Chapter 157 — Secret
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 5 of 6
Ming Li looked at him and said, "As you say—between the orthodox path and the beast-demons, which will prevail?"
Suddenly a strange light flickered in Mr. Ghost's eyes, as though something had occurred to him. "The beast demons' strength exceeds anything anyone in the world expected," he said, "and above all the Beast Sovereign who leads them. To this day no one has seen him strike a blow, still less knows what his cultivation truly is. But to command so many beast demons of formidable demonic power, the man must surely be a peerless figure who shakes heaven and earth. In the coming great battle, I fear the beast demons hold seven parts of the odds."
Ming Li's pupils contracted slightly. He was silent a long while, then said, "And the righteous path's three parts—are they all resting on the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation?"
Mr. Ghost smiled faintly. "Precisely. The Canglan Sect's Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation is truly an anomaly. After a thousand years it remains the foremost transcendent daoist formation in the world. If the righteous path hopes to win this time, I fear all their hopes rest upon that formation—otherwise so many righteous cultivators would not have bypassed every other place and come flocking to Canglan Mountain."
Ming Li slowly raised his head, his face a tangle of emotions, as though some past matter had surfaced in his mind, and a faint ache showed upon his features.
Mr. Ghost watched his expression and suddenly said, "Though you came from Qingyun in your early years, there are certain secrets of Qingyun that I fear you still do not know."
Ming Li's expression shifted. He turned his eyes upon Mr. Ghost as though he would see clean through the man, and only after a good while did he say slowly, word by word, "I am listening."
Mr. Ghost glanced at Ming Li. His tone was calm, but there was deep meaning in his eyes. "The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation of Canglan Mountain is transcendent in power, holy in its might, enough to slay demons and vanquish devils, and for a thousand years it has been the Canglan Sect's treasure for guarding the mountain. Legend holds that the formation was born from the nameless ancient scroll obtained by Canglan Zi, founder of the Canglan Sect. Then, a thousand years ago, the peerless prodigy Qing Ye appeared in the world. He went into seclusion in the Phantom Moon Grotto-Heaven for thirteen years and emerged white-haired, having created the formation with his own hands: gathering the spiritual power of the seven peaks of Qingyun into the formation, transforming the killing intent of all things under heaven into swords, and so becoming invincible throughout the world."
He paused a moment. Then his voice seemed to drift, yet his eyes remained fixed upon Ming Li. "And yet this world-shaking, heaven-startling formation cannot be separated from a single divine weapon," he said slowly.
Ming Li said sternly, "The ancient sword Immortal-Slayer?"
Mr. Ghost nodded. "The very same. Where the ancient sword Immortal-Slayer came from has always been shrouded in mystery; to this day I doubt even those at Canglan Mountain could say clearly. But one thing is certain: the first time the ancient sword Immortal-Slayer appeared in the mortal world was after Qing Ye emerged from thirteen years of seclusion in the Phantom Moon Grotto-Heaven, and it was in his hand. And from the beginning, this divine weapon was never kept on the person of the Qingyun Sect Master, but placed within the Phantom Moon Grotto-Heaven in the back mountains of Canglan Mountain."
Mr. Ghost stopped, and within the gloomy dwelling silence fell for a time. Ming Li regarded him deeply and said slowly, "How do you know so much?"