Chapter 74 — Two
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 2 of 6
"Just now," Tian Buhui said slowly, as though only thus could he conceal what he felt, "Qi Hao of Long Peak came this morning with a message. Tomorrow at first light, the sect leader, the Perfected One Daoyan, will see you in the Yuheng Hall on Jietian Peak."
Zhang Qingyue's body trembled. That moment had come at last.
A cool mountain breeze drifted gently in through the open door, as if carrying with it the rustling of that distant bamboo grove; but neither of them in the room felt it.
Little Grey seemed to have fallen asleep again, and Big Yellow lay back down, paying them no more mind; only Tian Buhui still watched this disciple.
Looked at him, deeply, deeply.
"These past few days—have your senior brothers treated you poorly?"
Zhang Qingyue shook his head. "No. My senior brothers have been... good to me."
Tian Buhui said no more, and silence returned to the room.
After a long while, Tian Buhui suddenly let out a long breath, as though he had come to some decision, tossed his head, rose, and walked toward the door without looking back, without a word.
Zhang Qingyue gazed at that familiar back, lost and forlorn.
Just as Tian Buhui was about to step out of the room, he suddenly halted again, still without turning around; Zhang Qingyue called out dazedly, "Master..."
"Old Seven!" Tian Buhui's voice was steady as ever, but behind it something strange seemed to be stirring.
"I will ask you one last time: are you truly a spy sent by another sect to probe our Qingyun secret arts?"
Zhang Qingyue bit his lip and slowly, slowly knelt to him. "Master, I am not. I have done nothing to betray you!"
He spoke in a low voice, to Tian Buhui and, it seemed, to the depths of his own heart as well, speaking with such absolute certainty.
In the sunlight there seemed to be a faint sigh; when Zhang Qingyue raised his head again, that familiar figure had vanished.
Zhang Qingyue stared blankly at the doorway, holding that posture for a long time, before he slowly rose and walked back to sit on the edge of the bed.
The monkey Little Grey was startled awake by his movement, turned its head, saw that it was Zhang Qingyue, and grinned broadly; as though its sleep had restored its spirits and its restlessness, it leaped onto him.
Zhang Qingyue unconsciously gathered it into his arms, but his eyes still rested on the doorway. After a long while, in a voice only he—or perhaps he and Little Grey—could hear, he said softly, "You know, I promised that person long ago: I will not tell, not even if I die... not even if I die..."
Whether Little Grey understood, it clearly did not much care; it reached out a hand and affectionately grabbed at Zhang Qingyue's head.
Zhang Qingyue did not move, letting the monkey do as it pleased, and only said slowly, "There is only you now, Little Grey. Now there is only you left beside me..."
Little Grey chittered twice and laughed as though greatly amused, whether it understood or not. And in the distance, Big Yellow seemed to have fallen asleep again; in its sleep its tail curled quietly in beneath its body.
The sunlight still fell soft and gentle. Outside the door, Du Biyan could not help but open his mouth in a yawn; but a moment later, the faint drowsiness vanished, for he saw Tian Buhui walking slowly out of Zhang Qingyue's quarters.
"Master," Du Biyan called, studying Tian Buhui's face carefully, hoping to read something there; but Tian Buhui's expression was blank, and he only gave a slight nod before walking past him toward the Hall of Guarded Stillness.
Du Biyan stood respectfully to one side; when Tian Buhui had gone some distance, he watched his back and thought of Zhang Qingyue, and could not help but sigh. On Dazhu Peak, no one could ever have imagined that such a thing would happen to this ordinarily unremarkable junior brother.
At this moment, even he—usually so lively and restless—could not muster much spirit, and in his heart he felt a faint, vague worry for Zhang Qingyue.