I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

"..."

Zhou Yi looked up at the sky, as a streak of escaping light rapidly approached.

He suppressed the urge to turn and run, ready to use the Divine Bull Transformation at any moment, and with cupped hands and a smile, he said, "Poor Daoist Tang Xuan, greets the venerable Xuan Kong."

"So it is Tang the Daoist Master, may I ask where you hail from?"

The escaping light landed and transformed into a daoist in a green robe, who appeared to be no more than twenty years old, with a face like a handsome jade and an ethereal aura, like a peerless noble son from beyond this mortal world.

"Poor Daoist comes from the eastern lands... across the sea."

Zhou Yi said with a smile, "As an overseas Loose Cultivator new to this esteemed land, do I need to report my name and origins first?"

"No need."

Xuan Kong was indifferent to whether Zhou Yi's origins were true or false, most likely because they were false, and explained, "The Marketplace of the Dan Ding Sect is provided for Qi Refinement Loose Cultivators to cultivate; those above the Foundation Establishment stage may come and go as they please, but cannot reside permanently."

"So that's how it is."

Zhou Yi suddenly understood, immediately grasping the reason behind the Dan Ding Sect's approach.

Spirit Veins are the core of Dan Ding Sect's rule over Cloud Continent, and the guarding officers are True Disciples in Foundation Establishment; if outsiders were to cultivate here, and generations passed, essentially the Spirit Veins would change ownership.

Lose one Spirit Vein today, another tomorrow, and the Dan Ding Sect would no longer hold the dominant position in Cloud Continent.

"Tang Daoist Friend, please, I have recently acquired some Spiritual Tea. Why not taste it together?"

Seeing Zhou Yi's hesitant expression, Xuan Kong casually pointed to a nearby uninhabited cave dwelling, "What about that cave dwelling ahead? There are absolutely no formations or prohibitions, and the Dan Ding Sect welcomes Loose Cultivators to join. By aiding, I also earn considerable merits."

Zhou Yi's Divine Sense swept through the two adjacent cave dwellings, both empty and uninhabited, and then pointed to the one beside.

"I think that one over there looks better, with seemingly better Feng Shui."

"Please."

Admiration flashed in Xuan Kong's eyes; truly, as said within the sect, among the hardships faced by Loose Cultivators, those who could break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage all have something extraordinary about them.

For example, the one before him, cautious and unashamed!

...

Inside the cave dwelling, host and guest took their seats.

Xuan Kong took out tables, chairs, and tea sets from his storage bag, then took out two tea leaves with great care. Capturing Zhou Yi's curious glance, he reluctantly took out two more.

"Don't take offense, Daoist Friend, this tea is cultivated by a senior within the sect and is quite valuable and costly."

Zhou Yi wondered, "As a Sect-Defending Officer who controls the Spirit Vein's authority and manages hundreds of miles of spirit fields, would you still lack for Spirit Stones?"

Xuan Kong shook his head and said, "Spirit Stones cannot buy all Spiritual Objects, like this Spiritual Tea that can enhance the soul; it only matures once every ten years, and many eyes in the sect are watching it."

"One should not accept rewards without merit, what is your purpose, Daoist Friend?"

Zhou Yi couldn't figure out Xuan Kong's true intentions, and even if it was a world-class Spiritual Object, he wouldn't dare to consume it for fear of some strange curse.

"Then I won't hide it from Daoist Friend Tang," Xuan Kong said, "The sect has a standing mission to recruit Loose Cultivator Real People and True Monarchs, with generous merit rewards. The land within Da Qian is quite barren, and having guarded it for thirty-four years, Daoist Friend is the first I've seen."

Zhou Yi asked, "Merits! Even the True Disciples of the Dan Ding Sect need merits?"

"A thousand years ago, it wasn't necessary."

Xuan Kong explained, "Nowadays, except for gifts and teachings from the master, every other Cultivation Technique and Spiritual Object within the sect requires merits to exchange, True Disciples only have some discounts. These matters will be explained to you after you join."

Zhou Yi's gaze was deep, pretending to taste the tea leaf, but in reality, he was pouring it into the Mountain and River Cauldron.

A thousand years ago, the Dan Ding Sect raised the qualifications for accepting disciples and changed the sect's rules; perhaps there was a connection between the two.

"I come from unknown origins, aren't you afraid that I'm a spy from the devil's path?"

"Daoist Friend's aura is upright and pure, surely from a right path Cultivation Technique; how could you possibly be from the evil deviant ways? As for your experiences during the Qi Refinement Realm... The path of immortality is competitive, and sometimes actions must be ruthless. The sect will not mind."

The meaning of Xuan Kong was clear, Dan Ding Sect would not dwell on the past and judged good from evil based on one's cultivation technique.

"Of course, upon first entering, one will not come into contact with the core of the sect. Even if there are demonic spies, it would be difficult for them to achieve much."

"Thank you, Daoist friend, for your frankness."

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then asked, "Why did you know immediately when I entered the marketplace?"

"The marketplace's Mountain Protection Array can detect one's cultivation level."

Xuan Kong chuckled, "Previously, some true immortals lurked in the marketplace to cultivate, causing quite a bit of chaos, so we had to add the formation."

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, as Dan Ding Sect had nearly cut off the path forward for loose cultivators, making it difficult to improve one's cultivation without joining a sect.

"I am quite familiar with True Immortal of Chu, do you know if he has joined Dan Ding Sect?"

"Daoist Chu is old, and even if he were to join a sect, it would be hard for him to make much progress, so he chose to teach his descendants on his family's spirit land."

When Xuan Kong spoke of the True Immortal of the Imperial Clan of Chu State, his tone was flat and undisturbed, with an undertone of disdain and contempt.

"What should one be aware of when joining your esteemed sect?"

Zhou Yi inquired, "For instance, will things like lineage of cultivation techniques and one's age and talent be scrutinized?"

"No, one only needs to leave a wisp of mana, to prevent being impersonated by evil demons."

Xuan Kong explained, "If in the future, you amass enough merit, to become a True Disciple, you will have to leave behind a strand of your divine soul. If you encounter disaster outside, the elders in the sect will either come to your rescue or avenge you."

Zhou Yi recalled Ji Sheng, "Official disciples don't need to?"

Xuan Kong shook his head, "Official disciples are just ordinary disciples, they do not touch the Sect-Defending legacy, and the management is quite lax. After joining the sect, you should still diligently accrue merit, to be promoted to True Disciple as soon as possible."

"Thank you for the advice, Daoist friend."

Zhou Yi neither agreed nor declined.

As for loose cultivators or, to say, cultivators of Cloud Continent, Dan Ding Sect's control exceeded expectations, exploiting and oppressing from the Qi Refinement Realm, causing cultivators to exhaust themselves daily in gathering spirit stones to pay rent and debts, naturally falling behind in cultivation.

Those lucky enough to cultivate to the later stages of Qi Refinement found Dan Ding Sect controlling Foundation Establishment Pills, easily monitoring the increase and decrease of Foundation Establishment true immortals.

Other Foundation Establishment true immortals with unknown origins, who either accidentally obtained Foundation Establishment Pills or came from other continents, or even hit the jackpot with a one-in-a-hundred chance, would also face the issue of spirit veins.

To choose hiding outside of Dan Ding Sect's control meant that it would be difficult to improve one's cultivation, and with a lack of various legacies, the power gap with sect true immortals would be vast, ultimately leading to a quiet death from old age.

To choose to join Dan Ding Sect meant transforming into one of the exploiters of the same camp and thus being brought under the control of Dan Ding Sect.

The ultimate goal of Dan Ding Sect's actions was to prevent the emergence of wild True Monarchs in Cloud Continent!

"Dan Ding Sect has controlled Cloud Continent for thousands of years, birthing countless dazzling geniuses, yet with these three thresholds, even after a few thousand more years, no one would be able to shake its ruling position."

Zhou Yi understood the reasoning behind their actions, yet he had no intentions of toppling such a colossal entity.

Even if he found it unpleasant, he would choose to go to other continents and wait tens of thousands of years, watching as Dan Ding Sect is eventually overthrown by a Son of Destiny.

There is no eternal dynasty in the world, and the same goes for cultivation sects!

Zhou Yi recalled an old acquaintance, saying, "While I was cultivating overseas, I accidentally obtained notes from Pure True Monarch, which were of great help to my Qi Refinement cultivation. I wonder if he was a predecessor of your sect?"

"Daoist friend truly has a destiny with our sect!"

Xuan Kong sighed, "Pure True Monarch has already passed away for decades, buried at Divine Fire Peak. In the future, Daoist friend can go there to offer your respects."

"It's a pity that I cannot thank him in person."

Zhou Yi was now certain that Jing Xu was indeed the disguised True Monarch, fortunate that he didn't stay at Xiaodan Mountain.

At first, borrowing books and drinking wine could be excused by his youthful appearance, or perhaps the use of Youth-Retaining Pills. Many loose cultivators in the marketplace cultivated under false facades. Meeting again and letting the True Monarch see through his face might hold the risk of death.

"It seems that living a long life and hiding among the common folk is also not safe..."

"Who knows if the old man next door might be some Nascent Soul old monster!"