Chapter 81 - Sign Up (II)
Chapter 81 – Sign Up (II)
Shui Yuner stepped into the Internal Affairs Department once more.
She is accompanying the Nangong siblings who want to sign up for the tournament.
Although she claimed last night that she has business here, but in reality, this was just a pretext to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.
Nangong Mingming should also be aware of it. Otherwise, she would normally have asked Shui Yuner what business she has in the Internal Affairs Department.
After asking a disciple who seems to be working in the Internal Affairs Department, Shui Yuner and the Nangong siblings came to the registration place according to the instructions and found that it is the same place they came last time to register their arrival to the temple.
Unlike before, the room is full of people. According to a rough count, there are at least 50 people. There is no longer only one disciple working behind the desk, but as many as five. They are all handling the same thing, which is registration for the tournament.
In other words, the people in the room are queuing up to sign up for the tournament. They are Shui Yuner’s potential opponents.
Shui Yuner and the other two gauged a shorter queue and lined up at the end.
There are 10 plus people in front of them, which isn’t a lot.
Either the registration procedure is simple, or the disciples sitting behind the desk are efficient – before Shui Yuner and the Nangong siblings could finish talking about a subject, it was their turn already.
“Hey, Junior Disciple Brother and Sisters, we meet again.” Behind the desk, the young man in charge of handling the registration procedures looked up and spoke in surprise.
He is the same disciple of the Internal Affairs Department who helped Shui Yuner and them register two days earlier.
“It seems that we are linked by fate, Senior Disciple Brother.” Shui Yuner smiled.
This encounter is purely coincidental.
The trio selected this queue specifically on the basis of length, nothing else.
“Ah, yeah, Junior Disciple Sister Shui.”
“Senior Disciple Brother, you remember my name?”
“I remember the names of beautiful Junior Disciple Sisters.”
As if to show off, the youth crossed his arms and nodded, causing Shui Yuner to cover her mouth and giggle.
“Hey, can’t you pick up girls later? We are still waiting!” Probably dissatisfied that the conversation between the two is hindering the registration pace, a male disciple behind Shui Yuner protested rudely.
“Are you in a hurry, or something?! If you are dissatisfied, then go to another queue. Don’t hinder my pursuit of happiness.” The youth didn’t feel bad about his behavior, and instead yelled back.
The disciple went silent and looked away.
“Really, what kind of character did you think…”
“Senior Disciple Brother, let’s get started. After all, it’s not right to delay others.” Seeing that this Senior Disciple Brother is hurling abuses, Shui Yuner smiled wryly and urged.
“Fine, since you said this much, Junior Disciple Sister Shui, then I won’t bother.”
“Hee-hee, thank you, Senior Disciple Brother.”
“Speaking of which, Junior Disciple Sister Shui, Junior Disciple Sister Nangong, are you going to compete in the tournament just after joining the temple?”
“You won’t progress by shielding yourself from reality. Besides, we’ll be able to gain experience.”
“You’re right.”
He lifted the writing brush, opened the notebook on the table, and put on a businesslike expression: “Junior Disciple Sister Shui, Junior Disciple Sister Nangong, do both of you want to sign up?”
“No, it’s just Junior Disciple Sister Nangong and her brother.”
Shui Yuner pointed with a finger, and the youth looked behind Nangong Mingming and saw Nangong Mingye who is pouting.
“So that’s the case?” He nodded in understanding, and then asked again: “Junior Disciple Sister Shui, you’re not participating?”
“Regarding this, little Senior Disciple Sister said that she has already signed me up.”
“Little Senior Disciple Sister?”
“The one who came to report with us that day.”
As she spoke, Shui Yuner also gave the youth a meaningful look. Appearing to have recalled what happened that day, he showed a smile of understanding.
“Oh, I see. She is also very cute… Her surname is Xue, right?”
“That’s right. She has the same surname as our Young Ancestor.”
“Yes…”
He suddenly creased his eyebrows in doubt.
“You said she already signed you up? I haven’t seen her.”
Hmm? Shui Yun’er was stunned. Didn’t little Senior Disciple Sister said that she was here?
“When did little Junior Disciple Sister sign you up? Was it earlier today?”
“… It should be yesterday.”
Shui Yuner isn’t sure. Xue Jiujiu didn’t tell her the details.
“Impossible …” The youth puckered his face, “Registration started today.”
Really?! Shui Yuner almost exclaimed. But fortunately, she reacted in time.
If the registration only started today, then how did little Senior Disciple sister sign me up yesterday? What’s going on? She didn’t lie to me, did she? Why would she? Shui Yuner’s mind is in chaos.
“Junior Disciple Sister Shui…”
The youth called her three times before the girl reacted.
“It’s all right… perhaps little Junior Disciple Sister played a joke on you.”
Would she play a joke on me? Shui Yuner doesn’t know. But if what this Senior Disciple Brother in front of her said is true, then she must have.
“Older Sister Shui, maybe little Senior Disciple Sister has another way.”
Nangong Mingming gently remind Shui Yuner that Xue Jiujiu isn’t an ordinary outer temple disciple.
That’s right. After a moment of thought, Shui Yuner realized that it is possible. After all, Xue Jiujiu is a disciple of Xue Qilin. For her, bypassing the Internal Affairs Department’s registration isn’t impossible.
However, what she said was…
“In that case, Senior Disciple Brother, please sign me up as well.”
When she reacted, she blurted out this sentence.
This was a purely subconscious response.
Shui Yuner looked down.
She doesn’t doubt Xue Jiujiu – no, maybe she does.
Whatever the case, she must register again.
Only this way will she have a peace of mind.
“…”
Seeing the look of grief on Shui Yuner’s face, Nangong Mingming hesitated to speak.
“Okay, I got it. In this case, there is Junior Disciple Sister Shui, Junior Disciple Sister Nangong, and Junior Disciple Brother, three people in total.”
Without asking anymore questions, the youth started the registration procedure of Shui Yuner and them.
The procedure isn’t complicated. You have to register your name and get a number assigned, and that’s basically it.
When the procedure was completed, Shui Yuner who has been waiting silently finally acted. She asked the Nangong siblings to leave first.
When she was left alone…
“Senior Disciple Brother, this may be a little rude, but can I speak with you alone? I want to ask you something.”
Seeing Shui Yuner’s eager appearance, the youth put down the brush.
“Junior Disciple Sister Shui, wait a minute.”
With that, he got up and went to get someone to take his place temporarily.
“Let’s talk over there.”
He pointed to a dim corner of the room, and Shui Yuner nodded.
“What is on your mind? I will tell you anything you want to know.”
When they reached the corner, the youth got right to the point.
Shui Yuner was silent for a while, and then spoke using an ineffable tone.
“Does our…” The voice appeared to choke. After a pause, Shui Yuner carried on, “Does our Young Ancestor have a disciple?”
Some kind of indescribable emotion flashed in her eyes.
Probably not expecting such a question, the youth was taken aback.
But soon, he lowered his head and pondered.
“She shouldn’t have any. The Young Ancestor has come out of seclusion not long ago, so where would she get a disciple? What’s more, her disciple would arguably have a higher seniority than vice-Temple Master Ye. So if she did accept a disciple, than that would be a great deal. There’s no way we wouldn’t know about it.”
“Senior Disciple Brother, do you know whose disciple little Senior Disciple Sister is?”
Her tone is a little unsteady, and the volume of her voice increased unconsciously. This clearly expresses her inner wavering.
Surprise overtook the youth’s face.
“Are you saying that little Junior Disciple Sister is a disciple of the Young Ancestor?”
Shui Yuner nodded heavily. Unease appeared on her face, as if afraid of the other party’s reply. The youth didn’t notice this.
“But when I registered her the other day, Temple Master Qi said that she is Elder Xia’s disciple!”
Accompanied by a huge impact, the words pierced her heart mercilessly.
The intense stabbing pain erased her train of thought.
The only thing remaining is…
Liar.
… a word.