Chapter 41 — The Blackwater Serpent

As she spoke she made to move, and Zhang Qingyue hurried to brace himself — though inwardly he was groaning. Lu Xueling was leaning on him now, weak and strengthless, plainly badly hurt; most likely the poison was still in her. And this demon-cult witch before him was uncanny and unpredictable; if it came to a fight, he feared he would have no way to look after Sister Lu.

But alas, things in this world seldom go as one wishes. Zhang Qingyue's thoughts raced — and he suddenly realized that matters were going from bad to worse.

In the darkness another point of light kindled. This light was not like the girl in green's: though it shone, it was dark in hue, so that in the darkness one might almost have taken it for black light. Within that glow a dim figure walked out and halted beside the girl in green — a tall woman, all in black, her face veiled. It was the very companion who had walked with this girl in the Mountain-Sea Garden that day.

Then, under Zhang Qingyue's astonished gaze, one light after another kindled in the darkness. Some five more figures appeared, clad in yellow — the girl's attendants from the Mountain-Sea Garden that day, and now every one of them had come to this place as well.

Zhang Qingyue felt his throat go dry, and under the weight of so many eyes he could not help but feel a chill. Just then he heard Lu Xueling's faint, strengthless voice at his ear: "Go, quickly. None of these people are our inferiors in cultivation — you cannot fight them head-on!"

Zhang Qingyue turned his head. That pale, beautiful face was right beside his own, and on it there was no sign of worry or fear, as though she were speaking of the most ordinary thing in the world. Zhang Qingyue was struck dumb for a moment, then shook his head and pressed his lips tight together. He turned back once more to face those mysterious demon-cult folk who had appeared from nowhere.

"Bili, be careful," the veiled woman said, watching the two before them, her gaze at last coming to rest on the dark iron staff in Zhang Qingyue's hand. "There's something strange about that black rod."

Bili — the girl in green — said, "Aunt You, what have you seen?"

No expression could be made out on the face of the veiled woman she called Aunt You, but a note of puzzlement came through in her words: "That murderous aura — it's so like the one from just now. But how would one of the righteous path come by such a thing? They couldn't wield that bead either. And this — this is a short rod. What's going on?"

Bili gave a cold sniff. "Well, I'd like to see just how formidable this thing is!" She took a step forward, and at once the yellow-clad figures behind her stepped forward too. Zhang Qingyue saw that things looked ill; he wished to make a fight of it, but the odds were far too great against them, and he had no choice but to support Lu Xueling and retreat.

The black-clad, veiled woman seemed heavy with ghostly air; her whole person drifted straight forward through the darkness beside Bili, almost like a yin spirit herself, and in a voice only the two of them could hear she said, "The short rod in that boy's hand carries a fearsome murderous aura. Do you feel it?"

Bili glanced at Zhang Qingyue ahead of them, tense and on his guard, and nodded.

The veiled woman paused, then said, "Even so, I sense that the fierce power within that rod has most likely not yet been fully released — it seems to be held down by something. The way I see it, that rod very likely has some connection to our Holy Cult. The boy's identity is highly suspect. Think carefully before you act."

Bili frowned. "Aunt You, what do you propose?"

The veiled woman's tone turned flat and calm. "Just take them alive. Bring them back and let your father have a look. The Cult Master's wisdom embraces heaven and earth — he will surely recognize this thing."

Bili thought it over. "Very well."

As they spoke, their feet never halted, and they pressed steadily forward. Without the two women's consent the yellow-clad figures beside them would naturally not strike, and so, one side advancing and the other giving way, they covered a fair stretch of ground in the course of that talk.

Supporting Lu Xueling, Zhang Qingyue grew more and more tense — but at his ear he gradually caught the sound of lapping water. It seemed they had come back round to the bay where it had all begun.

Bili paused and turned to the veiled woman. "Aunt You, is this the Ruthless Sea, then?"

The veiled woman was silent a moment, then gave a low sigh. "Deep feeling suffers only for the sake of the ruthless! Yes — this is the Ruthless Sea, most mysterious of the Five Seas."

"Ah!" Perhaps because she was young, Bili paid no heed at all to the bitterness in the words of the woman she called Aunt You. Greatly excited, she said, "I've heard my father speak of it since I was small — the Ruthless Sea lies hidden deep beneath the earth, the sea of the Nine Hells. And he said the Blooddrop Cave here in the Vale of Death Spirits lies right beside this Ruthless Sea. So it seems after three days of searching, we're nearly there."

The veiled woman, however, had fallen into silence and said not a word.

Bili found it a little odd, glanced at her, then thought no more of it and turned back. "Good. Now I'll take the two of you first, and then go find that Blooddrop Cave!"

With that she waved her hand, and the five yellow-clad figures stepped forward together, ready to strike. Behind Zhang Qingyue lay the Ruthless Sea, boundless in the darkness; before him he was hemmed in by these demon-cult folk. Truly there was no road ahead and no ground to retreat to — he stood in a place of utter death.

Lu Xueling felt gust after gust of cold wind blowing off the Ruthless Sea behind them, chilling her to the heart, while within her body she was weak and aching, with a faint dizziness and nausea besides — most likely the poison was still in her.

She was clever enough that she needed no time to see how matters stood: if Zhang Qingyue was to look after her, the two of them could only die together.

She turned her head and looked at Zhang Qingyue. The youth still seemed tense, his body drawn tight, even the hand that supported her gripped hard with nervousness; and in his eyes there was still a longing for life, a dread of death.

And yet — plainly there was not the slightest thought of drawing back.

"Brother Zhang," she called softly. Zhang Qingyue heard, and his shoulder moved as though he meant to turn his head — but for some reason, in the end he did not turn to look at her.

"Sister Lu, up there on the platform, and even just now, you saved me and shielded me — I'm not leaving." Zhang Qingyue's heart was stirred, and he meant to say some brave, ringing words, but when they reached his lips they seemed to vanish, and in the end all he could manage was the dry word "leaving."

Lu Xueling said no more.

Zhang Qingyue suddenly felt uneasy. Had his words offended her? For some reason, from the very first time he saw Lu Xueling, he had been a little afraid of this woman cold as frost and snow.

A cold wind blew off the Ruthless Sea, lifting a few strands of the silent woman's long hair behind him, so that they brushed lightly across his neck and cheek.

The waves of the Ruthless Sea seemed suddenly to swell.

Deep in the darkness, as though with a sigh, a wind swept past — like the Ruthless Sea baring a ghastly grin, looking down in mockery at the people of this world.

Bili smiled and, with the five yellow-clad figures, closed in around them.

Zhang Qingyue stepped back — and felt a chill at his feet. He had stepped into the ice-cold seawater.

Just then, on the slowly swelling Ruthless Sea, a huge wave suddenly rose high, the roar of the waters deafening. By the look of it, it stood several zhang tall; a wild wind struck them full in the face, and everyone on the shore changed color, scarce able to keep their feet.