Establishing a Sect?

Above the void, the great powers and mighty experts who had come to witness the ceremony and offer congratulations were also startled by the sight, their expressions shifting slightly.

Their originally calm and composed looks vanished, replaced by undisguised shock and blankness.

Where was even a trace of an exalted expert's bearing?

"Demon Master, what do you think of the Interception Sect now?"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi looked at the densely packed Interception Sect disciples below, each with a powerful aura, and his heart quietly tightened.

From this formation alone, one could tell that the Interception Sect's influence no longer fell short of the Heavenly Court's. In terms of top-level combat strength, it even held a slight advantage.

If there was any gap, it was only that their numbers could not compare to the vast multitude of the Heavenly Court.

But that was understandable—the Heavenly Court stood behind the entire Demon Race of the Primordial Wilderness. Its sheer population base could crush most factions.

And the Interception Sect? It had only 1,209,000 disciples, yet every single one had been tempered to such a level. This was definitely not something that could be achieved merely by piling up resources.

Conversely, if the Interception Sect had a source of talent as enormous as the Demon Race's, the other sects likely would not even be qualified to contend with it.

That point alone was enough to make one's heart tremble.

"The growth of the Interception Sect's disciples must be closely related to the way their sect operates."

Kunpeng was silent for a long time before speaking with a grave expression. "In my view, once this ceremony is over, the Heavenly Court may as well learn from it and give it a try."

After hearing this, Taiyi pondered briefly and nodded slightly, tacitly approving the suggestion.

"Senior Brother, I see that the Interception Sect's disciples are fated with our West."

A flash of heat and greed passed through Zhunti's eyes as he secretly transmitted his voice to Jieyin. "When you and I attain the Dao and become Saints, and join hands with Yuanshi and Dijun to restrain Tongtian, why not take the opportunity to convert all his disciples to the West?"

Had he not been wary of his current lack of strength, he probably would have been unable to restrain himself and would have acted by force long ago.

"There is no need to rush." Jieyin nodded lightly. "Let Tongtian raise them for us a while longer. When the time comes, it will all happen naturally."

The two exchanged a smile. When their gazes swept over the disciples below, they were no longer merely envious and covetous. Instead, their eyes carried the air of elders assessing juniors.

From time to time, they whispered among themselves, offering comments and judgments as though those people were already theirs for the taking.

When Tongtian saw this scene, a cold smile curled across his lips.

He was both annoyed and amused by the shameless persistence of these two "old acquaintances."

He was annoyed because whenever Western fortune was involved, these two dared to use any means necessary and always believed they would ultimately achieve their goal. He found it amusing because they had always underestimated him while vastly overestimating their own meager foundation.

I only hope that when blades are drawn in the future, they will not cry too miserably.

With that quiet thought, Tongtian withdrew his gaze and looked into the distance instead.

There were roughly a thousand great powers present this time.

Aside from the dozen or so people he had met in Purple Heaven Palace years ago, most of the rest were Quasi-Saints who had broken through in recent years.

Whether in cultivation or magical treasures, they were still far from comparable to the three thousand listeners of old.

Still, having stepped into the Quasi-Saint realm, they at least possessed a measure of confidence.

Across the Primordial Wilderness, they could be considered top experts.

After all the cultivators had set foot on the island, Nuwa's figure quietly appeared above the void.

"We pay our respects to Empress Nuwa."

"There is no need for such formality." Her tone was calm, and before her words had even faded, she had already begun expounding the Dao.

"The Great Dao circulates, yin and yang give rise to all things, the five elements return to their places, and all creation is formed..."

Words Manifest as Law. In an instant, heavenly phenomena descended: celestial flowers drifted down like rain, while golden lotuses burst forth from the earth, blooming layer upon layer in the void.

Though it was somewhat inferior to Hongjun Dao Ancestor's and Tongtian's teachings, the Dao charm contained within was genuine and could not be underestimated.

Those falling petals and Lotus Platforms were not illusions, but condensations of the spiritual essence of heaven and earth.

When mortals touched them, their cultivation speed became several times faster than when they normally absorbed spiritual qi.

For that very reason, whenever a great power expounded the Dao, countless low-level cultivators flocked to listen, all for the chance to seize a sliver of fortune.

This sermon proceeded from the shallow to the profound, step by step. Regardless of their cultivation level, everyone present could gain some insight.

In only a short while, the crowd had immersed itself in a mysterious state.

Even those who had long comprehended their own Dao and entered the Daluo realm or beyond could not help but close their eyes in contemplation.

Though the paths they cultivated were not entirely the same as Nuwa's Dao, the words of a Saint were ultimately supreme enlightenment, worthy of careful study.

At that moment, a message rang out within Biyou Palace—

"Reporting to the Sect Master, Laozi of Kunlun Mountain requests an audience."

Tongtian had not gone to listen to the sermon. He was sitting alone in the hall, drinking tea.

At the sound, he raised a brow as an elder beside him reported in a low voice.

Laozi?

What was he doing here?

Tongtian frowned slightly. After thinking for a moment without understanding, he sighed softly. "Let him in."

The elder accepted the order and withdrew.

Not long afterward, Laozi slowly entered the hall.

"Third Brother..."

"Enough!" Tongtian raised a hand to stop him, his face cold. "You have no brother here."

Their relationship had already been torn apart. Why was he still pretending to be close?

Who was he calling brother?

Laozi's face stiffened slightly, and his expression turned stern. He changed his words. "Tong... Saint Tongtian, I have come this time to ask for a favor. I hope you will agree."

Seeing his humble attitude and the complete absence of his former majesty, Tongtian's eyes flickered.

He sneered inwardly. As expected, he had come because he needed something.

"Speak."

Laozi hesitated for several breaths before finally saying, "This matter concerns the Human Race created by Senior Sister Nuwa. I wish to borrow the strength of the Human Race..."

"Wishful thinking!" Before he could finish, Tongtian cut him off with a furious shout.

This time, there was already anger in his voice.

Tongtian had long regarded the Human Race as the foundation of the Interception Sect's future. How could he allow anyone else to lay a hand on them?

Laozi's expression changed drastically, and a flash of anger crossed his eyes.

If it had not concerned his opportunity to attain the Dao, he would have flicked his sleeves and left long ago.

Before coming here, he had thought that even if their relationship had fallen apart, there would still be room for compromise as long as he lowered his head and yielded a little.

Now, it seemed that he had been far too naive.

"The Human Race is under the protection of my Interception Sect. Their affiliation has already been decided," Tongtian said coldly. "I advise you to abandon that thought as soon as possible."

After a pause, his tone grew even more chilling. "Otherwise, even if you become a Saint through this, I will personally drag you down from your altar!"

Seeing that Laozi still seemed unwilling to give up, Tongtian sneered and threatened him outright.

If he agreed to this, who would accumulate merit and help him deduce the Great Dao in the future?

Those mortals were helpers he had carefully selected!

Upon hearing this, Laozi's face darkened completely.

Knowing that this journey would bear no fruit, he snorted coldly. No longer willing to keep up pretenses, he turned and stormed out of the hall.

After leaving the Three Immortal Islands, he did not pause for even a moment and headed straight beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

He was clearly going to Purple Heaven Palace to seek justice from Hongjun.

Tongtian merely curled his lips in disdain.

He wanted to see how Laozi would step into sainthood without the fortune of the Human Race.

After pondering briefly, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—

The words "Daoism" surfaced in his thoughts.

Though he had no proof, he had an intuition that there was a predestined arrangement in the unseen.

After all, Laozi was originally a Saint destined by the Mandate of Heaven.

Even if he lost the opportunity tied to the Human Race, he would surely find another path.

His ascension to sainthood was only a matter of time. It could not be stopped.

Forget it. Why dwell on it?

As long as he knew the other party would eventually attain the Dao, that was enough.

Whether he would establish Daoism as his foundation or seek another method had nothing to do with him.

Meanwhile, filled with resentment, Laozi hurried onward until he finally reached beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

Before him stretched boundless chaos, vast and endless, without a single trace to be seen.

For a moment, he was completely at a loss.

Back when they had listened to the Dao in Purple Heaven Palace, Hongjun had personally revealed the palace's location, allowing the three thousand Dao seekers to find their way.

Now that the sermons had ended, the Dao Ancestor had long since concealed his tracks, and the palace had vanished into nothingness.

Laozi, who had rushed here on impulse, had ultimately come for nothing.

Fortunately, he was a Saint ordained by the Heavenly Dao.

A current of fortune naturally protected him, and he enjoyed the favor of heaven.

Just as he was disheartened and turned to leave, a distant sigh suddenly drifted from the depths of chaos.

Immediately afterward, Purple Heaven Palace emerged from the void, surrounded by golden light and countless auspicious rays.

Laozi's eyes instantly lit up. He practically rushed into the palace.

"Master! You must uphold justice for your disciple! Tongtian has gone too far, he actually—"

"I already know why you have come." Hongjun spoke calmly, interrupting his aggrieved complaint. "Tell me, when I attained the Dao and became a Saint, what was Tongtian doing?"

At those words, Laozi froze.

Instinctively, he began to think, memories of the past surging through his mind.

A moment later, his body jolted as though he had realized something.

As if unable to believe it, he looked uncertain and carefully asked, "Master, do you mean... my true opportunity to attain the Dao does not lie with the Human Race, but with—establishing a sect?"

The moment his words fell, the wisp of Primordial Violet Qi between his brows suddenly pulsed twice, as though responding.

Laozi was initially stunned, then wild joy flooded his heart.

Seeing Hongjun remain silent, it was clear that he had tacitly acknowledged it.

Unable to restrain himself any longer, Laozi dropped to his knees and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Master, for your guidance and for clearing the thousand-year confusion from your disciple's heart!"

"Mm. Go." Hongjun raised his hand lightly.

A flash of light passed, and Laozi had already appeared upon the Great Desolation Continent.

He turned toward the direction of Purple Heaven Palace and bowed once more, his expression solemn.

Thinking of Tongtian's aggressive manner earlier, he sneered inwardly and silently marked down this debt.

As he sensed the violet qi between his brows faintly merging with him and growing ever more harmonious, the corners of his lips could not help but rise.

From then on, he walked between heaven and earth, crossing mountains and rivers, visiting every corner of the land,

All to comprehend the supreme truth of enlightening all living beings.

The years passed silently, and in the blink of an eye, a thousand years had gone by.

Within the Interception Sect, most disciples had made progress under Nuwa's sermon.

Tongtian sat high upon the platform. His gaze swept over those below, and seeing everyone radiant with divine light and elevated realms, he nodded in satisfaction.

Who could compare to the Interception Sect in terms of gains from this sermon?

Nearly every disciple had broken through one or even several minor realms.

Such a spectacle made countless visiting cultivators green with envy.

Although hundreds of billions of living beings had listened to the sermon, more than half had gained only slight insight. Of the rest, very few truly comprehended anything or managed to break through.

Though the number of those who broke through was not small, they still seemed utterly dim beside the Interception Sect disciples' repeated enlightenment and steady rise.

"The thousand years are over. Comprehend well on your own."

Sensing that the allotted time had run out, Nuwa slowly ended her sermon, leaving behind those calm words.

Before the crowd could beg her to stay, her figure swayed slightly and vanished into the void.

"How did it feel to have people plead with tears in their eyes, insisting that you continue speaking?"

The instant he saw her appear, Tongtian greeted her with a smile, casually pulling her into his arms in a teasing tone.

"Smooth talker!"

She shot him a glare and gave an annoyed snort, though a faint blush rose uncontrollably on her cheeks.