As the glow subsided, Li Wei's body began to descend slowly. Unaware of the situation, he rushed to his master, who was still being forced to kneel. No one in the hall dared to lift their heads toward the boy.
"Master?" Li Wei called out; his voice filled with concern. "Why are you kneeling?"
He scanned the room, confused. It wasn't just his master who knelt—everyone in the hall was on their knees. Bewildered, he tried to follow suit, kneeling beside his master. That single action released the immense pressure from his bloodline, allowing everyone to finally free themselves.
"What was that?" exclaimed an outer disciple, his voice filled with disbelief.
"How dare you!" a voice boomed across the hall. It was an elder from the Penance Hall.
But Li Wei, unfazed by the elder's cultivation, looked up calmly and asked what he had done to warrant such a reaction. His master, coming to his defense, stood and explained what had occurred.
"So, you're saying... I made you kneel?" A wave of sadness washed over Li Wei. He saw his master as a parent, someone to be respected, and the thought of forcing him to kneel weighed heavily on his heart.
Believing his actions to be unfilial, Li Wei dropped to his knees and began to bash his head against the ground in repentance.
"Stop it!" The sage grabbed Li Wei by his arms and lifted him to his feet. "I know you were unaware of what happened. Even if you had known, your cultivation now surpasses mine." He smiled gently. "Perhaps I should be calling you *master* instead."
As murmurs and astonished whispers filled the hall, the sect leader raised his hand, silencing the crowd.
"What a momentous occasion," he declared, his voice filled with pride. "How truly wonderful! To think a powerhouse has been born in my sect—right before my very eyes!"
A broad smile spread across his face. "This calls for celebration!"
"But—" the elder exclaimed, only to be cut off.
"Silence!" the sect leader commanded; his voice cold. "I have made my decision. And even if he did it willingly, could you or I punish him?"
The elder lowered his head, knowing full well he couldn't. Stuck at the 6th stage of the Profound Realm, he was no match for a cultivator like Li Wei, who had ascended to the 9th stage of the Returning Realm. He dared not challenge the boy, knowing it would be futile.
"Come to me, my boy," the sect leader said, waving his hand to beckon Li Wei to his throne.
Feeling the flow of his newfound power, Li Wei flew effortlessly to the sect leader. The sheer force of his aura caused the other elders to instinctively step back, overwhelmed by the pressure. Only the sect leader could withstand it—though even he could manage it for only a few minutes before the domineering aura became too much.
"I am very curious about your background," the sect leader said, his eyes gleaming with intrigue, "but it seems even I cannot peer into your soul. What an exceptional young man you are."
He paused, and then, in a bold proclamation, said, "As you have surpassed all of us, I believe you should become the sect leader. What do you say?"
"No!" several elders cried out in unison, their voices filled with shock and disbelief. "A child as sect leader? It would be inappropriate! He's too young to handle such responsibility! It would surely corrupt him."
Fed up with the objections, the sect leader's eyes blazed as he turned to the elders. "How dare you question my decision! I am asking *him*."
The room fell silent as the sect leader turned back to Li Wei, his tone softening. "Now, young man, what do you say?"
Li Wei glanced at his master, Sage Yu, seeking guidance. Sage Yu smiled gently, conveying a silent message. Li Wei understood what his master was trying to express.
"I don't believe I'm suited for the role," Li Wei answered humbly. "I still have much to learn, and I should focus on refining my cultivation and techniques."
The sect leader's face broke into a pleased smile, and the elders, though initially outraged, began to calm.
"Well, that's no good," the sect leader said with a laugh, stroking his beard. "You've already surpassed me in cultivation. How would the rest of the world see us if we allowed such a powerhouse to remain a mere disciple?"
He pondered for a moment before continuing, "Let's do this instead. I will make you a Grand Ancestor. That way, the hierarchy remains intact, but your status is properly elevated."
Li Wei was about to refuse once more, but a glance from Sage Yu stopped him. His master subtly urged him to accept. Refusing twice would be a grave insult to the sect leader.
With a respectful bow, Li Wei said, "I humbly accept your offer."
"Now that this has been resolved, take a seat next to me so that the other disciples can measure their bloodlines as well."
Though still displeased, the elders urged their youngest to relinquish their seat so that Li Wei could sit beside the sect leader.
"Grand Ancestor," exclaimed the sect leader.
"Do you have something to say to the disciples?" He urged Li Wei to encourage those who were once his fellow disciples, even if only for a brief moment.
Unsure of what to say, Li Wei asked his master for help. His master assisted him in what to say.
"I believe that you will do well," Li Wei said, slightly embarrassed, not realizing his speech encouraged those of his age.
Most of them believed that they too would unlock a powerful bloodline. As the test progressed, four disciples unveiled martial bloodlines worthy of becoming inner disciples. Only one stood out: Mei Ling.
A prodigy rarely seen, she was the princess of the Jade Blossom Kingdom, which neighbored the Azure Lotus Kingdom that housed the Heavenly Note Sect. She had awakened an extremely rare bloodline—the Soul Cleansing Lotus Bloodline—an imperial-ranked bloodline close to reaching the 5th grade.
With two prodigies now under the Heavenly Note Sect, the sect leader welcomed her as his second disciple, the first being the prince of the Azure Kingdom, who was close to the 5th stage of the Profound Realm at just 80—a true genius with a 7th-grade King's Bloodline.
Once all the disciples finished their bloodline tests, Li Wei, the sect leader, and his master headed to the Sect Leader Hall, where Li Wei would choose an imperial-grade robe of the 9th grade, an imperial-grade weapon of the 7th grade, and an imperial-grade technique ranging from the 1st to the 8th grade. No one had ever seen an imperial technique above the 8th grade.
With these new items, Li Wei was now a true cultivator.
Chapters will now update- every Friday