Empowering Divine Pestle, Interception Sect Spy

Enough!

Ancestor Hongjun's indifferent Dharma eyes swept slightly, and he uttered only two words.

Forcing Zhunti Daoist to swallow back the flood of self-pitying complaints in his belly.

"I have already grasped the full course of this matter."

Ancestor Hongjun's expression hardened as he slowly said, "Jieyin, Zhunti, you privately employed the Dream Entry Technique."

"Seeking to forcibly convert a Profound Sect disciple and alter his memories—this is your first offense."

At these words.

Zhunti Daoist's tearful accusations abruptly stalled, while Jieyin Daoist clasped his hands together and lowered his head, not daring to speak.

"Tongtian, though reason was on your side, you made far too great a commotion. Using the Execution Sword Formation to destroy the Western Continent's earth veins threw Heaven and Earth off balance and plunged all living beings into misery. You too are at fault."

Ancestor Hongjun's voice was neither rushed nor slow, yet it carried the terrifying majesty of words becoming law.

"This disciple knows his fault."

Tongtian Cult Master also performed a Daoist salute and lowered his head. "But Jieyin plotted against my youngest personal disciple, Xuan Liu, first."

"If the Western Sect is not taught a profound lesson, would not every last person think they could bully the Interception Sect?"

"And where would that leave the dignity of the Profound Sect's orthodox lineage?!"

Tongtian Cult Master's protective nature had not diminished in the slightest, even before the Dao Ancestor.

Upon the high platform, Ancestor Hongjun fell silent for a long while.

As a saint merged with the Dao, he knew well that the Interception Sect's current providence was like oil poured onto a blazing fire.

Especially Xuan Liu. Not only had he gained enlightenment in the Nine-Nine Heavenly Art.

He had also offered the Twelve-Petal Pure World White Lotus to the Interception Sect to suppress its providence.

He had already become an utterly crucial disciple of the Interception Sect.

Yet because of the Dao-Demon Conflict of long ago, Ancestor Hongjun also owed the Western Continent boundless karmic debts.

"Alas, Tongtian."

Ancestor Hongjun sighed and slowly said, "The two Western saints were at fault first and should indeed be punished."

"Tell me, then. What compensation would calm the fury of your Upper Pure lineage and sever this karmic entanglement?"

Hearing this, Tongtian Cult Master's right hand, hidden within his great sleeve, twitched faintly.

A flash of triumphant sharpness passed through his icy Dharma eyes.

Having lived through countless ages, how could he not understand his master's thoughts?

His master, after all, owed karmic debts to the West.

His true body's descent today was plainly meant to tilt the scales in favor of the two Western saints.

If he refused to relent and insisted on using the Execution Sword Formation to wipe out the Western Sect entirely.

Then he would not only be slapping the faces of the two Western saints, but also going against his master's wishes.

Since his master had stepped forth to mediate, and the two Western saints had already paid the dreadful price of having a corner of Mount Sumeru sliced away and the Western Continent's living beings devastated.

He might as well go with the current and demand another supreme treasure for his precious disciple Xuan Liu to protect himself with.

"Reporting to Master, since you have personally stepped forth to mediate, this disciple naturally would not dare disobey."

Tongtian Cult Master raised his head and performed a Daoist salute. "But my disciple Xuan Liu had only just broken through to the late stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. Before his Dao foundation had even fully stabilized, he was groundlessly plotted against by Western saints."

"His true spirit was frightened. Such karma naturally requires considerable compensation."

"So long as the Western Sect is willing to produce the superior-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Empowering Divine Pestle, and present it to my disciple Xuan Liu as an apology and protection, I, Tongtian, will make the decision to write off this karmic debt in one stroke!"

"The Empowering Divine Pestle?! Tongtian, don't push your luck too far!!"

Zhunti Daoist's face darkened, and he nearly erupted on the spot.

The Empowering Divine Pestle was one of the Western Sect's few superior-grade innate spiritual treasures.

It contained supreme power of annihilation within it, uniting offense and defense in one.

It was one of the Western lineage's few great treasures.

It would have been one thing for Mount Sumeru to lose a corner and for the Western Continent's living beings to suffer devastation.

But this madman Tongtian actually wanted to forcibly extort one of the West's treasures.

This was simply rubbing salt into their already barren wounds with abandon.

"Junior Brother, enough!"

Jieyin Daoist stepped forward, extending his withered yellow left hand to press firmly upon Zhunti Daoist's shoulder. "The West was indeed at fault first in this matter. We were destined to suffer this tribulation."

"This is the Empowering Divine Pestle. Let it be given to Junior Nephew Xuan Liu to resolve this karma."

With that, his long sleeve swayed.

Whoosh!!

In an instant, an ancient divine pestle wreathed in dark-gold Buddhist radiance, its surface covered in endless Sanskrit characters, thunderously floated in midair.

Immediately afterward.

With immense reluctance, he pushed the Empowering Divine Pestle toward Tongtian Cult Master.

Tongtian Cult Master gave a cold laugh, then swiftly and cleanly tucked the Empowering Divine Pestle securely into his sleeve.

"Good. The karma is settled. All of you, withdraw!"

Upon the purple cushion, Ancestor Hongjun saw that the matter was resolved and spoke with the same cold expression. "From this day onward, saints may not engage in great battles within the Primordial World."

"Whoever violates this shall be personally dealt with by me."

When his words fell, Ancestor Hongjun's figure, along with the purple qi filling the skies, swiftly vanished.

"Hmph! Jieyin, Zhunti, you had best conduct yourselves properly!"

Tongtian Cult Master snorted coldly, not even sparing a glance at the two Western saints, whose faces were full of anguish.

Then he swept his great sleeve, instantly tearing open a passage through the void and departing the scarred Western Continent.

Leaving only the two Western saints to exchange a glance, their faces filled with heartache.

Meanwhile, deep within the vast East Sea, on Penglai Immortal Island.

Xuan Liu sat atop a meditation cushion, regulating the immense Dharma power he had just gained after breaking through to the late stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm.

Rumble rumble!!

All of a sudden, the void above Penglai Immortal Island split open without warning, revealing a massive rift.

"Disciple, catch this! Your master forcibly demanded this treasure from those two bald asses in the West as compensation for you. Keep it for self-defense from now on!

"Cultivate well in seclusion, and do not disappoint your master's expectations!"

Tongtian Cult Master's saintly Dao voice, brimming with boundless heroic spirit, thundered through the depths of Xuan Liu's Primordial Spirit.

Right after that, an Empowering Divine Pestle wreathed entirely in golden divine radiance fell directly before Xuan Liu.

Staring at this peerless great treasure, renowned throughout the Primordial World.

Xuan Liu's Dharma eyes fell into a state of utter bewilderment.

He had merely been properly cultivating in seclusion and broken through to the late stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm.

Yet the Western Sect had plotted against him, and not only had his master charged up Mount Sumeru on his behalf.

He had sliced off a corner of Mount Sumeru with a single sword. Even after the Dao Ancestor had stepped in to mediate.

He had casually wrung a superior-grade innate spiritual treasure from the hands of saints for him to use in self-defense?!

My saintly master... isn't he being far too protective, far too loving?!

Xuan Liu stared blankly at the Empowering Divine Pestle in his palm, endless warmth welling up in his heart.

His master was truly too good!

He had to cultivate diligently and share his master's burdens in the future.

He would turn around the Interception Sect's tragic ending in the Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation.

Wait!

For Jieyin Daoist to know so precisely that he had broken through to the late stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm, there was definitely a problem.

Could some traitors within the Interception Sect have been responsible?

Long-Eared Fixed-Light Immortal!

In all likelihood, it was Long-Eared Fixed-Light Immortal!