Chapter 25 — The Unexpected

Several members of the Long Peak faction at once rushed onto the platform and helped Fang to his feet. Gazing at the immortal sword, snapped clean in two upon the ground, their faces were dark with fury; they glared at Lu Xueqi as though they would gladly devour that beautiful woman whole.

Below the platform, Cangyan Daoren clenched his fists and said coldly: "Junior Sister Shuiyue, that disciple of yours has a truly vicious heart. Winning was plainly not enough for her—she had to lean on some divine artifact and break another's immortal sword outright. What sort of conduct is that?"

Shuiyue Zhenren looked utterly indifferent and said coldly: "Xueqi's cultivation is shallow, her attainments are not deep; she cannot control a divine thing like 'Tianxuan.' It is nothing worth making a fuss over."

Cangyan Daoren's anger surged; he was about to lose his temper when a hand suddenly came to rest on his shoulder. It was Daoyan Zhenren, who had at some point come to stand beside him and now patted his shoulder. Cangyan Daoren looked at him, finally forced his wrath down with a heavy snort through his nose, and strode away.

Daoyan Zhenren watched Cangyan Daoren's tall back recede, shook his head, and gave a bitter smile. He turned to speak, only to see that Shuiyue Zhenren had actually walked away as well. By then Lu Xueqi had come down from the platform and stood before Shuiyue. Shuiyue looked at her, a faint smile rising on her face, and nodded. Lu Xueqi said nothing either; she made a slight bow, then took her place behind Shuiyue and followed her off.

Zhang Qingyue, standing to one side, had only now recovered from that breathtaking contest of magic. Watching Shuiyue and Lu Xueqi, master and disciple, recede into the distance, he suddenly realized how alike the two were—the same coldness like frost and snow, as though they had been cast from a single mold.

He was staring, absorbed, when someone beside him suddenly said: "Who would have thought a divine thing like Tianxuan would appear in the world!"

Zhang Qingyue was baffled. "What is Tianxuan?"

By now the watching Qingyun disciples were gradually dispersing. Zeng Shuyan called out a greeting to his fellow disciples of the Fenghui Peak, then walked off with Zhang Qingyue, saying: "Tianxuan is the immortal sword you just saw Lu Xueqi use. I once read of it in the Ten Records of Rare Treasures. Tianxuan first appeared a thousand years ago in the hands of a wandering immortal called Kuxin Shangren. Legend has it the treasure was a piece of exotic iron from the nine heavens that fell into the mortal world; Kuxin Shangren happened upon it by chance on the northern ice plains and forged it through long cultivation. In the great war between the righteous and the demonic, the righteous path was of course led by our Canglan Sect's founder Qingye, but this Kuxin Shangren was greatly renowned as well—above all because, with this divine sword Tianxuan, he fought the demonic villain Heixin Laoren for three days and three nights, and in the end dealt him a grievous wound, ridding our righteous path of a mortal foe. They say that at the time only this divine sword Tianxuan could check the demonic sect's most baleful object, the Blood-devouring Bead. From then on the name 'Tianxuan' rang throughout the world, and it became the treasure of every cultivator's dreams. But I hear that after Kuxin Shangren passed into nirvana, Tianxuan vanished without a trace. Who would have thought it would end up in the hands of Xiaozhu Peak."

At this point Zeng Shuyan said: "Junior Brother Xiaofan, with Lu Xueqi holding a treasure like that, I fear there's no hope for us in this great trial."

Zhang Qingyue, however, showed no sign of disappointment—he had never imagined he could accomplish anything anyway. He merely found it strange to see Zeng Shuyan looking so dejected, and asked: "Eh, Senior Brother Zeng, didn't you tell me you weren't very interested in this great trial? Why do you look so disappointed?"

Zeng Shuyan said: "Still, if I could really stand on the platform and hold out to the very end, that would be quite glorious. Don't you think so?"

Zhang Qingyue laughed despite himself.

Zeng Shuyan saw his odd expression and felt a little embarrassed; he punched him on the arm and laughed: "What are you laughing at?" Before he had finished speaking, he was laughing himself.

The two of them walked, laughing, toward another platform to watch another match.

That day, apart from Zhang Qingyue, seven disciples of Dazhu Peak fought: four won, three lost. Song Dayi, Tian Lingsu, He Dachuan, and Du Biyan all advanced to the next round. With the lucky Zhang Qingyue counted in, five of Dazhu Peak's eight disciples had made it through—a result rarely seen in several hundred years, and Tian Buhui was so pleased he could not close his mouth for grinning.

The next day.

The morning sunlight spilled lazily over the sea of clouds. The disciples of the Canglan Sect came to the square as they had the day before and continued to watch this once-in-sixty-years great trial of the seven peaks of the Canglan Sect.

The folk of Dazhu Peak stood beneath yesterday's red list. Half the names on it had been struck out, and beside Zhang Qingyue's name was now written the name of his opponent for today: Chu Yuhong.

Since rising that morning, Zhang Qingyue had for some reason begun to feel nervous. Though he knew perfectly well he was mostly here to look on, he could not help the tension in his heart—his pulse quickened, his mouth went dry, and he ate only two bites of breakfast before losing his appetite.

Just now he was quietly asking his senior brother Song Dayi, who stood beside him: "Senior Brother, who is this Chu Yuhong? Is he formidable?"

Song Dayi frowned and shook his head: "I'm not sure either. I've never heard of him before. The list says he's a disciple of the Zhaoyang Peak line, but how deep his cultivation goes I don't know." Here Song Dayi glanced at Zhang Qingyue, saw how nervous he looked, and smiled: "Little junior brother, don't be nervous—it doesn't matter. The first time I took part in the great trial I was scared to death too. Once you're up on the platform, it's fine."

Zhang Qingyue mumbled: "Yes."

Just then Du Biyan, who had been standing nearby, came over and said with a malicious grin: "Hey, senior brothers, how about we make a wager on how our little junior brother will fare this time?"

"Good, good, I bet the little junior brother loses!"

"Me too!"

"Me too—and I'm putting down double!"

"Count me in."

Song Dayi was furious. He pointed at the lot of them: "What are you doing? The little junior brother's match is at hand, and you're trying to discourage him?"

Zhang Qingyue was deeply grateful and cried: "Senior Brother—"

Song Dayi: "Old Sixth."

Du Biyan stuck out his tongue: "Senior Brother, I was only joking just now. Please, whatever you do, don't tell Master."

Song Dayi: "No. Since you've already discouraged him anyway—I'll put five shares on that wager you just proposed!"

Du Biyan and Zhang Qingyue: "..."

Just then Tian Buhui and Su Wan came over, and all the disciples of Dazhu Peak went to meet them. Tian Buhui looked them over and said: "You did well yesterday, but today you enter the second round, and those who remain are for the most part the elite disciples of each line. You must be careful."

All together they said: "Yes."

Su Wan glanced at Zhang Qingyue, came over, and said: "Xiaofan, today is your first match. Be careful in all things, do you understand?"

A warmth swept through Zhang Qingyue's heart. He said in a low voice: "Yes, Mistress."