The Great Task of Supporting the Interception Sect Rests on You All; Qingyuan Ascends to the Chan Sect

Below Shangqing Peak.

Many registered disciples of the Interception Sect stared at that figure, their hearts trembling. At last, they understood the fear felt by the senior brothers and sisters who had entered the sect before them. Their senior disciple brother really dared to kill people!

Duobao, Jin Ling, Wudang, and the others also fell silent.

They had only become their teacher's disciples many years after Qingyuan entered the sect.

They did not know Qingyuan's standing in their teacher's heart.

They only knew that this senior disciple brother was usually very low-key. After every lecture from their teacher, he would return to his dojo. He was taciturn and rarely interacted with others.

Their teacher had never shown him any particular favor, either.

Moreover, the Daoxing Qingyuan displayed was quite low, so they had gradually begun to look down on him.

But now that they saw this, wasn't their teacher placing far too much importance on Qingyuan? He had killed more than two hundred people and expelled over six hundred, nearly driving away a third of the Interception Sect, yet he had not received any punishment?

Instead, he had established some Inspection Department?

The Human Sect and Chan Sect disciples watching from the side also found it unbelievable.

They had not expected the unruly disciples of the Interception Sect to be so docile before Qingyuan.

Just as everyone stood in solemn silence—

Qingyuan said, "Our Interception Sect is willing to offer all living beings of the Primordial Wilderness a chance at survival. Regardless of your origin, regardless of whether you were wicked or innocent, regardless of what you were like in the past, once you enter the Interception Sect, you must obey the rules and laws and uphold the bearing of disciples of our sacred sect. If I discover one day that anyone has used the Interception Sect's name to commit every sort of evil, then do not blame me for ruthlessly purging the sect!"

Once one joined the Interception Sect—

They would be covered by the Interception Sect's Fortune Aura and sheltered beneath the banner of a Saint. The vast majority of forces in the Primordial Wilderness would never dare provoke them.

It was like gaining a life-saving signboard.

Even amid a Tribulation of Calamity, they could remain detached from it.

They could also listen to a Saint's teachings and learn the methods of transcending mortality and attaining the Dao. The benefits were innumerable.

With benefits and treatment already this good, if they still wanted to commit evil, plunder, murder, and seize treasures, what was the point of keeping such people in the sect?

"We shall remember Senior Disciple Brother's teachings!"

The many registered disciples trembled with fear.

"Mm. Later, I will call out several names. Those junior brothers and sisters whose names are called, please remain behind for a moment."

Qingyuan swept his gaze across the crowd and said, "Duobao, Jin Ling, Wudang, Qiushou Xian, Immortal Dingguang, Golden Hoop Immortal, Jinguang Xian, Piluxian, Shi Ji, and Ma Yuan, stay behind for now. I have matters to instruct you on. The other junior brothers may leave first."

"Yes!"

Daoist Duobao and the others remained where they were.

Qingyuan suddenly bowed deeply and clasped his hands toward them. "The Interception Sect concerns all of our futures. If the sect's conduct is improper, all manner of Karma will fall upon us. I ask that you junior brothers and sisters join me in supporting the Inspection Department in the future, maintaining the Interception Sect's internal conduct, laws, discipline, and hearts. I beg you!!"

"Senior Disciple Brother, what are you doing?"

"We cannot accept such a grand salute from you. Please rise quickly!"

"You think highly of us; we should be happy. How could we dare refuse...?"

Everyone panicked and hurriedly stepped aside to avoid receiving the bow.

Daoist Duobao, Golden Spirit Holy Mother, Holy Mother Wudang, and the others in particular were utterly flustered.

"The great task of supporting the Interception Sect rests on you all!"

Qingyuan's voice was sincere, moving everyone deeply. One after another, they agreed to join the Inspection Department.

However, Ma Yuan suddenly scratched the back of his head and said somewhat awkwardly, "Senior Disciple Brother, I have some bad habits in my daily life. I just... I like digging out the hearts of living beings to cultivate with. Are you still willing to let me join the Inspection Department?"

"What you were like before is a matter of your past. After joining the Interception Sect, do not cultivate such Heterodox Paths again. They are harmful to Heavenly Harmony."

Qingyuan said solemnly, "If you are willing, you may come to my dojo at Serene Peak another day. I will guide you in a Divine Ability and Great Dao cultivation. How does that sound?"

"Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother!"

Ma Yuan was currently only a minor Late True Immortal.

How could he possibly refuse when the First Disciple of the Interception Sect, a great Golden Immortal cultivator, personally said he would teach him cultivation?

"Mm. Why don't you all sit down and talk first?"

Qingyuan produced a stone table and stools from his Storage Artifact. Once everyone was seated, he brought out Immortal Dew and spiritual fruits to entertain them as they finalized the matter of establishing the Inspection Department.

This matter—

Was nothing more than selecting some kindhearted and loyal people from within the Interception Sect to join the Inspection Department.

They then settled some rules and structures.

Only then did Qingyuan bow once more to thank everyone, while they anxiously refused to accept the bow.

"Junior brothers, junior sisters, I actually have one more matter to ask of you." Qingyuan spoke again.

"Senior Disciple Brother, just say it. We are all brothers of the same sect. Why speak of asking or not asking?"

"Go ahead..."

"I hope... that you will have fewer conflicts with the Chan Sect in the future. Lotus Flower, White Lotus Root, Green Lotus Leaf—the Three Sects are originally one family. We of the Three Sects of the Mystic Gate should not distinguish between one another or favor one over another. We should not have so many conflicts."

Upon hearing Qingyuan's words—

Everyone immediately felt somewhat wronged.

When had they been the ones fighting with the Chan Sect? Sometimes, it was clearly the Chan Sect who came and seized things without reason!

But Daoist Duobao and Golden Spirit Holy Mother signaled for them not to argue. Only then did no one speak, and they respectfully watched Qingyuan leave.

Once Qingyuan and Yun Zhongzi's group of three were out of sight—

Qiushou Xian, Jinguang Xian, Ma Yuan, and the others immediately began complaining indignantly over one another.

"When did we ever want to fight with the Chan Sect? It is clearly those people from the Chan Sect who refuse to be reasonable!! Last time, I found some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in a corner of the Kunlun Mountains. I had clearly arrived first, but Taiyi and the others said treasures belonged to the capable. Relying on their greater numbers, they took the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures I had guarded for decades!"

"Exactly! Last time, I was cultivating properly in a Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land. I had clearly been there for a long time. Which of the Interception Sect's brothers did not know that place was my dojo? Yet Juliusun said that since I had not set up an array, it did not count as my dojo. He even flattened my house! I could not stand it and went to fight him, but he relied on Earth Escape to run away!"

"The Chan Sect just bullies people, and they keep calling us beasts!!"

"Senior Disciple Brother is far too unfair. It would be one thing if they bullied us, but he is even siding with outsiders!"

Just as several of them vented their dissatisfaction—

A heaven-shaking voice suddenly startled them.

"Interception Sect disciple Qingyuan pays a visit to the Chan Sect. I pay respects to Second Martial Uncle and wish Second Martial Uncle blessings as vast as heaven and ever greater progress upon the sacred path!"

"Mm, come in and speak."

Venerable Yuanshi's resonant voice rang out.

Yet it made Duobao and the others feel even more bitter.

What was this supposed to mean?

After bullying the disciples of the Interception Sect, he turned around and went to visit the Chan Sect's Saint?

A great deal of resistance rose in their hearts.

They exchanged glances, silently turned, and left. They directly set aside the matter of the Inspection Department, unwilling to concern themselves with it any longer.

Inside Jade Purity Hall.

Venerable Yuanshi looked at Qingyuan, who had come to visit him, and said, "Qingyuan, you have not come to see me for hundreds of thousands of years."

"This junior was at fault. I ask Second Martial Uncle for forgiveness."

Qingyuan bowed in salute.

"It is nothing. It is enough that you have found your own Dao."

Venerable Yuanshi said with some surprise, "Originally, I even advised your teacher to make you an Outer Disciple, which could at least leave you with an opportunity. You could not hold the position of an inner disciple. Yet I never expected you to truly intercept a sliver of opportunity. Not bad."

"My Dao?"

Qingyuan felt somewhat doubtful.

To be honest, he still did not know what his Dao truly was.

Why did all the Saints seem to have seen something?

"Favored by heaven and dearly regarded by my two martial uncles and teacher, this junior can only work hard so as not to disappoint the expectations of my elders!"

Qingyuan answered respectfully.

Venerable Yuanshi examined Qingyuan for a long time.

Then he suddenly said, "As expected, Great God Pangu's transformation of heaven and earth gave rise to boundless Creation. Back then, we only saw that you possessed a Postnatal Origin, and that a Variable shrouded you, making your past and future impossible to see. But seeing that your aptitude was ordinary, we gave it no further thought and merely assumed it was nothing unusual. Who would have thought that you actually possessed an Innate Demon God Origin? But why did you emerge so late? Could it be that the Green Lotus Seed which vanished long ago attained the Dao?"

"Perhaps you truly have an affinity with us Three Pure Ones."

"With such blessings and such an origin, it is a pity that I did not accept you as a disciple back then..."

He had been seen through?

Qingyuan felt somewhat flustered and respectfully asked, "Martial Uncle, is my situation very... very abnormal?"

"A treasure conceals its own brilliance. Besides, when we Three Pure Ones first saw you, we already knew you were one of the rare Variables in the Primordial Wilderness. We simply did not expect you to be so good at hiding yourself." Venerable Yuanshi smiled.

"There are other Variables as well?" Qingyuan was stunned.

"Great God Pangu slew the Three Thousand Chaos Demon Gods and opened heaven and earth. Countless Chaos Demon Gods became nourishment for the Primordial Wilderness. The Primordial Wilderness is vast and possesses endless Creation. Heaven and earth are incomplete, so naturally there are many Variables."

Venerable Yuanshi said, "You need not worry. We are all Saints. What in the Primordial Wilderness can we not obtain? Why would we covet your foundation?"

"Thank you, Martial Uncle, for clearing my doubts!" Qingyuan bowed deeply, filled with gratitude.

"It is nothing. If not for your Brainstorm back then, I fear we would not have realized that the opportunity to become Saints was connected to the Human Race."

Venerable Yuanshi looked at Qingyuan and suddenly said, "Besides visiting me today, you likely also wished to vent some anger for your sect members, did you not?"

"I..." Qingyuan was speechless and did not know what to say.

"Go on later. It is fine if you strike a little harder, lest these disciples of mine become too arrogant. Rather than letting others teach them a lesson, it is better to have their own people discipline them."

"Thank you, Martial Uncle!"

Upon hearing this, Qingyuan was deeply grateful. He asked in confusion, "Martial Uncle, do you not dislike the Interception Sect? Why are you still showing this junior such care?"

"It is not that I dislike the Interception Sect. I dislike how your teacher indiscriminately accepts disciples. That group of living beings is stubbornly incorrigible and ruthless. They dare commit all sorts of shameful acts right under a Saint's eyes. They are simply disgracing the orthodox Mystic Gate!! Their quality is uneven, and their foundations are shallow and inflated. What use is there in having so many people? Sooner or later, it will collapse. I fear your teacher will stray onto the wrong path and his Great Dao will collapse, so... sigh, you would not understand even if I told you."

Venerable Yuanshi shook his head and said, "At least you can see some things and restrain the sect members, but unfortunately, it is merely a futile effort."

"This junior has received your instruction." Qingyuan did not dare say anything more.

"You may leave now. Guangchengzi and the others have indeed become rather arrogant recently. Go temper their arrogance for me." Venerable Yuanshi waved his hand, and Qingyuan involuntarily left Jade Purity Hall.

When he regained his senses—

He found himself already outside Jade Purity Hall.

After bowing in salute—

Qingyuan turned and left. Once he had gone far from Jade Purity Hall, Yun Zhongzi and Wuzhiqi flew over.

"Master."

Disappointment appeared on Wuzhiqi's face as he said indignantly, "I thought you came to stand up for us, but I never expected you came here to admit defeat."

Yun Zhongzi also sighed. "Master, the Chan Sect has bullied us so badly. If you only came to pay respects to Second Grandmaster and then leave, I fear many sect members will be unconvinced!"

Admit defeat?

Qingyuan smiled.

With the imperial sword in hand, today he would let them see his master's methods!

Qingyuan did not explain.

Instead, he shouted toward heaven and earth, "Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, Juliusun, Cihang, Taiyi, Puxian, get the hell out here!!!"