Chapter 205 — Schemes Within Schemes
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 6
Zeng Shuyan turned around. "Since that is so, let us enter. But this place is hardly ordinary, after all; we would do better to be careful. Let it be thus: I shall take the lead and clear the way, Junior Sister Lu will hold the center and provide support, Senior Brother Li will bring up the rear, and the other senior brothers of Fenxia Valley will walk in the middle. Is that agreeable?"
Li Xun nodded and was about to consent when Lu Xueling suddenly said mildly from the side, "That will not do. Let us change it."
Both Zeng Shuyan and Li Xun were taken aback. Zeng Shuyan said, "Junior Sister Lu, what do you mean, then?"
Lu Xueling considered for a moment and said, "I shall walk in front. Senior Brother Zeng will walk at the very rear. Everyone else, and Senior Brother Li, will be in the middle. Senior Brother Li and the others are all disciples of Fenxia Valley; should anything happen, there should be someone to give orders and speak for them."
Li Xun's expression shifted slightly; he seemed about to say something, but Zeng Shuyan had already laughed. "Ah, you are right. How did I not think of that? Junior Sister Lu has reason. Then it is settled."
Li Xun frowned, but in the end closed his mouth and said nothing, which counted as tacit assent. Lu Xueling looked at him, then turned back to Zeng Shuyan. "Senior Brother Zeng, walking at the rear, you will have the better view and should take in the whole situation, keeping the plan in your mind."
Zeng Shuyan smiled faintly. Suddenly, at an angle where Li Xun and the other Fenxia Valley disciples could not see, with his back to them, he winked at Lu Xueling, then laughed. "Rest easy, Junior Sister Lu. With me guarding the rear, no trouble will daunt us. Hahaha—"
Lu Xueling gave Zeng Shuyan a deep look, and the corners of her mouth seemed to show a faint trace of a smile—only to vanish at once. Even so, that moment of grace was enough to set the hearts of the young Fenxia Valley disciples in the distance, who stole glances at her from time to time, churning; someone could not help but sigh aloud.
Li Xun gave a cold snort, his face stern, and at once the strange sounds vanished without a trace. Lu Xueling's face returned to its cold indifference. She glanced around and said, "We are going in." With that, paying the others no further mind, she walked on ahead.
Zeng Shuyan turned to Li Xun with a smile. "Senior Brother Li, let us be off as well."
Li Xun nodded, signaled to the other Fenxia Valley disciples, and followed. By the time Li Xun and all the rest had entered that deep, dark gloom behind Lu Xueling, Zeng Shuyan still seemed in no hurry. He gazed about at the surrounding scenery for a while longer, as if turning something over in his mind. At length he gave a mysterious smile and slowly walked into the ancient cave.
Low footsteps echoed out from the darkness, and the entrance of the Zhenmo Ancient Cave sank once more into silence. As the footsteps grew softer and more distant and finally died away, a figure suddenly flashed in the darkness. Then Hei Mu's form slowly emerged from the shadows, walked gradually to the stone statue of the woman, and stood silently looking at it.
Behind him, illusory white mist slowly drifted up and gathered, and the enormous form of the fierce spirit Black Tiger appeared once more. But this time he did not immediately turn vicious words upon Hei Mu; instead he turned back and gazed long into the darkness deep within the cave. Suddenly he gave a cold laugh. "These people of the Central Plains—their scheming and infighting never ceases. Even here, they are still at it without end."
Hei Mu turned around and said mildly, "The human heart has always been thus. Never mind them—are not you and I, and even the Lady of those years, the same?"