Naked Sword Art Chapter 118 - The Matriarch's Proposal

Chapter 118 - The Matriarch's Proposal

In the presence of the Matriarch and several powerful elders, Li Lian and Xun Wei both bowed their heads in respect.
They immediately recognized who the Matriarch was since she had such an overwhelmingly heavenly air. She had long black hair, a smooth exposed leg, and she wore beautiful white robes decorated in gold.
Although Li Lian was intimidated by it, Xun Wei wasn't because she was used to being in presence of her master, who was several realms stronger than the Matriarch was.
"Rise."
Hearing the Matriarch's command, they both raised their heads then slowly looked around them at the elders that were staring at them.
Shortly after raising their heads the Matriarch tossed them both a new crystal.
"Show me."
The Matriarch wasn't the only one that was skeptical of them possessing a Spirit Attribute, all of the elders found it extremely hard to believe as well.
The Sect's Archives were sectioned off depending on status. Inner court disciples had access to cultivation techniques that weren't accessible for outer court disciples, and the same goes for core court disciples to inner court disciples.
The sect generally treated disciples better depending on which court they were in. As for the Spirit Attribute Scrolls, they were set up so that anyone could attempt to get the scroll's acknowledgement, but unlike the inner court and core court disciples, the outer court disciples needed to pay a ridiculous price to attempt the challenge. If they can't get the scroll's acknowledgement then the box would eventually close, but the disciples would not get their merit points back. The reason they made the price so high for the outer court disciples was because they were trying to discourage them from attempting the challenge. If the inner and core court disciples couldn't get it's acknowledgement then they didn't believe the outer court disciple could do it.
...
Li Lian and Xun Wei both began to infuse their qi's into the crystal like they did the first time, and they again began to glow; Li Lian's fiery red and Xun Wei's ghostly white.
A few elders began to get up from their seats, when the crystals in Li Lian and Xun Wei's hands began to glow. They couldn't believe it.
Seeing that the elders were impressed, Li Lian thought this was a good opportunity to demonstrate her true strength. She thought if she was lucky, she might even be able to find a master among them.
Li Lian's hair and clothes began to flutter, attracting everyone's attention. Her eyebrows became knitted, her grip on the crystal got tighter, then the fundamental nature of her spirit qi began to change. Her hand, eyes, and hair suddenly ignited into magnificent flames, giving her a fierce look.
This was the first time many of the elders were seeing a Spirit Attribute in person, so many more elders started to get up from their seats.
Li Lian's flames burned more and more fiercely until she wore it on her body like an extra layer of robes, but then the most unbelievable thing happened next, the crystal cracked.
All of the elders were now on their feet as they watched Li Lian's flame become denser and even more beautiful.
"How is this possible."
"Her battle power is still rising!"
The Elder's didn't understand how the crystals could break, only the Supreme Elders knew, but they refused to believe it.
"I-It can't be."
The elders that were confused looked at the Supreme Elders for answers, but they were too shocked to give them an explanation. Even though it was happening right before their eyes they still couldn't believe it. However, what happened next eliminated all doubts that were in their minds.
ROAR!!~
They all heard the same thing, it was a sound they could hear reverberating deep within their souls. It was the roar of a dragon, but it carried so much weight and authority that it gave them the impression that it was the sound of a thousand dragons roaring all at once.
"Matriarch. She..."
"I know, I can't believe it either. She's already unlocked the 1st stage of Dragon Perception."
Li Lian's flames began to settle down, but unlike before, her flames now seemed much more refined, much more beautiful, but also much more deadly.
The Matriarch was the last to stand, but she didn't just stand, she walked down the few steps then walked straight towards Li Lian.
"What is your name?"
"This disciple's name is Li Lian."
"Li Lian, how would you like to be my disciple?"
There were a few elders that couldn't believe what they were hearing, but only the Supreme Elders that knew the true strength of [ Dragon Perception ] weren't surprised by the Matriarch's proposal. The truth was, just from what they witnessed over the past few seconds, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Li Lian would soon be the most famous name in the entire country.
"I don't understand, why would the Matriarch say such a thing?" one elder asked a Supreme Elder.
"One could train all their life and never reach the 1st stage of Dragon Perception, it all depends on the cultivator and how well they can connect with their spirit attribute. To be this young and already make that kind of connection is unheard of. Her future might really be limitless," the Supreme Elder said.
After speaking such high praise about Li Lian, all of the elders that heard her words started to see Li Lian in a different way.
Li Lian was shocked by the Matriarch's proposal.
"Are you serious?" Li Lian asked.
"I'm serious."
Li Lian hesitated for a few moments then cupped her hand and bowed her head.
"This disciple greets master."
"Good, very good! If you work hard, you'll definitely accomplish great things in the future."
The Matriarch laughed out loud as she patted Li Lian on the shoulder.
"Oh right. What is your name?" The Matriarch asked Xun Wei.
Xun Wei looked at Li Lian then back at the Matriarch, she didn't want the Matriarch to ask her to be her disciple because she already had a master back at the Divine Sword sect. Since Wu Yue was a much stronger cultivator than the Matriarch, she was able look past her lofty appearance, and knew that she wouldn't mesh well with her. So when asked what her name was, Xun Wei answered unenthusiastically, "My name is Xun Wei, and I'm a body cultivator."
The Matriarch could already tell that Xun Wei was uninterested in becoming her disciple. She didn't want to be rejected in front of all the elders, but she also couldn't let her get swarmed by all the elders after she left, so she called her right-hand-man (woman).
"Elder Yao, you are also a body cultivator. How about you take Xun Wei as your disciple?"
No one knew the Matriarch like Yao Wu did, so her eye twitched when she realized what the Matriarch was planning. She knew the Matriarch's personality well. There was no way she wouldn't ask Xun Wei to be her disciple unless she was confident that she would say no. That meant that she was going to use Yao Wu's public rejection as a way to deter the other elders from bothering Xun Wei in the future.
'Sorry, Yao Wu. It's better you than me,' the Matriarch thought.
Yao Wu had her arms crossed as she displayed the air of authority. She couldn't not do it or else the elders would think she was a fool. Since the Matriarch put her in this position there was no getting out of it.
"Xun Wei, what do you say?" Yao Wu said, making it clear that she didn't care what her answer would be.
"Sure."
"What?"
"Since you're asking, I'd gladly take you as my master."
Although the other elders weren't surprised by her answer, the Matriarch and Yao Wu were both stunned.
"Did I hear you right? Do you really accept me as your master?" Yao Wu asked again.
"Mn, I do."
"Then say it properly, you damn brat!"
Xun Wei cupped her hands then bowed her head slightly.
"This disciple greets, master."
"Hahahaha," Yao Wu laughed joyfully.
She then jumped down from the steps and landed in front of Xun Wei.
"Good, good. I'll definitely treat you well in the future. Let's quickly get you out of these ragged robes and get you something nicer," she said as she guided Xun Wei out.
The Matriarch couldn't believe what she was seeing, Yao Wu was definitely rubbing it in her face, but in case it wasn't obvious, Yao Wu looked at the Matriarch then briefly stuck her tongue out at her.
'Real childish, Yao Wu,' the Matriarch thought.
The taunt might've been a bit immature and out of character, but it was clearly highly effective.
...
The reason Xun Wei said yes was because Elder Yao Wu was a body cultivator just like her, also because she felt like she could get along with her well. Xun Wei knew the benefits she could gain by being the disciple of a core court elder so she wasn't foolish enough to pass up on that opportunity.