Chapter 1037: Draw Lots and Leave It to Fate

The fact that they kept coming over to visit and repeatedly asked for Niu Youdao's opinion was, in itself, recognition of his ability.

Many things happened by imperceptible degrees. One matter after another, one incident after another—little by little, his prestige had accumulated in everyone's minds.

Niu Youdao always seemed able to make it through whatever difficulties he encountered. This time, everyone could not help placing a little hope in him as well.

For once, Niu Youdao did not immediately decline. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "I do have one idea."

Expectation immediately appeared in everyone's eyes. Lang Jingkong said, "We're all ears."

Niu Youdao considered his words. "This is only my own thinking. Everyone wants to avoid trouble, but everyone also knows we can't all crowd into the desirable places. If too many people pile into one place, Misty Pavilion will definitely redistribute us."

Quan Taifeng sighed. "That's exactly the problem. With the situation still unclear, I imagine everyone wants to go to the All-Under-Heaven Money House. The accounts there are jointly supervised by people from the Nine Saints, so it should be difficult to tamper with them, and the work doesn't involve fighting and killing. Comparatively speaking, there ought to be less trouble. But if everyone chooses the Money House, won't that mean we're all crowding together? Misty Pavilion would be certain to reassign us."

Niu Youdao nodded. "Everyone wants the good places, but we can't all go together. If we choose different places on our own, we're afraid of landing in serious trouble. What I want to remind everyone is that the situation is already clear. We all know the nine Sacred Venerables are trying to force us into conflict with Misty Pavilion. Since that's the case, whether we choose or don't choose, the consequences are ultimately much the same. We might as well discuss it among ourselves and draw lots."

"Draw lots?" several people echoed together.

Fuhua hesitated. "How?"

Niu Youdao said, "Based on the range of destinations Misty Pavilion has given us, make lots according to the number of factions involved. Let each faction draw. Wherever you draw, that's where you go. Scatter everyone among the various departments. Good place or bad, leave it to fate."

Quan Taifeng asked, "You mean gather everyone from all the factions and have them draw together?"

Niu Youdao replied, "How else are we going to spread everyone out?"

Hong Gaitian chuckled. "Will they agree to something like that?"

"This isn't simply a matter of whether they'll agree. We have to discuss it with them. Which one of our factions can possibly take on Misty Pavilion alone? We need to join forces. Once we're scattered among the various departments, we should keep in regular contact so that if something happens, everyone can coordinate and support one another. That way, we can learn as much as possible about what's happening in each department, respond more easily, and perhaps increase everyone's chances of staying alive. This is the only preparation we can make right now. Otherwise, if everyone chooses independently, people will inevitably cluster in the same places, and Misty Pavilion will still split us up in the end. Wouldn't that still come down to luck? If we're relying on luck either way, isn't it better to settle things ourselves first and establish cooperation in advance?"

Everyone thought it over for a while, then nodded slightly.

Quan Taifeng sighed. "There's no better way. Looks like this is the only option left when there are no good options. What does everyone think?"

They looked at one another. No one objected.

Quan Taifeng stood. "Fine. It's the last day, so there's no time to waste. Let's go find the others and discuss it."

Everyone began filing out, only to notice that Niu Youdao had not moved.

Fuhua immediately grew wary. "Little Brother, you're not coming?"

Niu Youdao said, "I'll stay out of it. You all know I've offended too many people. Some don't trust me. If I go, someone will probably argue against anything I say, and we may end up bickering endlessly. But don't worry. Once everyone reaches a decision, I'll follow it. Just remember not to say this was my idea. There's no point wasting time arguing over that."

Put that way, it seemed reasonable enough, so everyone left him alone.

Once they were all gone, Niu Youdao again had Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie keep watch outside. He shut the doors and windows and went back to studying the materials Chang Qingshan had provided.

By evening, Hong Gaitian came hurrying over. "Little Brother, it's settled. We're doing it your way. Everyone's gathered in the courtyard and we're about to draw lots. You're the only one missing. Hurry up."

Niu Youdao was easygoing about it. He immediately rose and followed him out.

The Elders of the various factions had all gathered in the courtyard. The drawing of lots was something for the Elders to decide; the disciples beneath them had no part in it.

This time, people would still be assigned to the various departments by faction, which at least left everyone a little room to maneuver. If they were sent out individually to perform inspection duties, they would not even have an assistant, making the situation even more difficult.

Facing the crowd, Qiyun Sect's Taishu Shanhai once again stepped forward and spoke at length. This time Niu Youdao stood quietly at the side and listened without contradicting him.

The seven states had twenty-one sects. Add the three neutral sects and the Four Seas, and there were twenty-eight factions in all.

Misty Pavilion had no shortage of departments either: departments responsible for the All-Under-Heaven Money House, departments responsible for the various states, departments responsible for the seas, others responsible for cultivation sects, independent cultivators, and so on.

There were also Misty Pavilion departments within Sacred Realm itself. Apart from the nine Sacred Lands, where Misty Pavilion was not permitted to interfere, there were departments responsible for the rest of Sacred Realm.

Taishu Shanhai explained that during their discussion, no one had wanted to remain inside Sacred Realm. For that reason, all Sacred Realm assignments had been excluded from the lots. If Misty Pavilion later made adjustments and reassigned someone there, whoever drew that misfortune could only blame his luck.

No one objected. This had already been agreed upon.

Seeing there were no objections, Taishu Shanhai waved. "Bring them over."

Taishu Xun and Taishu Li entered the circle and spread the prepared wooden lots on the ground. Each lot bore the name of one of Misty Pavilion's departments for everyone to inspect.

The group came forward one after another. Once they had confirmed there was no problem, the two Qiyun Sect disciples gathered all the lots together, covered them with a piece of cloth, mixed them thoroughly, and left only the ends exposed for drawing. To demonstrate fairness, Taishu Shanhai let everyone else draw first. The final lot left behind would belong to him.

There was one rule: no using spiritual power to examine the lots. Each person had to step forward, draw quickly, and accept whatever he got without dawdling.

They took turns.

When Niu Youdao's turn came, he behaved exactly like everyone else. As he passed, he bent down, pulled one lot, and kept walking.

Once he moved aside and turned it over to read the writing, Hong Gaitian suddenly laughed beside him. "Little Brother, you really do have an affinity with independent cultivators. Not bad luck at all."

Niu Youdao smiled faintly. The two characters on his lot indeed read "Independent Cultivators." He turned back. "Judging by how happily you're laughing, your luck must be even better. Don't tell me you drew the All-Under-Heaven Money House."

"Little Brother, that head of yours really is useful." Hong Gaitian laughed loudly and turned the lot in his hand for Niu Youdao to see.

Sure enough, it read "Money House."

He did not show it only to Niu Youdao. He proudly turned it around for everyone else to admire as well.

Quite a few people who had drawn other departments sighed and groaned, having no idea whether what awaited them would prove fortunate or disastrous.

Taishu Shanhai picked up the final remaining lot and sighed too. Still, he accepted it. Turning to everyone, he said, "When we report tomorrow, write your faction's name on the lot and hand the lot itself in."

"Fine. Let's leave it at that." Someone spoke without enthusiasm and walked away, clearly in a poor mood.

Some left, some stayed, and some remained where they were chatting.

Back in their room, Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie were rather pleased when they learned Elder Niu had drawn the department responsible for independent cultivators.

Ke Dingjie said happily, "Independent cultivators aren't bad. That shouldn't involve too many major disputes."

Qin Guan asked Niu Youdao, "Elder, since you drew independent cultivators, does that mean we'll soon be leaving Sacred Realm?"

Niu Youdao walked over to a chair and sat down, turning the wooden lot over in his hand. He smiled faintly. "I'm not sure. We still don't know how we're supposed to take part in the inspections. Probably."

Qin Guan laughed. "What independent cultivators are there inside Sacred Realm? We must be leaving."

"Exactly." Ke Dingjie nodded repeatedly.

The thought of leaving made both men happy. Being confined here all the time was miserable enough. Worse, while inside Sacred Realm they had to behave like obedient grandsons before everyone they met. One careless violation of the rules could spell disaster, and Zijin Cave's influence could not reach inside to protect them. Neither man wanted to remain here.

Night gradually fell, and another evening passed.

The next morning, Chang Qingshan brought breakfast as usual. Niu Youdao personally received it at the door.

During the handoff, Chang Qingshan quietly reminded him, "Ding Wei arrived late last night. Today he'll personally preside over the assignments."

Niu Youdao murmured something back to him. Only then did one man leave and the other return inside.

After breakfast, Niu Youdao sent Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie away. He took out the wooden lot again, circulated spiritual power, and erased the words "Independent Cultivators." Then he condensed qi into a hard edge at his fingertip and swiftly carved the words "Money House" into the wood, adding "Zijin Cave" beneath them.

He blew lightly across the surface and slipped the lot into his sleeve.

...

"That Niu Youdao really is arrogant."

"What happened?"

"They came up with some kind of drawing of lots. Niu Youdao drew the department responsible for independent cultivators. When I delivered his meal, I heard him boasting to the two Zijin Cave disciples that once he leaves Sacred Realm, with the power he commands outside, no one will be able to do anything to him..."

Xuan Yao, who was leading two men along a gallery corridor, slowed slightly when he heard the conversation around the corner. After listening for a moment, he gave a cold snort and continued striding forward.

A little later, the two men who had been speaking emerged from around the corner, still muttering to one another. One of them was Chang Qingshan.

Chang Qingshan glanced back toward the direction in which Xuan Yao had disappeared.

...

With the morning sun already high, the people from the various sects confined to the courtyard were summoned once again to the same spacious hall.

They took their previous places and sat quietly waiting.

After a while, Ding Wei arrived with Huang Ban accompanying him. Everyone rose to salute.

While bowing, Niu Youdao glanced toward Xuan Yao, who stood waiting solemnly outside the doors. He found Xuan Yao staring coldly back at him.

Ding Wei gestured for everyone to sit, then came straight to the point. "I hear all of you held a drawing of lots yesterday and decided your respective destinations?"

The hall was silent.

Hong Gaitian answered, "That's right."

Ding Wei said, "Since you've already thought it through, there's no need for further discussion. Bring them brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Have them write down their choices."

Taishu Shanhai suddenly spoke. "Mr. Ding, there's no need for so much trouble. We already wrote our choices on the lots. We can simply hand those in." He raised a wooden lot in his hand.

"Oh?" Ding Wei nodded. "That works too. Bring them all here." He tapped the tabletop with one hand, indicating where they should be placed.

Taishu Shanhai went first. He walked to the desk and put down his lot.

The others followed one after another.

When Hong Gaitian's turn came, he froze briefly at the sight of the lots already lying on the desk. He noticed that everyone else had placed theirs face-down. Being the only one who had nothing to hide, he set his down face-up instead, leaving the two characters "Money House" plainly visible.

Once everyone had handed theirs in, twenty-eight lots lay in rows across the desk.

Ding Wei picked up one of the face-down lots and turned it over.

"Money House."

He set it down and flipped another.

"Money House."

He turned over a third.

Again: "Money House."

Ding Wei proceeded through all twenty-eight lots. The handwriting differed from one to another, but the destination written on every single lot was the same.

The Money House.

Not one exception.

[End of Chapter 1037]