American Perspectives: Tournament Shenanigans Pt. 1 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 5)

 

"Love and Redemption" can be viewed on Viki or Youtube.  Dialogue adapted from English subtitle translations by "Destined Love Team at Viki.com"

 

"Chu Linglong and Zhong Minyan from Shaoyang Sect will fight Su Bo and Mo Shaoyan from Dianjing Valley Sect."

Linglong smiles.  Even in sparring, her clique is a package deal in one way or another.

"Linglong, it's our turn," says Little Six.

"Xuanji, you must cheer for me," says Linglong.

"Linglong, you must do your best," says Xuanji.  "Sixth Senior Brother, you, too."

Linglong and Little Six fly up to the arena.  They face off against Su Bo and Mo Shaoyan.  They bow.

Su Bo and Mo Shaoyan have their swords drawn and ready.  Linglong and Little Six use magic to bring out their's.  Linglong momentarily loses her footing, but she keeps going.  Their opponents are relentless.  Linglong's sword is knocked out of her hands.  She is pushed out of the arena and into Xuanji's arms.  Little Six is left fighting the two men.

Wu Tong gloats at Linglong.

"Are you all right?" asks Xuanji.

"I'm fine, but I lost just like that," Linglong begins to cry.

"Don't cry, Linglong," says Xuanji.  "It's alright, it's fine.  We have Sixth Senior Brother.  Shaoyang Sect will win if Sixth Senior Brother wins."

"Do your best, Sixth Senior Brother!" Xuanji cheers.

"Little Six, you have to do your best!  Get revenge for me!" shouts Linglong.

"I said it," Wu Tong says loudly, "Shaoyang Sect is full of good for nothings.  I was right."

"Are you looking for a fight?" asks Linglong.  "You are the good for nothing."

"Miss Linglong, you were just crying when you fell off the stage," Wu Tong points out.  "Are you acting tough now?  What's wrong? Want a fight?"

"Let's do it.  You talk big," responds Linglong.

"Unfortunately, out of the two daughters of Shaoyang Sect, one of them lost to the Disciples of Dianjing Valley Sect, while the other one..."

"What are you talking about?" asks Xuanji.

"She is trash who doesn't even know martial arts," Wu Tong continues.  "How can you fight me?"

"I'll kill you for talking bad about my sister!" Linglong yells.  Xuanji holds her back.

"Don't talk to him, he is a bad guy," says Xuanji.  "Shaoyang Sect will not lose.  Sixth Senior Brother, keep it up!"

"Little Six, keep it up, defeat him!" shouts Linglong.

Little Six successfully blocks his two opponents.  He comes at them with a fast and intense force.  He throws the two men out of the arena.

Wu Tong is speechless.

"Zhong Minyan from Shaoyang Sect wins!"

"We won!" The sisters cheer with delight.  Little Six turns and smiles at them from the arena.  These three are unbreakable.

 

Xuanji is fiercely practicing sword forms late at night in the bamboo forest.  She is a beautiful sight to see.  She accidentally stabs a bamboo tree in the process, and her sword is stuck.

Sifeng happens to walk in on the spectacle, but he takes great pains to hide his amusement. "Are you hunting in the middle of the night?"

"Sifeng, I'm practicing my swordsmanship."

With a flick of his hand, Sifeng gets the bamboo tree to eject the sword.  Xuanji catches it, but almost falls back from the force.

Sifeng observes, "You are practicing because you were laughed at by the people of Dianjing Valley Sect?"

Xuanji blushes.  "I..." she looks down.  "I don't want to be a burden.  But perhaps I was born without the six senses, so I can't master it, even though I practiced for the whole night."

"Show me," says Sifeng.

"Hold with pity.  Strike with compassion." Nothing emits from her sword.  "See?  Isn't it hard?"

"Basic technique?"

"Sifeng, you are so smart.  You guessed it straight away."

"Hold with pity means to judge the situation before you act.  Strike with compassion means to leave a gap after you strike to be flexible for unexpected situations.  Now that you have a sense of taste, you can feel with that.  For example, you are fighting for food.  You can choose your favorite food and calculate your power, speed, and distance to make sure that you get it.  This is hold with pity."

"Striking with compassion means looking at food at the table while eating, and think about how to get the food later?" asks Xuanji.

"I guess so," Sifeng smiles.  "By the way, your understanding does increase once it's about food.  Practice again."

She raises her arms, and purple energy emits.  "Hold with pity," she says authoritatively.  She closes her eyes.  She starts shaking, and then she strikes with her sword, similar to a Dol strike in kendo.  A huge forcefield of purple energy emits, lifting Sifeng off the ground, and causing his pouch to fall off his belt.  He immediately retrieves it.

Xuanji runs up to him.  "I didn't expect the power to be so strong."

There's a tear in his pouch.  "It's just a basic technique.  But this way of thinking suits you.  Just keep practicing like that later on."

"But-but your purse is damaged," says Xuanji.

"It's fine."

She hands him a handkerchief.  "Wrap it with this.  Linglong said the accessory will get dirty if you are holding it."

Sifeng hesitates.  "This was passed down from my mother.  I can't dirty it, indeed.  I will accept your handkerchief for now." She hands it to him.  "Thank you."

"Sifeng, your mother must have been nice to you.  Otherwise, you wouldn't treasure the things she left you."

He looks down at his pouch, and a hairpin with a bird on it is poking out of the hole. "I grew up in Lize Palace since I was young.  I've never met my parents before.  But the only thing they left me is this hairpin and a portrait of my mother."  He takes the small portrait out of his pouch.

"Sifeng, was your mother pretty?" She examines the portrait.

"Although I have no way of explaining what pretty is to you, my mother was very pretty, indeed.  Your mother should be pretty, too.  Which is why you are so pretty, as well."

Xuanji smiles.  "But my mother...left me when I was very young, too.  I remember she had always cared for and protected me when I was young.  But when she passed away, I couldn't even cry.  I wish I had the six senses.  I would be able to cry, just like Linglong."

"Xuanji, don't worry.  I will find the glass shards for you to restore your six senses."

"Really?  It's a promise.  Let's leave our sects and go on an adventure four years later.  All right?"

Sifeng nods.

Xuanji licks her thumb, and links their pinkies.  As she is about to touch her thumb to his, Sifeng flinches.  "It's your saliva again."

"Linglong said it's the strongest form of a promise.  You will not break our promise."  She touches her thumb to his.

"You are childish."

Xuanji laughs.

 

Day 2 of the Hairpin Tournament is in full force.  Wu Tong and Little Six are finally sparring in the arena, and it's getting ugly.

"Keep it up, Sixth Senior Brother!" Xuanji jumps up and down.

Little Six is caught by surprise as Wu Tong utilizes concealed powers.

"Despicable!" Exclaims Linglong.  "You used a hidden weapon.  Despicable!"

Wu Tong glares at Linglong.

Little Six kicks him away.

"Little Six!" Linglong cheers.

This is really pissing Wu Tong off.  What the hell does she see in him anyway? He thinks.  This ought to put Little Six in his place and impress Linglong.  He chooses to use a questionable spell, and intense purple energy emits from his hand.  He tries, and fails, to knock Little Six over.

"Little Six!" yells Linglong.

"Sixth Senior Brother!" yells Xuanji.

Wu Tong begins to intensely throw this purple energy at Little Six.  Little Six keeps his right hand on his sword, flipping away to avoid this ghastly energy.

The energy then makes its way over to Linglong and Xuanji.  To protect her sister, with elaborate hand movements, Linglong casts her own spell, but it's too late.  The energy passes her and goes toward Xuanji.  Sifeng successfully blocks it by creating a magical formation spell, which operates as a shield.  The purple energy immediately dissipates. 

However, Wu Tong takes advantage of the distraction and uses the spell to knock Little Six's sword out of his hand.

"Xuanji, are you alright?" asks Sifeng.

Xuanji is feeling confused, as she was absolutely incapable of defending herself.

Linglong is not having it.  "Wu Tong, you are so despicable!  You used a hidden weapon and a forbidden skill while you were losing.  Do you know you almost hurt my sister?  You should be banned from the tournament!  Yes, you should be banned."

"Hairpin Tournament is a place to show our skills," says Wu Tong.  "When did spells become a forbidden skill?  There are many spectators.  Only your younger sister failed to dodge it.  That's because she's stupid.  It's none of my business."

"You..." says Linglong.

"He's right," says Dianjing Valley Sect leader.  "Spells are a permitted technique.  It's just that participants from previous Hairpin Tournaments were not as highly skilled, and not many of them can use it.  What's wrong?  Our disciple, Wu Tong, is just hard working and he has better cultivation, yet he is the one at fault?"

"But his spell almost got someone else hurt," injects Sect Leader Chu.

"Spells have a high range," says Dianjing Sect Leader. "Shaoyang Sect didn't do the necessary safety precautions as the host and blames the participants?  Unless, since the one who lost is your disciple, and the one who couldn't dodge the spell is your daughter, you feel embarrassed and are trying to put the blame on me?"

"Valley Master Rong is right," Sect Leader Chu concedes.  "It's Shaoyang Sect's negligence.  This match is won by Wu Tong."

"As such," says Dianjing Valley Sect Leader, "I thank Sect Leader Chu for your fair judgment."  He bows.

"However, the spell is too powerful and hard to control.  I'll let it go this time.  In the next match, every participant is not allowed to use spells."

 

Linglong is irate. She stomps her feet on the porch.  "I can't stand it anymore!  I have to kill Wu Tong to get revenge for you and Xuanji!"

Little Six is a bit exhausted from all the excitement.  "No.  Don't be rash.  Wu Tong's martial arts and spells are not bad.  Furthermore, he is ruthless.  You might end up getting embarrassed instead.  I almost got beat up by him, too."

"You are trying to say that I've embarrassed myself, right?"

Shit..."T-this," says Little Six.

"I will not take this lying down!  Ask Xuanji if you don't believe me."

Xuanji arrives right in the middle of their argument.  "I-I think Wu Tong is simply using his spells," says Xuanji.  "Although it's fine for me because I feel no pain, he almost hurt Sixth Senior Brother and everyone else.  We have to get revenge."

Linglong grabs her hand.  "See?  Even Xuanji can't stand him!"

Sifeng finds the three on the porch, and joins in.  "Wu Tong almost hurt Xuanji and Minyan.  Looks like we have to give him some punishment."

Little Six pats him on the shoulder.  "Good Brother, do you have an idea already?"

 

The next morning, disciples from all five sects are gathered around the Shaoyang Sect community bulletin board.

"Lize Palace's disciple, Yu Sifeng, lost a silver spirit snake," one of the disciples reads.

Wu Tong is descending the stone stairs as he hears it being read.

"Anyone who finds it will be rewarded with ten luminous pearls."

Wu Tong's ears perk up.

"Ten luminous pearls?" asks a disciple.

"Lize Palace's people are rich."

"It's so awesome."

Wu Tong carefully studies the flier.  He walks away from the crowd, contemplating how to find the snake.

 

Xuanji, Sifeng, Little Six, and Linglong are hiding in the bushes.  Xuanji is on the verge of falling asleep.  She falls forward, and Sifeng catches her.

"Do you think he won't come?" asks Xuanji.

"Perhaps the reward is not enough?" suggests Linglong.

"I've investigated it," says Sifeng.  "Wu Tong was born in to a poor family.  He is thrifty and practices hard to gain fame.  His match with Minyan yesterday exceeded his expectations.  He had to use his secret weapon, the spell.  Now, his inner force is weakened.  He needs money to buy pills to recover his inner force so he can fight again."

"With that said," says Little Six, "he will have to come for these ten luminous pearls." He gasps.  "He's here!"

Wu Tong is walking along the forest trail, and sees Sifeng's snake, Little Silver Flower in the middle of the path. He smiles and gets closer to her.  He looks around to make sure no one else is there.  Little Silver Flower begins to slither away.  "Don't move," he says.

She slithers up a tree.  He casts a spell, emitting purple energy from his index finger.  He immobilizes her with a purple bubble on the tree trunk.  He smiles.  He picks her up, and as he walks away, Sifeng casts a spell, fiery energy emitting from his index finger.

It activates a trap in the middle of the path, a net hidden on the ground that pulls Wu Tong up into the tree.

"We've succeeded, great!" says Little Six.

"Sifeng," says Xuanji.  "You are so great.  You calculated everything correctly."

"It's easy to know what Wu Tong's thinking," says Sifeng.  "What are you thinking everyday?" He flicks her forehead.

Wu Tong is struggling in the enchanted net.  "Who is it?  Come out!"

"It's us," says Linglong.

With his outstretched hand, Sifeng is able to summon Little Silver Flower back to him.

"You're being arrogant," says Linglong.  "You're wrapped like a dumpling now.  Do you know how great we are now?"

"Shaoyang Sect only knows these petty tricks," says Wu Tong.  "These petty tricks are used by scoundrels."

Linglong smirks.  "You don't have to care about that.  I caught you anyway.  Apologize to my sister and senior.  Hurry!"

"Let me go!  I've prepared for four years for this Hairpin Tournament.  I won't forgive you if you interfere with my match."

"How dare you complain as a captive," Linglong retorts.  "Fine.  Don't apologize.  I will have you trapped here for three whole days.  Let's go, Little Six."

"Wait! Wait!" says Wu Tong.

Linglong stops.

"Fine.  I will apologize," says Wu Tong.  

"At least you're still tactful." Linglong walks back to the net.

He raises the palm of his hand and shoots out purple energy.

"Look out!" Sifeng moves Linglong away from the purple streak.  In the process, he unknowingly drops his mother's  hairpin.

"Linglong, are you alright?" asks Xuanji.

"You are really cruel!" shouts Little Six.  "If you hit Linglong, she would have died!"

"How dare you ruin my future!" says Wu Tong.  "I want to take her life, indeed."

"I will definitely put a hole in a bad guy like you!" Says Linglong.

"Don't." Sifeng stops her.  "He is tricky.  You shouldn't go near.  We will only punish him today.  If someone were to get hurt, it would be hard to explain to the elders."  He looks at Wu Tong.  "Today, you will repent here as punishment."

"My friend from Lize Palace," pleads Wu Tong.  "The match tomorrow is important to me. Please let me down."

"No," says Sifeng.  "We've finally set up a trap to catch you.  Why should we let you go that easily?"

"It was your idea?" asks Wu Tong. 

"It was just a random idea," says Sifeng.

"I have many gold leaves here.  I'll give them to you if you release me."

"People from Lize Palace don't lack money.  Please excuse us," says Sifeng.

"Wait!" yells Wu Tong.  "Yu Sifeng, I will never forgive you!"

"Just stay here and calm yourself down," says Sifeng.  "You can talk when you return to Shaoyang Sect."

"Yu Sifeng!" Wu Tong shouts.

The four ignore him and walk away.

He angrily tries to break out of the net.

 

....To be continued....

 

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