劍問蒼天 - 第99章 故人情 - 翰墨軒

Little Wan was taken aback, but then she saw Zhou Yixuan reach into his robes and draw out a yellow paper talisman. Plainly he meant to use his "patriarch's secret transmission"—that earth-burrowing art—to slip away, and she was caught between annoyance and laughter. She hurriedly caught hold of him. "Grandfather, wait a moment."

Zhou Yixuan glanced behind him. "That fellow's coming after us again. Wait for what?"

Little Wan smiled. "Grandfather, that earth-burrowing art of yours may be a secret handed down from the patriarch, but once you've burrowed down, you can't control where we come up. And I'll have you know, we're not far from the Dead Mire now. If you happened to drill us right into it, we'd be well and truly done for."

Zhou Yixuan was stunned. He stammered, "Our luck couldn't be that bad, surely?"

Little Wan rolled her eyes at him. "Do you think your luck is good or bad?"

Zhou Yixuan thought it over, then said with great firmness, "Bad!"

Little Wan giggled. "There you have it. So we can't take the risk." She leaned in close to Zhou Yixuan and signaled with her eyes toward her left hand. "Grandfather, have you forgotten? I still have that protective treasure Sister Ping'er gave me. And besides, Daoist Wild Wolf is no great master of the demon path. Dealing with him shouldn't be so hard."

Zhou Yixuan bowed his head in thought, then let out a long breath. "You're right. Ah—I don't know why, but these past few days I've been jumpy and ill at ease. I suppose it's because we saw so many cultivation masters in the Dead Mire that I've come to think too highly of that Wild Dog fellow as well."

Little Wan smiled with pursed lips. "And besides, Daoist Wild Wolf doesn't seem to be a bad man. Didn't he lend us his umbrella back then?"

Zhou Yixuan spat. "'Us'? He lent it to you. This old man got soaked half to death in the rain, and you heartless girl never batted an eye. Truly unfilial."

Little Wan stuck out her tongue and laughed. "Grandfather, I offered to share it with you. You were the one who didn't want it."

Zhou Yixuan snorted again and strode on, still grumbling. "You're just like that unfilial father of yours, the both of you, vexing me day in and day out. Utterly unfilial!"

Little Wan shook her head with a smile and followed after him.

Behind them on the old road, Daoist Wild Wolf faintly heard laughter drifting from ahead. He frowned, his expression shifting, but in the end he followed on.

Between heaven and earth, the wind swept across the wilderness, moaning softly.

They walked on for another half-hour or so, and Zhou Yixuan began to feel tired. He stopped little Wan. "Let's rest a while."

Little Wan nodded. Seeing a good-sized slab of bluestone by the roadside, she went over and brushed it off. "Grandfather, sit here."

Zhou Yixuan nodded. He leaned the bamboo pole with its white cloth banner reading Immortal Points the Way against the stone, then sat down on it and found himself a little short of breath. He shook his head slightly. "Why do I keep feeling lately that my body's failing me? We've hardly walked any distance at all, and already I'm panting?"

Little Wan was just taking the water flask out of the bundle. Hearing this, a flicker of worry crossed her eyes. She came over and handed him the flask. "Grandfather, have a drink of water."

Zhou Yixuan nodded. He took the flask, tipped back his head for a few swallows, and let out a long breath. Then he turned and looked back, and sure enough, there was still a figure standing far off behind them.

Zhou Yixuan watched for a good while. Then he gave a sudden chuckle, and paid the man no further mind. He handed the flask back to little Wan—but as he turned back, he gave a start. Little Wan was sitting beside him, and at some point she had produced another stick of bright red candied hawthorns and was eating it with great relish.