After a full day of asking questions, disappointment began to settle over Zhong Li. The sun was setting, and an orange light swept across the city. He sat on an empty bench, watching the unceasing crowd. Just as he was about to give up for the day, his eyes caught the figure of an old cultivator sitting alone in the corner of a tavern, drinking wine calmly. The man had an ancient and wise aura.
Without hesitation, Zhong Li approached him and sat on the opposite chair. "Sir," Zhong Li greeted. "Do you know the whereabouts of the Cloud Gathering Sect?"
The old cultivator raised his head, his half-closed eyes radiating a glint of wisdom. He observed Zhong Li for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Looking for that sect, are you? You're the umpteenth person to ask me today. But you're the only one I feel is truly searching for it."
Zhong Li remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"You won't find it just by asking on the streets," the old man said, taking a sip from his bottle of wine. "The Cloud Gathering Sect is not located within the city, but behind the city gates. Look for the steepest cliff to the north. There, you'll find a hidden entrance. Of course, you have to know how to open it."
The old cultivator laughed softly. "That's not my business, kid. You'll have to figure that out yourself. But I can give you a hint. The door will only open if you show something extraordinary, something that can't be found in this world. Something ancient, or very rare."
Without asking further, Zhong Li stood up and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for the guidance, sir."
The old man only nodded, then returned to enjoying his wine. Zhong Li hurried out of the city, heading in the direction the old man had pointed, his determination reignited. He finally had a lead, a small step that could bring him closer to the truth he was seeking.
Zhong Li stood before the steep cliff north of Sky Dragon City. After searching for a moment, he found a small, barely visible crack. Recalling the hint from the old cultivator, he realized that this crack must be the hidden entrance to the Cloud Gathering Sect.
He put his hand into the crack, feeling a powerful spiritual formation. Calmly, he took a Purple Sky Stone from his pocket, and as soon as he placed the stone in front of the crack, an amazing flash of purple light enveloped the area, and the hidden entrance slowly opened, revealing a long, dark corridor.
As soon as he stepped inside, the world outside instantly vanished. The corridor ended at a large gate made of ancient wood, where two masked guards greeted him. Upon passing through the gate, Zhong Li felt as if he had entered another world. He was in a beautiful valley filled with magnificent buildings floating in the air, connected by cloud bridges. This sight was vastly different from the hidden exterior of the sect.
A masked man guided him to a room. There, Zhong Li was greeted by another man also wearing a mask, covering his entire face. The man pointed to a chair.
"Sit," he said in a hoarse voice. "What are you looking for?"
Zhong Li sat and looked directly at the masked man. "I'm looking for your branch leader. I need very important information."
The masked man fell silent for a moment. "To meet him, the price you offer must be very high. Unfortunately, you don't have anything."
Zhong Li did not flinch. Casually, he took three Purple Sky Stones from his pocket and placed them on the table. The purple light from the stones instantly filled the room. The masked man, who had been calm, was shocked to see them.
"Is this enough?" Zhong Li asked.
The masked man didn't answer. He immediately stood up and hurried away, leaving Zhong Li alone. Soon after, the man returned and guided Zhong Li to a large hall. At the end of the hall sat a graceful woman with a thin red veil covering her face, radiating a mysterious aura. She was the branch leader of the Cloud Gathering Sect.
"Sit," the woman said in a soft voice. "It's rare for someone to offer such an extraordinary gift to meet me. What information are you seeking?"
"I want to know everything about this universe," Zhong Li replied directly. "From the levels of realms, the existing sects, to any hidden powers that may exist."
The branch leader was slightly surprised. Zhong Li's questions were so basic, as if he had just arrived from another world. However, because of the three Purple Sky Stones, she decided to answer.
"This world is the Upper Realm, where Immortals reside. There are three main realms that are interconnected," she explained. "The first is the Lower Realm, where mortals live. They must cultivate diligently to break through the Heavenly Gate to ascend to the Upper Realm. Then there's the Demon Realm, where demon races and spiritual monsters live."
"In the Upper Realm itself, there are thousands of small sects, hundreds of medium sects, and ten supreme sects that rule," she continued. "These ten supreme sects are:
The Heavenly Sword Sect: The strongest sword sect with eight peak halls. One of its peaks is ruled by the Sword Immortal and the Holy Sword, two legendary cultivators whose power has surpassed the highest peak.
The Blissful Sect: A secluded sect entirely made up of female masters and disciples. They are known for their beauty and extraordinary cultivation strength. Their leader, the Blissful Queen, has cultivation at the highest peak.
The Heavenly Star Sect: A sect that focuses on cultivation to transform into beast forms.
The Buddhist Sect: A sect of Buddhist followers who master physical cultivation.
The Five Elements Sect: A sect that masters the power of the five natural elements: fire, water, earth, metal, and wood.
The Heavenly Bath Sect: A sect that focuses on the cultivation of water spiritual energy and healing.
The Phoenix Fire Sect: A sect that has cultivation of fire spiritual energy and the power of the phoenix.
The Heaven and Earth Sect: A sect that masters cultivation techniques to manipulate space and time.
The Shadow Sect: A sect that masters stealth and assassination techniques.
The Cloud Gathering Sect: We are one of the ten supreme sects, focused on gathering information and the secrets of the universe."
The branch leader then sighed. "However, behind all that, there is a darkness that hides. There are five great sects that move in the shadows. They are:
The Heavenly Demon Sect: The strongest among the dark sects, which masters the power of ancient demons.
The Assassin Sect: A sect that is an expert in killing and masters cruel assassination techniques.
The Demonic Poison Sect: A sect that masters all kinds of poisons, from lethal to debilitating.
The Soul Revival Sect: A sect that has the ability to revive the dead and control spirits.
The Scarlet Blood Sect: A sect that relies on cultivation with blood, and is known for its cruelty."