Chapter 45 — The Golden Bell

Bili was dumbfounded and for a moment could not speak. When she recovered, she stared at him a good while, astonished. "What did you say?"

The words were no sooner out than Zhang Qingyue knew he had blundered. He, a man of the righteous path, had inexplicably spoken up to defend a monstrous villain of the demon cult dead eight hundred years. If this reached the ears of his masters in the Canglan Sect, he would be severely punished at once. But at the time, he knew not why, the heat in his heart had carried the words out of his mouth; and now, faced with Bili's question, he could only stammer and say nothing.

Bili gave him a strange look, then suddenly remembered something. Zhang Qingyue was forgotten in an instant. She snatched up the golden bell at her waist, beside herself with excitement, and cried out laughing, "Ah! Then isn't this Lady Golden Bell's Joyful Union Bell?" As she spoke she quickly turned the bell over and examined it closely — and there, sure enough, on the inner wall of the bell, she saw three small characters.

Joyful Union Bell!

Zhang Qingyue saw Bili's face alight with joy, so delighted she was like to laugh herself breathless. Plainly this was a mighty magical treasure, and she had come by it unawares. A discomfort rose in his heart, and he said coldly, "Have you found a way out?"

Bili's eyes were full of the little bell before her. "No," she answered absently.

Zhang Qingyue turned his head away and said mildly, "Then you may as well hug that golden bell and die in this cave."

Bili was taken aback, and saw that it was true enough. The most important thing now was to find a way out and escape. She asked quickly, "Have you found one?"

Zhang Qingyue shook his head silently. The two exchanged a look. Bili wiped the smile from her face and said gravely, "Then let's find the way first!"

With life and death at hand, Zhang Qingyue nodded silently. The two of them searched the tunnel and cavern together, examining every wall and every crevice with the greatest care. Zhang Qingyue, over Bili's strenuous objections, even went over the two statues of the Holy Mother of the Dark and the Bright King of Heaven's Wrath — but still nothing turned up.

When they met again before the heap of shattered bones and saw each other's dejected faces, their own faces fell.

Bili said hoarsely, "Are we really going to die here?"

Zhang Qingyue lowered his head, his expression hidden. Bili too fell silent. All at once the shadow of death had fallen over these two young lives.

A long while passed in the silence, the two facing each other without a word, when Zhang Qingyue suddenly leaped to his feet and turned away. Bili was startled. "What are you doing?"

Zhang Qingyue clenched his teeth. "I'm going to search again. There must be a way out. We are not going to die here!"

And in his heart there was another sentence he had not spoken, echoing on and on: I must see Senior Sister Ling'er again. Even if I die, I will be buried on Dazhu Peak!

But Bili did not move. She only sat on the platform and watched Zhang Qingyue, his face set hard, as in this hour of life and death a fierce will to live suddenly burst from him and he searched without cease.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Four times.

Bili lost count of how many times Zhang Qingyue went in and out of the stone chamber and the cavern. Each time he came back empty-handed, yet he would not lose heart. She did not know why his temper should be so stubborn, or why his will to live should be so fierce. He searched without cease for a way out — on and on, on and on...

Until his steps began to sway, until his strength gave out, until he passed by Bili and his body tottered and he fell, striking the ground heavily, and fainted away.

Bili stared blankly. After a moment's hesitation she went to him, turned him over, and checked him. There was no great harm — only exhaustion, together with hunger and thirst, had made him faint. She was reassured.

But all at once she froze, and asked herself in the depths of her heart: "Why am I reassured? Why should I breathe easier that he's all right?"

The thought flashed through her mind like lightning.

She looked at him deeply. On the youth's still-young face, haggard now from his wounds and from hunger and thirst, even his lips were cracked and dry.

Gently Bili laid him down and gazed at him a long while, then said softly, "Since we're fated to die here together, I don't want to be left alone too soon. At least there's someone to keep me company — that's something, anyway."

She went out to the little pool at the cave mouth, fetched some water, and took out some dry rations, meaning to feed them to Zhang Qingyue with the water.

But Zhang Qingyue, perhaps because he was unconscious, could not swallow the dry food at all. He only drank a little water in his daze from Bili's waterskin and never came to himself.

After fussing over him half the day, Bili was tired herself. When she saw that Zhang Qingyue seemed stable, her eyes slowly closed and she sank into a deep sleep.

She slept she knew not how long. When she woke, her first act was to look at once toward where Zhang Qingyue lay. He was still lying there quietly, motionless, fast asleep, and she was reassured — though she could not help muttering low, "Just like a dead pig!"

As she said it, she smiled to herself. It was as though watching this youth lightened her own heart, and she even forgot for a time the death that would soon come, not far ahead.

But suddenly she felt that although Zhang Qingyue still slept soundly, his face was flushed and something seemed wrong. She quickly reached out to check — and at a touch his skin was burning hot. She started in fright. Of all times, Zhang Qingyue had chosen this moment to come down with a high fever.

As a rule, cultivators of the Way have strong constitutions and are free of common ailments. But Zhang Qingyue had suffered grave wounds over the past days, and his mind and strength were worn out; his body too was badly damaged. In the end, in the Blooddrop Cave, he had searched desperately for a way out without regard for his health, draining his strength utterly. Now that he had fainted, the high fever had broken out.

The illness was no light matter. For a long time the fever would not abate (in the cavern, Bili could not tell how many days had passed). Bili was at her wit's end. She could only fetch more cold water to bring his temperature down, and it was of no use at all.

In time, as the fever would not break, Zhang Qingyue began to rave. Bili was frantic with worry. At the thought of being left alone in this empty, silent cave to wait for death, she was all but terrified out of her wits. Now even a scrap of Zhang Qingyue's raving, even a single gasp, compared with the dreadful days to come, was like music from heaven.

But do what she might — which in truth meant no more than fetching water — in this cave, with no doctor and no medicine, how could she be of any help? Zhang Qingyue's illness grew worse day by day, and his raving more and more frequent.

One day, as Bili kept anxious watch over the unconscious Zhang Qingyue, he suddenly turned over and curled up whole, crying out in his daze, "Ghosts, ghosts, ghosts..." Then all at once he ground his teeth: "You killed my parents, you killed everyone in the village — I'll fight you to the death!"

Bili started and hastily gathered him in her arms. "No, no! There are no ghosts here!"

Whether or not her words had any effect, Zhang Qingyue gradually quieted, and the terror on his face slowly subsided. But what followed was an expression of utter heartbreak.

His eyes stayed tightly shut, and he murmured low, "Senior Sister, Senior Sister, don't ignore me. I, I want to... don't ignore me..."

Bili was taken aback; a sudden ache rose in her heart. But she knew not whence the courage came, and said softly, "No, no — your senior sister is here. She won't ignore you."