Storms Approaching, Undercurrents Surging

Ao Xin's sea-patrol fleet returned in defeat, much like a boulder cast into the deep sea; while the surface ripples quickly subsided, beneath those profound depths, invisible undercurrents began to surge and intertwine with unprecedented speed and intensity.

The strategy finalized within the Crystal Palace of the Dragon Palace was being rapidly transformed into practical action in a secretive and highly efficient manner.

Its influence, like spreading ripples, quietly reached across the East Sea and even into the vast reaches of the Primordial World.

The Dragon Palace's schemes were shrouded in shadows.

Deep within the Dragon Palace, in a dim side hall, the Turtle Prime Minister held a secret meeting with several figures shrouded in shadow.

These figures possessed obscure auras; some carried the unique, chilling cold of the deep sea, while others exuded strange, inscrutable, and alien energies that did not belong to the aquatic races.

They were the "Dark Blades" that the Dragon Palace had secretly recruited or partnered with, masters of concealment, espionage, deception, and even assassination.

"The target is Myriad Dao Academy. The layout of the core formations, the cultivation bottlenecks of the disciples, the core content of the lectures, especially the essence of 'Literary Qi' and the method of condensing the 'Literary Heart'..."

The Turtle Prime Minister's voice was low and cold. "Spare no cost, count no time, and infiltrate them.

In the Dragon Palace treasury, the Thousand Illusions Pearl and the Breath Concealing Dragon Scale are available for your use. If there are any significant, verified discoveries, His Majesty will not be stingy with rewards, and may even... grant a sliver of opportunity to cultivate in the Ancestral Dragon Secret Realm."

The figures in the shadows fluctuated slightly, clearly tempted by the allure of the Ancestral Dragon Secret Realm.

A moment later, these figures merged into the surrounding water like ghosts, vanishing without a sound.

They would utilize the secret treasures and channels accumulated by the Dragon Palace to attempt, once again, to infiltrate that land of literary brilliance in ways even harder to detect.

At the same time, the Dragon Palace's external affairs officers began to act with increased frequency.

They contacted, either openly or covertly, various gatherings of Rogue Cultivators within the East Sea, small Demon Race tribes, and even groups of Innate Beings living near the coast.

Using both threats and inducements, they applied pressure: those who obeyed the Dragon Palace's orders and distanced themselves from Myriad Dao Academy would receive the protection and resource allocation of the Dragon Palace;

Conversely, they might face "special attention" from the Dragon Race patrol fleets, obstruction of their trade channels, or even more direct suppression.

An invisible pressure began to spread and tighten around the perimeter of Myriad Dao Academy.

The thoughts of the Demon Race, watching the fire from across the river.

On the Sun Star, within the divine palace.

Dijun held the River Diagram and Luo Script, the light and shadows shifting before him as he deduced the threads of heavenly fate. Taiyi stood to the side, the phantom of the Chaos Bell floating behind him.

"The Dragon Race can no longer restrain themselves." Dijun spoke slowly, stars being born and dying in his eyes. "That Wanhua is surprisingly patient; his disciples were humiliated, yet he did not act personally, leaving his subordinates to maneuver with formations and rhetoric."

"Big Brother, the Dragon Race's actions this time are effectively scouting the path for us." Taiyi's voice was resonant. "The academy's formation is indeed unique; it can use the weak to block the strong, containing the logic of order.

The temperament of its disciples is also extraordinary; they remained neither servile nor overbearing when facing the Dragon Prince. If such a Dao Lineage cannot be used by our Demon Race, it will surely become a hidden threat in the future."

Dijun nodded slightly: "True, but behind them stands a Primordial Chaos Sage; we must not act rashly.

Since the Dragon Race is willing to be the vanguard, we shall watch the changes unfold. Pass down the order: our Demon Race kin are to temporarily halt large-scale friction with the Dragon Race in the East Sea for the time being.

Let us see what methods the Dragon Palace can employ, and to what extent they can force that Wanhua. When necessary... we may add fuel to the fire, but we must never let the flames consume ourselves."

The Demon Race chose to remain on the sidelines, but their gaze became more focused, like a lurking hunter waiting for the perfect moment to intervene.

All parties watching, with different intentions.

Kunlun Mountains, the Western Lands, the Sea of Blood, Northern Darkness... the gazes of many top Great Powers of the Primordial World were also, to varying degrees, drawn to the increasingly intense undercurrents of the East Sea.

Some were purely curious about how long this nascent Confucian Dao system could hold out under the pressure of the Dragon Race;

Others were calculating whether they could profit from it, or use it to weaken competitors like the Dragon Race or the Demon Race;

Still others felt a deeper desire to investigate Wanhua's vastly different path to sainthood and his Dao Lineage.

For a time, although Myriad Dao Academy was tucked away in a corner of the East Sea, it seemed to have become an invisible focal point, tugging at the nerves of many factions.

Inside the academy, relaxed on the outside but tense on the inside.

On the outskirts of the academy, the literary brilliance still shone, and every day, beings still came to attempt the "Three Heart Inquiry Trials" or sat in the "Enlightenment Zone" to feel the Dao rhymes.

But the observant could not help but notice that the traces of Dragon Race patrol fleets in the nearby waters seemed to have become more frequent, and the attitudes of some Rogue Cultivator tribes that had previously shown goodwill toward the academy had become ambiguous and hesitant.

Inside the academy, core disciples like Xuanjizi and Elder Teng had already sensed this subtle change.

Although they did not know the specific plans of the Dragon Palace, that invisible pressure and the growing sense of isolation were clearly discernible.

"The number of beings coming to seek the Dao recently seems to have decreased."

Elder Teng said slowly during a routine gathering, "And among them, some seem to have mixed in who are... 'complex' in their intentions."

Its "Benevolent Resilience" Literary Heart had a natural sensitivity to malice and disguise.

Xuanjizi nodded, his expression calm: "The Dragon Race will never let this go.

Overt conflict has temporarily ceased, but the covert methods will likely become even worse. We must be more vigilant; daily patrols and formation maintenance must not be relaxed.

Especially regarding the newly admitted disciples, we must observe and guide them more closely to prevent any mishaps."

He did not panic; instead, he viewed this as a tempering of the academy and his own state of mind.

After this incident, the disciples practiced even more diligently, and their drills in defensive arts like "Tongue-and-Sword" and the "Wanhua Guardian Formation" became increasingly frequent.

An atmosphere of being relaxed on the outside but tense on the inside permeated the academy. Those "Dark Scale Guards" and Qing Yu, who bore the marks, also became more cautious and careful, not daring to overstep in the slightest.

Micro-ripples beneath the undercurrent.

On this day, a newly admitted Registered Disciple was loitering outside the perimeter of the Scripture Repository, attempting to secretly record the formation patterns on the outer wall with an inconspicuous magical artifact, when he was discovered by the guard on duty, Jin Li.

Seeing that his actions had been exposed, the disciple immediately erupted into action, unleashing a sinister water-element divine ability in an attempt to escape, only to be instantly crushed and captured by Jin Li's heavy and fierce Tongue-and-Sword.

Upon investigation, it was found that he was carrying a Shadow Recording Shell secretly crafted by the Dragon Palace.

On another day, two Rogue Cultivators meditating in the Enlightenment Zone got into a dispute over trivial matters, with one of them constantly provoking the other with his words.

He attempted to incite the surrounding beings, stirring up dissatisfaction regarding the academy's "too many rules" and "restrictions on freedom."

Mingxin saw through his ploy with a barrage of Each Word a Pearl that carried the intent of Clearing the Heart and Brightening the Intellect; seeing the situation turn against him, the man fled in a panic.

These minor ripples were like a few bubbles occasionally surfacing from the undercurrents surging beneath the sea; while they caused no major destruction.

They clearly signaled that a storm was gathering, and a greater tide might be just ahead.

Wanhua remained seated in the Chaos Space at the core of the academy, with everything in the outside world under the observation of his Wisdom Eye.

He did not intervene in these undercurrents and minor ripples, as if he were using them to temper his disciples, or perhaps as if he were waiting for something.

Above the East Sea, all seemed calm. But everyone could feel the increasingly thick Oppressive Feeling permeating the air.

The collision between the Pure Land of Literary Radiance and the hegemony of the Dragon Race, and the friction between the Way of the Sages and the old order of the Primordial Era, had become irreconcilable.

A storm that would sweep across the East Sea, and perhaps even affect a wider landscape, was accelerating its brewing beneath this seemingly calm surface.

The wind and rain were about to arrive, and the undercurrents were surging. Could the Myriad Dao Academy, this newborn vessel, hold its course and forge ahead through these crashing waves? The test had only just begun.