劍問蒼天 - 第180章 陰霾 - 翰墨軒

Su Wan, standing to one side, sighed and came over to smooth things down. "There now, that's enough. These are all instructions handed down from the Sect Master, and the matter of the Immortal Slayer's destruction is far too grave. No wonder our senior brother the Sect Master is so anxious about it—asking a few more times and giving a few more warnings is only proper."

Tian Buhui turned his head aside and said nothing. Song Dayi and the other disciples all bowed their heads and said, "This disciple understands."

Su Wan looked at each of the disciples in turn and said gently, "I know some of you feel aggrieved, thinking the Sect Master and your elders do not trust you. But in the end, all of this is only because the matter is so grave—there is no choice. After the last great battle, our Canglan Sect's prestige among the orthodox schools of the world stood without peer, pressing all our fellows into the shade. But when all is said and done, that was bought by the Sect Master standing on Jietian Peak, wielding the divine Immortal Slayer in a desperate fight, and defeating the Beast Sovereign. Everything our Canglan Sect has today—I think you know as well as I do how much of it rests on the weight of that divine sword."

Here Su Wan gave a bitter smile. "But who would ever have imagined that this divine sword would…" She paused, as though she needed to steady herself before going on. "That day outside the Illusory Moon Grotto-Heaven, apart from the Sect Master and several senior martial uncles who arrived afterward, only the disciples of Great Zhu Peak and a few of the girls of Lesser Zhu Peak were present to witness the sword's destruction. So for the sake of our sect's honor and its standing in the world, the Sect Master, thinking more of such things, has warned us repeatedly—and rightly so. None of you should take it to heart; only remember to keep this matter buried in your hearts forever. Do you understand?"

Song Dayi and the others exchanged glances and answered as one, "This disciple understands, and will obey the commands of Master and Mistress."

Su Wan turned to look at Tian Buhui. His brows were knit, and his plump face still wore a most heavy expression; her words seemed to have brought him no comfort at all. He merely waved a hand at the disciples. "Take to heart everything your mistress has said. Now go."

Song Dayi and the rest bowed together, then turned and went out together. The lame among them—Wu Dayi, He Dachuan, and the others—were helped along by Song Dayi, Du Biyan, and their fellows, and in a short while all had gone. Only Tian Buhui and Su Wan remained in the Hall of Guarded Stillness.

Su Wan looked at Tian Buhui's ever-darkening face, walked slowly to his side, and said quietly, "What is it? Did our senior brother the Sect Master lose his temper again?"

Tian Buhui gave a faint snort. "It's not as though he only loses his temper at me. Even a man like Shui Yue—he scolded him just the same. What does that make me?"

Su Wan was startled. "What? The Sect Master even scolded Senior Sister Shui Yue?"

A trace of agitation surfaced on Tian Buhui's face. His pacing quickened noticeably, and his brows drew tighter still.

Su Wan watched him with some worry, but did not know what to say. She could only offer, "Don't be too anxious. Our senior brother the Sect Master is only temporarily overburdened, that's why he—"

Tian Buhui's head snapped up, and he cut her off loudly. "If he were truly overburdened, then even if he cursed me a thousand times, ten thousand times, I wouldn't care!"

Su Wan lowered her head, but quickly raised it again, astonishment on her face. "What did you just say?"

Tian Buhui muttered under his breath and paced swiftly back and forth across the Hall of Guarded Stillness. The look on his face grew more and more agitated, and beneath it lurked a faint shadow of dread. Su Wan's worry deepened. "What on earth do you mean? Tell me at once."