Chapter 17 — Object Driving
劍問蒼天 · Page 3 of 5
"Master sent me down the mountain for one year, that was the agreement. But I played around too long—er, no, I spent an extra half year searching before I found good materials to refine my magic treasure. I'm afraid Master will scold me. Come with me."
Zhang Qingyue shot him a look. "And you said you came to see me first. By the way, Sixth Brother, what magic treasure did you refine?"
"Ha, of course I came to see you first, little junior brother. Come on, come on." And with that he pulled Zhang Qingyue along.
A short while later, Da Huang, hiding in some corner gnawing his meat bone, and Xiao Hui, perched on his back picking fleas, both heard a furious roar from the Shoujing Hall: "Ungrateful wretch! You'll be the death of me!"
At dinner, the whole of Dazhu Peak gathered around one table for their first great reunion in two years. Once everyone was seated, Tian Buhui was still furious. After greeting Du Biyan, the disciples could not help whispering to him: "Sixth Brother, how did you make Master this angry the moment he saw you?"
Du Biyan looked awkward and talked of this and that, while Zhang Qingyue, sitting beside him, wore a broad smile he dared not let loose, cutting a rather odd figure.
At last Tian Lingsu, seated across from them, could hold back no longer and was the first to ask Tian Buhui: "Father, Sixth Brother has barely come home. Why are you still so angry?"
Du Biyan stole a glance at Tian Buhui, who glared back, frightening him into dropping his head at once. Tian Buhui gave a cold snort. "Sixth, why don't you bring out your magic treasure and show everyone?"
Du Biyan opened his mouth and stammered, unable to speak. He cast a pleading look at his mistress, Su Wan, who smiled and said: "Bishu, just take it out and show everyone. Let them see for themselves why your master is angry."
Seeing no way out, Du Biyan dawdled over his little bundle, gave it a shake or two, and took out several objects, setting them on the table.
Every eye was fixed on him, unblinking, afraid of missing something; the dining hall fell utterly silent. On the table lay three objects that seemed carved from some hard wood, each about half a fist in size, six-sided cubes, white throughout, carved on every face with various numbers of dots—three dice.
The assembly sat like wooden statues, dumbstruck. A moment later, the room erupted in laughter.
Du Biyan's face went scarlet. Tian Buhui stared at him in a rage and spat: "Rotten wood that cannot be carved!"
Su Wan smiled and shook her head. "Enough, it's no great matter. Dice or no dice, the treasure is for his own use after all."
Tian Buhui glared at his disciple and said to Su Wan: "How do you know he won't use them to swindle people?"
"Master, Mistress, your disciple would never dare do anything so base and shameless. It's only that earlier this year, by the banks of the Red Water in the south, I found a thousand-year Three-Pearl Tree (Note 1), full of spiritual power. I took its essence and carved these three dice—it was purely a whim, I never meant anything else by it…"
Tian Buhui's anger would not subside. "You're pleased with yourself, eh? Hmph. Cultivate whatever you like, but now you've refined a set of gambling tools, and when the Seven Veins Martial Contest comes a month from now, you'll go up on stage and show them off—how am I supposed to hold my head up?"
Du Biyan dared not say another word. Su Wan shook her head and said softly: "Buyi, this is what he loves. Don't force him. Do you remember Senior Brother Wan…"
Tian Buhui started and turned to look at Su Wan. She sighed faintly and said to Du Bi: "Your master and I have never forced you to cultivate the immortal sword as the disciples of the other veins do, but magic treasures often matter greatly. You must be careful in what you do."
Du Biyan stole a look at Tian Buhui and saw his master's face dark with sullen anger. He dared not say more, only nodding repeatedly: "Yes, yes."