Volume Two, Chapter Fourteen: Struggles and Schemes

For a long while, no one spoke. Yi Bing was so embarrassed he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Fatty, let’s go!” Master Tai Miao urged quickly.

“Oh!” Yi Bing hurried toward the stairway.

As before, it was the same routine: another golden-helmeted, golden-armored general appeared. He carried himself just like the last, though this one wasn’t holding a golden serpent spear; instead, he had his hands clasped behind his back.

“I am Du Er, the Tower Guardian General!” he declared before anyone could even ask.

“General!” Yi Bing quickly bowed with clasped hands. Though this wasn’t the same man as before, after seeing so many of these generals, they all felt rather familiar.

“No need to be so formal!” Du Er nodded, clearly pleased.

“So, what are we competing in?”

“Cockfighting!” With a sweep of his hands, ten cages instantly appeared on the ground, each containing a magnificent golden rooster, brimming with spirit.

“How do we play?”

“You pick five, I pick five. Best of three out of five.”

“But they’re your chickens, you must know which ones are strongest!” Han Yu said with disdain.

“You get to choose first,” Du Er replied, evidently having anticipated this objection.

“Fine, I’ll choose!” Han Yu darted forward.

“What do you know! I’m the chicken connoisseur!” Mei Niang squeezed up beside her.

“This one, this one, that one, and those two!” Han Yu selected five without hesitation.

“No! Not that one! Take this one! And not that one either—take these two!” Mei Niang protested urgently. Han Yu pouted, but didn’t argue.

“Are you done yet?” Du Er was growing impatient.

“We’re done!” Mei Niang glanced at Han Yu, who nodded in agreement.

“Let’s begin then!” Du Er reached in and grabbed a golden rooster.

“You’re not going to use magic to control them, are you?” Han Yu still eyed Du Er with suspicion.

“Of course not!” Du Er rubbed his nose.

No sooner had he released his grip than the two golden roosters launched into battle. Necks stretched long, eyes round and fierce, they battered each other with flapping wings and pecking beaks, sending golden feathers flying all around.

“Come on! Bite him! Grab him!” The crowd shouted encouragement, their fists clenched tight with excitement.

But after a dozen rounds or so, Yi Bing’s rooster was clearly losing ground, retreating again and again, until—after one too many blows—it finally fled in panic.

“Heh, I win!” Du Er arched an eyebrow smugly.

“Again!” Yi Bing, now rather fired up, selected the strongest rooster he had and set it in the ring.

This one proved much tougher than the previous. After several attacks, it had Du Er’s rooster cornered. In desperation, Du Er’s rooster lunged for the crest on Yi Bing’s rooster, but Yi Bing’s bird dodged sideways. Yet the attack was a feint; Du Er’s rooster raked out with its right claw, scratching Yi Bing’s rooster across the face. With a piteous screech, Yi Bing’s rooster—head streaming with blood—fled back into its cage and refused to come out again.

“Ready for round three!” Du Er declared, elated. One more win and victory would be his. The others all bowed their heads in despair.

“Wait! Yi Bing, come here!” Han Yu suddenly called. Yi Bing rushed over.

“Fat girl, pick me up, I’ll whisper to you, and you whisper to him!” Han Yu glared up at the hefty girl. The big girl looked utterly put-upon, but still hoisted Han Yu into her arms.

“Tell him that if he loses again, we’ll wipe him out. No matter how many times he’s reborn, we’ll wipe him out every time!” Han Yu whispered. Though the big girl felt this was a bit much, there was no time for scruples.

“Don’t try any tricks! It’ll be pointless anyway!” Du Er grew visibly uneasy at their secretive conference.

As the third golden rooster entered the ring, everyone held their breath. Yi Bing’s mouth hung open with tension.

At first, the contest was evenly matched, each bird attacking and defending in turn. But after a few rounds, Du Er’s rooster suddenly grew wild with excitement, launching attacks from left and right, leaving Yi Bing’s rooster scrambling to keep up. Han Yu shot a glance at Du Er, who seemed to be mumbling to himself.

After several furious flaps of wings, Yi Bing’s rooster was thoroughly rattled, running circles around the ring in a daze. Du Er’s rooster relentlessly chased after it, pecking and biting its tail, golden feathers flying everywhere. Just as defeat seemed certain, Yi Bing’s rooster unexpectedly leapt into the air and landed squarely on Du Er’s rooster’s neck. With a screech, Du Er’s rooster collapsed, unable to rise.

“Phew!” Han Yu and the others let out a collective sigh of relief. Du Er looked utterly stunned, as if this outcome was the last thing he’d expected.

The fourth round began under even greater tension. The victory that had seemed so close had slipped away, and Du Er was furious, eyes nearly spitting fire as he glared at his rooster. Han Yu and the others clenched their fists and bit their lips, clearly ready to live or die with their bird.

Du Er’s rooster charged forward, beak aimed straight for Yi Bing’s rooster’s head. Yi Bing’s bird leapt backward, claws slashing out. Du Er’s rooster pulled back its feet and beat its wings to block. Yi Bing’s rooster feinted, then swooped behind Du Er’s, twisting around to peck at its back.

Du Er’s rooster was just as fierce, leaping forward in flight. But Yi Bing’s rooster shadowed it, flying even higher. The moment Du Er’s rooster landed, Yi Bing’s crashed down on its back, pinning it to the ground.

“A draw!” Mei Niang shouted excitedly. Han Yu, however, looked puzzled.

“The final round!” Du Er said, face dark as thunder.

Both roosters seemed remarkably calm for the fifth match. Neither moved, but stood their ground, staring each other down and circling slowly—like two masters squaring off.

Du Er clenched his eyes shut, sweat beading on his brow.

Finally, Du Er’s rooster could bear it no longer and struck first, leaping forward, wings feinting, claws slashing. Yi Bing’s rooster defended and retreated, step by cautious step, never flustered. Du Er frowned; his rooster soared into the air, swooping down like an eagle for the kill. Yi Bing’s rooster lashed out with its wings, but Du Er’s bird flapped midair, landed on top of Yi Bing’s wings, and swooped behind. Before Yi Bing’s rooster could even turn, its back was bitten fiercely. With a cry of pain, it fled forward in a flurry of wings.

Du Er’s rooster gave chase, but Yi Bing’s rooster suddenly stopped, thrusting its rump up to butt Du Er’s rooster squarely in the head. Dizzy, Du Er’s rooster toppled over, and Yi Bing’s pounced, pinning its neck and furiously pecking and flapping.

“Hey!” Du Er snapped his eyes open and shouted, but after scrutinizing the group, he saw nothing amiss.

“We won! We won! No cheating now!” Han Yu shouted, rushing forward as Yi Bing’s rooster once again sat triumphantly on Du Er’s bird.

“Who was it?” Du Er demanded, fury in his voice.

“Who? What, you used magic? We can’t!” Han Yu replied sarcastically. Du Er flushed. He had indeed been using magic to control his five roosters, but from the third round on, he’d felt as though someone on the opposing team was doing the same. Yet, here, no one should have been able to cast spells.

“Fine, you may go!” Du Er said grudgingly, waving his right hand. Instantly, he and the roosters vanished, cages and all.

“Big girl, you’re amazing!” Han Yu blurted out. Everyone except for Master Tai Miao was astonished.

“How did you know?” the big girl asked in surprise.

“I could tell someone was controlling those birds, but since none of us could use magic, it had to be you, projecting your spirit! I saw you sitting there, eyes closed and perfectly still—knew it!” Han Yu’s ears perked up with glee.

“We were about to lose, so I thought I’d try—and it worked! All thanks to Senior Mu’s Hell Lotus Seed—it lets my spirit come and go freely!” The big girl glanced at Yi Bing.

“Oh, it was nothing!” Yi Bing waved bashfully.

“We should keep going…” Master Tai Miao fell silent, staring at the wall.

The others followed his gaze—and saw Du Er’s head poking out, clearly eavesdropping for quite some time.

“So that’s how it is…” Du Er sighed, then whisked himself away behind the wall.

At last, they reached the ground floor. Yet everyone’s expression grew even more somber—this was their final challenge.

Yi Bing swung his axe for what seemed like ages, deafening everyone, but no one appeared. Just as they were at a loss, a wisp of smoke appeared and another golden-armored general materialized. He looked half-asleep, swaying as he walked.

“May I ask the esteemed General’s name?” Yi Bing was growing quite tired of these faces.

“Oh, Chou Yi, Chou Yi,” the general yawned.

“So, what’s the challenge…?”

“Simple. I’ll send you to a valley—just walk straight ahead until you find the exit. You have the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. If you make it, you pass. If not, well, too bad.” Chou Yi glanced upstairs as he spoke. Master Tai Miao’s face darkened instantly.

“One stick of incense, all right!” Yi Bing said, though his heart was pounding. This was the final test—it had to be the hardest.

“Heh heh…” Chou Yi chuckled slyly, placing an incense burner on the ground and lighting a long stick of incense.

“It’s begun!” With a tap of his finger, the incense flared up, smoke swirling ever thicker, coiling before Yi Bing until it formed the shape of a door.

Yi Bing glanced at Chou Yi, then stepped toward the door—only to find he couldn’t move. He struggled for a moment before suddenly lurching forward.

“Yi Bing, be careful!” came the big girl’s voice from behind.

“Oh!” Yi Bing turned to wave his axe at her. Good grief! There was another Yi Bing standing right where he’d been—motionless, as if frozen in place.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Yi Bing shouted. But the others didn’t react, still staring intently at the motionless Yi Bing. Only Chou Yi grinned back at him.

“Wait, did my soul leave my body?” Yi Bing pointed at the frozen Yi Bing, then at himself. Chou Yi immediately nodded.

As he passed through the smoke, Yi Bing found himself in a murky forest. A narrow path led straight ahead, ending not far off beneath a welcoming pine tree, its branches bowed as if in greeting. Yi Bing hesitated, then hurried forward—there wasn’t much time.

Sure enough, after passing the pine, the world opened up. It was a gorge filled with flowers, colors as bright as a rainbow, with fragrances so intoxicating he nearly felt drunk.

Suddenly, a little white rabbit darted out from the flowers, followed by a small fox. Yi Bing crouched down, only to notice the rabbit was limping. No way! He peered behind and, just as he thought, a tiny turtle was slowly crawling along after them.

“What are your names?” Yi Bing asked. But they ignored him, merely studying him with curious eyes.

“What happened to your leg?” Yi Bing stroked the rabbit’s head. It tilted to one side, then started running circles around him, the fox close behind. The turtle could only spin in place.

“Heh heh…” Yi Bing laughed at their antics, thinking, “They really are funny… I thought… Wait, that’s not right… Han Yu and the others are outside…”

“Uh-oh!” Yi Bing snapped back to his senses. He jumped to his feet and sprinted forward. The rabbit, fox, and turtle didn’t follow, instead vanishing into the flowers.

“Young master, please wait!” a woman’s delicate call rang out from behind as he saw the exit of the gorge ahead.

Yi Bing stopped in his tracks and turned. Six beauties in gauzy gowns approached from the flowers, all of them coughing as if choked by the dust he’d stirred up.

“Who are you?” Yi Bing gripped his axe tightly. Only then did he realize—even his divine iron weapon had followed his soul in.

“Us? Heehee… We’re the Immortal Maidens of the Flower Palace,” the lead woman replied, blushing through her smile. Each was breathtakingly beautiful, and together they offered every style and form.

“Immortal maidens…” Yi Bing gulped as they drew closer. Their dresses were so thin he could see their tender skin beneath; with every step, flashes of snowy thigh came into view.

“Young master, why the hurry? Where are you rushing off to?” the lead maiden asked, pressing a hand to her chest.

Yi Bing’s head swam.