劍問蒼天 - 第110章 暗殺 - 翰墨軒

That grey cloud came with what speed! In an instant it was before their eyes, and its might only grew—winds whirled fiercely in midair, gradually forming a tornado several zhang across. With a sharp sound, "Woo," it came charging down from the night sky.

Almost at the same moment, every flower, grass, and tree on the ground around them was bent outward and torn loose by the gale; sand and stones flew; the weaker Burning Cloud Valley disciples and some of the fish-men were even swept up by the wind and flung away.

The crowd cried out in terror. Before they could react, the tornado had struck the ground. Amid the shrill wind, thud after thud rang out, and several dozen fish-men, as if seized by a giant hand, were all sent flying and hurled backward, crashing heavily to the earth.

The fish-men squealed and shrieked in thin, grating voices, but plainly in great terror. The wind whirled a few moments more, separating all the fish-men from the Burning Cloud Valley disciples, and only then slowly died down. The sound of wind gradually stilled, the great force of it slowly dispersed, and the figure of a grey-robed old man emerged.

The Burning Cloud Valley disciples were taken aback; then they landed one after another and saluted the old man together, saying respectfully, "Martial Uncle Shangguan."

Lü Shun too slowly came back to earth and walked over. He glanced at the grey-robed old man, the veins at his temples twitching, then said with a smile that did not reach his eyes, "Brother Shangguan, a trifling matter like this—how has it brought a great personage like you out?"

The grey-robed old man looked at him and smiled faintly. "The Valley Master has given his order. I had no choice but to come."

Lü Shun's expression changed.

By then Li Xun and Yan Fei had also arrived, descending from the air. Li Xun walked to Lü Shun's side, lowered his voice, and said softly, "Martial Uncle Lü, it was the Valley Master who ordered me to invite Martial Uncle Shangguan here."

Lü Shun gave a cold snort, his face all the uglier, but in the end he said nothing more and turned his head away.

The grey-robed old man did not look at him either. He turned and surveyed the blood-soaked ground before him, and his face darkened.

By now the fish-men had gathered in one place, all eyes fixed upon the grey-robed old man. But now they seemed to recognize him. Somehow these fish-men, who feared not death, were somewhat in awe of this ordinary grey-robed old man, and for the moment dared not rush forward.

The grey-robed old man withdrew his gaze and said in a deep voice, "Where is Sun Tu?"

Hardly had the words left his mouth when a middle-aged man came running out from among the Burning Cloud Valley disciples—none other than Sun Tu, who had gone with Lü Shun that night and understood the savage tongue.

He ran to the grey-robed old man's side, his face utterly deferential, and said, "Your disciple is here."

The grey-robed old man glanced at him. The man was covered in dust and grime; plainly, being of no great cultivation, he had suffered some in the fighting just now. Still, it was luck enough that he was not dead—after all, those who understood the savage tongue were few.

The grey-robed old man said at once, "Come, translate their words for me."

Sun Tu assented cautiously and stood to one side.

The grey-robed old man looked toward the fish-men and called out in a ringing voice, "I am Shangguan Lüe. Let one of you come out and speak."

A stir ran through the fish-men there; plainly they understood Shangguan Lüe's words. And that name seemed to hold some magic for them, remarkable and far-reaching. After a good while, a tall fish-man stepped forward.

Shangguan Lüe studied him a moment, then said slowly, "Do you know me?"

The fish-man hesitated, then said, "Ji ji ji ji."

Beside him Sun Tu at once translated: "They know."