Many Latecomers, Fish and Dragons Intermingled

Myriad Dao Academy opened its doors to accept disciples, and its First Disciple, Xuanjizi, was born.

News that the first batch of disciples had successfully condensed their Literary Hearts and greatly advanced their cultivation spread through the four seas of the Primordial Era like wind spirits grown wings.

In particular, the creed of "Education for All" and the marvels of the three trials of "Clear Heart, See Nature" sparked endless discussion and speculation.

On the Shore of the East Sea, that once-desolate reef-strewn beach had now become an extraordinarily bustling gathering place.

Every day, streaks of light fell from the horizon—some riding demon winds, some surfing waves, some using earth escape, while even plant and tree spirits drifted in upon the breeze.

Living beings of every kind, each carrying different purposes, converged here from every corner of the Primordial Era, their gazes fixed eagerly upon the floating continent where Wenhua soared into the heavens.

Seekers of the Dao came in an unbroken stream. The beaches outside Myriad Dao Academy and the edges of the Purple Bamboo Forest were already packed shoulder to shoulder, far noisier than before.

There were those who had struggled bitterly and sincerely yearned for the Great Dao. Hearing that lineage did not matter here, only one's heart and nature, they had crossed trillions of miles to come, their eyes blazing with the same fire of hope that Xuanjizi had once possessed.

They gathered before the "Dao Seeking Stele," holding their breaths and focusing their spirits as they strove to clear their thoughts, longing to stir the pure radiance that signified acceptance.

Yet as the academy's fame grew ever louder, some less-than-pure figures began to mingle among these "latecomers." Beneath the tranquil East Sea, undercurrents surged with increasing violence.

Dragon Palace Spies Probe Again

The first batch of low-ranking scouts dispatched by the Dragon Palace had returned in defeat, unable to pass the Dao Seeking Stele's test. This left Ao Shun, the East Sea Dragon King, even more uncertain and alarmed.

Following Turtle Prime Minister's advice, those he sent this time were no longer ordinary aquatic beings, but the "Dark Scale Guard" secretly cultivated by the Dragon Palace.

These Dark Scale Guards were not pure-blooded Dragon Race members. Most were sea serpents, savage flood dragons, or other unusual aquatic races with thin traces of Dragon Race bloodlines that had taken human form.

They were exceptionally gifted, especially skilled in concealment, disguise, and reconnaissance. Their resolve far surpassed that of ordinary aquatic beings, and they were fiercely loyal to the Dragon Race.

Several Dark Scale Guards transformed into unremarkable overseas Rogue Cultivators and blended among the seekers of the Dao.

They concealed every trace of Dragon Race aura and aquatic traits, their eyes seemingly filled with the same longing as the other seekers.

But their hearts were cold as ice, and they remembered the Dragon Palace's command: infiltrate the academy at any cost and uncover its internal structure, the disciples' cultivation levels, and the layout of its formations.

Above all, they were to learn the core secrets and possible weaknesses of the Confucian Dao methods.

They stepped before the Dao Seeking Stele and, relying on special breath-concealing arts and unyielding willpower, attempted to deceive the stele's senses.

One Dark Scale Guard leader even used a Mystical Treasure bestowed by the Dragon Palace, capable of temporarily purifying one's thoughts and imitating "sincerity."

The stele's Clear Light flickered faintly, as if reacting, yet it also carried a trace of hesitation. In the end, it did not fully light up, but neither did it repel him.

This anomaly drew the attention of the academy's hidden observers.

Demon Race Eyes and Ears, Ordered to Spy

Upon the Sun Star, Dijun and Taiyi remained wary of Wanhua, this "Anomaly," yet they were also deeply curious about his methods.

They did not make a great show of it, but they secretly instructed several clans affiliated with the Demon Race to send clever individuals here to probe the matter.

A young woman from the Green Feather Luan Bird clan was lovely in appearance and quick-witted in gaze. She was not a core member, but her bloodline was pure, and her innate talents were "insight" and "listening."

She had come under orders, not to sincerely seek learning, but to observe the academy's movements, record the contents of its lectures on the Dao, and assess whether this Confucian Dao system would benefit or harm the Demon Race.

She stepped lightly before the Dao Seeking Stele. There were few distracting thoughts in her heart, mostly the curiosity of carrying out her mission and a sliver of interest in this unknown method.

The stele's Clear Light glimmered faintly, but it was not as pure or bright as Xuanjizi's and the others'; there was a trace of wavering within it.

She barely passed the first trial and entered the Purple Bamboo Forest, but felt little joy. Instead, she became even more vigilant.

Demonic Thoughts Hidden Deep, Sinister Intentions Harbored

More than that, cultivators who practiced Demonic Dao and baleful qi arts, as well as those whose minds had already become warped and extreme after being eroded by the Primordial Era's violent aura, also came upon hearing the news.

They did not yearn for the Confucian Dao. Rather, they had set their sights on the academy's newly established and fish-and-dragon-mingled state. Some wished to fish in troubled waters and steal any treasures or cultivation methods that might exist there;

some harbored jealousy and wished to destroy this seemingly "peaceful" sanctuary;

some had reached a dead end on their own Dao paths and came seeking a "shortcut," even dreaming of using Demonic Dao means to taint the nascent fortune of the Literary Dao.

A cultivator shrouded in a faint black mist, his features impossible to make out, stepped before the Dao Seeking Stele.

He desperately suppressed the baleful qi and malice within him, attempting to disguise himself.

Yet the inscription seemed able to illuminate every falsehood. Not only did its Clear Light fail to appear, it suddenly erupted in a blinding white radiance, carrying a powerful intent to repel and purify.

The black mist around the cultivator burned with sizzling sounds, and he was blasted dozens of zhang away, landing in a miserable heap amid an uproar and wary looks from those around him.

Mud and Sand Flowed Together, the First Test Revealed Itself

Beyond these ill-intentioned people, even more were ordinary beings with complicated hearts and impure motives.

Some hoped to use this chance to attach themselves to a saint and gain protection; some came with a gambler's mindset, merely hoping to try their luck;

some had offended powerful enemies elsewhere and came here to take refuge from disaster; some had simply heard of this place's wonders and come to join the excitement and satisfy their curiosity.

This made the scene before the three trials of Clear Heart, See Nature increasingly bizarre and varied.

There were indeed those who successfully stirred the Dao Seeking Stele's Clear Light, but there were far more failures, and the reasons for their failures were stranger than strange.

At times, the Clear Light flickered violently before abruptly going out. At times, there was no response at all. At times, it even triggered a backlash.

On the Willpower Forging Steps, some suffered a collapse of will halfway up, wailed bitterly, and rolled back down;

some gritted their teeth until their faces twisted viciously, forcing themselves onward, only to be pushed back by the invisible pressure in the end.

Beside the Heart Cleansing Pool, the myriad states of the world were revealed even more clearly. Some were lost and helpless when confronted with their true natures; some resisted acknowledging them; some even had their Dao Hearts damaged by what they saw...

On the outskirts of Myriad Dao Academy, it was no longer merely a sacred ground for those with pure hearts devoted to the Dao. It had also become a grand stage reflecting the myriad faces of All Beings in the Primordial Era.

Sincerity and hypocrisy, resolve and wavering, kindness and malice intertwined and clashed here.

Seated deep within the academy, Wanhua took in every last bit of it. His expression remained calm, devoid of joy or sorrow.

As for the Dark Scale Guards of the Dragon Palace and the Demon Race spies attempting to infiltrate, he did not drive them away at once. He merely left an inconspicuous Literary Qi Mark upon them and watched how things unfolded.

As for those of the Demonic Dao harboring sinister intentions, he showed no mercy, using the power of the three trials to bar them from the gates or punish them.

"Water too pure breeds no fish," he murmured inwardly. "If Confucian Dao is to spread across the world, it must possess the breadth to embrace a hundred rivers, the Wisdom Eye to distinguish loyalty from treachery, and the means to scour away filth."

He had long anticipated this situation of "many latecomers, fish and dragons mingled together."

This was not only a test of the academy's rules, but also a tempering of the hearts and natures of those disciples who had already entered its gates. More than that, it was a head-on collision between the ideals of Confucian Dao and the inherent laws of the Primordial Era.

With a gentle sweep of his sleeve, an invisible decree spread throughout the outskirts of the academy:

"The three trials exist to select the worthy. Those sincere of heart and steadfast of will shall press onward, even if ten thousand stand against them; those harboring sinister designs, though brimming with schemes, shall find it hard to hide their true forms. Those who pass may enter the Outer Academy to attend lectures; those who do not may still comprehend Wenhua in the outskirts, cleanse the dust from their hearts, and return to try again once their natures have been purified. However, should any force their way through the trials or maliciously wreak destruction, do not blame me for failing to warn you!"

The voice was peaceful, yet it carried the supreme majesty of a Primordial Chaos Sage and the coldness of law. In an instant, it suppressed all the clamor and undercurrents on the outskirts.

Those with ghosts in their hearts could not help but feel a chill, while those who sincerely sought the Dao became even firmer in their convictions.

The academy gates remained open, and Wenhua still shone upon all. Yet behind that acceptance, an invisible sieve and disciplinary ruler had already been raised.

The true storms might not yet have arrived, but hidden reefs had already surfaced, foretelling that the path of growth for this newborn pure land of the Literary Dao would never be smooth sailing.