Becoming a Core Protege

Elder Leader Huo Tianba and also the branch leader of this Profound Cloud Sect announced, "We have 8 inner protégés from our first martial meeting. Usually but not always, we may choose to select from among the 8 inner protégés to be our core protégé."

Wang Meng the top inner protégé candidate was smiling immediately; this was a golden opportunity for him!

Ye Fan also had a mixed feeling this time round.

It was because he had remembered that as the most outstanding candidate 3 years ago, he was hotly contested to be a potential core protégé by the 7 sword elders of the Thousand Swords Divine Sect.

He was to be given the 7 sword manuals from the 7 sword elders to study for 3 months. After which, he would then decide on one of the sword elders to be his master.

But before he could be given the 7 sword manuals, the Thousand Swords Divine Sect was attacked by the Profound Cloud Sect and the 7 sword elders were all killed.

He could still remember the terrifying profound aura of the Witch Xuan Xueqi that night when she had single-handedly killed 3 of the sword elders, destroying his dreams.

Huo Tianba asked Yu Haixian and Fairy Xuan Xueqi, "For me, it is a difficult choice between Wang Meng who is in the first place and Ye Fan who is in the second place. After some pondering…"

He purposely took a look at Fairy Xuan Xueqi, "I have finally decided to pick Wang Meng to be my core protégé instead."

Ye Fan was actually quite startled to learn that he was in second place.

Yu Haixian laughed as he tidied his sleeves before saying, "Then for me, it is quite obvious. I shall pick Ye…"

"Ye Fan shall be my core protégé!" Fairy Xuan Xueqi had suddenly announced as she interrupted Yu Haixian.

"I am your senior sister so you should allow me to make the next choice." She hastily added.

Yu Haixian merely laughed as he stolen a glance at Huo Tianba.

Ye Fan was startled that the Witch Xuan Xueqi had actually picked him to be her core protégé?!

Then won't this be easier for him to assassinate her in the future?

Chen Yuyan looked at Ye Fan to smile; she was truly glad for him.

Yu Haixian turned to the other 6 inner protégés to smile, "Then I shall pick Chen Yuyan to be my core protégé."

Chen Yuyan was stunned; she had the worst result, right?

Not only were the other inner and outer protégés stunned by this decision, even Huo Tianba and Fairy Xuan Xueqi were also looking curiously at Yu Haixian for an explanation.

Yu Haixian actually had the intention to pick Chen Yuyan right from the very start and he had only muttered Ye Fan's name to prompt his senior sister to act ahead of him.

He laughed before whispering to Huo Tianba and Fairy Xuan Xueqi, "She looks intelligent. I need a intelligent and ruthless core protégé for a mission in the future."

Huo Tianba understood and nodded, "Alright then."

Then he said to all the protégés and candidates, "It is the end of the First Martial Meeting. For those that are selected to be outer and inner protégés, an elder in the Verdant Hall will later be there to pass you your cultivation magic tools…"

"As for the rest of you, you are all dismissed."

After he had said that, a female elder in the company of 4 other elders near the steps below promptly announced to the successful candidates. "I am Elder Mao Ling…"

"Including the 5 existing outer court protégés, there are 35 of you that are outer court protégés and 8 of you that are inner court protégés…."

"All of you shall follow me to the Verdant Hall. For being the first batch of participants in our first martial meeting, the whole of you shall be accorded a special status within our Profound Cloud Sect and in the future, you shall all be senior brothers and sisters to the rest of the protégés."

With that, Elder Mao Ling had turned around with the 4 elders behind her while the rest of the 43 successful candidates began to follow behind the 5 elders.

Ye Fan began to follow the crowd and the 5 elders to the Verdant Hall.

Chen Yuyan had caught up with him and she was smiling, "Protégé Brother Ye Fan! Thank you so much! I didn't think that I will be an inner protégé. It is all thanks to you."

She was really happy because the treatment between an outer and inner protégé was like the heavens and the earth.

Ye Fan smiled faintly, "Protégé Sister Chen Yuyan…"

"Junior Protégé Sister Chen Yuyan! I am younger than you are! Moreover, your new master is also my new master's senior sister. So, I am definitely your junior!" Chen Yuyan giggled softly with a delightful look.

As for Ye Fan, he did not feel as excited as Chen Yuyan.

His excitement of being an inner protégé had died 3 years ago when the Thousand Swords Divine Sect had been wiped out by the Profound Cloud Sect.

The only difference now was that he could finally receive his cultivation magic tools and stood tall in the halls of the new Profound Cloud Sect.

From today onward, the outer court proteges would not be scorning at him anymore because his status in the sect had now changed.

Ye Fan was also one step further in getting close to killing the Witch Xuan Xueqi.