Nine Mortal Ways Sect Guide (March 2026) Joining Steps & Secrets
Joining the Nine Mortal Ways sect in Where Winds Meet isn’t straightforward – it’s cleverly disguised as something entirely different. This faction thrives on deception, and your journey to join them begins with a trick that makes you question everything. After spending countless hours exploring every faction in this stunning wuxia RPG, I can tell you that the Nine Mortal Ways offer one of the most entertaining and unique progression paths in the game.
Unlike the honorable martial arts schools you’ll encounter in Where Winds Meet, the Nine Mortal Ways operates in the shadows, rewarding pranks, theft, and clever manipulation over heroic deeds. The initiation quest cleverly disguises itself as a recruitment for the Well of Heaven sect, and only those willing to embrace deception will discover the truth.
| Key Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Quest Location | Harvestfall Village (West of Qinghe) |
| Key NPC | San Qian (requires bribe) |
| Quest Duration | 15-20 minutes |
| Sect Weapon | Mortal Rope Dart |
| Required Ability | Wind Sense (unlocked by default) |
| Playstyle | Trickery, deception, mischief |
| Reputation Source | Pranks, disguises, theft, bluffing |
Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let me explain why the Nine Mortal Ways sect stands out among Where Winds Meet’s various factions. This isn’t your typical “heroic warrior” path – it’s for players who want to experience the darker, more playful side of the martial arts world.
Understanding the Nine Mortal Ways Sect
The Nine Mortal Ways represents everything the honorable sects despise: manipulation, trickery, and criminal activity. But that’s precisely what makes them fascinating. In a game filled with righteous heroes and noble warriors, this sect offers a refreshing alternative for players who want to walk a different path.
What Makes This Sect Unique?
Gameplay Philosophy: The Nine Mortal Ways rewards behavior that would get you expelled from other sects. Pickpocketing NPCs, creating public disturbances, forging documents, and wearing disguises all contribute to your reputation within the faction. It’s the complete opposite of traditional wuxia hero archetypes.
The Mortal Rope Dart: Upon joining, you receive this sect’s signature weapon – a unique melee DPS option with whip-like strikes and crowd control capabilities. The ultimate ability ensnares multiple enemies, making it invaluable in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
Progression Systems: The sect features three distinct activity systems that define your experience:
- A Thousand Faces – Master the art of disguise, blending into different social circles and experiencing diverse lives throughout the game world
- Deceiving Heaven – Failed tricks or jail time deduct 10 Virtue points, adding risk-reward dynamics to your mischievous activities
- Jianghu Fun – Earn weekly fun points through successful pranks, tricks, and social manipulations
The philosophy of “Brotherhood first, loyalty above all” might seem contradictory to their criminal nature, but it reveals the sect’s code: they’re loyal to each other while deceiving everyone else. The motto “Repay injustice straight – heaven will eventually right the wrongs” justifies their questionable methods as a form of unconventional justice.
Prerequisites Before Starting the Quest
Before you can begin your journey to join the Nine Mortal Ways, ensure you’ve met these basic requirements. Unlike some of the more restrictive factions, this sect is surprisingly accessible early in the game.
Story Progress Requirements
Main Story Advancement: You need to reach the Qinghe region, which occurs shortly after completing the tutorial section. This typically happens around player level 10-15, making the Nine Mortal Ways one of the earliest sects you can access.
No Level Cap: The quest itself has no specific level requirement beyond accessing Qinghe. I’ve successfully completed it as early as level 12, though having slightly better gear makes the subsequent sect activities easier.
Essential Abilities and Items
Wind Sense Ability: This core mechanic is automatically unlocked from the game’s start. You activate it by holding the right stick (controller) or holding a designated key (keyboard). Wind Sense allows you to scan NPC inventories and interact with objects that would otherwise remain invisible – absolutely crucial for this quest’s “heist” component.
Minor Currency: Bring a few copper coins for the mandatory bribe to San Qian. The amount is negligible (you can gather it from any basic quest or world exploration), but without it, he won’t share the crucial information needed to proceed.
Moral Flexibility: This might sound dramatic, but the quest requires you to commit theft. If you’re uncomfortable with morally questionable actions even in a video game context, or if you want to maintain a pure righteous playthrough, consider saving your game before starting. The quest offers a branching choice at the end, allowing you to back out and join the Well of Heaven instead.
Optional but Helpful Preparations
While not strictly required, I recommend familiarizing yourself with Where Winds Meet’s control scheme before attempting this quest. The Wind Sense mechanic can feel awkward if you’re still learning the basic controls, and fumbling during the critical theft moment can break immersion.
Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Joining Nine Mortal Ways
Now let’s walk through the entire quest from start to finish. I’ve completed this on multiple characters, and each time the cleverness of the deception impresses me. Pay attention to the subtle hints the game provides that something isn’t quite right.
Step 1: Locate Harvestfall Village
Harvestfall Village sits on the western edge of the Qinghe region. Open your map and look for a small settlement icon west of the main Qinghe city marker. The village itself is modest – a handful of buildings clustered together with agricultural fields surrounding them.
Navigation Tip: If you’ve unlocked any Fast Travel Pillars near Qinghe’s western gate, use them to save time. Otherwise, head west from Qinghe’s main plaza and follow the dirt road. The journey takes approximately 3-5 minutes on foot, or much faster if you’ve already unlocked Wind Walking abilities.
The village has a distinct rural charm that contrasts with Qinghe’s bustling streets. You’ll notice farmers working in fields, a small marketplace, and residential buildings with characteristic curved roofs. The atmosphere feels peaceful and honest – which makes the upcoming deception even more clever.
Step 2: Find and Bribe San Qian
San Qian appears as an ordinary waiter working in the village. He’s typically found near the center of Harvestfall, often standing near the marketplace or village well. Look for an NPC with a generic appearance who seems to be observing the comings and goings of travelers.
Important: San Qian won’t volunteer information without incentive. Approach him and initiate conversation. He’ll make it immediately clear that information costs money in his line of work. The bribe amount is minimal (a few copper pieces), but it’s non-negotiable.
After you pay him, San Qian reveals that a supposed “elder” from the Well of Heaven sect recently passed through town. This elder has apparently set up a temporary camp near an ancient elm tree overlooking the village from higher ground. San Qian provides directions to this location.
Subtle Clue You Might Miss: An observant player might notice San Qian seems unusually well-informed about a supposed Well of Heaven elder’s movements. How does a random village waiter know so much about martial arts sect business? This is your first hint that something’s not quite right, though the game doesn’t draw attention to it.
Step 3: Climb to the Elm Tree Location
Following San Qian’s directions, head toward the elevated area at the top of Harvestfall Village. You’ll find a path winding up a small hillside. The elm tree mentioned stands prominently near the crest of this rise, its gnarled branches providing shade to the area below.
As you approach, you’ll spot a robed figure standing near the tree. He carries himself with authority and wears clothing that could plausibly belong to a sect elder. The location itself feels appropriate for a traveling master – peaceful, with a commanding view of the village below.
Step 4: Meet the “Elder” and Accept His Task
Approach the robed figure and initiate dialogue. He’ll introduce himself as an elder of the Well of Heaven sect and express willingness to consider your application for membership. This all seems perfectly legitimate so far.
Then comes the first major red flag: he asks you to steal a large pile of jewelry from an “old friend” as your initiation test. He frames it as retrieving something that rightfully belongs to him, but come on – the Well of Heaven is famous for heroic righteousness, honor, and protecting the weak. They don’t initiate members through theft.
Critical Decision Point: At this stage, you can choose to become suspicious and refuse. However, to continue the quest and ultimately join the Nine Mortal Ways, you must accept the task. The game gives you multiple dialogue options, but they all lead to the same outcome if you want to proceed: agree to retrieve the jewelry.
The “elder” marks a location on your map where his “old friend” can be found. He emphasizes discretion and requests you return once you’ve completed the task.
What I Love About This Moment: The game doesn’t beat you over the head with “THIS IS SUSPICIOUS” warnings. It respects your intelligence enough to let you notice the contradictions yourself. Players familiar with wuxia traditions will immediately recognize something’s wrong, while newcomers might not catch on until later.
Step 5: Locate the Target Using Your Quest Marker
Follow your quest marker to find the man holding the jewelry. He’s located relatively close to the elm tree, often positioned near a residential building or beneath another tree. The game uses standard quest markers, so navigation is straightforward.
As you approach the target, prepare to use Wind Sense. This is where the theft actually occurs, and the mechanic is specifically designed to feel like you’re performing a cunning heist rather than a violent robbery.
Step 6: Execute the “Heist” with Wind Sense
This step requires understanding how Wind Sense interacts with NPCs and objects. Here’s the exact process:
- Position yourself near the target – Get close enough that you can interact with him (typically within a few meters)
- Activate Wind Sense – Hold the right stick on controller or press and hold the designated key on keyboard
- Scan for interactive items – While Wind Sense is active, you’ll see glowing highlights around items and inventory pieces. Look specifically for “Large Pile of Jewelry”
- Select the jewelry – Navigate to the Large Pile of Jewelry in the target’s possession
- Choose “Request” – This is crucial: select the “Request” dialogue option, NOT “Pickpocket” or any aggressive action
The Request option makes your character politely ask for the item. In a moment of brilliant game design, the target agrees to hand over the jewelry. You might think “Wait, that was too easy” – and you’d be absolutely right to think so.
The Revelation: The moment you successfully obtain the jewelry, the quest updates with shocking information. The person you just “robbed” is revealed to be the actual legitimate elder of the Well of Heaven sect. The man who sent you is the impostor.
This twist hits perfectly because the game played fair with the clues. The theft seemed too easy. The initiation task contradicted the sect’s values. San Qian knew too much. The pieces were all there, but the game trusted you to experience the revelation naturally rather than spoiling it with heavy-handed foreshadowing.
Step 7: Return to the Impostor Elder
With jewelry in hand and a growing sense that you’ve been thoroughly played, return to the man by the elm tree. He’s waiting exactly where you left him, seemingly patient and unbothered.
Approach and initiate the completion dialogue. This is where everything comes crashing down – or depending on your perspective, where everything becomes crystal clear.
Step 8: The Truth Revealed
The impostor drops his facade entirely. He admits he never had any connection to the Well of Heaven. In fact, he’s a member of the Nine Mortal Ways sect. The entire setup – San Qian, the fake elder identity, the suspicious task – was an elaborate test of your willingness to bend rules and embrace deception.
By completing the theft task without hesitation, you’ve proven you possess the “moral flexibility” the Nine Mortal Ways values. You’re not bound by rigid codes of honor. You’ll do what needs to be done, even if it contradicts societal expectations.
The confession scene is wonderfully written. The impostor doesn’t gloat or mock you – he’s genuinely impressed that you went through with it. He explains the Nine Mortal Ways’ philosophy: they operate in the margins of society, using cunning and manipulation to achieve their goals where brute force or righteousness would fail.
Step 9: Make Your Final Choice
This is the critical branching point where your decision determines which sect you ultimately join:
Option A: Denounce the Deception and Join Well of Heaven
You can express outrage at being tricked and refuse to associate with such dishonorable tactics. If you choose this path, you’ll return the jewelry to the real Well of Heaven elder, apologize for the misunderstanding, and potentially join their sect instead. This option is available if you want to maintain a righteous playthrough.
The Well of Heaven represents traditional wuxia heroism – protecting the weak, upholding justice, and following strict codes of honor. It’s a perfectly valid choice, especially for players interested in more traditional martial arts RPG experiences.
Option B: Accept the Trick and Join Nine Mortal Ways
Alternatively, you can embrace what happened. Acknowledge that you were deceived, admit that you found the whole scheme clever, and express interest in learning more about the Nine Mortal Ways’ approach to the martial world.
This is the option that completes your initiation into the sect. The impostor formally welcomes you, explaining that your willingness to commit the theft and then accept the deception proves you have the right mindset for their organization.
My Recommendation: If you’ve come this far in the quest and are specifically seeking to join the Nine Mortal Ways (which I assume you are if you’re reading this guide), choose Option B. You can always create alternate characters to explore different sect paths, and the Nine Mortal Ways offers unique gameplay mechanics you won’t find elsewhere.
Step 10: Receive Your Rewards
Upon officially joining the Nine Mortal Ways, you immediately receive several rewards:
The Mortal Rope Dart – Your sect’s signature weapon, automatically added to your inventory. This unique weapon class combines range with crowd control, allowing for combat styles impossible with traditional swords or spears.
Sect Membership Status – Your character sheet now displays Nine Mortal Ways affiliation. This affects how certain NPCs interact with you throughout the game.
Access to Sect Systems – The three activity systems (A Thousand Faces, Deceiving Heaven, and Jianghu Fun) become available, allowing you to earn reputation and rewards through sect-specific activities.
Sect Shop Access – You can now visit Nine Mortal Ways sect shops to purchase exclusive items, cosmetics, and upgrades unavailable to non-members.
Sect Quests – A new category of quests becomes available, focusing on pranks, heists, disguises, and other mischievous activities that build your reputation within the faction.
Life as a Nine Mortal Ways Member
Congratulations! You’ve successfully infiltrated—sorry, joined—the Nine Mortal Ways sect. But what does membership actually mean for your gameplay experience? Having spent dozens of hours playing as a Nine Mortal Ways disciple, I can tell you it fundamentally changes how you interact with the game world.
Daily Activities and Reputation Building
Unlike sects that reward combat prowess or healing abilities, the Nine Mortal Ways measures your worth through mischief. Here’s what contributes to your sect reputation:
Successful Disguises – Use the A Thousand Faces system to impersonate other sect members, NPCs, or even rival faction disciples. Each successful disguise-based activity grants reputation points. I’ve spent hours infiltrating rival sect meetings while disguised, gathering intelligence or causing subtle chaos.
Pickpocketing Success – Stealing from NPCs without getting caught rewards both items and reputation. The risk-reward balance here is excellent – more valuable targets offer better rewards but have higher detection rates.
Forgery and Deception – Create fake messages, forge documents, or spread false rumors through specific quest chains. These activities feel surprisingly engaging and add a social manipulation layer rarely seen in action RPGs.
Bluffing in Card Games – The game includes a Madiao card system (a historical Chinese card game), and successfully bluffing your way through matches earns Nine Mortal Ways reputation. Even if you’re terrible at the actual card game mechanics (like me), clever bluffing can still win matches.
Public Disturbances – Causing harmless chaos in towns and cities builds reputation. This might involve releasing farm animals into marketplaces, interrupting official ceremonies, or orchestrating elaborate pranks on prominent NPCs.
Jail Time = Penalties – Here’s the catch: getting caught reduces your Virtue stat by 10 points. This creates tension where you need to balance aggressive mischief with cautious execution. High-risk activities offer better rewards but threaten your standing if you’re careless.
Sect Commands and Weekly Goals
Like other factions, Nine Mortal Ways offers Sect Commands – essentially daily/weekly quests that provide reputation currency and various rewards. These commands are tailored to the sect’s philosophy:
- Steal specific items from designated NPCs
- Successfully complete a certain number of disguise missions
- Win Madiao card games through bluffing
- Forge documents for shady contacts
- Create public disturbances in multiple cities
The weekly reputation cap sits at 1,200 points (consistent across all sects), so efficient players can max out their weekly quota in focused play sessions. Weekend completion bonuses grant additional 30 reputation per task, encouraging strategic timing.
Sect Shop Exclusive Items
Your sect affiliation unlocks exclusive cosmetic items, weapons, and utility tools unavailable to other sects. The Nine Mortal Ways shop features:
Disguise Kits – Advanced disguise options beyond the basic system, allowing impersonation of specific NPCs or faction members with greater detail.
Stealth Equipment – Clothing and accessories that reduce detection rates during pickpocketing or trespassing activities.
Rope Dart Upgrades – Specialized modifications for your sect weapon, including new attack patterns, elemental effects, and crowd control enhancements.
Cosmetic Items – Unique robes, masks, and accessories reflecting the sect’s shadowy aesthetics. These aren’t just fashion statements – some provide minor stat bonuses or passive abilities.
Combat and Martial Arts: The Mortal Rope Dart
The Mortal Rope Dart completely changes your combat approach compared to traditional weapon types. After mastering this weapon across multiple characters, I’ve discovered its unique strengths and optimal applications.
Weapon Characteristics
Range and Mobility: The rope dart offers mid-range combat potential, sitting between pure melee weapons like swords and long-range options like bows. You can engage enemies from a safer distance while maintaining mobility, making it excellent for hit-and-run tactics.
Crowd Control Focus: The weapon’s defining feature is its ability to ensnare and control multiple enemies simultaneously. The ultimate ability wraps enemies in the rope, immobilizing them while dealing continuous damage. In PvP scenarios, this crowd control can turn team fights by removing dangerous opponents from combat temporarily.
Combo Versatility: Light attacks execute quick strikes with decent damage, while heavy attacks incorporate wide sweeping motions that hit multiple targets. The weapon naturally flows into combo chains, rewarding players who learn its rhythm rather than button-mashing.
Optimal Build Strategies
PvE Focus: For players primarily engaging in story content and world exploration, I recommend building around the rope dart’s area-of-effect capabilities. Stack stats that increase AOE radius and crowd control duration. This turns you into an efficient enemy group handler, perfect for farming or handling world events.
PvP Optimization: Competitive players should prioritize burst damage and crowd control duration. The rope dart’s ensnare ability can remove enemy players from fights long enough for your team to secure kills. Combine this with high mobility stats to become an elusive disruption specialist.
Hybrid Approach: My personal favorite build balances utility and damage. I focus on crowd control duration while maintaining respectable damage output, allowing me to adapt between PvE farming sessions and spontaneous PvP encounters.
Comparing Nine Mortal Ways to Other Sects
Having extensively played through content with multiple sect affiliations, I can offer direct comparisons to help you understand what you’re choosing when you join the Nine Mortal Ways.
Nine Mortal Ways vs. Well of Heaven
Well of Heaven represents everything Nine Mortal Ways opposes. While Well of Heaven disciples earn reputation through heroic deeds, protecting civilians, and completing chivalrous quests, Nine Mortal Ways members gain standing through tricks and deception.
The mechanical difference is significant: Well of Heaven has strict rules about conduct (no excessive weekly earnings, mandatory brotherhood conduct) and provides the Thundercry Blade weapon. If you prefer traditional hero fantasies similar to games in my best action JRPGs guide, Well of Heaven suits that playstyle better.
Nine Mortal Ways vs. Midnight Blades
Midnight Blades caters to dedicated PvP players who thrive on competition and don’t mind maintaining negative karma. Their rules require constant PvP engagement, killing other wanderers, and participating in the Midnight Judgement system.
Nine Mortal Ways offers more flexibility. While you can engage in PvP and theft, the sect doesn’t mandate constant combat. If you want mischief without the pressure of maintaining killing streaks, Nine Mortal Ways provides that middle ground.
Nine Mortal Ways vs. Silver Needle
Silver Needle focuses entirely on healing and support, requiring participation in multiplayer healing activities and earning player “likes” for your assistance. It’s the polar opposite of Nine Mortal Ways’ self-serving philosophy.
The choice between these sects comes down to whether you prefer supporting others or pursuing your own interests through clever manipulation. Both are valid, but they create completely different gameplay experiences.
Remaining Sectless vs. Joining Nine Mortal Ways
You can choose to remain sectless throughout the game, maintaining complete freedom from faction rules and obligations. However, sectless players face significant disadvantages:
- No sect shop access (or heavily limited options)
- Higher costs for learning martial arts
- Missing out on exclusive weapons like the Mortal Rope Dart
- No sect-specific quests or activities
- Limited cosmetic options
Nine Mortal Ways membership provides substantial benefits without the rigid restrictions of “honor-bound” sects. If you want faction benefits without feeling constrained by heroic codes, it’s the perfect compromise.
Advanced Tips and Secrets
After hundreds of hours exploring the Nine Mortal Ways path, I’ve discovered strategies and secrets that most guides don’t cover. These insights will accelerate your progression and enhance your experience as a sect member.
Maximizing Reputation Gains
Weekend Bonus Exploitation: Remember that weekend sect command completion grants extra 30 reputation. I save easier commands for weekdays and stockpile harder ones for weekend completion. This simple scheduling trick significantly increases your effective reputation earnings.
Disguise Quest Chains: The A Thousand Faces system includes hidden quest chains that only trigger when you’ve successfully completed a certain number of disguise missions. These chains offer massive reputation rewards and unique cosmetic items. Don’t just do the minimum disguise activities – explore the full system.
Bluffing Psychology: The Madiao card game bluffing system isn’t purely random. NPCs have tells and patterns you can learn to recognize. Pay attention to betting behavior and reaction animations. Skilled players can achieve 70%+ bluffing success rates, turning card games into reliable reputation sources.
Hidden Nine Mortal Ways Content
Secret Initiation Locations: While the Harvestfall Village route is the standard path, persistent rumors suggest alternative entry methods exist throughout Qinghe. Look for NPCs wearing “straw sandals” – the sect’s subtle identifier mentioned in faction lore. I haven’t personally verified all alternative routes, but community reports suggest at least two other entry paths.
San Qian’s Extended Questline: After joining the sect, return to San Qian periodically. He offers follow-up quests exclusive to Nine Mortal Ways members that reveal more about the sect’s organization and history. These quests unlock unique disguise options and rare items.
The Market of Thousand Plays: Sect lore mentions “The market holds a thousand plays, all told through Nine Mortal Ways.” This cryptic phrase hints at special marketplace activities. I’ve discovered that certain marketplaces throughout the game world host Nine Mortal Ways-exclusive events during specific in-game times. Mark your calendar for these limited-time opportunities.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Virtue Management: New members often ignore Virtue penalties from jail time or failed tricks. However, extremely low Virtue can lock you out of certain quests and interactions. Maintain a balance – be mischievous, but don’t let your Virtue drop below critical thresholds.
Disguise System Complexity: The A Thousand Faces system is deeper than it initially appears. Many players treat it as a simple costume change, but effective disguises require matching your behavior to the role. If you’re disguised as a scholar, spend time in libraries and engage in intellectual conversations. The system tracks consistency and rewards authentic role-playing.
Rope Dart Mastery Curve: Don’t give up on the Mortal Rope Dart too quickly. It has a steeper learning curve than straightforward weapons like swords. Invest time in practice mode or low-level areas to master its rhythm. Once you understand its flow, it becomes incredibly versatile.
Combining Nine Mortal Ways with Other Game Systems
Construction System Synergy: The game’s construction system (featuring 600+ authentic antique components) offers unique opportunities for Nine Mortal Ways members. Build secret hideouts, create disguise preparation rooms, or construct fake storefronts for elaborate heists. The sect’s philosophy encourages creative use of these systems beyond simple housing.
Social Manipulation in Player Communities: In multiplayer contexts, your Nine Mortal Ways affiliation affects reputation with other players. Some embrace the “trickster” archetype and enjoy interacting with sect members, while honor-focused players might avoid or antagonize you. Use this social dynamic to your advantage – build alliances with other rogues and mischief-makers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join both the Nine Mortal Ways and the Well of Heaven?
No, joining factions in Where Winds Meet is mutually exclusive during the initiation quest. When you reach the branching point where the impostor elder reveals himself, you must choose either the Nine Mortal Ways path or denounce the deception to join Well of Heaven instead. However, you can leave your current sect and join a different one later (with a 24-hour cooldown and potential penalties).
I attacked the impostor elder during the revelation. Can I still join?
If you become hostile and attack him during the confession scene, you’ll likely fail the Nine Mortal Ways initiation quest. The intended path requires hearing him out and making a conscious choice to join. If you failed the quest, you might need to reload a previous save or wait to see if the quest becomes available again (some reports suggest quest resets after certain time periods, but this isn’t confirmed).
Is the Nine Mortal Ways a “bad” faction morally?
The sect is explicitly oriented toward criminal and deceptive acts – theft, manipulation, forgery, and public disturbances form the core of their activities. From a traditional wuxia morality perspective, they’re definitely “bad guys.” However, the game presents them as complex rather than purely evil. They follow their own code of loyalty and brotherhood. Whether you consider this morally acceptable is a personal decision, but the game allows you to explore this path without judgmentally labeling you as “evil.”
Where exactly is Harvestfall Village located?
Harvestfall Village is positioned on the western edge of the Qinghe region. Open your world map and look west from Qinghe’s main city marker. You’ll see a small settlement icon representing the village. It’s approximately a 3-5 minute journey on foot from Qinghe’s western gate, or much faster if you’ve unlocked movement abilities. The village is characterized by agricultural fields, modest buildings, and rural aesthetics.
Can I use the Mortal Rope Dart with other sect affiliations?
The Mortal Rope Dart is the Nine Mortal Ways’ signature weapon and is provided upon joining the sect. If you later leave the sect, you can continue using any weapons you’ve already obtained, including the rope dart. However, sect shops may become inaccessible, and you won’t earn sect-specific upgrades for the weapon. Some advanced rope dart techniques might also require active Nine Mortal Ways membership to learn.
How does the disguise system actually work?
The A Thousand Faces system allows you to assume different identities using disguise kits and props. You can impersonate specific NPC types, other sect members, or even unique characters. The system tracks whether your behavior matches your disguise – if you’re dressed as a merchant but start pickpocketing, you’ll break character and risk detection. Successful disguises require maintaining appropriate behavior for extended periods and completing disguise-specific objectives.
What happens if I leave the Nine Mortal Ways sect?
Leaving any sect in Where Winds Meet requires completing a departure quest and obtaining the sect elder’s approval. For Nine Mortal Ways specifically, you must offer 50,000 Zhou Coins to the elder to receive leave approval. After leaving, you face consequences: remaining sect members will hunt you, you lose access to sect shops and commands, and there’s a 24-hour cooldown before you can join a different sect. You can rejoin Nine Mortal Ways later, but you’ll need to rebuild your reputation from scratch.
Does joining Nine Mortal Ways affect the main story?
Sect affiliation provides additional dialogue options and alternative approaches to certain main story quests, but it doesn’t fundamentally alter the core narrative. You’ll experience unique reactions from NPCs based on your Nine Mortal Ways membership, and some story moments may offer sect-specific solutions (like using disguises to infiltrate restricted areas). However, the main plot remains accessible regardless of faction choice.
Is Nine Mortal Ways suitable for solo players?
Absolutely. While the sect offers multiplayer activities and benefits from cooperative mischief-making, all core Nine Mortal Ways mechanics function perfectly in solo play. Disguise missions, pickpocketing, card game bluffing, and most sect commands can be completed alone. The sect actually suits solo players well because many activities benefit from independence and secrecy rather than teamwork.
Can I preview the Mortal Rope Dart combat style before committing?
Unfortunately, there’s no official preview system for sect weapons before joining. However, you might encounter Nine Mortal Ways NPCs or other players using rope darts in the world, allowing you to observe the weapon’s animation style and combat flow. You could also research gameplay videos or ask current sect members for demonstrations before making your decision.
Conclusion
Joining the Nine Mortal Ways sect in Where Winds Meet offers one of the most unique faction experiences in modern action RPGs. The clever deception during the initiation quest sets the tone for everything that follows – a path of mischief, cunning, and unconventional problem-solving that stands apart from traditional heroic narratives.
Whether you’re drawn to the sect’s moral flexibility, intrigued by the Mortal Rope Dart’s unique combat style, or simply want to experience the game from a trickster’s perspective, the Nine Mortal Ways delivers consistently entertaining gameplay. The A Thousand Faces disguise system, the Jianghu Fun reputation mechanics, and the risk-reward balance of Deceiving Heaven create a faction experience that never feels repetitive.
For players exploring Where Winds Meet’s vast open world and wondering which faction to join, I recommend giving the Nine Mortal Ways serious consideration, especially if you’re tired of playing the selfless hero in every action RPG experience. The journey begins with finding San Qian in Harvestfall Village, accepting the false elder’s suspicious task, and choosing to embrace the deception when truth reveals itself. From that moment forward, you’ll walk a path few others dare to tread – and you’ll have an incredible time doing it.
Remember to manage your Virtue carefully, master the rope dart’s unique rhythm, and explore every corner of the disguise system. The Nine Mortal Ways rewards creativity and boldness, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different approaches to sect activities. Most importantly, enjoy the freedom that comes from playing a character who operates outside society’s rigid expectations.
Now get out there and cause some carefully calculated chaos in the world of Where Winds Meet. The marketplace holds a thousand plays, and it’s time for you to perform yours.