The usual tradition in martial sects was that the Grand Elder and the sect's patriarch were the people that held absolute authority. As for the sect master, he was only an executive.
This was a result of warriors having extremely long lifespans. Some sects had patriarchs that lived for years and when they entered their advanced years, they would relinquish their position as sect master and hand it down to their disciples.
Many a time, the chosen disciple would become sect master. The other disciples would become Elders. There was a difference in their statuses, but it wasn't that great in the grand scheme of things. Few sect masters could make his fellow Elders fear him. That authority was typically reserved for the sect's patriarch.
