474: Chapter 409: The Core Appears, Corrupting Consciousness

The edge of the Return to Void in the Old Universe is a forgotten piece of nothingness.

Lin Zhou led the expedition team across the boundary of the New Universe, and through three spatial folding jumps, arrived at the edge of the remaining areas of the Old Universe.

This place was once part of the Chaos Star Domain, a place protected for billions of years by The Transcendent using their body as a barrier.

Now, the barrier has disappeared, and the darkness of the Return to Void has swallowed more than ninety percent of the area, leaving only a few "fragments" struggling for survival.

[Environment Data of the Return to Void Edge] - Region: 5,000 km in diameter - Energy concentration of the Return to Void: 20,000 times that of the outside - Rule stability: 5% - Time flow: Chaotic (local differences up to 100 times) - Visibility: Less than 100 meters - Danger Rank: SSS+

The Dragon Vein Golden Scale stuck its head out from Lin Zhou's Divine Kingdom, its golden pupils shining brightly in the gray-white mist.

It perceived a certain existence deep within the Return to Void — not nothingness, but a twisted, half-dead Corrupted Consciousness.

That was the product of the White-robed Bishop of the Void Sect merging with the Return to Void, a former Peak high-tier divine power, now reduced to a Puppet of the Return to Void.

[Corrupted Consciousness · Preliminary Perception] - Origin: White-robed Bishop of the Void Sect (Original Rank 4800) - Current status: Deeply fused with the energy of the Return to Void - Rank: Estimated Rank 5000+ - Characteristics: Return to Void Erosion, Corrupted Symbiosis, Consciousness Devouring - Position: About 1,000 kilometers ahead

"Captain, he is there." Su Yueyao's moonlight spread out in the mist, her silvery-white light illuminating the path ahead.

Her Moon God Origin had recovered by 90%, and her moonlight had a natural restraining effect on the energy of the Return to Void.

"Hmm." Lin Zhou nodded and expanded the projection of the ark of civilization.

Deep blue light enveloped the three hundred elites, and the golden light of the Dragon Vein Golden Scale superimposed over it, forming a triple shield.

[Civilization Projection · Triple Blessing] - Coverage: 500 meters in diameter - Consumption: 20,000 Divine Power per minute - Effect: Return to Void energy resistance +80%, Rule stability +50% - Duration: About five hours

The team advanced toward the location of the Corrupted Consciousness.

One thousand kilometers, at the edge of the Return to Void, felt like a hundred thousand light-years.

Spatial rifts were everywhere, the flow of time was fast and slow, and the logic of Karma was sometimes forward and sometimes reversed.

The sensory ability of the Dragon Vein Golden Scale helped them avoid most of the lethal chaotic areas, but there were still a few narrow escapes.

[Marching · Incident Record] - Spatial rift sneak attacks: 7 times, all avoided - Time flow traps: 3 times, warned and detoured by the Dragon Vein Golden Scale - Karma reversal zones: 2 times, forced through by Lin Zhou using the Fire of Civilization to "correct the sequence" - Personnel losses: 5 people slightly injured

Two days later, the team reached the location of the Corrupted Consciousness.

It was a huge "heart" — not a heart of flesh and blood, but a heart of rules.

A spherical structure about one hundred kilometers in diameter, its surface covered with dark red patterns, the patterns contracting and expanding like a heartbeat.

With every contraction, gray-white energy of the Return to Void surged out from the patterns and spread to the surroundings.

In the center of the heart floated a human-shaped phantom — the White-robed Bishop of the Void Sect, who was no longer completely human.

His lower body had merged with the energy of the Return to Void, turning into countless tentacles rooted inside the heart.

His upper body still retained a human shape, but his skin had turned gray-white, and his eyes were two balls of dark red fire.

[White-robed Bishop · Corrupted Form] - Rank: Rank 5000+ (great divine power, early stage) - Form: Half-human, half-Return to Void - Skill 1: [Return to Void Erosion · Domain] — Rule stability within range -90%, Divine Persona integrity -5% per second - Skill 2: [Corrupted Symbiosis] — Merged with the heart, can call upon all the heart's energy - Skill 3: [Consciousness Devouring] — Can devour others' consciousness and convert it into his own nourishment - Weakness: Fire of Civilization (damage to Return to Void faction +3000%)

"Intruders." The voice of the White-robed Bishop did not come from his throat, but vibrated from the entire heart, "You should not have come here."

Lin Zhou stood at the front of the team, Sword of Civilization in hand, green lotus sword at his waist.

Su Yueyao was at his side, her moonlight like a ribbon, illuminating the gray-white mist.

Lei Zhan was in the back, holding a giant shield across his chest, with the Iron Rock Giants in formation.

Wang Meng gripped his battle axe, Qin Qing unfurled the Net of Law, and Li Mo's projection analyzed data rapidly in the communication link.

"The Void Sect is finished." Lin Zhou said calmly, "Your stronghold has been destroyed, your followers have been captured, and your plan has been exposed. Surrender."

The White-robed Bishop let out a harsh, cold laugh.

"Surrender? You think you have won?" He raised his hand, and a dark red beam of light shot from his palm, rushing straight at Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou swung his sword, and the sword light severed the beam of light.

The aftermath of the beam fell on the light shield of the Civilization Projection, stirring up a ripple.

[Civilization Projection · Durability: 100% → 95%]

"You cannot hurt me." Lin Zhou said, "The Fire of Civilization restrains the Return to Void."

"Is that so?" The body of the White-robed Bishop began to expand, and dark red patterns spread from his chest to the surroundings, enveloping the entire heart.

The contraction frequency of the heart accelerated, and the rate of the Return to Void energy surging out increased tenfold.

[Heart · Overload Mode] - Contraction frequency: 60 times/minute → 300 times/minute - Return to Void energy surge: Increased 10 times - Corrupted consciousness integrity: 100% - Lin Zhou's Civilization Projection consumption: 20,000/minute → 50,000/minute

"Captain, he is burning the energy of the heart!" Li Mo shouted, "If this continues, your Divine Power will not hold up!"

Lin Zhou did not retreat.

He took a step forward, and the river of civilization surged out from his Divine Kingdom, turning into a blue-gold torrent that flowed toward the heart.

[Civilization River · Purification Mode] - Consumption: 100,000 Divine Power per minute - Effect: Scour the dark red patterns on the surface of the heart - Purification speed: 1 meter per second

Wherever the river passed, the dark red patterns were stripped away, turning into gray-white mist and evaporating.

Golden spots began to appear on the surface of the heart — those were the essence of Order after being purified.

But the heart was too big, one hundred kilometers in diameter; purifying one meter per second would take nearly three days.

Lin Zhou's Divine Power reserve was only five million, and with a consumption of one hundred thousand per minute, he could only hold on for fifty minutes.

"Captain, there is not enough time!" Qin Qing said urgently.

Just then, the White-robed Bishop in the center of the heart suddenly spoke.

"Mortal, we can coexist."

Lin Zhou paused.

"Coexist?"

"Yes." The voice of the White-robed Bishop became gentle, filled with temptation, "The Return to Void is not an enemy, but a destination. The Return to Void is not an end, but a rebirth."

"You possess the Fire of Civilization, which can purify the Return to Void; I possess the power of the Return to Void, which can swallow the Nihility."

"If we merge, we can create a New Universe — without Order, without Chaos, only eternal Nihility."

He raised his hand, and a scene appeared in his palm — it was Lin Zhou's Temple of Civilization, but the surface of the sanctuary was covered with dark red tentacles, and what flowed inside the hall was no longer the river of civilization, but energy of the Return to Void.

The Heavenly Pillar was wrapped in tentacles, the qiankun tripod was corrupted, and the first bell of huaxia was rusted and broken.

[Temptation Image · Temple of Civilization Corrupted] - Sanctuary status: Completely eroded by the energy of the Return to Void - river of civilization: Dried up - Heavenly Pillar: Broken - qiankun tripod: Corrupted - first bell of huaxia: Shattered

Lin Zhou's pupils contracted sharply.

"Accept me." The voice of the White-robed Bishop was like a dream, "Accept the Return to Void, and you will not have to fight anymore. Your comrades will not have to sacrifice themselves. The New Universe will be peaceful forever."

Su Yueyao held Lin Zhou's hand.

"Do not listen to him."

Lin Zhou was silent.

The White-robed Bishop continued to tempt: "Is your Way of Civilization not meant to let more people live? Accept the Return to Void, and everyone will 'exist' — although not in the original way, they will not die. Their consciousness will merge into the Nihility and become a part of eternity."

Lin Zhou looked at her.

"Look, how insignificant your moonlight is in front of the Return to Void." The White-robed Bishop pointed at Su Yueyao, "She can illuminate a hundred miles, but the Return to Void can swallow the entire Universe. Do you choose her, or do you choose the Universe?"

Lin Zhou looked at the picture. The sanctuary was covered in tentacles, the river dried up, the Heavenly Pillar broken. That was the future he least wanted to see.

"Captain..." Lei Zhan's voice came from behind, "No matter what you choose, I will follow you."

Wang Meng gripped his battle axe: "Captain, wherever you choose to fight, I will fight."

Qin Qing did not speak, but her gaze was firm.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath.

"My Way of Civilization is not to let everyone live, but to let everyone live meaningfully." He raised the Sword of Civilization, the tip pointing at the White-robed Bishop, "The 'existence' in the Return to Void is not living. It is a walking corpse. It is a Puppet. It is Nihility itself."

"I do not want that kind of 'peace'."

"I do not want that kind of 'eternity'."

The sword light slashed toward the heart.

[Sword of Civilization · Purification Slash] - Attack power: Full-power strike of a great divine power (middle stage) - Damage to Return to Void faction: +3000% - Consumption: 100,000 Divine Power

The sword light slashed onto the surface of the heart, the dark red patterns shattered, and the gray-white mist surged wildly.

The integrity of the heart plummeted from 100% to 80%.

The White-robed Bishop screamed.

"You... you will regret this!"

"I will not." Lin Zhou swung his second sword.

[Sword of Civilization · Second Slash] - Integrity: 80% → 60% - Consumption: 100,000 Divine Power

"Mortal! You have ruined everything!" The White-robed Bishop went crazy.

He burned his remaining divinity, pushing the contraction frequency of the heart to the limit.

The energy of the Return to Void was like a broken dam, surging toward the surroundings.

[Heart · Self-Destruct Mode] - Contraction frequency: 300 times/minute → 1000 times/minute - Return to Void energy surge: Increased 50 times - Self-destruct countdown: About three minutes - Self-destruct power: Estimated full-power strike of a Peak great divine power

"Captain, he is going to self-destruct!" Li Mo exclaimed.

"Stop him!" Lin Zhou swung his third sword.

The sword light slashed into the core of the heart, stabbing directly at the main body of the White-robed Bishop.

Integrity: 60% → 40% → 20% → 0%.

The contraction of the heart stopped.

The body of the White-robed Bishop began to become transparent, and the dark red flames extinguished from his eyes.

"You... won." His voice was weak, "But... the Return to Void... will not... let you go..."

His body turned into gray-white light spots and dissipated in the Void Realm.

The heart collapsed.

Countless dark red fragments splashed in all directions.

[White-robed Bishop · Fallen] - Heart: Completely collapsed - Obtained: Return to Void energy core × 1 (can be purified) - Obtained: Highest secret letters of the Void Sect × 10 - Obtained: White-robed Bishop divine persona fragment × 3 (can be converted into essence of Order)

Lin Zhou withdrew the river of civilization and knelt on one knee.

"Captain!" Su Yueyao rushed over, her moonlight enveloping him.

"I am fine." Lin Zhou stood up and took out a dark red crystal from his arms — the energy core of the Return to Void.

The crystal glowed slightly in his palm, emitting a corrupt aura.

"This thing needs to be purified."

"Take it back and refine it in the civilization furnace." Qin Qing said.

Lin Zhou nodded.

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

Two months later.

The energy core of the Return to Void was completely purified and converted into a Heart of Order.

The efficiency of the civilization furnace increased by 30%.

The secret letters of the White-robed Bishop were deciphered, and all the hidden agents of the Void Sect in the New Universe were wiped out.

Seventh War Zone fortress, headquarters.

General Rex looked at the report submitted by Lin Zhou and let out a long sigh of relief.

"The Void Sect has finally been completely wiped out."

"No." Lin Zhou shook his head, "The Return to Void is still there. The philosophy of the Void Sect is still there. As long as there are people who fear death and fear Nihility, a new 'Void Sect' will be born."

"Then what should we do?"

"Protect the New Universe and develop the Way of Civilization. Let more people understand that living itself is meaningful, and it does not need the Return to Void to define eternity."

General Rex nodded.

"General, I request a long vacation." Lin Zhou said.

"A long vacation?"

"Yes. My divinity needs to rest, and Yue Yao's Moon God Origin also needs to recover. Also, I want to return to the New Universe and see the land we protected."

General Rex was silent for a moment, then smiled.

"Granted. Three months. Get some good rest."

Lin Zhou walked out of the headquarters.

Su Yueyao was waiting for him on the city wall.

"Captain, did the General approve it?"

"Approved. Three months."

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the New Universe. To see the sea."

Su Yueyao was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"Okay."

The two turned into blue-gold and silvery-white streams of light, disappearing into the sky.

Returning to the New Universe, Lin Zhou did not return to the town, but took Su Yueyao to fly toward the edge of the New Universe.

There was an undeveloped ocean there, with azure seawater and white sandy beaches.

He built a small wooden house by the sea and watched the sunrise and sunset every day.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?" Su Yueyao sat beside him.

"Thinking about what we would be like if there were no Return to Void, no Void Sect, and no War."

"Perhaps, just like now."

Lin Zhou smiled.

"Perhaps."

He lay down and looked at the blue sky.

Su Yueyao leaned on his shoulder.

"Three months later, we still have to go back."

"Hmm."

"Then during these three months, let's have a good rest."

"Okay."

The Fire of Civilization burned by the sea, illuminating the backs of the two snuggled together.