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Sect and faction guide

Where Winds Meet Faction Joining Guide

Choose a Sect by the rules you can live with, then open the correct joining route. Current English names lead; older Chinese names remain searchable aliases.

Sect choiceJoining cluesFaction rulesCN names

Maintained byHeavenskiss

Pinned answer

Choose the rule set first; the outfit and Martial Art come second.

checked · 2026-07-13

You can remain Sectless, and you can join only one Sect at a time. Joining is most useful when its weekly rules match your normal play, its shop has something you want, or its signature Martial Art is worth learning early. A clue normally unlocks the joining quest; walking straight to the final NPC does not replace that step.

Access

Sect system from level 10

Membership

One Sect at a time

First decision

Rules before rewards

Hidden Mountain and its Mohist story are officially upcoming, and the July 13 teaser still uses future-tense wording. Until a live patch note, normal region access, and the Mohist Hill Entry Clue agree, the older 墨山道 blueprint and component routes are cross-version information rather than current instructions.

Current Sect routes

Match the English Sect to the activity you already enjoy.

7 focused routes

天泉

Well of Heaven

Chivalry and brotherhood

Martial Art

Thundercry Blade

Complete chivalrous duties, avoid harming fellow members, and watch the earnings rule.

Joining focus

Speak to Zhang Yihao instead of returning the stolen jewelry, then finish 3 Ill-Gotten Wealth and 200 Adventurer Slips.

Open routeCurrent source

青溪 / 清溪

Silver Needle

Healing and multiplayer support

Martial Art

Panacea Fan · Inkwell Fan

Healing, successful multiplayer support, and receiving likes are part of sect life.

Joining focus

Unlock Healer, complete Dr. Yuan's Three Questions, choose the three patient fees, and return their Medical Records.

Open routeCurrent source

三更天

Midnight Blades

PvP and negative-Karma combat

Martial Art

Infernal Twinblades

Its rules push open-world PvP, Karma play, and Perception Forest activity.

Joining focus

Get Icchantika's White Decree, stain it by defeating a target, and avoid the Wine Seller's Rogue Decree.

Open routeCurrent source

九流門 / 九流门

Nine Mortal Ways

Disguise, tricks, and chaotic social play

Martial Art

Mortal Rope Dart

Weekly fun comes from tricks and disguises; failed schemes or jail can cost Virtue.

Joining focus

Several other sect quests can branch here, so verify the item and final answer before committing.

Open routeCurrent source

醉花陰 / 醉花阴

Velvet Shade

Charm, relationships, and social play

Martial Art

Vernal Umbrella

Build 100 weekly Charm Points through partnerships, profile likes, gifts, and other live Sect activities.

Joining focus

At level 10, reach the Kaifeng clue state and try an Appearance change; if no invite appears, form and sever an Online partnership through Shi Yimo.

Open routeCurrent source

梨園 / 梨园

The Masked Troupe

Performance, music, dance, and recognition

Martial Art

Performance-focused sect

Build Performer Popularity through creative and social activity, and choose a Stage Name that fits the public performance loop.

Joining focus

At level 10, enter Online Mode, meet Han Yanluo at Fairgrounds, perform through Emotes and Talents, collect the live quest's likes, then return.

Open routeCurrent source

狂瀾 / 狂澜

Raging Tides

Spear, Mo Blade, honor, and drinking

Martial Art

Heavenquaker Spear · Stormbreaker Spear · Phalanxbane Blade

Do not retreat from Hero's Realm or Sword Trial and maintain the weekly drinking requirement.

Joining focus

At level 10, qualify through the Northern Vow ritual, the Liangzhou gourd Encounter, or 100 wine jars; then finish the route shown by the Sect clue.

Open routeCurrent source

Joining flow

Use this order before following a faction-specific route.

  1. 1

    Choose the obligation before the reward

    A Sect is not just a cosmetic label. Read its weekly rules, social or PvP expectations, signature Martial Arts, and shop before chasing the outfit.

  2. 2

    Reach the Sect system and progress the right region

    Sect clues generally become relevant from level 10 onward, but a specific Sect can still require story, regional, social, item, or activity progress.

  3. 3

    Collect the clue and track the joining quest

    The normal flow is clue first, then a dedicated quest. Use the in-game Sect screen and quest log instead of traveling to a final NPC before the clue has unlocked the route.

  4. 4

    Check every branch item and final answer

    Well of Heaven, Midnight Blades, and Nine Mortal Ways routes can intersect. Read the item name, dialogue intent, and destination before handing anything over.

  5. 5

    Confirm the Sect name before accepting

    You can belong to only one Sect at a time. Verify the current English name and rule set on the confirmation screen, especially when following a Chinese guide title.

  6. 6

    After joining, open Rules, Commands, and the shop

    Learn what raises or lowers Precept Value, note the weekly reputation cap, check rank requirements, and decide whether the Sect matches how you actually play.

Joining for a Martial Art

Check whether the discount is worth the weekly rules; Sectless characters can still learn Martial Arts through other routes.

Joining for cosmetics

Inspect rank and shop requirements first. The outfit can require weeks of Commands even when the joining quest is short.

Staying Sectless

This avoids Sect obligations and switching pressure, but removes Sect-shop access and raises some Martial Art learning costs.

Missing clue and status checks

Fix the gate before repeating the route.

No clue appears

Confirm level 10, story progress, the correct region, and whether the Sect is currently joinable. A listed future Sect can have no usable clue yet.

The NPC is missing

Check the tracked joining quest, time or schedule, nearby layer, and prerequisite conversation. Do not skip directly to the last NPC named by an older guide.

The quest points to the wrong Sect

Recheck the item and answer branch. Some entry quests intentionally lead to Nine Mortal Ways or another Sect when the wrong choice is made.

The old Chinese name is different

Match by Sect theme, Martial Art, rule, and quest landmark. Use 天泉 for Well of Heaven, 青溪 for Silver Needle, 三更天 for Midnight Blades, and 九流門 for Nine Mortal Ways.

I only want the Martial Art

Joining gives discounts and Sect benefits, but remaining Sectless is valid and Martial Arts can have other learning routes. Compare the rule burden before joining solely for one skill.

I want to switch Sects

You must leave the current Sect before joining another. Read the confirmation and any severance trial or consequence shown by the current client before leaving.

Sects that need an availability check

孤雲 / 孤云

Lone Cloud

Unavailable on Global at the July 14, 2026 check. The Entry Clue still points to a future opportunity, and Song Zhiwen may be present without an interaction prompt.

Do not follow the old level-52 math-test route. Verify the live Entry Clue, or use Skill Theft now if Strategic Sword is the actual goal.

Availability guide

墨山道

Mohist Hill

Unavailable on Global at the July 14, 2026 check. Hidden Mountain is officially upcoming and the July 13 Mohist teaser still says the Sect will emerge soon.

Do not grind the old 1,000-component or three-blueprint route. Wait for a live patch note, normal Hidden Mountain access, and a working Entry Clue.

Availability guide

無心谷 / 无心谷

Hollow Vale

Listed in the English roster with Soulshade Umbrella and life-versus-poison rules, but no current joining route was present in the checked reference.

Treat a missing clue as an availability issue before searching for a hidden NPC or translated location.

文津館 / 文津馆

Inkbound Order

Listed as a scholar-oriented sect, but the checked English roster did not provide a current joining guide.

Confirm the patch and client entry clue before using CN-server instructions.

Sources and questions

Current system rules, original route notes, and quick answers.

Current English Sect list and system rules

Current English names, signature Martial Arts, rule summaries, Sectless choice, clue-based joining, one-Sect limit, shops, and reputation.

Official Version 1.5 Raging Tides release

Official Global release record for the three level-10 eligibility conditions and the Sect becoming joinable in As Snow Falls.

Current Raging Tides joining route

Northern Vow clue, nine-wine route, drinking game, leaving flow, Martial Arts, and current Sect obligations.

Official Hidden Mountain announcement

Official July 2026 expansion window and Mohist-centered story context; this is not treated as proof that joining is already live.

Original 各門派入門方式及門規一覽

The author's original Chinese route collection, retained for aliases and route leads while current English names lead this page.

What is the best Sect in Where Winds Meet?

There is no universal best Sect. Choose by the rules you can maintain, the activities you enjoy, the signature Martial Arts you want early, and whether you value the shop or cosmetics.

Can you join more than one Sect at the same time?

No. The current Sect system allows one membership at a time. You must leave before joining another Sect.

Can you stay Sectless?

Yes. Sectless characters avoid Sect restrictions, but lose access to Sect shops and pay more to learn associated Martial Arts through other routes.

How do you unlock a Sect joining quest?

Reach the Sect system, collect the Sect's clue during exploration, and complete the quest that clue unlocks. Some Sects add story, region, item, social, or activity requirements.

Are the old Chinese faction names still useful?

Yes, as search aliases. Use them to locate the correct English Sect and route, then let the current Global quest log, confirmation screen, and rule panel override old names or values.

All quest guidesMartial Arts schoolsFaction outfit routes