Chapter 125 — Heartbreak
劍問蒼天 · Page 1 of 6
The burning flames lit up the sky, their brilliant glare turning everything near and far as bright as day; even a hundred li away, the rumbling roar could still be heard.
Gazing at that distant place where flickering red light and fireballs intertwined, the whole party halted in astonishment.
The group from Fenxia Valley was led by Shangguan Lue, accompanied by Li Xun, Lü Shun, and a dozen others, as well as Lu Xueling of the Canglan Sect and Facheng of the Fanyin Temple, who had come along with them. They stood on the ancient road a hundred li from Qili Tong, watching that place where chaotic rays flashed and danced.
Li Xun frowned. "Something seems to have gone wrong."
Facheng gazed into the distance and said in a grave voice, "That firelight reeks of evil to the heavens—most peculiar. I fear some demonic cultivator is at work."
Li Xun turned and glanced at Lu Xueling, who stood nearby. Seeing that the woman still wore her cold expression and said not a word, he addressed Shangguan Lue. "Martial Uncle Shangguan, what should we do?"
Facheng and the others all looked to Shangguan Lue at once. He was gazing far into the distance, but the expression on his face had suddenly turned very strange—as though startled and doubtful, as though stunned.
At Li Xun's question he seemed to wake with a start. His body gave a shudder, and then his expression returned to normal. After a brief moment of thought he said, "Since it is demons and evildoers, we cannot shirk our duty—all the more reason to go. There is no time to lose; let us hurry there at once. From the height of those demonic flames, I fear the evildoer's cultivation is not low and the harm he does will be all the deeper. The sooner we arrive, the more lives we may save."
Facheng pressed his palms together. "Martial Uncle Shangguan speaks truly."
Shangguan Lue nodded. "Then I shall go on ahead. Catch up as quickly as you can!"
With that, without waiting for anyone to reply, he waved his hand. Grey light flashed, and he rose into the sky as a streak of brightness, speeding toward Qili Tong.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort rose from the crowd. Everyone started; it was Lü Shun, his face dark with displeasure, his expression one of open contempt.
Li Xun felt somewhat awkward. After all, both men were of his elders' generation, and he could hardly say anything now, so he turned to Facheng and Lu Xueling. "Then let us be off as well!"
Facheng and Lu Xueling nodded and rose into the air together, Li Xun following after. Lü Shun's face was full of reluctance, but Shangguan Lue clearly held far higher standing in everyone's hearts than he did, and Li Xun had spoken too; the disciples all followed one after another, leaving only Lü Shun. In the end he had no choice but to mutter two curses under his breath and take flight.
At the very front, Facheng and Lu Xueling flew abreast, with Li Xun taking off a little slower behind them; by now he was gradually catching up.
Just as Li Xun had nearly caught them, still more than a zhang behind, Lu Xueling suddenly said, as though to herself, "Martial Uncle Shangguan flies so very fast!"
Facheng was at her side, wreathed in the golden light of his artifact, the Wheel of Reincarnation; his moon-white monk's robe billowed in the wind. Now he turned his head slightly toward Lu Xueling, and saw the woman in white, white as snow, her face cold as frost, as clear and cold and beautiful as a celestial maiden soaring through the night sky.
His eyes brightened a little, and a meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. In a low voice he said, "Yes indeed! He flies very fast..."
"Whoosh!" With a rush of wind, Li Xun caught up and flew shoulder to shoulder with them. After a while, Lü Shun caught up as well. But by now, Shangguan Lue's cultivation was evidently so profound and unfathomable that his figure could no longer be seen ahead of the four of them.