Intercept a Glimmer of Life

Boom!

Water Fire Boy's words struck Daoist Duobao and the others like a clap of thunder, leaving them completely stunned.

Daoist Duobao's position with Sect Master Tongtian had always been rock-solid. No one could shake it.

But this time, Daoist Duobao had actually been turned away?!

Forget Daoist Duobao—even the Disciples of the Sect of Interception who had come with him couldn't accept it.

How could this happen? Had Daoist Duobao really fallen out of favor just because some newly promoted Core Disciple had appeared out of nowhere?

However, Sect Master Tongtian and Fang Yang truly had important business to discuss.

Fang Yang had submitted a plan for spreading the faith, titled "Plague Plan," to Sect Master Tongtian. Its main purpose was to rehabilitate the Sect of Interception's image.

Lü Yue's acts of spreading plague had damaged the Sect of Interception's reputation throughout Heaven and Earth, turning it from a respected orthodox Xuanmen sect into a refuge for monsters and miscreants.

The various races of the Primordial Wilderness weren't afraid of being killed. The harm caused by slaughter was temporary; once it was over, it was over. Plague was different.

Once a plague spread, it could destroy an entire race's future.

Powerful beings might have a chance of surviving a plague, but newborns and weak juniors who caught Lü Yue's plague would die.

It was only because Meng Zhen had intervened in time, and Fang Yang had promptly stepped in afterward, that Sect Master Tongtong's merit hadn't taken another hit.

Even so, the Sect of Interception no longer held the same standing in the hearts of the myriad races.

Fang Yang not only wanted to turn the situation around; he also wanted to show the myriad races that the Sect of Interception wasn't a fraud, and that it stood by its word.

To accomplish all this, he needed Saint Taiqing's help.

Fang Yang had the ability to propose a plan, but not the power to carry it out.

At the heart of the "Plague Plan" was spreading another kind of "plague" throughout the Primordial Wilderness. This one, however, would be beneficial.

Any living being infected with this "plague" would become immune to all illnesses and enjoy good health.

That way, even if beings like Lü Yue spread plague in the future, they wouldn't be infected.

That was why they had to ask Saint Taiqing, a revered authority in the art of medicine, to handle this matter.

Of course, this was also part of Fang Yang's plan.

By working with the Human Sect and sharing merit, he could gradually bind the interests of the Human Sect and the Sect of Interception together.

Fang Yang couldn't treat the Human Sect and the Sect of Enlightenment like family, but he could establish cooperative relationships with them.

Guangchengzi was biased against the Sect of Interception, but that didn't mean all the disciples of the Human and Chan Sects shared his prejudice.

Grand Master Xuandu, True Person Yu Ding, True Person Huang Long, Venerable Manjushri, and the others could still be won over.

After all, the Three Pure Ones were brothers, not enemies.

Surely Saint Taiqing and Primordial Heavenly Venerate would be glad to see the Disciples of the Three Sects get along and live as close as family.

Sect Master Tongtian saw through Fang Yang's plan at a glance. He said nothing, but inside, he felt a comfort unlike any he'd felt before.

He had taken in a disciple who truly understood the bigger picture and had the ability to develop the Sect of Interception.

Saint Mother Jin Ling, Saint Mother Wudang, Zhao Gongming, and the others weren't bad. Their character and cultivation were among the best of their generation.

But they had no concept of mutual cooperation and shared success. They also didn't know how to cultivate allies or unite everyone around them who could be united.

They liked to let their cultivation speak for them. But when cultivation alone wasn't enough, they had no other means to fall back on.

"Fang Yang, you want to join forces with the Human Sect and the Sect of Enlightenment to spread the faith, don't you?"

Sect Master Tongtong had hit on Fang Yang's true purpose with a single sentence.

Fang Yang had never planned to hide it. He cupped his hands, then replied.

"Exactly. The teachings of the Human Sect, the Sect of Enlightenment, and the Sect of Interception build on one another. There's no Great Dao Struggle between them.

"The Human Sect reveres the Daoist principle of following nature—that is, respecting the laws of nature.

"The Sect of Enlightenment teaches the Path of Chan Heaven: act in accordance with the times and the Heavenly Mandate, while pursuing what benefits oneself.

"Our sect's belief in intercepting a glimmer of life goes a step beyond the teachings of the Sect of Enlightenment. We seek a way forward in desperate straits and contend for opportunities beyond the Heavenly Mandate. Though our paths differ, the Human Sect, the Sect of Enlightenment, and our own sect all work toward the same goal: ensuring the Great Dao of the Primordial Wilderness endures."

Fang Yang's eyes shone as he laid out his understanding of how the teachings of the Human Sect, the Sect of Enlightenment, and the Sect of Interception related to one another, each word sharp and precise.

Sect Master Tongtong nodded repeatedly as he listened. Fang Yang's words had struck a chord with him.

The Three Pure Ones' teachings had never been in conflict. The three of them had first been brothers, and only afterward had each put forward his own doctrine.

Given their bond, there was no way any of them would deliberately propose a teaching that directly contradicted the others.

That could happen only if they didn't understand one another, or if the third to present his teaching wanted to make enemies of the first two.

Clearly, neither was the case.

From the very beginning, the teachings of the Three Sects had complemented one another.

Daoist Duobao and the others had followed him for so many years without seeing it, while Fang Yang had understood the truth as soon as he appeared.

It was easy to imagine how complicated Sect Master Tongtong's feelings were at that moment.

"Having the Three Sects join forces to spread the faith really is a fine idea. But quite a few disciples of the Sect of Enlightenment are prejudiced against our sect. Isn't working with them too risky?"

"That's why I'm approaching the Human Sect first. Once we've reached an agreement with them, we can work with our friends in the Sect of Enlightenment through them. If this succeeds, there'll be no problem improving relations among the Three Sects."

"You really want to improve relations among the Three Sects? You're not trying to help the faction in the Sect of Enlightenment that opposes Guangchengzi and diminish his standing there?"

Once again, Sect Master Tongtong had seen through Fang Yang's plan. He hadn't even needed to divine anything; he'd simply thought it through and reached the conclusion.

Fang Yang was even planning to enslave the Disciples of the Sect of Interception. There was no way he'd go out of his way to curry favor with the Sect of Enlightenment. His intentions were obvious to a Saint.

Fang Yang didn't feel ashamed. Instead, he took pride in it.

"This is all for the good of the Human and Chan Sects. Daoist Guangchengzi is too deeply prejudiced against our sect. If we don't suppress him, the Chan and Jie Sects will inevitably fight a battle to the death in the future.

"Besides, since our sect intends to intercept a glimmer of life for all living beings, we can't turn a blind eye to the Dragon Clan. Daoist Huang Long is our best opening."

In the end, Sect Master Tongtong didn't object. As long as Fang Yang didn't actively stir up conflict between the Chan and Jie Sects, he could give Primordial Heavenly Venerate an explanation.

Besides, watching the younger generation fight it out was rather entertaining.

"I'll discuss this with your two senior uncles. If the plan proves effective, I'll capture a Heavenly Dao of a Great Thousand World for you and help your World Tree advance."

With the harmony of the Three Sects at stake, Sect Master Tongtong was more generous than usual. He promised Fang Yang World Origin as a reward.

Fang Yang was overjoyed. This was exactly what he needed to contend with a Great Luo Golden Immortal head-on.

With the World Tree sustaining him, he could make his Innate Spiritual Treasure unleash power on the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal for a long time.

Once his strength increased, he'd be able to do even more.