Who Let Him Cultivate？

Chapter 7: The Humble Elders

The crowd dispersed, leaving Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou standing in the heavy silence of the mountaintop. They kept their heads bowed, eyes glued to the tips of their boots, cold sweat prickling their necks. They waited for the inevitable—for Yun Zhi to bring down the wrath of the heavens for their blatant attempt at cheating.

An eternity seemed to pass before Yun Zhi’s voice finally broke the stillness, smooth and unhurried.

“I confess, I did not expect either of you to pass the trials and become disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping over them. “You both ranked at the pinnacle across all three trials. In the final test, you took first and second place. Cumulatively, your scores are unmatched.”

“However, do not mistake this for being the most outstanding talents of your generation. The ancient barbarian, Man Gu; the Feathered Immortal Body, Tao Yao, who ranked behind you; the Fire Spirit Root, Li Haoran… they are all peerless geniuses in their own right, no less gifted than yourselves.”

Meng Jingzhou puffed out his chest, shooting Lu Yang a smug wink. “Did you hear that? A Feathered Immortal Body is infinitely rarer than a Single Spirit Root, yet Senior Sister said she ‘ranked behind us.’ That’s how highly she thinks of our potential.”

Lu Yang sighed, rubbing his temples. “I’m pretty sure Senior Sister meant she was literally standing behind us in line during the first trial.”

“While your performance was commendable, you must not let arrogance cloud your Dao,” Yun Zhi continued, her tone taking on a chilling gravity. “Once you formally step onto the path of Cultivation, you must remain grounded. Guard your hearts against impatience and pride.”

Hearing the Senior Sister’s increasingly severe tone, the two boys hurriedly swore to cultivate with unyielding diligence, promising never to slack off.

Seeing that their earnestness was genuine, the frost in Yun Zhi’s eyes thawed a fraction. “Since you gave me a ride up the mountain, I shall bestow upon you a Fated Chance.”

“Meng Jingzhou. You possess a Pure Yang Spirit Root. Your vital blood surges to the heavens, making you the natural bane of all ghosts and demons. Among the eight Elders, the Third Elder is a supreme master of this path. You may take him as your Master.”

Meng Jingzhou’s face lit up with ecstatic joy. He bowed deeply. “Thank you, Senior Sister!”

“Lu Yang. You possess a Sword Spirit Root. You are a natural-born seed of the sword path. The one in our sect whose mastery of the blade reigns supreme is my Master, the Sect Leader. You should take him as your Master.”

“But Senior Sister,” Lu Yang ventured softly, “didn’t you just say the Sect Leader detests taking on disciples?”

He hadn’t missed the subtle shift in her phrasing. To Meng Jingzhou, she had said, *you may take him*. To Lu Yang, she had commanded, *you should take him*. The implications were vastly different.

“It is of no consequence,” Yun Zhi replied with terrifying nonchalance. “I can make the decision on his behalf.”

Lu Yang blinked, stunned. The way she said it made it sound as though the Sect Leader’s own opinion on the matter was entirely irrelevant.

“These are merely suggestions,” Yun Zhi added, her robes fluttering as she levitated into the air. “Like all new disciples, you have a one-month adaptation period. When that month concludes, you may finalize your choice of Master.”

With that, she transformed into a streak of light, soaring toward Heavenly Gate Peak.

***

Meanwhile, within the grand Council Hall of Heavenly Gate Peak…

A pristine water mirror hovered in the center of the vast chamber, projecting a flawless, omnidirectional view of the three trials.

Surrounding the mirror were eight shimmering silhouettes. They nodded, shook their heads, murmured praises, and barked curses. Opinions clashed fiercely over the newly admitted disciples. In fact, the debate was so heated that they were mere inches away from a full-blown brawl.

This was a necessary precaution. History had proven that among the eight Elders were several hot-blooded individuals who, upon losing a verbal argument, would immediately resort to apocalyptic magical duels. What was supposed to be a dignified evaluation of the younger generation inevitably devolved into a cataclysmic clash of mighty cultivators, treating the entire Dao Seeking Sect to a terrifying spectacle.

To prevent the Council Hall from being reduced to a crater, the true bodies of the eight Elders were strictly forbidden from attending. Even if tempers flared now, these astral projections couldn’t actually harm one another.

“This Man Gu kid is exceptional,” one silhouette boomed. “A pure ancient barbarian bloodline! His brute strength is unrivaled among his peers, and his mind is wonderfully simple. He is the perfect vessel to inherit my legacy.”

“A pity he’s *too* simple-minded,” another countered. “That exact trait is what drove the ancient barbarians to extinction. We must cultivate his intellect carefully.”

“What do you mean, ‘your legacy’?” a third voice snapped. “My artifact refining lineage hasn’t seen a worthy successor in centuries! Man Gu possesses absolute focus. Taking up my hammer is his true calling!”

The argument escalated rapidly. The two Elders roared at each other, their spiritual projections flaring with violent energy until they finally… rolled up their ethereal sleeves and engaged in a furious staring contest.

The remaining Elders ignored the two idiots and continued their assessments.

“A Feathered Immortal Body,” an ancient voice murmured in awe. “Impervious to all worldly laws, utterly flawless, destined to ascend. It has been an age since I last laid eyes on one. If memory serves, we had just joined the Dao Seeking Sect when the last one appeared.”

“A tragic tale, that one,” another sighed. “Cultivated with far too much haste. Before they could even carve their name into the annals of the Central Continent, they rushed to achieve the Great Completion of the Immortal Body. The anxiety bred internal fire, and they perished beyond all salvation.”

“Sixth Elder, you are the foremost authority on Immortal Bodies among us. Perhaps this girl shares a karmic bond with you.”

“Then there is the Fire Spirit Root, Li Haoran,” another chimed in. “A prime seedling for both alchemy and artifact forging. Yet, his temperament is a raging inferno. He lacks the stillness of mind. During the third trial, he burned through his stamina purely out of a stubborn desire to surpass Man Gu. By the end, he was utterly spent, allowing the others to overtake him and finishing dead last.”

“And what of the Meng family boy and Lu Yang?”

Silence descended upon the projections.

“One possesses a Pure Yang Spirit Root, the other a Sword Spirit Root,” an Elder finally said. “Both are absolute top-tier talents. And their… *methods* for passing the trials were certainly ingenious. Truly breathtaking.”

A nervous cough echoed in the hall. “Such magnificent seedlings… Big Brother, why don’t you, in your infinite wisdom, take on the burden of accepting them?”

“An excellent proposal!” another quickly agreed. “You currently only have Dai Bufan under your wing, and he has already completed his apprenticeship. He requires no further guidance. If you were to take in these two geniuses, it would surely become a legendary tale once they mature!”

“Get lost! All of you, get lost!” the First Elder roared, his projection trembling with indignation. “You spineless cowards are just trying to pawn them off on me! Did you not see how they passed those trials?! If I take those two in, I can kiss my peaceful days goodbye! I am trying to retire quietly and become a Grand Elder! Do not bring this calamity upon my peak!”

He whirled on the silhouette next to him. “Second Elder, why don’t *you* take them?”

“Do you want me to take *your life* first?!” the Second Elder snarled.

Thus, the eight mighty Elders of the Dao Seeking Sect displayed unparalleled humility. Faced with two peerless Single Spirit Root geniuses, not a single one of them showed the slightest temptation to claim them.

*Damn it all,* they collectively thought. *Whoever takes those two in will never know a day of peace for the rest of their natural lives.*

“Hold on, look at the mirror!” one Elder suddenly called out. “Yun Zhi is giving them suggestions. She’s telling one to take the Sect Leader as his Master, and the other to take Old Third?!”

Seven pairs of glowing eyes slowly turned to fixate on the Third Elder.

The Third Elder let out a long, heavy sigh of resignation. He couldn’t deny it; Yun Zhi’s logic was flawless. He was indeed the most qualified to nurture a Pure Yang Spirit Root.

Even as a mere projection, the Third Elder was a mountain of a man. His physique was absurdly burly, packed with thick, sinewy muscle. His vital blood energy radiated so intensely it was like a blazing torch in the dead of night—the absolute pinnacle of a body cultivator.

Legend had it that in his youth, his vital energy was so overwhelmingly explosive that he couldn’t control it. To burn off the excess, he would frequently sprint down to the sect’s spiritual fields, physically shove the massive ox demons out of the way, and strap himself to the plow to till the earth with his bare hands.

“Speaking of the Sect Leader…” an Elder muttered, scratching his ethereal chin. “Hasn’t he been in Secluded Cultivation for nine years straight?”

“Seems about right.”

A collective realization washed over the room. They had genuinely forgotten that the position of Sect Leader still existed. Frankly, whether the sect had one or not didn’t seem to make much of a difference these days.

“Then how exactly is the Sword Spirit Root supposed to take him as a Master?”

Before they could ponder the logistical nightmare, a graceful silhouette descended upon the Council Hall, riding a wisp of pristine cloud. The mist parted, revealing the peerless figure of the Senior Sister.

“Yun Zhi pays her respects to all Martial Uncles,” she said, her voice echoing like chiming jade.

The eight argumentative holograms instantly snapped to attention, rising to their feet to return the bow. With the Sect Leader perpetually in Secluded Cultivation, Yun Zhi held the authority of the Acting Sect Leader. She governed the entire Dao Seeking Sect, placing her status firmly above that of the eight Elders.

“I am aware that my Martial Uncles all have their eyes on preferred disciples,” Yun Zhi began, her gaze sweeping over the projections. “However, the bond between Master and disciple carries immense karmic weight. It cannot be forced. I ask that you refrain from excessive interference when the time comes for them to choose.”

The Elders, naturally understanding the laws of karma, chuckled amiably. “Of course, of course. We wouldn’t dream of it. However… regarding the Sword Spirit Root taking the Sect Leader as his Master… was that the Sect Leader’s intention, or was it… yours?”

At the mention of the Sect Leader, Yun Zhi’s flawless brow furrowed in faint displeasure. Her voice dropped to a glacial temperature.

“Is there a difference?”

The eight Elders fell into a profound, terrified silence.

Indeed, there was no difference at all.

*Are you kidding?* they all thought simultaneously. *If you make a decision, would the Sect Leader ever dare to oppose it?*