劍問蒼天 - 第229章 絕望 - 翰墨軒

Her voice gradually sank. "That day I asked him what he would want. He said he had no other wish—if he should go before me, a cultivator need not think of any grand burial, nor even a coffin. To come naturally and go naturally, asking only for a handful of yellow earth on the back mountain of Dazhu Peak. That way he could watch over the people of the front mountain day and night, and not fear loneliness."

Before she finished speaking, tears had already silently streaked her face.

Ming Li clenched his jaw, unable to speak.

Da Huang, lying nearby, lifted its head slightly, looked at Su Wan, then lay back down, its tail giving a gentle wag.

Su Wan gazed at Tian Buhui for a long while, then suddenly waved her hand and said, "Go down the mountain for now. Come back in half an hour."

Ming Li was startled and could not help but hesitate. He called out, "Master's wife..."

Su Wan said, "What is it?"

Ming Li hesitated, then finally mustered his courage and said, "Master's wife, the agreement Master made with you in life—we disciples naturally would not dare defy it. But before Master is laid to rest, ought we not still inform Senior Sister Ling'er..."

Su Wan was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Very well. When you go down the mountain, tell Daren to go quietly to Longji Peak and call Ling'er back."

Ming Li nodded, turned, and left. When he reached the stone steps at the path's edge, he could not help but look back. Su Wan sat silently beside Tian Buhui's body, her figure lonely—a sight truly heartbreaking to behold. His heart ached again; he hastily turned back, not daring to look further, and went on his way.

Walking along the road, his mind settled somewhat, and he could not help but recall the strange events of the past few days. That Su Wan forbade Song Dayi and the others from informing the various lineages of Canglan Mountain of the death was in itself exceedingly strange; that she would not even inform Tian Lingsu was even more unreasonable. To handle Tian Buhui's funeral affairs in such a manner today—though it had been agreed upon by Tian Buhui in life—was still, in the end, too hasty.

Ming Li sighed inwardly and shook his head. In truth, cultivators did not much regard matters after death. Flesh and bone buried among the green hills and yellow earth—perhaps that was not necessarily a bad thing.

Pondering thus, he could not be bothered to ride the wind and instead followed the mountain path down on foot. Unknowingly he reached the mountainside. He recalled how, in those early days when he first came to Dazhu Peak, he had followed Eldest Senior Brother Song Dayi and Junior Sister Tian Lingsu to the back mountain—how arduous that stretch of road had been. The past stood vivid before him, still in his heart.

He wondered how Senior Sister Ling'er had fared all these years.

A faint bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He shook his head—and then suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking ahead with some surprise.

On the mountain path ahead, a white figure had suddenly appeared, graceful and lovely, standing silently. In the morning light she seemed touched by not a whit of worldly air, gazing at him in silence.

Ming Li gazed back at her. The two looked at each other for a long while, yet seemed to have nothing to say.

The mountain breeze blew gently, stirring her hair and garments, which fluttered softly in the wind.

At last it was Ming Li who spoke first: "You... what brings you here?"

Lu Xueling said softly, "My master sent me to pay respects to Aunt-Master Su."

Ming Li nodded silently. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Master's wife is on the back mountain now, but at this moment she wishes to be alone and does not want anyone to disturb her. She told me to come up only after half an hour."

Lu Xueling nodded as well and said, "That's fine. I'll wait, then."