Zhang Xiaofan stared at the bead for a long while, his breathing gradually calming down. But aside from noticing that its color and brightness had dimmed somewhat, he couldn't see anything else unusual about it. He had no choice but to put it back against his chest. He turned to look at Tian Ling'er beside him. She was still unconscious, but color was gradually returning to her face. Her condition had improved greatly.
He picked up that Amber Scarlet Silk and examined it carefully. This was the first time he had looked at this treasure from such close range. It felt soft and comfortable to the touch. Recalling the graceful figure Tian Ling'er had cut just now as she rode through the air, a wave of envy rose in his heart.
He looked at it for a moment, then imitated Tian Ling'er's gestures with his hand and called out, "Rise!"
The Amber Scarlet Silk lay there like a dead snake, completely ignoring him, not moving an inch.
"Jiji jiji!" The gray monkey at his side was holding its belly, rolling on the ground, laughing endlessly.
Zhang Xiaofan glared at it, but having just shared hardships with this monkey, he couldn't help feeling a bit of fondness toward it. The previous hostility had completely vanished. He stuck his tongue out at the monkey, making a face, then ignored it. He placed the Amber Scarlet Silk beside Tian Ling'er, and his gaze shifted to the pool in that open area.
It was a small pool, not large in size, with no visible source. It was likely formed by an underground spring bursting forth. The water in the pool was green and clear; from here, he couldn't tell its depth. On the western side of the pool was a gap where the water flowed out, converging into a small stream that wound away into the distance.
In the center of the pool was a pile of jumbled rocks of varying sizes and shapes, a small portion of which protruded above the water. Among these rocks, a black short stick was stuck at an angle, with about a foot of it exposed above the water while the rest was submerged. It was pitch black from end to end; one couldn't tell what material it was made of. It was quite ugly.
Zhang Xiaofan didn't pay it much mind. He only felt that this place was unusually strange, and it would be best to leave early. But although Tian Ling'er beside him had calmed down, she was still unconscious. No matter how he called, she wouldn't wake. In contrast, that gray monkey was extremely energetic, scratching its ears and cheeks, catching fleas and itches, unable to stay still for a moment. In between, it darted into the woods and somehow picked several wild fruits, tossing two to Zhang Xiaofan. Then it sat its bottom on the ground and ate with great relish.
Zhang Xiaofan picked up a wild fruit and took a bite. It was sweet and juicy, immediately stirring his appetite. Since he had gone up the mountain in the early morning and chased all the way here, it was now nearly noon. He hadn't had a drop of water and was already famished. He quickly finished one in a few bites. Just as he was about to pick up the second, he suddenly shook his head and gently placed it beside Tian Ling'er.
With the fruit in his belly, Zhang Xiaofan's hunger lessened slightly, and his spirits improved greatly. He stood up and stretched, looking around. He saw ancient, dense trees and a murmuring stream. The scenery was quite serene and beautiful. Who would have known such strangeness lurked here?
Right at that moment, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly felt a heat in his chest. In an instant, he heard several dull cracking sounds, as if something were shattering. Greatly startled, he hastily pulled the bead from his chest, and was immediately frightened. The entire bead was blazing with green light. Inside, green qi was like wolves and tigers, desperately slamming against the bead's walls. The Swastika Mantra suppressing it was growing increasingly fragile, dimmer and dimmer, apparently on the verge of collapse.
How could Zhang Xiaofan know that this seemingly ordinary bead was actually a world-renowned object of supreme evil—the "Bloodforging Pearl"? This bead's origins were unknown, but it possessed a strange characteristic: it was addicted to consuming the essence and blood of living creatures. If any living being came near it, within moments their essence and blood would be drained by the "Bloodforging Pearl," leaving behind only an empty husk. It was truly a terrifying evil object. Over a thousand years ago, this bead had been acquired by the Demonic Sect Elder Blackheart. Because of its ability to drain essence and devour blood, he refined it into a magical treasure. For a time, it was invincible, and no one knew how many righteous cultivators it had killed. Its reputation soared, and it became one of the Four Treasures of the Demonic Sect. After Elder Blackheart's death, the bead vanished without a trace, its whereabouts unknown from then on.
The divine monk Puzhi of Tianyin Temple had discovered this evil bead by chance thirty years ago in the Great Marsh of the West. At that time, for ten li in every direction, white bones had piled up and no living creatures remained. It was a scene of utter devastation with resentment soaring to the heavens. Greatly moved by compassion, Puzhi used Buddhist great dharma to collect it. Thereafter, every night without fail for thirty years, he applied Buddhist demon-subduing secret arts upon it, suppressing its evil power. He also strung it together with the Buddhist treasure, the "Emerald Prayer Beads," using their pure qi to resist the Bloodforging Pearl's evil thoughts. Finally, he suppressed this fierce spirit, tightly binding it within the bead, where under layers of Buddhist power it could not see the light of day.
Unexpectedly, in the battle at Caomiao Village, Puzhi was repeatedly and grievously wounded by a mysterious man in black, nearly reaching the end of his lamp's oil. Although the man in black had also fled with injuries, Puzhi knew that his opponent's foundation hadn't been harmed. He also surmised that the man was determined to obtain the "Bloodforging Pearl." Having taken the "Three-Day Mortality Pill," he could only forcibly extend his life for three days. In a decisive moment, he took a risky move and gave the Bloodforging Pearl to Zhang Xiaofan, instructing him not to show it to anyone and to throw it into a deep valley or off a cliff when he had the chance. Although it might harm some innocent creatures, it would be far better than letting it fall into that demon's hands.
But what Puzhi never could have imagined was that Zhang Xiaofan, remembering his kindness, would actually keep this greatly evil object as a memento. The "Bloodforging Pearl," having lost Puzhi's suppression by Buddhist great dharma, and without the pure qi of the Emerald Prayer Beads to resist it, began to gradually erode its restrictions. But Tianyin Temple's demon-subduing great dharma was no trivial matter. Although those layers of restrictions had lost their master, they remained loyal to their duty, suppressing this fierce spirit for a full three years. However, as time passed, they ultimately couldn't withstand it, gradually growing weak. And today, it seemed the Bloodforging evil pearl was about to break through the restrictions and bring calamity upon the mortal world.
Although Zhang Xiaofan didn't know of these many twists and turns, he already had a faint feeling that something was wrong. Back then in the battle at Caomiao, the Swastika Mantra had appeared many times during Puzhi's fight with the man in black. Although he had been young, he remembered it very deeply. Now seeing the mantra on the bead in increasingly dire straits, anxiety filled his heart. Steeling himself, he clenched his palm around the bead and circulated his meager, rudimentary "Great Brahman Prajna," sending it into the bead.
The two were originally of the same source. The Swastika Mantra on the Bloodforging Pearl actually brightened considerably. But before Zhang Xiaofan could smile, it instantly dimmed again. At the same time, an icy-cold qi took advantage of the opening and invaded his body. In moments, half of Zhang Xiaofan's body went numb.
The gray monkey at his side suddenly saw Zhang Xiaofan's face showing pain, with green qi flourishing across it. It cried out "Zhi zhi!" twice, quite anxious. But Zhang Xiaofan couldn't care about much anymore. He only felt all the essence and blood in his body reverse their flow, all rushing toward the strange bead in his right hand. And the Great Brahman Prajna within his body collapsed at the first touch; it was no match at all for that icy qi. At this time, his entire body's meridians spasmed in excruciating pain. He was suffering unbearably.
He could endure no longer. Staggering a few steps backward, he suddenly trembled all over. A familiar nauseous feeling surged up again, rushing straight to his five viscera. He had accidentally stepped back into that open area. Only this time, there was no longer that warm qi rising up to resist it.
The gray monkey was extremely anxious, crying out "Zhi zhi zhi zhi!" nonstop, but no matter what, it didn't dare step into the open area again.
Zhang Xiaofan's soul nearly flew from his body in terror. He was at a loss. He felt waves of cold and heat inside him, like ten thousand ants gnawing at him. He was nauseated and wanted to vomit, yet had nothing to bring up. It was truly a fate worse than death. His consciousness gradually blurred. He stumbled forward, completely unaware that he was walking in the wrong direction, only feeling his strength drain away bit by bit.
His whole body trembled, his hands and feet powerless. His legs went soft, and he collapsed into a sitting position. By now he had reached the edge of the pool. With his last shred of mental energy, he circulated the Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao, barely drawing some worldly spiritual qi into his body, then transforming it within into Great Brahman Prajna. It actually slightly relieved the pain, but only for a moment before it dissipated into nothing. Zhang Xiaofan couldn't care about much at this point; he struggled to continue, thinking that even a moment's relief was worth it. But that icy qi was simply too powerful, coupled with that strange nauseous feeling. It nearly turned his five viscera and six bowels inside out, rushing straight to his brain. Golden stars flashed before his eyes; his breathing grew chaotic. Suddenly, his throat tasted sweet, and with a "Wa!" sound, he spat out a large mouthful of blood, nearly fainting on the spot.
Right at that moment, a dull thud was heard. In an instant, it was as if the sky had darkened. Green light burst forth from the Bloodforging Pearl; the entire bead turned green. A flash of dim golden light passed, and the Buddhist Swastika Mantra was thoroughly shattered. Zhang Xiaofan's entire body was immediately enveloped in green qi, like a bloodthirsty demon being reborn.
Yet the strange events were not over. Almost at the same time the green qi regained its freedom, a loud boom came from the center of the pool. Immediately, wind rose and clouds surged. The broken rocks in the pool shot out in all directions, banging and crashing. The green pool water suddenly churned into waves, spinning rapidly around the center to form a massive vortex. And from within the vortex, through gaps in the water spray, something slowly rose, wreathed in black qi. It was that mysterious black short stick—about two feet long, neither metal nor iron. A wave of fierce, baleful qi surged toward them.
Zhang Xiaofan cried out and fell backward. The Bloodforging Pearl seemed glued to his palm; he couldn't shake it off. Inside it, one could faintly see a thin trace of blood slowly flowing from Zhang Xiaofan's body into the bead.
A whistling sound pierced through the crashing waves. That mysterious black short stick suddenly shot out, charging toward the green-flashing Bloodforging Pearl. An instant later, a massive boom resounded as the two greatly evil objects collided. Zhang Xiaofan felt a violent shock, and his entire body was thrown more than a zhang into the air. The empty ground beneath him was actually struck by this great force into a large crater.
Zhang Xiaofan fell back to the ground, bleeding from his seven orifices, his head dizzy and eyes blurred. But the pain inside his body actually seemed to have lessened somewhat. He only felt a sea of blood-red before his eyes; his eyes were bleeding. He forcefully wiped them with his hand, and saw that strange black stick smashing into the Bloodforging Pearl. Black qi streamed out endlessly, pressing the attack. Meanwhile, the Bloodforging Pearl seemed to possess spirituality, knowing it had met a great foe. It retracted its green qi and resisted with all its might. The two sides were locked in a stalemate. The icy qi and nauseous feeling in Zhang Xiaofan's body gradually receded.
Zhang Xiaofan panted heavily, his terror hard to settle. Subconsciously, he shook his hand, but those two strange things seemed like part of his palm—impossible to shake off. Black qi and green light still fought relentlessly.
Zhang Xiaofan was frightened in his heart. He only wanted to get as far away from these two strange things as possible. He mustered all his strength to get up, but before he could take a step, his head swam. His whole body swayed; his legs were weak and powerless. His body tilted, and he fell again. Before his eyes, the green pearl and black stick's two qis intertwined, battling fiercely. But the black qi was steaming upward, seemingly gaining the upper hand.
After only a moment, as expected, the black qi invaded in force, while the green light retreated step by step, seemingly unable to resist. Just at this moment, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm. Looking down, his heart nearly leaped out of his mouth. He saw that in his palm, in the area surrounding where the Bloodforging Pearl was attached, crimson blood was actually seeping out through his skin, continuously flowing, gradually forming into a large drop of blood.
Zhang Xiaofan's entire body trembled, his face completely drained of color. Correspondingly, the Bloodforging Pearl bathed in the blood drop, its green light suddenly blazing brilliantly. It launched a major counterattack, not only turning the tide but gradually overwhelming the black qi.
As more and more blood seeped out from his hand, Zhang Xiaofan gradually lost consciousness. The fresh red blood flowed upward, gradually reaching the junction between the mysterious black stick and the Bloodforging Pearl, then stopped flowing. Despite the green light and black qi battling endlessly, after a moment, it seeped in at this spot, gradually dyeing the parts where the top of the stick and the bead touched a red color.
A faint, bloody smell drifted in the air.
As time passed, that patch of red grew deeper and deeper, until it was almost vividly dripping. And somehow, the originally battling green light and black qi both dimmed down. From their originally antagonistic state, they gradually showed signs of merging.
No one knew how much time passed before this strange transformation finally reached its end. The black stick and green pearl completely lost their luster, merging with one another. With a "ka" sound, they fell from the unconscious Zhang Xiaofan's hand onto the ground.
※※※
"Xiaofan! Xiaofan! Little Junior Brother! ..." Anxious calls echoed by Zhang Xiaofan's ear.
His mind was a chaotic mess. He only felt an unbearable pain in his head; it seemed even opening his eyes took all the strength in his body. Tian Ling'er's face, anxious with a trace of panic, seemed both far and near, slowly becoming clear before his eyes. He moved his lips and called out softly, "Shijie."
Tian Ling'er was overjoyed. "Xiaofan, you're awake?"
Zhang Xiaofan forced a smile. "I'm fine, Shijie."
Tian Ling'er helped him sit up. The first thing Zhang Xiaofan did was look at his palm. He saw that the skin of his right palm was completely unharmed. Aside from being somewhat pale, there was nothing unusual about it. He stared blankly. He clearly remembered that just now a large amount of blood had surged out from his palm. How could there not be even a trace left?
Could that have been a nightmare?
"Xiaofan." Tian Ling'er saw that after sitting up, he was staring blankly, his spirit seeming absent. She felt somewhat worried and nudged him.
Zhang Xiaofan startled awake. He had been about to tell her about the strange events, but for a moment didn't know where to begin. He also felt that the matter was too bizarre; even he himself was doubtful and shaken. He paused, and finally said, "It-it's nothing, Shijie."
Only then did Tian Ling'er relax. After waking up, she had seen that it was already late. She had been lying under a large pine tree, while her junior brother had been collapsed on the open ground in the distance, unconscious. She had been frightened and hurried to Zhang Xiaofan's side. Fortunately, she had woken him up shortly after.
At this time, Tian Ling'er looked around and said to Zhang Xiaofan, "Junior Brother, this place seems very strange. We'd better leave as soon as possible. Tomorrow I'll ask Mother to come take a look."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded. He was about to get up when suddenly his entire body hurt, his head dizzy and eyes blurred. If Tian Ling'er hadn't quickly caught him, he would have nearly fallen again.
Tian Ling'er saw that his face was extremely pale, without even a trace of blood color. She was truly worried. She carefully helped him up. Zhang Xiaofan steadied himself and looked over his body again, not seeing any wounds. He said, "Shijie, I'm just a bit dizzy. It's nothing serious."
Tian Ling'er examined him closely again. Seeing that it was indeed so, she nodded. "Then let's hurry back. It's already dark. I'm afraid Father, Mother, and all the senior brothers are worried."
Zhang Xiaofan said, "Yes."
Tian Ling'er took a deep breath, checking her whole body and finding nothing abnormal. She wondered to herself how she could have fainted for no reason. Then her hand made a guiding gesture. Where red light flashed, the "Amber Scarlet Silk" whistled out.
Tian Ling'er was about to take Zhang Xiaofan up with her when they suddenly heard "Zhi zhi" sounds from the side. The two turned to look, and saw that the gray-haired monkey had somehow been standing nearby, grinning at them with its mouth split wide. In its hand, it was dragging a black, two-foot-long short stick of unknown material.
※※※
In front of Stillness Hall at Big Bamboo Peak, Tian Buyi paced back and forth, his brows tightly furrowed, his face showing slight anxiety. Early this morning, his daughter and that useless seventh disciple had gone to the back mountain to cut bamboo and play. Now it was dark, and there was still no sign of them. Su Ru had gone out to search early on, and now he had also dispatched the various disciples one after another. But there was no trace of them on Big Bamboo Peak, and the surrounding area was full of rolling mountains and dense jungle. Finding two people was truly like searching for a needle in the sea.
Just as he was anxious, a sound of piercing through the air came from the sky. Tian Buyi looked up and saw Su Ru returning with the two brats. Looking at Tian Ling'er and the other, they seemed unharmed. However, there was actually a gray monkey crouching on Zhang Xiaofan's shoulder; who knew where it had come from.
Only then did Tian Buyi relax, but the anger on his face didn't diminish in the slightest. Zhang Xiaofan glanced at his master twice, his heart trembling. He didn't dare move, lowering his head straight to his chest. But that gray monkey was quite mischievous, reaching into Zhang Xiaofan's hair now and then, as if trying to find a few fleas there.
Tian Ling'er put away the Amber Scarlet Silk. From the corner of her eye, she saw her father standing in front of the hall with an angry face. Her eyes turned a few times, and her smile blossomed like a flower, extremely innocent and adorable. She hopped and skipped to Tian Buyi's side, pulling his hand. "Father, we're back."
Tian Buyi snorted. "Where did you go?"
Tian Ling'er said with a grin, "While Xiaofan was cutting bamboo, he was bullied by a monkey. I went to catch it to vent anger for Xiaofan. See, that's the monkey." As she spoke, she pointed in Zhang Xiaofan's direction.
The gray monkey on Zhang Xiaofan's shoulder was startled. It cried out "Zhi zhi!" twice in this direction, putting on an angry look. Then it scratched its head and turned its attention back to Zhang Xiaofan's hair.
Tian Ling'er made a face at it. She then roughly described the chase along the way, continuing, "...Later, chasing it into the valley, I suddenly felt a wave of nausea and somehow fainted. When I woke up, I saw Xiaofan also collapsed on the ground, unconscious. But fortunately neither of us was injured. When we were about to leave, I saw that monkey seemed quite attached to Xiaofan, so I brought it back too."
Tian Buyi frowned and turned to his wife. "What happened?"
Su Ru shook her head. "When I found them in the back mountain, I went down to check. There was nothing abnormal. I think it was mostly because Ling'er's cultivation isn't enough, and she forced herself to carry Xiaofan with her on the Amber Scarlet Silk flying through the air. In the end, she exhausted her strength."
Tian Ling'er said coquettishly, "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about? How could my cultivation be insufficient? Xiaofan, isn't that right?"
Zhang Xiaofan hastily said, "Yes, yes, yes!"
Tian Buyi cast a sideways glance at Zhang Xiaofan and said coldly, "As a disciple of the Qingyun Sect, to actually be bullied by a monkey—if word got out, you would completely disgrace my face."
Zhang Xiaofan's face flushed red. He didn't dare make a sound, lowering his head.
Su Ru walked over and took Tian Ling'er's hand, saying gently, "You haven't eaten all day. Hungry?"
Tian Ling'er stuck out her tongue and laughed, "So hungry, Mother!"
Su Ru glared at her and pulled her toward the kitchen, saying, "Such a big personality in such a small person!"
Zhang Xiaofan also felt hungry in his belly at this moment, but in front of Tian Buyi, how could he dare move? Hearing Su Ru and Tian Ling'er going far away, but his master still making no sound, he secretly raised his eyes. Yet he saw the front of the hall was already empty. Tian Buyi had left at some unknown time. Presumably in his heart, even cursing this idiot disciple once felt like a waste of energy.
Zhang Xiaofan was momentarily at a loss. He stood dumbly for a long while until his stomach rumbled like thunder. Only then did he turn around. But subconsciously, he didn't want to walk toward the kitchen. Instead, he walked toward his own room.
Returning to his room and closing the door, the gray monkey looked left and right on his shoulder. It cried out "Zhi!" as if knowing it was home. It jumped down from his shoulder, scurried onto the bed in a few steps, hopping and jumping about. It also grabbed a pillow and swung it around, greatly delighted.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at the gray monkey, and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. But it was immediately suppressed by his hunger. He sat down by the table and poured a cup of overnight water that had long gone cold from the teapot, drinking it down.
A chill penetrated straight to his heart.
He sat blankly for a while, then reached into his bosom and pulled out an object. It was that ugly short stick. At this moment, the bead Puzhi had given him had already tightly connected with that unknown short stick. Even their colors had changed to a deep bluish-black, dark and gloomy. And at the junction, there was a patch of dark red, as if it were congealed bloodstains. Not only was it ugly, it was practically a bit nauseating.
He looked at it for a long while, then suddenly let out a bitter laugh. With a forceful flick of his wrist, he threw the short stick toward the wall. The stick hit the wall with a loud thud, then fell down, landing in a corner of the room.
The gray monkey was startled. It looked up at Zhang Xiaofan, not knowing why he was throwing a tantrum. Zhang Xiaofan sighed. He took off his shoes and got on the bed, pulled up the quilt, and covered his head to sleep. The monkey scratched its head, not understanding.
That night, Zhang Xiaofan tossed and turned, his hunger unbearable. It wasn't until late at night that he finally drifted into a muddled sleep.