The next morning began with explosions of enlightenment.

Not metaphorical ones—actual, physical detonations of "enlightenment" bursting from the meditation halls of the Academy of Elegant Malevolence.

Students were screaming, scrolls were burning, and someone's spirit beast had achieved Nirvana mid-breakfast and refused to come back down.

Headmaster Yan Luo stood atop the black pagoda, watching pillars of multicolored qi spiral into the sky.

He inhaled once, exhaled slowly, and muttered,

> "Ah. The peace alliance has begun."

---

Meanwhile, deep inside Hall Seven, Li Ming sat cross-legged before an ancient mirror array designed to "stabilize dual-type qi."

The array was glowing nervously.

Bai Guo circled above him. "Master, the Headmaster said to gently circulate your energy this time."

"I am," Li Ming said.

"You're shaking the roof."

"That's just my breathing."

From outside came a crash.

"Your breathing collapsed a courtyard."

"…Deep breaths are important."

---

Yin Qing appeared at the doorway, carrying three talismans, a suppression seal, and the expression of someone preparing for emotional damage.

"You were supposed to harmonize," she said.

"I did."

"Then why are the fish in the pond evolving legs?"

Li Ming frowned. "Ambitious species."

Bai Guo landed on the mirror. "You fused two incompatible energies again. See? Your righteous qi is trying to convert the demonic one, and the demonic one is quoting poetry about revenge."

The mirror flickered violently. On its surface, two swirling auras argued audibly:

> "Virtue must prevail!"

"But sin has better lighting!"

---

The explosion that followed was impressive enough to earn a standing ovation from several evil elders.

When the smoke cleared, Li Ming sat in a crater, holding something glowing between his fingers—a tiny sphere of mixed qi, pulsing like a heartbeat.

He stared at it. "What… is this?"

Bai Guo gasped. "A nascent spirit seed! You just cultivated a semi-sentient wisp!"

Yin Qing blinked. "That's impossible. It's too early in the process!"

The sphere wobbled toward her, chirping faintly,

> "Morality … confusing …"

Li Ming's mouth twitched. "It speaks."

Bai Guo leaned closer. "Technically, it complains."

---

Within an hour, rumors spread that the "Idle Calamity" had given birth to a spiritual entity of balance.

Students started leaving offerings at his door—half fruit, half venom.

The wisp floated proudly, glowing whenever someone bowed.

By noon, the Headmaster arrived, expression unreadable.

"Disciple Li Ming," he said slowly, "your creation has already converted three students, one chicken, and an entire furnace to the Dao of Ambiguous Morality."

Li Ming stood at attention. "Permission to deny responsibility?"

"Denied."

Bai Guo saluted the wisp. "Welcome to the sect, little chaos."

Yin Qing pinched the bridge of her nose. "We need to seal that thing before it evolves."

The wisp spun happily. "Seal me? Rude!"

And just like that, the glowing orb zipped through the courtyard, sprinkling contradictory enlightenment wherever it went.

A righteous cultivator suddenly swore loyalty to darkness; a demonic elder developed compassion for kittens; someone's sword spirit declared retirement.

Li Ming sighed. "I told you this would happen."

"No, you didn't," Yin Qing snapped.

"Mentally," he said. "In spirit."

---

By evening, the academy had descended into philosophical anarchy.

Half the disciples were writing manifestos titled 'Morality for Introverts.'

The other half were trying to cultivate through interpretive dance.

Yan Luo stood on the pagoda again, rubbing his temples.

"Contain it," he ordered. "Before we have a sect full of… whatever this is."

Yin Qing turned to Li Ming. "Your wisp listens to you. Can you recall it?"

He looked at the little orb hovering in the air, giggling while turning another statue into a motivational quote.

"Maybe," Li Ming said. "If I bribe it."

"With what?"

He raised a teacup. "Peace."

---

The courtyard of Hall Seven was no longer a courtyard.

It had become a philosophical disaster zone.

Floating banners of contradictory slogans hung in the air, written by possessed brushes:

> "True Evil Is Self-Awareness."

"Repent With Style."

"If Cultivation Hurts, You're Doing It Right (Or Wrong)."

A few disciples sat cross-legged in circles, chanting affirmations that alternated between righteous hymns and demonic battle cries.

Someone had accidentally merged both and achieved enlightenment in confusion.

And at the center of it all hovered the culprit — the tiny orb of mixed qi, glowing with smug self-satisfaction.

---

Li Ming squinted at it. "Stop preaching."

The wisp spun. "I am… expanding consciousness."

"You're expanding paperwork."

Headmaster Yan Luo's veins looked like they were attempting a spiritual breakthrough of their own.

"I demand you undo whatever Daoic abomination this is."

Li Ming sighed. "You can't 'undo' enlightenment, Headmaster. That's, like, illegal in three realms."

"Then negotiate with it," Yan Luo snapped. "It listens to you."

"Why me?"

"Because you birthed it."

"…That phrasing feels aggressive."

---

Yin Qing crossed her arms, standing beside him with the unblinking patience of someone ready to commit light homicide.

"If you can't control your creation, the sect will classify it as a demonic artifact."

"It's just a baby Dao," Li Ming protested. "Look at it—adorable, glowing, mildly arrogant."

The wisp bobbed. "I accept the title of Adorable, Glowing, Mildly Arrogant."

Yin Qing muttered, "Perfect. It's learning irony."

---

Li Ming sat cross-legged again, gesturing for the wisp to approach.

It floated closer, warily, like a cat sensing responsibility.

"Alright, listen," Li Ming began. "You can't just wander around and rewrite people's principles."

"I was born from harmony," it said. "I seek balance."

"You turned an assassin into a poet."

"Balance."

"You made a senior elder start an orphanage for demonic frogs."

"Balance."

Bai Guo whispered, "It's making sense, Master. You're doomed."

---

Li Ming exhaled slowly, suppressing the urge to flick the thing into orbit.

"Fine. What do you want?"

The wisp pulsed once. "Recognition."

"From me?"

"You are my… origin point. The world must acknowledge the Dao of Lazy Balance."

Yin Qing twitched. "The what?"

Li Ming looked equally horrified. "Hold on—'Lazy Balance'? I didn't name that!"

"You practiced laziness," the wisp said solemnly. "Yet you achieved stability. Your path is proof that stillness conquers chaos."

"…I hate that it sounds legitimate."

"Cultivation manuals will be written," it declared proudly.

Bai Guo clapped his wings. "Congratulations, Master! You founded a new Dao by accident again!"

---

The Headmaster's eyes twitched. "If this continues, the righteous and demonic sects will both start worshipping him. We'll lose doctrinal control!"

Yin Qing turned to Li Ming, voice low. "Fix this. Now."

He glanced at the wisp, who was now lecturing a group of disciples on 'Ethical Sloth and Sustainable Villainy'.

"…Give me a minute."

---

Li Ming approached the wisp like a man negotiating with an overly enlightened toddler.

"Look," he said, "you can't establish a Dao here. It'll cause a doctrinal rift. Plus, I don't even have time to manage one—I barely manage my own cultivation schedule."

The wisp hummed thoughtfully. "Offer… incentive."

"Incentive?"

"I desire territory. A domain to grow."

"…You want real estate?"

"Yes. A quiet corner. And tea. I have inherited your preferences."

Yin Qing pinched the bridge of her nose. "Your child inherited your laziness."

"It's called genetics," Li Ming muttered.

---

After a moment's thought, he tapped the ground and created a small spirit field beside the hall — a space enclosed by lazy qi, glowing faint blue.

"Here," he said. "Your own domain. You can preach your nonsense philosophy here—quietly."

The wisp floated into it, content.

Immediately, the air around the domain shimmered.

Clouds softened. Wind slowed. Birds decided to take naps midair.

An aura of tranquil indifference spread through the area like a contagious nap.

Yin Qing watched in disbelief. "You just created the world's first Meditation Quarantine Zone."

Bai Guo nodded proudly. "Visitors will enter motivated and leave existentially confused. Brilliant defensive formation."

---

Yan Luo rubbed his temples. "Very well. As long as it doesn't spread further."

The wisp bowed politely. "Agreed. My domain shall rest. Forever."

Li Ming sighed in relief. "Finally."

"Though…" the wisp added, "…I will accept disciples."

Li Ming's eyes widened. "Don't—"

Too late.

Half the Evil Academy students were already kneeling at the edge of the domain, chanting,

> "Master of Lazy Balance, grant us enlightenment without effort!"

Yan Luo fainted on the spot.

---

Yin Qing turned to Li Ming slowly.

"This," she said, "is all your fault."

He folded his hands behind his back. "Technically, it's a collaborative success."

"Collaborative?"

"Between me, the universe, and a lack of supervision."

She stared at him for a long moment, then said flatly,

"I'm writing your obituary preemptively."

---

That night, the Academy of Elegant Malevolence made an official announcement:

> "To preserve harmony, the Dao of Lazy Balance shall be contained within Hall Seven.

Do not enter without snacks or spiritual patience."

Li Ming watched the glowing domain from afar, sipping tea.

Bai Guo perched on his shoulder, whispering,

"Master, this might be your greatest creation."

Li Ming stared at the calm orb resting peacefully within its domain.

"…Or my most efficient apocalypse."

The wisp turned, as if hearing him, and whispered back through the night breeze:

> "Balance… requires chaos."

To be continued...

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