The Primordial World kept no count of years. Time flew like a white colt glimpsed through a crack, and no one knew how long had passed.
The East Sea stretched without end, its waves spanning hundreds of millions of acres.
On this day, a streak of emerald light crossed the boundless void, tore through layers of sea mist, and slowly came to a halt.
The light faded, revealing a figure clad in a blue-green robe, with an elegant and handsome face. It was none other than Xuan Liu.
Xuan Liu focused his gaze. In the middle of the sea ahead lay an immense immortal island, so vast that its size could not be measured even in hundreds of millions of miles.
It was like an ancient Golden Ao awakened from primordial chaos, bearing countless mountains and rivers of Qiankun upon its back.
That was the famed Golden Ao Island, home to the Interception Sect—the Saint's Daoist lineage!
As far as the eye could see, immortal energy billowed here. Boundless spiritual energy condensed into nearly viscous immortal mist, shrouding the endless territory.
Across the island, rays of rosy light streamed in every direction, and auspicious colors filled the sky.
Faintly, waves of ethereal, profound Daoist sounds drifted from the island's deepest reaches, rippling across the Four Seas and Qiankun.
Every jade palace and every immortal peak and divine waterfall shimmered with supreme Daoist rhythm, wondrous beyond compare.
And the scene in the skies around Golden Ao Island was even more terrifying.
As far as the eye could see, countless powerful streaks of escaping light blotted out the sky, packed together and woven into a dense mass like the sands of the Ganges.
Some were enormous primordial beasts; others were East Sea rogue immortals who had only recently taken humanoid form.
There were also ancient races who had journeyed hundreds of millions of miles from every corner of the Primordial World.
Myriad immortals paying homage!
This was the Interception Sect at the height of its power, its supreme and glorious grandeur!
Across the entire Primordial World, no force or Daoist lineage besides Saint Tongtian's Interception Sect could command such a world-shaking spectacle.
"Gasp! No wonder Golden Ao Island is the home of a Saint's Daoist lineage." At the sight of such a magnificent expanse, Xuan Liu couldn't help but exclaim in heartfelt awe.
Then Xuan Liu quickly descended through the clouds.
He arrived at the vast Immortal Jade Plaza within Golden Ao Island.
Primordial beings filled the place.
At a rough glance, there were too many to count. Most of them were at the True Immortal or Profound Immortal realm, and quite a few were even mighty Golden Immortals.
At that moment, all these primordial beings sat obediently on the plaza, gazing toward the depths of Golden Ao Island with fervent reverence.
There was no doubt about it: they had all come to Golden Ao Island to seek the supreme Dao, hoping to enter a Saint's tutelage.
Xuan Liu stood among the crowd of beings, his divine sense clear and his expression calm as he quietly awaited the right moment.
"Vmmm!"
At a certain moment, a grand immortal note suddenly rang out.
The nodes of the void rippled as though swept by a tide, and Daoist rhythm thundered.
The next instant, under the scorching gazes of countless primordial beings, a vast fissure slowly split open in the void.
Four blinding, undying rays of divine light shot out from within.
At their head was a man dressed in a luxurious, bright-yellow Daoist robe. His face was plump and well-fed, his forehead broad, and Daoist rhythm seemed to pulse around him.
His aura was immensely powerful, and a Merit Golden Wheel revolved behind his head.
He was none other than Duobao Daoist, the chief personal disciple of Saint Tongtian!
At Duobao Daoist's side, half a step behind him,
stood three graceful and extraordinary female immortals.
One wore a robe woven from starlight. Heroic and spirited, she revealed the birth and death of countless stars whenever her beautiful eyes opened and closed. She was Golden Spirit Holy Mother.
Another possessed a cool, snowy air. Dressed in a plain white Daoist robe, she was surrounded by ceaselessly flowing laws. She was Unyielding Holy Mother.
The last had a sweet, delicate face, yet carried a hint of weight and primeval wildness. She was Turtle Spirit Holy Mother.
The Interception Sect's four great personal disciples!
All had arrived!
With the appearance of these four, a terrifying Daoist intent powerful enough to suppress the four quarters of the world swept ceaselessly through heaven and earth.
All four personal disciples of the Interception Sect were Daluo Golden Immortals!
Daluo Golden Immortals transcended the river of time.
The appearance of such a powerful group made the countless primordial beings on the Immortal Jade Plaza sober at once.
They quickly lowered their heads from afar, lest they offend the supreme dignity of the Saint's disciples.
"We pay our respects to the esteemed immortals!"
In an instant, ten thousand immortals bowed and cried out in unison. Their thunderous voices echoed above Golden Ao Island for a long time.
"Good heavens! Is this the Interception Sect's foundation? It's only the era of the Lich Tribulation, yet all four personal disciples have already reached the Daluo Golden Immortal realm." Xuan Liu drew a sharp breath, speaking in disbelief.
In the Primordial World novels of his past life, people often said that Golden Immortals were as common as dogs and Daluo were everywhere.
In truth, that wasn't the case. During the Lich Tribulation, Daluo Golden Immortals were still an exceedingly rare and precious sight.
After all, the 365 Demon Gods of the Demon Race Heavenly Court were all Daluo Golden Immortals.
The many Great Witches of the Witch Race were at the same realm as well.
"By the Saint's command, the Interception Sect was founded to teach without discrimination and to seize a thread of life for all the myriad spirits of the Primordial World."
Duobao Daoist stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down at the many seekers below as he spoke at an unhurried pace. "However, the Saint leads the Profound Sect, and the Interception Sect's Daoist lineage is not a place without entry requirements, nor one that welcomes filth and corruption."
"So some simple trials are still required."
With that, Duobao Daoist raised a hand and swept his sleeve with effortless ease.
"Rumble!"
Suddenly, a tremendous roar rang out from the void.
The next instant, dazzling Supreme Clarity Immortal Light burst forth.
A pitch-black Dao Stele, ten thousand zhang tall and radiating obscure Daoist rhythm and an ancient aura of destruction, condensed out of thin air.
The black stele landed firmly in the very center of the Immortal Jade Plaza.
Waves of Supreme Clarity Daoist rhythm surged from the stele, distorting the surrounding void.
Countless beings looked toward it. After only one glance, they felt a stabbing pain in their souls.
It seemed to contain a supreme immortal art that encompassed every law.
Pointing at the black Dao Stele, Duobao Daoist announced calmly, "The stele bears the Grand Compendium of the Supreme Clarity Immortal Arts, personally left behind by the Saint. It is also the trial for those seeking to join the Interception Sect this time."
"All who come here to seek the Dao may study this Dao Stele."
"Those who can master its basics within one hundred thousand years may become outer disciples of the Interception Sect and enjoy the fortune and resources of the Saint's Daoist lineage!"
Outer disciples!
At these words, the countless primordial beings below began breathing heavily, their eyes brimming with irrepressible joy.
Once they became outer disciples, they would count as members of a Saint's Daoist lineage.
Not only would they be able to cultivate the wondrous Supreme Clarity arts, but their standing in the Primordial World would also change dramatically.
Their own path to the Dao would be far more secure.
It was no exaggeration to say this was the dream of countless primordial beings.
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