Lu Chen felt things were heading in a very strange direction.
At first, he had merely taken in the Sea Spirit Clan for a hundred years.
Yet a hundred years later, they had turned the deserted island into the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
Later, he had merely allowed the Sea Spirit Clan to remain while he entered seclusion for ten thousand years.
Yet ten thousand years later, the Inner Realm of the Abyss had become Abyss City.
Later still, he had merely bestowed the Book of Cause and Effect and asked Lan Shuang to register the living beings entering the realm.
And the Bureau of Cause and Effect had been established.
The Register of Ten Thousand Tribes had been completed.
The order of Abyss had begun to take shape.
Now, things were even more outrageous.
He had merely used the Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Formation to suppress an unruly young fool.
So how had Abyss Academy suddenly appeared too?
Lu Chen listened to Lan Shuang's report, his feelings complicated.
"Emperor, there are more and more young people in Abyss now."
"The cultivation methods, rules, and temperaments of the various tribes all differ."
"If we rely solely on the Realm Guard to restrain them, we will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."
"This junior believes that Abyss Academy should be established to teach the children and young cultivators of every tribe literacy, cultivation, rules, and how to evade tribulations."
"Only then can we prevent another incident like Han Jue's from happening in the future."
Lu Chen had initially wanted to refuse.
But after hearing her out, he felt that it made some sense.
Young people were full of energy.
If they were not given something to do, they would sooner or later start fighting again.
And fighting would affect the stability of the Inner Realm.
If the Inner Realm became unstable, it would affect the Abyssal Womb Membrane.
If the Abyssal Womb Membrane were affected, it would disrupt his seclusion.
Thinking about it that way, establishing an Academy did seem necessary.
But the problem was that once this thing was established, Abyss would look even more like an actual faction.
Lu Chen pondered for a long time before asking, "You're only teaching rules?"
Lan Shuang nodded.
"Rules, basic cultivation, and how the various tribes can evade tribulations and survive."
Lu Chen felt somewhat relieved.
Evading tribulations and staying alive was good.
That was what he excelled at.
The system's voice sounded at that moment as well.
"Detected that Abyss Academy is about to be established. Please choose, host."
"Option one: Personally impart the Dao and accept the ten thousand tribes as disciples. Reward: Scripture of Primordial Mysterious Water."
"Option two: Close the Academy and avoid becoming entangled in master-disciple karma. Reward: three Tribulation-Evasion Talismans."
"Option three: Bestow basic cultivation methods and strictly prohibit their dissemination. Reward: increased stability of the Abyssal Womb Membrane."
Lu Chen looked at the first option, and his eyelid twitched.
Personally impart the Dao?
Accept the ten thousand tribes as disciples?
That karma was far too great.
If these people went out and fought in the future, and someone asked who their master was—
They would say Mysterious Abyss Emperor.
Wouldn't that mean he would somehow end up taking the blame for a whole pile of trouble?
The second option was not very suitable either.
Closing the Academy would avoid karma, but if no one managed the young people, they would sooner or later cause trouble.
The third option was best.
Bestow basic cultivation methods.
Strictly prohibit their dissemination.
Accept no disciples.
Avoid becoming involved in too much karma.
And increase the Womb Membrane's stability as well.
Lu Chen decisively said, "I choose three."
"Congratulations, host. The stability of the Abyssal Womb Membrane has increased."
"Please organize the basic cultivation method yourself, host."
Lu Chen fell into thought.
A basic cultivation method.
That was not difficult.
He possessed the innate inheritance of the Black Tortoise True Body, and he also had the Chaos Tortoise Breathing Method as a reference.
Although he could not pass down a life-saving trump card like the Chaos Tortoise Breathing Method, putting together a weaker version was possible.
The core idea was simple as well.
Move less.
Fight less.
Get involved in less karma.
First learn to conceal your aura, then learn how to stay alive.
If you could avoid fighting, do not fight.
If you could run, run.
If you could not run, defend.
If you could not defend, call for help.
The more Lu Chen organized it, the more satisfied he became.
This was the cultivation method truly suited for Abyss.
That Primordial World atmosphere outside, where people shouted about fighting and killing at every turn, would get people killed sooner or later.
If Abyss wanted to endure, everyone had to learn how to lie low.
One person lying low was not much of an accomplishment.
An entire faction lying low—that was what true safety meant.
Several days later.
Lu Chen condensed a basic method into a jade slip and sent it to Lan Shuang.
"This method is called the Abyss Stillness Art."
"It may only be taught within Abyss Academy."
"It must not be spread outside."
"Remember, the core of this method is not competing for strength or fighting fiercely. It is evading tribulations and protecting oneself."
Lan Shuang accepted the jade slip with both hands.
The instant it fell into her hands, she sensed an aura that was quiet, profound, and heavy.
It was neither sharp, overbearing, nor ostentatious.
Yet it was as accommodating as the deep sea and as steadfast as a tortoise shell.
She had only skimmed a few lines when her mind shook violently.
This method appeared basic, but it actually aligned with the Dao of Abyss.
Conceal one's aura.
Stabilize one's foundation.
Reduce karma.
Avoid deadly tribulations.
This was no ordinary cultivation method.
It was a tribulation-evading method personally tailored for the ten thousand tribes by the Emperor, founded upon the Abyss Great Dao.
Unconcealable excitement filled Lan Shuang's eyes.
"This junior understands."
"This method will never be spread outside."
Abyss Academy was soon completed.
It stood on the eastern side of the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
It was not luxurious.
But it was exceptionally spacious.
At the center of the Academy stood a black stone stele bearing four lines.
Fight less, kill less, incur less karma, live longer.
Lu Chen thought those four lines were excellent.
Plain, sincere, and directly aimed at the essence of the matter.
Yet when the various tribes of Abyss saw those words, they had an entirely different feeling.
Han Jue stood before the stone stele, his eyes filled with shock.
"Fight less does not mean never fight. It means not fighting meaningless battles."
"Kill less does not mean never kill. It means not killing recklessly."
"Incur less karma means avoiding being implicated during the Great Tribulation."
"Live longer..."
He drew a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly.
"Only those who survive to the end are qualified to contend for the true Great Dao."
The young cultivators around him all nodded.
"So that's what it means!"
"The Emperor's four lines contain such profound meaning!"
"We only knew how to compete in courage and fight fiercely before. Only now do we understand that evading tribulations is also a Great Dao."
If Lu Chen heard those words, he would probably be quite gratified.
You finally understand how to lie low.
Unfortunately, Han Jue clenched his fists again in the next moment.
"The Emperor passed down this method so that we may avoid the edge of the Dragon-Han Cataclysm."
"Once the three tribes decline and Abyss emerges, that will be the day we sweep across the Northern Sea!"
If Lu Chen had been there, he would definitely have kicked him out.
Sweep across what Northern Sea?
Who told you to sweep across the Northern Sea?
Abyss Academy's first lesson was personally led by Lan Shuang.
Young cultivators from thirty-six tribes gathered in the Academy.
Even before Ao Lie arrived and Dragon-Suppressing Pass had been established, the young Realm Guard members of the various tribes sat in perfect order.
Lan Shuang activated the jade slip.
"Today, we will discuss the Abyss Stillness Art bestowed by the Emperor."
"The first principle of this method."
"Stillness."
"What is stillness?"
"It is not immobility, nor is it cowardice. It is the heart remaining undisturbed by external tribulations."
"When the Great Tribulation of the Primordial World begins, the heavenly currents become chaotic. The ten thousand tribes fight and kill, and the slightest carelessness can draw one into karma."
"Those who are still can observe the tribulation."
"Those who restrain their breath can evade the tribulation."
"Abyss is where all currents end, and it is also a place untouched by countless tribulations."
"The Emperor passed down this method so that we may first learn how to survive during a great calamity."
Everyone below listened in rapt attention.
This method was not complicated.
It was even more basic than the inherited teachings of many tribes.
But its strength lay in its universality.
Whether they were from the Sea Spirit Clan, Ice-Scaled Tribe, Mystic Clam Tribe, Cold Whale Tribe, Water Ape, Merfolk, or Black-Shelled Turtle Tribe, all could cultivate it.
More importantly, after cultivating this method, their auras became steadier and their spiritual power circulated with greater restraint.
In the past, many weaker tribes had rushed to break through while cultivating, often leaving their foundations unstable.
But the Abyss Stillness Art perfectly made up for that flaw.
One month later.
Among the first batch of Academy disciples, more than a hundred people had actually broken through minor realms.
Three months later.
After cultivating this method, the Realm Guard cultivators' formation stability increased by thirty percent.
Half a year later.
Among the young children of all races who cultivated this method, there were zero cases of cultivation deviation.
One year later.
The number of private fights in Abyss City had fallen by nearly half.
Lan Shuang held these reports, her heart shaken beyond measure.
Lady Mingzhu sighed softly.
"The Emperor's method may seem basic, but it is truly the Myriad Races Foundation Method."
"The weaker a race is, the more it needs a cultivation method like this—one that does not damage its foundation or invite external tribulations."
Lan Shuang nodded.
"The Emperor must have long realized that Abyss's future would not belong to the Sea Spirit Clan alone."
"That is why he bestowed a method that all races could cultivate."
"This is not the method of a single race."
"This is Abyss's method."
She slowly raised her head and looked toward the depths of Abyss.
"Though the Emperor is in seclusion, he has already seen Abyss ten thousand years into the future."
Lu Chen also heard the system notification at that moment.
Abyss Academy was operating steadily. The "Abyss Stillness Art" had gained the recognition of Abyss's races. The stability of the Abyssal Womb Membrane had increased once more. The gestation speed of the Northern Dark Spirit Veins had increased.
Lu Chen paused.
There was actually such a benefit?
He had only casually organized a survival technique.
He had not expected the results to be so good.
It seemed that sometimes, one could grow stronger without fighting.
Very good.
This was what suited his philosophy.
Lu Chen closed his eyes in satisfaction.
"Not bad."
"Everyone go learn it."
"Everyone go lie low."
"Let's all live safely and steadily until Journey to the West."
Just as Abyss Academy gradually got on the right track.
Dragon-Suppressing Pass had yet to be established, but the Bureau of Realm Patrol on Abyss's outskirts discovered an abnormal karmic thread.
A cultivator claiming to be from the Coldwater Fish Clan had entered the outer city three years ago.
He was usually honest and well-behaved.
He neither caused trouble nor competed for resources.
Yet when the Book of Cause and Effect revealed him, it discovered that deep within his karmic thread was a pitch-black dragon shadow.
Lan Shuang looked at the dragon shadow appearing in the Book of Cause and Effect, her gaze turning cold.
"A Dragon Clan spy."
Lady Mingzhu frowned.
"So soon?"
Lan Shuang closed the Book of Cause and Effect.
"Abyss has founded a city and taken in thirty-six races. The Dragon Clan could not possibly have no reaction."
"I just didn't expect their spy to have already infiltrated us."
She looked toward the depths of Abyss.
"This matter must be reported to the Emperor."
In the depths of Abyss.
Lu Chen had just prepared to continue cultivating.
The system's voice rang out again.
"Detected a Dragon Clan spy infiltrating Abyss."
Lu Chen opened his eyes.
"..."
"I knew it."
"The more people there are, the more trouble there'll be."