Atop the ridge, Wu Tong's robes streamed in the wind. He swept the field with a cold gaze and called out, "The outcome is decided. Does Yinshan Sect have anyone left who dares to fight?"
The Yinshan ranks wavered, anxiety written on every face. Then the Chief Judge of the Underworld Sect, Cui Fujun, raised his voice once more: "Hear me, Yinshan Sect! We uphold justice in the martial world. Any who break from Yinshan now will be protected by the Underworld Judge Sect. We guarantee your safety."
Wu Tong likewise bellowed, "If you value your lives, move toward the Underworld Judge Sect! Don't be afraid—I'll keep my eyes on that old Yinshan demon!"
Liu Yun also cried out, "I am the daughter of the Heavenly Lord of Tiansun Sect—I am Liu Yun! The poison in your bodies needs no antidote. I've just checked: it's poisoning, not a disease. If you endure, you can beat the craving—you needn't take his 'cure.' Whether you live or die is up to you. Follow that old Yinshan fiend and keep dosing yourself, and it will still end in death!"
Yet once again disciples by the Heavenly Lord's side shouted, "Heavenly Lord of Yinshan—his might shakes the ages! Peerless in martial skill! Invincible under heaven!"
Liu Yun's eyes flashed. She sprang forth; with a few light bounds her figure shot like lightning into the crowd. A blast of palm wind rose—"Ninefold Returning Gale"—and a savage surge of force swept over the chanters. Seven or eight of them hadn't even reacted before they were hammered flat with grunts of pain, bodies jolted, collapsing one after another.
Two disciples, shocked and enraged, lashed out with fierce palms, winds hissing like knives. But Liu Yun's form flickered like a swimming dragon; she slipped between their strikes and spun back. "Piercing the Clouds, Sundering the Sun!" Her jade palms fell like thunder!
"Bang! Bang!"Two muffled crashes—both men took crushing blows to the chest, flew back several zhang, hit the ground hard, spouting blood, and went still in an instant. The rest fell silent, terror-stricken, scattering in panic.
Wu Tong's face hardened. He roared, "Any Yinshan disciple who does not move toward the Underworld Judge Sect, and chooses to crawl with that old Yinshan demon—will be cut down without mercy!"
At his words, dozens of Yinshan disciples looked to one another, hesitated, and then lost heart entirely. One after another they backed toward the Underworld Judge Sect. Those who remained were the diehards—blades in hand, eyes wild—clearly ready to fight to the death. Killing intent thickened; storm clouds of war gathered. Bloodshed seemed inevitable. As the verse has it:
When Heaven's Lord meets doom beneath Yinshan,misfortune seldom walks alone, it's self-provoked;Six sects unite to walk the righteous Way,while fiends take flight along a distant road.
The Heavenly Lord of Yinshan's expression shifted several times. He shouted, "Don't listen to their nonsense! Without my antidote you cannot live. Seize that brat at once!"
Just then two men began moving toward the Underworld Judge Sect—Fierce God Yuan Rong and Evil Fiend Hong Qi. The Heavenly Lord turned ashen and cried, "Yuan Rong! Hong Qi! I have not treated you ill—why are you leaving?"
Yuan Rong answered, "We're not fools. So long as the green hills remain, there'll be fuel for the fire. Things have come to this—think on how you'll survive the moment."
Before he finished, a figure lunged at the pair—fierce, fast, with palms like crashing waves of anger. The two seemed prepared; the three clashed at once. Fists and palms hammered, air surged, and dust billowed around them.
"Boom!"A thunderous report—the three sprang apart, each retreating several steps, breath surging. The Heavenly Lord's gaze turned icy as he bored into the pair.
Hong Qi's face tightened. He growled, "Old demon, what do you think you're doing?"
The Heavenly Lord's eyes were venomous. "We share blessings and bear hardships together. You two are poor friends indeed—did you think Yinshan's Heavenly Lord is easy to bully? Traitors have only one road—death!"
Tension snapped taut. Killing intent flooded the field; the wind hissed. All held their breath, waiting for the infighting to explode.
Again the Heavenly Lord snarled, "We share blessings and bear hardships together. You two are unworthy friends. Traitors—only death awaits!"
Then, from afar, drums and gongs began to sound. A yangko troupe approached, drawing nearer with clashing gongs, blaring suona, crackling firecrackers—a swirl of festive noise. Their chant rang out:
"White clouds drift, black hounds run; beneath Yinshan lurks an old demon.Death-Pills poison all his flock; foul his deeds, wrath of the people.Six great sects, gathered as one; Judge Sect upholds justice.Crouching Dragon cleaves the fiend; slay the old demon—Heaven's decree.Followers, heed and spare yourselves; obey Heaven's will, keep safe and whole."
At the chant—uttered in three-character cadence—the Yinshan followers blanched, panic rising, each fearing doom would fall upon them. Many strode quickly toward the Judge Sect. Seeing this, Cui Fujun cried again, "Men of Yinshan, the wise know when to yield. Today the Six Sects act in righteousness to execute the old Yinshan demon and uphold justice. Fail to awaken now, and you'll be but corpses beneath the blade."
All eyes swung to the troupe. Behind them trailed curious onlookers. The troupe reached the field, still moving to the beat of drums and suona, their voices rolling on:
"White clouds drift, black hounds run; beneath Yinshan lurks an old demon.Death-Pills poison all his flock; foul his deeds, wrath of the people.Six great sects, gathered as one; Judge Sect upholds justice.Crouching Dragon cleaves the fiend; slay the old demon—Heaven's decree.Followers, heed and spare yourselves; obey Heaven's will, keep safe and whole."
The Heavenly Lord threw back his head and laughed, then spoke coldly: "The Six Sects truly spared no expense—hiring a yangko troupe as well! You've even dragged out talk of gods and heaven. I have underestimated you."
He went on: "You there—how much were you paid?"The troupe looked bewildered. Their leader called back, "We took no coin from the Six Sects. We are here because, over ten years ago, a Jianghu adept named Master Qiankunzi cast the hexagrams. He said: 'A demon has arisen at Yinshan, and this very day is the appointed day to purge it.' He bade our village troupe circle Yinshan and chant an exorcism. Heaven, he said, would have its own stratagem to save the people. 'He who looks up and down at Heaven and Earth is Qiankunzi—half a sage who divines the Jianghu.' He is the famed fortune-teller known across the land. Life and death are no trifles; villagers seek only blessings day by day. How could we forget the appointed day? Besides, Yinshan's depredations have long plagued the nearby folk. The local gentry recalled Master Qiankunzi's words, gathered us, and set us to drive out the evil around Yinshan, reciting the exorcism he taught."
The Heavenly Lord's fury burned hotter. "Kill them all!"
But to his embarrassment, no Yinshan men moved. The attendants by his palanquin had already fled—no one remained. He looked about and choked on his rage. He growled, "Yuan Rong! Hong Qi! Deal with them. Well?"
The pair had already trimmed their sails to the shifting wind. Seeing the enemy's terrifying skill, their hands had gone cold. Yuan Rong sneered, "The Heavenly Lord of Yinshan—might that shakes the ages, peerless under heaven, invincible, is he not?"
Hong Qi added, "A man should answer for his own deeds. Face them yourself. We won't wade into this muck."
The Heavenly Lord blazed, "Heartless curs! I intended to spare you a life, but since your tongues are so cruel, I'll not suffer you further. You brought this death upon yourselves—blame no one else."
The meaning was plain: having stepped into the mire, there is no path back.