劍問蒼天 - 第228章 血兆 - 清風書屋

Canglan Mountain, Xiaozhu Peak.

The mountain wind swept through the verdant bamboo groves, raising wave upon wave of rustling bamboo, echoing through the empty valley and secluded woods.

Wen Pei looked up at the sky. Not a cloud marred the horizon; the vast blue seemed almost transparent. She drew a deep breath, and her spirits lifted a little, though her pace did not slow. She passed along the bamboo path, and soon caught sight of the small bamboo hut where her master, Abbess Shuijing, cultivated in seclusion.

She walked to the door and knocked softly on the panel. "Master, I have returned."

Abbess Shuijing's voice came from within. "Is that Min'er? Come in."

Wen Pei pushed the door open and entered. The hut was small; no sooner had she stepped inside than she saw Abbess Shuijing seated cross-legged upon the couch, eyes closed in meditation. She went to one side. "Master."

Abbess Shuijing slowly opened her eyes and glanced at her. Seeing that she was alone, she said, "What, you did not find her?"

Wen Pei nodded. "No. I went twice today to Sister Lu's dwelling, but she was not there either time. I asked the other sisters, but none of them had seen any trace of her. Could it be that she has gone down the mountain on some errand?"

Abbess Shuijing's face betrayed no expression. "Xueqi has always known what matters and what does not. If she had gone down the mountain, she would surely have informed me. If you cannot find her, most likely she is..." Her voice paused a moment, as though something had occurred to her, and then she changed tack. "Since you cannot find her, then let it be. There is nothing of importance, after all. Go on down and attend to your own cultivation."

Wen Pei nodded and murmured an assent, then bowed to Abbess Shuijing and went out, gently closing the bamboo door behind her as she left.

Only after Wen Pei's footsteps had gradually faded into the distance did a faint, thoughtful expression slowly surface on Abbess Shuijing's ever-impassive face. After a long while, she gave a low sigh.

Light poured in through the hut's window, illuminating the refined yet simple bamboo dwelling. Abbess Shuijing silently rose from the bamboo couch, walked to the door, pulled it open, and stepped outside, leaving a pool of stillness in the little space behind her.

the Moon-Viewing Terrace was the most secluded spot on Xiaozhu Peak. On clear nights when the bright moon hung overhead, the scenery here was extraordinarily moving. Legend had it that on the night of the full moon, the moonlight, like water, was refracted through the white stone of the terrace and could illuminate the entire Xiaozhu Peak range—truly a wonder of the mortal world, and one of the celebrated sights of Canglan Mountain.

For the past ten years, Lu Xueling had often come to this place in the dead of night, when all was quiet, to dance with her sword beneath the moon. Abbess Shuijing was the benefactress who had raised Lu Xueling from childhood; she was both master and mother to her, and no one understood Lu Xueling's heart better than she. Now, hearing that Wen Pei could not find Lu Xueling, she thought for a moment and concluded that Lu Xueling had most likely come to this secluded place.

As she walked along the path, the bamboo groves grew denser and denser, and at the same time she drew farther and farther from the bustling halls and pavilions of the front mountain. Though Abbess Shuijing's own dwelling was likewise in a quiet place, walking this path and hearing the endless rustle of bamboo on either side, she could not help feeling her heart grow empty and clear.

I wonder whether Xueqi loves this place so much for the same feeling?