Chapter 106 — The Ancient Temple
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 6 of 7
In these deep wild mountains, someone had lain in ambush!
The moonlight was cold, and its uncanny hue seemed only to deepen.
Outside the ancient temple, behind a hill in the distance.
A streak of purple radiance blazed suddenly in the night, rushing halfway up into the air, then cleaving downward.
Though separated by a distance of some tens of zhang, Ming Li still felt that sliver of biting, murderous aura. His pupils contracted; in an instant he had recognized what magic treasure it was.
The two from Burning Mist Valley arrived like the wind, but the old man's cultivation was plainly far above Sun Tu's; in but a moment he had left Sun Tu some tens of zhang behind, and a dark red immortal sword had already appeared in his hand as he flew swiftly toward where the purple radiance had flared.
Yet before he could reach the far side of the hill, a great roar rang out, full of despair, echoing through the dark night. The old man's face changed drastically; he flew faster still, and with a whoosh had flown over. Ming Li, soundless, followed from another direction, circling round behind the hill.
A reek of blood struck him in the face at once. The cloak, cloven in two, drifted slowly down from midair; dark red blood spattered everywhere. The mysterious one, now revealed in his true form, was indeed a fish-man with a fish's head and a human body—but at this moment he had been cleft in two by a single stroke from head to crotch, his corpse fallen to the ground, and the killer's figure was already gone.
The old man was both shocked and furious. The killer had struck and slain in an instant, then vanished into hiding; such cultivation was truly no small matter. Though he found these fish-men utterly detestable, he knew that the Valley Master had weighty matters to discuss with these barbarian tribes. Now, for someone to spring up and strike them down before his very eyes—should the other side demand an accounting, he would truly find it hard to answer for it.
By now Sun Tu too had reached the scene, and taking in that scene of blood, he stood dumbstruck.
The old man's face was ghastly. Suddenly he sprang into the air; dark red light bore him up beneath his feet, and he flew into the sky and gazed all around—but saw only pitch darkness on every side, a boundless sea of forest. Where was he to find any trace of the killer?
Suddenly he shouted loudly, "Which master of high attainment is here? Pray come forth and show yourself—Lu Shun of Burning Mist Valley asks!"
The voice carried far, and after a moment faint echoes came back from the forests and hills, ringing everywhere: "Lu Shun asks... Lu Shun asks..."
Yet beyond that there was no further sound at all.
Lu Shun's eyes seemed to blaze with fire. After a moment he dropped back to the ground and said swiftly to Sun Tu, "You gather up the clan chief's corpse and carry it back to the valley. The killer struck not long ago, so he must still be nearby. I will dig three feet into the earth if I must, but I will find this man."
Sun Tu nodded hurriedly. "Martial Uncle, take care."
Before the words were out, Lu Shun had already sprung into the air and vanished into the darkness of the forest. Sun Tu turned and looked at the corpse below, now in two halves; a reek of blood assailed his nostrils, and he could not help but show disgust, and spat.
Ming Li slowly withdrew, and in the shadows pondered a moment; then he carefully surveyed the lie of the land around him, and his gaze came to rest upon the ancient temple he had just left. At once he swept toward it without a sound.
The night was cold; black clouds hid the moon.
Though only a short while had passed, the ancient temple seemed of a sudden to have grown gloomier and darker still. Only now and then, when the moon poked its head from the black clouds, did some small part of it stand revealed—and a moment later it was swallowed by darkness once more.