劍問蒼天 - 第64章 隱憂 - 翰墨軒

Bili had smiled at first, but after a while her smile slowly faded, and she lowered her head in silence.

The Underworld King frowned and said: "What is it?"

Bili hesitated, then said softly: "I—I am a little worried. If it comes to this, I fear Xiaofan will suffer again."

The Underworld King gave a cold snort and said: "Without tempering, how can one know if a blade is sharp? If he cannot endure even this much hardship, then far from entrusting you to him with peace of mind, I would not think much of him even if he came to join my sect."

Bili nodded slowly, but for some reason she still felt uneasy. She could not help looking east, and saw only the vast forest sea beneath the vault of heaven, cutting off her sight as though a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers lay between.

Xiao Yichen's sudden appearance caused quite a stir in Canglan Sect; both Daoist Cangyan and Tian Buhui were astonished and delighted. Moreover, from Xiao Yichen's mouth they learned that the demonic sect seemed to be searching for the strange beast that had appeared on Liubo Mountain, the "Kui Ox," and they learned by chance that even the Underworld King, one of the four great leaders of the demonic sect, had come to this place.

At that moment, Xiao Yichen, being injured, was lying on a makeshift stone bed, his back against the rock wall. Only Daoist Cangyan and Tian Buhui were with him; the other disciples had been temporarily sent away.

Daoist Cangyan nodded slowly, his expression grave, and said: "So that man is the new Underworld King of the Underworld King lineage of the demonic sect. His cultivation is indeed profound."

Tian Buhui frowned and said: "Yichen, how did you manage to infiltrate the demonic sect?"

Xiao Yichen smiled and said: "That day I received my master's orders to go in secret to Kongsang Mountain and investigate the demonic sect's movements. I did indeed find remnants of the Blood Refining Hall faction operating there. But after much covert observation, I judged that these remnants were no great threat and not worth worrying about. Only, I heard them speak many times of the Holy Sect and this and that, as though some secret great undertaking were afoot within the demonic sect. To get to the bottom of it, I took the name Xiao Zhou. It happened that they were in need of men just then, and seeing that I had some small skill, I was actually admitted into the demonic sect quite smoothly."

Here he turned to Tian Buhui with a touch of apology and said: "But Martial Uncle Tian, that day when Junior Brother Zhang and Junior Sister Lu Xueqi of Small Bamboo Peak fell into the Dead Spirit Abyss, I happened to be assigned to another route, dealing with Senior Brother Facheng of the Sanskrit Temple and his group. I could not go to their rescue, and I have felt rather sorry about it. Fortunately, Junior Brother Zhang was blessed with great fortune and came through unharmed, which set my mind at ease."

Tian Buhui smiled slightly and said: "No matter. That was not your fault; do not trouble yourself over it."

Daoist Cangyan, hearing this from the side, suddenly gave a cold snort.

Tian Buhui heard it, but paid him no mind.

Cangyan Daoren turned to Xiao Yichen and said, "But come to think of it, Nephew Yicai, this business of yours was far too risky. You must know that the fiendish scoundrels of the Demonic Sect are every one of them treacherous and cunning. If something had gone wrong and you had come to harm, I would have had no way to answer to our Senior Brother Sect Master."

Tian Buhui nodded as well and said, "Just so. Before we came down the mountain this time, our Senior Brother Sect Master had heard nothing from you for months and was greatly worried. He made a point of privately instructing us to keep an eye out for your whereabouts."

Xiao Yichen's expression dimmed, and he shook his head. "Alas, it is all my fault for making my honored master worry."