Releasing this chapter early! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, my constant readers! Have our old friend Shen make more metal before shooting at the night's sky on New Year's Eve! The next chapter awaits you below!
And Happy early New Year!
GrayZeppelin
Volume Three: Deng Wa
Chapter XXVIII
The Warning
October 30, 1210
What was that?
Tigress flickered her ears after her adoptive brother Tai Lung stomped his paw on the Buffalo Striker's chest, which glittered a small portion of dawn waves, fragmenting particles of jade stone. After the buffalo stopped screaming from being jombied, over the boundaries, distant rubbles muffled. Each collapse was quiet to loud, made villagers in their homes holler, and the Nine and Masters of Jade Palace swim their heads where the sound came. Tigress pinned one jombie rhino whose ax dripped with bits of gore near the front of Noodle Restaurant's archway.
Rhino guard swam to an amulet and soared above her, thickening his glassy roar as the feline almost caught it in the air. Her aunt, Chen Ming, pinning down the jombie boar next to the archway, gasped as soon as the hog did the same, and more than ten jombies ascended, maintaining their glides on their lead, and went onward above ridges and beyond over the farthest boundaries.
"Where did they go?"
The Nine's Serpent Fanshe crawled up beside two felines with Viper, demanding answers as he glimpsed at the jade trail, ended within the streak of orange dusk clouds. "They're heading back to that another Jade Slayer," Viper answered, then gasped. "Jombies are going after—"
"Po and the others," Tigress discerned while eying on her reptile sister and her feline aunt, whose stone eyes grew. Tai Lung kept his poster straight without letting an inch of his soft growl. The Nine's Master's glance ignored the leopard as her black ears picked from wings in the thin air, beckoning to dive forward.
"Master Ming! Master Ming!"
The Nine's Messenger Kong safely landed near the side of the Noodle Restaurant archway, glimpsing on minor damages that spread with woods collateral. On the other side of the stream bridge, rhino guards aided themselves, gathering a few bandit survivors. "By the Gods, what a mess here," Kong swam his head.
"Kong," Chen Ming sauntered to the goose and knelt in front of him. "My grandson and his friends. They went after Wang over the next terrain and beyond," she pointed the jade trail across the mountain ridge. "Follow those jombies, but do not let them see you. Find Xing—"
"Kai?"
One of the Nine hailed as Chen Ming widened her wrinkles, turning her head to the cobblestone road. The Nine's Dancer Lotus swiveled her head with haste, along with her father Wolf Boss, in search for the Mightiest Warrior. In between these wolves, surveying property damages to check the gift shop owner, Monkey strolled by them.
Lotus's shout deafened. "KAI!"
Jombies took him.
Chen Ming lightly groaned, shaking her head. She turned to Kong. "Find my grandson where jombies are going, and bring them here safely. Hurry!"
"Right away!"
"I'm coming too!"
The Jade Palace messenger, Zeng, soared with the Nine's Messenger onward to the sea of orange streaks where the green trail left with soft embers. The red panda in a brown robe and a green shawl sauntered with Oogway's root pole from the streaming bridge. "What caused this minor destruction?" Shifu's voice was not pleased, as Chen Ming had a gift on reading her old friend's expression, which sharply glared at every soul.
"Master, we have a problem," Tigress stepped in when Chen Ming was about to open her silky gray lips. "Jombies have returned after us, and the Nine handled the Boar incursion."
"Jombies?" the red panda's eyes flared. "Are they part of Kai's?"
"They aren't his, Master," she corrected him. "My nephew's student does not have green eyes."
Then who controls the jade stone warriors?
"KAI!"
Lotus hollered louder than the previous shout, made a few masters follow their glance at the young wolf. In dreaded, she hastened her walk toward the Nine's Master. "Master Ming, Kai is missing!"
"Lotus," Chen Ming soothed the young wolf. "I'm concerned that jombies possibly took him while handling the attack. He might be with your brother and the others right now, searching for the new Jade Slayer. Don't worry, my granddaughter. General Kai would never depart from us."
"But—"
"Kong and Zeng are on the move to search for Xing and the group," explained Ming, finally making Lotus relieve while sinking her head to the old feline's upper chest. "They will come here soon. You know your brother always comes back."
My cookie always does. I'm worrying Kai more.
"Take a seat here with the Dragon Warrior's family," the Nine's Master stroked her paw on Lotus's silver-blue silk shoulder, now met the one-eyed wolf, who roamed to his daughter. "Zhong. Watch over her. The Nine must clarify with Jade Palace masters."
After nodding to the old striped feline, Wolf Boss bore his paw behind his daughter's back, and both went to the Noodle Restaurant as Po's twin cousins were cleaning several messes with Li Shan and Mr. Ping. The Buffalo Striker Zhan leaned his back against the side of the archway's structure, snouting harsh breaths under his throat. Tai Lung went for the bovine after sweeping thin dust off his shoulders. Yet, the Great Dragon read his face, half earnest, and fear, not directly to the leopard's eyes.
"Am I a murderer?" the Striker wobbled, fastening his knees on his chest.
The leopard surveyed the buffalo's double axes behind his tail, which some edges deepened with several hits. The sides had crimson blotches. "The one who manipulated your thoughts is responsible," said Tai Lung. "Are you going to be alright?"
"Not like this," Zhan trembled his cry.
The Furious Five leader approached him. "The new Jade Slayer will not harm you anymore, Zhan," Tigress extended her paw to the buffalo. "This was someone's doing. Don't overthink what you did."
The buffalo only bobbed his head with haste, his hoof grasping Tigress, letting him stand above the two felines. Besides the two warriors, Master Shifu tapped his pole once. "Tell me what you know, sister."
Chen Ming finished glancing at the two wolves, who sat with three pandas and one goose at the first table to the left. She beckoned to fiddle her paw on one of the missing pictures of masters and students. It is time for Jade Palace Masters to help my grandson and me. We've been struggling to handle the trouble for the past five years. Chen Ming's stomach was wrenching after surveying the painting of the Tibetan red deer.
"I know who is another Jade Slayer, Shifu," the Nine's Master nodded, showing the picture to the masters. "And he was one of the missing students."
The night passed on with voluminous trails of the silver moon, stroking the Valley of Peace as Tai Lung crossed his limbs while laying against the red column of the Jade Palace. Probably for the best for the leopard to contemplate that his adoptive mother Chen Ming did explain what she and her grandson had known one culprit, who wielded General Kai's blades. Although the leopard truly missed her voice, even he could not want to give Chen Ming a look at her adoptive son.
The next was that the Great Dragon read the Buffalo Striker's face well. He recognized the appearance of one bovine twin with brilliant cinnamon eyes. His father is one of my competitors. I am sure his son is an honorable student, following the dad's footsteps. The leopard lastly watched the Buffalo Striker to the rental apartment with Praying Mantis Lily, let Shifu fetch one of the messengers to send word to Zhan's father.
Tai Lung surveyed the lengthy road of specks of lanterns, trailing one way and the other down to the Valley of Peace, as the white flash of thunder clapped once from the north. The calm wind swam on his fur before he could glimpse the charcoal gray clouds swelling forward and approaching. It was almost time to call quits, but Tai Lung preferred to listen to Mother Nature's song, that each time on random nights when the rain drummed against the ceiling in his bedroom, he slept with his adoptive mother, who had always hummed her voice while dreaming. Other roars that interrupted his sensibility pressured his demand on the new Jade Slayer.
Who is that deer? What made him look like the one I loathed the tiger's student?
By then, a streak of calming wind bore several flap wings from above, and the gate's door opened with a bang. Tai Lung and Tigress raced down the stairs on fours toward the Arena as both geese servants landed in front of the Jade Palace doorway. After reaching amidst the Arena square, all five warriors roamed toward the two, and behind two felines, the Nine's Dancer arrived at Chen Xing first, embracing the Nine's Leader firmly while whimpering. "Thank the Gods! Where were you? What happened?"
The tiger, whose fur, garments, and trouser blotched with rough dirt, moaned his harsh throat when meeting his head to her forehead. "I had him. . . I had Wang."
"Oh, KAI!"
Lotus fastened her hug on the Mightiest Warrior, whose gray fur, mane, and patched shorts blended with harsh soil. Crane, Mantis, Shen, and Po went to Tigress and Tai Lung when Jade Palace Masters were near behind them. "Stairs. . . Gawwk!" the panda tumbled his knees, and the leopard surrounded the bear's arm over his back.
Tigress was the first to widen her amber eyes. "What happened, Po? Did you find Wang?"
"That boy cut the whole mountain in pieces, almost killed us off!" the insect Mantis chirped his wings with disgust.
"We lost the guy after he flew with jombies, Tigress," Crane spoke to her. "Your nephew almost had Wang."
"Sunzi!" Chen Ming clasped her grandson, and Xing returned with firmness and affection. "My kitten, are you hurt?"
"We need a word. Now," the Nine's Leader urged her, which Masters of Jade Palace gazed at him with caution. "It's time to tell Masters the truth about Wang."
"I have explained further to our colleagues, Xing," she stroked his shoulders. "They already know my word."
"Kai? Look at me," the Nine's Dancer Lotus inspected the bull, whose eyes rested on the floor instead. She kept fiddling his mane under his shoulder. "Cookie, what's wrong with him?"
The Nine's Leader shut his own stone eyes with despondent. "He caught his blades in the cavern. His weapon —" Chen Xing shook his head. "The thing, a monster, it snapped back at my student, Lotus. It scarred him."
"Let's get you all some bath and rest in the Student Barrack," Chen Ming assured the five warriors and turned to her closest friend. "Shifu, do you have chambers for the Nine?"
"Yes, Ming. About ten rooms upstairs are still new and never used," the red panda regarded the group and Chen Xing. "We'll hear your grandson's story in the morning."
The Nine's Master called out the Nine's Messenger, who stepped in from his goose colleague Zeng next to the Furious Five. "Kong, have you and Biyu bring Xing's four pairs of garments. Bring Kai's loincloth in Lotus's room."
The Nine's Messenger soared away to the west.
Each group of five took turns in the bathroom. The Dragon Warrior scrubbed his soapy brush on most of his areas that dried with soils. The avian vibrated his wings after dipping off some warm water on the platform. On the next tub near Po, Shen rubbed his chest with a bar of soap, unable to use his main talon's grip as the jombie hawk did stomp his foot, attempt a few hits, which the former peacock lord registered bruises on ribs. In front of Shen, Monkey extended his hand, lifting the peacock from dragging back to the water as the bird's crimson train drenched, becoming heavy to lift.
The Mightiest Warrior had failed him.
Echoed the Iron Antlers that Chen Xing stroked his whole front, bathing with warm a stream over his trembling body. Kai brushed off thick dry mud over his saturated mane as Lotus swept a large brush behind his back. Neither of these warriors spoke a word, but the tiger muttered under his breath that repeated the name that scratched his head several times. Who's him? What was Wang talking about back there?
"Here's your pair, Xing," Monkey placed the tiger's clothes next to the wooden counter. "The other one is inside next to Shen's chamber where you can sleep there. You doing okay?"
Chen Xing washed the bar soap on his left arm. "Yeah. I had a rough day, Master Monkey."
"Somewhat the worst day, but happens to all most of the time. You want a banana?"
"I'll eat one after this bath. Thanks," Xing praised the golden snub master.
Momentarily after the last group finished bathing, Masters and the Nine dined their noodles Po cooked. After the Furious Five, giving the Nine their next turn to eat dinner, Kai was only the first who could barely fit in the dining room, despite his horns reached for the ceiling, but had to lean his head down before sitting on an ornate chair with the Nine's Dancer and Commander. Chen Xing peeled one last stroke of the banana skin after devouring half of the fruit, mainly focused on the Dragon Warrior's pasta noodles, which throbbed hot spices under his throat. Po massaged his eyes as Chen Xing clasped a small portion of pasta with his chopsticks and Kai gazing at his meal, which Lotus kindly urged her student to eat.
Hails and metal clangs drove in the tiger's ears. Another that wrung the tiger's stomach was the Tibetan red deer who snapped at the Mightiest Warrior, tipping Kai's blade on his student's cheek. Your swords betrayed your presence, no longer to serve in your will. Many before you failed him. Said the Jade Antlers to the wounding General.
The Nine's Heaver gesticulated his palms, offering motions as the tiger scrutinized his gorilla brother: Bao, hurt?
And the Nine's Leader motioned his: Xing, tired.
The gorilla finalized reading Xing's sign before Bao gave a slight nod to him, patting his feline brother's shoulder.
Chen Xing ambled on the first floor of Student Barrack toward his guest room. Each chamber hissed a single blow to midnight cobalt, reaching for Shen's room. The peacock silenced his kindle before the tiger opened the shoji door. His head flared with strains when Lotus brought their student in, who had been lying his stomach flat on the soft mat, the cylinder pillow mounting under his jaw.
"Lotus—" Xing harshened his whisper, but his wolf partner palmed the tiger's upper chest.
"Kai needs recovery," Lotus murmured, fiddling the tiger's fingers. "Can you sleep with him and me? Please?"
Their student rippled his tongue while sleeping, whispering shrills and his blades that were his. He now antagonized the new Jade Slayer; by then, the Nine's Leader balanced his composure, drowning his headache. "Very well."
Chen Xing was now the second to lie his head on Kai's side of his back with Lotus, whose tongue blessed her partner's fluffy cheek. When has Lotus been resting with our student like that? Why is he so comfy than my pillow—?
There were no words to ponder by the time the Nine's Leader and Dancer shut their heavy eyelids. Their Mightiest Warrior student cast snores; the amber necklace on the bamboo cabinet intoned Wugu's song with hues of blush across the corridor, finally kissing many masters in their sleep.
Is that what Xing's talking about the necklace? That's so awesome! The Dragon Warrior was the remaining one who widened his jade eyes before going to sleep with Wugu's melody.
October 31, 1210
Masters and the Nine gathered a group together in a long passage of Hall of Heroes, which the outside peeped butter horizon and dandelion clouds where the sun rose. The hall reflected ornate shades of gold and jade marbles, persisting ancient artifacts and weapons that belonged to former owners and honorable masters. The former Master of Pain contemplated his ocean eyes on an enormous painting wall of a thousand crimson banners, undulating across the mist clouds and steep mountains beside the red sun. Upon the flat cliff stood the original rulers of the Mightiest Warriors: Magnificent Oogway and Mighty General Kai of Jade Warlords, Lieutenant Zhanshi and Lord Li Han of the Robustness and Brilliance, and Lady-General Wugu of Sentiments. The quintet warlords pledged the Emperor to suppress the reign of Huns of Mongolia and the Fire Clan.
"This is terrible news," Shifu understood the new Jade Antlers's concept from the Nine's Leader, who second handly clarified with his grandmother.
"Now there's another Jade Slayer who wishes to bring Kai's head," the green insect commented on the avian's conical hat.
"I suspect the one who wields the power of jade corruption has found something that turned him into a hateful soul," Shifu pondered. "What caused the Iron Antlers to turn back against him, Xing?"
Chen Xing began to survey his wolf sister, who continued to observe the Great War painting with the Mightiest Warrior and the Nine's Commander. Lotus flattened her cheek on her father's as she murmured to their mighty student. The Nine's Remedy Hong was in the meeting circle, standing beside the Nine's Reptile. "Hong. Where was the place you, Lotus, and Gidahn found Kai?"
The bunny, whose eyes glanced to her tiger brother, answered. "We found him at the river lake near the Prosper Valley. Why?"
"Wang found my student's jade knives underwater. He told me and the group where he had seen them both and now uses it, bearing a hateful jinx."
Chen Xing turned to his mighty student, whose posture swallowed deep anxieties. "Those jade swords were part of his interest. When I felt Wang wielding the weapon, Master Shifu, it has changed to be his new alliance. A far terrible one. General Kai will no longer grasp his weapon again, which ended up how he craved power against someone and many he loathed most of you before ever since the secret panda village."
Tigress stepped ahead of the Nine's Leader, clasping her paws behind her back, reflecting. "Nephew. You and Ming know this disciple warrior. What do you know of Wang?"
Chen Xing immediately regarded his grandmother, whose head nodded once. He began to clarify Masters of Jade Palace. "As all of you know that Wang is the son of Master Le, the Grandmaster of Lu Academy from the Nine's Master; Wang and I have a horrible history after my seventh tournament. The competition in which the Nine accepted challenge against antelope students, including two red deers who call themselves Lu Disciples."
Monkey towered his lengthy tail, maintained his balance to his whole body as he crossed his limbs with discerning. "When did you and the Nine compete against them?" Monkey asked.
"Five years ago, Master Monkey."
The red panda master tapped his wooden pole once. "Explain more, Xing."
"About two months early, before this incident," the tiger continued, leaning his arms behind his back before eying at everyone. "Wang's father arrived at Shui Palace, spoke to Master Ming that he could not find his troubling son. Le concerned Wang's mentality, which my rival sometimes had to submit a personal rematch between him and me, understanding that I'm retired from tournament events." Xing focused on Shifu, whose paw fumbled his pale fu manchu beard. "To share this assertion for you all, Master Shifu: Lu Monastery is in a state of problematics, becoming an insufficient degree, as far as the Nine and I consider. Their instructor has a sour taste."
"Unworthy to be a master," Shifu's adoptive son Tai Lung pondered, which many eyes but two wolves and the bull met the leopard. "Who is this Le to you, if I may ask, Master Xing?"
"Master Le is one of the Shaolin Masters before he built his faction. Neither of the monk authorities allows themselves to do savagery tolerance, in which the Shaolin codes forbid mockery and bully towards the weak and strong. Their colleague is a hotheaded person. Anything that can be easily offended or a debate that Le disagrees on, he'll complain for almost a day."
"I suspect Lu Monastery has plenty of broken conducts," the Dragon Warrior reflected, turning to his red panda teacher and the Nine's Master. "Can there be a trial to bring him in with all of Kung Fu masters?"
"With sorts of complexities from Wang's father, Dragon Warrior," Ming spoke, "my sunzi and I talked through this before. We have known of Le's attitude, lacking his admiration and respect."
"I have an idea to put Master Le in the Kung Fu Council. Master Storming Ox will question him."
"A Kung Fu Council from Gongmen City?" Crane asked, widening his yellow eyes.
"He is the leading Stewardship of the Master's Council and the Emperor's Wisdom," the panda uttered the group. "The possibility of outranking the high orders. Did you guys know that he's the most helpful counsel to bring justice?"
"Of course," the Furious Five answered at their panda brother simultaneously.
The Nine's Master buzzed her throat. "I'll have my messenger to send my parchment to Master Storming Ox. Before I must do so, Master Po, he'll have to comprehend my statement and my grandson's report before interrogating Master Le of Lu Monastery."
The reptile master next to the Nine's Serpent slithered. "What 'complexities' do you suggest by that?" Viper queried next to the Nine's Serpent Fanshe. "Is there a history between him and his son?"
The Nine's Leader began while fiddling his fu manchu beard twice. "So far, after Lu Disciples' Tournament with the result of a foul round, Lotus, my brother Lao and I witnessed Master Le and his class. A disturbing moment when the audience spoke fiercely, knowing which one of the two warriors could have won the final match," he surveyed all eyes. "Some words I caught from all five antelope students chanted 'No weakness, no mercy.' I do not think those pupils desired to speak out their code," Chen Xing revealed his wary glimpse at Master Shifu. "Their master forced them to obey with him."
"No mercy?" his aunt Tigress repeated, raising one brow. "Is that what their teacher use that frightful code for his class?"
"I'm afraid so, Tigress," her nephew admitted. The Nine's Leader continued after his brief hesitation with regard. "After some shouts of 'their principle,' Master Le struck his hoof on his son. All the yells from the gallery went faded after that before the Nine departed Lu Disciples' Temple. That's when the Nine and Lu Disciples have to separate from attempting quarrels after Shaolin Masters offered us a warning, despite Wang and I did a drastic match. Notwithstanding, in random months, maybe two years, until Master Le appeared to the front door of the Shui Palace, his antelope students had been causing more trouble in most of the Prosper Valley roads. They sent threatening messages to the Nine that they must rematch Lu Disciples before facing the consequences."
"Their master is a big bully, alright," Po pondered.
Next to the panda, his peacock student tugged his feathers in his draped sleeves. "A cruelty being, if you are referring that deer how he mistreated his students," Shen added.
"Detaining Le to the council will put him away for good, possibly the only way to end his outrage," Chen Xing sighed, unveiling his disappointing glance while looking at his feet. "I don't know where can I start there, whether these words describe Master Le as 'bully' and 'cruelty.' Beyond those two should be . . ."
The Nine's Heaver snouted in between Monkey and Hong, bringing most eyes on the gorilla. "Bao, terrible deer."
"Speak freely, Sunzi," Chen Ming crooned with sympathy. "What can you elaborate on Wang's father?"
Chen Xing slowly inhaled from his muzzle. "Wang said something about his dad before I had him. Something to do that Le committed a crime."
"What crime? What did Wang say about his father?"
"Le hurt someone, Nana. Possibly a child," answered the Nine's Leader.
The group in the circle muttered as Viper was the one inaudibly gasped, Tigress separating her limbs from crossing, eying at her leopard brother.
"Now, I do not reckon who or what child is, only that my rival perceives what I must know," uttered Chen Xing to Jade Palace Masters, now meeting his grandmother's stone eyes. "I need to confront Master Le at Lu Disciples Temple. Find out the truth before I turn him in the Masters' Trial."
"No," Chen Ming palmed her grandson's heart. "Remember what Le said that if you do not bring his son home, complications could go severe. You still have your word to find Wang, only that these Disciples will not harm the Nine. At this time, your rival has become the new Jade Slayer, and many temples must receive news. For that purpose, you must linger in the Valley of Peace, Prosper Valley, and Tanhuang while there are countless Fire Clan bandits out there still hunting you to avenge their Prince. I can assure you, my Sunzi, our words will spread, and every master in China will search Wang and his jade stone warriors."
"That's a good idea," Po agreed. "Many warriors will use their chi and assemble themselves to stop jombies and Jade Antlers!"
Splendid idea, Po. The red panda called to one of his best messengers in the Hall of Heroes, and Zeng flew from the two red columns outside of Jade Palace, landing next to Shifu. "Zeng, prepare you, and sixteen of your best messengers supply foods. Every messenger will fly to all monasteries later this day."
Chen Ming crooned her hums beside her grandson. "Sunzi. Let me and Shifu handle Master Le. Worry about Wang later."
Her grandson bobbed his head before the Nine's Master uttered her students. "Lotus, Zhong, take Kai home. The Nine and Masters of Jade Palace, you know what to do."
Shifu eyed the two felines. "Tigress, Tai Lung, you two may go," he dismissed them before approaching the other two beside him. "Po, Shen, have your colleague Xing with you. Monkey and Crane will have some training with you."
"Yes, Master Shifu," Monkey and Crane bowed.
The Nine and Masters spread apart beforehand when Lotus clasped her student's hoof and strolled out toward the Hall of Heroes with Wolf Boss, departing out of Jade Palace. The former Jade Slayer left with some interest peeps at antique weapons that belonged to the old heroes. The last thing before he stopped observing the tortoise painting, the Mightiest Warrior watched Xing, who was indeed nodding to his student before Kai, Lotus, and Wolf Boss descended to stairs with Hong, Bao, and Fanshe.
The first thought after reverberating the boar painting, Chen Xing pardoned through Po and Shen toward Chen Ming and Shifu near the moon pool.
"Nana," Xing called his grandmother. "What of the boar clan? I haven't heard of those bandits. Are there any survivors?"
The elder feline tipped her paws under her belly. "All twenty bandits, including their leader, trapped under the river and drowned, Sunzi," Chen Ming clarified. "The one you spoke to who had visions like yours, he was out of the river, but Wang used Buffalo Striker Zhan and killed the boar."
And that was the last thing to hear from her, which made the Nine's Leader submerge his spine under the ice. He only wished to consult with one who had the same visions as the boar who kept crying about, something to contemplate puzzle answers that could solve to reveal real or not. Now there was no one to search any soul, which the black bear affected them with her void water.
Crane, Monkey, Po, Shen, and Chen Xing strolled on the Garden Masters. "This is embarrassing," the tiger cast his black ears down.
"Come on, buddy," Monkey patted Chen Xing's back. "We all got failures, not all the time, but us warriors make sure we come back stronger."
"Quite a shame to lose the Jade Slayer," Shen determined. "How could your rival vanish?"
"I almost had him, Shen. Now Wang and his jombies can be anywhere in all of China. But still, he cannot be far by now," the tiger suspected. "Emperor Huangdi is going to think that my student created Wang."
"Relax, Xing. I'll make sure that he'll know better from me," Po aided the Nine's Leader. "At least, does the Emperor know of Kai do not have jade?"
"No," answered Chen Xing. "All I know so far is that he's been watching over me ever since the Second Gongmen Battle aftermath. One of his buffalo travelers always visits the Prosper Valley every month, ensuring I am in a good state. As always from his kind, they always word the Nine when and if the Emperor needs me."
"That's good, Xing. I'm pretty sure the Emperor has words to say to you when you are in a better recovery for the time being," the panda patted the tiger's back. "Come on, buddy. Let's go meditate at the Dragon Grotto."
I know Huangdi's character well. The Gentle Dragon always views every soul with charity. Shen reminisced of his old buffalo companion in Gongmen City, who became his closest before the peacock's banishment.