Chapter 80 — The Eighth Chapter
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 7
After a moment, as though the Poison God had stirred his thought-force, the small knife blazed with light, its keen edge extending forward. The Poison God gave a light wave, and at once, as easily as cutting bean curd, he severed the water column nearest him; then swiftly his left hand flicked, and some powder that looked blue in the air fell upon the place where the water column had risen.
The Water Qilin seemed to sense something; it turned its head and gave a furious roar, and with a great crash the pool waters raised yet another, still vaster column from where it stood, straight at the Poison God. But the Poison God's expression did not change, and indeed in but a moment the Water Qilin suddenly roared aloud, and the column attacking the Poison God burst apart and fell back into the pool—and the waters nearby had turned wholly a deep, dark blue.
Thus the Poison God cut and sprinkled poison, and in a trice nearly half the water columns the Water Qilin had raised were destroyed; while on the other side the Fairy Sanmiao, her face expressionless, bound fast the Water Qilin's attacking columns with the "Lingering Silk" secretly transmitted by the Sect of Bewitchment.
By now any clear-eyed observer could see that the Water Qilin, caught between these two demonic masters, was certain to be defeated.
On high, Yuyangzi and the Nether King stood shoulder to shoulder looking down. Seeing the situation all but settled, Yuyangzi looked smug and said, "With two sect masters joining forces, no matter how fierce the beast, it makes no difference!"
The Nether King smiled faintly, then looked to the sky. Under the assault of the crowd, the Canglan Sect was still resisting, but being outnumbered, it was hard pressed indeed. He laughed and said, "Brother Yuyang, with this great deed today, hereafter within the Holy Cult none shall match your prestige."
Yuyangzi turned and glanced at him, overjoyed at heart, and laughed aloud.
The Nether King sneered inwardly, but on his face he smiled and said, "In that case, lest the night bring many dreams, why do we not strike together and put an end to these Canglan wretches—"
Yuyangzi, elated, said, "Good! I shall strike alongside you!"
The Nether King nodded and smiled. "After you, brother!"
Yuyangzi chuckled, leapt up, spread his arms, and with a flash of silver light a wondrous mirror appeared in his hand, black on one face and white on the other.
Behind him, the Nether King's face suddenly darkened, and deep in his gaze a cold gleam flashed. He stirred, as if about to do something—but at that very moment, from the distant horizon, a low, unearthly wail came drifting.
Suddenly, the whole Canglan mountain range, that heaven-piercing peak that had stood for ten million years, seemed to tremble faintly!
Suddenly, every immortal sword and magic treasure in every hand gave a faint, warm, low hum—toward that dazzling radiance!
The Heaven-Reaching Peak towered into the clouds, and the sky that had been clear for a thousand years gradually darkened.
Only that one dazzling beam at the horizon remained, like a leaping bolt of fire, breaking free of all restraint, soaring above the nine heavens, racing hither.
In an instant—detonation!
Glory beyond all brilliance blazed across the world, and the figure deep within the light held its sword toward heaven.
All held their breath, staring up in astonishment. In that very instant of distraction, the Water Qilin in the Emerald Pool gave a mad roar—yet it attacked the Poison God and the Fairy Sanmiao no more. Instead, all the water columns crashed together, forming a vast, immense curtain of water that bore the Water Qilin straight up into the sky, flying toward the depths of that radiance!
Above the heavens, a spirit beast roared, and the echo rolled unending.