Zhao Gongming's mind was in turmoil, but he still chose to believe Senior Disciple Brother Ye.
Then could what Senior Disciple Brother Ye had said about his future self harming his three younger sisters really be true?
No!
He absolutely could not harm them!
Zhao Gongming's eyes were filled with determination. After taking one last look at Ye Changqing and his three younger sisters, he gathered his magical power and slapped his palm against his own forehead.
The sudden move caught everyone completely off guard.
Boom!
A heaven-shaking will burst from Ye Changqing, pressing Zhao Gongming straight to the ground. The entire Three Immortal Island nearly sank beneath the sea.
"Cough, cough..."
He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his spirit growing even more feeble.
Just now, he had forcibly drawn on the Great Dao Will contained in the Great Dao backlash of his Primordial Spirit.
This had further drained the little lifespan he had left!
"Senior Disciple Brother!"
"Senior Disciple Brother..."
Qiongxiao and Bixiao cried out in alarm and hurriedly supported Ye Changqing.
"Elder Brother, why would you do this?"
Yunxiao helped Zhao Gongming up, her eyes brimming with tears.
Watching the siblings' deep affection for one another, Ye Changqing wondered if he had done something wrong.
With a thump!
San Xiao and Zhao Gongming all knelt before Ye Changqing's bed.
"Please, Senior Disciple Brother, grant us a way to avert this!"
By now, Zhao Gongming believed Ye Changqing completely. A system notification was sounding in Ye Changqing's mind.
"Ding! Congratulations, host. The Time Monarch's dying wish has been fulfilled. Everything will come true after the host's death!"
"Reward: Chaos Spiritual Treasure Chaos Bead, Innate Spiritual Treasure Soul-Suppressing Bell!"
Ye Changqing toyed with the gray, hazy bead in his hand, the corners of his mouth twisting bitterly.
If he had obtained it back then, perhaps he would have succeeded.
Such was fate!
"Get up first and listen carefully to what I have to say."
"What I'm about to tell you may overturn everything you know..."
Ye Changqing had them sit down, then began to explain at length.
"During the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, the Interception Sect will be destroyed, and its tens of thousands of immortals will perish.
"None of you will escape that fate..."
Listening to Senior Disciple Brother Ye's account, Zhao Gongming didn't dare doubt him, but he still had some questions.
Since the Witch-Demon Tribulation, immortals from all over the world had gathered under the Interception Sect, making it the Primordial World's greatest power.
Besides, their master, Sect Master Tongtian, was a Saint. How could things end so tragically?
Ye Changqing naturally knew what he was thinking. He sighed and said, "During this great tribulation, even our master won't escape."
"There's a pill in this world that can kill a Saint. It's called the Saint-Slaying Pill!"
Zhao Gongming and San Xiao all drew sharp breaths, daring to guess what had happened.
Ye Changqing nodded. "That's right. Our master will be forced to swallow the Saint-Slaying Pill and imprisoned in Chaos until heaven and earth are destroyed."
"That's why I'm so desperate to achieve the Primordial Unity..."
Zhao Gongming and San Xiao's eyes reddened. They hadn't imagined Senior Disciple Brother Ye would make such a great sacrifice for the Interception Sect.
After a long while, Yunxiao was the first to speak up once she had composed herself. "May I ask what causes this great tribulation?"
Ye Changqing replied, "The Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect have been stuck at the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm for too long, and have incurred a killing tribulation."
The four of them froze. If Chan Sect started it, why would the Interception Sect be the one destroyed?
"There are other Saints in the Primordial World besides our master. One pair of fists can't fight four hands..."
There was a deeper meaning behind Ye Changqing's words.
Normally, he wouldn't dare reveal the secrets of heaven, but now that he had the Chaos Bead, he had nothing to fear with the secrets of heaven concealed.
"Chan Sect..."
Killing intent filled the eyes of Zhao Gongming and San Xiao.
A flash of spiritual light appeared in Ye Changqing's hand, and a small bell flew above Zhao Gongming's head.
The Innate Spiritual Treasure Soul-Suppressing Bell could subdue the soul and ward off all evil.
"Remember, this magic treasure could save your life at a critical moment. Don't lose it!"
Ye Changqing reminded him again and again.
After all, this man had even lost his own twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, which eventually ended up in the hands of Old Thief Randeng and became the magic treasure he used to achieve Dao.
"Thank you for bestowing this treasure, Senior Disciple Brother!"
Zhao Gongming bowed to the ground, his heart full of gratitude.
In truth, he knew Senior Disciple Brother Ye was doing this for the sake of his three younger sisters.
Thinking of how he'd once opposed Senior Disciple Brother Ye and San Xiao being together, his face burned with shame.
But he couldn't help feeling regretful, too. How could such a fine brother-in-law be so short-lived?
Ye Changqing decided it was time to change their way of thinking.
"Our Interception Sect's doctrine is to seize a sliver of life for all living beings."
"But I can't seize even a sliver of life for the Interception Sect's tens of thousands of immortals..."
"Starting today, I'll change 'Interception' to 'Calamity.' Since we can't seize life, we might as well take it by force!"
Interception and Calamity differed by only one character, but their meanings were worlds apart.
Chan Sect had seized the sliver of life that should have belonged to the Interception Sect. Then they would take it back!
For now, there were only five of them in the entire Calamity Cult.
Still, Ye Changqing believed that, with the time he had left, he would surely make the Calamity Cult flourish.
"The Calamity Cult?"
Zhao Gongming and San Xiao furrowed their brows, instinctively finding the idea distasteful.
They had always conducted themselves with honor. How could they resort to underhanded deeds?
"Chan Sect has always claimed to be the Pangu Orthodox Lineage and looked down on Interception Sect Disciples. Is that honorable?"
"The great tribulation was caused by Chan Sect, yet they diverted the calamity and brought about the Interception Sect's destruction. Is that honorable?"
"The Three Pure Ones were one family, yet Venerable Primordial and Laozi conspired against our master. Is that honorable?"
Ye Changqing's barrage of questions left them unable to argue.
"In the Primordial World, there's only one and a half good people. Ever since Ancestor Hong Yun died, only half of Zhenyuanzi remains."
"Ancestor Hong Yun was an honorable man, but what became of him?"
"If you don't let go of your scruples, you'll end up like him sooner or later!"
"So what if you're a Saint? As long as Saints don't die, thieves will never stop!"
"Better your fellow cultivator die than you—that's the true law of the Primordial World..."
That day, Ye Changqing taught them a great deal.
San Xiao and Zhao Gongming felt that their stock of strange knowledge had increased.
Their Senior Disciple Brother taught them everything from ambushes to assassinations, from poisoning to curses, and from killing to destroying the body without a trace. They listened with rapt attention.
Only now did they realize how easy it was to make someone disappear without leaving a trace.
Even a Saint wouldn't be able to find any evidence...
They could only think that they had been far too naïve before. No wonder they had died at Chan Sect's hands.
"In short, the Calamity Cult has just one doctrine: survive by any means necessary!"
After a month of lessons, Zhao Gongming and San Xiao had completely transformed.
The once-honest Zhao Gongming now had a shrewd glint in his eyes.
But Ye Changqing still wasn't satisfied. He would have truly graduated only when he could turn that shrewdness back into simple honesty.
Just as Ye Changqing was planning to take them out for a little field practice, an opportunity came knocking on its own.
"The Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect have come to visit Senior Disciple Brother Ye!"
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