The Three Sects Flourished, Qingyuan Was Robbed-Do You Know Whom You Have Offended?

"Junior Brother, let me explain."

Seeing the resentment on Wuzhiqi's face,

Yun Zhongzi hurriedly said, "Over the years, the disciples of our Three Sects of the Mystic Gate have increased considerably."

"Our Interception Sect's Grandmaster has taken in over a thousand Registered Disciples. Among them, cultivators such as Golden Hoop Immortal, Shi Ji, and Ma Yuan have begun to make names for themselves. Grandmaster also took in a one-legged Primordial Wilderness beast, Kui Niu, as his mount. Our Interception Sect now has more than three thousand disciples, making it quite lively."

Of course.

When he spoke of how lively it was,

Yun Zhongzi's expression became somewhat strange.

"Mm, go on."

Qingyuan nodded, and Yun Zhongzi continued, "Second Martial Uncle has also accepted several Inner Sect Disciples in recent years: Juliusun, Cihang, Taiyi, and Puxian. There is also Daoist Huanglong of the Dragon Clan, who offered up the Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage and passed through the grand formation, earning entry into the inner sect. Besides that, Second Martial Uncle also took in a White Crane as a Daoist Attendant."

Everyone who was supposed to come had come...

Qingyuan said nothing, merely sighing inwardly.

As for Senior Uncle Yuanshi accepting Daoist Huanglong, that was not unexpected.

Daoist Huanglong was a pure-blooded True Dragon of the Dragon Clan. Having offered up a treasure symbolizing status such as the Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage, he was fated with Venerable Yuanshi and could naturally enter the Chan Sect.

It was just that...

With so many people in the Chan Sect, would they not eventually start causing trouble with the Interception Sect?

Guangchengzi, Taiyi, Juliusun, and the rest were not people to be trifled with!

Sure enough.

From the corner of his eye, Qingyuan saw Wuzhiqi's resentful expression. He seemed to have something to say, but Yun Zhongzi had stopped him.

"Mm, is there anything else?"

"Senior Grandmaster Uncle has accepted two Outer Disciples. One is named Zhenwu, said to be one of the Ancestors of Humanity. The other is Daoist Du'e, a wandering immortal from the Kunlun Mountains. Besides them, he also accepted two attendants and a Green Ox mount."

Yun Zhongzi spoke truthfully, leaving Qingyuan somewhat stunned.

To be honest,

he only knew that the later Zhenwu Emperor was connected to the Human Sect, ranked only below the Four Imperial Sovereigns, and possessed strength rarely seen in the Three Realms.

Yet he had never expected

him to join the Human Sect at this time.

The two attendants should be Golden Horn and Silver Horn, right? Daoist Du'e had come too?

Thinking of this, Qingyuan could not stop himself from sighing inwardly. With so many people, there would probably be an internal war and division sooner or later!

"Our Mystic Gate is truly flourishing."

Qingyuan praised them, then looked at Wuzhiqi. "I see that you have something to say. What is it?"

"Master, you do not know this, but the Chan Sect people are truly vile!"

Wuzhiqi said furiously, "A thousand years ago, on a whim, I went out and entered the waterways of the Kunlun Mountains to cultivate. I found a natural stone cave, and inside was a cluster of Heavenly Spiritual Marrow Core that had taken millions of years to condense. I waited several hundred years for it to mature. Just as I had harvested half of it, a short, plump cultivator snatched away most of it. He even tried to beat me, saying that a creature born of dampness and eggs like me was unworthy of such fortune."

"Unable to bear it, I fought him in the water. He could not defeat me, so he fled using earth escape. But who would have thought that not long after, he would return with helpers!"

"Those helpers were none other than Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, and the others. The short fat man saw me and claimed that I had stolen his Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. He called me a furred and horned beast. Then Guangchengzi and the rest, without caring about right or wrong, demanded that I hand it over. They even said that Master was incapable of teaching disciples."

"It would have meant nothing for this disciple to suffer humiliation, but how could I allow others to slander Master's reputation?"

"In my fury, I fought them, but I could not withstand that group of Golden Immortals and Mystic Immortals. In the end, I could only escape through the rivers."

Yun Zhongzi frowned, but still said honestly, "Master, as the Chan Sect has gained more people over the years, its conflicts with our Interception Sect have also become increasingly frequent."

"The two sides have fought fiercely, and the disputes have become impossible to settle."

"Have Junior Disciple Duobao and the others enforced the sect rules?"

Qingyuan's expression turned grave.

"Senior Uncle Duobao and the others enforced the sect rules at first, and things were fine initially. But later, Senior Uncles also needed to enter secluded cultivation, so gradually no one obeyed the sect rules. Moreover, most of our Interception Sect disciples are living beings who attained the Dao through heaven and earth. They are unpredictable and uninhibited, and the Disciple of the Jie Sect are looked down upon by the Chan Sect disciples, leading to disputes. After going back and forth, tempers flared, and the conflicts could no longer be restrained."

Yun Zhongzi shook his head.

Hearing this,

how could Qingyuan fail to understand that Yun Zhongzi was putting it mildly?

The Interception Sect was still all right now. They were all living beings from the Kunlun Mountains region who had come seeking apprenticeship.

Later on, that would be truly terrifying.

Demons, monsters, ghosts, wolves, tigers, and leopards—all of them would wave the banners of the Interception Sect and Saint's disciples, committing every conceivable evil. Murdering people, harming others, slaughtering all living beings—what would they not do?

If the Interception Sect wished to endure for the long term,

it had to begin restraining its disciples now. Otherwise, they would become even harder to manage later!

Qingyuan pondered this and made his decision. "Come. Accompany your master outside for a walk."

"Yes!"

The two followed behind Qingyuan, leaving Serene Peak and heading toward Shangqing Peak.

In truth, most of the Interception Sect disciples had gathered around Shangqing Peak.

Qingyuan had initially been near Shangqing Peak as well.

Later, reality had worn down his edges. Unwilling to clash with others, he found a quiet place and established a dojo to cultivate.

Upon arriving within the bounds of Shangqing Peak,

Qingyuan sensed a tense, explosive atmosphere. Many Interception Sect disciples wore unruly expressions and were filled with anger. In groups of three or five, they criticized the Chan Sect's tyranny and contempt, recounted the Chan Sect's offenses, and even discussed how to ambush Chan Sect members.

Feeling an invisible, strange aura shrouding heaven and earth,

Qingyuan frowned slightly.

After attaining the Upper-grade Innate Demon God Origin, he had become extremely sensitive to the Great Dao Law and all kinds of auras between heaven and earth.

A vague, indescribable negative emotion enveloped the Three Sects' territory. It would gradually cloud the minds of living beings who remained here, making them violent and impulsive. The repeated conflicts between Interception and Chan Sect disciples were likely caused by this.

As for him, he was the Twenty-Four-Petal Green Lotus.

Ten Thousand Evils Not Invade, shielding him from the intrusion of negative emotions.

Within the Interception Sect's territory,

setting aside how they behaved toward outsiders, even internal disputes never ceased. Scheming and deception were everywhere.

The area around Shangqing Peak had been thrown into utter chaos.

"And this is only a few thousand disciples. Once it reaches the era when a million Interception Sect immortals receive the worship of the gods, how chaotic will it become?"

Qingyuan lowered his eyes.

Then

he turned his gaze in another direction.

The Three Pure Ones had attained the Dao in the Kunlun Mountains.

Because of their brotherly bond, the dojos they established—Taiqing, Yuqing, and Shangqing—were three mountain ranges not far apart. With one glance, he saw that the Chan Sect had also grown lively with its increasing numbers.

Yet the Chan Sect immortals were especially hostile toward the Interception Sect.

Whenever they gathered to discuss the Dao, they spoke only of the Interception Sect's faults.

"Alas..."

Qingyuan sighed.

He led his disciples down from outside Shangqing Peak and walked up the mountain on foot. The sight before him immediately made him frown.

These Interception Sect Registered Disciples were behaving far too outrageously.

It was one thing for them to fight among themselves outside Shangqing Peak, but they even dared engage in the union of yin and yang within Shangqing Peak?

"Stop. When did you join the sect? Why have I never seen you before?"

A tiger-headed, human-bodied cultivator lying atop a huge boulder in the sun raised his head and stared at Qingyuan, light flashing in his eyes. "That robe of yours looks pretty good. Take it off and give it to me, and I'll let you pass!"

"Big Brother, look at that jade pendant at his waist. It is full and smooth, and the material looks quite fine!"

The wolf cultivator massaging his legs beside him had flickering eyes.

"That boy in white has a Houtian Spiritual Treasure hanging from his waist. Treasures belong to the virtuous. Why not take it for yourself, Big Brother? It would be a waste otherwise."

The leopard cultivator spoke as well.

Then

the small group of Interception Sect Registered Disciples following the tiger cultivator also began offering suggestions.

In just a few words, they practically stripped Qingyuan and his two companions bare.

These Registered Disciples were so eager partly because they feared the tiger cultivator, and partly because they could not stand seeing others fare well. They wanted to watch the tiger cultivator rob others too.

That would make them feel better.

"Kid, why are you not doing as told? What are you waiting for?"

Sickle Tiger picked at the meat scraps between his teeth with a twig, speaking disdainfully and casually. "Don't force me to act."

"Beneath a Saint's feet, you still dare behave this way? Aren't you afraid of being punished by the Saint?"

Qingyuan's face darkened. Behind him, Yun Zhongzi and Wuzhiqi were stopped by him from making a move.

"Why would the Saint concern himself with such trivial matters? We have not killed anyone. Treasures merely belong to those capable enough to possess them."

Sickle Tiger said disdainfully, "Hand over your things at once, or do not blame me for showing no mercy!!"

"You dare block the road and rob fellow disciples of their property. Are you not afraid of punishment from the Inner Sect Disciples?"

Qingyuan rebuked them coldly.

Sickle Tiger and the others were first stunned, then burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha, Inner Sect Disciples? Why would such important figures concern themselves with trivial matters like this? Whenever they enter secluded cultivation, it lasts thousands or tens of thousands of years. They are great figures pursuing the Great Dao. Why would they care about the affairs of minor cultivators like us?"

Sickle Tiger abruptly rose to his feet, looking down at him with a vicious grin. "Do you know who my backer is?"

"Do you know Immortal Dingguang? He is a great cultivator who broke through to the late Mystic Immortal stage not long ago. He is my backer!!"

"Immortal Dingguang?"

Qingyuan suddenly laughed and shouted, "Immortal Dingguang, get the hell out here!!"

His voice was vast and earthshaking.

It frightened a figure discussing the Dao with Qiushou Xian beside a mountain stream into trembling all over and instinctively dropping to his knees.

After coming back to his senses,

Immortal Dingguang's old face reddened as he climbed up from the ground.

"Senior Disciple Brother is calling for me? What does he want with me?"

"I do not know." Qiushou Xian shook his head, his expression strange. "Could it be that you provoked Senior Disciple Brother again?"

The matter of Qingyuan becoming the Inner Sect Senior Disciple had spread throughout the Interception Sect after Junior Disciple Duobao, Senior Disciple Sister Jin Ling, and the others spoke of it. Many Interception Sect Registered Disciples silently remembered this First Disciple of Intercepting Sect, who had lain low for years before soaring to prominence.

The scene of him slaughtering numerous Interception Sect disciples

and crushing Daoist Duobao was like a mountain in everyone's hearts, pressing down until they could barely breathe.

Fortunately, Senior Disciple Brother was merely someone who cultivated in seclusion. They usually did not see him, so there was no need to fear.

But now...

"That should not be possible. During these thousands of years of Senior Disciple Brother's secluded cultivation, I have never provoked Serene Peak. Whenever I encountered Senior Disciple Brother's two disciples, I treated them pleasantly. How could I have offended him?"

Immortal Dingguang was terrified as well.

Back then, Qingyuan's sword qi had pierced through his body. Had he not begged their teacher to remove the sword qi,

he likely would not have recovered even now.

At the time, Senior Disciple Brother had gone mad with killing intent and slaughtered so many Interception Sect Registered Disciples.

Yet their teacher had never spoken of punishing Senior Disciple Brother, which showed just how favored Senior Disciple Brother was by their teacher.

Thus, he did not dare provoke him at all.

"Let us go. We will know once we see."

Qiushou Xian and Immortal Dingguang hurriedly flew toward Shangqing Peak. There, they saw a large group of Registered Disciples surrounding Qingyuan and quickly approached.

"Senior Brother Dingguang, you are here? This kid has good things on him! I originally wanted to snatch them and offer them to you, but he refuses to show respect. You must teach him a proper lesson!!"

Sickle Tiger hurriedly embellished the story.

Only for Immortal Dingguang to slap him flying, then curse furiously with a dark face, "Fuck! Do you know whom you have offended? Get on your knees and apologize to Senior Disciple Brother at once?!"