Fortune Rises, Entrusting a Heavy Responsibility

"Rustle!!"

The myriad immortals set out, the sound of their robes tearing through the void rolling on endlessly like tidal waves.

The Heart-Questioning Formation, towering ten thousand zhang high and flowing with black and crimson light, stood majestically.

As the first batch of Interception Sect outer disciples stepped inside, the formation rumbled into operation.

"Aah!!!"

In an instant, muffled cries of pain rang out from the center of the formation.

Several dozen outer disciples, whose cultivation had usually been somewhat impetuous and who had become tainted with karmic sin, could be seen.

The moment they entered the formation, faint wisps of karmic fire born from the void coiled around them.

The Dao radiance around their bodies scattered violently. They grunted and staggered back out on the spot, their faces pale.

However, just as Xuan Liu had said before, they had not committed the sin of slaughtering too many innocents.

They had merely suffered minor injuries and were in no serious danger.

"Buzz!!"

However.

The next moment, within the Qian-Kun position on the formation's left.

A pure Shangqing immortal light suddenly blossomed, illuminating the nine heavens.

"Hahahaha! A Taiyi opportunity—so this is my opportunity to become a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal!!"

An Interception Sect outer disciple, whose cultivation throughout his life had been upright and pure, stepped into the formation.

Having passed the Heart-Questioning trial, not only did he suffer no injury whatsoever, he even found his opportunity for a breakthrough.

His karma was clear, and his Dao heart complete.

The bottleneck that had trapped him for countless years shattered into pieces at that moment.

His cultivation forcibly broke through on the spot to the early stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm!

At this sight, the eyes of the many Interception Sect disciples, who had been anxious over Ma Yuan's death, instantly lit up.

The atmosphere of fear within the formation began to reverse itself in the face of a genuine breakthrough in realm.

As the great purge continued to deepen, those who had usually hidden beneath the grand tide of myriad immortals flocking to the sect—

Those who had relied on the protection of the Interception Sect's prestigious name to run wild throughout the Primordial World—met their final and absolute judgment.

"Whoosh!!!"

At the very center of the formation, the black and crimson Undying Karmic Fire suddenly swelled madly by countless times.

The moment countless outer demon immortals stepped across the formation's boundary, the Heart-Questioning Formation directly froze their true spirits.

The monstrous karmic sin wrapped around them came from slaughtering hundreds of millions of mortals and devouring sentient wisdom alive.

The instant they touched the formation, they did not even have time to let out a single shriek of agony.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!!!"

The piercing sound of karmic fire burning echoed through the clouds.

Layer upon layer of karmic fire clung to them like maggots on bone, burning madly.

In merely the blink of an eye, these countless demon immortals at the True Immortal and Golden Immortal levels—

Their fleshly bodies and Primordial Spirits alike were burned alive before everyone's eyes into heaps of pitch-black ash.

They vanished completely, body and Dao both cleansed away!

As time passed second by second, the ash falling within the Heart-Questioning Formation piled ever thicker.

When the last registered disciple emerged from the edge of the formation with a deathly pale face.

Duobao Daoist swept his divine sense across the area, and the expression on his plump face froze stiffly.

What was going on?!

At least forty percent of the Interception Sect's outer and registered disciples—

Had been forcibly burned away by the Undying Karmic Fire in this cleansing of the Heart-Questioning Formation because the blood debts and sins they bore were too great.

Nearly half the sect's myriad immortal disciples had turned to ashes within a single day.

With the deaths of these forty percent, these black sheep, the Interception Sect's fortune that had originally hovered above Golden Ao Island—

Became clearer and more stable than ever before...

"Whoosh!"

With a sweep of his long sleeve, Xuan Liu dispelled the Heart-Questioning Formation and entrusted the matter to him. "Eldest Senior Brother, now that the filth within the Interception Sect has been purged, I intend to return to Penglai Immortal Island and formally enter seclusion."

"From this day onward, all affairs, great and small, on Golden Ao Island will be entirely entrusted to Eldest Senior Brother."

"However, although our Interception Sect may continue to uphold the grand principle of teaching without distinction when accepting disciples, anyone wishing to enter our sect must first forcibly pass the trial of this Heart-Questioning Formation. Those whose sins tower to the heavens shall be slain on the spot!"

"Furthermore, every disciple registered within our Interception Sect must return to Golden Ao Island every thirty thousand years and pass through the Heart-Questioning Formation once, to temper their Dao hearts and settle their karma. This matter shall be entirely overseen by Eldest Senior Brother."

Hearing Xuan Liu's swift and decisive entrustment, which firmly laid down the rules once and for all.

Duobao Daoist's Dharma eyes, at the mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, narrowed slightly.

As he looked at the Interception Sect's fortune in the sky, now blazing with golden light and steady as Mount Tai after the purge.

The admiration in his heart for the courage of this Fifth Junior Brother had already reached an uncontrollable degree.

"Rest assured, Fifth Junior Brother. As the Interception Sect's chief disciple, I shall act impartially."

Duobao Daoist's expression was solemn as he made a Daoist salute and promised, "One judgment every thirty thousand years; all who enter the sect must question their hearts. Your elder brother will surely oversee this with all his strength."

"I will never allow any black sheep to tarnish the orthodox reputation of our Interception Sect!"

"Fifth Junior Brother, go to Penglai and enter seclusion without worry. Strive to attain the Zenith Heaven Dao Fruit as soon as possible."

"Fifth Junior Brother, Jinling will certainly give her all to assist Eldest Senior Brother and never allow the laws of the Interception Sect to tilt by even the slightest measure!" Golden Spirit Holy Mother likewise stepped forward. Her phoenix eyes flashed like lightning as she clasped her hands and declared firmly.

"I as well! Whoever dares to throw their weight around before the formation and disregard the rules—there will be no need for Fifth Senior Brother to use the Green Duckweed Sword. My Zhao Gongming's twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls will smash his Primordial Spirit to pieces first!" Zhao Gongming heavily swept his sleeve, declaring with soaring spirit.

"Fifth Senior Brother, we Three Xiao Sisters will likewise do our utmost to assist Eldest Senior Brother." Yunxiao Fairy's beautiful eyes shifted as she led the other two Xiao Fairies in a slight bow.

"Excellent! With all Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters united as one, why should the Interception Sect's orthodoxy fear not flourishing?! I shall be off!"

At this, a faint and heartfelt smile appeared on Xuan Liu's face.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xuan Liu lightly traced his right hand through the void, transforming into an emerald-green rainbow.

The rainbow pierced through the waters of the East Sea and layers of mist, leaving Golden Ao Island at incredible speed.

No years were counted in the Primordial World; time passed like a white colt glimpsed through a crack.

On this day.

Riding an emerald-green rainbow, Xuan Liu crossed an unknown number of trillions of li across the vast ocean.

A colossal immortal island entered his sight—it was none other than Penglai Immortal Island.

"Penglai Immortal Island—I've finally returned. Next, I'll enter seclusion and strike for the peak of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm!"

Xuan Liu's eyes lit up as he murmured to himself.

This journey could be said to have yielded plentiful gains.

Long-Eared Fixed-Light Immortal and Ma Yuan, the two traitors of the Interception Sect, had both been thoroughly dealt with.

He had also obtained the authority to act first and report afterward, allowing him to conduct a great purge of the Interception Sect.

He had even raised the Interception Sect's fortune by an unknown amount.

Now, it was time to properly enter seclusion and make a push for the peak of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm.

If he wished to reverse the outcome of the Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation, his current cultivation was still far too weak.

With that thought, Xuan Liu transformed into an emerald-green divine gleam and swiftly vanished into Penglai Immortal Island.