Chapter 260 — Epilogue
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 2 of 4
Lu Xueling had taken up the post of head of Little Zhu Peak. One day she rode her sword to Great Zhu Peak to visit her senior sister Wen Pei, who had married Song Dayi, the head of Great Zhu Peak.
The two sisters had not seen each other for many days, and their meeting was naturally full of warm and intimate talk, which went on from early morning all the way to noon.
Only then did Lu Xueling rise to take her leave. Song Daren and Wen Pei saw her out together, and the three stood outside the Shoujing Hall.
Lu Xueling looked about her and said to Wen Pei with a smile: "This place seems very quiet—just suited to your temperament, senior sister."
Wen Pei smiled and nodded. Song Dayi laughed too, and said:
"Actually, Great Zhu Peak used to be quite lively. It's only that these past days several of the disciples have gone out to cultivate, and with no one about, it's naturally fallen quiet. And there's more—we used to have a big yellow dog here, a great hound my master raised from a pup. These last few days, would you believe it, it's vanished without a trace. Not even a bark to be heard. Odd, isn't it?"
Wen Pei shot him a look. "Most likely it took one look at the slop you feed it and ran off."
Song Dayi laughed heartily, unbothered. Lu Xueling, seeing the affection between husband and wife, felt comforted at heart. She exchanged a few more pleasantries, then took her leave of Great Zhu Peak.
In her white robes fluttering, she rode her sword through the air. That day a sudden restlessness came over her, and she did not wish to return to Little Zhu Peak just yet.
Perhaps the sight of her senior sister's wedded happiness had stirred something in her heart, and for a time she felt she could not help herself. Unconsciously she descended Cang Lan Mountain and came to the ruins of Liu Miao Village, that place which had so long haunted her dreams.
Lush grass, gusts of clear wind—it seemed as though nothing at all had changed.
She stood there in silence a long while, then gave a soft sigh. Upon her fair, lovely face there seemed to gather a touch of sorrow. She took a step, then walked slowly on, wandering deeper into the ruins.
Broken walls and crumbling eaves stood to either side, silent in the green grass and light wind. She went quietly forward, her gaze far away, looking about her in silence, infinite tenderness in her eyes.
Suddenly she trembled, and stopped short as though she could not believe it—there, deep in the ruins ahead.
A crude wooden hut had been newly built, a chimney leaning askew atop it, still sending up a curl of light smoke.
Outside the hut hung a scrap of green cloth, which in the gently blowing wind gave out a crisp, fluttering sound.
A tempting aroma drifted out from within the wooden hut.
"Woof woof woof, woof woof woof!"
"Squeak squeak squeak, squeak squeak squeak..."
A strange clamor suddenly broke out from inside the hut, and then a flash of yellow—out from the house bolted a huge yellow dog, its face all joy, legs flying as it ran;
And on the dog's back, would you believe, sat a grey-furred monkey, with the rare wonder of three eyes upon its face, clutching a savory meaty bone in one hand and holding fast to the yellow dog's neck with the other, jabbering away—most likely urging the dog to run faster!
Right after, a man came running out of the hut, in coarse cloth and hemp trousers, his face wearing what looked like a wry smile, and shouted loudly: "You dead dog, you dead monkey, sneaking meat bones again, are you..."
Suddenly, he froze, and in his eyes was reflected the figure of Lu Xueling standing before him.
And so the two of them stood motionless, gazing at each other.
All the years, all the sorrows of the mortal world, in an instant were gathered into that one deep look; and then, all at once, they smiled.