Chapter 275: Chapter 8: Straightforward Transaction
With such a major incident in Nanlin Road, those two must have received the news immediately. Even the neighboring Mozhou Road and Qianjiang Road might have heard about it.
"Fellow Daoist Wu, where did you hear such a rumor!"
Zi Luan walked over from the front, stood beside Wang Ping, and said with a smile, "It was just some Evil Cultivators from ’First Day.’ They somehow got wind that Fellow Daoist Changqing was elected as a Third Seat and hastily planned a suicide bombing, that’s all."
"Hahahaha, is that so?"
Wu Quan let out a laugh, then said dubiously, "This ’First Day’ intelligence network is a bit too fast, isn’t it? Fellow Daoist Changqing was just elected as a Third Seat. Not even two hours have passed, and something like this happens. Fellow Daoist Zi Luan, are you perhaps suggesting that one of us is a ’First Day’ mole?"
"And it would have to be someone close to Nanlin Road. Wouldn’t that be the two of us? Or..." Ganxing’s gaze shifted to the nearby Xiu Yu, whose expression was not very pleasant. "Oh, there’s also Fellow Daoist Xiu Yu and Fellow Daoist Ren Kong."
"What a coincidence, I just heard this news as well!"
Ren Kong, however, showed no sign of anger at Ganxing’s deliberate taunt. He put on a profound, inscrutable smile, glanced at Xiu Yu as well, and said, "How is it that I heard a disciple under Fellow Daoist Changqing’s command killed Fellow Daoist Xiu Yu’s disciple in Ningzhou Road, even cutting off his head to read his memories, and that’s what provoked their retaliation?"
The words were rather blunt, but coming from Ren Kong, it wasn’t surprising.
Wang Ping faced Ren Kong, his expression unchanged, and said, "It was indeed the madmen from ’First Day.’ As for how they obtained their information, that we don’t know. Some intelligence suggests the source of the leak might very well be Mozhou Road."
"That’s right. Mozhou Road is ’First Day’s’ main stronghold, after all. Many unsolved cases go cold once the trail leads to Mozhou Road," Ganxing added immediately. Facing Ren Kong, an outsider, he didn’t even bother with a fake smile.
Ren Kong was furious upon hearing this and was about to retort when Zi Luan spoke again, "Oh, right. This time, when we’re pursuing the ’First Day’ Evil Cultivators, if they run to Mozhou Road again, you won’t shelter them again, will you, Fellow Daoist?"
"Also..."
Zi Luan looked at Xiu Yu. "Regarding what you just mentioned, I believe Junior Brother Xiu Yu has the most right to speak. Why don’t you ask him if there’s any truth to it?"
Xiu Yu raised an eyebrow, gave Zi Luan a serious look, then fixed his gaze on Wang Ping, but said nothing at all.
Wang Ping recognized the warning in Xiu Yu’s eyes. He could only smile and cup his fists in response.
Seeing this, Zi Luan’s face broke into his characteristic smile.
Just then, two Cultivators walked up to Ren Kong’s side. As they were about to speak, someone from the front spoke first. "Fellow Daoists from the south, as lively as ever, I see."
The speaker was a middle-aged man dressed in a Nine-Clawed Dragon Robe. He wore a golden crown, and the jade belt at his waist was magnificent. His skin was excessively white, as if he were wearing rouge. This was the Second Prince of the Dragon Palace, Yun Que, who was said to have one foot already in the Fourth Realm, only missing the final step of ’transforming into a dragon.’
"Second Lord, you jest." Zi Luan stepped out from the crowd, cupping his fists in a salute to Yun Que. Wang Ping and the others followed suit, saluting silently.
"Then let’s just say I was jesting."
Yun Que habitually swung his right hand, then rested it on the jade belt at his waist. He looked at the four Cultivators to his left and right and said, "Business is more important. Shall we get down to business?"
"Agreed!"
The four answered in unison. These were the other four people on the cloud dais: the Earth Vein Cultivator Yingfu, the True Yang Sect Cultivator Huode, the Taiyan Cultivator Zhiyuan, and Elder Mingjing of the Vajra Temple.
Aside from Monk Mingjing, all four wore the orthodox blue Daoist robes of the Mystic Sect, complete with matching jade hairpins. Yingfu Taoist was the most eye-catching because he was so fat, which was likely related to his Spirit Body cultivation.
Huode’s most obvious feature was his black-and-white beard. Black streaks ran through the white, making it look like a clump of white fire. He seemed to be particularly fond of this beard.
As for Master Zhiyuan, the one Wang Ping was most focused on, he was rather unremarkable. His appearance perfectly matched the common people’s image of a Daoist: a square face, a beard that hung to his chest, and a few strands of white at his temples. However, his expression was cold and aloof, giving off an unapproachable air.
Monk Mingjing had the air of a Buddhist dharmic image. His face was large and round, and his eyes were always half-closed, as if he were pondering some deep question or perhaps observing the myriad affairs of the world. He had no beard, and he wore no kasaya over his monk’s robes. His faint, ambiguous smile made him look like an enlightened master, yet also like a heretical demon.
After the four of them responded, Yun Que took the lead, turning around. He then led the assembly in bowing to the two Saints, as well as the various True Monarchs and Lords.
After the bow came the grand ceremony of three kneelings and three kowtows.
After the tedious rituals, Wang Ping felt something move in his sleeve. It was Yu Lian, who had connected to his consciousness with a curious expression, peeking out from within his sleeve to look around.
The five people at the front, led by Yun Que, formed a Spell with their hands after the ceremony. They transformed into streaks of light and landed on the cloud dais before them.
The rest immediately fell into their previous formation. Wang Ping and He Feng Taoist naturally ended up at the very back. Neither of them cared much about their position, and after the five seniors took their seats on the cloud dais, they both instinctively lowered their gazes.
There was a saying: the closer one is to a True Immortal, the easier it is to cultivate and attain the Dao. At the time, Wang Ping had thought this saying was correct but hadn’t understood its true meaning. Standing here now, he suddenly had a new insight into it.
"The purpose of gathering all you Fellow Daoists today, I believe you have already guessed. That’s right, we need to select the seven candidates who will compete for the Third Seat position in three days. According to the rules, the nominations require a joint recommendation from the five Third Seats. Let’s discuss this now."
Very direct, very simple.
And yet, it wasn’t simple at all. The process was filled with procedures. For example, this very meeting could have been used to elect the new Third Seat, but instead, it was scheduled for a convocation in three days, where all the Sixth, Fifth, and Fourth Seats from across Zhongzhou would be gathered to vote.
While Wang Ping was lost in thought, the scene descended into chaos. Various small cliques immediately gathered together. Wang Ping exchanged a look with Wen Yang and glanced at Tianshan Daoist in the distance. Then, as expected, he was pulled into the Nanlin Road clique by Zi Luan.
"What’s the going rate for a nomination right now?"
A very blunt question, asked by Wu Quan.
Zi Luan thought for a moment and said, "This is a critical time. If someone can snag a nomination, they might get directly onto the list of alternates next time. It has to be worth at least five Spirit Veins."
"That’s a good price!" Ganxing’s eyes lit up.
"Who’s going to do the selling?"
"I’ll go. You guys find someone else to bring in!" Zi Luan said with a chuckle.
"Alright!"
Wang Ping listened to the entire exchange, dumbfounded. It had been a long time since he’d worn such an expression. The other three seemed quite pleased with his reaction, as if it had enlivened their own humanity.
"Cultivation, in the end, is just a series of transactions. And if you can’t make a deal, then it’s plunder!" Ganxing concluded with a single sentence, looking at Wang Ping.
