Ao Xin's fury surged to his head. His dragon tail slammed against the sea, sending a thousand towering waves roaring toward the outskirts of Myriad Dao Academy like collapsing mountains and raging tsunamis!
Within those waves lay not only immense Power of Water Essence, but also his blazing Taiyi Golden Immortal-level Dragon Breath. Water and fire intertwined, creating terrifying power.
Clearly, he intended to give these "ignorant of their own limits" Academy disciples a harsh lesson. He even harbored thoughts of destroying the Academy's outer grounds and humiliating them.
Facing an attack as mighty as heavenly wrath, Xuanjizi and the others looked grim, yet not a single one retreated.
They knew well that yielding now would not only disgrace them personally, but also damage the Academy's prestige and stain the Confucian Dao's reputation!
"Form the Wanhua Guardian Formation!" Xuanjizi shouted decisively.
He was the first to stir the Literary Qi within him. His "Seeking" Literary Heart blazed with light as pure Literary Qi poured from his body.
Rather than scattering into a disorderly attack, it transformed into runes containing the principles and intent of "Order," "Guardian," and "Neutralization," swiftly weaving together before them.
Elder Teng reacted with astonishing speed. His aged vine-like arm swept through the air, and azure-gold Literary Qi carrying the essence of "Benevolent Generosity," "Resilience," and "Endless Vitality" merged into the formation.
It gave the runic light screen an even deeper, more enduring foundation.
Yun Xi gave it her all as well. Her "Guardian" Literary Heart was the most compatible with this formation.
Her pristine white Literary Qi was like the purest radiance, forming the heart of the light screen and emanating an unwavering will that could not be violated.
Jin Li, Mingxin, Yun Su, and the other disciples present acted one after another, gathering Literary Qi of every color.
Following the formation principles they had practiced in daily drills.
They swiftly erected a massive, translucent light screen around the Academy's perimeter, filled with countless tiny characters and principle runes flowing endlessly—the Wanhua Guardian Formation!
This formation was not merely an energy barrier. Its core used their Literary Hearts to draw upon the Academy's Earth Vein Literary Qi, creating a temporary domain centered upon the principles of "Order" and "Guardian."
Before anyone could react, the tidal wave and Dragon Breath driven forth by Ao Xin crashed violently into the Wanhua light screen!
"Boom—!!!"
A deafening explosion erupted between sea and sky!
The violent power of water and fire collided fiercely with the balanced and harmonious Literary Radiance Dao Charm. Light flared wildly, energy surged, a massive depression was blasted into the sea, and steam billowed everywhere!
Yet the expected sight of the light screen shattering and the Academy disciples collapsing never appeared.
The seemingly gentle light screen suddenly lit up with flowing principle runes the instant it endured the impact, as though countless scholars were simultaneously expounding the true meaning of "Stability," "Stillness," "Defense," and "Harmony."
When the violent waves struck the screen, their destructive power was rapidly broken down, guided away, and neutralized by layers upon layers of principle structures!
When the blazing Dragon Breath struck the light screen, it was like fierce flames cast into a deep pool. Though it raised ripples, it was swiftly dissolved into nothing by Literary Qi containing the essence of the Moistening Nature of Water and Inclusivity of Benevolence.
The light screen shook violently, flickering unsteadily. Xuanjizi and the others' bodies trembled, their faces turning pale as they clearly endured immense pressure—especially Xuanjizi, who presided over the formation's core.
A trace of golden blood even seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Yet through their profound understanding of principle and the unwavering will of their Literary Hearts, they forcibly blocked this strike capable of destroying mountains!
Though the light screen rippled, it did not break! The Academy's outer grounds remained completely unharmed!
"What?!" For the first time, disbelief appeared in Ao Xin's enormous dragon eyes.
Though he had not used his full strength in that attack, it was still not something an ordinary Golden Immortal could withstand. Yet his opponents had joined forces to block it with a seemingly "weak" power that he could not understand!
"Your Highness!" Xuanjizi suppressed his churning blood and qi. His voice remained calm as it passed through the light screen. "Strength is not the only measure of principle!
"Your Highness may use force to oppress others and enjoy momentary triumph, but strength will one day be exhausted, while principle is boundless!
"We who cultivate the Confucian Dao value understanding principle and rectifying the heart. How are Your Highness's actions any different from those who prey upon the weak by relying on strength? Have you not heard: 'Those who follow the Dao gain much support; those who lose the Dao receive little aid'?"
He was not merely condemning Ao Xin. He had once again elevated the matter to the level of "principle" and "strength," of "righteousness" and "brutality."
"Silver-tongued nonsense!" Ao Xin was shocked and enraged, feeling utterly humiliated. "You dare lecture me on principle just because you blocked one attack? Watch this Crown Prince shatter your turtle shell!"
He opened his dragon jaws wide. A phantom Dragon Pearl condensed from terrifying water-and-fire power began to form, twisting the surrounding space. Clearly, he was about to unleash an even more powerful divine ability.
At that moment, Elder Teng's aged yet peaceful voice rang out. Rather than strengthening the formation, he drew upon the power of his "Benevolent Resilience" Literary Heart.
It became an invisible ripple, like spring wind and rain, quietly brushing over Ao Xin and the Dragon Race entourage behind him.
"Please calm your anger, Your Highness." Elder Teng's voice carried a strange soothing force. "Conflict is not the way to resolve matters.
"Your Highness is a noble of the Dragon Race, exalted in status. Why lower yourself to argue with mountain wild spirits such as us?
"If a greater conflict arises from a moment of indignation and disturbs the Sage's quiet cultivation, I fear that would not be Your Highness's wish, nor would it be a blessing for Dragon Palace. Why not each take a step back, and let the sea and sky open wide?"
These words seemed humble, but they were actually an advance disguised as retreat. They emphasized Ao Xin's status, reminded him of the consequences, and connected "yielding" with "a vast sea and open sky."
They subtly conveyed the principle that taking a step back was not cowardice, but wisdom.
The Literary Qi ripple containing the power of "benevolence" also quietly affected several weak-willed Dragon Race soldiers, slightly diminishing their killing intent.
At the same time, Yun Xi gathered her courage and infused the power of her "Guardian" Literary Heart into her voice. "Our Academy stands here only to spread the Dao. We bear no conflict with the All Beings of the East Sea.
"If Your Highness treats us with courtesy, our Academy is willing to return courtesy in kind. Why must we face one another with weapons drawn?"
Her words were simple and sincere, representing the Academy's Original Heart of unwillingness to fight.
Xuanjizi, Elder Teng, and Yun Xi each used a different method. One argued from reason, one used softness to overcome force, and one spoke openly from the heart. All revolved around the core of "reason" and "courtesy."
They did not unleash sharp offensive divine abilities. Instead, they used Literary Qi to maintain the formation's defense and words of principle to dissolve the enemy's attack. This was the essence of a Confucian Dao "literary duel"—using reason to control methods and virtue to win people over.
Ao Xin's movement as he condensed the Dragon Pearl could not help but pause.
He felt his opponents' resilient defense and heard those seemingly calm words that pierced directly into the heart—especially Elder Teng's mention of "disturbing the Sage's quiet cultivation."
It was like a basin of cold water poured over him, cooling his blazing anger somewhat. He recalled his father's warning and remembered the Primordial Chaos Sage behind them, whom even the Dao Ancestor's strike had failed to harm.
If he truly started a great battle here, then regardless of victory or defeat, the consequences of thoroughly offending a Primordial Chaos Sage were not something a Dragon Race Crown Prince like him could bear.
His opponents had only defended and reasoned with him so far, without launching a true counterattack. They had already given him a way out.
His dragon eyes flickered as he weighed the gains and losses.
If he continued the assault, he might not be able to break that strange light screen quickly, and might instead invite unpredictable consequences;
If he withdrew now, he would lose some face, but he could at least preserve the pretense of a "Sea Patrol," leaving room to maneuver in the future.
"Hmph!" In the end, Ao Xin dispersed the Dragon Pearl phantom. His hundred-zhang dragon body retreated slightly, churning the seawater. His voice remained cold, but held far less killing intent. "You truly have sharp tongues!
"I will remember what happened today! The East Sea is not yours to set rules for! We're leaving!"
In the end, he did not dare tear away all pretense. After leaving behind a harsh threat, he flicked his dragon tail, swept up the remaining waves, and led the equally shaken Dragon Race ceremonial party.
They turned around and retreated toward the deep sea in a rather sorry state. The overwhelming arrogance they had arrived with had now dissipated by more than half.
Only after watching the Dragon Race party depart did Xuanjizi and the others finally breathe a sigh of relief. They withdrew the Wanhua Guardian Formation, their auras all unsteady from the considerable expenditure.
"Though we convinced people with reason, strength was still our foundation."
Xuanjizi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said gravely, "Without the guardian formation and the Sage's reputation to deter them, today would likely not have ended peacefully. We must cultivate even more diligently!"
In this "literary duel," they had avoided direct conflict through principle and formations, barely preserving the Academy's dignity. Yet they had also truly felt the gap in strength between themselves and the foremost powers of the Primordial Era.
This was not the end, but a beginning. The Dragon Race's probing would not stop here.
After this incident, the Myriad Dao Academy disciples' thirst for strength and resolve to uphold principle became clearer and more urgent than ever.
Before you continue