Chapter 299 — Snow-White Flying Bats

"To the Nether Valley?

" Ling Yuxiu hesitated. "The Si family's Old Ancestress says the Nether Valley is desperately dangerous. Even the masters of the Heavenly Sage Sect and the Great Shamans and Shaman Kings of the Golden Palace of Loulan came back with heavy losses when they explored it.

What chance would the rest of us have? " Shen Mu's resolve did not waver. "My origins may be bound up with that place. One way or another, I must go there once.

This is a private matter of mine—it has nothing to do with the Holy Sect, and nothing to do with any of you. I will go alone. " He rose and walked out of the Supervisory Workshops, then called for the Dragon Qilin, which had been sleeping outside the sheds.

At the sound of his voice the beast scrambled up in a fluster and shook itself awake. "Is it the second day already?

Is it time to eat? " Shen Mu leaped onto its back and said sourly, "It is not the second day!

Sleep, eat, sleep again—what use are you? We are going to Qingmen Pass! " The Dragon Qilin yawned; fire-clouds bloomed beneath its feet and it raced off toward the northwest.

"Hierarch, you have grown fat again. You weigh two hundred catties more than before.

" Shen Mu was furious. "Nonsense!

I have spent these past days forging swords and have grown a great deal thinner. Even counting the swords in my pouch, I weigh a hundred catties more at most. It is plainly you who have grown fatter! " Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang came running out behind him, but by then the Dragon Qilin had already risen into the air and gone more than ten li. Ling Yuxiu frowned. "Even if he means to go, he ought to make every preparation first.

That cowherd is too reckless; he makes light of the Valley's perils. " Si Yunxiang rubbed her backside again; Shen Mu's slap had landed so hard that both cheeks still stung and burned. "Can the Heavenly Sage Sect ever be short of masters? Ever since Long Jiaonan carried him off last time, the Jade Heavenly King and the Master Heavenly King and the rest have not rested easy.

They are sure to be nearby. Rest assured—if danger comes, they will never stand by and do nothing. What a pity.

. . " She stared blankly into space, then said suddenly, "If the Holy Hierarch were to die in the Nether Valley, the Holy Maiden would naturally inherit the seat of Hierarch.

What a pity I did not go to the Nether Valley with that Hierarch—otherwise the Holy Hierarch would have died in the Nether Valley, dead beyond all doubt. .

. " Ling Yuxiu went on her guard and sneered, "Little vixen, if you dare set your mind on my cowherd, I will break both your legs and leave your body folded into the character chu!

" Si Yunxiang giggled. "Little hussy, I have long found you an eyesore too—flaunting those great breasts of yours and forever dogging the Hierarch's heels, always in the way, never giving a body a chance to make a move. " The two girls exchanged one look, each finding the other's face detestable, and turned their heads away, walking off back to back.

A flicker passed through Si Yunxiang's eyes.

The Thousand-Silk Sword quietly unfurled, threading into the ground like a slender spirit-serpent, stealing underground toward Ling Yuxiu. At that same moment, behind Ling Yuxiu the Nine Dragons Weapon quietly stretched its limbs; dragon scales shifted position without a sound, dragon claws flicked out keen blades, and one dragon-shaped yuan-soldier after another flew silently toward Si Yunxiang. "I have been sick of you for a long while! " The two girls erupted almost in the same instant, each unleashing a merciless technique and striking to kill. Ling Yuxiu's skirts were slit open by the Thousand-Silk Sword as it burst up from the ground, and she only barely evaded the sword-silk's strangling coil; on the other side, Si Yunxiang's body danced like a butterfly, dodging the Nine Dragons' combined strike.

Ling Yuxiu's figure tumbled over and over, then suddenly she pressed her palm to the ground. A terrible dharma-power erupted; the earth boomed and shook; a stone pillar burst from the soil and forced Si Yunxiang to leap into the air. Ling Yuxiu bounded up in a few strides, reached out and seized the Nine Dragons Weapon; at once thunder and fire gathered into the great Nine-Dragon Hammer, and she brought it smashing down!

"I said I would make you stand as the character chu, and I never break my word! " Si Yunxiang giggled.

The Thousand-Silk Sword came slashing in from behind Ling Yuxiu; its silver threads suddenly swelled, thin as gossamer silver serpents, and cut toward Ling Yuxiu's head.

"How does your skill compare with the Buddha's Son's? You would make me stand as the character chu—then I will cut off your head and make you stand as the character tian! " From the Supervisory Workshops many disciples of the Heavenly Works Hall came out and stood looking up. The two girls were fighting viciously in the sky, and suddenly Si Yunxiang was blasted down, startling the Heavenly Works Hall disciples so badly that they did not know whether they ought to help. Then Si Yunxiang's figure vanished, appeared behind Princess Xiu, and beat Ling Yuxiu until she spat blood.

"This. . . we had best pay it no mind.

" One of the Incense Masters said, "With this sort of jealous quarrel, whichever side we help we will have no good account to give before the Hierarch. Let us pretend we saw nothing.

" The others nodded one after another and went their separate ways.

The Dragon Qilin was no slow traveler; by evening it had reached Qingmen Pass. The atmosphere there was oppressive.

Bian Zhenyun, commander-in-chief of the pass, was an old acquaintance of Shen Mu, and hurried out to welcome him.

"What brings the Divine Physician here with time to spare? " "I mean to take the road through Qingmen Pass and make a trip to the Nether Valley. " Shen Mu explained his purpose. "It is nearly dark now, and I cannot enter the Wastes, so I intend to rest one night at Qingmen Pass.

General, how go things at the frontier of late?

" Bian Zhenyun shook his head, his face grave. "The situation is not good. These past months the Mandi Kingdom across the way has been pouring in reinforcements, and there are many masters of the Golden Palace of Loulan among them as well.

I have heard that the Mandi Kingdom's Qiankang Envoy slipped back to the steppe in secret—it seems Mandi means to take advantage of Jingping's weakness and make war on her. Only days ago, gazing across at the barbarians' mighty pass, I saw several men who looked like they came from the Kingdom of Langjuxu. Of late the barbarian scouts ride out often, ranging freely between the two passes, insolent beyond measure. I fear. . . " His face full of worry, he went on, "I have already sent men at the gallop to report to the Emperor. If the barbarians attack, the troops of Qingmen Pass alone cannot hold them. Divine Physician Shen, by rights I should send masters to escort you to the Nether Valley, but I truly cannot spare a single man.

" Shen Mu smiled. "The General must put the greater situation first; there is no need to worry about me. I am only going to the Nether Valley, not to the steppe, and I will not come into conflict with the barbarians. " Night had fallen and the darkness crept in.

Shen Mu gazed into the distance. A hundred li away the enemy camp's radiance shot to the heavens, bright as day, and the troops gathered there were beyond counting. At dawn Shen Mu rose, washed, ate his breakfast, and fed the Dragon Qilin its fill.

Bian Zhenyun escorted him out of the pass. "Divine Physician, I cannot go with you, or the enemy will seize the chance to send out their great army.