The Thousand-Mile Dam Breached by an Ant's Nest, Qingyuan Enters Golden Immortal!

"The Teacher is majestic and virtuous, willing to spread the Dao to all beings of the Primordial Wilderness, granting a thread of opportunity for transcendence regardless of origin or birth—this is a blessing and grace for all living things. It will also mean that in the future, our Jie Sect will have more and more disciples."

"In the future, those who join the Jie Sect may encounter reckless fools burdened with heinous sins, corrupt morals, and utter disregard for law and order."

"The existence of such fools will ruin the Jie Sect's moral reputation, destroy its foundation and fortune. Though more disciples gather more fortune, they also bear all the karmic grudges of the sect. A thousand-mile dike collapses from an ant hole. If our Jie Sect has no rules and regulations, no matter how massive it becomes, it will still be dragged down and collapse."

"Just like the once-prosperous Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Three Clans—how glorious were they?"

"But in the end, they too collapsed, vanishing from the Primordial Wilderness..."

At the dojo on Serene Peak.

In the courtyard.

Duobao and the others listened to Qingyuan's measured words, their expressions growing heavier.

They had originally thought that more Jie Sect disciples meant more prestige, proof of the Teacher's powerful Dao, and that the fortune gained would aid their cultivation.

As for the conduct of Jie Sect disciples—

It was indeed somewhat based on personal whim, but after all, they were beings born from the world's essence.

Hot-tempered and willful, their actions brutal and fierce, but the Primordial Wilderness was a place of the strong preying on the weak. They had never thought much of it.

Now, hearing Qingyuan's words, they finally saw the problem.

"Whether it's the Jie Sect or the world itself, there must be rules for order to exist. Don't you agree?"

Qingyuan took a sip of Immortal Dew and said solemnly, "For the Jie Sect to endure long, it must have sect rules and regulations. Anyone who violates them will be punished—light offenses with confinement, severe ones with expulsion or even execution on the spot. What do you think, junior brothers and sisters?"

"Senior Disciple Brother, isn't expulsion and execution a bit too harsh?"

Golden Spirit Holy Mother frowned slightly. "If this gets out, it might cause discontent among many disciples."

"Joining the Jie Sect is their opportunity—a chance to shed their mortal shell and escape the Tribulation. But if they can't grasp that chance and instead use the Jie Sect's name to run amok, do you think that's good for the sect?"

Qingyuan's voice rang out clearly. "The Jie Sect is newly established. Setting up rules is the duty of us Inner Sect Disciples to help the Teacher manage the sect."

"In chaotic times, strict laws are needed; for deep-rooted ills, strong medicine is required! Only then can we rectify the sect's conduct and govern the disorder. Once the disciples follow the rules in the future, we can grant them grace and kindness—what harm is there in that?"

The others found this reasonable, but Golden Spirit Holy Mother still felt uneasy. "Senior Disciple Brother, the Teacher hasn't decreed any strict rules. If you set them yourself, won't other junior brothers and sisters refuse to obey?"

"The Teacher knows all that happens in the Primordial Wilderness. He hasn't stopped us, which means he's letting us act freely."

Qingyuan respectfully clasped his hands toward Shangqing Peak.

Hearing this.

Duobao, Golden Spirit, and Wudang also bowed respectfully toward Shangqing Peak.

"Senior Disciple Brother, I understand."

Golden Spirit Holy Mother nodded. Wudang Holy Mother clenched her fist and laughed. "Don't worry, Senior Disciple Brother. If anyone dares to disobey, I'll punch them until they listen!"

"I will do my best."

Daoist Duobao nodded.

"Then, I thank you all, junior brothers and sisters!"

Qingyuan suddenly stood and bowed solemnly to the three, startling them into stepping back.

"Senior Disciple Brother, maintaining order in the Jie Sect is our duty. If you do this, you'll frighten us!"

"Please rise. We will certainly carry it out!"

"Senior Disciple Brother... you're too polite."

Seeing that the three had agreed.

Qingyuan finally straightened up.

He then discussed with them in detail some rules and disciplinary measures.

Only then did he see them out of the dojo.

Watching them leave.

Qingyuan sighed inwardly.

The Teacher spread the Dao across the Primordial Wilderness, granting all beings a thread of opportunity. Anyone who sincerely sought the Dao could join the sect. This was the Teacher's path, and he could neither stop it nor block it.

But he had to try to prevent the Jie Sect from becoming the murderous, violent, lawless immortals of later ages.

Alas... this was all he could do.

"If in the future I have the chance to seize the Chaos Bell, which suppresses fortune, I might be able to steady the Jie Sect's fate. But the Chaos Bell was lost in the chaos during the Witch-Demon Tribulation, nowhere to be found. How could I possibly find it just by wishing?"

"I'll do what I can..."

Qingyuan sighed again.

He turned back to the dojo and summoned Yun Zhongzi and Wuzhiqi.

After instructing them in cultivation.

He bestowed upon them the pills he had refined. Unexpectedly, this rewarded him with items he currently lacked.

[Ding! Host has bestowed upon disciples Yun Zhongzi and Wuzhiqi the Spirit Cleansing Pill, Foundation Strengthening Pill, and Heaven and Earth Great Tonic Pill. Critical feedback triggered. Reward: Seven Revolutions Spirit Cleansing Pill, <Great Witch Body Refining Blood Spirit Great Medicine>, Five Elements Origin Pill!!]

[Please continue your efforts, Host!!]

After the two disciples departed.

Qingyuan produced several porcelain bottles in his hand.

Shaking his head with an odd expression, he said, "Truly, when you're drowsy, a pillow arrives."

He rose and returned to the pavilion, activating the formation to guard his cultivation.

Qingyuan took out the High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Yin Yang Two Forms Lamp, gifted by Sect Master Tongtian, and silently began to refine it.

The Yin Yang Two Forms Lamp contained the Yin Yang Law, and through these two forms, one could observe the Five Elements Law of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The reason Innate Spiritual Treasures were so rare was precisely because they contained Innate Spirit and Innate Laws; the process of refining their internal restrictions was also a process of comprehending those Laws.

Because of taking disciples, his Dao conduct had skyrocketed.

His comprehension of the Sword Dao, Formation Dao, and Pill Dao had soared, but entering the Golden Immortal Realm required comprehending the Five Elements Law.

His Five Elements Law was indeed somewhat lacking.

The Sect Master gifting him this Spiritual Treasure was also giving him a stepping stone to enter the Golden Immortal Realm, and also a reminder not to forget his foundation.

Truly thoughtful.

Time flowed on silently, and several thousand years passed like a fleeting glimpse.

Within Serene Peak.

Qingyuan was simultaneously using Pills to temper his physical body and Primordial Spirit to cultivate the Profound and Primordial techniques, while refining the Yin Yang Two Forms Lamp. His Dao conduct was infinitely approaching the Golden Immortal Realm.

The next day.

His comprehension of the Five Elements Law circulated unceasingly within his body, and he smoothly stepped into the Golden Immortal Realm!

Boom!

In an instant, the wind and clouds surged.

Innate Spiritual Energy converged like tidal waves, golden light blazing as the Five Elements manifested, and vast Dao resonance rolled down heavily.

Startled, Yun Zhongzi and Wuzhiqi, who were cultivating on Serene Peak, emerged from Secluded Cultivation and immediately went to guard the area.

They gazed respectfully at that pavilion.

The reverence in their hearts grew ever stronger.

As expected of Master!

Although it was merely a Mystic Immortal breaking through to Golden Immortal, this aura was even deeper and more terrifying than most cultivators who had labored in the Golden Immortal Realm for years. Master was truly powerful!!

Within the pavilion.

The aura grew increasingly vast and profound.

After several dozen days.

The Secluded Cultivation was completely over.

The pavilion door opened, and Qingyuan finally emerged from seclusion.

"Greetings, Great Master! This lowly one wishes you an early attainment of the Saintly Dao!"

The Willow Immortal bowed from afar, his face full of flattery.

Qingyuan glanced at the clean and tidy Dojo, then tossed over a bottle of Pills, saying, "Mm, the Dojo is swept quite well. A reward for you."

"Many thanks, Great Master!"

The Willow Immortal excitedly extended a willow branch to receive the Pills, stuffing the entire porcelain bottle directly into the ground, letting its roots crush and absorb it.

"Disciple pays respects to Master!"

"Greetings, Master!"

Yun Zhongzi and Wuzhiqi both came over to congratulate him: "Congratulations, Master, on reaching the Golden Immortal Realm!"

"It is merely the Golden Immortal Realm."

Qingyuan smiled and nodded.

At the same time, he looked at the two of them and said with satisfaction, "Very good. It seems you haven't wasted your time over these years."

In the span of several thousand years.

Yun Zhongzi had cultivated to the Late True Immortal Realm, and the Sword Intent on his body was dense, clearly having entered the threshold of the Killing Sword Dao. His talent could not be called low.

Although Wuzhiqi's realm had not improved, his physical body radiated a fierce and metallic luster, showing that he had mostly finished converting to the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique. His physical body was even stronger than before.

Both disciples had extremely high talent!

"Compared to Master, what is this little bit of progress of ours?"

Yun Zhongzi shook his head and sighed, "I feel like I'll never catch up to you in a lifetime!"

"Yeah, it took me several thousand years just to barely convert most of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique, but Master has already reached Golden Immortal. And there are people saying you're just a late-stage foundation, not worth much. If I ever hear anyone spouting nonsense again, I'll tear their mouth apart!"

Wuzhiqi snorted twice.

This made Qingyuan smile helplessly and say, "Cultivation is like sailing against the current; if you don't advance, you retreat. Besides, your gains are not small either."

The three chatted idly for a while.

Only then did Qingyuan ask about the situation within the Kunlun Mountains.

During his recent Secluded Cultivation, he had heard the sound of golden bells and jade chimes ringing from Yuqing Peak, signaling that the Chan Sect had gained another member. He wanted to ask who exactly had arrived.

As soon as he said this.

Wuzhiqi's face showed indignation...