Chapter 197 — True Anger
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 5 of 7
Su Wan cut him off, her tone shifting, sharp as a blade: "But if indeed something has happened to Buhui on this Jietian Peak, Senior Brother Yang—" Her clear, bright eyes flashed, a keen light passing through them, and her words came with the surging passion and resolve of her heart, without the slightest wavering or room to turn back:
"—then beneath the two thousand years of the Canglan Sect there shall stand one unworthy disciple, Su Wan, who for the sake of the one to whom her whole life's heart is bound, here on Jietian Peak of Canglan Mountain, shall demand an accounting before the patriarchs of every generation—and before that renowned senior brother of ours, the Sect Master!"
With a soft cry she swept her hand like a blade, cleaving the wind, and the dark-green sword-light flared in an instant. A shrill whistle of air being split rose up, followed by a muffled thud and a swirl of flying dust. All felt the ground tremble faintly beneath them, as though at an earthquake. When the dust had somewhat settled, they saw that the dark-green immortal sword in Su Wan's hand had been thrust, sheath and all, into the exceedingly hard stone flagging at the center of the Jade Balance Hall—and about the point where it had entered the ground there was not the least crack or fissure.
In some unseen way, that dark-green immortal sword planted in the earth, though parted from Su Wan's palm, seemed only the more fierce in its sword-light, and, like a savage beast licking blood, gave another low growl.
Senior Brother Yang looked at the dark-green immortal sword thrust into the ground before himself and Su Wan, and gave a bitter smile. "Junior Sister Su, this—surely it has not come to that yet. Why have you brought out 'Mo Xue,' sealed away these hundred years and more?"
Su Wan said with a cold smile, "Senior Brother Yang, you know well enough. In those days Buhui asked me to seal this Mo Xue away. Because he was here, I sealed it, and thought nothing of it. But if something has befallen him, then I shall have to consult our senior brother the Sect Master with Mo Xue here."
Elder Yang shook his head with a bitter smile. "I thought that after so many years married to Junior Brother Tian you must long since have changed that temper of yours. Well, well—I cannot persuade you in any case. Let us go sit down together and wait for Xiao Yichen to bring our senior brother the Sect Master here."
Su Wan's face was without expression, but she gave a snort, and slowly went with Elder Yang to one side and sat down.
In the Jade Balance Hall the atmosphere gradually eased a little. Elder Yang there lowered his voice and spoke softly to Su Wan of something or other—no doubt still comforting her not to be too anxious. The other elders either stood behind Elder Yang or sat down as well. Only Elder Fan shuffled slowly to one side of the Jade Balance Hall's great doors, putting a good distance between himself and Su Wan.
As for the other young disciples, their standing was not sufficient, and with Su Wan's wrathful display besides, each stood farther off than the last. Among the elders of Jietian Peak, this Elder Fan was ordinarily the most easygoing of disposition, and something of a comic and humorist besides. Though in cultivation he inevitably lagged behind his fellow elders, among the young disciples he was the most popular of all; whether disciples he had taught himself or other nephews, all were on close terms with him.
At this moment, seeing Elder Fan standing alone to one side, many of the younger generation quietly edged over toward him—among them not a few who had just been flung in by Su Wan and were likewise disciples of Elder Fan.
Elder Fan looked at those few disciples and shook his head. One young disciple beside him could not resist asking softly, "Master, why is Uncle-Master Su so fierce? Ordinarily she seems so gentle—how is it that when she is angry she is so formidable?"