by Jeremy Bai
“Many thanks! I will drain my cup, but please do not feel obliged to follow suit!” With that, Ping drained the entire cup of sorghum wine.
“Don’t drink too quickly, Heroine Ping!” Sunan said, chuckling.
Ping smiled and refilled her drinking vessel. “Fear not, Dragon Sovereign. The truth is that I’m somewhat of an expert when it comes to drinking. Actually, my style of martial arts benefits from the boost provided by a healthy bit of alcohol!”
“Really?” Bao said, clearly intrigued.
“Really!” Ping Fangrou replied. “With enough alcohol inside of me, I’m almost impossible to hit! And my blows become difficult to predict and counter.”
Bao laughed in response.
Ping Fangrou raised an eyebrow. “Phoenix Sovereign, I’m not joking! I can demonstrate if you’d like, but I need to drink a bit more.”
Bao was slightly taken aback but could see the sincerity in Ping Fangrou’s expression. They continued to eat, drink, and chat, until roughly two hours had passed. Every time Ping Fangrou drank, she drained her cup but encouraged those she was drinking with to drink more slowly.
Gradually, her eyes became slightly cloudy, and her speech just barely slurred.
Eventually, the conversation returned to martial arts. By that point, despite the fact that Ping Fangrou had drank more than anyone else, she actually seemed to be less inebriated than before.
Bao’s head was spinning slightly. “Heroine Ping, I really am intrigued by this martial arts style of yours. What do you say to an exhibition match? You and me. Right here, right now!”
Ping Fangrou’s eyes widened. “Oh no, Phoenix Sovereign. I’m definitely not worthy of your martial arts. Besides, you’re clearly much more skilled and powerful than me!”
“Nonsense,” Bao said, rising to her feet. “I can tell that you’re not much behind me. And I promise not to use any of my more powerful techniques. Please, humor me!” She extended her hand toward the open space in the middle of the room.
Ping Fangrou hesitated for a moment, but then her smile widened and she stood up. “Very well, Phoenix Sovereign, if you insist!”
As she walked over toward the open area, she stumbled, lurching to the left and almost falling to the ground before jerking her torso back in the opposite direction and then shuffling to a stop. Chuckles sounded from the crowd of gathered members of the Dragon-Phoenix Sect.
“Be careful, Heroine Ping!” someone called out.
“Yeah, don’t get yourself knocked out before the fighting begins.”
Ping Fangrou turned to face Bao, swaying back and forth in place.
Bao took a ready stance. “Are you sure you’re up to a fight, Heroine Ping?”
“Of course,” she replied, striking a stance. It was an odd stance, in which she leaned back slightly and held her hands loosely out in front of her, her fingers curled as if holding a drinking vessel.
“Is there a name for this stance of yours?” Bao asked.
Ping Fangrou chuckled. “Stance of the Drunken Cat! Phoenix Sovereign, please, you make the first move.”
“Very well.” With that, Bao dashed forward and lashed out with a palm strike. She didn’t draw upon any powerful technique, sticking to an ordinary blow. She even held back a bit of strength.
However, just when she was sure her palm strike was about to land on her opponent’s shoulder, Ping Fangrou twisted and stumbled to the side, and Bao’s palm struck nothing but air.
The slightest of frowns could be seen on Bao’s face as she spun, sending a kick flying toward Ping Fangrou’s waist.
However, Ping Fangrou swiveled in a circle, and Bao’s foot caught nothing but fabric. Bao’s frown deepened.
“You’ll have to do better than that, Phoenix Sovereign!” Ping Fangrou said with a respectful nod of her head.
Bao threw a few more palm strikes and kicks, and yet Ping Fangrou evaded every single one. Bao was soon fighting at full strength, but whenever her blows were about to land, Ping Fangrou twisted or lurched or stumbled in an unpredictable way.
Bao’s frown had turned into a smile. “Very impressive! All right, no more holding back. See if you can dodge my Fury of the Phoenix.”
She swept her arms through the air, unleashing a wide beam of blinding white light that sped directly toward Ping Fangrou.
“Woah!” Ping Fangrou blurted. “Drunken Dodge!” With that, she bent, dipped, and weaved in an elegant flow of drunkenness, narrowly evading Bao’s Fury of the Phoenix.
“I think I need to learn a few of your moves, Heroine Ping!” Bao said. “However, I have a question…” Bao unleashed a few more kicks and palm strikes, all of which Ping Fangrou evaded.
“Ask away, Phoenix Sovereign. I could do this all day.”
“Can you do anything but dodge? Fury of the Phoenix!” She swept her arms out again, sending another wide beam of light shooting toward Ping Fangrou.
Ping Fangrou yet again evaded the blast. “I wouldn’t dare to strike at you, Phoenix Sovereign!”
Bao grinned. “If you don’t, then I’m going to knock you flat on your face! Phoenix Torment!” Bao’s finger shot with lightning-like speed toward Ping Fangrou’s neck.
Just when she was sure that her blow would land, Ping Fangrou said, “Dip of the Drunken Cobra!” Her torso then bent back at a seemingly impossible angle, causing Bao’s blow to swing wide. Ping Fangrou’s head nearly touched the ground before she sprang back and thrust her palm toward Bao’s shoulder.
Bao’s eyes went wide, but there was no time for her to adjust her momentum.
Ping Fangrou’s blow landed with a smack.
It was a mundane attack, not a powerful martial arts technique, but it was a blow nonetheless, and Bao, already drunk and off balance, stumbled backward.
Gasps rang out in the room, and everything went quiet.
The blood drained from Ping Fangrou’s face, and she suddenly didn’t seem drunk at all.
A moment of silence passed, which actually lasted for only the briefest of moments, but to Ping Fangrou it seemed like an eternity. Then she clasped her hands and bowed deeply.
“Phoenix Sovereign, please forgive my impertinence!”
Bao brushed her shoulder off and laughed. “Are you kidding me? That was amazing! Incredible!”
As Bao hurried forward to lift Ping Fangrou up from her bow, Sunan began to clap, then Mao Yun, then Li Runfa, until soon the entire room was cheering. Ping Fangrou smiled, and her cheeks turned a bit more flushed than they had been before.
“Come, come,” Bao said. “Let’s sit and talk more about this drunken martial art of yours! How did you come up with it?”
***
The following morning, many in the sect woke with pounding heads and dry throats. After a morning of recovery, preparations began to move the sect. As the members of the sect bustled about packing belongings and readying pack animals, Bao and Sunan met again with Ping Fangrou, who requested that only the three of them be present.
“It is with great pleasure and solemnity that I offer you this message from the Timeless Master,” she said, holding out a sealed envelope with both hands.
Sunan took it respectfully, and then he broke the seal.
“Dragon Sovereign,” Ping Fangrou said, “the Timeless Master insisted that only the two of you read the letter, although not out loud. He also requested that you burn the letter after reading it.”
Sunan’s eyes widened, but after a moment he nodded. “I understand.”
“I’ll take my leave, then,” Ping Fangrou said, hurrying out of the tent.
With that, Sunan pulled the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it. After glancing it over, he handed it to Bao. “You read it first. You read faster anyway.”
Bao began to read the letter silently.
Dragon Sovereign. Phoenix Sovereign.
I regret that I cannot personally come to visit you. Matters here are at a critical juncture, and I cannot leave.
I have sent this message
to you with one of my most trusted disciples, Ping Fangrou. Do not hesitate to make use of her skills while she is with you.
I need to share information with you about the Demon Emperor, information that few people in the world are privy to. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal why I have such intimate knowledge of him, and I can only hope that you will trust my words. If we can ever meet in person one day, I will offer a more detailed explanation.
The Demon Emperor is not from this world, and he is a force more powerful or dangerous than you can imagine. He was a twisted and evil person even before coming to these lands, and in fact, the only way he opened a portal to come here was by killing thousands of innocent people in his home world.
The events that led to his arrival in Qi Xien left him injured and damaged, but with each year that passes, he recovers more of his previous power. Before long, there will be no one in this world who can challenge him, not even the Gods and Immortals in the so-called Perfect Realm.
We must bring an end to the Demon Emperor!
Although I cannot be sure, I think it is fate that allowed some of us to rise up as powerful martial artists. Those of us who wield these powers must work together. We must grow stronger and work as a team. We must fight!
I’ve heard tales of people fleeing to distant lands such as Naqan or the lands of the Hechi. Believe me, that is just a delaying of the inevitable.
I propose an alliance within the martial world, a sect of sects, whose power will rival the empire’s. When we are strong enough, we can emerge from the shadows and launch an assault on Yao Gong Palace, close the breach between worlds, and destroy the Demon Emperor.
Please think long and hard about my words, and when you are ready to respond, send word back with Ping Fangrou.
It is with the greatest respect that I conclude this long letter. I hope that next time, we can meet face to face!
Li Buwei
Chapter 68: Bronze Drum
I, Fan Sunan, hereby swear that I will devote my life to the downfall of the Demon Emperor. Be it by sword or flame, be it by fair means or foul, he shall die. As sect leader of the Golden Dragon Sect, I hereby swear loyalty to Chieftainess Shangguan Bao and the Pure Phoenix Sect. Henceforth, we shall strive relentlessly toward our mutual goal of bringing peace and justice to all of Qi Xien!
I, Shangguan Bao, hereby swear to devote my life to the death of the Demon Emperor. Be it by sword or flame, be it by fair means or foul, he will be exterminated. As chieftainess of the Pure Phoenix Sect, I hereby swear loyalty to Sect Leader Fan Sunan and the Golden Dragon Sect. Henceforth, we shall live with one goal in mind: bringing peace and justice to Qi Xien and bringing destruction to the Demon Emperor!
Those were the words that had been spoken by Sunan and Bao years ago in Daolu. Neither of them had forgotten the oaths they had given voice to that night, but never had they been presented with a chance to actively pursue the goals they had both sworn to pursue.
Now, the Timeless Master was essentially expressing the same sentiments that already existed in their hearts: The Demon Emperor must be brought to an end!
After reading the letter, Sunan put it down on the table and looked at Bao. “Do we even need to discuss our answer?”
She shook her head. “This fight against the Demon Emperor needs a leader, and I have the feeling this Timeless Master is that leader.”
“At some point we need to meet him in person.”
“Agreed.”
Bao wrote the response to the Timeless Master, which they handed over to Ping Fangrou to deliver back to him.
Then, Bao set about burning the letter from the Timeless Master, with Ping Fangrou present to witness it.
“Dragon Sovereign, Phoenix Sovereign, may I presume so much as to ask the nature of your response? Although I didn’t read Master Li’s letter to you, I’m aware of the request he made. As for your letter, it will remain sealed, of course, but my heart already itches to know how you have responded.”
Bao smiled. “Of course we agree.”
A grin broke out on Ping Fangrou’s face. “Wonderful!”
“Heroine Ping,” Bao continued, “I truly hope that we can meet again soon. I’m going to ponder the drunken martial arts you use, and next time, let’s see if you manage to get another blow past my defenses!”
“I can hardly wait, Phoenix Sovereign.” Ping Fangrou clasped her hands and bowed deeply, then turned and left.
Bao rose to her feet to leave, and Sunan followed suit. However, before she could walk out, Sunan said, “Bao, um…”
She turned. “Yes?”
“I, well… I made something for you. Kind of silly, I know, but back where I grew up, we used to make things like this a lot.” He pulled out the bracelet he’d made and handed it her.
Bao blinked and took the bracelet. “You made this?” she asked, looking down at it.
Sunan cleared his throat. “Yeah, I know it’s silly, you don’t have to wear it or anything.”
“I don’t think anyone has ever made me anything before. I mean, not as a gift.” She looked up into his eyes. “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing,” he said. “All right, I have some packing to do. I’ll see you again in a bit.” With that, he hurried past her and left the tent.
Bao looked back down at the bracelet, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
***
Sunan hurried through the bustling camp toward his own tent. The entire way, he could feel his face burning and was convinced that it was as red as an apple.
That was so stupid. She’s definitely laughing at me now.
Before he could put any more thought into it, he arrived at his tent and found Sun Mai standing there waiting for him.
Sun Mai smiled, and as soon as Sunan saw that smile, his heart flip-flopped. It wasn’t Sun Mai’s usual smile. There was something profound about it, something both sad and happy at the same time.
“What’s wrong?” Sunan asked.
Sun Mai took a deep breath. “I think the time has come for me to leave.”
Although Sunan was surprised, he wasn’t quite shocked. He had suspected for some time that something like this would happen eventually, especially after Sun Mai had stepped down as chief minister to work on his scripture. “Where will you go?”
Sun Mai’s gaze shifted toward the southeast. “I want to go to Rong Shan.”
“Mount Rong?” Sunan understood. “One of the five peaks?”
“Yes. I’ve been to Zhifu Shan and Zun Shan. The remaining of the five peaks are Gor Shan, Lu Shan, and Rong Shan. I feel that to truly understand the world, I should climb all five of them.”
“And after that?”
“I don’t know. I need to spread word about my teachings, and I can’t do that unless I move around. By the way, what message did the Timeless Master send?”
“He wants us to join forces to fight the Demon Emperor.”
Sun Mai nodded. “I guessed as much. When the time comes to strike the final blow, I hope to be there as well.”
“Me too. Are you going out alone?”
“I would like to take a few of my pupils with me, as long as you and Bao agree. Mao Mei is one of the brightest, but she’s a Dragon Lord, so she will stay behind. A few of my other students such as Shisan and Guo Fu have already expressed interest in joining me.”
“Of course. Take anything you need from the supplies.”
Sun Mai reached into his robe and pulled out a bamboo scroll. “Take this, Sunan. It’s a copy of my scripture, one that I personally transcribed.”
Sunan accepted it. “You know, Sun Mai, even though we never swore any oaths, I feel like we are brothers.”
“Me too.” He reached out and clasped Sunan’s arm. “Forever.”
“Forever,” Sunan said.
***
The Dragon-Phoenix Sect settled into their new headquarters. The official name was the Dragon Phoenix Temple, but most disciples in the sect took to calling it the Palace of Sunan and Bao.
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br /> Days went by, and the sect began to fall into routines. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months.
Seasons came and went.
Eventually the seasons turned into years. At first, Sunan and Bao had assumed the True Shan would eventually send them a message, but no word ever came.
The sect continued to grow slowly, and it didn’t take long before Sunan and Bao did exactly as the Timeless Master had suggested and began to actively resist the Demon Emperor. Teams of disciples numbering three to five were sent to most of the major cities, including Huisheng, Zun City, Xuanlu, Yu Zhing, Fan, and Nansun. They even sent teams to the more distant locations like Qi Fao and Ti Fan. Of course, far to the north in Daolu, spies had been left behind after the city fell, and contact had long since been established with them.
The tasks assigned to such teams were to destabilize the Demon Emperor’s organization. Weapon supplies were stolen, treasuries raided, key buildings burned to the ground. There were even certain cases of important officials suddenly dying in the middle of the night…
Sunan and Bao went out on some of the most difficult tasks and missions of all. Although they itched to meet with the Timeless Master in person, the timing was never right, and their paths never crossed.
Stories of martial heroes swept through the lands. More powerful fighters were rising up everywhere, and the Dragon-Phoenix Sect wasn’t the only one causing problems for the empire. The Timeless Master had made contact with many in the martial arts world, and thanks to his leadership, the resistance was relatively organized. Rumors were also spreading that the nomadic tribes in the Yangu Plains were uniting under the influence of a powerful leader, and that raiding parties were beginning to harass the north.
Something else happened that caught everyone off guard. The teachings of Sun Mai caused a huge upheaval among the common people, the martial arts circles, and the scholars. For generations, the teachings of Kong Zhi had been the guiding spiritual force in Qi Xien, as embodied in the religion known as Dehua. According to Dehua, the world of man was imperfect, but humans could aspire to perfection by emulating the principles of the Perfect Realm and by following the will of the Enlightened Goddess Xian Nu Shen.