Chapter 197 — True Anger

"—then beneath the two thousand years of the Canglan Sect there shall stand one unworthy disciple, Su Wan, who for the sake of the one to whom her whole life's heart is bound, here on Jietian Peak of Canglan Mountain, shall demand an accounting before the patriarchs of every generation—and before that renowned senior brother of ours, the Sect Master!"

With a soft cry she swept her hand like a blade, cleaving the wind, and the dark-green sword-light flared in an instant. A shrill whistle of air being split rose up, followed by a muffled thud and a swirl of flying dust. All felt the ground tremble faintly beneath them, as though at an earthquake. When the dust had somewhat settled, they saw that the dark-green immortal sword in Su Wan's hand had been thrust, sheath and all, into the exceedingly hard stone flagging at the center of the Jade Balance Hall—and about the point where it had entered the ground there was not the least crack or fissure.

In some unseen way, that dark-green immortal sword planted in the earth, though parted from Su Wan's palm, seemed only the more fierce in its sword-light, and, like a savage beast licking blood, gave another low growl.

Senior Brother Yang looked at the dark-green immortal sword thrust into the ground before himself and Su Wan, and gave a bitter smile. "Junior Sister Su, this—surely it has not come to that yet. Why have you brought out 'Mo Xue,' sealed away these hundred years and more?"

Su Wan said with a cold smile, "Senior Brother Yang, you know well enough. In those days Buhui asked me to seal this Mo Xue away. Because he was here, I sealed it, and thought nothing of it. But if something has befallen him, then I shall have to consult our senior brother the Sect Master with Mo Xue here."

Elder Yang shook his head with a bitter smile. "I thought that after so many years married to Junior Brother Tian you must long since have changed that temper of yours. Well, well—I cannot persuade you in any case. Let us go sit down together and wait for Xiao Yichen to bring our senior brother the Sect Master here."

Su Wan's face was without expression, but she gave a snort, and slowly went with Elder Yang to one side and sat down.

In the Jade Balance Hall the atmosphere gradually eased a little. Elder Yang there lowered his voice and spoke softly to Su Wan of something or other—no doubt still comforting her not to be too anxious. The other elders either stood behind Elder Yang or sat down as well. Only Elder Fan shuffled slowly to one side of the Jade Balance Hall's great doors, putting a good distance between himself and Su Wan.

As for the other young disciples, their standing was not sufficient, and with Su Wan's wrathful display besides, each stood farther off than the last. Among the elders of Jietian Peak, this Elder Fan was ordinarily the most easygoing of disposition, and something of a comic and humorist besides. Though in cultivation he inevitably lagged behind his fellow elders, among the young disciples he was the most popular of all; whether disciples he had taught himself or other nephews, all were on close terms with him.

At this moment, seeing Elder Fan standing alone to one side, many of the younger generation quietly edged over toward him—among them not a few who had just been flung in by Su Wan and were likewise disciples of Elder Fan.

Elder Fan looked at those few disciples and shook his head. One young disciple beside him could not resist asking softly, "Master, why is Uncle-Master Su so fierce? Ordinarily she seems so gentle—how is it that when she is angry she is so formidable?"

The white-bearded Elder Fan rolled his eyes at the disciple, gave a "hmph," blew at the beard below his mouth, and said, "How long have you lot been in the Canglan Sect? What would you know? When that woman was in her shrewish days, there was nothing she would not do!"

Young disciples slowly gathered around, each listening attentively. Someone said softly, "Ah, one would never have guessed. Uncle-Master Su is so fair—she must have been a beauty of the first order in her day?"

Elder Fan chuckled, and stole a glance toward Su Wan and Elder Yang. Seeing that they were in conversation and plainly paying no attention to the young disciples, he grew bold. "As it happens, in her time she had the greatest name of any of the women disciples of our Canglan Sect of that generation. She was like—well," he nodded, and a mysterious smile suddenly came over his face; he lowered his voice. "—like that Lu Xueling on Xiaozhu Peak nowadays."

A chorus of "Oh!" went up from the assembled disciples. Every face lit with sudden understanding, and they nodded one after another to show that they had grasped Elder Fan's meaning.

Elder Fan, with all agreeing so readily, could not help feeling somewhat pleased with himself. "In truth, when you come down to it, though her cultivation was good, there were those stronger than she—Senior Brother Daoyan and Senior Brother Wan, for instance, were rare talents of a thousand years. Naturally they were stronger than she. But people saw that she was young and beautiful, and that she had a master, the Venerable Zhenyu, to back her—no one dared provoke her, and so she dared stir up trouble wherever she went. I still remember, in those days she turned the whole Canglan Sect upside down all by herself—and then there was that tigress Shui Yue, just as fierce as she—er, you brat, why did you hit me? Behave yourself, I have not finished talking."

Elder Fan, in high spirits, went on: "Back then, that Shui Yue—hm, what is with those looks on your faces? Oh, I see, you do not know whom I mean? Heh heh, it is none other than the present Master Shui Jing of Xiaozhu Peak. She was Su Wan's senior sister, and her fierce temper in those days was every bit the match of Su Wan's—famous throughout our Canglan Sect. Hey, you brat, why do you keep tugging at me? I tell you, however you look at it, I am your master—do not be so ill-mannered—eh, where was I?"

"Hm, now I remember. I was speaking of Shui Yue. That Su Wan, fierce as she was back then and ready for anything, seemed to become another person after she married Tian Buhui of Dazhu Peak—just the way you have always known her to be. We old fellows found it strange indeed, but on the whole it was a good thing. But as for that Shui Yue, she has not changed a bit. Fierce as she was then, fierce she is now—even the disciple she trained, take that favorite of yours, Lu Xueling—she is almost the very image of her in those days—good heavens!"

Elder Fan whipped around and said angrily, "You brat, why do you keep tugging at me? Has it been so long since you were thrashed that your hide itches—"

His voice broke off abruptly. His mouth fell slightly open. A ring of young disciples had lowered their heads and stood to one side, silent and motionless. Beyond the great doors of the Jade Balance Hall stood Master Shui Jing, her face blank and cold, watching Elder Fan. Beside her, Wen Pei too was gazing at Elder Fan, her face full of anger.

In an instant Elder Fan's forehead was drenched in sweat; his old face flushed crimson. He stepped back a few paces, desperately embarrassed, smiling bitterly again and again. Master Shui Jing walked slowly in, and did not glance at Elder Fan again; Wen Pei, however, was plainly unwilling to let it go, and shot him several fierce glares.

Among these elders of Qingyun, Elder Fan had always been famed for his talkativeness, and now to be caught out on the spot left him in a most awkward position. Yet Su Wan and Elder Yang over there clearly did not know what had just happened. Seeing Master Shui Jing arrive so unexpectedly, a flicker of surprise crossed Su Wan's face, and she rose. "Senior Sister, what brings you here?"