Demon Sect

The torrential rain outside still poured down, its noise a chaotic clamor.

Many people enjoyed the sound of rain, especially rain falling outside an old house.

Rain pattered against leaves, roof tiles, and bluestone slabs... each with its own rhythm and charm.

Ji Li lowered the chubby little hand lightly tugging at Lu Xun's sleeve. Seeing that he and Mao Nanbei had not fallen out, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Xun turned and smiled at her, then took half a step back and gave her a push forward... but she did not move.

Ji Li was strong. The current Lu Xun naturally could not push her.

But that was fine. He had already stepped back half a pace; next came the sales pitch.

Although Ji Li, this Tool Person, was no longer needed, Lu Xun felt that meeting was fate, so he might as well help her out.

This little girl had suffered enough already.

His face still bore a warm smile as he began recounting Ji Li's background and experiences.

He was fairly eloquent. After all, he had never joined a game guild or studio; whenever he sold equipment or accounts, he had relied on his own mouth to haggle with buyers, and that had honed his skills.

With his subtle embellishments, even Ji Li, the person involved, felt, So I really am that miserable, and nearly burst into tears with a "Waaah—!"

Murong Yan was a kind-hearted person. After hearing Lu Xun's words, the way she looked at Ji Li changed.

She had thought that applying an illusion spell to the Wedding Dress Sword would make Ji Li's life easier from now on. She had not expected the sword to have long brought such suffering upon her family.

The Cat-Eared Loli sat on her shoulder. Though she looked entirely unconcerned, her right hand kept rubbing the bell on her left hand.

After Lu Xun had said enough, he pressed directly on Ji Li's head, intending to make her bow and state her request to join a sect. Yet he still could not press her down.

Fortunately, although Ji Li usually seemed rather muddleheaded, she did not let him down at this critical moment. After bending down in a bow, she made her request:

"This immortal master placed an illusion spell on my Wedding Dress Sword, while this immortal master eliminated a Fierce Ghost and upheld justice on Heaven's behalf. You must both be from righteous immortal sects. Ji Li... Ji Li begs to join an immortal sect!"

At first, everyone nodded repeatedly as they listened to Ji Li. But when she uttered the words "righteous immortal sect," Murong Yan and Mao Nanbei could not help exchanging glances.

Murong Yan looked rather stunned, while Mao Nanbei, the little loli, could not hold back her laughter.

"Hahahahaha! Little girl, are you trying to make me die laughing?"

She lightly patted Murong Yan, signaling for her to crouch down so she could look Ji Li in the eye.

Murong Yan obediently squatted down. The Cat-Eared Loli extended her right hand and lifted Ji Li's lowered head. Looking at her slightly reddened eyes, she said word by word:

"I'm from the Demon Sect!"

The atmosphere became a little subtle.

Yes, Lu Xun knew Murong Yan's identity. He knew she was a Demon Sect Disciple.

There were countless sects on the Tian Chen Continent. Among them, the righteous side was led by four major sects: One Sword Mountain, Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, Azure Sky Sect, and Nether Sky Sect.

There was nothing wrong with the four sect names when considered separately, but pair them off two by two, and they seemed rather absurd.

The first two looked like bitter rivals, while the latter two looked suspiciously intimate.

And in truth, they were.

One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Swords Mountain had originally been one entity, called Sword Mountain.

But one faction believed that "one sword breaks all laws" was the essence of swordsmanship, so they trained only a single sword for their entire lives. They were especially peculiar.

The other faction believed that "ten thousand swords return to one" was the true essence. They learned a great many sword techniques and comprehended the sword path through countless styles.

Then, for some inexplicable reason, they split apart!

There seemed to be some hidden story behind it. Anyone could tell that there had to be more to it, but Lu Xun did not know the details.

The sword cultivators of the two factions got along especially "harmoniously." Whenever they met, they would "instruct" each other. Since they had once belonged to the same sect, they especially loved calling the other side "junior brother" or "junior sister," determined to gain the upper hand no matter what.

Every other sentence was something like, "Junior brother/sister, let me offer you some guidance in your cultivation."

Then they would fight until heaven and earth turned dark.

And every few years, the two sides held an open martial competition and invited all the major sects to watch.

Both sides held back a breath of resentment: "Today, either I slap your face in public, or you slap mine!"

Sometimes Lu Xun wondered, Did the game designers have water in their brains?

But the facts proved that players who joined either faction had an absolute blast. They fought at the drop of a hat, trading verbal barbs and sword clashes. It was exhilarating.

And the more the setting was like this, the stronger the players' sense of belonging and immersion in their sect became!

In all of Heavenly Dust, players from One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Swords Mountain cared the most about their sect's honor.

As for Azure Sky Sect and Nether Sky Sect... their founders had simply both liked messing around with the character "sky" when naming them. In essence, the two sects had nothing to do with each other.

But over time, they began seeing each other as "brother sects," much like the "brother classes" people had back in school.

As for the so-called Heretical Path, it was led by the Three Great Demonic Sects.

They were Spring Autumn Forest, Unrestrained Mountain, and... the Demon Sect.

Yes, the last one was simply called the Demon Sect, as if it were telling the whole world—yes, I am part of the Heretical Path!

Murong Yan and Mao Nanbei both came from the Demon Sect.

The sect Lu Xun wanted to join was also the Demon Sect.

Only there could he achieve a "perfect start."

As for the distinction between the righteous path and the Demonic Path... did he think players would care?

Players did not give a damn! It was just a game!

But the natives of the Tian Chen Continent still took it rather seriously.

For instance, Ji Li at this very moment.

"D-Demon Sect?" Ji Li's big eyes nearly trembled like those of an anime character.

Although the cultivation manual in her arms was also a Demonic Art, and she had once wanted to turn Lu Xun into her Cauldron, if she had a choice, she would definitely prefer the Famous Righteous Sects.

She truly had not expected that the kindhearted chubby older sister and this little girl who upheld justice on Heaven's behalf were both members of the Demon Sect!

She vaguely felt that something was off, but she had traded away her brains for her chest, so she could not figure it out.

Thus, Ji Li could not help turning to look at Lu Xun.

Lu Xun gave her a slight smile, then nodded.

He knew just how special the Demon Sect was. He did not feel as though he was dragging her aboard a pirate ship; on the contrary, he had always thought the Demon Sect was a good place.

And for someone with terminal Appearance Control, that smile was like a ray of light.

Ji Li seemed to have received some sort of encouragement.

She also understood that she had no right to be picky. She needed to cultivate, then avenge her parents!

Had she not wanted to practice a Demonic Art before? And it had been the most vile kind, at that.

So she bowed once more to show her resolve.

The Cat-Eared Loli looked at her and said, "Hmph! Don't you dare cry or regret it later!"

Yet her cat ears seemed to twitch twice in contentment.

It was as though... she felt a trace of happiness that Ji Li knew it was the Demon Sect and still chose to join without hesitation?

First update. The worldbuilding of Heavenly Dust will gradually begin unfolding bit by bit~ It should be pretty interesting~