The flame seemed to be weak and dark, but it was steadily shining in the stove. The weird blue flame was so attractive that Xie Yao can hardly move his eyesight.
Then he sobered up. The unusual flame which appeared from nowhere out of sudden must be a trouble. He wondered whether he should put out the flame with the candlestick or stick the candlestick back to the corner. He thought there might be some connection between the flame and the candlestick because the blue flame appeared immediately when he pulled the candlestick out.
Although he had read a lot of mythical novels, he has never experienced such strange thing in the flesh. He dare not make any movement, looking at Yun Qing for help.
Yun Qing sat on the ground weakly, coughing. He held the Inch Cup in his hand, seemingly unaware of what happened.
Xie Yao took back his eyesight and felt ashamed. He was about twenty years old but he wanted to rely on a child when strange thing happened. Shouldn't he be the protector?
Thinking for a while, his courage was aroused by the scholar's sense of justice. He walked toward the flame and stared at it.
The flame floated in the air with nothing combustible around it. The illogical flame and the cold air together made Xie Yao shiver.
Having watching for a while, he did not feel anything special except the lowering temperature. It seemed the strange flame is not harmful. He relieved a little, not letting his guard down.
He wanted to leave with Yun Qing. But when he turned around, Yun Qing was not there anymore. Then he found Yun Qing examining something in the corner where he took away the candlestick.
Although Yun Qing could not see anything with his back to Xie Yao, he seemed to know that Xie Yao was watching him. He said calmly, "Get away. We will deal with him later."
Him?
Xie Yao caught the key word. Was there anyone else in the room beside Yun Qing and himself?
He looked around, feeling being stared at by invisible eyes. Then he ran to the corner where Yun Qing stayed and stood in front of Yun Qing, trying to protect him.
"Don't worry. There's someone in the flame. Everything will be OK when A Mang puts it out." Yun Qing's voice was as peaceful as usual.
Xie Yao thought that his feeling to Yun Qing was more like fear rather than respect. Yun Qing could know what happened in the silence without taking a look and he is not afraid at all. Is Yun Qing a cultivator like Fairy Wuxia?
"I am not a cultivator…I came to the conclusion from the lines on the candlestick." Yun Qing said suddenly, as if he knew what Xie Yao was thinking.
Xie Yao broke into a cold sweat. Yun Qing imposed more pressure on him than the blue flame. He swallowed and asked, "Are there words? Why did not I see?"
"Look at these uneven marks. They are ghost words." Yun Qing pointed at the candlestick.
There were some uneven lines on the candlestick, which could hardly be recognized as words. Xie Yao thought they were some pattern at the first sight. These marks were on the whole candlestick and extended to the underground.
"Ghost words…are written for the…" Xie Yao stammered, "The dead?"
"Yes." Yun Qing nodded, his face gloomy in the dark, "I can only understand the general meaning. It is like a curse that the cursed will be tortured by ghosts in the hell forever."
The cursed will be tortured by ghosts in the hell forever.
Yun Qing said these malicious words that were written in ghost language in a peaceful way, which calmed Xie Yao down.
"Is it a curse or a seal?" Xie Yao weighed.
"I guess it's a curse. If it is used for suppressing, Sanskrit would be better." Yun Qing explained.
"What is the curse for?"
"I don't know, and we don't have to know. It will be handled when A Mang put the flame out."
"Must we wait for A Mang? Can I do that?" Xie Yao wanted to leave this unsafe place, but it seemed that Yun Qing had no intension to leave.
"Haihai…" Yun Qing tried hard to catch his breath. Then he handed the pot to Xie Yao, "You can have a try."
The azure pot is only the size of palm. Xie Yao held it uneasily and wondered whether water in such a tiny pot can put the strange blue flame out.
"Don't hesitate." Yun Qing's voice was weary but decisive.
Xie Yao set his teeth and walked forward, pouring the water.
"Dear lady, please spare me." A gentle voice came from the flame.
Xie Yao was shocked by the gathering drops of water which reflected the blue flame.
A young man in blue scholar's robe came out from the stove, the flame burning on his clothes.
"Wait, you said…lady?" Xie Yao turned to Yun Qing who leaned against the wall and coughed up blood.
"Yo! It seems the lady is not well now." The young man looked serious but his words were frivolous.
"Yun Qing! Are you OK?" Xie Yao was nervous when he saw the blood and forgot about the gender of Yun Qing.
"It doesn't matter." Yun Qing was displeased. Xie Yao saw his angry expression for the first time.
No, maybe it should be "her".
"Such a small potato does not deserve my movement."
As response to Yun Qing's words, a huge figure broke the wooden roof and landed on the stove.
It's A Mang.
The broken wood and heavy dust fell on the floor and Xie Yao's head and clothes. He could not escape the dust.
"Come here." Yun Qing raised hand. The Inch Cup spread clear light on the ground where no dust could get in. Xie Yao rushed to Yun Qing whose face was pale with blood on her mouth.
"You don't need to suspect. I am a girl." Yun Qing looked at him.
Xie Yao was awkward, "I don't mind, I don't mind."
Last chapter for 2017
See you next year!
Happy new year!