In the East Sea Dragon Palace, the once dazzling and resplendent Crystal Palace now seemed shrouded in an inescapable gloom.
The radiance of the night-luminescent pearls remained, yet it could not illuminate the deathly silence and oppression pervading the hall.
Dragon King Ao Guang slumped upon his dragon throne. The sharpness and majesty with which he had once ruled the four seas were gone from his dragon eyes, leaving only bottomless exhaustion and a trace of undisguised dread.
The destruction of that elite Water Army, along with General Ao Zhan, was not merely a military loss. It was a devastating blow to the spirit and dignity of the Dragon Race.
Especially Wanhua's words—"Even if Ancestral Dragon himself came, he would still have to show me due respect"—were like the most vicious curse, tormenting every Dragon Clan Core member who knew of the matter day and night.
The ancient bloodline and glorious history upon which they had built their pride seemed so pale and laughable before the absolute disparity in strength.
"Your Majesty..." Turtle Prime Minister's voice was old and hoarse. He picked up his fallen cane, but his hunched body seemed to bend even further.
"Our most pressing concern is... is stabilizing our internal affairs and sealing off the news. We absolutely cannot allow the details of this matter to spread widely among the lower ranks of the clan or our subordinate forces. Otherwise... chaos may arise."
He knew well that the Dragon Race was not a united monolith. Many subordinate races had submitted only because they feared the Dragon Race's military might.
If they learned that the Dragon Race had been so utterly helpless before a Primordial Chaos Sage, even being erased and refined into treasure as though they were mere weeds—
Their loyalties would likely crumble in an instant, and the East Sea's great dominion would fall apart overnight.
Ao Guang waved a hand weakly, his voice low. "We shall do as the Prime Minister says... All who know of this matter will swear bloodline oaths and must not speak of it. To the outside world... announce that General Ao Zhan and his forces were carrying out a secret mission when they encountered a dangerous region of the Primordial Era and, unfortunately... were completely wiped out."
He chose to conceal the truth. Even if that truth burned his heart like Poison Fire, he had no choice but to swallow it.
"And... what about Myriad Dao Academy?" a Dragon Race elder asked in a trembling voice.
Silence descended upon the hall once more. Retaliation? With what would they retaliate? Would they provoke that fiend again, the one who could reduce the Dragon Race's elite to nothing with a flick of his finger? How would that differ from suicide?
"Transmit my decree!" Ao Guang took a deep breath and forcibly gathered a trace of a Dragon King's majesty, though the weakness in his voice was impossible to hide. "From this day onward, no aquatic creature under the East Sea Dragon Palace may approach within thirty thousand miles of Myriad Dao Academy for any reason! Those who disobey will be expelled from the Dragon Race, and their lives or deaths will be of no concern!"
This was the harshest prohibition, and also the most helpless retreat. He had no choice but to draw this boundary, trading territory for survival to avoid angering that unutterable existence again.
"Then... the Seventh Prince's earlier offense, and... and those clansmen who were refined..."
Another Dragon Race general muttered unwillingly. Hatred still lingered in his eyes, but there was even more fear.
"Enough!" Ao Guang abruptly cut him off. A faint trace of dragon might leaked out, only to be swiftly withdrawn, as though he feared disturbing an unseen gaze. "This matter... ends here!
Whoever dares speak of revenge again, do not blame this king for showing no mercy!"
He was utterly terrified. Before absolute power, all hatred and humiliation could only be buried deep within, not even daring to reveal the slightest trace.
The Dragon Palace, an ancient force that had once dominated the Primordial Era, had no choice but to lower its proud head beneath the majesty of a Primordial Chaos Sage and choose the most humiliating forbearance.
The Demon Race Adjusts, Plotting in Secret
On the Sun Star, Dijun and Taiyi sat facing each other once again. Before them, a star chart flowed and shifted as it calculated the new Primordial Era landscape after the Dragon Palace's upheaval.
"After this setback, the Dragon Race has suffered severe losses. Their dominance over the East Sea has already loosened." Dijun's gaze was deep. "This is both an opportunity and a warning for us."
Taiyi nodded, and the phantom image of the Chaos Bell trembled faintly. "The opportunity lies in the East Sea Dragon Race contracting its strength. Our Demon Race can take the chance to expand our influence in the East Sea and gradually seize the waters and resources they once controlled.
"The warning is that... Wanhua is no easy opponent. His methods are ruthless and decisive. We must not make an enemy of him."
"Indeed." Dijun pondered for a moment. "Pass down the order. Bai Ze will oversee the expansion into the East Sea. He must act with utmost caution, avoid the direction of Myriad Dao Academy, and absolutely must not come into conflict with it.
"At the same time... increase the gathering of intelligence around the Academy. There is no need to force infiltration. We need only observe its movements, the progress of its disciples' cultivation, and... more characteristics of that Literary Dao method."
He had changed his strategy. What had once been watching from across the shore and waiting for an opportunity had become cautious contact and deeper understanding.
A Primordial Chaos Sage with such strength and such a unique Dao Lineage was, by virtue of his existence alone, a tremendous variable. The Demon Race had to obtain as much information as possible.
"Perhaps..." A glint flashed through Dijun's eyes. "We can attempt to use the name of 'discussing the Dao' or 'exchange.'
"Send one or two clever envoys with no deep ties to the Demon Race's core to make contact around the Academy's outskirts. Show goodwill and probe their true situation."
He was laying the groundwork for possible non-hostile contact in the future.
The Rogue Cultivators Are Shaken, Hearts Begin to Stir
Although the details were sealed away, news of the Dragon Palace Water Army's "mysterious" annihilation still quietly spread among the lower levels of the Primordial Era and the circles of Rogue Cultivators.
Combined with the earlier sight of the Dragon Race's sea-patrolling prince returning in disgrace, as well as the Dragon Palace's unusually low-profile actions of late, intelligent people could naturally infer a thing or two.
For a time, Myriad Dao Academy became even more mysterious and lofty in the hearts of countless Rogue Cultivators and weaker beings.
"Even the Dragon Palace suffered badly there. They say they vanished without even causing a ripple!"
"Sage Wanhua truly possesses boundless power. The Dragon Race has finally kicked an iron plate!"
"It seems this Academy really has what it takes. Even the Dragon Race does not dare provoke it lightly!"
Some beings who had previously hesitated and withdrawn because of the Dragon Palace's secret pressure now began to reconsider.
The Dragon Palace's threats no longer seemed so frightening, while the Academy's promise of Education for All and its mysterious, powerful Literary Dao methods became far more alluring.
The number of beings traveling to the East Sea to attempt the Three Heart Inquiry Trials began quietly rising again. There were even more Rogue Cultivators among them with respectable cultivation and more meticulous minds.
The Academy Develops, Steadily Advancing
Though storms raged outside and undercurrents still flowed, Myriad Dao Academy entered its most stable period of development since its founding.
The threat from the Dragon Palace had temporarily vanished. Other major forces likewise chose to watch from the sidelines or approach cautiously, not daring to act recklessly. The Academy's disciples were able to devote themselves fully to cultivation.
With the aid of the Startling Dragon Brush, Xuanjizi made great progress in controlling Literary Qi and writing the principles of the Dao. His cultivation steadily advanced toward the late Golden Immortal stage.
He also began trying to incorporate more of his own understanding of the Dao of Seeking into his divine abilities.
Elder Teng, Yun Xi, Jin Li, Mingxin, and the others each gained something as well, their strength rising significantly.
Both the number and quality of newly accepted disciples increased, and the Academy steadily expanded.
Though Sage Wanhua no longer lectured on the Dao as frequently, the occasional decree he bestowed or distant guidance he offered on particularly difficult classical problems was enough to benefit the disciples immensely.
Within the Academy, the atmosphere of discussing the Dao grew even stronger. Various minor divine abilities and practical methods based on the ideals of the Confucian Dao were continually developed and refined.
The entire Academy presented a scene of flourishing vitality and a thriving Dao Lineage.
Yet Xuanjizi and the other Core Disciples were not deceived by this temporary peace. They knew that their teacher's thunderous methods had intimidated petty enemies, but they might also invite deeper wariness and more concealed schemes.
They paid even closer attention to the Academy's outer defenses, and their examinations of new disciples became increasingly strict.
That day, a Rogue Cultivator calling himself Huiming from the west successfully passed the Three Heart Inquiry Trials. The light of his soul was clear, and his heart in pursuit of the Dao seemed quite resolute.
His words and conduct also carried a distinctive sort of wisdom.
Yet Xuanjizi faintly sensed an extremely weak rhythm within him, one completely different from the Dao methods of the east. He silently took note of it and instructed others to keep a closer watch on him.
Beneath the calm sea, a new hidden move seemed to have already been quietly placed. This great game of the Primordial Era had entered a more complex and delicate new stage because of the rise of Myriad Dao Academy and Sage Wanhua's display of might.
The old conflict had temporarily subsided, but the new contest had only just begun.
Every force was reassessing its own strength, adjusting its strategy toward this newly risen Primordial Chaos Sage and his Dao Lineage, waiting for the arrival of the next opportunity.
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