Chapter 21 — Traces of the Demon
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 2 of 6
Perfected Dao Yan looked at these young disciples and smiled. "The prize this time is the '** Mirror.'"
"What sort of thing is that?" Zhang Qingyue was dumbfounded; he had never heard of any such object, and could not help looking around—but Tian Lingsu, Du Biyan, and the others looked just as blank, and the young disciples of the other branches seemed no better informed. Yet the elder disciples, Qi Hao, Song Dayi, Wen Pei, and their like, had gone pale, and on their faces showed a rare excitement and longing.
Tian Lingsu and the others noticed that their eldest brother and the rest seemed to know something; they leaned in close and whispered, "Eldest Brother, what is the '** Mirror'?"
Song Dayi said quietly, "The ** Mirror is a precious artifact handed down by the tenth-generation patriarch of our sect, Perfected Wufangzi. What it actually looks like, I have never seen myself; I only once heard Master speak of it. It is one of our sect's great treasures, of immense power, and it has a wondrous property besides: so long as the wielder's spiritual power is strong enough, the ** Mirror can reflect any attack, and so the wielder stands invincible."
Their mouths fell open. Du Biyan stammered, "Then—then wouldn't that make him unbeatable in all the world?"
Song Dayi shrugged. "What it really looks like, I couldn't tell you. But Master would not be wrong about it. This time—" he shot a glance at Perfected Dao Yan and lowered his voice—"this time it seems the Sect Master and Master and the rest have truly broken open the coffers!"
Everyone's expression turned rather strange, and most seemed to be secretly swallowing their drool. So it seemed that even cultivators could not wholly keep their hearts from stirring when a rare treasure lay before them.
Perfected Dao Yan paused a while, smiling as he watched the young disciples chatter among themselves; then he said, "Well, that is roughly all. Go and rest. Tomorrow morning, the Seven-Branch Martial Tournament begins."
The Canglan disciples bowed together and said in unison, "Yes, Sect Master."
Perfected Dao Yan nodded. "You may go."
The disciples gradually withdrew, until only the heads of the Canglan Sect's seven branches and a dozen or so elders remained in the great hall. Perfected Dao Yan turned back and said with a smile to those elders, "Eldest brothers, you should go and rest early as well. From tomorrow there will be many bouts, and we shall be relying on your care."
Of those elders, some had white hair and faces seamed with wrinkles; others looked remarkably young, having mastered the art of preserving their looks. Hearing the Sect Master's words, they said nothing more, but went out one by one. At last, in Yuheng Hall, only the heads of the seven branches remained.
Perfected Dao Yan slowly let fade the kindly smile he always wore, and his gaze passed over the six others seated in their chairs. "Well," he said mildly, "now there are only the seven of us."
Shang Zhengliang, head of Chaoyang Peak, who sat to the right, frowned. "Sect Master, have you something to say to us?"
Perfected Dao Yan nodded, his face without expression, and said slowly, "I have just been to see the Spirit Sovereign."
At these words, everyone's expression changed.
Coming down the steps, the disciples passed the jade-green pool still with fear and trembling—but this time the Water Qilin slept peacefully and made no further stir.
Crossing the Rainbow Bridge and returning to that vast plaza called the "Sea of Clouds," a place like a realm of the immortals, Lin Jinghong exchanged a few words with Zhang Qingyue, then went off with the disciples of the Dragon Peak branch. Zhang Qingyue watched him go, then walked back to the Dazhu Peak group and listened as Song Dayi explained certain precautions and the arrangements for lodging. As he listened, something suddenly struck him, and he cried out, "Oh no—this is bad!"