by Jeremy Bai
Over the years, they developed powerful new techniques. Sunan created a mystifying counter called Blink of the Dragon, and Bao conceptualized a way to use the rage attack she had developed years before into something terrifyingly powerful that she called Rage Holocaust.
In addition, they experimented a bit with the powers of the Wind Saber and the Phoenix Crown.
Among the gifts Mao Yun took to bringing were various books and texts from the north, items which Bao and Sunan felt were important for the education of Jinlong and Chunfeng. Before long, they had quite a collection including The Book of Fortunes, The Classic of Mountains and Rivers, The Rites of Wan Mei, The Sayings of Kong Zhi, as well as various histories of Qi Xien. Mao Yun also brought two new volumes of Sun Mai’s scripture, along with a personal note from Sun Mai himself, providing a bit of news as well as some personal insights into his latest scriptures.
Both children were voracious readers and quickly memorized all the classics.
There were a few adventures here and there. On one occasion, the family pigs were stolen by a band of marauding monkeys. Sunan and Lawat tracked the monkeys far into the jungle to the east, and a spectacular battle ensued before the pigs were rescued. On another occasion, Bao and Chunfeng inadvertently exposed a gang that had been selling fake Wuxing sorghum wine.
Something more momentous occurred once when Sunan and Jinlong were out fishing. A sudden storm struck, dragging them far out to sea, where they were stranded on an island, unable to leave because of a sea monster that circled the island for two weeks straight. As it turned out, it was actually a stroke of good fortune, as Sunan and Jinlong discovered that the island was a natural meridian. Meditating for a single day there was like meditating for ten in most other places in the world. The island soon became a frequent destination for the entire family and provided an incredible boost to their martial arts.
During Mao Yun’s return trip for the children’s twelfth birthday, a sudden disaster struck Lawat’s family. His wife and two children were all stricken by a pernicious illness that, according to the local healer, could only be cured by means of a special type of ginseng that grew to the west. Sunan, Bao, Jinlong, Chunfeng, and Mao Yun joined Lawat on his journey to search for the root.
It turned out to be a much more difficult task than they had imagined, taking them on a journey of many weeks, into a land of endless swamps. They faced numerous dangers, including bandits, monsters, and the like. However, it would have been hard to find a group as well equipped for such challenges in all the lands.
It was on their adventures to the west that Bao used Rage Holocaust for the first time, and it left everyone dumbstruck with its sheer power. In the end, they returned with the ginseng just in time to save Lawat’s family.
The most dangerous situation arose when the children were twelve. Tribes of seemingly intelligent monkeys from the deep jungle went onto the offensive, pouring out from the trees to attack the humans in the area. What started out as raids quickly turned into a full-scale invasion by an entire army of primates. Sunan and Bao’s log cabin was completely destroyed, and the entire family fled to Sunharee Machalee city.
In addition to Lawat, there were a few other qi fighters in Sunharee Machalee, and Sunan rallied them to help defend the city from the army of vicious monkeys. That was the first time Sunan used Blink of the Dragon in a real combat situation, and it was just as shocking as Bao’s Rage Holocaust.
The “siege” lasted for only a few days before the monkeys were routed and driven back into the jungle.
The destruction of the log cabin turned out to be somewhat of a blessing. After all, it had grown quite cramped and worn out over the past decade. Sunan, Bao, Jinlong, and Chunfeng built a new log cabin, making it bigger, with separate rooms for Jinlong and Chunfeng, and even a spare bedroom for when Mao Yun came to visit.
Ironically, shortly after the new cabin was built, Mao Yun returned for the children’s thirteenth birthday, and this time he brought a guest with him.
When Bao saw who it was, her eyes lit up.
Chapter 80: Gates
“Uncle Gongye!”
Rushing forward, she threw her arms around Gongye Zheng.
“I couldn’t stay away from Qi Xien,” he explained, “so I came back for a visit. I ran into Mao Yun in Zun City and managed to pry the good news out of him after a few cups of sorghum wine.”
“A few cups! That’s all?” Bao looked over disapprovingly at Mao Yun. “Are you losing your skills as you get older?”
“He drugged the wine,” Mao Yun exclaimed.
Gongye Zheng laughed heartily. “I did no such thing!”
As usual, news came in from the north. After more than a decade of fighting, a major development had occurred. The leader of the invading tribesmen had been assassinated by Bone General Geng Long, after which the alliance began to fall apart. After retaking all of the major northern cities, the Fire General then led the Demon Emperor’s army north into the Yangu Plains to wreak vengeance upon the tribes there.
Some were even calling it a massacre.
Unfortunately, drought and famine had struck the lands south of the Chezou River. As such, the secret societies that had been so involved in fighting the Demon Emperor over the past decade shifted their goals to helping the populace. According to the Timeless Master, in times of tragedy, the people shouldn’t be forced to suffer.
During dinner on the first night, Gongye Zheng gingerly brought up a topic that many members of the martial world in the north were thinking about. “You’ve been away for a long time,” he said. “Do you plan to go back?”
“Originally we planned to go back as soon as the children could walk,” Sunan said. “But then the northern invasion started, and we feared chaos could break out if the Yangu and Chai Yun tribesmen and the juren crossed the Chezou River. Plus, with the Timeless Master there to coordinate the resistance against the Demon Emperor, it didn’t seem that we were needed. For the children’s sake, we decided that staying outside of the empire was still the best thing.”
Mao Yun cleared his throat. “Truth be told, talk has been spreading in the sect.”
Sunan frowned. “What sort of talk?”
“Both divisions are growing… discontent. People are wondering why you’ve been away for so long. For the first decade, Li Runfa and I spun enough stories to forestall any questions. By the way, after your quest in the lands of the Hechi, you sailed to the Sea of Bing in search of an immortal elixir. And then you went to the lands north of Naqan to confer with a guru regarding a martial arts technique. But people have begun to suspect that we aren’t being honest. I’ve even heard a few rumors that the two of you are dead.”
Bao chuckled. “Rumors of our death…”
“Bao, Sunan,” Gongye Zheng said, “I suspect that your days of peace will have to end eventually. Perhaps the martial world as a whole can do without you, but not the Dragon-Phoenix Sect. Stories have spread as far as Naqan about your exploits, you know. Despite your long absence, you are the heart and soul of the sect you founded. Unless the two of you retire outright and appoint a new Dragon Sovereign and new Phoenix Sovereign, you’ll have to go back sooner or later.”
“Father,” Chunfeng said, “why don’t we just go back? Sitting around farming and fishing down here is a big waste of time!”
“It’s not safe, Chunfeng,” Bao said, her eyes flashing. “You know that.”
“Come on, Mother,” Jinlong jumped in. “Could it really be more dangerous than fighting an army of monkeys? Or bandits and monsters in the Earthly Sea?”
“That’s right, Mother,” Chunfeng said. “We’re not children anymore. We’re almost as old as you were when you left Yu Zhing.”
In a rare moment, Bao was so taken aback that she couldn’t respond.
A brief, awkward silence followed, after which Sunan laughed loudly. “We’ll go back eventually. For now, let’s just enjoy the dinner and worry about less important things. Mao Yun, have you heard anything
about Sun Mai recently?”
“As a matter of fact, I have. He’s completed more volumes of his scripture. He now has a total of…”
Strangely, the very night in which Gongye Zheng and Mao Yun arrived, Sunan had a dream, the first one in more than a decade. For the time being, he and Bao kept that information to themselves.
Mao Yun only stayed for two weeks as opposed to the month he usually stayed. When he went back north, he carried a formal decree handwritten by Sunan and Bao, with various instructions for the sect that they hoped would strengthen the conviction of its members. The message also implied that they would be coming back to the north soon.
Gongye Zheng stayed behind. At first, he slept in the extra room in the log cabin, but after a few weeks went by, he declared that he was going to find lodging in the city and that he planned to stay nearby for a long period of time.
Both Bao and Sunan were delighted, and Jinlong and Chunfeng were also excited, having taken immediately to their elderly “Granduncle Gongye.”
A few months after Sunan’s dream, Bao slipped into a meditative trance that lasted for two whole days. Upon emerging from the trance, she did not need to ask for ink and paper, for Sunan had it prepared and waiting for her. She immediately penned the following words:
The shining Wyrm strides ever north,
The graceful Bird due south takes wing,
From north to east, the clouds surge forth,
From south to west, fair feathers sing.
The fiends, a tempest dark and foul,
A shining pillar paints the sky,
Golden droplets spin and howl,
The sun, the moon, two stars align.
Heaven and earth turned inside out,
The crash and clash of night and day,
All compass points unite and shout,
The Lions seal the fiends away.
When she finished, she put down the brush, took a deep breath, and said, “That’s it.”
Sunan looked at her, his eyebrows raised.
“It’s finished,” Bao explained. “There are no more lines to come.”
“How do you know?”
She shrugged. “I just know.”
They analyzed the poem as best they could but couldn’t come to any conclusions about what it meant.
After talking about it for nearly an hour, Sunan finally said, “I wish Sun Mai were here.”
Bao smiled faintly. “Me too.”
Gongye Zheng breathed new life into the family and quickly took primary responsibility for educating Jinlong and Chunfeng, especially when it came to matters such as calligraphy, painting, music, and the like.
The children spent more time in the city than ever, giving Sunan and Bao more time to meditate and cultivate their martial arts. Although they sparred frequently and often invited Lawat and other local qi fighters to join them, both of them secretly yearned for a real fight.
Mao Yun didn’t return for the children’s fourteenth birthday. At first Jinlong and Chunfeng were hurt, but when they realized that their parents seemed very worried, their attitude changed. The whole family felt as if a weight had suddenly begun to tug at their hearts.
Although they had always depended on Mao Yun to bring the latest news regarding the martial world, Sunharee Machalee was not so out of the way that news didn’t reach it.
Everyone was talking about how the Demon Emperor had invaded the Yangu Plains and massacred almost all of the tribes there. The gory, horrific stories trickling into the city were enough to make one’s heart crawl with fear, and the local Kithiri were starting to worry about what would happen if the Demon Emperor looked south.
As the children’s fifteenth birthday neared, and Mao Yun didn’t come at the usual time, the mood in the family turned very grim. Even Gongye Zheng seemed worried.
The birthday came and went, and although they celebrated, the joy of the occasion was greatly dampened.
A week after the birthday, Mao Yun finally arrived, and as soon as the family saw the look in his eyes, they knew that he did not bear good tidings. Although he smiled when he saw Jinlong and Chunfeng, nothing could hide the weariness in his expression or the sorrow in his eyes.
Bao and Sunan prepared a curried fish dinner, and it was only after putting some food in his belly that Mao Yun began to relate the news from the north.
“After the drought ended and food became plentiful, the Timeless Master said it was time to prepare for the final assault. While the Demon Emperor carried out his massacre of the Yangu tribes, the secret societies in the major cities intensified recruiting efforts and made major strikes against several important targets. Everyone in the martial world was excited. Within a few short weeks, many important officials were assassinated, leaving the heart of the empire in chaos.
“But as the major sects prepared to mobilize and march on Yao Gong Palace, something completely unexpected happened. The Bone General led a massive assault on the Grotto of the Timeless Master.”
Bao frowned. “But that grotto is an impregnable fortress. Unless they opened the front gates wide from the inside, no army could ever breach their defenses. At least, not by any means I can think of.”
“You’re right,” Mao Yun said. “And in fact, in the years since you visited, those defenses were even shored up and strengthened. However, no number of defenses could have protected the grotto from the magical gates.”
“Magical gates?” Sunan asked.
“The Demon Emperor can use magical gates to move whole armies vast distances in the blink of an eye. We only learned of this fact after the assault on the grotto. Each gate can only be used once, and there are a limited number of them at the Demon Emperor’s disposal. Apparently, the Timeless Master was aware that such gates had been used in the past, but he believed there were no more in existence. Either the Demon Emperor had gates held in reserve, or he created new ones.”
Bao’s eyes flickered. “Daolu. That’s how he did it.”
Mao Yun nodded. “Yes, we realized this after learning of the gates. It was always a mystery how he surrounded us so quickly back then. I even remember arguing with Sun Mai about whether or not the Demon Emperor’s armies could fly.”
“So, what happened, Uncle Mao?” Chunfeng asked. “I bet the Timeless Master fought a duel with the Bone General, didn’t he?”
“We don’t know for sure,” Mao Yun said.
Sunan frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“All we know is that the Timeless Master was defeated.”
Chunfeng and Bao both gasped. Sunan’s eyes went wide, and Jinfeng’s hands clenched into fists. As for Gongye Zheng, a grim look filled his eyes.
“The Timeless Master’s family and disciples put up a spectacular fight. According to the survivors, for every disciple who died, three Demon Emperor soldiers were killed. It was a bloodbath.”
“Survivors?” Bao asked. “Who? How many? What about Ping Fangrou? And Lady Qixia?”
Mao Yun shook his head. “Ping Fangrou didn’t make it out alive. Neither did Qian Chengsi or Lady Qixia. And the Timeless Master himself… well, no one witnessed his fall, but he was never seen after the initial assault, whereas the Bone General was. I think the result of their battle is obvious.
“A small group of survivors managed to flee with their lives, led by the Timeless Master’s sons. They fled through the jungle and made their way to Zun Shan, where we took them in. However, after learning of the gates, we didn’t feel safe, and we abandoned the palace. Upon the advice of Li Runfa, all of the outsiders who had in infiltrated the Dragon-Phoenix Sect over the years were either expelled or executed. Most of the lower-ranking members of the sect were dispersed, sent into hiding in various cities and locations in the Banyan, where they await a call to action. The leadership fled south to Zhe Valley, where they were taken in by the Scorpion Swordsman.
“Even now, they wait there. Dragon Sovereign. Phoenix Sovereign. You must return. The martial world as a whole is now completely leaderle
ss. The sects have been thrown into chaos, and the Demon Emperor is rapidly consolidating his power. We fear that he might even have regained control of the Zhizhu Coral.”
He looked at them gravely. “If you don’t come back now, the fight may be lost for all time.”
Chapter 81: Journeys
Sunan and Bao didn’t need any persuading. They decided to leave the following week.
It took a bit of time to take care of their affairs and belongings. After all, they had lived near Sunharee Machalee for a decade and a half, and no matter how much they had always viewed themselves as outsiders, they had definitely put down roots.
Over the years, Lawat had turned into not only a close friend but a skilled qi fighter. As the only local who had reached the profound master level, he was somewhat of a legend. After much discussion with his own family, he decided to join the party heading north as a way of repaying Bao and Sunan for their help years ago when his family fell ill.
However, when it came to Jinlong and Chunfeng, even after much discussion, the family couldn’t come to an agreement. The children wanted to join their parents on the journey back to their ancestral homeland, but Bao was staunchly opposed, convinced that the danger was too great.
“The entire purpose of our coming south was to protect the two of you!” she said. “I won’t allow you to be sent right into the tiger’s mouth.”
“Stop treating us like babies, Mother,” Jinlong said forcefully. “We’re far more skilled fighters than you and Father were when you fought in the Siege of Daolu!”
“That’s right, Mom,” Chunfeng said. “We can take care of ourselves. It’s not fair for you to keep us away from our homeland!”
Sunan didn’t seem willing to side with either his wife against his children or vice versa, and he only offered a few words of input here and there.
After nearly an hour of arguing, Gongye Zheng finally joined the conversation.
“I have an idea,” he said.
