Chapter 152 — Unfilial

Canglan Mountain, the Peak That Touches Heaven, the Yuheng Hall.

"What?" Daoist Zhenren Daoyan blurted out, stunned into disbelief. "All three great factions of the Demonic Cult were wiped out after their decisive battle with the beast demons?"

Standing below the three leaders of the orthodox path, along with the many elders seated or standing nearby, Xiao Yichen, Facheng, Lu Xueling, and the other orthodox disciples who had returned to Canglan Mountain said nothing. Only Xiao Yichen, at their head, gave a firm nod. "Yes, Master. All seven of us saw it with our own eyes. In Vipers' Valley in the southwest, corpses lay strewn across the land—a sight too horrible to bear. The Demonic Cult has indeed been dealt a grievous blow. We found the bodies of many of their number, including Lady Sanmiao of the Enchantment Sect and others of the Ten Thousand Poisons Gate. Only a few of the Banished King Sect's leading figures were discovered—though perhaps the beast demons devoured them, and so..."

Behind him, Lu Xueling's face went pale again, as though that affair and the carnage of that time were etched forever in her heart, impossible to wipe away. Yet she had by now regained command of herself; outwardly she showed little sign of disturbance, and no one noticed anything amiss—save Master Shuijing, head of Xiaozhu Peak, who had raised Lu Xueling from childhood, seated at the front of the gathering. She alone marked the strange, bitter anguish that seemed to lurk beneath Lu Xueling's cold, clear, frost-like beauty.

Master Shuijing's brow furrowed slightly. She gave a soft sigh and said nothing.

By now the Yuheng Hall was astir, the murmur of discussion growing ever louder. Looking at the faces of these elite cultivators of the orthodox path—some astonished, some fearful, but more than anything wearing complicated expressions, mingled joy and dread—one could well understand. The Demonic Cult and the orthodox path of the Central Plains had warred for countless years; several campaigns of suppression had achieved little. Now, this time, the cult had been annihilated in a single stroke by the beast demons—a joy wholly unforeseen. Yet if the Demonic Cult could hold its own against the orthodox path, its strength could hardly be underestimated; and to suffer such crushing defeat at the beast demons' hands... There were few fools in this hall. Anyone could guess that the beast demons' next target must surely be Canglan Mountain, where the orthodox path of the world had gathered.

And could the orthodox path—now the last hope of all living things under heaven—withstand this unprecedented, world-shaking calamity?

No one had any confidence at all.

The three great pillars of the orthodox path seated at the very front—Daoist Zhenren Daoyan, the Venerable Pucheng, and Yun Yifeng—conferred in low voices for a time, all with brows tightly knit. Then Daoyan spoke a few words; Pucheng and Yun Yifeng both nodded in assent. At once Daoyan rose and cleared his throat.

The murmuring and private talk in the Yuheng Hall immediately died down, and every eye turned toward Daoyan. His face was grave, and once the hall had fallen completely silent, he said in a deep voice, "Fellow cultivators, you have all heard clearly what has just been reported. The Demonic Cult's unexpected destruction has taken us entirely by surprise. But the details remain unclear—whether any remnants of the cult survived and fled that great battle is something we must still investigate thoroughly. For the moment, however, that matter is no longer of importance."

His countenance was stern, a keen light flashing in his eyes, commanding awe without anger. Solemnly he said, "Fellow cultivators, the great calamity is upon us now. All living things under heaven are plunged into misery, and the beast demons' strength is truly astonishing. But since we count ourselves among the orthodox path, there is no reason for us to shrink back at the final hour. This is a complex matter; the Venerable Pucheng, Valley Master Yun, and I must deliberate carefully before we decide. For now, please return and rest well. The day of the great battle is likely not far off. When it comes, for the sake of all the people under heaven, we shall look to you all to lend your utmost strength!"

The assembly nodded and assented one after another. A faint smile appeared on Daoyan's face. Pucheng and Yun Yifeng rose as well and walked toward the rear hall. Daoyan was about to follow when he thought of something and said to Xiao Yichen, "Yicai, you come too. Tell us the details of what happened at the time."

Xiao Yichen answered and strode forward, following behind Daoist Zhenren Daoyan into the rear hall.

Once these three revered elders had departed, the great hall at once grew lively. People clustered in groups of three or five, talking animatedly. Apart from Xiao Yichen, who had gone with Daoyan and the others to the rear hall, the other six orthodox disciples who had returned from scouting the southwest were each surrounded by many people, all clamoring to hear of the situation, breaking out now and then into astonishment, shaking of heads, sighs, and every manner of expression and exclamation.

And amid the crowd, Lu Xueling remained silent throughout, her gaze faint and distant, as though she could not see the faces around her at all, but was gazing at some nameless place far away.

A low stir suddenly passed through the crowd, and a path opened. Master Shuijing, head of Xiaozhu Peak of the Canglan Sect, entered, followed by Wen Pei and several other beautiful female disciples of Xiaozhu Peak. Lu Xueling came back to herself and, seeing her master approach with her eyes fixed upon her, moved her lips and called softly, "Master." Then she lowered her head.

Master Shuijing's face was expressionless. "The sect master wishes to discuss this matter with the other elders. There will be nothing else here for the time being. Come back to Xiaozhu Peak with me now."

Lu Xueling nodded and said softly, "Yes."

Master Shuijing paid no heed to the others and walked first toward the exit of the Yuheng Hall, Lu Xueling following. The title of head of the Canglan Sect was no small thing; most of the orthodox cultivators present held her in deep respect and made way for her. Seeing Lu Xueling about to leave the Yuheng Hall with Master Shuijing, Li Xun, standing to one side, betrayed a flicker of anxiety. He stepped forward, about to speak, when a figure suddenly blocked his path. Startled, Li Xun looked closely—it was Wen Pei, senior disciple under Master Shuijing.

Wen Pei smiled faintly at Li Xun. "Brother Li, Sister Xueqi is quite worn out from the journey. Best to let her rest properly. And this expedition has kept us away a long while; my master has much to say to her."

Li Xun studied Wen Pei for a moment, disappointment surfacing on his face, but in the end he drew back the foot he had been about to advance. "Very well. But please, Sister Wen, take good care of—"

Before Li Xun could finish, Wen Pei said with a smile, "Rest assured, Brother Li. Sister Xueqi and I are sisters of the same sect—closer than true sisters. What ought to be done and said, I shall naturally do and say."

Li Xun flushed, nodded, said no more, and withdrew to one side. Wen Pei led the other Xiaozhu Peak female disciples out of the Yuheng Hall, and soon the whole company of Xiaozhu Peak was lost to sight.

All the way they rode the clouds, returning from the Peak That Touches Heaven to Xiaozhu Peak. After landing, Master Shuijing's face was cold, and she spoke to no one, walking straight into the halls of Xiaozhu Peak. The others stood respectfully in place, watching her go.

After Master Shuijing's figure had vanished among the buildings, Lu Xueling stood motionless, her gaze lost, as though something had been taken from her—until Wen Pei patted her shoulder, and she started awake.