Chapter 212 - Horror
The solid ground, under the brunt of the broiling fire, even started to look like it was melting, the fiery flames, shot out incessantly from the Crimson Fire Beast, like a thirst to obliterate everything, turning this huge stone room, into a horrible sea of fire.
Ghost Li’s figure, from the start had disappeared into the firelight, and never appeared.
After spitting out a wave of fire as high as a mountain, the Crimson Fire Beast’s raging eyes glared at the sea of fire, as if searching for something, temporarily paused, the broiling flames was still burning on the ground, the surrounding air also seemed to be churning.
However, Ghost Li and the monkey on his shoulder, both disappeared at the same time.
Could it be they had already turned into ashes?
The next moment, the answer appeared. In the air above the fire, Ghost Li figure hovered, in that instant, like an apparition, he shot to the space above the Crimson Fire Beast, totally avoiding that terrible fire. And right now, in his hand, the Soul-Devouring stick once again appeared glowing with dark-green light, in the sea of firelight, his expression was indifferent and calm.
Xiao Hui was on his shoulder, towards that huge devil beast, suddenly bared its teeth, screeched out, obviously towards this old foe, it was also slightly agitated, even though it was a monkey but after all these time with Ghost Li, in the blood fluids, most likely it too had some of the Sinister Orb’s predominant vicious energy!
The Crimson Fire Beast made a deafening roar, its sound reverberated far out, like the sound of thunder, following which, its huge body leapt up abruptly, instantly the surrounding air almost completely turned into vapours from the scorching flames, leaving only torrid heat. The huge body glimmering with fierce and vicious firelight, stopped.
This time, Ghost Li did not avoid, watching the ancient beast which was innumerable times bigger than himself, a strange glint in his eyes. And behind the beast, the strange eight ferocious deities like halos, followed along, slowly rotating, wavering between light and darkness, like a mysterious eye, coldly watching this battle.
Above the Soul-Devouring stick, the Sinister Orb’s dark red blood lines, one by one totally lighted up, facing the fire body which was pouncing over, Ghost Li did not step back, this time he actually faced it.
The Crimson Fire Beast looked as if it did not expected it, this insignificant human actually was facing it, its body paused slightly but the next moment it's flames turned stronger, roaring loudly, bit down.
The huge fire sparks like rain pelting down from the sky, fell, but when it reached three chi radius from Ghost Li, like an invisible shield, all of it bounced back. And at the same time, Ghost Li swept to where the beast was, that pair of huge burning eyes, was just before him.
Ghost Li surrounded by heavy broiling fire, beside, Xiao Hui screeched, the Soul-Devouring stick held in front, facing the beast’s head, stabbed over.
The dark-green light, instantly flared, like a brilliant lotus blooming in the firelight, and then, deep within the lotus, bright blood-like…
Fresh red!
The Sinister Orb in the scorching heat, seemed to shake slightly, pouring its energy, it had never been this powerful for so many years, the dark-green energy, swiftly rotating deep within the Sinister Orb body, as if howling with thirst for killing.
That clearly was a sea of fire but the surrounding temperature in that instant turned cold, icy cold air descended from the sky, covering the Crimson Fire Beast. For the first time, this ancient guardian in its shock could feel fear but its inherent strong instinct, spurred it to make an even more ferocious roar, again bit towards Ghost Li.
The horizon where the huge head pounced down, fiery flames descended with a rumble, and at this moment, Ghost Li stabbed deeply into the beast’s opened mouth.
Its huge body, paused in the air, the surrounding air was still that hot but a wave of chill, as if from deep within one’s heart, emanated out. Xiao Hui was still at Ghost Li’s shoulder, its body did not change but in those three eyes, it seemed to be agitated, already turned red, looking extremely piercing.
And the Crimson Fire Beast after the blow from Ghost Li, its momentum declining could be seen in that instant, Xiao Hui’s looking savage, towards that beast, revealed its fangs, grinning hideously.
In a blink, the surrounding temperature continued to drop, the Crimson Fire Beast’s body temperature too drop, carrying an inexplicable fearful expression, the beast’s eyes actually revealed horror.
Ghost Li hovering in the air, slowly lifted his head, on the Soul-Devouring stick on his hand, red firelight filled the entire weapon, as if bit by bit, drop by drop heartlessly sucking the beast’s essence.
Ghost Li looked to be slightly in pain, a red-yellow light also appeared on his face but after flashing for three times, a golden light concealed it.
The Crimson Fire Beast could no longer support its huge body, fell from mid air, the exceptional monster a moment ago, right now had turned into this weak state, if one hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, it would have been impossible to believe. The fire in the stone chamber swiftly dissipated, and the temperature dropped rapidly, replacing it was the extreme coldness emitting from Ghost Li, carrying a trace of evil taste.
The Crimson Fire Beast fell to the ground, the blazing fire on his body by now were almost gone, looking from afar, this guardian beast seemed to have lost most of his power, looking hatefully at Ghost Li who was making his way down, the Crimson Fire Beast finally bellowed a roar and its giant body slowly dissipated into the air.
However, although its body dissipated, the strange eight ferocious deities halos in mid-air did not disappear, in addition they did not seem to be affected by the fight just now, still oscillating between darkness and light, spun unhurriedly, and slowly retreated, finally it came to a stop in front of the figure which had reappeared, still sitting on the ground Beast Deity, above the ancient brazier.
In the brazier, the flames continued to burn quietly.
In the aftermath of Ghost Li’s Sinister Orb’s enveloping cold, this was the only heat and light left, It was as if it was completely unaffected by Ghost Li’s power.
Ghost Li descended onto the ground again, but on his face there was no joy of victory, looking at the burning flames, his pupils seemed to be still contracting.
That strange halo, slowly rotating, the eight ferocious deities images, again lit up, darkened and lit up again, as if mysteriously saying something.
Under the halo, was the face of the Beast Deity’s exhausted but smiling face.
[Clap, clap, clap…]
Beast Deity clapped lightly, with a gentle smile, and said, “Awesome, awesome, I was not expecting that you have such a high skill level and with this kind of powerful weapon. Although I had anticipated that your skills are not trivial but I did not expect that you would come to this stage.”
He sighed quietly, and somewhat self-deprecatingly said, “I seem to be always wrong, don’t I?”
Ghost Li looked at him and said unhurriedly, “The Crimson Fire Beast that appeared this time, though it looked formidable, it did not have the level of power as the last time in FenXiang Valley Inferno altar.”
Beast Deity looked at Ghost Li, saying nothing, but his eyes slowly filled with approval and nodded his head.
Ghost Li indifferently said, “This Crimson Fire Beast, is clearly the guardian spiritual beast for this Eight Savage Inferno Formation passed down from the Shaman tribe, therefore as long as this formation exist and still be activated, it would be able to summon beasts like these. However, the Crimson Fire Beast is still a spirit restrained within the formation, the stronger the Inferno Fire energy contained in this formation, the more powerful it will be.”
He glanced at the brazier in front of Beast Deity, and said, “This brazier, could it be the legendary ‘Gather Fire Brazier’ that could amass the fire essence of heaven and earth? ”
Beast Deity laughed and said, “Yes, it is the Gather Fire Brazier.”
Ghost Li nodded and said indifferently, “With this brazier around, you are able to use the energy within it to activate Inferno Fire and trigger the formation, summon the Crimson Fire Beast. But this magical weapon although mystical, it might not be comparable to the ground below FenXiang Valley Inferno Altar, the molten lava containing thousand years of ample fire energy, continuously supplying the formation, therefore the Crimson Fire Beast you summoned this time, although looked powerful but it was only an empty shell.”
“'Haha, good, good,” the Beast Deity laughed loudly and clapped, “What a good empty shell, well said, unfortunately, those that can say this, in this world other than you, I wonder who else?”
Ghost Li looked at him deeply and said, “At least, the man who caused your serious injuries, will be qualified to say that.”
The Beast Deity’s smiling expression vanished, his expression became heavy and his eyes turned cold, stared at Ghost Li. Ghost Li looked straight into his eyes calmly, even though he could feel the burst of terrifying power emitting from the weakly-looking body.
Beast Deity watched Ghost Li, slowly opened his mouth and said, “I heard, that the person who injured me, seems like he too had a few grudges with you?”
Ghost Li’s countenance changed immediately.
The two men stared at each other, saying nothing more, but the temperature of the stone chamber seemed to have dropped to the freezing point.
At this time, suddenly, they both seemed to become aware of something. The Beast Deity looked up slightly, Ghost Li turned around instead and faced the entrance of the stone chamber.
In that gaze, like a startled swan flitting across in the dark, carving a scar across the heart…
The Crimson Fire Beast had already vanished, the huge stone chamber once again in darkness, only the brazier in front of Beast Deity had a ball of fire quietly burning, illuminating a little light and heat to the area nearby. Even the slow rotating eight ferocious deities like halos above the brazier had dimmed.
However, at that moment, in the depths of the darkness, a figure enveloped by gentle blue light stood quietly, a familiar face, reflecting in the eyes, a stunned moment, as if a millennium had passed.
In a daze, staring at her.
Step by step, slowly approaching.
Lu XueQi’s hand, in the dim darkness, looked very pale, unsure if it was she was using too much strength to hold TianYa. However on her face, she seemed emotionless, as she had been when they first met, the lady that was as cold as ice and frost.
She walked closer, slowly.
Walked to his side, and stood there.
No words, no speech. In her eyes, at that moment only leaving the fire reflection. That moment, again how long has time passed?
The Beast Deity silently watched the strange actions between this man and woman, but said nothing and did nothing. In his deep perpetually unclear eyes, flickered with complicated emotions, but who else would be able to understand?
Standing side by side with him.
Lu XueQi’s eyes, ever since walking over, had not glanced at Ghost Li again.
After a long while, in the slightly odd atmosphere of silence, to hear her in the quiet, peacefully, as if in that peacefulness it had an inexplicable feeling, quietly saying, “So… it’s really you...”
Ghost Li did not speak, watched attentively at the graceful and beautiful women in front of him, after a long while, what he did, was only one thing.
He turned towards her, slowly---
smiling.
Then, he stood beside her, shoulder by shoulder, breathing deeply, the fire that reverberated out from the depths of his heart, as if warming the entire heart.
Lu XueQi seemed to have felt something, and slowly, her pale face actually turned a faint red. However, she did not make any attempt to conceal, on her frost-like face, still watching ahead, towards that burning fire, the flames reflecting in her eyes, smiled.
Like that, warmly, smiling!
The two figures stood side by side, looking at Beast Deity, facing this unparalleled devil.
Beast Deity’s eyes, however, held pain, and he slowly lowered his head.
The flame continued to burn quietly, the stone chamber seemed to look somewhat hazy, and the three figures stood there for a long time.
Until, the Beast Deity lifted his head once more, his gaze stopping on Lu XueQi for a moment, before on Ghost Li and said suddenly, “Promise me one thing, possible?”
Startled, Ghost Li never thought he would actually say something like that, did not know how to respond for a moment and could only ask, “What?”
The Beast Deity’s face carried a deep exhaustion, and said faintly, “No matter what motives the two of you have, since you have to fight me anyway, if you die by my hand, naturally there’s nothing to say. If I lose, I don’t blame you two either. I only wish that when you get out of this cave, do one thing for me.”
Ghost Li said, “Go ahead”
Beast Deity was silent for a moment, and said, “You remember that there is a stone statue in front of the cave right!”
A strange look crossed Ghost Li’s face, he nodded slowly and said, “Yes.”
The Beast Deity’s voice became low, and quietly said, “If you have a chance to go out, pick a bundle of her favorite lily flowers for me and place it in front of her!”
“Lily ... got it.” Ghost Li nodded slowly, but his tone seemed to hold a somewhat peculiar emotion. Lu XueQi felt it, but did not speak, only silently looked at him.
The Beast Deity shook his head, seemingly mocking himself, smiled and faced Ghost Li, saying “What about you two! If you both had to remain here, never able to leave again, what would be your last wish?”
His gaze moved slowly from Ghost Li to Lu XueQi, with a slight smile and a strange glint in his eyes, said, ”What about you! Do you have any final wish you wish to say?”
Ghost Li was silent, and Lu XueQi did not speak. After a moment, Lu XueQi looked quietly at Ghost Li, saw the complicated expression on his face, with pain in his eyes.
She took a deep breath, and said suddenly, “I have no greater wish!”
This sentence, although spoken ordinarily, but was said resolutely and gave herself no room for turning back.
Perhaps, she really did not want to, never want to give herself any leeway.
Ghost Li jolted.
Then he looked at the woman beside him.
Stared deeply.
And said nothing.
The Beast Deity looked at Lu XueQi, his eyes getting brighter. Abruptly, he clapped his hands. Although his body was still trembling slightly, he still stood up. Bright coloured silk cloth clothing swept over, TaoTie also stood up as well, softly making noises beside his master.
“Good, good, well said!”
The Beast Deity faced Lu XueQi, his eyes slowly emanating an inexplicable intensity, “Exactly, exactly, the women of this world, indeed there is still someone like her.”
He looked up at the sky and laughed derangedly, and yet at the end of his laughter it seemed like anguished wailing with a little whimper. As his body swayed, an inexplicable atmosphere slowly rose, the originally quiet and rotating eight ferocious deities halos suddenly began rapidly spinning, the eight figures lit up together at the same time.
The ancient malevolent energy from primitive mythical age, completely different from the Crimson Fire Beast, instantly permeated, from that ancient fire brazier, stimulated by evil power, once again, slowly became big.
This time, the ball of fire actually left the brazier, appearing to be embedded in that mysterious eight ferocious deities like halos, rose to mid-air all together, burning fiercely.
“You were right, the summons I made for Crimson Fire Beast was insufficient in power and not like Inferno Altar formation, “ behind the halo, a red flush appeared on the Beast Deity’s pale face, as if with this unparalleled evil power, he too seemed to have come back to life, “But the formation here, was laid personally by LingLong, far surpassed the Inferno Altar’s historical remains, the profound mystery of it, I will let you all see it!”
In his long mournful laughter, his whole body floated into mid-air and slowly merged into that growing blaze, and finally disappearing. On the ground, TaoTie roared.
The next moment, above the eight ferocious deities, suddenly, all the deities’ eyes like turning bloodshot and lit up in red, like a ferocious devil awaking again, in that instant, the deities in the air became howling, sharp howls covered the sky and earth, deafening.
That ball of flames burned more and more intensely, deep within the fire thunder rumbles began incessantly, the heart of the flames gradually turned white, even at a distance, with Ghost Li and Lu XueQi’s skill levels, could feel the unbearable heat.
And in the sky full of howling, reverberating the strange incantations, the chants were obscure and long, primitive and abstruse, like the original ancient civilization, worshipping the gods, wholeheartedly believing in the spiritual power, summoning the gods in slumber.
Giant flames, burning!
The incantations like strong winds and swift rains, tearing apart the human heart.
The sounds, like pounding upon one’s heart, suddenly like a powerful tide force, surging out from that huge fire, the force was so huge, Ghost Li and Lu XueQu were unable to resist, forced to flew back out.
What terrible curse was it, and what kind of terrible spiritual beast would it summon, to have such terrible force?
For a moment, Ghost Li and Lu XueQi both changed countenances, how would this be something a human could fight?
The raging fire, like a demon dancing in the mid-air, receiving the arrival of the horror within the fire. The hottest place, almost like pure-white, in the violent shaking, something, slowly breathed, opened its eyes.
Moments later, the surrounding ancient sturdy stone walls started to crack, numerous huge cracks appeared on the ground, and from the deep cracks, bright red light seeped out, as if below the feet, was the terrible lava of the volcano, about to erupt..
And in that breathing, like the song of dragon singing, in this space ...
Reverberate!