After guarding the gates for a hundred years, I drove the Heavenly Saint to madness.

Inside Biyou Palace, a deathly silence lasted for a moment before being broken by a burst of wild laughter that seemed capable of overturning the thirty-three heavens.

"Ha ha ha ha--!!"

The Tongtian Sect Leader, wielding the Zhuxian Sword, laughed so hard he nearly fell over, his beard and hair standing on end. His laughter contained none of the restraint of a saint, only the release and exhilaration of countless days and nights of pent-up emotions.

Since being targeted by the Four Sages in front of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation and ruthlessly suppressed by his own elder brother, this resentment felt like a boulder pressing on his chest.

Now, this boulder has been violently overturned!

"Well done! Well done, Xiao Wuji!"

The Tongtian Sect Leader laughed until tears streamed down his face, pointing towards Mount Kunlun, his voice reverberating throughout the East Sea:

"O Primordial Beginning, you boast of your infallible strategies and your adherence to the will of Heaven, but did you foresee this day?"

"Your Chan Sect boasts of having twelve Golden Immortals who are unparalleled in the world, yet you have been repeatedly suppressed by my Jie Sect. Now, even your vice-leader has been beaten so badly that he's running away with his tail between his legs!"

"That's wonderful! Let's have a big toast!"

Your Highness, the Holy Mother of Wudang, the Holy Mother of Jinling, and the others looked at their master who had lost his composure, but none of them felt anything was wrong. On the contrary, their eyes were red and they were all trembling with excitement.

The Jie Sect has been in a terrible predicament lately, so this victory certainly warrants a toast.

"No good."

After laughing, the Tongtian Sect Leader composed himself and his gaze fell on the ancient sword that exuded murderous intent.

The Holy Mother of Wudang quickly stepped forward, spreading her hands out, ready to welcome her master back the precious treasure.

"Master, now that the sword has been returned to its rightful place, shall we...?"

"Take it back?"

The Tongtian Sect Leader raised an eyebrow and actually pushed the Zhuxian Sword back into the arms of the Wudang Holy Mother.

"Why take it back?"

"This was something Wuji snatched back through his own skill; it was his opportunity, his spoils of war!"

The Holy Mother of Wudang, holding the sword, was stunned: "Master, this is..."

Listen up!

With a sudden flick of his sleeve, the Tongtian Sect Leader conjured a dazzling Shangqing talisman that slowly landed on the hilt of the Zhuxian Sword, transforming into a protective barrier.

He looked at the Holy Mother of Wudang, his tone more domineering and protective than ever before:

"Return to Jiepai Pass immediately and return this sword to Wuji."

"Tell him that now that it's in his hands, he should use it as much as possible!"

"From this day forward, all members of the Jie Sect, except for Duobao who is still in seclusion, including the Seven Immortal Attendants and outer disciples, are at his command! Seeing this sword is like seeing me!"

At this point, a cold glint flashed in the eyes of the Tongtian Sect Leader, and he said menacingly:

"If something goes wrong and it blows the roof off, I'll cover for him. At worst, we'll both go down together."

"Disciple receives the decree!!"

The Holy Mother of Wudang was so moved that her voice became hoarse, and she kowtowed heavily.

She knew that her master was truly furious this time and was really going to elevate that junior disciple to the heavens.

With the sage's words and this sword, Xiao Wuji truly represented the Jie Sect at Jiepai Pass!

……

Meanwhile, at Kunlun Mountain, at Yuxu Palace.

Unlike the revelry at Biyou Palace, the atmosphere here was oppressive and suffocating.

Yuanshi Tianzun sat high on a cloud bed, the void before him shattering and reforming like a mirror, as he deduced the secrets of heaven.

However, no matter how he used his saintly magic, everything about Jiepai Pass seemed to be completely obscured by a layer of chaotic mist.

I can't see through it.

It's completely unfathomable.

Moreover, he keenly sensed that the once-prosperous fortune of the Chan Sect had experienced another violent fluctuation just now, as if a piece of flesh had been forcibly ripped out.

"What happened?"

Yuanshi Tianzun frowned, a strange sense of irritation rising in his heart.

He was unaware that the Immortal Execution Sword had been lost. After all, he was currently in the midst of a great calamity, and with Randeng and others deliberately concealing the truth, the news had not reached Jade Void Palace.

But he could sense that the auras of Ran Deng and the others had become extremely weak, and even somewhat fearful.

"Could it be that the siege has stalled?"

Read Qiu Qianren's masterpiece, "A Hundred Years of Guarding the Gate of Godhood: I Driven the Heavenly Sage Mad," now!

The Primordial Celestial Venerable tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, his eyes shifting between light and shadow.

Reason told him that with the three great masters and Guang Chengzi, plus so many magical treasures, Randeng could easily sweep through Jiepai Pass.

But the feeling of losing control made this sage, who was used to playing chess, very unhappy.

"snort."

Yuanshi Tianzun snorted coldly, ultimately suppressing the urge to personally investigate.

Firstly, it is best for the human race to resolve its own affairs, otherwise it may easily attract the hostility of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Although he is not afraid, the human way still exists. If it causes a backlash from the human way, he, as a saint, will also have a headache.

Secondly, in the battle of Jiepai Pass, they severely humiliated Tongtian. If they were to make another move now, it would provoke Tongtian to truly set up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation and fight to the death. In that case, they would probably have to pay the price as well, which was really not worth it.

"Randeng acts with prudence and should be fine."

"Bear with it for now. If Tongtian really sets up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation in the future, I will definitely uproot these unorthodox sects!"

Yuanshi Tianzun slowly closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the ominous premonition in his heart.

Tongtian can set up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, but he cannot force anyone, otherwise he will also have to bear the responsibility. Now that the general trend is in Chan, it is not worth it.

……

The Western Paradise, by the Eight Virtues Pool.

The two sages sat facing each other, with the shimmering water in front of them reflecting the various causes and effects of the primordial land.

"Senior brother, look to the east."

Holding the Seven Treasures Tree, the Taoist Zhunti stared intently at the direction of Jiepai Pass, his eyes gleaming with undisguised admiration and greed.

He had been keeping a close eye on the East, ready to seize any opportunity to profit. Although he hadn't seen what was happening inside the formation during the previous battle, he knew that Ran Deng and the others had been defeated.

"Xiao Wuji, the garrison commander of Jiepai Pass, was able to manipulate the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect with his own strength."

"Although he benefited from the formation, this boy's temperament and methods are both top-notch."

Zhunti licked his lips and continued, "What's even more remarkable is that I observe that his cultivation of the Five Elements has reached a state of perfection. This is quite in line with the Dao practiced by Kong Xuan of the West."

"Senior brother, this child has a special connection with the West!"

In Zhunti's view, the Jie Sect was already a sinking ship, and it would be a waste to let a talented person like Xiao Wuji perish with Tongtian. Wouldn't it be better to guide him to the Western Paradise and let him become a Dharma Protector?

Opposite him, the guide looked distressed, his withered fingers gently fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand.

Upon hearing Zhunti's words, Jieyin slowly opened his eyes, his eyes seemingly filled with endless compassion and wisdom.

"Junior brother, do not be tempted by greed."

The guide's voice was hoarse and slow, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

"Xiao Wuji is indeed extraordinary, but he is at the center of the great calamity, and his karmic entanglements are too deep."

"If you were to try to convert him now, you would be putting Tongtian under even greater pressure. If Tongtian goes mad and directs his anger westward, things could get very unpredictable."

Jieyin sighed, his gaze deep:

"Our goal is to use the conflict between the Chan and Jie schools to cause the Eastern Xuanmen (Taoist sects) to lose its fortune, thereby greatly boosting the West. To this end, we must make Tongtian and Yuanshi fight even more fiercely and ruthlessly."

"Let the Chan Sect deal with Xiao Wuji. The more fiercely they fight, the better it will be for us."

"It's not worth ruining the very foundation of the West's prosperity for the sake of a mere Xiao Wuji."

Upon hearing this, Zhunti tightened his grip on the Seven Treasures Tree, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes.

He had truly taken a liking to Xiao Wuji; his methods of easily defeating the Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect were exactly to his liking.

But he also knew that his senior brother was right: a small act of impatience could ruin a great plan, and the prosperity of the West was the most important thing.

"That's enough."

Zhunti sighed deeply and helplessly withdrew his gaze from the east.

"I just wonder, after suffering such a great loss this time, how long can he endure it?"

The guide closed his eyes again and said softly:

"Endure? He won't endure it for long."

"The overwhelming aura of impending doom can be blinding; caught in the midst of it all, who can truly remain clear-headed..."