459: Chapter 394: Images Revealed, the Transcendent Ones Lead the Resistance Against the Ruins

Seven days after the wreckage of the ark of civilization was dismantled, Lin Zhou stood on the Watchtower of the New Universe, cradling a deep blue space-time anchor in his palm. The anchor emitted a faint glow, echoing a coordinate deep within the Old Universe. That was the deepest part of the Guixu—the location of the Void Rift.

But before he set off, there was one more thing to do.

The ship's spirit had fallen into a deep sleep during the dismantling process, but before it did, it left behind a video recording. This image was sealed within the space-time anchor and would only play when the anchor was activated. Lin Zhou injected Divine Power into the anchor, and the deep blue light suddenly surged, projecting a massive screen of light into the night sky.

[Transcendent Image · Record]

- Recording Time: The end of the previous Universe (approximately 100 million years ago)

- Recorder: The Transcendent

- Content: The construction of the ark of civilization, the Battle of Guixu, and the final farewell

- Duration: Approximately thirty minutes

In the light screen, the image gradually became clear.

It was a completely foreign Universe. The sky was purple, the stars were larger and brighter than they are now, and the ruins of countless civilizations floated in the void—floating palaces, ring-shaped residential stations, and space Great Walls tens of thousands of kilometers long. Every ruin was glowing.

The Transcendent stood atop a floating mountain Peak, with the ark of civilization under construction behind him. The hull was more than half finished, its three-thousand-meter skeleton extending into the void as countless craftsmen carved reliefs onto the ship. Beside him stood hundreds of people—not ordinary people, but leaders, heroes, and sages of various civilizations. Their faces were etched with exhaustion, but their eyes burned with hope.

“This is the final year of the ark of civilization's construction,” The Transcendent's voice came from the light screen, calm and weathered. “I have selected three thousand of the finest craftsmen, three hundred of the strongest warriors, thirty of the wisest scholars from three thousand civilizations, and—three Transcendent candidates.”

The scene shifted.

The faces of The Transcendent candidates appeared on the light screen—

The first was a woman in golden armor, holding a long sword, her gaze as sharp as a blade. Fluctuations of the rules of War and Conquest flowed around her.

The second was a white-haired old man holding a staff, with stars reflected in his eyes. Fluctuations of the rules of Time and Space flowed around him.

The third was The Transcendent himself—at that time, he was still very young, with a resolute face and the Fire of Civilization burning in his eyes.

“The three of us are the most powerful existences in the previous Universe. We swear that no matter the cost, we will deliver the seed of civilization into the New Universe.”

The scene shifted again.

The Guixu arrived.

It wasn't darkness flooding in from a certain direction, but an erosion—from the edges of the Universe, from the lowest level of the rules, from the very Foundation of existence. The grayish-white void was like a tide, swallowing everything. Stars were extinguished, civilizations collapsed, and rules crumbled.

The Transcendent led the three hundred warriors to face the Guixu.

[Battle of Guixu · Act I]

- Battlefield: The edge of the previous Universe

- Participants: The Transcendent + 300 Warriors vs. Guixu

- Guixu Form: Nothingness (impossible to attack directly)

- Warrior Abilities: Rule attacks (using existence to counter nothingness)

The woman in golden armor charged at the front, her long sword slashing toward the void; wherever the blade light passed, the rules were briefly restored. But the void soon surged back, swallowing her sword light.

The white-haired old man unfolded a time Domain, attempting to trap the Guixu in a time loop. The Domain took effect—the erosion speed of the void dropped from one kilometer per second to one hundred meters per second. However, the old man's godhead was burning rapidly, and golden blood seeped from his seven orifices.

Standing at the bow of the ark of civilization, The Transcendent used the Fire of Civilization as a weapon to 'define' the energy of the Guixu as existence and then 'refine' it. Wherever the flames passed, the void retreated.

[Battle of Guixu · Data (Image Record)]

- Transcendent Rank: LV8000+ (Great Divine Power Peak)

- Warrior Average Rank: LV3000-LV5000

- Guixu Erosion Speed: 10 km/s (suppressed to 100 m/s)

- Combat Duration: Approximately ten days

The battle lasted for ten days. The Guixu's erosion was temporarily held back, allowing the ark of civilization to be completed.

But the price was heavy—of the three hundred warriors, fewer than a hundred remained. The woman in golden armor was swallowed by the void on the seventh day, throwing her long sword to The Transcendent before she died: “Take it and go to the New Universe.” The white-haired old man held on until the final day, his godhead burning out to become a time barrier that trapped the Guixu for three thousand years. The Transcendent took his staff and planted it at the bow of the ark of civilization.

[Battle of Guixu · Finale]

- Transcendent Status: Heavily injured, godhead integrity 60%

- Remaining Warriors: Approximately 80 people

- Guixu Status: Temporarily suppressed

- ark of civilization: Completed, ready for departure

The scene shifted again.

The night before the ark of civilization set sail. The Transcendent stood at the bow, looking at the Universe behind him. The Universe was already riddled with holes—the Guixu had swallowed about seventy percent of the Star Domains, leaving only this small patch of pure land around the ark of civilization. Eighty warriors stood in formation on the deck, awaiting his orders.

“Tomorrow, we set sail,” The Transcendent's voice was low. “Destination—the New Universe.”

“The entrance to the New Universe is at the deepest part of the Guixu. We need to cross the Void Rift to reach it.”

“The Void Rift is the core of the Guixu and the place where the Guixu energy is most concentrated. Crossing it is a near-certain death.”

“But, we must go.”

“Because the spark is in our hands.”

The warriors were silent; no one flinched.

The scene shifted one last time.

The ark of civilization sailed into the Void Rift.

The grayish-white void surged from all directions, trying to swallow the hull. The reliefs on the ship glowed simultaneously—they were the essence of three thousand civilizations, condensing into a shield that kept the void out. But the shield was being consumed, and the reliefs were dimming.

The Transcendent stood on the bridge, his hands pressed against the core of the Fire of Civilization, using his own godhead as fuel to maintain the shield.

[Void Rift · Crossing]

- Distance: Approximately 10,000 kilometers

- Guixu Energy Concentration: 10,000 times that of the outside

- Shield Consumption: 100,000 Divine Power per minute

- Transcendent Godhead Integrity: 60%... 50%... 40%...

When the ship was halfway through, the will of the Guixu condensed into a giant hand and reached for the ark of civilization. The Transcendent gritted his teeth and burned thirty percent of his godhead, turning the Fire of Civilization into a giant sword that severed the hand.

The Guixu will let out a silent roar and temporarily retreated.

But The Transcendent's godhead integrity dropped to 20%.

“I... can't hold on anymore.” His voice was weak.

He turned and looked at the eighty warriors on the ship.

“You, take the spark and keep moving forward.”

“Captain!” the warriors cried out.

“This is an order.”

The Transcendent handed the core of the Fire of Civilization to his second-in-command—a young female warrior. Then, he walked to the stern and leaped into the void.

[The Transcendent · Transforming into a Barrier]

- Action: Burning the last of the godhead to become a barrier

- Effect: Carving out a safe passage within the Void Rift, lasting approximately 100 million years

- Price: The Transcendent's godhead completely dissipates, his true spirit merging with the Guixu

“The Way of Civilization is passed on like a torch. Do not let it be in vain.”

His final words echoed in the void.

The ark of civilization continued forward. The warriors on the ship, with tears in their eyes, steered the vessel through the Void Rift and reached the entrance to the New Universe.

However, the ship was shattered by the Guixu during the crossing, and its wreckage was scattered everywhere.

The young female warrior, carrying the core of the Fire of Civilization, fell into the 666th floor of the Abyss and was imprisoned by the King of Deception. In the end, she failed to enter the New Universe.

Her name was carved on the wreckage of the ark of civilization—Lin.

The image gradually dimmed.

The light screen dissipated.

Lin Zhou stood on the Watchtower, silent for a long time.

His eyes were slightly red, but he did not shed a tear.

“Lin...” he murmured, “is she my ancestor?”

Qin Qing walked over and said softly, “Perhaps. Or it could just be the same surname. But whether she is or not, you have inherited her Legacy.”

Lin Zhou nodded.

“The Transcendent failed. His warriors failed too. The ark of civilization was shattered, and the sparks were scattered everywhere.”

“But the things they left behind are still here.”

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

“This fire is their Legacy.”

“We cannot let them down.”

Qin Qing took his hand.

“We won't.”

Lin Zhou turned to face the crowd.

“Brothers, you have all seen The Transcendent's image.”

“The Void Rift is the core of the Guixu. Only by crossing it can one reach the New Universe. But our goal is not to cross it, but to—Seal it.”

“If we Seal the Void Rift, the Guixu will lose its energy source, and the erosion will stop forever.”

“This is even harder than what The Transcendent did.”

“But we have people, we have the spark, and we have the New Universe.”

“Are you willing to go with me?”

“We are!” everyone responded in unison.

Lin Zhou nodded.

“In thirty days, we set out.”

Thirty days later.

In the New Universe, before the Light Gate.

Lin Zhou, Su Yueyao, Zhao Hao, General Rex, Wang Meng, Li Mo, Chen Xuan, and fifty elite soldiers stood in formation.

Everyone wore Civilization Armor, carried Guixu energy grenades at their waists, and held weapons tempered by the Fire of Civilization.

[Expeditionary Force · Data]

- Number of people: 57

- Average Godhead Rank: LV2000

- Equipment: Civilization Armor (+500% Guixu resistance), Guixu energy grenade (+1000% Guixu damage), Sword of Civilization (+5% Guixu instant-death chance)

- Supplies carried: 10 wisps of seed of civilization, 1 World Foundation fragment, 1 space-time anchor

- Objective: Deep within the Guixu, the Void Rift

Lin Zhou stood at the front of the team, holding the zhan nian sword and the green lotus sword.

The qiankun tripod floated behind him, with the Fire of Civilization burning inside it.

“Brothers, let's go.”

He was the first to step into the void.

Behind him, fifty-six people followed closely.

The team advanced toward the deepest part of the Guixu.

At the edge of the Guixu, the grayish-white void was churning. A Civilization Projection unfolded, enveloping everyone within it.

[Civilization Projection · Guixu Mode]

- Coverage: One kilometer in diameter

- Consumption: 100,000 Divine Power per minute

- Effect: Resists Guixu erosion, stabilizes rules

- Current Divine Power Reserve: 50 million (provided by the super civilization furnace)

The Void Rift was approximately 100,000 kilometers away from them.

But with every step forward, the Guixu energy concentration increased. When the distance was down to 30,000 kilometers, the consumption of the Civilization Projection skyrocketed to 500,000 Divine Power per minute.

[Expedition · Progress]

- Distance Traveled: 70,000 kilometers

- Remaining Distance: 30,000 kilometers

- Guixu Energy Concentration: 50,000 times that of the outside

- Civilization Projection Consumption: 500,000 Divine Power per minute

“Captain, the Divine Power consumption is too fast!” Li Mo shouted. “At this rate, we can only last two days!”

“Two days is enough,” Lin Zhou said, gritting his teeth.

The team continued to advance.

20,000 kilometers... 10,000 kilometers... 5,000 kilometers...

Ahead, a massive crack appeared.

It wasn't a crack in space, but a crack in existence—the Void Rift.

The rift traversed the void, about a thousand kilometers wide and a hundred thousand kilometers long. From within the rift, endless grayish-white light gushed out—the essence of the Guixu. At the edges of the rift, rules were collapsing, time was flowing backward, and Karma was being inverted.

[Void Rift · Data]

- Width: Approximately 1,000 kilometers

- Depth: Unknown

- Guixu Energy Concentration: 100,000 times that of the outside

- Status: On the verge of total collapse (only the last layer of the Seal remains)

- Seal Type: The Transcendent transforming into a barrier (has held for 100 million years)

“The Transcendent's barrier is about to fail,” General Rex sighed.

Lin Zhou looked at the rift and was silent for a moment.

“Brothers, prepare to Seal it.”

He took out the World Foundation fragment and held it in his palm.

“The World Foundation is the rule core of the New Universe. By driving it into the rift, we can Seal the Guixu's energy source.”

“How do we drive it in?” Wang Meng asked.

“Someone needs to take the Foundation and go deep into the core of the rift.”

Everyone fell silent.

“I'll go,” Lin Zhou said.

“Captain!” Qin Qing cried out.

“This is an order.”

Lin Zhou pressed the World Foundation fragment against his chest. The fragment merged into his godhead and became one with the Temple of Civilization.

[World Foundation · Fusion]

- Effect: Lin Zhou's 'existence' becomes the core of the Seal

- Price: Lin Zhou will remain in the rift, living or dying with the Seal

- Time: Unknown (perhaps permanent)

“Captain, you can't...” Su Yueyao's eyes turned red.

“Someone must stay,” Lin Zhou smiled. “The Transcendent stayed, and Lin stayed. Now, it's my turn.”

He turned to face the rift.

“Brothers, I leave the New Universe to you.”

“The Way of Civilization is passed on like a torch. Do not let it be in vain.”

He leaped into the rift.

“Captain—!” Wang Meng roared, rushing toward the edge of the rift, but he was held back by General Rex.

“He's gone,” General Rex's voice was hoarse. “This was his choice.”

Su Yueyao stood at the edge of the rift, tears blurring her vision. She raised her hand, and her moonlight unfolded, illuminating the depths of the rift.

There, Lin Zhou's figure was falling.

Around him, the Fire of Civilization was burning. The flames lit up the grayish-white void, the collapsing barrier, and the ruins left by The Transcendent a hundred million years ago.

[Lin Zhou · Status]

- Godhead Rank: LV5500

- river of civilization Water Level: 3000%

- Heavenly Pillar Height: 7 million kilometers

- World Foundation Fusion: 1%... 2%... 3%...

When he fell into the core of the rift, the Fusion of the World Foundation reached 100%.

His body turned into light.

Not the grayish-white light of the Guixu, but the cyan-gold light of civilization.

In the light, he saw The Transcendent—the figure who had stood guard in the void for a hundred million years was slowly dissipating. The Transcendent turned, looked at him, and smiled.

“Successor, you have come.”

“I have come.”

“You also chose to stay.”

“Yes.”

“No regrets?”

“No regrets.”

The phantom of The Transcendent completely dissipated.

His barrier turned into countless points of light, merging into Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization.

[Barrier · Legacy]

- Transcendent Barrier: Dissipated

- Lin Zhou Barrier: Reborn

- Effect: The Void Rift is re-sealed, and the Guixu energy source is cut off

- Seal Duration: Unknown (perhaps permanent)

At the edge of the rift, Su Yueyao saw the light within the rift change from grayish-white to cyan-gold.

“He... succeeded.”

She knelt at the edge of the rift, tears streaming down her face.

The crowd was silent.

Wang Meng gripped his battle-axe, his knuckles turning white.

Zhao Hao lowered his head in a moment of silence.

General Rex saluted the rift.

Li Mo pushed up his glasses, the lenses fogged with mist.

Chen Xuan remained silent, the cyan-gold light reflected in his eyes.

“Let's go,” Su Yueyao stood up. “We must protect the New Universe he left behind.”

She turned and walked toward the return path.

Behind them, the cyan-gold light in the Void Rift was like an eternal lighthouse.

It illuminated the way home and the future.

In the New Universe, on the Watchtower.

Qin Qing stood at the top of the tower, looking at the sky. There was a cyan-gold trail of light in the sky—the mark left by Lin Zhou.

“Captain, are you there?”

No one answered.

Only the wind blew across the green grass.

The Fire of Civilization was still burning.

It illuminated the New Universe and the hearts of the people.