Thinking about the sudden interference in the Heart Trial Road, Lin Xiao's expression darkened slightly.
Whoever was behind the Ji Stones was truly cunning, managing to plant a hidden danger in a mortal body three years ago. It had remained concealed so deeply that none of them had noticed any abnormalities over the years.
However, Lin Xiao decided to put this issue aside for now. The most pressing matter for the Lingxian Sect at this moment was the new disciples.
He glanced at the newly gathered recruits in the square, and immediately noticed something amiss.
Why were there only 131 people?
Without delay, Lin Xiao expanded his divine sense, instantly covering the entire Lingxian Sect.
In the next moment, he found a lone young man quietly sitting and daydreaming inside one of the large straw huts set up for the new disciples' accommodations.
It seemed this was the missing disciple.
Lin Xiao casually gathered a ball of spiritual energy in his hand and sent it toward the boy, using his telekinetic skill to pull the young man by the collar and bring him over.
He even wrapped the boy in spiritual energy to prevent him from being injured by the sudden speed.
White Shu, who had been lost in thought, reflecting on his experience within the Heart Trial Road, suddenly felt a strong force lift him effortlessly by the back of his neck. Before he could react, he was swiftly yanked through the air.
"Ahhhh—!"
His terrified scream echoed through the mountain valley as the scenery flew by at breakneck speed.
Before he could finish screaming, he was gently placed on solid ground.
Blinking, White Shu opened his eyes, only to realize he was no longer alone in the empty accommodations. Instead, he now stood at the front of a crowd of people who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
He blinked in confusion, looking around and realizing that everyone was staring at him in shock.
It seemed no one understood how he had suddenly appeared at the front of the group.
At that moment, Lao Pantou was the first to arrive at the square.
Following closely behind him, the rest of the Lingxian Sect members gathered as well.
Seeing Lin Xiao standing on the high platform at the front of the square, smiling as he watched over the new disciples, Lao Pantou's expression turned serious. He flew to the base of the platform, stood before the assembled disciples, and respectfully bowed toward Lin Xiao.
"Welcome back from seclusion, Sect Master—!"
His powerful voice reverberated through every corner of the square.
In the past, the Lingxian Sect had been a small, close-knit group. Everyone got along well, with no need for formalities or rigid rules. However, now that new disciples were joining, discipline and respect were necessary.
A stable sect required all its members to have deep respect for the sect's master.
Lao Pantou took the lead, knowing that if no one else had experience with formalities, it would be up to him to set the example.
Sun Yigao, Qin Jianghe, and the others immediately understood Lao Pantou's gesture. They quickly followed suit, flying forward and bowing deeply to Lin Xiao, their voices ringing out:
"Welcome back from seclusion, Sect Master—!"
Seeing so many elders and senior disciples bowing in respect toward Lin Xiao, the new disciples, who had just been focused on White Shu's sudden appearance, hurriedly copied the others, bowing deeply toward their young sect master.
Understanding that Lao Pantou had taken the lead to help him establish his authority with the new disciples, Lin Xiao naturally played along.
Standing tall and graceful atop the platform, a smile on his face, Lin Xiao raised his hand and used his spiritual energy to help lift the elders and senior disciples.
"This recruitment process has been tough on everyone. Thank you for your efforts."
Lao Pantou stood up, his eyes filled with pride as he looked at Lin Xiao.
At sixteen, he had formed his Nascent Soul. In just three and a half years, he had risen from a mere mortal to reach the Nascent Soul stage.
He had done it.
The other elders, such as Lin Dayou, also looked at Lin Xiao with great satisfaction. They hadn't seen him for a year, and now he had grown into a fully mature young man.
As for Jiang Youfu and Mo Yuanjiao, who were of the same generation as Lin Xiao, their eyes were filled with admiration and excitement.
Their hearts were shouting:
"Brother Xiao has reached the Nascent Soul stage!"
"No surprise—it's Brother Xiao! He's reached the Nascent Soul stage already!"
"Our Sect Master is so powerful! He's the goal I must strive toward!"
Lin Xiao subtly flashed them a "V" sign with his hand, then quickly composed himself, clearing his throat before putting on a serious expression. With a smile, he used his spiritual energy to lift the new disciples as well, saying:
"Welcome, everyone. Passing the Heart Trial Road proves that you possess a rare and precious quality that aligns with the Lingxian Sect."
"I hope that from now on, all of you will dedicate yourselves to your cultivation, live harmoniously with your fellow disciples, and grow together."
"Now, I'll pass the stage over to Elder Liu, the head of our Administrative Hall."
With that, Lin Xiao glanced at Liu Yunan below the stage, signaling with his eyes for him to come up and take charge of the situation.
He also sent a voice transmission: "Get up here, quick! I'm running out of things to say!"
Liu Yunan wasn't fooled by Lin Xiao's words. He knew better. Lin Xiao had led many of the sect's major events in the past, and he had always spoken with eloquence during sect meetings. The idea that Lin Xiao didn't know what to say was obviously nonsense.
But Liu Yunan also understood that Lin Xiao was letting him take over the management of the new disciples, as they had previously agreed.
After all, Lin Xiao, as the Sect Master, would focus on the major decisions and direction of the sect. Matters of detail, unless they were particularly difficult or sensitive, would be left to the various elders to manage.
As Sect Master, Lin Xiao needed to maintain a certain level of distance from the new disciples.
With this in mind, Liu Yunan responded to Lin Xiao's voice transmission with a smile: "Brother Xiao, you're being modest. If anyone can speak well, it's you."
He then flew up to the platform.
The moment Liu Yunan took the stage, Lin Xiao swiftly retreated to the Sect Master's seat, which floated above the center of the square. Leaning casually against the armrest, he propped his chin on his hand and watched the proceedings with great interest.
Usually, he was the one running the show, but this time, he could finally relax and enjoy being a spectator.
As Lin Xiao made his graceful exit, Liu Yunan sighed inwardly, but outwardly, he maintained a warm smile as he introduced himself to the new disciples.
He also called up all the elders to be formally introduced to the new recruits.
For the younger elders like Sun Yigao and Qin Jianghe, this was nothing new, but for the older generation, like Elder Lin Dayou, being addressed as "Elder" in front of a hundred or so disciples felt a bit awkward.
In their daily lives, they had only been around family, friends, and juniors, so this level of formality felt strange.
However, despite their discomfort, they managed to keep their composure, appearing calm and dignified in front of the new disciples, proving that years of experience had made them adept at handling such situations.