Chapter 177 — The Sea of Suffering Is Hard to Cross
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 5 of 5
Seeing it was Fa Cheng, Ming Li's lips moved; slowly he nodded to Fa Cheng, who was taken aback a moment and returned the greeting with palms pressed together. Ming Li then walked slowly in and stood facing Master Pu Cheng.
Master Pu Cheng sat cross-legged on the meditation bed as he had the day before, a string of prayer beads in his hand, turning them ceaselessly. Seeing Ming Li hesitate, wanting to speak and not speaking, he was not surprised; mildly he said to Fa Cheng: "Bring the young benefactor a chair, and you sit down as well."
Fa Cheng assented, dragged a chair over for Ming Li to sit on, and seated himself to one side.
Master Pu Cheng was silent a moment. "If there is anything you wish to ask me now, ask it freely."
Ming Li's gaze seemed somewhat unmoored, as though his heart had still not settled. It was a good while before he said in a low voice: "Why did your Sanskrit Sound Temple save me?"
Master Pu Cheng pressed his palms together. "Every fruit has its cause. That you, benefactor, come to this hard pass today owes much to the evil fruit sown by my junior brother Pu Zhao of this temple in that year. That being so, Sanskrit Sound Temple could not stand by and watch you die."
Ming Li gave a cold snort. "And you are not afraid that by doing so you will turn Canglan Gate against you?"
Master Pu Cheng smiled faintly. "Afraid."
Hearing him speak so plainly, Ming Li was rather startled. "Then why did you still—"
Master Pu Cheng shook his head. "Sanskrit Sound Temple and Canglan Gate have been friends for generations, and every patriarch in turn has laid down the teaching that this bond must not be lightly broken. That is why I had them wrap you all in black and bear you back without leaving a trace."
Ming Li sneered. "Canglan Gate has more masters than clouds. What if you had been found out?"
Master Pu Cheng said mildly: "I had them conceal their traces out of regard for the harmony of the two sects, unwilling that two orthodox schools should fall into petty strife—that is why I stooped to such a course. But had it come to a mishap, it would have been no great matter; to save you, benefactor, I would have had to risk a rupture if need be."
Ming Li fixed his eyes on Master Pu Cheng and said in a heavy voice: "Just what is it that makes you go to such lengths, regardless of everything, to save me?"
This time Master Pu Cheng fell silent. Ming Li did not press him, only watched him. After a long while, Master Pu Cheng sighed deeply. "Do you wish to know what happened after my junior brother Pu Zhao, at the point of death, struggled back to Sanskrit Sound Temple, down to the day he passed away?"
Ming Li's body gave a start; for a moment he could not speak. The anguish in his eyes showed that a fresh tempest was raging within him. At last he said in a low voice: "I do."
Somehow, his voice had gone hoarse.