TGM Vol.1 Chapter 5 – Balloting

The two disciples ran up to them and said, “I think I just saw Master Yinghong follow the Sect Leader and Madam into the Flower Hairpin Hall. When did Master Yinghong give you the message?”

Zhong Minyan said with a strong smile, “But that was this morning, it’s just because I had other business to attend to, and so I did not have time to go find the Madam.”

The two disciples said, “If that is so, then you need not go in. Since Madam and Master Yinghong are both in the Flower Hairpin Hall, I am sure they have already said what they want to say. The Heads and Elders of all the major sects are inside so you must not disturb them.”

Zhong Minyan contemplated a thousand times, but couldn’t think of any excuses, so he turned around and wanted to leave. But Linglong said coldly, “I don’t know whether its right or wrong. But if Aunt Hong could tell this to my mother in person, why would she need tell us to send the message? You don’t even understand this, you need to be told!”

When they heard Linglong, they were furious. After thinking about it, maybe something unpleasant had happened between Master Yinghong and the wife of the Sect Leader, and as the daughter of the Madam, Linglong was passing messaged between them. This is not uncommon. Between women, there are always troublesome things, and they like to bend the rules without explaining, even some as powerful and refined as the wife of the Sect Leader, and Master Yinghong were not immune to this behaviour.

Thinking of this, they had to walk away again, hesitating to let them pass.

It was not until they had walked through the Jade Terrace, bypassing the front entrance, and reached the backyard, that Zhong Minyan burst into laughter, knocked Linglong’s head and said, “You are really crazy! Master Yinghong hasn’t done anything to you, and you made her carry a black pot.”

Linglong pouted and said in anger, “Who let them use chicken feathers as arrows? What if its a ballot? It’s nothing to be ashamed of, like a thief. What else can we do?”

In the midst of the conversation, the Flower Hairpin Hall was already in sight. Although it is called the Hall, it is in fact a tower. In front of it is a bamboo grove, and a bend of blue water. Slender and elegant white cranes are looking for food and resting in front of the water in twos and threes. The Jade Terrace was so heavily guarded, that there was actually no one in front of the Flower Hairpin Hall.

Zhong Minyan saw that Linglong was about to rush inside, and he hurries to stop her and said, “We mustn’t disturb them. Let’s just lie under the window and listen in.”

Speaking thusly, the two of them walked gently to the window towards the west wing, the window was open and the elegant aroma of tea spreads through the gap and it smells very nice.

They heard someone speak inside, it was Shaoyang Sect’s leader Xie Lei.

“. . . For the ballot, should we follow the rules of the previous years? Please write your names on the bamboo sticks, and then the Head’s Wife will draw. The first five names are responsible for picking the flower.”

The first five will pick the flower? Linglong doesn’t react for a moment. Zhong Minyan silently mouths the word, “Demon”. She immediately realised that it was the ballot to catc the demon which was the main event.

As soon as Xie Lei’s finished speaking, he heard a hoarse voice laughing. “The Head Master Chu is so stingy. Even if the Flower Hairpin Tournament is held in your Shaoyang Sect, but even the ballots will be drawn by your wife. I don’t know if this is right “

Xie Lei replied coldly to this person without any change in expression. He only smiled, “Song Dao’s words are serious, but the ballot has been arranged with sincerity. My wife is not among the candidates for the lottery, so she can draw the ballots. If you think this is not appropriate, you might as well recommend another person to draw the lots, and there will be no objection.”

“We are all guests, and the guests can’t just do as they please, where can there be any objections! Come on! Hurry up and draw lots! Let’s Finish the ceremony earlier and go home to sleep!” After a pause, he said. “This doesn’t include the Shaoyang Sect, of course. The last few times the flower pickers from other sects didn’t even get a chance, so lets not forget them this time!”

When Xie Lei heard his words, this man actually dared to accuse them of cheating for personal gain and favoritism, he was furious. He was about to say something back when a deep voice in the corner said, “Master Song, there is no need to be anxious. Do you think they will not let you leave on time? You are a very senior and strong disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect, and since you don’t seem interested in flower picking, why don’t you give the opportunity to Fuyu Island?”

Song Dao smiled gloomily, but stopped talking. Xie Lei also smiled and didn’t say a word. He Danping handed out the bamboo sticks to everyone and said with a smile, “Please write your names on the sticks and put them in the large bamboo basket. The top five winners will have to go and pick the flowers.” She smiled pleasantly, as if she hadn’t heard any of Elder Song Dao’s previous comments.

Linglong could not hear clearly and wanted to raise her head a little bit. Zhong Minyan hurriedly pulled her down gently, and said in a low voice, “Don’t move, there are all excellent cultivators inside. Be careful not to be discovered. Now I’m asking you, what are the so-called Five Great Sects in the world?”

He was afraid that Linglong would be too curious and be caught peeking, so he found something to distract her attention. Sure enough, she shook her head and said triumphantly, “You don’t even know this? Let me tell you. The Five Sects are the Central Plains Shaoyang Peak, Nanshan Xuanyuan Sect, Beiyang Fuyu Island, Western Wilderness Dianjing Valley, and East Sea Lize Palace. Each of the five major sects as a long history, many disciples, and people from all over the world are flocking to them. It’s just that Xuanyuan Sect has been showing signs of decline recently, with the number of disciples declining year by year. However, they are still not to be underestimated. They are still very powerful and cannot be underestimated. The Lize Palace is a new sect that only emerged in the last fifty years. Now it is gaining momentum and it seems to want to catch up with Shaoyang Peak. But I think the people in the palace are all very strange . . . we can’t tell if they are men or women . . . we are already familiar with Fuyu Island and Dianjing Valley, need I tell you more?”

Zhong Minyan raised his eyebrows, smiled, and pretended to nod his head again and again, then said quietly, “Don’t say anything else, remember, when we went to Fuyu Island two years ago? I didn’t expect that there is such a beautiful sea of flowers on a small island. But, as soon as the lady of the island came out, all the flowers lost their colour . . .”

Linglong squinted at him, “Great, so you brothers are paying attention to this in your daily life! I’m going to tell father that you’re distracted, and that the pretty girls are not helping your practice!”

Zhong Minyan knew that she was joking, and it would not be easy to play with her, so he could only smile and say, “Also, who was the person who stared more that me?”

Linglong sighed, “Really. I’ve never seen anyone better than her . . .” After she said so, she refused to accept it, she pouted, “Except for my mother, of course!”

Zhong Minyan deliberately wanted to tease her, so he pretended to lean on the window sill and look in, saying, “Then I will see if the lady has come this time, and watch her until it’s enough.”

Linglong giggled and hurriedly pushed him, saying, “Be careful that the elders from Dianxing Valley don’t drag you out and beat you up!”

Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a “Huh” sound from inside. They were so frightened that they huddled under the window sill and waited with bated breath, not daring to move.

So, everyone threw the bamboo sticks with their names into the bamboo baskets. When they arrived in front of Song Dao, he didn’t move, just put the bamboo strips in his hands and bent them into various shapes.

He Danping smiled and asked, “Hasn’t Master Song finished writing his name yet?”

Song Dao shook his head and said in a strange voice, “As a guest of the Xuan Yuan Sect, I think I should not say anything. But since the Shaoyang Sect is the organiser of the Flower Picking event, they should not hide their secret. What is the point of appointing is to be the first to cast our votes when there are two other members of the Shaoyang Sect whose names are not on the sticks?”

He Danping’s expression changed slightly, and said, “I don’t know what Elder Song means? The Seven Branches of the Shaoyang Sect are all here, I wonder who the two people Mastes Song is talking about?”

Song Dao sneered, “So it’s not a disciple of the Shaoyang Sect! It must be a peeping rat! Let’s see who is so bold!”

His wide rode waved slightly, and his sleeves shot out dozens of streaks of cold sword energy, mixed with screams, smashing straight at the window ledge where Linglong and Zhong Minyan were hiding. This move is called the Sleeve of Ten Thousand Swords, and is one of the most outstanding skills of the Xuan Yuan Sect. The crowd is shocked by his powerful moves.

Just as the wall is about to be shattered by the sword’s energy, a grey blur rushes past like lightning, actually getting ahead of the sword’s energy. The wall of the Flower Hall was smashed to pieces by the sword energy, and the smoke and dust swirled about.

Song Dao’s face was livid, and it took him a long time to sneer and say, “You are worthy to be the Head of the sect, Master Chu, a good body and good ability!”

He is staring at the god-like man in the smoke, who is unscathed, and his face has the usual expression, as if he is strolling in the garden. He is holding two children, Ling Long and Zhong Minyan, who look so pale they’re almost blue.

He Danping was so overcome when she saw that her daughter was safe, that she even forgets to blame the one responsible for endangering her, and rusher over to her, caressing her neck and asking, “Are you alright? Any injuries?”

Linglong was so shocked that she couldn’t even say a word with her trembling lips, and He Danping was so distressed that she hastily took her aside to calm her down. Zhong Minyan on the side was not so lucky. When he saw Xie Lei staring at him blankly, he couldn’t help but kneel down, and only whispered, “Master . . .”

Xie Lei frowned, and said in a deep voice, “Get up, first go to the side! I’ll talk about it later.”

Zhong Minyan’s heart sank, knowing that after the ballot, Master will definitely investigate the matter. Linglong would at most get scolded, while he was afraid that he would have to go to Mingxia Cave for a while, just like Xuanji.

When he thought of Xuanji, he suddenly remembered that he hadn’t delivered her afternoon meal. Seeing that it was almost the end of the afternoon, that little girl must be panicked with hunger. She stayed alone in that dark and silent place, still hungry . . . he couldn’t help regretting it that he shouldn’t have agreed to Linglong’s mischief.

He silently retreated to the corner of the Flower Hall and saw He Danping whispering to Linglong. She still had a frightened look on her face, but she was not as pale as before. She even seemed to be a little annoyed at her mother’s reproach, beginning to pout.

However, Xie Lei rescued both of them from the power of the Sleeve of Ten Thousand Swords, which naturally made everyone here sigh in admiration, worthy of being the head of the Shaoyang Sect. But he didn’t show anything on his face, he just put the basket full of bamboo sticks on the mahogany table, and smiled, “I am sorry to have caused a delay. The bamboo sticks have been written, so let’s draw lots now . . .”

The people knew that he had a cold face and had always been a serious person, but the more calm he was, the more irritated they became. His disciples have made Shaoyang Sect look bad by peeking into the ballot. Even though the people want to make fun of the situation, they don’t know what to say, and when they see He Danping coming to draw lots, they shut up.

He Danping was just about to put her hand into the basket, but then she heard Song Dao sneer, “Yes, yes! In public, Shaoyang Peak is still playing the fool! You’re not strict enough and let two of your disciples peep on us for now reason! It is against the rules to cover up for their actions and not let them have a punishment! I think we don’t need to hold the hairpin ceremony anymore!”

Xie Lei cannot help but be furious, this person provokes and speaks out repeatedly, if not for the fact that he is one of the four elders of the Xuan Yuan Sect, he would have turned his back on him long ago. Although the former Head Master, and the head of the Xuan Yuan Sect, Zhu Shi, verbally promised that the two sects would henceforth be one and the same, how could the hundreds of years of discord be eliminated in a few decades!

He immediately said sternly, “I wonder if Elder Song Dao has any advice?”

Elder Song Dao touched his sparse goatee and said with a strange smile on his fair and round face, “I do not dare to advise anything. However, the rules of the Flower Hairpin Tournament have always been that everyone who attends the Flower Hairpin Event has the right to draw lots. If someone cannot go, someone else can sign on their behalf. I want to ask Sect Leader Chu, do you intend to treat the two Shaoyang Sect disciples as wooden people and deprive them of the right to draw lots?”

Xie Lei suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, “The two young apprentices are still too young, one is fourteen and the other is only eleven. If they don’t even know how to fly, how can they qualify for the ballot? Even if they win, how will they pick flowers? This mission is for them to die in vain!”

Elder Song shook his head and said, “No, no, no, no! We understand Master Chu’s desire to protect their young. That girl is your daughter, right? I’ve heard that the two daughters of Master Chu have extraordinary powers at a very young age, and are cherished by all in the Shaoyang Sect. The little child has to be tempered to become a talent. How can you not have a reason to protect? But what about the rules of the ballot?”

Xie Lei has been enduring such sour words, but he couldn’t bear it, and sternly said, “Elder Song Dao meant that I sheltered and protected?! Today I will . . .” He didn’t finish, as he was held back by He Danping. She said softly, “Husband, don’t get angry. Don’t let the world’s heroes laugh at Shaoyang Peak.”

The blue veins of Xie Lei’s forehead nearly burst, but he took a deep breath, and was about to speak, when a young voice spoke next to him, “I’ll write! I want to participate in the ballot!”

The crowd turned around and saw Linglong. Her face is a little pale, but her eyes are filled with excitement, and she is actually considering the flower picking as an exciting task. When her parents did not respond, she said, “I want to draw lots! Father! Mother! Isn’t that the rule? It’s for everyone! Why can’t I do it?”

“Nonsense!” Xie Lei felt a headache forming, and really wanted to throw the two little idiots off Shaoyang Peak and let them fend for themselves. He Danping sighed, “Linglong, the task of flower picking is not a game. But thousand-year-old monsters that even your father will have a hard time dealing with, let alone you. Don’t be stupid and go down the mountain!”

Ling Long’s stubbornness was so strong that she didn’t care about her parents’ worries. She ran to the basket and said urgently, “No! I’m in! Mother, I’m eligible to join too! Didn’t you give me the gold sword the other day? Was that just a joke? I don’t want my father to take care of me for the rest of my life.”

Elder Song Dao clapped his hands and laughed, “Well said! You’re a good father and a good daughter! Miss Chu is really admirable!”

He Danping realised that if Linglong was not allowed to draw lots, she’s afraid this hairpin tournament would not be held. She really didn’t want to put her daughter in danger, so she looked at her husband for help. Xie Lei groaned for a while, seeing Linglong’s excited expression, her small face flushed, and completely heedless the danger, he couldn’t help but sigh in his heart, and suddenly made a decision.

He turned around and summoned Zhong Minyan, saying, “Since you’re all joining the lottery, why don’t you write your names on the ballot?” he said, tapping him twice on the shoulder. “You do it, Minyan.”

Zhong Minyan felt that there was a vaguely hidden meaning to the Master’s words, but he himself couldn’t understand and was not sure, so he hesitantly picked up the pen, and looked up at Xie Lei. He nodded slightly, and Zhong Minyan finally understood. He couldn’t help but feel more puzzled, but he didn’t dare to ask more questions, so he buried his head and wrote two names and threw them into the bamboo basket.

Now Elder Song Dao cannot say anything, and Linglong is even more elated, she somehow bumped into such a big opportunity, maybe she can follow everyone down the mountain to meet the legendary big demon.

He Danping stretched her hand into the bamboo basket uneasily, and did not dare to touch the top layer of bamboo sticks, for fear that she would accidentally pull Linglong’s bamboo strip, she pulled one out from the depths and opened it: “Lord of Fuyu Island. Dongfang Qingqi.”

In the corner stood a big man with long hair hanging down on his shoulders, thick eyebrows and a straight nose, a tall stature, and a heroic appearance. He laughed, straightened his sleeves, stepped forward, and said loudly, “I’m the one who got there first! Gentlemen, excuse me!” The voice was low and deep, it was the same person who had silenced Elder Song Dao at the beginning.

Everyone laughed, and Elder Song Dao smiled and said, “Congratulations, Dongfang, for being the first to win the competition.”

Dongfang Qingqi smiled and replied: “Yes, thanks to Song Dao. I only hope that there will be a few more from Fuyu Island! We will take care of the flower-picking tasks.”

While speaking, the second ballot was drawn, and He Danping said, “Chu Yinghong, Hall Master of Yuyang of the Shaoyang Sect.”

As soon as the words were uttered, a slender figure walked into the middle of the hall and bowed in all directions, saying in a clear voice, “I accept the offer!” The congratulations from the crowd are even louder. Chu Yinghong was a famous beauty when she was young, but now she is almost forty and still her charm exists, her snow-skinned appearance, and years of experience have made her agile and capable in her gestures, and she is truly a beauty.

She walked to the row of five chairs in the middle of the hall, and smiled at Dongfang Qingqi who was sitting on the first chair: “This time, I will rely more on the Dongfang Qingqi.”

Dongfang Qingqi hurriedly replied: “I’m very grateful to you, Heroine Chu. To eliminate the demons this time, we must work together.”

They were exchanging pleasantries, but He Danping had already taken out the third bamboo stick. When she turned it over, her expression changed drastically. After a while, she muttered, “Shaoyang Sect disciple … Zhong Minyan.” She looked at Xie Lei as if for help, not knowing what to do.

The crowd was shocked, not expecting that they would actually be chosen. In a flash, dozens of eyes were fixed on Zhong Minyan. When he heard his name, he walked to the row of chairs without hesitation, arched his hands and lowered his eyes, saying, “I am unworthy, I ask for your forgiveness, seniors.” When people saw him so calm, they sighed in their hearts that he will become a great talent in the future.

Xie Lei thought that the chance of either of their names being drawn was slim. But fate has a way of tricking others, and the more you don’t want it to happen, the faster it happens. Fortunately, this little disciple is calm and steady at this time, and does not lose face. He was about to go over and encourage him, but then he heard He Danping recite the fourth bamboo stick , “Shaoyang Sect Master Xie Lei.”

As soon as he heard his name, his heart lifted a bit, and he walked towards the row of chairs. Chu Yinghong was touching Zhong Minyan’s head and talking softly to him. Seeing that Xie Lei was coming, she smiled and said, “Sect Head, I’m relieved that you are here. Otherwise, I’m afraid that I can’t keep this child safe.”

Zhong Minyan hurriedly knelt down in front of Xie Lei and didn’t dare to speak. Xie Lei said, “Get up. Don’t be afraid and don’t make any moves, just follow behind me. This is also an eye-opening experience for you, but when I come back, I will punish you by confining you in Mingxia Cave for one month.”

Zhong Minyan was moved in his heart and said yes with tears. After standing up, Chu Xie Lei was dragged by Chu Yinghong to talk to Dongfang Qingqi with a smile.

The people on the other side of the room were all saying encouraging things, and some even joked that Shaoyang would be the one to take care of the flower picking. Elder Song Dao had an ugly expression on his face, so he shut up without saying a word.

He Danping is relieved, knowing that her husband will be able to protect Zhong Minyan. He Danping has no idea who she will draw with this last piece of bamboo. She gently pulls a stick out of the basket with two fingers and turns it over, her face suddenly turning pale white.

She stared at it incredulously, as if she were trying to see through it.

Everyone finally realised that there was something wrong with her, Chu Yinghong asked lightly, “Sister Ping? What’s wrong?” She also has a bad feeling in her heart… she’s not so unlucky that even Ling Long has been chosen, right?

It was a long time before He Danping raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, and her slender shoulders were shaking slightly, as if she was about to faint. She turned over the bamboo stick and read intermittently, “Shao… Shaoyang Sect disciple… Chu… Xuanji.”

The crowd was in an uproar.

<<Previous – Chapter List – Next>>