Chapter 90 — The Mantis
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 6 of 6
Fa Cheng glanced at his expression, was taken aback a moment, and turned to look at Xiao Yichen—only to find him utterly unruffled, as though he had noticed nothing at all. Still smiling, Xiao Yichen said, "Senior Brother Li sees clearly, as always. With your great talents, when the day of triumph comes, Senior Brother Li shall be reckoned first among the meritorious."
Li Xun smiled slightly, and to his credit did not decline the compliment.
Watching from the side, Fa Cheng looked at Xiao Yichen's face, which never betrayed joy or anger. Suddenly the figure of a youth once named Zhang Qingyue flashed before his eyes. If only he were here today as well—how good that would be.
An inexplicable ache pierced his heart, and he gave a soft sigh. Then he heard Xiao Yichen begin to lay out the plan in a low voice, and he quickly gathered his attention to listen. Xiao Yichen, lowering his voice, said softly:
"Brothers, tonight we..."
The night seemed to deepen yet further.
Night in the Dead Marsh seemed likewise to be shrouded in black clouds, perhaps because mist rose from that vast swamp each time darkness fell.
The sky was a murky gray, and never mind the moon—not even half a star could be seen.
Near the Bottomless Pit, where the young disciples of the righteous path lay down to sleep, all was silent, without a sound, save a few embers of campfires still stubbornly burning.
Peering into the darkness, one could dimly make out those righteous disciples curled up beneath their clothes and blankets, covering themselves head to foot; the young, after all, had not cultivated enough to withstand the bone-piercing cold of the marsh at night.
The disciples of the Long Life Hall had soundlessly encircled the group from every direction, and in the darkness they waited quietly for Yu Yangzi's command.
Slowly, Yu Yangzi extended his one remaining right hand.
Meng Ji, standing at his side, suddenly said in a low voice, "Sect Master."
Yu Yangzi's hand paused. He was faintly displeased, but Meng Ji did after all hold no small place in his heart, so he reined in his temper and asked, "What is it?"
Meng Ji seemed to sense his displeasure as well. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Sect Master, look at these righteous folk—how is it they haven't even posted a night watch?"
Yu Yangzi was taken aback, then scoffed, "These greenhorns, so proud and puffed up. All these days I've been laying down lure after lure, and long ago they decided we were not worth a single blow. They don't take us seriously at all. No night watch—hardly surprising!"
Meng Ji's expression shifted, but in the end he said nothing.
Yu Yangzi paid him no further mind. He flipped his right hand, and a strange mirror, black on one face and white on the other, appeared in his palm; then it flew up into the air, streaking a dazzling arc of light across the night.
All the disciples of the Long Life Hall cried out at once, their voices carrying far through the darkness, and surged forward, bearing boundless killing intent!
Within that fragile remnant of light there was a faint desolation.
The last of the embers, at that very moment, quietly went out!
Darkness swallowed all!
A moment later came a sudden clear, sharp ring, a clang like a dragon's cry.
A streak of green light, a streak of blue, a streak of gold, a streak of white, a streak of azure.
Five brilliant, dazzling rays, in that black curtain of night, like sharp swords piercing the vault of heaven, burst suddenly forth from the deepest dark and hurtled toward the disciples of the Long Life Hall.
And behind them, more dazzling lights appeared, one after another.
Yu Yangzi saw it all, and his face changed drastically!