Lin Tian's small courtyard.
Tongtian and Lin Tian sat at the stone table in the courtyard.
"What a rare guest! I never expected you to come looking for me on your own initiative. Aren't you afraid that Hongjun will become suspicious?"
Lin Tian looked at Tongtian, a smile appearing on his lips, and teased him.
With a wave of his hand, a set of antique tea utensils appeared on the stone table, steaming and filled with the aroma of tea.
"Come, come, sit down and try my freshly picked Cloud Mist Tea."
Tongtian cupped his hands to Lin Tian, glanced at the tea, and sighed, "You flatter me, Dao Venerable. I was just feeling troubled and wandered around the Primordial Wilderness. Before I knew it, I had come to the territory of the human race. I thought that since I was here, I should pay my respects to you, Dao Venerable."
"I'm sure Master won't think too much of it."
He paused, then, thinking of the Dao Venerable's Spiritual Wine, said directly, "I've long heard that the Dao Venerable's Spiritual Wine is brewed from countless rare spiritual roots and innate spiritual fruits, containing boundless Dao Rhythm. Tongtian has never had the chance to taste it; I wonder if it's possible today..."
"Hehe, you've got a good eye for quality, kid." Lin Tian chuckled upon hearing this.
He casually took out a gray gourd, which was the Chaos Gourd, formed by fusing all the treasure gourds on the Innate Gourd Vine into one.
He opened the gourd, and an indescribable, rich, and exotic fragrance immediately filled the air. Just one whiff of it made him feel clear-headed and his magical power subtly stirred.
Lin Tian poured Tongtian a full cup of Spiritual Wine; it was emerald green and crystal clear.
Tongtian's eyes lit up. He eagerly picked up the wine cup, first taking a careful sniff, then tilting his head back and drinking it all in one gulp.
The wine entered his throat, turning into a warm current that flowed through his limbs and bones, nourishing the saint's body and dispelling much of his recent anxieties.
Even his own cultivation level has improved slightly.
"Excellent wine! Truly excellent wine!" Tongtian couldn't help but exclaim, feeling the lingering fragrance and profound Dao Rhythm on his lips and teeth. " Dao Venerable, may I... have another cup?"
Lin Tian pushed the Chaos Gourd in front of him and laughed, "Pour it yourself, there's plenty for today."
Tongtian didn't stand on ceremony and quickly filled his cup again, savoring it carefully. A look of intoxication appeared on his face. "This wine is sweet and mellow, with Dao Rhythm charm. Its spiritual power is abundant yet gentle. It is truly a rare treasure that is hard to find in the Primordial Wilderness!"
His gaze inadvertently swept over the gourd, and the more he looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. Suddenly, he remembered something, and a look of surprise and doubt appeared in his eyes. " Dao Venerable, this gourd... could it be the one that grew on the Innate Gourd Vine at the foot of Buzhou Mountain back then...?"
Lin Tian nodded frankly. "That's right, it's those seven gourds. I combined them into Chaos Gourd, which is perfect for holding wine."
"This is... so extravagant..."
Tongtian's lips twitched slightly, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.
Judging from its quality, it has clearly reached the level of Innate Supreme Treasure!
That was a treasure that countless powerful beings would fight tooth and nail for; there were only a handful in the entire Primordial Wilderness. And yet, to the Dao Venerable, it was... merely a container for wine?
They're truly... incredibly wealthy and powerful, it's outrageous!
After a few cups of Spiritual Wine, Tongtian became increasingly enthusiastic.
Lin Tian recalled the recent falling out between the Three Pure Ones.
"I am aware of your Three Pure Ones' division of the family."
Upon hearing this, Tongtian's pleasant expression vanished instantly, replaced by resentment.
He downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, then refilled it, and sighed deeply, "I'm not afraid of being laughed at by the Dao Venerable, but that Taishang, though seemingly inactive, actually has his own biases; Yuanshi, he is arrogant and has never truly taken me and my disciples seriously!"
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his voice rising several decibels. "You keep saying that my disciples are all 'creatures with fur and horns, born from moisture and eggs,' utterly incapable of being cultivated. To accept them as disciples would be to tarnish the reputation of the Pangu Orthodox Lineage!"
"But you, Dao Venerable, are the judge. I teach all living beings, striving to secure a glimmer of hope for all creatures in the Primordial Wilderness world. I teach without discrimination. Am I wrong?"
"Regardless of one's origins, as long as one has a heart that yearns for the Dao, one naturally has the right to pursue the Great Dao and transcend oneself! What right does Yuanshi have to look down on my disciple?!"
Tongtian seemed to have found someone to confide in, and poured out all the grievances, dissatisfaction, and anger that had accumulated over the years onto Lin Tian.
From Yuanshi's harsh criticism of his acceptance of disciples, to Taishang's seemingly fair but actually biased attitude, and finally to the falling out between brothers, he left Kunlun in a huff...
Lin Tian listened quietly, occasionally picking up his teacup to take a sip, without interrupting.
Only after Tongtian had poured out all his pent-up emotions and calmed down a bit did Lin Tian slowly put down his teacup, look at him calmly, and say, " Great Dao are three thousand Great Daos, and every one can lead to enlightenment. You, Taishang, Yuanshi have different personalities, so the Daos you comprehend will naturally be different. There is no right or wrong in choosing the Dao that suits you."
He paused, his gaze deep. "The mistake lies in the fact that you all regard your own path as the only 'right path,' and try to use it to measure and bind others. Differences themselves are not the source of conflict; the inability to tolerate differences is."
Upon hearing this, Tongtian snorted coldly, still fuming. "What can't be tolerated? I think it's just Yuanshi's jealousy! Jealous of the large number of my disciples and the prosperity of my fortune!"
"And his Jade Void Sect has only a dozen or so disciples, a desolate and lonely place! He has always found fault with me, but now that I have left Kunlun Mountain to seek another place of cultivation, he has finally gotten what he wanted!"
"Oh? I wonder where you've chosen as your current training ground?" Lin Tian changed the subject.
"In the East Sea, there is a celestial island called Golden Ao Island. To my shame, it was my disciples who found it first. It is rich in spiritual energy, and its shape resembles a giant turtle carrying a celestial mountain on its back, which suits my taste perfectly."
Tongtian mentioned the new dojo with a slight smile on his face.
A look of understanding flashed in Lin Tian's eyes. Sure enough, the inertia of history was still powerful.
He nodded in approval, saying, " Golden Ao Island, what a good name, it suits the spirit of your Interception Sect."
At this moment, Tongtian hesitated for a moment, then seemed to have made up his mind, stood up and bowed solemnly to Lin Tian: " Dao Venerable, Tongtian has a request, but I don't know if I should say it."
"Oh? Go ahead, what is it?"
"I... earnestly request the Dao Venerable to travel to Golden Ao Island and preaching the Dao to my unworthy disciples!" Tongtian's tone was earnest. " The Dao Venerable's realm is profound, and his understanding of the Great Dao far surpasses that of us sages. If they could receive even a fraction of your guidance, it would be an immense Creation for those disciples! I... I know this is somewhat presumptuous, but for their sake..."
Lin Tian looked at him, then suddenly chuckled, his gaze seemingly able to see through people's hearts. " Tongtian, Tongtian, so this is what you came for, isn't it? You even said you came to the human race by accident, hehe, for the sake of your disciples, you, as their teacher, have really gone to great lengths!"
Lin Tian's words exposed Tongtian's thoughts, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face. He said awkwardly, "As expected, I couldn't hide anything from Dao Venerable's discerning eyes. Dao Venerable's cultivation is unfathomable, and he Prove Dao by Law. With Dao Venerable personally expounding the preaching the Dao to them, they will definitely gain a lot."