The First Lecture on the Confucian Dao, Myriad Phenomena Arise

Myriad Dao Academy, Outer Academy—Hall of Understanding Principles.

This hall was not built of gold or jade, but with bluestone as its foundation and ancient timber as its beams. Plain and unadorned, it nevertheless possessed an air of weighty stillness.

A plaque hung before the hall, bearing the two characters "Understanding Principles." Its strokes were vigorous and forceful, as though they contained the wisdom to perceive all things beneath heaven.

There were no fixed seats within the hall, only blue meditation cushions that appeared to have been placed at random, yet secretly accorded with the number of the heavenly cycle.

Today was the day Sage Wanhua's true body would publicly expound upon the essential meaning of the Confucian Dao at Myriad Dao Academy for the first time!

Xuanjizi, Elder Teng, Yun Xi, Yun Su, and the other formal disciples who had condensed Literary Hearts, along with the twenty-odd newly promoted Registered Disciples, had long since seated themselves in order upon the cushions.

Every one of them wore solemn expressions, their eyes brimming with excitement and anticipation.

Even those few disciples who harbored other ambitions and had barely passed the trials could not help but rein in their stray thoughts beneath the shroud of saintly might, holding their breath as they waited.

As the appointed hour approached, a faint scent of ink suddenly spread through the hall, as though countless volumes were silently turning their pages.

Space rippled slightly, and Wanhua's figure appeared soundlessly upon the dais at the front of the hall.

He still wore a simple azure Daoist robe. No crushing pressure emanated from him, yet he seemed to have fused with the entire academy, with the principles of this heaven and earth, unfathomable in his depth.

He offered no pleasantries and no superfluous words. His tranquil gaze swept over the disciples below before he slowly spoke.

His voice was not loud, yet like a gentle stream, it flowed clearly into the hearts of every listener, acting directly upon the depths of their souls.

"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name..."

Rather than immediately expounding upon profound divine arts, he began with the most fundamental concepts of "Dao" and "name," citing classics and drawing upon their teachings.

He explained the Confucian Dao's understanding of heaven and earth, of oneself, and of the essence of cultivation.

His words seemed to carry a strange magic. With every character he uttered, they ceased to be mere syllables, transforming instead into tangible principle Runes that gleamed faintly as they circled and danced within the Hall of Understanding Principles.

"The Dao spoken of by our Confucian Dao is not the elusive, intangible Heavenly Dao. It springs from the Original Heart and reveals itself through all things: Investigating Things to Attain Knowledge, making one's intentions sincere and Rectifying the Heart, then cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to all beneath heaven—the great Dao of Humanities!"

When he spoke of "Investigating Things to Attain Knowledge," Wanhua casually pointed at an ordinary spiritual plant outside the hall.

In that instant, the veins of every leaf, the networks of its roots, and the principles of "vitality," "Order," and "cycles" contained within its growth and withering

seemed to be clearly laid bare by an invisible hand, transforming into countless tiny green Runes displayed before all the disciples. They were allowed to intuitively comprehend what it meant to investigate things, and what it meant to see the Great Dao within the smallest details.

When he spoke of "making one's intentions sincere and Rectifying the Heart," the Runes within his words suddenly became scorching and brilliant, like clear mirrors shining into the heart of every disciple.

They stirred the disciples to reflect on whether their intentions were pure and whether their hearts were upright. Some revealed ashamed expressions, while others gained even greater clarity in their eyes.

As the lecture deepened, wondrous phenomena began to emerge in profusion!

Dancing Words, Resonating Principles

The principle Runes formed from the essential teachings of the Confucian Dao Wanhua expounded grew ever more numerous and dense.

They were no longer simply golden, but appeared in every color, representing different virtues and principles—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, loyalty, forgiveness, integrity, shame, and more.

Like living spirits, these Runes intertwined and combined in the air, sometimes transforming into splendid compositions that expounded Subtle Words, Profound Meaning;

sometimes gathering into phantoms of ancient sages, demonstrating how to sit and discuss the Dao; sometimes scattering into a sky full of rainlike light that drifted down and merged into the brows of the disciples listening to the Dao, helping them comprehend and assimilate it.

The entire Hall of Understanding Principles seemed to become a magnificent work that was being written, being evolved!

Literary Qi Forms Tides, Nourishing All Things

Vast Literary Qi surged from within Wanhua's body and from the academy's Earth Vein, like warm tides washing over the entire lecture hall wave after wave.

Within those tides of Literary Qi, the disciples felt their Literary Hearts leap with joy, their Seas of Consciousness expand, and their comprehension of principles become clearer than ever before.

Natural principle patterns began to emerge across the bodies of those disciples who were Spirits of Metal and Stone;

the Spirit of Radiant Wisdom shone brilliantly all over, echoing the wisdom Runes dancing in the air;

even the bluestone floor and ancient wooden beams of the hall became increasingly smooth and lustrous under the nourishment of Literary Qi, faint radiance contained within them.

Hearts Blossom in Sudden Awakening, Epiphanies Come One After Another

Xuanjizi immersed himself in that vast sea of principles, feeling that countless doubts from his past cultivation had now found a direction toward their answers.

His "Seeking" Literary Heart throbbed violently, resonating intensely with the principles of "Unity of Knowledge and Action" and "perseverance" from the lecture. The Literary Qi around him began circulating faster of its own accord.

His aura actually rose steadily as he listened, advancing toward the late Golden Immortal stage!

As Elder Teng listened to the principle of benevolence—"Honor the elders of others as you honor your own elders; cherish the children of others as you cherish your own children"—he further connected it to the truth that "the benevolent are invincible" did not refer to martial force.

Rather, it referred to the profound meaning that a heart of benevolence could dissolve conflict and gather strength. His "Benevolent Resilience" Literary Heart shone brilliantly, and the phantom of the ancient vine behind him became ever more verdant and majestic.

It emitted a power that soothed hearts, gradually calming several unsettled disciples beside him.

When Yun Xi, the Antlered Maiden, heard that "Guardian" did not merely mean sheltering others through force, but also enlightening through principles, moving others through benevolence, and creating harmonious Order, a flash of realization passed through her eyes. Her "Guardian" Literary Heart seemed to find a broader path, and her aura became steadier and more resolute.

Even the Qingyu Luan Bird Maiden, whose thoughts had originally wandered, could not help but feel her heart stirred when she heard, "Sincerity is the Dao of Heaven;

to contemplate sincerity is the Dao of man." She began to reflect faintly upon the actions she had taken under orders, and the wisp of Literary Qi Mark deep within her soul grew slightly hot.

Several Registered Disciples were even blessed with sudden insight when they heard principles that aligned with their own natures.

They actually fell into states of sudden enlightenment on the spot. Literary Qi burst forth around them, their Seas of Consciousness churned, and it seemed they were about to condense their own Literary Hearts!

His voice spread beyond the perimeter, its blessings reaching All Beings.

Wanhua's voice as he expounded the Dao was not confined to the Hall of Understanding Principles.

That Dao voice, containing supreme truths and mingled with vast Literary Qi, pierced through the academy's formations and spread like invisible ripples throughout the Enlightenment Zone on the academy's outskirts.

Though those beings who had failed to enter the Inner Academy and were sitting here in meditation could not see the Rune phenomena within, they could clearly hear the teachings that pointed straight toward the Great Dao.

Many beings listened in rapt fascination. Places that had once baffled them suddenly opened up, and the scant spiritual power within their bodies actually began transforming into Literary Qi. The Sha Qi around them faded, and their eyes grew clear.

The entire Enlightenment Zone was shrouded in peaceful, wise Literary Radiance Dao Charm.

At that moment, wondrous phenomena abounded both inside and outside the Myriad Dao Academy! Characters danced through the air, Literary Qi surged like a tide, flowers of the heart burst into bloom, and the Dao voice carried afar!

The principles of the Confucian Dao were like a rising morning sun, casting their radiance over this ancient Primordial World. They illuminated countless lost hearts and announced the formal arrival of an entirely new cultivation system!

Wanhua sat upon the lectern, speaking true words—his Word of Law made them reality. He was not merely transmitting the Dao and imparting knowledge; with his own Primordial Chaos Realm, he was guiding the laws of the Confucian Dao into a deeper fusion and resonance with the Primordial World.

This first lecture on the Confucian Dao carried significance and influence far beyond any ordinary clash of divine abilities. It was opening another door to the Great Dao for All Beings of the Primordial World!