劍問蒼天 - 第215章 弒師 - 翰墨軒

"A hundred years ago, the Demonic Cult ran rampant, its power at its height, while the Way waned and demons flourished. Drunk on their own arrogance, the horde of devils sought to wipe out the righteous path in a single stroke, and so they invaded Qingyun. After a bitter and bloody struggle, the senior forebears fought with all their might and, at the foot of Mount Canglan, invoked the Ancient Sword of Immortal Slaying and unleashed the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation, and at last turned defeat into victory." Master Shui Jing's tone was flat, yet Lu Xueling's expression shifted ever so slightly; that one phrase, bitter and bloody struggle, was enough to conjure the ferocity and cruelty of that long-ago battle. But Master Shui Jing seemed to have no interest in dwelling there, and quickly went on: "After that battle, though the Demonic Cult was gravely wounded, our Qingyun lineage was left spent as well. Many of our forebears of profound cultivation were dead or injured, and we had no strength left to pursue the enemy. Yet at that very moment, a senior brother stepped forward, volunteering with boundless zeal, resolved to root out all evil and hunt down the remnants of the Demonic Cult." Lu Xueling's heart stirred. "That senior uncle—would that be Wan Jiangu, Uncle-Master Wan?" Master Shui Jing slowly closed her eyes, and her voice grew faint and drifting: "It was he. Ah... the scenes of those days seem still before my eyes: in that fierce battle he had already won great merit, slain countless foes, his white robes dyed red. He stood before our masters, his manner blazing with spirit, and with only a few words, just a few... he set us young disciples ablaze with fervor. In the end, apart from Senior Brother Daoyan, who as chief disciple remained to guard Qingyun, all of us—I, Junior Sister Su Wan, Tian Buhui, Zeng Shuchang, Shang Zhengliang, Tianyun, Cangsong, and the rest who would one day head the various peaks—followed him, and from then on we roamed the world, journeying to the savage wilds, through blood and rain and flashing blades all the way, yet never once did we flinch or draw back." Master Shui Jing's eyes remained closed, her face so intent that it seemed the fiery youth of those years was unfolding again before her; even a faint flush rose on either cheek.

For a time no one spoke in the little hut, yet the air seemed restless and unsettled, like a hidden current surging beneath a calm surface, sweeping silently past.

After a long while, Master Shui Jing gave a sudden bitter laugh, shook her head, and her voice turned sorrowful: "Enough. These old matters are past. In those days our company endured many trials and dealt the Demonic Cult remnants a heavy blow before we returned to Qingyun. But just then, we stumbled unwittingly into one of our sect's secrets. After we came back, Junior Sister Su Wan and Tian Buhui grew fond of each other over time, and I for one truly did not care for the man. One deep night, the two of them slipped out again behind the back of your grandmaster, Master Zhen Yu. I discovered them, and fearing Junior Sister would come to harm, yet unwilling to inform on them—for if your grandmaster flew into a rage, Junior Sister Su Wan would suffer for it—I followed them all the way." Hearing this, Lu Xueling was astonished, and could not help but find it somewhat amusing too, though she dared not show it on her face. Master Shui Jing seemed to know it well enough, and without pausing long went on: "Who would have thought the two of them, young and bold, would slip off to the back mountain of Jietian Peak to avoid prying eyes, and meet near the Ancestral Hall, a place few ever set foot." Lu Xueling was taken aback again, and after a long moment lowered her head in silence, the image of Tian Buhui, head of Dazhu Peak, drifting before her eyes; she thought to herself that the world holds all manner of things, and truly a man cannot be judged by his looks.