劍問蒼天 - 第43章 滴血洞 - 清風書屋

Zhang Qingyue was just about to offer her a few words of comfort when he saw her expression change, as though she had thought of something. She fixed her gaze on the water and searched carefully around the reflections of two other red stones, and indeed found two more small stones. This time she seemed more nervous; cautiously she pressed her left hand down as well, then pressed all seven small stones at once.

For one instant, both Zhang Qingyue and Bili thought they had failed again. The cave was utterly silent; apart from the dripping water there was no sound at all.

Yet after that long, waiting moment, a harsh, heavy "clack, clack" rang out through the cave.

Bili and Zhang Qingyue looked at once. Behind the curtain of falling water, the stone wall—once seamless, hard beyond measure—was sliding backward as a single whole, slowly, but at last revealing a new opening.

Zhang Qingyue stared blankly as the secret cave opened. His heart beat faster; there was excitement in him, and fear—but deep down, in a place he would not readily admit even to himself, there was also curiosity.

This place, held sacred by the demon cult for eight hundred years—what on earth might lie within?

Bili walked slowly up out of the water and came to stand beside him, her eyes rippling with light, brimming with amusement. Zhang Qingyue glanced at her: skin like snow, beauty beyond compare, glistening droplets sliding gently down her cheeks and falling—almost as though they fell upon his heart.

He gave a start and dared not look again; he turned his head, lowered his voice, and said, "Congratulations."

Bili seemed to pause for a moment, but the smile in her eyes did not diminish in the least, and her voice held a note of tenderness. "That was all your keen eye." Zhang Qingyue's mouth felt somehow dry, his face warm with embarrassment; he took a step aside, instinctively putting a little distance between himself and this woman. "Then aren't you going in to take a look?" Bili looked at him and smiled suddenly. "You seem a little afraid of me?"

Zhang Qingyue shook his head as vigorously as a rattle-drum. "No, no…"

Bili studied him for a while, then nodded, the smile still lingering on her face. "Then let's go in together!"

Zhang Qingyue was startled; he hesitated. "No—that isn't right. This is your demon cult's place. You'd better go by yourself…" Bili gave a cold snort. "And if there is a way out inside, will you refuse to go in too?"

Zhang Qingyue was stumped; he scratched his head. "Well… I suppose you're right. Then—then let's go!"

Bili smiled and nodded. She stepped back into the water, passed through the falling curtain, and walked into the cave. Zhang Qingyue hesitated a moment, then at last followed.

It was a deep, dark tunnel. The stone walls along its sides bore far fewer of the glowing things than the outer passages; though the way could still just be made out, it was very dim.

Zhang Qingyue and Bili advanced with great care. After all, this was the first time in eight hundred years that anyone had come here; who knew whether those old monsters and old relics of the Refining Blood Hall had left behind some especially nasty ward or seal?

The way was peaceful enough, and nothing unexpected occurred. It was only that the passage twisted a great deal, deep and long, and climbed gradually; by Zhang Qingyue's rough reckoning, he and Bili must by now be at the very heart of the mountain.

As he was pondering this, Bili, walking ahead of him, suddenly stopped. "We're here," she said softly.

Zhang Qingyue's heart skipped. He looked ahead and saw, at the end of the tunnel, a thread of bright light shining through; there, faintly visible, lay a great stone chamber. The two exchanged a glance. Bili went first, stepping toward it.