Chapter 147 — The Alliance
劍問蒼天 · Page 1 of 8
Canglan Mountain, Jietian Peak.
Outside the Yuheng Hall stood a dense crowd of people; a closer look revealed them all to be cultivators of the righteous path, and among them were Daoist Master Daoyan, head of Qingyun, and Yun Yifeng, valley master of Fenxia Valley. Behind the two of them stood the other renowned figures and masters of the Qingyun and Fenxiang sects as well, and judging by the arrangement, it seemed they were waiting to welcome someone.
Who could it be, to command such respect?
Setting aside the minor sects, at this moment most of the important figures of the Canglan Sect and Fenxia Valley were present. From Fenxia Valley, Shangguan Lue, Lü Shun, and the second-generation disciples Li Xun, Yan Fei, and others stood behind Yun Yifeng. Li Xun's face was expressionless, but his complexion was far from good, and all around him people were whispering, glancing his way from time to time, which only made his expression darker.
On the Canglan Sect's side, the heads of the various branches—Tian Buhui, Zeng Shuchang, Master Shuijing, Qi Hao, and others—were all present, and disciples such as Xiao Yichen stood behind Daoist Master Daoyan. Yet among the crowd, Lu Xueling—the most outstanding and prominent figure of the Canglan Sect in recent years—was nowhere to be seen. Nor was Lin Jinghong anywhere in sight; perhaps he was at the Ancestral Hall again.
The day was clear and crisp, with not a cloud in the vast sky, and the mountain breeze blew steadily, filling one with a sense of fresh delight. Were it not for the endless grudges, hatreds, and killings that entangled this mortal world, this place would truly be a paradise on earth.
Among the crowd behind him, many were conversing in low voices, and from what could be caught, most were discussing the greatest calamity the world now faced. Daoist Master Daoyan, head of the Canglan Sect, heard it all, and his face grew grave; he could not help but sigh softly.
His voice was not loud, and most around him did not notice, but Yun Yifeng, valley master of Fenxia Valley, who stood beside him at the very front of the crowd, heard it. Turning his head, he glanced at Daoist Master Daoyan and said quietly, "Brother Daoyan, why do you sigh?"
Daoyan smiled bitterly and shook his head slightly. "Do you hear the whispers of our fellow cultivators behind us? Few of them hold any optimism."
Yun Yifeng smiled faintly. "Why should you mind them, Brother Daoyan? Though the calamity has come and the people are plunged into misery, we here are now the last hope of all living beings under heaven. Facing such vicious, monstrous beasts, if you—the leader of the world—lose your confidence, how can you face the earnest hopes of the common people?"
Daoist Master Daoyan's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of sharp light passing through his eyes as he gave Yun Yifeng a long, searching look. Yet the man's face was composed, seemingly without hidden meaning, so Daoyan smiled and said, "What are you saying, Benefactor Yun? How could I, with my meager virtues and abilities, deserve the title 'leader of the world'? In this great calamity of beast-demons, which poisons all living things, we who cultivate the Way and have always claimed to uphold the righteous path cannot stand aside. When Venerable Pucheng of the Brahma Sound Temple arrives, our three sects, together with the heroes of the world, will die for the people—and so prove worthy of our study of the Way."
Yun Yifeng nodded. "Well said, Brother."
Daoist Master Daoyan smiled and returned the courtesy, but a strange feeling brushed through his heart. This Yun Yifeng, valley master of Fenxia Valley, had always spoken with humility and propriety, impeccable in every way—yet Daoyan could never quite see through him, and always felt the man's depths were unfathomable.