American Perspectives: Trouble in Tianxu Hall Pt. 2 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 30)

 

 

“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.

 

 

 

Aunt Hong, Sect Leader Chu, Xuanji, Little Silver Flower, and the Shaoyang Elder are anxiously waiting in the hallway.

Hao Chen opens the doors.

"Senior Hao Chen, how's Sifeng?"  Xuanji asks nervously.

Hao Chen begins to cough.

Aunt Hong scans him with electric blue energy.  "You've sustained internal injuries.  Why didn't you tell us before you did that?"

"Senior Hao Chen, when did you get hurt?"  Asks Xuanji.

"While I was searching for you, I saw a suspicious demon at the altar, and I was struck by his malignant aura.  But it's fine.  I know my own condition."

"Xuanji," says Sect Leader Chu.  "Hao Chen was hurt because of your reckless actions."

"Sorry Senior, I--" says Xuanji.

"I said it's fine," Hao Chen interjects.  "You don't need to worry.  It's just that the attributes of Lize Palace and Shaoyang Sect are different.  The Yang Jue Qi I sent him can only stay inside his heart meridian.  It can't travel through his entire body.  I can only continue this when his body accepts it on its own."

"Wait?"  Little Silver Flower asks impatiently.  "We still need to wait?  How long can Sifeng last?  Will this method work or not?"

"Xuanji," says Hao Chen, "if my Qi can't travel through his entire body, then there really is no other way."

"If a strong spirit energy is protecting his heart meridian," says Aunt Hong, "we may be able to force the Qi to travel through his body.  There are pagoda trees at the base of this mountain.  If we can find a 10,000 year old pagoda tree, and create medicine out of its roots, Sifeng will be fine after he consumes it."

"Yes Xuanji, take care of Hero Yu," says Shaoyang Elder.  "You need to transfer your Qi to protect his heart meridian every five minutes."

"I'll follow you," says Sect Leader Chu.  "Hao Chen, you need to recuperate.  You mustn't hurt your own vitality because of this.  I won't be able to give an explanation to Senior Heng Yang if anything happens to you.  Xuanji, take good care of your senior.  Let's go."  Aunt Hong and Shaoyang Elder follow him out.

"I'll go as well!"  Yells Little Silver Flower.

Xuanji is alone with Hao Chen and an unconscious Sifeng.

"Yu Sifeng isn't that great," Hao Chen snorts derisively.  "He's not worth sacrificing your life for."

Xuanji can't believe what he's saying.

"Xuanji, I told you before.  You don't know much about relationships.  How could you entrust your future to a stranger like him?"

"Senior, I may not know much, but I know enough.  Sifeng is the person I want to spend my life with and never part from in this lifetime.  If he leaves me behind, I would rather die."

"You're trapped by your relationship," says Hao Chen.  "No class at all.  This is the most despicable and ignorant act."  He walks by her, doing the quintessential man thing when the woman he likes doesn't like him back: he tears her down.

 

 

 

Hao Chen goes to his room and sits down in agitation.

"Sifeng is the person who I want to spend my life with and never part from in this lifetime."  

He knocks his incense burner off the table, like someone who is perpetually five years old.  "So stupid!"  He tantrums.  "It's no wonder you fail your tribulations every time.  If I don't help you, this will continue forever."

 

 

 

Xuanji is at Sifeng's bedside, holding his hand.  "Sifeng, please hang in there.  I beg you."

"The medicine is here!"  Little Silver Flower happily bursts into the room, carrying a jade colored bowl.  "Chu Xuanji, help him up!"

Xuanji sits him up and supports his head, while Little Silver Flower spoon feeds him the medicine.  "We didn't find any 10,000 year old pagoda trees.  We'll see what a 1000 year old pagoda tree can do."

With a fluid motion of her hand, Xuanji emits blue energy into his body.

"How is it?"  Asks Little Silver Flower.  "Is it working?"

"No," says Xuanji.  "The spirit energy is weaker than Senior Hao Chen's qi.  We can't protect his heart this way."

Little Silver Flower stands up.  "No.  I must find it.  Even if there's no 10,000 year old pagoda tree, I'll find a 10,000 year old immortal fruit or something."  Little Silver Flower runs out the doorway.

Xuanji lays Sifeng back down.  "Sifeng.  Sifeng, hang in there.  What if they can't find anything useful?  What should I do then?  Should I submit to fate?"

Hao Chen is spying on Xuanji as she sheds tears over Sifeng.

"No, I don't want that," says Xuanji.  She holds his hand.  "Sifeng, I believe you can overcome this.  Please get better soon."  Her tear falls on his hand, and a golden droplet forms.  She picks it up, and the droplet expands and levitates.  "I didn't expect my Love Flower to have so much spirit energy."  Xuanji says out loud.

Hao Chen is gnashing his teeth with anger, jealousy, and disgust, as the Love Flower was intended to be used by him  to manipulate Xuanji.  Not for Xuanji to heal Sifeng.

"Maybe it can save Sifeng," says Xuanji.  She uses her energy to float the bead towards his mouth.  It hovers close to his mouth, like a hummingbird, but won't go in with her energy alone.  She leans forward, and using her lips to guide the bead, she gives him a kiss, effectively transferring the Love Flower over.

A gold energy washes over Sifeng.

Hao Chen looks like he's going to shit bricks, before he walks away in disgust.

Sifeng begins to show signs of consciousness.

Xuanji holds his hand tighter.  "Its spirit power has protected your heart meridian.  Sifeng, you must get better soon."  She lovingingly touches his face.

 

 

 

Si Ming is casually walking around the cloudly, heavenly realm.  He sees a turbulent vortex of purple clouds and lightning down below.

 

Hao Chen is pouting and floating among the turbulent clouds in the Mortal Realm.

In a tornado of sand, Si Ming materializes below him, and bows.  "My King, according to my observation, there is spirit energy from the heavens surrounding Chu Xuanji.  I wonder what happened?"

Wearing his pissy face, Hao Chen responds, "It's because Xuanji used the Love Flower to save Yu Sifeng.  Yu Sifeng wasn't supposed to live."  He pouts like a petulant child.  "I gave the Love Flower to Xuanji in order to get rid of her anguish, but she actually used it to save an outsider.  Doesn't she understand the purpose of the Love Flower?"

"She doesn't understand, indeed," Si Ming says awkwardly.  He's reluctant to tell Hao Chen anything he doesn't want to hear.  "My King, are you angry because she used an immortal item?  Or are you angry because she used the Love Flower that tied your fates?"

"What a load of nonsense," snaps Hao Chen.  "Are you still trying to joke around?  What tied fates?  I'm just angry because she's stupid, and she doesn't know what's good for her.  That's why Yu Sifeng is able to lead her by the nose." 

Si Ming is dying to say something, but he doesn't want to piss off Hao Chen.  "But Chu Xuanji has recovered her six senses," he says carefully, "and if you let her continue her peaceful life, if her anguish doesn't develop, then there's a huge possibility that she may be able to return to the heavens."

Hao Chen glares at him.  "Are you asking me to let them be together in this lifetime?"

Lightning and thunder crash in the sky.  Si Ming jumps.  "No!  I mean, that isn't suitable at all.  But my King, mortals have a short lifespan.  Even if she is to be together with Yu Sifeng in this life, it will only be temporary.  When she returns to the heavens, she'll understand that life is but a dream.  By then, she can stay by your side, and continue her relationship with you."

"How dare you say that!"  Hao Chen snaps.  Veins of lightning form in the sky.  "You want me to let Xuanji and an outsider decide her fate?  Impossible!  She belonged to me in the past, and she'll only belong to me  and the heavens no matter if it's the present or the future!  Since I've come down to guide her, I will make sure nothing goes wrong in this lifetime of hers!  Xuanji has disobeyed me many times because of this Yu Sifeng.  I mustn't let him stay by her side.  I need to sever this ill fated relationship for her!"

 

 

 

Xuanji and Sect Leader Chu are outside, sitting in the gazebo. "Father," Xuanji hands the vial from Tianxu Hall to Sect Leader Chu.  "This is Linglong's primordial spirit.  We managed to save her."  

Sect Leader Chu carefully takes the vial.  He looks at Linglong's pink spirit moving around in the bottle, and begins to cry.  He holds it tightly in his hands.  "Where's Minyan?"

"Sixth Senior?  He..." Xuanji hesitates.  "Sixth Senior was left behind in Mount Buzhou, and he became Wu Tong's subordinate.  Father, did you give Sixth Senior a secret mission?  He...He severed Second Senior's arm."

Sect Leader Chu looks up.

"And he wants me to tell you that he'll accomplish his missions."

He abruptly stands up. "What?  What do you mean by that?  I didn't say anything like that to him.  Why is he..."

"Why did he do that, then?"  Asks Xuanji.

"Xuanji, don't you believe in me?"

"I-it's not that.  It's just that...just that he...he..."

Sect Leader Chu looks at the vial.  "Maybe Minyan was used by Wu Tong and the demons," Sect Leader Chu suggests.  "That's why he betrayed our sect.  Or maybe...that demon who brought you there was the traitor.  The demon worked together with Tianxu Hall to deceive you."

"Impossible," says Xuanji.  "Purple Fox died in Mount Buzhou.  It's impossible for her to deceive us."

"What about the disciple of Lize Palace who entered Mount Buzhou with you?  What about him?"

"Ruo Yu?"  She recalls him trying to stab her, but stabbing Sifeng instead.  "It's him.  He was the one who hurt Sifeng.  He was the one who hurt Sifeng!"

Sect Leader Chu examines the vial.  He shakes his head.  His nose and eyes hurt because he wants to cry, but he's holding back.  "I told you before, I told you not to act recklessly.  But you wouldn't listen.  Mount Buzhou is a place unknown to mortals.  But you insisted on going there.  In the end, everything has become a mess."  He sighs.  "It's fine.  It's a lesson for you all.  Now, you know you should think twice before you act.  As for Sifeng, you don't need to worry about him.  Hao Chen has never boasted about his abilities.  He won't do things he's not confident in.  Do you know that your Senior Hao Chen only risked himself to help an outsider for your sake?  Hao Chen is passionate about you, and you two were a perfect couple, but you insist on..."

Xuanjin gets to her knees.  "Father, Sifeng and I love each other, and we promised to never leave each other.  So, I will never marry anyone except for Sifeng.  I've told Senior Hao Chen about my feelings.  Father, I hope you can understand me, as well."  She kowtows.

"Fine."  He nods.  "Get up now.  I know that Yu Sifeng is your benefactor.  We'll talk about this in the future.  I need to patrol the area, and set up the Thousand Bells Formation in order to detect demons.  By doing so, the demons won't be able to create trouble."  He walks away, trying to process everything that has just fallen into his lap.

 

 

 

Little Silver Flower is panicking by Sifeng's bedside.  "Sifeng, how do you feel?"

Sifeng is tossing, turning, and sweating intensely.

"Does it hurt?"  Asks Little Silver Flower.  "Sifeng!"

He begins to convulse, and he spits out a spray of blood.

"Sifeng!"  She grabs his face.  She pulls back his blanket, and looks at his chest.  The mortals' method doesn't work indeed.  It will only cause him harm as the spirit energy is too strong around his heart meridian.  She pulls the blanket back up.  "Sifeng, I'll undo two of your seals below your rib cage."

He adamantly shakes his head.

"If not, you'll die."  She pulls back the blankets and undoes his top.  Three tiny, circular seals form a vertical line below his rib cage.

He grabs her hand.  "Little Silver Flower, no!"  He's shivering intensely.

"Sifeng.  Sifeng!  Are you afraid that Xuanji will know that you're a demon after I unseal them?  But if I don't unseal them, your blood won't flow.  And they won't be able to save you, no matter what they do.  Don't worry.  The spirit energy inside your heart is very powerful.  It will suppress your demonic nature.  Listen to me, okay?  Please listen to me!"  She stands up, sharply moves her arms, and generates white energy.

Sifeng groans in pain.  Little Silver Flower removes two of the seals.

"Sifeng!"  She pulls up his blankets.  "Sifeng, how do you feel?  Do you feel better?"

His concealed golden demon mark on his forehead begins to appear, and he convulses.

Little Silver Flower gasps in horror.  "Sifeng!  Why is this happening?  Why couldn't it suppress your power?"

"The thing that Xuanji gave me clashes with the spirit energy in my body."

"Why is this happening?  Sifeng, you mustn't force yourself.  Oh, right.  Palace Master told me that I need to undo your Dragon Crystal Seal when you're in danger, and let you consume human's primary essence.  Sifeng, I'll bring you some humans.  Wait for me!"

"Little Silver Flower!"  Groans Sifeng.  "Come back!"

"Sifeng, don't overexert yourself," Little Silver Flower says tearfully.  "I know you don't want to do this, but I have no choice.  Sifeng!"

"Give me the Dragon Crystals," says Sifeng.

She wraps her hand around the seals.  "I won't give them to you.  Your life will be in danger!"

"Go and find...find Brother Liu.  Hurry and find Brother Liu!"

"Sifeng."  She clutches the seals to her chest.

 

 

 

Xuanji is in the kitchen, fanning the fire that is heating up Sifeng's medicine.  She lifts the lid to check it, and is satisfied with the results.  She uses a cloth to pick up the kettle by its hot handle.  She pours the amber colored liquid into a bowl.

"Aunt Hong, I'll bring this medicine to Sifeng."

"Be careful, it's hot," says Aunt Hong.

 

 

 

Sifeng is using his golden, fiery energy to reseal himself.

Xuanji approaches his closed doors.  As she reaches for the door, she is blocked by a transparent wall.  "Why is the door sealed with a spell?"  She bangs on the transparent wall.  "Sifeng?"

He drops his seals on the floor.

"Are you awake?"  Asks Xuanji.  "Sifeng."

He carefully reaches for his seals, his demon mark still showing distinctly on his forehead.  He falls out of bed trying to reach.

"Sifeng!"  She hears him falling on the floor.  "Sifeng, talk to me!  Sifeng, open the door!  Sifeng!  Sifeng!"

He grabs his seals.  He casts a spell on himself, causing the demon detection bells to ring.

"I smell a demon," says Xuanji.  "Why is there a demon here?"  She puts the tray of medicine down and steps back.

Sifeng is frantically trying to get his demonic aura under control.

With a burst of ice blue energy, Xuanji forces the doors open. She runs inside.  "Sifeng!"  No one's there.  A gold plume of energy is seen flying out of his window.

Xuanji runs outside.  "Father!"  She meets Sect Leader Chu and Hao Chen in the courtyard.  "A demon has captured Sifeng!  I caught its scent!"  She points to the right.  "It's heading toward the forest!"

"Let's go!"  Says Sect Leader Chu.

Hao Chen, Sect Leader Chu, Xuanji, Aunt Hong, and Shaoyang Elder wander through the forest.

"Where's the demon?"  Asks Sect Leader Chu.  "Xuanji, do you know where they're located?"

"It has a faint scent.  It's hard for me to locate it."

"Let's split up and search," suggests Hao Chen.

"Okay, let's split up," agrees Sect Leader Chu.

 

 

 

Sifeng is stumbling through the forest, trying to think of a cover up.

Hao Chen flies up through the air.  Completely unaware of the creep behind him, Sifeng stops and rests against a tree.

Hao Chen sneaks up from behind, and aims a sword at his back.  "Yu Sifeng, why are you here?"

Just as Sifeng looks back, a flurry of golden energy mixed with leaves descends.  Hao Chen stabs into it.  The flurry dissipates.

"Sifeng!"  Xuanji comes running to him.  She hugs him tightly.

"Xuanji," says Hao Chen, "did you have a clear look at that demon?"

"No," says Xuanji.

"This is strange," says Hao Chen.  "Why didn't the demon kill Yu Sifeng?  Why did the demon escape after it brought Yu Sifeng here?"

"Senior Hao Chen, that's enough," says Xuanji.  "Let's take Sifeng back."

"Fine.  I need to cast Nine Cycles spell to stabilize his heart meridian for now.  Let's go."

 

 

 

While Hao Chen is at Sifeng's bedside, casting the Nine Cycles Spell, he is obsessively fixated on the Demon issue.  The Demon's purpose just now is inexplicable.  Yu Sifeng had received spirit energy from the heavens.  He should be fine, yet he's extremely weak.  What exactly is going on?  By casting the Nine Cycles Spell, I can travel around in his body and understand what's happening.  He repositions his hands, and shoots blue energy into Sifeng.  Strange.  There's nothing wrong with his body.  He's like an ordinary human.  Wait.  Something is hidden within.

He retracts his hand, and a thick stream of black energy is drawn from Sifeng's body.  "Demon poison?"  It wraps around Hao Chen's arm.

Xuanji walks into the doorway and gasps.  "Senior!"

"Xuanji, don't come near me!"

With a sharp movement of her finger, Xuanji emits green energy, and shoots it at Hao Chen.  The Demon poison throws her back.

"Be careful!"  Aunt Hong gets behind her to keep her from falling.

"It's demon poison!"  Says Sect Leader Chu, as he and Shaoyang Elder enter the room.

"The poison is affecting Hao Chen," says Shaoyang Elder.  "I'm afraid his body will be taken over."

"What should we do?"  Asks Xuanji.  "He's casting the Nine Cycles Spell.  If we force him to stop now, the poison will enter his body."

"Let me try!"  Says Aunt Hong.  She shoots white energy at Hao Chen.  "No!  The poison is too strong!"

The Demon bells ring, and a bright white light appears in the doorway.  Ting Nu, Brother Liu, and Little Silver Flower materialize.

"Ting Nu?  Brother Liu?"  Says Xuanji.

"Ting Nu, please save Sifeng!"  Begs Little Silver Flower.

"I can neutralize the poison," says Ting Nu.

"Wait!"  Says Sect Leader Chu.  "Demon, how dare you come here!"

"Father, although Ting Nu is a merman, he has helped us many times.  He was once an immortal medic in the heavens.  His medical skills are superb.  He's our friend."

"Nonsense!  We're cultivators!  How could we work together with demons?"

"Hey!"  Says Brother Liu.  "Old guy, you're stubborn, indeed.  What's wrong with demons?  Many kindhearted demons are much better than evil humans!  This is an emergency, you know?  It'll be too late if you don't allow my friend to help."

"Father, please let Ting Nu save them!  They can't hold out for long!  Ting Nu, please save them."

"Sect Leader, this is an emergency," Aunt Hong agrees.  "Why don't we let him try?  Besides, he won't be able to do much with us around."

Ting Nu moves his hands, and transparent energy appears between them.  A white pearl forms, and he shoots it at the black energy.  The energy gets drawn to the pearl, and the pearl eats it all up.  With his fist, Ting Nu summons the pearl back.

"The poison has been neutralized," says Ting Nu.  He shoots tiny darts into Hao Chen's and Sifeng's necks.

"Sifeng!"  Says Xuanji.  She holds him up while he catches his breath.

Hao Chen side eyes the merman.  Wait.  This means...it's him?  Strange, I tremble with fear when I look at him, but I have never seen him before.

"Your injury isn't serious," says Ting Nu, "but there are residues of the poison inside your body.  You better go on a retreat and recuperate for a few months to detoxify the remaining poison."

"No," whispers Hao Chen.  "I haven't captured that demon yet."

"Senior, I'm afraid that demon won't return anymore.  You need to recuperate.  Demon poison is a big deal," says Xuanji.

"He Yang, bring Hao Chen back to Shaoyang for his recuperation," Sect Leader Chu tells Shaoyang Elder/He Yang.  "We'll take it from here," says Sect Leader Chu.

"Okay, come," He Yang says to Hao Chen.

"Sifeng," says Xuanji.

Sifeng vomits blood.

"Ting Nu, what's wrong with Sifeng?"  Asks Xuanji.

"Sifeng's situation is more complicated," says Ting Nu.  "Yihuan, I need your assistance.  Xuanji, you can wait outside with the rest."

"I--"

"Don't worry," says Ting Nu.  "I'll do my best to bring a healthy Sifeng back to you."

"I--" says Little Silver Flower.

 

Xuanji is sitting outside on the steps, her body scrunched up.  Little Silver Flower is impatiently pacing outside the door.

"Sifeng, I'm going to reconstruct your heart meridian," says Ting Nu.  "I need you to stay awake, and bear the pain."

"Thank you," says Sifeng.

Golden energy emits from Ting Nu's palms.  It gracefully flows into Sifeng's stab wound.

The two young women are anxiously waiting outside.

Ting Nu moves his hands, sealing the wound.  "It's done."

Sifeng coughs.

"Little Phoenix," says Brother Liu, "you managed to survive this ordeal, but who knows how many ordeals are waiting for you in the future?  You better not injure yourself anymore.  Okay, I'll seal his demon point right now."

"Yihuan," says Ting Nu, "we should use the Dragon Crystal Seal on him when he is fully recovered."

"Fine." Brother Liu places the Dragon Crystals on Sifeng's bed.