Chapter 4

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Zhong Minyan is the youngest of the Shaoyang Sect’s male disciples, and he is also the youngest in the entire sect.As such many of his Senior Brothers who are feeling too lazy to deal with something, will hand it over to him. He is much busier than any of the other disciples.

Therefore, forgetfulness is also a common occurrence with him.

After lunch that day, he came to the martial arts training ground early, and before he even had a chance to swing his sword a few times, several Seniors had come to spar things with him. The Second Senior Brother, Chen Mingjue was the most cunning, and just as he was about to lose to MInyan, suddenly said, “Minyan, don’t you have to deliver the meal to Junior Sister soon?”

Zhong Minyan was taken aback, and immediately revealed a flaw in his sword movement, Chen Mingjue swiftly took advantage of the opening, twisted his wrist, deflecting the sword, and smiled: “You lose. Now, why don’t you go serve dinner? Otherwise, Madam will be distressed, if she learns you were late.”

He actually forgot! Zhong Minyan ran out of the martial arts arena and went to the kitchen to get food. Because Xuanji seldom appears at the training ground, he didn’t bother to pay attention to the affairs of this little junior. The cultivation theory he learned in the morning was complicated. He only remembered to go practice the sword, and forgot about her confinement.

It’s really annoying. Xuanji must have a grudge against him. She was the one who was confined, yet he was also unlucky. He had to make three trips to the dreaded Mingxia Cave everyday, and his afternoon practice time is also shortened.

Although he usually liked to make jokes and smile as if nothing worries him, he is actually a proud person. He is lowest in seniority and is usually not valued much. He is always asked to do this and that. Therefore, he is extremely strict in his training, to the point of being harsh. He has vowed to surpass his senior brothers and not let anyone look down on him again. Now, because he had to bring meals to Xuanji, his afternoon practice time was halved.

The kitchen lady had already prepard Xuanji’s food and placed it in the basket. When she saw him coming, she smiled and handed it to him, saying, “Hurry, go now. Don’t let Xuanji be hungry. Its so pitiful.”

Pitiful! I hate her! She’s getting punished for her laziness and she’s getting others involved!

When he gets halfway there, he quietly removed the lid and sees two plates of vegetables, a bowl of rice, and a cup of soup inside. He picks up the largest piece of sweet and sour pork ribs and stuff it into his mouth, eating it with relish.

Hmph! Just don’t let that girl eat!

There is no light in Mingxia Cave so Zhong Minyan had prepared a torch. After finally rowing to the stone house, it was dark and silent. He said coldly, “Chu Xuanji, eat your food!”

No one paid any attention to him.

Zhong Minyan was annoyed, “Xuanji, food!” he raised his voice.

Still no one paid attention to him.

At last, Zhong Minyan felt that something was wrong, and jumped onto the shore and ran into the stone house, where with a wave of his torch, he saw the little girl huddled into a ball on the stone bed, seemingly asleep, clutching a rattle in her hand. On the stone bench beside her, there was a burned out candle, three unlit candles, and a handful of flint.

He sighed, reached out his hand to push her and said, “Chu Xuanji, wake up, its time to eat.”

Xuanji opened her eyes in a daze, but she saw a bright fire in front of her and Zhong Minyan looking at her impatiently, holding a big black basket in his hand.

“Eat your meal.” Zhong MInyan put the food on the stone table, but when he looked back, she was still there, not moving. He couldn’t help being angry, “If you don’t eat, just say it. It saved me flying around every day, wasting time…”

Xuanji only felt cold all over and didn’t want to move. This person has always been fierce to her, as if she owes him a debt. Even if she wants to quarrel with him, she doesn’t have the energy to do it now. If she doesn’t eat, she’s afraid her mother will be heartbroken. After hesitating for a long time, she finally crawled out of the bed, wrapped the pile of clothes tighter around herself, and took the rice bowl.

Fortunately, the food was still warm and very delicious. She ate most of it and then looked up and saw Zhong Minyan staring at her, and asked him, “Do you want to eat too?”

Zhong Minyan’s face turned slightly red as she said that, and he grunted, “You should eat quickly so I can go back to practice.”

Xuanji took a sip of the soup and said, “You can go now. Come and pick up the old dishes during dinner, so that you won’t waste much time.”

He didn’t expect that she would say such things. After a while, he said, “You are here alone, don’t you want anyone to talk to you?”

Xuanji did not answer, but quickly finished the meal, put the dishes in the basket and handed it to him, “I’m done, you can take it away.”

Zhong MInyan felt embarrassed. He took the basket hesitantly. He wanted to say something. When he saw her face turned blue from the cold, he couldn’t help feeling soft, and said softly, “I’ll bring you a quilt and thick clothes tonight, alright?”

Xuanji wasn’t going to ask for it, but since he brought it up himself, she nodded obediently.

He seldom saw this little witch with such a soft and well-behaved appearance, which was very different from the stubborn and duplicitous one he was familiar with, so he felt a little reluctant to leave. Looking around he said, “Then…what else do you want? Books? Or toys? It’s hard to stay alone like this.”

“I don’t want to bother you.” she said, shaking her head.

He took off his coat and draped it over her, saying, “I’ll lend you my clothes, don’t get them dirty. In the evening, I will bring some books and candles. What a stubborn little girl you are.”

Xuanji lowered her head and did not speak. He really wasn’t good at getting along with such eccentric people, so he gathered his things and hurriedly left.

That night he kept his promise. Not only did he bring two quilts and a few thick clothes, but also a stack of books, a roll of rice paper, ink-stone and brushes, and even a small pencil holder. After placing these things around, the cold stone house finally looked a little warm.

“Use these candles first, and I’ll bring you more when you’ve used them up. Master asked me to tell you that it is cold and damp in the cave, so you should practice every day, or you will fall ill. This is the manual for the Xuanming Fist. Remember to practice it.” he said.

When Xuanji nodded vigorously, he laughed sarcastically and said, “After promising this, you’re just going to ignore it again, aren’t you?”

Xuanji didn’t hide it, and said, “Yes, I don’t want to practice. But I also don’t want people to be angry with me for being lazy. Is it wrong to nod your head?”

Zhong Minyan laughed dryly and said, “That’s hypocrisy. If people think that you are two-faced, saying one thing and doing another, they will only get mad at you.”

“That’s not why. I don’t like people yelling at me, and I don’t want to practice.”

“Why don’t you want to practice? Don’t you want to become immortal?”

“I want to, but I’m lazy.”

Zhong Minyan thought that if he continued talking with her, he might get the urge to strangle her again. This is the first time he’s seen such a person, who was so unashamedly lazy, and still wanted to become an immortal.

“Well, then you can only be one type of imnortal then,” he said as he put the candle on her bed.

“What kind of fairy?” Xuanji was still a child, and she asked enthusiastically without realising that it was a lie.

Zhong Minyan raised the corners of his lips. “A Lazy Immortal. You can just keep doing nothing, maybe the Heavenly Court will send someone to pick you up someday, and you will become a lazy immortal.”

It turned out that he was just mocking her. Xuanji was a little disappointed, but after a long silence, she said, “I don’t want to practice, but I will definitely become an immortal.”

“Yes yes, just wait and become a lazy immortal!” Zhong Minyan turned towards the boat, not bothering to talk to her anymore.

The stone house regained its dead silence. Xuanji stared at the candlelight on the case and continued her daily routine: being in a daze.

I will definitely become an immortal. That’s what she seemed to have said just now.

In fact, even she wondered where this arrogant self-confidence had come from that made her say such nonsense. She doesn’t know how to fight, she doesn’t even know how to hold a sword, and yet she thinks she should be able to become an immortal.

Maybe Zhong Minyan is right she can only be a lazy immortal.

She is a lazy immortal, who can’t be any other immortal.

But while Xuanji was thinking about herself, everyone in the Shaoyang Sect was busy preparing for the Hairpin Tournament and had already forgotten about her.

On August 14, the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the leaders of the five Great Sects and key figures from each branch gather at the top of Shaoyang Peak to make the final selection for the Flower Hairpin Tournament. As in previous years, lots will be drawn to decide which five people will go to the Wasteland to catch the demons, as the main event of the tournament.

Linglong is the one who’s most excited about the Flower Hairpin Tournament. All day long, she runs in and out of the house, looking for her parents. The Flower Hairpin Tournament is only held once every five years and the whole Shaoyang Sect, including the youngest male disciple, Zhong Minyan, has seen it before. Linglong on the other hand , as never participated in such a tournament in her life, as she was only six years old five years ago, so she can not control her excitement. She was so excited but at the same time she felt sorry for Xuanji, who was locked up alone in the darkness of the MIngxia Cave, and couldn’t see this lively scene.

On this day, she pestered her mother all morning, trying to go to the summit to watch the lottery together. He Danping finally persuaded her to stay with a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake. However, no sooner had He Danping left, that Linglong started pestering Zhong Minyan to accompany her to the summit.

“No way, I have to deliver food to Xuanji right away. Besides, the teacher said that choldren can’t go to join in the fun, only elders and experts, and it won’t be good if you accidentally bump into anyone.”

Zhong Minyan rejected her request in one fell swoop.

“Then you take me after the delivery!” Linglong said anxiously, “Lets just go up and have a quick look, then come back, okay? I promise to be good and I won’t make any trouble.”

While packing the basket with food, Zhong Minyan replied, “I have to go practice after delivering the food. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to see all the excitement in half a month, and then no one will stop you.”

Linglong couldn’t bear it anymore, she clutched his sleeve and shouted at her sect brother so intensely, she almost twisted the sleeve off.

“Just take me there for a little while! We’ll just see the draw! Brother Minyan! You’re such a good big brother! Please take me there!”

Zhong Minyan has never had any defense against this kind of attack, and had to sigh. “You little menace, fine, let me go first. If any of our sect brothers or sisters find out, Master will flay me alive. First, I’ll deliver the meal to Xuanji, and then we can go when I come back, okay?”

Seeing that he was agreeing, Linglong pressed her advantage, and said, “First, let’s go up and see, we’ll come back quickly, and then you can go deliver Xuanji’s food! Just a quick look, that way you won’t be discovered either.”

Zhong Minyan had no choice but to drop the basket, and let her drag him to the top of the mountain.

At the top of Shaoyang Mountain is the Shaoyang Hall, which is headed by Master Xie Lei, and is also the main hall for welcoming visitors. There are only two ways to get to the top: either use the long white jade tablet placed at the edge of the cliff to fly up, or climb the stairs wrapped around the mountain, going round and round in circles. which takes at least half an hour.

This is a mark of the pride of the Shaoyang Sect, which does not easily recieve those who are incompetent, and one can either go back or climb up. The peak is so high above the clouds and the rocks so strange and jagged, that ordinary people would be intimidated and not even attempt the climb.

“Climb up?” Zhong Minyan’s face looked bitter, his legs trembling, as he looked up at the stone steps hidden, half of which were hidden in clouds and mist.

“Of course not! We’re flying up!” Linglong pouted, “I won’ climb the stairs! It takes forever!”

“Who will fly? Do you even know how to fly yet?”

Linglong laughed, pointed at the tip of his nose, and said, “Don’t pretend! Of course it’s you! You thought I haven’t seen you? Who was it flying secretly in the back of the mountain the other day? I haven’t told anyone! If you still keep pretending, I’ll tell father!”

Zhong Minyan blushed, “I was actually seen by you…don’t tell Master! Don’t tell anyone, do you understand?”

“Why don’t you want to let father know?” Linglong wondered, “You’ve already learned how to fly, which means you’re already better than Fourth Senior Brother and the others at flying weapons. Father will be happy when he hears about it!”

“There are not many benefits to being in the limelight like this, but many disadvantages. Even if Master is happy, what about the other senior brothers who have not learned how to fly yet? When they will inevitably be scolded about this, who will they blame? Who will be the one to whom they will direct their anger?” Zhong Minyan sternly said.

Linglong nodded as if she understood, then said, “You are right..But these things are so complicated…Do adults always think so much?”

Zhong Minyan laughed, “I’ve thought of much more than that! Come on, cut the crap. We’re going up to see the fun, right? If we don’t go now, we won’t be able to bring dinner to Xuanji.”

He walked to the edge of the cliff, where, as expected, there was a row of long white jade tablets. He chose a half-used one, put a bit of pressure on it with his feet, and it floated up hesitantly with him, as if he had not fully mastered the move. He flew around twice before coming back to the shouting Ling Long and smiling, “Come on up, little ancestor! Remember, when we go up there, you can’t be noisy like that.”

Ling Long was full of joy. This is the reason she likes to play with Zhong Min Yan, Little Six is the best, he always obeys her and talks to her.

As they flew up the mountain, Linglong suddenly thought of something and clutched his sleeve, saying childishly, “Little Six, you can’t be like the past Third Brother and Fifth Brother, who couldn’t handle life in the sect and ran home secretly.”

Zhong Minyan was so startled he nearly fell, and barely managed to stabilise himself. He smiled bitterly, “When have you ever seen me crying because of difficulty and wanting to go home? Besides, my family . . . I don’t have a home to go back to. My parents died in the plague. Shaoyang Sect is my home.”

“Then lets promise.” lInglong stretched out er little finger, blinked her big dark eyes, and said, “Little Six will be with us forever, and we will never be separated.”

Zhong Minyan laughed, and said softly, “Little girls do that stuff. Us men keep our word, even if we don’t promise, we will do it.”

Linglong cannot stand to be questioned or contradicted, so she frowns, “Whatever! Just make the promise!”

Zhong MInyan stretched our his arm and said, “Here, hook your arm. The finger promise is a little girl thing, so I won’t do it.”

Linglong smiled and hooker her arm with his. Both of them felt a bit childish, and said, “If you don’t abide by this oath in the future, and sneak down the mountain, may Little Six lose all his teeth and be a toothless man!”

They both laughed out loud at the vow and thought it was very funny. The two of them, one was fourteen and the other eleven. Both of them innocent and not yet fully aware of the world, and the so-called forever is only an illusion in their eyes. In their minds, forever is just like the Flower Pin Tournament that will be held soon, and then be over in a flash.

There is neither frustration nor sorrow in it.

They climbed to the top of the cloud-filled peak, on top of which was a huge building whose rooftop was paved with beautiful, crystalline green stones. The two of them crawled through the trees and saw a circle of shaoyang disciples standing around the rooftop, obviously the guards. Linglong didn’t expect the draw to be so formal, she was shocked and whispered, “This is the end. The way things are going, how can you peek?”

Zhong Minyan looked at the guards, realised it was impossible for them to peek. He bowed his head and groaned for a bit, then squeezed Linglong’s hand, motioning for her to follow him. After that, he coughed, stood up from the bushes, patted the dust on his clothes and walked towards the building. Linglong felt as if she had a little rabbit in her chest that was jumpin fiercely. She didn’t know what Zhong Minyan was doing, but it felt exciting and fun, so she obediently followed him and walked forward.

Unsurprisingly, when he was about to step up the stairs, two looming disciples interceptem them and said, “Master said that we are holding a lottery with the other sect heads, so no one is to disturb them.”

Zhong Minyan was calm and unhurried, he smiled and said, “Are you two seniors from the Zhen Clan? We have been ordered by Master Yinghong from Yuyang Hall to give a message to the Madam.”

When they heard that it was about Master Yinghong, their expressions turned bitter.

There are seven branches in the Shaoyang Sect, with different functions, and Chu Yinghong is in charge of Yuyang Hall, which is the hall that makes and enforces the laws. The ones who wear white clothes and a green belt, patrolling the inner hills of Shaoyang all day long to see if the other disciples are breaking the rules, are the disciples of Yuyang Hall. Chu Yinghong is a smiling tiger. She is the youngest among her peers, only thirty-seven this year, but even the Head of the Sect listens to her.

Firstly, her husband is Zhenxia Hall’s Master Yang, who is in charge of punishments; secondly, although she seems to be gentle and kind, she is actually difficult to deal with. Anyone who breaks the law will be punished immediately and with an iron face. If you see her and plead with her for mercy, and she smiles at you and agrees, you will be punished ten times more.

When the Shaoyang Sect and the Nanshan Xuanyuan Sect had problems, they all relied on her to turn things around. This woman made many of the Nanshan Xuanyuan Sect’s Elders speechless. Finally, Zhu Shi, the head of the Xuanyuan Sect, came to Shaoyang Peak to apologise to the former Head. The two factions promised to have a good relations with each other going forward.

Such a woman garnered great praise from the Sect Leader at the time, and the number of people recommending her as the next Sect Head was also very high. After much deliberation, the head of the sect decided to give the position to the steady and reticent Xie Lei, instead of the talented Yinghong. Fortunately, she did not have any ambitions, and is content with her leisurely life, later on becoming the Master of Yuyang Hall. To this day, the old disciples say that if she were to leave, at least one third of the Shaoyang Peak’s people would follow her. One has to admit that her power is not trivial.

Since it is such a powerful Master Yinghong who has sent a message, and the wife of the Head of the Sect has a good relationship with her, the two of them do not dare to stop them, and obediently let them go.

Linglong didn’t expect to get in so easily and was even more impressed with Zhong Minyan. When this person tells a lie, he does so without blushing, and his heart does not jump. He is still pretending to be serious, but his eyes were full of mischief.

Linglong gave his arm a squeeze and was about to praise him for his work, when she heard the two disciples catch up with them and shout, “Wait a minute!”

The two of them were so shocked that they only thought the lie was exposed and had to turn their faces away.

<<Previous – Chapter List – Next>>

Like this:Like Loading...

Related