劍問蒼天 - 第150章 瘋狂 - 清風書屋

Mingli gave a bitter smile, but said nothing, and slowly rose to his feet. Xiaobai looked at him and said softly, "It's the Blood-Devouring Bead, isn't it?"

Mingli picked up the Soul-Devouring Demon Staff, which had at some point fallen to the ground. He looked at it deeply, then once again stowed it away in his sleeve.

Xiaobai's eye twitched. Suddenly she stepped forward. "Don't think that saying nothing keeps others from knowing," she said. "The Blood-Devouring Bead's vicious demonic force has already begun to devour you in turn. Over these ten years, your meridians and vital blood have long since grown yin-cold and venomous from day and night in the company of that foul thing. That you have escaped death now is only by luck—you actually obtained the Mystic Fire Mirror, one of the few treasures in this world capable of contending with the Blood-Devouring Bead. But…" Her face seemed somewhat bleak, and even her voice grew world-weary. "But are you sure you can escape it a few times? The next time—can you escape it then?"

Mingli had stood there all along, his haggard face betraying little, listening quietly to Xiaobai. After a long while, he said softly, "I'm not sure. But what else can I do?"

Xiaobai bit her white teeth, angry. "Don't play the fool with me—as if you don't know! There is only one way now: cast off this foul thing at once, then take the Mystic Fire Mirror to a place of utmost yang and use the earth-fire to drive the pure yang of the Mystic Fire Mirror into your body. That is the only way you can live!"

Mingli looked at Xiaobai for a long while, then suddenly smiled. That smile held a curious innocence, as though he were the simple Qingyun youth of ten distant years ago.

Then he slowly turned, and as though utterly spent, made his way along the wall. Little Grey at once ran to his master and scrambled up onto Mingli's shoulder in a few quick bounds.

Xiaobai stared blankly at that back—resolute, yet at the same time betraying its fragility. Suddenly she cried out loudly, "You want to die, don't you? In your heart you simply want to die, isn't that right?"

Mingli's body paused, but he did not turn back, nor did he speak. After a moment, he continued walking forward.

Xiaobai's voice came loudly from behind him. "You want to die? Don't dream of it! You haven't yet repaid your debts to all the people in this world you owe, and you think you can end it all with death? Impossible! You won't listen to me, will you? Fine, you're so formidable—then I'll go myself. I'll go find the true incantation of the 'Eight Fiends Mystic Fire Formation' and let you save yourself. Mark my words: Bili is still lying in that ice-cold stone chamber, and until she wakes, even dying is not up to you!…"

"Not up to you, not up to you, not up to you…" The echo came faintly from the distant reaches of the long, dark passage. Mingli's face was ashen; he slowly straightened his back, but in the end he still did not turn back for one last look.

A dense forest, a secluded valley—morning in the Valley of Venomous Snakes had once been a quiet and peaceful place. But at this moment the earth was gradually trembling, the stench growing heavier and heavier, and the countless venomous snakes that had gathered and slithered along the valley's edge had suddenly vanished, as though dimly sensing something; all these creatures had gone into hiding.

A stretch of black smoke and dust appeared far off in the valley and came rushing swiftly toward the Valley of Venomous Snakes. A thick, choking stench filled the air, and ever-growing roars gradually merged into a single earth-shaking howl!

Closer and closer!

"ROAAAAR—!"