Chapter 23 — The Contest
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 8
Sixty-three contestants, eight platforms—naturally they would be divided into four groups. In the first group of sixteen, Tian Lingsu was the only disciple of Dazhu Peak to take the stage, on the western platform at the Li position, and the folk of Dazhu Peak naturally flocked there.
Tian Lingsu's opponent was a disciple of Zhaoyang Peak surnamed Shen, given name Tiandou. He had already leaped up onto the platform, his bearing rather dashing, and a chorus of cheers rose from below. Zhang Qingyue looked over and saw that beneath the Li platform a good hundred or more people had gathered, most of them disciples of Zhaoyang Peak—even Shang Zhengliang, the seat-holder of Zhaoyang Peak, was there watching, a faint smile on his face, plainly setting great store by this Shen Tiandou.
Tian Buhui and the others came to the foot of the platform, and the Dazhu Peak contingent was at once swallowed up among the Zhaoyang Peak disciples, with Zhaoyang Peak robes before, behind, and on either side. Tian Buhui did not mind. He glanced at Shang Zhengliang standing some distance off; Shang Zhengliang looked back at the same moment, and as their eyes met there seemed a faint spark—but both only smiled faintly, as though nothing were amiss.
By then disciples had already brought chairs for the two seat-holders and for Su Wan and the other elders. Tian Buhui and Su Wan sat down, and Tian Lingsu came forward: "Father, Mother, I'm going up."
Tian Buhui looked at his daughter. "Go on."
A look of loving tenderness came over Su Wan's face. "Be careful in all things."
Tian Lingsu glanced at the platform, broke into a smile, showed not the slightest nervousness, and said, "Just wait for my good news."
With that she turned, her smile still in place, and with her left hand traced a hand-seal: "Rise!"
As her voice fell, a flash of rosy light shimmered, and the amber-red silk sash at her waist was summoned forth, moving beneath her feet. It bore up Tian Lingsu's slender form, and amid the glow she flew toward the platform like a fairy.
This display far outshone Shen Tiandou's monkey-like leap onto the stage, and since Tian Lingsu was beautiful as a flower and the disciples below—Zhaoyang Peak's included—were mostly young men, thunderous applause broke out at once; even beneath the distant platforms many heads turned to look.
Zhang Qingyue and the other Dazhu Peak disciples stood in a ring behind Tian Buhui and Su Wan, and heard Su Wan say with a smile to Tian Buhui: "It seems Ling'er's cultivation has advanced again."
Tian Buhui smiled faintly. He said nothing, but his expression was well pleased.
By now Tian Lingsu had flown onto the platform and stood about a *zhang* from Shen Tiandou. She cupped her hands: "Pray instruct me, Senior Brother Shen."
Seeing Tian Lingsu ride her treasure up to the stage, and seeing that the treasure shone with wave upon wave of rosy light and steamed with immortal vapor, Shen Tiandou guessed it was most likely the famous "Amber-Red Silk Sash" of Elder Su Wan of Dazhu Peak—the very treasure his master had long warned him to beware. He dared not be negligent, and cupped his hands in return: "Pray show mercy, Junior Sister Tian."
With that he stepped back, traced a sword-seal with his right hand, and a three-foot immortal sword wreathed in gray-brown radiance was summoned forth and hung crosswise before him.
Below the platform, Su Wan's brows drew together. She said in a low voice to Tian Buhui: "This sword, like Ling'er's Amber-Red Silk Sash, is a treasure of the earth element among the Five Elements. Now it will come down to which of the two has the deeper cultivation."
Tian Buhui smiled faintly. "Among the earth-element treasures of the Canglan Sect, what can compare with your Amber-Red Silk Sash? To my eye, that immortal sword is a hundred thousand *li* beneath your sash."
Su Wan gave a low *pei*. "Nonsense, as always."