Chapter 192 — Hidden Wounds

For a long while, Zeng Shuyan and the others remained frozen in astonishment. The three exchanged a glance, and each saw in the others' eyes an unparalleled shock. Yet there was a difference among them: in the eyes of the two women, Lu Xueling and Wen Pei, there lingered a little more panic and bewilderment.

This secret, known only to a handful of disciples from Great Zhu Peak and Lesser Zhu Peak, and which Dao Yan Zhenren had privately, time and again, sternly forbidden them to divulge—had it still leaked out after all?

Unlike Wen Pei and Lu Xueling, Zeng Shuyan knew nothing of the damage done to the Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying, and what startled him more was the news itself. Yet once he had collected himself, he burst into laughter, his expression easy, and said, "Uncle-Master Yun, how can you joke with the three of us juniors like this? You nearly frightened me to death just now. The Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying is the supreme treasure of the Canglan Sect, kept personally by the Sect Master himself—how could it possibly be damaged? Heh, ha ha ha."

Even as he laughed, Zeng Shuyan kept shaking his head and smiling, then turned to look at the two companions beside him, expecting to see them laughing at this absurd rumor. But the moment he turned, the smile on his face stiffened slightly: on the faces of Lu Xueling and Wen Pei there was not the slightest trace of mirth. On the contrary, both women's brows were tightly knit, and their complexions seemed somewhat pale.

In the great hall, only Zeng Shuyan's laughter echoed—and it swiftly subsided. Yun Yifeng smiled faintly and said, "So it was only a rumor. That is for the best; otherwise, if the Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying were truly damaged, it would be an event to shake the whole world."

Lu Xueling suddenly stepped forward and said coldly to Yun Yifeng, "Uncle-Master Yun, this matter is of course an unfounded rumor, unworthy of belief. But I wonder, Senior—from where did you come to hear such despicable gossip?"

As she spoke on, Lu Xueling's voice grew colder and colder, until it sounded faintly discourteous. Yet Yun Yifeng seemed to possess excellent breeding; he took not the slightest offense at her manner, but only waved his hand with the same kindly air and said, "As a matter of fact, this rumor has only begun to circulate here in the Southern Borderlands recently. I happened to hear some of the junior disciples speak of it, and I surmised it was most likely false. Indeed, when one thinks about it, with the divine powers of Senior Brother Dao Yan, how could such absurdity ever come to pass? But since several of my martial nephews have arrived, I thought I might as well ask—and to learn from the three of you that it is indeed a rumor fills my heart with no small relief! Heh heh."

With that he smiled aloud, looking greatly pleased. Lu Xueling and the other two all frowned slightly. Surely such a matter could not simply be "casually" asked about in public—and moreover, given Yun Yifeng's extraordinary standing, how could he possibly inquire face to face about a rumor no better than common street gossip? The more they thought on it, the more they suspected he had some other design in mind.

In the midst of Yun Yifeng's laughter, the three from the Canglan Sect fell silent. Lu Xueling's face was like frost, so cold and pure she seemed not of this world, and the light in her eyes only grew sharper and sharper. Wen Pei's expression, too, was most unpleasant. Zeng Shuyan, being the more tactful of the three, saw the atmosphere growing steadily more awkward and hastily coughed, stepping forward to shield Lu Xueling. He cupped his hands and said, "Uncle-Master Yun, our masters sent us to the Southern Borderlands to track the Beast Demon's movements. I wonder if you might have any leads to share with us, so that we need not go blundering about everywhere."

Yun Yifeng glanced at Zeng Shuyan and gave a slight nod, but said nothing. He looked behind him. Li Xun understood, stepped forward, and cupped his hands to Zeng Shuyan: "Brother Zeng, I am Li Xun. By my master's command, I am to serve as a guide here in the Southern Borderlands for the time being, and for the three of you—"

"Hmph!" A cold snort, faintly tinged with anger, cut him off before he could finish. Li Xun's words halted, and his expression immediately turned ugly. Fortunately Wen Pei was quick-witted and at once smiled, saying, "Brother Li, there is no need to trouble you on our account. Some among us have been to the Southern Borderlands before and know the roads well enough."

Li Xun drew a deep breath. From the corner of his eye he stole a glance at the white-robed figure beside him; his lips moved, and suddenly all his anger seemed to vanish. He only gave a light sigh and said with a bitter smile, "Senior Sister, it is not that I wish to impose. It is only that recently our sect has traced the whereabouts of that missing Beast Lord."

At these words, Lu Xueling, Zeng Shuyan, and Wen Pei were all visibly shaken. Zeng Shuyan said joyfully, "Is this true?"

Li Xun nodded. "It is. In any case, the Fenxia Valley's centuries of foundations and connections here in the Southern Borderlands mean we know a little more than outsiders do." Having spoken, he glanced at Lu Xueling again, whether intentionally or not. Her face was blank; she turned her head away.

Zeng Shuyan pressed him: "Where is the Beast Lord now?"

Li Xun said, "According to our information, the demon has fled deep into the bizarre and desolate Ten Thousand Wild Mountains, and is making for his lair."

Zeng Shuyan and the others were startled. "The Ten Thousand Wild Mountains?"

Li Xun nodded. "Precisely. There is no need for me to tell you—you have surely heard of it already. It is a place of danger and strangeness, mysterious and unfathomable, one of the few most perilous regions in the world. Had the three of you not come, I was just about to set out with a company of junior brothers to search within the Ten Thousand Wild Mountains. Now that you have arrived, would it not be better for us all to travel together? I mean nothing else by it; but in any case, having spent many years in the Southern Borderlands, I know a thing or two about that uncanny, unfathomable, and exceedingly dangerous range. With me as your guide, it may well do the three of you no harm and some good!"

Having said this, he gave two cold laughs.

Zeng Shuyan frowned and glanced back at Wen Pei and Lu Xueling. "Brother Li, please wait a moment while the three of us confer."

Li Xun nodded. "As you please."

The three from the Canglan Sect withdrew to one side and began speaking in low voices. From where Li Xun stood, it seemed that Zeng Shuyan did most of the talking, with Wen Pei occasionally chipping in a word or two, while Lu Xueling said not a thing, merely shaking her head in silence, or giving the occasional nod.

That white-robed woman seemed forever so pure and ethereal, standing there in her quiet grace. Gazing at Lu Xueling from afar, Li Xun seemed for a moment to lose himself entirely. Just then, someone suddenly clapped him on the shoulder. Li Xun gave a start—he had not imagined anyone could steal so close without his noticing—and hastily turned. It was Yun Yifeng.

Li Xun flushed and said in a low voice, "Master, this disciple has disgraced himself. Is something the matter?"

Yun Yifeng glanced toward Lu Xueling, his face expressionless, and said merely, "Do not forget the burden you carry."

Li Xun's body gave a shudder. He said in a low voice, "This disciple understands."

Yun Yifeng nodded. "Look after them. I shall go on ahead." So saying, without a word of farewell to the three from the Canglan Sect, he departed on his own. Li Xun watched Yun Yifeng's figure vanish through the rear hall door of the Shanhe Hall, his heart a tangle of feelings, his face shifting between light and shadow.