Chapter 34 Elders Accept Inner Disciples
"Congratulations on your excellent ranking in this year's Foundation Establishment Competition," Sect Master Yan said first.
"Today, the sect will select disciples from among you two hundred to enter the inner sect. Those who are not selected should not be discouraged. Whether you are an inner or outer sect disciple, you are all disciples of the Immortal Cloud Sect. The path to the Dao is arduous, and I hope that you will not be defeated by the setbacks you are facing. Those who are selected must know to guard against arrogance and impetuosity. Inner sect status is not immutable. There have been inner sect disciples who made mistakes and had their inner sect status revoked. I hope you can take this as a warning."
After addressing the two hundred disciples, Sect Master Yan turned to the elders present and said, "The disciples below are outstanding disciples of our Immortal Firmament Sect. Do any of you elders wish to take them as disciples?"
As Sect Leader Yan finished speaking, some people's hearts began to pound, and some even had their chests heaving noticeably. They all wanted to become the elders' personal disciples, to have an elder as their master who could guide them on their future path.
The desire to become a direct disciple outweighed the tension and fear of facing several powerful cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above.
Apart from the elders of Lingcao Peak, the other elders have not accepted any personal disciples for many years. Do they plan to accept any disciples this year?
The bolder disciples secretly rolled their eyes, stealing glances at the expressions of the elders on either side.
Elder Xin of Lingdan Peak looked grim, as if someone owed him spirit stones. The thought of Qi Zibo announcing to everyone that Song Yin was his disciple filled him with dread!
Elder Xin fanned himself faster, as if trying to extinguish the fire in his heart.
"Ahem." Qi Zibo coughed lightly.
His voice instantly drew everyone's attention.
Some disciples felt as if they were about to stop breathing; were they about to be accepted as disciples?
Please, you must take me as your apprentice!
"Song Yin, come and stand next to your master."
Being the first to be called out, Song Yin took a deep breath and walked out of the line, ignoring the gazes of those behind her.
She bowed to the sect leader and the elders, then walked to the second table and chair to the right of the sect leader.
The six inner sect elders are positioned in the first three positions to the left and right of the sect leader, followed by the outer sect elders.
Approaching Qi Zibo, she performed a disciple's salute and respectfully said, "Master."
Qi Zibo nodded and announced to everyone: "From now on, Song Yin will be the eldest disciple of my Danque Peak and inherit the legacy of my Danque Peak."
"Congratulations, Elder Qi." The other elders offered their congratulations in unison, even though they had known all along that Song Yin was his disciple.
Qi Zibo happily accepted all the congratulations from the other elders.
He took a good look at Elder Xin's expression and burst out laughing.
Elder Wen noticed Qi Zibo's behavior, picked up his teacup, and used the act of drinking tea to cover the corners of his lips that were curled up.
Elder Xin simply turned his head away, refusing to look at Qi Zibo's smug expression.
Seeing Elder Wen standing to the side, Song Yin remembered her, as she had been instrumental in her Foundation Establishment. So Song Yin bowed to her in return. Elder Wen smiled and nodded in response.
"Shi Heming, the second disciple personally instructed by Daowen Peak," Elder Yuan announced to the crowd.
Shi Heming, under the envious gazes of the other Foundation Establishment disciples, bowed to the sect leader and elders, and then walked to his master, Elder Yuan's side.
"Disciple Shi Heming greets Master."
Elder Yuan said, "Good, good, get up quickly." He couldn't hide the smile on his face.
Elder Yuan was positioned to the lower left of the sect leader. Once he was in position, he and Song Yin faced each other across a distance.
Song Yin winked at Shi Heming and quietly gave him a thumbs up. Shi Heming smiled and quietly gave him a thumbs up in return. The elders turned a blind eye to their little interaction, but the other disciples didn't notice.
When Cheng Xian heard that Song Yin and Shi Heming had been accepted as personal disciples one after another, he thought that as the second-ranked person, he should have a chance to be accepted as a personal disciple by other elders.
At this moment, a female voice rang out, "Bai Yuefeng, would you be willing to become a disciple of my Spirit Sword Peak?"
The winner of this Foundation Establishment Competition stepped forward, bowed to the sect leaders and elders, and then knelt before the elders of Spirit Sword Peak.
"This disciple wishes to become a disciple of Lingjian Peak. Bai Yuefeng greets Master."
Elder of Lingjian Peak: "Get up. From now on, you will be the second disciple personally taught by Lingjian Peak."
"Thank you, Master."
Cheng Xian clenched his fists, waiting for someone to call his name.
The first and third place winners have already been chosen, so it seems I have a very high chance of being selected myself. I absolutely must be chosen by an inner sect sword cultivator elder! I absolutely must be chosen by an inner sect sword cultivator elder!! I absolutely must be chosen by an inner sect sword cultivator elder…
After the elders of Lingjian Peak finished accepting their disciples, no other elders spoke in the main hall.
Sect Leader Yan asked, "Are there any elders still accepting disciples?"
"Sect Master, Ling Shuang Peak already has three personal disciples, so we will not be accepting any more disciples for the time being."
"Sect Master, Lingyin Peak will not be accepting disciples this year."
"Although I have no direct disciples on Xuanji Peak, accepting disciples depends on fate, and my fate has not yet arrived."
The other elders spoke up one after another, expressing their opinions.
The first two hundred disciples who weren't chosen felt disappointed, then a sense of "I knew it!" rose within them, and they composed themselves. The elder's acceptance of disciples was an accident; their best course of action was to focus on being selected for the inner sect.
At this moment, someone entered the main hall, passing by the standing disciples, and went straight to the sect leader, bowing and presenting the scroll with both hands.
The scroll contained the names of those who had entered the inner sect this time.
Whenever the sect leader calls out a name, the person whose name is called steps out of line and stands on the other side.
Of the two hundred disciples, only seventy-one were called by name.
After reading the list, Sect Leader Yan closed the scroll and put it back on the tray. Then he said to those below, "Those whose names are called shall enter the inner sect."
The person whose name was called became emotional, but tried hard to calm themselves down and avoid embarrassing themselves.
Cheng Xian's mood plummeted to rock bottom.
How could I not be included? It's one thing to not be accepted as a personal disciple, but how come I didn't even enter the inner sect? I'm the second-place winner in the Foundation Establishment Competition, a disciple with a single spiritual root talent!
Not only was Cheng Xian puzzled, but the other disciples also didn't understand why Cheng Xian hadn't been chosen.
Sect Leader Yan waved his hand, ordering someone to take those who had not been chosen out.
Cheng Xian did not leave; he remained in the main hall. The personal disciples stood beside their master, the inner disciples stood together, but he stood alone in place.
"Sect Master, may I ask why I wasn't selected to enter the inner sect?" Cheng Xian tried to calm himself, but his trembling voice betrayed his inner unease.
"I don't understand, my ranking and talent are no worse than theirs."
Looking around, he recognized some of the chosen disciples, while others he didn't. Among these new inner disciples, the one with the worst talent was one with three spiritual roots, even though their talent was far inferior to his own.
Zhang Dazhi, with an ordinary name, possesses three spiritual roots and comes from the mortal realm. He is over a hundred years old and has been selected for the inner sect. Xu Chunsheng, with two spiritual roots, also comes from the cultivation world and is over eighty years old. He has also been selected for the inner sect. There are also Pu Sheng, Kong An, Wu Qiuchi...
At least among the people he knows, none of them can compare to him!
"You wish to join the inner sect?"
The Yan Sect Leader was not angry at Cheng Xian's disobedience and offense. Instead, he calmly asked Cheng Xian.
The new inner disciples stood at attention, not daring to glance around, for who knew if Cheng Xian would be punished.
Cheng Xian: "Yes."
Sect Leader Yan: "The other disciples who were not selected have various reasons, such as poor character or insufficient talent. You are different. With your achievements and talent, you only need to answer one question to enter the inner sect."
Cheng Xian looked up abruptly, "What's the problem?"
Sect Leader Yan: "Sect or family, which do you choose?"
Cheng Xian opened his mouth to answer.
Sect Master Yan raised his hand to stop him, "Don't rush to answer. Understand my question first. If you choose a sect, you must prioritize the sect's interests above all else, keep the sect's laws secret, and swear an oath to Heaven. Anyone who breaks the oath will die, their soul will be scattered, and their spirit will be gone. If you choose a family, you can only stay in the outer sect."
Cheng Xian's face turned deathly pale instantly.
The gazes of the elders around him were like knives piercing him, making him feel as if he were standing naked in front of them, unable to hide any secrets.
They know everything...
Knows everything...
Among the new inner disciples, some couldn't help but be curious and quietly turned their heads to look at Cheng Xian, wondering why he had suddenly become silent.
Cheng Xian resented not being included on the inner sect list, but more so he feared the disappointed looks from his family. He had carried a heavy burden from the beginning. From recent family letters, he knew the Cheng family was declining rapidly, while other families were on the rise. His father was old; his talent meant his cultivation would no longer improve. What would become of the Cheng family when his father's life ended? They didn't mention it in a single sentence, but he understood it all—
The Cheng family needs him.
Cheng Xian's lips trembled, "I...I choose...the family."
Some inner disciples didn't understand why Cheng Xian was finding it so difficult to make a choice, when it was clearly a simple matter of choosing one of two options. Other disciples lowered their eyes in deep thought, firmly remembering the events of the day.
Sect Leader Yan: "Alright."
After a long while, Cheng Xian bowed and paid his respects.
"Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Sect Master. I will take my leave now."
Sect Master Yan sighed softly, "Cheng Xian, with your talent, advancing to the Nascent Soul stage is not difficult. There are countless secret realms and ruins in the cultivation world, and there are many opportunities and inheritances within them. You are still young, and you have a long future ahead of you. You will eventually encounter an inheritance that is destined for you. There is more than one way to develop your family."
Cheng Xian stopped and turned around to bow deeply to the sect leader.
After the interlude ended, Sect Leader Yan had other matters to attend to, and he entrusted the task of arranging new inner disciples to an elder.
The direct disciples did not leave with the elders; instead, they followed their own masters to the various peaks.
With the dust settled, a letter was sent to the Cheng family.
Cheng Xian's obsession dissipated with the wind, and despite not having entered the inner sect, he felt much more relaxed.
The Foundation Building Competition has been very popular this year.
Of the two hundred Foundation Establishment disciples, only seventy-one were selected for the inner sect, and the second-ranked genius with a single spiritual root was not selected, sparking heated discussions among the crowd.
But the most heated discussion was about the three elders taking on disciples!
Everyone sighed with relief that after so many years, the elders were finally accepting disciples again, especially two inner sect elders.
Qi Zibo and Elder Yuan then announced to the entire sect that Song Yin and Shi Heming were now direct disciples of the inner sect. Upon receiving the news, Song Yin's name once again became a hot topic, sparking discussion even among the inner sect members. Shi Heming and another direct disciple from Lingjian Peak were also the subject of intense discussion.
After learning that Song Yin and Shi Heming had become inner disciples, the disciples of Class Ding were all incredibly energetic, displaying a level of drive they had never shown before in both sword practice and studies.
After learning the results of the disciple selection, Senior Zhou Xinren looked towards the inner sect.
"As expected."
As for the people involved in the incident, they were taken back to their respective peaks by their masters.
Song Yin also had a courtyard on Danque Peak, but it was much larger and safer than the bamboo hut. She replanted the spiritual plants and flowers she had taken with her. Thinking that the competition was over, she could finally rest for a few days, but the very next day, Qi Zibo dragged her to the alchemy room.
"With the outer sect matters settled, from now on, you must diligently cultivate and study alchemy, and I will regularly check your success in alchemy."
Song Yin: "Can't you let me rest for a few days?"
Qi Zibo said decisively, "No, focus on refining the pills. There are more important things to do later."
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Author's Note: Song Yin: Old Deng, I need to rest!!! [Angry]
Qi Zibo: To become my disciple, you must refine elixirs every day without rest. [Vegetable Dog]
Song Yin drew her sword: Old Deng, prepare to die!
Qi Zibo: It's no use, you can't beat me.
Song Yin: You wait here, I'm going to start cultivating now. [Shrugs]
So Song Yin worked hard and surpassed her master in cultivation, successfully defeating him, inheriting Danque Peak, and ascending the throne as queen.
(bushi)
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Take out my small bowl [empty bowl][empty bowl][empty bowl]
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