After the incident at Jinlin Mountain, Su Xiaomo's standing in the Taixuan Sacred Sect had risen considerably. He had even been given his own courtyard. As long as he performed slightly better, advancing to the Inner Sect would be no problem at all.
However, becoming Xia Shuiyun's neighbor made him rather uneasy. He carefully recalled the emotional guidance Old Man Wei had given him, pondering how he should approach her.
"Junior Brother!"
On the way to the Canteen, Sun Yingquan draped an arm over his shoulder and laughed. "Your status in the Outer Sect is getting higher and higher. From now on, I'll be following you."
"Senior Brother is joking again," Su Xiaomo said.
"I'm not joking!"
Sun Yingquan said seriously, "Once you truly enter the Inner Sect, I really will have to follow you. That status is higher than that of an Outer disciple, and I'll have to call you Senior Brother from then on."
Under the Taixuan Sacred Sect's system, regardless of who entered the sect first, Outer disciples had to address Inner disciples as Senior Brother.
Of course, the Inner Sect's special status was reflected in more than just forms of address. It also came with separate canteens, separate courtyards, separate guidance from elders, and separate cultivation facilities.
Though the Outer Sect and Inner Sect differed by only one word, their treatment was worlds apart.
Countless Outer disciples sharpened their heads to a point in hopes of becoming Inner disciples. Due to aptitude limitations, they might only reach the Martial Grandmaster level otherwise, but if they entered the Inner Sect, their upper limit would inevitably reach Martial King, or even higher.
"Senior Brother Sun will always be my senior brother. Whether I become an Inner disciple or a Personal Disciple, that will never change," Su Xiaomo said.