Chapter 143 — Reluctance

Yun Yi Feng bowed slightly and said, "After you, Zhenren."

The two exchanged a smile and ascended side by side. Dao Yan Zhenren and Yun Yi Feng sat together in the seats of honor, with the members of their respective sects to either side.

After a round of pleasantries and polite courtesies, Dao Yan Zhenren said with a smile, "The Fenxia Valley is a great pillar of the orthodox path, revered by all under heaven. That Valley Master Yun should deign to grace us with his presence this time truly brings glory to the Canglan Sect."

Yun Yi Feng shook his head again and again. "Zhenren praises me far too much, far too much," he said, and then his expression suddenly turned grave as he said solemnly, "In truth, my visit to your mountain this time is because there are two great matters on which I must beg the aid of the Canglan Sect."

Dao Yan Zhenren said quickly, "Valley Master Yun is too courteous. Please, speak your mind."

Yun Yi Feng cleared his throat and said, "I will conceal nothing from you all. The first of these matters concerns a great calamity such as the world has rarely seen in these several hundred years!"

The faces of the Canglan Sect all changed at once. Tian Buhui, seated below Dao Yan Zhenren, knit his brows and said, "What does Valley Master Yun mean by this?"

Yun Yi Feng sighed and said, "You are all unaware, but just one month ago, within the hundred thousand wild mountains of the southern frontier, which my valley has guarded for generations, a peerless demon has been reborn."

Dao Yan Zhenren was taken aback. "A peerless demon?"

Yun Yi Feng nodded. "Indeed, a peerless demon. You are far away in the Central Plains and know nothing of the details, but my Fenxia Valley line has guarded the southern frontier for generations, and so I know them well. This demon styles himself the 'Beast Sovereign.' He is an ancient fiend; whence he came, none can say—only that in ages past he brought ruin upon the world and slaughtered countless living souls..."

Zeng Shuchang, peak lord of Fenghui Peak, seated beside Tian Buhui, frowned and said, "Surely with Valley Master Yun's heaven-spanning cultivation, and with the full strength of the Fenxia Valley behind him, this demon cannot be beyond your power to deal with?"

Yun Yi Feng's face darkened. "You all make light of me. It is not that my valley fears trouble or dares not take up the burden—it is that I know full well this matter is no small thing, and by no means can the Fenxia Valley alone withstand it. That is why I have come so presumptuously to beg you, Zhenren, for the sake of the living souls of the world, to raise the call on high, that all under heaven may strike together, and only thus may there be hope of victory. Otherwise the cause is lost, and the living things of this world will suffer countless deaths and injuries."

The Canglan Sect members exchanged glances. Indeed, it made sense—things had been perfectly well, and then the Fenxia Valley had suddenly leapt out to speak of a peerless demon, insisting that only if every cultivator under heaven joined forces could there be any hope. How was one to accept such a thing? Yet Dao Yan Zhenren was, after all, a man who had attained the Dao; he pondered long in silence, then said with resolve:

"If the matter is truly as Valley Master Yun says, then it is a calamity such as the world has never seen in all its living generations. We who cultivate the Dao have always styled ourselves the orthodox path; we cannot simply stand by. Since it is so, my Canglan Sect shall join hands with the Fenxia Valley to resist this demon. Afterward I shall send word to Venerable Pu Cheng of the Fanyin Temple, and ask that he too come to Canglan Mountain to take counsel with us."

Yun Yi Feng let out a long breath and clapped his hands together. "Excellent, excellent. Only now can I set my heart at ease."

Dao Yan Zhenren smiled. "Valley Master Yun jests. By the way, I wonder what this second great matter might be—surely not another calamity?"

A gleam flickered in Yun Yi Feng's eyes. He gave Dao Yan Zhenren a long, deep look, then said, "No. This second matter is a happy one."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Dao Yan Zhenren's mouth.

Yun Yi Feng smiled and said, "The second matter for which I have come is to seek the hand of Miss Lu Xueling of your esteemed sect on behalf of my disciple, Li Xun."

At these words, Lu Xueling, standing behind Master Shui Jing, gave a violent start and suddenly raised her head, while among the Canglan Sect it was as though a pot had boiled over—an uproar at once. Their reaction was, if anything, even more astonished than when they had first heard of the peerless demon and the great calamity of heaven!

Countless gazes instantly fixed on Lu Xueling's stunned face, then, a moment later, were drawn away once more by Daoist Zhenren Daoyan.

The sect master of the Canglan Sect, Daoist Zhenren Daoyan, pondered for a moment, then spoke out in a clear voice: "I have observed this child Li Xun over the past few days. He is indeed a dragon among men, a prodigy whose future is beyond all reckoning."

Yun Yifeng smiled. "You flatter him, Zhenren. Still, I do in truth intend someday to pass the position of Valley Master to this unworthy disciple. And with a great enemy before us, such a joyful occasion can only show our sincere cooperation and lift the spirits of the heroes of the world. What say you, Zhenren?"

Tian Buhui, seated off to the side, wore a look of open disdain, and nearly let a cold snort escape his lips; fortunately his wife Su Wan, quick of eye and swift of hand, caught hold of him.

Zhenren Daoyan's gaze swept across the Canglan Sect's people, coming at last to rest on Lu Xueling. Her brows were tightly knit, her lips trembling faintly, as though she wished to speak; yet mindful that the occasion was improper, she did not raise her voice after all.

Zhenren Daoyan smiled faintly, turned his head toward Yun Yifeng, and laughed: "Valley Master Yun's goodwill this day is truly beyond my expectations!"

Yun Yifeng cupped his hands and said with a smile: "This humble one and my disciple harbor the most sincere intentions. I hope you will grant us your blessing, Zhenren."

Zhenren Daoyan reached up to stroke his long beard at his breast and said slowly: "Heaven has brought forth demons and monsters, and disaster is close upon us. Only if our two sects stand shoulder to shoulder and join our strength can we save the common people. Moreover, in this marriage the man is talented and the woman fair, and I am well pleased with it myself..."

Another stir ran through the Canglan Sect; none had expected that Zhenren Daoyan would actually approve this marriage.

Then Zhenren Daoyan turned his head and said with a smile to Master Shuijing, seated nearby: "Junior Sister Shuiyue, Xueqi is your disciple, so the decision ought rightly to be yours."

Lu Xueling's face went stark white, plainly shaken to the core by this turn of events. Hearing Zhenren Daoyan's words, she could not help stepping forward and calling out to Master Shuijing:

"Master..."

Master Shuijing slowly raised her eyes, letting her gaze move over Lu Xueling's peerless face, as though she sought to read something within those features. The look in her eyes was complex and hard to fathom. After a long silence, she said slowly: "Qi'er, I too am wholly in favor of this marriage. Young Master Li is a dragon among men, a most fitting match."

A sudden hush fell over the Yuyu Hall. Everyone, Tian Buhui and the rest included, stared at Master Shuijing in disbelief.

Lu Xueling's body swayed abruptly.

And far off, Li Xun's joy was already written plain upon his face.

"Hahahahaha!" Yun Yifeng's laughter shattered the silence. "Excellent, excellent! Since both elders approve this matter, Xun'er, why do you not hurry forward and pay your respects to them both!"

Li Xun rushed forward at once and knelt in salute.