Sect

Sect (宗/Zōng) is an organization dedicated to the practice of cultivation and/or martial arts.

## Overview

Typically led by a *Sect Leader/Sect Master* (宗主/Zōngzhǔ) or *Patriarch* (老祖/Lǎo Zhǔ). With the help of *Sect Elders* (长老/Zhǎnglǎo), they instruct *Disciples* (弟子/Dìzǐ) in the proper methods of cultivation or training in the martial arts styles of the Sect. The Disciples live in the Sect, which provides for their daily needs. There is practically always a strict hierarchy amongst members of a Sect, and respect for the elder generations is demanded.

Some sects would have the common Disciples divided into another hierarchy of Core Disciples (核心弟子/Héxīn Dìzǐ), Inner Disciples (内门弟子/Nèi Mén Dìzǐ), and Outer Disciples (外围弟子/Wàiwéi Dìzǐ) – based on their level of talent and meritorious service to the Sect. Disciples higher on the hierarchy have greater status and receive more resources from the Sect. There are also three layers to Sects as well, it is because they mirror the natural order - the **Outer Court**, **Inner Court**, and **Core Section**.

There are two paths a sect will likely take, either if it follows the orthodox path of cultivation or divert towards the devil arts.

However, regardless of their martial way, a sect will be classified into two parts;

* **Secluded Sects**
	+ They are recluse organizations that purely cultivates their martial path rather than dealing with the political nuances of ruling and subordinating other lesser powers. Basically, a hermit sect that secludes themselves from the mundane world.
	+ For example, the Ancient Moon Immortal Sect never really have the sect master present to his own disciples and even his fellow sect masters never really know how he really look like but only present with an object.
* **Ruling Sects**
	+ They are sects that deal with controlling the mundane world. Meaning, that the monarchs and rulers from subordinating kingdoms or states would not hold true power in their nation, rather, they are part of the sect and are obliged to follow the decree of the greater sect.
	+ Most sects in the novel follow this system of dominating a specific region in order to accumulate resources through their vassal states.
	+ For example, North Qiong Sect which dominates nearly the entirety of the Tiannan Star Province and Little Southern Heavenly Realm, and the Nine Great Immortal Sects domineering the whole Human Races in the Central Galaxy World.

And in the Universe, the type or grades of sects are decided by the number of cultivators or their position in each corresponding realm, such as:

* Heavenly Sects - Sects that has the most Nascent Soul Cultivators or has them as their Sect Leader or Ancestors.
* Divine Sects - Sects that has the most Transform God / Soul Formation Cultivators or has them as their Sect Leader or Ancestors.
* Sacred Sects - Mostly known as Sacred Grounds and Holy Lands, They are sects that has the most Void Returning Cultivators or has them as their Sect Leader.
* Immortal Sects - Also known as Celestial Sects, They are sects that once or currently has a few Dao Fusion or a Transcends Tribulation Cultivators as a Higher-Ups of an Immortal Sects such as Sect Leader, Ancestors, Grand Elders, and Sect Elders.