劍問蒼天 - 第12章 異變 - 翰墨軒

Before the Quiet Hall on Dazhu Peak, Tian Buhui paced back and forth, his brows knit, a trace of anxiety on his face. That morning his daughter and that good-for-nothing seventh disciple had gone up the rear mountain to cut bamboo and play, and now that it was dark there was still no sign of them. Su Wan had gone out searching at first light, and by now he had sent the other disciples out one after another, but there was no sign of them on Dazhu Peak, and the surrounding country was all rolling hills and dense forest. To find two people in it was like fishing a needle from the sea.

As he stood there in his worry, a rushing sound came through the air, and Tian Buhui looked up to see Su Wan returning with the two young ones. By the look of Tian Lingsu and the other, there was nothing seriously wrong—except that on Zhang Qingyue's shoulder there perched a gray-furred monkey, he could not think from where.

Only then did Tian Buhui's heart settle, though the anger on his face had not retreated a whit. Zhang Qingyue glanced twice at his master and quailed, not daring to move, his head sunk to his chest—and to make matters worse, that gray monkey was mischievous beyond words, reaching over now and then to rummage in Zhang Qingyue's hair, as though trying to pick out a few lice.

Tian Lingsu put away the Amber-red Silk. Catching sight of her father standing before the hall in a rage, she rolled her eyes a few times, then put on a smile as blooming as a flower, innocent and utterly adorable, and skipped over to Tian Buhui's side. Taking his hand, she said, "Father, we're back."

Tian Buhui snorted. "Where have you been?"

Tian Lingsu said with a grin, "While Xiaofan was cutting bamboo, a monkey bullied him. I went to catch it and settle the score for him—there, that monkey." She pointed toward Zhang Qingyue.

The gray monkey on Zhang Qingyue's shoulder gave a start, squeaked "zhizhi" twice in their direction in a show of fury, then scratched its head and turned its attention back to Zhang Qingyue's hair.

Tian Lingsu made a face at it, then gave a rough account of the chase, adding, "...and later, when we chased it into the valley, I suddenly felt sick and somehow fainted. When I woke, Xiaofan was lying on the ground too, unconscious. But luckily neither of us was hurt, and when we were about to come back I saw that the monkey seemed very attached to Xiaofan, so I brought it along too."

Tian Buhui frowned and turned to his wife. "What's going on?"

Su Wan shook her head. "When I found the two of them on the rear mountain, I went down to have a look. There was nothing unusual about the place. I expect Ling'er's cultivation isn't deep enough, and she insisted on carrying Xiaofan with her on the Amber-red Silk through the air, until she exhausted herself."

Tian Lingsu wheedled, "Mother, what nonsense are you saying? How could my cultivation not be deep enough? Xiaofan, isn't that so?"

Zhang Qingyue said hastily, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Tian Buhui shot Zhang Qingyue a cold glance. "A disciple of the Canglan Sect, bullied by a monkey—if word of this gets out, you'll have shamed me to my bones."

Zhang Qingyue flushed red and did not dare make a sound, hanging his head.

Su Wan walked over and took Tian Lingsu's hand. "You haven't eaten all day. Hungry, aren't you?"

Tian Lingsu stuck out her tongue and laughed. "So hungry, Mother!"

Su Wan gave her a look and drew her toward the kitchen, saying as she went, "A child's body with a grown woman's tricks!"

Zhang Qingyue felt hungry now too, but in Tian Buhui's presence he did not dare stir a muscle. He listened as Su Wan and Tian Lingsu's voices receded, yet his master made no further sound. He stole a glance upward: the space before the hall was empty. Tian Buhui had gone off at some point—no doubt he felt it a waste of breath even to curse this idiot disciple.