劍問蒼天 - 第68章 青龍 - 翰墨軒

The Venerable Great Strength's face flushed red at once, his expression one of extreme fury; but beside him, Daoist Cangyan of the Canglan Sect exchanged a glance with Tian Buhui and Su Wan, and in their eyes there was worry. From that laughter alone it was clear that the demon cult had not only received strong reinforcements but had grown far greater in numbers as well.

This battle, it seemed, would be incomparably perilous.

"Insolent!" A great shout suddenly rang out—it was Shitou, leaping up from behind the Venerable Great Strength, unwilling to see his master insulted. His demon-quelling staff blazed with golden light as he charged straight at the pale-faced scholar.

Tian Buhui and the others were startled, and the Venerable Great Strength cried hastily: "Shitou, come back! Do not act rashly!"

But Shitou had risen in sudden fury, his speed extreme; in a blink the golden light of the demon-quelling staff had rushed before the pale-faced scholar. Yet the pale-faced scholar showed no sign of panic—he merely raised his right hand, a faint blue light flickering in its palm, facing straight toward the oncoming staff.

Swift as speech, swift as thought, in an instant the golden light of the demon-quelling staff, like an arrow loosed from the string, crashed with a roar against the pale-faced scholar's palm. In a flash everyone's eyes blurred; golden light flickered, the air hissed with fine threads of sound, and the pale-faced scholar's figure could no longer be seen at all.

The young righteous disciples raised a thunderous cheer, but the faces of Daoist Cangyan, Tian Buhui and the other leaders all darkened.

After a moment the golden light gradually dimmed, and the crowd fell silent: there in the field stood the pale-faced scholar, composed as ever, who with one hand alone had actually held back the vast might of Shitou's demon-quelling golden light. No matter how Shitou urged it on in midair, it could not advance a hairsbreadth further.

He only smiled and said: "Young man, go back and cultivate diligently for another hundred years!"

With that, his right hand gave a fierce sweep, and all saw another flash of blue light; Shitou, as if struck by a heavy blow, flew back whole, while the demon-quelling staff, after a shrill ring, shot up into the sky and flew far.

The Venerable Great Strength leaped up and caught the wounded Shitou as he returned; a close look told him it was only some shock and nothing serious, and he set his heart at ease—but his anger only grew, and turning his body he made to strike.

But suddenly a hand reached out from beside him and held him back—it was Daoist Cangyan. His face like frost, he said coldly: "Who exactly are you, sir? This 'Qiankun Qingguang Ring,' lost for a thousand years—how does it come to be in your hand?"

The Venerable Great Strength started and cried out: "What, the Qiankun Qingguang Ring?"

Of those present, including the demon cult side, eight out of ten were visibly shaken. Zhang Qingyue, curious, asked Song Dayi in a low voice: "Eldest Brother, is this magic treasure very powerful?"

Song Dayi's look of astonishment had not yet faded; he nodded and said in a low voice: "I once heard Master speak of it. This ring is a magic treasure of extreme power, a divine artifact of the Nine Heavens, but it has been lost for a thousand years. I never thought it would reappear in the world today!"

Zhang Qingyue drew a sharp breath, and heard the pale-faced scholar say with a smile to Daoist Cangyan: "I am but a nameless junior, now serving as a mere foot soldier beneath the Nether King's banner."

The Nether King smiled and shook his head, saying: "Brother Long, you are far too modest."