The Interception Sect Moves to Jin'ao Island

The Interception Sect, led by Sect Master Tongtian, arrived at Jin'ao Island. The island lay in the East Sea, next to Tianyuan City of the Human Race. Ever since they had moved here, Liu Bai and the other members of the Human Race had been overjoyed, heading to Tianyuan City whenever they had free time!

As for the other disciples of the Interception Sect, most had attained the Dao as non-human beings. After Liu Bai emerged from seclusion, he and Sect Master Tongtian had discussed the matter. They decided to accept only those of good character as formal disciples, while the rest would remain nominal disciples and be assessed once every thousand years. Anyone who failed would be expelled! This preserved the Interception Sect's principle of seizing a sliver of hope for all living beings while also keeping the sect pure.

The first assessment had just concluded, and the Interception Sect had only a mere hundred formal disciples.

Chief Senior Disciple: Liu Bai

The Ten Great Disciples, in order, were:

Daoist Duobao, Holy Mother Gui Ling, Holy Mother Jin Ling, Holy Mother Wudang, Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, Bixiao, Zhao Gongming, Immortal Wuyun, and Immortal Luoxuan of the Flames.

Most of the rest were ordinary true disciples!

As for Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal and the others? Sorry, they had been deemed unqualified in the very first round and personally escorted off Jin'ao Island by more than a dozen Human Race disciples!

Anyway, no one had seen them since. If anyone asked, they'd been sent away!

Numerous small islands dotted the waters around Jin'ao Island. Though they lacked the presence of a Sage, they were exceptionally serene.

The East Sea's breeze carried salty, damp spiritual energy as it swept past three small islands arranged in a triangular formation. The islands were rugged, with strange rock formations and ancient, sturdy trees. Millennia-old vines hung from the cliffs, laden with shimmering spirit fruit. The surrounding waters were crystal clear, revealing colorful coral and spirit fish darting to and fro.

Yunxiao gazed down at the island wreathed in clouds and mist. With a gentle wave of her hand, she sent a pale-green Daoist aura toward the largest island in the middle. A soft, warm glow immediately rose from the island, shrouding it in an even more tranquil atmosphere. "This island sits in the center and has the richest spiritual energy. It will be my Yunxiao's Cave Abode."

Qiongxiao was quiet by nature. Her gaze settled on the island to the left, whose steep cliffs concealed natural caves. The energy of the Five Elements flowed faintly there, and she nodded. "The island to the left has rugged terrain, perfect for setting up an array formation. I'll establish my abode here. I'll complete the remaining fragments of the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation in the future, and protect the peace of this region."

Bixiao could no longer hold back. With a flash, she landed on the island to the right, her toes touching down on a grassy field covered in purple immortal flowers. A flock of colorful spirit butterflies fluttered up from the blossoms. "The island to the right is lush with flowers and grass, and it even has this Spirit Spring. It's just perfect for me!"

She clapped her hands with a laugh, then casually took a pair of Golden Flood Dragon Scissors from her sleeve and tossed them into the air. The scissors turned into two streaks of golden light, carving arcs across the island and instantly creating an exquisite cave abode. A jade pavilion stood in front of it, and a babbling stream flowed beneath the pavilion into a clear pool. The water reflected the blue sky and white clouds, making for an especially elegant scene.

Before she had finished speaking, Yunxiao and Qiongxiao had already flown down beside her. The three sisters exchanged smiles and raised their hands together, releasing a flash of their life-bound spiritual light. The three lights intertwined in the air to form a Three Talents Barrier, linking the three small islands closely together. Above the barrier, the phantom images of Yunxiao's Primal Chaos Golden Dipper, Qiongxiao's Plain Cloud Scarf, and Bixiao's Golden Flood Dragon Scissors shimmered faintly. The barrier protected the three islands' Daoist grounds while resonating with Jin'ao Island in the distance, their Daoist auras flowing together.

One day, Zhao Gongming came to visit Yunxiao and her sisters. "You three younger sisters have found yourselves a fine place. The spiritual energy is abundant, and it's backed by the East Sea coast. Being close to Tianyuan City of the Human Race makes it an excellent spot."

"Right! Right! Eldest Brother, I was just thinking of going to look around a Human Race city. Senior Brother Liu Bai is always talking about how prosperous they are. Now I can finally have a good look!" Bixiao said to Zhao Gongming, full of energy.

Zhao Gongming laughed heartily at her words and summoned a cloud to carry them all. "In that case, I'll accompany my three younger sisters on a little outing. Let's see what's so special about the Tianyuan City that Senior Brother Liu Bai is so fond of." As he spoke, the cloud beneath their feet carried the four of them off like a streak of light, skimming over the East Sea's blue waves until they reached the outskirts of Tianyuan City in a flash.

Before they had even landed, they saw a majestic city stretching along the coast. Its walls had been built from ten-thousand-year-old black iron mixed with spiritual mud from the East Sea, rising a thousand zhang high. Defensive array formations carved by Human Race cultivators covered the walls. As spiritual light flowed across them, even the salty mist whipped up by the sea breeze was filtered until it was clear.

Above the city gate, the three characters "Tianyuan City" had been forged from Geng Metal. Dragon energy seemed to coil between the strokes. They were the work of the Dragon King of the East Sea, who had personally written them when the Dragon Clan and Human Race formed their alliance. The gate was crowded with people: Human Race commoners in plain cloth garments, their auras steady, and occasional Sea Clan beings in human form. They passed one another without disturbance, with a hint of familiarity between them.

"What a magnificent city!" Qiongxiao praised softly as she examined the array formations on the walls. "This formation contains the meaning of the Primordial Eight Trigrams and incorporates the Dragon Clan's water energy. Its defenses are so strong that even an ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal would probably struggle to break through."

Bixiao could no longer wait. She hopped down from the cloud and ran into the city. The moment she crossed the gate, the scene along the street caught her attention, and she couldn't tear herself away.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their roofs nearly touching. The aroma of osmanthus wine drifting from the taverns mingled with the herbal scent of spirit plants from the apothecaries. Rainbow brocade woven from Shark Silk hung in the cloth shops, while the clang of forging rang out from the blacksmiths' shops. Sparks flew as a long blade imbued with Geng Metal spiritual energy took shape, drawing cheers from the Human Race youths watching nearby.

Among the Human Race cultivators walking along the street were many young boys with tender faces, yet their auras had already reached the Heavenly Immortal Realm. Standard-issue swords hung at their waists. They walked with steady steps, their eyes revealing a determination far beyond their years.

"Three younger sisters, Junior Brother Zhao Gongming." A warm voice came from behind them. Liu Bai stood smiling at the street corner in a plain white Daoist robe, accompanied by several Human Race cultivators in blue academy uniforms. "I never expected to see you here today. Well, what do you think? Is my Human Race city prosperous enough? Haha!"

Zhao Gongming stepped forward to greet him with a smile. "Senior Brother Liu Bai certainly didn't deceive us. We came to see Tianyuan City's prosperity because Junior Sister Bixiao urged us to."

Liu Bai smiled and nodded, leading them deeper into the city. "Tianyuan City owes much of its prosperity to City Lord Su Bai, who established three academies here. They teach the civil and martial arts of the Dao, as well as the Hundred Arts.

"Human Race children enter the academies at the age of ten to begin their cultivation. By adulthood, they can attain the Heavenly Immortal Realm. They're naturally able to comprehend at least one law, whether it's controlling water, wielding fire, or commanding earth—each a divine ability suited to their natural constitution.

"Systematic instruction at the academies lets them better master their own strength and find their path to growth!"

As they spoke, they reached a vast compound. A plaque reading "Tianyuan Dao Academy" hung above its entrance. The sound of students reciting their lessons rang from inside, mingling with the breathing of cultivators practicing their cultivation.

Through the open gates, they saw several hundred young cultivators practicing in formation. The Human Race cultivator at the front held a long sword, each move imbued with exquisite sword laws. The youths followed close behind. Though their cultivation was still shallow, they already displayed considerable discipline. Qiongxiao's eyes shifted slightly as she said softly, "Teaching the Dao on this scale—the Human Race's foundations are indeed deep."

"That's not all." Liu Bai pointed to another compound beside the academy. "That's the Artifact Refining Academy. Human craftsmen work with several Dragon Clan artisans skilled in artifact refining, combining the Dragon Clan's methods with Human Race techniques. Their artifacts may not compare with Senior Brother Duobao's treasures, but they're durable and practical. They're used not only by Human Race cultivators, but also in trade with the Demon Race and Sea Clan."

Bixiao was watching with great interest when a distant bell rang through the city. After three peals, the bustling streets fell silent. The Human Race commoners orderly withdrew to either side of the city, while the young cultivators in the academy took out their artifacts and hurried toward the east of the city under their teachers' lead. A glint of amusement crossed Liu Bai's eyes. "What a coincidence. You three younger sisters and Junior Brother have arrived just in time. Today is the once-in-a-century Sea Beast Tide."

"The Sea Beast Tide?" Zhao Gongming asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are the sea beasts in the depths of the East Sea causing trouble?"

"Not at all." Liu Bai led them toward the Tide Watching Platform in the east of the city, explaining as they walked. "These sea beasts have no intelligence. They're descended from the surviving bloodlines of ancient Fierce Beasts, and live in the depths of the East Sea. Once every hundred years, they follow the tidal currents to the shallows. They're vicious, and the strongest can reach the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm. The Dragon Clan can deter the tribes in the deep sea, but it can't control these mindless sea beasts. The Human Race needs a place to train, so we reached an agreement with the Dragon Clan to preserve the Sea Beast Tide, allowing our people to temper their Daoist hearts and hone their divine abilities."

As they spoke, they reached the Tide Watching Platform. Below them lay a wide bay. The water was already churning, with monstrous waves, and countless dark shapes could be seen moving beneath the surface. Their savage aura swept over them on the sea breeze. Bixiao focused her gaze and saw that the sea beasts came in all shapes and sizes. Some were like Giant Tooth Sharks, a hundred zhang long, with teeth gleaming coldly. Others resembled enormous octopuses, their writhing tentacles sending water spraying everywhere. Still others had stone armor and looked like giant tortoises, but bore the savage markings of ancient Fierce Beasts. Every impact sent waves surging several zhang into the air.