Shengxia suddenly fell silent, but all the immortals and gods were still immersed in the state of enlightenment.
Hongjun was still expounding the Dao. The Immortal Dao involved using spiritual treasures to sever avatars to reach the Quasi-Sage realm, then merging the three severed Dao bodies with the Grand Purple Qi to attain the status of a Heavenly Dao Sage. As long as Honghuang remained undestroyed, a Heavenly Dao Sage would never perish.
However, with foreign demons from beyond the heavens watching covetously, the eight Heavenly Dao Sages under Hongjun were also preparing to head out into the Chaos beyond the heavens to intercept them.
Speaking of Shangqing Tongtian, he had left Penglai Holy Island five hundred years ago.
Ever since Tongtian established the Intercept Teachings, he had taken in quite a few disciples.
These included his eldest external disciple Duobao, along with the Attendant Seven Immortals, including Chang'er Dingguangxian, and a host of other Honghuang immortals and gods.
At the Kunlun Daoist grounds, things were in constant turmoil. The pills refined by Taishang Laojun were stolen from time to time, and Yuanshi Tianzun saw all of this clearly.
When the Three Pure Ones discussed the Dao together, Yuanshi Tianzun would frequently suggest that these beings born of eggs and moisture or clad in scales and armor should simply be exterminated.
With Tongtian and Yuanshi Tianzun together, not a single day passed without them arguing.
On this day, the Three Immortals and Zhao Gongming were returning to Three Immortals Island when they happened to run into Tongtian, who had just finished one of his arguments.
"Greetings, Senior," Zhao Gongming and the other two saluted Tongtian.
"Enough. You have just come from Penglai Island; have you heard Hongjun expounding the Dao?" Tongtian asked, keeping his hands behind his back as he looked toward the direction of the Three Pure Ones Island.
"Answering Senior's question, we heard our teacher expound the Dao," Zhao Gongming replied truthfully. "Teacher said that the Immortal Dao involves using spiritual treasures to sever avatars to reach the Quasi-Sage realm, then merging the three severed Dao bodies with the Grand Purple Qi to attain the status of a Heavenly Dao Sage. As long as Honghuang remains undestroyed, a Heavenly Dao Sage will never perish."
Tongtian frowned slightly. "Hongjun is still the same as ever."
At that moment, Duobao walked over. "Master, the Senior Uncles are bullying people again."
"Duobao, do not be impudent," Zhao Gongming scolded.
"Hmph, it was clearly Guangchengzi from Senior Uncle Yuanshi's sect who bullied our Intercept Teachings disciples," Duobao said with a wronged expression.
Tongtian's face darkened. "What is the meaning of this?"
Upon learning that Chang'er Dingguangxian had been beaten by Guangchengzi, Tongtian was overcome with fury, and the pressure of a Chaos Sage emanated from his body.
The surface of the East Sea was pressed down by a full meter—such was the terrifying might of a Chaos Sage!
The oppressive aura came swiftly and receded just as quickly. Then, pinching his fingers to calculate, Tongtian turned his head around and smiled broadly. "You four juniors are fated to be my disciples!"
The Three Immortals and Zhao Gongming were now at the mid-stage Quasi-Sage realm, having advanced exceptionally fast under the influence of Shengxia's discourse on the Dao. Without the grand discourse of the Great Sage Shengxia, they would not have known in what lifetime they could have reached this realm.
Yet, under the sage might of Tongtian, they were forced to the ground.
The moment they stood back up, Tongtian put on an entirely different expression.
What on earth was happening to the Honghuang world? Why did everyone wear multiple faces? The Three Immortals could not make sense of it, so they simply stopped trying and decided to latch onto the sage's coattails instead.
"Master is above, please accept the bows of Bixiao, Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Zhao Gongming!" They performed the full kowtow of three bows and nine knockings.
After completing the master-disciple ceremony, the Chaos Sage Tongtian produced four middle-grade innate spiritual treasures to bestow upon his disciples: to Zhao Gongming he gave the twenty-four Sea-Calming Pearls; to Yunxiao the middle-grade innate spiritual treasure World Pearl; to Bixiao a middle-grade innate spiritual treasure in the form of an unformed small world; and to Qiongxiao the middle-grade innate spiritual treasure Piercing Heaven Sword. Looking at the four people before him, Tongtian nodded in satisfaction.
"Although you have now entered my sect, you must not slack off in your cultivation," he instructed. "Especially now, with external paths watching us covetously, you must strive all the harder to elevate your strength."
With a wave of his hand, four rays of light shot forth and landed in the hands of the four disciples—they were actually four sets of cultivation manuals.
"These are cultivation methods I have chosen based on each of your respective traits. Practice them diligently, and you will surely achieve success."
Overjoyed, Zhao Gongming and the others accepted the manuals and thanked their master.
"Furthermore, Duobao," Tongtian said, looking at Duobao. "As the eldest senior brother, you must take good care of your junior brothers and sisters. If anyone dares to bully the disciples of our Intercept Teachings again, you need not show any mercy."
Duobao replied respectfully, "I will strictly obey Master's teachings."
Tongtian nodded slightly and turned to leave.
Watching their master's receding figure, Zhao Gongming and the others felt a deep sense of reverence and gratitude.
From then on, they applied themselves even more diligently to their cultivation, looking forward to the day when they could follow their master and jointly ward off external foes.
"Junior sisters and junior brothers, since you have now joined my Intercept Teachings, you should come back with me to get acquainted with everyone in the sect," Duobao said. Consequently, Zhao Gongming and the others followed Duobao toward the Intercept Teachings. Along the way, they beheld many wondrous sights and made the acquaintance of numerous immortals belonging to the sect.
When they arrived at the headquarters of the Intercept Teachings, they received a warm welcome. Many disciples came forward to greet them, showing both friendliness and curiosity.
In the days that followed, Zhao Gongming and the others gradually grew familiar with the doctrines and rules of the Intercept Teachings, forging deep friendships with the other disciples. They sparred with one another in cultivation, mutually encouraging each other to make progress together.
At the same time, they constantly kept the teachings of their master in mind, tirelessly striving to enhance their own strength in preparation for meeting future challenges from external paths.