Chapter 115 — Hope
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 6
Little Grey grinned in her arms, chattering with laughter, and laid his monkey paw on her shoulder, altogether affectionate.
Ming Li stood to one side watching the scene, at a loss for words. After a moment he shook his head in the dark and quietly walked away.
The next day.
The sky gradually brightened, though the southern sun was nowhere to be seen. The heavens were overcast and heavy with dark clouds—a gloomy day.
Still the light was bright enough, and the air did not feel close. Now and then a breeze blew past, brushing over the skin without the heat of the night before, and one could not help but feel refreshed.
A chill flowed through his body, while from the Mystic Fire Mirror at his breast came a faint, mild warmth. Two utterly different currents of air existed within him at once, and at this moment they seemed quite calm, encroaching not at all upon each other.
Ming Li slowly opened his eyes and smiled a private, bitter smile that no one saw.
In truth, no one knew the state of his body better than he did. What Little White—the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox—had said to him the night before about his body had all been confirmed in that sudden collapse during his duel with the Scarlet Flame Beast.
Even he himself did not know how much longer his body could hold out.
He lowered his head and looked at the black rod of Dark Iron resting quietly in his hand. How many years had it kept him company, so quietly?
He smiled suddenly and gripped the Dark Iron rod tightly, as though it were flesh and blood bound to his own.
So long as Bi Li could be saved, what did anything else matter?
Suddenly a rush of wind came over the little hill, and a figure descended from the sky, drawing near from afar.
Ming Li's brows knitted. He rose to his feet and looked up, his eyes cold as ice.
A moment later the figure landed, radiance flickering and slowly fading, revealing a form clothed in yellow.
Jin Pingyue!
Ming Li's gaze sharpened, and his heart gave an involuntary jolt. This little hilltop of his could hardly be called anything but well hidden, yet Jin Pingyue had actually found her way here—truly remarkable. Could she have been following him in secret, and he had not noticed at all?
Jin Pingyue wore her familiar smile and cast Ming Li a sidelong glance, as though she had known all along he would be here, showing not the least surprise. "Young Master," she said with a smile, "you have found yourself a fine place to hide!"
Ming Li gave a cold snort and suddenly said, "It is you, Miss Jin, who has the fine methods—formidable indeed."
Jin Pingyue, as though unable to hear the barb in his words, laughed and said, "How could I compare with you, Young Master? Last night you did no more than try your blade a little, and all the Burning Cloud Valley was turned upside down, heaven and earth changed color. This humble girl admires you enormously!"
A thousand thoughts raced through Ming Li's mind, yet he could not for the life of him see how this woman of the Enchanting Spirit Sect had found him. He let nothing show on his face and said lightly, "The volcanic eruption last night was a natural matter of heaven and earth. It had nothing to do with me. But I wonder, Miss, did you learn anything last night?"
Jin Pingyue's eyes shifted, and she was about to speak when her brows suddenly drew together slightly. Behind Ming Li, with a rustle, out darted the grey-furred monkey that always followed him, and then from the woods a woman came pacing out—skin like snow, brows and eyes like a painting, ten thousand charms and a thousand graces all contained in her gentle, graceful figure. She was a beauty unequaled in this world.
And most importantly, at one glance Jin Pingyue saw that the woman wore only an outer robe, with nothing beneath it; as she walked, glimpses of white skin showed faintly through, adding to the temptation.