Xuanji's Spell Test Pt. 2 ("Love and Redemption Ep. 7)

 

 

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

 

Xuanji is nervously waiting in the Xuyang Peak Assembly Hall.  

"Xuanji," says Heng Yang, the Xuyang Peak Sect Master, "Hao Chen said that you are innocent and fearless.  I think he is right.  At first, I didn't plan to accept any more personal disciples because I already have Hao Chen to take over my place one day.  But he kept recommending you to me.  After giving it a thought, I think that you are indeed a nice kid."

Xuanji smiles awkwardly, and looks over at Hao Chen.  "Senior, didn't you say that he chose me?"

Hao Chen clears his throat sheepishly.  "Quickly kneel and greet your master," he says sharply.

"Oh." She turns to look at Heng Yang.  "Master, thank you for accepting me as your disciple."  She kowtows.

Heng Yang chuckles.  "Good.  From today onwards, you are Xuyang Peak's disciple.  From now on, you have to train hard and bear the responsibility to guard Xuyang Peak."

"Yes, Master," Xuanji smiles and bows again.

"Get up," says Heng Yang. "Hao Chen, after reinforcing the barrier of the secret ground, it's quite stable now.  I've decided to meditate in seclusion to fully understand the essence of Heartless Tactics."

I just became his disciple, and he's already going into seclusion?  Xuanji thinks.

"When I'm not here, all the disciples and matters of Xuyang Peak will be under your care and jurisdiction."  Heng Yang looks at Hao Chen.  "Is that clear for everyone?"

"Yes Master," everyone says in unison, and bows.

"Xuanji," says Heng Yang, "I've already passed down everything I know to Hao Chen, your Senior.  I feel assured for him  to train you.  Follow his teachings and respect him like he's your master.  Don't slack off.

Xuanji bows.  "Yes, Master."

Hao Chen bows.  "Don't worry, Master.  I'll do my best to train and teach her."

 

Hao Chen and Xuanji walk outside.

"Senior, what are the Heartless Tactics that Master said just now?  Is it something powerful?" Xuanji asks.

"That's the ultimate skill of Xuyang Peak," Hao Chen explains.  "The people who practice it should get rid of all emotions and distractions to reach the state of Anatta, non self.  This is the cultivation of Xuyang Peak since Ancient Times."

The ultimate skill? Xuanji thinks. I won't be able to learn that.  It has nothing to do with me.

"You are thinking that this skill has nothing to do with you, right?" asks Hao Chen.

Xuanji fidgets uncomfortably.  "How do you know about that?"

"Your face is an open book.  It's quite difficult for normal people to reach that state.  But your six senses are undeveloped.  Your state of mind is different.  You were born to learn the Heartless Tactics of Xuyang Peak to become  its Boundary Protector."

Xuanji doesn't notice Hao Chen walking away as she's feeling disappointed regarding the expectations.  She looks up and lets out a sound of surprise when she realizes he's far ahead of her.

 

Xuanji and Hao Chen are having some drinks in Hao Chen's room.

"Senior, what is a Boundary Protector?" asks Xuanji.

"This is what I want to tell you.  The Boundary Protector is the duty of all disciples of Xuyang Peak.  You accidentally went into the secret ground.  You should know that there's a powerful celestial force inside.  If an evil man succeeds in breaking into it, the world would be in chaos.  The duty of the Boundary Protector is to protect the secret ground with their lives.  Since you managed to come out from the secret ground unharmed, maybe this is your destiny."

"What's inside the secret ground?" Xuanji leans forward.

"It's not something that young disciples should ask.  Just remember your duty and mission.  Train hard. If you manage to reach the state of immortality in the future, your life will not be in vain."

"Senior, I still have a question.  Why do humans need to become a deity?  Isn't it nice to be a normal human?"

"Why do you have so many questions?"

Xuanji looks down.

"No matter if it's humans, monster, or demons, all of them want to become deities.  Becoming a deity is the ultimate and only true path in life.  You just need to remember this."

Xuanji nods.

"By the way, I've already put all of your belongings inside the library."

"What belongings?" asks Xuanji.

"Your dagger, bell, and kaleidoscope."

Xuanji jumps up in shock.  "No.  They are all gifts from others, and they are my most precious things."

Hao Chen slowly stands up.  "Xuanji, I just told you that Xuyang Peak is all about reaching Anatta.  These things carry the feelings of others.  They'll disturb you from your training.  Distractions.  So, you can't bring them with you."  He begins to walk away.

Xuanji blocks him.  "Senior, I won't bring them with me.  I'll just keep them in my room.   Under the bed.  I won't look at them often."

"No."

"Just one.  Just give me one."

Hao Chen looks at her sharply.  "After you finish your training, I'll give them back to you."

"If that's the case, can you give me the Transmission Bell for a moment?  I want to talk to Sifeng for one last time.  At first, I wanted to tell him about me coming to Xuyang Peak after everything was settled here."

"Sifeng?"  This does not sit well with Hao Chen.  "The disciple of Lize Palace?"

Xuanji nods.

"Xuanji, you won't be able to meet him.  What's the point of contacting him, then? You just promised me that you'll listen to me."

I have no choice, then.  Xuanji thinks.  I've made a deal to meet Sifeng four years later anyway.  I'll just train well first and visit him in the future.

"Why do you look so upset?" asks Hao Chen.  "Since I took so many of your things, how about I give you a gift?"

Xuanji quickly looks up.

He takes her outside, and they walk on an arched, wooden bridge.

With a movement of his hand, a light, glittery trail forms, and a tan umbrella gradually appears.  With a quick flick of his hands, he is able to get the umbrella to fly all over the place, and cut through rock.

Xuanji is impressed.

He draws the umbrella back in, and it's hovering, spinning right in front of Xuanji.

"This is awesome!" Xuanji exclaims.

"Every person in training needs to have a personal, magical weapon."  He gets the umbrella to smoothly fly into his hand.  "I'll give you this Parting Umbrella as your weapon, then."

Xuanji happily grabs it.  "Awesome.  When I go out in the future, I just need to bring this umbrella, right?  Not only is it a magical weapon, it can even shield me from rain and sun.  Thank you, Senior."

"You really like to slack off," says Hao Chen.

Xuanji feels inside the top part of her umbrella.  "Senior, after I have this magical weapon, does it mean that I can win even if I don't practice my spells?"

"Although it has some power in it, if you are not well trained, you won't be able to use it well.  You can't slack off. Now, can you see the importance of training?"

Xuanji slowly nods, still somewhat distracted by the umbrella.  "I get it now, Senior Hao Chen."  She continues to play with the umbrella.

 

Across the water, things in Lize Palace are more somber than usual.

"The 13 Punishments Tower of Oblivion has 13 floors.  All 13 floors are full of vicious beasts, monsters,evil spirits, and devilish formations that erode the soul and heart.  The one who is punished has to climb from the bottom to the top to be able to survive it."

Sifeng slowly ascends the stone stairs.  He looks at his Transmission Bell.  Xuanji, I'm afraid that I'll be in a hard battle for quite awhile, he thinks. But I won't forget about our deal.  He squeezes the bell.  I'll definitely come out alive.

Sifeng completely ascends the staircase, and walks through the entry into the 13 Punishments Tower of Oblivion.  The heavy stone doors slide closed behind him.

 

The following morning, Hao Chen is perched comfortably, meditating on a huge boulder in the sun, on the edge of the pond.  Xuanji runs up to him breathlessly.

"Senior, I'm late.  Go ahead and punish me."

Hao Chen ignores her, as he is still meditating.  He slowly opens his eyes.  "Why should I punish you?"

"Because...Because I slacked off and didn't get up in the morning to train."

"If you are awake, but your heart is not, it'll only have the opposite effect on your training.  Don't worry, I won't force you to wake up early."

Xuanji beams.  Her stomach growls loudly.  She looks down awkwardly.

Hao Chen laughs softly.  "You are hungry?"

Xuanji nods.

With a sweep of his hand, emitting a blue trail of energy, a delicious chicken dinner appears.

Xuanji gasps.  With a sweep of his hand, the chicken levitates, and dangles in front of Xuanji.

"Do you want to eat it?"

Xuanji nods enthusiastically.

With another sweep of his hand, he quickly moves the chicken away.  Xuanji chases after it.  Running, jumping, but failing to catch it.

"Although you don't need to wake up early to train here, we have our own rules.  First, we only eat once a day.  If you want to eat, you'll have to chase it by flying with your sword."

Xuanji crosses her arms, then spreads them out in a T-Formation.  The umbrella immediately materializes, surrounded by blue energy.  She unsteadily hops onto it, trying hard to keep her balance.  The umbrella moves quickly, her balance very unsteady, but her hunger and determination rock solid.  The chicken is just out of reach.  She falls backward, and hits the ground.

 

It's nighttime, and Xuanji still hasn't eaten.  She slowly walks into Hao Chen's room.  "Senior, I'm hungry.  I'm really hungry."  She leans over to the side.

"Bear with it," Hao Chen says sternly, continuing to read his book.

"Well, I can't find any flint in my room.  I can't light up the lanterns."

Hao Chen reaches for a book.  "Learn how to use the fire spell to light up the candles, then."  He hands it to her.

Xuanji pouts before angrily taking the book.

In her pitch dark room, Xuanji is maneurvering her hands in an attempt to master the fire spell.  Nothing.  She tries several times.  "I'm hungry and it's dark.  If you don't light up again, I'll eat you."  Her eyes are closed, so she doesn't see the blue energy emitting from her hands.  As she points, the fire comes out in full force, knocking the candles to the ground, and burning a piece of paper.

 

Sifeng is trapped in a blizzard in the 13 Punishments Tower.  He is laying down, his face cut up, and his lips bleeding.  HIs eyes slowly open.  He struggles to get up, as he wants to go back to sleep.  He sees nothing but white all around him.  He pulls out the Transmission Bell.  Xuanji, he thinks.  These 13 Punishments are harder than I thought.  I just managed to pass the first level, but I can do it.  I'm afraid that it'll take me longer than expected to pass through all 13 floors.  He continues to army crawl forward in the snow.  You still haven't replied to me until now.  I don't know if you can hear me or not.  Is the bell too hard for you to use, or did you lose the bell?

 

Xuanji is speeding through the air, passing a waterfall, over the pond.  She spins, landing on the ground smoothly with a bag of food in hand.  She smiles proudly.  She reaches her hand out, and the umbrella comes to her.

She sits down and opens her bag.  She happily pulls out a green apple.

A woman is walking behind her.  "Senior Duan Qing!" Xuanji calls.  She runs up to meet her.

"Duan Qing, did you just collect some nectar?" Xuanji asks.

"Yes," says Duan Qing.  "I love the nectar from various flowers.  So, I just collected some of them from the valley just now."

"Can I have a taste?" asks Xuanji.

"Sure," Duan Qing lifts up her basket lid.

Xuanji grabs the small jar, and samples a tiny bit.  "So sweet." She notices a bottle hanging from Duan Qing's belt.  "Senior Duan Qing, is this full of nectar, too?"

"Yes."

"Can you give it to me, then?" Xuanji asks sweetly.

Duan Qing hesitates.  "Well, can I make you another one?  This bottle is for someone else."

"For whom?" asks Xuanji.

Duan Qing blushes.  "It...It's for someone I like."

"I have someone I like, too," says Xuanji.

"Then, you'll understand.  If you really like someone, you'll want to share the thing you like the most with him."

"Sharing the things I like with the person I like.  Is everyone like this?"

Duan Qing nods.  "All right Xuanji, I have to go now."

Xuanji continues to eat her apple.  "Since I've decided to like 6th Senior, I'm going to leave some of the fruits I like for him."

"Senior Hao Chen," Duan Qing greets Hao Chen.

He ignores her and walks over the bridge.  Duan Qing's face falls.

Hao Chen walks straight to Xuanji.  "Finally, you don't need to be hungry anymore."

"Senior Hao Chen, haven't I improved a lot lately?" asks Xuanji.

"You can fly decently now," says Hao Chen.  "Tomorrow, you'll take a spell test with other new disciples from outside."

Xuanji is not ready for that.  "Why?"

 

The next day, on a sandy island in the middle of a pond, Xuanji and many other disciples are gathered together to take the test.  Hao Chen runs across the surface of the water to greet them.

"You've studied at Xuyang Peak for quite some time," says Hao Chen.  "Today, we're going to test your basic spell skills.  Are you ready?"

"Yes!" The disciples answer.

"Xuanji, I taught you myself, don't embarrass me," says Hao Chen.

Xuanji smiles.  "Don't worry, Senior Hao Chen.  I'm ready."

Hao Chen conceals a chuckle.  He nods in acknowledgement.  With a sweep of his hand, he disappears from the surface of the water, and materializes on top of a rock.

Xuanji takes a deep breath.

"Let's start," says Hao Chen.  "Lightning Spell."

The disciples move their hands accordingly, emitting lightning energy, contained in a space between their hands.  They all shoot it upward.  Xuanji slowly brings it forward, smiling at her improvement.

"Wind Spell."  

Xuanji takes out a transparent piece of fabric with all the spells written on it.  She is able to draw the wind in an orb between her hands.  Hao Chen smiles.

The disciples keep testing, bringing up whirlpools of water from the pond.

"Okay," says Hao Chen.  The disciples halt.  "Burrowing Spell.  Xuanji, you can go first."

Xuanji hesitates, then she moves her hands, emitting strong, blue energy.  She ends up on top of a mini pagoda.  She almost loses her balance, but Hao Chen catches her.

"Thank you, Senior Hao Chen."

"Your spell is okay.  But you need to improve on your physical capability."

With a sweep of his hand, he draws back the top layer of her hanfu, revealing spells written on the hem of her underskirt.  "This is what you consider well prepared for the exam?"

"I won't do it again," Xuanji promises.

"Have you ever thought that if it rained today, and it washed off all the spells you copied on your dress, what are you going to do?"

Xuanji smiles.  "Luckily, it's not raining today."

He thunks her head.  "You should at least find a fool proof way if you are going to cheat."  He turns to the rest of the group.  "That's it for today's test.  All of you have improved a lot."

Xuanji breathes a sigh of relief.

"Continue to work hard tomorrow."

"Yes, Senior!" says the disciples.

 

Xuanji and Hao Chen are out on the deck, drinking wine.  "Senior, the wine you brewed is really delicious.  It's the best."

"Don't drink so much.  I don't want you to be drunk," says Hao Chen.

"Senior, I've been wanting to ask you this.  You are so amazing and many seniors and juniors like you.  Are you really going to give up all your feelings to learn those Heartless Tactics and guard the secret ground forever?"

"I was born to guard the secret ground.  Only by being heartless can I get rid of the turmoil in this world, and neutralize the demons inside everyone."

"Don't you want to be with your friends?"

"Friends?  I used to have a friend.  We were very close.  But she betrayed me, and committed a grave crime.  It's too bad that I didn't realize it sooner.  If I could have helped her out earlier, perhaps she wouldn't be like this today."

"Betrayal?" asks Xuanji.  "Then she is not a real friend.  My friends are all splendid.  They won't do this kind of thing."

"Humans are unpredictable.  Your friends might change.  Xuanji, one day you'll understand that only by focusing on becoming a deity, can you get rid of all your worries right now.  Understand?"

"Yes." Xuanji takes another drink.

Hao Chen watches her carefully.  Are you still unwilling to become a deity because you are still angry? He thinks.  Is this the life that you want?  Do you know that I'm here to bring you back?  When we go back, can we still be together like before? 

 

The blizzard rages on in the 13 Punishments Tower of Oblivion.  Sifeng continues to army crawl across the snow.  A beam of light is shining in front of him.  He continues to move to it.  He stares at the beam, seeing a figure emerge.  The figure walks out of the light and toward him.  Sifeng stands up.

The figure's sword materializes.