EARTHLY DRAGON, SOARING PALM

by Derek Dorris

  “From whom did you learn kung fu?” she asked after they finished eating, eager to learn as much about this person as possible. “Are you a student of First Brother’s? I remember you being quite prodigious as a young boy. I can only assume you've been under the tutelage of a true master like him.”

  Bai Feng began to answer but he was interrupted by the Old Fool, whose mouth was proving to be as quick as his hands and feet. “I haven't taught him anything. We've only recently become friends. Naturally, he'll improve even more under my guidance though, I must say, I'm surprised by his qualities too. Yes Brother, from whom did you learn kung fu? It wasn't the Old Wanderer, was it?”

  Bai Feng didn't purposefully marginalise Liao Quan from the conversation yet, unconsciously, he turned towards Tu Ling as if he were addressing her solely in his answer. “My masters belong to an unusual sect far from here. I spent the last ten years under their guidance.”

  Like all Earthly Dragon masters, Bai Feng was disinclined to tell people exactly where he studied. This wasn't out of shame or secrecy but merely as a means to avoiding the cultivation of a reputation. One mention of Earthly Dragon and the name “Bai Feng” would spread throughout Wulin like wildfire. He would be revered without throwing a punch and couldn't risk that. It was going to be difficult enough to guard against ego and its choking influence as he roamed Wulin. Luckily for him, Liao Quan was entirely uninterested in the ways of the Earthly Dragon or anyone else so he gave Bai Feng’s origins little thought. He was only asking now because he didn't want to be left out of the conversation.

  For her part, Tu Ling concluded Bai Feng came from an obscure sect and that he felt she simply wouldn't recognise its name. Yet she was still curious. Something must explain his unusual personality. “At what age did you join them?”

  “Yes, at what age did you join them Brother?”

  Bai Feng looked distractedly at Liao Quan before turning back towards Tu Ling, momentarily thrown by the old man's desire to have every question come through him. “It was only days after we met in Tang’she actually!”

  “But who taught you previously?”

  “Yes Brother, who taught you previously?”

  “Nobody, I was entirely unschooled when I joined my sect.”

  “That’s a lie!” Tu Ling was aghast at her outburst but could not believe the boy who ran rings around her on that street knew no kung fu.

  “Yes, Brother, I’m afraid that’s a… Wait a minute!” The Old Fool turned to Tu Ling and stood up. “Are you calling my brother a liar?”

  “First Brother, please!” Bai Feng said to Liao Quan before addressing Tu Ling again. The old man merely grumbled like an addled child and stomped off somewhere.

  “Why would I lie?” Bai Feng responded, his voice flinty. I told a lie back at the lakeshore, he thought, but that was only to throw Yu Guo Wei off balance. It was tactical. To lie about when I began my training suggests I’m trying to… He wasn’t sure what she was implying but he bristled at the idea nevertheless.

  “To belittle me further,” Tu Ling retorted, nettled by the thought of some young punk beating her with such ease and then having the nerve to claim he did so without any training. “I had been training with my father’s sect for years when we fought. Do you think so little of my father’s Jade Tiger Kung Fu that you would claim a mere child with no training at all could defeat it?”

  Finally, understanding her frustration, Bai Feng laughed at the misunderstanding. “I didn’t know you were the daughter of the Jade Tiger boss. And no, I’m not making light of your family’s martial skills. It’s just... I fought that day without attempting to win. Surely you can appreciate what such freedom can allow one to achieve in a contest? If I tried to prevail against you, I surely would have lost but, instead, I merely fought you to a stalemate. You shouldn't feel one way or another over it. What’s victory or defeat in an artistic contest?” he said in that flippant tone of his that she was beginning to find extremely irritating.

  “Everything!” Tu Ling didn’t know if he was serious or attempting to further ridicule her. “Victory is everything!”

  “No.” Bai Feng spoke dismissively as he recited his three grandmasters’ teachings. “Victory and defeat are irrelevant—imposters. It's in the doing, you find perfection.”

  Tu Ling felt like she was being lectured and didn’t like it one bit. Now he's trying to make me appear stupid, she thought. “I don't want to talk about this anymore. It was my fault for bringing it up,” she said flatly.

  Bai Feng wanted to press the point home, but felt uncomfortable doing so. Why should it matter to me if she believes me or not? he asked himself. I believe it. Isn't that what matters? Does her doubt mean I should doubt what my masters have taught me? His instinct screamed “NO!” to that question but something told him such a visceral reaction was in itself a failing of his grandmasters’ teachings. They were right, he thought. It’s not going to be easy navigating this world—why didn’t they warn me about women?

  * * *

  They picked up their journey after a short rest but the tension between Bai Feng and Tu Ling was palpable. The latter berated herself for being upset by his remarks but she couldn't help it. It mattered what he thought of her. However, she needed to keep him supple and controlling him was definitely a means to controlling the Old Fool. So she swallowed her pride and called a truce. “I'm sorry I got annoyed earlier, Brother Feng,” she said suddenly after hours of walking in silence. “Do you mind if I call you that?”

  “Not at all,” Bai Feng replied casually. Of course, that only irritated her further but she let it pass.

  “I suppose I'm stupid with pride over my father's achievements. My master has drilled me to believe wholeheartedly in the superiority of the Jade Tiger Style.”

  “What were you and your master doing in this vicinity?”

  “Um, we were there to attend that meeting?” Tu Ling knew there was no point denying she was a Jade Tiger. Yet she wasn't aware how much this young hero knew about them and the kind of work they did. Choosing not to volunteer anything else, she changed the subject… somewhat. “You've made an enemy of the Divine Alchemist yet you don't seem unduly worried.”

  “Hah! What do we have to worry about that old hunchback for?” Liao Quan laughed uproariously a few meters ahead of them. “He's full of his own wind right now so he'll be recuperating for months. Who needs him, right Feng'er?”

  “That was his choice,” said Bai Feng. “I'd rather not have the spectre of his skill hanging over me but he's set himself against the people of Liu.”

  “He's a traitor?”

  “Yes, didn't you hear what he said at the meeting? He's actively recruiting unorthodox fighters to ally them with the Qui.”

  “I… We arrived late. We missed the…” Tu Ling felt thrown. She wasn't raised to have many morals but despite her callousness, she felt a genuine love for her country.

  Bai Feng didn't really possess a sense of patriotism like she and most others did. Like Wong Shi Hong, he was simply concerned for the people of his country and felt compelled to defend them. Yet, despite being unmoved by romantic notions of nationalism, he was moved by Tu Ling’s emotion and suddenly felt the desire to console her. “Don't worry, we won't let that happen. Right now, the Majestic Wanderer, the Blue Lady, and Folding Wind are all rallying at Gongsum.”

  Tu Ling felt touched by the concern. “I think maybe you're a good person,” she said. For the first time, there was no trace of pretence in her words.

  “Of course I am. I'm the best of all people,” Liao Quan replied. Neither Tu Ling nor Bai Feng said a word. They simply shared a smile as the three continued on their way.

  Arriving at the village just before dawn, the trio were surprised to see it bustling with activity. Groups of martial experts were congregating along the main street, defiantly flying their colours. “What's happening here?” Liao Quan wondered aloud, his excitement building.

  Bai Feng was just as puzzled but Tu Ling had put
it together. “They're all experts belonging to unorthodox sects. This has to do with the town hall incident.”

  “She's right.” Bai Feng was scouring the town with his eyes. “There's the Copper Spider emblem, and the Five Point Star Gang’s. Is Yu Guo Wei holding another meeting?”

  “Let's hope so.” Liao Quan rubbed his hands in glee. “What do you bet I can make him blow his left lung out his right ear this time?”

  “Hold on First Brother.” Tu Ling grabbed his wrist before he ran off. “We need to find out more before we do anything. Follow me.”

  She walked towards the smallest group they could see. A lesser gang of three men and one woman stood before her, diminutively in the morning shadow. “Hello there.” she said. “We've just arrived and are surprised by all the activity. Can you tell us what's happening here?”

  “Haven't you heard?” a short, thickset man looked up, speaking with a gravelly voice. “The Liu army have declared war on the southern unorthodox sects. They invited our representatives to a meeting a few towns over and murdered every one of them in a blazing fire.”

  Bai Feng was on the cusp of interrupting when he noticed Tu Ling signalling him with her eyes. Thankfully for her, Liao Quan was now over the other side of the street playing some kind of game with a bunch of kids. “How do you know it was the Liu army?” Tu Ling asked, still wary of Bai Feng even though he was proving quite collected.

  The young lady of the group had been trying to hold back the tears but her resolve finally broke. “It wasn't the Liu government who invited them,” she sobbed. “It was the Qui. But the Liu army were waiting for them just the same and slaughtered them all. Why should we be ashamed to admit our sect attended a Qui meeting when the Liu did that to them? They were right to attend it. They were right! And I won't rest until I've driven a dagger through the heart of their rotten emperor!”

  The thickset man dropped his eyes at the embarrassment of having his lie called out but he wasn't long in re-steeling himself against the young lady's passion. “We're here to plan our revenge,” he said, pointing to the crowd. “The Liu will be sorry they took the southern unorthodoxy so lightly.”

  Bai Feng turned around with his hands on his head. This is quite the mess, he was thinking.

  Tu Ling was concerned about interfering. Despite her patriotic leanings, her sect did nothing without payment and taking sides one way or the other in a political fight was bad for business. However, she could tell Bai Feng wanted to act and for some reason she wanted to please him.

  Leaning into Bai Feng, she whispered, “We can do something about this. Only timing is everything.”

  The politics of the world outside of Wulin were something Bai Feng wasn't prepared for. He'd led a simple life up until now and although he had a bright mind, it hadn't been honed by experience like Tu Ling's had. “Whatever you think is best. We'll follow your lead,” he whispered back.

  At a seemingly pre-appointed time, the crowd began streaming towards an open air square in the centre of the village where the various sects had assembled. Their leaders stood at the head of each group in deep discussion, the air thick with tension. Bai Feng and Tu Ling followed while Liao Quan had disappeared off somewhere. Bai Feng was feeling all the more vulnerable without him. “He can't be far.”

  “What?”

  “Oh, I was just thinking this could get rough. I was wondering where Brother Liao was.”

  “Brains first, Feng'er,” she said as she smiled.

  Bai Feng was surprisingly warmed by the affection in her voice. For a second, he forgot all the troubles around him and allowed himself to ponder this most interesting of experiences.

  When the last of sect members arrived, a hushed silence came over the group. “They're wondering who is going to take charge,” Tu Ling whispered.

  Bai Feng recognised some faces among the dozen or so Yellow Lake Brotherhood members. They were the young men he tied up at the ferry crossing. They were only junior members so they were at the back of their group and stayed silent. Eventually, their leader, a colossal man with a vast chest and a granite-chiselled jaw stepped forward. “We all know why we're here. The Liu Empire has declared war on us. We are here to plan our response which needless to say should be considerable.”

  A cheer rose from the crowd and another man, older than the other, stepped forward. Tu Ling knew him by reputation. He was Liu Ru, an obnoxious man with a dark stringy beard and gaunt complexion. He was leader of the Five Point Star Gang. “Zheng Hui is right. My Five Point Brothers are ready for anything.”

  Another cheer and more sect leaders added their voices to the chorus. Bai Feng was at a loss. Clearly I can't let the entire southern unorthodoxy fall in behind the Qui. But what can we do here?

  He leaned forward and whispered into Tu Ling's ear. She shook her head faintly, indicating they should let this play out a bit longer.

  At length, the crowd’s cheer dissipated and a lone figure addressed the sects. A slight man with a well groomed moustache and pampered looking skin, he was dressed in a black gown. He looked more like an old civilian scholar that a warrior. “Can I make a small suggestion?” he asked.

  Zheng Hui looked irritated as if he expected this. “We'd all be honoured to hear Juan Ji’s thoughts on the matter.”

  “You're too polite Brother Zheng,” Juan Ji replied, ignoring the sarcasm, “but it occurs to me that we may be jumping into something here without properly looking.”

  “What are you talking about?” Liu Ru interrupted rudely.

  “Just this,” Juan Ji responded calmly. “The only people who we know for certain were present last night were the Qui and their representatives, most prominent of which was certainly Yu Guo Wei. Word of the fire reached us through his people. Now I don't know exactly how many troops it would take to route the Divine Alchemist but I guess it would number in the hundreds. Yet not a single Liu soldier was noticed in the vicinity of the town, yesterday or today.”

  Zheng Hui interrupted, “So what exactly are you suggesting Brother Juan?”

  “I'm suggesting there are alternative explanations that make more sense. Why do we rush to blame our own Emperor when there's an enemy at the very scene of the crime? One more point I’d like to make—that fire burned extraordinarily hot and quickly. I don't know of any compounds that can achieve that result. But if I wanted one, there's only one man I'd ask.”

  The crowd we're stumped by the obvious logic of Juan Ji’s argument. However, people who have already made up their minds can be immune to argument no matter how rational. After all, it's far easier to assimilate information through old opinions than it is to accommodate new ideas. All they needed was someone who could appeal to their emotions. Tu Ling looked for who it would be.

  On cue, the leader of the Copper Spider Sect, Ruan Bolin, stood up to oblige. A strong middle-aged man with bulbous eyes, a high forehead, and thick hair, his voice grated like metal on stone. “We all know how the Wulin orthodoxy regards us and we all know the Liu government is in their pocket. They've wanted to wipe us out for years. This was their chance. They took it. I say we move—now!”

  With Juan Ji’s logic dismissed, the crowd were once again raucous. Juan Ji merely shook his head soberly and stepped back. It was then Bai Feng felt Tu Ling's hand on his back. It was time to act. The two moved through the crowd, people to their left and right fell away, captivated by her beauty and a little unsettled by the degree of power they could sense within him.

  As they joined the speakers up front, Tu Ling turned to the crowd and spoke first. Her voice carried like that of a seasoned orator. “Heroes let me say one thing in defence of Brother Juan’s logic. The Liu government is weak and ineffectual. It has been for years. Last night's action took guts and organisation and, yes, no little knowledge of flammable compounds. You would be remiss to dismiss Brother Juan’s words regardless of how easy it is to listen to theirs.” Deliberately, she pointed to the three sect leaders who spoke in favour of an attack on the Liu government.
She knew that like all martial meetings, disputes would inevitably come down to personal combat and while they couldn't take on every sect here, they could at least match the leaders of the three most outspoken sects. She hadn't seen Bai Feng fight since he was a child but she could sense his power and gambled on his affiliation with the Old Fool. As young as he is, he's clearly no ordinary expert, she thought. So she separated the crowd from her quarry.

  “You dare accuse us of manipulating our fellow sects?” Liu Ru asked, his tone dangerous.

  “You refuse pointedly to deal with the logic of Brother Juan’s argument and choose instead to inflame the sects by raising old, barely relevant grudges. That is the essence of manipulation, no?”

  Liu Ru wanted to pulverise her but it would be unseemly for a sect leader to resort to violence against a young girl. So, with baleful eyes, he looked around for an acceptable alternative. “Sister Shu,” he said finally, nodding at a plain looking woman in the third row. “Come up here and address this young lady’s rudeness?”

  The woman stalked up to the front of the group with all the haughty arrogance of her leader, bowing to him and then to Tu Ling. She spoke plainly with little sense of guile, “My name is Sun Shu. I ask for pointers from young miss.”

  “I am Tu Ling, I'd be happy to oblige.”

  Though Bai Feng wasn't exactly happy to let them fight, he could read Tu Ling’s intent and though uncertain as to why, he believed he could trust her. As such, he stepped back and waited.

  Sun Shi proceeded to attack Tu Ling's pressure points in strange and ever varying sequences. From her speed and accuracy, Tu Ling could tell immediately her opponent was highly skilled in the Five Point Style. That said, Tu Ling was the daughter of the Jade Tiger boss and so she defended with just enough grace to show the refinement of her father's style.