劍問蒼天 - 第21章 魔蹤 - 翰墨軒

Daoyan Zhenren sighed and said slowly: "I examined it carefully. There is nothing amiss with the Spirit Venerable."

"What?" Astonishment rose on every seat-holder's face.

Daoyan Zhenren looked at his fellow disciples: "It is so. I looked several times over, and the Spirit Venerable was in every way as usual. I truly cannot fathom why it should have flown into such a rage so suddenly—and then vanished again so quickly!"

Tian Buhui pondered a moment: "The target of the Spirit Venerable's attack seemed to be the young disciples. Could someone have provoked it?"

Shui Jing Dashi, seat-holder of Xiaozhu Peak, took it up: "Impossible. If a disciple had truly provoked the Spirit Venerable, why would it abandon the attack after a single strike?"

Shui Yue was rather beautiful, but when she spoke her tone was icy, as though carrying a breath of cold air. Tian Buhui glanced at her and said no more.

Daoyan Zhenren shook his head: "The Spirit Venerable is an ancient spirit beast, long since endowed with awareness. In a thousand years it has never suffered such a sudden lapse. There must be a reason."

Zeng Shuchang, seat-holder of Fenghui Peak, seated on the left, his temples frosted white and looking the oldest of the seven, spoke: "Could it be, Sect Leader, that you have already formed a conclusion?"

Daoyan Zhenren sighed softly: "To be frank with you all, I am as much in the dark as anyone. But the Spirit Venerable is the guardian beast of our Canglan Sect—no small matter. I meant to use the sect's secret 'Spirit Communion Art' to probe the truth. To my surprise—"

Here Daoyan Zhenren suddenly broke off. The others, having heard half of it, were left hanging. Tian Buhui pressed him first: "Sect Leader, what then?"

Daoyan Zhenren looked embarrassed: "The Spirit Communion Art is a minor side-technique, but it allows some communication with the Spirit Venerable. To my surprise, just as I meant to use it, the Spirit Venerable had already fallen asleep, and there was nothing I could do."

The others were struck dumb.

Daoyan Zhenren cleared his throat twice and said gravely: "There is no need to worry over this matter. When the Spirit Venerable wakes, we shall consider it further. But there is another matter I wish to discuss with you, my senior brothers."

Seeing Daoyan Zhenren's grave expression, the others judged it no small matter. Their smiles faded and they sat up straight.

Daoyan Zhenren returned to his own seat and pondered a moment before speaking: "My friends, are you aware that three thousand li to the east there is a mountain called Kongsang?" (Note 1)

The others were taken aback. Cangyan Daoren was the first to recover: "Does the Sect Leader mean the Kongsang Mountain where the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Grotto lies?"

Daoyan Zhenren nodded: "The same."

Zeng Shuchang frowned: "I have heard that the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Grotto is a natural cavern of immense size, plunging straight into the earth, its depths unfathomable. It is cold and damp within, and nothing dwells there but countless bats—millions of them, they say. Why would you bring up such a barren place, senior brother?"

Daoyan Zhenren said slowly: "There is much you do not know. Barren as the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Grotto looks, unfit for man or beast, eight hundred years ago it was an important stronghold of the demonic cult. Its cold and damp suited those heretics well for cultivating their sorcerous arts. Later, when we of the righteous path besieged them, the demonic remnants were routed and fled, and the place fell into ruin."

Shui Jing Dashi spoke coldly: "Then why does the Sect Leader raise it again now?"