472: Chapter 407: The Touch of Corruption, the Horrifying Pollution of Rules

Three days after clearing the ruins of the Corrupted Divine Kingdom, Lin Zhou led the joint forces toward the northeast of the Seventh War Zone.

According to intelligence provided by General Rex, there was an unexplored region there with a high concentration of Chaos energy and dense spatial rifts. A reconnaissance team had once seen a massive silhouette suspected to be a Dragon Vein from afar.

"A Dragon Vein?" Lei Zhan's eyes lit up. "That's good stuff! A complete Dragon Vein can increase the Spiritual Qi concentration of a Divine Kingdom and even allow the Bloodline of the kindred to evolve."

"But it's a polluted Dragon Vein." Lin Zhou pulled up the blurry footage taken by the reconnaissance team. In the gray-white mist, a huge, winding shadow could be vaguely seen, like a sleeping dragon. The surface of the shadow was covered in dark red patterns—identical to the Rule plague on the ruins of the Corrupted Divine Kingdom.

【Polluted Dragon Vein · Preliminary Data】

- Form: Dragon shape, length approximately 300 kilometers

- Status: Sleeping (dormant after being eroded by Void Realm energy)

- Pollution Level: Estimated 60%

- Value: Can significantly improve the quality of a Divine Kingdom after purification

- Risk: Failure to purify may lead to the spread of pollution

"It's 60% polluted by Void Realm energy, but it can still be saved." Lin Zhou zoomed in on the image, carefully analyzing the patterns on the surface of the Dragon Vein. "If we can purify it before it fully corrupts, it will be the core Foundation of our Divine Kingdom."

"How do we purify it?" Lei Zhan asked.

"Fire of Civilization. Use the fire to refine the pollution and strip the Void Realm energy from the Dragon Vein." Lin Zhou put away the image. "But we need to go deep inside the Dragon Vein and find its core. That's where the pollution is the most severe and the most dangerous."

Lei Zhan was silent for a moment, then patted his chest. "Captain, you go in to purify it, and I'll guard the outside. Whoever dares to disturb you will have to get past me first."

"Alright."

The team traveled through the Void Realm for about three days and finally reached the target area.

The scene before them made everyone hold their breath.

It was not an ordinary Dragon Vein, but a "dragon" so huge it was suffocating. Its body was coiled in the Void Realm, about 300 kilometers long, gray-white all over, and covered in dense, dark red patterns. The patterns were like blood vessels, contracting and expanding, crawling slowly. Its head hung low, eyes tightly shut, as if it had fallen into a deep sleep. But its body still had temperature—not the temperature of flesh and blood, but the temperature of rules. It was a crystallization of rules, the Foundation of a Divine Kingdom left behind by a God King-level powerhouse in the Old Universe era.

【Polluted Dragon Vein · Detailed Data】

- Length: Approximately 320 kilometers

- Pollution Level: 65%

- Core Location: Inside the dragon's head (about 10 kilometers from the surface)

- Pollution Source: Void Realm energy (has penetrated to the edge of the core)

- Cause of Sleep: Self-Seal (to slow down the spread of pollution)

"Self-Seal..." Lin Zhou murmured. The memory fragments of The Transcendent recorded that Dragon Veins were spiritual. When they sensed pollution they could not resist, they would actively fall into a deep sleep to slow down the rate of pollution. During their sleep, they could not move or fight back; they could only wait for someone to come and purify them.

"How many years has it been waiting?" Qin Qing asked softly.

Lin Zhou shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe a hundred years, maybe a thousand."

He put away the Ark of Civilization Projection and switched to single-person flight mode.

"Lei, you lead the heavy armor legion to set up a defense on the periphery of the Dragon Vein. I will take the elite squad into the dragon's head."

"Captain, I'm going too!" Lei Zhan said anxiously.

"Your armor's anti-pollution capability is not enough." Lin Zhou shook his head. "If you stay inside for too long, your Godhead will be polluted. I need warriors with the thickest coating of Fire of Civilization."

Lei Zhan was silent, then finally nodded.

"I'll wait for you here. If you don't come out in three days, I'm charging in."

Lin Zhou patted his shoulder, turned around, and led the elite squad to fly toward the dragon's head.

The sheer size of the dragon's head exceeded their imagination. A single eyelash of the dragon's eye was taller than a person. The dragon's mouth was tightly shut, its teeth like white jade, each one ten meters long. Lin Zhou drilled in through a gap between the dragon's teeth and entered the interior of the dragon's head.

The scene inside was even more shocking than the outside.

The interior of the dragon's head was a huge space, about a hundred meters high and two hundred meters wide. The four walls of the space were translucent crystals, and inside the crystals were sealed fragments of the Dragon Vein's rules. Originally, these crystals should have been golden—the color of the essence of Order. But now, they were eroded by dark red patterns and had turned gray-white. The patterns spread out from the crystals, intertwining into a huge web in the Void Realm.

【Interior of Dragon Head · Pollution Data】

- Space Size: 100 meters high, 200 meters wide, 300 meters long

- Rule Fragments: Approximately 100,000

- Pollution Ratio: 70%

- Pollution Concentration: 100 times that of the outside in the core area

- Fire of Civilization purification consumption: Estimated 50,000 Divine Power per minute

Lin Zhou deployed the Civilization Projection, covering the elite squad. The cyan-gold light shield was like an isolated lamp in the gray-white mist, blocking the dark red patterns outside.

【Civilization Projection · Interior of Dragon Head】

- Coverage: 50 meters in diameter

- Consumption: 50,000 Divine Power per minute

- Purification Effect: Pollution concentration within range - 80%

"Captain, there's something ahead." Wang Meng pointed to the depths of the space.

There, a huge crystal was suspended—the core of the Dragon Vein. The crystal was spherical, with a diameter of about ten meters. It should have been golden, but now only a small piece in the center retained its golden light. The rest had been completely eroded by the dark red patterns and turned gray-white. The patterns spread out from the crystal like countless tentacles, swimming in the Void Realm.

【Dragon Vein Core · Status】

- Integrity: 100% (structure intact)

- Pollution Level: 80%

- Unpolluted Area: Center of the core, about one meter in diameter

- Function: Controls the operation of the rules of the entire Dragon Vein

"That is the core." Lin Zhou said. "Purify it, and the Dragon Vein will recover."

"How do we purify it?" Qin Qing asked.

"Burn it with the Fire of Civilization. Strip the dark red patterns from the crystal and convert them into the essence of Order."

Lin Zhou walked to the core, raised his hand, and condensed cyan-gold flames in his palm.

The moment the flames touched the core, the entire dragon's head vibrated.

The dark red patterns glowed simultaneously and lunged at Lin Zhou.

【Touch of Corruption · Counterattack】

- Attack Method: Rule pollution

- Effect: For those touched, Godhead integrity - 5% per second

- Quantity: Approximately 1,000

Lin Zhou did not retreat. He shrank the Civilization Projection to a diameter of ten meters, shielding his teammates behind him.

"Don't move!" He whispered, condensing flames in both hands simultaneously.

Two fire dragons flew out from his palms, entangling the lunging dark red patterns. The patterns burned in the flames, making a hissing sound. The gray-white mist evaporated, the dark red light faded, and the patterns turned into golden essence of Order, dripping onto the surface of the core.

【Fire of Civilization · Purification】

- Purification Speed: 10 patterns per second

- Consumption: 1,000 Divine Power per second

- Core Pollution Level: 80% → 79% → 78% ...

But there were too many patterns.

There were a thousand patterns, and each one required ten seconds to purify. Purifying them all would take nearly three hours. Lin Zhou's Divine Power reserve was only five million points, consuming 60,000 per minute (projection maintenance + flame output), and three hours would be 10.8 million points. It was not enough.

"Captain, your Divine Power won't hold up!" Qin Qing noticed the problem.

"It has to hold up." Lin Zhou gritted his teeth. "We can't give up halfway."

Just then, the small, unpolluted golden area in the center of the Dragon Vein core suddenly glowed.

It wasn't activated by Lin Zhou, but rather—self-rescue.

【Dragon Vein Will · Awakening】

- Status: Sleeping, but instinct remains

- Behavior: Actively cooperating with purification

- Effect: Core pollution level reduction speed + 50%

Golden light surged from the center of the core, spreading outward along the dark red patterns. Under the illumination of the golden light, the patterns became fragile, and the purification speed of the Fire of Civilization increased. Each pattern dropped from ten seconds to five seconds, then to three seconds.

【Purification · Acceleration】

- Purification Speed: 20 patterns per second

- Consumption: Unchanged

- Core Pollution Level: 78% ... 70% ... 60% ...

An hour and a half later.

The last dark red pattern was purified.

The pollution level of the core dropped from 80% to 0%.

Golden light filled the entire sphere, illuminating the interior of the dragon's head.

【Dragon Vein Core · Purification Successful】

- Pollution Level: 0%

- Status: Recovered

- Dragon Vein Will: Awake

- Lin Zhou Divine Power Consumption: Approximately 4 million

- Lin Zhou Godhead Integrity: 100% → 92%

The Dragon Vein was alive.

The huge dragon head slowly lifted, and the eyes that had been tightly shut for who knows how many years suddenly opened. The pupils were golden—not the cyan-gold of the Fire of Civilization, but the gold of the Dragon Vein itself. Its gaze fell on Lin Zhou, without hostility, only gratitude.

【Dragon Vein Will · Communication】

- Form: Consciousness resonance

- Content: "Thank you, Mortal. You saved me, and you saved countless living beings that could have been eroded by pollution. From today on, I am willing to become a part of your Divine Kingdom and help you guard the New Universe."

Lin Zhou reached out and touched the Dragon Vein core.

The core transformed into a beam of golden light, merging into his Divine Kingdom.

[Temple of Civilization · Fusion Dragon Vein]

- Acquired: [Civilization Dragon Vein (Mythical Rank)]

- Effect:

1. Divine Kingdom Spiritual Qi concentration +500%

2. Kin growth speed +300%

3. river of civilization water level +10%

4. Heavenly Pillar height +500,000 km

5. New trait: [Dragon Might] — Enemy all stats within range -20%

The entity of the Dragon Vein emerged from the Void Realm. It was no longer the grayish-white polluted form, but a golden, vibrant dragon. Its body shrank to a suitable size, coiling within Lin Zhou's Divine Kingdom, becoming the guardian of the Temple of Civilization.

[Civilization Dragon Vein · Guardian]

- Name: Golden Scale

- Rank: LV800 (Growable)

- Form: Five-Clawed Golden Dragon

- Skills:

1. Dragon Might: Enemy all stats within range -20%

2. Dragon Breath: Damage to Corrupted faction +500%

3. Dragon Vein Protection: Can bolster Divine Kingdom rule stability

Lin Zhou flew out from inside the dragon's head and landed in front of Lei Zhan.

"Captain!" Lei Zhan rushed over, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Lin Zhou raised his hand, a phantom of the Civilization Dragon Vein in his palm, "The Dragon Vein, I got it."

"Great!" Lei Zhan slapped his thigh, "Let's go, back! Celebrate!"

On the way back to the fortress, Lin Zhou suddenly stopped.

He turned and looked into the depths of the Chaos Star Domain.

There, a faint, dark red light was flickering.

Not the Return to Ruins, not Chaos, but — the mark of the Void Sect.

[Void Sect · Mark]

- Type: Spatial positioning coordinate

- Location: Depths of Chaos Star Domain, about 5,000 km away

- Discovery time: Just now

- Meaning: There may be a Void Sect stronghold nearby

Lin Zhou's pupils shrank sharply.

Void Sect, an organization that infiltrated the military during the Old Universe era. They worshipped the Return to Ruins, believing that Nihility was the ultimate destination of the Universe. They launched multiple terrorist attacks in the Old Universe, causing hundreds of thousands of gods to fall. After the New Universe was established, they disappeared. Now, they have appeared again.

"Captain, what's wrong?" Lei Zhan asked.

Lin Zhou was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"It's nothing. Let's go, back."

He didn't tell Lei Zhan. Because, the fewer people who know about the Void Sect, the better.

Returning to the fortress, Lin Zhou went to the command center alone and found General Rex.

"General, in the depths of the Chaos Star Domain, there is a mark of the Void Sect."

General Rex's expression changed.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure." Lin Zhou pulled up the image, the dark red light flickering on the Star Map, "About 5,000 km from here. There might be their stronghold there."

General Rex was silent for a long time.

"Void Sect... In the Old Universe era, they almost destroyed the Human Expeditionary Force. Cult members infiltrated the high-level military; three generals, twelve lieutenant generals, and dozens of major generals were corrupted. It took us ten years to clear them out."

"They have appeared again." Lin Zhou said, "The New Universe needs to be prepared in advance."

"What do you suggest?"

"I want to go reconnoiter." Lin Zhou said, "Find their stronghold, figure out their purpose. If possible, destroy it."

General Rex stood up, walked to the window, and looked towards the Chaos Star Domain.

"Too dangerous. Void Sect members have a minimum Rank of LV500 or higher. The higher-ups even have high-tier divine power level existences. You going alone is suicide."

"I'm not alone." Lin Zhou said, "Civilization Guardian Legion, heavy Divine Kingdom legion, and the Dragon Vein Golden Scale. Also, I have resistance to Return to Ruins energy; the Void Sect's methods are countered by the Fire of Civilization."

General Rex turned to look at him.

"Three days. You only have three days. After three days, regardless of success or failure, you must return."

"Yes."

Lin Zhou left the command center and gathered the fifty most elite people.

Wang Meng, Qin Qing, Lei Zhan, Li Mo (projection), Chen Xuan, and fifty soldiers with the thickest Fire of Civilization coating.

[Reconnaissance Team · Data]

- Number: 54 people

- Average Divinity Rank: LV600

- Equipment: Civilization Armor · Enhanced Version, Rule Plague Purifying Talisman, Spatial Teleportation Array Components

- Dragon Vein Golden Scale: Accompanying (Can bolster Divine Kingdom rules)

"Brothers, in the depths of the Chaos Star Domain, there is a Void Sect stronghold. We need to find it and figure out its details."

"If possible, destroy it."

"Are you willing to come with me?"

"Yes!" everyone shouted in unison.

The team set off.

Dragon Vein Golden Scale coiled in Lin Zhou's Divine Kingdom; his Divine Kingdom rule stability increased significantly, and the consumption of Civilization Projection was reduced by 30%.

[Civilization Projection · Dragon Vein Boost]

- Coverage: 1 km diameter

- Consumption: 7,000 Divine Power per minute (originally 10,000)

- Effect: Friendly units within range stats +20%

Three days felt like three years.

The team traveled through the Chaos Star Domain, avoiding the Shadow Race gathering areas, dense spatial rift areas, and Return to Ruins energy tide areas. Dragon Vein Golden Scale's perception ability helped them detect danger in advance.

On the evening of the third day, they reached the source of the dark red light.

It was a small space station floating in the Void Realm. The space station was about one kilometer in diameter, and its surface was engraved with the Void Sect's mark — a twisted, endless Möbius strip. Around the space station, dozens of dark red light spots were swimming — those were the Void Sect patrols.

[Void Sect Stronghold · Data]

- Type: Small space station

- Defense: Return to Ruins energy shield, Corrupted tentacle turret, patrol about fifty people

- Internal: Unknown

- Danger Level: SSS

"Captain, how do we fight?" Lei Zhan asked.

Lin Zhou observed for a moment and pointed to the bottom of the space station.

"There, the shield has an energy node. Destroy it, and the shield will temporarily fail."

"I'll go," Wang Meng said.

"No, I'll go," Lin Zhou shook his head, "Your armor doesn't have enough corruption resistance. I'll infiltrate and destroy the node. Then, you charge in from the gap."

He took off his Civilization Armor and put on a set of ordinary Abyss Devilish Qi simulation suits — simulating the Void Sect's aura with the Fire of Civilization, 99% purity.

[Disguise · Void Sect Aura]

- Simulation Purity: 99%

- Can fool: Below Mid-Tier Divine Power

- Weakness: May be seen through by high-tier divine power at close range

Lin Zhou turned into a beam of dark red light and dived towards the bottom of the space station.

The patrol did not discover him.

He reached the energy node, raised his hand, and the Fire of Civilization condensed into a needle, piercing into the node's core.

[Energy Node · Destruction]

- Method: Fire of Civilization needle piercing

- Effect: Node short-circuited, shield temporarily failed

- Duration: About three minutes

The shield disappeared.

"Charge!" Lei Zhan roared.

The heavy legion charged into the space station, giant shields crushing all enemies in their path. The Civilization Guardian Legion followed closely, using the Fire of Civilization to purify the corrupted defensive turrets.

The battle lasted for about twenty minutes.

The space station was completely controlled.

[Clearance · Data]

- Killed Void Sect members: About eighty people

- Captives: About twenty people

- Loot: Void Sect secret letters, Return to Ruins energy conversion furnace blueprints, corrupted cards x 3

- Our losses: Fifteen people slightly injured, three people seriously injured (no casualties)

Lin Zhou walked into the space station's command room.

There, there was a huge Star Map. On the Star Map, dozens of dark red points were marked — one of which was very close to the New Universe.

Lin Zhou's pupils shrank sharply.

That was the coordinate of the New Universe.

"They are going to attack the New Universe," he muttered.

He took the Star Map image into his Divine Kingdom Core, then turned and left.

"Captain, what should we do with these captives?" Qin Qing asked.

"Take them back and hand them over to General General Rex for interrogation."

"Yes."

The team withdrew.

Returning to the fortress, General Rex saw the Star Map image, his face pale.

"Void Sect... they have been monitoring the New Universe."

"What is their goal?" Lin Zhou asked.

"I don't know. But, whatever it is, it must be stopped." General Rex stood up, "Lin Zhou, I need you to continue reconnaissance and find their main stronghold."

"Yes."

Lin Zhou walked out of the command center and stood on the city wall.

In the depths of the Chaos Star Domain, the dark red light was still there.

But, he was not afraid.

Because, behind him, there was the Civilization Guardian Legion.

There was the heavy Divine Kingdom legion.

There was the Dragon Vein Golden Scale.

There were thousands upon thousands of comrades.

"Captain, where to next?" Lei Zhan asked.

Lin Zhou looked into the distance.

"To the Void Sect's lair."

"Great!" Lei Zhan slapped his thigh, "Where you go, I go."

The Fire of Civilization was burning.

It illuminated the road ahead, and also illuminated the hidden enemy.