The Inner Sect of Tianlang Gate is the core of the entire sect, where disciples are regarded as the future hope of the sect. These disciples are all prodigies, many of whom, at merely seventeen or eighteen years old, have already begun striving toward the Xiantian (Innate) realm. Some have even achieved innate cultivation at a very young age.
Since all disciples are prodigies, the elders and mentors naturally cannot be ordinary individuals.
The leadership of the Inner Sect consists of three sect leaders, five elders, and sixteen mentors.
Mentors hold the lowest status, while the sect leaders hold the highest.
The three sect leaders include one main sect leader and two deputy sect leaders. However, Tianlang Gate has not appointed any deputy sect leaders for a very long time, leaving the position merely a name.
The five elders consist of the Elder of the Prison Division, the Elder of the Medicine Division, the Elder of the Artifact Hall, the Elder of the Mechanism Division, and the Elder of the Inner Sect. Each of them possesses supreme cultivation, all uniformly at the peak of the Innate Realm, and are on the verge of breaking through to the Master Realm.
The sixteen mentors are responsible for teaching and guiding disciples in their cultivation. Their cultivation levels are generally at the early or middle stages of the Innate Realm. They are also considered potential candidates for future elders.
In addition, there exists a unique position known as the Guest Elder.
Although Guest Elders are nominally elders of Tianlang Gate and receive cultivation resources from the sect, they carry very few obligations. In other words, unless Tianlang Gate faces annihilation, Guest Elders can collect their salaries and ignore any orders to perform tasks.
Due to its unique nature, this position has long been coveted by many. However, for several hundred years, there has been no record of anyone being appointed to this role.
It is said that when the previous sect leader of Tianlang Gate established this position, it faced much opposition. Nevertheless, the leader insisted on it despite the objections, offering only a weak explanation that it was a great opportunity.
How could creating such a thankless position be considered an opportunity?
Generation after generation, sect leaders, elders, and even disciples have been unable to understand this. Eventually, they came to regard the words of the previous elders as jokes told during idle moments, even using them to mock people they disliked.
For example: “Ah, if you just jump off the cliff, you might gain a great opportunity too. Maybe you’ll even be appointed as a Guest Elder. That’s what the previous sect leader said.”
Something like that.
However, regardless of how much people have disregarded it, the Guest Elder position was established by the previous sect leader, and no generation has dared to remove it for fear of being accused of disrespecting their predecessors.
However, today, this chair that has remained unoccupied for over a hundred years finally has an owner.
The news of Li Tan being appointed as the Guest Elder spread like a tornado, shaking the entire Tianlang Gate.
Although Li Tan’s attainment of the Xiantian realm at such a young age and his status as a two-star Pill Master undeniably mark him as a genius, such prodigies are not entirely unheard of within the Tianlang Gate. What truly stands out is his identity as a two-star Pill Master. However, merely holding the title of a two-star Pill Master would not have stirred much controversy if he had been appointed as a mentor. But Zhang Zhi named him the Guest Elder! How could the disciples and elders possibly accept this?
However, the external uproar did not affect Li Tan—not because he was calm and composed, but because he was in retreat. As soon as he entered the Inner Sect, he retreated into the long-missed training room.
To the east side of the Inner Sect of Tianlang Gate lies a ten-thousand-foot abyss with a deep valley and stream below. To the west are layers of verdant mountains stretching endlessly into the distance. Behind it stands an even taller mountain, atop which lie important locations such as the ancestral hall and the weapon vault. Ahead lies a peculiar landscape—a transitional zone leading into a barren desert.
Though it lacks the elegance of a true immortal sect, its scenery is extremely beautiful.
At this moment, under a parasol tree in a courtyard within the Inner Sect, two elderly men sat on opposite sides of a stone table, facing a Go board where the white pieces had already cornered the black in a decisive attack.
The old man with a head full of white hair held a black piece suspended over the board while stroking his long white beard, his face showing signs of difficulty.
Across from him sat an elderly man with only partially gray hair and a spirited demeanor, holding the white pieces patiently, waiting for the old man with white hair to make his move.
The completely white-haired man was Su Yu, the Elder of the Medicine Division of Tianlang Gate.
The man with partially gray hair was Sima Luo, the Chief Elder of the Inner Sect of Tianlang Gate.
Su Yu sighed while observing the board: “Brother Sima, your game is excellent. You’ve managed to block all my escape routes in one move.”
Sima Luo laughed heartily and pointed at the board: “This is the first time I’ve ever beaten you at Go.”
“Ai, I’m getting old. I can’t keep up with you, Brother Sima.”
“Nonsense! Where did you get that idea?
If Brother Su focused seriously on the game, even a hundred Sima Luos tied together wouldn’t stand a chance. I suspect, Brother Su, that your mind is simply not on the game.”
“Oh? Then what do you think my mind is on?”
Sima Luo smiled slightly: “It should be on Tianlang Gate itself.”
“Ah, still Brother Sima who understands me best!”
Su Yu sighed.
“I’m flattered, but it’s just that Brother Su wears his thoughts on his face.”
Sima Luo placed the piece he was holding back into the piece box. “Brother Su is worried about the newly appointed Guest Elder, am I right?”
Su Yu nodded. “Exactly. The sect leader actually appointed him as a Guest Elder. This is absurd! The title of Guest Elder carries too much weight. Those arrogant brats probably won’t accept him.”
“Yes, I’ve repeatedly advised the sect leader to appoint him as an Inner Sect mentor instead, but the sect leader turned a deaf ear. I’m thinking of advising him again. What do you think, Brother Sima?”
“Not advisable. With the way the sect leader is acting, even if you talk until your mouth is sore, it won’t make a difference.”
“Then what should we do?”
Sima Luo frowned. “Yes, what should we do?” Su Yu sighed. “For now, we’ll just take things one step at a time. Hopefully, Li Tan will be sensible and resign voluntarily.”
At the same time, elsewhere.
“Master Liu, do you know where this Li Tan really comes from?”
Zheng Kaishan asked solemnly while holding a teacup.
Standing in front of him, Liu Yong frowned and hesitated before shaking his head. “Disciple does not know.”
“Do you know? The organization gave me strict orders: I must either kill that guy or drive him out of Tianlang Gate.”
Zheng Kaishan tightened his grip on the teacup.
Liu Yong thought for a moment and said, “But that bastard is protected by the Grand Elder. Why does the organization care so much about him to issue such strict orders?”
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about! Instead of driving Li Tan away, we’ve healed that old fool and made him a Guest Elder. If the organization questions us, even a hundred heads wouldn’t be enough to pay the price.”
“In fact, disciple has a plan.”
“Oh? Please, tell me.”
Zheng Kaishan leaned forward, clearly listening intently. Liu Yong grinned cunningly and lowered his voice: “It’s difficult to rely solely on external beasts to attack. But what if we interfere from within?”
Zheng Kaishan’s eyes lit up. He put down his teacup. “Tell me your plan.”
Li Tan finally emerged from his three-day retreat.
Over those three days, he successfully refined the “Second-Stage Realm-Breaking Pill,” a breakthrough-assisting elixir. Typically, second-stage realm-breaking pills are employed when advancing to the Xiantian realm, but they can also aid in progressing from the early to middle stages of Xiantian cultivation. However, due to the scarcity of medicinal ingredients, Li Tan had to make do with what was available.
He planned to take a day off to relax and bring his condition to its peak before attempting to break through to the middle stage of Xiantian cultivation, increasing his chances of confronting the Black Robe Organization later.
“Li Tan!”
As soon as he exited retreat, before he could even savor the fresh air, Zhang Chenghuan joyfully rushed over, clearly having waited for a long time.
Li Tan asked in confusion: “Have you been waiting here for me all along?”
Zhang Chenghuan playfully scolded him: “Who would wait for you? I just have something to inform you.”
“Cough cough, okay then. What is it?”
Slightly disappointed that his carefully prepared appearance was overlooked, Zhang Chenghuan handed Li Tan a letter.
“What is this?” Li Tan muttered as he opened the envelope. It was a letter from Zhang Zhi.
Zhang Zhi had to visit a neighboring sect and would not return for several days, so he wrote this letter to inform Li Tan.
The letter was very brief. According to the date, the Inner Sect would be selecting fifty disciples to go down the mountain to the Ruins of the Fallen Immortal for training tomorrow. Two elders would be needed to lead the group—one serving as the team leader and the other as the deputy leader, responsible for guiding and protecting all the disciples.
Then Zhang Zhi enthusiastically recommended Li Tan for the deputy leader position.
Although Li Tan had been in retreat, he could guess that many within the sect were dissatisfied with him. Zhang Zhi was trying to give him an opportunity to establish his authority.
Therefore, although Li Tan was reluctant to waste time, he did not want to disappoint Zhang Zhi’s good intentions and could only agree.
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