Chapter 195: The Eleventh Elder, Challenged by the Crowd’s Roar

“Senior Brother Luo, the Sect Master summoned you to the mountain—what was it about?”

“The Sect Master hasn’t interfered in sect matters for years. It’s always the Vice Sect Master handling everything. But now, he summoned Senior Brother Zhou personally? Something big must’ve happened.”

“Oh? Who’s that?”

“This fellow looks unfamiliar… Did he come down from the mountain?”

Seven Foundation Establishment cultivators stared at Yu Xian and Luo Fan, each voicing their suspicions.

Luo Fan simply waved his hand and smiled. “The Sect Master gave no special instructions. Nothing major. He just asked me to bring a fellow Daoist to join our Fire Spirit Sect and become one of the Elders. From today onward, our sect will have eleven elders.”

As he spoke, he gestured toward Yu Xian. “Fellow Daoists, this is Yu Xian. From now on, he will be our Fire Spirit Sect’s Eleventh Elder.”

The seven all turned to look at Yu Xian.

Yu Xian, naturally, looked back at them.

All of these seven had cultivation at late Foundation Establishment, and three of them had even reached perfection.

There were more than twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Fire Spirit Sect, and with the ones in the market city, the total reached thirty or more.

To be made an Elder, one had to be at least at late Foundation Establishment. That was the standard—an iron rule in the cultivation world.

Yet Yu Xian, mid-Foundation Establishment, had broken that convention.

The seven showed various expressions, but very quickly their faces brightened with smiles.

So what if he’s mid-Foundation Establishment?

This Yu Xian had been personally summoned by the Sect Master, who had called the Grand Elder Luo Fan to fetch him. Clearly, this was a hand-picked elder.

Whether or not they were convinced, they dared not show a trace of dissent.

“Ah, so this is Fellow Daoist Yu!”

“Fellow Daoist Yu is so young and already mid-Foundation Establishment! Boundless potential!”

“Hahaha, to receive the Sect Master’s personal favor, your talent needs no further proof. A Golden Core future is all but assured!”

“Indeed! Fellow Daoists, today is a great day—the addition of an Eleventh Elder! We must gather the disciples and formally announce this.”

“Right! We need to inform everyone, so no one unknowingly offends Elder Yu.”

“Come, come! Let’s give Fellow Daoist Yu a proper welcome. I’ve got a thirty-year-old jar of fine spirit wine, and today we’ll drink it all with you!”

Smiles were wide and words flowed freely, all warm and welcoming.

Yu Xian, however, remained calm and indifferent.

“No need for a welcoming feast. Just summon the disciples to recognize me. That’s enough.”

Their smiles froze slightly.

Luo Fan’s eyes shifted as he laughed. “As Elder Yu says. Elder Jin, Elder Ling, Elder Qiu, Elder Wang—you four go notify everyone. Except those out on missions, every disciple, even if in closed-door cultivation, must report to the plaza within two hours to meet our new Eleventh Elder.”

The four nodded and left swiftly.

Once they were gone, Luo Fan turned to Yu Xian again. “Elder Yu, we still have time. How about we sit and talk, get to know each other?”

Yu Xian replied blandly, “Since there’s still time, please take me to my residence and cultivation chamber. I wish to make some arrangements.”

Luo Fan’s face stiffened again.

The other three Elders lost their smiles too.

So rude…

We’re all going to be in the same sect, all Elders… Why act so aloof? What, too proud to make friends?

“You’ve no sense of decorum, huh?”

Luo Fan said nothing but led Yu Xian in silence toward the back mountain.

Yu Xian remained composed.

He could make friends. He was good at it. A few sweet words here and there, and people would feed him, fund him.

But this time?

No need.

None of these Elders were worth befriending.

He didn’t plan on staying in this sect.

The sooner he could leave, the better.

Getting close to anyone would only burden him, entangle his movements, and complicate his escape.

So better to make them dislike him now. Let them avoid him.

Only then could he remain free and unnoticed.

They reached a cave dwelling in the back mountain—moderate in size, spiritual energy decent. Dusty, neglected.

Luo Fan pointed at the cave. “This will be your residence and cultivation space. No formations are set—you’ll need to arrange your own. I won’t disturb you further. See you in two hours.”

He left without waiting for a response.

Yu Xian didn’t care.

He waved his hand, summoning a gust of wind that blew away the leaves and dust. Inside, the cave was indeed neglected, furniture thick with dirt—but the spiritual energy was good enough.

He cast a cleansing wind for half a stick of incense’s time, cleaning the place.

Then, with a wave, he laid down an Eight-Cloud Forbidding Formation around the cave, veiling it in mist.

Inside, he sat on a meditation mat and exhaled deeply.

For now, he was safe.

He had passed Zhou Qingyuan’s subtle test, answering flawlessly, convincing the man that he was truly a disciple from the Medicine King Valley who happened to meet Hong Shao by chance.

Now that he’d become an Elder of the sect, even by logic alone, he wouldn’t betray Hong Shao or expose Zhou Qingyuan’s sheltering her—or the fact that he was protecting someone the Blood River Sect deeply hated.

It was all calculations.

Zhou Qingyuan was ruthless, without a doubt.

Were it not for Hong Shao, Yu Xian would’ve long been killed. The cleanest way to eliminate a risk was to eliminate the person.

So, Yu Xian had to leave—and leave fast.

But it had to be smooth. Perfect.

There would only be one chance.

He sighed, suppressing his thoughts, and began cultivating his Myriad Lifespring Wood Art…

…Thinking how hard it would be to find a proper Golden Core master.

Time passed swiftly, two hours like a blink.

No one came to inform him, but Yu Xian opened his eyes naturally.

He knew the others, even if displeased, would still fulfill the sect’s ceremony of introducing him.

He left the cave and headed toward the plaza.

The plaza was already packed with over two thousand disciples. The atmosphere was mixed—confused, angry, curious, indifferent.

Seven Elders stood atop the platform, while fourteen Foundation Establishment disciples stood below, cold and jealous.

Even if a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator could become Elder, shouldn’t it be one of them?

Why some unknown outsider!?

He got a back-mountain residence, monthly stipends of over ten thousand spirit stones…

Why?!

“Elders, why isn’t the new Elder here yet? He asked everyone to gather, and now he’s late? Nearly two incense sticks have burned!”

The crowd murmured.

Among the Foundation Establishment disciples, a youth named Zhao Fengjuan sneered, “What a big ego!”

Luo Fan replied mildly, “Be patient, Brother Zhao. Maybe he got caught up in cultivation in his new cave. If he’s still not here soon, I’ll check.”

“Hmph. Bragging and relying on connections. What Elder? More like an ‘Extra Elder’!”

The other Elders smirked, silent approval in their eyes.

Then…

“Oh? He’s coming.”

Luo Fan suddenly looked up toward the back mountain and raised his hand. “Silence!”

The plaza quieted immediately.

Even the rowdy Qi Condensation disciples dared not jest before Foundation Establishment Elders.

Yu Xian descended from the mountain, walking in midair, calm and emotionless—as if he hadn’t heard any of the earlier mocking.

As he landed beside the other Elders, one voice rang out.

“This is the new Elder?”

Zhao Fengjuan turned, laughing coldly. “You made us all wait—two incense sticks’ time! You think you’re that important!?”

Yu Xian looked down at him, expression unchanged.

“Late? Two hours was the exact time. When did I arrive late? Or… was someone deliberately misinforming others to make me appear tardy?”

Zhao Fengjuan froze and glanced at Luo Fan.

Luo Fan smiled. “Elder Yu must’ve misheard. We said one and a half hours. You can ask the others. But since it was a misunderstanding, you’re not to blame.”

Yu Xian chuckled. “I see.”

Still calm.

Luo Fan glanced at the crowd. “Besides, Elder Yu is our Eleventh Elder. Even if he was late on purpose, do you dare complain? Know your place!”

“Luo Fan, that’s nonsense!”

Zhao Fengjuan scowled and pointed at Yu Xian. “He misheard and made everyone wait. Now you say we’re at fault? Ridiculous! He owes everyone an apology!”

“Yeah! Apologize!”

“Even Elders shouldn’t trample on us like this!”

“He’s just Foundation Establishment mid-stage like us—what gives him the right!?”

“If he won’t apologize, we won’t acknowledge him!”

More voices joined in.

Soon, the two thousand disciples were shouting in unison.

“Apologize!”

“APOLOGIZE!”

Their unified voices shook the mountains.

Even on the peak, inside the Sect Master’s hall, Zhou Qingyuan heard them. He stepped out silently, hidden from all, watching from the shadows.

He said nothing—just observed.

Luo Fan and the other Elders didn’t speak either, but all wore slight smirks, watching Yu Xian as if waiting for a good show.