Chapter 35 — The Ancient Cave

Except for Zhang Qingyue, every one of them—Qi Hao, Zeng Shuyan, Lu Xueqi—was of the renowned Canglan Sect and had been doted on by masters and elders within his own branch; there was pride in every one of their bones. Qi Hao snorted coldly. "Senior Brother Li Xun speaks sense. Otherwise, worn out as I am, if I had to save you in there, I fear I would be of no use at all!"

Li Xun plainly had not expected that every one of the Canglan disciples would be so proud. Born into Fenxia Valley, favored by his masters from childhood, in the true methods of cultivation he far surpassed almost all his peers, and from this he had grown a conceit that looked down on everything. How could he swallow such a slight? His face changed at once, and he fixed his eyes on Qi Hao. "So then, Senior Brother Qi, your cultivation far exceeds mine. I should like to learn from you."

The matter touched the honor of the sect; Qi Hao straightened and was about to step forth, when Lu Xueqi suddenly came out from behind him and stood prettily in the middle of the ground, saying coldly, "There is no need to trouble Senior Brother Qi. Let me try the immortal arts of Fenxia Valley."

Li Xun was momentarily stunned. Lu Xueqi, though covered in blood and filth, seemed all the whiter for it, her jade face like snow; and though her manner was cold, there was in that sternness a clear loveliness that looked down on all creation and stood apart from the dust of the world. Never had he seen such beauty, and for a moment he was struck dumb.

At the same time Facheng of Fanyin Temple stepped forward and said with a smile, "Senior brothers, we came here to investigate the remnants of the Demonic Sect; before we set out, I am sure every one of our masters and elders instructed us so. If they were to learn that we had indulged a fit of temper here, I fear we should not escape reprimand when we return. Besides, this is a small matter. Let us each give a little ground—what say you?"

Li Xun came back to himself and gave a snort, looking up at the sky; he said nothing, but his meaning was plain enough. Qi Hao, thinking now of the instructions Daoist Master Daoyan had given him before departure, felt some regret, and seizing the chance to give himself an honorable way out, called from behind, "Junior Sister Lu, Senior Brother Facheng speaks sense. Let us put harmony first."

Lu Xueqi looked at the others, gave a sniff, and walked back. Seeing Zhang Qingyue watching her, she let her gaze sweep once across his face, then went off by herself to one side.

Zhang Qingyue, caught by that glance, felt a sudden chill, and a feeling he could not name rose in his heart.

Then Facheng spoke again: "Since that is so, let us go down the mountain first, and tomorrow at dawn climb up again to investigate."

By this point no one had any objection. Facheng led the way, and they followed him flying on their swords until they came to a small hill some thirty li from Kongsang Mountain. Here there was even a pool of clear spring water—just what the Canglan party needed. They washed at the water's edge, then found a quiet spot to change their clothes, and only then came out to meet Facheng and the others.

Lu Xueqi, being a woman, was less conveniently placed; she sought out the most distant spot to change, and so was the last to emerge. When the others saw her, washed and neat, her face radiant, her original clear loveliness now touched with a fresh delicacy, every eye was brightened at once. Need it be said that Zeng Shuyan and Li Xun stared? Even Yan Fei of Fenxia Valley, who had been silent all along, looked at her several times more.

These eight—the most "outstanding" disciples of the three great orthodox sects of the day—sat in a circle on the ground and talked, and from Facheng and the others Zhang Qingyue learned for the first time that the bats in the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Cave of Kongsang Mountain were a strange breed once reared by the Demonic Sect: savage and cruel, bloodthirsty by nature, they had been the Sect's accomplices. Eight hundred years ago, after the Demonic Sect's stronghold here was destroyed, a few of the bats survived; over the long years they had multiplied vigorously, until they reached their present vast numbers, and whenever they went out to hunt they left not a living soul within five hundred li around.

These bats, however, seemed to fear sunlight, and so moved only at night, roosting in the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Cave by day. The Canglan party had simply been unlucky enough to meet them the night before; had they climbed the mountain by daylight, they would have come to no harm.

At this Zeng Shuyan said, "Senior Brother Facheng, if those creatures are all inside the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Cave, how are we to get in and investigate?"

Facheng hesitated a moment. "From what this humble monk has observed these days, by daylight those creatures only hang head-down from the roof of the cave and do not stir. It is possible we might get in."

Zeng Shuyan was left speechless, but Zhang Qingyue could not refrain from saying, "Then you are saying, Senior Brother Facheng, that you are not certain either—and if those things should see us enter and come swooping down on us, what then?"

Facheng looked at him, and something seemed to flicker faintly in his eyes, but his manner remained mild. "Just so. This humble monk has indeed no certainty of it. But our masters have given the order, and it must be done; we can only make the attempt. At worst we retreat again. Today my junior brother Fajing and I, together with these two benefactors of Fenxia Valley, meant to go in and probe a little—and then we met you. That is well: the more people, the better we can look after one another."

"Hmph"—it was Li Xun at the side, snorting coldly again. All four of the Canglan party turned to look at him, and Li Xun showed not the least fear; only when he saw Lu Xueqi's gaze come his way did his expression change somewhat.

Qi Hao paid him no mind, but turned to Facheng. "There is one more matter on which I would ask your advice, Senior Brother Facheng."

Facheng said, "Speak, Senior Brother Qi."

Qi Hao said, "Three months ago, the senior disciple of our Canglan Sect, Senior Brother Xiao Yichen, came here ahead of us. Do any of you know where he is now?"

Facheng shook his head. "We came here together with the two from Fenxia Valley, and we have not seen Senior Brother Xiao."

Qi Hao frowned and sank into brooding silence.

The next day, as the morning sun first rose, Zhang Qingyue and the other seven came up onto Mount Kongsang. The whole mountain lay barren, sand and gravel strewn everywhere; on a mountain so vast, not even the ordinary call of a bird was to be heard. They supposed that the birds had either long since become tidbits for those vicious bats, or had long since deserted this peak.

Facheng and the others had arrived several days before and had already found the Ancient Cave of Ten Thousand Bats. So the whole company followed him, treading with the utmost care, and at last came to the cave's mouth.

It was an enormous half-open cavern, set on the shaded, sunless flank of the mountain and slanting gently downward. Only about the entrance was there any light at all; further in, all was pitch black. Standing five or six zhang short of the opening, they all felt gust after gust of cold air blowing out from within, brushing their faces with a chill that bit into the bone. At the same time a faint rustling drifted out to them, like whispers, like the wailing of ghosts, setting their scalps crawling.

Qi Hao looked at the cave a while longer, then turned and forced a smile. "Well then," he said, "let us go in."

No one spoke. Facheng nodded. "Just so. But this cave is perilous and unknowable; everyone had best have his immortal artifact ready, against all contingencies."