Shen Yuan nodded his head and continued speaking, “Good, now if I join as an outer disciple then I can slowly prove myself and they will also get enough time to accept me as one of their own and won’t treat me like an outsider. And everyone knows about the trial of the Ancestral Pagoda, so they know that I am more than worthy enough to become a core disciple.”
Han Qingyu asked in confusion, “Then why do you want to become an outer disciple, Brother Yuan?”
Shen Yuan smiled lightly and turned back towards Mei Hua before replying, “Knowing is one thing, and accepting is another, they won’t accept the reality until it is beaten into them.”
Han Qingyu giggled at his word of choice, while Mei Hua could only gently shake her head as she also had these problems, that’s why she asked for Shen Yuan’s opinion on the matter.
He soon continued, “This is not the only reason for me deciding to join as an outer sect disciple, I want to see the sect for myself to see if it is worthy of my full support later or not.”
He paused, letting them digest the information before continuing, “I want to experience the life of a sect disciple as well. The thing I’m least short of right now is time, so it matters not if I join directly as the core disciple or an outer disciple.”
Mei Hua didn’t expect him to observe it this thoroughly in such a short time. She was even more impressed with his wisdom than his cultivation base.
“You truly left me in awe at your wisdom compared to your age, you are truly one of a kind genius. It truly is a monumental moment for our sect with you joining us.” She genuinely praised Shen Yuan for his wisdom while thinking about the sect’s future.
Shen Yuan smiled lightly and replied, “Thank you for your kind praise Senior Mei Hua, but I’m still far from reaching the heights that I aspire to reach one day. For now, I will just focus on growing stronger while continuing to spend time with my family.”
Mei Hua nodded, looking at him with approval, “With that mindset, you will go far on the path of cultivation, surpassing me would only be a matter of time.”
Huo Rong, standing beside Shen Yuan added, “I believe Yuan’er will not only prove himself to the sect but also change the dynamic of the entire sect.”
Shen Yuan gave Huo Rong a teasing glance, “You are giving me too much credit, let’s take one step at a time. I still need to see how the outer sect is.”
Xun Shuren, who had been silently observing the scene, finally spoke up, “With Shen Yuan in the sect, I think we might be able to see some changes happen inside the stagnant mindset of the disciples. He has already stirred things up quite a bit by completing the Ancestral Pagoda test, the news about that should be circulating soon inside the sect.”
Mei Hua faced a knowing smile behind her veil, “Indeed, the Ancestral Pagoda has been one of the most mysterious things in our sect’s history. The fact that Shen Yuan had not only completed the trial but also inherited the pagoda speaks volumes about his potential. Now we need to see the reaction of the sect members and other sects.” freёwebnovel.com
Shen Yuan nodded, “I know this decision might cause some unrest in the sect, but believe that you won’t regret your choice of accepting me. I will prove this in due time.”
Mei Hua took a deep look at him before nodding and saying, “You have thought things through already, your decision to start from the outer sect will allow you to integrate into the sect more easily and disciples will also have more time to accept you as their own.
You do not need to worry about the sect elders or others in higher positions trying to make things difficult for you, but you need to solve the problems created by disciples by yourself.”
Shen Yuan bowed slightly, “Thank you for your kind words, Senior Mei Hua. You won’t be disappointed with my performance.”
Mei Hua nodded with a smile behind her veil, her pink eyes filled with satisfaction, “Very well. You will start as an outer sect disciple. But it won’t be long from now when you reach your rightful place. Now, if there is nothing else, we’ll prepare for your official initiation.”
Shen Yuan turned to Huo Rong and Han Qingyu. “Looks like we will be spending a lot of time together from now on.
Han Qingyu giggled, “I’m looking forward to it, Brother Yuan!”
Huo Rong smiled warmly, her gaze softening. “I knew you couldn’t bear to leave us alone, now we all can stay here together and grow stronger. It will be a fun journey, Yuan’er.”
Mei Hua rose from her place near the lake, and her presence shifted from gentle to commanding, befitting of being a sect leader. “Prepare yourself, Shen Yuan. The sect will officially recognize you soon. Once word spreads about you joining us, there will be many eyes on you.”
Shen Yuan nodded, a gleam of wild confidence flashing in his eyes as he spoke with a smirk, “Let them come.”
Mei Hua looked at Shen Yuan for a moment before nodding, “Then it’s settled. Your journey within the sect will begin as an outer sect disciple. We will arrange your joining ceremony soon. Huo Rong, and Xun Shuren, please take Shen Yuan to the outer sect disciples’ hall. Ensure that he receives what an outer sect disciple gets without much trouble.”
Huo Rong stepped forward and bowed, “Understood, Sect Leader, I will take care of Shen Yuan in the sect.” She replied before turning to Shen Yuan, “Let’s go, Yuan’er. Hehe~ It will be fun from now on.”
Han Qingyu giggled again, excitement clear on her face as she added, “Hehe~ I can’t wait to see how you will fit in the outer sect. This is going to be so much fun.”
Shen Yuan shook his head with amusement. “I hope the outer sect is ready for me,” he joked, earning a laugh from the group.
As Shen Yuan and the group made their way out of the Sacred Lotus Hall, the fresh mountain air hit their faces, making them refreshed.
Huo Rong glanced over at him, her expression a mixture of excitement and gloating, “Yuan’er, even though you have decided to start out as an outer sect disciple, you do know the amount of attention you are going to attract right?”
Shen Yuan smiled knowingly, “Of course, I know that since it was a part of my plan all along. I will prove myself step by step to the disciples and elders of the sect, otherwise it would be no fun. And once they see what I’m capable of, their doubts will vanish about me joining the sect.”
Han Qingyu, walking beside them, beamed with excitement, “I can’t wait to see how you will handle them, Brother Yuan! Everyone’s going to be so shocked when they realize that a male cultivator is going to join the sect, and one that cleared the Ancestral Pagoda Trial at that!”
Shen Yuan chuckled, “I’m sure it will cause one heck of a stir. But more than that, I want to see how the disciples will react to my presence, will they be excited? Disappointed? Against it? After all, I’m not the only one being tested, I need to see if this sect is worthy of me to stay.”
As the group walked through the portals and reached the outer sect, they caught the attention of many disciples there.
Their eyes widened in curiosity as they noticed a male cultivator walking among them, especially one accompanied by inner elders and an Inner disciple. After all, it was not every day that they saw Inner disciples in the outer sect, let alone Inner Sect Elders.
“Is that a male disciple?”
“No way! How did he even get in here?”
“Who is he? I’ve never seen a male cultivator in the Radiant Lotus Sacred Sect before!”
The disciples’ murmurs grew louder as Shen Yuan and the group continued their path toward the outer sect disciples’ hall. Huo Rong, hearing the whispers, smirked and leaned toward Shen Yuan. “See? The attention has already started. I wonder how long it will take before rumors spread like wildfire.”
Shen Yuan also noticed the anomaly and asked in slight confusion, “Why are they reacting so differently than the cultivators of the Inner Sect? They seem like they have never seen a male disciple in the outer sect before.”
Xun Shuren replied, “That’s because they indeed have not seen a male cultivator inside the outer sect. If someone comes to visit us, they go to the Inner Sect directly via the portals. So they nearly never got a chance to see a male disciple inside the sect.”
