Chapter 1983: Magic Cult Origins

"Do you know what the Demonic Sect's philosophy is?" Yan Xuehen suddenly asked.

Zu An was startled, wondering why she suddenly asked this, but he still replied, "I think it's something about everyone becoming like a dragon and equality for all?"

He had heard their teachings when he was with Qiu Honglei and Yun Jianyue before, and he found them quite impressive.

"Did that demoness tell you that?" Yan Xuehen scoffed.

Zu An was speechless. After so many years of rivalry, it was clear there was still some resentment between the two women.

Seeing his expression, Yan Xuehen naturally knew she had guessed correctly. She continued, "Don't you think, if that were truly their philosophy, why would they be called the Demonic Sect?"

Zu An was taken aback. He had actually had this doubt back then. The philosophy seemed so noble and beneficial to the country and its people; he didn't understand why it was considered demonic. At the time, both Yun and Qiu had offered explanations that made sense.

By then, Yan Xuehen had continued, "This philosophy was merely fabricated by members of the Demonic Sect to glorify themselves, to the point that some within their own sect later came to believe it."

Zu An was speechless. If Yun Jianyue were here, she would surely have a fierce argument with Yan Xuehen.

"Do you think I'm saying this because we're rivals?" Yan Xuehen scoffed.

Zu An smiled, finding it difficult to answer that question.

Chu Chuyan couldn't help but say, "A'Zu, Master always separates public and private matters. Even though she's a sworn enemy of Sect Master Yun, she wouldn't randomly slander her."

Zu An also realized Yan Xuehen's character; she truly wouldn't speak ill of others behind their backs. He quickly straightened his expression and said earnestly, "Please enlighten me, Sister Yan."

"Hmph, who's your Sister Yan? From now on, even if you don't call me Master with Chuyan, at least address me as Grandmaster Yan." Yan Xuehen glared at him, almost startled to death by his "Sister." Fortunately, Chu Chuyan, who was beside them, merely smiled, attributing it to her lover's usual unreserved speech.

"Alright, alright, Master," Zu An said, smiling at her.

Hearing him call her Master, Yan Xuehen's face flushed, and a strange feeling grew in her heart. Especially when the image of him rampaging over her body flashed in her mind—is that how a disciple treats their master?

With Chuyan present, she quickly composed herself and explained, "What the Demonic Sect members truly seek is not for everyone to be like a dragon, but only for *themselves* to be like dragons and to have equality *for themselves*."

"People only know of the Demonic Sect, but they don't realize it's a collective term for its Three Sects and Six Paths. While these three sects and six factions aren't considered the lowest of society, they have historically been looked down upon by mainstream society, holding low social status. Therefore, they harbor resentment, and their actions naturally become more extreme. This, in turn, makes mainstream society look down on them even more, creating a vicious cycle."

"Which three sects and six paths are they, exactly?" Zu An was surprised. The Embroidered Uniform Guard's information on the Demonic Sect didn't seem this detailed. It made sense, though; the Embroidered Uniform Guard was established by the current dynasty, only about a century or so ago. While powerful, its foundation was not deep enough. Only the Daoist Sect, with its equally long history, could truly understand a colossal entity like the Demonic Sect, which had existed for thousands of years. Speaking of which, the Demonic Sect and the Daoist Sect were truly a pair of rivals; even their internal faction structures were so similar.

Yan Xuehen replied, "The so-called Three Sects are the Heavenly Demonic Sect, the Heaven-Rending Sect, and the Heaven-Earth Sect. The Six Paths are the Tomb-Raiding Path, the Yin-Yang Path, the Ruthless Path, the Cunning-Hidden Path, the Carefree Path, and the Pear Garden Path."

"The current leader of the Heavenly Demonic Sect is the demoness Yun Jianyue, and unless something unexpected happens, Qiu Honglei will be the next leader."

"The Heavenly Demonic Sect is predominantly female. Legend has it that their founding ancestor was a seductive enchantress who brought chaos to the world. Therefore, this lineage takes pleasure in charming men. Their motto is: rather than painstakingly conquering the world, it's better to conquer the men who conquer the world. This philosophy is very popular in brothels and pleasure quarters, so historically, a large portion of their disciples came from such places."

Zu An's expression was odd. When he first met Qiu Honglei, she was the most popular courtesan in Brightmoon City, so it seemed there was indeed a continuous lineage.

At this point, Chu Chuyan softly added, "A'Zu, you don't need to worry. Although many Heavenly Demonic Sect disciples historically came from brothels, they are also divided into two factions internally: one seduces with beauty, while the other performs arts but doesn't sell their bodies, focusing on conquering men's hearts. Both Sect Master Yun and Miss Qiu belong to the latter faction; their approach is clearly more sophisticated."

Seeing her cautious demeanor, Zu An knew she was worried he might misunderstand that they were slandering others behind their backs. He couldn't help but smile at her, "Chuyan, you're overthinking it. I understand, of course."

Chu Chuyan was startled, thinking, "How do you understand? Could it be that you and Miss Qiu have already been intimate?" Chu Chuyan's eyes widened, and a surge of anger flashed within her.

Seeing the two exchanging glances, Yan Xuehen felt an inexplicable displeasure in her heart. A wave of annoyance also swept through Yan Xuehen.

Zu An was utterly bewildered. He looked completely lost. Why had these two women suddenly gotten angry?

Feeling that things were going awry, he quickly changed the subject. "By the way, what was the name of the Heavenly Demonic Sect's founding ancestor?" A seductive enchantress who brought chaos to the world... how did that sound a bit like Daji?

Yan Xuehen shook her head. "It was too long ago. Not only do I not know, but even the Heavenly Demonic Sect itself doesn't seem to know. Even the cultivation techniques left behind from that era appear to be incomplete."

Zu An fell into thought. Daji's skills and Yun Jianyue's cultivation techniques had similar names. Was it a coincidence, or was there something more?

Yan Xuehen continued, "The Heaven-Rending Sect emphasizes 'heaven and earth rending apart.' In this world, nothing can be described as 'heaven and earth rending apart' more fittingly than the assassination of emperors, generals, and prime ministers."

Zu An's heart stirred. "So, this faction consists of assassins?"

"Precisely," Yan Xuehen nodded slightly. "The Heaven-Rending Sect initially focused on 'a common man's fury spilling blood three feet high,' a counter to 'an emperor's wrath causing millions of deaths.' Their existence was to counterbalance emperors and powerful nobles, preventing them from acting recklessly. Otherwise, someone from the Heaven-Rending Sect would always be able to claim their heads. Historically, some even wrote biographies specifically for assassins, and most of those famous assassins came from the Heaven-Rending Sect."

Zu An's expression became solemn. "In that case, the Heaven-Rending Sect seems worthy of respect."

"Their initial purpose was indeed admirable, but human nature being what it is, truly fearless assassins like those in history are ultimately few," Yan Xuehen sighed. "What people seek is nothing more than wealth, glory, pleasure, and power. Although those assassins gained renown in history, they often died and their families were annihilated. Many ultimately backed down, choosing instead to assassinate for money. From then on, the Heaven-Rending Sect gradually declined, eventually becoming a mercenary killer organization that had long forgotten its original principles."

Zu An was also filled with emotion, but he understood that not everyone could be a saint; this was likely an inevitable outcome.

Suddenly, his heart stirred, and he asked, "But as far as I know, the most famous assassin organization today seems to be the Shadow Loft. Since their operational scope is the same, won't there be conflicts?"

"Of course, there won't be any conflict," Yan Xuehen said with a strange expression, "because the Shadow Loft *is* the Heaven-Rending Sect."

Zu An was utterly dumbfounded. So, the Shadow Loft was also part of the Demonic Sect all along?

Yan Xuehen explained, "To be precise, the Shadow Loft is a branch of the Heaven-Rending Sect. More than a hundred years ago, there was a period of chaos within the Demonic Sect. For some unknown reason, the various factions fought fiercely amongst themselves. Some who didn't want to participate left, and among them was an ordinary young man who had been ostracized by the Heaven-Rending Sect. He later rose to prominence and founded the Shadow Loft."

"Do you know any information about that young man's identity?" Zu An asked urgently.

Yan Xuehen shook her head slightly. "Because of its unique nature, the Heaven-Rending Sect prioritizes concealment. Even fellow disciples would only know a codename and might not even know their true identity in society. That young man endured for many years and eventually created the Shadow Loft, clearly indicating he was a deeply cunning individual. It's even less likely he would reveal his own identity."

"So, the Heaven-Rending Sect just agreed to the establishment of the Shadow Loft?" Zu An asked curiously.

Yan Xuehen's red lips parted slightly. "Of course, it wasn't that simple. After the Shadow Loft was established, many elders of the Heaven-Rending Sect, and even some senior disciples of that young man, came forward, hoping to seize its assets. However, they all met violent ends. Later, many excellent disciples of the Heaven-Rending Sect were instead drawn to the Shadow Loft, leading to the Heaven-Rending Sect's current severe decline. Conversely, the Master of the Shadow Loft is now tacitly acknowledged as the true Sect Master of the Heaven-Rending Sect for this generation."

Zu An frowned deeply. This Master of the Shadow Loft seemed to have some ties to the imperial palace, always feeling like a Sword of Damocles hanging over him, causing him some unease.

"Among the Three Sects, there's also the Heaven-Earth Sect. They advocate for things that are round on top and square on the bottom. Can you guess what that refers to?" Yan Xuehen asked.

"Coins?" Zu An's heart stirred.

"That's right. The founding ancestor of the Heaven-Earth Sect was an immensely wealthy merchant. This faction champions trade and commerce. However, historically, the social status of merchants did not match their wealth, so many merchants harbored dissatisfaction with the imperial court, attempting to change things. This, in turn, drew suppression from the court, eventually leading them to become a part of the Demonic Sect."

Yan Xuehen suddenly remembered the matter in Cloud County. "Oh, right, you've also had dealings with the Heaven-Earth Sect."

"When?" Zu An was stunned. "How come I don't know about this?"

"Aren't you quite familiar with the Carefree Loft? Just as the Shadow Loft is now the most powerful force under the Heaven-Rending Sect, the Carefree Loft is the strongest within the Heaven-Earth Sect," Yan Xuehen replied.