Chapter 112 — The Heavenly Fox

His entire body collapsed in that instant, and he fell helplessly from the air, crashing heavily to the ground. Soul-Devourer, having flown but halfway, lost its master's urging and at once, as though possessed of spirit, flew back and struck him with a thud.

"Squeal—roar..." All three of Little Grey's eyes turned toward him at once, and it bellowed loudly, plainly unable to imagine why Ming Li had suddenly come to such a state.

But almost at that same moment, the flame beast opposite began to move. Upon the flame totem halo that had all along revolved behind the flame beast, one of the eight fierce deities suddenly flared bright, and with a great roar from the flame beast, it charged forth with all its might. That deity of light moved as though alive, clawing and fanging as it rushed alongside the beast.

Little Grey roared in fury, and its massive body suddenly lunged. The two enormous monsters collided in midair with a thunderous crash, then plummeted heavily to the ground, and the whole hall shook without cease.

The burning flames swept over like a collapsing mountain and overturning sea; in an instant several patches of Little Grey's powerful body caught fire, yet it seemed utterly indifferent to the pain of the flames. One claw slashed down and struck the flame beast hard upon the head, but almost at the same instant its own belly took a vicious blow from its opponent.

The two giant beasts roared in pain together, and moments later they were locked again in a tangled, tearing brawl, their enormous bodies become a dreadful volcano, each heavy blow sending a rain of blood into the sky.

Ming Li lay helpless on the ground, unable to move for the enormous agony that tormented him. Before his eyes all was the color of blood, and yet somehow, at this moment, his mind suddenly cleared.

All the sounds of the fight receded at once; the blazing heat of those burning flames seemed to lie at the far edge of the sky. The incomparable pain within his body gnawed its way densely through every inch of his skin. Through the bloody haze his eyes clearly saw the fierce deity of light, manipulated by that uncanny power, come lunging hideously toward him through the air.

Yet he, incredibly, felt no fear at all!

An instant—how long a time was that?

At the very edge of life and death, what is it that you remember?

That night of rustling rain in the bamboo mountains years ago? Or the pale figure beside you as you fell into the endless abyss?

In a daze, as though seeing the past, that faint smile at your first meeting...

He slowly closed his eyes.

So I am to die? Then let me die!

This life—it has truly been a weary one!

The next moment, boundless darkness, heavy with menace, swallowed him.

"Bang!"

The enormous force blasted Ming Li's body straight up from the ground and sent him flying backward. The deity of light, in its radiant form, clung to him with a hideous grin, tore his clothes open with a ripping hiss, and opened its bloody maw to bite at his throat.

Little Grey, still battling the flame beast, heard the sound and turned to look. In that instant its eyes flew wide, the corners of its eyes split and bled, the blood streaming down across its face, so that it looked almost like a fiend of the Nine Hells, and it loosed a shrill, piercing scream.

From somewhere came a surge of strength; the red glow in Little Grey's eyes seemed about to drip blood, and with a great roar it actually flung the flame beast bodily aside. But almost at the same instant, the flame beast's sharp claws tore a great wound in its belly, and the blood sprayed out like a raging tide.

Yet Little Grey did not so much as glance at its own body, and hurled itself back with all its strength toward Ming Li.

That man, entangled by the hideous deity!

Now reflected in its eyes, red as fresh blood...

Could that distance, so very close, perhaps be the end of the world?

...

The wind howled.

Menace came in waves.

The deity's fangs sank into Ming Li's throat in a single bite. Little Grey, still several zhang away, gave voice to a despairing whimper and roar.

A faint red light suddenly seeped out from Ming Li's torn clothing. Somehow, the fierce deity of light suddenly froze in place, rigid and motionless.

The Mystic Fire Mirror!

That ancient flame totem, encircled by a ring of green jade, now slowly brightened, shedding a red light that fell upon the fierce deity of light.

With almost no resistance, with a single hiss, the fierce deity of light—so hideous and savage but a moment ago—was drawn into the Mystic Fire Mirror like a whale drinking in seawater, and vanished in an instant.

Moments later Little Grey had bounded to Ming Li's side, but before it could examine his wounds, a rush of wind rose behind it, and the flame beast came charging once more.

From the wound in Little Grey's belly the blood gushed like a spring, and it was plain that its movements had grown somewhat labored; yet by instinct Little Grey still stood before the unconscious Ming Li.

Only, the flame beast suddenly halted. Its great head slowly turned, and its flame-burning eyes came to rest upon the Mystic Fire Mirror bound to Ming Li's right arm.

The ancient flame totem, shimmering with a blurred red glow, seemed to be telling of something.

Little Grey watched the flame beast warily.

But the beast seemed suddenly to have become very strange, as though unable to believe its eyes. It looked at the Mystic Fire Mirror, then at Ming Li, then at Little Grey; its great head turned this way and that, and it seemed somehow agitated, giving voice again and again to low growls.

After a moment, as though at last unable to resist something, the flame beast suddenly bent its two forelegs, sank down, and bowed its massive head three times, slowly, toward the Mystic Fire Mirror. Then, with a low growl, the flames over its entire body suddenly dimmed, and fire after fire winked out, until at last even the body of the great beast slowly dissolved into that space. And the flame totem in midair, bearing the pattern of the eight fierce deities, bereft now of the flame beast, likewise slowly vanished.

The whole hall suddenly fell quiet.

All the fiery, savage light was gone. The hall was once more bathed in the faint red glow that seeped from the volcano well, and only overhead, where the flame beast had appeared, there now gaped a round opening leading up to the second level.

Little Grey gave a low cry and slowly sat down on the ground beside Ming Li, gazing silently at its master. Then it looked at the great wound in its own belly.

It waited in silence.

The pain gradually ebbed, and life's instinct drew him back out of the darkness.

Ming Li slowly opened his eyes.

The enormous pain was like an invisible fire that had just scorched its way across every inch of his skin, leaving no mark, yet leaving him utterly spent.

He drew a deep breath, and his hand met a cold sensation: the "Dark Iron Rod" was still at his side, keeping him company.

The Dark Iron Rod...

He gave a sudden low, bitter laugh, and from beside him came a squeaking cry. Ming Li turned his head and saw Little Grey crouched at his side, watching him. Its enormous body had already reverted, and it was once more the little monkey nestling against his hand. Yet the wound in its belly, stained to a strange color by blood, and the third eye upon its brow, now flickering with faint golden light, reminded him over and over of what had just happened.

Ming Li suddenly smiled at Little Grey, then slowly sat up and reached out to stroke its head gently. Little Grey bared its teeth in a grin, gave two little squeaks, and scratched at its head with one hand.

The red light in the great hall flowed gently, shining upon the two of them.