Chapter 240 — The Universe Lock
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 5
"No, no—all is not lost, I must not panic, must not panic..." Mr. Ghost was no ordinary man after all. He drew a deep breath, forced himself calm, and his mind began racing. Though the mysterious power upon the Cauldron had been suppressed by that suddenly appearing ancient divine seal, the Universe Lock, it was plainly not wholly defeated; only its vital point had been sealed tight, impossible to breach. If he could break the Universe Lock, success would naturally follow.
Yet though Mr. Ghost thought highly of himself, he was not so arrogant as to believe he could undo an ancient divine art. Legend held that such supreme ancient divine arts were used by the gods of old to seal away the world's ferocious evils; apart from a few ancient divine artifacts, they could never be undone by human power.
But those so-called ancient divine artifacts—to say nothing of their circulating in the mortal world—even he, a man of nearly omniscient erudition, had never heard of any; he knew only that such things were spoken of in old lore. At this juncture, where could he possibly go to find an ancient divine artifact?
At this thought, Mr. Ghost's body swayed as though about to collapse. Suddenly he gave a great cry and spat out a mouthful of blood, bright crimson, which fell upon the platform, stabbing the eye.
Within the Ice Stone Chamber, Ming Li and the Nether King gazed silently at each other. The Nether King's expression was stern, his gaze sharp; Ming Li's face bore more of an air of indifference.
"What is that jade plate in your hand, and why have you brought it to Bi Li's side?" the Nether King asked coldly.
Ming Li did not answer. He withdrew his gaze and returned it to Bi Li; only after a long while did he say slowly, "I want to save her."
The Nether King frowned, a flash of light passing through his eyes. He stepped quickly forward and said, "This magic treasure can save Yao'er?"
Ming Li looked at the Universe Reincarnation Plate in his hand, shimmering with soft white light, and suddenly gave a bitter laugh. "I do not know."
The Nether King was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"
Ming Li was silent a moment, then said, "I only heard tell that this magic treasure is remarkably efficacious, that it might offer hope of saving Bi Li—that is why I went to beg its loan. But as to how it truly works, I cannot say."
The Nether King glanced at the Universe Reincarnation Plate, his gaze fixing. Plainly he too was somewhat surprised by the plate's strange appearance, but by his wide experience he had never heard of such a magic treasure. Frowning, he said, "What is this magic treasure called?"
Ming Li said, "This plate is called the Universe Reincarnation Plate. It is said to be able to stabilize souls and sever life from death, but as to how..." His mind flashed to the withered figure of Master Pude, and he gave a bitter laugh. "As to how, no one knows either."
A flash of anger crossed the Nether King's face; red threads crept into his eyes, carrying a hint of murderous intent. But a moment later he looked at Bi Li, and her serene, smiling face was mirrored in his eyes, as though stirring something within him. At last his gaze slowly softened once more.
Perhaps, at this moment, only Bi Li could bring his heart temporary peace.
"That treasure is no ordinary thing!" the Nether King said suddenly. "I can see it—though I have never heard of such a magic treasure, its jade is extraordinary, its radiance pure and undispersed; it is surely no common object. Try it quickly—perhaps... perhaps it may have a wondrous effect, who can say..."
Toward the end, his voice gradually sank. Plainly, throughout these ten years, he too had suffered countless setbacks and failures, just like Ming Li. Though a hope still lingered in his heart, both men understood in their hearts that it was, after all, only the faintest sliver of hope.