Chapter 73: The Five Sects Gather

When Gu Tian heard his old friend recounting his past glories in front of his disciples, his heart soared with pleasure. In a clear, sonorous voice, he said, “Master Wuchen, your Thirteen Palms of the Buddha Hand are the bane of demonic arts and have struck terror into the hearts of countless demon cultivators, haven’t they?”

With a mere thought, his massive sword split into hundreds of streams of force, and in a flicker, gently delivered all the disciples safely to the ground. The power was perfectly measured, a demonstration of mastery over spellcraft, seamless and refined, leaving the disciples wide-eyed in awe.

With a casual wave of his hand, the giant sword instantly shrank and vanished into his body without a trace.

Wuchen could not help but praise once more, “Daoist Gu, your life-bound treasure, the Golden Radiance Sword, has grown even more formidable than before!”

“You flatter me, my friend. But surely, Revered Master Wuchen’s presence here shows just how much Shuyuan Temple values this venture to the Minor Dao Grounds?” Gu Tian replied with a smile.

Just then, a massive demonic cloud, spanning several acres, came hurtling through the sky. On it perched a twin-headed giant roc over a hundred yards in length, exuding a savage and murderous aura.

Upon the roc’s broad back sat over a hundred cultivators, packed close together. Atop its immense head stood a woman garbed in flamboyant silks, ribbons fluttering in the wind. She appeared to be in her early twenties, her figure slender and graceful, her eyes seductive as waves, every movement enchanting enough to steal one’s soul.

Her voice was not loud, yet every cultivator heard her as if she spoke directly to them. “Esteemed Daoists, must you still dwell on those ancient tales? Without advancing to the Infant Transformation stage, all else is but fleeting smoke.”

Gu Tian’s brows knitted, his face darkening. “So, the Beast Tamer Sect has sent Daoist Jiuhua. I must say, I am surprised. Last time we fought the demon cultivators, you were gravely wounded. Congratulations on your recovery. Yet it is regrettable that we have all been stuck at the Core Formation bottleneck for centuries without progress. Do you truly think you can ascend to the Infant Transformation stage merely by relying on your third-rank twin-headed roc?”

Jiuhua alighted before them, the twin-headed roc descending to the ground, followed by a throng of wild, flamboyantly dressed sect members leaping down.

Jiuhua showed no anger. With grace, she straightened her attire and replied, “Such minor wounds were never a threat to me. But if we do not seize new opportunities, are we not all doomed to become dust in the cycle of reincarnation?”

“Daoist Jiuhua, I have thought of you often since our last parting. That day you escaped the clutches of a demonic cultivator at the Infant Transformation stage—most would not have survived,” boomed a burly man.

He stood atop a jade flute a hundred yards long, itself a magical treasure, carrying his disciples with him.

Jiuhua replied with a tinkling laugh, “So it is Daoist Sima Liuguang of the Celestial Confucian Sect! Who would have thought we would meet again after so many centuries?”

The burly man stepped lightly to the ground, waiting for his disciples to dismount before stowing his treasure away and greeting the gathering.

Suddenly, with a thunderous roar, a massive pink airship appeared, a hundred yards long, trailing clouds of intoxicating fragrance as it sliced through the sky. Such flying magical treasures were rare indeed.

At the prow stood a woman draped in translucent veils, her voluptuous figure barely concealed, beauty so wicked it made one want to seize her and lavish her with affection. Yet beside her stood a burly, unattractive man—red-nosed, sallow-faced, one eye larger than the other—grotesquely ugly.

The two were inseparable, flaunting their affection openly. Onboard were hundreds of disciples, men and women mingling wantonly, their behavior lewd and indecent, laughing and cavorting shamelessly.

There was no need to ask; these were members of the Wind and Moon Sect, the most notorious of the five factions, led by the infamous Pleasure Twins—He Lianling and Ma Sa—both late-stage Core Formation cultivators. Since their debut, the two had never been apart, famed for their devastating joint attacks.

The Wind and Moon Sect pursued dual cultivation, fusing yin and yang through the pleasures shared by men and women in their quest for immortality, unlike other sects who meditated, sought enlightenment, and endured solitude and tedium. Here, one could cultivate joyfully—who would refuse? Thus, their numbers were great, though their strength lagged behind other sects; taking shortcuts often left one’s foundation unstable and prone to flaws.

The airship landed, and the Wind and Moon disciples tumbled out, chattering and giggling. The airship shrank in an instant as He Lianling stowed it away. With delicate steps, she approached and said, “You Daoists are punctual indeed. Forgive us, our practice ran late yesterday.”

The others exchanged helpless glances. Jiuhua stepped forward and said, “Sister, I have only just arrived as well. Now that everyone is here, shall we begin the search for the Minor Dao Grounds’ entrance?”

Ma Sa chuckled, “The usual rules, then? Whichever sect’s disciples acquire the most spirit herbs and emerge with the highest numbers, that sect will claim ten percent of Five Peaks City’s profits?”

“Naturally. Tradition must not be broken,” Sima Liuguang replied with solemn righteousness.

Gu Tian, fiery by nature, said impatiently, “Enough talk. Let’s begin!”

He flung out a blue key, which grew in the wind to ten yards in length. The others wasted no time, casting out their own keys. The five enormous keys floated in the air, and with a series of incantations, the five cultivators combined them into a shimmering compass. Its pointer began to turn slowly, seeking out the entrance to the Minor Dao Grounds.

The so-called entrance was merely a weak point in the boundary, appearing in a different place each time. Thus, the five sects had jointly forged this sensing compass, divided into five parts and kept by each sect, only to be combined for use on such occasions.

The pointer spun continuously; finding the entrance was no easy task.

The disciples of each sect spread out, holding their ground, all well aware that once inside the Minor Dao Grounds, it would be a fight to the death—no mercy would be shown.

At the front of the Celestial Star Sect stood their leading elite, Bai Ruyu, cold as ice, her presence overwhelming, her beautiful face marked by the chill of impending slaughter.

The leading elite of the Beast Tamer Sect was a robust, black-faced woman, her eyes blood-red and demonic energy rolling off her like a venomous serpent poised to strike.

Wind and Moon’s top disciple was a petite, enchanting girl in revealing clothes, bewitching and alluring. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, causing many weak-willed male disciples to stare blankly, utterly disgraced. She was born with an intoxicating charm and had cultivated the arts of seduction, killing without a trace.

Even the disciples of Shuyuan Temple were not immune, though the elite disciples of each sect quickly roused them with stern shouts. Ashamed, they lowered their heads, no longer daring to glance at the Wind and Moon girl, who continued her provocative display.

Shuyuan Temple’s elite was gaunt and sallow-faced, a golden halo occasionally flickering above his head. He chanted sacred sutras, suppressing all unrest and rallying morale.

Ge Qian was secretly alarmed by the power of this seductive art. Once inside the Minor Dao Grounds, these disciples would be lambs to the slaughter. He set his gaze upon each sect’s elite, committing their faces to memory.

Suddenly, he noticed the Celestial Confucian Sect’s elite—a suave young scholar with folding fan in hand, standing tall with an air of unrivaled heroism. To his left was a familiar cultivator—it was Liu Jie, whom he had encountered last time in Five Peaks City.