Investiture of the Gods Must Continue, but the Intercepting Sect Cannot Keep Fighting Like This

Inside Biyou Palace, silence fell in an instant.

Duobao, Jin Ling, Wu Dang, and Gui Ling sat at the front.

Behind them sat Zhao Gongming, the Three Cloud Sisters, the Ten Heavenly Lords, and the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island.

Within the Intercepting Sect, which of these people was not a senior who had cultivated for countless years?

Yet now, they all followed Tongtian's gaze and looked toward Lin Yuan, who had only just stepped into the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm.

In the past.

Lin Yuan would never even have dared to imagine such a scene.

Back then, he had merely been the lowest-ranked registered disciple of the Jin Ling Lineage.

His cave dwelling had been so poor that even a thief who broke in would have to consider leaving him two spirit stones out of pity.

Yet now, he sat at the heart of Biyou Palace, and even matters like how the Intercepting Sect should proceed were being asked of him publicly by Tongtian.

The feeling brought by such a change in status was indeed subtle.

But Lin Yuan did not become carried away just because everyone was looking at him.

In terms of cultivation and experience, any one of the people before him far surpassed him.

The reason he could stand here and speak was not because he was "smarter than them."

It was because he had truly seen, with his own eyes, one predetermined road to death after another.

And he had personally dragged these people back from the brink of those dead ends.

Lin Yuan pondered for a moment. "Master Ancestor, this disciple believes we should first stop thinking about how to win."

The moment those words left his mouth.

Quite a few people in Biyou Palace showed faint shifts in expression.

Bixiao was even more direct.

"Then what should we think about?"

"How not to die."

Lin Yuan's answer was crisp and decisive.

Bixiao: "..."

That answer was somewhat too plain and honest.

Tongtian did not laugh. "Continue."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"What has happened over these years has actually made things very clear."

"Senior Sister Shiji nearly went alone to Qianyuan Mountain to pursue Taiyi because of Biyun."

"The Four Senior Brothers of Kowloon Island were in their greatest danger when they each pursued an enemy and were separated."

"The Ten Ultimate Formation of the Ten Heavenly Lords was immensely powerful at the start, but with all ten guarding a formation alone, if one encountered trouble, the other nine could hardly lend a hand in time."

"Not to mention Uncle Zhao."

Lin Yuan glanced at Zhao Gongming.

"He could suppress the Explanatory Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals head-on, yet in the end, he nearly got worshipped to death by someone hiding in the mountains."

Zhao Gongming's mouth twitched.

Though it was the truth.

Being publicly executed over it again and again in front of so many people still wounded a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal's pride somewhat.

Gao Yougan could not hold back a laugh.

Zhao Gongming turned to him. "Is that funny?"

Gao Yougan instantly put on a solemn face.

"Not funny."

"This poor Daoist merely thought of something happy."

Wang Mo: "..."

That excuse did not sound particularly convincing no matter how one listened to it.

Lin Yuan did not continue using Zhao Gongming as an example.

"This disciple later discovered that the true problem of our Intercepting Sect was never a lack of strength."

"We have many people."

"We have no shortage of treasures either."

"And even more experts."

"But whenever something happens, everyone's first reaction tends to be—I'll go."

"And then one person goes."

"Something happens."

"After the other brothers and sisters learn of it, several more come."

"And something happens again."

"Then another batch comes."

At this point.

The atmosphere in Biyou Palace gradually sank.

Because what had happened recently was almost the finest proof.

If Shiji had truly died at Taiyi's hands.

Would the Intercepting Sect have left it alone?

Impossible.

If the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island had died.

Wen Zhong would certainly have continued inviting fellow disciples down from the mountain.

If all Ten Heavenly Lords had perished in the Ten Ultimate Formation.

Zhao Gongming would still have come afterward.

If Zhao Gongming died too.

Could the Three Cloud Sisters have remained seated?

One thread after another.

After every person fell.

More Intercepting Sect disciples would be dragged into the calamity.

Lin Yuan had already roughly mentioned this problem before.

But at the time, it had mostly been his own judgment.

Now, things were different.

Zhao Gongming was right here.

The Three Cloud Sisters were here as well.

Not one of the Ten Heavenly Lords was missing either.

When everyone looked back now, they could clearly see the danger within it.

"So this disciple believes."

"During the Investiture of the Gods from now on."

"The Intercepting Sect must first establish at least three rules."

Lin Yuan raised one finger.

"First."

"Important disciples must not go down the mountain alone without cause."

Zhao Jiang raised a brow. "What counts as an important disciple?"

Lin Yuan looked at him. "Senior Brother, do you consider yourself important?"

"Well..."

For a moment, Zhao Jiang truly did not know how to answer.

If he said he was not important, it would seem somewhat self-deprecating.

If he said he was important, it would sound as though he were putting gold on his own face.

Lin Yuan smiled.

"Since it is difficult to judge."

"Then simply do not judge."

"During the calamity, whenever matters involve West Qi, Great Shang, the Explanatory Sect, or the Western Sect, if two people can go, do not send one."

"If three can go together, do not insist on going solo."

Bixiao heard an unfamiliar term. "Going solo?"

Lin Yuan's expression did not change. "It means going out alone to queue up for a beating."

Bixiao could not help laughing. "That term is quite vivid."

Lin Yuan raised his second finger.

"Second."

"Before any important battle of the Dao, always leave yourself a way out."

"If you can win, fight."

"If you cannot win, leave."

"Do not think retreating is shameful."

Wang Mo felt this deeply upon hearing it.

"This poor Daoist agrees."

"In the past, I truly felt that if the enemy ran, it was a loss not to chase them."

"But now that I think about it..."

He glanced at Lin Yuan.

"Several times, I nearly chased myself right out of existence."

Yang Sen nodded.

"If Junior Brother Lin had not stopped us."

"The four of us might truly have been split apart."

Lin Yuan raised his third finger.

"Third."

"If a fellow disciple encounters trouble."

"Save the person first."

"Do not fight to the death for the sake of face."

"Especially when the opponent's realm is clearly much higher."

"If you should call for an elder, call for an elder."

"If you should gang up on them, gang up on them."

"Once you return alive, you can settle the score however you like."

"If the person is gone."

"What use is it to win back your face?"

Bixiao could not help saying upon hearing this:

"Ultimately, these three rules of yours..."

"Aren't they just about being afraid of death?"

"Yes."

Lin Yuan answered without the slightest hesitation.

Bixiao was stunned instead.

Lin Yuan looked at her.

"Martial Aunt."

"What is wrong with being afraid of death?"

"You cultivate the Dao for so many years."

"You finally become an immortal with great difficulty."

"Then someone provokes you with one sentence, and you rush out to throw away your life."

"Wouldn't those tens of thousands of years of cultivation have been for nothing?"

Bixiao opened her mouth.

Then suddenly found herself unable to refute him.

If someone had said this in the past, she would most likely have thought them timid.

But after experiencing the Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation.

Especially at the moment Yuanshi personally entered the fray.

For the first time, she truly realized—

"No matter how capable you are."

"When you encounter power that utterly disregards all hierarchy."

"Being stubborn as an ox serves no purpose."

Yunxiao nodded gently. "I agree."

Zhao Gongming also said:

"This poor Daoist has no objections either."

"I have learned my lesson."

He laughed at himself.

"Now if anyone tells me to go solve it alone again—"

"I'll first ask whether he's planning to collect my corpse for me."

Quite a few people in the hall laughed.

The atmosphere, however, was much lighter than before.

Duobao pondered for a moment.

"The rules are simple."

"They won't be difficult to carry out."

"It's just that the Intercepting Sect has many disciples."

"Especially the outer disciples, scattered throughout the Primordial World."

"They may not all be willing to accept restraints."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"So there's no need to manage every detail."

"Just pass down the core principles."

"During the calamity—"

"Don't go alone."

"Don't get carried away."

"Don't stubbornly hold on."

Gao Yougan muttered quietly from the back:

"Why does that sound like what Junior Brother Lin lectures us about every day?"

Li Xingba: "..."

So you know he's lecturing you?

Tongtian had not said a word.

Not until Lin Yuan finished.

Only then did he slowly nod.

"Fine."

As those two words fell, the three rules formally changed from Lin Yuan's personal suggestions into the Intercepting Sect's rules for the duration of the calamity.

Duobao's gaze flickered.

"Master has decided?"

"I have."

Tongtian looked toward the disciples.

"Since the Investiture of the Gods Calamity has already proven that fighting alone makes it easy for others to defeat us one by one—"

"Then we change."

"How things were done before does not mean they must be done that way in the future."

"From this day onward—"

"In all matters involving the calamity—"

"Disciples of this sect must not venture into danger alone without cause."

"If you encounter a powerful enemy—"

"Retreat if you can."

"If a fellow disciple is in trouble—"

"Saving them comes first."

His voice was not loud.

Yet it spread from Biyou Palace across the entire Golden Turtle Island.

The Saint's dharma voice traveled through mountains and rivers.

Then, following the Intercepting Sect's fortune, it was carried to disciples scattered throughout the Primordial World.

At that moment.

Countless Intercepting Sect disciples in the midst of cultivation opened their eyes at once.

Some were confused.

Some were astonished.

Others felt that such rules were vastly different from the Intercepting Sect's former freewheeling and undisciplined style.

But no one dared treat a Saint's words as wind passing by their ears.

Lin Yuan sat in the hall.

He could clearly sense that something had changed.

It was not a system notification.

Nor was it an increase in cultivation.

Rather, after these three rules had formally been laid down, the fortune of the entire Intercepting Sect produced an exceedingly subtle ripple.

It was tiny.

Yet it truly existed.

Tongtian sensed it as well.

His gaze tightened slightly.

Before he could examine it closely.

A streak of spiritual light bearing a message suddenly flew in at high speed from outside Biyou Palace.

Duobao raised a hand and caught it.

With a sweep of his divine sense.

The smile on his face instantly vanished.

"Master."

"An urgent report from Jiameng Pass."

Lin Yuan's heart stirred.

Tongtian asked, "What is it?"

Duobao said gravely:

"The West Qi army is pressing forward."

"The battle of the immortal path within the pass has already begun."

"The ones responsible for guarding Jiameng Pass are..."

He paused.

"The Four Demon Generals."

Lin Yuan's expression changed at once.

Mo Liqing.

Mo Lihong.

Mo Lihai.

Mo Lishou.

Four more.

And...

All of them were people destined to answer the calamity of the Investiture of the Gods.

Tongtian looked at Lin Yuan.

The latter had already silently risen to his feet.

"Grandmaster."

"This disciple requests permission to leave the mountain."

Bixiao: "..."

The new rule against descending the mountain alone had just been established.

Were you planning to slap your own face on the spot?

Lin Yuan had clearly thought of that as well.

He added:

"I'll bring people."