Chapter 32 — The Righteous Path

Tian Buhui's face relaxed; Cang Yan Daoren gave a cold snort. Dao Yan Zhenren nodded at once and said, "Everyone has spoken, so I shall not stand on ceremony either." At this he first addressed Zhang Qingyue, still kneeling on the floor: "Xiaofan, get up for now."

Zhang Qingyue's body jolted. He raised his head and looked at his assembled masters, then slowly stood.

Dao Yan Zhenren looked at him a moment longer, as though he would see him clearly through and through, then said to the other masters, "Everyone, in fact I too think Zhang Qingyue does not resemble a demon cult adherent. This black staff has a malevolent air, yes, but it is held within; it is not like the demon cult's malevolent things we have seen in the past, reeking of murder and bristling with menace."

Cang Yan Daoren heard this and found it wrong; he could not help crying out, "Senior Brother Sect Leader, demon cult villains are vicious and treacherous—better to kill the wrong man than let one slip!"

Dao Yan Zhenren's expression changed. He looked at him and shouted, "Junior Brother Cangsong, do you know what you are saying?"

Cangsong knew he had spoken amiss and lowered his head in silence.

Dao Yan Zhenren's face was grave, but his tone dropped low as he said slowly, "Junior Brother Cangsong, you have held our sect's punishments for over two hundred years, just and strict, and I hold you in great admiration. But I have seen these past ten years and more that your fierce temper has grown heavier and your killing intent ever stronger, and I am deeply concerned—do you know it?"

Cang Yan Daoren said in a low voice, "Yes, Senior Brother."

Dao Yan Zhenren said sternly, "To prefer killing the wrong man to letting one slip is the way of the demon path. Our Canglan Sect styles itself the righteous path and has always acted openly and honorably; when matters arise, we should rather let a man go than kill him wrongly. Otherwise what difference is there between us and the demon cult? Junior Brother Cangsong, deep as your cultivation is, you still must cultivate the meaning of the Way and comprehend the Dharma."

Cang Yan Daoren raised a single palm upright and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother, for your guidance. Cangsong has learned."

Dao Yan Zhenren's expression eased and he said, "It is good that you understand." Then he turned and swept his gaze over the assembly, and all said, "We leave it to the Sect Leader's judgment."

The Perfected Dao Yan nodded and said to Zhang Qingyue: "You heard all of that?"

Zhang Qingyue was moved at heart and hurriedly said: "Yes—thank you, thank you all, martial uncles and martial aunts." With that he turned to Tian Buhui, his voice carrying a faint choke: "Thank you, Master."

Tian Buhui waved a hand, but said nothing.

The Perfected Dao Yan picked up the short black rod lying on the tea table beside him, tossed it to Zhang Qingyue, and said with a faint smile: "Only you can wield this thing. Take it back."

Zhang Qingyue reached out and caught it; the moment it settled in his palm, that familiar, ice-cold breath surged up at once and coursed through his whole body, and it seemed to him, as though the thing had a spirit of its own, to be rejoicing beyond all words. He bowed deeply to the Perfected Dao Yan and said: "Thank you, Sect Master—martial uncle."

The Perfected Dao Yan smiled, clapped three times, and at once a young Daoist acolyte came in from behind the hall. The Perfected Dao Yan gave a few instructions; the acolyte nodded, answered once, and went out, and before long led three people in. Zhang Qingyue looked over—he knew them all: Qi Hao and Zeng Shuyan came first, and while his father Zeng Shuchan was not looking, Zeng Shuyan stole a grimace at Zhang Qingyue. Last of all came a woman of cool, cold beauty: none other than Lu Xueqi of Xiaozhu Peak.

These three, together with Zhang Qingyue, were precisely the top four disciples of this session of the Canglan Sect's Seven Branches Martial Gathering.