Chapter 26 — Luck

Senior Brother Gao said: "Yes. When you weren't here just now, Master was watching too, and at the end he muttered something—that this girl must have cultivated the Taiji Xuanqing Dao to at least the eighth level of the Yuqing Realm, and who knows but she may have reached the ninth."

Zeng Shuyan's expression changed. He stood frozen where he was, speechless for a moment. Zhang Qingyue found it strange; from the very first moment they had met, Zeng Shuyan had declared that he cared nothing for the outcome of the matches—and yet by every sign he cared a great deal indeed.

Just then the sound of bell and cauldron came from afar. The Fenghui Peak group, with Senior Brother Gao at their head, seemed to have someone fighting; they all began moving toward the sound. Zhang Qingyue saw that Zeng Shuyan was still standing there dumbstruck and went over to tug at him.

Zeng said: "It's over, it's all over. Now we've got absolutely no hope left."

Zhang Qingyue, for his part, truly did not much care. "Over is over," he said. "By the way—haven't you still got your own match?"

Zeng said: "I haven't started yet, but I ought to be getting over there. What about you—where are you headed?"

Zhang Qingyue thought it over. "I'm going to report to Master and Mistress. Even if it was only by a fluke that I won."

Zeng said: "Then come find me when you have time."

Zhang Qingyue nodded and answered, and the two parted ways.

Zhang Qingyue turned and made his way toward the other side of the crowd, hearing the Qingyun disciples around him for the most part discussing the duel just fought between Lu Xueqi and Duan Lei. After searching a long while, he finally found the Dazhu Peak group to the west—but even from a distance he could see that Tian Buhui's face was dark with anger, his expression livid. Zhang Qingyue had always stood in great awe of Tian Buhui; he crept over stealthily now. Tian Buhui glanced at him once and then looked away, not even bothering to ask the result.

Su Wan was there, and Tian Lingsu, and several other Dazhu Peak disciples—only the eldest senior brother, Song Dayi, was missing. Zhang Qingyue stole a look at the assembled company: Tian Lingsu seemed all right, but the senior brothers' faces were full of dejection. He quietly asked Du Biyan beside him: "Sixth Senior Brother, what's happened?"

Du Biyan glanced at Tian Buhui, saw that he did not seem to be looking their way, and whispered: "Just now, everyone but eldest senior brother had a match, and in the end only little junior sister won. Master is furious."

Zhang Qingyue was taken aback, and for a moment did not know what to say.

Su Wan stood to one side, watching the disciples all trembling with fear and Tian Buhui's face livid as iron. She shook her head and sighed, then said gently to Zhang Qingyue, who had just returned: "Xiaofan, you're back. How did it go?"

Zhang Qingyue hesitated, then said in a low voice: "Mistress, I—I won, by a fluke."

Su Wan said: "Oh, never mind. Lost is lost; think of it as having gained some experience—" Her voice suddenly dropped. She looked at Zhang Qingyue in astonishment. "What did you just say?"

Everyone, Tian Buhui included, turned at once to look at Zhang Qingyue. His face flushed red, but for the first time in his life, under the gaze of so many eyes—and above all under the astonished eyes of Tian Lingsu beside Su Wan—he felt a thrill of vain excitement. Raising his voice a little, he looked at Tian Buhui and said: "Master, Mistress, I just now—I won, by a fluke."

An uproar swept through the company.

The Dazhu Peak group had gathered below the "Kun" platform to watch the day's last combatant, Song Dayi. On the stage, Song Dayi and his opponent fought fiercely; the immense blade-body of the immortal sword Ten Tigers seemed to split into countless savage giant tigers in midair, sending up a thunderous din that shook the mountains, slashing one sword-stroke after another straight at his opponent. He held every advantage.

Yet below the platform, for all their rejoicing, the Dazhu Peak disciples still could not bring themselves to accept what Zhang Qingyue had told them.

"Little junior brother, you're saying that in your match just now, you were about to lose, when all of a sudden that fellow Chu Yuhong was taken with some sudden illness, blood streaming down his face, and collapsed?"

"Yes. Fourth Senior Brother, you and Second, Third, and Fifth Senior Brothers have asked me twenty-two times already—why are you still asking? Sixth Senior Brother, you talk some sense into them. I really am telling the truth."

Du Biyan said: "Little junior brother, you're saying that in your match just now, you were about to lose, when all of a sudden that fellow Chu Yuhong was taken with some sudden illness, blood streaming down his face, and collapsed?"

Zhang Qingyue clutched his head and groaned: "Yes—that makes twenty-three."

Tian Lingsu scolded them: "Why must you all torment him so? Xiaofan wouldn't lie." But even as she said it she shook her head. "Still, Xiaofan, isn't your luck a little too good? No wonder nobody believes it."

Zhang Qingyue was left speechless.

Behind them the disciples chattered on and on, while Tian Buhui and Su Wan kept their eyes fixed on the stage. After a while Su Wan said quietly: "What do you make of it?"

Tian Buhui frowned and countered: "That he won on his own merits—do you believe it?"

Su Wan smiled. "Our disciple's luck really is out of the ordinary!"

Tian Buhui gave a humph.

*Boom!* With a mighty crash, Song Dayi gave a great shout upon the stage. The Ten Tigers immortal sword blazed with yellow radiance that filled the heavens, near blinding to behold, and swept forward with the invincible momentum of one who splits mountains and cleaves seas. His opponent could hold out no longer; crushed by that vast force, he spat a mouthful of blood and flew backward.

The Dazhu Peak disciples raised a thunderous cheer, and at last a smile surfaced on Tian Buhui's face.

Song Dayi came down from the platform and returned among them. He first paid his respects to Tian Buhui and Su Wan, and then received the company's fervent congratulations.

"Ha ha, a fluke, a fluke! Sixth Junior Brother, there's no need to be so fulsome! Eh—little junior brother, you're back too. How did it go today? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? Ah, look at you—take a word from your eldest senior brother: your days of cultivation are few, and there will be plenty of chances ahead. Don't take a single win or loss to heart—er, why are you all looking at me like that?"

Tian Buhui had already turned and walked away; Su Wan smiled at her eldest disciple and followed after him. Song Dayi, utterly at a loss, asked the others: "What's the matter?"

Tian Lingsu went to his side and explained it all. Song Dayi turned back in disbelief. Zhang Qingyue shrank back timidly and said: "Eldest Senior Brother, I know that luck this good is no good thing—but that's how it happened, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Song Dayi's eyes went wide. "Little junior brother, you're saying that in your match just now, you were about to lose, when all of a sudden that fellow Chu Yuhong was taken with some sudden illness, blood streaming down his face, and collapsed?"

Zhang Qingyue collapsed in despair.

By the end of that day, only sixteen competitors remained in the Canglan Sect's Seven Peaks Tournament. To the surprise of many, the long-declining Dazhu Peak had actually claimed three places among them, far surpassing its showing in previous years. Whatever the mood within the sect, Tian Buhui's face was greatly honored before the world; all that day he wore a beaming smile, and the disciples, seeing it, whispered among themselves.

Du Biyan said: "Look at how pleased Master is. Now he can hold his head high again."

Wu Dayi said: "You said it. Eldest senior brother and little junior sister have truly done him proud."