Chapter 64 — Hidden Worries
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 6
The Underworld King nodded and said: "By my reckoning, it is most likely that he gained some insight after reading the first volume of the Heavenly Book." Here he turned his head and smiled: "Speaking of which, that general outline of the first volume of the Heavenly Book that you brought me from the Blood-Dripping Cave—after I read it, it was of great benefit to my cultivation of the Daoist arts."
Bili said happily: "Is that so?"
The Underworld King nodded and said: "Indeed. The Heavenly Book has four volumes in all, and legend speaks of a fifth, though no one has ever seen it. But since ancient times, our Holy Sect has passed down four volumes, though alas most have been lost. That our Underworld King lineage can enjoy its present glory is largely thanks to the previous generation's Underworld King, who three hundred years ago chanced upon the second volume of the Heavenly Book."
Here he paused, then continued: "Only, in that second volume, profound and unfathomable as the Daoist methods are, the general outline and the key formulae follow directly from the first volume. That is why for these several hundred years, our Underworld King lineage could only share the world with the three great sects—the Soul-Losing Sect, the Longevity Hall, and the Ten Thousand Poisons Gate. But in days to come, heh heh..."
Bili smiled and said: "Then I must congratulate you, Father."
The Underworld King nodded with a smile and said: "This time you have truly done a great service. Originally I sent you to the Blood Refining Hall on Kongsang Mountain not only to temper you, but merely to see whether the old senior Blackheart might have left behind any treasures or rare artifacts. Instead, you brought back the Heavenly Book—worth more than ten times any treasure."
Bili smiled, but her expression suddenly dimmed a little.
The Underworld King looked at his daughter for a long while, then suddenly laughed.
Bili came to herself, blushed, and said reproachfully: "Father..."
The Underworld King shook his head with a smile and said: "Why do you worry so?"
Bili bit her lip and said: "Father, you saw it today as well—that Zhang Qingyue, that, that blasted fellow, the way he is with his senior sister Tian Lingsu. I am only afraid, only afraid..."
The Underworld King said: "Afraid of what? Afraid that his heart is wholly given to her, and that he holds no feeling for you?"
Bili lowered her head.
The Underworld King said mildly: "My view differs from yours."
Bili was startled and said: "Father, what do you mean?"
The Underworld King said: "From what I saw today, Zhang Qingyue is indeed good to his senior sister, but when you and that Xiao Zhou were dueling and the moment grew critical, he could not control himself—he cried out and leaped forward without any regard for his own safety. On that alone, together with the times you and he have shared life and death and walked the road side by side, perhaps he does not yet understand it himself, but your place in his heart is likely not much less than that of his senior sister."
Bili blushed again, and under the night sky she looked all the more lovely, yet her eyes shifted, and there was a joy in them she could not conceal.
The Underworld King took in her expression, walked over, and gently stroked her hair, his affection plain to see. Then he said: "However, you must not rejoice too soon. First, the barrier between our sects is a threshold he cannot cross; and second, his masters, uncles, and elders in Canglan Sect will never permit him to hold any feeling for you. That is why, when I was about to leave today, I deliberately made your relationship sound ambiguous. That one called Xiao Zhou must hold no low place in Canglan Sect; if he carries word back, Canglan Sect will surely grow suspicious of Zhang Qingyue. In this way, the chance that he will come over to our Holy Sect has grown by several degrees."
With that, he seemed quite pleased with his own cunning and chuckled twice.