This Is Not Third Brother's Fault

When Hongjun's figure suddenly appeared above Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones immediately dropped to their knees and said, "Greetings, Master."

With a wave of his hand, Hongjun's phantom helped the Three Pure Ones to their feet. Then, an emotionless voice rang out across the heavens.

"The six Heavenly Dao Sages have all taken their places. The era of Sages has officially begun. As Sages, you bear the responsibility of enlightening the living beings of the Primordial World."

"Tongtian, now that you have attained the Dao and become a Sage, you must establish the Interception Sect and instruct the living beings of the Primordial World. Use the merits of enlightenment to gain Karmic Fortune and bless yourself."

Immediately, all information regarding the Interception Sect appeared in Tongtian's mind. Even its doctrines manifested clearly within his thoughts.

Tongtian discovered that it was exactly the same as what he had envisioned back then. This only made him suspect even more strongly that everything was a scheme of the Heavenly Dao.

It also made Tongtian trust Lu Xuan's words even more deeply. At the same time, he recalled Lu Xuan's instruction: before his strength surpassed the Heavenly Dao, he could only endure in silence.

Thus, though unwilling in his heart, he ultimately prepared to follow the Heavenly Dao's will and establish the Interception Sect. This would make the Heavenly Dao believe that he was still under its control.

Tongtian immediately bowed toward the heavens. "Thank you, Master, for enlightening your disciple and allowing me to understand what the Interception Sect is, and what it means to seize a sliver of vitality."

Tongtian then took a single step and arrived directly above Kunlun Mountain. The next moment, the Four Swords of Zhu Xian flew from his body and hung in the east, south, west, and north around Master Tongtian.

"I am of Pangu Orthodox Lineage, one of the Three Pure Ones, Master Shangqing Tongtian. By the command of the Heavenly Dao, I establish a sect today, named Truncated."

"Truncated means seizing a sliver of vitality. As the saying goes, the Great Dao has fifty, Heaven unfolds forty-nine, and one escapes, leaving a sliver of vitality for the living beings of the Primordial World."

"The Interception Sect exists to seize that sliver of vitality for the living beings of the Primordial World. Therefore, any living being of the Primordial World with the heart to seek the Dao may enter my sect. The Interception Sect is established."

Tongtian did not swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao, nor did he use any spiritual treasure to suppress the sect's Karmic Fortune. In Tongtian's heart, establishing a sect was merely going through the motions.

His purpose was not to bless himself through the merits of enlightenment, but to deceive the Heavenly Dao and give himself sufficient time to raise his cultivation.

In the Primordial World, cultivation was divided into nine major realms: Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, Mysterious Immortal, Golden Immortal, Taiyi Golden Immortal, Great Luo Golden Immortal, Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, Primordial Great Luo Golden Immortal, and Primordial Limitless Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

Before Great Luo Golden Immortal, one cultivated the Five Qi within the abdomen and the Three Flowers above the head. Each realm was further divided into four minor stages: early, middle, late, and peak.

After Great Luo Golden Immortal, one cultivated the Dao. Only when the Dao was accomplished could one advance in cultivation and reach the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. The Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm was likewise divided into nine grades.

As for the so-called Quasi-Sages and Sages, they were merely titles unique to the Way of Severing the Three Corpses. They corresponded respectively to Primordial Unity Golden Immortal and Primordial Great Luo Golden Immortal.

However, because the Way of Severing the Three Corpses was equivalent to taking a shortcut, its combat power naturally could not compare with the steady, step-by-step Primordial Dao.

More importantly, once those who cultivated the Way of Severing the Three Corpses attained Sainthood, they could only rely on Karmic Fortune if they wished to improve their cultivation further.

But Tongtian cultivated not the Way of Severing the Three Corpses, but the true Primordial Dao. Naturally, he did not need Karmic Fortune to increase his cultivation.

As long as his comprehension of the Dao reached the corresponding level, his cultivation would naturally rise as smoothly as water flowing into a channel.

Tongtian had only just attained the Dao as a Primordial Great Luo Golden Immortal. His cultivation was merely at the first grade. Only upon reaching the ninth grade of Primordial Great Luo Golden Immortal could he challenge the Primordial Limitless Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.

The Primordial Limitless Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm was the Dao-Integration Realm Hongjun had spoken of. It was a realm that could only be reached by merging one's body with the Heavenly Dao.

In truth, there were three realms above Primordial Limitless Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal: the Dao Realm, the Great Dao Realm, and the Primordial Supreme Realm.

Among the three thousand Chaos Fiendgods of that time, even the weakest had reached the Dao Realm, while those who attained the Great Dao Realm were everywhere.

As for the Primordial Supreme Realm, it was naturally a realm no one had ever reached. Even Pangu, the strongest among the Chaos Fiendgods, had merely been pursuing that realm.

However, Hongjun had deliberately removed this portion of the inheritance. In the understanding of the Primordial World's living beings, Sages were the masters of all things.

As for beings like Hongjun, who had merged their bodies with the Dao, they were decision-makers who governed the Heavenly Dao on its behalf. They were existences that the living beings of the Primordial World could not defy.

Seeing that Tongtian had established the Interception Sect, Hongjun's figure vanished from midair.

At the same time, the entire Primordial World erupted in excitement, for they had finally discovered their opportunity.

Laozi's Human Religion accepted only members of the Human Race as disciples. Moreover, its requirements were extremely strict; even now, it had only Xuandu the Grand Magus.

Although the Chan School established by the Primordial Heavenly Venerable did not require its disciples to be solely from the Human Race, it placed tremendous importance on one's innate foundation.

Only Innate Spirits who had taken form were qualified to enter the Chan School. Even Dijun and Taiyi were, in the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's eyes, unworthy of joining his sect.

That was because Dijun and Taiyi were Three-Legged Golden Crows born within the Sun Star. They had not taken form from Pangu's left eye and could not be considered true Innate Spirits.

If even Dijun and Taiyi could not catch the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's eye, there was even less need to mention the Demon Race. How could the Primordial Heavenly Venerable possibly accept them as disciples?

Though the Western Sect established by the Western Two Sages accepted all comers, everyone knew of the West's barrenness. Naturally, no one was willing to go there.

Now that Tongtian had established the Interception Sect and declared that anyone with the heart to seek the Dao could enter his sect, was that not equivalent to opening a door to the Dao for every living being of the Primordial World?

For a time, countless living beings rushed toward Kunlun Mountain, hoping to successfully become disciples of a Sage and gain a powerful patron.

At the same time, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable looked solemnly at Tongtian and asked, "What does Master mean by this? Why did he have Third Brother establish this Interception Sect?"

"According to what Third Brother said when establishing the sect, does that not mean that any fur-covered, horned creature or egg-born, damp-bred being can cultivate under a Sage?"

Tongtian said helplessly, "I never wanted to establish a sect in the first place. But Master's command cannot be defied, so I had no choice."

"As for Master's true intentions, he must be acting in accordance with Heaven's decree. Since we are Heavenly Dao Sages, governing the Primordial World on Master's behalf, we must naturally obey Master's command."

The Primordial Heavenly Venerable sighed helplessly, then reminded Tongtian, "Although anyone with the heart to seek the Dao may enter your Interception Sect..."

"You must still carefully assess their character. Those burdened by karma and sinful deeds, who do not cultivate virtue, must never be accepted as disciples."

Tongtian nodded. "Rest assured, Second Brother. When I accept disciples in the future, I will certainly have Second Brother vet them."

Only then did the Primordial Heavenly Venerable nod in satisfaction. At that moment, Laozi spoke. "There is no need for such trouble. I will set up a trial beneath Kunlun Mountain."

"When the time comes, only those who pass the trial may ascend the mountain and take a master. Those burdened by karma and sinful deeds, who do not cultivate virtue, need not dream of setting even half a step upon Kunlun Mountain."