Zhao Gongming Grows Steadily Tougher, Li Yuan Breaks Through to Mystic Immortal Mid-stage!

Zhao Gongming's eyes went wide, stunned and at a loss.

"I... I report to Master, from now on I will give my utmost, bearing the dignity befitting the Senior Disciple Brother of the Outer Sect."

"Any outer sect disciple who commits the slightest error, I will surely mete out punishment and make them remember it well!"

Seeing Zhao Gongming's reaction, Tongtian nodded with slight satisfaction.

But as the fate of the Interception Sect echoed in his mind, his expression turned stern once more.

"Remember, if there are those who refuse to reform despite repeated admonishment, you may invoke my name and expel them directly from the Interception Sect as a warning to others!"

Zhao Gongming swallowed hard, nodding dazedly in reply.

"This disciple respectfully obeys Master's decree."

Terror stirred within him—he had always thought Master paid little heed to the outer sect's affairs.

Now it was clear that appearances were deceiving.

Master must have been occupied with other matters—that had to be it!

Tongtian sat in the seat of authority, brows tightly knit, when a sudden impulse stirred his heart.

"As the Senior Disciple Brother of the Outer Sect, you should be aware of the misdeeds committed by outer sect disciples, correct?"

At these words, Zhao Gongming nodded heavily.

"Reporting to Master, this disciple has them all recorded in his heart."

Tongtian waved a hand casually.

"Then speak, and let your Master hear what wretched deeds they've been up to!"

He thought that since the Interception Sect had only recently been established.

Even if some disciples were unruly, they couldn't have done anything too foul.

But once Zhao Gongming opened his mouth, he couldn't seem to stop for a good while.

"Just what this disciple recalls includes the Four Demonic Brothers spitting at Exposition Sect senior brothers without apologizing."

"Among the Seven Attendant Immortals, Junior Brother Long Ear forcibly turned some wandering cultivators into household slaves, ordering them about."

"Junior Brother Winged Immortal spends his days hunting spirit beasts on Kunlun Mountain, drinking their blood and eating their flesh raw, paying no heed to the admonishments of the Exposition Sect senior brothers."

"And there's more, and more..."

At this moment, Zhao Gongming clearly failed to notice.

The more he spoke, the darker Tongtian's face became!

Boom—!!!

Tongtian slammed his palm down, reducing the table before him to dust!

Zhao Gongming, small, pitiful, and helpless, curled up in a corner, trembling.

"You, as the Senior Disciple Brother of the Interception Sect's Outer Sect, couldn't handle a single one of these matters?"

Hearing this, Zhao Gongming was about to kneel, but then recalled his Master's earlier words.

He showed a resolute expression, cupped his fists in salute, and spoke with a ringing voice.

"Reporting to Master, this disciple, as the Senior Disciple Brother of the Interception Sect's Outer Sect, indeed had shortcomings before."

"Today, having received Master's guidance, I have awakened completely. From now on, I will never allow such matters to occur in the Interception Sect again!"

"Within a thousand years—a thousand years—this disciple will surely make the Interception Sect's Outer Sect shine anew!"

Tongtian nodded slightly. In the Primordial Chaos World, a thousand years was truly not long.

After all, cultivation here was generally measured in tens of thousands of years.

He raised his hand and took out a Top-Grade Primordial Spiritual Treasure to bestow.

"These are the Twenty-Four Sea Stabilizing Pearls. Take them well; they rank as a Top-Grade Primordial Spiritual Treasure."

"In the future, if any outer sect disciple shows you disrespect, strike them directly—no need to report to your Master."

"Your Master hopes to see, ten years from now, an Interception Sect Outer Sect that understands propriety and knows its bounds!"

Zhao Gongming stared fixedly at the Twenty-Four Sea Stabilizing Pearls, trembling all over with excitement.

To receive such regard from his Master—truly, to repay the sovereign's favor from the golden terrace, one would lift the jade dragon and die for the lord!

"This disciple respectfully obeys Master's decree. I will surely match my words with deeds!"

"Mm, you may go."

With that, Zhao Gongming left the Jade Azure Palace, carrying the Twenty-Four Sea Stabilizing Pearls.

He stood before the gates of the Jade Azure Palace, gazing down upon the Primordial Chaos World, his heart filled with a vast melancholy.

Suddenly catching sight of Long Ear passing by, Zhao Gongming straightened his chest, stepped forward to block him, and barked sternly.

"Halt!"

Long Ear looked baffled, but upon seeing it was the Senior Disciple Brother, a broad smile spread across his face.

"So it's the senior apprentice brother. May I ask what business the senior apprentice brother has with me?"

Who would have thought that Zhao Gongming still wore a stern expression as he harshly listed the offenses.

"Long Ear of the Interception Sect's outer sect, for slaughtering spirit beasts at the foot of the mountain and devouring their blood essence to cultivate, shall be suppressed for five thousand years to properly repent!"

Boom—!!!

The Twenty-Four Sea Stabilizing Pearls faintly appeared within Zhao Gongming's sleeve, and the waters of the Eastern Sea stirred into waves without wind!

Though not yet fully refined, he could still borrow a fraction of the treasure's power to manifest his divine abilities!

With five fingers pressing down in the void, the earth veins rumbled, and a hundred miles of spiritual energy at the foot of Kunlun Mountain condensed into black-yellow chains!

Dense array patterns suddenly emerged beneath Long Ear's feet.

This was the Sect-Suppressing Restriction that Master Tongtian had secretly carved into the Interception Sect's dojo, now activated.

At this moment, Long Ear finally panicked, crying out for mercy.

"Senior brother, senior brother, I already know my wrongs! I beg you for leniency, senior brother!"

Zhao Gongming formed his fingers into a Mountain Seal, channeling his peak Mystic Immortal mana into the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls!

Five streams of water-element spiritual energy swept back from the Eastern Sea, coalescing into five Heaven-Supporting Jade Pillars, their surfaces inscribed with the five great Dao seals: Restriction, Suppression, Punishment, Repentance, and Deliverance!

"The Interception Sect's decree—how dare it be lightly insulted!"

The Kunlun Earth Vein Dragon Qi, drawn by the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls, transformed into nine Black Iron Chains that bound Long Ear's limbs and hundred bones!

Zhao Gongming turned his palm and pressed down, and the five jade pillars rumbled as they merged into a five-fingered mountain, its surface revealing the character 'Jie'!

Long Ear roared and begged for mercy, but Zhao Gongming remained unmoved.

Rumble—!!!

Suddenly, a Sword of Immortal Slaughter qi descended from the direction of Biyou Palace. Master Tongtian, from across the void, carved three blood-colored seal-script characters—Contemplation Cliff—atop the mountain peak!

Every stroke carried Saint-level Pressure, suppressing Long Ear's Mystic Immortal cultivation down to the Earth Immortal realm!

At the mountain's foot, the Interception Sect's Repentance Formation spontaneously emerged, and within the formation, the voices of Interception Sect disciples reciting the Sect Rules echoed!

Zhao Gongming withdrew his seal and clasped his hands behind his back, the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls in his sleeve channeling the tidal force of the Eastern Sea!

All the Interception Sect disciples watching from a hundred miles around bowed their heads!

Countless Interception Sect disciples now looked at Zhao Gongming with a trace of terror in their eyes!

The usually kind senior apprentice brother, when he struck, could be this terrifying!

At the same time, from deep within the earth veins came Long Ear's weak plea for mercy!

"Master... this disciple knows his wrongs..."

Rumble—!!!

But from Biyou Palace came another furious roar from Master Tongtian!

"Suppressed for five thousand years! If he does not repent, then another five thousand years!"

Boom—!!!

Long Ear's voice vanished completely, and at the same time, many outer disciples of the Interception Sect were struck silent, trembling like cicadas in autumn frost!

Meanwhile, Li Yuan was unaffected, simply continuing his discourse on the Dao, his heart stirred with insight!

Li Yuan sat cross-legged within his cave dwelling, and three zhang around him spontaneously formed a Chaos Domain!

The Law of Fire wandering through his organs suddenly solidified, and Chaos True Fire transformed into twelve Crimson Gold Chains piercing through his acupoints!

The Kunlun Earth Vein, drawn by the Chaos, allowed the Earth Lung True Fire to pour in from the fissures!

At the same time, the gazes of the Three Pure Ones all focused here!

Laozi's lips curled into a smile as he murmured softly.

"Such talent can be called monstrous. Mystic Immortal mid-stage—accomplished!"

Yuanshi also wore a smile, but a trace of worry lingered between his brows.

"Third brother's Interception Sect will eventually fall. Who is the cause? Should I kill this wretch in advance to eliminate future trouble?"

Master Tongtian clenched his fists in excitement, shouting without pause.

"He truly is Pangu's reincarnation! I am far too clever!"

Boom—!!!

Li Yuan's aura around him suddenly surged again, then gathered back into his body, his might turning inward!

Mystic Immortal mid-stage—accomplished!