Yuanshi, Shameless!
Golden Ao Island, three cultivators dressed in Daoist robes appeared outside the great formation, looking at the Jie Sect Disciple from Golden Ao Island inside the formation with a hint of disdain in their eyes.
"Have all the members of the Interception Sect become cowards? They don't even dare to show themselves?"
The leading yellow-robed cultivator shouted loudly, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Are the people of the Interception Sect afraid of us? We came here simply to fight, and they don't even dare to do that? Haha, what a disgrace to the Interception Sect!"
Inside the barrier, dozens of Jie Sect Disciple had faces as cold as frost.
A Demon Race cultivator with a leopard-like head and piercing eyes, his eyes bloodshot and his body surging with Yao Qi, shouted, "I can't take it anymore! Let me go out and tear these bastards apart!"
"Junior Brother Lei Bao, you mustn't!" A female cultivator beside him quickly stopped him. "They're so fearless; there must be an ambush outside. Before Master went into seclusion, he repeatedly instructed us that no matter what happens, we must not leave the island without permission."
"But Senior Sister, how can we tolerate such insults to our sect!" Lei Bao clenched his fists, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
The Plum Blossom Fairy looked calmly at the three people outside the barrier. "This is precisely to make us lose our composure. If you go out, you will fall into their trap."
Outside the island, three Chan Sect cultivators, seeing that their provocations had failed, exchanged glances.
The yellow-robed cultivator sneered, "It seems the Interception Sect is indeed unworthy of its reputation, lacking even the courage to accept a challenge. No wonder, after all, they are a bunch of creatures with fur and horns, born from eggs in a wet environment."
These words enraged the disciples within the barrier.
Several hot-tempered cultivators nearly broke through the barrier, but were held back by their fellow disciples.
"Senior brother, this method won't work at all," the younger of the three Chan Sect cultivators whispered. "Although the Interception Sect members are angry, they seem to have seen through our plan."
The yellow-robed cultivator frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "You all continue here. I will go and report to my master."
He transformed into a streak of light and flew towards a deserted island tens of thousands of miles away.
On the island, five Golden Immortal of the Chan Sect sat cross-legged on a blue stone; they were Chijingzi, Guangchengzi, Juliusun, Samantabhadra, and Manjushri.
"Master, this disciple is useless." The yellow-robed cultivator knelt on the ground. "Although the Jie Sect Disciple are furious, none of them have left the island to fight."
Chijingzi opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment flashing in them. "Although Martial Uncle Tongtian has already relinquished his sainthood, the Jie Sect Disciple are quite able to remain calm."
Guangchengzi stroked his beard and said, "That island-protecting formation is said to have been personally set up by a Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal of the Primordial Chaos, and it cannot be forcibly broken through by anyone without the strength of a Saint. Although we are Quasi-Saints, we are helpless against it."
"Our master ordered us to set up an ambush here to lure the Jie Sect Disciple off the island to face the calamity. Now it seems that this plan will not succeed."
Juliusun shook his head and sighed.
All five men looked grave, and for the moment they had no other options.
"Why don't we return to Kunlun Mountain first and consult our master before making a decision?" suggested Master Samantabhadra.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Chijingzi instructed the yellow-robed cultivator, "Go and call your junior brothers; let's return to Kunlun together."
"Yes!" The yellow-robed cultivator respectfully withdrew.
After the group of disciples of the Chan Sect left, a figure slowly appeared in the clouds a hundred miles away.
Duobao's face was ashen, and he took everything in.
"What a fine Chan Sect! What a fine Yuanshi!" Duobao muttered through gritted teeth, a cold glint in his eyes.
Instead of returning to the island immediately, he turned and flew towards the Three Immortal Islands.
Before long, they arrived at the Three Immortal Islands. Daoist Duobao knelt on the ground and said, "Master, Dao Venerable, your disciple has important matters to report."
Duobao recounted the events that had occurred Golden Ao Island, and Tongtian's face gradually turned ashen.
"Yuanshi... what a Yuanshi!" Tongtian suddenly stood up, his sword energy surging, causing the surrounding wind and clouds to rise and fall. "He actually used such a despicable trick to lure my disciple off the island to his death!"
"If my cultivation hadn't yet recovered, I would definitely have gone to Kunlun Mountain to fight him!"
Lin Tian said calmly, "Ever since you announced your withdrawal from the Mystic Gate and relinquished your saintly position, he has assumed that the Interception Sect has no protection. During the Great Tribulation, how can the Chan Sect remain unscathed? He's just looking for a scapegoat."
Tongtian remained silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Tian: "Dao Venerable, I need to return to Golden Ao Island. Now that I am no longer a saint, some of my disciples may be considering leaving. If anyone does not wish to stay, I will allow them to pass."
Lin Tian nodded. "Go ahead, I've taught you everything I needed to. Remember, you must stay true to yourself."
Tongtian solemnly agreed, then turned to Duobao and said, "Duobao, let's go."
Just as Duobao was about to speak, Lin Tian suddenly said, "Duobao, your path is not within the Interception Sect. Go back and think carefully about what your true path really is."
Upon hearing this, both Tongtian and Duobao were taken aback.
"Dao Venerable, Duobao is the chief disciple of my Interception Sect, why..." Tongtian asked, puzzled.
Duobao was even more bewildered. "Since I took human form, I have followed my master. The Interception Sect is my path. How can you say that I do not belong to the Interception Sect?"
Lin Tian offered no further explanation, simply waving his hand. "Go, when the time comes, you'll understand."
Although the two were full of doubts, they knew that Lin Tian had his own reasons for doing so, so they could not ask any more questions and had to take their leave.
After the two figures disappeared, Lin Tian looked out the window at the rolling waves of the East China Sea and muttered to himself, "This Investiture of the Gods Calamity is probably going to be much more interesting than it originally was."
On the way back, Duobao was preoccupied, and the words of the Dao Venerable kept replaying in his mind.
"Master, Senior Lin Tian said that my path lies not in the Interception Sect..." Duobao finally couldn't help but ask, "I truly don't understand."
Tongtian didn't quite understand either, but since Dao Venerable said so, there must be a reason. So he slowly said, "I don't quite understand either. Perhaps Dao Venerable means that you should start cultivating Hunyuan again."
However, his heart was not at peace. What exactly did the Dao Venerable mean?
Duobao frowned, still unable to find a solution.
Tongtian patted Duobao on the shoulder, "No matter what path you ultimately choose, you will always be my disciple."
Duobao was deeply moved, and a tear glistened in his eye.
Kunlun Mountain, inside the Jade Void Palace.
Yuanshi Tianzun sat on the high platform, listening to the reports from Chijingzi and others, his expression solemn.
"Tongtian is surprisingly composed..." Yuanshi muttered to himself, "I underestimated him."
"Master, what should we do next?" Guangchengzi asked respectfully.
Yuanshi closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "Since this method won't work, so be it. Go back and teach your disciples well, and don't forget what I told you before."
Everyone naturally understood what their master meant and answered in unison, "Yes!"
After the disciples withdrew, Yuanshi's lips curled into a cold smile, "Tongtian, did you think you were out of the game by relinquishing your sainthood?"