劍問蒼天 - 第211章 擁抱 - 翰墨軒

He heaved a long sigh, his face beyond words weary.

Outside the desolate Hall of Mountain and River there was no sound but the low chirping of insects. The disciples of Burning Cloud Valley had for the most part gone peacefully to sleep, no doubt. Who would know that on a night such as this, two old men sat in silence in the Hall of Mountain and River?

Yun Yifeng's mood today seemed utterly unsettled; his usual composure was gone entirely, his feelings written plain on his face, and he looked harassed and fretful. He paced back and forth many times, and at last, after a long sigh to the heavens and a bitter shake of the head, he said nothing more and walked silently toward the rear hall.

Shangguan Lue sat where he was, unmoving. Just as Yun Yifeng's figure was about to vanish into the dim rear hall of the Hall of Mountain and River, a strange light suddenly flashed in Shangguan Lue's eyes; as though after hesitation and doubt he had at last made his choice and decision, he rose to his feet.

"Senior Brother!"

Yun Yifeng's steps paused. He turned. "What is it?"

Slowly, as though weighing each word with care, Shangguan Lue said, "I have thought it over carefully, and there may yet be hope in this matter."

Yun Yifeng's brows shot up. "What did you say?"

Shangguan Lue seemed to feel his throat dry; his throat moved, and he said slowly, "Of the two places in the world known to still hold a diagram of the Eight Evils Profound Fire Formation—the Profound Fire Altar and the Zhenmo Ancient Cave—both have now been destroyed. To try to plumb the mystery of the heavenly fire from the arrays alone—I fear the road ahead is bleak indeed."

Yun Yifeng snorted. "True enough. So what are you saying?"

Shangguan Lue was silent a moment. "I was thinking: the array diagram is a dead thing. Since this road is barred, perhaps we might begin from the living."

Yun Yifeng grew impatient. "From whom? Who else would know—" Suddenly his eyes lit up, his expression turning grave. He pondered a moment, then said slowly, "You mean that after the collapse of the Zhenmo Ancient Cave, some of the southern witch clan might still survive?"

Shangguan Lue drew a deep breath, as though some heavy burden had long been pressing on his heart; but after a moment he still spoke. "I cannot be certain of it now, but by my guess, after all within the Zhenmo Ancient Cave was reduced to ashes and smoke, of those several remnant witches—neither human nor demon—there was one, I fear, who would not have been content to perish along with the rest."

He raised his head slowly, his tone somehow bitter. "If I am not mistaken, that one may have survived. And if so, that person is now the one in all the world who knows most of the mysteries of the ancient witch clan's arts. From him we may gain something—there is no telling."

Yun Yifeng pondered in silence, but his expression slowly cleared and sharpened. After a long while he suddenly nodded. "Well said. You have true insight, junior brother. The hope is slight, but better than despair. In that case, I must trouble you to make the journey into the Ten Thousand Wilderness Mountains. Make this your chief errand, and while you are there, see how Xun'er and the others are faring. He went this time and met with great upheaval beyond all expectation—the boy has had a hard time of it."

Shangguan Lue sighed inwardly, rose to his feet, and nodded. "Yes."

Yun Yifeng glanced at him, and suddenly a smile surfaced on his face. "Brother," he said, "I was in poor spirits just now, and perhaps my tone was not what it should have been. Do not take it to heart."

Shangguan Lue shook his head. "What are you saying, senior brother? Of course not."

Yun Yifeng nodded with a smile, then turned and walked into the rear hall of the Shanhe Hall, vanishing into the shadows. In that vast hall, only a single lonely figure remained, standing silently.

Darkness crept in quietly and swallowed his silhouette.