劍問蒼天 - 第128章 追蹤 - 翰墨軒

The sky gradually brightened, and the fierce fire that had burned all night in Qili Tong finally began to subside. Yet when the flames died away, all that remained were broken walls and charred timbers still trailing wisps of smoke.

Though Facheng and the others were highly cultivated, a night of labor had left scorch marks on their robes, and several of the younger Fenxia Valley disciples had faces smudged with dark soot.

But when they finally steadied themselves, breathed a sigh of relief, and looked around, the ordinary Miao folk were staring at these outsiders with open hostility, showing not the slightest gratitude for their help.

Facheng gave a bitter smile. He felt wronged, yet there was no way to explain. He was just turning to say something to the others when a commotion suddenly rippled through the Fenxia Valley group behind him.

Facheng started, turned his head, and saw Shangguan Lue descending from the sky. He landed on the ground and walked over slowly.

This elder of Fenxia Valley—the first to fly off the night before, yet the last to arrive after a whole night had passed—left everyone present exchanging glances.

"Heh heh!" A cold laugh came from Lü Shun of Fenxia Valley. "Senior Brother, you've certainly made good time!"

Shangguan Lue's face was expressionless, but his brows were tightly knit, and a heavy burden of thought was faintly visible in his look. He could not be bothered with Lü Shun. Walking closer, he glanced around, shook his head slightly, sighed, and said to Li Xun, "Things here are more or less settled. Take your junior brothers back to Fenxia Valley first."

Li Xun was in fact full of anger and questions himself, and had a mind to ask this martial uncle properly where he had gone the night before. If a master of Shangguan Lue's caliber had been present, dealing with Ming Li would surely have been much easier, and so much trouble would never have arisen.

But think as he might, in the end he dared not offend Shangguan Lue, whose power and standing in Fenxia Valley were second only to the valley master, Yun Yifeng. He assented at once and said in a low voice, "Yes."

Lü Shun, standing to one side, flew into a rage and said to Shangguan Lue, "What do you mean by that? You vanished without a trace last night, and now the moment you arrive you start giving orders?"

Shangguan Lue said coolly, "I ran into a small mishap last night. Once we return to the valley, I will explain it to you in detail."

Lü Shun's expression changed, and he was about to say more, but Shangguan Lue was plainly impatient and said with a touch of anger, "Old Four, we will talk when we are back!"

Shangguan Lue's face bore a dignity that was fearsome without any show of wrath; cowed by that shout, Lü Shun for the moment dared not speak further. Li Xun hesitated a moment, then at last said to Shangguan Lue, "Martial Uncle, after we return, that nine-tailed celestial fox..."

Shangguan Lue shook his head and said, "There is no hurry about the nine-tailed celestial fox. We will discuss it when we are back."

Li Xun did not dare say more. He nodded in assent and led the others away. As he was leaving, he could not resist turning back for another look at Lu Xueling, who stood in the distance with Facheng.

The woman in white wore an utterly cold expression and did not favor him with even a glance.

Li Xun sighed deeply in his heart, feeling as though he had swallowed a whole apothecary's worth of flavors at once—a sensation beyond words—and slowly departed. Lü Shun, though none too willing, followed after him.

Shangguan Lue sighed, turned, and cupped his hands to Facheng and Lu Xueling. "For your great aid to this humble valley, I truly cannot express my gratitude enough."