Chen Zhou had some understanding of the tasks of the elders in charge. Xu Changtian was one of the elders in charge. They would accept tasks assigned by the sect and leave the sect to complete them. They could only return to the sect after completing the task or discovering important intelligence.

The outside world is vast and wonderful, but it also means that dangers lurk everywhere. Without absolute strength, it is impossible to become a deacon elder, and Chen Zhou just happened to become a deacon elder by winning first place in the sect competition.

Because the tasks accepted by the elders are all problems that the sect cannot solve at present, the elders are required to go and gather intelligence or complete the tasks, so there is a certain degree of risk involved. Before each elder goes to complete a task, he or she must sign a life-or-death agreement with the sect.

They entrusted their lives to the sect and did their utmost to complete the mission.

This is the duty of the deacon elder.

"Sect Master, Chen Zhou is still so young. Should we postpone the assignment of missions outside the sect?"

The Third Elder spoke first, asking, "Chen Zhou is inexperienced in the ways of the world; the risks of going out are simply too great."

The white-haired sect leader shook his head and said, "Now that you've become a steward elder, you should be prepared to go out and complete missions."

Chen Zhou couldn't help but purse his lips. Wasn't this position as a deacon elder a reward they had forced upon him? If he had a choice, why would he choose this kind of reward?

"Sect Master, Chen Zhou is indeed quite young, and besides, the Elder Deacon awarded Chen Zhou as the top prize in the sect."

The Grand Elder cherished talent and naturally didn't want anything to happen to Chen Zhou outside. After so many years, this was the first soul weapon to recognize a master.

The fact that both elders spoke up for Chen Zhou shows his current status among the elders.

The prosperity of the Sword Cloud Sect lies in its younger generation.

"Since both elders have said so, why don't we just ask Chen Zhou what he thinks?"

The white-haired sect leader turned to look at Chen Zhou as he spoke.

All the elders looked at Chen Zhou, who didn't know what to say.

From a moral standpoint, having lived in the Sword Cloud Sect since childhood, one has already developed an affection for this ethereal sect. Therefore, it is only natural to contribute one's own strength to the Sword Cloud Sect.

From a personal perspective, he was inexperienced and not very strong. Rashly going to complete the task assigned by the sect would probably be extremely dangerous.

Just as Chen Zhou was undecided, Ren Lao's voice came to his mind.

"Kid, this is a great opportunity, say yes!"

"This might be a death sentence, what a good opportunity!" Chen Zhou muttered to himself.

"Stop talking nonsense and agree quickly. You can't spend your whole life cultivating in the sect. There are more opportunities and more room for improvement outside!"

Several minutes had already passed, and if Chen Zhou did not respond soon, the sect leader or elders might ask again to confirm whether they had heard him.

"Sect Master, Elders, Chen Zhou has lived in the Sword Cloud Sect since childhood. Without the Sword Cloud Sect, there would be no Chen Zhou. Chen Zhou is naturally willing to contribute to the sect."

Chen Zhou said quickly.

After he finished speaking, a round of applause erupted; it came from the sect leader.

The sect leader looked somewhat smug and said, "Good! That's the demeanor a disciple of my Sword Cloud Sect should have."

The Third Elder sighed heavily, then bowed to the Sect Master and was the first to leave the cave.

Then the elders left one by one, leaving only Chen Zhou and the white-haired sect leader in the cave.

"Your name is Chen Zhou, right?" the white-haired sect leader asked, sitting back down on his futon.

“Yes, Sect Master. My name is Chen Zhou,” Chen Zhou replied.

"I am the 129th sect master of the Sword Cloud Sect, known as the Dragon Martial Swordsman. I have been in charge of the Sword Cloud Sect for over a hundred years and have personally witnessed its decline from its former prosperity to its present state. The once number one sword sect on the Tianyun Continent has fallen into ruin."

The sect leader's expression finally changed, revealing a hint of sadness, something Chen Zhou had never seen before.

This was the first time Chen Zhou had ever heard of such a thing. He only knew that the Sword Cloud Sect was the largest cultivation sect in the Southern Kingdom, while the Southern Kingdom was just a small country in the Tianyun Continent.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Southern Kingdom is the lowest-ranking country in the Tianyun Continent. Not only is its national strength the weakest, but it also has the smallest land area.

The saying "No strength, no land" is very applicable in the Tianyun Continent. The relationships between various countries are complex. Some countries join forces to form alliances for their own interests, while others fight each other to seize land.

Once the number one sword sect on the Tianyun Continent, this shows how prosperous the Sword Cloud Sect was back then.

"The Sword Cloud Sect can only stay in a small part of the Southern Kingdom now, and dare not make a sound."

The sect leader's voice trembled.

"These all happened during my time in charge of the Sword Cloud Sect. If the Sword Cloud Sect cannot continue to flourish under my leadership, I am afraid I will be a sinner against the Sword Cloud Sect for all eternity!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhou couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the sect leader. The once mighty Sword Cloud Sect had fallen into decline under his leadership, which must have been a disservice to their ancestors.

"In order to revive our Sword Cloud Sect, we must first find a powerful array master. The true energy of our Tianmen Mountain is currently scarce, which is a huge deficiency for the disciples of the Sword Cloud Sect. This is why our disciples' cultivation levels have stagnated. The original spirit-guiding array has become ineffective, so we must invite another array master to build another spirit-guiding array for our Sword Cloud Sect!"

The sect leader's voice grew louder and louder, resounding throughout the entire cave.

A formation master? A spirit-summoning formation?

During the heyday of the Sword Cloud Sect, this Spirit-Guiding Array actually played such a crucial role. Chen Zhou curled his lips, wondering what level of strength one would need to reach to set up such a powerful array.

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