劍問蒼天 - 第145章 相見 - 翰墨軒

Night fell, and every peak of the Canglan range blazed with light—a spectacle the like of which had not been seen in a thousand years. Even far below the mountain, as the mountain wind blew, one could faintly hear the loud laughter and talk of the people high above. In such circumstances, those frightened by the catastrophe seemed to breathe a little easier. After all, even if the sky were to fall, was there not still a Canglan Mountain overhead?

And at this moment the quietest place on Canglan Mountain was, perhaps, none other than Little Bamboo Peak. After the Canglan Sect had politely explained matters, every sect strictly restrained its disciples and forbade them to go near Little Bamboo Peak—for if, under the present circumstances, some farce of lecherous young rakes were still to be stirred up, no one's face would look good.

Compared with the bustle on the other peaks, Little Bamboo Peak seemed far more serene. Now and then two or three pretty young female disciples would pass along the mountain path; the mountain breeze blew softly, and the tear-bamboo covering the slopes swayed all together with a rustling whisper.

That night the moonlight was clear and cold, falling upon the mountain path of Little Bamboo Peak. Bamboo shadows danced, wavering to and fro across the stone steps. From afar came four or five young female disciples, and at their head was Wen Pei. All of them, Wen Pei included, wore somewhat gloomy expressions, brows knitted, as though weighed down by heavy thoughts.

A cold wind blew through the bamboo grove, and something like a dark shadow seemed to flit past.

Beside Wen Pei walked the youngest girl of them all, who looked to be about thirteen and was rather timid. She glanced toward the shadows, her face a little pale, and drew close to Wen Pei, clutching at her sleeve. "S-senior Sister," she whispered, "there—there seems to be someone over there!"

Wen Pei and the others started and all looked that way at once. After a moment Wen Pei smiled and patted the little girl's cheek. "Xiaoshi, that's just the mountain wind stirring the bamboo—the shadows of the branches swaying. It's like that every night. You've only just come up the mountain; give it a while and you'll see."

The girl called Xiaoshi breathed a sigh of relief, though she was still a little frightened. Then, as though something had occurred to her, she suddenly turned and glanced toward the rear mountain. "Senior Sister, there isn't a soul around that Moon-Gazing Terrace on the rear mountain, and it's all these—these gloomy, shadowy things everywhere. Leaving Senior Sister Xueqi out there all alone—won't she be scared?"

Wen Pei's face fell, and she sighed. "It was the sect leader, our martial uncle, who ordered your senior sister Xueqi to do her penance there. There's nothing we can do about it. Still, I doubt senior sister Xueqi would be afraid."

Another woman standing behind Wen Pei gave a sudden snort, plainly indignant. "I really can't understand it. Why does the sect leader have to treat Xueqi this way, just because she refused the marriage proposal from Flaming Sunset Valley?"

Crack. Somewhere deep in the bamboo grove there seemed to be a faint sound, as if some small creature had snapped a bamboo branch underfoot. But the women's attention was all caught up just then, and none of them heard it. Only little Shi, the youngest, seemed to suspect something; she glanced toward the depths of the grove, saw the shadows swaying, and could not help turning pale again. She quickly looked away.

Wen Pei sighed. "Actually, that senior brother Li Xun really isn't bad at all. Handsome and well-born, and most likely the position of Valley Master of Flaming Sunset Valley will pass to him in the end. And from the way he looks at her, he clearly treasures Xueqi dearly. But when it comes to matters of the heart, one truly cannot force such things."