劍問蒼天 - 第103章 魚怪 - 翰墨軒

Yousi quietly reached out and nudged Qinglong.

Qinglong, already uneasy, felt the touch and turned to look at her. Her black veil swayed lightly as she motioned toward the Hades King's figure. He and Yousi had both been among the four Holy Envoys of the Hades King Sect—how could he not read her mind? Yet at this moment he could not help but hesitate.

After a moment's thought, Qinglong at last stepped softly to the Hades King's rear and said in a low voice, "Sect Master, there is something in what Ming Li says. The Yellow Bird is subdued for now; let us first see it safely stowed. Otherwise, with the Ten Thousand Poisons and the Hehuan factions both still within the Death Marsh, delay may breed trouble."

The Hades King turned and looked at Qinglong, then nodded slowly. "You speak rightly." A faint gleam came into his eyes as he said to Ming Li, "In that case, I leave this place to you."

Ming Li nodded silently. "Rest easy."

The Hades King looked at him a moment longer, then suddenly smiled and turned to go. Qinglong, behind him, smiled at Ming Li and followed.

Yousi trailed after them. As she passed Ming Li, he looked at her and gave a slight nod.

Her black veil stirred faintly, but she said nothing, and so walked on.

Once the Hades King and his party had vanished from sight, Ming Li turned slowly and looked toward Fa Cheng and the others.

Fa Cheng coughed once, stepped forward, and said, "Junior Brother Zhang..."

Ming Li said coldly, "My name is Ming Li."

Fa Cheng checked himself. Behind him Lin Jinghong's brows knitted, and he said in a low, heavy voice, "Xiaofan, why must you be like this? I know your heart is good at bottom—it was only that villains did you harm, and so you strayed into the demon path..."

Fa Cheng found this grating to hear, but he only smiled a faint, bitter smile and said not a word.

Lin Jinghong went on: "...so long as you are willing to turn back, I believe that with Sect Master Daoyan's breadth of mind and generosity, he would surely take you back into Qingyun."

Ming Li said mildly, "Why should I turn back?"

Lin Jinghong's body gave a shudder. His eyes fixed hard on this former childhood friend, who stood there and said, in a coldness beyond describing, "Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs. I have walked this road well enough. I do not need you to save me."

Lu Xueling, standing at the very back, seemed to tremble slightly. Zeng Shuyan stood beside her, took in her expression, and frowned a little, but said nothing.

Lin Jinghong's face showed anger. He stepped forward, about to say more, but Fa Cheng held him back.

Fa Cheng looked at him, shook his head slightly, and said in a low voice, "He has gone deep into the demon path. You must not press him too hard, or you will only drive him the other way."

Lin Jinghong had shown anger at being stopped, but at these words he knew in the end that Fa Cheng was right. He turned and looked at Ming Li again, and his heart softened as he recalled the days when they had been innocent children playing together. At last he gritted his teeth and stepped back.

Fa Cheng pondered a moment, then said to Ming Li, "Benefactor Ming Li, whether you admit it or not, there is a bond between us. Now that the Heaven Emperor's Treasure House is destroyed and there appears to be no peerless treasure within, let us part here."

Ming Li gave a cold hum, glanced at Fa Cheng, then looked toward the others—at Lin Jinghong, at Zeng Shuyan—and at last his gaze came to rest on Lu Xueling's face.

That cold, pure woman stood at the very back, her face like frost, her eyes like deep water whose bottom could not be seen. Who could tell what she was thinking, there in the depths of her heart?

Ming Li withdrew his gaze and said no more, then turned and walked away.