When Daoist Xiantian, after dispersing his cultivation and rebuilding it, fled to the outside world and first encountered the concept of the "Five Great Immortal Sects," he was stunned for a long while upon learning that one of them was a sect he had founded. He even suspected it was merely a coincidence of names.
Only after confirming the address did he become convinced it wasn't a namesake, but truly the sect he had established.
The outside world rumored that the Five Great Immortal Sects either possessed cultivators in the Tribulation Transcending stage or had means comparable to them. This alone had already greatly surprised him. After all, the Tribulation Transcending stage was a level of immense power and reverence.
Now, arriving at Prisoner's Peak and seeing the grand figures imprisoned there, he found that not only were there Tribulation Transcending cultivators, but even two half-immortals! These were legendary half-immortals, cultivators who hadn't even existed in his era. From his perspective, the Wen Dao Sect hardly seemed to possess only Tribulation Transcending cultivators.
"Heh heh, Qi Tongtian, you've founded quite a sect." A chilling laugh reached him, sounding strangely familiar, as if Daoist Xiantian had heard it somewhere before. Following the sound, he found its source in a corner: a shriveled old man, hunched over, his face covered in wrinkles.
"True Monarch Karmic Fire?!" Daoist Xiantian recognized the shriveled old man. This was a True Monarch in the Body Integration stage from his own era, who had committed countless evils. Yet, he had withstood three days of burning by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, eventually subduing it and founding the renowned Supreme Karmic Fire Sect. Despite both being in the Body Integration stage, Daoist Xiantian was no match for True Monarch Karmic Fire. The Supreme Karmic Fire Sect was, moreover, a crucial member of the "Demonic Alliance," the largest cultivation organization of that time. Back then, even if he had taken the initiative to greet True Monarch Karmic Fire, the other party wouldn't have even glanced at him. He never imagined that upon their next meeting, the other party would be a prisoner.
"This one was caught by Old Seven when he went out to find alchemy ingredients," the Childish Patriarch said, recalling who True Monarch Karmic Fire was after a moment of thought.
"Daoist Xiantian, I never thought we'd meet here." A cold voice came from the next cell; it was a middle-aged man with a dejected expression. Daoist Xiantian scrutinized the man for a while before connecting him to a person from his memory.
"Are you True Monarch Myriad Swords?" The True Monarch Myriad Swords in his memory was sharp and unrestrained, with the demeanor of a youth, full of vigor and spirit. He was a lone swordsman who acted purely on his whims, slaying both righteous and demonic cultivators if they displeased him. Once, while heavily intoxicated, he accidentally killed the only daughter of an old, well-known Body Integration stage cultivator who was also an important member of the Demonic Alliance. Upon hearing the news, the father was enraged and vowed to kill True Monarch Myriad Swords for revenge. Unexpectedly, True Monarch Myriad Swords pierced his heart with a single sword, killing him. It was only then that people realized True Monarch Myriad Swords had cultivated to the peak of the Body Integration stage. He was captured too?
"He was brought back by Old Nine," the Childish Patriarch said with a shrug, speculating that seeing Daoist Buyu's swordsmanship must have shattered his Dao heart, leaving him dispirited ever since.
Just as Daoist Xiantian was about to speak, his peripheral vision caught sight of another prominent figure who had wielded immense power in his era.
"Venerable Blood Fiend?" This was the Imperial Preceptor of his era. Emperor Yu was merely a puppet; he was the true emperor who held all the power. The infamous Demonic Alliance was his creation!
Lu Yang was all too familiar with Venerable Blood Fiend. He and Old Meng had encountered a group of Body Integration stage cultivators from Great Yu in Buyi Town. After capturing them, these cultivators revealed their hidden treasure grotto-heaven. Senior Sister then took Lu Yang and Old Meng to that grotto-heaven, inadvertently awakening Venerable Blood Fiend who had been sleeping there. Senior Sister then simply apprehended him and brought him back.
Venerable Blood Fiend's eye twitched. He silently turned away, pretending not to recognize Daoist Xiantian.
Daoist Xiantian hadn't realized that those imprisoned here were either legendary figures or renowned grand cultivators from his own time. Was the Feng Shui of the Wen Dao Sect truly this good? The one hundred thousand spirit stones spent to have the Heavenly Strategy Sect calculate its Feng Shui must have been incredibly well worth it!
"Patriarch, please follow me. The sect has another Tribulation Transcending cultivator," Yun Zhi said, gesturing for Daoist Xiantian to move.
As soon as Daoist Xiantian arrived at the Scripture Depository, he was dazzled by the vast array of cultivation techniques. "So many cultivation techniques?" When he founded the Wen Dao Sect, the cultivation techniques barely filled a small section of a bookshelf, and many of them were merely filler. It was completely incomparable to the current Scripture Depository.
"Little Yun, what brings you here? Have you written another cultivation technique?" A lean old man appeared. It was Elder Tao, the guardian of the Scripture Depository. Seeing Lu Yang next to Yun Zhi, he recalled an unpleasant memory. The last time that kid Lu Yang brought the Ancient Phoenix Ancestor here, it almost caused him great embarrassment. Fortunately, he backed down quickly.
Yun Zhi shook her head. "I haven't written any techniques recently. Junior Brother Lu and Junior Brother Meng brought someone back who wished to meet you."
Elder Tao gave a hearty laugh, dismissing the concern. "As long as it's not the Ancient Phoenix Ancestor, anyone can meet me." Elder Tao's gaze fell upon Daoist Xiantian. "He wants to see me? Who is he?"
Out of respect for a Tribulation Transcending cultivator, Daoist Xiantian introduced himself. "My name is Qi Tongtian."
"Ah, it's Little Qi. Just call me Elder Tao. Is this a disciple preparing to join this session... wait, what did he say his name was?" Midway through his sentence, Elder Tao felt something was off. The name sounded too familiar. He cautiously asked, "Daoist Xiantian Qi Tongtian?"
"Yes."
Elder Tao looked as if he had seen a ghost, instinctively stepping back two paces, somewhat terrified. Hadn't the Patriarch supposedly died? How was he now resurrected? Was the atmosphere of the Wen Dao Sect so terrible that it had finally angered the Patriarch back to life?
Yun Zhi introduced him to Daoist Xiantian. "This is Tao Xian, the guardian of the Scripture Depository, a cultivator in the Tribulation Transcending stage."
"Hello," Daoist Xiantian said politely.
"Just call me Little Tao," Elder Tao said, bowing slightly, not daring to presume.
Lu Yang then explained the circumstances of the Patriarch's awakening; only then did Elder Tao become convinced that it wasn't an issue with the sect's atmosphere. "Patriarch, feel free to take any cultivation technique or secret manual that catches your eye."
Daoist Xiantian smiled awkwardly. He was currently a mortal, having not yet begun cultivating, so cultivation techniques and secret manuals were useless to him.
After leaving the Scripture Depository, Daoist Xiantian suddenly remembered something Elder Tao had said. "What was that about the Ancient Phoenix Ancestor that Little Tao mentioned earlier? Has that grand figure also visited our Wen Dao Sect?" Daoist Xiantian had heard that the Ancient Phoenix Ancestor was one of the Four Imperial Sovereigns of the ancient Heavenly Court. Such an ancient figure should have no connection whatsoever with their Wen Dao Sect.
Meng Jingzhou replied, "Yes, she has. After all, the Ancient Phoenix Ancestor is an honorary elder of our Wen Dao Sect."
"Honorary elder?" Daoist Xiantian grew even more bewildered, his eyes filled with confusion. "That doesn't seem right. Isn't the Ancient Phoenix Ancestor a member of the Heavenly Court Sect, the leader of the Four Great Demonic Cults?"
Lu Yang casually explained, "Oh, that's nothing. The ancient Heavenly Court is actually our Wen Dao Sect."
"Huh?" Daoist Xiantian froze in place.
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