Chapter 92 — Dead End

"Sha. Sha. Sha..."

"Hua. Hua. Hua..."

As if each keeping its own separate rhythm, yet all at once, from three directions, soft and even footfalls converged toward the Changsheng Hall.

For the first time, a trace of despair appeared on Yuyang Zi's face. Suddenly he bellowed, "Beasts! Show yourselves!"

The shout was powerful, though faintly lacking in inner strength, yet it still carried far across the marsh. It startled the distant Changsheng Hall disciples from their sleep; with cries of alarm they scrambled up and quickly gathered together.

Yuyang Zi's face darkened and cleared by turns, his heart sinking steadily. He looked back and to either side, then suddenly started and cried out, "Where is Meng Ji? Where has he gone?"

The Changsheng Hall people looked at one another, and for a long moment not a single one answered—clearly none of them knew.

Rage surged in Yuyang Zi's chest, and his head swam; he nearly spat out another mouthful of blood.

Just then, a calm male voice came from the darkness, saying gently, "Martial Uncle Yuyang Zi, is this the man you were looking for?"

With a "whump," something flew out of the darkness directly ahead of the Changsheng Hall, traced an arc through the air, and landed before Yuyang Zi and the Changsheng Hall disciples, rolling a few times.

Someone nearby had already lit a torch. In its light, a cry of horror went up—this was the severed head of Meng Ji, who had stood here speaking with them only moments before. His eyes were wide open, and in them was written utter terror; he had surely died with his eyes unclosed.

Yuyang Zi drew a deep breath. He moved his gaze from the head of his last capable subordinate and fixed it on the darkness ahead. Coldly he said, "Qin Wujiu?"

A young man slowly stepped forward. His face was somewhat pale, but he wore a gentle smile. "Martial Uncle, your eyes are indeed extraordinary. I stood in the shadows, and yet you could recognize me. Admirable, admirable!"

Yuyang Zi's expression could not have been uglier. Coldly he said, "You are ruthless indeed. But for the Wan Du Sect to treat a fellow sect of the Holy Cult this way—is your old master, that venomous wretch, not afraid that after death the Heaven-Slaughtering Ming Wang will cast him down into the underworld?"

"Ah!" Qin Wujiu pressed a hand to his chest in a show of fright, yet his face remained mild and smiling, without the slightest trace of fear. He turned to one side and said, "Fairy Jin, such a grave accusation—our Wan Du Sect would not dare shoulder it alone. Will you not come out?"

Yuyang Zi's face changed drastically. He whirled around, and there in the darkness to his left a woman of graceful bearing indeed came slowly walking out, her brows and eyes full of charm. In that dark night, the moment she stepped forth, it was as if the place had grown brighter.

"Jin Pingyue!"

Yuyang Zi ground out those three words through clenched teeth.

Jin Pingyue smiled sweetly. "Martial Uncle Yuyang Zi, it has been a long while. Have you been well?"

That greeting was several degrees more venomous than the most vicious curse. Yuyang Zi stared hard at her and said in a frigid voice, "My Changsheng Hall has always kept to its own waters and never crossed the Enchantress Sect. Why would you join with these Wan Du Sect creatures to kick a man already down?"

Jin Pingyue smiled faintly. "You are truly forgetful, Uncle. Some days ago, when you learned that I had come to the Dead Marsh, you feared our Enchantress Sect would contend with you for the treasure. So you had disciples of the Wan Du Sect killed and seized their secret poison, 'Black Toad Powder,' and with that poison you murdered four of my Enchantress Sect disciples north of Dawang Village. Is that not so?"

Yuyang Zi's face changed. He blurted, "How did you..." He caught himself halfway and fell silent.

Jin Pingyue said blandly, "Uncle, you are farsighted indeed. To set our Enchantress Sect and the Wan Du Sect at each other's throats—clever, truly clever. Fortunately Senior Brother Qin Wujiu is a reasonable man and investigated carefully, and the truth finally came out. Otherwise we really would have been made your victims!"

Qin Wujiu smiled from the side. "What is the fairy saying? To be of service to you is my honor."

Yuyang Zi's thoughts raced. The situation now was fraught with peril on every side. These two were young, but in recent years their names had thundered across the world—they were no easy opponents. And behind them the shadows were thick; though none had yet shown themselves, it was likely that the main forces of the Wan Du Sect and the Enchantress Sect lay hidden in ambush. If so, his prospects tonight were truly dire.

As Yuyang Zi's thoughts churned, he suddenly heard a stir among the disciples behind him, as if they had glimpsed something dreadful. He spun around—and at the sight, the blood drained from his face. There on their only path of retreat, out of the darkness, the expressionless Ming Li came slowly walking.

In that instant, as his thoughts turned over, Yuyang Zi understood. Despair finally took him. He laughed bitterly. "So the three of you had an agreement all along—to join hands against my Changsheng Hall. And I, fool that I am, thought to set you against one another. The mantis stalks the cicada, but you were the oriole behind!"

Qin Wujiu smiled faintly, then suddenly raised his voice. "Disciples of the Changsheng Hall, you have seen for yourselves. Tonight the Changsheng Hall's time is done. Those of you with sense, come over to our side now, and you may yet keep your lives."

At his words, behind Qin Wujiu, Jin Pingyue, and Ming Li, shadows stirred. Out of the darkness poured countless figures armed with magic treasures and blades, encircling Yuyang Zi and all his people in a tight ring.

The night wind blew softly. A hero at the end of his road!

The Changsheng Hall disciples looked at one another. By now everyone could see that to fight on was to walk the road to death. Surrounded by the three great factions of the demonic cult, at the end of their resources, what hope of survival could there be?

Yuyang Zi's heart sank. Sure enough, within moments someone shouted, "I surrender! I surrender!" and came running out, dashing toward Qin Wujiu.

Once one man led the way, the crowd was swayed. In moments almost all of them had run out—after all, no one willingly waits to die. Yuyang Zi was both shocked and furious, shouting again and again for them to stop, but at this pass between life and death, who still had regard for him? More and more Changsheng Hall disciples fled. The situation had spun beyond control and could no longer be halted.

Fury filled Yuyang Zi's chest, and a savage light came into his eyes. With a great roar he leaped into the crowd, seized a Changsheng Hall disciple by the collar, and would have made an example of him by killing him on the spot. At the sight, the crowd let out a shout and only ran the faster—save the unlucky wretch in his grip, whose legs had gone weak with terror.

Yuyang Zi's face was hideous. Watching the centuries-old foundation of the Changsheng Hall destroyed in a single night, he nearly burst with rage. His hand tightened to strangle the man—but then he saw how utterly terrified the fellow was, so frightened that he could not even get out a cry of lament.

Yuyang Zi looked at him, then suddenly turned to look at the disciples fleeing from him. All at once his spirit failed him. His hand went slack, and the disciple dropped to the ground.

The man, having somehow come back from the brink of death, could scarcely believe it. He scrambled and crawled away as fast as he could, putting as much distance between himself and Yuyang Zi as possible.

Moments later, only Yuyang Zi remained in the clearing, utterly alone.

Ming Li, Qin Wujiu, and Jin Pingyue walked forward together.