American Perspectives: Testing Xuanji Pt. 1 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 18)

 

“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.

 

Linglong is sitting on the bed in a dark bedroom in Tianxu Hall.  She's coughing, and she wasn't awake when Wu Tong brought her to this unfamiliar room.  She moves her arms, but is abruptly stopped, due to being chained to the bed.  She feels extremely confused and frightened. She examines the chains, attempting to figure out an escape plan.  She misses Xuanji and Little Six terribly, but she doesn't regret destroying the Transmission Bell.

Two men enter the room.  One is carrying a tray of delicious food.

"Where am I?" She asks.  Then she asks the question she never in a million years thought she would ever ask: "Where is Wu Tong?"  Ugh.  Just saying his name makes her want to vomit.

The guard places the tray in front of her bed, just out of reach.  Linglong does not have the energy for this, but she also does not have the energy to get into a tiff with the guards.

"Answer me!  Answer me!" Linglong says anxiously.

The guards ignore her and leave.

She gets down on her stomach, and tries to reach the food.  With her mouth, she attempts to grab the tray.

Wu Tong comes strolling in, an arrogant grin on his face.  The two guards follow behind him.

Linglong rushes to sit up.  She absolutely cannot let Wu Tong see her humiliated.

He laughs.  "You want to eat?"

Linglong says nothing.

Wu Tong picks up a roasted chicken.  "Beggars Chicken of Shaoyang.  I remember that a disciple of Shaoyang once said that this was your favorite dish."  He sits by her, chicken in hand.  He waves it in her face.  "Eat it.  I won't harm you."  He pushes it further in her face.

She looks at him disdainfully.  He chuckles.  She leans forward to take a bite, because she's hungry as hell.  He pulls it away and laughs.  He puts the chicken in her face again, taunting her.  "Eat it!  Eat it!"

She takes a bite, and this time, he doesn't pull the chicken away.  Tears of humiliation and shame stream down her face.  He is enjoying every second of it.  She takes the chicken from his hand, and continues to eat, feeling like a captured dog.

He abruptly rips the chicken out of her hand, and throws it behind him.  He grabs a handful of meat from another plate, and shoves it in her mouth.

She is struggling to breathe, and she feels dizzy.  She almost chokes on the food.  He can't stop laughing.

"The way you eat reminds me of the time when I was hunted by the five sects.  I had to hide inside the deserted valley.  That place was completely barren.  There were only some rotten animal carcasses.  Take a guess.  What did I survive on?"

Linglong says nothing while tears are streaming down her face.

"Hmm?" asks Wu Tong.

Linglong gags.  Wu Tong puts his hand under her chin, forcing her mouth shut.  He forces her to eat more food.

"What is it?  Do you already want to vomit just by thinking about it?  I spent a year like that.  So, you'll eat this.  If you dare spit it out, I'm going to let you have a taste of what I had.  Eat it!"

Linglong fearfully eats the food.  

"Yes, eat it," Wu Tong smiles.  He strokes her cheek.  She moves her face away, and begins to sob.  He roughly grabs her face. "This is the eldest Miss Chu I know.  Now, you look more energetic."  He laughs.  "I'm tired."  He kicks the tray off the bed and lays down.  "I want to take a nap."

Linglong is sitting at the top corner of the bed, as far away from him as she can get.  She wipes the food from her face, and he rolls over, grabbing her leg.  She recoils.  He feels her leg while his eyes are closed.

Linglong looks down at her chains.  She takes the chain connecting between her hands, and pulls it tight.  She stealthily attempts to put it over Wu Tong's neck, but he snaps awake, and grabs the chain.  He flips her off the bed, and she feels the shock of hitting the floor, and struggling to breathe as he wraps the chain around her neck.

"Are all the famous and upright sects like this?" he asks.  "I didn't have the intention to kill you yet, and you already want to kill me?"  He pulls on the chain.  Linglong gasps for breath.  "If I was that stupid, do you think I'd be able to live until today?  Don't waste your energy fighting me.  You won't be able to kill me."

He aggressively pushes her into a wooden post.  He goes back to sleep.  She sits on the floor, curled up in a ball, sobbing.

 

Unbeknownst to Xuanji, while she is sleeping, Hao Chen is using white energy to scan her body for the Dingkun Sword.  He lifts it from her, and it is suspended in mid-air.  He has memories of the day she obtained it as the God of War.

They are walking through a hall of weapons in the Heavenly Realm.  Si Ming, the Heavenly Elder, is at the front.  God of War and King Bailing are behind him.  

"Here are all the powerful divine weapons in the Heavenly Realm," says King Bailing. "Just take whatever you like."

God of War reaches for a sword, handles it, but feels no connection, and moves on.

King Bailing smiles.

She tries out a different sword.  No connection.  In between two pillars, she sees a sword surrounded by intense, electric blue energy.  She closes her eyes.  Light blue energy flows from her left hand.  The sword  comes to her at lightning speed.  She jump spins in the air, catching the sword.  She feels the energy rushing through her, and feels completely connected.

Si Ming gasps.  "God of War, this Dingkun Sword is an ancient, ominous sword.  It's foul and evil."

She eyes the blade of the Dingkun Sword with admiration.

"You..." continues Si Ming.  "You better..."

In a grand gesture, she lands on the ground, kneeling, her white cape flying behind her, the blade of her sword pointed downward into the ground.  "I'll take this," she says authoritatively.

Hao Chen is not only trying to take Xuanji's sword, he's trying to neutralize the power.  He's really straining himself in doing so, as his immortal powers cannot be used in the Human Realm.  All the while, Xuanji remains sound asleep.

Su Ming materializes.  "King Bailing!" he gasps.

The energy from the Dingkun Sword pushes back, and would have sent Hao Chen on the floor if Si Ming hadn't been there to catch him.  "King Bailing!"  He helps him up.  "King Bailing, are you okay?"

The Dingkun Sword is still levitating over Xuanji's body, the blade now black, instead of the usual white or blue.

"Just now, I saw that the God of War's life pillar was flickering," says Si Ming.  I didn't know why.  So, it's because you were casting a spell on the Dingkun Sword.  This is just a false alarm."  He adjusts the outer robe on his hanfu.

"At first," admits Hao Chen, "I wanted to break her tie with Dingkun Sword and take it away.  But I failed."

"Why?" asks Si Ming.

"Will her life pillar be affected if I try to take away the Dingkun Sword?"

"Of course," says Si Ming. "But I'm afraid that the Dingkun Sword is so strong that it'll awaken the God of War's memories, and I'm afraid that her power will be awakened soon.  King Bailing, you shouldn't have given that sword so easily to her back then.  What were you thinking?  For just a moment of her happiness?  You brought this upon yourself.  You..."

Hao Chen glares at him.

Si Ming awkwardly bows.  "You are wise and great.  You'll definitely find a way," he says unconvincingly.  "I'm worrying about nothing."

Hao Chen wags his finger at Si Ming.  "I'll use a spell to seal the power of this sword first, and suppress the evil in it."  With a flick of his wrist, he turns the sword upwards.  Energy emanates from the palm of his hand.

Xuanji is stirring.

In the air, in front of the levitating sword, Hao Chen writes something in blue letters with his fingers.  He pushes it onto the sword.  The power of the sword kicks him back onto the ground, and the sword dissolves back into Xuanji's body.

"Are you okay, King Bailing?" asks Si Ming.  With the palm of his hand, he pushes a golden, fiery energy into Hao Chen's chest.  He wipes the sweat away from Hao Chen's face.

Meanwhile, Xuanji continues to sleep soundly, as if absolutely nothing weird is going on in her room.

Si Ming helps Hao Chen up.  

"It's quite difficult to use this body in the human realm to suppress this divine weapon," says Hao Chen.  "I don't know how long I can suppress it.  Si Ming, go back to Siming Hall now to seal her life pillar and chain up her past.  No matter if it's the Dingkun Sword, or other things, I'll not allow any other power to stir up her memories."

Si Ming makes a face.  "King Bailing, this..."

"You can't interfere with the Human Realm," says Hao Chen, "but protecting life pillars is your duty.  It's best if she doesn't remember those incidents that she shouldn't remember.  Only then, can she be safe."

Si Ming bows.  "Yes, King Bailing."  He turns and disappears in a swirl of ashes.

 

Si Ming returns to repair the God of War's life pillar.  The top part is shattered in many pieces.  Emitting white hot energy from his hands, he aims his fingers, and then the palm of his hand at the electric blue pillar.  The effort in repairing it is making his arm hurt.  He stumbles.  "Finally, her life pillar is sealed up."  He catches his breath.  "But her memories are chained, too.  And King Bailing is a stubborn and difficult person.  Looks like it'll be hard for them to mend their relationship.  I can only hope that King Bailing can help her reincarnate sooner and bring her back to the Heavenly Realm."  He pulls his book out of his belt.  "Eh? Then I'll be able to upgrade this 'Tales of the Three Realms.'"  He can feel the gaze of someone standing behind him.  He turns around and sees the overly dramatic Teng She.

"Let me in!  Old Guy Si Ming!"  An energy barrier is preventing Teng She from going beyond the entrance.  "Old Guy Si Ming, hurry up!"

"Ya!" says Si Ming.  "Teng She."

Teng She frowns at him.  "Old Guy Siming."

"Wait!  Who are you calling an old guy?"

Teng She tilts his head.

"Do I look like an old guy?"  Si Ming self consciously touches his hair.

"Zzzz!" Teng She says with impatient displeasure.

"Hmmph," says Si Ming.

"Let me ask you," Teng She says authoritatively, "where did God of War go to pass through her trial this time?"

"The God of War?  Why are you asking about her?"

"Hmmph," Teng She smirks.  He flips his hair.  "Of course, I want to go there to compete with her."  He clears his throat.  He gestures to Si Ming.  "Come over here."

"Tell me."

"Come over here," Teng She says impatiently.  "Something bad has happened."

"Huh?" Si Ming leans in closer.  "What happened?"

"Let me tell you, but don't tell King Bailing about it.  I lost the Dingkun Sword that I'm guarding."

Si Ming makes a face.  "God..."

Teng She gives him a confused look.

"Such a major issue?"  Si Ming says overdramatically.

"Shh..." Teng She glares and points at him.  "So, I must go and find the God of War, and get back the Dingkun Sword before King Bailing finds out about it.  Hurry up and tell me where she is now.  I'm not going there to fight with her."

"Ay ya," Si Ming rolls his eyes.  "Her reincarnation was done through seniority.  How can a powerless deity like me find out where she is?"

Teng She gives him intense side eye.  "You are too useless.  Forget it.  I'll go and find out about this elsewhere, then."  As he turns to walk away, he suddenly remembers one more thing.  He turns around and faces Si Ming.  "Don't tell anyone that the Dingkun Sword is gone."

Si Ming nods his head and smiles.  After Teng She is out of ear shot, Si Ming expresses his frustration.  "You are just a stinky snake."  He pulls his book out of his belt.  "I'll record it."

 

Hao Chen is standing outside, his back to Xuanji's door, as if he would never dare enter her room and hover over her bed without her consent.

Xuanji slides open her doors and steps outside.

"You are awake?" he asks.

"Senior Hao Chen.  Where is Sifeng?  How is he?  Did you see him?  Did the Deputy Chief take him back to Lize Palace?"

Sifeng, Sifeng, Sifeng, Hao Chen thinks contemptuously.  "He is fine," Hao Chen manages to say neutrally.  "You can rest assured now."

Xuanji nods and breathes a sigh of relief.  "Good."

"Xuanji, do you still remember your vow to Master before you left the mountain?  You vowed that you'd protect the secret ground forever.  So, you should always put the secret ground first."  His well calculated plan to brainwash and control Xuanji is deteriorating rapidly.  "How could you just promise to marry someone without thinking?"

"But I took off Sifeng's mask," says Xuanji.  "If I don't take responsibility for it, he'll be punished."

"Nonsense," says Hao Chen, his lack of integrity readily apparent.  "When did Lize Palace have this rule?  Besides, no matter what, this is Lize Palace's matter.  You may be able to interfere this time, but will you be able to do that forever?  You agreed to marry a man without serious consideration.  Are you just going to abandon your father, your sister, and..." he looks away.  "You'll spend the rest of your life with someone, just like that?"

"I...I haven't thought that far ahead yet," admits Xuanji.

Hao Chen sighs.  "Forget it.  Later, I'll bring you to Lize Palace to explain it to them.  Tell them that you made the decision on a whim, and that it doesn't count."

"No!  I've promised them.  How can I break my promise?" asks Xuanji, inadvertantly revealing Hao Chen's hypocrisy and double standards.  "I can't just wash my hands of Sifeng's matters."

"You don't even listen to me now?"

"Of course I do," Xuanji says awkwardly.

"You do?  Fine.  Let me ask you then.  Why were you at Mount Gao?  What were you looking for?"

"I...I went to Mount Gao to look for the Mirror of Origin."

Hao Chen's control over Xuanji at this point is next to nothing.  He turns away from her.

"Senior, don't be mad.  I know that I promised you to not look for the Mirror of Origin anymore.  But I really want to restore my six senses.  I want to be like everybody else.  I have a friend who says that he knows this mirror well.  He said that it's not an evil mirror.  It will just let you see your past."

"A friend?" Hao Chen snaps.  "It's Yu Sifeng again.  I put so much effort into teaching you all those years, but you trust him more than you trust me."

"Sifeng has the same thoughts as me.  I want to feel those senses for myself.  Moreover, a human has a heart to feel.  We have eyes to see.  We have a nose to smell, and a mouth to eat."

Hao Chen looks at her incredulously.

"If I give up all of those," continues Xuanji, "What else can I do?"

"The world has a myriad of things, and a man's heart is incomprehensible.  Before you left the mountain, I taught you to always reflect on yourself and not to be bewitched by others.  But in the end, you still let your desire win out.  I'm really disappointed in you.  Looks like there's no need to continue with this trial anymore.  Go back to Shaoyang, and continue your cultivation in Xuyang Peak.

"No," Xuanji asserts.  "I still haven't heard from Linglong and Sixth Senior.  I must go."

"Min Xing and Min Jue have already gone to Mount Gao to look for them.  You don't need to do anything.  You'll be grounded in Fuyu Island first.  Practice with Spell of Tranquility for 20 hours every day.  After everything is settled here, go back to Shaoyang with me at once, and never leave it anymore, and be a dedicated protector for your whole life."

"No, Senior!"

"Go back now!"

Xuanji turns sharply, goes back into her room, and slams the doors shut.  She leans against the doors, breathing heavily, thinking about what to do next.  It's apparent to her that responsibility and integrity only count when they are matters that benefit Hao Chen.

 

"Deputy Chief," Ruo Yu bows to him outside in a nice, green area, "the disciples are still waiting.  Are we going to bring Sifeng back now?"

"No," says Deputy Chief.  "Since that girl is willing to risk her life for him, we'll let him stay.  Did you bring me the shards of the loveless mask?"

"They're here," Ruo Yu reaches inside his belt.  He bows, and presents the pieces in the palm of his hand.

Deputy Chief carefully picks them up.  He smiles.  "This is the bark of the Kunlun Tree.  It won't break so easily.  Interesting."  He smiles.  "Aren't you curious about whether or not that girl truly loves Sifeng?"

"I don't know," Ruo Yu says cautiously.

Deputy Chief drops the pieces in Ruo Yu's outstretched palms.  "Let's conduct a test, then."

Ruo Yu looks up, doing his best to hide his anxiety.  "Yes, Deputy Chief."

 

Hao Chen managed to steal a piece of the broken mask, and he's examining it in his room.  "The Immortal Kunlun Tree.  So, it's the Loveless Mask."  He puts the piece down.

The mask was removed, but the curse is still there. "Yu Sifeng, looks like you have no choice, but to work hard for Xuanji's love."

 

Xuanji sneaks out of her room, and walks down the corridor outside.  Good, Senior Hao Chen is not watching me in the yard.  She runs quickly, but with light feet.  I can check on Sifeng now.

Poof!  A huge cloud of red and black smoke surprises her.  Ugh, it's Deputy Chief.

"Our fight is not over yet," he says threateningly.  "How about we give it a go now?"

"I don't want to fight you," says Xuanji.  She begins to walk away.

"Then, I'll bring Sifeng back," says Deputy Chief.

Xuanji takes a deep breath.  The Dingkun Sword materializes in her left hand.   She turns around to face him.  "If I win, are you not going to bring Sifeng back?"

"Depends on your capability, then."

She puts her sword in position, and flies forward.  He flips his fan, and red fire energy radiates.

He slaps her with the red fire, and she falls back.  A hand is on her back, stopping her from hitting the ground.

"Xuanji, are you okay?" Sifeng keeps his arm around her.

Deputy Chief flips the fan back, and the red fire dissipates.  Could it be that she's not the master of this sword?

"I'm fine," says Xuanji.  She looks at Deputy Chief fiercely, while catching her breath.

"Deputy Chief, what is the meaning of this?" asks Sifeng.  "Is it because Xuanji talked back to you?  So you are seeking revenge now?  Isn't it too shameful to treat a Junior like this?"

"I saw that her sword is powerful, so I wanted to test it out," Deputy Chief says innocently.  He waves his fan back and forth against his torso.  Xuanji watches him warily.  "I thought that Shaoyang Sect had a new talent.  She's not that powerful, though."

"I hope you can stay away from her from now on," says Sifeng.

"How dare you!" Deputy Chief yells.  He shoots up into the air in a beam of red and black smoke, and lands directly in front of Sifeng and Xuanji.  "How dare you talk to your superior like that for a girl?  I haven't punished you for the mask yet.  Do you want to add another offense?"

Xuanji puts her arm protectively in front of Sifeng.  "I promised to marry Sifeng already.  What else do you want?"

"It's still a crying face after you took off Sifeng's mask.  It means that you don't truly love Sifeng.  How am I going to explain that to Lize Palace?  But since Sifeng is Lize Palace's head disciple, I'll give you a chance."  A piece of Kunlun wood from Sifeng's mask materializes in his hand in a burst of red, gold, and black energy.

"Deputy Chief," asks Sifeng, "Are you asking Xuanji to grow the Heart Lantern?"

"Your life depends on this test," Deputy Chief tells Sifeng.  "Don't you want to give it a try?  That way, I'll be able to give Palace Master an explanation."

Xuanji keeps her arm protectively in front of Sifeng.  She looks at the piece of wood.  "What is the Heart Lantern?" she asks.

"Little Girl," Deputy Chief smirks, "bury this shard in the soil, and water it with your qi.  If you have someone you want to love with everything you've got, it'll grow within two days and bear the fruit of the Heart Lantern.  After that, take that Heart Lantern and put it in Sifeng's hands.  If the Heart Lantern is as bright before it was in his hands, it means that your love for Sifeng is true."  He hands the Kunlun piece to her.  "Do you want to give it a try?"

"It's just a Heart Lantern," Xuanji scoffs.  "I'll plant it."  She snatches it from his hand.  It is obvious that she does not give a shit about who he is in the Lize Palace.

"Fine," says Deputy Chief.  "I'll wait for the result, then."  He turns around, and flies up and away in a thick streak of black smoke.

Xuanji casually examines the piece of wood, while Sifeng is looking like he's going to have an anxiety attack.

"Xuanji, it was so dangerous just now," says Sifeng.  "Why didn't you use the power of the Dingkun Sword to fight him?"

"I don't know what's wrong with this Dingkun Sword.  It's like it was throwing a tantrum just now.  I don't care about that right now.  I must plant this first.  I must grow it.  Then, the Deputy Chief and the others won't pester you again." She runs to her room, giggling.

Sifeng, on the other hand, looks like he's on the verge of having a panic attack.  It is obvious that Deputy Chief hates him, and Lize Palace Master isn't here to back him up.

"Hero Yu," and out comes creepy Hao Chen.  "This is the Shaoyang Sect's courtyard.  It's not right for you to just barge in here, right?"

"Senior Hao Chen, long time, no see," Sifeng says politely.  "Xuanji always mentioned you.  She said that you are the one who taught her all of her skills.  She has really learned a lot from you."

"But I didn't really hear of Xuanji mentioning you," Hao Chen lies.  "Looks like both of you are not that close.  Xuanji is innocent, naive, and doesn't know the way of life.  It's not surprising that she'll agree to anything just to help you.  Please don't take it to heart, and don't hope for any result for your sided love."  He arrogantly walks past Sifeng, feeling self satisfied with his mind games.

Sifeng takes a deep breath and clears his head.  Hao Chen's jealousy and insecurity are evident.  Xuanji, will you be able to grow that Heart Lantern?

 

 

...To Be Continued...