Kunlun Mountain, currently the second divine mountain of the Primordial Wilderness and destined to become its greatest, remained shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, its Innate Spiritual Qi exceptionally dense.
However, when Xuan Qing returned to Kunlun Mountain, he discovered that the spiritual qi of some immortal mountains had thinned considerably, while only a few immortal herbs remained on their slopes.
He opened his Dharma Eye and looked out. Disciples riding Supreme Pure Immortal Light were constantly practicing divine abilities and seeking opportunities among the peaks.
"Looks like Master has taken in quite a few more disciples over the years!"
Xuan Qing was not surprised in the least.
The Jie Sect's doctrine was to teach without discrimination. So long as one had the heart to pursue the Dao and was not tainted by Karma, Sect Master Tongtian would not hesitate to accept them into the sect.
With just a rough glance, Xuan Qing estimated that the Jie Sect now had thousands of disciples. Most of them were not particularly advanced in cultivation, so the Immortal Herbs and Spiritual Medicines on Kunlun Mountain counted as decent opportunities to them.
That was why he saw that the Immortal Herbs and Spiritual Medicines on some peaks had been completely harvested.
"Though Kunlun is majestic, stretching for hundreds of millions of li, blessed with spiritual beauty and natural creation, it still seems unable to support the development of three Sages' lineages!"
"Especially the Jie Sect. If it keeps growing in the future, these ordinary disciples may dig up every immortal herb and spiritual medicine near the Three Pure Ones' dojo until they are extinct!"
A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Xuan Qing's heart. Although Sect Master Tongtian had merely summoned him back, the sight before him gave him a few guesses.
"Come to Taiqing Palace!"
Just as he was about to visit Sect Master Tongtian first, Taiqing Laozi's voice suddenly rang in his ears.
"Yes!"
Xuan Qing immediately nodded slightly and changed direction, flying toward Taiqing Palace.
"Greetings, First Martial Uncle!"
Taiqing Laozi was as detached from the mundane world as ever, but a trace of concern could faintly be seen between his brows.
"No need for formalities!"
Taiqing Laozi nodded slightly. "Not bad. It seems you gained quite a few opportunities during this journey! Do you know why I summoned you to Taiqing Palace?"
"This disciple does not know!"
Xuan Qing quickly replied respectfully, "Please enlighten me, First Martial Uncle!"
"Do you truly not know, or are you pretending not to know?" Taiqing Laozi chuckled, then pondered. "You should have noticed the changes in Kunlun Mountain as well, right?"
"Yes!"
Xuan Qing nodded.
Taiqing Laozi's expression suddenly turned solemn. "Kunlun Mountain has limited Fortune and cannot support the lineages of three Sages. Your master summoned you back this time because he intends to take the Jie Sect disciples away and find another dojo to serve as the Jie Sect's mountain gate! He has already discussed this matter with Primordial and me!"
Xuan Qing listened quietly.
Yet waves still rose within his heart.
Although Sect Master Tongtian's reorganization of the Jie Sect had eased the relationship between him and Primordial Lord of Heaven considerably, the day the Three Pure Ones split apart had finally arrived!
Taiqing Laozi continued, "I have only Xuandu under my sect! Primordial has only a little over ten disciples as well! The two of us originally intended to leave Kunlun Mountain to Tongtian, but he refused! He said that heaven and earth were vast, and if the Jie Sect truly wished to teach without discrimination and seize a thread of survival for all living beings, it could not remain trapped in this small corner!"
"Tongtian is straightforward by nature, but there are some things he does not see as clearly as you, his disciple!"
"I summoned you here to give you a few reminders! You also know that the Jie Sect has no Innate Supreme Treasure to suppress its Fortune. I fear that Tongtian may be implicated by his disciples!"
"I have already reminded Duobao and Jin Ling to examine the character of the Jie Sect's disciples, but neither of them is as perceptive and meticulous as you!"
"Therefore, you must shoulder this heavy responsibility!"
Xuan Qing nodded solemnly. "Rest assured, First Martial Uncle. I will keep watch over the Jie Sect disciples!"
After thinking for a moment, he added, "First Martial Uncle, I see that the Demon Clan's Fortune is like blazing oil on a raging fire and likely will not last long. Could we seize the Chaos Bell to suppress the Jie Sect's Fortune?"
This was also something that puzzled him. Although Eastern Emperor Taiyi was the strongest beneath the Sages, and the Demon Clan possessed a method comparable to a Sage in the Great Zhou Tian Star Dou Formation, they could not possibly be a match for three Sages!
Why not simply take action and snatch the Chaos Bell from Eastern Emperor Taiyi?
"Heavenly Dao does not permit it!"
Taiqing Laozi shook his head. "You should also know that the highest-grade spiritual treasures allowed to exist in the Primordial World are Innate Supreme Treasures like the Taiji Diagram and Pangu Banner, and that is only because they carry Sky-Opening Merit! As for a supreme treasure like the thirty-sixth-grade Creation Green Lotus, because it lacked Sky-Opening Merit, it was forced to split into three Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures!"
"The Chaos Bell, Pangu Banner, and Taiji Diagram share the same origin. They were transformed from the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, and even Heavenly Dao fears the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe's power to open heaven and earth!"
"Sages do not defy heaven; those who defy heaven cannot become Sages. As Heavenly Dao Saints, we naturally cannot go against Heavenly Dao, or we may very well be stripped of our Sage positions!"
Xuan Qing nodded and continued, "But First Martial Uncle, if we gathered all three supreme treasures into our hands, could we make even Heavenly Dao yield somewhat?"
"You certainly have some nerve!"
Taiqing Laozi chuckled. "In theory, that is so, but do we have such an opportunity? If we acted, do you think Heavenly Dao would simply stand by?"
"Heaven can encompass all things, yet it alone cannot accommodate Pangu, cannot accommodate the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe!"
"Wait for the right time!"
Taiqing Laozi did not say much more on the matter. He merely explained some issues he had observed, or those that might arise for the Jie Sect in the future.
Yet Xuan Qing thought of many things.
So, it was not that his master was not Pangu's favored son. Rather, Heavenly Dao was wary and dared not allow the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, which possessed the power to open heaven and earth, to be gathered together.
And Taiqing Laozi and Primordial Lord of Heaven did not seem as obedient to Heavenly Dao as they appeared.
Wait for the right time?
What opportunity were they waiting for?
After taking his leave of Taiqing Laozi, Xuan Qing immediately fled toward Shangqing Palace. When he arrived, Duobao, Jin Ling, and Wu Dang, the three direct disciples of the Jie Sect, had already been waiting for some time.
Besides them, Zhao Gongming, the Three Cloud Sisters, Wu Yunxian, and several other disciples valued by Sect Master Tongtian stood quietly in the great hall.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Duobao, Senior Sister Jin Ling, and all junior brothers and sisters!"
Xuan Qing greeted them one by one.
Seeing this, Duobao returned the greeting first, then revealed a faint smile. "Junior Brother Xuan Qing, it seems you gained quite a few opportunities during this journey!"
"I cannot compare to Senior Brother Duobao!" Xuan Qing said modestly. "Senior Brother Duobao, you should only be a single step away from the Great Golden Immortal realm, right?"
He could tell that Duobao had long been able to advance to Daluo, but had been suppressing his cultivation so he could accumulate more foundation during the Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage.
Golden Spirit Holy Mother was the same.
As direct disciples of a Sage, they naturally had to consider the long term and could not simply break through at will!
"You're back?"
As the two chatted and laughed, Sect Master Tongtian's figure suddenly appeared upon a cloud bed. "You have just seen your First Martial Uncle, so you should know why I summoned you back, right?"
"Yes!"
Xuan Qing nodded slightly.
His gaze swept across Duobao and the others. Clearly, Sect Master Tongtian had already told them of his plan to lead the Jie Sect away from Kunlun Mountain.
Xuan Qing immediately took the initiative to ask, "May I ask, Master, where do you intend to establish the Jie Sect's mountain gate?"
Sect Master Tongtian chuckled and looked toward the Eastern Sea. "Heaven encompasses all things, and the sea embraces every river. Only that accords with our Jie Sect's doctrine of teaching without discrimination! The sky is high and the sea is vast. We shall go to the place where sea and sky meet!"
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