Chapter 72 — Desperate Straits

In the distance the crowd cried out in alarm; the pale-faced Su Wan and Qi Hao both rushed forward, and Tian Buhui, foremost of all, came flying like lightning—but they were too far away; a matter of several zhang, and rescue was beyond reach.

Yet Tian Lingsu was no common sort after all, and would not wilt and await death. In desperation she swept her hands again and again; the amber-red silk, like a red dragon coursing across the sky, shielded her overhead—if only she could hold the beast off a moment, there might be a gap to flee through. And Zhang Qingyue, nearest to her, hurled himself forward once more.

Perhaps because the red glow of the amber-red silk somewhat resembled the red light of the Enclosure, the beast's eyes blazed with even greater fury; with roars of "Gan-ao! Gan-ao!" it came biting down like Mount Tai itself crushing the summit.

At the first contact the outcome was plain: the amber-red silk was borne straight down beneath that vast maw. Tian Lingsu's face went stark white, her knees gave way, and she was forced down to sit upon the ground, dust billowing up around her. Yet out of the corner of her eye she saw Zhang Qingyue already at her side, and she cried urgently: "Xiaofan, get away, quickly!"

Zhang Qingyue knew better than anyone how savage this marvel-beast was, and that to stand against it was death with no hope of life—yet in that moment when heaven and earth changed color, when wind and cloud shifted, before that monstrous beast, this fragile woman had cried out to him in such anguish.

Get away, quickly—

The wind blew upon his face.

As if deep in his heart, something surged and thrilled!

That face, that form so familiar since childhood, was there before him now; the times etched into his heart through all the years past churned and would not still.

What drives you to madness? What fills you with pain?

Did he remember the grieving skeleton in the Blood-Drip Cave?

Did he remember the demon fox that leaped with him into the molten rock beneath the Fire Dragon Cave?

He drew deep breaths, deep, gasping breaths.

Heaven and earth, the whole world, were utterly still.

He gripped tight the Dark Iron Staff, clenched his teeth—and that youth's figure charged forward.

Charged forward just like that, reckless of all things, tore in between the monstrous beast and Tian Lingsu, flung wide his arms and roared aloud—like a warrior going to death, like a hero of sorrow, become one with the Dark Iron Staff, as though eight hundred years of time had come again!

For whom does the heart break?

For whom does one go mad?

Amid Kui Niu's furious roars, he too was roaring; the Dark Iron Staff blazed with a radiance never seen before, like a flame that burned his very life as its fuel, blazing fiercely!

With a thunderous crash—

Across the sky, a startling thunderclap rolled, shaking the firmament!

Zhang Qingyue's knees buckled; blood welled from all seven openings of his head and trickled silently down, dripping onto the Dark Iron Staff.

The stunned Tian Lingsu suddenly felt herself grow light, and was flung backward—Tian Buhui had come at last and pulled her clear. When he turned back in frantic haste, he saw, plain as day, that Zhang Qingyue was already pinned beneath Kui Niu's body.

Kui Niu screamed its fury at the sky, its huge frame soaring aloft, and its great single leg came stamping straight down at Zhang Qingyue; such was the terror of that might that everyone present felt their hearts quail, and even Tian Buhui's face went pale.

Zhang Qingyue gasped for breath, his whole skeleton feeling as though it would shatter; slowly he raised his head, and all his eyes beheld was the darkness pressing down from the sky!

Clang!

Who knew who had let a weapon slip from their hand?

And who was it that cried out in despair in the darkness?

A golden, solemn light stole forth, accompanied by a beam of blue.

Upon the Dark Iron Staff gripped in the youth's hand, countless fine red veins—like blood vessels—suddenly blazed together, and beneath the shadows it was as if life itself were burning, blood flowing!

Light interwoven of gold and blue burst from the Dark Iron Staff, illuminating his face; slowly, before him, upon the blue Blood-Devouring Bead at the staff's tip, a Buddhist true word appeared.

"Om!"

And then, as though born together with that true word, faintly upon the base of the "Om" there emerged a taiji pattern flickering with blue light.

Everyone was struck dumb with shock!

Everyone—except Kui Niu!

That furious beast came stamping down, irresistible; the youth who could not flee, the youth facing death, thrust out both hands to block it, upward.

Time seemed to pause for a moment.

Heaven and earth lay desolate; the black clouds gathered heavy again.

A cold wind blew softly past.

Fallen leaves drifted down.

A figure suddenly appeared in midair, plunging down swift as lightning—it was the Nether King. In a blink he had reached the ground, seized the red iron spike that Tian Lingsu had forced out, and driven it at once into the beach; at the same time his right hand flashed out and slashed open his own left wrist, and blood spurted forth, spattering over the spike.

In an instant red light flashed; the dark red mysterious spike blazed with red rays, and in the blink of an eye—before Kui Niu could come down—it had joined with the light screen before and around Zhang Qingyue, and the Dragon-Imprisoning Enclosure formation was roused once more.

In midair, the Subduing Dragon Cauldron blazed with light, illuminating half the sky.

With a thunderous crash!

Amid the deafening roar, Kui Niu slammed into the red light screen; the Nether King's body shook violently and he staggered back several steps, but Kui Niu too was flung back by the recoil of the red screen, and came charging again in a fury—yet amid peal after peal of thunder, at last it had no strength left to break free.

The Nether King let out his breath slowly, his body easing, and turned around. Behind him stood the youth, still in his posture of defense, though the radiance of the Dark Iron Staff was fading; and looking at his face, blood streamed down it, bearing a trace of desolation.

The Nether King gazed at him; Zhang Qingyue's lips parted slightly, and he gazed back. On the field, suddenly, all was quiet.

"The Great Brahma Prajna! This is the Great Brahma Prajna!"

Suddenly, from the distance behind them, the monks of the Brahma Sound Temple came striding out from the crowd; among them every monk, Fajing included, was shaken beyond measure, and they pointed at Zhang Qingyue and demanded: "How do you come to practice the Great Brahma Prajna true Dharma of our Brahma Sound Temple?"

Only that Facheng stood silently behind the agitated throng, saying not a word, gazing fixedly at Zhang Qingyue ahead, a light seeming to flicker in his eyes.

Slowly, slowly, Zhang Qingyue turned around, as though every movement cost him all the strength he had—until at last he faced them all.

Tian Buhui stood rigid, his face ashen, the veins starting on the hand that gripped the Crimson Flame Immortal Sword; every disciple of the Canglan Sect stared at this man, this youth covered in wounds, as though seeing a monster for the first time.

Behind him, it seemed, came a deep sigh from the Nether King.

Tian Lingsu's face was utterly bloodless; she took a few steps forward, then suddenly stopped. The short distance between her and Zhang Qingyue had suddenly become so vast, so impossible to cross!

"Xiaofan—" she said, very low, as though in a voice she herself no longer believed: "What these masters say—is it true?"

Zhang Qingyue's lips began to tremble, as though the deepest fear were rising up bit by bit from the bottom of his heart. He looked past Tian Lingsu, to his master, to all his fellow disciples in the distance—and every face was so strange to him.

He suddenly wanted to shout aloud, but his mouth fell open, and not a single word came out!