Dao Origin Sect

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Dao Origin Sect
Original Name	道衍上宗
Type	Neutral sect entity
Affiliation	Oversees dozens of subordinate sects across the surrounding prefecture cities, including the Heavenly Derivation Sect 175 204
Occupation/Role	Regional hegemon and martial-arts sacred land; governs the rules and major interests of its subordinate sects and organizes expeditions into its sect secret realm 175 204 423 446
Status	Active; preparing an expedition into its newly connected secret realm 339 344 381 446
First Appearance	Chapter 175

Background and History

Dao Origin Sect is a colossal upper sect powerful enough to contend with the imperial court. It presides over sects in more than a dozen prefecture cities and provides the larger political framework that protects subordinate sects such as the Heavenly Derivation Sect from outside predation. 175 204

Its authority includes establishing resource-distribution rules between subordinate forces. When the Heavenly Derivation Sect and Heavenly Dynasty Sect both claimed the Geocentric Cavern, Dao Origin Sect’s rules granted the first discoverer ten percent of the cavern’s annual output while recognizing the other claimant’s right to a share. 175

The sect’s founding patriarch established its four core lineages. These lineages remain the foundation of the sect’s power, while nine lesser branches became closely tied to the major aristocratic families under Dao Origin Sect’s jurisdiction. 266 315

Power Progression

Milestone	Development
Founding	The founding patriarch established the Four Lineages, which became the sect’s central pillars and retained authority over the upper sect. 266 315
Regional hegemony	Dao Origin Sect developed into a force capable of contending with the imperial court and ruling the subordinate sects of the surrounding prefecture cities. 175 204
Hundred Sects Plan	The sect recruited new talent from more than one hundred affiliated sects to revitalize its disciple pool and alter the balance of its internal political struggle. 210 266 275
Secret realm activation	Its ancestral secret realm began opening earlier than expected, drawing the attention of both internal factions and the aristocratic families. 339 340
Inter-realm conflict	The secret realm connected with that of the Divine Shaman Royal Court, forcing Dao Origin Sect to prepare for a struggle over Secret Realm Origin Power against the Three Great Royal Courts. 381 424 446
External alliance	Sect Master Yu Xiangtian sought cooperation with the Sword Heaven Upper Sect to offset pressure from the royal courts, allowing the allied sect to participate in the coming expedition. 426 432

Organization

Division	Role and position
Four Lineages	The sect’s central governing powers and original foundation: Heavenly Steed, Gold Spirit, Mysterious Heaven, and Cinnabar Sparrow. 266 315
Nine Branches	Subordinate branches controlled by or closely connected to the major aristocratic families; they have formed a covert alliance as their influence expanded. 266
Sect Master	Yu Xiangtian, who oversees the sect amid the conflict between its internal factions and directs its response to the secret realm crisis. 339 340 423 426
Council Hall	The venue where the Sect Master convenes True Disciples and True Essence Realm elders through a sect-wide Summoning Order to deliberate major affairs. 423
Enforcement Hall	A hall controlled by the Lei Family which offers some of the sect’s highest-paying contribution-point missions, including patrol assignments. 377
True Disciples	The sect has ten True Disciple positions. Their holders represent the sect’s future and are central to the contest between the Old and New Factions; most have entered the True Essence Realm. 266 303 391 423
Disciple ranks	Outer Disciple, Inner Disciple, True Disciple Candidate, and True Disciple. 257

Four Lineages

• Heavenly Steed Lineage — The oldest lineage, founded first after the sect’s establishment; it has produced most of Dao Origin Sect’s historical Sect Masters, including the current one. 313 317
• Gold Spirit Lineage — The strongest of the four in talented disciples and available resources. 315
• Mysterious Heaven Lineage — Maintains the holy pool where the founding patriarch attained enlightenment; its core arts originated from the patriarch’s remaining enlightenment intent. 289
• Cinnabar Sparrow Lineage — Holds exceptional status as the source of more than ninety percent of the sect’s medicinal pills despite its otherwise average combat strength. 344

Headquarters and Resources

The sect’s outward appearance is deliberately misleading: visitors initially see an underwhelming approach, while an immense veiled shadow and flowing rivers become visible as they near the mountain. 256 257

• White-jade-like metal steps lead into the sect; their use as ordinary flooring demonstrates the sect’s wealth. 257
• Four enormous central peaks house the Four Lineages and are normally inaccessible to disciples who have not been recruited by one of them. 278
• Earth-vein primordial energy is markedly denser on the lineage peaks than in the ordinary Inner Disciple area; Heavenly Steed Peak’s energy is described as at least twice as dense. 321
• The Myriad Treasures Pavilion exchanges cultivation resources, pills, and techniques for contribution points. 290 302
• The sect possesses several dangerous lands within its sphere of influence, which disciples can enter through registered missions to earn points. 298
• Its secret realm is one of Dao Origin Sect’s fundamental inheritances and produces Secret Realm Essence, a resource that directly improves cultivation and the quality of true qi, True Gang, or True Essence without harming one’s foundation. 340 342

Secret Realm

Dao Origin Sect’s secret realm has existed since the founding patriarch established the sect. It is a special space carved from an Earth Vein, and such realms can connect when separate factions’ realms open within the same main vein formed by the convergence of one hundred veins. 381

The present opening has connected Dao Origin Sect’s realm with the Divine Shaman Royal Court’s realm. Because negotiations over connected realms historically fail and the sides must compete for Secret Realm Origin Power, the connection is expected to cause severe conflict and casualties. 381

The realm is also expected to produce a large quantity of Secret Realm Origin Crystals, which form a concealed major objective of the Sword Heaven Upper Sect’s participation. 429

By the rules observed among the powers possessing mortal-world secret realms, entrants must be under one hundred years old and cannot exceed the True Essence Realm. 424

Dao Derivation Tower

The Dao Derivation Tower is Dao Origin Sect’s supreme treasure and a central instrument for evaluating disciples. 261

• Its trials escalate floor by floor, beginning with puppets matched to a challenger’s cultivation; higher floors increase both their number and strength. 270
• The fourth floor includes a Heart Inquiry Trial, forcing challengers to confront their fears and resolve on the martial path. 270
• During the Hundred Sects Plan, clearing the eighth floor was regarded as sufficient to enter Dao Origin Sect, though higher results brought greater recognition and resources. 271
• The tower’s rankings directly determine tangible disciple benefits and are recalibrated every six months. 279
• Reaching the thirtieth floor is associated with advancement into the ranks of True Disciple Candidates. 303
• The Sect Master’s token can grant access to the tower’s upper levels, making it an important and closely held authority. 392

Hundred Sects Plan

The Hundred Sects Plan was proposed to bring outstanding disciples from affiliated sects into Dao Origin Sect. Elder Wu’s proposal passed amid debate over the costs of supporting new talent and the resulting disruption to entrenched interests. 210 211

The plan’s deeper purpose was political. It served as a wager between the Old Faction and the New Faction, with the ten True Disciple positions—the positions representing Dao Origin Sect’s future—acting as the stakes. 266

Stage	Details
Selection	More than one hundred subordinate sects sent disciples to compete for one hundred places. 251 275
Trial format	Entrants were split into six batches because the Dao Derivation Tower could not accommodate everyone at once. 265
Results	The top one hundred trial participants were accepted into Dao Origin Sect. 275
Alternative entry	Unselected participants could remain as Outer Disciples and later attempt to enter the Inner Sect through further trials. 276

The plan brought Lin Tian, Mu Qingxue, and other outside geniuses into the sect. Lin Tian ranked ninth among the Hundred Sects participants, securing Inner Disciple status and attracting attention from the sect’s upper echelons. 273 278

The recruited disciples quickly affected the Inner Sect’s established hierarchy. Long Wukong and Gu Qingtian became True Disciple Candidates during a later Dao Derivation Tower ranking reshuffle, forcing native Inner Disciples to recognize the strength of the Hundred Sects recruits. 303

Internal Politics

Dao Origin Sect is divided between the Old Faction, represented by the sect’s upper echelon, and the New Faction, represented by the great aristocratic families and their allied nine branches. 266

The New Faction seeks to establish a fifth branch and thereby gain formal control over part of the upper sect. The Old Faction opposes this expansion, arguing that a fifth peak lacks a core inheritance and would allow the aristocratic families to extend their influence too far. 266 276

The conflict cannot be easily resolved because the nine branches are deeply intertwined with the sect’s elders, disciples, and True Disciples. Removing them outright could severely damage—or even fracture—Dao Origin Sect itself. 266

The opening of the secret realm intensifies this struggle. New Faction elders learned of the disturbance quickly and acted openly around Sect Master Yu Xiangtian, prompting concern that aristocratic influence had reached even one of the sect’s most closely guarded foundations. 339 340

After outside participation in the secret-realm expedition was permitted, New Faction elders jointly petitioned to intervene in the distribution of Secret Realm Origin Power. Yu Xiangtian considered securing a sixth True Disciple position for the Old Faction through a challenge to Liang Wankuo, which would give his side a stronger basis to control the eventual distribution. 391

The Metal Spirit Pulse Master, who had previously aligned with the New Faction, volunteered to lead the secret-realm expedition in an apparent effort to regain Yu Xiangtian’s trust. The Sect Master accepted the offer as an opportunity to secure the man’s loyalty. 426

Relationships

• Heavenly Derivation Sect — Subordinate sect under Dao Origin Sect’s jurisdiction; it sends outstanding disciples through the Hundred Sects Plan. 175 204 277
• Spirit Jade Sect — Subject to Dao Origin Sect’s rules; its True Essence Realm Sect Master previously violated those rules by interfering in another prefecture city and pursuing Hua Chengming. 256
• Aristocratic families — Control or influence the nine branches and form the backbone of the New Faction’s attempt to create a fifth branch. 266 276
• Heavenly Steed Lineage — One of the Four Lineages and the lineage joined by Lin Tian after he became a True Disciple Candidate; Lin Tian later became a True Disciple. 315 317 423
• Cinnabar Sparrow Lineage — Supplies the overwhelming majority of Dao Origin Sect’s pills, making it indispensable to disciples and elders alike. 344
• Hua Chengming — A former Dao Origin Sect genius and Yu Xiangtian’s former fellow disciple. After eighteen years of wandering, he returned and sought access to the Dao Derivation Tower’s upper levels in exchange for helping Yu Xiangtian resolve a major problem. 392
• Divine Shaman Royal Court — The Jiangbei royal court whose secret realm has connected with Dao Origin Sect’s; the two sides are expected to fight over Secret Realm Origin Power. 381
• Three Great Royal Courts — Divine Martial, Divine Shaman, and Divine Shepherd Royal Courts are expected to converge on the secret realm, placing Dao Origin Sect at a numerical disadvantage. 424 446
• Sword Heaven Upper Sect — An external upper sect invited into an alliance against the royal courts. Dao Origin Sect agreed that each sect would lead one of the two expedition teams, while Sword Heaven disciples may compete for leadership of the lower-level team. 426 432
• Lin Tian and Mu Chunfeng — True Disciples assigned to lead Dao Origin Sect’s expedition into the secret realm, with the objectives of securing resource points, extracting Secret Realm Origin Power, and returning safely. 446