劍問蒼天 - 第96章 舊時意 - 翰墨軒

Qin Wujiu was not alarmed but pleased. With a great laugh, he turned his left hand over, and a small black iron flute appeared. He did not raise it to his lips, but instead swept it straight through the air; his left fingers tapped several of the holes on the flute, and at once a deep, eerie sound rang out in midair.

To human ears it was nothing much, but the countless Dead Marsh Giant Ants below ground seemed suddenly to receive some command. In an instant they were all in a frenzy, baring fangs and brandishing claws as they rushed the four righteous cultivators.

Li Xun and Zeng Shuyan had long expected this. They stepped forward together and activated their artifacts; where the treasure light flashed, a dozen or so giant ants that had charged first were sent flying at once. Yet their own arms ached numbly from the recoil. Li Xun, having crossed blades with these giant ants already, was not surprised; but Zeng Shuyan could not help changing color, thinking to himself how truly formidable these beasts were.

The two summoned their divine might, and in moments had blocked countless giant ants to one side. Lin Jinghong and Fa Cheng transformed into streaks of light and charged up like lightning. The Slaying Dragon Sword became a towering azure radiance that forced the darkness of the surrounding forest back several zhang, and came cleaving down straight at Qin Wujiu's head.

So mighty was this sword that even Qin Wujiu frowned, thinking to himself that these righteous fellows were indeed no easy opponents. Yet his expression showed no sign of panic. His left hand still danced the Demon-Controlling Flute, sending out its strange wailing notes to command the countless Dead Marsh Giant Ants to swarm in, while in his right hand appeared a dagger that shed radiance on all sides, barely holding off Lin Jinghong's strike.

Fa Cheng, watching from behind, knitted his brows. He recognized this dagger as the wondrous treasure of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect wielded by the Poison God himself in the Battle of Azure Cloud ten years ago. In a low voice he said, "'Severed Longing'?"

Qin Wujiu started at the words, and a flicker of admiration passed through his eyes. Holding his ground against Lin Jinghong, he said, "Master Fa Cheng's insight is indeed extraordinary. It is precisely the Severed Longing Divine Dagger!"

Fa Cheng flashed to Lin Jinghong's side, though he did not hurry to strike. He said mildly, "A pity that with such a divine weapon and such talent as yours, you have strayed onto the wrong path. Why not turn back and seek the shore?"

Qin Wujiu laughed aloud. His left hand danced the flute; his right hand's dagger shimmered with clear radiance. Suddenly he took five paces in a row, his bearing elegant, and chanted: "Fair face far, longing bitter, / how many feelings, hard to bestow. / Ten years of yearning, a century's crossing, / without severing longing, I cannot bear to look back!"

His ever-calm face now suddenly showed a faint purple aura, which shone in mutual brilliance with the clear light of the Severed Longing Divine Dagger before him. In an instant the clear light blazed forth, gradually pressing down the azure glow of the Slaying Dragon Sword. At the same time, a rare look of arrogance appeared on his face, and he declared in a ringing voice, "The Master sees me as sunk in the demonic path, yet I laugh at the Master's own infatuation. Of the ten thousand paths in this world, each has its own principle—must your shore alone be the shore, and my shore be the sea?"

Fa Cheng smiled faintly, paying his words no mind, and was about to move to aid Lin Jinghong when suddenly, from within the clear light before Qin Wujiu, Lin Jinghong's voice came, firm beyond all doubt: "Heaven gave birth to ten thousand paths, and they are all one body. The heart of righteous Dao lies precisely in the hearts of the world's people. You are demon, I am righteous—therefore I shall vanquish demons and subdue evil!"