Chapter 50 — The Mystic Fire Mirror
劍問蒼天 · Page 3 of 6
Zhang Qingyue gave a scornful hum, about to refute her and strike—but in that lightning flash of an instant, a conversation he had once had with Wan Rengui flashed through his mind, and he stood there as though struck by lightning, dazed.
Could it be that what I know is necessarily right?
What, in the end, is the true Way of Heaven—the true righteousness?
"Look out!" Suddenly Shi Tou beside him gave a great shout. Wind rose abruptly, and demonic cries broke out loud.
In the instant Zhang Qingyue was dazed, the three-tailed demon fox suddenly sprang into the air, her jade-white palm turning into a five-fingered claw, shrieking down at him through the air. Shi Tou roared and was about to summon his arts, but in that lightning instant, demonic cries rose on every side, above and below, left and right; in the pitch-black dark countless demon eyes glittered, the wind hissed past his ears, and who knew how many demons came swarming in. For a moment he simply could not divide himself to help.
The three-tailed demon fox had judged Zhang Qingyue the weaker of the two, and having decided, she drove the demons first to entangle Shi Tou while she threw her full strength at settling one of them.
The claw came swift as wind and lightning, almost at the youth's eyes; even in the distance a faint gasp seemed to rise. But then Zhang Qingyue lifted his head, and the three-tailed demon fox met his gaze. Something stirred in her heart, but before she could think, between her and Zhang Qingyue a black staff suddenly appeared, glimmering with a faint dark-blue light.
The next moment, her claw struck the staff.
No one could describe that feeling. To onlookers there was not even the earth-shaking crash and flurry one might have expected; in that moment that seemed frozen, they saw only the woman in midair, garments fluttering, five fingers formed into a claw, gripping the black iron staff.
Her snow-white skin suddenly seemed drained of all blood, turning cold and white, almost transparent.
Before her, it was as though a demonic vortex, deep beyond all seeing, spun endlessly in the night, grinning as it sought to devour her.
She raised her head and shrieked, a shrill and mournful sound, then her whole body shot skyward, a white shape, and at last broke free of that demonic blue halo, landing far off.
Then she whipped her head around, her face all shock and all deadly intent, staring hard at the youth—and at that black iron staff slowly turning in midair.
In the distance Xiaowan drew a sharp breath and said softly, "What a formidable treasure! What is that thing, Grandfather?"
She asked twice, but felt Zhou Yixuan had not answered at all. She turned to look and saw his brows tightly knit, his face likewise full of amazement.
Startled, Xiaowan reached out and tugged at him. "Grandfather, what's wrong?"
Zhou Yixuan gave a start, as if only now waking from the scene before him, but his expression was still uncertain with shock and doubt. He mumbled, "Who on earth is this youth? How could such a strange disciple have come out of the Canglan sect?"
Xiaowan glanced at him. "What is it?"
Zhou Yixuan looked toward the clearing. "That treasure in the youth's hand is most strange. When he summoned it just now, its baleful aura was actually stronger than the three-tailed demon fox's demonic aura. Such an evil thing—how could it..."
Xiaowan's mouth fell open. She looked toward the clearing, then suddenly caught something from the corner of her eye and said softly to Zhou Yixuan, "Grandfather, look at that woman."
Zhou Yixuan was startled and followed where Xiaowan pointed. There stood Bili in her water-green dress, silent to one side; nearby Shi Tou fought the demons with abandon, the din shaking heaven and earth, yet she did not glance that way once. Her eyes were fixed only on Zhang Qingyue.