Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 627 - 627 626 Gathering of Heroes

627: Chapter 626 Gathering of Heroes 627: Chapter 626 Gathering of Heroes Three days later, Hou Niao arrived at a large estate outside West City of Three Rivers Prefecture; this was the An family’s residence in Sanjiang, a place rarely visited in the past.

It had become their dwelling only after the Anhe Daoist Sect had split into northern and southern factions—serving as a significant marker of their presence.

Master An, the staunchest independent within the Anhe Daoist Sect, a symbol and leader, had maintained his stance for decades.

It was due to his perseverance that the Anhe Daoist Sect had not completely tilted towards the Wu Sect.

The An family, as a core supporter of the independent faction within the Anhe Daoist Sect, had earned the admiration of many Daoists of Anhe.

After moving to Three Rivers Prefecture, they gradually became the backbone of the North Anhe lineage.

Reinitiating the family’s internal exchange and execution ground, they publicly claimed it was merely to confirm the An family’s recommended list for True Disciple nominees.

However, the actual significance was far greater.

It was an indirect way of nominating potential disciples of the entire North Anhe lineage.

Should they gain approval from An’s Nascent Transformation elder, at the very least, they would possess the basic qualifications to join the subsequent competition.

The position of a True Disciple cannot be self-nominated; support from the Nascent Transformation elder is crucial.

Hou Niao was here to win over the An patriarch, despite already having obtained a promise from Master Xiao.

If he could secure the support of two Masters, the situation would be entirely different.

At the entrance, it seemed quiet, but once he entered through the gate and turned a few corridors, the scene suddenly opened up; the large execution ground was neatly arranged, and on each individual table, fine wines and fruits were spread.

With one person per table, nearly a hundred Natural Realm cultivators had already gathered here.

Although the Anhe Daoist Sect’s influence had diminished under the Wu Sect’s suppression, it was still a national Daoist lineage with substantial size and deep roots.

Just the qualified cultivators of the Natural Realm alone were numerous, indicative of the latent strength of the entire Anhe Daoist Sect.

It’s no wonder that even the mighty Wu Sect dared not force their hand too far or swallow them whole.

Indeed, it was the largest Daoist organization in the Southwest region aside from the Wu Sect.

These cultivators knew each other well, all hailing from the Anhe Daoist Sect and having crossed paths countless times over decades of cultivation.

Only someone from outside, like Hou Niao, would appear isolated and alone.

Finding an empty table, he sat cross-legged; no one approached him.

Even those he knew avoided interaction, as each person now bore the identity of a competitor; there was no need for pretense of closeness.

He spotted Daoist Yan, still veiled in light gauze, seated at the front row; in such gatherings, at least theoretically, all cultivators were treated equally without anyone gaining an advantage from their special background.

Of course, there were always ways to gain an edge through other means.

Among these Daoists of Anhe, both the North Vein and South Vein factions were present, a massive inertia within one lineage, still intricately connected despite a titular division.

Every Natural Realm cultivator had the right to vie for the position of a True Disciple.

While previously implausible, in the current circumstances of the Anhe Daoist Sect, every aspirant had to face even stricter scrutiny.

Simply put, you must be capable of facing challenges from other cultivators; the days of relying solely on backing to achieve victory are long gone.

This form of competition, more aligned with the essence of cultivation, exists uniquely within the turbulent Anhe Daoist Sect.

He was feeling somewhat uneasy now, not about his safety or ability.

What worried him was how to convince everyone with Daoist techniques in the upcoming demonstrations and discussions.

Employing his sharp and unrivaled swordsmanship would be inappropriate in this setting, and could easily breed resentment; even with Master Xiao’s support, he must consider the overarching opinion within the Anhe Daoist Sect.

While others meditated with eyes closed, he began to search through his repertoire of skills for those that might be presented.

It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible either.

The appointed time had come; those who were to come had arrived.

Some were here for the position of True Disciple, others for the allure of beauty.

In the Anhe Daoist Sect, Daoist Yan was likened to the pristine flower of the sect, modest in bloom yet broadly famous for its fragrance.

No one was a fool, nor was Hou Niao the only one with keen eyesight.

A Golden Core Upper Cultivator from the An family stepped forward to preside over the execution ground, named An Jinlan, who should be Daoist Yan’s clan uncle.

There were also over a dozen other Golden Core Upper Cultivators each from different backgrounds, including those from the An family and other esteemed elders from North Anhe.

The Anhe Daoist Sect differed from the Shan Sect, their system leaning more towards the traditions of Ancient Cultivators, uninvolved in secular positions.

An outsider like Hou Niao found it nearly impossible to discern the intricacies of their hierarchical control, unable to determine who held real influence amid the crowd of onlookers.

“… The three secrets of Taiching, the six talismans of the Grand Monarch.

Passed down from the Golden Book, inscribed on the Yuqing Book.

An excellent seeker of truth who bears the secret book in their satchel knows that after three sacrifices, they shall support me in eradicating inner distractions.

Since ancient times, the line of Anhe Daoist Sect has valued the Golden Jade Book as crucial, the essential secret of passing knowledge down the lineage; the fundamental.

Anyone practicing the Dao under Anhe cannot be exempt.

Thus, with such an assemblage of distinguished guests and gathered talents, we shall also rely on the Golden Jade Book as a testament.

Without this, one cannot pass on the true teaching of Anhe.

I possess a corner of the world, demonstrating the true essence of Daoist righteousness.

Let’s see which of you can carve a piece of Jade Skill and reveal even a fraction of its truth?”

Each lineage has its own unique transmission, and for the Anhe Daoist Sect, the Golden Jade Book sets them apart.

What is the Golden Jade Book?

It consists of a cultivator’s depictions and explanations of various skills, artifacts, natural phenomena, cultivation concepts, and all things related to cultivation, captured not in words but in a non-linguistic manner.

Known as engraved scriptures or expressions of intent, it involves using a special cultivation language to convey individual insights about certain cultivation elements in a way that can be preserved for posterity.

To a mortal, this might seem redundant—it would be simpler to explain these matters using plain text.

Why insist on using such archaic inscriptions to convey meaning?

Isn’t this a regression in history?

However, in the Cultivation World, many things are only understood implicitly and cannot be fully communicated through language.

Hence, more profound and elusive inscriptions are necessary to capture them, which, in the Anhe Daoist Sect, are known as the Golden Jade Book.

This approach evaluates contributions to the legacy of Daoist teachings.

Regardless of one’s strength, the ability to express one’s practiced art through the medium of the Golden Jade Book for future generations is a fundamental skill for a Daoist of Anhe.

In the Complete Quanzhen Shan Sect, sword cultivators do not value these, focusing more on the results of combat and disregarding the longevity of transmission.

However, in Daoist Sects, this foundational skill is greatly esteemed; their core belief is that an individual’s strength may not last forever, but a Daoist lineage can grow stronger through such accumulated wisdom passed down through generations.

True Inheritor, true inheritor—a person who possesses the truth but cannot pass it on, is in vain.

Such is the philosophy of the Anhe Daoist Sect.

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