Tongtian felt not a shred of sympathy as he watched Yang Jian teeter on the verge of collapse.
He had to tell him about this.
Though Yang Jian was still a child, he had the right to know the truth.
Besides, doing so would win Yang Jian's wholehearted allegiance and let him see the Chan Sect's true face.
"So, let's sum things up. Under normal circumstances, the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals wouldn't have killed your father and eldest brother, because their orders were to arrest them."
"But your eldest brother and father did die. Isn't that interesting?"
"And that Yu Ding Zhenren of the Chan Sect, the one following you and hoping to take you as his disciple-he's the man your master has gone to deal with."
"He followed you the whole way. If he wanted to save you all, he could have done it long ago. Why wait until your mother was imprisoned and your father and eldest brother had died such tragic deaths?"
By now, Yang Jian was utterly speechless.
He was no fool.
After hearing Tongtian's words, he knew that his entire family had been caught in someone's scheme.
His mind was in turmoil, and for the moment, he could not make sense of it.
Why?
After a moment of silence, Yang Jian finally voiced the question.
Tongtian sighed helplessly before speaking slowly.
"The answer to that question is actually quite simple."
"Just work backward. If a scheme this elaborate succeeded, who would benefit the most?"
"To put it bluntly, what makes your family worth scheming against?"
"So it's safe to say that their target was your uncle, the Jade Emperor!"
"They would train you into someone capable, then send you against your uncle. What do you think of that?"
"Even if they couldn't bring down the Jade Emperor, they could make his life miserable for a while."
Yang Jian's mind went completely blank. He no longer knew what to do.
The uncle he had regarded as his enemy had suddenly become family, a good man. His family had actually been set up.
Everything had been part of someone else's plot.
Though he felt that Tongtian's words made sense, he still found them difficult to accept all at once.
Tongtian said nothing more, knowing that Yang Jian could not take in too much right now.
He would have to seek out the deeper truths himself.
So, with a smile, Tongtian spoke.
"You don't need to dwell on this now. Once you and your sister have settled into the Interception Sect, you can go to the Heavenly Court and speak to your uncle yourselves."
"From now on, you are a disciple of my Interception Sect. With a sage like me backing you, you needn't worry about anyone trying to harm you."
"For now, let's watch your master fight."
"It's quite entertaining!"
With that, Tongtian waved his hand. The void rippled, then formed into a large mirror.
Within it appeared Zhao Gongming and his companions, locked in battle with Yu Ding Zhenren and the others from the Interception Sect.
With a wave of his hand, Zhao Gongming sent the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls flying. Golden Whip in hand, he fought Yu Ding Zhenren.
Yu Ding Zhenren could only defend with everything he had.
He was simply no match for Zhao Gongming.
The Chan Sect had sent eight people as reinforcements: True Person Huang Long, Yun Zhongzi, Chijingzi, Cihang, Puxian, Juliusun, Grand Master Lingbao, and Qingxu Daode Tianzun.
Yet although they had nine people and the Interception Sect had only four,
the battle between the two sides was remarkably evenly matched.
"Zhao Gongming, your Interception Sect has gone too far!"
"You bastards! Just a few days ago, you stole Junior Brother Taiyi Immortal's disciple and killed Junior Brother Taiyi Immortal. Now you're stealing Junior Brother Yu Ding's disciple!"
"Does your Interception Sect really hold us in such contempt?"
The Chan Sect members hurled curses, their expressions grim.
Ever since they had started fighting the Interception Sect, they had not had a single moment of good cheer.
Two battles, two defeats!
Yu Ding Zhenren's face, in particular, was dark as thunder.
Yang Jian was supposed to take the calamity in his place. Now the Interception Sect had stolen him away through trickery. How could he not be furious?
First Nezha, now Yang Jian.
Had the Interception Sect decided to lock horns with their Chan Sect?
"Zhao Gongming, I advise you to show some decency."
"Our Chan Sect is not to be trifled with. Yang Jian is a Chan Sect disciple. Aren't you afraid your actions will spark a conflict between our sects?"
"Just hand Yang Jian over to me, and we can let this matter drop."
Yu Ding Zhenren meant what he said.
Given a choice, he truly did not want to face the Interception Sect.
After all, Taiyi Zhenren's death last time had given him more than enough warning.
During the investiture calamity, everyone would face their destined tribulation-even golden immortals were no exception.
And so, Yu Ding Zhenren was afraid.
Becoming a golden immortal had been no easy feat. His life was so free and unfettered now. Why play the hero? What if he slipped up and someone killed him?
If his true spirit entered the Investiture of the Gods List, he would have no choice but to obey that fellow, the Jade Emperor, for the countless ages to come.
Naturally, he did not want that.
So, if at all possible, Yu Ding Zhenren truly did not want to make enemies of the Interception Sect.
Especially after what had happened to Taiyi Zhenren, Yu Ding Zhenren now felt that even if people called him a coward, he would keep his head down until the investiture calamity ended.
But this time, he could not.
The Interception Sect had taken away the person he had prepared to bear his calamity. If he could not find a disciple with immense fortune to enter the investiture of the gods in his place, he would never escape the investiture calamity.
Yang Jian was his target.
Yu Ding Zhenren had been watching this child of fortune for a long time.
Now, at the final moment, just when Yu Ding Zhenren felt that all he needed to do was step out and settle the matter of Yang Jian in an instant,
the Interception Sect had rushed out and snatched him first.
Damn it!
Yu Ding Zhenren simply could not understand why, with the onset of the investiture calamity, everyone in the Interception Sect had stopped being honest and straightforward.
The Interception Sect's people had never been like this before!
At most, they had shown a little loyalty to their sworn siblings. But look at them now!
Every one of them was as slippery as an eel. They had all become devious and vicious.
In both clashes, the Interception Sect had gotten its way.
"I've already taken Yang Jian and Yang Chan as my disciples. Handing them over to you is out of the question."
"Besides, Yu Ding Zhenren, when did Yang Jian and his sister ever say they wanted to join the Chan Sect? Why haven't I heard about it?"
"If you have any doubts, why not come with me to Golden Ao Island and ask Yang Jian and his sister yourself?"
Zhao Gongming's face was full of disdain.
Though the Chan Sect had more people, he was not afraid in the slightest.
These few people before him were nowhere near capable of holding him and his three sisters here.
Zhao Gongming could break away whenever he wished.
But Yu Ding Zhenren could no longer stomach it.
"Zhao Gongming, a man shouldn't be this shameless."
"Yang Jian and his sister Yang Chan both possess tremendous fortune. Our Chan Sect has spent nearly a hundred years laying this scheme."
"Now your Interception Sect takes them away without so much as a word. Isn't that going too far?"
"Still, our Chan Sect has indeed lost today, so I can make the decision to let Yang Chan enter your Interception Sect. But you must return Yang Jian to me!"
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