劍問蒼天 - 第200章 黑蝠 - 翰墨軒

The darkness suddenly thickened, like an invisible wall sprung up in an instant before them. The light of the Soul-Devourer, at the very moment the two of them turned the corner, was somehow reflected back upon them by something invisible ahead. Almost at the same instant, Ming Li and Jin Pingyue halted, then shot backward with incredible speed.

"Boom!"

With a muffled crash, two great holes were blasted in the ground where they had just stood. Shattered stones flew wildly in every direction, striking the surrounding walls with a clatter.

The darkness seemed to give a roar of fury and surged around the corner like a landslide, rushing straight at them. Ming Li and Jin Pingyue still could not make out what monster or demon lurked within it. Jin Pingyue's face paled slightly; with a slight shift of her form, she had already flashed back to a distance of more than a zhang.

In the midst of that fierce wind, the blue-green light suddenly blazed bright. Ming Li's entire figure was cloaked in a halo of blue-green, standing beneath that seemingly boundless darkness and coldly watching that curtain of black. Even the monkey Xiao Hui on his shoulder had all three of its eyes shining, giving off a faint golden gleam.

The black curtain descended upon them, the wind howling fierce enough to send even the stones that had just fallen scattering into the air once more. Yet in the midst of that darkness, Ming Li's figure stood utterly unmoved; the blue-green light did not dim but grew brighter. Brilliant light burst from the right side of his hand, and in the space of a heartbeat his palm was thrust out, plunging into the darkness.

The intense blue-green light that had wreathed the edge of Ming Li's right hand vanished the very instant he thrust it into the dark, as though blocked by some object. But a moment later came a great thunderous boom, and from within that black curtain issued a sound of thudding bursts. In the next instant, seven gashes were torn open by main force, and dazzling blue-green light shone through.

A pained roar burst out from ahead. The mountain-like black curtain suddenly scattered—still pitch-black, but deep within the darkness were revealed two enormous red eyes.

The Soul-Devouring Staff in Ming Li's hand shone ever brighter. By that light, both Ming Li and Jin Pingyue, standing behind him, could now see clearly: guarding this place was an enormous black bat, black as ink from head to foot, with only its two eyes showing a blood-red hue. Just now, its vast body and wings must have hidden those eyes, making it impossible to see the creature's true form at once. And such a demonic beast likely attacked in just this way—striking suddenly out of the darkness, which indeed made it easy for a foe to lose their head in panic and not know how to respond.

At this moment, seven wounds had been torn open in the wings of that black demon bat, and strange pale-blue blood was spattered across its body; clearly its injuries were not light. Yet such creatures were never timid things. Instead, it seemed to have fallen into a frenzy. It opened its vast maw and gave a roaring howl, spread its wings—though somewhat unsteadily—and the darkness swelled once more as it swooped toward them.

A cold gleam flashed in Ming Li's eyes, and the demonic light of the Blood-Devouring Bead at the top of the Soul-Devouring Staff flared at the same time. Just as the demon bat was about to pounce, there suddenly came a "chitter" from his shoulder, and a gray shadow flashed—Xiao Hui had leapt from his shoulder and was charging at that demonic creature countless times its size.

Ming Li frowned, and even Jin Pingyue, standing behind, was startled. At a glance, the difference in form between those two creatures sweeping across the air was simply too vast.