He saw that the Daoist had the appearance of a young man. Golden light radiated from his crown, splitting into five colors. He wore a robe patterned with the eight trigrams, and beside him lay a strange ox, which also appeared to be a primordial being.
It looked familiar—but even after a second glance, Yuan Yi still couldn’t be sure.
His gaze swept across the Sanxiao sisters. Whether or not he recognized the figure, it didn’t matter. He simply needed to follow their lead.
No need for idle words. He believed that the Sanxiao sisters’ fate would guide them well. All he had to do was wait for the result.
Seeing the three of them sit down to listen, Yuan Yi followed suit and sat as well.
Soon, all the noise and clutter in his heart faded away. This was the first time in his life that he had truly listened to someone expound on the Dao.
To him, it was like a dark chamber of a thousand years being suddenly lit by candlelight.
In that moment, he understood what it meant to have a sudden epiphany—what it felt like to have clarity pour over him like sweet nectar, and for mental blockages to break away.
He had a revelation. A sense of clarity and lightness filled him, spreading from deep within his origin—pure satisfaction and peace. He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling.
The innate yin-yang energies within him began to manifest and flow, shifting and transforming, evolving into various mysteries, as symbols of the Great Dao cascaded around him.
A golden flood dragon’s shadow flickered faintly in and out of view, and in that moment, his aura surged. In just a brief span, he surpassed what he had achieved through ten thousand years of hard cultivation.
It was as if he’d finally found an outlet. For the first time, Yuan Yi could clearly sense himself growing stronger.
In cultivation, time is often imperceptible. He wasn’t even aware of how much time had passed, but when he finally returned to his senses, three thousand years had gone by. His cultivation had fully and firmly stabilized at the mid-Golden Immortal stage.
The sermon had ended—he found himself wanting more.
Still, Yuan Yi knew this kind of good fortune wouldn’t come often. To advance a whole realm just by listening once? That was rare indeed.
It only worked this time because his accumulation had already been sufficient. He just hadn’t known how to proceed. With a single piece of guidance, he broke through within three thousand years and even solidified his new realm.
Yuan Yi opened his eyes—and froze.
Not far in front of him, the primordial sage who had preached the Dao was still seated there, now looking straight at him.
Most of the other listeners had already left. The three Sanxiao sisters who had arrived with him were now standing at the sage’s side.
Yunxiao gave him a barely noticeable nod. Bixiao smiled behind her, while Qiongxiao made no visible sign.
Although Yuan Yi had already had his suspicions, he was still shocked.
Was the world really so coincidental? The first great power they’d encountered, the one preaching the Dao, was actually the future Saint Tongtian?
They had only just landed from the Eastern Sea. The distance to Kunlun was still uncertain, and yet—they had encountered him already.
Judging by the Sanxiao sisters’ demeanor, it seemed they had already established some rapport with this person while Yuan Yi was still immersed in enlightenment?
You three… did you really have to move that fast? I can’t keep up with you at all.
Was I in too deep a state of comprehension?
Yuan Yi felt uneasy. This was a moment that could decide his fate. If he made it through this, maybe he’d finally avoid the tragic end of being slaughtered and turned into a magic weapon.
Judging by the current situation… things were looking promising.
Since the other party had been waiting here—and considering the Sanxiao sisters’ involvement—Yuan Yi roughly guessed the reason. He figured the three sisters truly remembered the favor he had done for them and hadn’t forgotten to bring him along.
“Innate yin and yang energies have taken form in your body. Though tainted with the world’s baleful aura, you strive to maintain your sense of self and resist its influence. You have not lost your Dao’s purity—not bad,” the Daoist casually commented.
His eyes were calm, yet seemed capable of seeing through all things, reflecting one’s true nature. Under that gaze, nothing could remain hidden.
Yuan Yi grew a bit nervous—would this person see something unusual in him?
Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and he secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Hurriedly, Yuan Yi stood up and prepared to bow. After all, merely being allowed to listen to the Dao was already a great kindness.
But then the Daoist continued speaking with a smile, “I am Shangqing Tongtian. These three wish to become my disciples, and indeed, there is a destined bond between us as master and students. However, they say you have shown them kindness and wish to advance and retreat together with you.”
As he spoke, he gestured toward the Sanxiao sisters.
Yuan Yi felt a brief moment of emotion stir within him. Judging from Tongtian’s words, he had agreed to accept the Sanxiao sisters as disciples.
And yet, at such a critical moment—one that could shape their destinies—they had spoken of advancing and retreating together, risking the chance of offending a great power and losing an incredible opportunity.
If they had encountered a less tolerant great power, the outcome could’ve been much worse.
This kind of opportunity wasn’t ordinary. Among all those who had gathered to listen to the Dao earlier, who wouldn’t have wished to become a disciple? Yet it was clear—none had been accepted.
After all, Tongtian was not yet a Saint at this point, nor had he founded a sect. That moment in time had not yet come.
To remember righteousness in the face of such great fortune… it left Yuan Yi feeling a little ashamed.
Because he knew full well that he had never acted with pure intentions. It wouldn’t be wrong to say he was leveraging a favor for gain. Yet they had acted with true sincerity.
“I’ve done the calculations,” said Tongtian. “It seems you and I do share a fated connection. However, the karmic thread is… rather peculiar. Let me ask you: what is it you seek from the Dao?”
The tone wasn’t stern—it sounded casual, even ordinary—but the words sank into the deepest part of Yuan Yi’s heart, carrying with them an overwhelming sense of majesty, as if his very soul was being questioned.
What do I seek from the Dao?
What is it… that I truly desire?
“I… this junior only seeks a sliver of survival amidst the vast and turbulent tides of this Great Desolation, a way to live and find a place to belong,” Yuan Yi replied truthfully after a moment of silence, meeting that scrutinizing gaze.
Tongtian simply looked at him without speaking. He formed a hand seal and furrowed his brows slightly.
“Seeking a sliver of survival?”
Tongtian lowered his hand, glanced at Yuan Yi again, and gave a slight nod.
“Very well. From what this poor Daoist sees, what you seek aligns with the fate between us. Since that is the case, would you be willing to become my disciple?”
Joy surged in Yuan Yi’s heart—had he truly just passed his mortal tribulation?
Though he might inevitably be entangled in immense karmic fate in the future, at least his current predicament was resolved, and he could enjoy a long period of peace.
“This disciple is endlessly grateful.”
At a moment like this, there was no room for refusal.
He couldn’t refuse, nor did he dare. In the Great Desolation, finding a powerful backer was no easy feat—even meeting one required immense fortune.
The sky of the Great Desolation was too high, the land too vast. A mere Golden Immortal like him was as insignificant as a speck of dust.
The initiation as a disciple was simple and unceremonious. He wasn’t just recorded as a name, but truly accepted into the sect as a formal disciple.
Only then did Yuan Yi realize that the Sanxiao sisters hadn’t actually been accepted yet—they followed him in becoming disciples just after he did.
He had assumed he’d have to call them “senior sisters,” but now it seemed they were his “junior sisters” instead. Quite considerate of them, and it left Yuan Yi feeling a bit complicated.
He was relieved he had made the right gamble, but the sincere goodwill on the sisters’ part made him feel undeserving. Even though things went his way, he couldn’t feel too pleased about it.
Come on now, it’s fine to repay a favor—but going this far? You’re making me feel like a fraud.
Is it because you’re newly born and so easy to deceive?
Then Yuan Yi suddenly thought of something—where was Zhao Gongming, that old brother of his? Didn’t he originally hold the position of the outer-sect senior brother? Was that position gone now?
Had he unknowingly stolen Zhao Gongming’s role?
After a moment of thought, Yuan Yi dismissed the idea. He knew his own nature—there was no way he could walk the same path as Zhao Gongming.
Selfless and righteous? That was the exact opposite of him. He was no good at socializing. With his introverted and calculating personality, how could he ever become someone like Zhao Gongming, or even go help others fight battles?
“This master has been wandering for some time. The third sermon at Zixiao Palace is approaching. It’s a good time to return to my Daoist abode and reunite with my two elder brothers. You shall come with me to Mount Kunlun to cultivate.”
Tongtian sat atop Kui Niu( old Chinese name for the “wild ox”), his gaze turned eastward. Ahead lay the domains of many powerful innate beings like the Eastern Wood Duke, which had already been claimed as sacred grounds. Trespassing would be unwise without cause.
“We disciples shall obey.”
Yuan Yi and the Sanxiao sisters stood behind him. Including Kui Niu, there were five innate beings in total.
What puzzled Yuan Yi was: how did Kui Niu became Tongtian’s mount? With Tongtian’s cultivation level, Kui Niu couldn’t serve any real purpose as a mount.
Moreover, at this point, Tongtian was merely one of the top-tier innate deities—not yet a Saint, and the time to establish a sect hadn’t arrived.
The third sermon at Zixiao Palace would change many things.
Additionally, Yuan Yi heard from Tongtian that there were already others following him in his Daoist abode, even beings he had personally enlightened.
Yuan Yi could guess who—most likely Duobao Daoist, possibly the Golden Spirit Holy Mother, maybe Wu Dang as well. Gui Ling should be the youngest and hadn’t appeared yet.
Of these, Yuan Yi knew the least about Wu Dang Holy Mother—he had no idea of her origins or background.
Tongtian lifted his sleeve casually and waved lightly into the void. A spatial rift appeared before them.
A surge of power swept up the group and led them directly into the spatial crack.
Crossing through the void in a single step covered distances that would take them tens of thousands of years to fly.
Yuan Yi couldn’t discern Tongtian’s level of cultivation. He had no way of gauging whether he was a Great Luo Golden Immortal or already at the Quasi-Saint stage.
Anyway, a small Golden Immortal like him couldn’t comprehend such personal power.
With the sword no longer hanging over his head, Yuan Yi felt entirely relaxed. His mood was excellent—when they returned, he planned to sleep for a few thousand years and enjoy some peace.
Fengshen? That was too far away. Thinking about it too much would only make him anxious. For now, he would just live through each great Kalpa cycle as it came. Once he was settled, he’d make further plans.
Without sufficient cultivation, all talk was meaningless.
Is cultivation about social skills? No, no—it’s all about strength. Without strength, who has the patience to reason with you? You wouldn’t even have a place in that world, let alone a voice.
Once you’re strong enough, there’s no need to worry about social maneuvering at all.
Yuan Yi didn’t like playing the social game—he simply wasn’t good at it.
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