The four great elders argued until their faces were red, none willing to back down.
They traded barbs and undermined one another. There was not a trace of the composure befitting Golden Core True Persons.
Just as the four were about to start a full-blown quarrel in front of everyone—
A sudden cough rang out.
Ahem, ahem.
The four noisy elders fell silent at once.
In perfect unison, they turned to look at Li Mofan, standing nearby with his hands clasped behind his back.
Li Mofan remained calm. His gaze swept over the four junior brothers before he spoke slowly.
"Four junior brothers, stop arguing."
"I'll take Su Yun."
The four Golden Core elders' eyes widened, their pupils contracting as disbelief filled their faces.
The First Elder was the first to lose his composure. He stepped forward, his voice urgent. "Senior Brother! You can't just ignore the rules!"
The Second Elder's brow furrowed deeply. "Senior Brother Sect Master, a hundred years ago, you said yourself that sect affairs were too demanding, and that you wouldn't take another personal disciple in this lifetime! Every elder here remembers those words clearly!"
The Third Elder waved his hands repeatedly, looking flustered. "That's right, Senior Brother! How can you go back on your word? You swore that you'd never take a disciple unless you encountered an unparalleled prodigy!"
The Fourth Elder was even more anxious, rubbing his hands together in frustration.
"Senior Brother! I've only got one personal disciple so far! I finally found a Metal Heavenly Spirit Root, and now you're cutting in! You can't do this! Give the child to me!"
In an instant,
the four elders, who had just been undermining and snapping at one another, united as one.
They turned all their attention on Sect Master Li Mofan.
The four crowded around him, talking over one another as they voiced their indignation.
"Senior Brother! You handle the sect's affairs every day—reviewing documents, presiding over meetings, managing the sect's dealings with the outside world. How could you possibly have time to personally teach a disciple?"
"Exactly! A heaven-defying genius like Su Yun needs dedicated, one-on-one instruction. You're too busy to look after him!"
"We're all full-time elders, with plenty of free time. We're far more suited to this than you are!"
"You can't use your position as sect master to snatch him away! That's not fair!"
The four elders looked aggrieved and frustrated.
They'd finally come across a Metal Heavenly Spirit Root, and just as the four of them were about to divide up the prize, the sect master had intercepted him halfway.
Anyone would be unwilling to accept that.
Li Mofan's expression didn't change. A composed smile played on his face.
"I did say that I wouldn't take a personal disciple in this lifetime unless I encountered an unparalleled prodigy."
"But now, that prodigy is right before me."
"A Metal Heavenly Spirit Root, peerless in offense, pure and untainted."
"Such a talent appears only once every few centuries in all of Spirit Province."
"I didn't want to take a disciple before because I hadn't found one worthy of my attention. Now that I've met Su Yun, I'm willing to make an exception."
"Each of you has your own strengths, but you also have your limitations."
"Your endless squabbling will only make things difficult for the boy."
"Rather than force him to choose among the four of you, it's better for him to join my lineage."
Li Mofan spoke evenly, but his words carried an unyielding force.
"There's no need to discuss this further. I've made up my mind."
As his voice fell,
the four elders opened their mouths, then stopped, unsure what to say.
They exchanged glances, and all of them wilted.
Frustration, helplessness, unwillingness.
But there was nothing they could do.
Li Mofan was the Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect, with a status above everyone else.
The four of them were only elders. No matter how much they protested, they couldn't forcibly take a disciple the sect master had set his sights on.
They could only retreat dejectedly, their faces gloomy.
A personal disciple of an elder could be impressive, but he was still only an elder's disciple.
A personal disciple of the sect master was, in name, the young sect master of the entire Azure Cloud Sect.
The difference in status was like heaven and earth.
Whoever it was—even a fool—would choose the sect master without hesitation.
No one would turn down such an incredible opportunity.
Beside the high platform,
Liu Qing, an outer-sect deacon elder, stood rooted to the spot, completely stunned.
His eyes were full of shock, and even a trace of envy.
So far, the sect master had only taken two personal disciples.
Both had above-average talent. They had now reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and despite their youth, they held a very high status in the sect.
And now,
Su Yun was about to become the sect master's third personal disciple.
He had only just joined the sect, yet his status already surpassed that of Liu Qing, an outer-sect deacon elder.
Liu Qing was filled with emotion. Comparing yourself to others could drive you mad.
On the high platform,
only now did Su Yun recover from one shock after another.
Li Mofan turned to him and asked,
"Su Yun, are you willing to join my lineage and become my personal disciple?"
Su Yun didn't hesitate in the slightest.
He didn't even pause for a second.
He hurried forward, posture respectful and voice earnest. "Your disciple Su Yun is willing! Greetings, Master!"
He understood perfectly.
The man before him was the Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect.
He was one of the most prominent figures in all of Spirit Province.
His cultivation was profound, and his power immense.
To take such a person as his master meant having the sect's leader at his back. Within the sect, he could practically do as he pleased.
Resources, powerful backing, cultivation techniques, opportunities in Secret Realms—he'd have it all.
He was afraid that if he delayed even a second, the other man would change his mind.
An opportunity like this came once in a thousand years. He absolutely couldn't let it slip by.
A genuine smile appeared on Li Mofan's face.
He gently raised a hand, and a soft wave of spiritual energy lifted Su Yun, helping the boy to his feet.
"Good."
"From today onward, Su Yun is the third personal disciple under my tutelage, Li Mofan."
The entire crowd erupted.
On the plaza, every youth waiting to be tested stared with reddened eyes, their faces filled with envy.
"My heavens! A personal disciple of the sect master!"
"That's the highest status in the entire Azure Cloud Sect!"
"I'm so jealous, I really am! We're all people, so why is the difference between us so huge?"
The outer-sect disciples nearby were even more envious.
They'd toiled at their cultivation for years, climbing from servant status to the outer sect, and might never meet the sect master even once in their lives.
Su Yun had arrived that very day and gone straight to the top, becoming the sect master's direct disciple.
He was destined to become a major figure. His future was boundless.
Among the crowd,
those who had previously mocked, laughed at, or belittled Su Yun now felt their hearts pound with fear.
Quite a few of the youths who had casually made fun of Su Yun earlier went pale and swallowed nervously.
"Damn it, did I make fun of him earlier?"
"It should be fine, right? We only said a couple of things in passing. We're nobodies. A big shot like him won't hold a grudge."
"Let's hope so. Just don't let him notice us..."
At the same time, the three youths in fine clothes had already gone completely pale.
Their legs turned weak, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
Their faces were deathly white, their lips bloodless, their backs soaked in cold sweat.
Their earlier arrogance, sense of superiority, and swagger had vanished without a trace.
The fair-skinned youth's teeth chattered. He lowered his voice and spoke shakily. "It's over... We're completely done for..."
The round-faced youth glanced around in a panic. "He's now the sect master's personal disciple... We mocked him, looked down on him, and insulted him in public..."
The tall, skinny youth's throat was dry, and his voice was hoarse.
"If we stay in the Azure Cloud Sect, trouble will find us sooner or later."
"Even if Su Yun is magnanimous and lets it go, the other disciples will come after us to curry favor with him."
The three exchanged glances, and the same thought surfaced in all their minds.
They had to leave.
They couldn't stay a moment longer.
The fair-skinned youth gritted his teeth. "Forget joining the sect. We're going down the mountain now."
"Staying alive matters most."
The other two nodded firmly without a moment's hesitation.
Even though the Azure Cloud Sect was a top-tier immortal sect, they didn't dare stay any longer.
The three lowered their heads and, while everyone's attention was fixed on the high platform, edged along the perimeter of the crowd, hunched over and shuffling toward the mountain gate in a miserable panic.
They only wanted to get away as quickly as possible from Azure Cloud Mountain, the place that had plunged them into despair.