According to the first master of the sect, he was a gang leader before he became a sect master. He had a band of brothers who stationed themselves at an important road and collected tolls from merchants who passed by the road.
They rarely robbed and didn't like to kill, but they would do so if a target refused to cooperate with their extortion. They then used the resources they gained to cultivate and grow stronger.
This was their life for many years. But it changed one day when a powerful cultivator came to them. The cultivator gave them a powerful technique and told them to come downstream to the region of the world and create a sect.
The band of brothers set out on this road and toiled on it for many years. They killed and robbed. They did everything within their grasp to achieve their goal. After nearly two hundred years of effort, they were finally able to create a sect and fulfill the wish of the powerful cultivator.
By that time, many of them had died. But the remaining ones alive didn't resent the powerful cultivator for forcing them to create a sect because it made them stronger and allowed them to achieve power that they never thought was possible for them.
Elder Bloodhound finished the story and said, "So you know why we have the most powerful technique in this region. It is because it came from a powerful cultivator upstream of the roots of the Ethera tree."
"I know you have many questions about the establishment of the Blood Skull sect. Who were the band of brothers and the first ancestor? Who was that powerful cultivator that made them come here to create a sect? Why did the powerful cultivator want a sect in the first place?"
"I don't have all the answers to that, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you because it is not your place to know. What I can tell you are the precepts that we abide by in this sect."
"The first precept is that we are killers. We are content with extorting people, but we have no qualms killing and robbing people when we need to. You must remember first and foremost that we are predators willing to do anything to achieve our purpose."
"The second precept is that we are brothers, and brothers don't betray each other. We are an alliance of like-minded people with the goal of growing stronger. We can attack and kill other people, but we must not kill our brothers and sisters. We must unite. That way we won't fall apart easily."
"The third precept is that strength is respected above all else. For strength, we can take on a nearly impossible task just so that we can get a powerful technique. Because of strength, we won't feel bad about the many brothers that died in order to achieve that task."
"This alliance was formed with the sole goal of helping its members grow stronger. So you must never stand in the way of another member growing stronger if you don't need to for your own strength. Even if you won't help a fellow sect member in their quest to grow stronger, you must never cut off their path maliciously."
"These are the three precepts that we abide by in this sect. If you agree with it, then cut your palm and smear it on the stele. This will signify your willingness to swear an oath of allegiance to the sect."
"After you do that, the rules of Sect will appear on the stele for you to peruse. If you agree with it, then you swear the oath with the Ethera tree as the witness."
"Do that quickly so that we can resume our tour. If you don't want to swear the oath, then you can leave. No one will stop you."
Everyone lined up to cut their hand and placed it on the black stele. Arthur didn't notice any difference when they did that. But he did notice that everyone who did became dumbfounded for a while.
They became frozen for a few seconds. After a while, a golden leaf would materialize in front of them and imprint itself on their head. Then they stepped away from the stele.
When it was his turn, he did as instructed. He smeared his blood all over the stele with his hand. The stele absorbed his blood quickly, so there was no stain on it.
After absorbing his blood, the bloody writing on the stele changed. It became legible to him, which surprised him. He became frozen as he began to read what was written on the stele.
What he read wasn't the short story that Elder Bloodhound just told them. It was a list of terms and conditions of allegiance to the sect. Beneath the list was the oath that needed to be taken before he can become a member of the Blood Skull sect.
The terms and conditions were rules that outlined what he could and couldn't do. For starters, he couldn't betray the sect in anyway including killing a sect member and telling outsiders confidential information.
That was the most important rule. If he does kill someone from the sect intentionally or by accident, he must report it and await investigation and judgment.
Aside from it, there wasn't much else he couldn't do. But there was a lot that he could do that he didn't think should have been possible.
For example, stealing in the sect is allowed. It is actually encouraged. Fighting is also allowed. But the fighting must stop before maiming anyone.
There were also things that the sect would do for him if he joined them. For one, they won't let anyone outside the sect bully him. They would provide resources to him according to his value.
It was stated that he could do anything he wanted when he joined the sect. There was no obligation to do anything, and no one would force him. The relationship between sect members is meant to be voluntary, cordial, and beneficial to both parties.