Jiang Yan waved his hand ever so slightly, and the demon gods instinctively straightened their backs.
Looking at this bizarre gathering of creatures, Jiang Yan's brows knit faintly.
Such appearances… they were truly lacking in dignity.
After all, Zhongli and the others were also demon gods, yet he had never seen them dragging their original forms around every day.
His subtle change in expression was instantly caught by one of the demon gods who had been paying close attention to him.
That demon god immediately burst into light and transformed into a handsome young man.
The others froze for a moment, then hurried to follow suit, one by one adopting human forms.
Some appeared as white-bearded elders, some as burly men, some as alluring women, and even a few as delicate boys and girls like porcelain dolls.
What they all shared in common was that, no matter the form, they appeared strikingly handsome or beautiful. Even the old men radiated a spirit as sharp as a blade.
Only then did Jiang Yan nod in satisfaction.
"You've been living in Mount Shu for some time now. Are you settling in well?"
He broke the silence with a casual greeting.
One young demon god hesitated, unease prickling in his heart.
Why would the Sect Master suddenly ask such a thing?
Could it be…
That he intended to drive them out of Mount Shu?
They all knew their original purpose—nothing more than sparring partners for Mount Shu disciples.
Now that Zhongli and the others had fully mastered their techniques, their usefulness had diminished.
Ningguang and the rest were still far too weak to face them.
At most, only Xiao and a handful of late Foundation-to-Core disciples could truly benefit from fighting them.
But even those challenges had ceased for quite some time.
At first, they had found peace a welcome relief. But now…
Had Jiang Yan decided that since they were no longer contributing, they were dead weight to be cast out?
The thought struck the youth like thunder, and panic surged through him.
He wasn't one of the demon gods from the Outer Seas of Darkness. He was a being Jiang Yan had plucked from the Quantum Sea—an apex demon god at the peak of Spirit Transformation.
Back there, his power was just barely enough to survive, with crises looming at every turn.
All he had wanted was a safe place to live.
Even though Jiang Yan had bound him with curses, after so long in peace he had fallen in love with life in Mount Shu.
Stable. Secure. No more scraping by, no more fearing which stronger existence might kill him at any moment.
Each day, he ate spirit beasts, absorbed qi, and grew stronger.
Such a life had been the stuff of his wildest dreams.
In a way, he now considered himself part of Mount Shu—with Jiang Yan as his ultimate backer.
And that backer was a cultivator at the peak of Return-to-Void, an invincible being even in the Quantum Sea.
For him, this was nothing short of a god's paradise.
To be cast out now, to return to wandering exile…
He would rather die.
Fear clenched his heart, and he dropped to his knees in desperation.
"Sect Master, have mercy! I know that in recent days I've failed to fulfill my duties, but only because no disciples have sought me out.
Please, show pity—do not expel me from Mount Shu!"
His sudden plea left the other demon gods dumbstruck. When the meaning sank in, they too panicked.
The Quantum Sea was chaotic—was the Outer Seas of Darkness any better?
Their lives there had been worse than death.
One after another, they also fell to their knees, babbling excuses.
Jiang Yan could only chuckle helplessly and wave his hand.
"Enough, stand up. Don't kneel at every little thing. I never said I was expelling you. I was only making conversation."
The demon gods froze, then exhaled in relief. The young man scratched his head awkwardly and replied:
"Life in Mount Shu is far better than what I once knew—peaceful, secure, and still offering the chance to grow stronger. It is the very life I've always dreamed of."
The others nodded quickly in agreement.
Jiang Yan inclined his head, then asked again:
"A few days ago, Mount Shu evolved into a minor world. Did you notice anything?"
"We were overjoyed on Mount Shu's behalf," the young man promptly flattered.
The transformation of Mount Shu was, for them, the best of blessings.
Yes, their authority over laws had been drastically stripped away, and their strength diminished.
But compared to the abundance of qi, what were those false fragments of power worth?
The only ones truly suffering were their beastly followers, who now struggled to contend with spirit beasts.
For the demon gods themselves, however, those beasts had simply become better food—delicious and strengthening both body and soul.
Jiang Yan gave another nod.
"You've been in Mount Shu long enough. You must have learned a great deal about cultivation.
Now, I have a task for you. Do you have the confidence to see it done?"
The young demon god froze, then immediately nodded.
"Mount Shu took us in. If you now ask us for service, of course we will not refuse.
Only… we are not cultivators ourselves…"
Jiang Yan waved him off, his tone calm.
"A month from now, Mount Shu will open its gates to a thousand new disciples.
You should already be aware of this."
"Of those thousand, only a handful will be admitted as inner disciples. The vast majority will remain outer disciples."
"Managing the inner disciples is no concern. But with such an influx of outer disciples, administration will become a challenge."
"I intend to restructure the Outer Sect Elders' Council, with the sole duty of overseeing outer disciples."
"Our inner disciples are all peerless talents. Their time must not be wasted on such matters."
"Therefore, Ganyu has recommended you."
"You are no longer needed as sparring partners, yet your strength is sufficient to bear the title of outer elders."
"Would you be willing to join the Outer Sect Elders' Council, and manage the outer disciples on my behalf?"
The demon gods blinked, stunned. It took them a while to process Jiang Yan's words.
He was offering them entry into Mount Shu itself—as outer sect elders, tasked with managing disciples.
Joy surged through them like a tidal wave.
"We are willing! It is our greatest desire!"
"To serve Mount Shu is already an honor. Now, to formally join its ranks—we are overjoyed!"
"Thank you, Sect Master, for your trust! Thank you, Lady Ganyu, for your recommendation! We will devote ourselves wholly to managing the outer disciples, to ease the Sect Master's burden!"
"Sect Master, rest assured—Mount Shu's affairs are our affairs! If we fail in this duty, I will take my own life to atone!"
A moment ago, they had been afraid of expulsion. Now, the tables had turned.
Not only were they not cast out—they were given the chance to become part of Mount Shu.
Even as outer sect elders, they would finally be true members of the sect.
No longer would they have to delude themselves into claiming association.
From this day forth, they would have a rightful identity and a powerful backing.
Even if they left Mount Shu, who in all of Teyvat would dare treat them with disrespect?
It was a pie fallen from the heavens. Poisoned or not, they would devour it without hesitation.
The position of outer elder could only improve their lot, never worsen it.
No more loitering outside, envious of disciples cultivating in rich qi fields.
They too could settle within Mount Shu.
They too could practice immortal cultivation, walking a proper path to transcendence.
It was as if gold beans had rained from the sky.
"Good."
Jiang Yan nodded in satisfaction, his gaze settling on the two strongest among them—the young man and a delicate-featured woman.
"If I recall, the two of you were from the Quantum Sea? Do you have names?"
The youth's heart leapt. Being singled out meant Jiang Yan acknowledged him as leader among them.
He bowed at once.
"Honored Sect Master, I was indeed born of the Quantum Sea. As for a name… I have long forgotten it. If you do not disdain me, would you grant me one?"
Jiang Yan studied him for a moment, then chuckled.
"Since you are now an outer elder, you are henceforth a disciple of Mount Shu.
As such, your generation name shall be 'Yun.'
From this day forward, you are the Grand Elder of the Outer Sect Council—Yunqing.
And you—Second Elder—Yunhua."
The two exchanged a glance of delight and bowed.
"Disciple obeys the Sect Master's decree!"
Jiang Yan turned to the others.
"The rest of you will be ranked according to strength, forming the Outer Sect Elders' Council together.
From this day forward, you report to me and to the Hall of Discipline .
I expect you to shoulder your duties faithfully, managing and guiding the disciples' cultivation."
All the demon gods bowed in unison.
"Disciple obeys the Sect Master's command!"
Jiang Yan inclined his head.
"The outer disciples will be scattered at the base of the seven peaks of Mount Shu. You will each find a cave dwelling there.
Once you are settled, report to Head Elder Zhongli of the Hall of Discipline .
There is one more matter—your own cultivation."
He fell silent, and the demon gods' eyes gleamed with anticipation.
True cultivation—this was the real prize of joining Mount Shu.
Jiang Yan considered for a moment, then raised his head.
"You are all already Spirit Transformation level. The heavenly tribulation cannot be avoided.
But too many crossing tribulation at once would burden Mount Shu.
Therefore, after the mountain opens and the new disciples are admitted, each month two elders will be chosen—based on their management and contributions—to be granted cultivation methods and formally begin their immortal path."
"Additionally, contribution points will be distributed. You already know their uses, so I need not elaborate.
Each month, you will also have one chance to enter the Sutra Pavilion to select techniques.
Assessment of contributions will be overseen by Elder Alice of the Hall of Discipline .
Do you have any objections?"
Objections? They wouldn't dare.
"Wise is the Sect Master!" they chorused.
At once, their eyes sharpened with new wariness toward each other.
They had long envied the disciples' immortal path. Now that the door was open, none wished to be left behind.
The contest for contributions had already begun.
The Outer Sect's resources were limited. If someone earned more, it meant others received less.
With over twenty elders dividing nearly a thousand disciples, the fight for merit would be fierce.
But such competition, Jiang Yan would not meddle in.
Within a year, all of them would step onto the path of cultivation. To him, that was no more than the blink of an eye.
Having arranged the Outer Sect Elders' Council, Jiang Yan waved his hand.
"That will do. Begin your preparations. Draft a plan for administration, and submit it to the Hall of Discipline for review."
Dismissed, the demon gods dared not linger. They bowed deeply.
"Disciple takes his leave!"
To read 220+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554