Chapter 72 — Desperate Straits
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 11
Kui Niu screamed its fury at the sky, its huge frame soaring aloft, and its great single leg came stamping straight down at Zhang Qingyue; such was the terror of that might that everyone present felt their hearts quail, and even Tian Buhui's face went pale.
Zhang Qingyue gasped for breath, his whole skeleton feeling as though it would shatter; slowly he raised his head, and all his eyes beheld was the darkness pressing down from the sky!
Clang!
Who knew who had let a weapon slip from their hand?
And who was it that cried out in despair in the darkness?
A golden, solemn light stole forth, accompanied by a beam of blue.
Upon the Dark Iron Staff gripped in the youth's hand, countless fine red veins—like blood vessels—suddenly blazed together, and beneath the shadows it was as if life itself were burning, blood flowing!
Light interwoven of gold and blue burst from the Dark Iron Staff, illuminating his face; slowly, before him, upon the blue Blood-Devouring Bead at the staff's tip, a Buddhist true word appeared.
"Om!"
And then, as though born together with that true word, faintly upon the base of the "Om" there emerged a taiji pattern flickering with blue light.
Everyone was struck dumb with shock!
Everyone—except Kui Niu!
That furious beast came stamping down, irresistible; the youth who could not flee, the youth facing death, thrust out both hands to block it, upward.
Time seemed to pause for a moment.
Heaven and earth lay desolate; the black clouds gathered heavy again.
A cold wind blew softly past.
Fallen leaves drifted down.
A figure suddenly appeared in midair, plunging down swift as lightning—it was the Nether King. In a blink he had reached the ground, seized the red iron spike that Tian Lingsu had forced out, and driven it at once into the beach; at the same time his right hand flashed out and slashed open his own left wrist, and blood spurted forth, spattering over the spike.
In an instant red light flashed; the dark red mysterious spike blazed with red rays, and in the blink of an eye—before Kui Niu could come down—it had joined with the light screen before and around Zhang Qingyue, and the Dragon-Imprisoning Enclosure formation was roused once more.
In midair, the Subduing Dragon Cauldron blazed with light, illuminating half the sky.
With a thunderous crash!
Amid the deafening roar, Kui Niu slammed into the red light screen; the Nether King's body shook violently and he staggered back several steps, but Kui Niu too was flung back by the recoil of the red screen, and came charging again in a fury—yet amid peal after peal of thunder, at last it had no strength left to break free.
The Nether King let out his breath slowly, his body easing, and turned around. Behind him stood the youth, still in his posture of defense, though the radiance of the Dark Iron Staff was fading; and looking at his face, blood streamed down it, bearing a trace of desolation.
The Nether King gazed at him; Zhang Qingyue's lips parted slightly, and he gazed back. On the field, suddenly, all was quiet.
"The Great Brahma Prajna! This is the Great Brahma Prajna!"
Suddenly, from the distance behind them, the monks of the Brahma Sound Temple came striding out from the crowd; among them every monk, Fajing included, was shaken beyond measure, and they pointed at Zhang Qingyue and demanded: "How do you come to practice the Great Brahma Prajna true Dharma of our Brahma Sound Temple?"
Only that Facheng stood silently behind the agitated throng, saying not a word, gazing fixedly at Zhang Qingyue ahead, a light seeming to flicker in his eyes.
Slowly, slowly, Zhang Qingyue turned around, as though every movement cost him all the strength he had—until at last he faced them all.
Tian Buhui stood rigid, his face ashen, the veins starting on the hand that gripped the Crimson Flame Immortal Sword; every disciple of the Canglan Sect stared at this man, this youth covered in wounds, as though seeing a monster for the first time.