Chapter 311

On this day, the Void Sea concluded another civilizational war.

Perhaps civilizational wars occurring every 380 years were not worth remarking on, but this time, one of the civilizations involved was exceptionally unique—

The Starfall Civilization!

Because… the Starfall Civilization had won over three hundred consecutive victories!

Or rather, in the past 300 million years, since the rise of the Starfall Civilization's Yuan Emperor, the Starfall Civilization had never lost a single civilizational war.

This had caused the Starfall Civilization's world to be hundreds of times larger than a standard Great World!

A standard Great World had a diameter of 500 million kilometers, while the Starfall World's diameter approached 4 billion kilometers!

By volume, it was vastly larger than a standard Great World, capable of supporting hundreds of times more population, and with an abundance of powerful cultivators and high cultivation efficiency, its civilization grew like a snowball rolling downhill—swift beyond measure.

The number of powerful beings within the Starfall Civilization alone could rival half of the entire Eastern Pole Region of the Void Sea!

Void Sovereigns from countless civilizations came here to study without end, and countless Void beings sought opportunity here; even the lofty Void Divine Officials had to abide by the rules within the Starfall Civilization.

On this day, a massive divine artifact vessel entered the Starfall World, its surface bearing the emblem of the Starfall Civilization's Zangyuan Academy.

As the Starfall Civilization's premier academy, it had produced countless Void Sovereigns and even dozens of Void Divine Officials throughout history; naturally, its reputation was immense, and even many Void Sovereigns were willing to pay exorbitant tuition to study at Zangyuan Academy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon arrive at Zangyuan Academy."

A man in a white robe stood on the vessel's deck, gazing calmly at the group of Void Sovereigns before him and said slowly: "Before entering the academy, don't say I didn't warn you—this is the Starfall Civilization, and Zangyuan Academy is the alma mater of the Yuan Emperor. Every headmaster has been a Void Divine Official, and the Yuan Emperor himself is the honorary headmaster, making it one of the top academies in the entire Void Sea."

His gaze swept across them, his tone unmistakably warning: "Remember, this is not your humble backwater homelands—no arrogance will be tolerated here. I advise you all to follow the rules strictly: do not leave your designated areas without permission, do not clash with citizens of the Starfall Civilization, and above all, do not offend our nobility. Do you understand?"

The group of Void Sovereigns immediately responded in unison.

Though most Void Sovereigns felt stifled—after all, they were top-tier figures in their homelands, yet here they had to cower like quails, their status utterly reversed—

They also understood that the gap between their homelands and the Starfall Civilization was truly like heaven and earth.

Void Sovereigns, while not common in the Starfall Civilization, were by no means major figures; even the strongest from their own civilizations could at best become senior professors at Zangyuan Academy.

As for nobility, their ancestors were super-strong Void Sovereigns of the Starfall Civilization who had earned titles through monumental contributions, some even descendants of Void Divine Officials—definitely not beings they could afford to provoke.

"Once inside the academy, remember to settle your remaining tuition."

The white-robed man said calmly: "If you succeed in your studies and create a Divine Technique of Spatial Rules, you may sign a contract with the Starfall Civilization and one day earn noble status."

The group of Void Sovereigns all nodded eagerly, eyes filled with anticipation.

Hadn't they paid exorbitant tuition and crossed endless seas from their homelands precisely to seize this very opportunity?

Zangyuan Academy's cultivation conditions were far superior to their homelands, and they had access to a host of super-strong Void Sovereigns as instructors—naturally, their chances of breakthrough were vastly greater.

Thus, even though they knew this was the Starfall Civilization's method of recruiting talent, they still willingly joined.

Otherwise, under their circumstances, they would never achieve breakthrough even in death.

Moreover, even if they failed, Zangyuan Academy was located in the Starfall Civilization's imperial capital, teeming with powerful figures from all factions—an excellent platform for building connections.

Rumors even claimed some students had caught the eye of the Starfall Imperial Clan and even gained an audience with the Yuan Emperor.

"Zangyuan Academy sure has a big ego…"

Among the crowd of Void Sovereigns, a man in a blue robe concealed himself, casually observing the Starfall Civilization along the journey.

It was Lin Qing.

"But pretending to be a student, entering the Starfall Civilization's imperial capital through Zangyuan Academy, is the safest way to get close to the Yuan Emperor."

Lin Qing thought to himself, "As long as I get one chance to get near the Yuan Emperor, I can strike."

There was no other way.

The Yuan Emperor, as the master of the Starfall Civilization's world, could sense all life energies within the world at any moment—even a Transcendent could not hide from his perception, at best only concealing their identity, but never their life tier.

Lin Qing could only alter his own aura to avoid detection by the Yuan Emperor.

But if a Void Sovereign directly stormed into the Starfall World and charged straight toward the Yuan Emperor, the Yuan Emperor would inevitably become wary.

Once the Yuan Emperor remained alert and summoned the Yu Xingyuan Lord in advance, under the Yu Xingyuan Lord's gaze, a sliver of power could instantly be granted to the Yuan Emperor—then Lin Qing could never kill him.

Moreover, any being beyond the cosmic level who probed the Yuan Emperor would draw a sliver of the Yu Xingyuan Lord's consciousness.

In simulations of the future, the Ancestor of Tianyuan Seat had once attacked the Yuan Emperor, but the Yu Xingyuan Lord instantly bestowed a sliver of power—the Yuan Emperor's escape ability then far surpassed cosmic limits, leaving the Ancestor of Tianyuan Seat utterly outmatched.

Even with Lin Qing's set of primordial cosmic treasures, he had no confidence at all in killing the Yuan Emperor in such a state.

Therefore—

The only method was to approach the Yuan Emperor while he was utterly unguarded, then strike instantly and annihilate him before he could summon the Yu Xingyuan Lord, thereby eliminating him completely.

"Fortunately, this time the Starfall Civilization won the civilizational war, and its world expanded by roughly seven percent."

Lin Qing narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing through countless layers of void at the Starfall Civilization's imperial capital, tens of billions of li away: "To celebrate this victory, the Yuan Emperor seems to be preparing to tour the capital—then I'll have my chance…"

To the entire Void Sea, a civilizational war every 380 years was insignificant.

But for the Starfall Civilization, such wars occurred only once every million years or so, and this time one of their opponents was another 2.8-level civilization.

Even after previous victories, the Starfall Civilization's world had expanded only slightly.

To expand by seven percent all at once was extremely rare.

Many parts of the Starfall Civilization were celebrating this great victory, the atmosphere filled with festivity.

"In a civilization that has reached its peak, if it does not expand and lacks sufficient resources, many cannot even get the chance to reproduce—they can only silently wait in line…"

Lin Qing understood: for such a mature civilization, civilizational wars meant more than just territorial gains—for most people, they were a vital opportunity to reproduce, expand their families, and pass on their lineage.

After all, in a civilization where average lifespans were extremely long, once population reached its peak and resources hit their limit, planned reproduction became inevitable.

Most ordinary citizens would restrict reproduction; only outstanding elites and top-tier strong individuals might have the privilege to bear more offspring, contributing to the civilization's genetic superiority. But after a victorious civilizational war, increased resources would relax reproductive restrictions.

For many, this was a golden chance to have children.

"But…"

Lin Qing stood at the edge of the divine artifact vessel, his gaze sweeping over the land of the Starfall World below, observing the countless lives he had seen along the way—he understood one truth.

"When the Yuan Emperor falls, every high-ranking figure in this Starfall Civilization who has any connection to the Yu Xingyuan will be purged—then the Starfall World's status will plummet. If no suitable successor inherits the role of civilization master, the entire Starfall World might even be destroyed…"

"Even if a new civilization master arises, the Starfall Civilization will never again win civilizational wars as it has—only losing territory, again and again…"

At this moment, Lin Qing looked down upon the countless living beings on the land below, as if he vaguely saw the future end of the Star Fall civilization.

It was a scene of countless living beings forced to leave their homes and flee toward the Void Sea, and also a desolate scene of countless families, big and small, forced to spread their branches abroad.

This was a future trajectory completely different from the simulated future.

"The future..."

Unknowingly, Lin Qing suddenly understood what 'the future' was, and at the same time sensed a rule hidden within the rules of time, one that was illusory and ethereal yet infinite and endless.

The Rule of the Future.

Ever since he had thoroughly mastered the Rule of Space and possessed the eleventh-level authority of the Time Talent, he had been able to vaguely sense the existence of the 'Rule of Time'.

He was also making every effort to sense and comprehend this mysterious and unpredictable Rule of Time.

Over these years, he had only barely sensed the flow and change of time, which made him realize this must be the 'Rule of the Present' within the Rule of Time.

But it was only a barely sensed existence; he had never been able to enter the door.

And now, Lin Qing was vaguely sensing another existence completely different from the Rule of the Present, another mysterious rule that could not be seen clearly nor determined.

Perhaps... this is the Rule of the Future?

"It is truly difficult..."

Lin Qing suddenly revealed a faint smile. "Just distinguishing the Rule of the Future within the Rule of Time is already this difficult; how difficult would it be to cross the threshold, or even comprehend a branch?"

He could not help but shake his head slightly. "However, at least I can sense it..."

Countless Void Lords and even Void Divine Officials did not possess the Time Talent at all; there was no possibility of sensing the Rule of Time for them.

That mysterious and obscure Rule of Time was completely mixed and entangled within the Rule of Space; even with the Time Talent, the vast majority could only sense and distinguish the most superficial 'Rule of the Present' within it.

Even the 'Rule of the Past' was one that appeared in only one out of dozens of Rule of Time cultivators.

Let alone the so-called 'Rule of the Future', which was one in ten thousand.

"No wonder Transcendents are so rare..."

Lin Qing was not worried. "However, as long as I can become a Chaos God and ascend to the position of a Main God, I will be able to merge with the Universe Source and comprehend the Rule of Time with maximum efficiency."

In the simulated future, he had already become a Chaos God and ascended to the position of a Main God.

He had also experienced the benefits of the Main God position for comprehending space and time; however, the time he spent achieving Main Godhood was too short, and a Main God could not transcend the universe. His consciousness was bound by the Universe Source; even if he could sense the Rule of Time to the maximum extent, he could not merge with space to form the Space-Time Rules, so he could not verify the feasibility of his comprehension.

It was like this: although he could see countless answers to problems and could write them down, his consciousness was influenced by the Universe Source, so he could not understand what language these answers were written in.

He knew the form, but not the meaning.

Therefore, although he had impressions of all the mysteries of the Rule of Time, he did not understand even a single branch of the Rule of Time.

This was also the helplessness of a Main God: sitting on a treasure mountain but unable to utilize it.

The balance of the universe is simply so.

But Lin Qing did not care.

As long as he became a Chaos God and reincarnated into the King Realm, leaving other avatars in the King Realm, while this Chaos God avatar descended to this Void Sea to ascend to the position of a Main God, the Universe Source could only influence his Chaos God avatar within the universe, but could not influence his avatar in the King Realm.

At that time, the Chaos God avatar could sense the Universe Source and the Space-Time Rules to the maximum extent; the other avatars would use this as nourishment, and their progress in the Rule of Time would be ridiculously fast!

It can be said that this is also the greatest benefit of being a Chaos God!

Even if being a Chaos God had nothing special, the mere qualification to ascend to the position of a Main God was already the most astonishing benefit.

"Sensing the Rule of the Future so quickly; it seems I must have some talent in the Rule of the Future..."

A faint smile appeared on Lin Qing's lips. Looking at the countless living beings on the land of the Star Fall World below, he sensed the futures of countless people in a very vague manner; it seemed he could foresee that desolate scene, but there was not the slightest wavering in his heart.

He knew.

Once the Yuan Emperor died and the high levels of the Star Fall civilization fell, this ancient civilization with a history of billions of years would inevitably face its greatest calamity, and countless innocents would inevitably be affected.

But...

Many things simply cannot be helped.

Just like many futures that are destined to be unchangeable.

"The future... I pity your future, but for the future of my Mountain and Sea Realm, I can only proceed this way."

Lin Qing looked at the countless living beings below and sighed silently in his heart.

Perhaps the Yuan Emperor also became a Yu Xingyuan Apostle for the long-term survival of his home civilization, to avoid his home civilization world and countless living beings from being dragged into the Great Nirvana, but often, it is simply a matter of stance.

If the Yuan Emperor did not die, it would be his home, the Mountain and Sea Realm, that would be destroyed in the future.

(End of this chapter)