Chapter 36: Reunion |
[July 22, 2019]
. . .
Jǐng Xī’s father looked sternly at Jǐng Xī. “What happened to your mother? Why are you here by yourself?”
Jǐng Xī pinched her dad’s sleeve. She felt really wronged. “Mother suffered a minor injury. She was worried about the miasma affecting her so she didn’t dare come with me.”
“How willful of you!” He yanked his sleeve away from her grasp. “No fear of the miasma at all! Leave here immediately!”
Jǐng Xī had overstepped. She looked at Brother Yán and saw he wasn’t paying attention to her at all. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak.
Unexpectedly it was Fú Róng who interrupted the silence. He walked to Jǐng Xī and stuck one hand out between them, creating a space for himself to step in.
Like a skilled diplomat he said, “The enchantment circle will protect all those inside from the miasma. There is no need to drive your daughter away so soon. Taoist priest, please do not blame her. She was simply worried about your well-being and was eager to see you.”
Fú Róng turned around and looked at Jǐng Xī after he finished speaking. The bright shining way she gazed at him melted his heart. His eyes softened and he unconsciously smiled. The warmth showed through despite his ash smeared face. Jǐng Xī was grateful to have someone on her side.
Shěn Lí crouched in front of the sleeping girl and studied her face. Her lips were nearly black and there were distinct glowing bluish-green lines crisscrossing under her fair skin. They pulsed and gave the impression there were bugs underneath.
“Was the epidemic caused by the miasma?”
Jǐng Yán glanced at Shěn Lí, unhappy she would disturb the woman’s sleep.
In a rude tone she continued. “What? You don’t know? What are you doing with her then? Let someone else who knows what they’re doing take care of things.” She turned to Xíng Zhǐ. “I’ll have to trouble Immortal High God.”
Xíng Zhǐ sighed at her behavior. He understood it was her way of getting justice for Jǐng Xī. No matter the situation, Shěn Lí would always be Shěn Lí. She couldn’t bear to see someone suffering unfairly and not do something about it. Regardless of the situation, her preferences would always rise to the surface and show in her behavior.
With these thoughts in his heart, Xíng Zhǐ walked over to the sleeping woman. After observing her carefully, he read her pulse. “I will see the other patients now.”
His expression was heavy. He circled around the temple checking on everyone before returning. With knitted brow he turned to Fú Róng and asked, “Your Highness has been here several days now. Can you tell me which direction has the greatest miasma density?”
Fú Róng thought about it before replying. “The west side of the city. The southwest is particularly lethal.”
Xíng Zhǐ muttered something to himself. “If I’m not wrong, the miasma isn’t flowing into the city from outside, but rather is flowing out of the city to the surrounding area, and has been doing so for quite some time.”
This surprised everyone within earshot. The Taoist was the first to disagree. “That’s impossible. I live a secluded life in the mountains but do come to the city to buy supplies. I was here last month and noticed the miasma clinging to the outside of the city walls. There was no miasma beyond the walls and inside the city then.”
“The sickness here isn’t an epidemic caused by disease, but the result of blood flow crossing the wrong way. It’s symptomatic of too much miasma inhalation.” He pulled his sleeve up and showed his arm. Faint bluish-green marks were visible. “I was careless several days ago and allowed the miasma to enter my body. Once inside it will remain for some time. These are the marks of its presence.”
Shěn Lí recognized they were the wounds from the time he was ambushed by the monsters in the Ruins. Xíng Zhǐ hadn’t said anything about them so she hadn’t realized his wounds weren’t healed.
“This kind of mark, aside from being injured by beings that emit miasma, can also be found in those who inhale the miasma all year long. Physical symptoms appear once it reaches a certain concentration level in the bloodstream.”
Xíng Zhǐ pulled his sleeve back down. “The disappearance of immortal beings, the mysterious immortal sect, the profusion of miasma, the answer to all of this may lay in the western part of the city.”
Shěn Lí’s main concern was the Demon realm. It was possible the cause could implicate her people, so she wanted to resolve everything as soon as possible. “Let’s going to the west side.” To Fú Róng she said, “Guard this place well.”
. . .
The miasma grew increasingly heavy and toxic as she approached the west side of the city. Shěn Lí could barely move despite taking precautions. She spoke to Xíng Zhǐ beside her. “If the culprit is from the Demon realm, then I will ask you to allow me to deal with the person.”
Xíng Zhǐ was silent as he considered her request.
She didn’t think there would be an issue with it so his reply was unexpected.
“That won’t be possible. This matter involves too many land gods. The Immortal realm will want to investigate.”
Shěn Lí nearly missed a step at his words. She turned around and looked at him. He still had the same faint smile he usually wore, but is eyes were resolute. In that moment, Shěn Lí saw the real Xíng Zhǐ. He was normally carefree, but when it came to matters with the Immortal realm, he was impossible to budge.
“That’s fine.” Shěn Lí nodded. “It can be a joint investigation,” was her compromise.
To that, Xíng Zhǐ did not reply. By then they had reached the area and the miasma was intense. Breathing was nearly impossible. Even Shěn Lí, as accustomed as she was from living in the Demon realm, felt unwell, never mind ordinary mortals in the mortal world.
She scanned the city wall but couldn’t see where the miasma could have originated. All she felt was the overpowering heaviness from it. “We’ve reached the west walls, but there’s nothing here.”
Xíng Zhǐ reached over and pulled a strand of her hair. Although it didn’t hurt, it was a strange thing for him to do. “What?” she asked.
He smiled at her question as he nimbly shaped her hair into a butterfly. “I’ll show you the trick.” Xíng Zhǐ released her hair and it fluttered lazily through the air, having changed into a white butterfly. It soared through the miasma, cleaving a trail of clear air in its wake.
A red door, much like the one they encountered when rescuing the immortals held captive in the cave on the outskirts of the city, emerged from the wall.
“See? Now it’s here.”
Shěn Lí shot him a side glance. “Next time pull your own hair.” She materialized her spear as she stepped to the door. There was no doubt in her mind it would lead to Fúshēng Mén’s headquarters. She wasn’t the least hesitant or polite, intending to open it with one swift kick.
Though the panels shook, it remained firmly closed. Shěn Lí was about to try again, this time with qi in her kick, but before she could, a loud “Thwomp!” sounded and the double doors opened wide. The miasma that released hit her square in the face.
White butterflies, matching the one from earlier, shot past her ear. No longer erratic, they flew with intent and great speed through the door. Like before, they dissipated the miasma in their wake.
Shěn Lí stepped into a grand hall. It was hard to believe the door hidden behind magic camouflage could lead to such a beautiful place. The hall was befitting of a grand palace.
There wasn’t much time to admire, as the moment she stepped through, black clad figures emerged from the walls like ravenous monsters intent on killing their prey. Shěn Lí cut every one of them down with her spear, severing their heads cleanly and easily. Her face was a blank mask as she fought, not heeding the blood splattering around or the drops dripping from her spear.
She would not forgive anyone who slandered or dishonored the Demon realm.
She mercilessly killed everyone in her path. When she couldn’t continue straight anymore and faced a fork in the hall, she grabbed one of the men and indifferently hit his chest hard, aggressively ramming qi into his body and rupturing his internal organs.
In a voice that sounded like it came from hell she demanded, “Where is your master?”
The man was truly frightened and was shaking all over. “Right . . . right.”
“Where does the left go?”
“The land gods.”
Shěn Lí released him, but before he could even turn to run away, she grabbed his hair and threw him against the wall like a rag doll. His life was snuffed out instantly.
Xíng Zhǐ came up behind Shěn Lí just as she did this. His brow furrowed. “Killing with such bloodthirst is not good, even if the other is an enemy.”
The blood that ran down her spear had already stained her hands red. She coldly looked at Xíng Zhǐ. “Don’t bother preaching. The left path leads to the imprisoned immortals. High god will have to go down that path alone. I intend to capture the culprit behind this. I only hope that High God is willing to accept a joint investigation of the matter. The Demon realm is innocent. Please do not let immortals run away with unjustified speculation.”
This made Xíng Zhǐ wrinkle his brow. Shěn Lí turned and took the rightward path.
He stared at the path she took for some time before turning and taking the left path.
. . .The frequency of attacks increased dramatically as Shěn Lí neared the final room. Once there, she forced it open with her spear. Light poured out of what appeared be to the main hall of a temple.
She looked around from the doorway before entering. Though it seemed empty, she still proceeded inside cautiously.
It was silent without a single guard in sight. The ground shook, breaking the silence, and Shěn Lí had to readjust her footing.
She looked upwards to find three massively, brawny temple men drop out of thin air from above. She stared, assessing them as they surrounded her in a triangle formation.
They looked sinister with sharp wolf-like fangs and red eyes that lent them an air of savagery, making them resemble animals more than men.
They roared, covering her with spittle and a raw metallic smell.
Shěn Lí was outwardly calm, but her heart shook. It was her first time facing such opponents; they were like men transformed into beasts.
They stared at each other in a stalemate with neither party making a move. Finally, one of the men rushed forward. Shěn Lí lifted her spear and pointed it directly at his eye. Instead of avoiding her attack, he continued forward and grabbed the blade. He used brute force to pull the spear out of Shěn Lí’s grasp. His hand was sliced open and gushing blood, yet he didn’t seem to notice. He roared and tried to bite her neck.
Shěn Lí stared in shock. She liked fighting, but even she had never seen someone use so much brute force. She successfully defended against the bite but her back was left open. Taking advantage of the opening, another man attacked. The blow landed hard and forced to her into a roll. She barely had time to catch her breath and summon her spear back to her hand.
She was effectively trapped inside with the three temple men between her and the door now that the formation was broken. They were proving difficult to handle. . .
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