Chapter 112 — The Heavenly Fox
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 5 of 7
He gave a sudden low, bitter laugh, and from beside him came a squeaking cry. Ming Li turned his head and saw Little Grey crouched at his side, watching him. Its enormous body had already reverted, and it was once more the little monkey nestling against his hand. Yet the wound in its belly, stained to a strange color by blood, and the third eye upon its brow, now flickering with faint golden light, reminded him over and over of what had just happened.
Ming Li suddenly smiled at Little Grey, then slowly sat up and reached out to stroke its head gently. Little Grey bared its teeth in a grin, gave two little squeaks, and scratched at its head with one hand.
The red light in the great hall flowed gently, shining upon the two of them.
Ming Li silently examined himself. He felt weary, but after that unbelievable internal turmoil, the meridians within his body seemed largely unharmed. What he could not fathom was why the Mystic Fire Mirror, always so gentle and pure, had suddenly turned so savage. Thinking it over, it seemed to have some connection with the Mystic Fire Altar where he stood, and with that strange, ferocious deity formation from moments before.
Ming Li straightened his torn garments, then ripped off a strip of cloth, gathered Little Grey into his arms, and carefully bandaged the wound on its belly. Little Grey lowered its head, its three eyes blinking, staring at the new ring around its belly like a belt. It gave two squeaks, seemingly full of curiosity, its hands pawing at it without pause.
By now Ming Li's strength was gradually returning. He rose with Little Grey in his arms and looked around. The great hall about him was scarred and battered, traces of fierce combat everywhere; yet for some reason most of the marks were on the floor, and few upon the walls. And the ring of ferocious deity carvings beneath his feet had now grown calm again, standing there lifelike as ever.
He stood pondering a moment, unable for the life of him to tell how long he had been inside this Mystic Fire Altar. But clearly the old man Shangguan, who guarded this place, had not yet returned; no doubt he had dared to leave only because he knew the Flame Refining Altar was protected by fire-beasts.
Then his gaze fell upon the round opening overhead that led to the second level.
Some of the red glow from the hall drifted up as well, but looking up from below, he could see only a small patch around the opening; the space beside it seemed likewise plunged in darkness.
Ming Li looked into that darkness, then suddenly said to Little Grey, "Let's go up and have a look, shall we?"
Little Grey grinned at him from his arms.
Ming Li gently stroked its head, then set Little Grey on his shoulder. He drew a deep breath, and his whole body slowly floated up from the ground, flying toward the opening.
He rose very slowly, with great care; who could say whether some monster still lurked on guard in this unfathomable altar? But all around was silent, and he met no attack at all until he had floated up onto the second level.
Apart from the faint red glow seeping from the round hole he had come through, all was pitch-black on the second level, but deep within the darkness there was something giving off a faint shimmer.
Ming Li walked toward it.
It was a stone platform about half a man's height, shaped like a cylinder. The stone was utterly unlike the crimson rock around it, and as it gave off a faint coolness, the glimmer it emitted kept shifting in color, now faintly red, now pale purple, now goose-yellow, now blue-green, a truly lovely sight.
And on the flat top of the platform was a ring-shaped groove, beside which three characters were carved:
Mystic Fire Mirror!
Ming Li's gaze fell unwittingly upon his right arm, where through the tattered fabric the Mystic Fire Mirror's archaic flame totem showed faintly.
He gently unfastened the treasure, gazed at it a moment, then set it into the groove, where it fit without the slightest seam.