First Arrival at the Academy

On the Shore of the East Sea, still tens of thousands of miles from Myriad Dao Academy, whose Literary Qi pierced the heavens, space twisted slightly above a desolate reef-strewn beach, and a somewhat bedraggled figure stumbled out.

This man's Daoist title was Xuanjizi. He had attained the Dao from a wisp of Spirit of Innate Xun Wind. Though his origins were not among the finest, he was still of the innate kind.

Yet he had taken human form far too late, missing the Primordial Era's first golden age. Moreover, he was not one for conflict by nature, so his cultivation had remained stalled at the early Golden Immortal stage, unable to break through for a long while.

In the present Primordial Era, where Great Luo Immortals were gradually emerging and Golden Immortals were as common as dogs, cultivation like his placed him among those struggling at the very bottom.

Previously, he had cultivated in seclusion within a remote valley on the outskirts of West Kunlun, hoping to find a thread of opportunity to break through his bottleneck.

But his fortune was shallow. Several attempts had all ended in failure, and after picking a spirit herb, he had inadvertently offended a Demon Marshal of the Demon Race. He had then been hunted for hundreds of millions of miles by the marshal's Lesser Demons.

Left with no choice, he had expended an Ancient Teleportation Talisman reserved for saving his life and fled at random to the Shore of the East Sea.

"Cough, cough..." Xuanjizi steadied himself, lingering terror still on his face. His already unremarkable Daoist robe was torn in several places, making him look especially downcast.

He warily scanned his surroundings. Though the spiritual energy here was abundant, he sensed no powerful demonic qi or cultivator's aura nearby, and only then did he let out a slight breath of relief.

"This place... is the East Sea?"

After identifying his bearings, his heart settled somewhat. The East Sea was vast. So long as he did not venture deep into the Dragon Clan Core region or certain deadly lands, it was relatively safe.

Yet when he raised his head and gazed into the distance, his entire body froze in an instant.

There, where the sea and sky met at an endlessly distant horizon, a colossal continent of indescribable vastness floated quietly upon the azure waters like the fabled island of divine beings!

Auspicious Clouds coiled around the continent, while countless rays of rosy light streamed forth. A clear, righteous, and gentle mystic radiance, visible to the naked eye, enshrouded all around it.

The light was not dazzling, yet it involuntarily filled one's heart with stillness and peace.

Even more striking was an incomparably thick Literary Radiance Pillar, formed entirely from countless fine Runes and characters of Daoic principles, that rose from the heart of the continent.

It shot straight into the blue heavens, as though it held up the spine of heaven and earth!

Even from such a distance, Xuanjizi could vaguely sense the power of Order, wisdom, and inclusiveness contained within that Aura of Literary Splendor.

It was utterly unlike the Primordial Era's aura of slaughter, conquest, and the strong devouring the weak that he encountered every day!

"Th-that is the legendary Myriad Dao Academy? The Dao field of that newly ascended Sage Wanhua?" Xuanjizi muttered, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

News that Sage Wanhua had attained the Mixed Origin Dao, directly received an attack from the Dao Ancestor, and fused Three Immortals Island with a wave of his hand to establish the academy had long spread throughout the Primordial Era through every possible channel. Naturally, Xuanjizi had heard it as well.

He had simply been too occupied with fleeing for his life to think much about it before. Only now, seeing it with his own eyes, did he realize that the rumors had not exaggerated in the slightest—rather, they could not describe even one ten-thousandth of it!

"Fusing three islands as its foundation, Literary Splendor spanning heaven and earth... What kind of divine ability is this? What kind of magnificent spectacle?" Xuanjizi's heart swayed. As a Golden Immortal struggling bitterly to survive, he knew all too well how cruel the Primordial Era was.

Without origins, without a backer, without powerful magical treasures or cultivation arts, advancing one's cultivation was difficult at every step. At the slightest misstep, one could perish and have one's Dao extinguished.

Wasn't the reason he had been hunted precisely because he lacked strength?

Yet this continent before him, this aura, gave him an unprecedented feeling—safety, Order, even... hope?

He recalled the words Sage Wanhua was said to have spoken: "Education for All"!

"Education for All..." Xuanjizi savored those four words again and again. It was as though a trickle of sweet spring water had been poured into the long-parched field of his heart.

In the Primordial Era, "the Dharma must not be lightly transmitted" was an ironclad law. Every major power valued origins, fortune, and aptitude above all when accepting disciples.

For a Rogue Cultivator like him, whose origins were nothing exceptional, whose aptitude was ordinary, and who possessed little fortune, obtaining profound Dao arts was harder than ascending to heaven!

Yet Sage Wanhua had openly declared, "Education for All"?

An indescribable impulse drove Xuanjizi onward. He gritted his teeth and decided to move closer for a look.

Even if he could not enter the academy, merely sensing that Literary Qi and Dao resonance from afar might benefit his cultivation.

He concealed every trace of his aura, summoned a breeze, and cautiously flew toward the continent. The closer he drew, the stronger the shock in his heart became.

When the distance had narrowed to ten thousand miles, he could already make out part of the continent's outline.

Mountain ranges wound like dragons, rivers surged like jade belts, and vast plains stretched as far as the eye could see. Lush vegetation blanketed them, yet it was not chaotically scattered.

Instead, it faintly formed a peculiar arrangement that conformed to some kind of rhythm.

He could even see the upturned eaves and bracketed arches of clusters of buildings, half-hidden within the auspicious light, ancient and grand.

What astonished him even more was that as he approached, the winds and waves of the surrounding sea seemed to calm considerably, while the air brimmed with an aura that soothed the heart and spirit.

Some sea fish that had yet to develop intelligence would occasionally leap from the water and nod toward the continent, as though paying homage.

Auspicious birds such as immortal cranes and spirit sparrows circled in the sky, their clear cries echoing with the Literary Qi that soared into the heavens, creating a scene of natural harmony.

It stood worlds apart from other places in the Primordial Era, where Sha Qi often filled the air and Demon Beasts roared!

When the distance shrank to a thousand miles, Xuanjizi could clearly feel that vast yet gentle Literary Qi.

As it brushed over his body, it brought him no discomfort. Instead, it refreshed his spirit, weary from his flight, while even the mana that had been somewhat sluggish within him seemed to stir a little.

He could even faintly hear what seemed to be the sound of a lecture, accompanied by the bright rustling of pages turning, drifting on the wind from the continent.

He could not make out the specific content, yet it gave him the feeling that clouds had parted from his mind and inspiration was gushing forth like a spring!

"Th-this is the power of the Confucian Dao? It can nourish the soul and enlighten wisdom?"

Xuanjizi was horrified. He had never imagined that such a cultivation path existed in this world—one that did not focus on slaughter and conflict, but instead placed greater importance on cultivating one's character and developing wisdom.

At last, he reached the edge of the continent.

Around the continent were not sheer cliffs, but gently extending stretches of jade-white beach. Upon the beach stood a massive stone stele, bearing four great Dao characters—"Education for All"!

The script was upright and harmonious, yet an undeniable Dao Charm flowed through it, as though proclaiming this place's purpose to every visitor.

Beyond the beach lay a dense Purple Bamboo Forest. Its bamboo joints gleamed like jade, its leaves shone with light. When the wind passed through, the bamboo leaves rustled, faintly weaving themselves into mysterious passages.

Clear springs flowed through the forest, their tinkling waters seeming to perform a symphony of heaven and earth.

Xuanjizi stepped onto the beach, his footsteps light, afraid of disturbing the Stillness of this place.

He drew a deep breath. The air carried a faint scent of books mixed with the fresh fragrance of grass and trees, leaving his mind clear and his heart at ease.

He looked into the depths of the Purple Bamboo Forest, where a small path paved with blue stone slabs wound its way toward the heart of the continent.

Strange stone steles stood on either side of the path. They seemed to be covered in writing and gave off a hazy radiance.

"This place... truly is a paradise. No—it is a pure land beyond paradise!" Xuanjizi exclaimed from the bottom of his heart.

He had wandered the Primordial Era for many years and seen no small number of blessed immortal lands, yet none could compare to the place before him.

It was not merely a matter of abundant spiritual energy. Rather, it was the atmosphere of "Order," "harmony," and "wisdom" that seeped into one's very bones—something nowhere else possessed.

He recalled his drifting, turbulent life of cultivation: fighting others over meager resources, hiding east and west to stay alive, his Dao Heart clouded by dust and the road ahead shrouded in confusion.

Yet here, he felt an unprecedented peace—a possibility of settling his heart, truly pursuing the Great Dao, and attaining Clear Heart, See Nature.

"Sage Wanhua... 'Education for All'..." he murmured once more, and a blazing flame gradually ignited in his eyes. It was the fire of hope, the light of yearning!

Perhaps the turning point in Xuanjizi's Dao path lay right here!

Even if the future was uncertain, even if he might face obstruction from the Dragon Race or other forces, he wanted to give it a try!

Even if he could only become the most peripheral Registered Disciple, or even... as the rumors claimed, a disciple who swept courtyards and cleared halls.

So long as he could remain here, listen to the Sage expound the Dao, and experience this Literary Radiance Dao Charm, he would be more than willing!

Having made up his mind, Xuanjizi straightened his damaged Daoist robe. Though he still looked bedraggled, his spine stood far straighter.

Toward the depths of the Purple Bamboo Forest, toward that path leading into the unknown yet brimming with hope, he solemnly took a step forward.

The sea breeze drifted past, and the purple bamboo hummed softly, as though welcoming this seeker who had long been forgotten by the Primordial Era, yet whose Dao Heart now burned anew.

Deep within the Academy, Wanhua, seated high above the clouds, seemed to sense this first visitor who had arrived with a heart of pure yearning. The corner of his lips lifted in an almost imperceptible, satisfied curve.

For Vitality Succession to pass on, there must be those to bear the flame. This Xuanjizi might perhaps be that first spark.