First Male Disciple

After feeling the warmth from her hug hearing what her granddaughter said, the palace master couldn't help but melt. She immediately reappeared in her seat. 

She then spoke, "I may have promised you before, but to reaffirm I will show you through the support I promised", she said with a soft look on her face. 

Then suddenly her eyes turned sharp before asking, "Now will you tell me what are your intentions by bringing a young man here? Certainly they can't be pure."

Elevora giggled and said actually they are. She went on to explain Horo's situation, but only the part about his family's annihilation and his plan to grow stronger to save his sister. 

She explained how she genuinely wanted to help him as she felt sympathy for his circumstances and his loneliness. He really had nowhere to go and no backing. 

That didn't stop her from mentioning Horo's talent and special physique, not its properties, but just him being in possession of one. 

She suggested that he could be a participant for them in the tournament because he had the potential to dominate, considering how he survived in the wilderness alone for a long period of time. 

She then said something that completely bewildered the palace master.

Why don't you allow him to become a honorary disciple grandma?"

The palace master replied "Are you being serious?"

After receiving just a wide smile and no reply from her granddaughter palace master knew she wasn't kidding so she continued, "You know we've never had a male disciple, not even once. On top of that men shouldn't cultivate our techniques, not because they can't but because it's better suited for women, men would only have slow progress in the techniques no matter their talent."

Elevora responded, "I understand all of that already grandma, I've thought it all through. I truly want to help him from the bottom of my heart, and I feel if I do I could progress much easier because my intentions are pure and I have no ulterior motives. The easiest way for me to help is for him to become an "honorary" disciple, because an honorary disciple is not truly part of the organization but can still receive benefits through merit, so it shouldn't be a big deal to make him one with your direct order. Everything else including him participating in the tournament is just extra and I just explained all of that to him in order to get him to stay because he didn't want to after knowing I had already saved his life. "

She paused then continued "Also I have a really strong feeling that he's special, much more special than they I can discern. I believe he can successfully practice the [True Cloud Technique]. 

The palace master went quiet for a while as if she was in deep thought. 

She then said "You've really considered a lot of factors. Hmmm, are you sure you don't have any secret feelings for him? 

She gave her granddaughter a scrutinizing gaze, causing her face to turn red while saying "Of course not, I don't even understand anything about the relationship between men and women, and I barely know him grandma stop giving me that look", She stomped and pouted after saying this. 

The palace master responded while still maintaining her gaze, "And yet you're willing to go through all of this for him."

Elevora sighed and said, "It was purely coincidence that we ran into him in the wild, and my inner nature caused me to naturally want to help him. There's no need for you to make it more than what it really is."

The palace master laughed and said, "Alright, alright I'll do as you please if it means you can obtain some enlightenment or growth. Prepare the palace for an announcement.

....

Elevora didn't know that her grandmother had already examined Horo's entire existence with her perception multiple times, and this was part of the reasons she accepted. She had discovered his real age.

....

Horo felt a force that felt as heavy as a mountain touch his body, and then it strangled his entire being. It dug in him and bushed against every part of him trying to uncover all of his secrets. He felt exhausted just from having such an overbearing soul presence examining his being for so long. 

When Elevora came out she saw his face looking as white as the clouds they were standing on. She hurriedly to him where could rest a while before she went to prepare the announcement and his dwelling. 

....

A few hours later….

Most of the disciples of the Pure Cloud Palace were in a massive hall that was normally used for important announcements or speeches. 

All of the elders were present as well, except a few that weren't in the sect. 

Elevora and the palace master's direct disciple were on the stage, both standing with their hands behind their back waiting on the palace to take the forefront when she arrived. 

After a little she appeared. 

A pure white cloud that seemed like the most glorious, purest, and thickest cloud in existence slowly manifested on stage ahead of the two girls. Once it did, the palace master stepped out of it, looking as graceful as a single cloud in a clear sky. 

She was tall for a woman standing at 1.9 meters. Long what hair that stretched beyond her waist, as well as a cloud mark on her forehead and a robe made from actual clouds. 

Everyone smiled simultaneously, they loved to see their palace master because she rarely showed herself. It must be something major for her to be the one making the announcement. 

Then…. Everyone's eyes went wide, even some elders. The other elders wore inquisitive expressions. 

This was all because Horo had came out of the cloud after the palace master. 

He was dressed in a nice looking pitch black robe that unexpectedly made his physical features look less ominous and more majestic. The robe had a small white cloud with characters that represented honorary under it on his left side where his heart is. The same thing was on his back but larger. 

His robe was open and he had a matte black vest made of strong beast materials under it. He also had forearm bracers the same color under his sleeves, with boots to match. Pitch black pants that tucked in his boots, and a chain of damnation wrapped around his waste. 

His appearance isn't what shocked them all, it was the fact that a man was in their palace while wearing something that indicated he was a part of the pure cloud, and to top it off he was with the palace master.