, Devilish Qi

- Consumption: None (automatic operation)

Lin Zhou stood before the furnace, watching the Fire of Civilization burning at the top.

"What do we do next?" Qin Qing asked.

Lin Zhou took out that deep blue Space-Time Anchor.

"Go to the depths of the Guixu."

"Seal the Void Rift."

"This is the final battle."

He turned and looked at everyone.

"Brothers, in thirty days, we set out."

"Target—Guixu, the Void Rift."

"Seal it, and the Guixu will lose its energy source, and the erosion will stop forever."

"Are you willing to go with me?"

"We are willing!" everyone responded in unison.

Lin Zhou nodded.

He walked up the Watchtower and looked at the starry sky of the New Universe.

Thirty days later, the final battle.

No matter the outcome, the Way of Civilization will continue.

Because the spark has already been passed down.