Chapter 190 — Anomaly
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 4 of 7
At this moment the six vein heads were seated below, while the central seat that had once belonged to Immortal Daoyan was naturally left empty. Xiao Yichen, whose rank and seniority were both below those of his uncles, had no choice but to stand to one side. He gave a bitter laugh and said, "Uncles, I would never dare harbor resentment in my heart, but—but His Reverence the Master has indeed gone into seclusion and left strict orders that he is not to be disturbed. It is not that Yichen is deliberately obstructing your visit to the Master."
Tian Buhui gave an angry snort and said, "Say no more nonsense. In recent days the whole Canglan Sect has been buzzing with it—the conduct of our exalted Sect Master has been utterly bizarre. All day long on Jietian Peak he is at one moment frenzied, at another dazed. If Senior Brother the Sect Master is unwell, then we as his junior brothers must find some way to treat him, or at the very least look in on him. And if he is perfectly well, why would he refuse to come out and see us?" Here his voice suddenly rose, and he demanded in fury, "Xiao Yichen, tell us the truth—how is Senior Brother the Sect Master?"
Xiao Yichen's body gave a start, as though Tian Buhui's raised voice had frightened him, yet his face still wore that faint bitter smile, and he said nothing.
Zeng Shuchang, head of Fenghui Peak, who had sat to one side saying little all this while, glanced at Xiao Yichen, his brows tightly knitted. After a moment's thought he said, "Let it be this way, Nephew Xiao. We old men know well that you have always revered your master and would not dare defy him, so we will not put you in a hard position. Now all we ask is that you take us to the place where Senior Brother the Sect Master is in seclusion, and we will pay our respects to him ourselves. What say you?"
Xiao Yichen froze for a moment and said nothing, though a thoughtful look came over his face. Zeng Shuchang turned and glanced at the others behind him; Tian Buhui, Master Shuijing, and the rest all nodded slowly. Zeng Shuchang cleared his throat and rose slowly to his feet, his tone calm, and said, "Nephew Xiao, in truth we are only concerned for Senior Brother the Sect Master. Toward His Reverence we have always held the deepest respect—this is known to all in the Canglan Sect. Once we have seen Senior Brother the Sect Master and know that he is well, we will naturally be at ease, will we not? By the way, I hear that Senior Brother the Sect Master has gone into seclusion these past days, and by the old customs of the Canglan Sect that can only mean one of three places: the sealed chamber of Yuheng Hall, the Ancestral Shrine, or the Illusory Moon Grotto. I wonder whether he..."
As Zeng Shuchang spoke on, his voice gradually slowed, but his gaze was fixed on Xiao Yichen. Xiao Yichen's expression shifted several times, and after a long while he bowed his head slightly toward Zeng Shuchang and the others and said, "His Reverence the Master, in recent years, because Qingyun has suffered so many upheavals, has often blamed himself, and he frequently offers sacrifices to the past generations of ancestors at the Ancestral Shrine."
Zeng Shuchang frowned, nodded, and said no more. He took the lead toward the rear hall of Yuheng Hall, with Tian Buhui, Master Shuijing, and Immortal Tianri following behind. Qi Hao and Chu Yuhong rose slowly; as they passed Xiao Yichen, Qi Hao too wore a faint bitter smile, and reached out to pat Xiao Yichen lightly on the shoulder. Xiao Yichen sighed, shook his head, and said nothing.
The Ancestral Shrine in the rear mountains of Canglan Mountain was still hidden deep within the secluded woods, only a corner of its flying eaves showing through the gaps in the emerald-green treetops. Perhaps it truly was the protection of the past generations of Canglan Sect ancestors, for in ten years the sect had passed through two harrowing calamities, and yet this place had never been damaged.