Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

The sect was built upon a mountain range that spanned several hundred kilometers; each peak and valley contained a different environment than the others, creating a unique series of landscapes filled with a multitude of spiritual energies, some pleasant and some otherwise.

From where Asher stood, he could see that the mountain range was covered by a thin layer of mist; a curtain like net had descended from the heavens and was cast downwards, covering it with a hazy veil.

All over the mountain range were countless buildings, pavilions, and temples, all built from stone and wood. The architecture was ancient and elegant, designed to harmonize with nature rather than dominate it.

Several cultivators walked along the streets and pathways, clad in different colored robes.

Asher could sense the abundance of spiritual qi in the air, much stronger than usual in the outside world. The environment was indeed suitable for cultivation.

There was a faint scent of flowers and herbs in the air, carried by gentle winds blowing through the sect.

This place was filled with natural beauty, making it seem almost unreal. It was as if they were trapped in a dream world where everything was perfect and serene.

As they traveled deeper into the sect, Asher noticed that many people were staring at them curiously. Most were male disciples who had their eyes locked on Scarlet and Cecil.

However, the girls didn't pay any attention to the men ogling them and only focused on guiding Asher through the sect.

Scarlet pointed to the far west of the sect where a tall peak could be seen looming above the others. She said, "The west peak of the sect is where the training grounds are. This area has many different training fields and arenas where disciples can practice their combat skills and refine their physical bodies. It also includes a special cultivation room with abundant spirit essence.

This allows cultivators to cultivate in peace and comfort without worrying about running out of spirit essence."

At that moment, Cecil chimed in, "Indeed, the Twilight Mist Sect takes pride in its facilities, especially the cultivation rooms. It is all because of the sect's formation hall, as they have Supreme Masters who specialize in formations. The formations they create are top-notch and are used to fortify important areas of the sect and enhance their defenses.

Furthermore, they also create formations to help with cultivation. This is why cultivators from all over the world seek to enter the Twilight Mist Sect. We have the best resources and training environment compared to the other sects in the world."

Asher was impressed by knowing about the facilities provided by the Twilight Mist Sect. It seems like they were quite serious about training their disciples.

Scarlet continued, "The formation hall is situated in the north peak of the sect. It is a huge building that houses a plethora of formations of varying complexity. They constantly conduct research to improve their knowledge of formations, and thus produce stronger and more potent formations.

Disciples of other fields also go there to train themselves to be capable of avoiding formations while exploring various ruins."

"Hmmm… I see. The whole layout of the sect is divided into several regions, huh? So, what's on the east peak?" Asher inquired.

Scarlet responded right away, eager to teach her new friend more about the Twilight Mist Sect. "Over to the east peak are the spirit garden and the alchemy hall. It's a place where the alchemy hall disciples grow all kinds of spiritual plants. There are medicinal herbs, healing grasses, and even spirit trees. The spirit essence in the air is very strong and concentrated there.

That makes it a perfect location for growing spiritual plants that require plenty of spirit essence to survive and mature. Once they mature, they harvest them and use them to make pills, potions, or medicines. All those cultivation resources are available for the disciple through contribution points."

Cecil further elaborated, "Yes. If you want to buy those resources using the Spirit Stones, then their prices will be exorbitantly high. However, if you can earn contribution points in the sect by completing missions, assisting others, or doing other stuff, you can redeem them for these cultivation resources. Some are even reserved for core disciples only."

Asher raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is that so? It sounds like a great system to motivate people and foster competitiveness in the sect. This will stop rich people from getting all the cultivation resources by buying them with money."

Cecil and Scarlet nodded their heads.

"Our sect believes in equality for all, regardless of social standing or financial background. Everyone starts from the same point and works their way up through hard work and dedication. However, this is precisely why some genius cultivators looked down on others who couldn't reach higher stages and wasted the sect's resources.

This resulted in cliques, factions, and struggles for power within the sect. The same happened to me when I entered the sect due to my lack of background. It was Scarlet who supported me and helped me stand up on my own two feet." Cecil sighed sadly as she recalled the past.

Asher patted her back and said with a smile, "Don't worry about it, Cecil. After going through the Mystic Body Refinement Array, you gained a Spirit Body, so even if those rich bullies use all the benefits they can to get stronger, they won't be able to match your cultivation speed. So even without any background or additional resources, you will be shining like a star and able to face them head-on.

Just concentrate on training and building your power, and you will be fine." discover-stories-MVLeMpYr

"Yes, and it's all because of you, Asher. I can't thank you enough." Cecil's lips curled into a sweet smile as she leaned against Asher while walking.

Seeing Cecil's change in behavior, Scarlet pouted with displeasure and complained, "Cecil, it looks like you are already interested in Asher and trying to seduce him. Stop doing that, and let's hurry up."

Cecil and Asher let out a chuckle when they heard Scarlet's words.

Both of them knew that Scarlet was jealous, but they didn't say anything about it, which annoyed her even more.

"How about the south?" Asher asked, trying to get back to the main topic.

Scarlet's lips twitched slightly, but she still replied, "The south peak of the sect houses the artifact refiners hall. As its name suggests, it is a place where the artifact refining disciples gather. They spend their time experimenting on various materials and combining them to create new artifacts. They're responsible for crafting weapons, armor, talismans, etc."

Asher nodded in understanding. "This means that all of the Twilight Mist Sect's facilities can be divided into four regions based on their fields: training grounds, alchemy hall, artifact refiners hall, and formation hall."

"Yes. But that's not all of it," Scarlet confirmed Asher's words and continued. "There are also other important areas within the sect. For example, the mission hall that accepts requests from people outside the sect and offers rewards to those who complete them. There is also the library, which contains hundreds of thousands of cultivation manuals, techniques, and even spells.

Many great cultivators have spent years researching the information inside and creating their own unique cultivation methods from it. It is truly a treasure trove for cultivators. They often share some parts of their techniques and knowledge with the library, hoping to find a suitable disciple to pass on their cultivation knowledge to. Of course, not everything can be learned from books.

The best way is still personal guidance from experienced elders' or becoming their disciples. Still, the library can help the cultivators gain basic knowledge of martial arts and cultivations."

Asher gave a quick nod, absorbing the information. He planned to visit the library once he settled down. He wanted to check the difference compared to the library of the Mystic Starry Realm.

"What about the disciples? Do they stay in different living quarters based on their ranks?" Asher inquired, hoping to know more about the Twilight Mist Sect from Cecil and Scarlet.

Scarlet answered right away, "All disciples are assigned to different areas of the sect based on their ranks. Each region has a varying concentration of spirit essence, so it affects how fast one can cultivate. It consists of many small houses, villas, and even mansions. These homes vary greatly depending on their owners' ranks.

For example, core disciples, inner elders, and core elders get to live in big mansions. Disciples from the inner court and other departments stay in smaller but comfortable houses, while outer sect members occupy simple dwellings."

"The last, but certainly not least, is the tallest central mountain, where the sect master resides. There is a grand palace up there, made of white jade and gold. It is also known as the Palace of the Heavenly Goddess because of the magnificent statue of the divine being sculpted in the main hall.

The palace itself stands at an impressive height above the entire sect, giving anyone who visits a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. It is truly a sight to behold. All the meetings of the elders and important decisions are made in the Palace of the Heavenly Goddess." Scarlet's voice echoed with pride and admiration as she described the palace.

Asher was awed by the description and wanted to see such a magnificent place in person. However, he knew that the palace was a forbidden area for anyone who wasn't an elder or someone with special permission.

After hearing all the descriptions of the different areas in the sect, Asher got excited as he realized he would have so many opportunities to explore every corner of this place in the future.

But first, he had to become a disciple of the Twilight Mist Sect!

Both Scarlet and Cecil guided him through the luxurious residential area of the sect until they arrived at a beautiful, large mansion. The exterior was designed in an elegant and modern style, with lots of windows and glass doors. There was a courtyard at the entrance, and a huge gate blocked the entrance into the mansion grounds.

However, they didn't move inside as Scarlet stopped and looked hesitant to go ahead.

At this moment, Asher could feel her nervousness and anxiety in her expression.

"Is everything okay, Scarlet?" he asked with concern.

Scarlet gulped and looked at him with uncertainty written all over her face and couldn't speak.

Asher held her hands in his and gently rubbed them to soothe her.

Then he turned to Cecil and asked her, "Why does she seem so anxious?"

However, Cecil just shook her head and looked at Scarlet with a mischievous smile.

It seemed like Cecil had already guessed what was going on in Scarlet's mind, and she appeared to enjoy watching Scarlet's suffering.

The moment Scarlet noticed Cecil's expression, she glared at her best friend with irritation and was about to say something.

But suddenly, a loud voice came from inside the mansion.

"Oh, Scarlet, dear! Are you back already? Why are you standing outside? Come in and talk with mommy!"