A new sword had been added to the world, simply named Void, and the entire sect knew of it.
After the crowd dispersed...
Tu Kongkong was taken back to Zuiwan Residence by Li Qingshan.
Meanwhile, Xu Xian and his fellow senior brothers and sisters gathered at the Peach Blossom Immortal Abode.
They drank tea and ate pastries, enjoying a rare and small reunion.
Jiang Wanyin, mimicking Yun Zheng's former tone and mannerisms, said to Xu Xian, "You are Little Eleven, and Kongkong is your disciple. This time, you shall accept the disciple on behalf of our master."
Xu Xian was taken aback and asked, "Is that against the rules? Isn't Senior Sister still here?"
In the Wendao Sword Sect, accepting a disciple on behalf of one's master was a tradition spanning ten thousand years, so it was not surprising. However, the person who usually did so was the current Sect Master.
Clearly, Xu Xian was not the head of the sect.
Ye Xianyu said nonchalantly, "Don't look at me. I have no objections."
Jiang Wanyin smiled and said, "Then it is settled. It is merely a formality."
Xu Xian stopped declining and accepted, saying, "Alright, I will follow Senior Sister's wishes."
Having finished the discussion about Tu Kongkong...
Ye Xianyu hurried to Jiang Wanyin's side, pouring tea and handing her water with a flattering expression.
As the current matriarch of the Wendao Sword Sect, Jiang Wanyin naturally knew that when Little Ten showed such uncharacteristic diligence, she was definitely up to no good.
"Speak. What do you want from me?"
Ye Xianyu did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "Senior Sister, look, we already have a Little Twelve. Can I pass this Sect Master position to Little Eleven now?"
Xu Xian knew it.
He rolled his eyes, not surprised in the slightest. Over the years, Ye Xianyu had hinted at this to him more than once.
He had always refused.
He did not care who wanted to be the Sect Master, as long as it was not him.
Of course, since his senior sister and brothers were all present today, it was not his place to interrupt.
He simply stayed quiet and kept to himself.
"What, do you want to shirk your responsibilities already?" Jiang Wanyin asked casually.
Ye Xianyu immediately denied it. "Of course not!" Then, she explained with an air of righteousness, "I just feel that we should give young people some opportunities to train. Besides, everyone has seen Little Eleven's abilities. He isn't even thirty yet, and he's already at the seventh stage."
"In the Wendao Sword Sect, there is no precedent for someone becoming Sect Master before reaching tribulation transcendence," Jiang Wanyin said, appearing conflicted.
Ye Xianyu hurriedly said, "We are meant to blaze a trail for ten thousand generations! With Little Eleven's cultivation speed, reaching tribulation transcendence is only a matter of time. Letting him adapt early will make it easier for him to take over in the future. I'm not being lazy; I'm purely considering the future of the sect."
It was half-truth and half-lie.
Her claim of not being lazy was a lie, but her evaluation of Xu Xian was sincere and accurate.
Their little junior brother's talent was indeed staggering.
He had been in seclusion for less than a year and had already broken through a major realm. While others found breaking through in cultivation as difficult as reaching the heavens, for him, it was as easy as drinking water.
Jiang Wanyin neither refused nor agreed, maintaining a pensive expression.
Ye Xianyu sensed her hesitation and felt there was hope. She quickly looked toward the others for help.
She first looked at Xu Xian, hoping he would take a stand.
Xu Xian turned around, giving her his back.
Ye Xianyu silently cursed the brat for having no sense of responsibility, though this was expected.
It was already a stroke of luck that Xu Xian had not jumped up to protest.
She then turned to her seventh senior brother.
Lei Yunche looked back at her solemnly. When Ye Xianyu winked at him, Lei Yunche asked if something was wrong with her eye.
Ye Xianyu was speechless.
Finally...
She could only pin her hopes on the elderly Lin Fengmian.
He was her master and had always doted on her the most.
Even though she had once torn his umbrella when she was young, that was all in the past.
She pressed her hands together, her eyes full of pleading.
She was saying, 'Please, please. I beg of you.'
Lin Fengmian felt very awkward. He looked at his former disciple, then at his sixth senior sister, and finally at his little junior brother who was huddled in the corner of the table, acting as if none of this concerned him. After a moment of thought, he said in a dignified tone, "Ahem... I think what Xiaoyu said actually makes sense. Since Little Junior Brother is so outstanding, it wouldn't hurt to set a precedent."
Ye Xianyu beamed with joy, while Xu Xian snapped his head back with a glare.
'No way.'
'Ninth Senior Brother...'
'Are you really that lacking in principles?'
Jiang Wanyin shook her head and laughed. "Fengmian, you're just spoiling her."
Xu Xian had a bad feeling. He wondered if this small gathering was a trap specifically set by his senior brothers and sisters.
This was not a spontaneous suggestion from Ye Xianyu; they had been plotting this for a long time.
Suddenly, the tea felt bland, the pastries were no longer sweet, and he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Ye Xianyu looked at him triumphantly.
Jiang Wanyin said, "This isn't impossible, but we must consult the person involved. Little Junior Brother, what do you think?"
Xu Xian suddenly stood up and said, "Senior brothers, senior sisters, my house is on fire. I have to go back immediately."
The four of them were stunned, their gazes becoming meaningful.
In all their years, they had never heard such a perfunctory excuse.
His house was on fire?
"Uh..."
Lei Yunche could not help but complain, "Little Junior Brother, even if you don't want to do it, you don't have to be so lazy with your excuses."
Ye Xianyu followed up, "Exactly. You aren't even trying to act."
Xu Xian pouted and said helplessly, "Neither are you. You aren't even trying to hide your scheme."
"..."
The atmosphere became a bit awkward. Jiang Wanyin was still quite fair, and she said that since Little Junior Brother was unwilling, they would drop the matter.
The Wendao Sword Sect had no precedent for forcing anyone against their will.
There never had been, and there never would be, even for a disciple of the Sword Ancestor.
This matter could not be forced.
She also added that Xu Xian was indeed a bit young and should focus his energy on cultivation.
Xu Xian said, "First Senior Sister is wise."
Ye Xianyu did not insist further, thinking she would just hold on for another couple of years.
If Little Eleven did not want to do it, it did not mean Little Twelve would feel the same.
Next...
They moved on to casual small talk, and Xu Xian naturally became the protagonist of the conversation.
His senior brothers asked about several things.
For instance...
They asked if the Extreme Cold Sword Intent that appeared in the Sword Mound recently was his doing. Xu Xian was forthright and admitted it was him.
He said he had gained another sword.
He did not demonstrate it in person, but he told them the name of the sword.
"Nishui Han, the chill that flows against the current."
Everyone praised him for his brilliance.
Xu Xian felt a small surge of pride.
They then spoke of his remarkable forging talent, noting he must be a seventh-rank master forger by now.
Xu Xian modestly said that his current level was around the eighth rank, which gave the others quite a shock.
In the entire world, since Ancient Sword Mountain did not involve itself with the outside, there were only three eighth-rank master forgers.
And now...
Another one had emerged.
An eighth-rank master forger at thirty years old. If word of this got out, Ancient Sword Mountain would probably weep in secret.
Everyone praised him for being truly incredible.
Xu Xian felt a great surge of pride.
Xu Xian also said that he actually did not have much skill; he only knew a bit about the way of commerce, alchemy, and the Way of the Hegemon.
It was not worth mentioning.
The others fell into a shocked silence throughout the rest of the talk. They felt that this conversation could no longer continue.
If they kept talking...
They would all feel like useless trash.
However...
They also gained a deeper understanding and recognition of this little junior brother.
Putting aside his personality and character, he was truly a peerless genius that only appeared once in ten thousand years.
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