The continent of West Cang was over a million kilometers wide. Dozens of sects claimed parts of it, some large, some insignificant. But one name stood above the rest.
The Infinite Sky Dao Sect.
Its territory spanned mountains, rivers, and entire kingdoms. Its Outer Sect alone had hundreds of thousands of disciples. The Inner Sect and Core Sect housed direct lineages of powerful cultivators. Above them all, the Sect Master and Great Elders sat in silent seclusion.
Yuan Shen stood before its mountain gate, clothed in a plain robe, his aura tightly sealed. He had adjusted his cultivation to appear as if he were at the mid Golden Core Realm. Not enough to attract suspicion. Not low enough to be dismissed entirely.
He had chosen this sect not out of preference, but calculation.
Among all powers on this continent, the Infinite Sky Dao Sect had a Soul Dharma Immortal ancestor—quiet, hidden, rarely seen. That was the threshold of what Yuan Shen could kill with confidence. Anything above that risked drawing attention and possibly losing.
Most of the other sects were led by Mystic Immortals or Sky Immortals. Their foundations were solid but unthreatening. Elders of the Inner Sect typically reached Sky Immortal. Outer Sect elders were usually no higher than Heaven Immortal. It was a clear hierarchy.
He remembered the realms clearly.
Nirvana was the gateway into true immortality. The mortal body would burn away and be reborn, able to host immortal Qi.
Earth Immortals began to command nature itself.
Heaven Immortals transcended worldly law, loosening the shackles of heaven.
Sky Immortals could fly freely without needing Qi. They stepped through the void and began sensing the cosmic threads.
Mystic Immortals glimpsed hidden truths. Not just energy or form—but meaning, essence, the abstract weight of Dao.
Soul Dharma Immortals were feared even in the Immortal World. Their soul strength overshadowed their physical body. They could destroy sects with a single thought and create divine artifacts from spirit will alone.
This was as far as strength went in this realm.
And Yuan Shen, though only in the Nirvana Realm, had been forged with higher laws. The difference in quality meant that he could leap multiple realms in combat. That's why the Infinite Sky Dao Sect was ideal. Large enough to hide in. Strong enough to have value. Weak enough to be managed.
A voice called out from above.
"State your name and cultivation," a disciple asked from the stone platform above the stairs. He wore blue robes with a bronze badge pinned to his chest. His cultivation was early Nascent Soul.
Yuan Shen stepped forward and cupped his hands.
"Lin Ziyan. Mid Golden Core Realm. Wandering cultivator from the Eastern Flow Mountains."
The disciple raised a brow. "And why do you want to join the Infinite Sky Dao Sect?"
"I heard this was the most powerful sect on the continent," Yuan Shen said. "I want to cultivate properly."
A few other Outer Sect disciples stood behind the speaker, whispering to each other.
"Another rogue Golden Core?"
"He'll be lucky if he's not just here for food and shelter."
"They're taking in too many lately. I doubt this one will even pass the spirit test."
The senior disciple ignored them and stepped aside.
"Proceed to the platform. The spirit test will determine your eligibility. No tricks."
Yuan Shen stepped forward and placed his hand on the stone disk embedded into the platform. Faint runes shimmered as his Qi flowed in.
Golden light pulsed once.
The disciple frowned.
"Steady Qi flow. No impurities. Mental will is clear. That's not bad."
One of the juniors scoffed. "Must be a fluke."
The lead disciple looked up. "You meet the standard. Congratulations, Lin Ziyan. You're accepted as an Inner Disciple of the Infinite Sky Dao Sect."
Yuan Shen nodded.
Another disciple stepped forward and handed him a badge, a new robe, and a token carved with the sect's insignia—an open sky with three intersecting lines.
"You'll be assigned to Blue Cloud Peak," she said. "Most Inner Disciples are gathered there. An elder will brief you in the morning. For now, a guide will take you to your quarters."
Yuan Shen followed silently.
They led him through the massive mountain gate. Behind it stretched a world unto itself. Floating pavilions drifted between peaks. Cranes flew across the sky with messages tied to their talons. Disciples sat in meditation on hovering stones. Waterfalls flowed upward instead of down.
Despite the majesty, he only paid attention to formation lines. Energy flows. Defensive layers. Nothing else.
His guide was a short Inner Disciple with a cheerful voice.
"First time here?" the boy asked. "Don't worry, the Blue Cloud Peak is the best place to start. Most new disciples spend the first few months doing menial tasks, but since you are an Inner disciple, you'll be allowed to enter the high floors in the library and train with others in the sparring courts."
He walked ahead and gestured at the peaks rising around them.
"There are three main divisions in the sect," he said. "Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and Core Sect. The Outer Sect has the most disciples—usually Foundation Establishment to Nascent Soul. They handle chores, sect missions, and bulk tasks. Inner Disciples, like you now, are stronger and have access to higher techniques, better pills, and cultivation spots."
He pointed to a cluster of floating platforms in the distance.
"The Core Sect is off-limits unless you're chosen by an elder. That's where the true lineages live. Direct disciples of Sky Immortal Elders, mostly. I heard the Sect Master and the Soul Dharma Ancestor stay somewhere even higher, but I've never seen them."
Yuan Shen glanced in that direction but said nothing.
The boy continued cheerfully. "Normally, joining disciples go through tests. Combat duels, spiritual alignment, maybe a few oaths. But these days? Too many applicants. The elders don't have time. So Outer Sect disciples handle registration, spirit testing, and logistics. It's easier to just admit everyone who meets the minimum, then weed them out through tasks."
He lowered his voice. "Between you and me, half the new Outer Disciples drop out or die within three months. No one cares unless they're talented."
Yuan Shen nodded faintly. "Efficient."
The boy grinned. "Exactly. Blue Cloud Peak isn't the largest, but it's a good place to start. Elder Wei handles new admissions. He's a late-stage Sky Immortal, pretty strict but fair. Don't cause trouble and you'll be fine."
He was led to a modest stone pavilion on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a misty valley. The spirit veins nearby were strong—cleaner than most places on this continent.
Not good enough by Immortal World standards.
But better than nothing.
When the boy left, Yuan Shen sat on the bamboo mat inside and looked out at the clouds.
He had what he needed.
A place to stay. Access to techniques. A crowd to hide in.
Sooner or later, the sect would start testing him. Trials. Missions. Assignments. That was fine. The more contact he had, the more material he would gather. Cultivation methods. Rare arts. Divine beasts. Perhaps even hidden inheritances or ancient seals.
He didn't care what their history was.
Everything would be harvested in time.
He closed his eyes and entered meditation. The True Scripture of Dao Harvesting stirred slightly, as if eager for its next meal.