Three thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. Nearly a hundred thousand cultivators had already gathered near Golden Ao Island. With a Sage personally preaching the Dao, it was nothing less than an immense stroke of fortune for rogue cultivators without inheritances, so they had naturally arrived early to wait.
And that was not all.
On this day, myriad dragons soared above the East Sea. It was none other than Ao Guang, Dragon King of the East Sea, leading the Four Seas Dragon Clan and some aquatic races affiliated with them to hear the Dao, while also delivering congratulatory gifts.
"Fellow Daoist Ao Guang, it has been a long time!"
Xuan Qing greeted him warmly. Back when he had encountered Azure Dragon Mengzhang in the Land of the Eastern Extremity, Mengzhang had entrusted him with delivering Azure Dragon's blood essence to the East Sea Dragon Clan. That was how he had met Ao Guang, who had still been a dragon prince then. Though the Dragon Clan's schemes had been mixed into it, he did not mind getting closer to them.
"So it is Fellow Daoist Xuan Qing!"
Ao Guang responded with a smile. After tens of thousands of years, he had become far more smooth and worldly. None of the sharpness he had possessed as a dragon prince remained.
Beside him stood Ao Qin, Dragon King of the South Sea; Ao Run, Dragon King of the West Sea; and Ao Shun, Dragon King of the North Sea.
The four Dragon Kings had all only recently entered the Great Golden Immortal realm. Faint traces of Azure Dragon Mengzhang's aura still lingered on them, showing that they had relied on external aid to break through to Daluo.
The Dragon Clan's situation over the years had been extremely difficult. In particular, during their last great battle against the Demon Clan, more than ten Great Golden Immortal realm dragons had fallen.
Those had been the Dragon Clan's foundations!
Moreover, countless aquatic races had perished. Even several Dragon Clan ancestors had suffered severe injuries in their struggle against Eastern Emperor Taiyi.
After the Dragon Clan came several races from near the East Sea, such as the Sky Swallowing Python Clan and the Archaic Savage Bull Clan. They had brought along juniors from their clans who had hopes of reaching Daluo to hear the Dao.
In addition, quite a few cultivators from the Female Immortal Lineage led by Queen Mother of the West in Western Kunlun, as well as the Rogue Cultivator Lineage led by True Person Du'e, had arrived together.
As the sermon was about to begin, mighty figures such as Zhen Yuanzi and Daoist Styx also arrived one after another. They had nearly come to blows right outside Golden Ao Island.
Clearly, it was because of Hong Yun!
Yet, out of consideration for the Sage's dignity, they did not actually fight. They merely exchanged a few harsh words.
Afterward, Xuandu of the Human Teachings and Daoist Ran Deng of the Chan Sect arrived late as well, bearing gifts from the two Sages, Taiqing Laozi and Primordial Lord of Heaven.
In the end, a strand of Saintly Dao Charm arrived amid purple qi filling the sky. "Fellow Daoist Tongtian, I have come uninvited. I hope you will not blame me!"
"So it is Fellow Daoist Zhunti!"
With a Sage visiting, Sect Master Tongtian could not put on airs. He had no choice but to personally greet him, though his brows furrowed slightly. He did not know what Zhunti was plotting.
Xuan Qing also frowned.
After all, Saint Zhunti's reputation in the Primordial Wilderness was far from good!
Furthermore, when Hong Yun had fallen, Zhunti had most likely already been hiding in the void. Yet after Hong Yun's death, there had been no sign that he intended to help.
After all, Zhunti had obtained the Primordial Violet Qi only because Hong Yun had yielded his seat. In theory, he owed Hong Yun the karmic debt of becoming a Sage.
When a person died, their debts vanished!
It was the simplest and quickest method of eliminating karma.
Yet this action still sent chills down Xuan Qing's spine, and he chose to keep Zhunti at a respectful distance.
Such a person could not be deeply befriended!
Unless one was like Daoist Jieyin, someone who had endured hardship alongside him ever since taking form.
At that moment, Taiqing Laozi at Shouyang Mountain and Primordial Lord of Heaven at Kunlun Mountain also frowned deeply, speculating over why Daoist Zhunti had done this.
A Sage preaching the Dao might be a fine opportunity for cultivators below Sagehood, but to a Sage, it was utterly insignificant.
Unless two Sages each revealed the origins of their Great Dao and engaged in profound discussion of the Dao.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Sect Master Tongtian had Daoist Duobao arrange Daoist Zhunti and the Western Teachings disciples he had brought in a relatively forward position.
Though he held Zhunti in disdain, he still had to give him the proper respect.
Very soon, the sermon began. Ten thousand golden lotuses descended from the void, endless purple qi rose over Golden Ao Island, and the Sage's Dao Charm spread throughout heaven and earth.
Sect Master Tongtian knew that most of those present were rogue cultivators. Thus, he began his sermon with the shallow before advancing to the profound, from easy to difficult, teaching things of practical use.
The many rogue cultivators listened as though hearing immortal music. Some threw back their heads and laughed, while others covered their faces and wept.
Yet an ominous feeling suddenly arose in Ao Guang's heart. It seemed that something harmful to him or to the Dragon Clan was about to happen.
"Where is Ao Hong?"
He suddenly remembered his second uncle.
He remembered that Ao Hong had been trapped at the peak of Daluo for who knew how many epochs. Yet such a wonderful opportunity as a Sage preaching the Dao had come, and Ao Hong had not taken the initiative to attend?
That was not normal!
Ao Guang wanted to return to the Dragon Palace, but with two Sages before him, it was not appropriate for him to leave. He could only sit where he was and pray incessantly that he was overthinking things.
Soon, another three thousand years passed, and Sect Master Tongtian finally stopped preaching and expounding the Dao.
At that moment, Daoist Zhunti spoke. "Fellow Daoist Tongtian teaches without discrimination. I deeply admire that. Another day, my senior brother and I will also proclaim the Great Dao at Mount Sumeru. If any fellow Daoists are interested, you may come west and listen!"
Sect Master Tongtian forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his sword and said coldly, "Fellow Daoist Zhunti is also thinking of the beings of the Primordial Wilderness. It is only that Mount Sumeru is rather remote!"
He knew that Zhunti was shameless, but he had not expected him to poach people right on Golden Ao Island!
Yet Zhunti wore such a righteous expression that Tongtian could not find the words to rebuke him.
He could hardly stop him from preaching the Dao, could he?
"Fellow Daoist Tongtian, I shall take my leave!"
Before his words had even faded, Daoist Zhunti vanished from Golden Ao Island with the Western Teachings disciples he had brought, completely ignoring Sect Master Tongtian's words.
Sect Master Tongtian could do nothing about it.
He could only address the many cultivators who had come to hear the Dao. "Everyone, my Jie Sect teaches without discrimination. Any cultivator with a heart for the Dao and free of karma may enter my Jie Sect, regardless of aptitude!"
Many rogue cultivators were greatly tempted.
However, the expressions of those tainted by karma turned extremely ugly. They had thought that, with their aptitude, entering the Jie Sect would be easy.
They had not expected Sect Master Tongtian to disregard aptitude and instead examine the karma upon them.
At the same time, deep within the East Sea Dragon Palace, a true dragon shot into the sky. Carrying away part of the treasures from the treasury, it vanished directly into the void above the East Sea.
Shenlong, the Dragon Clan ancestor responsible for guarding the treasury, had for some reason fallen into a deep sleep. He had not noticed in the slightest that someone had entered the Dragon Clan treasury.
Only when Ao Guang, Dragon King of the East Sea, returned and prepared to conduct a routine inventory of the treasury did he discover something was wrong and awaken Ancestor Shenlong from his deep slumber.
"This is bad! It was that little bastard Ao Hong!"
Ancestor Shenlong's expression changed drastically. "That damned fellow not only stole Ancestor Dragon's dragon pearl, he also stole the fragments of the Innate Dragon Gate and the Dragon Transformation Pool!"
"What?"
Ao Guang was also horrified upon hearing this. He immediately awakened the Dragon Clan's other ancestors.
Ancestor Dragon's dragon pearl needed no explanation. It was the crystallization of Ancestor Dragon's lifelong cultivation, the supreme treasure of the Four Seas Dragon Clan. It could at the very least create a quasi-Sage.
Though the Innate Dragon Gate and Dragon Transformation Pool had been shattered by First Qilin during the Dragon-Han Calamity, they were still supreme treasures capable of purifying Dragon Clan bloodlines.
The Dragon Clan had always been attempting to repair them.
Yet the three treasures most important to the Dragon Clan had all been stolen by Ao Hong!
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