Volume One, Chapter Eleven: The Divine Axe of King Yu

After dinner, Jin Guishan hurried everyone to rest. With the campfire as the dividing line, Chubby Girl and her senior sister He Lingchi slept on one side, while Yibing and Jin Guishan’s group took the other. After a day spent chasing rabbits and getting lost, exhaustion quickly claimed Yibing, who soon fell into a deep sleep, his snores echoing loudly.

No sooner had Jin Guishan heard Yibing’s snores than he quietly rose to his feet. The other disciples opened their eyes in sync. Though Chubby Girl wore a face full of reluctance, under Jin Guishan’s stern gaze, she dared not utter a word. The group crept out of the nunnery, treading softly toward the rear courtyard.

The backyard was overgrown with weeds, a picture of neglect. Apart from a dried-up pond, there were only two nearly-collapsed wooden sheds. Holding up lanterns, Jin Guishan and his companions searched every corner meticulously. Earlier in the evening, while Yibing and Chubby Girl were still climbing up, they had already scoured the front yard and the nunnery itself; only this back courtyard remained unexplored.

“Senior brother, there’s no sign of a secret passage,” whispered Qi Yuanxiao, drawing close to Jin Guishan.

“Keep looking…” Jin Guishan was not ready to give up, his eyes scanning the darkness.

“Let’s give it a rest, I’m exhausted!” Chubby Girl’s complaint rang out loud and clear in the night. Jin Guishan, alarmed, hurried over and clamped a hand over her mouth.

“What are you shouting for? You’ll wake the boy!” Jin Guishan listened intently—the nunnery was still filled with thunderous snoring.

“You silly girl… Wait, what are you leaning on?” Only then did Jin Guishan notice that Chubby Girl was leaning against a small artificial hill at the center of the pond. This rockery was so low and shrouded in weeds that it looked like a mound of earth—everyone had overlooked it.

“Come here!” Jin Guishan called the others over. They lifted their lanterns, examining up and down, but found nothing but a thick layer of dead leaves and bird droppings—no sign of any mechanism or hidden passage.

Qi Yuanxiao sighed in disappointment, the others dropping their heads in silence.

“…How strange…” Suddenly He Lingchi pointed at the lantern and called out. Under its glow, they saw that small flying insects, upon nearing the rockery, seemed to hit an invisible wall and fell to the ground.

“That’s it. Here… this is it…” Jin Guishan’s voice began to tremble.

They proceeded to uproot all the weeds from the pond, scraping the bird droppings from the rockery. Still, nothing out of the ordinary was revealed. Everyone, growing more tired and confused, slumped to the ground—especially Chubby Girl, whose weighty descent sent a tremor through the earth that Jin Guishan felt in his feet.

With a thunderous crash!

Yibing, asleep in the nunnery, was jolted awake. Shaking his head, he realized this was no dream.

“Brother Jin?” he called, but the room was empty. A chill creeping over him, he ran toward the source of the noise.

Jin Guishan could never have imagined that it was his plump junior sister’s hefty landing that had revealed the very entrance they’d been searching for. Chubby Girl, seated awkwardly on a round stone at the base of the rockery, stared in confusion at the now-moved mound, from which a cold wind whistled out of the circular opening in the ground.

“What are you waiting for?” Jin Guishan, dashing into the opening, saw Chubby Girl still sitting there, and gave her a light knock on the head in exasperation.

Following the staircase down, the sloping passage soon leveled out. After a hundred more steps, they came to an arched stone gate, above which were carved three large characters: “Yu King’s Cavern.”

This was the secret they could not share with Yibing! Their journey down the mountain had two purposes: to attend the Immortal Cultivation Assembly at Bianma Mountain, and to seek out this very Yu King’s Cavern. Legend held that during his campaign against the floods, Great Yu wielded an ancient iron axe that could split mountains and carve rivers. After quelling the waters, Yu hid the axe in this very cavern, declaring it destined for those with fate. Countless cultivators had sought it over the centuries, but none had ever found the cavern. Jin Guishan and his brothers had long been fascinated by the tale, often discussing it and covertly investigating whenever rumors surfaced.

As luck would have it, just after one such discussion, He Lingchi was summoned by their master. In casual conversation, she mentioned the legend. To her surprise, Master Tai Miao replied, “And what if you do find it?” Perplexed, she pressed for answers, but the master only smiled in silence. As she left, she overheard her master muttering, “Thrice passing the nunnery gate without entering, Yu King tames water in the pond. Ask not where your father is today; only a fated encounter will reveal the path.”

He Lingchi repeated this to her brothers, but they only laughed, claiming it must be “thrice passing the household gate without entering,” and that Yu King would tame waters in the river, not a pond—turtles, not kings, tamed ponds! Even she began to doubt her memory.

Some days later, Master Tai Miao summoned Jin Guishan, explaining that an invitation had come to the Immortal Cultivation Assembly on Bianma Mountain. Though their master had little interest, for the sake of courtesy he sent Jin Guishan and a few juniors. For Jin, it was a rare excuse to leave Jiuxi Mountain—and a perfect chance to search for the legendary cavern.

He picked several close disciples and set out. Following the map, they traveled east and west, searching, until they came upon a town called Sangua. Suddenly, Jin Guishan realized something.

“Sister, did Master say ‘thrice passing the household gate without entering’ that day?”

“Yes! I remember clearly: ‘Thrice passing the nunnery gate without entering, Yu King tames water in the pond. Ask not where your father is today; only a fated encounter will reveal the path.’”

“There’s a town ahead called Sangua… Could it be…”

Upon arrival, they made inquiries, but everyone denied any connection with Yu King. At their lowest ebb, a restaurant boy muttered, “Yu King? There’s nothing like that here. This whole town doesn’t even have a decent temple—just a broken-down nunnery. If folks want to burn incense, they have to go to the next town over!”

“Nunnery?” Jin Guishan’s eyes gleamed. “What’s it called?”

“Not…”

“Not Entering Nunnery?”

“Well! You know it? Are you from here?”

“No, no, just a guess…” Jin Guishan’s eyes shone as his disciples looked on, utterly confused.

“Chi, recite what Master said, exactly as you remember it!”

“Exactly as I remember? Very well—‘Thrice passing the nunnery gate without entering, Yu King tames water in the pond. Ask not where your father is today; only a fated encounter will reveal the path.’”

“That’s it! Oh, Master…” Jin Guishan, excited, slapped Qi Yuanxiao’s thigh.

“Ow! Brother, slap your own leg! That hurts!”

“Fool! Don’t you see? Master was telling us where to find the treasure!” Jin Guishan slapped even harder, Qi Yuanxiao’s mouth twisting in pain.

“Sister didn’t get it wrong—we did! ‘Thrice passing the nunnery gate without entering’—it’s Sangua Town and Not Entering Nunnery! ‘Ask not where your father is today’—it’s not ‘today’ as in now, but the character for ‘axe’! As for the other lines, though their meaning is still unclear, they must relate to the treasure as well!”

Yibing rushed to the backyard, still finding no one. He heard faint voices from the overgrown weeds and cautiously made his way forward.

Before the Yu King’s Cavern, Jin Guishan’s group excitedly searched for the mechanism to open the door. He Lingchi kept urging Chubby Girl to sit here and there, hoping she’d accidentally open the door again. But after much effort and huffing and puffing, the door remained unmoved. Jin Guishan, brushing dust off the stone door, revealed an engraved map—the ancient Map of the Nine Provinces’ Flood Control.

“Lingyao, do you remember the sequence of the Nine Provinces as Yu King ordered them during his flood control?” Jin Guishan asked, frowning.

“Ji, Qing, Xu, Yan, Yang, Liang, Yu, Yong, Jing.” Despite her appetite, Chubby Girl’s memory was remarkable.

Jin Guishan hesitated, then pressed the reliefs in order. Everyone held their breath; after a deathly silence, the stone door rumbled open. Amidst the swirling dust, cries of joy broke out.

The yawning darkness of the cave gave Yibing pause. He peered in for a long time before finally slipping inside.

As the dust settled, silence fell in the Yu King’s Cavern. Raising their heads, the group saw a massive, dark, round boulder, with a conspicuous iron rod driven straight into it. Qi Yuanxiao rushed forward, the others close behind.

“This is…” Qi Yuanxiao looked uncertainly at Jin Guishan. Ignoring him, Jin Guishan grasped the rusty iron rod, straining with all his might, but it didn’t budge.

Only He Lingchi and Chubby Girl had not yet tried.

“Fatty, you try!” He Lingchi, knowing her own limits, called over Zhao Lingyao. Chubby Girl didn’t hesitate; she rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the rod with both hands, and pulled.

Suddenly, with a thunderous crash, the stone soared into the air—a green light shot up to the cave’s roof, and in an instant, a green dragon descended.

“Where do these meddlers come from, disturbing my cultivation!” the dragon thundered, lashing its tail at Jin Guishan. Qi Yuanxiao leaped forward, sword drawn. “Who are you calling a monster? You’re the monster here!”

The dragon dodged, laughing. “Heh! Am I a monster? Who’s to say? But who are the thieves?”

“Monster or not, why ambush us?” Jin Guishan drew his sword and retreated, the others closing ranks.

“Ambush? You come to steal the sacred artifact, yet accuse me of ambush?” The dragon’s whiskers bristled, flames licking its lips. “For centuries, I have guarded this treasure—no thief has ever left intact!”

“Form up!” Jin Guishan cried, quickly signaling his brothers to form a protective array.

“Oho… Turtles, are you?” The dragon couldn’t suppress a laugh. Jin Guishan flushed, for their “Black Tortoise Formation” indeed resembled a turtle—he at the head, Lingyao at the tail, the others as the four legs. The dragon’s perception was sharp.

“Come, let me test this turtle formation!” Before the words left its mouth, the dragon spewed fire at Jin Guishan. He leapt back as six swordsmen chanted in unison, sending forth jets of water that merged to block the flames.

Momentarily stunned, the dragon soared up and crashed down behind Jin Guishan, spitting fire at his back, forcing him to roll forward. Simultaneously, the dragon’s four claws struck at the four “legs,” while its tail swept toward Chubby Girl. Caught off guard by the flank attack, the formation fell apart—Chubby Girl was knocked flat.

“Ha! Pitiful…” The dragon, triumphant, tried to fly to the cave ceiling, only to find its tail anchored. Turning, it saw Chubby Girl clinging tightly to his tail.

“You’re heavier than you look…” the dragon grumbled, shaking her off at last. Seeing her sprawled on the ground, it pounced again.

“Sister, look out!” Jin Guishan leapt, his sword aimed at the dragon’s brow, but with a flick of its left claw, the dragon disarmed him, sending its right claw at his throat. With nowhere to run, Jin Guishan closed his eyes, resigned to fate.

As Yibing reached the cave, he heard chaos within. Anxious, he rushed in, tripped over the threshold, and fell headlong onto the great stone. Struggling to his feet, his hand landed on the iron rod, and he managed to stand up at last. The others, locked in battle, took no notice. As he steadied himself, he saw the dragon about to strike Jin Guishan’s throat. In panic, he instinctively tried to pull the iron rod to hurl it at the dragon. To his surprise, it came free in his hand and, thrown by chance, struck the dragon squarely on the back.

Though braced for attack, the dragon was still knocked to the ground, transforming instantly into an armored general in blue. After a long moment, the dragon-man rose, eyes blazing, crimson beard bristling, his only distinguishing feature the pair of horns atop his head.

“You—” The dragon opened its mouth, coughing blood. The group stood, swords raised, uncertain.

At last the dragon threw back his head and laughed. “At last… I am freed!”

“You fat wretch, I’ll deal with you later! And that thieving rabbit, too…” The dragon shot Yibing a baleful glare and, in a flash, burst through the cave ceiling and vanished.

“Phew…” Jin Guishan finally let out a long breath.

But with a sudden whoosh, the dragon dropped back through the ceiling, sending everyone leaping in fright. Ignoring them, he stalked to the great stone, gave it a few angry kicks, then soared away for good.

After a long, silent wait, the group finally relaxed. Qi Yuanxiao hurried to retrieve the iron rod, but though half-buried in the ground, it refused to budge.

“Brother, let it go. It’s found its master,” Jin Guishan said, resigned.

“What was that about a rabbit?” Chubby Girl asked Yibing, puzzled.

He knew exactly who the dragon meant, but only shook his head. “No idea what he’s talking about.”

“Thank you, Brother Mu. If not for you, I’d be dead!” Jin Guishan, though disappointed, clasped his hands in gratitude.

“No need…” Yibing mumbled, flustered.

“No wonder it was said only the fated could claim it,” Jin Guishan sighed. “Brother, the treasure is yours.”

“Yes, yes!” Chubby Girl pushed the still-bewildered Yibing forward. He had no idea what treasure he’d won, nor did he care—an iron rod was nothing special, certainly not as precious as a rabbit’s leg. But as soon as he grasped the rod, it transformed into a giant rabbit’s leg.

“Wow…” The group gasped in unison. Yibing, delighted, took a bite. “Damn, can’t eat it!”

“What a glutton… This treasure changes at will, but you can’t just eat it!” He Lingchi explained, while the others burst out laughing.

“Brother Mu was only joking!” Chubby Girl quickly covered for him.

“Yes, yes, just a joke…” Yibing’s round face flushed red, and he forced himself to think of anything but food. Yet as he held the rod—now just over two feet long, awkward in hand and ill-suited to his waist—he thought, “If only it were soft as a belt!” Instantly, the rod turned into a limp, comfortable belt.

“Well, it really is a treasure!” Yibing beamed, tying it around his waist. The belt adjusted itself to his body—tightening when he wished, loosening when he pleased—truly a perfect and delightful treasure.