Chapter 112 — The Heavenly Fox
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 4 of 7
From somewhere came a surge of strength; the red glow in Little Grey's eyes seemed about to drip blood, and with a great roar it actually flung the flame beast bodily aside. But almost at the same instant, the flame beast's sharp claws tore a great wound in its belly, and the blood sprayed out like a raging tide.
Yet Little Grey did not so much as glance at its own body, and hurled itself back with all its strength toward Ming Li.
That man, entangled by the hideous deity!
Now reflected in its eyes, red as fresh blood...
Could that distance, so very close, perhaps be the end of the world?
...
The wind howled.
Menace came in waves.
The deity's fangs sank into Ming Li's throat in a single bite. Little Grey, still several zhang away, gave voice to a despairing whimper and roar.
A faint red light suddenly seeped out from Ming Li's torn clothing. Somehow, the fierce deity of light suddenly froze in place, rigid and motionless.
The Mystic Fire Mirror!
That ancient flame totem, encircled by a ring of green jade, now slowly brightened, shedding a red light that fell upon the fierce deity of light.
With almost no resistance, with a single hiss, the fierce deity of light—so hideous and savage but a moment ago—was drawn into the Mystic Fire Mirror like a whale drinking in seawater, and vanished in an instant.
Moments later Little Grey had bounded to Ming Li's side, but before it could examine his wounds, a rush of wind rose behind it, and the flame beast came charging once more.
From the wound in Little Grey's belly the blood gushed like a spring, and it was plain that its movements had grown somewhat labored; yet by instinct Little Grey still stood before the unconscious Ming Li.
Only, the flame beast suddenly halted. Its great head slowly turned, and its flame-burning eyes came to rest upon the Mystic Fire Mirror bound to Ming Li's right arm.
The ancient flame totem, shimmering with a blurred red glow, seemed to be telling of something.
Little Grey watched the flame beast warily.
But the beast seemed suddenly to have become very strange, as though unable to believe its eyes. It looked at the Mystic Fire Mirror, then at Ming Li, then at Little Grey; its great head turned this way and that, and it seemed somehow agitated, giving voice again and again to low growls.
After a moment, as though at last unable to resist something, the flame beast suddenly bent its two forelegs, sank down, and bowed its massive head three times, slowly, toward the Mystic Fire Mirror. Then, with a low growl, the flames over its entire body suddenly dimmed, and fire after fire winked out, until at last even the body of the great beast slowly dissolved into that space. And the flame totem in midair, bearing the pattern of the eight fierce deities, bereft now of the flame beast, likewise slowly vanished.
The whole hall suddenly fell quiet.
All the fiery, savage light was gone. The hall was once more bathed in the faint red glow that seeped from the volcano well, and only overhead, where the flame beast had appeared, there now gaped a round opening leading up to the second level.
Little Grey gave a low cry and slowly sat down on the ground beside Ming Li, gazing silently at its master. Then it looked at the great wound in its own belly.
It waited in silence.
The pain gradually ebbed, and life's instinct drew him back out of the darkness.
Ming Li slowly opened his eyes.
The enormous pain was like an invisible fire that had just scorched its way across every inch of his skin, leaving no mark, yet leaving him utterly spent.
He drew a deep breath, and his hand met a cold sensation: the "Dark Iron Rod" was still at his side, keeping him company.
The Dark Iron Rod...