Chapter 35 — The Ancient Grotto
劍問蒼天 · Page 3 of 6
After a moment [Facheng] smiled and said, "In this affair on Kongsang Mountain, the elders of our three sects intended for us of the younger generation to gain some tempering. Now that our numbers are complete — though the senior brothers of the Canglan Sect have had a hard journey — perhaps we should rest a day, and at first light tomorrow enter the Ten Thousand Bats Ancient Grotto to investigate. What say you?"
At this [Li Xun], standing nearby, gave a cold snort. "Senior Brother [Facheng] speaks sense. Otherwise, once we are inside, someone will find some excuse or other again."
Except for [Zhang Qingyue], every one of them — [Qi Hao], [Zeng Shuyan], and [Lu Xueqi], all from the renowned Qingyun — had been doted on by their masters within their own branches, and every one had pride in their bones. [Qi Hao] gave a cold laugh and said, "Senior Brother [Li Xun] speaks sense. Otherwise, tired as I am, if I had to save you in there, I fear I would be quite unable."
[Li Xun] had clearly not expected the Canglan disciples to be every bit as proud as himself. He came from the Fenxia Valley and had been favored by his masters since childhood; in the cultivation of Daoist arts, save for a handful among his peers, he far surpassed all others of his generation, and from this had grown a personality that looked down on everything. How could he stomach such a slight? His face changed at once, and he stared at [Qi Hao]. "By that account, Senior Brother [Qi]'s cultivation far exceeds mine. I should rather like to learn a thing or two."
Where the honor of the sect was at stake, [Qi Hao] straightened and was about to step forward, when [Lu Xueqi] suddenly came out from behind him, planted herself neatly in the middle of the open ground, and said coldly, "There is no need to trouble Senior Brother [Qi]. Let me sample the immortal arts of the Fenxia Valley."
[Li Xun] was momentarily stunned. Though [Lu Xueqi] was covered in blood and filth, the skin of her jade face seemed all the more white as snow for it; her expression was cold, yet in that austere bearing there was a natural, ethereal beauty that looked down upon all living things. He had never seen such peerless beauty, and for a moment he was struck dumb.
At the same moment [Facheng] of the Fanyin Temple stepped out and said with a smile, "Senior brothers, we came here to investigate the remnants of the demon cult. I imagine our masters and elders instructed us all before we set out. If they were to learn that we had let our tempers rule us here, I fear we should not escape reprimand on our return. Besides, this is a small matter after all. Let us each yield a step. What say you?"
[Li Xun] came back to himself and gave a snort, tilting his face to the sky. He said nothing, but his meaning was plain enough. [Qi Hao], recalling Master [Daoyan]'s instructions before his departure, felt some regret, and taking the chance to step down gracefully, called from behind, "Junior Sister [Lu], Senior Brother [Facheng] speaks sense. Let us put harmony first."
[Lu Xueqi] looked at the others, gave a snort, and walked back. Seeing [Zhang Qingyue] looking at her, she let her gaze sweep across his face once, then went off to one side alone.
Under that glance, [Zhang Qingyue] suddenly felt a chill, and an indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.
Then [Facheng] spoke again: "Since that is settled, let us first go down the mountain, and tomorrow at dawn we shall ascend and investigate."
By this point no one had any objection. So [Facheng] led the way, and the others followed him, flying on their swords, until they came to a small hill some thirty li from Kongsang Mountain. There was even a clear spring here — just what the Canglan disciples needed. They washed at the water's edge, found a quiet place to change their clothes, and only then came out to meet [Facheng] and the others.