Man from the Wild South

by Lei En Na

  ******

  Ten days later.

  The sword wound on Shang Guan Jing’s shoulder has mostly healed although her internal injury is another matter. ‘Dragon’s blood’ may indeed be excellent but it is not a miracle drug nor can it heal heart ailments as her emotions continue to be in an upheaval.

  She knows she is pushing herself but despite the difficulty, she believes she can pull through. Feng Jin’s mood has darkened to perpetual thunder-cloud status and she dares not think too deeply of what this means. Luckily, she has finally reached to foot of Yu Ling peak and at this moment, she listens intently to the report by Zi Ying, another of Feng Jin’s guard, who has just returned from Yu Ling Peak. True to his words, he has indeed sent people ahead to find out what is going on at Yu Ling Sect.

  The bad news is: under the leadership of her seniors, there is a large number of “house-guests” at Yu Ling Sect. Many of them are swordsmen with unsavoury reputation in the jiang hu who seems to have gathered under the lure of treasure.

  The good news is: her fourth brother-in-law has arrived with his men yesterday. They have stormed up the mountain and rescued Fourth Shi Mei from the dungeons.

  Shang Guan Jing is relieved to hear that Fourth Shi Mei has no major injuries and half her burden disappeared. As she races up the mountains and through the halls of Yu Ling Sect, she is saddened to see destruction in the once familiar surroundings. From the broken furniture and overturned plants and décor starting from the main gate to the hall, the recent turmoil suffered by the sect has left its mark.

  With the appearance of fourth brother-in-lay, many ‘house-guests’ have fled the mountain and some who have chosen to remain is fighting with the burly men from the Western Desert. She wants to help the men from the Western Seas but a hand reaches out to grab her firmly by her uninjured shoulder. “What do you think you are doing?”

  “Let go of me.”

  She did not even look at him and Feng Jin nearly blows his top again at the dumb woman who seems to want to join a fight when she has barely recovered. He tightens his grip but Shang Guan Jing is no pushover. Twisting to one side, she skips clear of his restraining hand and rushes forward. “Jing!”

  Behind them, Zi Ying widens her eyes in shock. She has never seen anyone disobeying Feng Zhu before and looks at Yan Ying in confusion. The latter merely shrugs since he has seen enough along the journey here and Zi Ying has to bite her lips hard or risk her employer hearing her amusement at his meekness.

  Shang Guan Jing skirts past dueling swordsmen to reach Si (Fourth) Shi Mei, who is being held by a big, burly man. Before she gets close, she can already hear the man’s booming voice. “….if you have come to any mishap, you would have totally deserve it. If you continue to be so reckless, see if I’ll rescue you the next time!”

  Su Xue Ying is unfazed by her husband’s loud voice, nor the hands on her waist that are so tightly wrapped around her, that they may just break her into half if he squeezes any further. “Hmph! I would have been able to escape eventually even if you did not show up.”

  “Ha-ha! Do you think you would still be alive if I have not arrived in time? I think I should lock you up when we get home and throw away the key!”

  “You… barbarian!” She recalls something and shakes her head resolutely. “But I cannot go home just yet.”

  His voice raises another notch. “What did you say?”

  “Look barbarian, Da Shi Jie and Er Shi Gie have gone to Nan Man to capture San (Third) Shi Jie. I need to go to Nan Man.”

  “You can continue dreaming! You are not going anywhere except home! I am….”

  Shang Guan Jing interrupts. “Si Shi Mei!”

  Su Xue Ying hears the familiar voice and looks up hopefully. She shakes free of her retrains without much difficulty and rushes up to the person who has been on her mind all month long. “San Shi Jie? Is it really you?” She reaches for her hand and when her hands contacted with something warm and solid, tears start flowing down her cheeks. “San Shi Jie, San Shi Jie, it is really you! You are safe! You are back! I am so glad to see you! But teacher, teacher….” Grief overwhelms her and Su Xue Ying starts crying in earnest. “I can’t find her; or Qing Qing! But I’m so glad to see you! I have been so worried!”

  Shang Guan Jin pulls her in for a big hug and pats her back gently. “Don’t worry. I am back and I am fine. I have been worried about you too.”

  “Why have you gone to Nan Man? It is so far away! If you need help, you could have just come to the Western Desert.”

  “I have not wanted to go there either but I have no choice.”

  Su Xue Ying is inconsolable and nearly chokes on her tears. “Don’t go there anymore if you do not want to.”

  “Hush, don’t worry about me anymore. I’m not going Nan Man since you said so yourself that it is so far away. You must stop crying!” Shang Guan Jing tries to console her distraught shi mei but she feels a chill down her spine and looks up. Not far from where she is standing, Feng Jin is trying to stare a hole through her. He is as stiff and cold as a block of ice but Shang Guan Jin has no doubt that he is boiling mad beneath that icy demeanor.

  Erm…. Have she said anything wrong? Why is he staring at her as if she has done him some grave injustice?

  Feng Jin finally stared enough and turns to Zi Yan. “Where is the cave? Lead me to it!”

  Su Xue Ying finally notices the new comers with Shang Guan Jing. “San Shi Jie, are they your friends?”

  Shang Guan Jing does not answer and looks at Feng Jin as he stalks off with his guards in tow. She thinks of the near full-moon she saw yesterday night and recalls that today is the 15th. He has mentioned before that if he will be fine so long as he refrained from using magic within 24hrs before the rise of the full moon. If not, it would just be a bit more painful at night, he has said.

  She is a little chagrin to be so worried about him after he has fooled her like a monkey. Sighing, she figures she is just not the type to carry a grudge for long and wonders at what he is going to do next. Pushing Xue Ying towards her husband, she rushes after the trio.

  *******

  She caught up with them at the cave entrance. Su Xue Ying and her husband have followed and on the short journey to the cave, Su Xue Ying asks about the strangers once again but Shang Guan Jing does not reply. When Feng Jin takes out the leaders token, Shang Guan Jing quickly walks up and stands between him and the cave entrance.

  “Tonight is the 15th; you better not do anything rash.”

  He laughs mirthlessly. “Do you still care?”

  She really, really hates to admit that she does so she forces herself to lie. “Of course not!”

  His chilly expression drops another 10 degrees. “Then leave. Don’t get in my way.”

  “Fine!” Shang Guan Jing is so upset that she can feel the tears forming behind her eyes. But she fights the urge to rub them least he detects her worry and mocks at her again.

  Feng Jin closes his eyes and mutters something under his breath. He lets go of the token but instead of dropping to the ground, it floats in mid-air and starts to glow. Golden light flows from the carvings on the surface and project the ancient language in the air above.

  Feng Jin starts glowing as well and seems to light out like a celestial being. With a flick of his sleeve, the golden words in the air flew towards the cave entrance as if caught by a breeze and shines brightly for a second before being absorbed into the rock. Once the golden words disappear, the rock entrance rumbles and slowly rolls to one side, exposing a cave behind it. Purple glow emits from the cave entrance but the light was soon absorb by the bright lights of the evening sun.

  Shang Guan Jing has been watching Feng Jin intently and has to retrain herself from going to his side when he pales visibly beneath all the golden glow. Once he has done whatever is necessary with the token, their fate which is brought together by the same token will end as well. Steeling herself, she enters the cave before the rest can recover from their amazement.

  T
his is her first time entering the cave and she is surprised at its size. From the sunlight outside the cave, she can see the purple jadeite cave walls and the torches on the walls that can be used to light up the cave. Although there does not seem to be another opening or tunnels within the cave, the air in the cave seems well circulated. She did not see any furniture, nor are there jewelry or treasure that Er Shi Ge has dreamt of but there is…

  “Qing Qing!”

  Shang Guan Jing takes a good look at the person sitting on the floor and confirms that she is indeed Xiao Shi Mei. She runs to her who seems to be meditating and shouts. “Xue Ying, come in quick! Qing Qing is here!”

  As the others rush into the cave, Shang Guan Jing quickly checks on Qing Qing. She is still breathing, thank goodness, and her pulse is a little weak but there are no signs of injury. Praise to the heavens! Xiao Shi Mei seems alright.

  “Qing Qing! Qing Qing! Wake up! Are you alright?” Su Xue Ying rubs the little hands in hers and gently sooths her forehead. However, Qing Qing seems to be in a trance and did not respond. She did not stir from her sitting position no matter how loud her seniors call out to her or pats her hands and face.

  In desperation, Shang Guan Jing looks at Feng Jin. Her plea for help is apparent and although he is stony-face, he walks up to Qing Qing.

  Shang Guan Jing quickly pulls Xue Ying away to give him some room and watches anxiously as Feng Jin lifts his hand and points his index finger at Qing Qing forehead. The tip of his index finger glows and a ray of golden light pass from his finger to Qing Qing’s forehead, right between her eyes.

  At first, nothing happens and the light seems to go inside Qing Qing’s head. But gradually, her face starts to glow and spreads to her ears, neck and soon, her whole body is glowing. Suddenly, her body softens and she collapses like a broken doll. Feng Jin catches her nimbly and passes her limp body to her seniors who have rushed up. “Qing Qing!”

  At this close distance, Feng Jin can smell her familiar scent and can see the fine hair just above her ears. He can see the expression in her eyes clearly – excitement, concern – and would like to look at her like that for a long, long time. However, she is uncomfortable at his staring and turns to face Xiao Shi Mei.

  Du Qing Qing opens her eyes and mutters feebly. “San Shi Jie. Si Shi Jie….”

  Her seniors are delighted and Su Xue Ying cries in relief. “I am so glad that you are alright. Why are you here? How did you get inside the cave? I thought you have escaped and I have been searching for you everywhere!”

  Seeing that Xiao Shi Mei has come around and is none too worse for the wear, Shang Guan Jin gently transfers the girl to Xue Ying and walks up to Feng Jin. He has walked out of the cave and when she has caught up with him, she panics for a moment.

  Ay, what can she say?

  “Thank you very much for your help….”

  She mutters awkwardly and braces herself for his mocking rejoinder. But other than looking a little weird, he did not reply. She notices the strain around his eyes and wonders if he is in pain and trying to hide it from her.

  His words come to mind:- I am very good at enduring pain.

  “Feng Zhu!”

  Suddenly, Yan Ying and Zi Yan shout simultaneously as blood starts flowing from Feng Jin’s eyes, mouth, ears and nose. Shang Guan Jing stares at the setting sun beyond the clouds and knows that something must be very wrong for him to start bleeding before the sun has set.

  Feng Jin knows he is going to have a hell of a time that night, and turns away resolutely when Shang Guan Jing reaches out a hand to try to steady him. “Yan Ying!”

  Yan Ying quickly slugs Feng Jing’s arm around his shoulder and props him up. As his head fall on the sturdy shoulder, Feng Jin commands. “Get me away from here…”

  Before he can say more, Feng Jin faints as more blood gushes out from his face in earnest. Yan Ying gives Shang Guan Jin a respectful nod and leaves quickly with his master and Zi Ying in tow, leaving the former to stare at them in worry and pain as they disappear from view.

  Chapter 10

  * * *

  It has been a week since Du Qing Qing was rescued from the cave but Shang Guan Jing and Su Xue Ying have yet to find a way to seal the cave. Today, Su Xue Ying was wondering out loud if they should approach Feng Jin for help when Qing Qing pips in helpfully. “We do not need Feng Jin, I can roll back the rock entrance and seal the cave.”

  Qing Qing was very frail when she was found and has been bedridden until 3 days ago. Even then, she could only walk around her room until today when she is finally much better. When both her shi jie look at her in surprise, Qing Qing continues. “I do not know how I became this way but I have always feel this special … something, inside me. It can get pretty uncomfortable, even painful, at times and it has gotten pretty bad in the last 2 years.”

  “When I told Shi Fu about this, she taught me to meditate and also set of breathing tactic which is different from the breathing tactic we used for fighting. Her method works and the qi in my body no longer makes me uncomfortable. Shi Fu said that my make-up is slightly different from normal people and although it is unusual for the qi to surface only when I turn fourteen, it is not totally unheard of and told me that I can slowly learn to control that part of me.”

  Su Xue Ying is amazed but Shang Guan Jing merely nods, as if this something she comes across everyday. “So you mean to say that Teacher has discovered your special ability around 2 years ago and has taught you the way to control it?”

  “Yes.” Qing Qing nods solemnly. “Shi Fu said that since this qi only surfaced when I’m such a big girl, she cannot predict how much how much I can do with it nor how far I can go. At that time, San Shi Jie was roaming around the pugilist world while Si Shi Jie has gotten married and moved to Western Desert, so there isn’t much to do here expect to meditate and practice my swordplay. All was normal until one day, Er Shi Ge and Da Shi Jie seems to have gotten very close all of a sudden and… ouch”

  Qing Qing looks woefully at Su Xue Ying who has pinched her waist. Hard. Qing Qing’s woe-puppy look and Xue Ying’s consternation makes Shang Guan Jing smile and she tells them fondly. “I am alright, it doesn’t matter and I have put the past behind. Do continue with your story.”

  Yes she has been miserable over her failed relation with Er Shi Ge once upon a time but it is now another man who weighs on her mind. More so than “Bo Lan Zhou”, it is the mention of ‘Feng Jin’ that will make her heart ache. Sometimes when Xue Ying mentions his name, her heart would ache so much that even her body would shake with the intensity of it.

  Qing Qing rubs her abused waist meekly and continues. “One day, everything just fell apart. At first, I did not know what was happening and was meditating in my room when suddenly, I thought I heard Shi Fu telling me to go to the sacred cave and to do it quickly. When I got there, the rock entrance was already opened, revealing the cave behind. So I walk in.” She pauses as her eyes dim with the memory. “I thought Shi Fu was inside, but in actual fact, she was ….. she was already gone at that time. I heard her voice again, saying that her body has perished and she is unsure how long her spirit can linger…”

  The 3 disciples start crying at this and it takes a while until any of them can speak again. Shang Guan Jing is the first to recover and tries to ask more. “Did you manage to speak with Teacher after that?”

  Qing Qing rubs her tears away and sniffles. “The cave entrance has sealed by itself not long after I stepped in but I can still hear Shi Fu’s voice. She told me that I need to calm myself and meditate. At first, I wasn’t able to do that but slowly, my mind settled down and it is as if my spirit has travelled to another plane. In that place I saw Shi Fu…”

  Both Shang Guan Jing and Su Xue Ying reach out to hold her hands tightly and she squeezes their hands back. “Shi Fu said that I need to stay there temporarily and regulate my breathing like a good girl.” She crinkles her nose as she recalls the torturous process. “I told her that it is too difficult. I’m sure Shi
Jie has heard about the story of Venerable Da Mo and how Venerable Da Mo is able to live and meditate in a small cave for 9 years. 9 years! But that is because he is the great Venerable Da Mo! I am only Du Qing Qing and I have no aspiration to be like old master Da Mo. Besides, I doubt I can be like him even if I wanted to.”

  Su Xue Ying smiles through her tears. “I bet Teacher probably boxed your ears when you said that.”

  Qing Qing tugs at her pigtails and nods. “Si Shi Jie, it wasn’t just a ‘box’; Shi Fu gave me ‘cartons’!”

  “There is no food or water inside the purple jadeite cave.” Shang Guan Jing pats her hand gently. “Shi Fu needs your mind to remain where you were so that your physical body can sustain the absence of food and water while it stay out of harm way inside the cave. Teacher probably planned for you to wait for me while I seek out the person who can help us in Nan Man.”

  Qing Qing nods in understanding. “Shi Fu said that I need to make full use of my time and taught me more breathing tactics. Shi Fu also mentioned that if Yu Ling peak is no more, it is its fate and we should not cling on to it. After a long time, Shi Fu got a little fuzzy around the edges and her voice got softer and softer, until one day…. one day…. she just disappeared and never appeared again.” She looks sorrowfully at Shang Guan Jing. “So I followed her instructions and stayed in that place while I meditate and meditate. I can sense it when the door of the purple jadeite cave opened, but I do not quite know how to leave the place until I saw a man with a golden glow. He told me to follow him and then I was back.”

  Shang Guan Jing smiles fondly at her Xiao Shi Mei and soothes the hair back from her face while Su Xue Ying concludes after listening to the whole story. “Shi Jie, I think Shi Fu and the man you brought back are probably relatives. What do you think?”

  The saga of the purple jadeite cave has made it beyond doubt for Shang Guan Jing that their sect’s ancestors descended from the Diao family. There may not be any no gold or treasure in the cave, but there are several paintings in a corner of the cave depicting the early lives of their ancestors:- how they have travelled from a tropical forest to settle down in the mountains and how they overcame the challenges of settling in a new place,.