Chapter 66 — The Vampire Fiend
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 7
But before he could think further, the ghost claws of the five ghouls, buried deep in the earth, seemed to seize hold of the very skin of the ground. Amid long howls a yin wind rose abruptly, and the whole patch of earth was torn up. Yet more terrible still: from beneath the ground, with a "susu-su," countless yin spirits, great and small, flew out and rushed at Zhang Qingyue, surrounding him in the blink of an eye.
A cold smile touched the Vampire Fiend's lips, but then he frowned again. Because he feared this youth might harbor some strange power, he had not begun with his own prized skill, the Vampire **, but with another art he had cultivated in recent years—the "Five Ghosts Commanding Spirits." Using five "life ghosts" refined from his own essence as mediums, he forcibly bound all the dead souls and wandering spirits within ten li and refined them with fierce-ghost sorcery into yin spirits greedy for the flesh and blood of the living, then sent them against Zhang Qingyue.
But though this Qingyun disciple's cultivation was not low, he seemed not to practice any vampire art at all. Had he misjudged? Or had that dog Wild Wolf, to save his own life, simply pointed to some scapegoat?
As the Vampire Fiend pondered this, he suddenly sensed something and his body gave a start. He raised his head and looked forward. There, where Zhang Qingyue was so completely surrounded by countless white wandering souls and yin spirits that his figure could not be seen, a faint, dark blue-green light suddenly pierced through the countless yin spirits and shone out from amid that thick press of white shadows and ghostly eyes.
That sound was like something being torn apart—clear and ringing.
The night on Mount Liubo grew darker still; by now even the faint light of the moon was gradually lost to sight.
In the lonely, somewhat desolate night, a long cry was faintly heard.
Even the waves on the distant sea seemed to swell.
That icy feeling stole quietly across the heart...
The dark iron staff blazed brilliantly. Its once dark, gloomy shaft seemed like a demon suddenly startled awake, opening both eyes. In an instant, an icy, savage aura spread out from Zhang Qingyue, and the countless yin spirits started up in terror, wheeling and darting in panic.
In the distance the Vampire Fiend's brows drew tight, his face growing grave, and he muttered low to himself: "What a heavy reek of malevolence..."
The five giant life ghosts howled in unison. Their forms flickered, and with a "susu" they leaped into the air and came down around Zhang Qingyue, encircling him. At the same time their ghost claws tore at the empty air, and a shrill noise rose at once.
The yin spirits, which a moment ago had been thrown into panic by the mysterious malevolence of the dark iron staff, now suddenly paused in midair. Zhang Qingyue clearly saw that on many of the faces that had taken human form there was an expression of agony—but in an instant it turned ferocious again.
"Ya!"
A shrill, desolate ghost shriek burst through the air, and countless yin spirits turned and swooped down upon the one body of living flesh in that place.
Zhang Qingyue drew a sharp breath. Before, behind, left, and right—nothing but white ghost shadows coming in a flood, too many to fend off. Before he could even parry a few blows, he saw the whole sky of ghost shadows press down like thick dark clouds, forcing him back to the ground. Zhang Qingyue gritted his teeth and held on, but before he had parried many blows, he suddenly tripped; a sharp pain shot through his feet, and he nearly fell to the ground.
Zhang Qingyue was greatly alarmed. He looked down and saw, thrust up from the soil beneath his feet, two enormous ghost hands gripping his ankles fast. The ghost claws were sharp and had nearly pierced into his veins. And around him, of the five life ghosts that had been there a moment ago, only four remained.