"Reporting to Sage Tongtian."
Ye Xuan's voice rang clear and firm.
"What this junior cultivates is the Human Path, and also the path of the self."
"Everyone in the Primordial Wilderness says to follow Heaven's will. They cultivate the Heavenly Dao, comprehend its laws, and draw upon the power of heaven and earth to strengthen themselves. But the Heavenly Dao is lofty and distant, regarding all things as mere straw dogs. If Heaven is flawed, if Heaven seeks to destroy me, what then?"
A glint flashed in Tongtian Jiaozhu's eyes. "Go on."
Ye Xuan straightened his back, every word ringing with conviction:
"If the Heavenly Dao is flawed, then the Human Path must grow strong through its own efforts."
"My way is the Seed of the Self. I regard the human body as a universe and the secret realms as stars. I seek no gifts from Heaven and rely on nothing outside myself. I seek only to become invincible!"
"I return all power to myself. Even if heaven and earth collapse and spiritual energy runs dry, I can remain eternally undying."
As he spoke, Ye Xuan lifted his head and met Tongtian Jiaozhu's gaze. His eyes shone with startling brilliance.
"If following Heaven's will lets me live, then I will follow it."
"But if Heaven seeks to crush me, to cut off my path to life..."
"Then I'll split Heaven open!"
Rumble!
As his final words fell, thunder seemed to crack behind Ye Xuan. A domineering will to defy Heaven and determine his own fate surged through the hall.
After a brief silence,
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu suddenly burst into laughter, his voice shaking the Nine Heavens.
He looked at Ye Xuan, no longer bothering to conceal his admiration.
What was the Interception Sect's doctrine?
To seize that single thread of survival!
And what did it mean to intercept? To fight! To snatch! To carve out a path to survival by force, even beneath the fixed decrees of the Heavenly Dao!
Ye Xuan's declaration that he would "split Heaven open" might have been arrogant, but it had struck straight to Tongtian Jiaozhu's heart.
"Now that's what I call splitting Heaven open!"
After laughing heartily, Tongtian Jiaozhu's expression softened.
"Your temperament suits me. If cultivators lack even the will to defy fate and change their lot, what's the point of cultivating immortality?"
His laughter gradually faded.
Tongtian Jiaozhu changed the subject, his gaze growing profound.
"You have such conviction, and great fortune protecting you. No wonder even a Divine Object of that caliber chose you as its master."
Ye Xuan's heart tightened.
Here it came.
The Chaos Bead!
He trusted that someone of Tongtian Jiaozhu's stature wouldn't stoop to robbing him, but it was only natural to feel tense when revealing one's trump card before such a powerful figure.
Tongtian Jiaozhu seemed to see right through him and smiled calmly.
"Don't be nervous."
"I am a Sage. I'm not about to steal a junior's opportunity."
"Treasures have spirits. Since the Chaos Bead chose you of its own accord, it is your good fortune. You can't force such things."
Hearing this, Ye Xuan felt a weight lift from his heart.
"However..."
Tongtian Jiaozhu's expression turned slightly more serious.
"The Chaos Bead is the one that escaped the established order, and its implications are far-reaching. Though you've concealed its aura with your own divine abilities, you may still give yourself away if you encounter someone with ill intent."
"Especially those two shameless fellows in the West. They love to use the excuse 'this treasure is fated to be mine' to seize things by force."
At the mention of the Western Two Sages, a trace of disdain flickered in Tongtian Jiaozhu's eyes.
"Very well. Since you're Gongming's friend, I'll give you a hand."
Tongtian Jiaozhu raised his hand, and a green rune gathered at his fingertip.
The rune was condensed from pure Shangqing Sage power, and it radiated an inscrutable, profound aura.
"Go."
The rune flew out and sank straight into Ye Xuan's brow, imprinting itself upon the Chaos Bead.
"With this rune concealing it, no one can see through the truth of your Consciousness Sea unless Hongjun Daozu himself comes in person. That includes the other Sages."
"Thank you, Sage!"
Overjoyed, Ye Xuan hurriedly bowed again.
This was a tremendous help.
With this protective charm, he wouldn't have to worry about attracting unwanted attention while traveling through the Primordial Wilderness, as long as he didn't bring out the Chaos Bead to hit someone with it.
Tongtian Jiaozhu found himself liking Ye Xuan more and more.
He was peerlessly talented, forthright by nature, and connected to the Interception Sect by fate.
If Ye Xuan weren't burdened with the Fruit Position of Human Emperor, which tied him to Junior Sister Nuwa's karma, Tongtian Jiaozhu would have taken him in as a personal disciple on the spot.
"It's a pity. You're the Human Emperor, so I can't take you as my disciple."
Tongtian Jiaozhu pondered for a moment, then turned his palm over.
A token carved from purple jade, with "Shangqing" inscribed on its front and "Jasper Tour" on its back, drifted down before Ye Xuan.
"This is the Shangqing Token."
Tongtian Jiaozhu's voice was solemn and majestic.
"From this day on, you are a Guest Elder of my Interception Sect."
"Though we have no master-disciple bond, we are fellow disciples in practice. Within the Interception Sect, your status is equal to that of personal disciples like Duobao and Gongming. Seeing this token is the same as seeing me!"
"If the Human Race faces a calamity in the future, or if you encounter a problem you cannot resolve, you may bring this token to Golden Ao Island."
"The ten thousand immortals of my Interception Sect may be able to give you a hand."
Guest Elder!
Ye Xuan held the token, still warm to the touch, and felt deeply shaken.
This was more than just a title. It was a protective charm, and a ticket into the uppermost circles of the Primordial Wilderness.
With this connection, he had tied himself firmly to the great ship of the Interception Sect.
"This junior... thanks Sect Master for your favor!"
Ye Xuan bowed. This time, he did so with wholehearted respect.
"Go."
Tongtian Jiaozhu waved a hand and closed his eyes again, seeming to melt back into the Great Dao.
"Gongming is just outside the hall. Have him show you around."
"Yes."
Ye Xuan put away the token, retreated three steps, then turned and left the hall.
Outside the hall,
Zhao Gongming was pacing back and forth on Black Tiger's back. Every so often, he craned his neck to peer inside, looking rather anxious.
"Why hasn't he come out yet? Is Master putting him through a strict test?"
"Brother Ye is straightforward. I hope he doesn't offend Master."
Just as he was lost in anxious speculation,
Creak.
The doors opened.
Ye Xuan walked out looking relaxed, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Brother Ye!"
Zhao Gongming's eyes lit up. He hurriedly jumped down from Black Tiger and went to meet him. "How did it go? Master didn't give you a hard time, did he?"
"Don't worry, Brother Zhao. Sect Master was very amiable."
Ye Xuan smiled. "And I should congratulate you, Brother Zhao."
"Congratulate me? What for?" Zhao Gongming asked, completely confused.
Ye Xuan opened his palm, revealing the purple-glowing Shangqing Token.
"Sect Master has honored me by appointing me a Guest Elder of the Interception Sect, with the same status as a personal disciple."
"By seniority..."
Ye Xuan looked at Zhao Gongming's dumbfounded face and grinned mischievously.
"Brother Zhao, we're equals now. And in front of those third- and fourth-generation disciples, you'll have to call me 'Uncle-Master,' won't you?"
"Huh?"
Zhao Gongming stared at the token, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. His jaw almost hit his feet.
"G-Guest Elder?!"
"With the same privileges as a personal disciple?!"
He sucked in a sharp breath and looked at Ye Xuan as if he were some kind of monster.
This was an unprecedented honor in the Interception Sect!
"Brother... no, Elder..."
Zhao Gongming stammered for a long moment, then slapped his thigh and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Who cares about seniority? This is great news!"
"Come on! We have to celebrate with drinks! We're not stopping until we're drunk!"
"Sounds good! We're not stopping until we're drunk!"
Their hearty laughter echoed across Golden Ao Island.
Inside Zhao Gongming's cave abode, luminous pearls cast a gentle glow.
A huge blue-jade table was covered with delicacies.
Most of the Red Dragon King, who had been at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, had now gone into their bellies.
"Splendid! Absolutely splendid!"
Zhao Gongming's face was flushed, and he was clearly deep into his cups.
With a broad sweep of his hand, he carefully brought out an ancient wine jar from the depths of his storage pouch. A seal was affixed to its lid.
The moment he removed the seal, an intensely rich wine fragrance filled the entire cave abode.
The fragrance carried wisps of the Great Dao Laws. Just one sniff left one's Primordial Spirit floating in bliss.
"Brother Ye, today you became a Guest Elder of my Interception Sect. This is cause for tremendous celebration!"
With his tongue thick, Zhao Gongming declared cheerfully, "This is my Great Dao Drunken Immortal Brew, which I've treasured for tens of thousands of years! Even when Senior Brother Duobao asks me for some, I can't bear to part with it. But it's incredibly strong—even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal will black out if he drinks too much. Do you dare try it, Brother?"
The fragrance stirred Ye Xuan's appetite too. He laughed. "Why wouldn't I? I'd be honored to drink with you, Brother Zhao!"
"Good!"
Zhao Gongming poured each of them a full bowl.
The wine was amber-colored and thick as honey.
As they clinked cups and traded toasts, the atmosphere grew more and more lively.
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