"They won't negotiate." Data streaked across Leng Ningxue's ice-blue light screen. "The Judgment Legion's vanguard has broken through the first refraction layer. Their target is the nascent faith source at the core of the nebula."

Chi Yan's image cut in, flames dancing on his pauldrons. "The defensive line is set, but the enemy has the advantage in numbers. A frontal collision will affect the newborn civilizations."

Bai Cheng nodded. "We won't meet them head-on. Lu Duo, Yu Nian, follow me into the nebula's interior to stabilize the bond between the civilizations' dreams and reality. The faith source must mature within the hearts that gave birth to it."

She turned to Zi Yuan and Qing Niao. "The Judgment Legion has 'Adjudicators' units, specialized in decapitation strikes. Your mission is to intercept them and ensure they don't set foot in the nebula."

Qing Niao's lightning crackled. "Exactly what I wanted!"

Zi Yuan drew her long blade half an inch. "Leave none alive."

Outside the nebula, a blinding pillar of light rose from the center of the silver fleet. The symbol of the World Government was projected into the void, its cold voice once again echoing through the star system:

"Final ultimatum. Evacuate, or be annihilated."

Bai Cheng did not respond. The dawn glided quietly into the brilliant mists of the nebula, as the Emerald Network and pure heart vines spread out like roots, linking those faint yet resilient civilization dreams.

Deep within the nebula, the faith source pulsed like a beating heart, emitting a pure golden radiance. The dreams of seventy-three newborn civilizations were entwined around it like soft silken threads.

"Begin resonance." Bai Cheng infused the light of the oath of starlight into the source, while Lu Duo and Yu Nian stabilized the connection from both sides. The nebula's tremors gradually smoothed out, and the dreams became clearer.

Simultaneously, at the edge of the nebula, the Adjudicators squad of the Judgment Legion burst in like silver lightning, only to be intercepted by a flash of thunder and blade intent.

Zi Yuan and Qing Niao stood side by side, backed by the lightning barrier deployed by the dawn.

"This path is closed." Zi Yuan's voice was as cold as deep space.

A red light flashed beneath the mechanical mask of the Adjudicator leader. "Obstructing law enforcement. Sentence: Purification."

The battle erupted instantly. Lightning and silver blades interlaced, carving mournful, beautiful trails of light on the nebula's outer rim.

Inside the nebula, the pulsing of the faith source grew more powerful. However, the World Government's fleet began its advance, with artillery fire falling like rain upon the Archives' defensive line.

Chi Yan commanded the fleet to maneuver in a mobile formation, Huang Yu propped up the joint shield, and Lan Xiaoyu remotely repaired damaged units. The battle fell into a stalemate.

Suddenly, Leng Ningxue warned: "High-energy reaction detected! The enemy flagship's main cannon is charging. Target: the nebula's core!"

Bai Cheng looked up. The light of the oath of starlight surged like a tide.

"They want to plunder the source directly." She pressed both hands onto the book of commonality. "Then let them see the weight of faith."

She poured all her resonance power into the faith source. The golden radiance erupted, transforming into a rushing river of light that surged toward the silver fleet against the direction of the artillery fire.

Wherever the river of light passed, dreams of newborn civilizations emerged: children's laughter, elders' prayers, craftsmen's focus, scholars' contemplation... Countless fragments flickered ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) like stars, converging into an unbreakable torrent.

The main cannon of the World Government flagship actually faltered slightly before this light.

"Faith... cannot be harvested." Bai Cheng's voice rang across the battlefield through the resonance network. "It belongs only to the hearts that nurture it."

The golden river of light struck the silver fleet's formation. There was no explosion, only a ripple that spread out. On every ship it touched, the Infinite Emblem briefly dimmed, as if suppressed by some older power.

The Adjudicator leader caught a glimpse of this scene during the fight, his movements slowing. Zi Yuan's long blade seized the opening, severing his arm armor in one strike.

"What are you afraid of?" Zi Yuan asked coldly.

The leader retreated in silence. The silver fleet as a whole pulled back a distance, but did not leave. They regrouped, seemingly waiting for new orders.

The nebula temporarily regained its calm. The faith source pulsed steadily, and the dreams grew brighter.

Bai Cheng withdrew the resonance, fine beads of sweat on her forehead. The book of commonality automatically recorded:

"Faith Tribunal, Act I: Nebula Guardian. The source is not lost, the line is not broken. Yet the boundary stone has been set, and the prelude to war has begun."

She looked out the porthole. The silver fleet hung in the distance like metallic mountains, and the remnants of the Judgment Legion retreated into their ranks.

The Starfire Archives's fleet was deployed around the nebula, and the dawn's lightning had not yet faded.

"This is only the beginning," Bai Cheng said softly.

Qing Niao shook the lightning from her hands. "Next time, they won't be going back."

Yu Nian's vines gently wrapped around a trembling dream in the nebula. "They are afraid... but some are also waking up."

Deep in the Star Abyss, the river of light remained bright. The struggle for faith had begun, and the starlight would surely illuminate more darkness.

The journey continues; the tribunal has not ended.

A brief silence returned to the edge of the Faith Nebula, but the tense atmosphere did not dissipate.

The World Government's silver fleet was like a pack of silent metallic beasts, hovering at the nebula's periphery, the Infinite Emblem flickering gloomily on the hulls like countless monitoring eyes.

Inside the bridge of the dawn, Bai Cheng slowly withdrew the resonance of the oath of starlight.

The fine sweat on her forehead was gently wiped away by the pure heart vines handed over by Yu Nian. The light of the Emerald Network also stabilized, still tightly enveloping the pulsing faith source deep within the nebula.

"They won't give up." Leng Ningxue's ice-blue image appeared in a corner of the main screen, as the Thousand Mirror Eye continued to scan every move of the silver fleet.

"The Judgment Legion is regrouping. Flagship energy readings indicate that the second round of attacks will be ready in three to five hours."

Chi Yan's communication followed immediately: "The defensive line is seventeen percent damaged. Emergency repairs have been initiated.

But if the enemy launches a full-scale assault, it will be difficult for us to hold them off completely without affecting the newborn civilizations."

Lu Duo closed her eyes, and her perception through the Emerald Network spread out like ripples on water.

"The dreams of those newborn civilizations are clearer than before; they have learned to coalesce during the resonance.

But this is also dangerous. An overly strong collective consciousness might attract more aggressive harvesting methods from the World Government."

Bai Cheng walked to the porthole, her silver eyes reflecting the cold metallic array in the distance.

The book of commonality floated by her side, its pages staying on the chapter 'Faith Tribunal,' with starlight seemingly flowing deep within the ink.

"We don't need to hold this place forever." Her voice was calm, yet carried a power that pierced the silence.

"What we need is time. Time for the faith source to mature naturally within the hearts that nurture it, and for those newborn civilizations to truly understand why what they cherish cannot be plundered."

She turned to face everyone.

"Adjust our strategy. Chi Yan, Huang Yu, command the fleet to switch to mobile guerrilla tactics, focusing on interference and delay. Avoid a direct decisive battle."

"Lan Xiaoyu, prioritize maintaining the resonance shield to ensure the interior of the nebula isn't affected by stray fire."

"Leng Ningxue, continue using mirror refraction to interfere with the enemy's precision targeting, especially their detection waves aimed at the faith source."

"Lu Duo, Yu Nian, follow me deep into the nebula's core.

We need to help those civilization dreams establish a self-protecting resonance structure, making the bond between the faith source and their hearts even more resilient until it fully matures and naturally disperses."