Chapter 396 - 394: People from the Moral Sect

Chapter 396: Chapter 394: People from the Moral Sect

’Finally, the last one. This chore is finally over... Good thing the four countries of the Northern Domain aren’t that vast. Combined, they’re not even as big as the Upper Three Paths of the Great Zhou.’

Yuu Ziliang gazed at the sprawling mountain range, took out a map to check it, then adjusted the Wooden Kite’s direction with extreme agility.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was, by design, divided into fifteen "paths," each with a territory comparable to a small nation.

Its Spirit Vein Blessed Lands were even more superior by far.

This was especially true for the Upper Three Paths, home to the Moral Sect, a land of famed mountains and great rivers, of valleys teeming with exotic beasts, of fertile soil and water that yielded rare and precious things unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Most importantly, each path contained a Tier Five Spirit Vein, where the Spiritual Qi was so abundant and dense that it formed a thick, heavy mist.

When a Cultivator stepped inside, they would be enveloped by Spiritual Qi so tangible it seemed to have substance, scrambling to pour into their body.

In the outside world, such a phenomenon would only occur when one broke through to a new Great Realm, triggering a tide of Spiritual Qi.

The Moral Sect’s Five Peaks were world-renowned, revered by the entire Cultivation Realm.

In truth, the Sect was internally divided into two branches: the Dao Vein, which passed down its doctrines, and the Virtue Vein, which disseminated its teachings to the world. Each acted independently and did not interfere with the other.

The so-called Five Peaks of the Moral Sect were actually all comprised of disciples from the Virtue Vein, who managed the Sect and moved about the world.

The lineage of the Dao Vein, however, had not prospered over the generations.

Perhaps their standards for accepting disciples were too high; there was even a time when their lineage was on the verge of being severed, forcing them to "borrow" disciples from the Virtue Vein.

With only a handful of disciples and no notable deeds in the outside world, few knew of its existence. Unless one was a top-tier cultivator, most in the Cultivation Realm were unaware of these inner workings and assumed the Five Peaks constituted the entire Moral Sect.

Even within the Moral Sect itself, aside from the upper echelon at the Peak Master level, other Cultivators didn’t understand the true significance of the Dao Vein. They only knew that its disciples held a high and detached status, and that if a conflict ever arose, they would surely be the ones to lose out.

Yuu Ziliang had originally been a Daoist Disciple. For certain reasons, however, he had been transferred to Celestial Punishment Peak to serve as a True Disciple.

This special status meant he was both respected and kept at a distance by his peers, and it also meant he would not receive the true legacy teachings of the Virtue Vein.

However, he hadn’t come to practice the Cultivation Technique and Divine Power of Celestial Punishment Peak in the first place, so he didn’t mind.

The disciples of the Moral Sect were divided into three ranks: Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and True Inheritance. Above them were the Saint Heirs and Saintesses, with each of the Five Peaks permitted only one per generation.

Furthermore, they would rather leave the position vacant than fill it with an unworthy candidate, so it was common for only one or two of the Five Peaks to have a Saint Heir at any given time.

No matter how much the other Super Major Sects might resent it, they all had to admit that a Saint Heir from any of the Moral Sect’s Five Peaks would meet the standards for the title in any of their own sects.

The reverse, however, was not necessarily true.

’On the list Junior Martial Uncle Meng gave me, only the Dharma Aspect Sect and the No-Life Sect are worth a second glance. The other Nascent Soul Sects are laughable... That Tianhe Sword Sect has quite a reputation, but seeing it now, it’s nothing special. In the Central Domain, it would just be another face in the crowd.’

Following the list, Yuu Ziliang had visited every Nascent Soul Level power in the Northern Domain.

He was representing the Moral Sect’s Celestial Punishment Peak on this journey, so what sect would dare show him disrespect? In every case, he was personally received by a Nascent Soul True Monarch with all due ceremony.

’This last one, the Qingfeng Sect, has only been a Nascent Soul Sect for a few years, so there’s even less to see... Still, two of their people are quite famous. I’ve heard their names mentioned a few times even back in the Central Domain. Today, I’ll have to see for myself just who they are!’

The Moral Sect of the Great Zhou was the very heart of the Central Domain. If one had to choose a single cultivation Holy Land on the continent, it could only be the Great Zhou.

Liang Country was a desolate, remote corner of the Northern Domain—bitterly cold and barren.

The two were worlds apart. For a reputation to travel such a distance was a rare feat indeed.

Cultivators from the Great Zhou had the highest standards; they often looked down on even the Great Phoenix and Great Li dynasties, to say nothing of the countries in the Northern Domain.

The Wooden Kite flapped its wings, only being spotted by a patrol team when it drew near the Qingfeng Sect’s Mountain Gate.

"Identify yourself! You are approaching the Mountain Gate of the Qingfeng Sect. Unauthorized visitors are to halt!"

A green skiff stopped ahead of him. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator aboard plucked up his courage to shout, while his hands, hidden behind his back, were already pressing his Identity Token to send a report that they had encountered a Core Formation True Man.

These patrol skiffs all belonged to the Law Enforcement Hall, and they patrolled the area around the Mountain Gate in groups of ten or more.

In the past, a disciple at Late-Stage Qi Refining was sufficient to serve as a skiff’s captain. Now, the minimum requirement was Qi Refining Great Perfection Cultivation, with quite a few newly-advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivators mixed in among the crews.

"I am Yuu Ziliang of the Moral Sect’s Celestial Punishment Peak. On the order of Great True Monarch Hongfa, I have come to call on True Monarch Ge Cang of the Qingfeng Sect."

Yuu Ziliang, of course, wouldn’t deign to argue with a junior. He languidly announced his name and purpose, then waited where he was for a response.

"The Moral Sect? What sect is that? I’ve never... The Moral Sect! Great True Monarch Hongfa!"

The leading Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s expression changed drastically as the realization hit him.

"Senior, please wait a moment! I will report this to my superiors at once!"

Zengguang Immortal City’s trade routes had been severed, and the city itself had been under siege for several years.

Given the Immortal City’s immense influence in the Northern Domain, news of this had spread far and wide, and many Cultivators in the Qingfeng Sect analyzed the situation as if they were experts.

They discussed everything from True Monarch Du Heng’s reasons for turning to the Demon Path, to whether Zengguang Immortal City would survive, to the potential impact on the Qingfeng Sect now that the Moral Sect—the world’s paragon of the Righteous Dao—had entered the Northern Domain.

These gossips would talk about anything and everything, even opening betting pools on how many years Zengguang Immortal City could hold out against the Moral Sect.

This was how the general populace came to learn of the Central Domain Major Sect, the Moral Sect, and that the figure leading the charge this time was none other than the Vice Peak Master of Celestial Punishment Peak, Great True Monarch Hongfa.

Yuu Ziliang put away his Wooden Kite and stood leisurely in mid-air, surveying the surrounding scenery.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the main gate of the Mountain Protection Array swung open. A group of people filed out, led by a Cultivator in a simple robe who had a handsome and heroic bearing.

"Wei Dao of the Qingfeng Sect respectfully welcomes Master Yuu of the Moral Sect. Your presence brings light to our humble sect."

Wei Dao welcomed Yuu Ziliang into the main hall and served him Spirit Tea. Only after a round of empty pleasantries did he finally get to the point.

"Master Yuu, may I ask the purpose of your visit? Do you perhaps carry instructions from Great True Monarch Hongfa?"

Yuu Ziliang had visited the Nascent Soul Sects of the Northern Domain one by one, so those at the end of the list had already received intelligence. They knew the purpose of the Moral Sect’s visit and were mentally prepared.

In fact, it would be more worrying if the Moral Sect’s envoy *didn’t* visit, as that would mean the Moral Sect didn’t even consider them a proper Nascent Soul Sect.

The Holy Lotus Sect, for instance, had been completely ignored this time around.

"Are your sect’s True Monarch Ge Cang and Fellow Daoist Bai present? I have long admired their reputations and wish to witness their bearing for myself."

Yuu Ziliang didn’t answer the question directly, asking about something else instead.

"Ancestor Ge is in seclusion, but Junior Brother Bai is not far. He can be summoned."

Wei Dao’s expression became slightly unnatural. For the visitor to immediately ask for Ge Cang and Bai Zichen by name showed that in the eyes of a Moral Sect cultivator, no one else in the Qingfeng Sect was of any consequence.

"That will do. Please ask Fellow Daoist Bai to come for a meeting."

Yuu Ziliang set down his Spirit Tea, his mind seemingly drifting to the Outer Heavens, and he said nothing more.

He waited for more than two hours before a youth with a crisp, dashing air and a confident bearing strode in, his presence unconsciously drawing the eyes of all who saw him.

"Could this be the famed Sword Immortal of our time, Fellow Daoist Bai Zichen?"

Yuu Ziliang’s eyes lit up, and he took the initiative to stand and greet the newcomer.

When it came to the Saint Heirs of Super Major Sects, the level of one’s Cultivation was actually not the most important factor in their selection.

The current Saint Heir of Yangxing Peak, for example, had only been at Early-Stage Core Formation when he was chosen. He had indulged his passions within the Sect, living an uninhibited life in the mountains and forests with his friends, and his Cultivation hadn’t progressed an inch for decades.

Then, ten years ago, he had a sudden epiphany. He sat cross-legged over a clear spring and broke through to Mid-Stage Core Formation on the spot.

After cultivating for another nine years, his Pill Discussion reached Great Success, and he advanced directly to Late-Stage Core Formation.

However, he had heard that Bai Zichen of the Qingfeng Sect was only just over a hundred years old. A Late-Stage Core Formation Cultivator of that age would be considered a top-tier talent in any Super Major Sect.

Moreover, he wasn’t someone who only cultivated in seclusion; his prowess in Combat and his Divine Techniques were even more outstanding, which showed he had also put immense effort into his Sword Dao.

This was the main reason his fame had managed to reach the Central Domain and land on the desks of the most powerful cultivators.

As a Daoist Disciple, Yuu Ziliang practiced a special Cultivation Technique. He had to meet several conditions before he could break through, which was why he was still only at Mid-Stage Core Formation.

"I have only scratched the surface of the Sword Dao. How could I be called a Sword Immortal? You flatter me, Fellow Daoist."

Bai Zichen and his guest exchanged greetings and took their seats before getting down to business.

"Du Heng of Zengguang Immortal City has turned to the path of the Ancient Demon, an act reviled by heaven and earth and condemned by all. My Sect has already surrounded him within the city. In three months, we will launch a final assault to slay the demon and restore righteousness. I have come to invite all the Nascent Soul Sects of the Northern Domain to be present to witness this event."

Yuu Ziliang produced a golden invitation. Though it seemed light as a feather, it felt as if it carried an immense weight as he slowly raised it to his chest.

"At that time, we must also discuss together how to rebuild Zengguang Immortal City after the Du Family has been annihilated, so that the hundreds of millions of Cultivators in the Northern Domain are not affected."

As the golden invitation unfolded, a vast and righteous power surged forth, creating an unconscious urge to prostrate in worship, a feeling of sincere and willing submission.

’On the sixth day of the sixth month, at the foot of Zengguang Mountain, we shall break the city and exterminate the demon, that the seas and rivers may run clear.’

’Respectfully, Hongfa of the Moral Sect.’

Two lines of large, glowing golden characters flew out, arranging themselves in the air in a flamboyant, combat-style script. A whirlwind materialized in the room, howling sharply.

Yuu Ziliang took a step back, sealed his five senses, and locked down his Sea of Consciousness, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched what would happen next.

’This invitation was written by Junior Martial Uncle Hongfa himself. Every word is a pearl, containing a trace of his Power of the Great Dao... Though it is power without a source, its essence is sublime. Even Junior Martial Uncle Meng said that after coming out of seclusion this time, Junior Martial Uncle Hongfa’s Natural Daoist Technique and his True Intent have become so well-rounded that he’s not far from Nascent Soul Great Perfection.’

The Moral Sect’s forces had originally been led by Meng Kang, but he had suffered a setback at Zengguang Immortal City and failed to make any headway.

Despite wielding the Five-Fire Seven-Bird Fan, he had fought Du Heng to a draw three times, failing to gain any advantage.

In their final battle, it had become clear that Du Heng had completely mastered the Demon Dragon Awl.

Moreover, his True Demon Avatar was growing stronger and stronger; there was no telling when it might break through to the Late-Stage Nascent Soul Realm.

To ensure a swift victory and prevent any mishaps, they had requested the aid of Great True Monarch Hongfa, who had just emerged from seclusion.

’Even a Nascent Soul True Monarch has to circulate True Essence to resist the power in Junior Martial Uncle Hongfa’s calligraphy. The True Monarchs from both the Dharma Aspect Sect and the No-Life Sect paled and had to use their own True Intent just to accept the invitation... It’s a pity Ge Cang is in seclusion. Otherwise, I could have seen for myself just how skilled this legendary Thunder Dao True Monarch is when it comes to the Great Dao True Intent.’

The invitation, personally written by Great True Monarch Hongfa, contained not a shred of malicious intent. Even if one couldn’t withstand the Power of the Great Dao within it, the worst that would happen was that they would look startled and make a fool of themselves; there was no risk of actual harm.

With Ge Cang absent, Yuu Ziliang lost much of his anticipation.

How could two mere Core Formation Cultivators possibly resist the True Intent contained in the calligraphy of Celestial Punishment Peak’s number one expert, a man second only to a Divinity Transformation Great Power?