"Even within a Sect, there are factions."
After welcoming Yang Jing into the tea room, Xu Hongde’s first words were filled with deep aning.
Yang Jing wasn’t surprised at all. It was impossible for a Sect to exist without factions.
Even the Supre Profound Upper Yang Sect and the Taixu Sword Sect, which had Divinity Transformation Cultivators, still had internal factions. To say nothing of the Five Elents True Spirit Sect, which currently only had seven Nascent Soul Cultivators.
Xu Hongde knew Yang Jing ca from a background as an Independent Cultivator and wasn’t familiar with so of the internal workings of the Sect, so he explained patiently:
"In our Five Elents True Spirit Sect, only a family that has produced a Divinity Transformation Cultivator can be called a Noble Family. So of these Noble Families have passed down their lineage in the Sect for tens of thousands of years. In the past, the scions of these families held high, prestigious positions in the Three Halls for generations. Disciples like us, from humble origins, could only be buried in paperwork in the Nine Halls, with almost no chance to get ahead."
"First and foremost among the Noble Families is the Zuoqiu Family. Over twelve thousand years ago, the Zuoqiu Family produced a Divinity Transformation Ancestor, the venerable Zuoqiu Xuan. They have been prosperous ever since, and so generations even had multiple Nascent Soul True Cultivators."
"The Noble Families suffered a major blow over three thousand years ago. At that ti, the Sect’s Divinity Transformation Ancestor, Li Canghai, was dissatisfied with how the Noble Families monopolized positions in the General Affairs Hall and the Alchemy Hall. Their disciples were arrogant and held the Sect’s rules in contempt. Li Canghai ordered his disciple, Zhang Danren, to beco the Hall Master of the Inspection Hall and crack down hard. In the Zuoqiu Family alone, ninety-three disciples were expelled from the Sect, and seven Zuoqiu Disciples were executed on the spot. The other Noble Families were also hit hard."
"For more than a thousand years after that, the Zuoqiu Family failed to produce a single Nascent Soul Cultivator. It wasn’t until over eighteen hundred years ago, when Zuoqiu Hui ford her Nascent Soul, that the Zuoqiu Family’s prestige was restored."
Xu Hongde continued his story:
"Ancestor Master Li Canghai ca from the Yulin Li Family, a Golden Core Clan. He was exceptionally talented, possessing a Ren Water Dao Body. After joining the Sect, he was taken as a disciple by the Nascent Soul True Cultivator Lu Qiongzh. However, at that ti, the Noble Families controlled the Sect. Even with Ancestor Master Canghai’s Talent, he often suffered their scorn and humiliation."
"One day, the disciples of the various Nascent Soul True Cultivators were at a banquet. The Ancestor Master was already at the Golden Core Cultivation level, yet he was still subjected to their cold taunts. After he got up to leave, a disciple from the Zuoqiu Family actually ordered a servant to burn the ditation Cushion he had been sitting on."
At this point, Xu Hongde gritted his teeth.
"The Ancestor Master was all alone, with no Dao partner or descendants, but he took on seven disciples. All seven of them ca from humble origins. The one with the most prominent family background only had a Nascent Soul Cultivator in their lineage a thousand years ago."
"I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now, Yang Jing. Senior Brother Guo Chuanzhi and I are both successors of those seven disciples. The scions of the Noble Families call us the Master-Disciple Lineage."
Xu Hongde said,
"Are you willing to join our Master-Disciple Lineage?"
Yang Jing was not completely clueless about the factional struggles within the Five Elents True Spirit Sect. ’After all, in the Nine Heavens World, there were always all sorts of players willing to dig into the ga’s details and post their findings on the forums.’
’The Five Elents True Spirit Sect could be roughly divided into the Noble Lineage and the Master-Disciple Lineage. Although these two factions were small in number, they occupied most of the key positions.’
’For nearly three thousand years, the two factions had recruited outstanding disciples by taking them as apprentices, arranging marriages, and other ans. They maintained a state of contained conflict, fighting without ever breaking.’
’To this day, mbers of these two factions accounted for over a third of the High Tier Cultivators in the Five Elents True Spirit Sect. Of the seven Nascent Soul Cultivators, three belonged to the Master-Disciple Lineage, two to the Noble Lineage, and the remaining two were unaffiliated.’
’Many of the current rules in the Five Elents True Spirit Sect—such as the procedures for the sect-joining ceremony, the rules for selecting Inner Sect Disciples, and the fact that Miscellaneous Task disciples were managed by the Household Affairs Hall and could not be ordered around by other Sect Disciples—were all established through Li Canghai’s reforms. These changes ensured that the path for advancent within the Five Elents True Spirit Sect wasn’t cut off like it was three thousand years ago, a ti when nearly eighty percent of Golden Core Cultivators ca from the Noble Families.’
’Yang Jing also knew that the Noble Lineage’s Zuoqiu Hui was nearing the end of her lifespan. She had already consud most of the available Life-Extending Elixirs and Spirit Fruits, and her Cultivation was stuck at the Early Stage Nascent Soul realm. She could only wait quietly for her end to co.’
’After Zuoqiu Hui’s death, the Noble Lineage would be left with only one Nascent Soul Cultivator, Zhang Chengqian, who would be unable to support the faction alone.’
’As for the Zuoqiu Ye that Xu Hongde ntioned, he was indeed exceptionally talented. He was the Zuoqiu Family disciple most likely to achieve Nascent Soul Formation after Zuoqiu Hui passed away. Not long after her death, he would successfully achieve Core Formation.’
’However, his end was quite tragic. After Core Formation, he would be assigned to Wuwei Pass, one of the Six Passes Defense Line. He’d be captured during the Demon Country’s invasion, scalded to death with molten gold, and his head would be cut off and made into a wine cup.’
Since the Noble Lineage was on the verge of decline, Yang Jing had no intention of boarding a sinking ship.
In fact, the Noble Lineages in all of the Six Great Sects were showing signs of decline. After all, each generation produces its own talents, but the Noble Families were bound by blood ties. In the past, they could still recruit talent by marrying in husbands or taking on Guests. But after Ancestor Master Li Canghai’s major reforms greatly increased the Power of the Five Elents True Spirit Sect, the other Five Sects had no choice but to reform as well.
Why would soone with outstanding Talent be willing to submit to a Noble Family and serve as their pawn?
The Supre Profound Upper Yang Sect’s reforms were the most thorough, and its Power soared to the top of the Six Sects. The Five Elents True Spirit Sect, on the other hand, had actually seen its Power decline instead of grow. This was because Zuoqiu Hui’s extraordinary abilities had revived the Noble Lineage’s prestige, plunging the two factions deep into internal conflict.
Yang Jing cupped his hands and said,
"Since joining the Sect, I have been well taken care of by Senior Brother Xu and Senior Brother Guo. If I were to switch allegiances right after my Foundation Establishnt, wouldn’t I beco a laughingstock among the other disciples?"
Although Xu Hongde had been confident that Yang Jing wouldn’t switch factions, he only breathed a true sigh of relief after hearing those words from Yang Jing’s own mouth.
"Junior Brother, you truly are an honest gentleman. Don’t worry, our Master-Disciple Lineage will definitely secure a prestigious post for you!"
To prevent Sect Disciples from becoming blockheads who only knew how to cultivate, Ancestor Master Li Canghai stipulated that any Foundation Establishnt Disciple who wanted to beco a True Disciple must first handle practical affairs in one of the Sect’s departnts for five years. Only after five years would they be eligible to compete for the position of True Disciple.
The Five Elents True Spirit Sect had only forty-eight slots for True Disciples. This status only lasted for fifty years, after which it was automatically revoked.
Inner Sect Disciples who successfully completed their Foundation Establishnt and wanted to beco a True Disciple had two options. They could either wait for a vacancy to open up and then compete against each other in Magical Combat, with the winner taking the spot.
Or, if they couldn’t wait for a vacancy, they could directly challenge a current True Disciple.
If an Inner Sect Disciple who had just reached Foundation Establishnt, like Yang Jing, issued a challenge, the True Disciple was required to accept and could not refuse.
"Senior Brother Xu, if it’s possible, I’d like to go to the Northern Territory and serve as a Demon Patrol Envoy."
Xu Hongde was stunned.
"Junior Brother, are you mad? Every disciple avoids the position of Demon Patrol Envoy like the plague, yet you’re volunteering for it! And in the Northern Domain, of all places!"
He really couldn’t understand. What was wrong with being a Minister in the General Affairs Hall? Why would anyone want to be a Demon Patrol Envoy, especially one in the Northern Domain?
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