Refining the Dao into Godhood: A Tale of the Jie Sect
Chapter 43 [Tongtian Preaches, Theft in the Dragon Palace]

Chapter 43: Chapter 43 [Tongtian Preaches, Theft in the Dragon Palace]

Three thousand years passed in a blink of an eye, and near Golden Turtle Island, nearly a hundred thousand cultivators have gathered. For the Saint to personally impart teachings is a grand opportunity for the Loose Cultivators without a legacy, so naturally, they began to wait early.

And this was not all.

On this day, upon the East Sea, ten thousand dragons soared into the sky; it was the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang, leading the Dragon Clan of the Four Seas, and some Water Clan attached to them, coming to listen to the teachings and to present congratulatory gifts.

"Ao Guang Daoist, it’s been a long time!"

Xuanqing greeted warmly. When he was in the eastern extremities, he had met Green Dragon Meng Zhang and was entrusted by Meng Zhang to deliver Azure Dragon Essence Blood to the Dragon Clan of the East Sea, and thus, he became acquainted with Ao Guang who was still Crown Prince at the time. Although there were calculations by the Dragon Clan involved, he did not mind getting on familiar terms with the other party!

"So it is Xuanqing Daoist!"

Ao Guang responded with a smile as well. Tens of thousands of years have passed; he had also become much more worldly and sophisticated, no longer possessing the sharpness inherent to the Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan.

Beside him were the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin, the West Sea Dragon King Ao Run, and the North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun.

These four Dragon Kings had just entered the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm, and their bodies still retained a hint of the aura from Green Dragon Meng Zhang, evidently having broken through to Daluo with external assistance.

These years have been very tough for the Dragon Clan, especially during the last great battle with the Demon Clan, which resulted in the fall of more than a dozen Dragon Clan members of the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm.

That was the foundation of the Dragon Clan!

Besides, countless Water Clan members perished, and several old ancestors of the Dragon Clan also suffered substantial injuries in their struggle with Donghuang Taiyi.

After the Dragon Clan, some neighboring clans of the East Sea, such as the Swallowing Heaven Pythons and the Primordial Savage Bulls, also brought their descendants who might attain Daluo to listen to the teachings.

Besides these groups, a retinue of female immortals led by The Queen Mother of the West from West Kunlun and a group of Loose Cultivators led by the True Man of Overcoming Calamity also arrived in great numbers.

As the moment for the divine lecture to begin approached, powerhouses such as Zhen Yuanzi and Minghe Daoist also arrived one after another and nearly had a confrontation outside Golden Turtle Island.

Clearly, it was over the matter of "Hongyun"!

However, in light of the Saint’s presence, they refrained from actual combat but still exchanged a few threatening words.

Subsequently, Xuan Dou of the Human Sect and Randeng Daoist of the Chan Sect arrived late, bringing gifts on behalf of two other Saints: Taiching and Yuanshi Tianzun.

Towards the end, a surge of Saintly Dao manifested, accompanied by a sky filled with Hongmeng Purple Qi: "Tongtian Daoist, I have taken the liberty to come, I hope you will not take offense!"

"So it is Zhunti Daoist!"

With a Saint visiting, even the Tongtian Sect Master could not afford to put on airs, and had to come out to greet personally, albeit with slightly furrowed brows, unsure of what Zhunti had in store.

Xuanqing also furrowed his brows.

After all, Zhunti’s reputation in the Primordial realm was not very commendable!

Moreover, when Hongyun fell, Zhunti was likely already concealed in the void, yet when Hongyun perished, there was no sign of him intending to lend a helping hand.

It should be noted that Zhunti’s acquisition of the Hongmeng Purple Qi was only possible because Hongyun gave up his seat, theoretically indebting Zhunti with a cause for sainthood.

Death releases one from debts!

This was the simplest and swiftest method to eliminate karma.

But such a move still sent chills down Xuanqing’s spine, who became wary and kept his distance from Zhunti.

Such a character is not to be closely associated with!

Unless you are like Jieyin Daoist, who since transformation, had shared both fortunes and misfortunes with him.

Meanwhile, from afar at Shouyang Mountain and Kunlun Mountain, Taiching and Yuanshi Tianzun also furrowed their brows, speculating the motive behind Zhunti Daoist’s actions.

For cultivators beneath a Saint, the divine lecture might present a decent opportunity, but to the Saints themselves, it is rather unwanted, like chicken ribs - food with little flesh.

Unless it involves both Saints, each manifesting the origin of the Great Dao for a profound discussion.

After exchanging formalities, the Tongtian Sect Master had Daoist Duobao arrange a relatively front position for Zhunti Daoist and the disciples of the Western Sect he brought with him.

Although he held Zhunti Daoist in disdain, he still had to give the face that was due.

Soon, the lecture began, as myriad golden lotuses rained down from the void, and endless purple qi rose from Golden Turtle Island, with the Saint’s Dao essence permeating the Qiankun Universe.

Tongtian Sect Master knew that most of those who came were Loose Cultivators, and so he started the lecture from the basics, gradually progressing to deeper levels, and focused on more practical matters.

Numerous Loose Cultivators reacted as if hearing celestial music; some laughed heartily towards the heavens, while others covered their faces and wept.

But in East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang’s heart, a sudden sense of foreboding arose, as if something unfavorable to himself or to the Dragon Clan was about to happen.

"Where is Ao Hong?"

He suddenly remembered his second uncle.

He recalled that the other had been trapped at the peak of Daluo Golden Immortal Realm for countless eons, yet despite the boon of a Saint’s lecture, the other had not taken the initiative to come?

This was not normal!

He felt an urge to return to the Dragon Palace, but with two Saints present, it was inappropriate for him to leave, so he sat in meditation, praying that he was just being overly anxious!

Soon, another three thousand years passed, and Tongtian Sect Master ceased his lecture and demonstration.

It was then that Zhunti Daoist spoke: "Tongtian Daoist teaches without discrimination, which I admire. One of these days, my elder brother and I also plan to preach the Great Dao on Mount Sumeru. If fellow Daoists are interested, you can also come to the West to listen!"

Tongtian Sect Master, suppressing the impulse to draw his sword, replied coldly: "Zhunti Daoist is also considering the beings of Primordial, but Mount Sumeru is indeed a bit too remote!"

He knew that the other party was shameless, yet he did not expect that the other’s recruitment would be so brazen as to occur right here on Golden Turtle Island!

And yet, the other, with a look of righteous indignation, left him at a loss for words.

Could he really stop the other from lecturing?

"Tongtian Daoist, I take my leave!"

Before his words fell, Zhunti Daoist, along with the disciples of the Western Sect he brought, disappeared from Golden Turtle Island, ignoring Tongtian Sect Master’s words.

Tongtian Sect Master was helpless in this situation.

He could only say to the many Cultivators who had come to listen: "Fellow cultivators, our Jie Sect teaches without discrimination. Any Cultivator with a heart inclined toward the Dao who has not been tainted by Karma, regardless of natural talent, can all be accepted into our Jie Sect!"

Many Loose Cultivators were extremely tempted.

But those who were tainted with Karma had ugly expressions on their faces, thinking that with their abilities, they could easily be accepted into the Jie Sect.

But unexpectedly, Tongtian Sect Master was not looking at talents but at the Karma they bore.

Meanwhile, deep within the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, a True Dragon soared to the heavens, taking with it a portion of the treasures from the treasury, and vanished into the void of the East Sea.

The Dragon Clan elder, the Mirage Dragon who was entrusted to guard the treasury, for some reason, had fallen into a deep slumber and was completely unaware that someone had entered the Dragon Clan Treasure Vault.

It was not until East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang returned and was about to do a routine inventory of the treasury that he noticed something wrong and woke the Mirage Dragon elder from its deep sleep.

"No good, it’s that rascal Ao Hong!"

The Mirage Dragon elder’s expression changed drastically: "That damned one! Not only did he steal the Ancestor Dragon’s Dragon Ball, but he also took away pieces of the Innate Dragon Gate and the Dragon Transformation Pond!"

"What?"

Ao Guang was equally shocked, immediately waking the other Dragon Clan elders.

The Ancestor Dragon’s Dragon Ball need not be mentioned, as it was the crystallization of the Ancestor Dragon’s entire cultivation and the supreme treasure of the Dragon Clan across the Four Seas, capable of making at least one Quasi-Saint.

Although the "Innate Dragon Gate" and "Dragon Transformation Pond" were shattered by the Primordial Qilin during the dragon-han calamity, they remained treasures capable of purifying the Dragon Clan’s bloodline.

The Dragon Clan had also been trying to repair them.

But unexpectedly, the three most important treasures of the Dragon Clan had all been stolen by Ao Hong!

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