Chapter 78 — Six

"Who goes there?"

Outside the gates of the Yuheng Hall, several Qingyun disciples shouted at once, but there came only a few sharp swishes, as though masters of high cultivation were descending through the air; then a series of heavy thuds, and several Qingyun disciples tumbled backward through the doorway, rolling across the floor.

At the entrance, four figures flashed into view—none other than the Four Great Sect Masters of the Demonic Cult.

Yuyang Zi and the Poison God stood in the center, with the Dark King and the Fairy Sansiao flanking them on either side. The four surveyed the great hall briefly, then strode slowly inside.

The eldest of them, the Poison God, clicked his tongue in a series of tutting sounds and said with a smile, "Old friend Daoyan, a hundred years it has been—how have you fared?"

Daoist Daoyan's body gave a shudder; his pupils contracted, and he said coldly, "Poison God!"

The Poison God laughed heartily. "The very same old cur who refuses to die. A hundred years ago I was defeated beneath your sword at the foot of the Canglan Mountains, and now I see you in all your former glory—truly, I am deeply gratified!"

Daoist Daoyan's gaze swept over the four of them one by one. Meanwhile, from beyond the gates of the Yuheng Hall, dozens more of the Demonic Cult filed in one after another; judging by their bearing and manner, not one of them was likely to be a pushover—most likely the Demonic Cult's strength of the past century and more was gathered here in full. Among them the crowd recognized the Dark King Sect's Qinglong and Yousi, the Myriad Poison Gate's Baiduzi, and others. As for the rest, most were surely masters of the four great sects.

And in the distance, the cries of battle grew ever louder, mingled now and then with despairing howls. The Canglan Mountains, once like a paradise on earth, seemed now to be shrouded in blood and savagery, transformed into a very hell.

Daoist Daoyan drew a deep breath and forced his mind to steady itself. Today disaster had arisen from within his own household, and now foreign enemies had driven straight in—needless to say, this was the most perilous hour the Canglan Sect had faced in a hundred years. As the supreme sect master of this thousand-year-old great sect, he could never allow its foundations to be destroyed in his own hands.

At that moment, a Buddhist invocation was suddenly heard, and there stood Master Pucheng, though when he had come to Daoist Daoyan's side, none could say; a faint smile lingered on his face as he said, "Brother Daoyan, since ancient times evil has never triumphed over good. Our Fanyin Temple lineage has always stood with the Canglan Sect against the demons and heretics. If there is any service you require, pray command it."

Daoist Daoyan was overjoyed. And almost at the same moment, those of the Fenxia Valley also came forward, led by that Elder Shangguan, and ranged themselves behind Daoist Daoyan and Master Pucheng.

The faces of the four Demonic Cult masters changed slightly. The Poison God looked at Pucheng and said in a low, heavy voice, "And which divine monk of the Fanyin Temple might this master be?"

Pucheng smiled faintly. "The old benefactor has a poor memory indeed. In the great war between the righteous and the demonic a hundred years ago, we had occasion to meet once—how is it you have forgotten this old monk? I am Pucheng of the Fanyin Temple, and this beside me is my junior brother Pukong."

The Four Great Divine Monks of the Fanyin Temple were of what renown! With these two present, it was as though the Canglan Sect had gained several masters of its own—and what was more, beside them stood the masters of the Fenxia Valley.

The Poison God turned his head and said with a frown to Daoist Cangyan, whose face had gone slightly pale, "Why are these people here?"

Daoist Cangyan said viciously, "These bald donkeys and the scoundrels of the Fenxia Valley all arrived at the Canglan Mountains this very morning without any prior word. I was caught unprepared and had no chance to send word."

Pucheng and Elder Shangguan of the Fenxia Valley behind him exchanged a glance, and both laughed. Elder Shangguan of the Fenxia Valley laughed aloud and said, "This is what they call evil never triumphing over good, and Heaven's net having no holes to slip through! Today we shall see all you audacious demons and heretics executed upon these Canglan Mountains!"

"Heh heh!" came a cold laugh. It was Yuyang Zi, standing beside the Poison God and regarded by the Demonic Cult as the one who had taken charge of this affair—his manner arrogant and overbearing—who sneered, "More than a hundred years ago, the elders of our Holy Cult likewise fought your three great sects with the strength of our single sect alone. Do you think we fear you now?"

"Well said!" A chorus of cheers rose at once, much of it from the crowd standing behind the four masters; even the Dark King beside him clapped his hands and laughed.

"Today we shall see—whether it is we who are executed, or you who die!"

This he said with boundless insolence, looking down upon all living things. Every righteous cultivator's face changed, each bearing a look of loathing—especially on that final word "die," upon which the Dark King seemed deliberately to have placed a heavier emphasis, full of mockery.

Daoist Daoyan gave a cold laugh and was just about to say something when he saw that Yuyang Zi among the Demonic Cult seemed the least patient of all: with a wave of his hand, every master of the Demonic Cult at once began to radiate light of various hues from their hands and bodies, making plain that they would strike without delay.

On the righteous side, the assembled members of the Canglan Sect and Fanyin Temple immediately gathered their focus and stood on guard, knowing that before them lay the most perilous battle between righteous and demonic in a hundred years. Pucheng recited in a low voice, "Amitabha, excellent, excellent—"

But before he could finish his sentence, a sudden upheaval erupted. Just when everyone's attention was fixed upon the Demonic Cult before them, more than a dozen beams of light flared at once in the midst of the righteous crowd, and among them two sharp rays shot straight at Pucheng's unguarded back!

"Boom!"

In an instant the righteous side was thrown into chaos, like a pot boiling over, and a chorus of sharp, furious roars rang out. Master Pucheng's vision went black; he felt two surges of immense force slam hard into his back—one bursting outward like a landslide and a tidal wave, the other turning fine and sharp as a needle, stabbing inward.

Master Pucheng staggered, and with a "pfft" spat out a mist of blood. What manner of man was he? In a twinkling he understood that there must be traitors among the righteous ranks as well. His "Great Brahma Prajna True Dharma," a power that had raised him to sagehood, coursed through his whole body in an instant, forcibly blocking the onrush of that immense force; at the same time, without turning his head, he flung his sleeve backward!

"Bang, bang"—two muffled reports, and two cries of alarm came from behind him, plainly from those who had come off the worse; that surge of immense force dispersed at once. But the other force, needle-thin and venomous, took on tangible form and at last pierced through his unprepared Great Brahma Prajna shield, boring into his body.

In but a moment, Tian Buhui and the others of the Canglan Sect had rushed over and joined the fray; but the attackers, after a single strike, leaped at once into the air and flew into the ranks of the Demonic Cult.

At their head was none other than Shangguan Lue of the Fenxia Valley, and those who had struck the others were all of the Fenxia Valley as well.