Surging Aftermath, A New Game of Hidden Pieces

The East Sea Dragon Palace, once a place of brilliant splendor, now seemed shrouded in an inescapable haze.

The glow of the night-luminescent pearls remained, yet it could not illuminate the suffocating silence and oppression permeating the halls.

Dragon King Ao Guang slumped upon his throne, his dragon eyes devoid of the sharp spirit and majesty that once commanded the four seas, leaving only bottomless exhaustion and a trace of undisguised terror.

The annihilation of that elite naval force, along with General Ao Zhan, was not merely a military loss; it was a devastating blow to the spirit and dignity of the Dragon Clan.

In particular, Sage Wanhua's words—"Even if the Ancestral Dragon were here in person, he would still have to pay respects to me"—felt like the most vicious of curses, tormenting every core member of the Dragon Clan who knew of the incident day and night.

The ancient bloodline and glorious history they relied upon to maintain their pride appeared so pale and laughable in the face of such an absolute disparity in strength.

"Your Majesty..." Turtle Prime Minister's voice was old and raspy. He picked up his fallen cane, but his hunched frame seemed even more bent than before.

"The most urgent matter is... is to stabilize the interior and seal the news. We must not let the details of this matter spread among the lower ranks of the clan or our vassal forces, otherwise... I fear chaos will ensue."

He knew well that the interior of the Dragon Clan was not a monolith; many vassal races submitted only out of fear of the Dragon Clan's martial might.

If they were to learn that the Dragon Clan was so fragile before a Primordial Chaos Sage, treated as nothing more than grass to be erased and refined into treasures, they would surely turn their hearts and minds away in an instant, and the hegemony of the East Sea would crumble.

Ao Guang waved his hand weakly, his voice low: "Do as the Prime Minister says... all who know must take a blood oath not to spread this.

To the outside world... announce that General Ao Zhan led his troops on a classified mission, encountered a perilous region of the Primordial World, and unfortunately... the entire army was wiped out."

He chose to cover up the truth, even if that truth burned like poison fire in his heart; he had no choice but to swallow it.

"Then... what about Myriad Dao Academy?" a Dragon Clan elder asked with a trembling voice.

The hall fell into silence once more. Retaliation? With what would they retaliate? Provoke that star of disaster again, who could turn the Dragon Clan's elite into nothingness with a flick of a finger? How would that be any different from suicide?

"Pass on my decree!" Ao Guang took a deep breath, forcibly gathering a sliver of a Dragon King's majesty, though the weakness in his voice was hard to hide. "From this day forth.

All aquatic creatures belonging to the East Sea Dragon Palace are forbidden from approaching the thirty-thousand-mile sea region of Myriad Dao Academy for any reason! Those who violate this order will be expelled from the Dragon Clan, regardless of life or death!"

This was the strictest of bans, and the most helpless of retreats. He had to draw this line, trading space for survival to avoid angering that unspeakable existence again.

"Then... the Seventh Prince's previous offense, and... and those clansmen who were refined..."

Another Dragon Clan general whispered in resentment, his eyes still holding hatred, though fear was more prominent.

"Enough!" Ao Guang snapped, his dragon aura leaking out briefly before being quickly reined in, as if afraid of disturbing some unseen gaze. "This matter... ends here!

Whoever dares to speak of revenge again, do not blame this King for being heartless!"

He was truly terrified. In the face of absolute power, any hatred or humiliation could only be buried deep, not even daring to show the slightest hint.

The Dragon Palace, an ancient power that once dominated the Primordial World, had to lower its proud head under the majesty of a Primordial Chaos Sage, choosing the most humiliating path of endurance.

Demon Race adjusts, plotting in the shadows

On the Sun Star, Dijun and Taiyi sat opposite each other once more, the star map before them shifting as they deduced the state of the Primordial World following the upheaval at the Dragon Palace.

"The Dragon Clan has suffered a great setback, their strength severely damaged; the hegemony of the East Sea has already loosened." Dijun's gaze was profound. "For us, this is both an opportunity and a warning."

Taiyi nodded, the phantom of the Chaos Bell vibrating slightly: "The opportunity lies in the fact that the East Sea Dragon Clan's power is contracting, and our Demon Race can take this chance to expand our influence in the East Sea, encroaching upon the waters and resources they once controlled.

The warning is... that Wanhua is by no means an easy person to deal with. His methods are ruthless and decisive; he must not be made an enemy."

"Indeed." Dijun pondered. "Pass down the order: the expansion into the East Sea will be handled by Bai Ze. Be cautious, avoid the direction of Myriad Dao Academy, and under no circumstances should you have any conflict with them.

At the same time... increase the collection of intelligence on the periphery of the academy. There is no need to force infiltration; simply observe their movements, the progress of their disciples' cultivation, and... more characteristics of that Literary Dao method."

He changed his strategy, shifting from watching the fire from across the river and waiting for an opportunity, to cautious contact and deepening his understanding.

A Primordial Chaos Sage possessing such strength and a unique Dao Lineage was a massive variable in and of itself; the Demon Race had to gather as much information as possible.

"Perhaps..." A glint of light flashed in Dijun's eyes. "We can attempt to use the name of 'discussing the Dao' or 'exchange'.

Send one or two sharp-witted envoys who have little connection to our core Demon Race to approach the outskirts of the academy, express goodwill, and probe the reality of the situation."

He was paving the way for potential, non-hostile contact in the future.

Rogue Cultivators shaken, hearts unsettled

Although the details were sealed, the news that the Dragon Palace's naval force had "mysteriously" been wiped out still quietly circulated among the lower levels of the Primordial World and the circles of Rogue Cultivators.

Combined with the earlier sight of the patrolling prince returning in a sorry state and the Dragon Palace's recent unusually low-profile movements, the clever ones could naturally guess a thing or two.

For a time, the image of Myriad Dao Academy in the hearts of countless Rogue Cultivators and weak beings became even more mysterious and lofty.

"Even the Dragon Palace suffered a huge loss there; they say not even a bubble surfaced!"

"Sage Wanhua truly has boundless magic power; the Dragon Clan kicked an iron plate this time!"

"It seems this academy really has true ability; even the Dragon Clan doesn't dare to provoke them easily!"

Some beings who had previously hesitated or retreated due to the Dragon Palace's secret pressure now found their minds active again.

The threat of the Dragon Palace no longer seemed so terrifying, and the academy's promise of "Education for All" combined with that mysterious and powerful Literary Dao method became increasingly attractive.

The number of beings heading to the East Sea to attempt the "Three Heart Inquiry Trials" actually began to rise quietly, and among them were even some Rogue Cultivators with decent cultivation and more meticulous minds.

Academy development, steady progress

While the outside world was filled with wind and clouds and hidden currents remained, Myriad Dao Academy ushered in the most stable period of development since its founding.

The threat from the Dragon Palace was temporarily eliminated, and other major powers chose to watch from the sidelines or make cautious contact, not daring to act rashly. The academy's disciples were able to devote themselves entirely to their cultivation.

Xuanjizi, with the aid of the Startling Dragon Brush, made significant progress in his mastery of Literary Qi and the inscription of principles, his cultivation steadily advancing toward the late stage of the Golden Immortal realm.

He also began attempting to integrate more of his personal understanding of the Dao of Seeking into his divine abilities.

Elder Teng, Yun Xi, Jin Li, Mingxin, and the others also gained their own insights, with their strength improving significantly.

Both the quantity and quality of newly admitted disciples increased, and the scale of the Myriad Dao Academy expanded steadily.

Although Sage Wanhua no longer lectured frequently, the occasional decrees he issued or his remote guidance on certain classic conundrums were enough to benefit the disciples immensely.

Within the academy, the atmosphere of debating the Dao grew even more fervent, and various minor divine abilities and practical techniques based on Confucian Dao concepts were constantly being developed and refined.

The entire academy presented a scene of vitality and a flourishing Dao Lineage.

However, Xuanjizi and the other core disciples were not deceived by this temporary stability. They knew well that while their Teacher's thunderous methods had deterred the petty, they might also have invited deeper apprehension and more covert schemes.

They placed greater emphasis on the security of the academy's perimeter, and the vetting process for new disciples became increasingly strict.

On this day, a Rogue Cultivator who claimed to be from the West, named Huiming, successfully passed the Three Heart Inquiry Trials; the light of his soul was clear, and his heart toward the Dao seemed quite resolute.

His speech and demeanor also carried a unique kind of wisdom.

Yet, Xuanjizi faintly sensed a trace of an extremely weak rhythm about him, one that was vastly different from Eastern Daoist arts; he secretly took note of it and gave orders to keep a close watch.

Beneath the calm surface of the sea, a new hidden piece seemed to have been quietly placed. Because of the rise of the Myriad Dao Academy and the display of power by Sage Wanhua, the grand chess game of the Primordial World had entered a more complex and subtle new stage.

Old conflicts had temporarily subsided, but the new game of strategy had only just begun.

All factions were re-evaluating their own strength, adjusting their strategies for dealing with this newly ascended Primordial Chaos Sage and his Dao Lineage, waiting for the next opportunity to arrive.