"Could it be that the Moon Embracing Sect is going to rise again and make a comeback?" Elder Zhou of the Peach Blossom Sect muttered, his expression grim.
Elder Wu pondered, "This Xiao Ling'er may be a prodigy, but a prodigy who hasn't fully grown is still just a prodigy. We can always look for opportunities later..."
Elder Zhou nodded, "That's true. However, I'm not too worried. Even if she grows up, a sect can't rely on just one person. The five elders of the Moon Embracing Sect are no weaklings, but hasn't the sect still been at the bottom of the third-rate sects?"
"The Moon Embracing Sect has too few disciples. This year, they only recruited Xiao Ling'er. Even if she grows up, she can only keep the sect afloat. It might not even be enough to ensure its survival."
"What do you mean, Elder Zhou?"
"Human nature." Elder Zhou said seriously, "We cultivators base everything on strength. With Xiao Ling'er's talent, it won't take many years before the Moon Embracing Sect can no longer provide her with any meaningful support. By then, who's to say she'll still care about the sect?"
"That makes sense," Elder Wu agreed.
But both of them knew deep down that these words were just self-comfort, a way to rationalize their defeat.
Everything was pinned on 'possibility,' but who knew what the future held?
"If there's a chance, we should still..." Elder Wu made a subtle gesture, drawing a finger across his neck.
"Agreed."
…..
"Back to the mountain," Lin Fan waved his hand, and everyone returned to the sect.
On the way, he spoke calmly, "You all saw it today. In the Divine Martial Continent, strength is everything. If you're strong, even if you slap their disciples in front of their elders, they can only grit their teeth and swallow their pride. But if you're weak, the outcome would have been the opposite."
The disciples nodded deeply, their hearts filled with a burning desire to grow stronger. At the same time, the seven mascots looked at Xiao Ling'er with envy and admiration.
Lin Fan continued, "Right now, when we face these third-rate sects, the five elders are shielding us from the storm. But elders are human too. They'll grow old, get injured, and eventually pass away. There are also countless people stronger than them. What happens when they're gone? What happens to us then?"
The disciples fell into deep thought, their hearts heavy.
Xiao Ling'er took a deep breath and said, "Today, the sect protects us from the storm. In the future, we'll protect the sect and those who come after us!"
"Good," Lin Fan smiled. "That's what sect inheritance is all about. Generation after generation, the previous generation selflessly supports the next, and the next generation carries on the mission. Today, you're proud of the elders and the sect. In the future, the sect will be proud of you!"
His words resonated deeply, sending shivers down the disciples' spines.
"I hope that one day, you'll also become elders, shielding the sect from storms, upholding justice for future generations, and removing all obstacles. I'm truly looking forward to that day."
Lin Fan spoke from the heart. Since he had become the sect master, he had to take responsibility. The healthy development of a sect depended on everyone's efforts.
Perhaps the seven mascots were destined for mediocrity, but from the moment Lin Fan took over, everything had changed. Now, with a protagonist-template disciple like Xiao Ling'er, the sect's future was bright.
As the saying goes, when one person achieves enlightenment, even chickens and dogs can ascend to heaven. Even if they didn't ascend, the slightest benefit would be enough to elevate them. Becoming top tier might be difficult, but becoming the backbone of the sect? That was entirely possible.
And if they were lucky, more protagonist templates might join in the future. With his leadership, what was there to worry about?
…..
"We're looking forward to it too," Wu Xingyun said, her voice tinged with melancholy. "In terms of combat power, I'm currently the strongest in the Moon Embracing Sect. But I sincerely hope you'll grow quickly, surpass us, and go further and further on this path, leaving us far behind."
"On that day, I won't be sad or jealous. Even if I die, I'll die with a smile."
Su Xinghai smiled, "I feel the same."
Li Changshou added, "So, practice hard, little ones."
Chen Erzhu chuckled, "I'm not well-spoken, but... I feel the same."
Duan Qingyao cast a spell, summoning clouds and mist to lift everyone to a height of 10,000 meters. "The view from up here is far more magnificent than at the foot of the mountain. Even if you're not part of the sect, if you want to stand higher, you must never slack off."
The disciples were deeply moved. Xiao Ling'er's eyes even turned red.
Little did they know, the elders felt the same. They knew more than the disciples, which meant they had more doubts and uncertainties. But now, they were finally convinced that this was the Moon Embracing Sect's last chance.
They were also convinced that Lin Fan was the only Sect Master in years who had given everyone hope.
"Could it be that before I die, I'll actually see the Moon Embracing Sect rise again?!" The thought alone took their breath away.
"Even if I don't live to see the rise, just seeing the sect begin to flourish and climb upward would be enough. I'd die without regrets."
…..
After that day, the disciples became noticeably more diligent in their cultivation. Xiao Ling'er, of course, didn't need any encouragement. As a protagonist, her drive was innate. Even if she suddenly declared, "Don't bully the poor and young," Lin Fan wouldn't be surprised.
The seven mascots, on the other hand, seemed to have unlocked their potential. Their cultivation didn't skyrocket, and their talents didn't change much, but their diligence made up for some of their shortcomings. Xiao Ling'er's rapid growth also deeply motivated them, pushing them to work harder.
With the help of seventh-grade Condensing Yuan Pills, their progress was far better than before.
Li Changshou also successfully completed his task, selling some seventh-grade Condensing Yuan Pills and obtaining hundreds of thousands of spirit stones. This was enough to sustain the sect and its protective formation for a while, easing their financial worries.
The five elders were also busier than ever, as Xiao Ling'er needed more elixirs and materials. But despite the workload, they were all enjoying it.
Perhaps the only issue with the Moon Embracing Sect was its small size and lack of disciples, making it feel desolate and lacking in competition.
"There's no rush to expand," Lin Fan murmured to himself one day as he stood on the edge of a cliff, gazing into the distance. "When our strength increases or our reputation grows, the number of disciples will naturally increase. The most important thing now is strength. If I'm not mistaken, I'll breakthrough in the next two days."
Before taking the three seventh-grade Condensing Yuan Pills, Lin Fan's cultivation was at the peak of the Condensing Yuan Realm. After this period of training and consolidation, the Profound Yuan Realm was within reach.
"The third level of the Profound Yuan Realm. Among the younger generation, at least in third-rate sects, I'll already be considered outstanding, if not the best."
Under normal circumstances, the strongest members of third-rate sects were usually at the fourth level of the Cave Heaven Realm. If a fifth-level Profound Yuan Realm expert took charge, the sect could start aiming for second-rate status.
Of course, having a strong Profound Yuan Realm master was just one of the minimum requirements for becoming a second-rate sect. The sect also needed sufficient scale, including spiritual mountains, resources, and a large number of quality disciples.
Advancing to a second-rate sect was difficult, but having a Profound Yuan Realm master at least gave them hope.
As for first-rate sects or holy lands... those were still far beyond Lin Fan's reach.
…..
That night, Lin Fan successfully broke through to the third level of the Profound Yuan Realm. As the true energy gathered in his dantian, he couldn't help but smile. His strength had skyrocketed.
"Traveling through this world for nearly two months and breaking through a major realm—this speed isn't bad!"
He was satisfied with his progress. If things continued this way, the first crisis in ten months might not be a big problem.
"If we share combat power..."
"Oh? Xiao Ling'er has reached the seventh level of the Condensing Yuan Realm? Not bad."
"If only we had another protagonist-template disciple..."
"But..."
"Finding one shouldn't be that easy, right?"
A protagonist template was exactly that—rare. If it were easy to find, it wouldn't be called a protagonist template. Where would so many destined protagonists come from?
Although the Divine Martial Continent was vast, with a population in the trillions, Lin Fan estimated that the total number of protagonist templates might not exceed ten. Of course, this was just speculation. Maybe there'd be an unexpected surprise?
He couldn't help but look forward to it.
…..
Half a month later, Fifth Elder Duan Qingyao returned from a resource-gathering trip and approached Lin Fan. "Sect Master, I have some news."
"What is it, Fifth Elder?"
"Hongwu Immortal City, the nearest large-scale immortal city to us, is holding a Young Alchemist Conference in half a month. Anyone under a hundred years old can participate, and the prizes are generous."
"The first-place winner will receive a sixth-grade alchemy furnace, three sixth-grade alchemy recipes, and..."
"A Profound Yuan Pill."
"Oh?" Lin Fan raised an eyebrow. "The fifth-grade Profound Yuan Pill that helps cultivators break through to the fifth level of the Profound Yuan Realm?"
"Yes, and it's crafted by a seventh-grade alchemist. It's said to be at least fifth-grade or higher."
Fifth-grade pills were impressive, but Lin Fan wasn't overly awed. After all, Xiao Ling'er, despite her young age and lower cultivation, could likely craft seventh-grade pills if given the chance.
Still, the Profound Yuan Pill was a valuable prize.
"The Great Elder and Second Elder aren't far from the peak of the Cave Heaven Realm, right?"
"The Second Elder has reached the peak, but due to an old injury, he's left with Lingering issues. Without a miracle, I'm afraid..."
"But Sect Master, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Duan Qingyao said with a wry smile. "I'm just mentioning it. Hongwu Immortal City will have over a hundred thousand participants, all outstanding young alchemists, including disciples from first-rate sects."
"Xiao Ling'er is talented, but compared to first-rate sect disciples, or rather, given our sect's limited resources, she's at a disadvantage."
Duan Qingyao's tone was tinged with regret. He believed Xiao Ling'er's talent was on par with, if not superior to, most first-rate sect disciples. But the Moon Embracing Sect's limited resources held her back.
It wasn't Xiao Ling'er's fault—it was the sect's inadequacy.
"Why are you so pessimistic, Fifth Elder?" Lin Fan said. "Geniuses are known for creating miracles. Otherwise, they wouldn't be called geniuses. You won't know unless you try. Besides, even if she doesn't win first place, a decent ranking should come with some consolation prizes, right?"
"As for whether Xiao Ling'er wants to go, that's up to her."
"Master!" Before Duan Qingyao could respond, Xiao Ling'er burst out of her room, her face alight with excitement. "I'm willing to go!"
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been eavesdropping?"
He hadn't noticed her presence. She must have used some concealment technique.
Duan Qingyao wasn't surprised. She smiled and said, "Follow me."
"Master, please don't blame me. I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Xiao Ling'er apologized quickly.
"Since you've heard everything and are willing to go, I have no reason to stop you," Lin Fan said. "In that case, the Fifth Elder will accompany you as your protector."
"Also, Elder Wu, give her a copy of our sect rules."
"Be careful when you're out there, and don't forget the rules."
"Yes, Sect Master," Duan Qingyao replied, her smile widening.
The ranking wasn't important. What she was really looking forward to was Xiao Ling'er's reaction to the sect rules.
"Sect rules?" Xiao Ling'er asked, puzzled. "Aren't they carved on the stone tablet? I've already memorized them."
"The rules on the tablet are for outsiders to see," Lin Fan explained. "Ordinary disciples must follow them, but you're different. What the Fifth Elder will give you are our true sect rules. Remember, don't share them with anyone."
"Yes!" Xiao Ling'er's expression turned serious. "I swear on my Dao heart that I'll never reveal them. Otherwise, may I be plagued by inner demons and never awaken."
"There's no need for such an oath. If I'm giving them to you, it means I trust you," Lin Fan said, waving his hand.
He had already been convinced of Xiao Ling'er's character and integrity. She was worthy of his trust.
…..
After reading the sect rules, Xiao Ling'er was utterly confused.
"Teacher?" she called out in her mind.
Her teacher, a remnant soul residing in her necklace, was equally baffled.
"I've lived for thousands of years and existed as a remnant soul for thousands more. I've never seen such strange sect rules."
"But..."
"I can tell you this—your master is anything but ordinary, and these sect rules are anything but simple."
"Why do you say that?" Xiao Ling'er asked, still confused.
"Look at this!" her teacher exclaimed. "Those who talk to themselves about rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc., take priority... Huh?!"
Xiao Ling'er's expression changed drastically. She hadn't noticed it before, but now that it was pointed out, she couldn't stay calm.