Chapter 144 — An Encounter

The others were not so worried as he. Ming Li and the Wild Wolf Daoist both wore troubled, brooding looks, while Xiao Wan seemed not to take the crisis—which still sounded rather distant—to heart at all. To her, playing with Little Grey by day and now and then looking after Ming Li and talking with him, the days passed with a certain relish.

Still, at Zhou Yixuan's insistence, the group at last journeyed north. By Zhou Yixuan's reckoning, the farther from the south the better—at least life would be easier. But as more and more refugees from the south appeared along the road, the situation in the tidings seemed to worsen by the day. The monstrous beasts and alien tribes out of the Ten Thousand Savage Mountains swept all before them, devouring everything in their path, and were gradually pressing into the heartland of the Central Plains.

A few days earlier, one report among the many even said that the monstrous horde had reached a city only a few hundred li behind them, which sent Zhou Yixuan and Xiao Wan and the rest hurrying on their way in alarm. Though it was learned soon after that the report was a rumor, the fear and dread in people's hearts could be seen from this alone.

Late one night, the group camped in the open, built a fire on a small hilltop, and sat around it—all save Ming Li, who sat some distance away.

Little Grey leaped out of the darkness with an armful of wild fruit—where he had picked it, no one knew—and with two or three bounds was up on Ming Li's shoulder, where he settled himself and began to eat with gusto.

Zhou Yixuan glanced over that way, pondered a while, looked at Xiao Wan and the Wild Wolf Daoist beside him, and said, "There is something I must tell you."

Xiao Wan found this odd, glanced at Zhou Yixuan, and said, "Grandpa, what is it?"

Zhou Yixuan was about to speak when Little Grey, perched on Ming Li's shoulder, suddenly seemed to catch something and began chattering loudly. All were startled, not knowing what had happened, and rose one after another to stand behind Little Grey and look where his waving hands and feet pointed. There, in the dim light, along the old road at the foot of the hill, came a group of people—men and women, old and young—all looking utterly exhausted, yet still trudging onward.

Zhou Yixuan watched for a long while, sighed, and said, "Refugees from the south."

The others were silent; no one spoke. After a moment Zhou Yixuan said, "That is just what I meant to say. What exactly is happening in the south, I do not know, but that a host of monstrous beasts and savage tribes have come forth killing everyone they meet—that cannot be wrong. These past days we have all seen people fleeing north in droves. I think we too must quicken our pace and run north."

Xiao Wan frowned and said, "Grandpa, going north is right enough—we have always drifted about anyway. But the north is so vast, and they say these monstrous tribes move terribly fast. Do you know a good place to hide?"

Zhou Yixuan glared at her and said, "Have you not heard what people have been saying these days? Among those beasts are some of considerable cunning—some with keen noses, some with sharp ears. Hide in a tree, hide in a cellar, flee into the deep mountains—they will find you out and eat you all the same. With such accursed monsters about, where am I to find a place to hide?"

Xiao Wan's face fell. "Then what are we to do? Are we all to be eaten by those fiends sooner or later?"

Zhou Yixuan gave a snort. "Nonsense. I, the great Immortal Zhou, with my wondrous foresight, shall never die in the mouths of such beasts. I have long since reckoned it out: in all the world today, there is but one place that is safest of all."

Xiao Wan was startled; beside her even the Wild Wolf Daoist, and Ming Li too, stirred and turned to look at Zhou Yixuan, who could not help feeling rather pleased with himself and chuckled twice. Xiao Wan, both astonished and delighted, said, "Grandpa, is there really such a place? Tell us!"

Zhou Yixuan cleared his throat twice, then said with great solemnity, "Canglan Mountain."

The Wild Wolf Daoist's expression changed, and Ming Li turned his head away. Only Xiao Wan looked surprised. "I know Canglan Mountain is where the Canglan Sect is, and that there are many cultivators there. But after all it is only one sect's strength—facing those monstrous tribes, they will be hard pressed even to protect themselves, let alone look after us."

Zhou Yixuan laughed heartily. "That is just what you do not know. No word has come yet, but I am certain the Flaming Sunset Valley and the Brahma Sound Temple and the other sects must be gathering at Qingyun—for old Yun Yifeng is at Qingyun even now. And then, in the battle of Qingyun ten years ago, the Canglan Sect's 'Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation'..."

At those four words, Ming Li, sitting nearby, gave a violent start.

Zhou Yixuan did not notice, and went on cheerfully, "The Canglan Sect's Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation covered itself in glory—everyone knows that formation has power to shake heaven and earth. So if the alliance gathers at Qingyun, there will at least be one more layer of safety. I expect that within a few days most of the Orthodox cultivators under heaven will be heading for Qingyun to stand together against this calamity such as has never been seen in all the ages. If we reach Qingyun, then we shall have reached the safest place of all. With so many masters of cultivation there, they surely will not stand by and watch us common folk die!" And as he spoke, the more he thought of it the more pleased he grew, and he could not help breaking into laughter.

Yet a cold snort suddenly cut through his laughter. Zhou Yixuan started, and looked with Xiao Wan and the Wild Wolf Daoist—Ming Li had slowly risen from the shadows, but did not turn, and said coldly, "I fear those Orthodox masters of yours will not only stand by and watch you die, but give you a kick from behind as well."

Mocked to his face, Zhou Yixuan could not keep his countenance, and retorted angrily, "Bah! You are a crooked demon and a heretic anyway—go there and you will only be driven out..."

Xiao Wan suddenly cried out loud, "Grandpa!"

Zhou Yixuan glanced at Xiaowan and knew he had spoken too harshly. He stopped talking resentfully. Xiaowan turned to look at Mingli, hesitated a little, but finally said, "You—don't listen to my grandfather. He's just like that, he speaks without thinking..."

Zhou Yixuan flew into a rage and cut in, "You dare say your own grandfather speaks without thinking!"

Xiaowan ignored him and still spoke to Mingli: "But the situation really is bad right now. You'd better come with us. After all, it'll be safer there than other places..."

Before Xiaowan could finish, Mingli said mildly, "No need. The world is vast; I have somewhere to go." With that, his body stirred and he walked forward.

Xiaowan was startled, and an anxious look came over her face. "Zhang—you, where are you going?" she asked urgently.

Mingli did not answer. His figure moved forward, slowly at first then faster. Little Grey, perched on his shoulder, turned its head and, looking at Xiaowan standing on the small hilltop staring blankly after them, grinned and raised a hand to wave.

Xiaowan watched that figure shrink swiftly and vanish. She did not know why, but suddenly, for no reason at all, she felt an emptiness in her heart. Her nose stung, and she nearly burst into tears.

"Hiss!"

A soft whistle of air being split, and Mingli's figure streaked across the night sky. The clouds above were heavy and sunken, not a single glimmer of starlight to be seen. It seemed even the vault of heaven had been affected by that great calamity in the south, dark and gloomy, offering not a shred of hope.