Chapter 94 — Strange Blooms

Lin Jinghong flew on, relying on the "Dragon-Slaying Sword" to protect him, broke out of the miasma, and came into this ancient forest of the inner marsh. And the place where he had emerged was in fact only a few dozen li from where Ming Li stood.

These two childhood friends, men who had once been as close as brothers, remained utterly unaware of each other. And yet, even if they had known, what they faced would only have been a more painful scene, would it not?

Of all this Lin Jinghong naturally knew nothing. He looked up at the sky and saw the dark clouds still heavy, and it seemed this rain would go on for another half a day. He could not help muttering a few low curses, pondered a moment, and at last set off again on foot.

Threading through the forest, there was really no road to speak of. Beyond the tall, great trees, the woods were thick with dense thorns and shrubs, and all manner of strange flowers and grasses, and monstrous beasts and venomous insects that had never appeared in the world outside the Dead Marsh, kept appearing before Lin Jinghong's eyes.

He had gone only a short while before he had already come close to disaster several times. Had he not been clever and alert, and had his cultivation not surged so greatly over these ten years, he would surely have come to grievous harm.

With a "whoosh," the Dragon-Slaying Sword traced an arc of green light and cut in two a scarlet venomous snake that lunged at him from the branches. At the same time, Lin Jinghong could bear it no longer; he sprang into the air at once and rose above the treetops on the power of his artifact.

Only in midair did he feel somewhat reassured, and at the same time secretly astonished. This inner marsh truly startled him at every step, far more perilous than the outer marsh. Where in the world did so many strange venomous creatures come from?

He glanced down. The severed body of the scarlet snake was still writhing and twisting on the ground, as though not yet quite dead. And besides that snake, he had just now been attacked by a venomous scorpion, a toad, and some strange lizard—truly, danger lurked on every side.

Lin Jinghong had meant to spare himself the effort and simply walk for a while beneath the ground, but now he dared not set foot on it lightly under any circumstances. Hovering in midair, he gazed all around, and suddenly his whole body gave a start.

There, deep in the forest ahead, behind the curtain of rain, a golden light flashed forth, and mingled with the wind and rain came the faint sound of someone shouting.

Joy leaped in Lin Jinghong's heart. He hesitated no longer, but urged his artifact onward and flew toward the flickering golden light.

Such was the speed of his artifact-borne flight that in a few short moments he had drawn near. Peering closely, he could not help but start in astonishment: here in the forest an oddly large clearing had opened up, and in the middle of it, within a pool of water, bloomed a flower of the strangest kind.

The flower was immense, several zhang across; had he not seen it with his own eyes, he could scarcely have believed such a wondrous species existed in this world.

Seen from midair, the lower part of the flower was blue-green, while the upper part split into countless branches of a brilliant red. Between the red and the green the division was so sharp that a clear dividing line could be made out. And at the tips of those red upper branches were small globes, crystal-clear as dewdrops, glistening with moisture—whether from the rain or by nature, he could not tell. (Note 1)

In the wind and rain the wondrous flower trembled gently, and a faint sweet fragrance spread upon the air.

His astonishment past, Lin Jinghong's attention was drawn to the two people and one beast beside the flower. One glance, and delight lit his face: the two standing in the clearing were none other than Zeng Shuyan of Fenghui Peak and Facheng of the Brahma Voice Temple, both of his own sect.

To meet familiar faces in this strange land filled Lin Jinghong with such joy that he could not keep from crying out.

Startled by the sudden call, the two in the clearing turned, and seeing Lin Jinghong descending, they too were overjoyed. But a moment later Zeng Shuyan pointed for Lin Jinghong to look ahead; Lin Jinghong steadied himself, and at once was frightened half out of his wits by the monster before them.

The monster that had been facing off against Facheng and Zeng Shuyan was itself a creature of the strangest kind. But first, Lin Jinghong had been stunned in midair by the giant flower before them, and second, he had been so overjoyed at seeing them that for the moment he had paid the monster no mind. Now he looked: the beast resembled a wild duck, yet stood as tall as a man. Its body was blue-green, its eyes pale red, its tail red, with fangs in its beak and wings sprouting from its back—altogether like some fierce bird. (Note 2)

Now the monster gave a low roar and beat its wings, and at once a gust of wind laced with rain came rushing at them.

Lin Jinghong landed beside Zeng Shuyan and Facheng. The three of them now stood with their backs to the wondrous flower. Lin Jinghong frowned and took a step backward.

Unexpectedly, Facheng's expression changed. He reached out hurriedly and caught Lin Jinghong by the arm, saying in a low voice, "Whatever you do, do not go near that flower!"

Lin Jinghong started and halted his steps. But after one glance at Facheng, the smile that had filled his face suddenly went cold, and he quietly brushed Facheng's hand aside.

Facheng frowned and sighed, drawing back his hand. He knew that Lin Jinghong still remembered that tragedy at Willow Temple Village all those years ago, and had never been able to let it go.

Just then Zeng Shuyan suddenly raised his voice and shouted, "Look out!"

The two started and looked forward. Sure enough, the monster had beaten its wings and leaped into the air, rushing at them.

Zeng Shuyan said urgently, "Brother Facheng, we act as planned."

Lin Jinghong had meant to join the fight, but hearing this he could not help but pause, and stopped where he stood.

The monster's charge was fierce and swift, and in the blink of an eye it was upon them. Facheng and Zeng Shuyan gave a low shout in unison and darted apart to either side. The monster looked ferocious, but its wits seemed dull; it landed where it had been and stood there blankly for a moment, as though unable to decide which enemy to chase. And in that instant, Facheng's Samsara Bead and Zeng Shuyan's Xuanyuan Sword struck it from both sides at once.

The monster showed not the slightest fear. It opened its beak and roared; with two thuds, the two artifacts struck home and sent it flying backward. Yet in midair the monster clawed and gnashed, apparently wholly unharmed. Even Lin Jinghong paled at such endurance; had it been himself, he doubted he could have withstood that full-force blow from Zeng Shuyan and Facheng.

He saw the monster beat its wings, and the moment it steadied itself it would surely counterattack savagely. Lin Jinghong gathered himself in readiness—but at that very moment his whole body shuddered, and his mouth fell slightly open, and he could not speak.

The monster flew backward, and behind it there was nothing but that giant wondrous flower. As its body hurtled through the air it struck the red, crystal-clear branches atop the blossom, and suddenly the monster let out a roar—but the sound was now full of terror.