Chapter 72
Empire of the God's
Wild dandelions bloomed across the meadow. The cold wind blew, causing Yuwen Yue's dress to flutter. Without a sense of time, Yuwen Yue found himself walking through a land called the true earth, or the land of Ximeng. A humble encampment lay on the ground, surrounded by flying dandelions.
The master of Kung Fu of Ice said, "Though you have learned the path of humility, your skills are not enough." Stretching his hands, he continued, "Beyond those borders is your fate. But before you cross them, you must master the winds and the clouds."
Yuwen Yue wrinkled his brow and said, "When I was young, I used to hear the hunting wind and feel its presence in my pulse. How is it different now?"
The master of Kung Fu of Ice replied, "You have the heart, but not the spirit."
Yuwen Yue, slightly stunned, asked, "Are these two different states?"
"You'll understand after the eagle whispers to your ears, the impulse of the wind."
Suddenly, a distant bird call broke the quiet. An eagle circled above, beautifully spreading its wings, hovering overhead where they stood.
As night fell, Yuwen Yue gazed at the glittering sky. He placed his hand over his forehead and suddenly closed his eyes. Moments later, the Kung Fu master shot an arrow in his direction. Reacting quickly, Yuwen Yue raised his Poe Yue Jian sword to counter it. The blue-feathered arrow landed in the grass.
"Not impressed," said the Kung Fu master as he walked over to retrieve the arrow.
Yuwen Yue frowned and said, "This is the only weapon I have."
"That is no excuse," the Kung Fu master replied, loading another arrow into his bow and aiming it at Yuwen Yue's face.
Yuwen Yue, confident and sensing no threat, did not believe the master would shoot him.
True to his judgment, the Kung Fu master ran a few steps, knelt on a bedrock, turned his upper body, raised his draw hand, pointed his bow downward, and released the arrow.
Swoosh! A crisp sound echoed in the air. The hare was shot precisely in its heel. The shot was so clean and quick it was difficult to imagine how the Kung Fu master had executed it in just a split second, even through the bamboo shaft.
"I can't shoot at a downward angle," said Yuwen Yue.
"I know. It has always been your weakness," the Kung Fu master said, holding a thin bamboo shaft and short, featherless arrows in his quiver.
"A bamboo shaft in your draw hand?" Yuwen Yue asked, curious to learn how it was done.
"Why not?" said the Kung Fu master. "It silences the shot and locks onto the target, precisely aiming for the Achilles tendon. In this case, I didn't shoot to kill. I imbued grace into my pulse, shot the arrow, but spared the animal's life. It will live."
Yuwen Yue walked over, picked up the hare, and examined its wound. "The best of precise shooting. It can still walk if I bandage it quickly."
Tearing a piece of cloth from his inner robe, Yuwen Yue coldly looked at the animal. It would be painful for a while, but he quickly pulled the short arrow from its heel.
Blood gushed from the wound. He tied the cloth tightly, and the hare, breathing heavily, relaxed a little and lay down. Yuwen Yue carried the hare back to the encampment and laid it on the grass.
The Kung Fu master sat by the bonfire, and Yuwen Yue joined him. "I can visualize how you did it," he said, "but what I don't understand is how you didn't kill the animal when your action could easily have done so."
"In the mortal realms, only a few understand the Way of the Bow called Taihai."
Yuwen Yue's ears perked up. "You mean, shooting without shooting? Achieving the impossible? It's like finding a pearl in desert sand."
The Kung Fu master turned his face toward Yuwen Yue, who was now testing his quiver and bow with the half-piece bamboo shaft. He inserted a short arrow using his draw hand.
"It's the remaining body within the remaining spirit. A forward movement from your left foot guides your hips and shoulders. This is the Way of the Bow, rooted in both coldness and humility. Without these virtues, you'll end up killing your target and wasting life."
Yuwen Yue, now gaining wisdom, finally understood the lesson from the master, who appeared cold on the outside but harbored a soft spot within.
Seeing Yuwen Yue testing the bowstrings, the Kung Fu master gestured for him to follow into the dark forest.
The sounds of insects greeted their ears. An owl's big eyes focused on Yuwen Yue as it hummed its haunting voice. A platform stood ahead where Yuwen Yue could stand. In the middle, a bonfire burned slowly. Ahead stood a thin poplar tree with a target board made of driftwood, covered in bullseyes and precise archery marks.
The master of Kung Fu of Ice asked, "What are you doing up there?"
Ignoring his master's voice, Yuwen Yue continued crafting his own arrow, eager to demonstrate his skills as the heir of the Eyes of God.
After a few minutes, the Kung Fu master shook his head in dismay and turned away to tend to the fire.
Yuwen Yue mimicked the master's earlier movements.
When the master turned back, Yuwen Yue was already pointing an arrow at him.
With a small rock in his draw hand, Yuwen Yue stretched the bowstring with the loaded arrow, a creaking sound filling the air.
"Show me what you've got! Shoot!"
Yuwen Yue's face was cold and unrelenting, but his eyes were calm, like still water. Taking a deep breath, he slowly lowered his hands. In the blink of an eye, he raised them again and, like a flash, shot the nearby owl.
The owl fell to the ground, and the Kung Fu master of Ice blinked in surprise. He walked closer to inspect the night bird and said, "Two cold weapons, destined to take two different paths. You dictated your pulse and let the wind read its impulse. It will decide to kill or heal. That is brutally cold!"
"I use my will and pass it to the wind. I can dictate who lives and who dies," Yuwen Yue said as he put down his weapon.
The Kung Fu master frowned at the owl, observing its limp wings. The arrow had already struck the target board.
The master gently held the owl's wings and slightly pulled them. The bird bore the silent pain for a moment, but suddenly it spread its wings as if nothing had happened. The owl returned to its normal state.
The master then approached the target board, but just as he stepped closer, Yuwen Yue exclaimed, "Be careful!"
It was too late. The old blue arrows loosened from the board, dropping one by one to the ground. Only Yuwen Yue's arrow remained, firmly stuck in the bull's-eye.
Yuwen Yue was trying to impress, but the Kung Fu master said in a low tone, "I thought we were on the same page. This is futile."
"What?" Yuwen Yue exclaimed. "What you just witnessed is the Way of the Arrow. I'm sure you haven't seen this before."
Determined to rethink his approach, the Kung Fu master picked up the blue arrows and placed them in his quiver. He took Yuwen Yue's bow and walked to the mounted platform. Standing straight, he said, "Watch me command the wind and hit the real target."
He took a deep breath, positioned himself in the Taihai stance, closed his eyes, then raised his hands above his head. Opening his eyes, he reversed his draw hand and released the arrow.
Swoosh! The arrow whistled through the air, hitting a concealed target on another poplar tree, landing in the bull's-eye.
Surprised, Yuwen Yue remarked, "You almost missed but decided to kill it."
The Kung Fu master, having done the opposite of the Way of the Arrow, said, "If you must end it, then do it."
"Your turn," said the Kung Fu master.
Yuwen Yue straightened his body, stiffened his muscles, and focused on the target board. Memories flashed in his mind, Xinger drawing her bow and releasing arrows at the enemy's head. He remembered the icy lake, the bloodshed, and the rage in Xinger's heart. She had turned to defend him, fighting against her own uniform, her arrows condemning her enemies.
Yuwen Yue stretched his bowstring, the creaking sound echoing. He positioned his forward left foot, raised his hands overhead, and used his back-draw hand. His wrist remained steady, his pulse intense, his eyes calm, but his heart was softened. He released the arrow.
This time, the arrow fell short, missing the target for the first time.
The Kung Fu master clapped slowly and said, "A true master never perfects it on the first try. It will take a hundred arrows before your mortal mind memorizes the nature of the winds. The secret is to be inefficient before you become sufficient. You must be as diverse and flexible as bamboo. The wind takes no form, nor can any man possess its favor. But the good news is, you can win its favor."
Yuwen Yue, eager to learn, asked the Kung Fu master, "Before, I thought I commanded the wind. Now you're saying I must win its favor?"
"Yes, by the trade winds. The warm and cool breezes always encircle the northern and southern hemispheres of the true earth. They can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy. Remember the trade winds!"
With that, the Kung Fu master suddenly left Yuwen Yue alone, with an unclear and uncertain task.
Yuwen Yue, marveling at the concept, looked at the arrows stuck in the bull's-eye and whispered, "This is difficult. I have to consider the trade winds and win their favor! Everything I learned in the West seems outdated in this realm. It's not even appreciated."
Though Yuwen Yue was the heir of the Eyes of God, possessing unmatched abilities, in the immortal realms, his talents were considered among the lowest. In front of this brilliant new realm, Yuwen Yue found himself a novice, a foolish master surrounded by astute, knowledgeable mentors.
Chu Qiao was suspended out of nowhere, her lifeless body found upside-down, lying on the golden grass. Swayed by the cold winds, a sudden piercing light penetrated her skin. The wind and clouds stirred, and ancient Chinese inscriptions formed the shape of the Higanbana flower on her back.
Nearby, a Healing Master sat in a Zen position, praying beads hanging from his hands. As he performed hand gestures and recited healing mantras, he said, "I cannot let Mimi Gongzhu die and be lost to the realm of no return. On her behalf, I offer my healing powers or my life if I fail to pass your test. Mimi Gongzhu came into this world with an innocent mind, unaware of her origins."
Swoosh! The winds blew steadily, gathering force like a hurricane, and swept the Healing Master away.
Time was lost forever, suspended in a place called nowhere. A beautiful, divine-like woman suddenly ascended in a dreamy state, finding her enlightened self walking in a realm of eternal calmness. When she opened her eyes, the sky reflected like a mirror above her. At her feet, dozens of broken ice pieces mirrored the expanse of the heavens. Walking on water that seemed to stretch toward the endless horizon, the woman continued her journey.
Viper's eyes widened in shock as she shouted, "Come back, Mimi Gongzhu! You cannot save a soul twice!"
Caught in the surreal realm, Viper entered the underworld once again. At the forgotten river, mist hovered above the waters. Cold and dark, the river lit up every time someone passed through. Looking into the crystal-clear aquamarine waters, Viper saw rays of light revealing a bed of ice beneath the surface. Frozen in time, the ice displayed the past life of a man, his feats, glories, conquests, and battles, his victories and defeats, all from birth to death.
As the boat reached the other side, the wind swayed the field of Higanbana flowers one last time. Their scent faded, and darkness returned. A man dressed in imperial clothes looked down and then ahead. A spark of hope flickered in his heart, for another chance, for another lifetime. Yet, Xiao Ce was on the verge of entering the afterlife, a realm of no return, where the final curtain was about to fall.
The boatman gave him a silent nod. Xiao Ce blinked, speechless, when suddenly, a beautiful woman holding a glowing whip appeared, disturbing the order. Dark and ominous, she disrupted the calm.
The boatman, his presence cold, dark, and foreboding, spoke in a low, slow voice: "An underworld spy cannot break the order of the Twelve Underworld League of Elite Spies."
Viper turned to face the boatman. With a fierce, ominous aura, she said, "You must know, we are all granted the right to disobey once. Whether the outcome is unknown, I am entitled to use my chance."
The boatman replied, "Only Mimi Guangzu survived the execution of the Ersatz realm. No one else returned. The rules and orders cannot be disobeyed, and yet you invoke your entitlements? For this feeble human? Why?"
The Urshan, or boatman, belonged to the dark underworld, ferrying travelers across lakes and swamps to the other side. Often solitary, these boatmen sought out desolate areas. Their touch was said to bring death, raising the dead as corrupted, swollen corpses to serve as distractions for their master.
"Because I heard his final plea in my ears, when his heart echoed in eternity. The Urshan heard it too and did not respond. But I'm here to challenge the Urshan," Viper said.
The boatman's cold voice replied, "Challenging the Urshan, as old as existence itself, means death. You cannot even enter the afterlife. Is this what you desire?"
Viper, resolute, brandished her glowing whip and said, "I would rather face the Ersatz realm than remain a deaf monk."
Suddenly, Xiao Ce, who had been numb to his senses, heard the words exchanged between the boatman and Viper. The boatman began to falter, and as he fell into the river, every second of delay restored Xiao Ce's mortal body.
The field of Higanbana flowers swayed again in the violent wind. Their bright red petals darkened to black as the river's calm waters churned into a tempest. Viper, holding her glowing whip, called out to Xiao Ce, "Emperor of the South, listen! I cannot bear to let your hope die. I will temporarily extend your stay on earth, erasing your name from the Book of Death. Your life will be rewritten among the stars. Please send my goodbyes to Mimi Gongzhu! I finally understand her actions..."
Suddenly, the boatman touched Viper. In an instant, a tremendous dark force swallowed her, and her whip's light slowly faded as her body sank into the river.
Peace and calm returned to the underworld. The forgotten river and the field of Higanbana flowers reverted to their pristine state. The boat returned to its point of origin, with the waters once again calm and crystal clear.
However, the boatman was gone, leaving Xiao Ce alone, still breathing in this surreal world. How many days or months had passed, no one could say, it no longer mattered.
Xiao Ce, dressed in his majestic imperial robes, found himself walking in the underworld. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of plum blossoms. His handsome face and defined eyebrows showed that he was an emperor who had trespassed the crossing between the forgotten river and the afterlife.
At the gate of the underworld, someone awaited him.
The underworld spy, dark and uninviting, stood waiting for him. From behind, he said, "A mortal man cannot stay here, but it seems you are a special case. The whip of the Viper has marked your back, placing you among what we call the untouchables."
Xiao Ce, regaining his mortal senses and body movements, said proudly, "Of course I am. My blood bears the lineage of noble descendants."
The underworld spy frowned and chuckled slightly. "In the end, you're still the proud and lame human that Viper saved in exchange for her life. It's useless to argue."
Confused for a moment, Xiao Ce asked, "What did you say? Viper saved a lame human?" Waiting for an answer, Xiao Ce thought to himself, "Stupid spy, cursed underworld."
The underworld spy, standing slightly apart from the foggy gates, was seven feet tall. He wore a dark hood, his eyes black as ink, and a scar marred his face. A giant sword rested on his back. "I know how foolish you think you are, and how damned you are in this place."
He turned and looked down at Xiao Ce. "Beyond those gates lies the Moon Kingdom. Your destiny has been rewritten in the stars. Your second chance will begin the moment you enter those gates."
Xiao Ce said nothing. He walked slowly, gracefully, through the gate of the Moon Kingdom. His confident, foxy eyes glanced back at the underworld spies, who nodded formally and then closed the gate behind him.
Just like Alice in Wonderland, Xiao Ce's curiosity led him to walk a few more steps, only for the ground to surprise him. His body was swallowed by an ancient spiral tunnel that carried him downward until he reached the bottom, where the tunnel spat him out.
"Ouch, my back hurts!" Xiao Ce complained, feeling the pain from his fall. He found himself on a dry, parched ground but smiled when he noticed tiny, pretty purple flowers blooming in the cracks.
For a moment, he wondered where he was, and then he realized he was inside a dungeon.
"This smells good," Xiao Ce said, feeling dizzy but basking in the ambiance. Helpless, the Liang emperor's body spiraled to the ground.
A beautiful woman, her face hidden behind a white scarf, saw the unconscious emperor. She lifted him and carried him on her back.
Delicate hands placed a plum blossom-shaped ice piece into the incense burner. A flickering sound was heard, and the burner released aromatic smoke into the air, filling the room with a pleasant scent.
The handsome man lying in the bedchamber began to stir. Half-opening his eyes, Xiao Ce drifted back to sleep.
A beautiful woman asked, "Will he survive?"
"Skyshadow, why wouldn't he? His life has been rewritten in the stars, at the cost of Viper's life. He is meant to return to his kingdom and fulfill his duty to the empire," replied Zao Baocung, finishing his healing chant. He formed a yin-yang symbol and released a mild scent into the thick smoke, directing it toward Xiao Ce's nostrils.
Xiao Ce took a deep breath in his sleep.
He entered a dream and suddenly found himself back in time.
In the dream, he saw a simple peasant girl sitting at a table and chair in the middle of a green field.
Xiao Ce squinted his eyes in curiosity and said, "What is she doing in the middle of this field?" The green fields swayed in the wind, and the peasant girl noticed him.
Her expression was formal yet calm, like the sea, but she returned to her work.
Xiao Ce began to walk toward her, and as he drew near, he saw what she was doing. He said, "This is amazing. This is ancient imprinting. Are you giving this to someone?"
The peasant girl remained silent, continuing to carve white marble stones. They were neatly arranged as if she were creating an entire tablet. Xiao Ce studied her work closely and said, "That's my symbol, and my name is on it. Am I in heaven? Are you sending me to heaven?"
The peasant girl did not respond, focusing solely on carving the stones.
When she finished the last stone, she blew the dust away. Xiao Ce, still marveling at her work, said, "Come with me and work as a scribe in my empire. I will reward you with silver and gold."
"Please sit down," the girl finally said to her royal guest. Xiao Ce, delighted by her words, sat in the chair.
"Your right and left hand, please," she said, her voice formal yet calm.
Xiao Ce glanced at the carving tools on the table, feeling skeptical. "What are you going to do with my hands? I won't give them unless you tell me."
"I need the noble blood from your veins to seal this tablet," she replied, holding a pricking needle.
"Why would I let you prick my finger?" Xiao Ce, now with a childish tone, refused to give his hands.
"Didn't you ask for this? You've already crossed the river, which means you're a dead man brought back to life," the peasant girl said, her voice calm as the ocean.
"Wait… I remember everything. But what happens if I give you my hand?"
"It will turn back time. You'll forget everything you saw at the forgotten river, and you'll start a new life, following what is written in the stars."
Xiao Ce seemed pleased by this. "Before I do, I have one question."
"I can't give you answers, but you can try," the peasant girl replied.
Taking his chance, Xiao Ce asked, "Will Qiao Qiao be part of my new life?"
The peasant girl didn't respond. There was a long silence. Finally, Xiao Ce broke it, saying, "The answer is no, right?"
"You've always known the answer. Why do you keep asking?"
Xiao Ce did not answer her question. Instead, he said, "Then I don't want a new life. I'm fine with things as they are."
"You cannot stay here. Your time is running out. If you don't follow through, someone else will pay the price on the other side."
Realizing that someone had already paid the price for him to be here, Xiao Ce said, "Then at least try to erase her from my heart."
The peasant girl replied, "You will recognize her, but in your second life, you won't feel the same as you did in your first life."
Xiao Ce suddenly placed both hands on the table and said, "Kill me now, for the odds have never been in my favor."
The peasant girl pricked Xiao Ce's finger, holding his hand downward. A drop of blood ran from the wound and stained the white marble stone. The blood flowed across the carved ancient Chinese inscriptions, and when the last letter was covered, an unblinding light swept over them.
The table and chair disappeared, the peasant girl vanished, and Xiao Ce woke up in his royal bedchamber.
The Qinghai Queen threw down the paper snow sent by her spies and said, "Skyshadow was seen in daylight, a man was rescued after dark, and the bastard Healer is still alive! The Moon Kingdom has been breached. It is no longer under the curse's dark spells. I will summon the realms!"
Filled with anger, her daring eyes ablaze, the Queen stormed toward her bedchamber. She pushed a secret door knob, entering a cave-like passage.
After walking through the long tunnel, she reached another door. She ignited the torches with a snap of her hands, and they lit instantly. The door opened, revealing a hunchbacked man waiting inside. "What can I do for you, my Queen?" he asked.
"Didn't you see? The Moon Kingdom has been breached, and it seems this bastard Healer is behind it!" the Queen fumed. In her fury, she threw hot water from the wishing pond onto the hunchbacked man.
"Forgive me, my Queen," the hunchback said as his skin burned. He rushed to a nearby waterfall and plunged his body into the cold water.
"I told you to destroy the Moon Kingdom by revealing its secrets to the Wei Empire and shutting it down. But it seems the celestial warfare orchestrated by the Yuwen household failed! You are a failure!"
"This is not my fault, my Queen! I am not responsible for this! It is the Jianghu spies! Please, give me another chance! Restore my armies, my original face, and body, and end this curse. I will ensure the Moon Kingdom is reduced to rubble and ashes this time," pleaded the hunchbacked man.
"You claimed the leader of the Wind and Cloud Decree was dead, and the Twelve Hanshan Spies League had been scattered and crippled, unable to defy my orders. But what happened now? Have you forgotten the punishment you deserve?"
The Qinghai Queen's shadow twisted into a monstrous form, resembling the ancient evil dragon with tails unfurling behind her.
"Do not devour your servant, my Queen! I will destroy the Moon Kingdom this time, and you shall have peace. Please, just one more chance!"
Hearing his desperate plea, the Queen's shadow receded. She returned to her beautiful form, her face now calm. "Fine," she said. "Gather the five realms and do not let the conqueror break the shackles I've worked so hard to maintain for decades. You must not let anyone win, or I will turn this empire into hell."
The hunchbacked man fell at her feet and promised, "Trust your servant one last time. I will not let anyone triumph over my Queen."
Faking her pity, the Queen knelt and cupped his disfigured face in her hands. "Poor Qinghai King," she said. "I will not restore your face or body, and you will suffer until your Moon Kingdom is destroyed. You deceived me into believing it was ruined, but what is this?" The Queen held up a mooncake engraved with the Moon Kingdom's symbol and sneered. "Your son is just like you, a failure. Your moon will fall, and as the sun devours the moon, there will be no more light in the dark. The land of Ximeng will be mine!"
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