Legends of Ogre Gate

by Jeremy Bai

  Sunan was the first to step forward and follow.

  The young woman led them farther into the forest, where the terrain began to slope upward.

  “There’s a mountain up ahead,” Wang Tian said. “Unnamed, as far as I know.”

  The young woman stopped walking and looked over her shoulder. “It has a name. Shenshi Shan.” With that, she continued on.

  Bao frowned slightly as she walked along next to Sunan. “She has a very strange accent, but I think the name of that mountain is Classical Fei. If I’m right, it means ‘holy rock’ or something like that.”

  “Interesting.”

  The ground sloped upward with increasing steepness. Eventually, they reached a valley filled with small huts and bustling with people dressed like the young woman.

  When she led the group into the village, many eyes turned in their direction. However, no one seemed particularly surprised by their arrival, and everyone went about doing whatever they had been doing moments before.

  “Welcome to Zhenshan Village,” the young woman said. “The True Shan are waiting in the holy cave at the end of the village. Come.”

  Bao leaned toward Sunan. “It’s definitely Classical Fei,” she whispered. “The name of their village means ‘true shan.’ It’s hard to say what that ‘shan’ means, though. Originally I thought it meant mountain, but now I think it might means ‘virtue’ or maybe ‘benevolence.’”

  At the end of the valley was a cave that seemed very ordinary in nature. The young woman came to a stop just outside. “I am not worthy to enter,” she said, “and neither are the rest of you, save for the Young Dragon and Fierce Phoenix. Please, go in.”

  Mao Yun lowered his voice and said, “Are you sure this is…”

  “Safe?” the young woman completed. “Of course. The True Shan are the epitome of benevolence. They have been waiting for you.”

  Sunan patted the box with the wind stone in it and then walked into the cave. Bao followed.

  The initial tunnel was dark, but faint light gleamed up ahead. They walked forward cautiously until the tunnel bent to the left, then the right. Then it opened up into a small cavern.

  A bizarre sight met their eyes, causing both of their jaws to drop. A fire burned in the middle of the cavern, its flames violet and tinged with green. Seated cross-legged around the fire in a semicircle were five creatures that were obviously the ‘headless men’ that Wang Tian’s scout had spotted. They were clearly not human. Each one had two large eyes on its chest and a wide mouth on its stomach. Their limbs were slender, their fingers and toes longer than a human’s. They wore nothing except for loincloths crafted from vegetation.

  When Sunan and Bao entered the room, the creatures’ eyes were closed, but only a moment later, they opened, and they seemed to shine with profound light.

  Sunan swallowed hard to still his beating heart, then clasped his hands and bowed. “I am Fan Sunan. Greetings, Seniors.”

  Bao followed suit. “I am Shangguan Bao. Greetings, Seniors.”

  The creatures blinked, and then the one in the center smiled. “We are the Shan,” he said. His voice was deep and sonorous, and his accent lilting, something the likes of which neither Sunan nor Bao had ever heard before. “I am the Speaker of this generation. Please, sit and hear my words.”

  After only the slightest hesitation, Sunan and Bao both sat down cross-legged. Including the five Shan, they now formed a complete circle around the fire.

  “We Shan are an ancient people,” the Speaker said. “Back when the world was filled with rivers and mountains, we were numerous. Now, our numbers have dwindled, but we have not forgotten the words whispered to us by the ancient winds. For countless generations, our people have waited for a phoenix and a dragon to appear among you humans. According to the ancient winds, that phoenix and dragon would either lead the world into a new era of progress or drag it into darkness.

  “The ancient winds told our ancestors that it was only by helping the human phoenix and the human dragon to succeed in walking their path to completion would the world progress as intended. Therefore, there is no need for you to request our assistance. We offer it willingly.

  “We know that you possess one of the holy tempest stones.” His eyes turned to face Bao. “The instant you touched it, Fierce Phoenix, we sensed you.

  “Presumably, you wish to use the empyreal hammer to forge the tempest stone into an object of power.” He smiled. “You need not request permission; we give it freely.”

  Bao and Sunan were at a loss for words.

  “Senior Speaker,” Sunan said, “we… we…”

  The Speaker smiled. “Words are not necessary. We understand. The matter of the tempest stone and empyreal hammer is settled. However, there is another matter we wish to speak of with you, and an offer we wish to make.

  “Since ancient times, we Shan have sought truth in the winds, by means of the wind dream. Considering that you are the Young Dragon and the Fierce Phoenix, would you like to join us in a wind dream to seek guidance about the coming days?

  “Perhaps we could even catch a glimpse of the future…”

  Chapter 66: Ping

  The Speaker produced a conch shell so weathered by time that it looked like a stone teardrop. Its surface was as smooth as jade, and it was just barely possible to see arcane magical symbols and designs carved into the surface. The Speaker raised the conch shell to the mouth on his stomach and then blew into the end.

  A blast of wind emerged from the other end of the shell, which, when it touched the violet flames, sent sparks showering out in all directions. The sparks swirled through the cave, spinning around and around until they formed a vortex. With each moment that ticked by, each spark began to shine, until the violet light filling the cave was so bright that Sunan and Bao both closed their eyes.

  Everything went still, and then a rushing sound filled their ears.

  They opened their eyes to find themselves flying through the air. When they looked down and around, they didn’t see their bodies. It felt as if they were simply the wind, streaming through the air. Next to them were five other streams of wind, which were the other True Shan.

  One might think that being the wind would impart a feeling of freedom, but it was actually the opposite. They were like drops of water in a river, tiny streams of wind in a raging torrent that swept through the sky. Whispering, murmuring voices echoed in their ears, although it was impossible to make out any distinct words.

  A moment later, the voice of the Speaker could be heard, faint, as if it were coming from the other side of the world.

  Don’t struggle. We will follow the winds wherever they take us.

  They were flying along a mountain range filled with towering peaks and stunning valleys. They raced along until the mountains began to drop toward the ground. Then a body of water became visible up ahead.

  That’s the Mei Lian Sea! Bao said. Or thought. She wasn’t sure which. They flew along the edge of the sea until a city rose up on the horizon. Yu Zhing!

  The winds swept them past Yu Zhing and then north, swirling around the mountain Gor Shan before speeding up the Fei River. They passed Fan, following the river west. Bao was almost sure she caught a glimpse of the inn where she and Mao Yun had first gotten drunk together all those years ago.

  Are we going to Mount Fohe? Sunan wondered.

  Whether or not that was the initial destination would never be known. Halfway up the Fei River, something changed. Before, they had been speeding along completely unobstructed. But suddenly the winds around them trembled. Then they were tugged off course, pulled south, away from the river.

  In addition to the rushing sound of winds, rumbling sounds filled the air.

  What’s this? the Speaker asked. The winds are being pulled south against their will…

  As they shot south, mountains rose up ahead of them. Just barely visible in one location in those mountains was a towering palace.

  Is that…? Bao said.

  Yao G
ong Palace? Sunan continued.

  The Speaker suddenly spoke in an urgent voice. The lair of the Demon Emperor. This wind dream has been interfered with. We must leave!

  As they sped toward the palace, they saw a black tempest spring into being, surrounding the entire palace. Then, golden light began to shine up into the heavens. When Bao and Sunan looked up, they were shocked that the sun, the moon, and two dazzlingly bright stars had formed a square up above. Moments later, golden clouds began to fill the sky.

  The winds around them were screaming, not because of the speed with which they flowed, but because of fear. Terror.

  Sunan and Bao felt themselves shaking violently as a golden-colored rain began to fall around them.

  Then their eyes opened.

  ***

  In the middle of the Banyan Region was a mountain that would, in later generations, come to be called Mount Heiping. As a young girl, Hui had once traveled with her master to a secret temple on Mount Heiping. The sect there had been their ally in resisting the Demon Emperor, and she had learned much from them.

  After her encounter with the Love General, she decided that she needed to rethink her mission and seek enlightenment on how to proceed. She had traveled south, passing the slow-moving Dragon-Phoenix Sect and entering the Banyan ahead of them. Just as Bao and Sunan had recently done, she rafted down the Southern Fei, then hiked through the jungle to Mount Heiping.

  Along the way, she encountered a few dangerous situations, but they were nothing a profound master like herself couldn’t handle.

  To her surprise, she found that in the location of that future secret temple, there was already a structure in existence. It was also a temple, clearly an ancient one at that, little more than an outline of walls, and almost completely overrun by vegetation.

  Something about the place seemed to resonate with her, leading her to wonder who might have built such a structure and why it had been erected in this specific location. She also wondered whether it was connected to the temple she remembered from her youth.

  After clearing out a space for herself and erecting a temporary shelter, she sat down cross-legged to meditate and pray.

  Time flew by, and she was so engrossed in meditation that she lost track of the time. One day, only moments after the Speaker took out his conch shell far to the north, a tremor ran through Hui. Then her hand twitched, and she opened her eyes and shot to her feet.

  “Someone has interfered with my Trance Touch incantation.”

  ***

  Countless violet sparks fell down to the ground of the cave, where they danced spasmodically until fading into nothing.

  The Speaker slumped in place. Sweat covered his body, and it was the same with the other True Shan, as well as Bao and Sunan.

  “What was that?” Bao asked.

  “My dream,” Sunan said, reaching up to massage his temples.

  Surprise flashed in her eyes. “You mean the dream?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’ve had that dream before?” the Speaker asked.

  Sunan nodded. “Something like it. Black winds. Golden light. Rain.”

  Bao thought for a moment, then said, “And then there’s my poetry…”

  They proceeded to explain a bit about their dreams and poetry. The Speaker listened thoughtfully, and when they were finished, he sat quietly for a long moment.

  “Wind dreams cannot be interfered with externally.” His eyes turned up in thought. “Well, perhaps that isn’t necessarily true. Or could it be that…” He lapsed into silence.

  After another long moment, he sighed. “I must confer with my brothers and sisters about this. For now, please retire to the quarters which have been prepared for you. You may use the empyreal hammer, but you may not take it with you. It must be used in the forges here in the valley. Take this.” A command medallion appeared in his hand that appeared to be crafted from shells. He tossed it to Sunan. “If we achieve any enlightenment regarding the wind dream, we will call for you.”

  ***

  Ruan went to work immediately, and the days began to pass. As for the rest of the group, they spent time training and sparring. A few of the members of the Shan tribe were already proficient in the cultivation of qi and had begun to fuse it with their traditional fighting style. Although none of them were as powerful as Bao or Sunan, the diversity of their combat arts provided new insights to the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Sect.

  An entire month went by. On a few occasions during that time, Sunan almost brought himself to give the cloth bracelet to Bao, but he never did.

  One day, Ruan returned from the forges with a long wooden box. It was simply crafted, decorated with a carving of a dragon that had powerful gusts of wind surrounding it.

  “It’s done,” Ruan announced, handing the box to Sunan.

  “Is it safe to open?”

  Ruan nodded. “It was very difficult to contain the power of the wind, but the job is done.”

  Sunan opened the box to reveal what appeared to be an ordinary saber.

  “It took shape on its own,” Ruan explained. “Just like the Phoenix Crown. To be honest, I’m not sure what its powers are.”

  Sunan reached into the box and grabbed the saber by the hilt. When he did, he felt a tingling sensation in his arm, like wind flowing through him. The effect faded away quickly.

  He performed a few forms with the saber.

  “Good weight and balance,” he commented.

  After a few moves, in which nothing out of the ordinary happened, he shrugged. “Perhaps it needs to be used in real combat to reveal its powers.”

  “Likely so,” Ruan said. “The power of the wind from that stone is definitely inside of it.”

  “What should I call it?” Sunan mused.

  “The Blade of Tempests?” Mao Yun said.

  “Too wordy,” Bao said.

  “The Broadsword of Winds?” Wang Tian offered.

  Sunan and Bao looked at each other, then shook their heads.

  “The Wind Saber,” Sunan said.

  Bao smiled. “I like it.”

  ***

  Over the course of the past month, the True Shan had sent no word regarding the dream. Now that the Wind Saber was complete, Sunan and Bao inquired of the tribe elders and were informed that they could leave.

  The same young woman who had led them to the tribe brought the news. “If the True Shan wish it, they will contact you,” she said. “Now, if you’re ready to go, I’ll lead you back to the river.”

  And thus began their return to the western Banyan Region.

  Pushing the raft upstream with poles was still faster than traveling on foot. Days flowed by, and eventually they disembarked and began to head on foot back toward Chrysanthemum Lake. As time continued to pass, the little cloth bracelet Sunan had tucked away in his robe started to seem heavier and heavier.

  They were noticed by a Dragon-Phoenix Sect patrol when they were about a day from the camp.

  “Dragon Sovereign Sunan! Phoenix Sovereign Bao! Greetings!” The disciples who met them excitedly went on to explain that the new sect headquarters was complete and that the sect had merely been waiting for their return before moving into Zun Shan.

  They hurried back to the temporary camp as quickly as possible.

  Upon arriving, they were received by Sun Mai and leaders of the sect. Everyone was in high spirits and itching to move into the new sect headquarters.

  “I’ve been there myself,” Sun Mai said. “It’s a grand sight to be sure. However, considering you’ve been gone for so long, a feast is in order. Tonight we dine and drink, and we shall worry about Zun Shan tomorrow.”

  Just when the festivities were beginning, a guard hurried over to Bao and Sunan. “Dragon Sovereign Sunan, Phoenix Sovereign Bao, a visitor has arrived and seeks an audience.”

  “Who is it?” Bao asked.

  “A young lady surnamed Ping. She says she brings a message from the Timeless Master!”

  Chapter 67: A Letter
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br />   Ping was pretty but not beautiful, with a charming smile that radiated sincerity. She wore ordinary garments and was unarmed. Strapped at her waist was a corked gourd bottle with the character “alcohol” painted on it.

  Clasping her hands formally, she said, “Greetings, Dragon Sovereign Sunan. Greetings, Phoenix Sovereign Bao. I am Ping Fangrou, loyal disciple of the Timeless Master. Because of the unique style of martial arts I’ve developed, my friends call me the Drunken Crane. I am here to offer formal greetings on the behalf of the Timeless Master and to deliver a message.

  “Dragon Sovereign, Phoenix Sovereign, it was not my intention to interrupt your feast. I’ll take my leave now and return in the morning.” With that, she bowed and prepared to leave.

  “Hold on,” Bao said. “There’s no need to leave. Please, join us!”

  “Yes, please do,” Sunan added. “I’m curious about this unique martial art of yours.”

  Ping Fangrou hesitated. “I really couldn’t prevail upon you in such a fashion…”

  “Nonsense,” Bao said. “We insist.”

  Ping Fangrou’s smile lit up the room as she once again clasped her hands. “If you insist!”

  The tables were rearranged so that Ping Fangrou could sit near Bao and Sunan. Food and drink were served, and a few pleasantries were exchanged.

  Then, Ping Fangrou filled her drinking vessel. Almost immediately, the fragrant aroma of sorghum wine rose up.

  “Sorghum wine!” she said, her eyes lighting up. “It seems the rumors are true!”

  Sunan filled his own glass and looked over at her. “Rumors?”

  Ping Fangrou chuckled. “Forgive me, Dragon Sovereign. Most stories about the Young Dragon and the Fierce Phoenix have to do with your adventures and martial arts. But other stories exist that I find more interesting. I’d heard that the two of you are fond of sorghum wine, although I’d always wondered if it was true or not.” She looked at Bao. “I’ve also heard that you are especially skilled in the art of drinking, Phoenix Sovereign.”

  Bao smiled. “I won’t deny it, Heroine Ping.” She raised her cup. “Welcome to the Dragon-Phoenix Sect. I wish you good health and long life!”