Chapter 191 — The Leak
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 4 of 6
Of those who remained, Zeng Shuyan and Lu Xueling were the leaders. Zeng Shuyan was simple enough—his father Zeng Shuchang gave him a few words of instruction and off he went to the southern lands; but Lu Xueling's coming this time had been rather more roundabout. It was said that Master Shuijing had at first not wished to let her go out, but later, for some reason, changed his mind—only he specially had Lu Xueling's senior sister Wen Pei come along as well. Wen Pei's coming had one advantage, at least: on the road Zeng Shuyan had someone to talk to. Otherwise Zeng Shuyan, a restless fellow by nature, had he had only the frost-cold Lu Xueling for company on the journey, would likely have spent nine of every ten sentences talking to himself, and the tenth being Lu Xueling's impatient order for him to be off.
On the road to the southern lands, Zeng Shuyan had gotten on quite harmoniously with Wen Pei, and as the three took counsel together, Zeng Shuyan proposed that in any case, as fellow disciples of the righteous path, having come to the southern lands, they ought to pay a call at the Fierce Sunset Valley.
But Lu Xueling seemed unwilling. She stated her view mildly: she had been to the southern lands before, after all, and roughly knew the way; there was no need to trouble others, and so forth.
Zeng Shuyan and Wen Pei knew well enough in their hearts that Lu Xueling still bore a knot in hers. That day, in the Yuheng Hall on the Jietian Peak of the Canglan Sect, she had publicly and firmly refused the marriage suit pressed upon her by Yun Yifeng, master of the Fierce Sunset Valley, on behalf of his prized disciple Li Xun, greatly wounding the pride of both Yun Yifeng and the Daoist Master Daoyan; naturally she was unwilling to have dealings with the Fierce Sunset Valley again.
Yet after several discussions between Zeng Shuyan and Wen Pei, it was Wen Pei after all who persuaded Lu Xueling that they must go and make a show of it, or things would look bad before their elders in the future. Lu Xueling hesitated again and again, but at last agreed.
The three came to the mouth of the Fierce Sunset Valley. They already had some reputation, and Lu Xueling especially was a beauty of a nation-toppling, heaven-sent loveliness; ever since the younger generation of the Canglan Sect had risen, her fame and her looks had become known throughout the world. And for the Fierce Sunset Valley, Lu Xueling carried perhaps an added meaning still; so no sooner had the three figures appeared at the valley mouth than they were recognized almost at once by the Fierce Sunset Valley disciples.
After the first shock came what seemed a ripple of commotion, but someone hurried inside to report, and several men at once came forward to greet them. The foremost of them cupped his hands with a smile and said, "Ah, so Senior Sister Lu has graced Fenxia Valley with her presence—what a rare honor. And these two must be senior disciples of the Canglan Sect as well. Please, please, come in."
Zeng Shuyan exchanged a glance with Wen Pei behind him, secretly stuck out his tongue and made a face, thinking that this Lu Xueling's reputation was indeed fearsome—even the ordinary disciples of Fenxia Valley had recognized her at a single glance, while he and Wen Pei were plainly the sort of passersby who trailed along behind and beside a beauty.
The two of them were not offended in the least; Zeng Shuyan, all smiles, joked and chattered merrily with the Fenxia Valley disciples the whole way, and every so often set them roaring with laughter. Walking behind, Wen Pei said softly, with a smile, to Lu Xueling beside her, "Junior Sister, look at that Junior Brother Zeng—they have only just met, and already he is thick as thieves with them. He really is something."
Lu Xueling glanced ahead, where Zeng Shuyan had by now draped an arm over the shoulder of a Fenxia Valley disciple. She smiled faintly and said nothing.