劍問蒼天 - 第181章 無字玉壁 - 清風書屋

Mingli was taken aback, then shook his head, finding the tale of the Brahma Voice patriarch rather comical; it sounded full of implausibilities, and had about it a flavor of the absurd and unbridled. He had felt a faint hope regarding Master Pucheng's rite, but now, hearing Fa Cheng tell it so like a story, he felt somewhat cast down, and could not help sighing inwardly.

Fa Cheng, careful as ever, marked the changes in Mingli's expression, but only smiled and led the way without a word. As for the tall, burly monk Fa Jing, who followed behind them, he was ever silent and dour, and likewise said nothing.

The three went on along the mountain road another half hour, winding through the high peaks and steep ridges, until unawares they had left Brahma Voice Temple far behind and could see it no more. Mingli had not expected the mountain range behind the temple to be so much vaster than he had imagined. He saw layered peaks of emerald, and the mountain wind came gently; along the way there were strange crags jutting out in a thousand queer shapes, and sheer cliffs with waterfalls plunging from the sky, roaring like belts of jade.

Walking this road, he felt his heart and breast open wide, and gazing on the fine scenery near and far, he did not feel bored at all.

Suddenly he heard Fa Cheng ahead say, "We are nearly there."

Mingli started and looked ahead, but saw only the mountain path still winding on, dense forest on one side, weeds and thorns on the other, and three chi beyond, a sheer cliff. Where was the Wordless Jade Wall more than seven zhang high that they had spoken of?

"May I ask, senior brother, where is this jade wall?"

Fa Cheng smiled, stepped forward a few paces to the edge of the cliff, and said over his shoulder, "It is here."

Mingli came to his side and stood upon the cliff, gazing out. Below the cliff the mist was thick, rolling like waves, surging without cease, as though it were a valley. In the distance he could faintly make out blurred shapes of mountains, but all very far away.

Mingli pondered, then turned to Fa Cheng and said, "Is it down in this valley?"

Fa Cheng laughed. "It is beneath our very feet."

Mingli was startled; Fa Cheng had already said with a smile, "Let us go down," and leaped off. Fa Jing followed at once. Mingli stood on the cliff, hesitated a moment, then leaped as well.

Shi Po glimmered with a dark blue light amid the mist, slowly enfolding Mingli, sheltering him as he descended.

The mist here seemed strange, thick and yet not thick, coiling together like tangled silk; though the mountain wind blew, it did not scatter in the least. As he fell, Mingli peered at the cliff face, but saw only a sheet of white mist, and could make nothing out.

Astonished, he urged Shi Po and drew closer to the cliff, and saw the mist part like cloud layers, sliding away to either side before his eyes. Just as he was concentrating, all at once he saw a human figure emerge before him.

Mingli's heart jolted; he hastily checked his descent and peered close, and his shock was redoubled, for there before him stood, plain as day, a Mingli identical to himself, staring back at him with a look of astonishment.

The figure's gaze was deep, and his face bore the marks of vicissitude; in his hand he likewise held a Shi Po demon staff. As Mingli stood stunned, suddenly a chant of Buddhist praise came as if from beyond the heavens, heavy as a deep bell and great drum, echoing sharply at his ear.

With that chant, a solemn power surged in an instant from the nameless place beneath his feet, rushing skyward like a vast flood pouring through the heavens, and the mist around them rolled in at once and swallowed the figure, and it vanished. Mingli felt a pain in his heart, and the cold qi within his body stirred of itself, unprompted, as if in extreme rejection of this Buddhist aura, resisting on its own.