Chapter 259 — Killing the Immortal
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 6 of 10
The blood-red glare still came surging down from all sides, blotting out the sky, with not a trace of sunlight; the frenzied battlefield had become a hell on earth, and more and more of the righteous path's number fell in battle. Then, at that very moment, a long cry suddenly rose from the deep, cold waters of the jade-green pool beside the Rainbow Bridge; the water burst asunder, and a gigantic spirit beast came leaping out with a thunderous roar—none other than the Water Qilin, guardian spirit beast of the Cang Lan Sect.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Water Qilin charged, claws bared and fangs bared, into the thickest press of the demon cult host.
Slashing claws and a ravening maw—in an instant it threw the demon cult's ranks into utter confusion. Against such a monstrous bulk, even the fiercest of men would know an instinctive terror, and they scattered in every direction.
The Water Qilin's sudden appearance gave the righteous path's people—who had been on the verge of utter annihilation—a chance to catch their breath. Many demon cult minions turned and rushed at the giant beast, and many of the righteous path's number, who had been all but crushed beneath the onslaught, escaped disaster by sheer luck.
The Water Qilin could be seen charging left and right through the demon cult host, sweeping all before it, while cries of despair rose and fell on every side; for a time its prowess was unmatched.
The righteous path seized the chance to fall back up the stone steps of the Yuheng Hall. Lu Xueling and Wen Pei were both by now all but utterly spent, and Wen Pei's cultivation was a notch below even Lu Xueling's; with the enemy before them temporarily withdrawn and that killing momentum gone from her, she could scarcely even climb the stone steps.
Lu Xueling was in no better state than Wen Pei, but the two sisters nonetheless helped each other along and barely made their way up to the Yuheng Hall.
Yet one look around sent a chill through both their hearts: of the righteous path's people standing before the Yuheng Hall, by a rough count there were fewer than two hundred, and every one of them wounded, streaked with blood.
The two exchanged a glance, and each saw despair in the other's eyes. For all the Water Qilin's valor, how could it last long against the demon cult's sorcery?
And so it proved: though the Water Qilin was at first invincible and drew the attention of the entire demon cult army upon itself, as the pressure around it mounted the beast's roars, though still deafening, began to betray its waning strength—especially as, here and there in the crowd, cultivators appeared to strike at it with magical treasures.
These did the Water Qilin grievous harm, and added to that the endless, ant-like swarms of the demon cult army surging madly in from all sides, it was after less than half an hour that the Water Qilin at last showed signs of fear, its body covered in wounds.
Of a sudden its great head tossed, and with a roar that shook heaven and earth it turned, charged through a bloody path, and leaped back into the jade-green pool, diving deep into the water, no more to be seen.
Though most of the righteous path's people on the Yuheng Hall had already read the outcome in the battle just past, still, when the Water Qilin was indeed overcome and fled, every face showed anguish; watching that black, seething tide of demon cult minions turn once more toward them, a breath of despair spread through the crowd.
Lu Xueling struggled to her feet and gently raised the Divine Sword Tianxuan, laying it across her own throat. Wen Pei started in alarm and made to stop her, but Lu Xueling had already said softly: "Sister, let it be. There is no hope left. I would rather take my own life than let those people's filthy hands kill me."