Chapter 75 — The Third Chapter

Yuyangzi coughed once and glanced at the Poison God, but the Poison God turned his head away and gazed off at the distant crest of the Canglan Mountains, plainly unwilling to involve himself. Yuyangzi cursed him inwardly. On any other day he himself would have been eager enough to see these two great rivals fight each other to the death, but since he was now the presiding figure here, he had no choice but to step forward. "You two—how is it that words have turned to anger? You are both masters of the Way, and great matters stand before us now. Better to set this aside for the moment, and once matters here are settled, settle it between yourselves. What say you?"

Fairy Sanmiao glanced at him, gave a slight nod, and looked away. The King of Hell's face showed nothing, but inwardly he sneered: this Yuyangzi was no good sort either—constrained by his position to urge peace, yet with a faint hint that once the great matter was done he would set the two sects to fighting each other.

But the Hehuan Bell was truly no small treasure. It had long been named one of the four great marvels of the demonic cult, alongside the King of Hell Sect's "Fulong Cauldron," the Blood Refining Hall's "Blood-Devouring Orb," and the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect's "Ten Thousand Poisons Returning to the Source Pouch." What was more, it was rumored throughout the cult that many of the Mihun Sect's strange arts and uncanny techniques required the Hehuan Bell as their medium before they could unleash their fullest power.

Such a treasure—the King of Hell would never willingly hand it over, fool though he be; and after Bili obtained the marvel from the Blood-Dripping Cave beneath the Pool of Deathly Spirits, he had especially warned her to keep it secret. Yet little did he know that Fairy Sanmiao's powers were no small thing, for she had ferreted out the matter as well.

In that instant the King of Hell ran through in his mind all those about him, but his face showed a faint smile. "Brother Yuyangzi speaks rightly. We may as well leave this matter until after what lies before us is done, and speak of it then."

Seeing that these two, ever headstrong in days past, had this time actually heeded his words, Yuyangzi could not help but feel a fresh swell of satisfaction.

Just then the Poison God suddenly said, "Ah! The sun is out."

At his words all turned to look toward the Canglan Mountains, and indeed a red sun blazed forth, rising slowly from the distant summit of Canglan and spilling its light over the world.

That genial sunlight fell likewise upon the four of them, stretching long shadows out behind them.

Having climbed the last flight of steps, Zhang Qingyue at last came once more before the Jade Balance Hall. That tall and solemn edifice towered before him, majestic and imposing, so that a man standing at its foot seemed no more than an ant.

Chang Jian said, "Let us go in!"

Song Dayi and Tian Lingsu both nodded assent. Zhang Qingyue took a step forward, then suddenly started, his gaze drawn aside; there in another corner of the steps a man sat on the ground with his back against the railing. His clothes were still clean enough, though because he had sat down carelessly on the ground the hem had gathered some dust, and his eyes stared blankly toward Zhang Qingyue, his lips muttering something under his breath.

It was none other than Uncle Wang, mad these many years.

A pang seized Zhang Qingyue's heart, and he was about to walk over when Song Dayi caught hold of him and said softly, "Little junior brother, let us go in first. We must not keep the elders waiting overlong. As for Uncle Wang—when you… when you come out, it will not be too late to visit him then."

Zhang Qingyue halted, a misery rising in his heart, but in the end he knew Song Dayi spoke the truth. He himself stood accused, and so he nodded and forced a smile for Song Dayi. Chang Jian, standing to one side, took it all in and said quietly, "You two, if there is nothing else, let us go in and present ourselves to the masters and elders."

Song Dayi answered and went forward with Zhang Qingyue, but Tian Lingsu frowned. "Masters and elders? Senior Brother Chang, have elders of other sects come as well?"

Chang Jian hesitated a moment. "Yes. Several divine monks have come from the Fanyin Temple, and besides them elders from the Fenxia Valley—all come to inquire into Junior Brother Zhang's… into his circumstances."

Tian Lingsu's expression changed, her face turning dead white, and Song Dayi's brows knitted tight as well.

Zhang Qingyue walked forward in silence. "Senior Brother Chang, let us go in."

Chang Jian looked at him and nodded. "Good. Follow me."

With that he went in first. Zhang Qingyue drew a deep breath and stepped forward, his pace somewhat heavy, and followed. Behind him Song Dayi and Tian Lingsu exchanged a glance, each seeing in the other's eyes the same anxiety and worry—and the same helplessness—and so they too followed.

Just as they entered the Jade Balance Hall, Uncle Wang, who had been sitting all along in the corner, his eyes fixed on Zhang Qingyue's figure, saw him vanish into the hall; and for some reason he too clambered unsteadily to his feet, scratched his head in a childlike bewilderment, and actually set off toward the Jade Balance Hall.

All these years Uncle Wang had been cared for by the Canglan Sect, his madness never once cured; day after day he wandered about the Jietian Peak, and even the Jade Balance Hall—sacred in the eyes of ordinary Qingyun disciples—he entered often. Yet he had never made any great trouble, and as time went on no one paid him any mind.

And now he went in, quite without hindrance, and vanished into the Jade Balance Hall.