Chapter 447 - Jueming Gorge (2/2)
He lifted his head and gazed at the silvery orb up above and remembered how Brother Yifeng had stabbed Red Sleeve during the battle at the rear of the Summit of Mystics, all only to buy him more time.
“This is the Unsullied. It’s named after the quote ‘He who is unsullied possesses utter serenity, free of all that is evil and foul.'”
Xiao Chen drew his weapon, remembering what Yu Yifeng told him back when they met at the Three Pure Sect so many years before. The blade of the Unsullied glistened with a pale white sheen, exemplifying its name.
A soft scuffing of shoes on the ground suddenly behind him made him turn and at once, a faint fragrant whiff in the breeze met him.
“You should be resting now, My Lord.”
The night’s wind was blowing through Qingluan’s dark hair, catching strands of it and flinging them gently over her face, and the way her thin jade dress rippled and pressed over her slender shoulders could have enraptured all men and make them bend their knees for her.
Xiao Chen put away his sword and shook his head. “It’s fine. I’m just thinking. And I don’t seem to be the only one here.”
“Let me see you back to your chamber, My Lord,” Qingluan said, “Everything will be fine once we reach Jueming Gorge. There’s no need for worry.”
Xiao Chen found no intention to contradict her. No demigod, immortal, and most certainly human had ever escaped the clutches of the Ungodly Decay. Just then, out of the blue, he smiled and said, “I have never seen you smile before.”
A surprised Qingluan lowered her head, blushing.
At the break of dawn the next morning, they immediately left the city, heading for Jueming Gorge. They reached the Gorge after five days at the twenty-ninth of the seventh month, with less than half month before the Wind and Cloud Meeting at Mount Wuyue.
Jueming Gorge was at the southernmost secluded areas of the Middle Continent, a hidden utopia of rich and lush flora even in a time when most other places were languishing with the desolation of autumn. A chilly breeze, bearing the scent of grass and flowers met them as they walked through the yawning opening of the gorge and they were met by the captivating sight of dense green meadows, adorned with sprinkles of myriad colors of the flowers blooming healthily.
They could feel the air was thick with rich Spiritual Qi as they walked, until they saw a crowd of twenty to thirty people waiting under the shade of a large tree. The people were standing in a line, waiting before a little boy dressed like an acolyte and Xiao Chen immediately understood: these people must be waiting for their turn to meet this legendary physician.
Xiao Chen and his companions joined the end of the line. There were many people, all looking rich and powerful in the line in front of them. Some were even leaders of sects and schools of magecraft. They all had one thing in common: each and every one of them came bearing gifts or treasures of rare valuables and only Xiao Chen came empty-handed.
Everyone waited for almost an hour and many began to look flustered and anxious, but no one dared utter a word or grumble. Finally, another acolyte, looking in his early teens appeared from deep inside the gorge and squeaked boyishly, “There’re only three places for today. The rest of you can come back again after a month.”
“WHAT?!” Gasps and roars of indignation rose from all quarters. Some began looking at each other, sharing dark and dissatisfied looks. Only the first three men standing at the head of the line looked pleased and elated.
“Why only three places? I’ve been waiting for more than half a month!”
“One month?! I cannot afford to wait until then! Please! Tell your Master, I’ll agree to any terms he wishes!”
The clamor continued boisterously and an impatient Qingluan walked up the line and said to the boy, “There’re only three places available? Please, young one, I’m begging for your Young Master’s consideration for my lord’s ailing condition… He cannot wait any more…”
But another voice snapped at her from behind, “And you think you’re the only one here needing the physician’s advice? So are all of us here!”
The cacophony only grew worst as more irate people voiced out their discontent. The two young acolytes retorted, “These are the Young Master’s commands: come back again in a month. We’ll have no more noises here or the Young Master shall accept no one here today!”
The first three men heard this and looked visibly frightened. Before Qingluan could even say anything, they berated everyone behind them fiercely, “ENOUGH! Jueming Gorge operates on its very own set of rules and they’ll be no exceptions! Leave at once! Anger the Young Maestro and all of you shall find yourself disqualified forever!”
Ziyun’er sped forward and begged, “Please, little boys. Please send word to your Young Master! Our lord can really wait no longer! Please, we’ll do anything! Anything for the Young Maestro!”
But the two little acolytes repeated themselves with the same dull and emotionless voice, “The rest of you can come back again after a month…”
Their indifference to the plights of those who had arduously waited long for help was enough to crumble everyone’s confidence and will; most, if not all, of the people turned and left sullenly. The Young Maestro’s word was final: three places and no more and no one would ever want to risk his wrath.
Qingluan and Ziyun’er persisted in pestering the two boys for help. But they merely reiterated themselves placidly with hardly any hint of compassion in their gazes, “You two can come back again after a month…”
Standing no far away, Xiao Chen sighed. Never once he had had to beg and grovel like a poor and miserable peasant. “Qingluan. Ziyun’er. That’s enough. We’ll just go.”
But both Qingluan and Ziyun’er were loathed to just give up. But nothing they said had managed to melt the icy demeanor of the two little acolytes which was unthinkable for two little boys so young. One would have wondered if these boys would even bat an eye if anyone were to die just before them.
The two acolytes wheeled around and were about to leave when Ziyun’er screamed furiously, “JUST YOU WAIT! I’LL HAVE THIS ENTIRE GORGE UTTERLY RAZED!” “Enough with your impertinence!” Qingluan hissed at her.
The two little acolytes were hardly perturbed. But a hollow voice boomed from inside the gorge, reverberating from afar like a deafening echo, “Interesting. It’s a first, I must say. Never had anyone threatened to raze Jueming Gorge to the ground before. Very well then. I’ll show an exception just this once. Let them in.”