Du Tian Divine Fire

Disciples of Intercepting Teaching were a very peculiar kind of creature. They resembled the immortal cultivators of the mortal stream.

Before joining the Intercepting Teaching, they lived at the bottom of the Primordial Wilderness, cautious and timid, terrified of inviting death upon themselves. Yet once they became disciples of a Saint, they became arrogant.

They believed they had risen above the ranks of birds and beasts, that they and those creatures belonged to different worlds. Toward the birds and beasts that shared their origins, they captured and killed at will, taking whatever they wanted.

Yet when others accused them of slaughtering the Human Race, they defended themselves by saying, "The Human Race eats birds and beasts as food, so why can birds and beasts not eat the Human Race?"

At times like this, they turned back into birds and beasts.

Other than Master Tongtian, who viewed his disciples through the filter of a doting teacher, few people liked the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching.

In the past, Yuanshi Tianzun had found it inconvenient to point out the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching's problems. Even if he had, Master Tongtian might not have listened. Now that Meng Chen's pressure had exposed their true nature, Yuanshi Tianzun seized the opportunity to point out their flaws.

Yuanshi Tianzun was also afraid—afraid that Master Tongtian would be implicated by the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching.

In the Primordial Wilderness, master and disciple were one. When disciples performed meritorious deeds, their teacher shared in the Merit; when disciples committed evil, their teacher shared in their Karmic Sin.

There were far too many disorderly disciples in the Intercepting Teaching. Master Tongtian could bear the Karmic Sin created by one person, but the accumulated sins of tens of thousands over countless years were more than he could withstand.

Master Tongtian was not someone who refused advice. Under Yuanshi Tianzun's persuasion, he suddenly found clarity and let go of the obsession in his heart.

Teaching without distinction was not wrong, but teaching was not indulgence, much less permissiveness. Blind indulgence and protection could not enlighten all living beings. When necessary, one had to use thunderous methods and deliver physical instruction.

When he had established the sect rules, he had not done so merely to put them on display. They were meant to govern the Intercepting Teaching and regulate his disciples' conduct.

If the sect rules became empty words, then establishing the Intercepting Teaching had been no different from not establishing it at all. Everything he had done would have amounted only to gathering a pack of wild, untamable birds and beasts together, teaching them divine abilities and spells, then letting them loose to harm the Primordial Wilderness.

Such an Intercepting Teaching not only betrayed his original intention in founding the sect, but also disappointed Ancestor Hongjun's expectations of him.

Having understood all this, Master Tongtian no longer wavered.

He let out a long sigh. "Second Brother, you are right. These disciples bear the name of immortals, yet lack the substance of immortals. They possess immortal magical power, but their hearts remain those of beasts. Relying on them will not only fail to benefit the common people, but may also doom the Intercepting Teaching beyond redemption. And Daoist Duobao..."

At the mention of Daoist Duobao, a trace of hesitation appeared in Master Tongtian's eyes, but it quickly vanished without a trace.

The character Daoist Duobao displayed before him had indeed suited his wishes. Yet when Master Tongtian thought of the Intercepting Teaching under Daoist Duobao's control, and of the disciples who followed him, he felt there was nothing to regret.

Placing someone in a position unsuited to him was not necessarily a good thing for that person. When one's virtue did not match one's position, disaster was sure to follow. Daoist Duobao's present predicament was excellent proof of this.

"The future of the Intercepting Teaching cannot be placed in Duo Bao's hands. He simply is not suited for it. He cannot even serve properly as Eldest Senior Brother, so how could he possibly govern the sect rules of the Intercepting Teaching?"

The instant Master Tongtian spoke these words, Daoist Duobao atop Pointing Heaven Peak immediately sensed something. It was as though something had struck his heart, shattering it in an instant. He felt that he had lost something important.

"What is happening? Why do I feel this way?"

Daoist Duobao instantly realized that something was wrong. He was an immortal; he would not feel such a thing for no reason.

Though Master Tongtian had made a decision, he still wished to see how Our Lady of Wudang and Zhao Gongming would handle this incident. It was certainly rare that Our Lady of Wudang and Zhao Gongming had emerged unstained from the mud and refused to join Daoist Duobao in his corruption, but what the Intercepting Teaching needed was a qualified leader.

If even Our Lady of Wudang and Zhao Gongming were unsuitable, Master Tongtian would have to consider entering the Primordial Wilderness and cultivating another disciple. He was a Saint; he had all the time in the world for such a task.

On Pointing Heaven Peak, the north wind howled, and heaven and earth stretched out in vast desolation. Beneath the setting sun, Meng Chen faced off against Our Lady of Wudang and Zhao Gongming. No one made a move.

Meng Chen did not wish to act. He did not want to abandon the last shred of hope for the Chan Sect and Intercepting Teaching.

Our Lady of Wudang and Zhao Gongming, on the other hand, could not act. Things had reached this point entirely because the Intercepting Teaching was in the wrong. They had already lost on the grounds of reason and truly had no face left to make a move.

Guang Chengzi and the other Chan Sect disciples became spectators. They would serve as witnesses to the negotiation that would determine the future direction of the Chan Sect and Intercepting Teaching.

"Fellow Daoist Meng Chen, Eldest Senior Brother Daoist Duobao and the others attacked you without distinguishing right from wrong, seeking to kill you. This violated the teachings of the Saint of our sect. However, Fellow Daoist, you forced them to kneel in broad daylight. Are you not afraid that outsiders will see this and believe Xuanmen to be internally divided?"

Our Lady of Wudang began reasoning with him once again. This time, her words carried some merit.

She did not say that Meng Chen's actions were wrong. She merely reminded him that he should not have done this in broad daylight.

Daoist Duobao and the others all widened their eyes as if they were meeting Our Lady of Wudang for the first time. How could Our Lady of Wudang say something so cold-blooded?

Meng Chen smiled faintly. "Then does Fellow Daoist Wudang have any good suggestions?"

Our Lady of Wudang's expression turned solemn. "Of course. They should be punished according to the sect rules of the Intercepting Teaching. That way, I will also have an explanation for our teacher. According to the rules of the Intercepting Teaching, those who harm fellow disciples shall be thrown into the Du Tian Divine Fire Prison and endure the tempering of Du Tian Divine Fire for one hundred thousand years."

"Wudang, you venomous woman! What right do you have to govern the sect rules?"

"You are truly vicious! You call yourself an immortal of purity, yet you would use such cruel methods against your fellow disciples!"

"That Du Tian Divine Fire is divine flame born during Pangu's World Creation! To be tempered by it—you want us to be unable to live or die!"

The moment Our Lady of Wudang finished speaking, Daoist Duobao and the others rebuked her fiercely. A considerable number of Intercepting Teaching disciples were so enraged that they cursed aloud, completely disregarding their immortal bearing.

But they had long since lost all bearing. The moment Meng Chen suppressed them, they had become a laughingstock.

Our Lady of Wudang remained calm, utterly unmoved by Daoist Duobao and the others' furious rebukes. She looked directly at Meng Chen, her face expressionless.

"Fellow Daoist Meng Chen, they are all disciples of the Intercepting Teaching. Having violated the sect rules, they should naturally be punished according to those rules. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"

Meng Chen smiled faintly. "Naturally. The three teachings were originally one family, and I have always held the Dao Friends of the Intercepting Teaching in great respect."