85: Chapter 85 Factions Abound

Yun Ming stood at the entrance of the Quiet Room for a moment, then withdrew the foot he had stepped out.

There was no rush to go into seclusion.

He was completely clueless about this Sect; he didn't even know where the latrines were, so what kind of seclusion was he supposed to go into?

"Let's look around first," Yun Ming muttered to himself.

The Cangxuan Immortal Sect was even larger than he had imagined.

Cascading immortal pavilions on the mountains, flying waterfalls from spiritual springs, and ancient, towering trees.

Walking down the mountain path, on the left were rows of houses where the Outer Sect Disciples lived; on the right were orderly Spirit Medicine fields planted with various Spirit Medicines; in the distance, amidst the swirling clouds and mist, majestic palaces were vaguely visible—these must be the restricted areas of the Inner Sect.

He walked and observed, occasionally meeting a few Outer Sect Disciples. When those Disciples saw the Deacon token hanging at his waist, they would respectfully bow and call him "Deacon." Yun Ming waved his hand and continued his stroll.

After strolling for an entire morning, he had actually managed to find out quite a bit of information.

The biggest gain was clarifying the faction divisions within the Cangxuan Immortal Sect.

This Sect was different from the Sunset Glow Sect. The Sunset Glow Sect was divided into nine major peaks, each with clear responsibilities, and Disciples belonged to specific peaks. The Cangxuan Immortal Sect, however, was different—it was centered around three Nascent Soul True Lords and divided into three factions.

The first was the Sect Leader, Cang Xuanzi.

This Sect Leader was at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Stage, and it was said he was only one step away from the Soul Transformation stage. He had been in power for nearly three hundred years and was the person with the oldest seniority and deepest Foundation in the Sect. His faction focused on the word "stability"—prioritizing the stability of the Immortal Sect above all else, never acting rashly, never causing trouble, and living a peaceful life.

The second was the Grand Elder, Ming Huazi.

Ming Huazi was at the Late Stage of the Nascent Soul Stage, about a hundred years younger than the Sect Leader, and was in his prime. His faction advocated for "development"—one cannot just close the door and work behind the scenes; they must explore new Secret Realms, occupy new Spiritual Veins, and make the Sect bigger and stronger. Especially since Yuan Zhenzi had made a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, resources in the Sect had become noticeably tight, and the voice of Ming Huazi's faction had grown even louder.

The third was Yuan Zhenzi.

Yuan Zhenzi was at the Early Stage of the Nascent Soul Stage, having made a Breakthrough only in the last few decades. Although he had the least seniority, his background was the strongest—it was said he was a Disciple who had come out of the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion. As for why he came to the Cangxuan Immortal Sect from a top-tier Sect like the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion, there were many different opinions, and no consensus. Some said he was squeezed out, some said he was on a mission to gain experience under his master's orders, and others said he was carrying a secret mission.

What Yun Ming cared about most was the last rumor.

"I heard that Yuan Zhenzi was sent by the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion to investigate the Teleportation Formation in our Sect."

The one saying this was an old Outer Sect Disciple, chatting with a few Junior Brothers. Yun Ming slowed his pace as he passed by and pricked up his ears.

"Teleportation Formation? What Teleportation Formation?"

"You don't know? Hidden deep within our Sect is an ancient Teleportation Formation. It's said to be capable of cross-region teleportation, teleporting directly from the East Xuan Region to the Ximing Continent! That's an incredible thing; there aren't many in the entire East Xuan Region."

"Why would people from the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion come to investigate this?"

"Who knows. Maybe they're greedy and want to take it for themselves; maybe they're afraid we'll use this Teleportation Formation to collude with the Demonic Path of the Ximing Continent; maybe... hehe, maybe they just want to use it too."

"Then is it real or fake?"

"Who knows, it's all just rumors. Anyway, I've never seen what that Teleportation Formation looks like."

After hearing this, Yun Ming paused for a moment, then continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.

People from the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion are also eyeing the Teleportation Formation?

His heart sank, but he also felt a faint sense of relief.

What made his heart sink was that this Teleportation Formation was indeed not a secret, and there were many people coveting it; he had to be even more careful.

The relief was that if Yuan Zhenzi really came from the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion, then Yao Chenzi, as his former subordinate, might know some inside information. If he could maintain a good relationship with Yao Chenzi, he might be able to find out more information.

Yun Ming suppressed this thought and continued his stroll.

By the afternoon, he had figured out the main areas of the Outer Sect of the Cangxuan Immortal Sect—where the cafeteria was, where the Alchemy Hall was, where the lecture hall was, where the Deacon Hall was, and where the Disciple living quarters were; he had memorized them all.

There were some places he couldn't enter, such as the main halls of the Inner Sect, or the Forbidden Grounds deep within the Sect; those places had Formation Restrictions, and his token didn't work there.

However, there was one place that surprised him.

The Library Pavilion.

This place was actually open.

Yun Ming stood at the entrance of the Library Pavilion, looking at the plaque with the words "Library Pavilion" written on it, feeling somewhat incredulous.

Many Disciples were entering and leaving the entrance, some from the Outer Sect and some from the Inner Sect, all carrying Jade Slips or books. An old man sat at the entrance, dozing off, with a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation, his head nodding, not checking identities at all.

Yun Ming walked in and found that the first floor was filled with bookshelves, holding various classics—Cultivation Techniques, spells, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Formations, and miscellaneous records, everything one could expect to find. Next to the bookshelf stood a sign: "First floor classics, Outer Sect Disciples may read at will, but they may not be taken out."

He went up to the second floor.

The second floor was smaller than the first, and the classics were more profound. The sign said: "Second floor classics, Inner Sect Disciples and Deacons may read at will, but they may not be taken out."

There was a third floor above, but there was a faint light screen at the stairs, blocking the way. The sign next to it read: "Third floor and above, only Golden Core True Persons and Personal Disciples may enter."

Yun Ming withdrew his gaze and began to stroll around the first and second floors.

Once he started strolling, he developed a habit.

In the following days, he lived a life of going between his Immortal Cave and the library.

During the day, he would either Cultivate in his Immortal Cave or read books in the Library Pavilion; at night, he would practice Alchemy or study newly acquired treasures; occasionally, he would go to the lecture hall to give a lecture, and after finishing the chore, he would return.

Jiu Jiu was busy patrolling its medicine garden. That small medicine garden was managed by it in an orderly manner, and the few Spirit Medicines planted by Yun Ming were growing gratifyingly, more than twice as fast as normal. Yun Ming saw this and was happy in his heart, feeling more and more that buying this egg in the beginning was a wise move.

The classics in the Library Pavilion opened his eyes.

The first floor was mostly basics—various introductory Cultivation Techniques, basics of Alchemy and Artifact Refining, geography of the East Xuan Region, encyclopedia of Yao Beasts, and a complete collection of Spirit Medicines. He flipped through these books and understood much more about the East Xuan Region, and his knowledge of Yao Beasts and Spirit Medicines also enriched significantly.

The second floor was more profound—there were several good Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Techniques, several advanced explanations of Alchemy, and even a few introductory books on Formations. Yun Ming picked what he was interested in and read them, gaining quite a bit.

The only regret was that he didn't find any records about the Teleportation Formation.

Those books either didn't talk about it or just mentioned it in passing, only saying "Ancient Teleportation Formation, capable of cross-region teleportation, now rare." There was nothing about how to build it, how to start it, or how to locate it.

Yun Ming also knew not to be anxious.

Take it slow.

By the window of the Library Pavilion, the last ray of sunset faded from the pages.

Yun Ming closed the "Examination of Sects in the East Xuan Region" in his hand and rubbed his brow. The sky outside the window was already dark, and lights lit up one after another on the seventy-two main peaks, like stars falling into the human world.

He put the book back on the shelf and got up to go downstairs.

Outside the Library Pavilion, the night was already deep.

A bright moon hung over the top of the Sky Pillar Peak, shedding clear light like water. The Spirit Stones lighting the mountain paths emitted a soft glow, illuminating the roads leading to each peak clearly. The sound of the evening lecture bell came from afar, long and lingering.

Yun Ming walked back under the moonlight, in a good mood.

Today, on the second floor of the Library Pavilion, he found a book called "Examination of Cross-Region Teleportation Formations." Although the content was vague, it at least confirmed one thing—the Cangxuan Immortal Sect did indeed have an ancient Teleportation Formation, and it was still in operation. It was just that the startup conditions were harsh and required the joint activation of the Sect's high-level members.

He thought as he walked, not paying attention to the front.

Turning around a mountain bend, he suddenly bumped into a figure.