劍問蒼天 - 第68章 青龍 - 清風書屋

And now the "Heavenly Book" had not been seen, yet this Qiankun Qingguang Ring, lost for a thousand years, had suddenly appeared. Baiduzi was shaken to the core, and felt that the true strength of the Underworld Sect was unfathomable. Yet a smile surfaced on his face—though it looked uglier than weeping. "Sect Master jests. Who does not know that the Underworld Sect stands at its zenith today? But this Brother Long we truly have never met, and I should very much like to know him."

The Lord of the Underworld gave Baiduzi a long, deep look, a keen light flickering in his eyes, then suddenly smiled. "You speak truly, Brother. We shall meet again soon enough in any case. You should know that three hundred years ago, under the previous Lord of the Underworld, our sect possessed Four Holy Envoys, do you not?"

Baiduzi's expression changed, and the Ancestor Duanmu had already blurted out, "What? Those four—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—they are still alive?"

The pale-faced scholar and the Lord of the Underworld exchanged a smiling glance, and the scholar said to the assembly with a faint smile, "Greetings, all. I am Azure Dragon."

On the side of the orthodox sects the reaction was not so violent, but Baiduzi and the other demon cult figures were visibly shaken. Three hundred years ago, when the Underworld Sect had just risen, its foundation and strength had rested, apart from the previous Lord of the Underworld, upon these so-called Four Holy Envoys. From that base its power had surged day by day; through many a bloody struggle and secret feud within the demon cult, through countless storms of blood and slaughter, it had won its present standing. The strength of those four could well be imagined.

Then Azure Dragon suddenly sighed, turned to the Lord of the Underworld, and said, "After all, I have grown old. Look at those young men of the orthodox side across the way—every face is full of doubt. Most of them have likely never heard my name."

The Lord of the Underworld laughed. "Why trouble yourself, Brother Long? The young are new to the world and easily amazed. Give them time, and your name will surely overawe the realm again."

Azure Dragon laughed heartily, and amid his laughter he looked down at his own right hand, as though something faint and desolate still lingered there.

"Bang!" A great crash made them all start, and they turned toward the sound. It was Shi Tou's Demon-Breaking Staff, which had shot up into the sky earlier and only now came falling back down.

For a moment the field fell silent. On the orthodox side most people wore knitted brows, gathering their minds in guard. The demon cult's revival this time had exceeded all expectation in strength, and judging by the look of things, still deeper and greater powers lay hidden and uncommitted.

And on the demon cult's side, each likewise harbored his own designs. The Ancestor Duanmu was the least troubled—he belonged to no sect, and stood at the Old Vampire Fiend's side only out of friendship. But Baiduzi and the Old Vampire Fiend were both important figures of the Ten Thousand Poisons Gate, and now they looked at each other in silence, deeply wary of the Underworld Sect.

Only the Lord of the Underworld and Azure Dragon stood there at ease. Azure Dragon seemed to murmur something in a low voice; the Lord of the Underworld smiled and shook his head—yet, as though by chance, he cast a glance toward where Zhang Qingyue stood.

The night deepened, and the sea wind howled. Out in the vast ocean far away, that strange long cry of the deep night seemed to draw nearer and nearer, growing clearer by degrees.