Chapter 256: The Seven Major Sects

The Great Yan King’s Mausoleum, crafted by the third-generation descendants of the ingenious Ghost Valley, was filled with intricate traps to prevent it from being coveted by martial artists. The most crucial mechanism was the main gate, along with the Bagua Confusion Array—no one could enter before the “Life Gate” was opened. One had to wait until the sun was at its strongest, when the confusion effect weakened, and then use a focus-enhancing artifact to enter the mausoleum.

When Happy and his group arrived near the mausoleum, it was precisely at the moment of peak sunlight!

However, several other groups seemed even more eager, having arrived earlier. They took clear positions outside the majestic entrance of the mausoleum. Among them were the Thirteen Rod Monks, dressed as monks despite being laypeople. Already striking, their fierce expressions only added to their presence. After suffering losses at the foot of Mount Song, the thirteen had not only overcome their hidden ailments but also improved their cultivation. They now wielded Silver Horn Rods, unique to the Punishment Peaks—blending human and weapon into one, resembling towering, solid mountains. Though few in number, they exuded immense pressure.

Opposite the Shaolin disciples were Wudang disciples wearing black-and-white Taoist robes, holding three-foot-long swords. While the Shaolin disciples had an aura like steel and mountains, the Wudang disciples resembled pines atop peaks—elegant and serene. Over fifty of them stood against the wind, their robes fluttering, exuding a distinct beauty that immediately caught the attention of many female players from other sects.

Another striking sight, no less impressive than Shaolin and Wudang…

The Emei Sect!

A group of beautiful women, mostly in their twenties, graceful and dignified, dressed in plain white Taoist robes without makeup, giving off an otherworldly aura. Yet their sharp swords and determined gazes, as bold as those of men, made many not underestimate them.

Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei all appeared to have a harmonious atmosphere and strong brotherhood among their members. Only representatives from these three sects were present, all dressed in their distinctive sect robes, unlike the other four sects, whose varied attire and differing auras somewhat diminished their presence.

First was Kunlun, with over 180 members—the largest group among the seven major sects. Their chests bore embroidered images of tigers with wings, clearly drawn from a player gang. Most of them stared at the Emei Sect, whispering and laughing in ways understood only by men.

Their rough and brutish behavior made even the Shaolin and Wudang disciples frown in disapproval, not to mention the Emei sect members, who all glared coldly, adding to the tense atmosphere. If it weren’t for the impending opening of the royal tomb, it seemed they would have wanted to knock all these people to the ground right away.

As for the Kongtong sect, the three leaders were middle-aged men with solemn expressions, and the group behind them appeared very steady. However, the badges on their chests revealed their identity—they belonged to the same player faction, the relatively well-known Lingyin Society.

There were also quite a number of people from this faction, over eighty in total, all seeming to be skilled experts at a certain level, posing a significant threat to the Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei sects.

The remaining two groups: one was the beggar sect, dressed in tattered and fancy clothes, numbering over seventy; the last group was a group of students who clearly looked no older than twenty, with only about thirty members. Although the leaders among them had excellent temperaments, the rest of the group varied greatly in appearance—especially several overweight individuals with comically large bellies, who were chatting and laughing with the female students, looking extremely ridiculous.

The Huashan sect? The group took in the situation of all the other sects, implicitly ranking their strengths. Currently, the Shaolin sect had the fewest members, followed by the group of students from Huashan. Many knew of the reputation of the Thirteen Stick Monks; even at the Creation Realm, they had matched the bandits at the Mysterious Realm in strength and successfully escorted a precious box to the foot of Songshan Mountain. Such strength naturally made many not dare underestimate them. Next in terms of size was the Huashan sect…

It seemed the leaders were two female students, graceful and elegant, comparable to the outstanding members of the Emei sect. However, their strength was clearly not highly regarded. Despite having a unified faction badge, their young age and small number meant no one saw them as a threat.

After comparing, the Wudang sect, the largest Kunlun sect, and the Lingyin Society from the Kongtong sect ranked among the top three, while Huashan, the Beggar Sect, Emei, and the smallest Shaolin sect appeared weaker.

Of course… this was just a superficial assessment of the various sects. Once the royal tomb opened and the sects truly competed, it was uncertain who would be at a disadvantage.

Setting aside the larger sects, the Thirteen Stick Monks remained unshaken despite the numerical advantage of the six major sects, showing complete confidence in their own strength.

The Caiyi Gate, brought in by the Huashan Sect, though not particularly famous in the martial world, has actually taken control of five small to medium-sized cities and established a certain monopoly there. Its spacious warehouses and unique, well-developed contribution-point exchange system have become models for many other gangs. Unfortunately, due to a lack of resources and unfair distribution of power among its leaders, it has been unable to create an effective cycle of growth.
…
“The Wangling Tomb is about to open—why hasn’t he shown up yet?”
Within the Caiyi Gate, some people were also whispering among themselves, occasionally glancing back at the bamboo forest in hopes of seeing the figure in blue who had appeared briefly at the martial arts conference. But as time passed, they grew increasingly anxious.
The Lonely Three Wolves were also in the group, not optimistic about the current situation.
Although the Caiyi Gate already had considerable strength, with all its high-ranking members at the Mysterious Realm level mobilized, it seemed that the six major sects were all difficult to deal with…
It would likely be hard to claim the Wangling Tomb all to themselves this time.
If Kai Xin couldn’t make it in time to join them and use the sect jade pendant held by Xiao Yao to enter the tomb, the situation might become even more dangerous.
As for the other six major sects, aside from the Emei Sect, none of them seemed easy opponents. If anything went wrong, the efforts and achievements of the Caiyi Gate over the past few months might be wasted.
“Whoosh…”
A snow-white homing pigeon soared into the sky from among the Caiyi Gate members and quickly disappeared beyond the horizon.
The six major sects turned a blind eye to it.
With less than two minutes left before the Wangling Tomb opened, all seven sects’ members should have arrived by now. What use was sending any messages at this point?
Sure enough!
Two minutes passed…
No new faces appeared in the bamboo forest.
Under the scorching sun, the seven people near the entrance to the Wangling Tomb emitted a milky-white aroma that calmed the mind:
The time to enter had arrived!!
The faces of the Caiyi Gate members changed.
Kai Xin really hadn’t made it in time…
Xiao Yao stared at the bamboo forest behind her, her face showing unmistakable disappointment.