Tian Shu Wu Wang Lu

In the quiet room of Qingxuan Immortal Mansion, Daoist Xuanzhen sat upright on the cloud-patterned futon in the main seat. His plain white Daoist robe was spotless, and a star-patterned whisk hung lightly at his knees. His brows and eyes were peaceful, and he exuded a transcendent Daoist elder's dignity. Only when his eyelashes fluttered slightly did he reveal a hint of expectation for his disciples.

Today, the Taoist priest specially dismissed the servants and summoned four people inside. One reason was to celebrate Lin Ye's first disciple, Ayan, who, without relying on any sect favoritism or external help, relied entirely on his own hard work day and night to break through the early stage of the Condensing Star realm and officially enter the inner sect.

Secondly, during the break in cultivation before the secret realm opened, I wanted to break down the power structure and rules of the Cangxing Realm for everyone, especially to let Lin Ye's little disciple and A Yan, his grand-disciple, fully understand the rules, opportunities, and hidden dangers of this world, so that they wouldn't rashly venture in the future and suffer setbacks without even knowing why.

The four people standing below each had a different posture, and their personalities were immediately apparent.

Senior Brother Jiang Xubai, dressed in a moon-white inner sect robe, stood tall and gentle, with a calm and composed air about him. Having entered the Lingxiao Pavilion at a young age, he was already very familiar with the power structure of the Cangxing Realm. Listening to the sermon was merely a review for him. His expression remained as steady as Mount Tai. He would also occasionally and quietly straighten the hem of Ayan's clothes, showing his gentle and considerate nature.

The female lead, Shen Qingyuan, wore a simple white dress, her figure slender and graceful, her temperament aloof and ethereal, exuding a sense of detachment that kept strangers at bay. Yet, her clear eyes always remained fixed on Lin Ye beside her, a faint tenderness hidden in their depths. She could detect the slightest movement from Lin Ye immediately, her cool exterior concealing a quiet concern.

Lin Ye stood upright, his eyes fixed intently on Master Xuanzhen, listening attentively to every word he spoke, his face calm and composed.

At the very end, Ayan was the most nervous of them all. He was dressed in his brand-new inner sect uniform, his skin was tanned from years of exposure to the sun and rain in the outer sect, his back was ramrod straight, his hands were pressed tightly against his sides, his fingers were slightly clenched, and he even deliberately kept his breathing very light, as if he was afraid that a heavy breath would disturb his master's sermon. He looked just like a new rider attending the headquarters training for the first time, both reserved and devout.

"Today, I will not discuss cultivation techniques or incantations, nor will I teach any specific moves or methods. I will only explain the overall structure of the Cangxing Realm." Master Xuanzhen spoke slowly, his voice carrying a calming power. His gaze swept over the four people below, finally settling on Lin Ye and A Yan, adding a touch of caution, "Lin Ye, A Yan, if you cannot distinguish the forces of the world, differentiate between good and evil, and understand the survival rules of the cultivation world, you will easily stumble into death when you travel the martial world or enter secret realms. Today, I will explain to you in detail the entirety of the Cangxing Realm and the entanglements of its forces."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Taoist priest slightly raised his fingertips, and a wisp of pure and refined star power, without any impurities, rose from his fingertips and slowly spread out in mid-air. In an instant, it transformed into a vast and lifelike map of the Cangxing Realm.

On the map, mountains and rivers crisscross, spiritual vein nodes twinkle like stars, and the strongholds of major forces are marked with different colored spiritual lights. From the territory of a sect to the distribution of spiritual veins, everything is clear and easy to see.

Lin Ye's eyes lit up, which made A Yan, who was standing next to him, stare wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape, filled with shock.

"The Cangxing Realm is vast and boundless, teeming with countless cultivators and mortals. Yet, in this entire world, my Lingxiao Pavilion reigns supreme, presiding over the core star region of the Central Plains. We are the orthodox lineage of star cultivation, revered by all sects." Master Xuanzhen lightly tapped the most dazzling and massive cluster of starlight in the center of the map, his tone tinged with sect pride. "Our pavilion has a thousand-year-old heritage and profound foundation. We primarily cultivate the five major lineages of star power, star arrays, star pills, star souls, and star phenomena. Our sect boasts thousands of disciples and countless experts. The exclusive Starfall Secret Realm within our sect is the very foundation of my Lingxiao Pavilion. It contains countless spiritual herbs, supreme treasures, and star power opportunities, accessible only to our inner core disciples. Even the most outstanding geniuses from outside cannot even dream of setting foot there."

He had previously entered the Starfall Secret Realm for training, and knew that the opportunities there were precious. He also understood the sect's strict protection of the secret realm, and was well aware of Lingxiao Pavilion's dominant position in the Cangxing Realm.

Ayan, standing to the side, stared at the dazzling starlight with eyes shining with awe, clenching his fists and making a silent vow in his heart: When the secret realm opens again, I will enter the Starfall Secret Realm, not disgrace my master, not disgrace my grandmaster, and become a true leader of the inner sect of Lingxiao Pavilion!

Master Xuanzhen traced the map with his fingertips, speaking calmly as he continued to explain the details of the other five major righteous sects:

"In the land of the Southern Frontier, where spiritual veins stretch endlessly, lies Danxiao Valley. The entire valley specializes in alchemy and the cultivation of spiritual plants. Their alchemy skills are unparalleled in the entire Cangxing Realm. Most of the healing pills and breakthrough pills that our sect disciples use on a daily basis come from Danxiao Valley. They have been on good terms with our Lingxiao Pavilion for generations, exchanging goods and resources. They are our most reliable allies."

"The Eastern Region is filled with treacherous peaks, and the Zhan Chen Sword Pavilion is rooted here. Every disciple of the Sword Pavilion is proficient in both sword and saber, and is brave and skilled in battle. They are the main force of the righteous sects and have been guarding the Eastern Region's defense line for many years to resist the invasion of evil cultivators. They are the vanguard in resisting the invasion of evil spirits."

"The Xize Forest is deep and secluded, and Lingxi Valley is located in it. The valley is mostly inhabited by female cultivators who are skilled in beast taming, medicine, and spiritual plant cultivation. Most of the top spiritual plants and rare demonic beasts in the entire Cangxing Realm are controlled by Lingxi Valley. Although they do not like conflict, no one dares to provoke them easily."

"The northern wilderness is filled with yellow sand and the environment is harsh. The Thunder Control Sect took root here. The sect mainly cultivates thunder magic. Their techniques are domineering and fierce. Thunder power has the effect of purifying evil spirits. Whenever evil forces cause trouble, the disciples of the Thunder Control Sect are always the first to rush forward. They are fearless and are the main force in fighting evil."

"The extreme cold snow region is frozen all year round, with snow covering thousands of miles. The Xuanbing Palace is located here. The disciples of the palace specialize in ice-based techniques and array formations. Their defensive capabilities are unparalleled. Their ice arrays can trap thousands of powerful enemies. They and my Lingxiao Pavilion are mutually supportive, forming an alliance of offense and defense."

At this point, Master Xuanzhen's tone turned slightly somber, carrying a hint of warning: "Although the six major sects belong to the righteous path and outwardly support and help each other, maintaining a balance of power, they also secretly compete for resources and scheme for territory. They are never a monolithic entity. When you enter the secret realm in the future and encounter disciples from other sects, you can join forces or avoid them, but you must never easily trust others and always be cautious."

Lin Ye wholeheartedly agreed. The competition for resources in the cultivation world is even more straightforward, just like vying for high-quality, large orders. You have to strive for benefits while also guarding against others intercepting your orders or tripping you up. It's always a good idea to have a backup plan.

When the Taoist priest mentioned the evil forces, his fingertips suddenly sank, and a thick, black mist, exuding a chilling aura, suddenly rose from the northwest corner of the map. The mist churned and surged, emanating a chilling aura that made people's hearts tremble. Even though it was just the aura manifested by the map, it made everyone present feel a chill and their hearts tighten.

"This is the Netherworld Branch, a henchman planted by the Nine Netherworld Emperor in the mortal realm of the Azure Star Realm, and the greatest scourge of the entire world." Master Xuanzhen's voice suddenly turned solemn, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. "These evil cultivators do not follow the righteous path, but specialize in the path of the soul, the path of blood, and demonic arts. Their methods are insidious and ruthless. They use the essence of living beings and the souls of cultivators to forge evil weapons, frequently committing massacres and slaughtering cities. The Qingyang City massacre a hundred years ago and the Lingxi Valley chaos a thousand years ago were both their doing. These people are treacherous and cunning, lurking in the shadows year after year, waiting for an opportunity to cause trouble. If you encounter them in the future, fight if you can, but if you are no match for them, retreat immediately. Never fight them head-on; preserving your life is the most important thing."

Lin Ye immediately listed the Netherworld Branch as the number one high-risk restricted area in his heart and secretly made up his mind to eliminate these evil spirits in the future.