The Hong Shui was vast and boundless, a convergence of heaven and earth’s finest essence.
In the mortal realm, cities and prefectures, floating islands and flying islets were scattered like stars in a night sky, stretching on endlessly.
At the very zenith, its majestic silhouette connecting heaven and earth, was the main gate of the Innate Sect.
This Ancestral Sect’s domain encompassed the continent’s vast territories. It controlled nearly everything south of the Hong Shui, treating tens of thousands of miles of fertile land as its private estate.
It possessed several blessed Spirit Caves alone. The high-grade Spirit Veins it had relocated, and the auspicious, treasure-filled lands conquered from beyond the heavens and offered as tribute, were even more nurous.
It also had nurous other residences, Lower Courtyards, and branch Dharma Lineages, an imasurable number in total. It was truly a colossal behemoth, firmly entrenched in Nan Zhan and gazing toward Beiju in the north.
However, beneath it were eight peaks that served as its backbone, supporting the massive sect.
The eight peaks were nad Qian, Kun, Zhen, Gen, Li, Kan, Dui, and Xun, taken from the Innate Bagua recorded in the I Ching.
This scripture was known to have "weathered the Three Antiquities"—the Primordial, High, and Forr Antiquities. It had an imnse background and had long been lauded with the supre praise of "every word a dragon, the first among all scriptures."
Whenever it appeared in the world, it would draw infinite attention. Even Daoist Monarchs and other Great Powers wished to claim it for their private collections to glimpse its profound and mysterious principles.
Legend had it that the Restoration Ancestor of the Innate Sect, the Daoist Monarch Taixiao Yuanzhan Heguang, once obtained a great fortune and seized the eight great trigrams that had scattered from the I Ching.
He later refined them into the eight peaks, bolstering the sect’s great Dao and fortune, and in one stroke secured its supre position in the mortal world.
"Just so you know, Daoist, the Innate Sect uses these eight peaks as a barrier to distinguish between the inner and outer divisions. Unless you are accepted as a True Inheritance disciple and promoted by the high halls, you can only reside in the Lower Courtyard."
The Great Kui Mystic Drum’s Artifact Spirit spoke leisurely.
"Of course, you, Daoist, are of priceless stature. You will surely enter the Pool of Eternal Light directly."
As soon as the words fell, the radiant halo that had been traversing tens of thousands of miles through the azure sky suddenly dispersed, teleporting Jiang Yi and Xiaoqiao onto a wide Magic Altar several dozen feet across.
As the warm, gentle radiance faded away, Jiang Yi landed steadily on his feet. At the sa ti, he reached out and gently put an arm around Xiaoqiao, as if afraid she might stumble.
The young woman in green robes rolled her eyes lightly, but the corners of her lips couldn’t help but curl upward. She said deliberately,
"I am a dignified Foundation Establishnt True Master, not so frail maiden who’ll fall over in a breeze. You, the Innate Sect’s Daoist, might just have to rely on for protection from now on."
Jiang Yi chuckled.
"Then I must ask Master Xiaoqiao not to leave my side and to look after well. I can see that the Innate Sect is surrounded by wolves. It’s not a friendly place. Without Master Xiaoqiao here, I’d feel quite insecure."
True Master Xuanmiao seized the opportunity to poke his cat head out, his round face filled with indignation.
’Who here isn’t a Foundation Establishnt True Master!’
’All of Xiao Jiang’s sweet nothings should have been for , but now Xiaoqiao has stolen them all!’
A deep sense of anxiety suddenly arose in True Master Xuanmiao. Now that they had arrived at the Innate Sect, he feared his knack for recounting ancient tales, a skill born of his long experience, would no longer be of any use.
As a behemoth that ruled the mortal world, how could the Innate Sect possibly lack all sorts of scriptures? They probably even had a complete collection of historical and Daoist classics that recorded the secrets of the Three Antiquities.
’Even though Xiao Jiang knows how to respect his elders, if this keeps up, won’t I beco a "useless old thing"?! I’ll slowly lose Xiao Jiang’s respect and end up in a miserable state where I can’t even get any dried at!’
Having spent a long ti knocking about in the Demon Dao, True Master Xuanmiao deeply understood the principle: "Put every person to their best use, and every thing to its full potential."
His little mind started spinning rapidly, plotting how to "win favor" and reclaim Xiao Jiang’s admiration.
’So this is the Innate Sect.’
Jiang Yi raised a hand to stroke his Cat Master, then casually captured a wisp of Spiritual Qi. It contained almost no turbid or yin impurities and could be refined as soon as it entered his body to increase his rit.
’If you were born in an Ancestral Sect and nourished by a Spirit Vein since childhood, your cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds. No wonder the Inner Sect Disciples of Guanlan Peak were always envious of those from the great sects and powerful houses during their idle chats.
’They often muttered things like, "Better to be a dog in an Ancestral Sect than a master in a lesser one." Even if you’re a dog, it pays to be a dog of an Ancestral Sect. There’s so truth to that.’
All in all, less than an incense stick’s worth of ti had passed since Jiang Yi left Beimang Ridge, yet recalling his ti at the Qianji Sect’s Guanlan Peak already felt like rembering a past life.
’I’ve been a pawn in this ga for so long. Today, I’ve finally leaped through the Dragon Gate.’
So he thought.
"Where the hell is everyone?!"
The Great Kui Mystic Drum’s Artifact Spirit leaped brashly off the Magic Altar, planted its hands on its hips, and bellowed,
"The drum rang nine tis! The whole continent knows! And you haven’t even prepared a proper welcoming procession!"
Even if this white-haired old man were to et the Innate Sect’s Sect Leader, Qin Baiyu, he would still put on airs from his seniority.
Ordering around juniors was second nature to him.
"Master Drum, don’t be angry! Master Drum, please forgive us!"
A few attendants dressed in black-and-white Daoist Robes, all at the Seventh or Eighth Layer of Qi Cultivation, ca tumbling in, flustered.
Their usual duty was to receive guests in this hall. But today happened to be the Pill Assembly hosted by True Master Shao of Mount Luofeng, and all their masters had gone to join the festivities. Left on duty by themselves, they had slacked off to play.
"Shao Guansu sure has a big ego! He’s just refining so worthless pill, yet he has to invite friends from all over to sing his praises! Doesn’t he know the Daoist is returning to the sect today? ... Later, I’ll go to Qin Baiyu and report him!"
The Great Kui Mystic Drum’s Artifact Spirit aid that last sentence specifically at Jiang Yi.
It had been the one to guide this new Daoist back. If he was treated with disrespect, wouldn’t that be a huge loss of face for the spirit itself?
’As expected.’
Jiang Yi’s expression was calm, as if he had anticipated this all along.
’My return to the sect as a re Qi Cultivation-level Daoist is not going to be a smooth road. There are bound to be obstacles and difficulties, both overt and hidden.’
The first path that Ancestor Mingxuan had shown him was indeed the most perilous and difficult, and the one that would test his abilities the most.
An Ancestral Sect was like a celestial dynasty that commanded respect from all directions, with myriad nations coming to pay tribute. Internally, its factions and cliques were a tangled ss, and power bases of all sizes were stacked one on top of another.
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