Chapter 244 — The Star Plate

"Perhaps I might have some way with this magic treasure."

The Cold Ice Stone Chamber was a chamber the Nether King had specially built for Bi Li. Since it was where Bi Li resided, and given her particular circumstances, it was naturally an extremely secluded place within the caverns of the Nether King Sect's main hall, and the Nether King had long ago issued a strict order that ordinary Nether King Sect disciples must never approach it.

Within the Nether King Sect, those who could freely approach the Cold Ice Stone Chamber numbered no more than five, and both Ming Li and the ever-mysterious Mr. Ghost were among them. At this moment, the passage outside the Cold Ice Stone Chamber was empty and deserted, with only the two of them facing each other.

Ming Li's gaze still fixed sharply on Mr. Ghost, but the anger and killing intent that had just flared from him had slowly subsided. After a moment, he suddenly said, "You recognize this object?"

Mr. Ghost said indifferently, "I only caught a hurried glimpse just now—I couldn't even see the treasure's appearance clearly. I cannot say."

Ming Li pondered for a moment, then reached into his robes and took out the Qiankun Reincarnation Plate wrapped in black cloth. He untied the cloth and was about to hand it to Mr. Ghost when he suddenly hesitated again, drawing the plate back into his hand without extending it.

Mr. Ghost's gaze lingered for a moment on the warm, lustrous jade plate, then slowly rose to look at Ming Li. He neither spoke nor urged him. Ming Li's brows were tightly knit, and he was deeply hesitant. This mysterious Mr. Ghost before him, though at present counted as a fellow member of the Nether King Sect, clearly inspired not the slightest trust in Ming Li. Moreover, in the past campaign against the Beast Lord, in the mountains behind the Heaven-Reaching Peak of Mount Canglan, Mr. Ghost had suddenly launched a surprise attack while Ming Li dueled the mysterious old man in the ancestral shrine of the Canglan Sect—a matter that especially filled Ming Li with displeasure and disgust.

Yet disgust notwithstanding, this mysterious figure before him was one whose cultivation and insight Ming Li had never dared underestimate. After several hesitations in his heart, that most precious glimmer of hope deep within him finally overcame all else, and Ming Li slowly extended the jade plate in his hand.

Mr. Ghost said nothing; he carefully took the jade plate with both hands, held it before him, and through the black veil over his face began to examine it closely.

The warm, lustrous jade plate gave off a soft white radiance, like formless waves of light and flowing water drifting slowly through the air. The patterns carved along the plate's rim—some ancient and vigorous, some vivid and ingenious, some like the stars of the heavens, some like high mountains and flowing streams—were breathtaking. But the most striking feature was clearly the square area at the center of the plate, where countless tiny jade blocks slid silently, ceaselessly, each following its own mysterious and unique track without ever colliding—a sight to dazzle the eyes and bewilder the mind, leaving one faintly sensing that within the motion of these innumerable jade blocks there must be contained some supreme principle of heaven and earth.

Beyond that, this mysterious treasure that had once belonged to the Brahma Sound Temple had in fact undergone a subtle change since the day Ming Li had brought it out from the temple: upon those ceaselessly moving tiny jade blocks within the plate, each face had originally borne a strange character, and when Ming Li had first received the plate, those characters had all been dim and lusterless. But now, in the Qiankun Reincarnation Plate held in Mr. Ghost's hands, as the jade blocks slid along, from time to time the mysterious characters on the face of some block would suddenly flash bright, then gradually dim again.

These flashes of the characters seemed to follow no discernible pattern—one face would light up, then another somewhere else would shine; it lent the plate a bit more vitality than before, and also a bit more mystery.

Ming Li had of course long since discovered this change—in fact, it had occurred only after the strange power beneath the earth was first triggered that day when the Qiankun Reincarnation Plate was used. Ming Li had even harbored hope regarding this change, but for ten whole days afterward, no matter what he tried, he remained as before, unable to fathom this profoundly mysterious treasure.

Mr. Ghost's features were hidden behind the black veil, making it impossible to see the changes in his expression, let alone guess his thoughts—only the light in his eyes was indeed growing brighter and brighter.

Ming Li suddenly felt somewhat nervous.

How long passed, he did not know; only after Mr. Ghost had turned the Qiankun Reincarnation Plate over and over countless times did his gaze finally leave the jade plate in his hands and rise to Ming Li.

Ming Li lowered his voice, as if trying to suppress his own feelings, and said in a deep voice, "Well?"

Mr. Ghost closed his eyes and was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "This magic treasure is an ancient ritual artifact, called the Star Plate!"

Ming Li was startled and said in astonishment, "The Star Plate?"

Mr. Ghost nodded firmly.

Ming Li had not expected Mr. Ghost to open with such a remark, and for a moment he was taken aback. That day at the Brahma Sound Temple, Reverend Pucheng and Master Pude had spoken with absolute certainty, describing the treasure in vivid detail and naming it the Universe Samsara Disc. How was it that in Mr. Ghost's mouth it had become some sort of "Star Disc"?

A moment later, however, Ming Li had already cast the question from his mind. To him it made no difference whether the jade disc was called the Universe Samsara Disc or the Star Disc; what mattered was whether Mr. Ghost knew the secret of this treasure and could use it to save Bili. And judging by the certainty in Mr. Ghost's manner toward the object, he seemed to have some measure of confidence after all. Ming Li could not help growing excited, and he asked urgently, "Then... then do you know whether it... whether it can save Bili?"

Mr. Ghost was silent for a moment. Brief as it was, to Ming Li it felt like a torment stretching across a thousand years; his heart had climbed into his throat, and he dreaded that Mr. Ghost's lips would let fall the word "no."

Fortunately, though Mr. Ghost hesitated, he did not come straight out with a refusal. He only said slowly, "This object is an ancient dharma artifact, of great age, and it has never appeared in the world of men. Though I know a thing or two about it, I dare not affirm it wholly. We must still make the attempt."

Only then did Ming Li's heart settle, though he could not help feeling somewhat dispirited. Still, he reflected that at least there was now one more thread of hope, and even now it did not look like a very substantial thread. Yet joy filled his heart all the same.

He had been steeped in despair for far too long; even the faintest glimmer of hope could bewitch him.

Mr. Ghost pondered for a moment, then said to Ming Li, "This is not a suitable place. Let us first go into the Cold Ice Stone Chamber."

Ming Li nodded. He was about to step forward when he hesitated, and then, for the first time in his life, he turned to the side and gestured Mr. Ghost ahead with a wave of his hand, saying, "After you, sir."