Chapter 228 — Blood Omen

Abbess Shuijing glanced at her. "It is in fact still about that secret. By the way, you said that day that after the calamity occurred, you personally delivered the remains of Ming Li and Tian Buhui to Dazhu Peak, did you not?"

At the two words "Ming Li," Lu Xueling's expression shifted slightly, but then she nodded and said with certainty, "Yes. That day he... that man was gravely wounded. Though his life was not in danger, carrying Uncle-Master Tian's remains back to the mountain alone would truly have been too much for him, and the matter could not be delayed. So this disciple escorted them part of the way. But I only saw them as far as Dazhu Peak; once they had landed, I left."

Abbess Shuijing nodded. "Indeed. And that is precisely where the strangeness lies."

Lu Xueling was somewhat surprised. "What is it, Master?"

Abbess Shuijing said mildly, "As you say, Tian Buhui's remains returned to Dazhu Peak two days ago. Yet to this day, not a single word of mourning has come from Dazhu Peak."

Lu Xueling was startled, and she could not help frowning.

Abbess Shuijing clasped her hands behind her back and walked to one side, gazing far into the distance. There, in the direction where the clouds and mist lay, Dazhu Peak loomed faint and indistinct. She looked for a long while, then said, "Tian Buhui was the head of the Dazhu Peak lineage; his standing was no small matter. The moment word got out, even the Sect Leader himself would have to go and pay his respects. Yet Dazhu Peak keeps it secret and says nothing—is that not a very strange thing?"

She paused, turned to look at Lu Xueling, and said, "Beyond that, this morning I quietly sent someone to Longji Peak under some pretext, and found that Tian Lingsu is still there at Longji Peak—and that she is, astonishingly, wholly ignorant of her own father's death."

Lu Xueling was silent for a long while. "This disciple understands."

Abbess Shuijing nodded. "You are quick and clever; I need say no more. In truth I do not suspect anything. Su Wan is my junior sister; the two of us are as close as sisters. It is not for anyone else's sake—I am chiefly worried that, in the depth of her love for her husband, she may have done something foolish in a moment of despair. But as long as Dazhu Peak issues no mourning notice, I, as the head of Xiaozhu Peak, am in no position to go and visit. And there are many hidden twists and turns in this matter; it is not convenient for others either. So I have no choice but to ask you to go once more."

Lu Xueling nodded. "This disciple understands. In that case, if there is nothing else, I shall go at once."

Master Shuijing gave a slight nod. "Very well. Be careful on the road, and if anything unexpected happens, come back early and tell me."

Lu Xueling answered, bowed to Master Shuijing, then turned. As her hand rose, the divine sword Tianxuan blazed with light, and she moved with the blade. A sharp whistle tore through the air, and she was already a streak of blue light shooting up into the heavens.

Watching Lu Xueling's somewhat hurried figure—so unlike her usual calm—Master Shuijing knew that though this stubborn, lovesick disciple might put on a brave face and say she had let go, in her heart there were ten thousand things she could not let go of.

She was silent for a long while. In the end she only gave a low sigh, shook her head, turned, and walked down from the Moon-Watching Terrace, going straight on her way.

A thousand li away, in the Huqi Mountains.

In the cold-ice stone chamber, the frosty vapor still rose in curling wisps, and the serene woman in green lay quietly upon the cold-ice stone platform as always.

You Si, her face veiled in gauze, stood alone in the cold-ice stone chamber. She gazed at Bili for a long time, then sighed softly, a sigh laden with helplessness.

Lately, in You Si's heart, there had indeed been too much helplessness—things that baffled her, things that pained her, and things that gradually left her bewildered.

First, the Nether King seemed to have become an entirely different person. The Nether King of old had been resolute and decisive; now, though he still possessed great vision and ambition, the intent to kill in his daily conduct had grown heavier and heavier. In but a few days, over a few trifling matters that crossed his will, the Nether King had already put several people to death, including even a highly placed elder of the Nether King Sect.

And these trifling matters, two years ago, the Nether King would likely have dismissed with a laugh. You Si clearly felt that within the Nether King Sect, people were now anxious and afraid, each dreading the day when some inconspicuous trifle might inexplicably cost him his life.

What pained You Si even more was that she had once happened to come upon the Nether King and Ming Li actually trading blows. Though it lasted only a few exchanges, You Si was no ordinary follower of the sect—she was Zhuque, one of the four great holy envoys of the Nether King Sect—and so she saw clearly that between these two men, at some unknown time, a deep rift had already formed. She saw, too, that in those few strikes of the Nether King's, there was not necessarily an absence of murderous intent.

A shadow passed through her eyes. She looked at Bili, who still slept quietly. It was for the sake of this admirable and beautiful woman that those two men had come together—yet for what reason, after these ten years, had matters between them come to such a pass?

You Si truly did not dare imagine what would come of it if one day those two men should truly slaughter each other. And now it seemed such a thing was not necessarily impossible.

"Men. Hmph, men!"

You Si cursed inwardly, her heart in turmoil. But when her gaze turned to Bili, it softened into tenderness. This child whom she had always regarded as her own daughter—every time she looked at Bili, she could not help but feel her heart ache.

Just as she stood there alone, silently turning matters over in her mind, the heavy stone door of the cold-ice chamber suddenly gave a low, rumbling groan. Someone was opening it from outside.

You Si turned to look. In a moment the Nether King's figure appeared at the doorway and slowly came in. She could not help but start.

The Nether King saw You Si as well, nodded to her, and said mildly, "So you are here too."

You Si suddenly gave a cold laugh and stared at the Nether King without speaking.

The Nether King frowned, a flicker of anger passing through his eyes. He seemed especially quick to anger now, utterly unlike his former temper. But You Si was, after all, no ordinary person, and the bond between them, as father and daughter, was unlike any other's; the Nether King had always regarded her with special favor. So for the moment he could only say, "What is it?"

You Si gave a snort and said with a cold smile, "Do you still remember that you have a daughter lying here?"

The Nether King frowned. "What sort of talk is that? How could I not remember? She is my only child."

You Si said gravely, "Good, then tell me—how long has it been since you last came to see Bili?"

The Nether King was taken aback and for a moment could not answer. After a pause, a trace of shame seemed to cross his eyes as well. He sighed and said, "It is my fault. Sect affairs have been tangled of late, and my mood has been poor, so I have come less often."

You Si said coldly, "I truly cannot understand it—and not just you, but that Ming Li as well. What has gotten into the two of you? You both seem to have changed a great deal!" By the last sentence her tone had slowly grown low and heavy.

The Nether King, however, seemed not to heed her tone. At the two words "Ming Li," his face suddenly darkened, and with a snort he said, "That fool knows nothing of what matters. Do not mention him before me!"