American Perspectives: Saving Sifeng Pt. 2 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 23)

 

 

“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.

 

 

 

 

"What do you want me to say?"  Madam Dongfang says to the Sect Leaders and Elders in the dark interrogation room.  "I already told you.  He is the demon."

Sifeng is standing by her, barely conscious, propped up by two Fuyu Island Disciples.

"The Demon of Tianxu Hall," Madam Dongfang continues.  "That's the truth.  We planned everything.  All of you had to be baited.  Once Xuanyuan's Sect Leader is dead, no one else can open the Destiny Pearl.  We want the spirit key, and not the stupid pearl.  When Yu Sifeng pretended to bring Linglong back, we'd already predicted that all of you righteous sects would make the exchange with a fake spirit key.  As expected, all of you are hypocrites."

"Qing Rong," tears are streaming down Dongfang's face, "when did you become like this?"

"I'm always like this!  You better stay away from me.  You are just like them.  Disgusting.  Do you dare say that you never killed someone from my sect?"

"You..." stammers Dongfang.

"Stop pretending," says Madam Dongfang.  "Let me tell you.  I wouldn't be with you if it wasn't for my survival.  Now that I think about it, it's not worth it to get rid of you by using the Gu Poison.  Why should I get rid of a puppet like you?"  She carresses Sifeng's face.  "Thanks to his acting on the island, your suspicions about me were gone, and you fell for me.  You even gave me the key to the Treasure Vault.  I was only satisfied when I finally broke your heart."

"You!" Shouts Dongfang.

Madame Dongfang giggles.  "Look at that.  What is that expression?"

"Yu Sifeng, what do you have to say?" asks Valley Master Rong.

Sifeng is barely conscious, but he manages to say, "She's mad."

"Who's mad?" Madam Dongfang spins around, angrily imploring Sifeng.  "You are the one who's mad.  He is a demon.  Don't trust him!  He's the same as Ouyang Tong!  A heartless demon who betrayed me!"

Deputy Chief glances over at Sifeng.

"I gave him so much help," Madam Dongfang continues, "yet he abandoned me after he got the spirit key!  Everything is fake.  Every demon of Tianxu Hall should be dead.  The same goes for you," she growls at Sifeng.  She then giggles.  "Worse comes to worst, we will all just die together."

Sifeng notices her bringing out a secret weapon.  He immediately puts his hand over hers in an attempt to intercept it.

"Give it to me!" Madam Dongfang screeches.

"Don't touch Qing Rong!" Dongfang hollers.  With a movement of his hand, he throws intense gold energy at Sifeng, knocking him to his knees.

"Sifeng!" Little Six rushes forward.  He tries to help Sifeng stand up, but Sifeng is struggling to breathe.

Madam Dongfang is smirking.  

"Yu Sifeng, can't the Hell's Nails hold you down?" asks Valley Master Rong.  He pulls back his arm, pink energy emitting from his hand.

"Hold it!" shouts Little Six.  He holds up a white vial for everyone to see.  "This is the Demon Corpse Poison.  I saw it clearly.  Sifeng was just trying to take this poison instead of killing her."

Madam Dongfang giggles and looks back at her ex husband.  "Yes.  Let me tell you.  I want to kill all of you!  Only then will he think I'm useful and come back for me.  Why didn't all of you die?"  She gets in Dongfang's face.  "Why?  All of you should die.  Die!"

Dongfang grabs her.  "Qing Rong, what are you doing?"

"Die!" Shouts Madam Dongfang.

"Wake up!" Shouts Dongfang.

"Let me go!" Hisses Madam Dongfang.

"Are you crazy?"

"Let me go!" Madam Dongfang screams.

"Someone, bring her away!" Dongfang orders.

Two male disciples approach her.

"Let me go!"

"Wake up!" Shouts Dongfang.

"He will come back for me!  Let me go!"

Dongfang is crying uncontrollably, and therefore, his judgments of Sifeng are going to be completely irrational.

The disciples drag Madam Dongfang up the stairs and out of the interrogation room.

"Master, she is mad, indeed," Little Six addresses Sect Leader Chu.  "Her words about Sifeng cannot be trusted.  Valley Master Rong, remove the Hell's Nails from Sifeng."

"How do we know this is not pre planned to win our trust?" asks Hao Chen.

"That's right," Valley Master Rong agrees.  "If this act was just to clear Yu Sifeng's suspicions, his identity is actually more suspicious.  Perhaps he is holding more of Tianxu Hall's secrets right now."

Sect Leader Chu is beginning to feel some doubts, as each justification is getting more extreme than the next, but he doesn't dare disagree with popular opinion.

"Since there are so many doubts," says the insidious Deputy Chief, "why don't we interrogate him again?  What do you think, Master Dongfang?"  He is secretly enjoying Sifeng's fall from grace, and is milking every last second of it.

Dongfang pauses.  "Take him away.  Interrogate him again."

"Hold it!" Yells Little Six.  "Why do you need to interrogate him again?  Wasn't it the truth that Sifeng saved all of you?"  He can't believe the blatant idiocy he is seeing.  "Why do you still have to judge and interrogate him through assumptions?  They were all mere guesses."

"Minyan!" growls Sect Leader Chu.  "Are you trying to cause troubles, just like Xuanji?"

"Master," Little Six says incredulously.  He is horrified by the blatant hypocrisy.  All childhood lessons about virtue and righteousness disintegrating before his very eyes as he's seeing the polar opposite in action.

"Minyan," Sifeng says drowsily.  "It's useless.  Don't get involved."

"Sifeng," says Little Six.  He looks out at the Sect Leaders and Elders.  He feels completely disgusted and confused.

 

 

 

Linglong, dressed up in red, walks into a Tianxu Hall prison cell, crowded with disciples.  She is carrying a whip, ready to have a little fun.  They all look at her with dread.

Linglong sighs, and looks over at a disciple.  "Raise your head."

He immediately recognizes her.  "Linglong, you..."

Before he can say anything more, she whips him across his arm.

"Who allowed you to call my name?  Only Wu Tong Gege can call me that.  If you don't know what's good for you, I will dig out your eyes, and cut your tongue out.  Guards!"

A guard grabs the disciple. 

"What are you doing?" The Disciple asks.

"Since you look honest," says Linglong.  "I want you to be my slave."  She hands the guard a collar.  "Put that on him."

"This..." Protests the disciple.  "You..."

Linglong smirks.  "If you play with me obediently, I will reward you.  Let's go!"

"You..." The disciple protests.

The guard drags him after her.  Linglong walks past Yu'er's cell.

"Linglong!  Linglong!" calls Yu'er.  "Here, it's me!  Are you in charge here?"

Linglong doesn't recognize her.

"Hurry and let me go!" says Yu'er.

"Why is everyone calling my name now?"  Asks Linglong.  "I don't even know where a rude half demon like you came from.  How dare you ask me to let you go."

"No way," says Yu'er.  "You forgot who I am?  Don't pretend that you don't know me."

Linglong rolls her eyes.

"I even brought your senior here to look for you," Yu'er continues.  "I got locked up because of you.  You have to live up to your conscience."

Linglong yawns.  "I have no time to waste on you.  Let's go--"

"Don't go!" Cries Yu'er.  "You really don't remember me?  My father is Liu Yihuan, the weird old man who has a celestial eye.  Why don't you remember me?"

 

 

 

"Tianxu Hall's next target will be either Lize Palace or Dianjing Valley," says Dongfang.  "We can't let them waste our time.  We have to learn of their plan."

Valley Master Rong stands up, full of indignation.  "I think Yu Sifeng is trying to delay us.  But he won't say anything, no matter what.  Everyone, what do you think we should do?"

Deputy Chief is casually waving his fan.  "Yu Sifeng is stubborn, indeed.  He could even endure Lize Palace's 13 Punishments, and Valley Master Rong's Hell's Nails."

"I do have a mythological object in my hands," says Valley Master Rong.  With a sweep of his hand, and flashes of lightning, he brings forth a whip that appears to be made entirely of chains.

"The Demon Whip was passed down by Dianjing Valley's grand ancestor," says Valley Master Rong.  "I just need everyone to work with me, and activate the Demon Whip's power.  After three whips on Sifeng, his demonic soul will show itself.  He will no longer be stubborn."

Ruo Yu can't believe what he's hearing.

"Pure Yang force is needed to activate this Demon Whip," Valley Master Rong continues, "and its holy force.  Among us, I'm afraid only those who have mastered the purest Yang Jue skill will be suitable to activate the Demon Whip."

Hao Chen looks at Sect Leader Chu.  Sect Leader Chu nods.

Hao Chen steps forward.  "In that case, I'm willing to contribute."  He bows.

 

 

Xuanji runs out of her room when she hears Little Six walking along the wooden patio.

"Xuanji," says Little Six.

"Sixth Senior," says Xuanji.  "How is Sifeng?  Bring me to him."

"Xuanji, Master's orders.  You are forbidden to cause any trouble."

"But he was accused as a demon."

"But the elders will never listen to us," says Little Six.  "Why is this happening?"

"If the elders won't listen," says Xuanji, "I'll save him myself."  She starts to walk away, but Little Six stands in her path.

"You will even oppose the elders?" asks Little Six.

"Sixth Senior," says Xuanji, "I don't care anymore.  When I saw Sifeng getting caught, something in my heart hurt.  Do you know?  When I was young, I accidentally smashed Mother's favorite vase.  That is my saddest memory.  But I think...the vase broke once again.  I want Sifeng to come back.  I want him to come back safely.  No matter who tries to stop me, I will still save him."

"It's bad!"  Ruo Yu rushes up to them.

"Ruo Yu?" asks Xuanji.

"Great, everyone's here," says Ruo Yu, out of breath.  "Valley Master Rong is going to use the Demon Whip on Sifeng tomorrow to verify his identity.  He needs to take three whips to prove that he is not a demon."

"They even want to use the Demon Whip?" Little Six asks in disbelief.

"What is a Demon Whip?"  asks Xuanji.

"It's Dianjing Valley's mythological object," Ruo Yu explains.  "It is very powerful.  Any...any demon that gets whipped will lose its power, and show their original shape."

"What if it's a human being?" asks Xuanji.

"If it's a human being, they'll be badly hurt if they don't die.  Tianxu Hall has greatly harmed the Five Great Sects.  Every elder hates Demons badly.  They'd rather kill wrongly than release someone."

Xuanji grabs Little Six's wrist.  "Sixth Senior, I don't care anymore, now that it's come to this.  I have to save Sifeng.  What happens today is none of your business."

"Wait," says Little Six.  "I'll go with you."

"All right," says Xuanji.

"Let's go," says Little Six.  The three head out, ready to save Sifeng.

 

 

 

"Master, hand me over to them," says Little Silver Flower.  "Otherwise, they will not stop torturing you.  Hurry and release me!"

"Our blood ties have yet to sever," says Sifeng, who is chained up, spread eagled, with his feet in a huge pool of  water.  "I am still your master.  I will not send my spirit beast to death."

"If I am your spirit beast," says Little Silver Flower, "my duty is to protect my master.  Now that my master is suffering because of me, I would be better off dead than a spirit beast.  Master, release me!"

"That's enough," says Sifeng.  "I will never go back on my decision."

 

 

 

Xuanji, Little Six, and Ruo Yu authoritatively walk through the prison wearing Fuyu Island Disciples' hanfu.  They knock out all guards standing in their way.

"Let's move separately," says Xuanji.

"All right, let's go," says Little Six.

Xuanji is the first to find Sifeng in the water prison cell.  "Sifeng!" she yells.

He slowly raises his head.  "Xuanji," he smiles.

With a sweep of her hand, she emits sparks, and busts the lock.  She swings the door open and rushes down the steps to the pool he's chained up in.

"Xuanji," he whispers, exceedingly glad to see her.

"Sifeng.  They hurt you to this extent.  I will take you away now."  She tries to use spells to break his chains, but they don't work.  She rushes down to him.

He raises his arm, emitting gold energy from his hand.  "Don't come here!" he insists.

"What are you doing, Sifeng?"  She bangs her hands against the invisible barrier he put up.

"Xuanji, this place is too dangerous.  You shouldn't be here."

"They've wronged you and locked you up here," says Xuanji.  "They even hurt you.  I have to save you.  Let me go to you, Sifeng."  She bangs on the barrier.

"They are just external injuries," Sifeng lies.  "I will be fine.  You, on the other hand, trespassing into the prison to save me, and taking such a risk...How will your father explain to other Sect Leaders?"

"I don't care about that," says Xuanji.  "They said you are a demon, and even plan to use the Demon Whip.  I have to save you."  Xuanji crossess her arms and emits blue energy from her fingers.  She spreads out her arms, and breaks down the barrier.  She runs into the pool, completely unconcerned about getting her clothes wet.  She examines Sifeng's injuries.

"Xuanji, do you trust me?"

"You are Sifeng.  Of course, I trust you, Sifeng.  I know you are not a demon.  You're not related to Tianxu Hall at all."

"I am not Tianxu Hall's demon clan." 

"I know that.  Little Silver Flower went to Tianxu Hall because of other reasons, right?"

"Actually, I asked Little Silver Flower to go to Tianxu Hall to find the Mirror of Origin.  I want to know where it is.  I want to restore your six senses.  That is our promise.  I have to fulfill it.  If I tell them, they will find out about your secret.  That overwhelming power of yours.  They will see you as someone weird again.  That is why I can't tell them."

"Just let them think that I'm someone weird.  That is much better than you losing your life."

"Even if I tell them, they will not believe me.  Furthermore, I can't let you become their topic of gossip."

"Sifeng, you are always making decisions for me, yet you won't tell me anything.  It's not worth it to do this."

"I don't care whether it's worth it or not, as long as I'm willing to do it."

Little Six and Ruo Yu come rushing into Sifeng's cell.  

"Sifeng, Xuanji!" Little Six panics.  "Master is here!  Let's go!"

 

 

 

The four run out to the beach.

"The sword trap was repaired," says Little Six.

Before they can move any further, Sect Leaders, Elders, and Fuyu Disciples swarm on the beach.

"Yu Sifeng!  Xuanji!" Says Sect Leader Chu.  "Put down your sword."

Xuanji refuses to retract the Dingkun Sword.

"Did you hear me?" asks Sect Leader Chu.  "Put down your sword!"

"Father, Senior.  Sifeng is not a demon."  Says Xuanji.  "You cannot use the Demon Whip on him."

"Master, we still don't know the truth," Little Six adds.  "It's a heavy punishment to use the Demon Whip."

"Elders, please show mercy," Ruo Yu chimes in.

"You want us to show mercy when you broke out of prison?" asks Dongfang.

"Yu Sifeng," sneers Deputy Chief, "you're trying to escape when your doubts haven't been cleared?  Are you absconding?"

"Sect Leaders.  Elders," says Sifeng.  "I am not related to demons at all.  Please believe me, and don't trouble Xuanji and the rest."

"We will know about your identity tomorrow," replies Hao Chen.  "But you are guilty of convincing someone to break you out."

"That's because you are planning to use the Demon Whip," Xuanji interjects.  "I begged everyone to rescue Sifeng.  He is unrelated to this."

"I will say it again," says Sect Leader Chu.  "Put down your sword!"

"Xuanji, listen to your father, and put down the sword," Hao Chen agrees.

"Senior, forgive me for defying orders," says Xuanji.  She raises her sword.

"Xuanji," Hao Chen tries to conceal his anxiety.

"Fine."  Sect Leader Chu growls.  "You are getting bolder.  You are still holding your sword.  Are you trying to fight me and your senior?"

"Father, Senior," says Xuanji.  "I was brought up and taught by all of you.  I dare not disrespect.  But I won't stand by while I see Sifeng getting wrongly accused."

"What do you want?" asks Hao Chen.

She positions the Dingkun Sword at her throat.

"Xuanji, you..." says Sect Leader Chu.

"If you want to accuse Sifeng, I will just give you my life!"

"You are willing to use your life to threaten your father for him?"  Asks Sect Leader Chu.

"Xuanji, is he worth your recklessness?" asks Hao Chen.

"Sifeng said he doesn't care whether it's worth it or not," says Xuanji, "as long as he is willing to do it.  What I'm doing today is out of my own will."

Sifeng looks at her and smiles.

"I hope you don't force me anymore," says Xuanji.

"Xuanji," says Sifeng, "I am happy for what you did for me today, but you shouldn't make your father and Senior sad."  He puts his hand over hers.  "It's just three whips."  He lowers her sword.  "I can endure it.  I said I will help you restore your six senses.  I will do it, no matter what.  Don't worry.  I won't die."

Xuanji nervously holds his hand.

He turns away, releasing her hand as he walks toward the Sect Leaders.

Xuanji feels nauseous about this.  Her trust in her elders' integrity has diminished significantly.

"Someone, take him away!" Orders Sect Leader Chu.

"Xuanyuan Sect took the Demon Clan's medicine.  Fuyu Island had a Demon Clan spy.  Lize Palace has a Demon Clan disciple," says Valley Master Rong.

Deputy Chief looks down.

"Shaoyang Sect helped with a Demon Clan's prison break," Valley Master Rong continues.  "Our righteous sects are really bustling."