Blood Moon
Page 33
Protector Song faltered when he heard the man’s request. How in the world did he know I would come here, and how the hell does he know I’m the regional champion? Even my mother doesn’t know! He composed himself before answering, “My apologies, Senior, but I’m off to accomplish an important mission. Could you perhaps wait for half a day before I return? I would be willing to play to your heart’s content.”
The older man frowned. “I’m afraid I can’t wait that long. How about we play a game, and then I’ll let you go?”
Suddenly Protector Song felt a stifling pressure bearing down on him. It was complete suppression, and he felt that he barely had the strength to kill a chicken. Meanwhile, the cat sitting on the man’s lap got up and stretched. It walked out, step by step, growing with each passing breath. It grew until it became one hundred feet long. It no longer resembled a housecat—rather, it now looked like an impressive demon bobcat.
Protector Song shivered when he saw this and breathed out a sigh of relief when the “cat” stretched out and laid down lazily. “Now, now, Mr. Mao Mao, no need to act so intimidating,” the older man said, his eyes shining mischievously. “I’m sure that this man will be very reasonable and play a game with me. Besides, we can’t slaughter mere mortals without incurring great karma. That is, unless they insult us. But I’m sure that ‘Protector Song’ wouldn’t be so foolish as to insult us by refusing a game, right?”
The armored man gulped as he heard their conversation. He wasn’t sure exactly how the Heavenly Dao operated, but he wasn’t about to gamble with his life. I’ve heard that it’s forbidden for Transcendents to murder mortals. But what are their limitations? What rotten luck. He sat down in front of the elder with great humility and placed the first black stone. The devils had made their move, and it was the angels’ turn to play.
“I object, Your Honor,” Wang Jun said, his voice full of confidence. He was standing amidst a dozen seated people, a combination of the best minds available to him and a few select guardians. Protector Ren Wufa was seated near the rear of their group. He appeared to be on full alert, but in reality, he was napping. His alert disposition was just a cheap illusion, barely enough to fool the judge and supervising guards. After all, only a madman would attack them within the courthouse.
“Based on what grounds, Mr. Wang?” the judge asked while calmly adjusting his spectacles.
“On the grounds that this is no longer a matter of private contracts,” Wang Jun replied. “Zhou Li and Zhou Jia’s manipulation of the country’s officials have restricted access to alchemical products from other countries. As a result, they have created a monopoly that greatly inflates prices for the common people. Their breaking of the contract prematurely is not just an inter-company dispute, but rather a precursor to a larger merger, a conspiracy to line their pockets at the expense of the kingdom’s welfare. This even extends to the spirit-doctor community, who only has the best interests of the people in mind.
“While this does not infringe on current trade laws, I argue that it will affect the trade relationship between countries and infringes upon the kingdom’s Declaration on the Welfare of Citizens, which states that monopolies that threaten the welfare of the people are prohibited.
“There are notable exceptions that have proven a monopoly to be beneficial—both Sijun Iron Refining and Wailin Coal Corporation have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that their monopoly of the market reduced costs to their end consumers. They continue filing reports to prove things as such. However, what we have seen from the Alchemist’s Association is a steep inflation in pricing. Therefore, I ask the court to either break up this newly formed monopoly, heavily regulate it, or open the border to free trade.”
The judge massaged his brow as he sat, deep in thought. Then, looking to Zhou Li, he asked, “Does the defendant have a statement before we adjourn for the day?
“Yes, your honor,” Zhou Li replied. “This decision to cancel the trade agreement is well within our rights. This is clearly stated in the contract. As for the other considerations, I ask that these be dismissed by the court, as they are superfluous to the current case.”
The judge nodded. “Very well, we will reconvene again tomorrow morning. Please stay posted for the exact time. You will be notified one hour prior to court convening.” With this, the judge hammered the desk with his wooden mallet.
Zhou Li and Wang Jun met outside the courtroom. “You must be kidding with this joke of a lawsuit,” said Zhou Li. “You don’t have a case to make. Give it a few days, and it will be thrown out of court. I’ll make sure to send you our bill for legal services.”
Wang Jun shrugged. “We will see. The Wang family never gives up without a fight. You think you can take our share of the pie without getting your wrist slapped? By the way, you look awfully tired and pale. Have you been sick lately? Or perhaps you haven’t been getting enough sleep? No, wait, you were with your sister last night—it all makes sense now!”
He walked away nonchalantly, his entourage in tow. Zhou Li was left seething with rage.
Two days passed by in a flash. Huxian and Cha Ming hadn’t stopped to rest on their trek toward the mountains. They ignored all sorts of spirit beasts on their way, only stopping when Huxian needed to eat to replenish his energy stores. Neither did they bother to stop for the medicinal ingredients they encountered on the way. Every second counted.
At last, they arrived on a flat surface at the top of a mountain. The sun was just setting in the distance. He could see the wilderness stretching out in each of the four cardinal directions. There were plains to the north, a forest to the south, and a mountain chain to the east and the west. The mountain chain was a natural border to the north of the Song Kingdom. Numerous armies had attempted to flood through its passes over the years, though few had succeeded in the end.
It’s time, Cha Ming, said the red-bearded man. I can help you with this tribulation, but it will take a lot out of me. You’ll be on your own for the next long while. Remember, though, due to the curse on your body, this tribulation will be much stronger than usual. On the plus side, the curse will not survive the tribulation. Lightning is the nemesis of curses, the enemy of evil.
The last glimmer of sunshine disappeared on the horizon as he finished these words. Cha Ming became solemn but didn’t speak. A sigh traveled outward from the Clear Sky Staff in Cha Ming’s hands. He was alarmed when he realized that another hand was also gripping it beside him. It was the red-bearded man. He was much taller in reality than inside the Clear Sky World. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, only red pants that matched his impressive beard and unruly red hair.
He looked toward Cha Ming with his crimson irises and put out his hand. “I need the Clear Sky Staff and your bag of holding. Then get to the edge of the mountain.”
Cha Ming bowed deeply and gave him both items. His bag of holding held all his life savings, and the Clear Sky Staff was his fated treasure. Yet he trusted the mysterious man with his life.
Cha Ming and Huxian sat near the side of the flat mountaintop as they observed the red-bearded man. He clasped his hands in meditation and sat still for a half hour before finally opening his eyes. His aura surged as he lifted the Clear Sky Staff. It transformed into the Clear Sky Brush, its tip glowing with pure white light.
He jumped up in the air and hovered there as he slashed outward with the brush. Wherever he slashed, white ink splashed out and formed rune marks on the mountaintop. There were all sorts of complicated runes and geometric symbols. This continued for two hours, and during this time, Cha Ming saw over ten thousand perfect white runes get laid down one after another, yet he could barely understand one percent of them. They formed a large white circle, which encompassed most of the mountaintop.
“Get in, kids,” the man said. Cha Ming and Huxian immediately complied and traveled to the center of the circle. The man flung out his hand, and dozens of purple stones traveled from his hand to various points in the formation. These were all bits of crystalized elemental e
ssence from Cha Ming’s bag of holding. His heart ached, yet he didn’t speak out. After all, his life was much more important than his wealth.
The red-bearded man formed a thousand hand seals before yelling out, “Circle of Protection—Lightning!” The white formation began to glow even more intensely. The night was now pitch black, and the circle stood out like a beacon.
Following this, he pulled out the bundle of metal stakes tied with a chain. He held them out before his face and breathed into them. As he breathed, the stakes began to glow. Several white runes lit up on each dagger-like object, as well as the chain itself. As they began to glow, he began to fade. He was now a transparent version of his former self. Then, using the last of his strength, he threw the daggers into the air.
They traveled upward for a few dozen feet before finally setting themselves in place. They didn’t stop—no, they pierced the sky. The chains connecting all the spikes had formed a complex formation above them.
Cha Ming looked at the red-bearded man worriedly. “You’re fading… What’s going on?”
“This is all I can do for you kids,” said the red-bearded man. “I won’t be able to help you with the next one. Now I’ll fall into a deep sleep. Make sure you find something to bring me back in the future, okay? I have something important I want you to do.”
Cha Ming, who wasn’t sure how to react, bowed deeply in thanks.
He hesitated before finally asking a question that had lingered on his mind since they first met. “What’s your name?”
The fading man looked reluctant to share this information. After all, he was in such an embarrassing situation, and the loss of face wasn’t small.
“My name is Sun Wukong. Remember it well!” With these words, the man faded into mist and traveled back inside the Clear Sky Brush. It was as Cha Ming thought. The red-bearded man was the legendary Monkey King.
“We’ll get you back. Don’t you worry,” Cha Ming whispered. Yet he didn’t have time to relax. The moment Sun Wukong vanished, dark clouds began to gather above them and obscure the starry sky. Thunder roared in the skies as these clouds prepared to unleash Heaven’s wrath on them.
Brother, let’s split up on each side of the circle. Although we are undergoing a split tribulation, we still need to fight it alone. It will be divided into nine strikes of lightning, each one stronger than the last. Fortunately, this is only the first tribulation. Only white lightning will rain down from the sky. You can resist with your weapons and techniques, but items like talismans and formations are forbidden unless they were personally created. I have no idea where Sun Wukong discovered this heaven-defying formation.
The lightning crackled in a threatening manner, warning them that it was about to begin. Cha Ming readied his staff and his rosary. He knew running wouldn’t help. Only when he withstood the full might of Heaven’s punishment would he be allowed to continue living. Huxian howled at the stormy sky in defiance.
Begin!
Chapter 34: Survival
Protector Song sweated profusely as he made a move. It was the most difficult game he had ever played in his life and made him wonder if Transcendents had an unfair advantage in the game.
Can he read my mind? he wondered. No, that’s impossible. There’s no way a Transcendent who can read minds would be stuck in a backwater place like this.
Mind reading or not, the entire game hinged on this final point. It was a Ko fight1, a stage of the game where they sought out each other’s weaknesses. Protector Song wasn’t bothered by such a close game. After all, he had gone through many grueling games such as this in the past. What bothered him was that he had precisely thirteen weaknesses left while his opponent had forty-seven. He was clearly slow rolling him! Yet the man was unfathomably powerful, and he could only play along.
Truth be told, the endgame had been ongoing for the past twelve hours. With every move, his frightening opponent took an unreasonable amount of time.
Is he trying to delay me? No, that can’t be. How would that whelp know someone so unreasonably powerful? The only reasonable explanation is that he’s an eccentric master that passionately loves this game.
Despite the eighty or so remaining moves, the game continued until well after sunset. Protector Song wore a long face as he made each of his moves with lightning speed, only to be chastised by the older man for being too impatient. Impatient, my ass! You’re just making this difficult for no reason. Resign!2
Finally, only three moves were left. The older man finally let out a long sigh and voiced a silent resignation. Tears were practically streaming down Protector Song’s cheeks. He swiftly got up and bowed to the superior cultivator. “Thank you for the game!” he shouted.
“Off you go, you little runt.” Protector Song darted off, flying toward the nearby mountain range, where ominous clouds were gathering. “The younger generation is so impolite nowadays,” the older man muttered.
Elder Ling let out a long sigh as he looked toward the weeping willow behind him. “You may as well come out. I know you’re here.” A few breaths of silence followed. Elder Ling grunted and threw a talisman toward the tree. The projection of massive fangs appeared in front of the tree and bit down on the tough bark. Splinters flew out everywhere until the tree completely disappeared. A beautiful woman with long black hair and black robes now stood in its place.
“If you can hide for fifty years, why can’t I hide for a few moments?” the woman spat back, her voice full of venom.
“My dear wife, you sure know how to jest. It’s so boring in the sect, and I knew that it was fine in your perfectly capable hands,” Elder Ling said with a smile on his face.
“Shameless!” she yelled. Thousands of pitch black chains appeared in front of her. They darted out and surrounded Elder Ling, who didn’t resist in the slightest. Mr. Mao Mao got up and howled in rage at the treatment. The woman frowned.
She snorted. “The third wheel. Well, I have an old friend here to keep you company.” A tiny little white kitten stepped out from behind the woman. While it looked defenseless, Mao Mao’s pupils narrowed as he backed away shivering.
“Damn you, you vicious witch!” Mao Mao roared. “How dare you bring that thing here?” Mao Mao’s intimidating aura faded little by little as he gradually shrunk in size. Yet he still stood in front of Elder Ling, protecting him.
“Get him, Miu Miu!” she said. The baby kitten nodded and disappeared before suddenly reappearing beside Mao Mao. She extended her baby kitten claws and shot out a white web, trapping Mao Mao. He was now a little helpless cat ball, and Miu Miu began playing him with an expression of pure joy.
“I’m taking you back to the sect,” she said. “You’re grounded for a hundred years.”
Elder Ling teared up when he heard this. “Can I just do one small thing before going? I only need a couple of hours. It’s very important this time, I swear!”
“What could possibly be important in this backwater place?” She sniffed before flying out into the sky at ten times the speed of lightning. Both the frightening Elder Ling and the imposing Mr. Mao Mao were nothing in front of that woman and the kitten. This wasn’t the first time they’d escaped, however. They knew resistance was futile.
Protector Song kept his perception expanded in every direction, searching for signs of the two convicts. They weren’t even at foundation establishment, so he figured there was only so far they could travel. Meanwhile, the ominous black cloud had precipitated its first bolt of lightning. It would shoot out any minute.
Calamity Lightning? There shouldn’t be anyone transcending here in the middle of nowhere. Just what is going on? Of course, it wasn’t possible for him to interfere with Heaven’s judgment. As long as he didn’t enter the lightning’s deadly range, no harm would come to him.
His eyes narrowed when he finally saw the area where the lightning would strike. A young man and his pet fox where sitting in the middle of a strange formation. A white circle surrounded them, and a web protected them from above.
Still, he had found his quarry. He sat cross-legged in midair just outside the range of the Heavenly Tribulation, waiting for it to end. When he noticed the lightning splitting into two portions, he shook his head derisively.
Alas, I might not even need to act. They’ll need a miracle to survive.
Cha Ming gripped his staff tightly as he gazed up at the sinister clouds. They crackled in rage as they prepared to smite down those who dared defy the heavens. The first bolt struck down suddenly, giving Cha Ming barely any time to react before striking the shield of knives. Much of its power dissipated, and the remaining strength of the bolt, which was as thick as a needle, dissipated as soon as it struck the white bubble generated by the circle of protection. He still felt his skin tingle as some residual lightning bathed his body and soul.
He had overcome the first strike without needing to lift a finger, but he knew it wouldn’t be so easy from now on. A second bolt of lightning flew down from the heavens. This time, it was two fingers thick. It weakened considerably as it crossed both shields. Cha Ming was ready for this one and struck out at the bolt with his staff. It was an ordinary strike with his Hard Staff Art, but it dissipated a good deal of the lightning’s energy. Cha Ming lost all feeling in his body as the lightning traveled through his head and down to his toes. He felt great exhaustion from the bolt, both physically and spiritually.
Still, he readied himself to receive the third bolt. This time, he didn’t fool around and increased the weight of his staff to 100 jin. The first part of the test was a battle of endurance, and he needed to waste as little energy as possible. The heavens rumbled for an incense time before accumulating into a lightning bolt as thick as a fist. It was weakened two times consecutively, and Cha Ming used a Quake Staff strike to dissipate the majority of it. This time, however, it took him several breaths to recover his motor functions.