There is still half a month before the start of the Zanhua[1] Conference. According to the usual practice, at this time the leading figures from the five sects have to go to Fuyu Island first, to draw ballots for catching demons. Chu Lei and his wife, together with the other five elders except Chu Yinghong, are ready to set off. Who could expect that suddenly Fuyu Island sent a letter, Dongfang Qingqi informed in the letter that the flowers for this year’s conference have already been picked, so this time there will be no flower picking ballot[2].
“It is not very common, but I do not know what kind of flower has already been picked.” Chu Lei put the letter paper down and said in a deep voice. The custom is to inform all the people in advance of the picked flowers to understand the demon’s attributes before they have a way to deal with it. Otherwise the young disciples do not have experience, even if it is a seriously wounded demon, it is easy to cause fear of life due to stage fright.
He Danping laughed and said, “Husband, why worry, let’s go to the Island a few days earlier, it will be clear.”
Several other elders also echoed her statement and said yes. Chu Lei mused, “No, this is not what I worry about. A lot of things have happened in the last few years, people inevitably become suspicious …… perhaps I really am overthinking.”
He thought about it and said, “How about this, Yinghong, and He Yang, you two go with us husband and wife to watch the Zanhua Conference, the rest of you stay in Shaoyang. Don’t bring too many disciples to watch the tournament either, everyone stay here, be more alert. I will leave Hong Luan, if there is a situation immediately let it send a message.”
He Yang froze for a moment, immediately understood, and said softly, “Is Sect Leader worried about those demons taking advantage of the opportunity to make trouble?”
Chu Lei nodded: “Yes, that Wu Tong is very rampant, and if he asked a few of his juniors to come over, how can I conveniently open the door for them to take advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble? Besides Xuan Yuan Sect and surrendered to them …… I always feel that something big will happen in the near future.”
As he was talking, a disciple reported at the door that Xuanji and the others had arrived. All these children have packed their things and were full of ambitions. They are ready to go with the large team together to Fuyu Island. When they heard Chu Lei say that they do not need to pick ballots, each one is a little dazed.
“This year there will not be any Zanhua Conference, right?” Linglong can’t bear it the most, she is hoping that the conference ends as soon as possible, so everyone can go to Bu Zhou Mountain to save people.
Chu Lei glared at her, “Nonsense! How can there not be? In a couple of days we will leave. This year your sister will also participate, you also work hard to cultivate, strive to participate in the next.”
According to Linglong’s previous temper, if she did not participate in this kind of event, she would be ready to jump up, who knows she only froze for a moment, casually said, “It does not matter. The conference ends early, we leave early.”
Chu Lei knew she was saying that Zhong Minyan’s matter is more important, the heart can not help but be gloomy. This Zanhua Conference, Wu Tong is bound to come to make trouble, he does not know if Zhong Minyan will also be included. If he really wanted to take him as an enemy to deal with, who would be able to do it? When he thinks of how he was brought up by himself, how naughty and lively he was as a child, how he called them his master and madam, how he was so hungry that he could stuff his mouth with anything. In the blink of an eye, he grew up, and when a child grows up, he has his own ideas, and adults can no longer dictate them. No matter what his reason for doing this is, he is willing to give him a chance to listen to him properly.
Since there is no need to go to Fuyu Island so early, Xuanji and the others have to go back. Liu Yihuan continued to lie in bed, reminiscing about the past, while Ting Nu continued to be haunted by Téngshé, asking about Wu Zhi Qi. Linglong tugged on Xuanji’s hand and asked her about what had happened in the past six months. Seeing that they had encountered so many interesting and thrilling things, Linglong’s teeth itched with hatred even more and said, “If only I had been there! For nothing! I have wasted this year’s training!” Her hatred for Wu Tong deepened and she wanted to cut off his left leg as well and install a wooden prosthetic leg.
It was already the end of October, the autumn wind is beautiful, Shao Yang Sect felt the early chill at the top of the mountain. After a night, the ground was covered with white frost, and the grass and trees were all withered. He Danping saw that Yu Sifeng was dressed in thin clothes, so she felt sorry for him and asked the tailor down the mountain to make some thick clothes for him.
As the saying goes, the more a mother-in-law looks at her son-in-law, the happier she is. Although Xuanji and he still have no matchmaker’s word or exchanged betrothal gifts, the cultivators of immortality do not so many rules, she and Chu Lei’s heart has long been determined that the two children will be together in the future. There is only one thing to be uneasy, he now does not seem to be a member of the Li’Ze Palace. Xuanji explained vaguely about his departure from Li’Ze Palace, probably because someone from the same sect had defected, stabbed him and made him frustrated, so he left the sect.
In the hearts of the elders, a person must have a home, otherwise their daughter married to him, how will they live in the future? Xuanji is a young lady who is used to wearing clothes by stretching out her hands and to eat whenever she opens her mouth. In the future, her parents will not be in front of her, she will inevitably endure hardships in life , like Yu Sifeng. He Danping thinks more, she wondered since he is no longer from the Li’Ze Palace, then he can simply join the Shaoyang Sect, and Chu Lei accepts him as a direct disciple, he is capable, rare among young disciples, in the future if the Shaoyang Sect is handed over to him, they will also be at ease.
She told this idea to Chu Lei, originally thought that he will fully agree, who knows Chu Lei pondered for a long time, only to say, “The children are big, have their own decisions. Look at Xuanji’s own ideas, they can’t live their whole lives on their parents’ protection.”
“The two of them have no fixed place, Xuanji will follow him in the future to suffer?” He Danping was puzzled.
Chu Lei laughed, “Its difficult to talk about suffering. I see that the child Sifeng is not a bum. Not to be presumptuous, but Xuanji may still climb higher than other people. Besides, its wishful thinking to expect them to defer to us. The two of us, two old people, can’t be annoying at an old age. Children and grandchildren have their own children and grandchildren, I’m not sure why you and I should worry too much about it.”
He Danping sighed: “It’s not that easy to say no to worries. In the mother’s heart, they are always children.”
Chu Lei smiled and held her hand, softly said, “You are afraid that the children grew up, flew away, and you will be alone?”
He Danping and him have been husband and wife for so many years, the relationship is always stable. Chu Lei in private, unlike outside, is not so rigid and serious, in front of her he is still like a teenager that, occasionally, says some jokes. Her nature is also bashful still, she blushed, lightly said, “What are you talking about, how can we be alone.”
Chu Lei laughed, “Good, you have this old man to accompany you. We two old people, let’s make up for it.”
He Danping gave a light hum, the knot in her heart was resolved by him, and she decided to go with the children’s decision.
Xuanji went to play with Yu Sifeng this day and saw him wearing new clothes, they were very beautiful. She couldn’t help but touch it with envy and smile, “My mother made it for you, right? She is very kind to you, Linglong and I still do not have new clothes!”
Originally, Yu Sifeng had accepted the affection of the elders, but was a little anxious. When she said so, he was more embarrassed. He also did not expect Chu Lei and his wife not to take himself as an outsider, so intimate. The elders he grew up meeting since childhood were either majestic like the master, or like Liu Yihuan, this rogue. He has never experienced female elders careful warmth and care, his heart was moved and frightened, does not know what to say.
Xuanji scratched her face and chuckled, “Ah, blushing again! Are you shy? You’re shy, aren’t you? Sifeng sometimes looks like a girl!”
Yu Sifeng glared at her, “So much nonsense so early in the morning.”
Xuanji sat next to him, playing with the tassel on his sword, when she suddenly thought of something and asked, “By the way, Sifeng, last time you said you wanted to participate in the Zanhua Tournament, right? Now that you are no longer a member of the Li’Ze Palace, do you still want to participate?”
Yu Sifeng shook his head: “No, I’m not going to attend. I don’t even want to go to Fuyu Island if I didn’t want to accompany you.”
“Yes …” Xuanji suddenly thought that going to Fuyu Island this time, she would definitely collide with people from Li’Ze Palace, and there would be embarrassment. If they knew that Yu Sifeng had left the Sect for her own sake, she would have been scolded and perhaps even sent Yu Sifeng back to …… No! She can’t just watch this happen!
“Sifeng, don’t go. Stay here. I promise to lose the first game to my opponent and then come back to accompany you immediately.”
Yu Sifeng said indifferently, “No, I’ll join you. There has to be an end to this.”
“But ……”
“You don’t have to worry about it.” He smiled faintly, and there was a faint touch of determination in his smile, “There must be a break this time.”
After that, he raised his hand and stroked Xuanji’s blank face, and said softly, “How do you say, I am also a man. There is no reason to hide behind a woman.”
What’s wrong with hiding behind her? She was happy to do so, she didn’t even bother to cover up if others wanted to hide! However, she has heard people talk about men’s self-esteem. Sometimes, their pride comes first, more fragile than glazed stone, and cannot be hurt, or the consequences are severe.
Xuanji nervously looks at Yu Sifeng and secretly wonders if this has something to do with his “self-esteem”. If this is the case, then she has to be a “good woman” for once and fulfill his dignity.
So she nodded obediently and received a big hug from a satisfied Yu Sifeng.
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[1]: 簪 (zān)/ Hairpin 花 (huā)/ Flower. I’ve decided to switch back to the original Mandarin name instead of translating ‘Flower Hairpin’ Conference every time, as it sounds less awkward. All previous instances of the term will also be edited to reflect this change.
[2]: They’ve caught the demons for this year’s conference so there would be no ballot to choose people to go and catch demons this year.
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