劍問蒼天 - 第192章 暗傷 - 翰墨軒

For a long while, Zeng Shuyan and the others remained frozen in astonishment. The three exchanged a glance, and each saw in the others' eyes an unparalleled shock. Yet there was a difference among them: in the eyes of the two women, Lu Xueling and Wen Pei, there lingered a little more panic and bewilderment.

This secret, known only to a handful of disciples from Great Zhu Peak and Lesser Zhu Peak, and which Dao Yan Zhenren had privately, time and again, sternly forbidden them to divulge—had it still leaked out after all?

Unlike Wen Pei and Lu Xueling, Zeng Shuyan knew nothing of the damage done to the Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying, and what startled him more was the news itself. Yet once he had collected himself, he burst into laughter, his expression easy, and said, "Uncle-Master Yun, how can you joke with the three of us juniors like this? You nearly frightened me to death just now. The Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying is the supreme treasure of the Canglan Sect, kept personally by the Sect Master himself—how could it possibly be damaged? Heh, ha ha ha."

Even as he laughed, Zeng Shuyan kept shaking his head and smiling, then turned to look at the two companions beside him, expecting to see them laughing at this absurd rumor. But the moment he turned, the smile on his face stiffened slightly: on the faces of Lu Xueling and Wen Pei there was not the slightest trace of mirth. On the contrary, both women's brows were tightly knit, and their complexions seemed somewhat pale.

In the great hall, only Zeng Shuyan's laughter echoed—and it swiftly subsided. Yun Yifeng smiled faintly and said, "So it was only a rumor. That is for the best; otherwise, if the Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying were truly damaged, it would be an event to shake the whole world."

Lu Xueling suddenly stepped forward and said coldly to Yun Yifeng, "Uncle-Master Yun, this matter is of course an unfounded rumor, unworthy of belief. But I wonder, Senior—from where did you come to hear such despicable gossip?"

As she spoke on, Lu Xueling's voice grew colder and colder, until it sounded faintly discourteous. Yet Yun Yifeng seemed to possess excellent breeding; he took not the slightest offense at her manner, but only waved his hand with the same kindly air and said, "As a matter of fact, this rumor has only begun to circulate here in the Southern Borderlands recently. I happened to hear some of the junior disciples speak of it, and I surmised it was most likely false. Indeed, when one thinks about it, with the divine powers of Senior Brother Dao Yan, how could such absurdity ever come to pass? But since several of my martial nephews have arrived, I thought I might as well ask—and to learn from the three of you that it is indeed a rumor fills my heart with no small relief! Heh heh."

With that he smiled aloud, looking greatly pleased. Lu Xueling and the other two all frowned slightly. Surely such a matter could not simply be "casually" asked about in public—and moreover, given Yun Yifeng's extraordinary standing, how could he possibly inquire face to face about a rumor no better than common street gossip? The more they thought on it, the more they suspected he had some other design in mind.

In the midst of Yun Yifeng's laughter, the three from the Canglan Sect fell silent. Lu Xueling's face was like frost, so cold and pure she seemed not of this world, and the light in her eyes only grew sharper and sharper. Wen Pei's expression, too, was most unpleasant. Zeng Shuyan, being the more tactful of the three, saw the atmosphere growing steadily more awkward and hastily coughed, stepping forward to shield Lu Xueling. He cupped his hands and said, "Uncle-Master Yun, our masters sent us to the Southern Borderlands to track the Beast Demon's movements. I wonder if you might have any leads to share with us, so that we need not go blundering about everywhere."