Azure Dragon Crown Prince

Fang Yang could tell that this Azure Dragon was a hotheaded youngster with little experience of the world.

This Azure Dragon would never have made such sweeping accusations if he knew any better.

Lü Yue was Lü Yue, and the Interception Sect was the Interception Sect. How could one person's actions be blamed on the entire sect?

The Azure Dragon Clan was a major power in the Primordial Wilderness. Like the Four Spirits of Heaven-Opening, Empress Houtu, Great Immortal Zhenyuan, and Ancestor Minghe, they had mastered the art of "moral blackmail."

The Azure Dragon Clan had the ability and strength to answer for its actions if the Interception Sect came calling.

But you couldn't put it like that, could you?

The Azure Dragon Clan and the Interception Sect were both major powers in the world. One was responsible for guarding the frontier, the other for enlightening all beings. They ought to maintain a harmonious relationship.

If one day the Azure Dragon Clan held back the Outer Realm Heavenly Demons while the Interception Sect stabbed them in the back, wouldn't the Azure Dragon Clan be wiped out?

It had to be said, this Azure Dragon had branded the Interception Sect as a bunch of furred and horned, wet-born and egg-born creatures. Once you labeled them that way, what wouldn't they be capable of?

Fang Yang immediately concluded that this Azure Dragon had never been through any trials and had no understanding of how to deal with people.

Even so, Fang Yang intended to teach him a lesson. If even he didn't defend the Interception Sect's good name, who would?

Lü Yue's face turned purple with rage. His Plague Umbrella abruptly opened, and black-and-yellow plague mist poured out. Wherever it passed, the plants on the immortal mountains withered at once, and everything was infected with plague.

"Roar!"

After absorbing the life force of all things, the plague mist swelled again, condensing in the air into five enormous skulls—black, white, yellow, red, and green.

Wooo!

In an instant, ghosts wailed and gods howled between heaven and earth. Resentment, killing intent, and murderous aura converged, blotting out the sky. It was as though this world had plunged into a realm of utter darkness.

"Meng Zhen, last time, out of consideration for your status as the Azure Dragon Crown Prince, I showed you mercy. But you've proven so ungrateful that you've slandered my sect. My teacher teaches without discrimination and helps all beings intercept a glimmer of life. How could you possibly understand that?"

The Azure Dragon opposite him—the Crown Prince of the Azure Dragon Clan—looked at him with disdain.

"Saint Tongtian has spent his life building a fine reputation, only to end up with a pack of unfilial disciples like you. I truly feel sorry for him."

He moved a dragon claw, and countless streaks of Yimu Divine Lightning became pillars of lightning that rained down together, piercing Lü Yue's evil arts.

There were two great masters of poison in the Primordial Wilderness: Ancestor Panwang and Lü Yue. But their poisons worked in different ways.

Ancestor Panwang's poison was a physical and chemical toxin, the Immortal Path's version of Love-flower poison and Heartbreak grass poison. Lü Yue's poison was a biological weapon, alive and active.

Yimu Divine Lightning couldn't deal with Ancestor Panwang's poison, but it completely suppressed Lü Yue's.

The winner was clear as soon as the two clashed.

"No! Impossible! How could you break my Great Plague Art? You... Meng Zhen, I'm going to kill you!"

Having suffered a loss, Lü Yue felt humiliated and instantly flew into a rage, intent on killing Meng Zhen to avenge himself.

In the sky, Fang Yang could only shake his head.

His junior brothers and sisters were all like this: they cultivated magical power but not their dispositions. The slightest setback was enough to break them.

They were always talking about keeping true to their principles. If the entire Primordial Wilderness did that, it would remain stuck in an age of ignorance and barbarism forever.

And whatever they did, they liked to drag Sect Master Tongtian into it, as though he had told them to behave that way.

"Enough!"

A dispassionate voice rang out between heaven and earth, reverberating ceaselessly. A vast aura of Righteous Qi rose up, pulverizing all the killing intent and murderous aura Lü Yue had drawn in.

"Who's there?"

Meng Zhen's expression tightened as he braced for battle. This magical power was far too strong. It might not match that of the Great Luo Golden Immortals he had encountered, but no Taiyi Golden Immortal could possibly wield power on this scale.

Boom!

Meng Zhen's answer came in the form of a bolt of Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder. It descended without warning, shattering his Protective spell before piercing his body.

Crackle!

The instant the lightning struck Meng Zhen, his thoughts froze. His body shuddered under the lightning, twitching as if he'd suffered a stroke.

Lü Yue fared no better. Chains woven from Divine Firmament Heavenly Thunder bound him tightly, and a Lightning nail drove deep into his brow, sealing his magical power!

It had all happened too fast for Lü Yue and Meng Zhen to react.

They were both outstanding among the Taiyi Golden Immortals, yet before Fang Yang they were like helpless fish on a chopping block, left at his mercy.

After giving Meng Zhen a small lesson and subduing Lü Yue, Fang Yang finally appeared between heaven and earth.

The vortex of lightning in the sky contracted, gathering into the figure of a towering man.

He wore a dark Daoist robe, lightning coiling around him. His expression was imposing even without anger, and he seemed like a Dharma King born from lightning itself.

"An Interception Sect disciple!"

Meng Zhen shook off the lightning's effects and stared at Fang Yang with grave caution.

"Who are you? Why are you helping an outsider attack your fellow sect member?"

Meng Zhen was merely shocked, but Lü Yue was already furious.

He had never imagined that an Interception Sect disciple would attack him.

Fang Yang ignored Lü Yue and looked at Meng Zhen instead.

"Fellow Daoist Meng Zhen, it's best not to make baseless accusations. My Interception Sect is a dignified orthodox Xuanmen sect, representing the orthodox lineage of the Heavenly Dao. Every disciple in our sect takes it upon themselves to help all beings intercept a glimmer of life."

"Furred and horned, wet-born and egg-born creatures can be found in any faction. The Sect of Enlightenment has them, the Western Sect has them, and your Azure Dragon Clan may well have them too."

"Can you really say that a few scoundrels in a faction make the whole faction scoundrels?"

Fang Yang's first priority was to clear the Interception Sect's name. The sect absolutely could not be branded as furred and horned, wet-born and egg-born.

If anyone was going to be called furred and horned, wet-born and egg-born, then everyone could be. The Interception Sect wouldn't be singled out.

Fang Yang's forceful manner made Meng Zhen uneasy, and his words left Meng Zhen with no way to refute him.

In a big forest, there were all kinds of birds. The Azure Dragon Clan was no exception; it too had members of poor morals and low character.

He had been wrong to equate the entire Interception Sect with Lü Yue.

After thinking it over, he cupped his hands toward Fang Yang. "I spoke in a fit of anger just now and offended your sect. Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist!"

Seeing that Meng Zhen's attitude was decent enough, Fang Yang nodded in satisfaction. "It's all right. Our sect produced a scoundrel like Lü Yue, and Fellow Daoist Guangchengzi is deeply prejudiced against us. It's only natural that you misunderstood."

Fang Yang had no intention of making peace with the God of War of Zhuolu. If it came to it, they could fight.

Prejudice was like a towering mountain in the human heart. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move it.

"May I ask your name, Fellow Daoist?"

Meng Zhen came from a great clan and was very gracious. He bore no grudge over what had just happened.

"I am Fang Yang, a Core Disciple under Saint Tongtian. My junior brother has done many unjust things and brought shame upon himself, but I can promise you this: as long as I'm here, the Interception Sect will never harbor filth or shield the wicked!"

At Fang Yang's words, Meng Zhen was startled once more.

"Fellow Daoist Fang Yang has only been a Core Disciple for a short time, yet he's already this powerful. This... is this the discernment of a Saint?!"