Chapter 240: Chapter 229: You Won’t Be Elected
At the center of the Taixu Mirror Heaven stood a magnificent grand hall.
Its name: Taixu Hall.
This hall was where the Holy Sect decided on all major affairs.
Its dome hung high, seeming to catch the starlight of the nine heavens.
Along its four walls flowed the Array Patterns and Dao Rhyme accumulated by the Sect over ten thousand years, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
At this moment, upon the Cloud Beds and jade seats within the hall, figures with profound auras and restrained divine light had already taken their places.
Aside from those who were away or in death seclusion, all seventeen of the Holy Sect’s current Foundation Establishment Masters...
...had gathered here today!
Acting Sect Leader Nan Dou Master sat upon the main seat. He held a verdant Bamboo Staff, his expression as placid as an ancient well. Only when his eyes opened and closed did they occasionally reveal a profound depth that seemed to see through the world.
The seat slightly below him to his left was empty. This was the position of Vice Sect Leader, for which everyone was about to elect a candidate.
Black Mountain Master occupied the head seat on the left. He had a burly figure, and though he deliberately restrained his Evil Qi, it still emanated an invisible pressure.
His eyelids were lowered, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the armrest, as if he had everything under control.
Behind and beside him, several Masters subtly deferred to him as their leader. Their auras were connected, marking them as his core supporters.
Qian Xin Master, Chi Yang Master, and a few others who were openly at odds with Black Mountain sat on the right. Their expressions were calm, betraying no emotion.
As the most junior member, Qi Yun sat in a seat near the back.
His aura was tranquil and his gaze serene, as if he were merely here to witness a routine meeting.
The atmosphere was so heavy you could hear a pin drop.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Nan Dou Master slowly spoke. His voice was calm yet carried clearly throughout the hall.
"I have summoned you all today for a matter I trust you are already aware of."
"On the eve of the peace talks with the Four Sects, we need a stabilizing presence to help manage the Sect’s affairs."
"According to the ancestral rules, the seventeen Masters present will nominate a worthy candidate. The one with the most votes shall take the position."
His gaze swept across the hall.
"Does any Master wish to nominate themselves, or recommend another?"
The moment his words fell, Black Slaughter Master was the first to rise, his voice booming.
"Acting Sect Leader, fellow disciples."
"My brother, Black Mountain Master, has ascended to the Great Master Position. His cultivation is profound, his might shakes the Northwest, and his contributions to the Sect are immense."
"With him as Vice Sect Leader, he is certain to deter our enemies, stabilize our internal affairs, and elevate the prestige of our Holy Sect to new heights!"
"Therefore, I nominate Senior Brother Black Mountain!"
"I second the motion!"
"Senior Brother Black Mountain is indeed the only choice!"
"We also nominate Senior Brother Black Mountain!"
After Black Slaughter Master spoke, seven or eight Masters rose one after another to voice their agreement. Their calls echoed through the hall, creating an overwhelming momentum.
These were all supporters from Black Mountain Master’s faction.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten people had clearly voiced their support!
Including those who remained silent but had already secretly pledged their allegiance...
...the number of votes in Black Mountain’s hand seemed to be infinitely close to, or perhaps had already reached, the required thirteen!
Black Mountain Master’s eyelids remained lowered, his face betraying no emotion.
In his mind, the outcome was already decided.
Nan Dou Master’s expression did not change. He simply looked to the right.
"Are there any other nominations?"
Qian Xin Master and Chi Yang Master exchanged a look. Qian Xin slowly rose and said with a smile,
"Senior Brother Black Mountain is indeed a dragon among men. However, the position of Vice Sect Leader carries great responsibility. It requires both integrity and ability, and even more so... an understanding of balance and tolerance."
"I feel this matter requires careful consideration."
His words were vague and noncommittal, and he didn’t propose a specific candidate.
The faces of those in Black Mountain’s camp were already showing sneers of assured victory.
Nan Dou Master nodded.
"Since there are no other nominations for now, then... let the voting begin."
"Those who approve of Black Mountain Master becoming Vice Sect Leader, please manifest your Divine Sense imprint and cast it into the Discussion Cauldron."
In the center of the hall, a small, ancient, three-legged bronze cauldron floated up, emitting a hazy, clear light.
"I’ll go first!" Black Slaughter Master was the first to send out a Divine Sense imprint, which sank into the cauldron.
Immediately after, one Master after another made their move.
One... two... ten...
The clear light of the cauldron grew brighter.
When the twelfth Divine Sense imprint sank into the cauldron, the members of Black Mountain’s faction broke into relaxed smiles. Only one vote left!
Everyone’s gaze involuntarily turned to the few who had yet to declare their stance.
Qing Li Master, a quiet middle-aged Daoist, and... Qi Yun.
According to the prior "agreement," the next to vote should have been Qing Li Master, or that middle-aged Daoist, casting that final, "logical" vote.
Qing Li Master felt the gazes converge on him, and his expression shifted slightly. He took a deep breath and, under countless gazes filled with expectation or pressure, slowly rose to his feet.
He didn’t look at the Discussion Cauldron. Instead, he bowed to Nan Dou Master and Black Mountain Master respectively, his voice clear and tinged with resolve.
"Acting Sect Leader, Senior Brother Black Mountain."
"The position of Vice Sect Leader concerns the future of the Sect. My talents are meager and my knowledge is shallow; I dare not make a rash judgment."
"This vote... I abstain."
Abstain?!
The two words exploded like a thunderclap in Taixu Hall!
Black Mountain Master’s eyes flew open, his razor-sharp gaze instantly locking onto Qing Li Master. The vast Evil Qi around him almost burst out of his control!
The supporters behind him paled, their faces etched with disbelief!
’How could he abstain?!’
’But he clearly...!’
The atmosphere in the hall instantly grew taut to the extreme!
Just one vote short!
Only one vote!
Everyone’s heart was in their throat.
Now, the pressure fell upon the quiet, middle-aged Daoist.
The middle-aged Daoist felt the crushing pressure of Black Mountain’s almost tangible gaze. Fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and his face was a mask of conflict.
His lips moved, as if he were about to cast that crucial vote...
Just then, Qi Yun, who had been sitting quietly in the back, suddenly let out a soft cough.
The sound wasn’t loud, but it reached every person’s ear.
The middle-aged Daoist’s body trembled violently as if startled awake. The words on the tip of his tongue were forcefully swallowed back down.
He stole a glance at the calm-faced Qi Yun, then felt Black Mountain’s gaze, as cold as an ancient glacier.
Finally, he steeled himself, and mimicking Qing Li Master, he rose and said hoarsely,
"I... I also abstain."
Another abstention!
BOOM!
The grand hall erupted in an uproar!
The people in Black Mountain’s faction were completely stunned!
’Two votes that were supposed to be guaranteed have abstained one after another?!’
The vote count was frozen at twelve.
Just one vote short of the required thirteen, yet the gap felt as wide as a chasm.
So close to success, only to fail at the last second! Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory!
For the first time, Black Mountain Master’s face turned completely grim.
The aura around him fluctuated, his Evil Qi roiled, and the temperature in Taixu Hall seemed to plummet.
His icy gaze swept slowly over Qing Li Master and the middle-aged Daoist.
Finally, it landed on Qi Yun, who had remained calm throughout.
’Was it him?’
Chi Yang Master, who had remained silent until now, suddenly burst out laughing, his voice like a great bell.
"Since Senior Brother Black Mountain did not receive enough votes, according to ancestral rule, this election is void."
"Let the position of Vice Sect Leader remain vacant for now, and we shall wait for a more worthy candidate!"
Nan Dou Master spoke at the opportune moment, his words final.
"Since the requirements of the ancestral rules have not been met, the proposal for Black Mountain Master to assume the role of Vice Sect Leader is hereby dismissed."
"Everyone, you are dismissed."
The dust had settled!
Black Mountain Master’s meticulously planned, all-but-certain bid for the Vice Sect Leader position had been completely foiled at the last moment by two strange abstentions.
He slowly stood up, his tall figure casting a heavy shadow across the hall.
He didn’t look at his ashen-faced supporters, nor did he look at his sneering opponents.
His gaze passed over the crowd, finally locking onto Qi Yun.
In that gaze, there was coldness and scrutiny.
But surprisingly, it lacked the explosive rage and venom everyone expected.
Instead, from the depths of that extreme cold, a trace of... pure, unadulterated appreciation slowly emerged.
It was a recognition of skill and strategy, one that transcended factions and grudges.
’This young man, who joined the Sect only a few decades ago and reached Foundation Establishment just over two years ago, was able to turn a key person against me right under my nose, without a sound.’
’To hear the clap of thunder from a silent sky, to turn the tables in a single move!’
’Such intellect, such daring...’
’Interesting. How very interesting!’
"Good. Very good." Black Mountain Master looked at Qi Yun and slowly uttered three words. His voice was deep, his emotion unreadable.
Then, without another word, he flicked his sleeve, turned, and transformed into a streak of black Escape Light, the first to leave Taixu Hall.
He left behind a hall full of Masters with varying expressions, and the young Daoist who remained seated as if he had just done something utterly insignificant—Qi Yun.
The crowd in Taixu Hall gradually dispersed, the Masters transforming into streaks of Escape Light and departing with various expressions.
Just as Qi Yun was about to rise, Qian Xin Master appeared silently by his side, a secret voice transmission entering his ear.
"When did you get to him?"
Qian Xin Master’s gaze swept over the middle-aged Daoist who was quietly leaving with the crowd.
He and Qi Yun had tried to contact this person before, but the man had avoided them with various excuses.
They thought that lead had gone cold. They never expected such a reversal at the critical moment.
A slight smile touched the corner of Qi Yun’s mouth. He replied with his own voice transmission,
"I didn’t find him. He came to find me."
"He found you?" Qian Xin Master’s eyebrows shot up, a flicker of astonishment in his eyes. He quickly understood, and a sharp light flashed in his gaze.
"I see! He was afraid that Black Mountain’s people would notice him contacting us."
"So he openly put on a show of refusal, drawing a clear line, but secretly... he took the initiative to connect with you."
"How cautious of him!"
Qi Yun nodded slightly. He walked slowly out of Taixu Hall alongside Qian Xin Master, his gaze fixed on the sea of clouds in the distance. His tone was calm, yet it held a coolness that saw through to the heart of the matter.
"Senior Uncle Black Mountain is arrogant and reckless. He often uses brute force and intimidation to get his way."
"This has become even more pronounced since he reached the Great Master Position."
"Aside from the few core supporters under his command, how many other Masters in the Sect are truly convinced by him?"
"They merely fear his fearsome might and are forced to submit."
"On a normal day, they have no other choice but to endure it."
"Now that they see another possible path, those who have long held resentment in their hearts will naturally seize the opportunity."
He paused, glancing toward the direction where Daoist Yang Cuan had disappeared, and continued,
"What’s more, this Senior Uncle Yang Cuan is not the kind of person who is content to live under someone else’s thumb, forever at their beck and call."
"How could such a person be truly willing to be ordered around by Black Mountain forever?"
Hearing this, Qian Xin Master clapped his hands and sighed softly.
"Brilliant! Truly brilliant."
The admiration in his gaze toward Qi Yun grew even stronger.
This young man not only possessed unparalleled talent but had also grown more steady and mature with time, faintly exuding a grand and composed demeanor.
Qi Yun smiled indifferently, not taking credit. "I merely went with the flow."
"Senior Uncle Black Mountain’s method of suppressing others with force has its pros and cons."
"Winning the hearts and minds of the people is sometimes more crucial than Divine Techniques or Magical Power."
The two stood upon the clouds, looking down at the magnificent and ever-changing scenery of the Taixu Mirror Heaven.
After this battle, Qi Yun had not only made a name for himself within the Sect.
He had also, in a stunning fashion, shown everyone the considerable power and skill he wielded.
In the deep waters of the Holy Sect, his presence had already begun to quietly stir new ripples.
...
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