Chapter 104 — The Inquiry

Zhou Yixuan fell silent, a thoughtful look in his eyes, and his usual flippant grin gradually faded. Seeing Zhou Yixuan suddenly wear such an expression, so unlike his usual self, the Wild Wolf Daoist was taken aback; but just then Xiaowan spoke, and his attention was drawn away.

Xiaowan looked at him for a moment and said in a low voice, "Then following him about like this day after day—doesn't it pain you? He destroyed the Blood Refining Hall, which was so kind to you. You must hate him bitterly."

The wild dog was at a loss, then fell silent, and after a long while slowly shook his head. "I don't know either. I used to hate this man with all my heart, but in these days past it has slowly come to me: what use is there in blaming him? Even if it weren't him, even if it weren't the Underworld King Sect, the Ten Thousand Venoms Sect and the Soul-Bewitching Faction would have done the same. The Underworld King Sect simply got there first."

"Hm?" Xiaowan said nothing, but Zhou Yixuan was the first to make a sound of faint surprise. He looked the Wild Wolf Daoist up and down anew, with the air of one seeing him in a new light. "You can actually see that far? I underestimated you."

The Wild Wolf Daoist rolled his eyes at Zhou Yixuan, plainly uninterested in his praise. Zhou Yixuan, rebuffed, chuckled and was not offended.

The Wild Wolf Daoist glanced at Xiaowan. Her bright eyes were like water, their gleaming ripples seeming to flow, truly captivating, and somehow he dared not look long. He lowered his head and said, "That day when I came out of the Death Marsh, I was sick to death of spending my days among that crowd from the Underworld King Sect, especially of the occasional glimpses of Chief Nian and the rest. Then I happened to see you two, and before I knew it I had followed along."

The Wild Wolf Daoist suddenly seemed to recall something and quickly raised his head. "But I never had the slightest thought of harming you—I don't know myself what came over me, I suppose I just wanted to walk about. If... if you'd rather not, I'll leave right now."

Xiaowan smiled faintly. "It's all right! I don't mind. Then from now on, walk with us! The world's a big place, and it looks to me like you've nowhere else to go."

Zhou Yixuan was startled. He pulled Xiaowan aside and lowered his voice. "Silly girl, what are you doing, dragging this fellow along with us?"

Xiaowan rolled her eyes at her grandfather. "What do you mean, this fellow and that fellow? He has a name. Besides, he means no harm—he only wants to walk with us. What's there to be afraid of?"

Zhou Yixuan said angrily, "You don't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth, girl. He's a notorious figure in the demonic cult. I've heard that in the past he..."

Zhou Yixuan suddenly broke off. Xiaowan stared at him. "What did he do in the past? Go on, tell me—what unpardonable crime have you heard he committed?"

Zhou Yixuan scratched his head and thought for a long while, then said awkwardly, "I don't seem to have heard of him doing anything..."

Xiaowan burst out laughing. She was about to turn away when Zhou Yixuan caught her by the arm. "But having this man beside us can't be any good! Why must you?"

Xiaowan said coolly, "Last night, when we passed that barren ridge, a wild boar came charging out from the roadside. Grandfather, you hid yourself far away, and it was this Daoist who rushed up and drove the boar off. Otherwise this weak girl would have had to face a great wild boar all alone."

Zhou Yixuan flushed. "I am old and feeble, how could I have stopped a great wild boar? And besides, are you a weak girl? Never mind a wild boar—even a tiger came and you still..."

Xiaowan suddenly coughed, and Zhou Yixuan said no more.

Xiaowan turned and gave the Wild Wolf Daoist, sitting off to one side, a lovely smile. "Daoist, I'll be counting on your care from now on."

The wild dog hurried to his feet. "No—not at all. If there's any rough work, just let me do it."

Zhou Yixuan snorted from a distance.

Just then, from outside the pavilion came a cold, even voice. "So you've run off to here."

The Wild Wolf Daoist's body tensed, and he turned to look; beside him Xiaowan had already blurted out, "Ah! It's you!"

On the old road outside the stone pavilion stood a young man, his face expressionless, a gray-furred monkey perched on his shoulder. It was Ming Li.

It was the first month of autumn. Though it was noon, the sun was not so fierce as in summer, and a cool breeze blew now and again outside the stone pavilion.

But inside the pavilion, with the arrival of this uninvited guest, the atmosphere had suddenly fallen silent.

The Wild Wolf Daoist sat to one side, his face flushing red and pale by turns, staring at the ground, plainly rather tense. Ming Li stood on the other side, still expressionless, not glancing much at the Wild Wolf Daoist but watching Zhou Yixuan.

Xiaowan looked at the Wild Wolf Daoist, then at Ming Li, and after a long while said cautiously, "Um, Young Master Zhang... Ming Li, you—why have you come?"

Ming Li glanced at her. "I've come looking for your grandfather."

Zhou Yixuan was taken aback. "Looking for me?"

Ming Li nodded. "Yes. I would ask the senior a question."

Xiaowan promptly relaxed. She smiled secretly at the wild dog to set his mind at ease, then turned to Ming Li with considerable interest. "Ah! A man as formidable as you—what would you want to ask my grandfather?"

As she spoke, she suddenly noticed the little gray monkey on Ming Li's shoulder, its beady eyes rolling, grinning at her and baring its teeth. She was instantly charmed and laughed. "Ha, I'm the one who gave you candied hawthorns that day! Do you remember me?"

"Chee-chee, chee-chee." The monkey Little Gray chattered and nodded vigorously, then suddenly leapt from Ming Li's shoulder into Xiaowan's arms. Plainly the monkey had a fine impression of those candied hawthorns.

Xiaowan beamed and reached out to catch Little Gray, but the moment it landed in her hands it sagged with a sudden weight, far heavier than she had expected, and she nearly dropped it to the ground. Luckily she reacted quickly and put forth more strength, steadying herself and holding Little Gray firm—but she was astonished. Only a few days had passed, and by the look of it Little Gray had not grown much at all; how had its weight suddenly increased by more than half? How very strange!

Ming Li watched Xiaowan tease Little Gray, giggling without pause, looking utterly delighted, and deep in his eyes there seemed a faint trace of a smile, which vanished at once as he turned to face Zhou Yixuan.

Zhou Yixuan shrugged. "I am a man of nine measures of talent and six cartloads of learning; there is nothing under heaven I do not know. But that you should come to ask me—now that is strange. Out with it, what is it?"

Ming Li paid no mind to his self-praise and said calmly, "That day in the Death Marsh, a fish-headed monster ambushed your granddaughter. Do you remember?"

Zhou Yixuan started. The Wild Wolf Daoist and Xiaowan, hearing this, both looked over at once.

Xiaowan, holding Little Gray, said, "That's right! The monster was terribly vicious. If not for Young Master Ming Li and Sister Ping'er striking in time, it would nearly have done for me."

Ming Li kept his eyes on Zhou Yixuan. "You said at the time that the monster was one of the Fish People, one of the sixty-three strange tribes of the southern border, is that so?"

Zhou Yixuan was silent a moment. "That is so."

Ming Li cupped his hands in salute. "Might I ask whether the senior knows anything more of this Fish People tribe?"

Zhou Yixuan looked at him. "Why have you suddenly taken an interest in this?"