Chapter 120 Xiaoyue (1/2)
Before long, as they flew farther and farther away, the view of the gorge slowly melted into the scene of lush and dense forests below their feet. Relieved at being able to make it out safely, Yu Yifeng finally asked, ”What was wrong with you just now?”
Xiao Chen did not answer, merely shaking his head; his eyes were still trained towards the thick copse of forests far away, his mind still lost in the painful reminiscences of his past.
Yu Yifeng sighed wearily. ”I do not profess to know about your history, my friend. But one should not dwell on the past. Many things are pre-destined that mere grit alone would do nothing to change them. Appreciate what you have presently. There's no point in brooding on your pains and regrets, lest you dishearten those who are waiting for you.”
He paused for a beat, as if allowing his words to sink in. ”You might have not noticed that Sister Luo had wandered alone to the brook at the bamboo grove earlier. Her eyes were inflamed, as if from weeping.”
”Senior Sister Luo...” Xiao Chen's mouth opened as if he wanted to say something. But he merely breathed gloomily. ”Brother Yifeng, please,” Xiao Chen said suddenly, ”Can you keep what that has happened here a secret?” The once-majestic stronghold of the Mystic Cyan Sect was nothing but ruins and rubbles, still, he wished that it could remain there, peacefully in slumber eternally without being disturbed.
Yu Yifeng nodded. ”Persistence is nothing negative, but there should be moderation, lest it becomes a fixation that grips and devours you. There was once a friend of mine; he became too obsessed with the object of his pursuit, that he took the fateful step that past the point of no return...” He stopped, and a distinctive hint of misery fleeted by.
”Were you referring to a former junior of yours?” Xiao Chen asked, his head raising slightly, ”He who formerly wielded the Unsullied.”
Yu Yifeng turned to face Xiao Chen. ”Was it Sister Mu who told you about this?” There was a faint smile on his face before he continued. ”She was the one person I've spoken to about this. Wunian commanded greater potential than I. It's a pity that he succumbed to his obsession that in the end, he...” Yu Yifeng's voice faltered again.
Mu Chengxue had recognized the blade in Xiao Chen's hand as the Unsullied a month ago. It was then, she told him of Yu Yifeng's history. Knowing that it was a painful memory to Yu Yifeng, Xiao Chen decided to change the subject. ”How did you and Sister Mu met?” he asked.
Yu Yifeng smiled benignly. ”Seven years ago,” he replied, ”I discovered her unconscious outside a small hamlet in Qing Province and I brought her back to the Jade Qing Sect. Her memory was blurry when she woke up that she even failed to remember her name...”
They continued talking, as they slowly approached the Flying-cloud Stone that was waiting. The rest of their companions heaved breathes of relief. They were worried at the delay and were anxious to go down to check on them, but no one dared to disobey their Senior's commands. Two of Yu Yifeng's juniors exclaimed with joy, ”Did you discover anything down there?”
Yu Yifeng landed on the Flying-cloud Stone. ”There was nothing down there,” he lied, shaking his head, ”It's getting late. We should hasten for Wu Province as soon as possible.”
Another junior, a girl, giggled. ”Of course, we do not want the rest of the other sects to grumble that we of the Jade Qing Sect are proud and snobbish folk.” Another junior, a boy this time, quipped, ”I'd wager that your true purpose of wanting to reach Wu Province early is to visit the local bazaar, am I wrong?”
”Of course! It's not that we get to come out frequently like Senior Brother Yu! We should enjoy as best we can while we're at it!”
The disciples began bantering playfully, but Xiao Chen sat at a corner. His eyes peered into the distance as he tried vainly to search for the vestiges of the Mystic Cyan Mountain they left behind. Then again, Brother Yifeng might be right, he mused. There was no point in moping in the past. Obsession in the incidents that had transpired before. He would only be consigning himself into a never-ending vicious cycle of pain and misery. But with the recollections of his former life as vivid as yesterday, the herculean attempts to forget and not fret on his bitterness was hardly easy as it seemed.
”If I were to die one day, please bury my remains here, Brother Yifeng.”
The chatters and bickerings atop the flying slab of stone instantly died down as a dead silence hung over them and everyone's stares rested on Xiao Chen. Yu Yifeng frowned dismissively. ”Speak nothing of such ominous nonsense.”
Xiao Chen felt the weight of everyone's stares on his back. ”Heh heh!” He feigned an impish snicker. ”I was just teasing you all! Come on! There's no need to be this serious!”
It was past mid-day when they arrived at Wu Province, no thanks to the momentary dawdling halfway. The bustling city paid no heed to the arrival of their Flying-cloud Stone; the city-dwellers of the locale had enough of their share of witnessing countless conveyances of similar nature flocking to and fro the metropolis every day. The stronghold of the Widespread Wintriness Sect perched up high on a mountain tens of miles outside the city. With its proximity to the city, there was no lack of disciples who slipped out to loiter and lull in the city with immaculate frequency.
The company did not stop at the city, heading instead directly for the stronghold. There were disciples waiting outside, charged to receive any guests. At the sight of the party from Jade Qing Sect arriving, the disciples stepped forth and led them inside to the main square, where two rows of banquet tables lined the flanks of a large aisle in the center of the square like a long and wide path that coursed to a great dueling dais hewn from rhyolite.
The entire square was teeming with about a thousand people from sects and guilds of various denominations as leaders and chiefs talked and exchanged greetings amidst the huge hubbub of chatter and laughter, adjoined by their students and disciples while enjoying an exquisite feast of the finest delicacies.
Their arrival was hardly unnoticed—a few leaders and representatives of other schools and sect rose to their feet to greet them. ”Ah, it's young Yu! Did your teacher Perfected Immortal Qing Chen not come?”
”My teacher is still occupied by some business, and hence he has requested me to attend this meeting in his stead,” Yu Yifeng replied reverently, returning their gestures with appreciation.
Xiao Chen scanned the crowd, hoping to see no one from the Teal Jade Sect here; he was afraid of meeting Liu Yunzheng and Liu Fenghuang, hoping not to deal with the embarrassment and awkwardness that would ensue. But Fate seemed to be in his favor: there was no one from the Teal Jade Sect, save for a familiar face he never relished to meet: Ling Yingfeng.
But Ling Yingfeng too had realized his presence. A cold glare shot from his eyes and he was about to stand up, only to be held down by an elder beside him, cloaked in grey, who shook his head warningly to him.
But that did little to evaporate Ling Yingfeng's death stare. Xiao Chen shot a brief look and turned away. Even though he had indeed divested the Spiritual Meridian of Ling Yingfeng's brother, it was the latter and his cohorts who had tried to kill him in the first place. He would never accept that he was in the wrong for being the victim of that incident that had nearly cost him his life.
A recognizable voice rang into his ears suddenly, ”Amitabha...” Xiao Chen heard the voice chanted as the chuckles of Yu Yifeng followed immediately, ”Heh heh! Greetings, Master Xuan Ji and Senior Xu Gu.”
Xiao Chen peered over the shoulders of those in front and saw the same monk, Xu Gu, whom he had encountered at the oasis in the desert. Beside him was an old priestly monk dressed in red garb.