Chapter 12: The Leader Sheep

“Not true—the sect also accepts outer disciples.” Su Wuji said.

“Huh? But my father said everyone entering the sect starts as a menial disciple. Everyone must begin as a menial disciple.” Su Yunhu said.

“Wrong. My aunt said if I maintain top ten in my class, I’ll enter the sect directly as an outer disciple.” Su Cheng said.

“Huh? There’s such a benefit?” Su Yunhu exclaimed in delight. He was fourth. According to Su Cheng’s logic, that meant he could become an outer disciple directly too.

Although they were all disciples from affiliated families, once they came of age, they were required to register with the sect and undertake life-risking missions for it.

Who would willingly start as a menial disciple when they could be an outer disciple?

As a menial disciple, you’re stuck doing endless menial tasks, and you must serve five full years before qualifying for the outer disciple examination.

Terrible!

“There is such a privilege—every family’s clan school has it,” Su Wuji said. “But once we have this privilege, our clan’s disciples can’t take the outer disciple exam directly. We must complete five full years as menials before we can sit for the exam.”

“So what if we can’t take it directly? What’s the loss?” Su Yunhu asked, baffled.

“The sect has another rule: if a disciple is recommended by someone of Foundation Establishment or higher, and is themselves outstanding, they may take the outer disciple exam directly. Looking at past exam results, even disciples ranked outside the top ten in our clan school are still superior to most others.”

“But the sect has blocked this path, so everyone must serve five years as menials before they can take the outer disciple exam.”

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

“To maintain balance. The sect must keep the number of disciples from affiliated families, independent cultivators, and secular powers in equilibrium. Neither side can be alienated.” Su Wuji said. “My grandfather said if either side becomes alienated, it’ll cause major trouble.”

“What kind of major trouble?” Su Yunhu asked eagerly.

“I don’t know—Grandfather didn’t say.” Su Wuji replied.

“So if Yang Guan stays with us and keeps top ten, he’ll also become an outer disciple in the future?” Su Yunhu asked.

Su Wuji nodded.

“But he’s surnamed Yang—he’s not one of us Su clan disciples,” Su Yunhu couldn’t help saying. “Training him is worse than training another Su clan disciple.”

“But he’s an in-law—he’s naturally an ally of our Su clan. Helping an ally train an outer disciple means we can call on them for help when needed. It’s not a bad investment.” Su Wuji said.

“But isn’t a Su clan disciple more useful?” Su Yunhu insisted.

“Only if the Su clan disciple is worth training. The clan school trains elites—it doesn’t favor the untalented. Even if he bears the Su surname, if he’s weak, he’s eliminated outright.” Su Wuji spoke coldly, leaving Su Yunhu stunned.

“But my father said we’re all Suis, all one clan—we must unite and care for each other. Only by sticking together can we make the Su clan stronger.”

“Correct—that’s exactly how we Su clan members should be. But unity and elite training are two different things. Just as a flock of sheep has a leader, a herd of horses has a leader. For the Su clan to endure, it needs successive generations of leaders.”

The clan school trains leaders—not ordinary clan members.

So yes, we must maintain unity and camaraderie in the clan school, but we must still eliminate the weak.

Only by weeding out the inferior can the true leaders remain.”

Su Wuji’s words left Su Yunhu dazed for a moment.

“Why does the clan absolutely need a leader?” After a long pause, Su Yunhu asked again.

“You can go and reflect on it yourself—after all, the clan truly needs a leader. Especially a great clan like ours.” Su Wuji said.

Su Wuji believed he would surely become the next-generation leader of the clan, just like his grandfather.

But this Su Yunhu here? Not necessarily.

After all, they had only just begun their cultivation path—being slightly ahead meant nothing.

Whether Su Yunhu could become a future leader depended entirely on his own awakening.

“Su Cheng, Su Jin—what do you think?” Su Yunhu turned and asked Su Cheng and Su Jin.

“What do we think?” Su Cheng asked, puzzled.

“Does our clan really need a leader?”

“I think it absolutely does,” Su Jin said without hesitation.

“Why?” Su Yunhu asked, confused.

“Are you your parents’ only child?” Su Jin asked in return.

“Yes, my parents only have me,” Su Yunhu replied, staring at her.

What does being an only child have to do with a leader?

Does that mean I can’t be the leader just because I’m an only child?

“Exactly. I have four siblings. Let me give you a simple example—you’ll understand why a clan needs a leader.

Say my two younger brothers want fish for lunch, my second sister wants meat, and I want noodles with an egg—who do we listen to?”

Su Yunhu froze.

“Of course we listen to me—I’m the eldest. So stop complaining—first we eat noodles with an egg, next meal we eat meat, then the next we eat fish.

See how good that is? Everyone gets what they like.

No arguments, no complaints.

If I weren’t the eldest and had no authority, we’d be fighting for hours, and we might not even get lunch. All our time would be wasted on petty squabbles.

This is just about meals—in other matters, it’s the same. Sometimes, someone must step forward and make a decision for the whole group.

Otherwise, with endless arguing, when will anything ever get done?”

Su Yunhu fell silent.

Su Wuji thought: I’m also an only child—I probably can’t fully grasp the leader’s role. But I can observe how others do it.

Su Cheng immediately understood—he too had an older brother who made decisions.

Often, arguments erupted only because the eldest wasn’t home.

Once the eldest made a decision, even if others were unhappy, they still obeyed.

“But what if the leader leads us the wrong way?” Su Yunhu pressed.

“Then the whole family dies,” Su Jin said.

Su Yunhu: “...”

“That’s why the clan runs a clan school—to cultivate the next generation of leaders from childhood,” Su Wuji quickly interjected. Su Jin’s words could kill any conversation dead.