536: Chapter 471: Divine Expansion, the Initial Formation of Civilization and Education

On the third day after Su Yueyao woke up, Lin Zhou sat cross-legged in the Temple of Civilization. Floating in front of him was the crystal of essence of order extracted from the energy core of the Gate of Guixu—it had mostly melted, leaving only a fist-sized piece. The river of civilization surged out from his Divine Kingdom, wrapping around the crystal. The crystal slowly melted in the river, and strands of essence of order seeped into his Godhead. His Godhead Rank had already reached LV800. To raise it further required more essence of order, but at this moment, his focus was not on his Rank, but on his Priesthood.

He had two Priesthoods—[Education] and [Law]. These two Priesthoods had naturally sprouted when he ignited his Divine Fire, growing slowly as the Way of Civilization spread, but they had always remained in the "embryonic" stage. The reason was simple: the Way of Civilization was too young and needed time to settle. But now, with his Divine Kingdom promoted to Heaven-Grade, the river of civilization fusing with modern thought, and the second level of the Temple opening—the foundation for settling was already sufficient.

[Priesthood: Embryonic Education]

- Current Status: Stable (Not Advanced)

- Effect: Enlightenment efficiency +100%

- Growth Conditions: river of civilization water level above 80%, average wisdom attribute of vassal race increased by 30%

Lin Zhou checked the data of his vassal races. The average wisdom attribute of the Literary Heart Elves had increased from the initial 50 points to 80 points, the intelligence attribute of the Tiangong Dwarves had increased from 40 points to 70 points, and the willpower attribute of the Law Fishmen had increased from 45 points to 75 points. The average increase exceeded fifty percent, far surpassing the advancement conditions. However, the Priesthood did not advance because it still lacked a key "Anchor Point"—an entity that could materialize the concept of "Education."

What is Education? It is not just teaching books, nor is it just nurturing people; it is about lighting a Spark. Lighting up a person's intellect, making the originally chaotic consciousness clear. Lin Zhou thought of an experiment—bestowing sentience upon a stubborn stone to make it develop a nascent consciousness. This was not a miracle, but the ultimate manifestation of the Education Priesthood: turning "nothingness" into "existence," and "ignorance" into "sentience."

He opened his eyes and walked out of the Temple. Beneath the Wall of Heroes lay an ordinary bluestone, picked up from a riverbank in the New Universe. There was no trace of Divine Power on the stone; it was just an ordinary stone. Lin Zhou held the stone in his palm and sat cross-legged.

"Captain, what are you going to do?" Qin Qing walked over.

"Bestow sentience upon this stone."

Qin Qing was stunned for a moment. Bestowing sentience upon a stubborn stone was something only legendary Saints could do. Although Lin Zhou's Godhead was LV800, he was still far from being a Saint. But she did not stop him, only standing aside and watching quietly.

Lin Zhou placed the stone on his lap and covered its surface with both hands. The river of civilization surged out from his Divine Kingdom, turning into a thin stream of cyan-gold light that seeped into the interior of the stone. The interior of the stone was a void of Chaos—no consciousness, no rules, no existence. There was only pure "matter."

[river of civilization: Bestowing Sentience upon Stubborn Stone]

- Target: Ordinary Bluestone

- Internal State: Chaos

- Sentience Progress: 1%...2%...3%...

- Consumption: 1,000 Divine Power daily

- Estimated Sentience Time: About 100 days

One hundred days was too long. Lin Zhou pressed his hand against the stone and injected his [Education] Priesthood into it. The Priesthood turned into a golden light, condensing into a tiny "spiritual seed" inside the stone. The spiritual seed sprouted in the Chaos, absorbing nutrients from the river of civilization and growing slowly.

[Education Priesthood: Bestowing Sentience]

- spiritual seed Status: Sprouting

- Growth Speed: 1% daily

- Estimated Sentience Birth: About 100 days

Lin Zhou was in no hurry. He placed the stone on the base of the Wall of Heroes, nourishing it with the Fire of Civilization once every morning and evening. In the first week, a tiny crack appeared on the surface of the stone—not from damage, but from growth. A faint cyan-gold glow seeped from the crack; it was the spiritual seed breathing.

In the second week, the shape of the stone began to change. Its originally irregular edges became rounded, and faint patterns emerged on the surface, resembling human fingerprints. The Literary Heart Elves gathered around the stone, watching curiously. The Tiangong Dwarves put down their hammers and leaned in to observe. The Law Fishmen walked out of the Hall of Law, lining up beneath the Wall of Heroes.

In the third week, the stone vibrated slightly. It was not from an external force, but the heartbeat of the spiritual seed inside. Once per minute, regular and slow.

[Stubborn Stone: spiritual seed Status]

- Sentience Progress: 21%

- Heartbeat Frequency: Once per minute

- Perception of External World: Weak

In the fourth week, an extremely weak ripple of consciousness emanated from the stone. It was not language, but an emotion—curiosity. It felt that there were many living beings around observing it. It did not know what those beings were, but it was not afraid, because those beings carried the same Spark as it did—the Fire of Civilization.

[Stubborn Stone: Birth of Consciousness]

- Sentience Progress: 28%

- Consciousness State: Ignorant

- Emotion: Curious

Lin Zhou pressed his hand against the stone, letting the Fire of Civilization seep in. He constructed a simple rule structure in the stone's consciousness—"I exist." This was the essence of the Fire of Civilization and the core of the Education Priesthood. It was not about instilling knowledge, but about awakening existence.

In the fifth week, the consciousness within the stone became a bit clearer. It began to perceive its surroundings—light, temperature, sound. It did not know what light, temperature, or sound were, but it could feel them. Lin Zhou did not teach it; he simply let the river of civilization flow through its interior. The rule fragments within the river—Confucian Benevolence, Legalist Justice, and Mohist Universal Love—were absorbed by it one by one.

In the sixth week, the crack on the stone's surface turned into a vague pattern. It was not words or runes, but a face. It had no features, only an outline, but the Literary Heart Elves recognized that face at a glance—Lin Zhou. The stone was imitating him, not intentionally, but out of the instinct of the spiritual seed.

In the seventh week, the first message of consciousness came from the stone. It was not sound or words, but an image—the silhouette of Lin Zhou standing on the Wall of Heroes. The stone remembered him.

[Stubborn Stone: Sentience Progress]

- Sentience Progress: 49%

- Consciousness Information: Image (Lin Zhou's silhouette)

- Emotion: Dependence

In the eighth week, the crack on the stone's surface completely transformed into a face. Its features were distinct—eyes, nose, mouth. Its eyes were closed, but its eyelids twitched slightly, as if it were dreaming. The Literary Heart Elves gathered around the stone, softly chanting the analects. The stone vibrated slightly to the chanting; it was learning.

In the ninth week, the stone opened its eyes. They were a pair of cyan-gold eyes, with the waters of the river of civilization reflected in its pupils. It saw Lin Zhou, the Wall of Heroes, and the fifty thousand soldiers. It did not yet know what these were, but it remembered them.

[Stubborn Stone: Birth of Sentience]

- Sentience Progress: 63%

- Vision: Enabled

- Consciousness State: Clear (but limited cognition)

In the tenth week, the stone spoke. Not with a mouth, but with its consciousness—it spoke directly with Lin Zhou's Godhead.

"Who are you?" The stone's voice was like a baby's, slurred and unclear.

"Lin Zhou."

"Lin Zhou... who is that?"

"The one who protects you."

"Protect... what is that?"

"To keep you from being hurt."

The stone fell silent for a moment, and then an image surfaced in its consciousness—Lin Zhou standing on the city wall, facing the direction of the Guixu Rift. It was expressing its own understanding: protection meant standing there, blocking the darkness.

[Stubborn Stone: Maturity of Sentience]

- Sentience Progress: 81%

- Cognitive Ability: Analogical reasoning

- Emotions: Dependence, curiosity, trust

In the eleventh week, the spiritual seed inside the stone matured. It was no longer a parasitic consciousness attached to the stone, but a life integrated with it. The stone was its body, the bluestone was its flesh, and the Fire of Civilization was its Soul.

[Stubborn Stone: Maturity of spiritual seed]

- Sentience Progress: 100%

- Life Form: Elemental Life (Stone Spirit)

- Rank: LV1 (Growable)

- Skill 1: Stone Skin—Physical Defense +50%

- Skill 2: Rooting—Can absorb earth energy to grow slowly

- Skill 3: Civilization Resonance—When resonating with the river of civilization, all attributes +100%

The stone jumped down from the base and landed on the ground. It had no legs, but it could condense a layer of flowing Fire of Civilization at its base to slide across the ground. It slid to Lin Zhou's feet and rubbed the surface of the stone against his boot.

"Papa," the stone said.

Lin Zhou fell silent for a moment. He squatted down and cradled the stone in his palm. "I am not your papa. I am your teacher."

"Teacher?" An image surfaced in the stone's consciousness—the Jixia Academy, Confucius lecturing, and Disciples sitting around. "The person who teaches you things."

The stone understood. It slid down from Lin Zhou's palm, slid to the entrance of the Jixia Academy, and stopped there. It wanted to listen to the lectures.

The Literary Heart Elves did not drive it away. They made space for it, letting the stone stop beneath the podium. A pair of eyes emerged on the stone's surface, staring intently at the Master on the podium.

The news reached the Expeditionary Force Command. Acting Marshal Qian Weiguo personally rushed to the Iron Wall Fortress. Looking at the stone that could listen to lectures, he fell silent for a long time.

"General Lin, this stone... did you bestow sentience upon it?"

"Yes. It took over seventy days."

"A stone developing consciousness—this is no longer just a miracle. This is creating life."

Lin Zhou shook his head. "It is not creation. It is awakening. Its consciousness already existed, it was just obscured by Chaos. The Fire of Civilization merely illuminated its consciousness."

Acting Marshal Qian Weiguo looked at the stone, and the stone looked back at him. His face was reflected in the stone's eyes.

"General Lin, the Command hopes you can apply this technology to the military. If we can bestow sentience upon weapons, armor, or even battleships..."

"Impossible," Lin Zhou interrupted him. "Bestowing sentience requires the Fire of Civilization, the Education Priesthood, and a hundred days of time. Furthermore, the sentient lives have their own wills; they are not tools. They will not fight for you unless they themselves are willing."

Acting Marshal Qian Weiguo fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand. This stone, how do you plan to handle it?"

"Let it stay in the Jixia Academy. It likes listening to the lectures."

Acting Marshal Qian Weiguo left. Lin Zhou stood on the Wall of Heroes, watching the stone slide through the gates of the Jixia Academy. The Literary Heart Elves were in class, and the Master was lecturing on "Xue Er" of The Analects. The stone stopped below the podium, its eyes focused intently on the Master.

Su Yueyao walked over. "Captain, your Priesthood has evolved."

Lin Zhou looked down at his palm. The imprint of the [Education] Priesthood had changed from pale gold to cyan-gold, and its shape had transformed from an open book into a lit lamp.

[Priesthood: Education -> Civilization: Education]

- Original Priesthood: Education

- New Priesthood: Civilization: Education

- Effect: Enlightenment efficiency +300%, capable of bestowing sentience

- Special Ability: Spark—Can cause any existence (including inanimate objects) to develop elementary consciousness

- Consumption: Depends on the target (Stone requires 100 days, 1,000 Divine Power/day)

Lin Zhou pressed his palm against the Wall of Heroes. The cyan-gold glow seeped into the wall, and the inscriptions on it began to shine. Had he bestowed sentience upon the Wall of Heroes? No, the Wall of Heroes already possessed consciousness—the memories of the fallen heroic spirits were the consciousness of the Wall of Heroes. He had merely made those memories a bit clearer.

"From today on, Civilization: Education will become the third pillar of the Way of Civilization." Lin Zhou turned to face the fifty thousand soldiers. "The first pillar is the river of civilization. The second pillar is the Fire of Civilization. The third pillar is Civilization: Education. Education is not about instilling knowledge, but about sparking sentience. It makes Chaos clear, turns ignorance into wisdom, and allows inanimate existences to possess the warmth of life."

"May civilization prosper forever!" the fifty thousand people roared in unison.

In the Jixia Academy, the stone listened to the lecture. A line of text emerged on its surface—not in words, but symbols condensed from consciousness: "Is it not a pleasure to learn and practice it at times?" It was learning, growing, and becoming a part of the Fire of Civilization. The Way of Civilization passes its torch from generation to generation. From humans to stones, and from stones to all things.