Ao Xin's Sea Patrol returned in defeat, like a massive stone cast into the deep sea. On the surface, the ripples quickly subsided, but beneath those unfathomable waters—
invisible undercurrents began to surge and intertwine with unprecedented speed and force.
The strategy decided within the Dragon Palace's Crystal Palace was swiftly being transformed into concrete action through covert and efficient means.
Like spreading ripples, its influence silently reached across the East Sea and even broader regions of the Primordial Era.
The Dragon Palace's Schemes, Shadows Everywhere
Deep within the Dragon Palace, inside a dim side hall, the Turtle Prime Minister was holding a secret discussion with several figures shrouded in shadow.
Their auras were obscure. Some carried the deep sea's distinctive chill, while others exuded strange, inscrutable alien auras that did not belong to the aquatic races.
They were Dark Blades secretly recruited by or allied with the Dragon Palace, skilled in concealment, reconnaissance, incitement, and even assassination.
"The target is the Myriad Dao Academy. Its core area's formation layout, the bottlenecks in its disciples' cultivation, the core content of its lectures—especially the nature of Literary Qi and the method of condensing a Literary Heart..."
The Turtle Prime Minister's voice was low and icy. "Spare no cost and take however long it takes. Infiltrate it.
The Dragon Palace treasury contains Thousand Illusions Pearls and Breath Concealing Dragon Scales for your use. If you make a confirmed major discovery, His Majesty will reward you handsomely. You may even be granted... an opportunity to cultivate in the Ancestral Dragon Secret Realm."
The shadowy figures stirred slightly. Clearly, the temptation of the Ancestral Dragon Secret Realm was immense.
A moment later, they silently melted into the surrounding currents like phantoms and vanished.
They would use the Dragon Palace's accumulated secret treasures and connections to attempt another infiltration into that land of Literary Radiance by even less detectable means.
At the same time, the Dragon Palace's external officials began moving frequently.
Openly or covertly, they contacted Rogue Cultivator gathering places, small demon race tribes, and even groups of Innate Beings living along the sea throughout the East Sea.
Coercion and inducement went hand in hand: those who obeyed the Dragon Palace's commands and distanced themselves from the Myriad Dao Academy would receive the Dragon Palace's protection and preferential resources.
Otherwise, they might receive "special attention" from Dragon Race patrols, have their trade channels obstructed, or face even more direct suppression.
An invisible pressure began spreading toward the Myriad Dao Academy's surroundings, steadily tightening.
The Demon Race's Thoughts, Watching the Fire from Across the Shore
On the Sun Star, within a divine hall.
Dijun held the River Diagram and Luo Script as shifting lights and shadows unfolded before him, deducing the threads of heavenly fate. Taiyi stood beside him, the phantom image of the Chaos Bell rising and falling behind him.
"The Dragon Race can no longer hold back," Dijun said slowly, stars appearing and vanishing within his eyes. "Wanhua, on the other hand, is remarkably composed. His disciple was humiliated, yet he did not act personally. He merely let his followers contend through formations and words."
"Brother, the Dragon Race's actions this time have helped us scout the path," Taiyi said in a resonant voice. "That Academy's formations truly have unique merits. They can use weakness to resist strength and contain the principles of Order.
Its disciples' temperaments are also extraordinary. Facing a Dragon Race prince, they remained neither servile nor overbearing. If such a Dao Lineage cannot be used by our demon race, it will surely become a hidden threat someday."
Dijun nodded slightly. "True, but a Primordial Chaos Sage stands behind it after all. We cannot act rashly.
Since the Dragon Race is willing to serve as the vanguard, we shall watch and see. Pass down the order: our demon race warriors are to temporarily refrain from large-scale clashes with the Dragon Race in the East Sea.
Let us see what methods the Dragon Palace can employ, and how far they can push Wanhua. If necessary... we may add fuel to the fire, but we must never let the flames consume us."
The demon race chose to watch from the sidelines for now, but their gaze grew more intent, like hunters lying in wait for the best moment to intervene.
All Parties Watched, Each with Their Own Designs
The Kunlun Mountains, the Western Lands, the Sea of Blood, the Northern Darkness... the attention of many top Great Powers of the Primordial Era was also drawn, to varying degrees, by the increasingly turbulent undercurrents in the East Sea.
Some were simply curious how long this newly born Confucian Dao system could endure beneath the Dragon Race's pressure.
Some were calculating whether they could profit from it, or use it to weaken rivals such as the Dragon Race and demon race.
Others had developed a deeper desire to investigate Wanhua's vastly different path to sainthood and Dao Lineage.
For a time, though the Myriad Dao Academy sat in a remote corner of the East Sea, it seemed to become an invisible focal point, tugging at the nerves of countless factions.
Within the Academy, Relaxed Without, Tense Within
Outside the Academy, Literary Radiance still shone brightly. Every day, living beings continued to come and attempt the Three Heart Inquiry Trials, or sit quietly in the Enlightenment Zone to experience the Dao's resonance.
But attentive observers could easily notice that Dragon Race patrols had become more frequent in the nearby waters. Some Rogue Cultivator tribes that had once shown goodwill toward the Academy had also become hesitant and ambiguous in their attitude.
Within the Academy, core disciples such as Xuanjizi and Elder Teng had already sensed this subtle change.
Though they did not know the Dragon Palace's specific plans, the invisible pressure and growing sense of isolation were unmistakable.
"Recently, there seem to have been fewer living beings coming to seek the Dao."
At a routine gathering, Elder Teng spoke slowly. "And among them, there seem to be some... whose intentions are overly 'complicated.'"
Its Benevolent Resilience Literary Heart was naturally sensitive to malice and pretense.
Xuanjizi nodded, his expression calm. "The Dragon Race will never let this rest.
The open conflict has temporarily subsided, but their covert methods will likely become even more severe. We must be more vigilant. Daily patrols and formation maintenance cannot be neglected.
Especially when it comes to newly admitted disciples, we must observe and guide them more closely to prevent any mishaps."
He was not flustered. Instead, he regarded this as a tempering of both the Academy and his own state of mind.
After this incident, the disciples cultivated even more diligently, and their practice of Dao-protecting arts such as Tongue-and-Sword and the Wanhua Guardian Formation became increasingly frequent.
An atmosphere of outward ease and inward tension spread through the Academy. The marked Dark Scale Guards and Qing Yu also became more cautious in their actions, not daring to overstep in the slightest.
Minor Ripples Beneath the Undercurrents
One day, a newly admitted Registered Disciple was wandering outside the Scripture Repository and attempted to secretly record the formation patterns on the pavilion's outer walls with an inconspicuous Dharma artifact. Jin Li, who was on guard, noticed him.
When the disciple saw that he had been exposed, he immediately lashed out and used a vicious water-element divine ability in an attempt to escape. Yet Jin Li crushed and captured him on the spot with the heavy, forceful Tongue-and-Sword.
An investigation revealed that he carried a Dragon Palace-made Shadow Recording Shell.
On another day, two Rogue Cultivators meditating in the Enlightenment Zone quarreled over a trivial matter. One of them kept sowing discord through his words.
He tried to incite the surrounding beings' dissatisfaction with the Academy, claiming that it had "too many rules" and "restricted freedom."
Mingxin exposed him with Each Word a Pearl containing the intent of Clearing the Heart and Brightening the Intellect. Seeing that the situation had turned against him, the man fled in panic.
These minor disturbances were like one or two bubbles occasionally rising from the undercurrents beneath the sea's surface. Though they caused no major damage,
they clearly foretold that storm clouds were gathering, and greater waves might be just ahead.
Wanhua remained seated within the Chaos Space at the Academy's core. Everything outside lay beneath the gaze of his Wisdom Eye.
He did not intervene in these undercurrents and minor ripples, as though using them to temper his disciples, and as though he were waiting for something.
Above the East Sea, all appeared calm. Yet everyone could feel the increasingly heavy oppression permeating the air.
The collision between the Pure Land of Literary Radiance and Dragon Race hegemony, the friction between a Sage's Dao and the Primordial Era's old Order, could no longer be reconciled.
A storm that would sweep across the East Sea and perhaps influence an even broader landscape was rapidly brewing beneath these seemingly tranquil waters.
Storm clouds gathered, and undercurrents surged. Could the Myriad Dao Academy, this newly launched vessel, hold its course amid the raging waves and forge ahead through the breakers? The true trial had only just begun.
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