"If you will not dedicate yourself to Truth, what will you dedicate yourself to?" Guang De asked, visibly displeased by Su Xiang's rejection. "Will you stand for Justice in the Hall of Radiance?"
Justicars and Inquisitors served different purposes within the Shining Blade Hall. An Inquisitor walked deep into the darkness to shine the light of Truth on the wickedness hidden in the dark. Justicars dispensed Justice and punishment on the wicked.
While the two seemed to overlap and could occasionally work together, Inquisitors often rejected the more moderate approach that Justicars demanded. Wickedness was wickedness and whenever a Justicar spoke of things like 'extenuating circumstances' it drew the ire of the Inquisitors who had risked much to expose the truth.
"No, I'm not bound for the Hall of Radiance either," Su Xiang said. While she hadn't put tremendous thought behind which Virtue she would serve, she knew that the pillars of the sect weren't right for her. Now that Elder Guang pressed her on it, however, she felt increasingly certain that she'd already found her answer. "My Virtue is Love," she declared.
Ever since she'd spoken with Wu Ningli about Yun Kong and his expansive pursuit of Love, a fire of conviction had been stoked in Su Xiang's chest. Perhaps Yun Kong only dedicated himself to romantic love in the beginning, but she remembered the warmth in his eyes when he'd looked at his only son and she imagined he'd have had the same look for his daughter as well.
Wu Ling had shown her even more about what Love could be when she learned how hard he'd worked and what he'd risked in order to provide for his mother during their years of exile from the Bamboo Silk House. When she thought of virtues to dedicate her life to, the pursuit of Truth or Justice paled in comparison to the strength she saw in bonds of Love. It may have taken prodding from Elder Guang for her to realize just how deeply the feeling had taken root, but when she put it into words, she found no falsehood in her statement. Her Virtue was Love.
"What a stupid bunch of nonsense," Elder Guang said. "I thought that you of all people could rise above the silliness that afflicts girls your age. Now I see that we've been too lax in allowing you to associate with outsiders. I'm disappointed, Disciple Su," the Elder said, turning his back on her.
"I'll speak with your parents about this. Warden Niu, I believe that Disciple Su would benefit from some time to gain clarity. She is to spend the next five days in contemplation confined to the Tower of Illumination," he commanded.
"As you command Elder Guang," Warden Niu said. "Disciple Su, please relinquish your sword and accompany me. It would be best for you if you do so peacefully, but whether you do or not, you will be going to the Tower of Illumination."
"Warden Niu needn't worry that I'll be unsightly," Su Xiang said, handing her sword over. "Five days from now, my answer will be the same. If I need to spend a few days in the Tower of Illumination to convince you of that, so be it."
For several moments, Elder Guang stood alone in the training hall, his brows lowered in thought even after Warden Niu had escorted Su Xiang from the hall. Only when he was certain that both the disciple and Warden were well out of earshot did he open his mouth to speak.
"Have you seen enough, Brother Chengfa?" Elder Guang asked, turning to a corner of the training hall that shimmered with a wave of light like a heat mirage before revealing the presence of another man wearing the robes of an Outer Sect Elder.
"More than enough," Elder Chengfa said. Where Elder Guang's visage was warm and marked by laugh lines, Elder Changfa's long, slender features carried a hint of imperial majesty and detached aloofness that seemed carved into his very bones. As a man dedicated to the Virtue of Justice, he had sat as judge and also executioner for so many years that no matter where he stood, he projected an aura of strength and authority that looked down on the world around him.
"Hopefully a few days of quiet contemplation is sufficient to mend her attitude," Elder Guang said. "She has always been diligent and dedicated. She just needs to realize the severity of her actions and I'm sure she'll mend her ways."
"For an Inquisitor, you blind yourself too the truth when it comes to her," the other Elder scolded. "She is already binding herself more closely with Yun Ling. Worse, Yun Ling has already begun to come into conflict with the Sanguine Saber Sect. I'm afraid that we don't have time to coddle your little protoge, Brother Guang," Elder Chengfa said.
"So it's true? Yun Ling intends to avenge his father?"
"Who can say what his intentions are," Elder Chengfa said with a shake of his head. "What matters is that Disciple Su seems committed to following him, whatever course he takes. We can't afford another disaster like Yun Kong. If you handle her too gently, we'll lose the opportunity to prevent another tragedy."
"And what does Brother Chengfa propose? I've already given her five days of confinement and contemplation," the Inquisitor said firmly. "You believe that more is necessary?"
"I believe that you've been gentle with her because you still wish to recruit her," Elder Chengfa countered. "Su Xiang is brilliant and talented, I grant you that. Justice, however, demands that we place more than just the individual on the scales when considering our actions. In five days, unless we take a firmer hand with her, she will not change her answer."
"And you want to apply that firmer hand?" Elder Guang asked with a frown. He'd thought that he and the other man had come to an agreement about handling this rising star but it seemed like they were less of an accord than he had originally believed.
"No, not me," Elder Chengfa said. "I do not possess a gentle voice to persuade a young maiden. Were I to take a hand directly, I would only encourage more defiance."
"Then what will you do?"
"I've consulted with Elder Bawei of the Redeemers," Elder Chengfa said, his voice firm as though pronouncing his judgment. "She has agreed to assign the matter of correcting Su Xiang's disposition to one of her own. She feels that this is an opportunity to test the resolve of one of her own rising stars, someone who has performed well as a Warden but lacks the broader view required of someone who may one day become an Elder."
"And what if this redeemer breaks Su Xiang?" Elder Guang said, his brows lowering and his aura becoming fierce. "Is that a price you're willing to pay, just to prevent the possibility of another Yun Kong?"
"Yun Kong was one man," Elder Chengfa said with a voice like iron. "Yet a decade after his death, the sect still suffers for his actions. Su Xiang is brilliant and talented. It would be for the best if she can mend her ways. If she can't," he said, his voice growing darker. "Then it is better to destroy a talent than invite a calamity. The others are already in agreement," he added as he turned to leave.
"You will have an opportunity to recruit her again. Five days, even in the hands of our most talented Redeemers, won't be enough to destroy someone with Su Xiang's strength," Elder Chengfa said. "But if you fail again after she recovers from this trial, don't blame me for doing what needs to be done to defend the rest of our disciples from the willfulness of a lovestruck maiden!"