It was already summer, the end of the fourth lunar month, and Qingmu Stronghold felt as though it had just weathered the first spring thunder after the Insects Awaken solar term — those who had lain quietly hidden in the shadows all began stirring restlessly, poking their heads out.
As evening fell, an air of restless unease settled over the valley, which had already been simmering under pressure like a sealed jar. As the lamps gradually came alight, the feel of summer seemed to grow even more pronounced. Households emptied out into the streets, people gathering by the threshing grounds and along the roadsides to gaze up toward the higher reaches of the mountain, some talking loudly, others whispering, all watching closely the events of these past few days. The patrol members of Qingmu Stronghold were occasionally stopped and asked how things stood now, and the patrolmen would call back a few reassuring words.
Like Luan Sanlang and men of his kind, the mountain folk of Lüliang generally held outsiders in a mix of contempt and fear. In these recent days, the mood at Qingmu Stronghold had grown steadily tenser. With the massing of so many outsiders, compounded by the watchful eyes converging from the other strongholds, those who had managed to survive this long in such a place mostly sensed it keenly — some had even quietly begun sending their families away to safety. Especially of late, the covert gathering of forces by the likes of the Chaos Mountain King and the Black Skull King had grown increasingly obvious, and with Lin Zongwu’s arrival that very afternoon, the situation had grown only more chaotic.
The Wu court had crushed Fang La’s uprising, but toward the growth of religious movements in general, though there was some regulation, the broader stance remained fairly lenient. The Great Radiance Cult had developed out of the roots of the Manichaean faith — in the south, its ranks had certainly been gutted by Fang La’s uprising, but in the north a portion of its strength still remained intact. Within Lüliang, word had reached them of this Great Radiance Cult’s practice of giving out free medicine and treatment, and in general, people understood it to be a formidable religious order. That its leader had come in person, whether his intentions were good or ill, undeniably represented one of the most powerful forces from beyond the mountains stepping directly into Lüliang affairs.
However fierce or vicious the people of Lüliang might be, set against the whole realm they amounted to no more than a small stronghold in the Lüliang mountains — capable of standing up to a single prefecture or county, perhaps, but how could they possibly withstand a colossus that had crisscrossed multiple circuits of the Wu court? And for such a figure, with matchless cultivation, to declare he had come merely to pay respects to the Blood Bodhisattva — that was very likely just a pretext for stirring up trouble…
The ordinary residents of the mountain puzzled over all this, using whatever connections they had to gather news of what was happening higher up. Yet that night, nothing resembling a flurry of fists or flashing blades broke out on the slopes above Qingmu Stronghold — at least not on the surface. The business Qingmu Stronghold now conducted had long since outgrown the scale where a mere visit up the mountain, with the chief testing strength hand to hand, could settle matters. And the arrival of the Great Radiance Cult’s leader was, ostensibly, all in the name of spreading the faith, doing good works, dispensing free medicine, and bringing warmth to the countryside.
In essence, Lin Echan, now come to Lüliang, would hardly be willing to simply climb up, test his hand against someone, and leave again. And for its part, Qingmu Stronghold had no wish to see itself forced into a fight the moment the man arrived on the mountain — who could say whether he’d come only after building up his strength in reserve? On their own turf, no one minded waiting a while, dragging things out a bit longer. And so the reception for Lin Zongwu that afternoon had, in fact, been led by Liang Bingfu, once word of the situation had reached him.
By nightfall, in the courtyards below where guests were being lodged, groups of people moved back and forth in a constant stream, making private contact, beginning their final rounds of persuasion and negotiation — if things could still shift one way or another, everyone hoped their own side might still come out ahead. Lou Shuwan moved actively among them, going household to household along with Yu Yulin and others, and He Shuyuan did likewise, though upon running into Ning Yi, he hurried to cup his hands and smile.
“Brother Ning.” He wore an expression practically begging forgiveness. “Let me explain first, so Brother Ning doesn’t misunderstand — this business of Master Lin coming to Lüliang, your humble brother knew absolutely nothing about it beforehand. Master Lin travels about dispensing medicine and treatment everywhere, working tirelessly for the common people, with the welfare of all in his heart. If anything about the affairs of Qingmu Stronghold should happen to change because of this, I beg Brother Ning’s forbearance…”
“Not at all, not at all. Naturally I understand.” Ning Yi answered with a smile.
Back in the small courtyard room, by lamplight, elm-wood cannons and crossbows and the like were all being maintained and inspected one by one; on the table in the room lay a map of the terrain above Qingmu Stronghold…
Elsewhere, He Shuyuan was also excitedly running about. Originally, with his family’s wealth and influence, he’d been confident this venture was as good as settled, and hadn’t thought it worth his while to deal much with these other parties. But things were different now. This young man they called the Heart Demon stood in his way, and so he needed to unite every force he could muster, centering around Lin Zongwu — a grandmaster formidable enough this time to shake all of Lüliang — to leverage every faction that wanted change at Qingmu Stronghold, and deliver the other side the heaviest blow possible.
Before long, he too found Lou Shuwan, Yu Yulin, and the others, and the two sides fell into animated discussion of their strategy.
Meanwhile, at the rear of Qingmu Stronghold, torches burned, lighting the shadowy figures gathered in a room — led by the third-in-command Cao Qianyong and the fifth-in-command Han Jing, faces grim as they discussed matters. Out on the open ground beyond the room, rank upon rank, column upon column of dark silhouettes stood in silence, stretching off toward the distant darkness, waiting for orders and mobilization. Above, the night sky held no moon, only a field of stars.
Luan Sanlang led his men racing across the wild hills, hoofbeats rolling through the night. Forty-five li from the outskirts of Qingmu Stronghold, cresting a mountain ridge ahead, in the keening wind he caught sight of torchlight spreading out before him — a long marching column strung across the valley. The Black Skull King reined in his horse, which let out a long whinny, and the iron-forged skull-beads swung up into the air.
That deep night, several bands of Lüliang bandits converged on Qingmu Stronghold, joining forces some ten-odd li outside the stronghold, while from every direction, countless scattered households and the leaders of minor strongholds, jolted awake by the charged atmosphere, continued streaming this way.
A little further past the courtyard where Liang Bingfu lodged, in a quiet row of old houses, a basin of hot water sat before the steps. A woman sat there, having removed her shoes and socks, feet soaking in the basin, leaning back slightly, gazing up at the star-strewn night sky, humming a little tune to herself, at ease. Ning Yi came up from the other side of the mountain path.
He too took off his shoes and socks and sat down beside her, and before long he too was humming some tuneless, monotonous little melody. The two of them sat there under the eaves, humming together, watching the stars.
Partway up the mountain, Lin Zongwu sat in his room, listening to people recount the details of various dealings…
The night crept slowly toward dawn. The next day, at Qingmu Outer Market, people who had gradually caught the scent of danger began packing up to flee — some fled into Qingmu Stronghold itself, though a good half of those with nowhere else to go still lingered in the market, watching and waiting. If Luan Sanlang and the others had truly closed in, then the roads around Qingmu Stronghold likely offered no real safety at all.
Only in the courtyard partway up the mountain did those who had spent the whole night in contact with one another begin to stroll about at an unhurried pace, chatting idly, or exercising the way the Zhuji people did. The events and negotiations of the previous night seemed all but forgotten — except for a certain gleam in everyone’s eyes, a shared understanding left unspoken.
Lou Shuwan didn’t fall asleep until nearly dawn, and after only about two hours’ rest, she was up again, throwing on a cloak and heading down the mountain early with her attendants, out of the stronghold. By the time the sun stood high, she returned, ate a simple breakfast, and wandered idly over toward the courtyard of the Bamboo Registry, though she didn’t see Ning Yi.
Before long, she made her way to where the followers of the Great Radiance Cult were gathered. Quite a number of people had assembled in the courtyard there, listening to the Maitreya-like grandmaster give a talk, and Lou Shuwan went in to listen for a while too. The teachings of the Great Radiance Cult held nothing especially heretical — nothing more than guiding people toward goodness and away from evil. Lou Shuwan was reminded of listening to monks preach sutras back in Hangzhou; it carried the same flavor. Only, those days were ones she could never return to now… After the sect leader finished his teaching, he received her privately as well, though he raised nothing about business or dealings.
“Miss Lou possesses clarity of mind and insight into the human heart — one with a genuine spiritual gift. It’s only that you dwell on things too much at times, which I fear does your body some harm. As I see it, Miss Lou’s headaches, her restless sleepless nights, the nightmares that often plague her — these have likely troubled you for some time now. I only wished to remind you to take better care of yourself.”
In that deep, resonant voice, she saw the heavyset man step toward her, naturally taking hold of one of her hands, pressing it gently, then releasing it. A moment later warmth seemed to surge up from the Laogong point in her palm — one current rising toward her forehead, another toward her chest — and after a brief spell of dizziness, her whole body felt strangely lightened.
“In this life, attachments are unavoidable. Sometimes we live by them; sometimes we’re troubled by them. Looking into Miss Lou’s eyes, I see attachments running deep — left unaddressed, this will surely wear on your spirit over time. Here is a prescription that may ease some of that strain. Allow me to write it out, and Miss Lou may take it and use it.”
Lou Shuwan was still lost in thought when Lin Zongwu had already gone to the table, written out a prescription, and handed it to her. She took it, staring blankly at it for a moment, and seeing that this grandmaster-level master seemed to have no further wish to attend to her, thanked him and turned to take her leave — only to pause again a moment later. “Aren’t people like you always the ones telling others to let go?”
Lin Zongwu was quiet for a moment behind her, and just as Lou Shuwan was about to walk off again, he spoke. “In this life, there is advancing and there is retreating. Letting go is certainly the lighter path — everyone knows this principle, I know it, and in your heart, Miss Lou, you know it too. But knowing it — does that mean you can actually let go?”
“…” Lou Shuwan said nothing.
“Since you cannot let go, why should I urge you to? Should a day come when Miss Lou is able to let go, that would be a kind of happiness. But if you cannot retreat, why not simply advance instead? The teachings of Buddhism urge people to let go; my Great Radiance Cult teaches only to pursue good and shed evil. If the world held no evil, how would we come to know the preciousness of good? If life held no bitterness, how would we come to recognize the sweetness of joy?”
Lou Shuwan left the room with the prescription in hand, Lin Zongwu’s voice still echoing in her ears. The first half of what he’d said felt like the concern one might offer a follower or a patient; the latter half felt more like the candor between partners in some shared undertaking, without a trace of pretension. Lou Shuwan knew nothing of martial arts, but she thought to herself — this, surely, was what a true grandmaster looked like.
Where was there any grandmaster out there busy trying to get married? That was nothing but a female bandit chief…
She turned this thought over in the space between the tension of the mountain above and the valley below. Before long, someone from Qingmu Stronghold arrived bearing an invitation — the chief was hosting a banquet that evening in the great hall up the mountain, to welcome the Great Radiance Cult’s leader, who had traveled so far, along with friends from every quarter. Lou Shuwan expressed her thanks and accepted the invitation.
Then, past midday, a procession approached Qingmu Stronghold. Several representatives chosen by the Chaos Mountain King, the Black Skull King, the Fang Yiyang brothers, and others led their attendants over from outside, seeking to pay their respects to the visiting Great Radiance Cult leader and receive his teachings. At the same time, representatives of the “Lüliang Mountain Affairs” faction also came to pay their respects and seek counsel from the Blood Bodhisattva.
The sunlight in the sky seemed to be turning a pale, bleak white. Around the perimeter of Qingmu Stronghold, a formation of more than five thousand men advanced to encircle the place. Within Qingmu Stronghold itself, counting He Shuyuan’s attendants, Tian Hu’s elite troops, the soldiers who’d come with Deputy Commander Xiao Cheng of the Wusheng Army, the men brought by Dong Pang’er’s envoy, and the attendants of various other minor factions’ representatives, there gathered altogether nearly a thousand elite fighters — like a bomb whose fuse hadn’t yet been decided, restless in the silence.
Qingmu Stronghold, nestled in the valley, held all this fragmented unrest within the tension of the moment. As the sun set, Lou Shuwan stepped out of her room, feeling the evening mountain wind. Whatever was meant to fall had already fallen.
She and Yu Yulin and the others made their way toward the great hall of Qingmu Stronghold’s Righteous Gathering, partway up the mountain, where the lamps had already been lit.
On the mountainside, Tian Shi came racing down a steep cliff face, dropping toward the road below. The commotion drew the attention of nearby Qingmu Stronghold soldiers, but Tian Shi immediately cupped his hands in greeting. “Miss Lu, I have something to say!”
Ahead lay houses, open ground, and a small platform jutting out over the valley floor at the mountain’s edge. At the slightly raised rim of that platform stood Lu Hongti, dressed entirely in black, gazing out over the valley, the mountain wind lifting her sleeves and hair.
“The Great Radiance Cult’s leader, Lin Zongwu — his cultivation runs deep, already reaching a transcendent level. However high Miss Lu’s own martial skill may be, she oughtn’t stake the safety of the whole mountain on a single battle. Today’s matter is complicated, in a sense, yet in another sense simple enough — if Miss Lu can offer even a small concession, I, Tian Shi, am willing to work on her behalf, to persuade and negotiate. Those below the mountain are only a loose alliance; so long as my Prince of Jin’s branch withdraws, they’ll struggle to accomplish much. I speak with utmost sincerity, and the Prince of Jin’s earnest hope besides — I ask Miss Lu to think this over carefully—”
Before he had even finished speaking, a commotion rose from the mountainside off to the side — footsteps, a surging tide of footsteps cutting across ridge and forest. First came the cavalry, then the infantry, splitting into two columns, rushing down the mountain paths to converge below Qingmu Stronghold. The footsteps shattered the dusk, and killing intent surged skyward.
Lu Hongti turned her head. Behind her lay the valley, serene and prosperous in appearance, the setting sun casting its light across the mountain paths and the streams that divided the valley floor, wisps of cooking smoke rising here and there. Amid that evening haze of hearth-smoke, the tide of soldiers gathered like a rushing current. The woman turned around, the mountain wind sweeping up from behind her, billowing with a keening howl. Tian Shi felt her gaze sweep across him, and in that instant, it was as though the entire valley — the smoke, the sunset, the ominous tide of soldiers — had all gathered into the woman herself, a magnificent, burnt-orange radiance surging forth from behind her as if to swallow heaven and earth, before merging into her completely.
The feeling in that instant was almost like an illusion — not killing intent, but something achingly real: the sheer distance between an ordinary martial artist and a true grandmaster. The whole of heaven and earth seemed to have fused seamlessly with her. And yet, in that very moment, what Hongti’s gaze rested upon was not him at all. Her eyes swept obliquely across the valley, toward another spot on the far mountainside.
Time rewound slightly. In the room, He Shuyuan had finished going over every arrangement with Lin Zongwu, then said, “In my inquiries, I did happen to learn a few things. It’s said that this so-called Heart Demon, Ning Yi, isn’t actually all that skilled in martial arts. If possible, perhaps others could be arranged to deal with him — among the skilled fighters Master Lin brought along, and among the men I’ve brought as well, there are a few with no small ability. If…”
Before he could finish, Lin Zongwu closed his eyes. “Heart Demon Ning Yi — his own martial skill is, indeed, not high.”
He Shuyuan brightened at once. “Since Master Lin says so himself, then…”
“…But as for dealing with him, he’s a far thornier matter than the Blood Bodhisattva of Qingmu Stronghold. Steward He, until you’ve truly crossed hands with him yourself, you people would do well to stay out of it as much as possible. Otherwise, even all of you combined would likely be picked apart, bones and all, by him. This man’s methods are beyond anything you can imagine…”
“Er…” He Shuyuan’s mouth opened slightly.
Lin Zongwu had already risen to his feet. He smiled faintly. “Before I came here, I never imagined he’d be here too. But now that I’ve run into this, it occurs to me — there’s a little surprise I might give them. When the moment comes, it will surely be cause for celebration all around. Steward He, you need only adapt to circumstances as they arise.”
He Shuyuan, puzzled, followed after him. The moment they stepped out of the room, the thundering footsteps of soldiers rushing down from the mountainside rolled toward them. Lin Zongwu, as though sensing something, stopped in his tracks, his gaze drifting toward a spot up and to the side. In the distance, the female grandmaster of Lüliang, whom he had not yet met, cast a fleeting glance through the sunset light — and the whole world seemed to gather its force and press down upon him, stirring something within him.
Never expected to run into a truly formidable master here, of all places…
The realization dawned on him, and then, recalling what had just been said, he slowly began to laugh.
“Heh heh heh heh… Ha ha ha ha ha ha—”
Unable to contain himself, his laughter rose higher and higher. He clasped his hands behind his back and set off, striding out of the courtyard toward the great hall partway up the mountain. The laughter, driven by his internal power, rolled out deep and thunderous, deafening, spreading across the evening atmosphere of Qingmu Stronghold like a fierce wave pushing outward, enveloping the whole mountainside, echoing and circling back on itself. At that moment, the thunder of marching feet, the killing intent, the sudden burst of laughter, and the taut atmosphere of Qingmu Stronghold all mingled together, leaving everyone tense and bewildered all at once…
In a courtyard off to the side of the great hall, Ning Yi sat in a chair with his eyes closed, resting, and at the sound of that laughter, his brow furrowed slightly. Human hearts, desires, interests, demands — countless threads intertwined and interwoven would, in the end, erupt at a handful of critical points. Some of these he could grasp and control; others he could not. In the midst of his calculations, Hongti approached without a sound.
Before long, the three of them would converge together, with everyone else reduced to mere supporting roles. And yet, in the midst of it all, there remained one variable that neither he nor Hongti had ever anticipated — one that would insert itself into everything that followed…