After all, it was just a spot.
Even if he was dissatisfied, it wasn’t necessary to fall out with the Elders over such a trivial matter, affecting the dignity of Taixu Gate.
But deep down, he was indeed dissatisfied.
The leader of Taixu Gate, over three hundred years old, bore the appearance of middle age, with thick, jet-black hair. He emphasized "nurturing life", had calm brows and eyes, and exuded a touch of indolence.
He felt somewhat annoyed and somewhat helpless.
"Even if there are ties of friendship, one should not heed the words of the Noble Clans in every matter..."
"A Sect must maintain its own backbone..."
However, that said, he still unfolded the "resume" in his hand. But he was slightly taken aback after only a glance.
The Taixu Sect Leader looked up at the Elder who had handed over the resume. "Are you certain there’s no mistake?"
They both had entered the Inner Gate from the Outer Gate.
Now he presided as the Sect Leader, while his junior brother had become an Elder, deemed one of the most trustworthy Elders in Taixu Gate.
The Elder offered a wry smile. "How can I make a joke of such a matter?"
The Taixu Sect Leader shook his head, finding it quite puzzling.
"What’s the meaning behind this from the Shangguan and Wenren Families? Two great Noble Clans, recommending a Loose Cultivator? Quite strange indeed..."
"According to rumors, some favors are involved..." the Elder said.
"What kind of favors?"
The Elder shook his head. "How would I know that?"
After pondering for a moment, the Taixu Sect Leader nodded. "Acknowledging a favor with gratitude does create a good karmic bond. Let’s accept him then."
"Aren’t you going to make an issue of it?" the Elder asked.
That had become customary.
The so-called "making an issue" meant putting the matter aside for a bit to express dissatisfaction and then garner some support for certain affairs from the Elders of one’s own Sect.
Some matters that Sect Leaders wished to advance, typically fraught with difficulty and hindered by various sides, now offered an opportunity for the Sect Leader to exchange "favors" and garner more support from the Elders.
His initiatives would then proceed more smoothly.
Or he could extract another favor from the Shangguan or the Wenren Family.
Or perhaps, add a little something to the Initiation Fee of the Disciple...
Because exceptional admissions were essentially exchanges of interest.
Where there are people, interests become entangled, so these practices were inevitable.
Compared to other Sects, the internal strife within Taixu Gate was considerably minor...
The Taixu Sect Leader shook his head. "There’s no need..."
He flipped through the resume again, sighing lightly. "It’s rare for these Noble Clans to not abuse their power for personal gain but to actually fulfill a debt of gratitude. That in itself is quite admirable..."
"And this child is a Loose Cultivator, after all. It’s not easy being a Loose Cultivator. There’s no need to add an Initiation Fee... Let’s treat him the same as the other Disciples. Whatever applies to them applies to him..."
The Elder nodded. "Alright."
As the Taixu Sect Leader continued to leaf through the documents, his eyes suddenly fell upon the "Special Skills" section where the words "Talented in Formations" were written. He was startled and found himself at a loss for words.
After a long while, he finally exclaimed.
"This is truly... the fearlessness of youth, worthy of praise..."
Let alone a Loose Cultivator.
Even among the Shangguan Family, the Wenren Family’s rightful heirs, and even among all of Taixu Gate’s Direct Disciples, very few dared to claim they were "Talented in Formations..."
With a touch of amusement, the Elder said, "The child is naively fearless. It’s not really something to criticize. Once he joins us, he’ll realize that the way of the Formations is not that simple..."
The Taixu Sect Leader nodded slightly, then said, "Let’s leave it at that. Have him come for initiation in three days."
He took one last glance at the resume.
It bore the name "Mo Hua".
"Mo Hua..."
The Taixu Sect Leader murmured the name, nodding to himself as he inwardly noted it.
"Quite a pleasant-sounding name..."
...
The subsequent initiation process proceeded as usual.
Wenren Wan was also taken aback.
She had assumed that Taixu Gate would haggle over the terms, but everything that followed went unexpectedly smooth.
In three days, Mo Hua would be able to join Taixu Gate.
Wenren Wan breathed a sigh of relief; finally, the matter was settled.
And Mo Hua was very happy as well.
Despite some twists and turns, he was finally about to be initiated.
Wenren Wan had arranged the initiation affairs for Mo Hua, procuring some items, and three days later, took him to the base of Taixu Mountain where Taixu Gate was located.
Before they parted, Wenren Wan once again instructed him about the precautions of the Sect and what to be mindful of after entering.
"Some Disciples are arrogant and unruly; try to avoid them as much as possible."
"If you run into trouble, don’t be afraid. Tell the Elders, and have them seek me out at the Shangguan Family..."
"If you experience bullying, don’t resort to fighting — you’re small and can’t defeat others. Go to the Elders, and if they don’t care, I’ll have your back..."
"You must learn to protect yourself..."
...
Wenren Wan was concerned about Mo Hua’s tender age. With his innocent and kind nature, she feared that upon entering the Sect, he might be deceived, ostracized, scorned, bullied, unable to voice his suffering or find someone to stand up for him in times of trouble...
So her heart ached for him.
Although Mo Hua felt that he probably wouldn’t be bullied, Wenren Wan’s concern still filled him with gratitude.
Mo Hua nodded vigorously, asserting confidently,
"Don’t worry, Aunt Wan. I’ll be careful and won’t let others bully me!"
Seeing Mo Hua’s confident posture, as if he had never been bullied, Wenren Wan couldn’t help but smile and tenderly touched Mo Hua’s head.
Yu Er also came to see Mo Hua off, her little face filled with reluctance as she whispered,
"Brother, when you’re free, can I come to visit you?"
Mo Hua looked toward Wenren Wan.
Wenren Wan nodded with a smile.
Then Mo Hua said, "When you have time, come to find me. I’ll make you a fierce and majestic Big Tiger!"