American Perspectives: Journey To Mount Gao Pt. 2 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 13)

 

"Love and Redemption" can be viewed on Viki or Youtube.  Dialogue adapted from English subtitle translations by "Destined Love Team at Viki.com." "Love and Redemption," is based on the novel "Liu Li Mei Ren Sha," by Shi Si Lang.  The writings presented here are based on observations from the television series.

 

Xuanji is meeting up with her two favorite people: Little Six and Linglong.  They're hanging out in Xuanji's room, and Linglong is expressing her concerns.

"Xuanji, I'm worried about your trip to the mountain tomorrow.  Have you embroidered all your spells?"

Xuanji picks up a transparent underdress folded up beside her on the bench.  "I've embroidered all demon related spells that I can think of on this dress.  Tomorrow, I just need to wear it, and I'll be able to handle all kinds of demons."

"I'm more at ease now," Linglong says unconvincingly.  She cuts her eyes at Little Six.  "Little Six, remember to protect Xuanji well, do you hear me?"

"Don't worry.  Leave it to me," says Little Six.

"Look," Xuanji hands her underdress to Linglong.

Linglong notices something on Xuanji's wrist.  "Isn't this the bracelet Aunt Hong gave us when we were teens?  I lost mine.  Let me take a look at it."

Xuanji takes off her jade bead bracelet.  "Aunt Ying Hong gave it to us when we were fourteen years old.  Look.  You said that one bead represents two years."  She counts the beads.  "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...huh?  Why is there an eighth bead?"

"Maybe you remembered it wrong," says Linglong.  "She must have given it to you when you were sixteen."

"But I just cleaned these beads before I left Shaoyang Peak.  There were only seven.  Why is there an extra one?"

Linglong smiles.  "All right now.  Don't think too much."  She puts the bracelet back in Xuanji's hand.  "You must have remembered it wrong."

"By the way, Linglong," says Xuanji.  "Keep this Transmission Bell."

"Great!  Then I can contact you any time tomorrow."  Linglong rings the bell.

"Take good care of yourself when I'm not here," says Xuanji.  "Don't always quarrel with Lu Yan Ran."

"Don't worry," says Linglong.  "She's not my match."

"Be careful tomorrow," Little Six says to Linglong.  The two look at each other for a few moments.

Linglong yawns self consciously.  "I'm tired.  We have to rest earlier."  She waves Little Six away.  "You can leave now."

After Little Six leaves, Linglong turns to Xuanji.  "Xuanji, you have to travel tomorrow.  Rest earlier.  I want to sleep now."  Linglong quickly walks away.

Xuanji looks down at the beads on her bracelet.  "I'm sure that there were only seven."

 

Musicians dressed in red are playing on the trail up to Mount Gao, escorting the fake bridegrooms in their covered sedan chairs.

Xuanji is seated in her sedan chair, dressed in sky blue, wearing a top knot.

Sifeng is in his sedan, dressed in white, that hideous mask firmly attached to his face.

Little Six is wearing lavender, sitting in his sedan chair, not knowing what to expect.

Ruo Yu is dressed in turquoise, masked up, and calmly sitting in his sedan chair.

They go through the cave in the mountain and reach the door.  The sedan chairs are lowered, and the musicians kowtow.

Little Silver Flower and Linglong are spying in the bushes.

After kowtowing, the musicians get up and run away as fast as they can.

The doors open with heat waves of purple energy radiating.  A purple vortex forms at the door, and five women dressed in red come out.  Four of whom are carrying wedding wear.

A feeling of dread descends over the four disciples seated in their sedans.

The lead servant, with a wave of her red hanfu sleeve, pulls back the curtains to the first sedan.  "Welcome gentlemen," says the head servant.  "Please get down from the sedan."

The four cautiously exit, and stand in front of their sedans.

"Please change your clothes," says the head servant.

Little Six carefully examines the clothing in front of him.  "Why is this a woman's wedding gown?"

"The Goddess is marrying you.  Of course, you have to wear the wedding gown.  You better change now.  We don't want to be late."

"How am I going to change?" asks Little Six.

"How about I help you?"  the head servant moves in on him, ready to remove his clothes.

He blocks her hand.  "No need.  I can do it myself."

Linglong laughs quietly.  Little Silver Flower looks at her and smiles.  Little Six picks up the dress and goes into his sedan to get changed.

Ruo Yu carefully looks at his wedding dress.

"How about I help you?"  the head servant asks him.

"Please, have some self respect," he replies.

"Gentlemen, it's disrespectful to meet the Goddess with your masks on.  You better take them off."

"You don't know about it," says Ruo Yu,  "but this is our home town's custom as respect for the deity.  When we pay respect to the deity, we have to wear this mask.  We can only take it off when the time is right, as a form of respect.  If we take it off before that, it'll be disrespectful."

"Since you are so respectful to the Goddess, you can keep your mask on," says the head servant.

He takes the dress and gets ready to put it on.

Linglong and Little Silver Flower are silently giggling in the bushes.

Without a word, Sifeng grabs his wedding dress.

Xuanji waits nervously, but without a word, she also grabs the dress.

Sifeng is the first to get out of his sedan, and he looks radiant.

"Sifeng looks quite handsome in this attire," observes Linglong.

"This demon is so troublesome," says Little Silver Flower.  "Why do they have to wear a wedding gown?"

"You are angry at this, too?  I think you are just jealous because Sifeng is taking care of Xuanji so well."  She elbows Little Silver Flower.  "Let me tell you.  You have no chance.  Clear?"  Many women chasing after unavailable men would benefit from a friendship with Linglong.

"You..." says Little Silver Flower.

Little Six exits his sedan, pointing and laughing at Sifeng.  "Look at you."

Sifeng says nothing, and Little Six quickly gets back into place.

"Minyan looks quite handsome, too," says Little Silver Flower.

Ruo Yu gets out next, looking around self consciously.

The head servant walks up to Xuanji's sedan.  "Gentleman, it has taken you so long.  How about I help you with it?"

Xuanji quickly exits the sedan, still in her sky blue hanfu.  "It's all right," she says quickly.  "Look at this gown.  It doesn't suit me.  How about I not change?"

"Xuanji hasn't changed her clothes yet?" asks Linglong.

"I can help you with it," the head servant says.  Xuanji backs away.

Sifeng immediately intervenes.  "Goddess, my friend is a little bit shy.  I'll help him with it."

Xuanji smiles.

"Please give us some privacy," says Sifeng. 

"What a shy gentleman," the head servant laughs.

Xuanji breathes a sigh of relief.  She and Sifeng walk behind her sedan.  "They almost found out that I was a woman."

"Hurry up and change now," says Sifeng.  "I'll keep an eye out for you."  He keeps his back to her as she changes out of her blue hanfu and into her red wedding hanfu.  She is having trouble with her red veil.  He immediately rushes to her.  "I'll help you with it."  He untangles the veil from an ornament on her dress.  "It's done, Xuanji."

She lifts up her veil, and Sifeng is floored by how she looks.

"Xuanji," says Sifeng.  He feels the veil.  "There is an hallucination drug on this veil.  Xuanji, remember to hold your breath later.  I'll find a chance to tell Minyan and Ruo Yu about it."

"Please get into the sedan," says the head servant.

"All right, let's go," Sifeng whispers.

"They are leaving now, let's go!"  Linglong says to Little Silver Flower.

 

There is an intense battle with the Demons of Tianxu Hall in the Xuanyuan Sect.   Zhu Shi is fighting as hard as he can, but it's a losing battle.

The doors burst open, and in a mix of black and purple smoke, Wu Tong appears.  With a sharp motion of his arms, he radiates more smoke and fire energy, directing it at Xuanyuan members, using it to take away their souls, causing them to dissipate.

From his hand, Wu Tong draws forth iridescent green and blue energy.  He inhales it.  "Sect Leader Zhu Shi, how are you?"

"You are Wu Tong?" asks Zhu Shi.

Wu Tong smirks.  "Thank you for still remembering a nobody like me."

"Now you work for the devil," says Zhu Shi, "and feed on the souls of the living to increase your power?"

"If I didn't do it," says Wu Tong, "I wouldn't have the right to stand here and talk to the Sect Leader of Xuanyuan Sect.  Sect Leader Zhu Shi, give me the spirit key."

"Dream on!" says Zhu Shi.

"I don't have much patience now.  With my power, I can annihilate Xuanyuan Sect in the blink of an eye," sneers Wu Tong.

"You betray your ancestor, and are the jackal to the tiger," says Zhu Shi.  "You even used drugs to control Xuanyuan.  Everything you did is despicable and shameless.  You are even worse than a demon!" He clutches his chest and struggles to breathe.

"What a joke," laughs Wu Tong.  "You are the one who took drugs to increase your power.  Do you think that there are such things as free meals in this world?  Xuanyuan Sect is greedy, but useless.  I think Xuanyuan Sect is the one that is worse than demons."

"The calamity of Xuanyuan is brought upon by me," says Zhu Shi.  "I was too competitive to the point that I forgot about my cultivation.  I exposed my own weakness for you to exploit.  Xuanyuan was wrong once.  We will not do it again.  Listen to my order, disciples of Xuanyuan.  Today, Xuanyuan sect vows to fight against these demons with our lives!  We will not bow down to anyone!"  He draws his sword, and charges at Wu Tong.

Wu Tong steps aside, and with purple energy radiating from his hand, he dissolves Zhu Shi's sword.  He pushes Zhu Shi high up into the air, and begins to draw away his soul. 

The remaining sect members watch in horror.  Wu Tong laughs.

"I though all the righteous sects faced death calmly," Wu Tong smirks.  "It turns out all of you are just cowards."

"Do you think that these demons will let you go if you don't fight back?"  Zhu Shi asks the other sect members.  He looks at Wu Tong.  "You don't even have the quality of a cultivator."

"Listen to me, Disciples of Xuanyuan," says Wu Tong.  "If you kneel to me now, I'll feed you the drugs later.  If you want to die," he looks at Zhu Shi, "I don't mind feeding on more souls."

The Xuanyuan sect members drop their blood stained swords, and kowtow to Wu Tong.

Wu Tong laughs loudly.

"I never thought that my disciples of Xuanyuan were just some cowards begging for their lives," says Zhu Shi.  "Xuanyuan Sect was established 1,300 years ago.  Looks like it's going to end here today on my watch."  Tears stream.  "I've let down my master.  I've let down my ancestors.  Okay.  Today, I'm going to use my life to repay Xuanyuan.  He turns his palms upward, radiating silver blue energy.

Wu Tong relentlessly attacks Zhu Shi with his purple energy.  "Putting aside that you are powerless now because of the Kunyin pill you took, even if your power had recovered, with my power now, I have nothing to be afraid of."  Wu Tong laughs, and uses his purple energy to throw Zhu Shi into the wall.  Zhu Shi crumples into the floor.

"Sect Leader!"

"Sect Leader!"

Wu Tong immediately strikes Mo Shi and Lin Shi.  "Have you found the spirit key?"

"Not yet," says Lin Shi.

"Useless," says Wu Tong.  He hurls them both into the floor.

The remaining disciples tremble in fear.

"Where is the spirit key?  If you don't tell me now, all of you will die!"

A disciple kneels to Wu Tong.  "Altar Chief, I...I know where the spirit key is."

Wu Tong kneels down and lifts the disciple's head.  "It's you, Shi Feng?"  He laughs.  "You came first during the Hairpin Tournament back then.  But that was supposed to be mine."

"The judge was unfair," says Shi Feng.  "I'm just a weak little thing.  How can I ever compete with you?"

Wu Tong laughs.  "Not bad.  You are quite sensible.  Since you know where it is, bring it to me now."

Zhu Shi spits blood and breathes his final breath.

 

Shi Feng takes Wu Tong to a secret room.  She Feng pulls up the Destiny Pearl, but it's empty.  "How did this happen?  The spirit key of Xuanyuan Sect has always been hidden inside the Destiny Pearl.  You must use the Sect Leader's key to open the Treasure Cove.  Why is the Destiny Pearl gone?"

"How dare you fool me!" growls Wu Tong.

Shi Feng kowtows.  "I wouldn't dare.  I didn't lie."

"Did anyone come here recently?"

"A few days ago, Chu Xuanji and Chu Linglong from Shaoyang Sect, and Yu Sifeng from Lize Palace came to Xuanyuan.  And our sect leader asked them to give a present to Island Master Dongfang.  But our elders already checked the present.  Nothing was wrong with it."

"He must have used a camoflage spell.  Looks like the Destiny Pearl is with Chu Xuanji and the others."  Wu Tong growls.

 

The four sedans descend into a poof of purple smoke in the Goddess' Lair.

"Gentlemen, please get down from the sedan," says the head servant.  The four exit, and stand in front of a stone statue of the Goddess.

They are immediately surrounded by women.  "Gentlemen, come here."

"Have a seat."

"Have a seat, gentlemen."

The women keep handing them drinks.

"The wine is spiked," whispers Sifeng.  "Don't drink it."  Sifeng summons his sword, and throws it at the women.  All but one disappear.

Little Six pins the head servant to the table.  "Where is Goddess Gao?  Ask her to come out!" The head servant then disappears.

Women can be heard laughing.  The stone statue shape shifts into the Goddess Gao.  She laughs.  "No need to look for me.  I'm here.  We meet again.  I've been here waiting for you.  The energy of cultivators is even more powerful than normal people.  It would be very fortunate if I can take a sip of it."

"She's a seductress, and she wants to feed on energy," says Sifeng.  "She must be a fox demon.  She must be a thousand years old."

"So smart," says the Fox Demon.  "You are right.  I am the Thousand Year Old Purple Fox.  Since you got it right, what rewards do you want?"  She spins around, disappears, and several streaks of purple energy disperse.  The four begin to lose consciousness.

The beautiful fox demon, dressed in purple, stands in front of them.  She approaches Sifeng and tries to remove his mask.

Xuanji immediately springs into action, throwing her spell covered underdess on to the Fox Demon's head, and whipping out her umbrella.  She tries to stab the Fox Demon with her umbrella, but the Fox Demon disappears.  The Fox Demon reappears, charges at Xuanji, grabs her neck, and forces her to the ground.

"You are still fine after inhaling my hallucination smoke?" asks Fox Demon.  She gets a good look at Xuanji.  "You are a woman?  You disguised as a man to trick me!  Mount Gao will never spare a woman!"

Sifeng summons his sword in a burst of red energy, and hurls it at Fox Demon.  She disappears, and then reappears.  "Don't hurt her," says Sifeng.

Fox Demon smiles.  "Interesting.  I never thought the two of you were a couple."