Chapter 12: The Lead Sheep

"Not at all. The sect also accepts outer disciples," Su Wuji said.

"Ah? But my father said that as soon as we enter the sect, we are all servant disciples. Everyone must start as a servant disciple," Su Yunhu said.

"No, my aunt said that if I maintain a top-ten ranking in class, I will become an outer disciple the moment I enter the sect," Su Cheng said.

"Ah? Is there such a good thing?" Su Yunhu was instantly delighted upon hearing this. He was ranked fourth. According to what Su Cheng said, wouldn't that mean he could also become an outer disciple directly?

Although they were all disciples of families affiliated with the sect, once they grew into adults, they would inevitably have to register with the sect and then undertake missions, risking life and limb for the sect.

Who would be willing to start as a servant disciple if they could be an outer disciple?

If one becomes a servant disciple, one must do a massive amount of miscellaneous work all day, and must complete five full years of such labor before being eligible to take the outer disciple assessment.

Truly miserable!

"Even so, every family academy has this welfare privilege," Su Wuji said. "However, since we have this welfare, the clan's children cannot directly take the outer disciple assessment. They must complete five years as servants before they can continue to take the outer disciple assessment."

"If we can't take it directly, then we can't take it. What loss is there?" Su Yunhu said, confused and puzzled.

"Because the sect has another regulation: as long as a disciple with Foundation Establishment or higher from the sect recommends you, and you are also excellent yourself, you can directly take the outer disciple assessment. Judging by the results of disciples who participated in and passed the outer disciple assessment in previous years, even disciples ranked outside the top ten in our family academy are considered excellent compared to them.

But the sect has blocked this path for everyone, so everyone can only complete five years as servants before taking the outer disciple assessment."

"Then why does the sect do this?" Su Yunhu frowned.

"To maintain balance, of course. The number of disciples from affiliated families and other scattered cultivators the sect accepts annually must be balanced with the number of disciples accepted by mortal powers. Neither side can be out of harmony," Su Wuji said. "My grandfather said that if either side falls out of harmony, it will cause a major incident."

"What kind of major incident could it cause?" Su Yunhu asked hurriedly.

"I don't know that either. Grandfather didn't say," Su Wuji said.

"So, if Yang Guan is with us and maintains a top-ten ranking, will he also be an outer disciple in the future?" Su Yunhu asked.

Su Wuji nodded.

"He surnamed Yang; he isn't even a disciple of our Su family," Su Yunhu couldn't help but say. "Raising him is not as good as raising another disciple of the Su family."

"But he is a relative by marriage; counting it, he is also a natural ally of our Su family. If the Su family helps an ally raise an outer disciple, we can call on the ally to act together when there is trouble in the future. Counting it, this investment is not a loss," Su Wuji said.

"But isn't that less useful than a Su family disciple?" Su Yunhu said stubbornly.

"That depends on whether the Su family disciple is worth cultivating. The family academy is originally for cultivating elite disciples; where would it favor those with poor talent? Even if he surnamed Su, if he should be eliminated, he will be eliminated directly." Su Wuji spoke coldly, leaving Su Yunhu stunned.

"But my father said that we all surnamed Su, we are all clan members, and we must unite and love each other. Only by twisting together into a single rope can the Su family develop better."

"Exactly, your point is too correct. That is how we Su family members should be. But uniting and loving each other is one thing, and elite cultivation is another. Just as a flock of sheep has a lead sheep, and a herd of horses has a lead horse, the Su family, wishing to pass down its lineage in order, also needs leaders generation after generation.

What the family academy cultivates are leaders, not ordinary clan members.

Therefore, in the family academy, unity and love must exist, but those who should be eliminated must still be eliminated.

Only by eliminating all inferior products will the remaining ones be the true lead sheep that the family needs."

Su Wuji's words left Su Yunhu dazed for a while.

"Then why does the family definitely need a lead sheep?" After a while, Su Yunhu continued to ask.

"Then you can go directly to understand and realize it. Anyway, the family truly needs a lead sheep, especially for a great family like our Su clan," Su Wuji said.

Su Wuji felt that he would definitely become a new-generation lead sheep of the family in the future, just like his grandfather.

But this Su Yunhu in front of him might not be.

After all, they had just begun their cultivation path; being one step ahead really meant nothing.

So whether he could become the future lead sheep still required Su Yunhu to realize it himself.

"Su Cheng, Su Jin, what do you think?" Su Yunhu turned his head and went to ask Su Cheng and Su Jin.

"What do we think?" Su Cheng asked, confused.

"Does our family definitely need a lead sheep?"

"I think there definitely must be one," Su Jin said without thinking twice.

"Why?" Su Yunhu asked, confused.

"Is your family only you as a child?" Su Jin asked back.

"Mm, mm, my father and mother only have me," Su Yunhu said, looking at her in confusion.

What does having one child have to do with a lead sheep?

Could it be that because my family has only one child, I cannot be a lead sheep?

"That's it. My family has four children. Let me give a simple example; you might be able to understand why a family needs a lead sheep.

For instance, if my two younger brothers want to eat fish for lunch, my second sister wants to eat meat, and I want noodles with eggs, then whose word do we listen to?"

Su Yunhu was stunned.

"Definitely listen to me. Because I am the eldest in my family. So don't complain; first eat the noodles with eggs that I love, the next meal eat the meat that the second eldest loves, and the meal after that eat the fish that the two younger brothers love.

You see how good this is. We all get to eat what we like.

There is also not so much arguing and complaining.

If I were not the eldest at home and did not have this authority, then we four children wouldn't know how long we would argue, and in the end, we might not even get to eat lunch. All the time would be wasted on quarreling.

This is just regarding eating together; in other aspects, it is even more so. Sometimes, someone must stand up and make a decision for the entire small group.

Otherwise, if everyone argues and cannot agree, when will the matter ever be finished?"

After listening, Su Yunhu fell silent immediately.

Su Wuji thought to himself, my family also has only me; speaking of it, I might not be able to realize the function of a lead sheep either. But I can observe how others do it.

Su Cheng heard this and immediately realized; yes, in his family, the eldest brother also makes the decisions.

Many times, everyone arguing and quarreling is because the eldest brother is not at home.

Once the eldest brother makes a decision, everyone, even if not very willing in their hearts, will do it.

"Then what if the lead sheep leads the wrong way?" Su Yunhu asked back unwillingly.

"Then the whole family dies together," Su Jin said.

Su Yunhu: "..."

"That's exactly why the clan set up the clan school — to cultivate the next generation of leaders from a young age." Su Wuji quickly spoke up to smooth things over. Su Jin's words could kill a conversation stone dead!