Chapter 152 - Insane
Majestic Fox Mountain, Ghost King Sect Headquarters location.
"Zhi zhi, zhi zhi!" Xiao Hui’s familiar cries rang out in the dim and deep tunnel, from the shadows Ghost Li's figure emerged, on his shoulder, Xiao Hui drank a few mouthfuls from the big bag of wine it was holding and then cleverly tied up the bag’s opening, letting it hung down. There was a long rope on the wine bag, just like a cover tied onto the monkey, not afraid of it slipping down.
.
Ghost Li’s face was expressionless and walked ahead, the direction he was looking at was where BiYao’s ice stone room was, Xiao Hui seemed a little drowsy, crouching on his shoulders and yawned. The surroundings of the Majestic Fox Mountain were desolate and did not have much wild fruits, most of the time it could only go to Ghost King sect wine cellar to steal some wine and drink, it had not been seen for a few days and looked like it had gained some weight.
Ghost Li unhurriedly walked, on his way in he encountered only a few Ghost King sect ordinary disciples, he frowned slightly, these days many of the Ghost King sect disciples were being gathered and several days ago, led by Ghost King personally, left the mountain. As for where, he was unsure, and the strange thing was, this seemed like a very important matter, he this vice leader did not know, and those that followed Ghost King for many years, YouJi, Mr Ghost, including Taoist CangSong who had just joined Ghost King sect, as well as many of the elite Ghost King sect members that he knew, were all left at Majestic Fox Mountain.
Ghost King mysteriously brought a number of many disciples but their strength were actually not even half of Ghost King sect, where exactly were they going? Ghost Li felt bewildered. However, Mr. Ghost, YouJi etc all remained silent, Ghost Li naturally would not ask much and utmost concern was not where Ghost King was going or how important this matter was, to him, BiYao was always the first.
And now, he was also soon approaching that icy stone chamber.
There was nobody at the door, YouJi was also not there, usually that mysterious woman was most often seen at the cold stone chamber but this period the mood in Ghost King sect was somehow not right, her frequency also reduced.
Ghost Li stood at the door for a while, composed herself and then opened the door and walked in. After entering, he saw a white and slim figure standing next to BiYao, Ghost Li was startled, at first thought it was YouJi but after he got over his initial shock, YouJi had always dressed in black, this was not her. And as expected, when that lady heard the stone door moving and turned around, her face was not covered with veil.
It was Xiao Bai.
Ghost Li was surprised, ever since the great shaman’s Soul Return Lure failed and he left Majestic Fox Mountain broken-hearted and once again returned, he had not seen Xiao Bai again. Although he could tell that Ghost King and Xiao Bai were old acquaintances but he did not feel it was necessary to enquire.
Xiao Bai saw Ghost Li, her expression also revealed a slight surprise and then a faint smile, said, "It is you.”
Ghost Li, after all knew Xiao Bai for some time and Xiao Bai had also advised him on saving BiYao’s matter, his heart was still somewhat grateful, nodded his head, said, "Hello." At this time Xiao Hui who was crouching on Ghost Li’s shoulders also excitedly called out [zhi zhi] twice to Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai smiled to Xiao Hui and then looked at the Ghost Li, said, "You are here to see BiYao?”
Ghost Li slowly walked up, BiYao’s beautiful and quiet face again appeared in front of him, his voice gradually turned deep and low, said, "Yes.”
Xiao Bai quietly watched this man sat down beside BiYao, then looked at the body lying on the cold stone platform, motionless. She gently sighed, shook her head and quietly retreated out, in the stone chamber, only Ghost Li was left with BiYao.
After an unknown amount of time passed, the heavy stone door again opened, Ghost Li slowly came out from room, looked slightly haggard. He walked a few steps then suddenly stopped, in the tunnel not far from the stone chamber, the nine-tailed celestial fox white figure was still patiently standing there.
Xiao Bai saw his appearance, sighed and said, "You must be very upset at BiYao’s state, it is really hard on you.”
Ghost Li shook his head, said, "I'm fine.”
Xiao Bai walked to his side, patted his shoulder, whispered, "Don’t be discouraged, there will always be hope.”
Ghost Li’s body shook, turned around to see her, his mouth slightly opened but Xiao Bai saw his expression and spoke first, "Don’t ask me, I also don’t know what to do now."
Ghost Li's face in an instant fell, silently turned around and was about to stride off when suddenly a [weng] sounded in his mind, felt the earth spinning, instantly a chill washed over his body, an icy cold energy suddenly leapt up from his energy channels. This shock was not something trivial, right now the cold energy acting up in his body was the Sinister Orb evil energy which he was extremely familiar with but in the past, especially after he had trained and improved greatly with the third volume of TianShu True Way, this ice-cold energy was gradually suppressed and did not misbehave, for some reasons today it suddenly burst out.
In no time, under Xiao Bai’s astonished stare, Ghost Li turned pale, looked as if he was enveloped in a layer of frost and from his body, a strange black-green light emanated three chi out, in it mixed with a savage blood-thirsty smell.
Xiao Bai’s face turned pale, was about to reach out and help Ghost Li but her hand touched that black-green light, she immediately felt a wave of the Sinister Orb evil power charging at her, Xiao Bai frowned and took three steps back, which then managed to avoid this demon power. Xiao Hui who was at Ghost Li’s shoulder also felt something wrong, had long jumped off Ghost Li’s body and landed behind Xiao Bai, with its three eyes wide opened, staring at its owner.
Ghost Li’s face showed that he was in pain, suddenly his sleeve moved, a stream of cold air flashed past, the Soul-devouring stick slipped out but it did not land on the ground, floated before him and slowly rotated, as if using strange and cold eyes, watching this man who had possessed it for many years.
The glimmering dark-green light glowed continuously, the air filled with a strange atmosphere, Xiao Bai was pale, her brow wrinkled but this evil power was emitted from his body, if she was to help Ghost Li, remove this sudden evil power but the source was actually in Ghost Li himself, how could she make the move? For a moment, Xiao Bai was at a loss.
Ghost Li’s face was turning paler and paler, when it seemed that he almost could not breathe, suddenly, a warm pure Yang red light shot burst from his chest, immediately reduced quite an amount of that Yin cold evil power, Ghost Li moved and struggled to sit down, the golden and dark-green lights on his face at the same time flashed, with the two great Good Faction true ways urging, ‘Inferno Mirror’ pure Yang fire increased in strength and gradually suppressed this cold Yin energy, however when Ghost Li had fully recovered, it was already an hour past.
Right now Ghost Li, his body drenched, when he opened his eyes, what he saw was Xiao Bai’s concerned eyes.
Ghost Li gave a bitter laugh but did not say anything, slowly stood up. Xiao Bai looked at him, quietly said, "Was it the Sinister Orb?
Ghost Li picked up the Soul-devouring stick which had at sometime fell on the ground, looked at it deeply and then once again, kept it in his sleeve.
Xiao Bai’s eyes twitched, suddenly stepped forward, said, "Don’t think that if you keep quiet nobody will know, now that Sinister Orb savage evil power has already started to repel onto yourself. These ten years the blood and energy channels in your body, because of the long term contact with this savage thing has turned cold and poisioned with savagness, now that you can luckily avoided a death, it is because you are lucky, to get one of the rare few magical weapons that can resist this savage object. But ... " She looked slightly melancholy, even her voice turned sorrowful, "but, how many times are you confident to escape, the next time, can you escape it?"
Ghost Li had been standing there, there was also no expression on his gaunt face, quietly listening to Xiao Bai, after a long while, he softly said, "I am not confident, but, what can I do?"
Xiao Bai bit her lips, angrily said, "Don’t play the fool with me, how would you not know? Now you only need to discard this evil object immediately and then take the Inferno Mirror to a place of pure yang, with the earth fire stimulate Inferno Mirror pure Yang into your body, this is the only way for you to survive!"
Ghost Li looked at Xiao Bai for a while, suddenly laughed, that laugh, seemed inconceivably innocent, as if in the distant ten years ago, that simple young man.
Then, he slowly turned around, using the wall to support himself and walked away, Xiao Hui immediately ran to its master, scurried up to his shoulder in a few movements.
Xiao Bai stared blankly at that determined yet fragile back, suddenly loudly shouted, "You wanted to die right, in your heart you just simply want to die, right?"
Ghost Li's body paused but did not look back, did not speak, a moment later, he continued to move forward.
Xiao Bai’s voice, came loudly behind him, "You want to die, dream on! How many debts that you are still owing to people have not paid off and you want to just die off like that, impossible! You don’t want to listen to me right, good, you are great, then I will go myself, I will find ‘Eight Immortal Inferno Formation’ incantation, let you save yourself. You remember this, BiYao is still lying in the cold stone chamber, before she wakes up, even if you want to die, it is also not up to you!...”
"It is not up to you, not up to you, not up to you…” In the long quiet tunnel, the echoes faintly reverberated, Ghost Li with his face bleak, his body slowly straightened but in the end he still never turn back to look.
X x x
Lush forests, quiet valley, dawn in the Venomous Serpent Valley was actually tranquil but at this moment, the earth slowly shook, the smell of blood turning stronger, the countless snakes that had gathered at the border of the valley suddenly disappeared, as if somehow they sensed something, those reptiles all went into hiding.
A black smoke, appeared a distance from the valley, swiftly approached, a thick and suffocating smell came forth from the sky, the gathering loud roar turned into a great crushing deafening roar!
Nearer and nearer!
[Hou ah ah ah ah ah…]
It was innumerable monsters, like vicious ghost and ferocious spirits charging out from the nine netherworlds, blood-red eyes sharp fangs, sharp cries assaulting face-on. Various
kinds of strange monsters formed a surging stream of unstoppable force, in front of this turbulent wave, there was no one that could stop it and survive, even the forests on the sides of the road, in the thunderous roars, was rapidly swallowed by the flood.
There was no hesitation, no pause, this flood directly dashed into the Venomous Serpent Valley, like a black tide instantly pouring into the green sea, in every corners of the forest, horrified snakes were thrown out unceasingly, desperately struggling in the torrent but all without exception instantly drowned. Even that poisonous colourful miasma could not stop this terrible flood of demon beasts, the first several monsters at the front fell dead to the ground but even more trampled on their comrades’ bodies and charged past, the powerful hurricane in an instant scattered the miasma, dispersing above the forest.
Within the black torrent of evil beasts, there were four or five sturdy beasts that looked several times bigger than the average monsters, brandishing their claws and fangs, leading their men ahead. And at the entrance to the valley, there were still countless of monsters charging endlessly into the valley.
The entire valley, seemed to be quaking. It looked like, the world’s apocalypse.
At the other end of the Venomous Serpent Valley, standing at a vantage point Ghost King took a deep breath, although he had seen the evil beasts might but the sight before him still made him turned pale. He composed himself, after pondering for a moment, he again looked to the forest to the north of the valley, under the morning sun, the forest indistinctly reflected light.
A hint of sneer slowly surfaced on Ghost King’s lips: one day, all of you will know, in the end who will be the winner?
He shouted in his heart like that, the expression on his face slowly hardened, BiYao is no longer around, then, let the world make up for it!
He slowly turned around, behind him in the dense forest, was Ghost King disciples, they packed the forest, their fighting morales high. Ghost King watched the people in front of him, countless eyes staring in his face.
At that moment, who would know his feelings?
Slowly raising his arm, it seemed to turn leaden, distant cries of roars and the gradual cries of fear and shock, also seemed to have travelled here, Ghost King’s face suddenly changed, then, he swung his arm heavily down.
His arm like knife, like a sharp sword slicing the world, cutting off the last warmth, tearing apart the dreams that once existed, that sound made by the arm in the wind, like bones fracturing from a stab in the chest!
Countless people, behind his majestic back, made war-cry sounds, lifting their sharp swords in their hands and charged down, their clothes flying up, a strong breeze blew, the trees swayed in the forest, like it was dancing for this. Ghost King stood among the crowd, like a hard cold rock unmoving, he turned and looked at the forest in the north, there was also movement in the forest there, gradually spreading.
Ghost King laughed, he suddenly laughed crazily in the sea of people who were going to meet their deaths, that laughter was so piercing but no one dared to ask him, only the morning sun, with its faint warmth still continued to leapt towards this crazy mortal world!
X x x
Seven days later, entrusted by Reverend DaoXuan, Pu Hong Master and Yun YiLan and the other Good Faction leaders, a group of Good Faction disciples set off from Qing Yun Hill, reached southwest. Due to the gravity of the matter, the three factions had sent their most talented disciples, as if coincidence, these people had already met.
Qing Yun sect Xiao YiCai, Lin JingYu and Lu XueQi, Tian Yin Temple FaXiang and FaShan, FenXiang Valley Li Xun and YanHong, a total of seven people, after setting off from Qing Yun Hill, they were cautious on their way, travelling by night, trying to avoid encountering the demon beasts on the road, going at full speed to southwest, hoping to find out the reason behind for the sudden change of direction of these large number of beasts to this place.
Just when these Good Faction disciples had just set off, although they were clearly aware of the great danger but for the common people, no one had any intention of retreating. However on the seventh day after they had set off, all of their faces had turned pale and did not speak for days, including the most eloquent Xiao YiCai, the calm and stable FaXiang and even Li Xun who had wanted to speak to Lu XueQi, all turned silent.
Thousand of miles, further into the south, the situation became more tragic. If it was not the entire village, entire city of corpses everywhere, dense white bones, it was one after another deserted village and city, fertile lands turned into scorched earth. Nobody knew, how did these demon beasts know how to set fire, why were they so savage and blood-thirsty, like nobody knew, when would this catastrophe end?
The indistinct faint ghost wails, like it would always reverberated in the wilderness of the southern vast lands, describing the desolate and miserable past.
After entering the southwest province, they were even more cautious but right now they faced an even bigger problem, first of all, they simply could not find any local residents, all the people either fled to the north or died tragically in this catastrophe, so, these Good Faction disciples were unable to find the locals and ask them about the demonic beast movements. On the other hand, most of those beast demons were unable to communicate with humans, even if they were to risk it and capture a few monsters but the monsters would most likely only struggle and roar, how would they get information from them?
They had no alternative and after discussion, they could only follow Xiao YiCai’s proposal and secretly follow the demons, wherever there are bigger groups of demons gathering, they would head there, to see what exactly these demons are planning to do? So they tracked in the southwest for three days and three nights, during which several times they were almost discovered by monsters who had sharp hearing and sense of smell, fortunately Xiao YiCai, FaXiang, FaShan, Lin JingYu etc were all extremely smart people and each time they managed to escape within a hair’s breath at critical moments. But nevertheless, they still did not found out anything.
Just when they were beginning to lose heart, by accident they actually found one Evil sect disciple who had gone crazy in one of the forest, after they had asked in detail, or it could be said under their patient coaxing, gradually they learned that the large number of demons entering into southwest was to have a huge battle against the Evil Sect, and the results, of course the evil beasts won, the once arrogant Evil Sect three branches were almost wiped out in this battle.
The news immediately made everyone shocked and stunned, and in the crowd, standing the furthest, Lu XueQi's face, had turned especially pale!
Looking at pitiful person who had shrank into a ball and constantly mumbling "monster, monster", at times suddenly shivering from head to toe, shrieking, the seven Good Faction people felt their hearts were shrouded by a layer of heavy shadow.
Xiao YiCai coughed, looked at FaXiang, said, "FaXiang senior brother, now that we are generally clear about the situation, what do you think we should do?”
FaXiang frowned, looked down at the pitiful person on the ground, sighed and said, "Amitabha Buddha, it is a sin, a sin.” Pausing for a while, FaXiang slowly said, “Everyone, actually the purpose of our trip, the gist of the situation we now know, lowly monk me think that we should first return and report about this situation to the various elders."
"No!"
Suddenly, a cold voice was heard from beside, everyone was startled, the person speaking was actually the quietest one on the trip, Lu XueQi. FaXiang, feeling surprised, said, “Lu junior sister, if you have any other views, please speak.”
Lu Xueqi still looking pale but her voice was very calm, lightly said, "What we know now, came from this crazed Evil sect disciple, and his words were incoherent and we made many speculations on our own. If we assumed we have finished our mission just based on this, I think it is not appropriate.”
FaXiang was silent, everyone looked at each other, after a moment, FaXiang nodded and said, "That’s right, Lu junior sister is right, lowly monk me was too anxious just now."
Xiao YiCai pondered a moment, said, "There is some truth in what Lu junior sister said but these few days we have been checking day and night in the southwest and there was not a slightest clue, don’t tell me we have to continue searching like this?"
Lu XueQi’s mouth moved but did not speak, apparently facing the two difficult obstacles before them, she too could not think of any good solution. But at this moment, Li Xun who was frequently taking glances at Lu XueQi suddenly stepped forward and said, "I have an idea, maybe it has some hope.”
Everyone was surprised, even Lu XueQi took a few more glances at Li Xun, FaXiang delightfully said, "Really, Li senior brother, please say.”
Li Xun inhaled deeply, forced himself not to look at Lu XueQi, said, "I have listened carefully to the madman's words, heard him mentioned one place several times, called 'Venomous Serpent Valley', not sure if anyone notices?"
Xiao YiCai nodded his head and said, "Yes, I have also noticed. I have heard of this Venomous Serpent Valley before, it is said to be a valley deep inside the southwest mountains here, numerous poisonous snakes resides in it, there is also highly toxic miasma in the forest and is fatal to human, no one has dared to enter this forest. As time passes, no one knows the specific location of the valley."
Lin JingYu suddenly said, “Does Li senior brother thinks that this battle could be taking place at the legendary Venomous Serpent Valley?”
Li Xun nodded, determinedly said, "Yes, I infer that the battle would happen at this valley and more than that, I think maybe this valley might be one of the three Evil sect branches headquarters. As long as we can find it, naturally we will know if the words of this crazy person are true?"
YanHong who has been keeping silent suddenly said, "But senior brother, it has already been so many days, let’s not say whether can we find this Venomous Serpent Valley, even if we found it, the scene over there might have changed from the original..."
Li Xun coldly said, "Junior sister, don’t tell me you have forgotten, those cruel demon beasts indeed know how to eat humans and set fire but after the fire, there would be ruins, the demons eat humans but they do not eat bones!"
Everyone’s expressions changed, YanHong turned even more pale after listening to him, suddenly felt nausea, clearly what they had saw on their way, was enough to make this lady reached her psychological limit.
Li Xun sighed and did not speak anymore, FaXiang and FaShan both quietly chanted, Xiao YiCai shook his head and walked over to YanHong side, quietly comforted her with a few words, until YanHong slowly settled down, he then turned and walked to that shivering Evil sect disciple, crouched down.
"Do you know where is the Venomous Serpent Valley?" Xiao YiCai tried to make his voice as soft as possible and sounded peaceful but that Evil sect disciple’s body shook, buried his head lower, did not speak. Xiao YiCai asked three more times but the Evil sect disciple seemed to turn deaf and did not have any reaction.
Xiao YiCai slowly stood up, looked at the group, no one spoke. Xiao YiCai only sighed and said, "How?”
Li Xun who was standing by the side frowned, suddenly walked to the Evil disciple and pulled him up, loudly asked, "Where is the place where those monsters are killing people?"
The Evil disciple’s body shook greatly, his face immediately changed into fear, opened his mouth and made a shrill scream but Li Xun, like his heart was stone, held him tightly, loudly shouted, "Where is the place where those monsters are killing people?
"Ah!…"
Deeply entrenched in fear, that Evil sect disciple was trembling, his teeth chattering, eyes filled with fear but his head involuntarily looked to the north. Li Xun’s eyes froze, urgently said, "It’s in the north, is it?”
The Evil sect disciple’s head suddenly tilted, his entire body slackened, everyone was shocked and quickly went up to check, his pupil had dilated, a check on his nostrils, he had stopped breathing, he had died.
Li Xun slowly put down the body of the man, stood up, faced the north, everyone looked towards where he was looking at, in the sea of forests, under the bright clear day, there seemed to be a blood-coloured cloud, shrouding above it.