"Outrageous!"
A mighty shout rang out from inside Biyou Palace.
Immediately afterward, Sect Master Tongtian appeared at the palace gates.
His face was as dark as water. His gaze swept over the murderous Sanxiao, then the agitated crowd of disciples, and finally came to rest on the ashes in Yun Xiao's hands.
Even he, a revered Sage, couldn't keep his eyes from flickering at the sight of those fine ashes.
Zhao Gongming had been one of his favorite outer disciples. He was gifted, loyal to his friends, and utterly devoted to him as his master. And now, he had fallen victim to the Killing Tribulation.
"Your disciples pay their respects to Master!"
All the Interception Sect disciples, including Sanxiao, hurriedly bowed.
"Have I not told you? During the Great Tribulation, you are all to remain on the island, reciting the Yellow Court Scripture in silence, doors shut, and not leave your caves, lest you incur karmic entanglements and invite disaster!" Sect Master Tongtian's voice carried a restrained anger. "You three—are you going to defy my orders?"
"Master!" Bi Xiao raised her head and said indignantly, "Our big brother was killed! Are we supposed to sit here and do nothing? I can't swallow this!"
"Whether you can swallow it or not, you must!" Sect Master Tongtian gave a cold snort. "This is the will of Heaven. Gongming was fated to suffer this tribulation. You can't blame anyone else!"
As a Sage, he could divine the matter with a simple hand gesture. Though he couldn't account for Shen Zhaochi, this unexpected variable, he could still roughly deduce that Zhao Gongming's death involved a Sage of the Western Teachings.
How could they take revenge when a Sage had made a move? Sending them down the mountain would only get them killed for nothing!
"Master!" Yun Xiao raised her head too. Blood and tears ran down her pale cheeks, making her look unbearably tragic. "I know you're looking out for us. But the murder of our brother is a feud that cannot be shared under heaven! If we can't avenge our big brother, what meaning is there in living? Our Dao Hearts are stained. We'll never make any more progress in this life!"
"Today, even if it means defying your orders, we must go down the mountain!"
"Please, Master, grant us your permission!"
As she spoke, Yun Xiao, Qiong Xiao, and Bi Xiao all dropped to their knees and kowtowed three times before Sect Master Tongtian.
Seeing his three female disciples kneeling before him, their faces set with resolve, Sect Master Tongtian's heart softened.
Was he not furious? His disciple had been killed. As his master, he was more heartbroken than anyone.
But he couldn't act.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun had decreed that during the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, Sages were not to act lightly. If he fell out with the Two Saints of the West over Zhao Gongming, he would only give Yuanshi of the Sect of Explanation a chance to laugh at him, and leave the entire Interception Sect in an even more difficult position.
He let out a long sigh, his tone softening. "My foolish children... Do you know that a Sage was involved in Gongming's death? What would going there be but throwing your lives away?"
"A Sage?"
"A Sage actually made a move?"
The Interception Sect disciples around them erupted in an uproar once more. At last, they understood how even someone as powerful as Zhao Gongming had fallen.
"So what if it was a Sage?" Bi Xiao said stubbornly, her chin raised. "He could kill our big brother, but we can't kill his disciples? If he's shameless enough to bully those weaker than him, does our Interception Sect not have a Sage of its own?"
Bi Xiao had spoken what every Interception Sect disciple was thinking.
That's right! Our Interception Sect has a Sage too! Why should we fear them?
For a moment, everyone was fired up.
"Please, Master, seek justice for Senior Brother Gongming!"
"Please, Master, allow us to go down the mountain and avenge Senior Brother Gongming!"
Thousands of disciples knelt as one, their cries shaking the heavens.
Watching them, Sect Master Tongtian felt a headache coming on. He had founded the Interception Sect to accept disciples without discrimination and give all living beings in the world a chance at survival. But for that very reason, most of his disciples were sincere, loyal, and devoted—yet also impulsive and quick to anger.
Those were virtues in ordinary times, but fatal flaws during a tribulation.
He remained silent for a long while. In the end, he could only wave his hand helplessly.
"Very well, very well..."
"If you must go, then go."
"But remember: you may investigate the truth, but you must not kill the innocent indiscriminately. If things become impossible, return to the island at once. Do not get drawn into a fight."
In the end, he couldn't bear to go too much against his disciples' wishes.
"Thank you, Master!"
Delighted, Sanxiao kowtowed once more, then rose and turned to leave in streaks of rainbow light.
"Wait."
Sect Master Tongtian called out to them.
He flicked a finger, and three streaks of azure light shot into the brows of Sanxiao, one for each of them.
"These are three of my sword auras. In a moment of danger, they may save your lives."
After doing this, he seemed to have spent all his strength. He turned and walked back into Biyou Palace, his figure looking lonely and desolate.
The palace gates slammed shut.
The three sisters bowed deeply once more toward Biyou Palace.
Then their eyes grew cold and resolute again.
"Let's go!"
Three streaks of rainbow light shot into the sky. Carrying boundless hatred and murderous intent, they left Golden Ao Island and raced toward the waters of the East Sea where Zhao Gongming had met his end.
An even greater storm was about to rise across the Primordial Era.
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