劍問蒼天 - 第136章 招魂引 - 清風書屋

Within the Chamber of Cold Ice and Stone, there was only the shaman's low, ragged breathing. Hades and Mingli stood before the frail old man, their eyes fixed on his aged face. At this moment, the shaman's lingering life was the only hope the two of them had left.

When the shaman's breathing had slightly steadied, he raised his head and smiled at the two of them. Only then did Hades and Mingli relax a little. The shaman pondered for a moment, then said to Hades, "Sect Master, please find some blood. For the ghostly art of the Soul Summoning, fresh blood is best."

Mingli frowned slightly, but Hades had already nodded. "That is easily done." He turned to leave, then paused as though something had just occurred to him. He asked the shaman, "Master, this blood—should it be the blood of beasts or of men?"

The shaman was taken aback. He gave Hades a long, searching look, but answered nonetheless: "Beast blood will do, but if we speak of efficacy, human blood is best."

Hades nodded, strode to the door, and opened the stone gate. Azure Dragon and Yousi were both standing outside, and Mr. Ghost, all in black, stood a little further off. At the sight of Hades emerging so suddenly, Azure Dragon and Yousi both showed a flicker of surprise, but Hades paid them scarcely a glance. He addressed Mr. Ghost directly:

"Bring a basin of fresh human blood."

Azure Dragon and Yousi were both startled; Mr. Ghost merely nodded, turned, and left. Hades went back inside at once, leaving Azure Dragon and Yousi rooted where they stood, their faces slowly darkening.

Inside the Chamber of Cold Ice and Stone, the atmosphere had somehow turned strange. Mingli gazed silently at Bili lying there. After a long while, he turned to look at the shaman, who sat with eyes closed, conserving his strength, and then his gaze came to rest on Hades.

But Hades seemed to feel nothing at all. His expression was composed and at ease, his eyes fixed only on Bili. Now and then he glanced toward Mingli, but only in passing, never lingering for even a moment.

Two knocks sounded on the stone gate, which then slowly opened. Mr. Ghost entered bearing a bronze basin, which he set before the shaman. Then he nodded to Hades.

Hades gave a slight nod in return. Mr. Ghost said nothing more and quietly withdrew.

Dark red blood rocked gently in the bronze basin, and a thick, rank smell of blood filled the stone chamber.

The corner of Mingli's eye twitched slightly. He cast Hades a deep look, but Hades merely said to the shaman, slowly, "Master, the blood you asked for is here."

The shaman opened his eyes and looked at the basin of blood before him in silence. After a long pause, he gave a soft sigh. "Very well. Let us begin."

Bracing his strengthless body, the shaman slowly rose to his feet—but before he could even straighten, he was already swaying. Mingli stepped forward quickly and steadied him from the side.

The shaman glanced at him and gave a bitter smile, but made no further protest.

The frail old man slowly reached into his robe and fumbled about for a moment. When he drew out his hand, it held a red brush of peculiar design. The shaft was roughly as thick as a thumb and about the length of a man's palm, its butt carved in the shape of a dog's head. The red shaft, wrought of some unidentifiable material, was engraved with all manner of outlandish talismans and charms. At the very tip, a tuft of fine hairs was evenly set in place, their original color impossible to discern, for only a residue of dark red clung to them. It went without saying that whatever this brush had touched in the past had most likely been blood.

He gripped the brush and drew a deep breath.

Supported by Mingli, the shaman bent low and steeped the red brush in the blood for a moment, then lifted it out.

Blood dripped silently from the fine hairs at the brush's tip, one drop after another, falling into the bronze basin and sending tiny ripples spreading across the blood's surface.