Chapter 69: The Four Great Sects of Daye

Lin Yun had never been one to stir up trouble, but he knew the Flowing Cloud Sect would never let him go. Although he couldn't fathom what Gu Xiande was so afraid of, he understood a simple truth: once you start down a dark path, there is rarely any turning back.

"Sect Master," Lin Yun began, "I was wondering if you've heard any news of a disciple named Bai Zhuqing? He went with me to Weiyang Mountain that day."

Jiang Zhengqing pondered this for a moment. "I believe I have heard the name. The word is that he was arrested by the Disciplinary Hall. They are calling him your accomplice."

Lin Yun's heart ached at the news, but what followed was a deeper, colder chill of disillusionment. Those bastards were undoubtedly trying to force Bai Zhuqing to testify against him. But knowing Bai Zhuqing's character, he would never yield.

"Some day, I will find a way to arrange for his transfer here," Jiang Zhengqing said, noticing the worry on Lin Yun's face. Since he had committed to taking Lin Yun in, it was only right to help alleviate some of his burdens.

But Lin Yun simply smiled and shook his head. "In the end, this is my own personal matter. I will go to the Flowing Cloud Sect and rescue him myself."

Hearing the conviction in Lin Yun's tone, Jiang Zhengqing had no doubt that he meant it.

"Zhou Damao," the Sect Master called out.

Lin Yun looked toward the entrance. A burly young man well over six feet tall walked in. His frame was so massive that the standard sect uniform looked several sizes too small on him.

Zhou Damao entered with a smile, his eyes landing on Lin Yun. He offered a simple, good-natured grin. "Master, you called for me?"

"Lin Yun, this is my beloved disciple, Zhou Damao," Jiang Zhengqing said with a warm smile. "You've only just arrived at the sect. If there is anything you don't understand, feel free to ask him."

He obviously couldn't look after Lin Yun at all times, but Zhou Damao was sincere and honest—the disciple Jiang Zhengqing was fondest of.

"Junior Brother Lin," Zhou Damao said, scratching his head with another friendly grin, "we don't have as many rules here in the Beast Taming Sect as they do in the Flowing Cloud Sect. If there's anything you need, just ask me."

[Name]: Zhou Damao

[Realm]: Spirit Cauldron - Stage 6

[Destiny Template]: Wise but Appears Foolish (Purple)

[Attributes]: Killed by a Villain (Black), Warm and Enthusiastic (Blue), Meticulous (Blue)

[Fate]: After stumbling upon Zhao Fa's secret, he is poisoned and killed by the disciple Chang Le. [Recent Turning Point]: Two days from now, at the zi hour (11 PM-1 AM), he will run into Zhao Fa stealing the geological map on Mingtai Mountain.

It's happening so soon? A cold glint flashed in Lin Yun's eyes. Looks like the next few days were going to be busy.

After a few more brief instructions, Jiang Zhengqing had Zhou Damao lead Lin Yun out. It was clear how much he cherished this disciple. He might appear simple, but he never dropped the ball at a critical moment. Entrusting Lin Yun to his care was a clear sign of the importance Jiang Zhengqing placed on his new disciple.

Upon exiting the Great Hall, Lin Yun saw a crowd of disciples gathered outside.

"Wow, is that the traitor from the Flowing Cloud Sect? Why does he look like a beggar?" came the disdainful voice of a female disciple.

"He's a wanted man across the entire cultivation world now. Of course he's a public enemy."

"Exactly. Who in their right mind would dare to harbor someone with a bounty from the Flowing Cloud Sect on his head?"

Two disciples who were clearly in the know snorted. "You haven't heard? He's already joined our sect. And he even received the acknowledgement of our Sect-Guarding Spirit Beast, the Chongqing Bird."

That statement made the crowd erupt.

"How is that possible? On what grounds could a kid like that earn the Chongqing Bird's favor?"

"Right! He's a traitor to the Flowing Cloud Sect! There's no guarantee he won't betray our Beast Taming Sect one day!" several of them muttered loudly.

Through it all, Lin Yun remained smiling, showing no intention of engaging with them.

It was Zhou Damao who snorted, his voice booming like a great bell. "All of you, be silent."

"From this day forward, Junior Brother Lin is a member of our Beast Taming Sect. I do not wish to hear such words a second time. Do you understand?"

The chattering disciples all fell silent, their expressions varied. Though some were clearly still unconvinced, they eventually responded in unison, "We will obey Senior Brother's teachings."

Zhou Damao shot them a final glance, then turned and clapped Lin Yun on the shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry about them. These kids are used to running their mouths. Don't take it to heart."

In truth, Zhou Damao was being exceptionally polite. For a newcomer like Lin Yun to be accepted directly as a personal disciple was absolutely unprecedented.

Zhou Damao led him to the rear mountains of the sect, where neatly arranged rows of courtyards of all sizes dotted the landscape. He brought Lin Yun to a particularly spacious and well-positioned one. "You can live here," he said. "And see that? My place is just a hundred meters to the east."

Lin Yun was deeply moved. The moment he arrived, he noticed many people standing outside their own courtyards, looking over. When they heard he had been assigned this residence, their faces filled with envy. It wasn't just a prime location; it was a place where the vital Yuan Qi was exceptionally abundant. Who wouldn't want such a courtyard?

"Many thanks, Senior Brother Zhou."

Zhou Damao clapped him on the shoulder again. "The Beast Taming Sect isn't like the Flowing Cloud Sect. At least, I don't have so many rules," he said with a laugh. He then began pointing out various places in the mountains. "You can go to any of these places as you please. However, Mingtai Mountain is a forbidden area of the sect. Unless it's a special situation, no one is allowed near it. Be careful about that."

Lin Yun committed Zhou Damao's words to memory, his eyes drifting toward the highest, most central peak of the sect. So that must be Mingtai Mountain.

After arranging everything for Lin Yun with considerable thoughtfulness, Zhou Damao finally took his leave.

Lin Yun took a moment to survey his new home. Every personal disciple was given such a courtyard, and they were by no means small. At its heart, the sect was a shadow of its former glory. In its heyday, the Beast Taming Sect had been a hegemon of the cultivation world. But fortunes change, and now, the Flowing Cloud Sect's star was on the rise.

The political landscape of the Daye Dynasty was dominated by four great powers: the Flowing Cloud Sect, the Beast Taming Sect, the Constant Sun Sect, and the Marvelous Sound Sect. Among them, the Flowing Cloud Sect was by far the strongest, followed by the Constant Sun and Marvelous Sound Sects. After a century of decline, the Beast Taming Sect could now only barely cling to its position as one of the four.

Beneath these four titans were countless smaller sects, most of whom existed by pledging allegiance to one of the major powers. There were, however, exceptions, such as the Crimson Ghost Sect. Unlike the others, they did not abide by the rules of the cultivation world and were therefore not recognized by the Daye Dynasty.

The Grand Tournament of the Spirit Realm was a joint event, held by the four great sects of the Daye Dynasty and the four great sects of the neighboring Wuqian Dynasty. For years, the ranking in this tournament determined how the spirit veins and treasure lands controlled by the Daye Dynasty were distributed.

Because of this system, the Flowing Cloud Sect, which consistently ranked first, not only grew stronger with each victory but also attracted a ceaseless flow of smaller sects as vassals. Thus, while on the surface the Daye Dynasty had four great sects, the reality was the Flowing Cloud Sect and the other three.

Although the other three sects wished to change this reality, they were powerless to resist. After all, the distribution of resources every sect received was ultimately decided by the Flowing Cloud Sect.

And under the constant pressure and exclusion from the Flowing Cloud Sect, the Beast Taming Sect had only grown weaker and weaker.