Five Elements Sect

Senior Brother Xu Shilin's addition regarding the "Fallen Phoenix Abyss" was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, making Lin Ming more cautious and expectant about the upcoming Southern Region's Meteor Beast Mountain Range.

If the legend is true, this trip is probably far more than just exploring the ruins of the Beast Taming Sect. It may involve the Secrets of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, and even have an unexpected intersection with Zi Yan's Ancient Void Dragon Bloodline.

Just as Lin Ming was lost in thought about what lay ahead, Elder Yao cleared his throat, exchanged a glance with Xiao Yi Xian beside him, and his expression became serious.

He looked at Lin Ming and said in a deep voice, "Lin Ming, before you set off for the perilous Southern Region, there is a fundamental matter that needs to be settled first, in order to reassure the people and consolidate our power."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ming snapped out of his thoughts, turned his gaze to Elder Yao, and said, "Elder Yao, please speak."

"You are no longer the ignorant fool you once were."

Elder Yao's eyes were piercing, and his voice was loud and clear.

"Dou Venerate expert, the strongest champion of the Pill Gathering, possessing multiple Heavenly Flames, and having even refined the Three Thousand Burning Flame, making him famous Middle Continent! With such a status, if he were to do everything personally, not only would it be inefficient, but it would also be a waste of his status and immense reputation and resources. To establish himself in the Middle Continent, fighting alone is ultimately a inferior strategy. If he wants to contend with a behemoth like the Soul Hall, and even compete for supremacy on the continent in the future, he must have his own power!"

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of pre-planned certainty. "Therefore, in the six months since you entered the Star Domain, the old man and the fairy healer have discussed it many times and feel that it is time for you, and for all of us, to establish a sect of our own!"

"A sect centered around you! Only in this way can we concentrate our power, enabling us to attack or defend as needed, and also handle many trivial matters for you, allowing you to focus on cultivation and important affairs."

Xiao Yi Xian also spoke up at the opportune moment, her voice gentle yet firm. "Lin Ming, Elder Yao is absolutely right."

"An individual's strength has its limits. A sect can not only provide resources and intelligence, but also gather like-minded individuals to form a force not to be underestimated. Elder Yao and I have not been entirely unprepared during this time. Using your reputation, we have secretly observed and selected some Rogue Cultivator and scions of small families with clean backgrounds, good potential, and who greatly admire you. Now, most of them are waiting outside the courtyard, awaiting your approval as the future Sect Master, so that we can officially establish our sect!"

Although Zi Yan had no concept of managing a sect, she waved her little fist excitedly and said, "Establishing a sect? That sounds like a lot of fun! Lin Ming, are we going to have our own territory too?"

Lin Ming listened quietly, his face showing little surprise. He had already guessed some of the clues from the strangers in the courtyard and Elder Yao's previous hints.

Establishing a sect was indeed part of his plan, but he didn't expect Elder Yao and Xiao Yi Xian to act so quickly, starting preparations even while he was in seclusion.

After a moment's hesitation, Lin Ming's gaze swept over his most trusted companions— Elder Yao, who had devoted himself to him tirelessly; Xiao Yi Xian, who had silently managed everything; the innocent yet infinitely promising Zi Yan; the loyal and reliable Xiong Zhan; and even the Ye Family, who had retained their Elder Seat thanks to his help...

A surge of pride welled up in Lin Ming's chest. Yes, it was time to establish his own foundation!

"Elder Yao, Immortal Physician, you have considered everything very thoroughly."

Lin Ming spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful.

"Establishing a sect is imperative. I have no objection."

Seeing Lin Ming nod, Elder Yao and Xiao Yi Xian both showed relieved and joyful smiles. The tense atmosphere in the courtyard also eased.

"Since you agree, then you can decide the name of this sect!" Elder Yao said with a smile.

"This is the most important thing in establishing a school of thought; it needs to be catchy and meaningful."

The name of the sect...

Lin Ming closed his eyes slightly, his mind sinking into the 2,900-foot-long Five Elements World Prototype within his body, feeling the boundless Daoist rhythm of the five Origin Power of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth circulating endlessly and giving rise to all things.

Everything he has is based on the <Chaos Spirit Five Elements Art>, on the Way of the Five Elements. The Five Elements are the foundation of the world, the Law governing heaven and earth, all-encompassing and eternally precious, endlessly regenerating.

A moment later, Lin Ming opened his eyes, a fleeting glint of Five Elements flashing in them. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty:

"Let's call it the Five Elements Sect."

"The Five Elements Sect?"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this. The name sounded plain and simple, even a bit too simplistic, far less imposing than names like "Burning Heaven Pavilion" or "Earth-Splitting Sect."

Xiao Yi Xian frowned slightly and said softly, "The Five Elements... isn't that a bit too common? There seem to be quite a few small sects in the Middle Continent that are named after the Five Elements."

Elder Yao stroked his beard, his eyes filled with inquiry. "Young man, is there any deeper meaning behind this name?"

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, Lin Ming simply smiled and did not explain the mysteries of the <Chaos Spirit Five Elements Art> in detail. He simply said, "The Great Dao is simple. The Five-Element Rotation, giving rise to all things and encompassing heaven and earth. This name is quite good."

Seeing that Lin Ming had made up his mind, and that his words seemed to contain some deeper meaning that they had not yet understood, Elder Yao and Xiao Yi Xian did not ask any further questions. They trusted Lin Ming's decision; there must be a reason for this name.

"Alright! Then let's call it the Five Elements Sect!" Elder Yao slapped his thigh, setting the tone.

Now that the sect's name has been decided, the next step is to establish its structure and select personnel. The group moved to the expanded Training Ground in Ye Courtyard, which could now accommodate hundreds of people.

At this moment, nearly a hundred people stood solemnly on the Training Ground. They were the first batch of sect backbone members and disciples selected by Elder Yao and Xiao Yi Xian during this period. They felt the unfathomable pressure of the Dou Venerate aura emanating from Lin Ming, and each of them was excited and had burning eyes.

Lin Ming stood before the crowd, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire scene. Although he did not deliberately release his aura, the master's demeanor that he naturally exuded had already inspired awe in everyone present.

Looking at these people, Lin Ming solemnly announced in a loud voice, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears. "From this day forward, the Five Elements Sect is officially established!"

"I, Lin Ming, am honored to be the first Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect!"

"Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan will be appointed as Vice Sect Master!"

"Yao Tianhuo, for the Great Elder!"

"Xiong Zhan, for the Elder!"

"Xu Shilin is Guest Elder!"

"Ye Zhong, appointed as the External Affairs Deacon!"

"Xin Lan, enter the Inner Sect and receive personal guidance from this Sect Master!"

With each appointment being issued, the core structure became clear instantly.

Xiao Yi Xian is in charge of the sect's daily management, Zi Yan is more symbolic and has freedom, Elder Yao is in charge of the central management, Xiong Zhan is in charge of combat and protection, Xu Shilin is a guest elder to maintain relations with the Pill Tower, and Ye Zhong is in charge of external liaison and resource mobilization.

The crowd below bowed respectfully and shouted in unison, "Greetings, Sect Master! Greetings, Vice Sect Master! Greetings, Great Elder!"

The deafening roar marked the official launch of the Five Elements Sect's new warship!

With the sect established and its name set, the next step is to choose a location and establish a foothold. A sect cannot remain residing in Ye Courtyard forever.

Elder Yao clearly had a plan in mind. He chuckled, a cold glint of domineering glint in his eyes. "As for the sect's headquarters, I have an excellent choice, and it's readily available!"

All eyes were on him.

"Oh? Where?" Lin Ming asked.

"Ice River Valley!" Elder Yao said, emphasizing each word.

Lin Ming and the others smiled at this.

"Alright! Let's settle on Ice River Valley!" Lin Ming immediately approved. "Elder Yao, you, as the Great Elder, will be fully responsible for this matter, with Elder Xiong Zhan assisting you. Quickly lead your men to take over Ice River Valley, clear away the remnants, repair the buildings, and make it the headquarters of our Five Elements Sect!"

"Yes, Sect Master!" Elder Yao and Xiong Zhan responded in unison, their eyes filled with enthusiasm.

Looking at the sect's nascent form that was rapidly taking shape, Lin Ming felt a clear mind. Establishing the sect's foundation before venturing into the Southern Region to explore the ruins was undoubtedly a wise move. With a stable rear and a gradually growing power, he could face the storms ahead without any worries.

The Five Elements Sect will be his true starting point on this Dou Qi Continent!

After the site was chosen, the Five Elements Sect, this newly formed machine, began to operate efficiently.

As Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate expert, Elder Yao's strength was unmatched even by the Three Great Heads of Pill Tower. He personally led Xiong Zhan, who had transformed into Eighth Order Ancient Dragon Bear, and a group of newly recruited disciples eager to show off, to the former Ice River Valley, now the Five Elements Mountain Range.

The process went much more smoothly than expected.

With the high-level combat power of Ice River Valley almost completely slaughtered by Hei Qing, in the past six months, some surrounding forces have become envious of the foundation and resources left behind by Ice River Valley. Like hyenas smelling blood, they have tried to come and get a share of the pie, and occupy some peripheral mines or medicinal gardens.

However, when Elder Yao's undisguised, terrifying aura, like that of a prehistoric beast, enveloped the entire Five Elements Mountain Range region, all covetousness and commotion vanished in an instant.

Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate!

Such power, placed anywhere in the Middle Continent, would be enough to support a first-rate force! It is something that sects like theirs, which at most only have low-level Dou Venerate in charge, can not afford to provoke.

There was absolutely no need for Elder Yao to lift a finger, or even for him to waste his breath. The representatives of those forces who had previously lingered in some strongholds on the outskirts of the Ice River Valley, trying to gain some benefits, practically scrambled away on their own initiative, fearing that being a step too slow would bring about their annihilation.

Even worse, some forces that had previously taken advantage of the chaos to "take" some Cultivation Method, Dou Technique scrolls, or resources from the Ice River Valley's Library Pavilion and treasure vault were now trembling with fear as they carefully sent their belongings back untouched, sometimes even adding extra "apologies," earnestly stating that they had only "held them in safekeeping" and had absolutely no intention of appropriating them.

A month later, Elder Yao and Xiong Zhan returned to Ye Courtyard to report back.

Inside the study, Xiao Yi Xian was reporting to Lin Ming on the various matters concerning the initial establishment of the sect. Upon seeing the two return, she smiled and said to Lin Ming.

"Elder Yao and Elder Xiong Zhan have returned. It seems everything went smoothly. The Five Elements Mountain Range has now been cleared, and all the industries and resource points that originally belonged to Ice River Valley have been reclaimed. There were a few minor incidents along the way, but those sects that had 'temporarily borrowed' our things were very 'sensible' and have automatically returned the Cultivation Method, Dou Technique, and some resources, along with some apology gifts."

The Xiao Yi Xian spoke casually, with a hint of a smile in her tone.

She knew all too well that this so-called "automatic" control was entirely based on Elder Yao's terrifying strength, which was enough to crush everything. In this Dou Qi Continent, strength was always the most useful pass and deterrent.

Xiong Zhan snorted, sat down casually to the side, picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, saying nonchalantly.

"A bunch of cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong, utterly pathetic. I hadn't even warmed up my muscles before they vanished."

In response, Elder Yao added, "The buildings in the valley are not severely damaged and can be used with minor repairs. The foundation of the Sect Protecting Array is still intact; it only needs adjustment and reinforcement. Now that place is completely under our control, we can relocate there at any time."

Xiong Zhan immediately added in a deep voice, "Sect Master, the place is good, big enough, and sturdy enough. Those ice caves are perfect for storing medicinal herbs and for disciples who cultivate yin-cold attribute Cultivation Method to use."

Lin Ming listened to the report and nodded calmly. He had no interest in delving into whether the process was "automatic." As long as the result met expectations, that was enough.

He established the Five Elements Sect to have a solid foundation and support, rather than to handle every detail personally. With a powerful figure like Elder Yao overseeing things and Xiao Yi Xian managing internal affairs, he naturally didn't need to worry too much about these trivial matters.

"Thank you for your hard work, Elder Yao and Elder Xiong Zhan," Lin Ming said.

"Now that the foundation is established, let's arrange the relocation as soon as possible. Although Ye Courtyard is good, it is not a long-term solution. Only by moving the core of the sect to our Five Elements Land can we truly establish ourselves."

"Yes, Sect Master," Xiao Yi Xian replied. "I have drafted a preliminary relocation plan, and we can begin the process in batches over the next few days."

Lin Ming stood up, walked to the window, and his gaze seemed to have passed over the many buildings of Sacred Pill City and landed on the mountain range that was about to belong to the Five Elements Sect.

With the sect newly established, there were many trivial matters to attend to, but he believed that Xiao Yi Xian and Elder Yao could handle them well. His thoughts were more focused on the distant Southern Region of the Middle Continent, on the Meteor Beast Mountain Range, which concealed the Beast Taming Sect Ruins and the legend of the "Fallen Phoenix Abyss".

"Now that things are settled here, I should prepare to head to the Southern Region," Lin Ming said softly.

His sect is his support, but constant training and becoming stronger are his eternal themes.