The Sage, the Swordsman and the Scholars

by Pierre Dimaculangan

  Meiling looked down and fell silent at the news. “I will not stop from doing what you feel is your duty, Xin,” she muttered worriedly. “It is right that you fulfill your oath to your allies. If you must depart, may it be by the will of Heaven,” she told him as her eyes watered with tears.

  “I am sorry that I must leave you again, but I promise I will return, Meiling. When all is done, I would lead a new life of peace with you and Master. Tell him that this time I will return regardless of what he thinks,” he said assuring her. He gathered his belongings and secured his sword to his hip once again. “I’ve spent many years putting down those that would do harm to others all over the land, and all throughout that time, I’ve felt my deeds have been insufficient, and that it will always be. Now that these beasts have come to threaten our very existence, I’m finally presented with a chance to for something higher than myself honorable cause. I want the changes I make through my actions to last for generations.”

  “Then go. You always were destined for great things, Xin. This I have always known since the days of our youth.” With these words having been said, Meiling mustered the confidence to tenderly embrace him farewell. From atop the hill and under the pavilion, she watched him ride north in haste towards the far, far away capital until he disappeared behind the hills and trees. Her father’s home and town was far from the conflict and hidden from the sight of the Pale Ones. This gave Sun Xin a small measure of peace leaving behind Meiling as he made the long, arduous journey north. He was sure to avoid the main roads for there were many from his past that still sought the bounty upon his head. He would cut through to lesser known roads that leaned northwest passing the Wudang Mountains were the mystical priests have lived peacefully in temples and dwellings along the misty peaks. His journey would yet reveal to him something else the Scholars and the Emperor have not foreseen. It would only hasten his pace towards the capital.

  10 THE PIECES IN MOTION

  WHEN THE SCHOLARS HAD FIRST arrived in the Ming Empire’s capital, Famin Jie had just concluded his communion in solitude inside the Secret Place. Within the walls of the Sanctuary at the top of the Celestial Peak in Huangshan mountain range, Master Lo too had arrived in the very steps of the monastery.

  “The prompting in my heart has led me back into the halls of the Sanctuary. I have many fond memories here for it is where my life in the knowledge of truth first began many years ago,” said Master Lo delightedly. “My arrival is even more blessed that I am able to see you again, my dear friends,” he said to the Keeper and Famin Jie.

  “Disturbed has been my spirit of late and my dreams have become dark during the night. I have returned in search of the answers to the disturbances of my peace, but good to see you it is, friend,” said Famin Jie.

  “It is indeed truly a delight to see you again, Master Lo, and very timely as well,” said the Keeper. “I am also certain that the promptings within your heart are of reasonable cause. Divine orchestration has brought us all here in preparation for what has and is to come. Such is the nature of Heaven, to direct the paths of unlikely individuals to do mighty things,” he said with a smile.

  “As much as I am overjoyed to see you once again, we must be focused upon the task that has been entrusted to us. In my solitude in the Secret Place I meditated and cried out for the revelation of Heaven’s will. My cries… did not go unanswered,” said Famin Jie to the group which looked to him eagerly in anticipation of what he was to say. “Believe me when I say that a figure with a powerful presence descended from the top of the mountain. It appeared before me with instructions from Heaven. He said that the time for the restoration of the great Way is nigh, and the orchestration of key events present and future are in place to see it done. The only thing required of us now is obedience… by journeying to Beijing to meet the emperor,” said Famin Jie earnestly to everyone listening.

  “A mysterious figure descended from the peak of the mountain you say?” said the Keeper. “None inhabit the mountain’s peak. But if what you say is true, then that presence, which has not revealed itself for a very long time, is a sign of a great time of testing. Truly our situation has become momentous,” he said deeply whilst stroking his silky white beard. The rest merely looked to each other and shrugged.

  “Well, I’m not sure how in the world we’re going to manage to get to Beijing and meet the emperor, but seeing as I have no place else to go, I will go with you. It’d be a long journey, but Beijing seems like a good destination,” remarked Jirgal.

  “I see the nobility of this cause and long have I searched for a meaningful undertaking since the day of my banishment. I too, therefore, will accompany you there,” pledged Zuo Shilong.

  “I have been brought here for good reason and in obedience, I will be with you through this great task with courage and faith,” said Master Lo with assurance and encouragement.

  “It is done then,” remarked the Keeper. “The sages of old have long sought the restoration of the great Way, and Heaven is finally fulfilling that same dream we share to this day. Go forth in peace and let not the darkness cause you to stray.” To Zuo Shilong, the Keeper presented a long metallic rod of elaborate engravings. The mid-point of the staff was carved with an ancient writing style that could be most closely read as “Never for self-gain, but for the benefit of others”. It was heavy but wonderfully balanced and adamantine.

  “This once belonged to a great fighter who also found his way here many years ago. Before he passed away, he requested that the staff be gifted to whoever was of worthy character,” said the Keeper. “I believe I have seen that worthy character in this young monk. It wields the power to stop a tiger with one swift blow. May it serve you well in the cause of righteousness.” Zuo Shilong graciously accepted the gift which the Keeper wrapped in cloth and tied with silk cordage.

  “You honor me with this tremendous gift, Keeper. I feel unworthy, but… I shall wield it skillfully and virtuously,” said Zuo Shilong. He did not question the decision of the wise Keeper. With these words, the group proceeded out of the Huangshan range through a broad path behind the Sanctuary that led directly North towards the capital. The restoration of the Way over all the Middle Kingdom now rested upon a humble teacher, a meek sword master, a fallen monk, and a wise-cracking nomad descended from the horse masters of the steppe.

  The distant howls and cries of the Yeren continued to echo through the valley and the mountains in response to the great disturbances in the delicate balance of the metaphysical realm which they painfully feel within their very own life force.

  ****

  After hiring a boatman to ferry him across the river, Sun Xin pushed his mount towards the mountains of the Wudang located to the north of Huguang at the border of the province. The thickness of the forest and the steep uneven terrain was cause for the slowing of his pace lest the horse slip and become lame. At the edge of the mountains, a multitude of people scrambled hurriedly through the woods. “You there, stop!” he called out to one of the fleeing townsfolk. “What has happened?”

  “Marauders have overtaken the village and burned it to the ground!” she cried. “We tried looking for soldiers to help us but we couldn’t find anyone! Please save us. They’re still hunting us down!”

  “Everyone, make your way to the Wudang temple. Make haste to the foot of the mountain!” Xin said to the people.

  The people listened and redirected their route toward Wudang Mountain to find refuge among the warrior priests and nuns of the temple.

  Looking to the east, Sun Xin observed a company of figures clad in black robes and demonic war masks pursuing the villagers with great speed. They wielded sabers, ropes, and pikes of sorts which they used to cut down stragglers. As the people cried and fled in a panic, Sun Xin dismounted swooped in with his sword drawn to meet them head on.

  He crossed blades with the first two attackers but it became immediately apparent that they were no ordinary fighters. They were much stronger and faster than those from their counterparts an
d quickly he found himself becoming unable to compensate. The first attacker was surprisingly resilient and able to withstand several fatal blows before finally succumbing to the attacks. The second stood his own against Xin’s techniques with unexpected reflexes and strength. Xin strained to take him down as well. A series of rapid fire kicks and open hand techniques were necessary to keep him at bay and finally defeat him. After the second fighter fell, over one dozen of the other attackers charged with great speed towards Xin.

  He grew alarmed and was forced to retreat uphill to lure them away from the townsfolk. His strategy was simple and classic. The fastest of the group would charge ahead of the rest. He would then turn to slay him and then fall back to repeat the process. Despite his reputation for having great speed, Xin had difficulty maintaining his pace ahead of the vicious pack as their snarling and growling became audibly closer and closer. Eleven remained and Xin judged that he should stand his ground against them. They surrounded Xin with weapons at the ready. Some perched on branches directly above poised to strike at any angle. Their breathing was eerily labored. With a loud screech they attacked, but all of a sudden, out from the brush and foliage canopy, several Wudang priests leaped at the occultists, striking them down with their blades using the fluid techniques for which they were renowned.

  Xin eased his stance and watched as the Wudang priests bring down the attackers methodically and gracefully. The battle lasted only several moments and one managed to escape into the thickness of the forest. The priests turned to attend to the refugees who have already begun the climb up the mountain to the temples at the peak. One of the priests approached Sun Xin and greeted him fist in hand.

  “It has been a long time, Xin” she said, her voice warm and tart. Xin recognized her as one of his old training partners during his brief stay at Wudang. Her name was Yang Mai and had been a close friend to Xin during their younger days. Her beauty had matured since they had last met but her round face retained its smooth and fair complexion.

  “It has indeed been some time, good friend,” replied Xin as he returned gesture. “I am afraid there is not much time for pleasantries for I am on an errand of great urgency.” They turned to examine the bodies of their defeated foes. “There is something very dark at work in our lands and that this in accord with the arrival of our new enemies the Pale Foreigners. It is of no mere coincidence,” he said.

  “Yes, I too have recently heard much of these mysterious visitors from an alien land. They bring malice and ill-intent. I connect their arrival with the sudden surge of activity among the sects,” said Yang. Xin leaned over one of the dead and removed the ghastly mask on the body’s face. What he saw was not pleasant in the least. The occultists face had deformed to abnormal proportions that no longer resembled a man. His skin was a pale blue and his pupils were near white. The others also possessed the same mutations. The sight of it startled Yang.

  “What foul alchemy could have caused this?” she asked in disgust. On the belts of every occultist hung a small calabash canteen that contained a bitter-smelling black potion.

  “I believe this is the source of their new-found abilities and fierce physical appearance,” said Xin as he poured the gourd’s contents.

  “Even its odor is evil. The sects have been experimenting with elixirs and potions of long lost alchemies. I am not surprised,” she said. “This sect has been Wudang’s rival for many years. They are the antithesis of Wudang. Their wiles rarely succeed, though.”

  Xin and Yang then proceeded up to the mountain following the refugees and the other priests that escorted them up the precarious and ancient moss-covered stone steps towards the palace of temples at the top. The Wudang monastery was nestled cozily upon of the mountain as it had always been for hundreds of years. It was a very sacred spiritual place for the priests who spent their days venerating many deities whose images stood as the centerpieces for many of the temples throughout the monastery grounds. The mountain was covered with thick forest and was continually shrouded in gray mist and clouds which further added to the mystical aura for which Wudang Mountain was well known. Hours of climbing steep stone steps led to the very top where the Purple Cloud Temple stood majestically at the heart of the complex themed with bright red walls and forest green rooftops surrounded by towering trees and shallow cliffs covered in lush vegetation. At the base of its steps in the small yard and beyond, the refugees hustled together for warmth as the priests distributed what little food and blankets they could provide. Many of the priests were delighted upon Sun Xin’s unexpected reappearance.

  Together with the elders of the priesthood they gathered around Xin to hear what he had to say. He told them that the attack upon the villages and how the noticeable rise of terror organizations and secret societies across the land was merely the beginning of their woes. He warned them that safe havens like the monastery were under imminent attack from such secret societies that would only likely grow in strength and frequency. He had told them what he knew concerning the arrival of the Terukk and the unfortunate turn of events that has caused their initiation of hostility with the Ming.

  “This sudden act of hostility is but a taste of the hardships to come for us and the people. The arrival of the Pale Foreigners has initiated a movement amongst all followers of the dark but I have yet to discover whether the Foreigners are directly responsible for these uprisings,” Xin told them. “Of this we can be certain: the forces of the Underworld are rallying against us and we must be ready to take a stand for our own survival.” He had also respectfully requested, that though the priests of Wudang were exempt from militaristic services, they would still be called upon to defend their homeland in aid of the Scholars for the Ming’s struggle against the Foreigners was now also their very own as well..

  After he had given the Wudang priests these warnings and requests he bid them farewell and good fortune for any impending battles they may have against the enemy.

  He left the mountain the following morning with great speed some few hundred li up north towards the edge of the province where yet another sect of great warrior monks have established their domain in the mountains of Shaoshi. After days pushing his mount to full gallop for days of expedient travel through the old roads and beaten paths of the provinces, Sun Xin stumbled upon a large clearing in the forest far in the distance. From the elevated beaten path where he had directed his horse, he saw legions of men encamped in valley.

  A thousand trees had been cut and thousands more tents had been erected at this large gathering of men dressed in black robes similar to those he had defeated at the foot of the Wudang Mountains. An army of dark occultists and rebels from the secret societies were being united under a common banner and was amassing at the very doorstep of the civilized world. Herds of foul Nian-like beasts gathered in the makeshift stables of their remote encampments. A very tall and imposing figure at the head of the encampment was stirring up this dark army, their thundering shouts and chants echoed across the valley and reverberated through the trees. What they were shouting and chanting was unclear but it became apparent that the words were not of the Middle Kingdom for it possessed a negative power that weighed heavily upon Xin. Large vessels were erected at the rear of the camp and emitted large plumes of steam with a hue of blue. Companies of men made their way through them entering on one side, and exiting out the other. What it was he was observing, Xin could not be certain but the very arrangement looked sinister.

  “Who’re they?” he asked himself. “Black Dragon School? Eye of the Serpent and Crimson Moon? An alliance of the three?” These questions aggravated the sense of urgency he developed since leaving Wudang Mountain.

  He could not observe them for more than a few moments as he was no longer able to tolerate the oppression he felt from their accursed shouting and chanting. Xin discovered he was not alone in his oppression when he heard the painful howls of the Yeren in the distance.

  From the west, yet another creature of ancient myth emerged from the woods and gazed up
on the black army in the valley. Far into the distance, Sun Xin observed that it had the body of a lion, the face of a dragon, and the long pointed horn of a unicorn. It was perhaps the legendary creature Xiezhi –a beast supposedly possessing supernatural instincts with the sole purpose of dispensing justice and punishment against wrongdoers. It appeared that it was poising itself to take aggressive action whenever it would happen. He sighed and shook his head before massaging his eyes. He looked into the distance once again and saw it gone.

  “I need to get it together. I’m starting to see things,” he told himself.

  Bearing witness to all these things further hastened Sun Xin’s steps towards the capital. He reared his horse and galloped north towards the Shaoshi Mountains to seek more urgent aid for this new domestic crisis. The monks there knew of him and were on good terms with him despite how much they disagreed with his methods. Their support would prove to be indispensable to the Scholars for the great battles ahead.

  ****

  After the party of four had left the Sanctuary at Huangshan, Zuo Shilong passed the time by engaging in deep conversation with Famin Jie whom he had been calling “teacher”. He wanted to know so much about this “Way” that Famin Jie continually spoke of and what it meant for people and society. It was unlike anything he had ever heard and it greatly intrigued him though he struggled to comprehend it.

  “The Way is. It is Heaven’s revelation to man and the transcendent moral path given to us so that we should live in accordance with it. This is what it means to be in harmony with the Way. It is infinite; it is timeless, eternal. It is from the immaterial and transcendent Way that the cosmos and all of physicality were birthed. It nourishes all things with power, balance, harmony, and fine-tuned perfection. It is inseparable with Heaven for they eternally existed in the beginning. Being the cause of the infinitely complex universe, the Way is the source of all truth, wisdom, and knowledge. It is the only window into knowing the character, nature, and power of the Most High. Those who live in accord with the Way obey the will of Heaven and those who obey Heaven’s will are therefore in harmony with the Way. Thus it is the standard of righteousness and the key to the perfect civilization. The Middle Kingdom has thrived for thousands of years because our ancestors obeyed Heaven and because the Way prevailed over all the land. It was sufficient so that even long after it had been lost and forgotten, Heaven’s blessings continue to this day… though I am afraid that the Spirit has retreated from us in these times,” Famin said sadly. He looked ahead in deep thought as Zuo Shilong continued his queries. His mind struggled to comprehend such questionable beliefs.