Chapter 168 — Sorcery
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 2 of 5
It seemed that once, too, there had been someone precious to his heart, and just so had the bond been severed, just so cut off without mercy!
Deep scar, deeply cut—it split the flagstones beneath their feet, severed the affections of the world; and whose heart, after all, was the one wounded?
As though he could not breathe, Ming Li gasped for air in spite of himself, and even his body began to shake beyond his control; but the next instant he had mastered himself again. A surge of emotion flashed across his face and was seen no more. Slowly he lowered his head, and, unseen by any, clenched his teeth.
Then he raised his head, looked at Lin Jinghong for a long time, and clenched both hands into fists, nails digging deep into his flesh.
Yet on his face, there was a smile.
Lin Jinghong grew angrier still. "What are you smiling at?"
Ming Li regarded him for a long while, then said softly: "See my error and return?" Suddenly he laughed aloud, a shrill and bitter laugh. "I have lost my way—I cannot find the road. But what road is the right road? Yours?"
Lin Jinghong said sternly: "Yes. The righteous path is the right path. Forsake the righteous path, and you fall into error."
"Bah!"
Lin Jinghong shuddered, and was struck dumb.
Ming Li's face was ghastly; he threw back his head to the sky and spat in fury: "Whoever said the righteous path is the right path? You? Even granting that your righteous path is the right path—by what right do you of Qingyun set yourselves up as the righteous path?"
Lin Jinghong's brows drew tight, murder in his eyes. "Since all ties between us are severed, there is no need for more words!"
Ming Li looked at him coldly. "You mean to kill me?"
Lin Jinghong said with stern resolve: "That old man you killed taught me with all his heart these ten years, treated me as his own son—his kindness was as heavy as a mountain, he was as a father to me. He died at your hand, and you cling to your error without remorse. Then I shall rid the people of a scourge, and avenge him."
Ming Li gave a cold laugh. "This world is full of jackals and wolves; there is no point to it anyway. Only my wish is unfulfilled—so I must not die."
Lin Jinghong laughed long and loud, full of contempt; the light of the Dragon-Slaying Sword blazed up, and he said coldly: "Enough idle talk. The grudges of these ten-odd years between us—let them be settled today!"
Ming Li gave a snort; a dim blue light kindled at his right hand, and the black-iron staff of former days, glinting with dark radiance, rose quietly into the air.
Birds sang softly, the mountain grew quieter still; green covered the hills, a light breeze blew; beneath the boundless blue sky, before the ancient cave of a thousand years, two childhood friends faced each other in cold enmity, about to fight to the death.
It was at this moment that suddenly, from behind the two of them, within that Phantom Moon Grotto Heaven, came a low, deep rumble; the ground around them began faintly to tremble, and both men's expressions changed. Before they could react, a flash of purple light passed through that thousand-year cave dwelling; in an instant the purple vapor rose, shrouding the cave, clouds and mist surging, and amid it a thunderous sound—the purple vapor shot up like a pillar, immense in power, straight into the heavens.
Leaving only the two men, who seemed so very small before such a wonder of heaven and earth, garments fluttering, once more facing each other in cold silence.
The wind blew bleak.
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On the summit of Jietian Peak, all was grave and solemn; not only was there dead silence on the righteous side, but even the dark mass of beast-demons in front seemed to sense something, and one by one fell quiet, lifting their heads in silence to gaze at the sky.