American Perspectives: Fenru City Void Pt. 1 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 48)

 

 

“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.

 

 

 

Sifeng and Brother Liu are alone in the Lize Palace Garden Room.  Sifeng is beginning to look like he has a chronic illness.  The lengths he has gone for Xuanji while being thrown away, discriminated against, and humiliated, have taken their toll.  He has nothing left to give.

 

"I wanted to pass this position to Elder Luo," says Sifeng.  "Eldest Brother Liu, why did you stop me?"

 

"Ah.  If I didn't stop you, I'd have to see you bang your head on the wall, put a Lover's Curse on yourself, and pretend to be the Devil Star until you're half dead.  Now, I even have to see you pass all your duties to someone, and find a place to die alone.  Isn't that what you're thinking, Little Phoenix?"

 

"The power of the Juntian Hoop and Cehai Hook are raging within me."  He stands in front of the Devil Star Flower.  "I don't know how long I can last."

 

"So, you're worried that you might succumb to Juntian Hoop and Cehai Hook's powers, and the powers would render you into pieces," says Brother Liu.  "Even when you die, the Juntian Hoop and Cehai Hook may fall into the wrong hands, and cause the soul of the Devil Star to be released.  By then, Xuanji will become an Asura zombie herself.  That's why you have to stay away from Xuanji, even when you die, right?"

 

Sifeng says nothing.

 

"Fine," says Brother Liu.  "While I was tidying up just now, I found a Heartless Pill left by your father.  Since you're letting go of her, you should take this medicine to end this once and for all.  You can start again."  He holds out the yellow vial.

 

Sifeng's hand trembles as he reluctantly takes it.

 

 

 

Xuanji is tossing and turning in her sleep.  "No...No..No!"  She sits straight up.

 

Linglong and Teng She are in her room, ready to assist.  They run to her bed.  

 

"Xuanji," says Linglong.  "Xuanji, you're awake.  How are you feeling?"

 

"Stinky Woman," says Teng She.

 

She looks around the room.  "Why...wasn't I at the secret ground destroying the soul of the Devil Star?  Why am I...?"

 

"You passed out from exhaustion," says Linglong.  "Father has resealed the Crystal Lamp."

 

Xuanji doesn't believe her.  "Was it Father who resealed it?"

 

Linglong fidgets uncomfortably.

 

"Why do I recall seeing Sifeng?"

 

"Why?"  Linglong says quickly.  "You must be confused.  You fainted at the secret ground, and Father resealed the Crystal Lamp.  Then, Teng She brought you out.  Ask him if you don't believe me.  Right, Teng She?"

 

"Tsss," says Teng She.  "Ahhh..."

 

"Is that what happened?"  asks Xuanji.

 

Teng She squirms.  "Don't you even know what you've seen?"

 

The pain on the side of Xuanji's head intensifies.  "I was probably hallucinating."

 

"Xuanji," Linglong holds her hands, "Father and I didn't know that destroying the contents of the Crystal Lamp would cost you your life.  Had we known that, we wouldn't have let you go.  Promise me this.  Don't neglect your well being, okay?"

 

"Yes," Teng She agrees, "and I need to tell you this.  You can't destroy the soul of the Devil Star.  Senior Hao Chen got it all wrong.  Don't do this again.  Got it?"

 

"He got it wrong?"  Whispers Xuanji.

 

 

 

 

 

"Little Fox, where's my booze?"  Wu Zhiqi shouts across the Lize Palace Main Hall.  "Little Fox!  Little Fox!  Little Fox!"  His table is already littered with a myriad of empty wine jugs.  Fox Demon dutifully approaches him with another one.

 

She sits on the edge of the table, and swings her leg over.  She hands him the jug with a smile on her face.  "Here."

 

He pulls out the cork, and takes a gulp.  "Marvelous wine!  One jar isn't enough!"

 

"It's not?  There's more in Lize Palace's cellars.  Little Sifeng brought the palace's disciples away, and the demons in Tianxu Hall are gone.  You have more than enough wine to last you your entire life."

 

"That would be wonderful," says Wu Zhiqi.  He laughs and takes another gulp.  "Little Fox."  He puts the jug against her knee.  "Don't you find Sifeng weird?"

 

Fox Demon tilts her head.

 

"You see, he finally made it back here, and he's already occupied.  It's not easy to be a human or a demon.  That's why you should live happily and freely.  Why must you care so much about other people's feelings?  And he just had to choose something no one would do, until he's miserable and glum."

 

Fox Demon doesn't like where this is going.  Every woman over the age of 30 has had this conversation with a man at least once at one point in their life, and the direction never goes well.  One may go as far to say it's the stuff that the 4-B Movement is made of.  Fox Demon doesn't want to admit that Wu Zhiqi isn't capable of doing for her what Sifeng has done for Xuanji.

 

"I don't understand him," Wu Zhiqi continues.

 

"Yes..." Fox Demon says flatly, and like most women, she is hoping this conversation ends quickly before it gets ugly.  She is increasingly disappointed that she settled for him.  "Yes, you wouldn't understand him.  After all, freedom matters the most to you.  You'll never understand."  She takes the wine jug off her knee.  "For some humans and demons, there are things more important than freedom."  She holds his hand.  He gives her a confused look.  "So what if it brings misery.  He did it willingly."

 

Wu Zhiqi reacts like a man child, and withdraws his hand.  "We're missing some food to go with the wine."  He quickly runs from the table.  "I'm going to get some food."

 

She profoundly regrets her decision to stick it out with him, but she is reluctant to leave because she has given so much.  He clearly does not care, and is a walking red flag.  Any man who talks about prioritizing freedom and happiness over commitment needs to be kicked to the curb, pronto!  Or, start drafting that exit plan.

 

 

 

 

 

Xuanji is at the dock on the lake over the secret ground.  As she gets ready to walk to the edge, Teng She materializes in front of her.

 

"Stinky Woman, why are you here again?"  Asks Teng She.  "Are you still going to destroy the soul of the Devil Star?"

 

"Before Senior Hao Chen died, he kept reminding me to destroy the Crystal Lamp, but I haven't done so yet.  And I don't know why, but the more I want to destroy it, the more my heart aches, and I think I saw the moment when the soul of the Devil Star was taken out."

 

"You saw it?"  Asks Teng She.  He's hoping she'll connect the dots real soon, so he can stop carrying King Bailing's dirty little secret.

 

"It wasn't clear," Xuanji admits.  "I only saw some shadows.  But I can clearly feel the pain when the Devil Star had his soul ripped off.  How strange."

 

Hao Chen's grooming remains strong, and Teng She really wishes she'd connect the dots sooner, rather than later.  "Maybe it's because you're somehow connected to him."

 

"Is it because I killed the Devil Star and sealed his soul?"

 

Teng She cringes internally.  It has all been a butt load of propaganda.

 

"But I don't think that's the case," says Xuanji.  "Or perhaps the Devil Star has possessed my mind.  I think I dreamed about Sifeng."  She pauses and shakes her head.  "Perhaps I wasn't strong enough.  That's why I couldn't fulfill Senior Hao Chen's wish.  As long as the soul of the Devil Star remains, the three realms will remain threatened.  I'm going to try again."

 

"No, you can't!"  Teng She blocks her.  "You'll die.  You'll die, get it?"

 

"Sacrificing for the people is my destiny.  Besides, I don't want Sifeng to become the Demon Lord."

 

Teng She isn't sure how much of this he can keep from her.  "Who told you Sifeng would become the Demon Lord?  Who said you have to die to save the world?  Destiny, you say?  I thought you never believed in destiny.  So, your Senior blurted some nonsense before he died, and you're going to bang your head on the wall?"

 

"Teng She!"

 

"I am just speaking the truth.  Your senior is dead.  Does that make his words truthful?  Well, the soul of the Devil Star has not been released.  But even if the soul returns to its body, will he really go on a killing spree in the three realms, and endanger the people?"

 

"Is there something you know?"  Xuanji asks suspiciously.

 

Shit.  He's said too much, but there was no other way to talk her off the (literal) edge.  "I only know that the story about the Devil Star ending the world is just speculation.  No one knows what the Devil Star will do.  Not even the Heavenly Emperor knows!  The Devil Star hasn't done anything yet.  Why is he seen as the doom of the world, and sentenced to eternal damnation?  Why are you sacrificing yourself for something that hasn't happened yet?  Your senior must have told you to take precautions, and end everything before it starts, even if it's very likely that it won't ever happen."

 

The grooming from Hao Chen is slowly beginning to crack.  "But Senior Hao Chen always said that the appearance of the Devil Star is sure to bring disaster."

 

"Zzzza!"  Teng She hisses in frustration.  "He's just using your trust to make you do the things he deemed right!"  Finally, someone has the common sense to break it to Xuanji, or to even so much as understand what the ulterior motives were.  "Xuanji, the Crystal Lamp has been resealed.  There's no danger anymore, so...ai..."  He doesn't know what else he can say.

 

"Teng She, is my father really capable of sealing the Crystal Lamp?"

 

Shit.  Teng She looks down.

 

"I must see for myself."  Xuanji walks past Teng She, and jumps into the lake.

 

Forget it, thinks Teng She.  Why keep it a secret?  She has to know someday.

 

 

 

 

The hot lava rocks surrounding the Crystal Lamp glow a beautiful orange, while the lamp glows purple.  Sifeng's brilliant golden feathers circle around the lamp like several different comets in a galaxy.

 

Xuanji observes from a distance, and she feels really stupid.  Teng She has finally caught up to her.

 

"What is this?"  Asks Xuanji.  "Isn't this the seal of the Rose Gold Bird?"

 

"You almost perished with the soul of the Devil Star.  It was he who saved you, and depleted all his powers to reseal the Crystal Lamp.  That was a huge blow to his health.  Everyone hoped you wouldn't know about this, including Sifeng."

 

"So, it wasn't a dream," says Xuanji.  "But why did he do that?  Isn't he the Devil Star?  Wouldn't he want to open the Crystal Lamp?"  Xuanji clenches her hanfu.  "No," she whispers.  "He killed my master.  He killed Senior Hao Chen.  He injured Aunt Yinghong."  She begins to feel nauseous, as something tells her none of these are true, but because it's popular opinion, she must believe it is.

 

Teng She snakes his head around.  "But no one has ever seen him in action, right?  I think there must be some misunderstanding, but it's a fact that he's not the Devil Star.  He pretended to be the Devil Star to remove Yuan Lang from the picture.  After all, our biggest threat wasn't the unseen Devil Star, but the nefarious Yuan Lang."

 

"Is that so?"  Xuanji asks remorsefully.

 

"So, which part of him convinced you he was the Devil Star?  He took down our biggest enemy, and risked his life to reseal the Crystal Lamp.  The Crystal Lamp is stable now.  I don't know.  I think there are many things that you will have to clarify."

 

Xuanji feels really, really stupid, but she's not ready to blame Hao Chen.  She is ready to find Sifeng, however.  She runs out of the secret ground, knowing she has a lot of work to do.

 

Not so fast.  Sect Leader Chu walks right in.

 

"Father," Xuanji says sheepishly.

 

"You just woke up," says Sect Leader Chu.  "What are you doing here now?"

 

"I need to go to Lize Palace," says Xuanji.  "I need to ask Sifeng something."

 

"No need," says Sect Leader Chu.  "They have left their palace.  I've asked Min Xing to scout around.  All the barriers surrounding Lize Palace have been removed.  Only an empty palace remains.  All the Rose Gold Bird demons are missing now.  I don't know if Lize Palace is truly giving up, or hiding themselves to plot a bigger conspiracy."

 

"Then I have to go there!"  Says Xuanji.

 

"Master," First Senior walks in and bows.  "Master, a disciple saw Wu Tong around Mount Buzhou."

 

"Wu Tong?"  Asks Sect Leader Chu.  "Did Yu Sifeng bring his horde of demons back to Mount Buzhou?  Keep a close eye on him.  Remember, Linglong must not know about this."

 

"Well..." says First Senior, "Linglong has left.  She said she wants to kill Wu Tong herself."

 

"What?"  Asks Sect Leader Chu.  "That's preposterous!  She is no match for Wu Tong!"

 

"Father," says Xuanji, "don't worry.  I'll bring Linglong back here.  She couldn't have reached Mount Buzhou by now."

 

"Maybe not," says Teng She.  "Minyan has a black and white ring from Wu Tong back then.  That means she can access Mount Buzhou easily."

 

 

 

 

 

Linglong descends into Tianxu Hall like an old pro.  She knows this awful place like the back of her hand.

 

Wu Tong is walking like a zombie through the halls of the Tianxu Hall prison.  He approaches a cell, and puts his prosthetic hand on the bars.  Thick purple energy generates.  The two prisoners in the cell are thrown back against the bars from the suction like force of Wu Tong's energy.  Their bodies disintegrate, leaving behind two floating black orbs.  They land in Wu Tong's hand, and he happily consumes them like candy.

 

Linglong flies through with her sword drawn, but his hearing is sharp, and he intercepts the blade before she can make her move.  He grins at her suggestively.  He twists the blade, and Linglong does a full twist layout in the air.

 

She lands on her feet with her sword pointed forward.  It doesn't take long for her to realize that she may be in over her head.

 

He grabs her sword with one hand, and grabs her neck with his gloved, prosthetic hand.  He pushes her back into his torso, one hand around her neck, the other around her waist.

 

"Let go of me!"  Yells Linglong.  She tries to get his hand off her neck.

 

He's very excited, and he holds her tighter.  "You're finally here."  He can't stop smiling.  He presses his cheek to hers.  "I've been waiting for you.  I've been wandering around Mount Buzhou for the past few days."  He tries to kiss her neck, but she moves away.  He moves closer.  "I knew you'd come when you knew that I was here."

 

Linglong was hoping she wouldn't cry, as she knows very well that also turns him on, but the tears start streaming.  She's angry with herself for not keeping it together, for not practicing her martial arts more.  Angry for not being powerful like her sister.

 

He laughs softly in her ear.  "Your face tells me that Zhong Minyan is dead."

 

"He won't die," Linglong manages to say.  At the very least, she cannot let him know that she's scared shitless.  Her fear is what turns him on the most, and it's game over for her.  "Only you will."  She can't control her tears.

 

He laughs obnoxiously.  "To think you're here for me when he's not dead yet.  Are you so eager to see me?  After all, we used to be so happy together.  You only cared about me.  No one, but me. You'd whisper sweet nothings into my ears everyday."

 

Linglong wants to barf.  "That wasn't...That wasn't me!"  Linglong screams.

 

He tightens his grip on her neck.  "What's the point of denying the truth?  You still can't escape from my hands.  Aren't you right beside me now?  I'm going to make you wear a bridal veil today, and marry you."  He pulls her red veil out of his hanfu, and holds it up.  He laughs with delight.  "Don't rush.  When our bridal room is ready, we will have enough time to spend the rest of our lives together."  He rubs the veil against her face.

 

"Wu Tong," says Linglong, "today is the day you die."  She makes a formation on the ground with her foot.  She laughs, thinking she has fooled him.

 

He laughs, as well, knowing that he has significantly more power.  "There's a Lightning Formation under your foot.  Do you think a mere Lightning Formation can kill me?"  He laughs with delight.  This is going to be more fun than he expected.

 

"Yes, a normal formation is nothing to you.  But what if I sacrifice myself to summon a Thunderous Calamity?"

 

He glares at her.

 

"Wu Tong, judging from our powers, a Thunderous Calamity should be enough to reduce us to ashes.  You're going to die!"   Linglong cries and laughs.

 

"You--" Growls Wu Tong.

 

The rock walls begin to crumble around them.  Linglong laughs hysterically.  He pushes her forward, and as he does, she summons a whip.  She lashes it at him, but he bends backwards and avoids it.  She continues chasing after him while lashing her whip, and missing, hitting and crushing anything else that happens to be in the way.

 

She flies up and forward, and she manages to get the whip to wrap around his torso.  The end of the whip anchors itself into the ground, and the concrete surrounding it cracks.  She wraps it around him tightly, but he resists, and his arms remain free.

 

"Don't you dare go anywhere!"  Yells Linglong.

 

"Are you taking yourself down, too, just to kill me?"  Asks Wu Tong.

 

She looks at him, and thunder rolls.  He looks up at the ceiling.  More of the walls begin to crumble.

 

"Fine," Wu Tong laughs.  "That's fair enough.  Since I can't be with you in this life, I'm satisfied enough to die with you."  He smirks at her.

 

Linglong keeps her composure.  She knows he's plenty capable of freeing himself from the whip.

 

 

 

 

 

Red Lightning strikes in the sky, and the two celestial guards of Mount Buzhou rush forward.

 

"A Thunderous Calamity?"  Says Shen Shu.  "Something is up.  Keep your guard up.  The gate is opening."

 

They look up and see a streak of electric blue taking a nose dive.

 

"Look!"  Yu Lu points to the sky.

 

"Who's there?"  Asks Shen Shu.

 

"Forget about that!  Let's go!"

 

The two fly off the edge of the cliff.

 

Teng She promptly intercepts them, and firmly pushes them back into place.

 

"Lord Teng She."

 

He runs a hand through his platinum blonde hair.  "It's me."  He says proudly.  Finally, he's not in Xuanji's shadow.  "Surprised?  Happy to see me?"  He snakes his neck.  "Ssss, Shen Shu, Yu Lu.  Are you two up for a round of entertainment with me?"  He grins.

 

 

 

 

 

Xuanji descends into Tianxu Hall, ready to find her sister.  "A Thunderous Calamity."  She does not feel good about this.  "Linglong!  Linglong!"  She descends into a room where Linglong is lying on the floor.  Rocks crumble from the walls around them.

 

She helps her partially conscious sister sit up.  "Linglong!  Linglong!"  

 

"Xuanji," Linglong slurs.

 

"Let's go," says Xuanji.  They fly through the crumbling hall.  After they land, Xuanji looks Linglong in the eye.  "Linglong, why did you do this?  If I hadn't made it here in time, you'd be..."

 

Linglong looks at her sadly.

 

Xuanji gives her a hug.  "Why did you do this?  Are you leaving me and Father behind?  What about Sixth Senior?  Don't you care about him anymore?"

 

"Minyan," says Linglong.  "He probably won't wake up anymore.  We vowed to live and die together, so this is just another means to do so."

 

"Live together..." whispers Xuanji.  She remembers when Sifeng took a fatal stabbing for her at Mount Buzhou.  He was sitting on his bed, and coughing up blood.

 

"The sword pierced through his heart meridian," says Aunt Hong.  "Any normal human would have died on the spot."

 

"Everything is predestined," Hao Chen says, "force does you no good."

 

"I'm still going to force it!"  Snaps Xuanji.  "I must save him.  As long as a shred of hope remains, I must save him.  If he lives, that will be wonderful.  If he doesn't, I will die with him."

 

 

...To be Continued...

 

 

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