158: Chapter 158 Ice Emperor: There are outsiders here.

"You want to be the First Elder!?"

Yun Yun thought Gu Han was joking.

"Yes." Gu Han nodded seriously. "According to the rules, I can become the First Elder tomorrow."

"Wait." Yun Yun had an expression that said 'this is absurd.' "Which rule allows you to become the First Elder of the Cloud Mist Sect tomorrow?"

"The rules of the Cloud Mist Sect, of course," Gu Han answered very frankly.

Yun Yun: How come I, as the Sect Leader, have never heard of this!

"Sect Leader, may I ask, if one becomes a Dou Ling, can they apply to become an Inner Sect Deacon?" Gu Han inquired.

"Yes." Yun Yun didn't understand his point, but she still nodded. "A Great Dou Master can become an Outer Sect Deacon, a high-level Great Dou Master can apply for an assessment to become an Inner Sect Deacon, a Dou Ling can become an Inner Sect Deacon, and a high-level Dou Ling can apply for an assessment to become an Elder after accumulating enough merit."

"Once someone becomes an Elder, they join the Council of Elders and are eligible to challenge any of the top nine seat-holding Elders for their position, right?" Gu Han continued to ask.

Yun Yun's pupils constricted as she faintly guessed something. A storm surged in her heart, and she nodded somewhat mechanically. "Correct."

"All Elders of the Cloud Mist Sect are part of the Council of Elders, and decisions are made by a vote of the top nine seats."

"An ordinary Elder, once they have enough merit, can challenge a seat-holding Elder."

"Upon being promoted to Elder, one also receives a single opportunity for an unrestricted challenge."

This Council of Elders of the Cloud Mist Sect was somewhat like the Board of Directors in Gu Han's past life memories.

Any policy implementation required the Board of Directors—the shareholders—to vote; it could only proceed if the number of votes in favor exceeded those against it.

However, the First Elder did not have the Chairman's power of veto; that veto power rested in the hands of the Sect Leader.

But the Council of Elders was the executor of the Sect Leader's orders, and conversely, it could also constrain the Sect Leader.

Viewed this way, the Council of Elders was also a bit like the Grand Secretariat during the Ming Dynasty.

Upon first learning of these circumstances, Gu Han even suspected that Yun Potian was a transmigrator.

Unfortunately, playing this way on the Fighting Qi Continent, where strength was respected above all else, wasn't necessarily a good thing; it required the leader to be strong enough.

It just so happened that the Sect Leader's faction was the dove faction, while the Council of Elders was the hawk faction, which was actually detrimental to development.

"Then that's perfect!"

Gu Han released his own aura.

After obtaining the opportunity at the Snowy Mountain Golden Peak, he had already broken through to a Seven-Star Dou Ling.

"You!" Although Yun Yun had already guessed, she was still shocked to have it verified.

Gu Han was only sixteen years old this year, yet he was already a high-level Dou Ling. It likely wouldn't be long before he became a Dou Wang.

Growing at this rate, even the Dou Zong stage would not be the end.

"When I defeated Mu Xiusi, the Mu Lan Empire's Sixth-Rank Alchemist and Peak Dou Wang expert, I was only a Two-Star Dou Ling," Gu Han added.

Yun Ling was only a Nine-Star Dou Wang, and he was an Earth-attribute cultivator who focused on defense rather than combat; his strength was even weaker than Mu Xiusi's.

"I understand." Yun Yun suppressed the excitement in her heart. Her gaze swept over Hai Bodong, and she smiled. "The merit from inviting Old Hai to join the Cloud Mist Sect as an Enshrined Elder is sufficient for you to apply for an early promotion to Elder. At that time, you can naturally challenge Yun Ling."

An Enshrined Elder was not a Guest Elder, but a true member of the Cloud Mist Sect's inner circle.

Normally, they didn't have to do anything and only needed to enjoy the resources provided by the Cloud Mist Sect, but they had to live or die with the sect.

A Guest Elder was merely an honorary title, a public declaration of friendship with the Cloud Mist Sect, and could only be considered half a member of the family.

Hai Bodong: It's a miracle you two still remember me.

"You as First Elder, me as Sect Leader—a male-female partnership, the work won't be tiring." Yun Yun realized that this really could be achieved.

She felt a certain burden on her shoulders inexplicably lighten; it was the feeling she had back when her teacher was still around—having someone to rely on.

"By the way, Xian'er has also broken through to a Four-Star Dou Ling. Defeating a low-level Dou Wang shouldn't be a problem." Gu Han seemed to remember something and asked, "Do you think we can find a way for her to become an Elder and then compete for a seat?"

Not all Elders of the Cloud Mist Sect were Dou Wangs; a significant portion were stuck at the Peak Dou Ling stage.

The several seat-holding Elders were all Dou Wangs, but the last five were all low-level Dou Wangs.

"What did you take Little Sister Xiao Yi Xian to do!?" Yun Yun's face was full of disbelief.

When they had just parted seven days ago, Xiao Yi Xian was still a Peak Great Dou Master, and now she had actually broken through to a Four-Star Dou Ling.

This speed of improvement, even for a Calamity Poison Body that increased strength just by consuming poison, struck her as inconceivable.

"We collected quite a bit of poison, and she broke through while eating it." Gu Han's expression was very calm. "As my Sword-bearing maid, it won't do for her cultivation to improve too slowly."

Yun Yun's eyes twitched. She took a deep breath and said, "As long as there is enough merit, once you become the First Elder, you can approve her application for early promotion to Elder."

"As for merit, she has saved countless people and killed many enemies on the front lines; it is completely sufficient."

"Then there's no problem." Gu Han thought seriously. "I am your person, and I will become the First Elder."

"The original First and Second Elders will move down in rank. Those two are birds of a feather; we must be careful to guard against them."

"Elder Yun Shang will change from the Third Elder to the Fourth Elder, but only the title changes. As long as she is still the Punishment Elder, her power remains unchanged."

"The original Seventh and Ninth Elders are also part of the First Elder's faction. They will move down in rank; the Ninth Elder will lose their seat, and the Seventh Elder will take the eighth seat, which is just right for Xiao Yi Xian to challenge."

"When that time comes, four of the nine seats will stand firmly on your side. As long as we win over one more, this Cloud Mist Sect can operate entirely according to your will."

A brilliant light flickered in the depths of Yun Yun's eyes, and then she teased, "Are you sure it's not according to your will?"

"No interest." Gu Han shook his head and said frankly, "Once the Cloud Mist Sect reaches a higher level, I will leave the Jia Ma Empire."

Yun Yun's smile froze slightly, her heart suddenly in a mess.

If Gu Han left the Cloud Mist Sect, what should she do?

Perhaps she should push Yanran a bit harder so her cultivation would improve as quickly as possible, then she could also pass on her position.

If only Teacher could come out of retirement.

Just then, Gu Han spoke to ask, "Have you been in contact with another Dou Huang expert recently?"

"How did you know?" Yun Yun was slightly stunned, the mysterious black-robed person she had met not long ago coming to mind.

"You have a scent on you that I dislike," Gu Han answered truthfully.

Yun Yun: ?

She went every day to soak in the hot spring where she first met Gu Han.

"Does the Dou Huang you met like to laugh with a 'jie jie jie' sound?" Gu Han inquired further.

"Yes." Yun Yun's heart skipped a beat as she thought of the palm strike the other party had landed on her before leaving. "You know that woman's origin?"

"She's from the Hall of Souls." Gu Han gave the answer and walked straight up to Yun Yun, releasing his Soul Power to envelop her. "She must have left a hidden trick on you involving the use of Soul Power."

"As expected." With just a brief investigation, Gu Han discovered a Soul Handprint on Yun Yun's chest. Shifting his gaze to observe it directly, he said, "She left a Soul Handprint on you that can affect your soul when you absorb world energy to convert it into Fighting Qi."

"On the surface, there's no effect, so you can't detect it. But as time passes, your negative desires will be magnified, and you yourself won't feel that there's any problem."

Yun Yun: I understand the situation, but is it really okay for you to be looking so directly!?

Whether from shame or annoyance, Yun Yun felt her ears and cheeks begin to burn.

The next moment, Gu Han directly reached out his hand to her chest, stopping an inch away.

She wasn't sure if it was psychological, but she could fully feel the warmth radiating from his palm.

"You!" Yun Yun wanted to tell Gu Han to be mindful of the occasion—bah, no, that's not right—to be mindful of his status...

But before she could speak, she saw a flame emerge on Gu Han's hand.