Sect Master Tongtian's gaze fell on the other Sages, killing intent blooming in his eyes.
Just moments ago, they had nearly caused Ye Changqing's death for the second time.
Laozi still looked as carefree and detached as ever, ignoring him completely.
Venerable Primordial snorted and turned his head aside.
The Two Sages of the West whispered among themselves, muttering about something.
Haotian Shangdi and Holy Mother of Yaochi looked extremely uneasy, afraid the Sages might hold a grudge against them.
Fortunately, Sect Master Tongtian quickly reined in his sharpness. After all, they were in Purple Heaven Palace.
Without Old Ancestor Hongjun's permission, even if Venerable Primordial had ten times the nerve, he wouldn't dare kill Ye Changqing outright.
Now wasn't the time to offend Old Ancestor Hongjun. Sect Master Tongtian still hoped to get his help in treating Ye Changqing's injuries.
"Enough!"
"I think we should call it a day."
Old Ancestor Hongjun spoke at just the right moment, stepping in to defuse the situation.
Venerable Primordial and the others immediately understood. He intended to discuss the Investiture of the Gods only after Ye Changqing's lifespan had run out.
A mere few decades meant no more than the blink of an eye to Sages like them.
Old Ancestor Hongjun waved his sleeve and transported everyone out of Purple Heaven Palace, cutting off Sect Master Tongtian's chance to ask him to treat Ye Changqing.
"I'm sorry!"
Empress Nuwa approached Ye Changqing and apologized to him.
Earlier, the Heavenly Dao had restrained her, leaving her unable to help.
Ye Changqing only smiled and handed her a brocade pouch.
Empress Nuwa sighed. This might be the last time the two of them ever met.
She had no reason or excuse to stay by his side and accompany him through his final days.
Zhao Gongming eyed her suspiciously, his gaze full of caution.
Over these past days, he had come to see Ye Changqing as both a role model and his future brother-in-law.
His three younger sisters really didn't stand a chance against a Sage.
Fortunately, nothing had happened between them, which reassured him.
"Disciple, how did you escape Primordial's clutches?"
On the way back, Sect Master Tongtian asked curiously.
Zhao Gongming, walking beside them, perked up his ears, eager to learn from the experience.
Ye Changqing smiled and took out a bead. It was the Chaos Bead.
The Chaos Bead contained a world of its own, beyond the Heavenly Dao's constraints.
With a mere thought, he could enter the world inside the Chaos Bead.
The Chaos Bead could conceal its secrets from the Heavenly Dao and fell outside its jurisdiction, so naturally even Dao Ancestor Hongjun couldn't see through it.
Sect Master Tongtian was also shocked the moment he saw the Chaos Bead. After all, it had an extraordinary origin.
As a Sage and an incarnation of Great God Pangu's Primordial Spirit, he knew far more about it than the others.
The Chaos Bead hadn't originally been called the Chaos Bead.
That's right, you heard correctly!
It had originally been called the Hongmeng Bead, a remnant of the Primordial World.
The Hongmeng Bead had broken along with the Primordial World, its grade falling until it became the Chaos Bead.
The bead's origin was shrouded in mystery, with only fragments of legends left behind.
Even Great God Pangu himself had never seen it.
Who would have thought it had fallen into his disciple's hands?
Sect Master Tongtian now had the same question as the others: why hadn't Ye Changqing achieved the Dao of Primordial Chaos inside the Chaos Bead?
In response, Ye Changqing offered an explanation.
"I once reincarnated ten thousand times and transcended life and death. All who recite my true name will find eternal life in the cycle of reincarnation!"
Sect Master Tongtian: ...
Those words sounded impressive, but weren't they just meant to show off?
Had the child lost his mind?
I am your master, after all!
Before Ye Changqing could say anything, Zhao Gongming, his devoted admirer, revealed his identity.
"Master, Senior Disciple Brother is the Hongmeng Controller!"
"Isn't it only natural for him to have a treasure like the Hongmeng Bead?"
What Hongmeng Controller?
The more Sect Master Tongtian listened, the more confused he became.
After Zhao Gongming finished recounting everything Ye Changqing had told them, Sect Master Tongtian let out a long sigh.
The Hongmeng Controller, the master of the Eternal World—it was all just a kind lie Ye Changqing had told them so they wouldn't grieve.
With his knowledge as a Sage, how could he never have heard of any of these things?
But he couldn't bear to expose Ye Changqing. He would let him leave his younger fellow disciples with something to hold on to.
Outside Golden Ao Island, Immortal Pilu and the many disciples expelled from the Interception Sect were still lingering, refusing to leave.
If the island's protective formation hadn't been activated, they probably would have stayed on Golden Ao Island indefinitely.
A streak of azure light shot through Chaos and descended into the Primordial World. Who else could it be but Sect Master Tongtian?
"Master!"
"Please, Master, give us justice..."
Immortal Pilu and the others fell to their knees, wailing like ghosts.
Sect Master Tongtian looked at his worthless disciples and couldn't help frowning deeply.
Compared to Ye Changqing, they were nothing but a rabble.
"What sort of behavior is this, wailing and weeping outside the island?"
"Do you want to bring even more shame upon the Interception Sect?"
Sect Master Tongtian's rebuke abruptly silenced their wailing.
Immortal Pilu and the others glanced up at Ye Changqing behind Sect Master Tongtian, then grew indignant.
They refused to believe Sect Master Tongtian would keep a dying invalid and expel all of them instead.
Immortal Pilu was the first to step forward and accuse Ye Changqing. "Master, it's him!"
"He showed no respect for his elders and sowed discord in the Interception Sect while you were away."
"Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal and Immortal Yi Qi Ma Yuan have both fallen victim to his schemes..."
"I was merely speaking the truth out of a sense of justice, and he expelled me from the Interception Sect!"
The immortals behind Immortal Pilu hurried to chime in, embellishing the story and painting Ye Changqing as a traitor who had betrayed his master and seized power.
"Please, Master, give us justice!"
Immortal Pilu and the others knelt there, secretly overjoyed.
Sect Master Tongtian had been frowning ever since they arrived, and every so often he glanced back at Ye Changqing.
This was clearly the prelude to sacrificing his own disciple for the greater good!
"Zhao Gongming, kill them. Leave no one alive!"
Before Sect Master Tongtian could speak, Ye Changqing ordered Zhao Gongming beside him.
"Your master is right here, and you still dare act so arrogantly?"
Immortal Pilu felt he was on the side of justice and accused Ye Changqing again.
"Zhao Gongming?"
"Can't you hear what I said?"
Zhao Gongming had planned to wait for Sect Master Tongtian to decide what to do, but Senior Disciple Brother sounded a little angry.
He gritted his teeth, brought out the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, and charged at Immortal Pilu and the others with the Golden Whip in hand.
The smile on Immortal Pilu's face froze. He had thought Sect Master Tongtian would stop him, but Sect Master Tongtian had tacitly approved Ye Changqing's actions.
"Why?"
"Why is this happening?"
Immortal Pilu roared at Sect Master Tongtian.
But he had forgotten that the other man was his master. He had already committed the grave offense of defying his superior.
"Showing no respect for your master and defying your superior—your crimes are all the worse for it!"
"Disperse his soul and destroy him body and spirit."
Ye Changqing's icy voice echoed in his ear.
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