136 Fire Dragon Sec (1/2)
At the group of carriages and carts continued, they passed through a small town. The walls surrounding the town could only be described as ordinary wooden fencing one might see on a farm. Cultivators wearing bright red and orange robes patrolled the area, likely as part of long-term Fire Dragon Sect missions.
As the group travelled down a wide stone road, they passed rows of old fashioned buildings made of wood and stone. It was as if they had travelled back through time to the medieval era. Any people near the road that saw the carriages stopped what they were doing and respectfully bowed, not daring to lift their heads until the carriages passed them.
”What are they doing?” Ed questioned as he stared out the window.
”Showing respect.” Tai replied. ”Though we generally stay out of their lives, they know who is responsible for their current safety. Not only that, but they view us as deities and immortals. Many of them hope for their children to be accepted into the sect, and so they are careful to not offend us in any way.”
”I See.” He nodded. ”And does the sect actually recruit them?”
”They do.” Tai nodded. ”Once a year, we assign missions to cultivators that are capable of checking if a human has a mana-core. They travel to all the cities, towns, and villages in our provinces. Any children that are capable of cultivating fire are sent directly to the Fire Dragon Sect. If they can't cultivate fire, then they're given the option to go to one of the other sects that specializes in their element or the option to become an honorary member of the Fire Dragon Sect. Of the eight sects, seven specialize in just a single element. This makes teaching easier while also fostering a strong community for the cultivators.”
”What about the Purple Origin Sect?” He questioned.
Tai waved his fan towards his face. ”The Purple Origin Sect is a bit special since they're the only sect that accepts cultivators of all seven elements. Typically, they won't recruit an ordinary human unless their mana-core holds at least five elements. Other than that, they often recruit geniuses from the other sects even if they don't meet the five element minimum.”
”And the other sects are just okay with this?” Ed replied.
”They are.” Tai nodded. ”Not only is it considered the highest of honors, but it allows the cultivator to obtain better education and training. It also allows for the individual sects to obtain more political power. Any cultivator that switches sects will usually still have a great degree of loyalty to their original sect. So, if your sect makes up the majority of the Purple Origin Sect, then you have far more control over the decisions made at the highest levels of government.”
”Sounds like a mess that's just waiting to implode on itself.” Ed sighed.
”True.” Tai agreed while continuing to wave his fan. ”Only Fang Chonglin manages to hold things together. Of course, the Purple Origin Sect has its own core geniuses from their occasional recruitment, and they likely make up some of the strongest cultivators in the country, but they are few in number. Quality can't always make up for quantity.”
Ed smiled. ”So, where does the Fire Dragon Sect stand in the rankings?”
”Naturally, we're the strongest behind the Purple Origin Sect.” He grinned. ”In fact, our members make up over 20 percent of the Purple Origin Sect. So, you could say we're pretty well respected.”
”Is that right?” Ed replied, half-wondering if Tai was just shamelessly bragging or not.
The journey continued as they passed through multiple towns and cities, each just as ordinary as the last. Occasionally they stopped to trade out horses, but Ed couldn't help but wonder why they didn't just capture some strong mutants to speed things up. Perhaps it related back to the cultural difference of the Chinese wanting to keep things simple.
Finally, after nearly two days, they arrived at their destination.
”Ugh, it smells like sulfur.” Ed frowned as he covered his mouth.
”Haha.” Tai laughed. ”Of course it does. Do you think it's called the Longgang Volcanic Fields for nothing?”
”Tsk.” He clicked his tongue while looking out the window. ”What kind of masochists would choose to live in a place like this?”
Just beyond the stone road were a series of crater lakes. They were filled with clear blue water, and steam continuously rose from them. It might be more accurate to describe them as natural hot springs. Lush green trees and plants surrounded the lakes, making them look like miniature gardens of Eden. But as they continued deeper, the crater lakes became uglier, and soon, they were replaced by volcanic lakes filled with reddish-orange lava.
The smell of sulfur continued growing stronger. Some of the lava lakes were eerily calm, while others bubbled like giant pots of boiling water. Things continuously grew hotter and dryer. Fortunately, the stone road wasn't affected much by the heat, and the horses could continue forward.
Finally unable to withstand his curiosity, he turned to Tai. ”Why would your sect choose such an awful place as their base?”
”Awful?” Tai smiled. ”You just don't understand the benefits. As someone who walks the paths of fire, you should surround yourself with it as much as possible. Not only will this strengthen your connection with the element of fire, but it'll also allow you to master the paths of fire faster. It's only natural we'd set up shop in such a holy land.”
”Is that so?” He rose an eyebrow and nodded, but internally his thoughts were in complete disagreement. 'Hopefully the Purple Origin Sect is better. This place is a hellhole. No wonder Tai seemed so comfortable in the cage. With lava everywhere, he probably felt right at home except for the color being different.'
Moving past the lakes, they reached a towering black wall. The wall was even taller and wider than that of a city, and Ed couldn't see the end of it in either direction. Sharp spikes jutted out all over the wall, and it took a moment for him to realize it was actually made of obsidian. They soon reached a pair of open gates lined with guards. Tai held his jade medallion out the window as they passed, and the entire group of carts and carriages easily entered.