I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 108: 108: The Two Factions

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"A bootlicker? What sort of monster is that?"

Lin Yushu faintly felt it was not a compliment, yet had never heard of it before.

"You can't slander monsters like that..." Zhou Yi carefully explained the meaning of bootlicker.

Reflecting on his past actions, Lin Yushu realized he had been nothing short of an upgraded bootlicker, giving all the medicinal pills provided by his clan for cultivation to his junior sister, earning only a few 'Thank you, Brother Lin' in return.

Though his face turned red and his forehead bulged with restrained frustration, Lin Yushu still argued for himself.

"Can the affairs between a man and a woman really be considered bootlicking... Uncle Master surely has no partner and doesn't know the taste of it, otherwise, he would understand me," he said.

"Hmm! How many Dual Cultivation techniques do you know? The Overturning Phoenix Technique, Phoenix Cry Art, Jade Path Technique, Charming Woman Scripture, Harmonious Union Technique, Yin Yang Art, Joyous Sect..." Upon hearing someone question his expertise, Zhou Yi listed over twenty different Dual Cultivation techniques in succession.

Lin Yushu was stunned, feeling as though he had opened a door to a world he had never known, despite being a direct disciple of the sect.

"Uncle Master, where did you hear about these techniques?"

"Why would I need to hear about them, when I have practiced each one myself," replied Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi went on, "These techniques each have their own focus, for instance, the Overturning Phoenix Technique and the Yin Yang Art are inclined towards breaking through realms, the Charming Woman Scripture and the Harmonious Union Technique aim to increase cultivation power, and the Jade Path Technique is purely for enjoyment."

"Hiss!"

Lin Yushu's eyes changed, and he had many questions he was too embarrassed to ask, such as where one could go to practice Dual Cultivation.

The Dan Ding Sect was a prestigious and orthodox sect with strict rules, and certainly wouldn't allow disciples to engage in reckless behavior, risking tainting the sect's reputation.

"Uncle Master, I will definitely stop being a bootlicker from now on," Lin Yushu vowed.

Zhou Yi merely grunted, unconvinced that a bootlicker could change, since such behavior either occurs never or countless times.

Lin Yushu, sensing the mistrust, thought about the numerous Dual Cultivation techniques, and swore to the heavens, "At this year's end at the sect's junior competition, I will definitely rank in the top ten to win the Foundation Establishment Pill and ascend to a true cultivator!"

"What does being a bootlicker have to do with this?" Zhou Yi asked, puzzled.

The Dan Ding Sect had junior and senior competitions, Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment, respectively; the former took place at the end of each year, the latter once every ten years.

The reward for the top ten was pills and Spiritual Objects that could break through realms. Participation was voluntary, and these pills and Spiritual Objects could be exchanged for merit points, but at a very high price.

Zhou Yi had inquired about the exchange price for the Foundation Establishment Pill—it was a whopping five thousand merit points, which meant that the sect was making a fivefold profit!

Originally, Zhou Yi had contemplated earning merit points, such as finding a disciple in need of a Foundation Establishment Pill and having them set up a very difficult task, rewarding only three to four thousand merit points—a task most disciples wouldn't take on.

After accepting the task and easily completing it to earn merit points, Zhou Yi then planned to exchange them for the Foundation Establishment Pill in private.

However, after an indirect inquiry at the External Affairs Hall, he learned that mission assignments required the review of a true immortal, who strictly cracked down on trading merit points. Any discovered infractions would carry severe consequences!

This instantly extinguished his thoughts of taking shortcuts, and Zhou Yi certainly wouldn't risk thousands of merit points for breaking sect rules and angering a true immortal.

"Uncle Master, once I break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, I'll be able to go on external assignments and travel outside the sect," Lin Yushu said with a chuckle.

He continued, "At that time, I'll still need Uncle Master's guidance on where to learn Dual Cultivation techniques, and to thoroughly examine it myself to see if it's as mystical as Uncle Master says!"

"Talk about that after you've achieved Foundation Establishment," Zhou Yi replied.

Zhou Yi felt there was still hope for Lin Yushu and casually asked, "From your words, have you never left the sect?"

Lin Yushu nodded, "Since my double Spirit Roots were discovered at a young age, my clan sent me to the Dan Ding Sect to cultivate, and I have not once gone out in eighteen years."

"Same world, different fates," Zhou Yi remarked.

For the pursuit of Immortal Traces, he had expended so much effort and had suffered exploitation in the Marketplace, only to be accepted into the sect after more than two hundred years of hard cultivation.

"So Uncle Master, you were a Loose Cultivator?" Lin Yushu inquired.

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Lin Yushu hesitated and said, "That scoundrel surnamed Zhang is a Loose Cultivator, who has gathered a bunch of disciples, relying on his strong combat spells, his arrogance is extremely rampant."

"Does the Law Enforcement Hall not care?"

Zhou Yi had spent half a year at the Dan Ding Sect and had figured out the general power divisions, which simply put, were the Direct Disciples faction and the Loose Cultivators faction.

To delve into the specific conflicts amongst the Eighteen Peaks and the disputes between the various True Masters, that was not something one could understand in a short time. Of course, this was limited only to those below the True Masters; it's likely that the Nascent Soul Ancestors who were in secluded cultivation at Divine Fire Peak just watched for amusement.

The Direct Disciples faction consisted of those who had been cultivating in the sect since childhood, enjoying superior Spirit Veins, pills, and all the Cultivation Techniques passed down from the Dan Ding Sect.

The Loose Cultivators faction included those like Zhou Yi, who struggled in the mundane world or the Marketplace, either due to exceptional aptitude or by performing notable feats, with various reasons to enter the Sect for cultivation.

The former had a more solid foundation, while the latter were more ruthless in their methods; in terms of cultivation level, Direct Disciples had the advantage, but when it came to combat, Loose Cultivators were slightly better.

Overall, the Direct Disciples faction was dominant, with the majority of the Eighteen Peaks' leaders being Direct Disciples.

Lin Yushu said with a bitter face, "That scoundrel surnamed Zhang is well-versed in the sect's rules; even when he bullies others, he always has a pretext. When the Law Enforcement Hall investigates, they can never find any wrongdoing."

"That's the advantage of understanding the law," said Zhou Yi, who had anticipated this. Even the best of rules have loopholes, not to mention that the high and mighty Ancestors also wish for the two factions to fight.

A stagnant sect had no future; as long as the factional struggles were kept within a certain range, it was more beneficial than harmful for the Dan Ding Sect.

"I just didn't join any gang, otherwise I wouldn't be bullied by others."

Lin Yushu hummed, "Fighting all day long, where's the fun in cultivating… But if it were Dual Cultivation, that would be even more interesting!"

"Your Dao heart is commendable," Zhou Yi nodded in agreement. There were not a few disciples in the Dan Ding Sect with such thoughts, from True Masters to Qi Refinement; many stayed out of the two factions and devoted themselves to arduous cultivation.

After today's interaction, the two became quite familiar with each other, and since Zhou Yi didn't put on airs as an uncle master, Lin Yushu also spoke more freely.

Lin Yushu, who had lived in the Dan Ding Sect since childhood, had heard and seen many interesting stories and talked about them endlessly.

"Moon Viewing Peak only accepts female disciples because there's a Moonlight Heavenly Pond at the peak of the mountain, where many female disciples go to bathe whenever the moon is full…"

"Elder Jiuxiao loves fine wine, often transforming into an ordinary disciple looking for a drink, rewarding those who please him."

"It is rumored that the Sect Leader, when he was young, had fervently pursued a female disciple, and after being rejected, he closed himself off for bitter cultivation, broke through the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core in succession, and defeated eighteen Peak Masters to rise to the position of Sect Leader!"

"In the northeast corner of the Sect, there is a place where extreme yin generates yang, often visited by a scruffy odd fellow for cultivation…"

Listening with keen interest, Zhou Yi knew the Dan Ding Sect had a deep foundation, and nothing short of a catastrophic disaster could topple it, becoming even more satisfied with his current life. Hiding and cultivating in secluded Reflection Cliff for a thousand years, even the least gifted could achieve the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment.

Before long, a month had passed.

Lin Yushu's punishment came to an end, and when he left the Black Wind Cave, his farewell was lingering as if he had a thousand words to say.

Zhou Yi said, "This book has been given to you, take care of yourself, and don't damage your foundation."

"Thank you, Uncle Master!"

Lin Yushu was immediately overjoyed. The book that had accompanied him for thirty nights now held a place in his heart above that of Junior Sister Zi Qiong; he was determined to take it with him to his grave when his life ended.

"When practicing Secret Techniques, don't blindly pursue power."

Zhou Yi, having learned that Lin Yushu had become round from practicing a certain Body Cultivation Secret Technique, reminded him.

"My uncle master once had a friend whose strength was not as good as yours, yet countless stunning beauties threw themselves at him simply because he was handsome!"

Lin Yushu fell silent for a long while and seemed to understand.