"Fellow Daoist, it's time to go."
Zhao Gongming's expression was cold, without a trace of pity.
In a tribulation, either you died or I did. To show mercy to an enemy was to be cruel to yourself.
He pointed, and a Sea Calming Divine Bead transformed into a streak of light, shooting toward Chijingzi's head.
"Master, save me!!!"
Under the threat of death, Chijingzi let out a desperate scream.
But even Venerable Yuanshi, far away on Kunlun Mountain, couldn't reach him in time, despite his power to penetrate Heaven and Earth.
"Bang!"
The Sea Calming Divine Bead struck Chijingzi squarely in the head.
This Golden Immortal of the Sect of Explanation followed in Guangchengzi's footsteps. His skull burst, and his True Spirit was annihilated.
Another True Spirit flew from his shattered immortal body, filled with endless regret and terror. A mysterious force sucked it into the void, where it vanished.
Inside the Investiture of the Gods Space.
Shen Zhaochi picked up his brush and wrote Chijingzi's divine office beside his name.
"Chijingzi, Golden Immortal of the Sect of Explanation. By Heaven's decree, you are fated to be inscribed on the list. You are hereby appointed Heavenly Minister Star Lord."
"That's the second one. Done."
Shen Zhaochi looked at the new golden name on the list, pleased.
"Now that's efficient."
He put away his vermilion brush and turned his gaze toward the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain.
He was eager to see the look on Venerable Yuanshi's face when he discovered that another of his beloved disciples had made the list.
Kunlun Mountain, Jade Void Palace.
Dead silence.
Utter silence.
In the great hall, the glazed jade lamp representing the essence of Chijingzi's life followed the same fate as Guangchengzi's. With a sharp crack, it shattered to dust.
The remaining ten Golden Immortals and Baihe Boy stared blankly at the fragments, their minds completely empty.
Another one... had died?
How long had it been?
Guangchengzi's corpse wasn't even cold, and now Chijingzi had followed him?
What was going on?
Had the Sect of Explanation stirred up a hornet's nest?
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
This time, Venerable Yuanshi neither roared nor bellowed.
He only let out a string of unintelligible shrieks, filled with boundless pain and madness.
At that moment, the Dao Heart of a Saint had completely crumbled!
An aura ten times more violent than before swept out from him. The entire Jade Void Palace shook violently beneath its force. Countless restriction runes flickered erratically, as if they might collapse at any moment.
"Tongtian! Zhao Gongming!!"
"I will never rest until you are dead!!!"
Venerable Yuanshi's eyes had turned bloodred. He rose from his cloud bed, and the Pangu Banner, his supreme treasure of enlightenment, appeared in his hand.
An aura of slaughter as terrifying as World Creation filled the great hall in an instant.
This time, he truly meant to disregard everything and take action himself!
"Master! You mustn't!"
At this critical moment, Daoist Randeng once again "stepped forward," throwing his arms around Venerable Yuanshi's leg.
He wept bitterly, his voice hoarse with desperation.
"Master! You are a Saint. How can you lower yourself and intervene personally over your disciples? This is exactly what the Interception Sect wants!"
"They're trying to provoke you into acting! The moment you do, Junior Brother Tongtian will have an excuse to act as well! If the Saints enter the fray, the tribulation will spiral out of control, karma will become entangled, and if the Dao Ancestor holds us accountable, our Sect of Explanation will be doomed!"
"Get out of my way!" Venerable Yuanshi kicked Randeng aside and glared at him with bloodshot eyes. "Am I supposed to stand by and watch them kill my disciples one by one?"
"Of course not!" Randeng got to his feet, his face full of "loyalty" and "heroic resolve."
"Master! We must avenge our fellow disciples! But we have to do it the right way!"
"Zhao Gongming wields the Sea Calming Divine Beads, and his might is overwhelming. None of our disciples can match him. Our two fellow disciples, Guangchengzi and Chijingzi, both died because of this. It is our fault—we were not skilled enough!"
"But we must have our revenge!"
Randeng changed tack, his gaze growing resolute and tragic.
"Master! I may be unworthy, but I am willing to make another journey to the Eastern Sea! I know I am no match for Zhao Gongming, but I am willing to sacrifice myself for the Dao and find a way for our remaining fellow disciples to survive!"
"I ask for no victory. I only hope to... reclaim our fellow disciples' lost treasures and curb Zhao Gongming's arrogance! Even if I die, I'll make him bleed! For you, Master, and for the Sect of Explanation, I'll shed my last drop of blood!"
What stirring words—what loyalty, what self-sacrifice!
The remaining ten Golden Immortals were moved by Randeng's "heartfelt display."
Taiyi Zhenren and the others even felt a little ashamed. They had only thought of asking their master to act, never imagining that Teacher Randeng, despite his advanced age, would show such resolve.
"Teacher Randeng, you mustn't!"
"Teacher, you can't go to your death!"
Venerable Yuanshi looked at Randeng, and a trace of emotion flickered in his blood-red eyes.
He had always looked down on Randeng, thinking he had a poor background and a calculating nature.
But he hadn't expected that, at the Sect of Explanation's most perilous hour, the one he could rely on most would be this "outsider."
By contrast, his own direct disciples did nothing but clamor for bloodshed or urge him to intervene. Not one of them had offered a constructive suggestion.
The difference was clear.
"Very well."
At last, Venerable Yuanshi managed to suppress his murderous intent.
He helped Randeng up and sighed. "I see your loyalty. But I can't send you to your death. Our Sect of Explanation can't afford any more losses."
"Master!" Randeng said "urgently." "I'm not going to my death! I have my own treasures, the Lingjiu Lamp and the Qiankun Ruler. They may not match the Sea Calming Divine Beads, but I'm confident I can protect myself and hold my own. I only need... an opportunity!"
Now he was finally about to reveal his true goal.
He wasn't going to risk his life against Zhao Gongming. He was going to "deliver" something.
His other Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Qiankun Ruler!
He had already discussed this plan with Shen Zhaochi.
Shen Zhaochi had told him that the twenty-four Sea Calming Divine Beads, combined with the Qiankun Ruler, would give rise to a tremendous karmic debt. In the end, that debt would lead Zhao Gongming down a path to certain death.
And that path would be laid out for him by the two people in the Primordial Era whom no one could afford to offend:
The Western Teachings—Jieyin and Zhunti!
"Good!" Venerable Yuanshi pondered for a moment, then finally nodded. "Take care in all things. Remember, your task is to find an opportunity to reclaim the treasure. Do not get drawn into a fight. If things go badly, preserving yourself comes first!"
To give Randeng a better chance, he even lent him his protective treasure, the Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud.
"This cloud will keep you safe. None but a Saint can break through it. Go."
"Your disciple... thanks you for your great kindness, Master!"
Randeng accepted the Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud with "tears of gratitude" and kowtowed deeply once more.
Then he stood and turned to leave the Jade Void Palace, radiating the tragic resolve of a hero who would never return.
Watching him go, the remaining ten Golden Immortals were filled with respect.
Only Venerable Yuanshi watched Randeng's retreating figure with a complicated expression, lost in thought.
As soon as Randeng stepped out of the Jade Void Palace, the tragic expression vanished from his face, replaced by a cold, triumphant smile.
"Zhao Gongming, the grand gift I prepared for you has arrived."
"I hope you'll like it."
Before you continue