Young Noble Be Monster Slaying-Chapter 812: Explain Clearly! (I)

As Huan Leisheng stood atop the circular platform at the front of the courtyard, gazing down at the higher-ups of the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten, a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over him.

Through the Dao of Talismans, an unconventional cultivator like him had somehow managed to break through to the Heavenly Gate, attaining the rank of grandmaster. It was an achievement he would take pride in for the rest of his life.

Yet, never had he imagined that one day, he would stand before the most powerful figures of the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten, with all of them listening intently to his every word.

And it was all because of CEO Chu.

“Uh...” Huang Leisheng hesitated, thinking, But what am I supposed to say?

Generally, before the immortal sects cast their votes, the leaders of the competing sects would take turns delivering speeches to secure votes for their sect. They would highlight the strengths of the sect, outline their ideals, and share their vision for the sect’s future.

A few sect leaders had already delivered their passionate, rousing speeches, and now it was Huan Leisheng’s turn. However, until now, he hadn’t even known this was part of the competition.

The Talismanic Sect had no cultivation legacy, disciples, or grand ambitions. Huan Leisheng’s greatest dream had been to create the Celestial Talismanic Wheel, a feat that, thanks to Chu Liang, had been accomplished decades ahead of schedule.

So... what was he supposed to say? He truly had no idea.

And it was all thanks to CEO Chu that he was now in this state of embarrassment.

Haaaaa. whatever, he muttered inwardly with a sigh.

Words tangled in his mind, refusing to form sentences.

After much struggle, he finally managed to stammer out, “The Talismanic Sect possesses the most advanced talisman-making techniques in the current immortal realm. The talismans we produce have spread across the nine provinces in no time. Our sect's vision is to make sure all mortal sects can use our affordable talismans! If we are fortunate enough to secure a place in the Terrestrial Ten, then... then I promise that all talismans produced by our sect will have a fifteen percent discount for the next three years!”

A brief silence followed.

This speech was truly... refreshing and unconventional. Setting everything else aside, anyone familiar with Chu Liang could sense a strong trace of his influence in it.

Could this be the cultivation world’s own spin on the familiar election pledge of rewarding supporters after a win?

“Good!” Li Fujian was the first to cheer, clapping enthusiastically.

Only then did everyone realize that Huan Leisheng’s brief speech had already ended. A smattering of applause followed, and as he returned to his seat, personnel from the Imperial Supervisory Bureau swiftly moved in, distributing intricately crafted paddles for the members of the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten to record their choices.

Meanwhile, a large wooden board was brought onto the stage, standing upright with nineteen nails embedded in it. Soon, the paddles would be hung on the nails and flipped one by one to reveal the results.

No communication was permitted during the voting process. It was only after the paddles had been placed on the board at the front of the stage that murmurs began to spread through the crowd.

After Li Fujian placed the Great Astral Sect’s paddle, he returned to find Huan Leisheng sitting with a relaxed smile, completely at ease. In contrast, the leaders of the other competing sects looked noticeably tense.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked, “You’re not nervous at all?”

Huan Leisheng let out a bitter smile. “Not even a little.”

He had already come to terms with it. He had realized that his only reason for being here was to broaden his horizons and connect with the influential figures of the immortal sects. Competing for a spot in the Terrestrial Ten was nothing more than a hopeless dream.

Since he had never wanted his sect to win a place in the Terrestrial Ten to begin with, thinking this way naturally put him at ease.

...

“Everyone!” Li Chengfeng, the celestial official of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau, stepped onto the stage and pressed his hands down, signaling for silence.

As the host of this grand assembly, he continued, “The voting from the existing sects in the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten, as well as the imperial court, has been completed. Now, let us unveil the ballots of each immortal sect one by one.”

The first paddle hanging on the board belonged to the Penglai Supreme Sect.

Regardless of whether a sect had a harmonious relationship with the Penglai Supreme Sect, they all had to acknowledge that it was the strongest immortal sect. Even the Celestial King Sect, the leading force opposing Penglai, had no objections to this.

Li Chengfeng picked up the paddle engraved with Penglai Supreme Sect and turned it over carefully, revealing the words written on the back.

“One vote for Starhold Island,” he announced loudly.

The cultivators below, with their exceptional eyesight, could see it clearly themselves.

It was no surprise that the Penglai Supreme Sect had cast its vote for Starhold Island. As long as Starhold Island existed, Penglai would stand by its side to showcase their unwavering support for their junior sect.

However, on Starhold Island’s side, the new island lord, Hong Jufeng, wore a solemn expression.

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No one found it unusual. After all, a man who had just lost his father wouldn’t be in a cheerful mood.

What most didn’t realize was that Hong Jufeng’s sorrow had nothing to do with his father’s death. His father had indeed lost his life because of the Terrestrial Ten Grand Selection, but at least the roasted lamb had been delicious, offering some consolation in its own way.

The problem was that he was now one of the sect leaders under Chief Executive Overseer Chu Liang, so sitting among the people of the Penglai Supreme Sect felt unbearable. It was as if he were seated on needles, with thorns pricking his back and a bone lodged in his throat...

Every time someone glanced his way, he would flinch and be on edge, thinking they had seen through his betrayal.

Fortunately, not many people were paying him any attention.

Li Chengfeng quickly flipped over the Fog-Hidden Mountain of Immortals’ paddle, revealing the name of Starhold Island.

“Starhold Island, two votes!”

The Fog-Hidden Mountain of Immortals was also situated in the East Sea and often moved in tandem with the Penglai Supreme Sect. Since their vote matched Penglai’s, it made their stance unmistakably clear.

Then, the votes from the Celestial King Sect and the Celestial Pivot Pavilion were revealed.

“One vote for the Great Lunar Dao Sect. And another for the Great Lunar Dao Sect! A total of two votes!”

The Starhold Island and the Great Lunar Dao Sect were now tied with two votes each.

These were expected votes, so no one found them surprising. Then, it was time for the Great Astral Sect’s ballot.

Li Chengfeng flipped over the Great Astral Sect’s paddle and declared loudly, “One vote for the Talismanic Sect.”

Everyone was caught off guard, including Huan Leisheng. “Huh?”

Huan Leisheng turned and looked over at Li Fujian, who simply smiled and held up a V sign in celebration.

“This is...” Huan Leisheng was completely puzzled and thought, You can get these votes for free?

After all, neither CEO Chu nor Huan Leisheng had ever sought votes for this.

Li Fujian explained with a grin, “The War Tomb Mountain got eliminated. Our sect elders weren’t fond of any of the other options, except for the one nominated by Mount Shu Sect since they’re our sworn brothers.”

Ah. Huan Leisheng was momentarily speechless. The only thought in his mind was that the Great Astral Sect’s loyalty ran deep.

Just as he was thinking this, Li Chengfeng’s voice suddenly rang out, “And another vote for the Talismanic Sect. That makes two votes in total!”

“Huh?” Huan Leisheng uttered again.

This time, he was truly shocked because this vote hadn’t come from Mount Shu Sect. Instead, it was... the Buddhist Cloud Monastery?

The representative from Buddhist Cloud Monastery was none other than Dhyana Master Shenyou—Pushan’s esteemed teacher and a devoted practitioner of silent meditation.

Without saying a word, he turned to the representatives of the Mount Shu Sect and tapped a finger against his chest, right over his heart, while looking at Wang Xuanling.

The meaning was clear—true brotherhood comes from the heart.

As he made this gesture, the monk leading the delegation from Monastery Tower frowned, his expression darkening with evident displeasure.

After Xuantian Monastery withdrew from the election, the Monastery Tower did not hesitate. It threw its full support behind Mount Mang City, which was backed by the imperial court and the Noble Dharma. It had even reached out to Buddhist Cloud Monastery, hoping to use their shared Buddhist ties to secure the Buddhist Cloud Monastery's vote. However, Buddhist Cloud Monastery never gave a definitive answer.

Who would have expected that, at this crucial moment, they would cast their vote for the Talismanic Sect instead?

It seemed that while the Mount Shu Sect appeared indifferent on the surface, they had been just as active behind the scenes, securing votes that had become undecided halfway through the competition.

Hmph, they did a fine job of keeping it a secret, the monk from the Monastery Tower thought, casting a glance at Wang Xuanling.

In reality, he was wrongly blaming the Mount Shu Sect. They had no knowledge of the Buddhist Cloud Monastery’s decision.

The Buddhist Cloud Monastery had remained indifferent about whom to vote for. However, Mount Mang City was notorious for its excessive bloodshed, and the abbot of the Buddhist Cloud Monastery disapproved of their ways. The world was already chaotic enough, and they had no desire to see another sect in the Terrestrial Ten dominated by such a murderous aura.

It was even more unlikely for them to choose the Ice Soul Sword Sect.

Since the beginning, the Great Lunar Dao Sect, Starhold Island, the Yushan Academy, and War Tomb Mountain had all sought the vote of the Buddhist Cloud Monastery. This left the monks, unversed in worldly affairs, with quite a headache.

No matter which sect they voted for, they risked offending someone. In the end, it was Dhyana Master Shenyou who proposed a solution. Since the Talismanic Sect nominated by the Mount Shu Sect had no real chance of winning, why not vote for them? It would not impact the overall result or attract unnecessary hostility.

Moreover, voting for the sect nominated by the Mount Shu Sect would not cause any controversy. After all, the Buddhist Cloud Monastery shared a strong relationship with the Mount Shu Sect, and they had helped each other many times.

This decision was also influenced by the fact that Chu Liang had not actively sought their vote. Ironically, had he done so, the Buddhist Cloud Monastery might then hesitate to vote for the Talismanic Sect, fearing that such a decision could disrupt the balance of power.

But given how things were unfolding, the Talismanic Sect seemed weak enough to be a completely safe choice.

...