Chapter 164 — The Forbidden Ground
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 6
Dao Yan Zhenren's face was stern. He watched a while longer, then raised his head again to gaze at the sky. The endless black clouds in the firmament rolled and surged, pressing lower and lower.
Yun Yifeng coughed beside him and said in a low voice: "Senior Brother Dao Yan, in this situation, perhaps we should…"
He did not continue, but Dao Yan Zhenren was hardly a man who needed things spelled out; and the battle indeed was growing desperate. He turned to Yun Yifeng and nodded: "Rest assured, Valley Master."
With that, he looked back over his shoulder. Behind the three of them stood several dozen elders and heads of the righteous path—some white-haired and venerable, some with the air of immortals. These elders of the Canglan Sect and the seniors of the other branches were, one might say, the last fighting strength of the righteous path.
Dao Yan Zhenren was silent for a long while, then at last said slowly: "Everyone, go down."
No one spoke. At these words from Dao Yan Zhenren, those final several dozen—some nodding slightly, some cupping their hands in salute—vanished in a flicker of darting light, and the last few dozen elders of the righteous path rose into the air as one and flew down the mountain.
And outside the Yuheng Hall at this moment, besides Dao Yan Zhenren, Reverend Pucheng, and Yun Yifeng, stood six others—the heads of the six branches of the Canglan Sect other than the Heaven-Reaching Peak. For some reason they had, unexpectedly, not joined the battle. Dao Yan Zhenren faced them and nodded: "Everyone, the situation has clearly reached a critical pass. That matter we discussed before—I entrust it to you now."
Among the six branch heads, the newly appointed younger generation such as Qi Hao had always been reverent before him. Only Tian Buhui, Zeng Shuchang, and Master Shuijing wore calm expressions. Hearing Dao Yan Zhenren's instructions, the others seemed to have long known this would come, and no astonishment showed on their faces—only over Tian Buhui's did a faint shadow seem to pass.
At once the six bowed to Dao Yan Zhenren, then rose into the air, each flying off in a different direction—evidently returning to the mountain ranges of their own branches. Only Tian Buhui, for some unknown reason, paused, turned, and cast a glance at Dao Yan Zhenren. Somewhat surprised, Dao Yan Zhenren said: "Junior Brother Tian, what is it?"
Tian Buhui hesitated, then lowered his voice: "Senior Brother Sect Master, once the Celestial Mechanism Seal is opened, the murderous aura of the Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying will surge violently, and its backlash will be irresistible. You must be careful—do not, do not let your late years be ruined…"
Dao Yan Zhenren was silent a moment, his face stern, then slowly nodded: "Junior Brother Tian, we have known each other for many years, and I understand your heart. Rest assured—even should something happen, for the sake of all living things under heaven, I cannot afford to concern myself with that."
The muscles in Tian Buhui's face twitched once, but in the end he said no more. He looked at Dao Yan Zhenren's face, nodded, and with a flick of his sleeve a strange crimson-yellow radiance appeared and bore him up into the sky—toward the direction of Dazhu Peak.
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The sounds of fierce combat drifting faintly from the front mountain had by the rear mountain of the Heaven-Reaching Peak grown hard to hear. The thin mist had dispersed; birds sang softly; this place seemed another world entirely. Only, it was the same in this: even in so tranquil a place there were still flashing blades and shadows of swords, still blood and covert strife.