Chapter 134 — Baleful Aura
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 6
So fierce was this baleful aura that even with her high cultivation she could not help but feel a trace of dread. And upon closer sensing, with her keen spiritual power she detected within it what seemed like two other currents of spiritual power, listless and feeble, which—though unwilling—could only bow in resignation beneath the baleful aura.
Within this mountain there must be some tremendous secret!
Slowly wiping the astonishment from her face and schooling her features back to their usual calm, Xiaobai glanced at the Great Shaman. She had not expected this old man, who seemed so weary and half-dead, to possess such keen senses—it appeared the shamanic arts of the Southern Frontier truly had their own merits.
She nodded slowly and lowered her voice. "What a heavy baleful aura!"
The Great Shaman was silent a moment, then nodded. Both of them turned at once toward Ming Li beside them—and saw that his face, too, bore an unnatural look.
Within his sleeve, the Blood-Devouring Pearl on the black Soul-Devourer suddenly lit up, its blood-red radiance swirling without cease, shining through even the fabric of his robe.
Ming Li slowly drew out the Soul-Devourer and held it up before him. At the head of this demonic staff the Blood-Devouring Pearl glowed strangely, ring upon ring, layer upon layer of crimson light slowly spreading; the threads of blood-vein upon the pearl itself grew clearer one by one, distinct to the eye. And along his wrist, the Blood-Devouring Pearl sent wave after wave of icy breath, faintly tinged with excitement, coursing through his whole body.
Ming Li's gaze was deep; he raised his head and looked up at the towering mountain before him, a strange light flickering in his eyes.
It was the sign of the Blood-Devouring Pearl's ravenous thirst for blood!
To him, this was long since all too familiar.
The Nether King himself stood at the entrance of the Nether King Sect's headquarters, waiting to welcome them outside a hidden door concealed behind a great boulder. It was not hard to imagine how greatly he valued the Great Shaman whom Ming Li had brought back.
After the three of them appeared before him, the Nether King gave Ming Li a casual nod by way of greeting, then strode quickly to the Great Shaman, sizing him up briefly from head to foot. A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Master, your body..."
The Great Shaman smiled faintly. "A dying man, this old one; such is my fate. I have come today only to do what little I can. Whether it succeeds or not must be left to heaven's will."
The Nether King bowed deeply from the waist, a full salute, and said in a solemn voice, "Master, you are a transcendent figure; I shall not trouble you with empty courtesies. The road has been hard, and the night grows late. Pray let me impose on you to rest a night in the mountain caves here, however humbly, and tomorrow I shall seek your counsel."
The Great Shaman nodded; from his expression, he was indeed thoroughly exhausted.
The Nether King beckoned, and someone hurried over to support the Great Shaman inside. The assembled crowd parted to make way, and moments later the Great Shaman's figure vanished into the belly of the mountain.
The Nether King slowly turned. Now, standing before him besides Ming Li was a woman of strangely alluring beauty behind him. As for the monkey Xiao Hui, its three eyes darted about, taking the measure of the crowd ahead.
The Nether King's gaze rested a moment on Xiao Hui, then flicked to Xiaobai behind Ming Li, and finally returned to the young man before him.
"You are wounded?" the Nether King said slowly.
Ming Li was silent; he only nodded.
The gathering suddenly fell quiet. The two men stood face to face, and the atmosphere was somewhat strange. Ten years—for ten years the Nether King had carefully instructed Ming Li, and yet between the two of them there seemed always to lie a deep, invisible gulf.
Behind the Nether King stood Qinglong, Yousi, and many other disciples.