452: Chapter 387: The Abyss Project, Team Up to Explore the Demon Realm

On the Watchtower of the New Universe, the light of the Star Map flowed in Lin Zhou's palm. Two bright stars flickered in the Void Realm—one at the edge of the Guixu, and the other also at the edge of the Guixu, but closer to the darkness. These two legacies were the last seed of civilizations left by The Transcendent. If swallowed by the Guixu, the Legacy of the Way of Civilization would be missing a piece.

"Captain, are you sure you want to go?" Qin Qing stood behind him, her voice carrying suppressed worry.

"I must go." Lin Zhou put away the Star Map and turned to look at her. "There are a total of three thousand legacies left by The Transcendent. We have already awakened two thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight, leaving only the last two. One is at the edge of the Guixu; the other is also at the edge of the Guixu, but closer to the darkness. If we don't go now, once the Guixu swallows them, they will be lost forever."

"But, the edge of the Guixu is too dangerous..."

"That's why we need elites," Lin Zhou interrupted her. "Not an army, but a small team. A few people to infiltrate, retrieve the sparks, and evacuate."

He walked down from the Watchtower.

"Gather everyone for a meeting in the conference room."

In the conference room, Lin Zhou stood before the Star Map, with Qin Qing, Li Mo, Wang Meng, and several core members behind him.

"Brothers, the last two legacies are both at the edge of the Guixu. One is deeper than the 666th floor of the Endless Abyss—on the 888th floor. The other is within a Guixu rift."

He zoomed in on the Star Map, pointing to the star located deep within the abyss.

[Endless Abyss · 888th Floor · Data]

Ruler: Incarnation of the Abyss Will (Rank unknown, estimated LV5000+)

Environment: The intersection of the Guixu and the abyss, where Chaos and nothingness coexist

Danger Level: SSS+

Legacy Location: Abyss Core

"The 888th floor is the deepest part of the abyss," Lin Zhou said. "There, there are no devils or demons, only the Abyss Will itself. It is the intersection of the Guixu and the abyss, a place where Chaos and nothingness coexist."

"For the previous Legacy, we were on the 666th floor facing the King of Deception. This time, we must face the Abyss Will."

Everyone fell silent.

"Captain, this is too risky." Li Mo pushed up his glasses. "The Rank of the Abyss Will is at least at the Peak of high-tier divine power, and could even be a great divine power. Our current strength is simply not enough."

"That's why we won't fight head-on," Lin Zhou said. "Infiltrate, retrieve the spark, and evacuate."

"But how do we infiltrate? The Abyss Will has no physical form; it is everywhere."

Lin Zhou looked toward the door.

"That's why we need someone familiar with the abyss."

The door opened.

A white-haired old man walked in. He wore a faded military uniform with the Rank of General embroidered on his shoulder pads—though retired, he kept his Rank. His face was lined with wrinkles, yet his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. A thick abyssal aura swirled around him—not because he was corrupted, but because he had grown accustomed to it after guarding the abyss for many years.

[Abyssology Expert · General Rex]

Identity: Retired General of the Human Expeditionary Force

Divinity Rank: LV880 (Early-stage high-tier divine power)

Specialties: Abyss Rules, Abyss Creatures, Abyss Will

Experience: Stationed in the abyss for three hundred years, participated in seven Abyss Wars

Current Status: Retired, living in seclusion in the New Universe

"This is General General Rex," Lin Zhou introduced. "An authority on Abyssology who was stationed in the abyss for three hundred years. He will be joining our team."

General Rex walked to the Star Map, looked at the star on the 888th floor, and remained silent for a moment.

"I have been to the 888th floor of the Endless Abyss once," his voice was raspy, carrying the weariness of memory. "It was three hundred years ago when I led the expeditionary force deep into the abyss, attempting to destroy the Incarnation of the Abyss Will. We failed. Of the three-thousand-man team, I was the only one who returned."

"What is the Incarnation of the Abyss Will?" Lin Zhou asked.

"It has no fixed form." General Rex shook his head. "It can be anything you've ever seen—a devil, a demon, or even your loved ones. It reads your memories and becomes the form you least want to face."

"How do we fight it?"

"You can't fight it," General Rex said. "You can only hide. Don't let it discover you."

The room fell silent once more.

"So, we need a disguise," Lin Zhou said. "We will use the Fire of Civilization to simulate an abyssal aura, making the Abyss Will believe we are a part of it."

"Will that work?" Wang Meng asked.

General Rex thought for a moment: "Theoretically, yes. The essence of the Fire of Civilization is 'existence', while the essence of the Abyss Will is 'nothingness'. Existence has a natural restraint over nothingness. However, if the disguise isn't perfect and we are seen through, we will be devoured."

"Then we will make it perfect," Lin Zhou declared.

He looked toward the door.

Another person walked in.

It was Zhao Hao.

He wore the formal attire of the Dragon Clan Family, with dragon patterns embroidered on his shoulder pads. Two Dragon Clan Elders followed behind him.

[Zhao Hao · Status]

Identity: Heir to the Dragon Clan Chief

Divinity Rank: LV600 (Mid-stage Mid-Tier Divine Power)

Specialties: Dragon Clan Bloodline, Abyss Intelligence

Family Background: Holds an ancient contract with the abyss and possesses some Abyss Secrets

"Captain, I'm here." Zhao Hao walked up to Lin Zhou and extended his hand.

Lin Zhou shook his hand: "Welcome back to the team."

"You called; how could I not come?"

Zhao Hao turned to look at the Star Map.

"The 888th floor of the Endless Abyss is recorded in my Family's ancient texts. That place is the core of the Abyss Will. It falls into a slumber every thousand years, during which the abyssal aura weakens. The next slumber will be in three months."

"Three months..." Lin Zhou calculated.

"That's enough," he said. "We set out in three months."

He looked toward the door.

The final person walked in.

It was Su Yueyao.

She wore a moon-white robe, her hair cascading like a waterfall, her aura as cold and clear as the moon. Behind her, moonlight flowed, illuminating the conference room with a bright yet soft glow. Her Divinity Rank had already recovered to LV700—nurtured by the Fire of Civilization, she had finally awakened after a century of slumber, becoming even more powerful than before.

[Su Yueyao · Status]

Identity: Successor of the Moon God Divine Domain

Divinity Rank: LV700 (High-stage Mid-Tier Divine Power)

Specialties: Moonlight Purification, Lunar Power

Special Ability: Moonlight can purify abyssal aura and has a restraining effect on the Abyss Will

"Yue Yao, you're awake." Lin Zhou smiled.

"I am." Su Yueyao walked to his side. "And I heard your summons."

She looked at the Star Map, a flash of determination in her eyes.

"The 888th floor of the Endless Abyss—I have been there."

Lin Zhou was taken aback: "You've been there?"

"In a dream," Su Yueyao said. "The Moon God Bloodline can connect to the Lunar Star. The Lunar Star is the antithesis of the abyss. In my dreams, I have seen the Incarnation of the Abyss Will—it is a mass of nothingness that devours everything, but it cannot devour moonlight."

"So, your moonlight can restrain it?"

"It can," Su Yueyao nodded. "But it needs the cooperation of the Fire of Civilization. Moonlight illuminates, and the Fire of Civilization purifies. Only by combining the two can we counter the Abyss Will."

Lin Zhou nodded.

"Good. Then we will use that combination."

He turned to face the group.

"Brothers, we set out in three months."

"Target—the 888th floor of the Endless Abyss."

"Retrieve the Legacy and confront the Abyss Will."

"Are you willing to come with me?"

"We are!" everyone responded in unison.

Three months later.

The entrance to the Endless Abyss, the 1st floor.

Lin Zhou, Su Yueyao, Zhao Hao, General Rex, and ten elite soldiers stood before the entrance. Everyone was disguised as abyssal creatures using the Fire of Civilization—Lin Zhou as a Devil Noble, Su Yueyao as an Abyssal Succubus, Zhao Hao as an Abyssal Demonic Dragon, General Rex as an Abyssal Lich, and the soldiers as various low-tier demons.

[Exploration Team · Data]

Members: 14

Average Divinity Rank: LV900 (Lin Zhou's LV2200 raises the average)

Disguise Level: Can deceive those below high-tier divine power

Equipment: rune armor (Abyss Version), Moonlight Jade Pendants, Guixu Energy Grenades, seed of civilization

Objective: Endless Abyss 888th Floor, Abyss Core

"Let's go." Lin Zhou was the first to step into the entrance.

From the 1st to the 887th floor of the Endless Abyss, every floor had different lords, environments, and dangers. However, under the disguise of the Fire of Civilization, they passed through without any obstacles.

[Abyss · Passage Progress]

Floors Passed: 100... 200... 300...

Time Elapsed: Approximately twenty days

Dangers Encountered: Low (Disguise successful)

Consumption: 100 Divine Power per minute for the Fire of Civilization

On the twentieth day.

They reached the entrance to the 888th floor.

Before them was a massive rift. From the rift gushed a grayish-white light—not Chaos energy, but a product of the Guixu and the abyss merging. Within the light, countless distorted faces could vaguely be seen—the remains of civilizations devoured by the abyss.

[888th Floor · Entrance]

Type: Spatial Rift

Stability: 30%

Internal Environment: Intersection of the Guixu and the abyss

Danger Level: SSS+

Abyss Will Slumber Countdown: Approximately ten days

"The Abyss Will is currently slumbering." General Rex closed his eyes to sense. "We have ten days. Within ten days, we must find the Legacy and leave."

"Ten days is enough," Lin Zhou said.

He was the first to step into the rift.

The 888th floor was a realm of nothingness.

There was no up or down, no left or right, no time, and no space. There was only—grayish-white light. Within the light, countless distorted faces floated, wailing and struggling.

[888th Floor · Environment]

Rule Stability: 0

Guixu Energy Concentration: Extremely High

Abyssal Devilish Qi Concentration: Extremely High

Perception Range: 100 meters in diameter (Suppressed)

Time Flow: Chaotic

Lin Zhou deployed the Civilization Projection, enveloping everyone within it.

[Civilization Projection · Deployed]

Coverage: 1 kilometer in diameter

Consumption: 10,000 Divine Power per minute

Effect: Resists Guixu erosion, stabilizes rules

Current Divine Power Reserves: 5 million

Under the protection of the Civilization Projection, the team advanced toward the Abyss Core.

The Abyss Core was a massive, constantly rotating grayish-white orb of light. Within the orb, a giant phantom could vaguely be seen—it was the Incarnation of the Abyss Will, slumbering.

[Abyss Will · Incarnation]

Status: Slumbering

Form: Indeterminate (Orb of Light)

Rank: LV5000+ (Peak high-tier divine power)

Traits: Void Devouring, Memory Reading, Shapeshifting

"The Legacy is at the center of the orb." Su Yueyao pointed toward the orb. "I can feel the aura of the Fire of Civilization there."

"How do we get in?" Wang Meng asked.

Lin Zhou thought for a moment.

"We walk straight in."

He stepped toward the orb.

Su Yueyao followed, her moonlight unfolding to illuminate the path ahead.

Zhao Hao followed, his Dragon Clan Bloodline activating to resist the abyss's erosion.

General Rex followed, his abyssal aura releasing to blend with the aura within the orb.

The ten soldiers followed, gripping their weapons tightly.

Lin Zhou stepped into the orb.

Within the orb, countless distorted faces lunged at him, attempting to read his memories.

[Abyss Will · Memory Reading]

Target: Lin Zhou

Reading Content: Memories, emotions, fears

Resistance Method: Fire of Civilization

Effect: Resistance successful

The Fire of Civilization burned, keeping those faces at bay.

Su Yueyao's moonlight shone, purifying those faces one by one.

[Moonlight · Purification]

Target: Fragments of the Abyss Will

Effect: Fragments dissipated

Consumption: 1,000 Divine Power per minute

The team advanced toward the center of the orb.

At the center was a floating flame.

It wasn't the Fire of Civilization, but a seed of civilization—one far more powerful than any they had seen before.

[seed of civilization · Data]

Source: The Transcendent

Quality: Legendary Grade+

Status: Intact

Effect: Can significantly increase the water level of the river of civilization, the height of the Heavenly Pillar, and the Rank of divinity

Fusion Method: Directly integrate into the Temple of Civilization

Lin Zhou walked up to the spark and reached out.

The spark jumped into his palm.

But at that moment, the Incarnation of the Abyss Will opened its eyes.

[Abyss Will · Awakened!]

Reason for Awakening: The spark was taken

Status: Enraged

Behavior: Devouring everything

The orb of light began to contract, pressing down on Lin Zhou.

"Run!" General Rex roared.

Lin Zhou gripped the spark and turned to run.

The team dashed toward the exit.

Behind them, the Incarnation of the Abyss Will roared, devouring and erasing everything in its path.

[Abyss Will · Devouring]

Devouring Speed: 100 meters per second

Distance to Exit: Approximately 10 kilometers

Time: Approximately 100 seconds

"We won't make it!" Zhao Hao shouted.

Lin Zhou gritted his teeth.

He stopped, turned, and faced the Abyss Will.

"You guys go," he said. "I'll hold it back."

"Captain!" Wang Meng cried out in shock.

"Go!" Lin Zhou roared.

He raised his hand, and a transparent Fire of Civilization condensed in his palm.

"Civilization Sword River—Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin!"

The Civilization Sword River surged out from his Divine Kingdom, transforming into countless sword shadows that shot toward the Abyss Will!

[Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin · vs Abyss Will]

Number of Sword Shadows: Approximately 20,000

Attack Power: Full-strength blow of an early-stage high-tier divine power × 10

Consumption: 500,000 Divine Power

The rain of swords fell, and the Incarnation of the Abyss Will was temporarily blocked.

[Abyss Will · Status]

Integrity: 100% → 95%

Devouring Speed: 100 m/s → 50 m/s

"Go!" Lin Zhou roared again.

Su Yueyao gritted her teeth and pulled Wang Meng toward the exit.

Zhao Hao, General Rex, and the soldiers followed closely behind.

Lin Zhou stood at the rear, constantly swinging his sword to block the Abyss Will's pursuit.

[Abyss Will · Integrity: 95%... 90%... 85%...]

By the time the team reached the exit, Lin Zhou had consumed 2 million Divine Power.

He turned and dashed for the exit.

Behind him, the Incarnation of the Abyss Will extended a giant hand, reaching for him.

Lin Zhou leaped and stepped through the exit.

The giant hand grasped empty air.

[Exit · Closed]

Abyss Will: Blocked at the 888th floor

Lin Zhou: Successfully evacuated

Endless Abyss, 1st floor.

Lin Zhou leaned against the wall at the entrance, gasping for air.

"Captain!" Qin Qing rushed over. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lin Zhou shook his head. "Just a bit of a heavy Divine Power drain."

He raised his hand, revealing the seed of civilization in his palm.

"I got it."

Su Yueyao walked over and looked at him, her eyes full of distress.

"You're always like this."

"Like what?"

"Carrying everything alone."

Lin Zhou smiled.

"I'm used to it."

He stood up and looked at everyone.

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

"There's still one last Legacy."

The team returned to the New Universe.

On the Watchtower, Lin Zhou stood before the Star Map.

The last bright star flickered at the edge of the Guixu.

"Captain, are we still going?" Qin Qing asked.

"Yes," Lin Zhou said. "Once we retrieve the last one, it will be Perfection."

He turned and walked down from the Watchtower.

"Prepare to set out."

"Yes!"