Since this day is my birthday, I release the latest chapter. Feel free to read below!
1/17/2022
Volume Three: Deng Wa
Chapter XXIX
A Mystery Name
November 9, 1210
This week lasted longer. For the last few days, the Dragon Warrior sent his parchment with Masters and the Nine sigils to Gongmen City Councils with Chen Ming's help, planning for Master Storming Ox to attend Lu Monastery with Emperor's Guards and start questioning Master Le. The Nine and Furious Five wrote their scrolls and sent their geese servants to fly across China and sixteen monasteries. After all sixteen, more temples could thoroughly spread the news through villages and towns. The new culprit featured a wanted picture of Iron Antlers, known as the new Jade Slayer, that could publish a few days from now, which had to describe details well. The return of General Kai was well known in China but had to keep these reports hidden, as the Dragon Warrior wished for the Emperor to comprehend Chen Xing and Lotus's oath.
At the Training Hall outside, Chen Xing and Monkey sparred with bo staff poles, which one rotated one way and the other while spinning toward the tiger after the second deflected with fast strikes. The next spar was the Dragon Warrior and his peacock student enabling their jade and wooden staffs, maintaining simple blocks and attacks while swinging and plunging their weapons. Within the Hall, the Furious Five engaged several levels toward the dummy hordes, the circle spikes, the tortoise bowl, two hundred fires, and spinning logs. Chen Xing maintained his chin stance, including the combination flows of chi sao against the Wing Chun model next to the doorway with Shen.
Tai Lung was the one inspecting the Hall while crossing his limbs with determination on the platform with Po and Shifu, now eying at his striped feline sister who sprang over the horde, shattering bits of action dummies in pieces by her tiger style. Piece by piece that each crocodile broke in half, she formed her flawless blocks on fast curves and one tail. Her move carried him familiarizing the precision making of triple kicks, reminiscing dignity to his adoptive red panda father and Galapagos tortoise grandfather.
The next thing he had finished observing the Furious Five that filled their combat hails was the Nine's Leader and the wooden dummy with three arms and a long foot. His adoptive mother rarely taught him that Tai Lung preferred his leopard style with brute strengths. Combining with close-quarter fighting with chi sao and his leopard kung fu earned him well.
What was the boy's father's name? Someone who would have been my brother, the way I am Tigress's brother.
The next day that the red and tawny horizon swarmed over the morning clouds featured the Nine's Leader and the Furious Five's avian student in the Hall of Heroes, brought numerous supplies of cleaning rags and two mops, keeping Chen Xing to be busy with Crane. Starting one top to bottom, the two warriors made their way to polishing all the structures and the jade marble floor, almost half a day for them to finish cleaning. Finally, after taking a long break, only partaking to help Masters of Jade Palace sort the scroll rewrites, Crane and Chen Xing embarked on painting monument pictures of heroes. The avian worked on light gold hues of Oogway behind the tortoise, and the tiger stroking a gray coat robe on Master Thundering Rhino.
The tiger's awkward sensation of seeing visions he painted before had no interruptions, which Chen Xing concerned illusions could force him to draw what he saw. He predicted the jade quill, and now he's gone. I wish that I could have talked to the boar back there. How will I find someone like him? Someone like me?
The marble floor tapped twice from a wooden pole, which Xing snapped out of his thought before focusing his brush strokes. "Well done, Crane," the red panda teacher supported his avian student beside the Nine's Leader.
"Thank you, Master," Crane offered with blessing. "Have a look at Xing's painting. He has his good paw."
"That's an elegant art, Xing," Shifu chuckled. "Absolutely singular."
"Thanks, Master Shifu," the tiger smirked, his sharp voice filling with dedication.
"Is Master Thundering Rhino one of your favorites?"
"Possibly the seven out of ten of my preference. Ming was lucky to meet him and two Gongmen Masters in person," Chen Xing surveyed the individual's head, whose glory and respect continued reflecting his grandmother's reflection of Thundering Rhino. "She mentioned that Rhino was the honorable warrior who could ever relate sympathies."
"As he was when Master Ox admired him as a brother," he chuckled with care. "Keep up the work, you two. I'll fetch my servants here and place two paintings on one and the other when you both finish."
Both warriors rested their eyes toward each other at once, bestowing their nods. The tiger and avian returned their paintings, and the marble floor presented a firm tap.
"Oh. While you two have been busy," the red panda pardoned the two warriors as Crane and Xing stopped stroking their brushes, "a message from Master Ox arrived a moment ago. He will arrive at Lu Monastery on the weekend, and I must visit with him to let us conceal our identity before examining the students and their teacher."
"That's good to know, Master," Crane nodded with anticipation.
"Master Shifu," the Nine's Leader expressed in regard.
"Yes, Master Xing?"
"After this painting, may I go to the Library? There's something I must find a name of the parchment. Is there a scroll in the Library name. . .?"
At first, the tiger attempted to repeat the mystery name that kept echoing, encroaching by Wang's menacing voice, which blended with ghastly fizzing. "The era of Deng Wa?"
"Deng Wa?" the red panda teacher flickered his long ears, unveiling his ocean eyes widen.
"I am indeed perplexed as well," he shared his wary gaze to him and his avian colleague. "I was hoping for you to know if this Deng Wa exists."
Crane put his brush next to the voluminous painting. "I think the weapon exists? Po said the blade is called the Dagger of Deng-Wa."
"Whoa, did someone say the dagger?"
An exciting voice lingered across the Hall of Heroes, which drew their heads on one of the dragon columns. The green insect chirped his wings as he sprang down beside Xing. "I thought Po named out that trowel device back then."
Trowel? Xing raised his left eye at Mantis.
"What is your purpose of finding the unknown, Xing?" Shifu lightly clasped his wooden pole.
"It's something my former competitor Wang spoke to my student before he got away, Master," Chen Xing expressed the red panda teacher in cognition. "I must know what my former competitor uttered, 'Many failed before him.' The word many were others — others like Kai. I think of the phrase Him has to be the one who possesses warriors. I cannot be sure the name presents the next era or possibly the subject's name, and it's very important for me to find out who that is."
Shifu crooned his silvery tone. "What you consider is the name Deng Wa who possessed Kai, and now possesses Wang," he defined. "I'll bring Zeng and his group search for the scroll you will find answers."
"Thank you, Master," he bestowed his nod as Xing and Crane watched the red panda sauntering toward the left passage. After summoning their names, Shifu assembled a few geese librarians and their leader Zeng.
The tiger dipped a small brush on large white and black splotches, stroking two colors together to a mild gray. "What is this trowel you were talking about, Master Mantis?" his question leveling in novelty had the insect chirp his wings, landing on Crane's conical hat.
"Po brought Tigress and me to the heroes gallery outside the Valley of Peace that night. He would not shut up about the story of Street Fighters stopping Wu Sisters. Shifu appeared out of nowhere as a real-life figure, and he dismissed us but Po. When Tigress and I were about to leave the heroes gallery, I heard Po naming out that trowel device Shifu gave to him. Our buddy came up with that thought of the Dagger of — You know who."
"Do you and the Nine know anything of that blade, Xing?" Crane inquired.
Chen Xing lightly squirmed his lips, shaking his head. "Nope. Do you guys know that Dagger?"
Mantis creaked his antennas. "Not really. Some say the weapon remains sealed from existence. Never discover what's worth pricing, as some crazy guy wishes to use that powerful weapon."
How curious.
After finalizing the last details of intricate textures on Rhino's golden waves on his council robe and Oogway's tawny shawl, Chen Xing and Crane straightened their backs while observing geese servants lining monument paintings. Underneath the left graphic was a relic weapon that belonged to its owner. Rhino's cloud hammer perching on two-arm poles was the replica, which the original hammer that unleashed the hissing gale remained where the burial stones perched on Holy Flame's Garden. The first lingering to the tiger's introspection contemplating the Spirit Realm had him meet the legendary subject within a desolation temple of a hundred columns in ruins. The Nine's Leader tossed the cloud hammer to the mythical individual in a gray coat and white robe with a gold belt.
Thanks for the hammer, Master Rhino!
You bear flawless strikes, young Master! Rhino's gruff and silvery voice praised the young.
The Library wafted its vivid scents of books and earthy candles, where the snow leopard ahead of the section counters duplicated twenty-five scrolls, and the tiger to the front right of Tai Lung's view scrutinized Li Han's sixth scroll of the title "How the Great War Would Have Won." More than fifty scrolls on Chen Xing's table stacked together, which had him finished duplicating old parchments, which originals may age into a soft tearing flesh.
Geese servants browsed from top to bottom to search familiar mentions of a mysterious name on one section of alphabetical order. "The era of Deng Wa," the tiger murmured, filling final phrases on the last paragraph of Master Thundering Rhino biography. With an easy concept for the Nine's Leader to fill the memoir script once more, Shifu had countless writing notes of his, the only wise teacher he regarded Flying Rhino's son more. Once leaving the new memoir beside to let the scroll dry ink for a brief period, Chen Xing wrapped the thirteenth parchment of Master Rhino Biography, offering all scrolls on a wooden tray to the avian beside the passage.
"Here you go, Master Crane. One of the biography scrolls for Master Thundering Rhino, and last thirteen scrolls of Kung Fu."
"Wonderful," the avian beamed before wandering off to the corridor before reaching the Hall of Heroes with the tiger. "Anyway. While you were busy, Xing, Shifu said Masters of Jade Palace are grateful for you helping us rewrite the old copies."
"Anytime, Master Crane. It's been a little hard work for me."
"And Master Shifu strongly advised us three will be continuing to write other hundred copies. How many have you written lately?"
"About fifty more to go," Chen Xing calculated. "I can finish the rest in the morning."
"Wonderful. I got this one."
The tiger returned sauntering within the passage toward the Library, emerging two eyes of brilliant dawn forward. Behind the table, Tai Lung filled more rolls of parchments to his top left; above the structure amidst sections, Zeng flapped his wings in front of the tiger. "My group and I have been searching for a name you are still trying to find. Unfortunately, the scroll history of Deng Wa is not here, Master Xing."
The tiger pressed his paw under his muzzle before he hummed with determination. "One scroll may be difficult to find somewhere in China. Are there any parchments mentioning Deng Wa?"
"Nothing here as well, I'm afraid."
Chen Xing lightly sighed from his lips, his limbs bridging his waist. "That's alright, Zeng. I'll search for the name at my grandmother's monastery. I think Ming knows where to look."
"Very well. I'll word Master Shifu at once."
Geese servants departed into the Hall of Heroes, letting Chen Xing stroll back to the Palace Library and sit on the wooden chair where he was. He leaned his head before scrutinizing Li Han's sixth script, which exhibited the two former warlords of tortoise in a brown shawl and peacock in dark ocean robes sitting on a rug mattress, serving tea within the Sacred Flame's Throne Room.
Oogway had returned to visit me in the Throne Room alone. After the dark days of the Great War, he ventured across wherever the former General needed to escape the catastrophic loss. During that time, each night through dawn kept him within his shell after seeing things that hurt our souls from the ghost. Our brother. . . Our mighty General Kai. Vanquishing our brother to the Spirit Realm made Oogway in despair, and I and our leopard companion Zhanshi grief with him in our hearts.
After thirty years meditating in the cave did free Oogway's misery. Despite catastrophic events traumatizing many in the Great War, some within the void that the past kept screaming, the three Mightiest Warriors continued to change, only we have to let go of the past.
"Your Fu Manchu reminds me of my father, would you agree?"
Smooth vibration tone chanted, which had the Nine's Leader fiddle his beard with puzzlement and compliment, meeting the Great Dragon's golden chi eyes. "No wonder I look like Master Shifu, but not that small," Xing smirked.
The leopard chuckled. "You seem special, on the other side like my sister," Tai Lung conveyed. "Excuse me. We met in the mountain when you stole the plans and with your aunt. And, of course, I stopped the Boar Clan leader with one of my complex capabilities, did to all four of the Furious Five last time."
"I know who you are," the Nine's Leader said, wrapping Li Han's scroll. "The Master of Leopard who read a thousand scrolls of Kung Fu, and. . . my grandmother's adoptive son."
While extending and clenching his weary paws simultaneously from writing, the leopard attempted to recall endearing melodies from a striped feline in cobalt and snow robes. Each day and night was forgiving to reminisce her warm lips blessing to his head. "Yes," he broke his tiny grin, his heart slowly cracking as she sought her glance. "When I was in the swaddle, she was the second who bore me, blessed me with many encouragements. I rarely thought of Master Ming most of the time while I was within the darkness of Chorh-Gom Prison. Ming still has her fluffy cheeks, as I would lean my head over hers several times. She sometimes thought of someone else who was more loving than me."
Tai Lung kept his composure more tranquil from dwelling, resting his eyes on the young feline. "Who do you think she adored?"
"My father?" the Nine's Leader figured with inquisitiveness. "Is that why you thought of Chen Shui?"
"He and I never met," the Great Dragon shook his head, "but she reflects me of his real son. Knowing the look of your nana's face, you are like your father's side." Tai Lung pulsed his rich hum. "He would have been my brother if Ming brought him to Jade Palace."
Chen Xing viewed the jade candle's light, regarding the painting of his parents' smiles. "I rarely knew my father and mother a little. Ming is the one who filled her story about her loving son. Chen Shui wanted me to become a swordsman, unlike other wielders bearing halberds and wavy cleavers."
"Tigress mentioned you are good with your sword, the one that its glossy blade sings its female whispers. No wonder Po keeps mentioning your weapon on that night. What does this katana come from?"
"It's not a paw-made from all of China," pondered Xing. "I hardly remembered one warrior, my ancestor, was grabbing her weapon from the swordsmith for the first time. Its material from the falling star is thrice sharper than a regular iron, which can slice through every layer of metal and bones."
"Hmm. In Lord Viper's village, his daughter fought the gorilla in shiny armor, which those elements were made from the starry sky," Tai Lung reflected, placing his small paintbrush beside the counter. "If you don't mind my inquisitiveness query, Xing. Is there a heritage between your parents? Either of which follows your legacy?"
The leopard's question left with interesting reflection to Chen Xing. "All I know is my mom married my dad in my old village," he brooded, crossing his limbs on the table. "The bloodline bears the Line of White Dragon from the ancient monastery of Qing Temple, where Oogway's companions originated before the mad prince tore the palace apart."
"I remember that history well," Tai Lung hummed his coarse throat with curiousness. "The ancient palace built the inspiration to gather knowledge of harmony, love, and happiness, uniting all three sanctions of Oogway's Kung Fu, Mui Tan Huang's Wing Chun, and Liu Bong Shien's Tai Chi. That day before the reckoning would have adapted the dynasty to bear most people defending the weak against those who harm them, preventing war from the atrocity.
"Imagine thousands — hundreds of thousands —" the Great Dragon wavered his paw. "Many could have adopted martial arts if that catastrophe did not happen, but here we all are, salvaging the principles while growing prosperity to learn the art of living."
The Nine's Leader nodded. "That's something the legacy has to persist for generations," Chen Xing added.
Tai Lung droned at once again. I agree.
The avian wandered into the Library, where his red panda master offered him to check over the Nine's Leader by the time this evening became midnight. Preening his wings to his sides, Crane went where Xing was sitting ahead of the wooden table. The original text wore and tore during its age, Master Shifu noticed before letting Xing and Tai Lung do the copies. The avian caught a glimpse of the jade candle ahead of the tiger sweep.
The kindle softly wavered at once, and Chen Xing hesitated his neck and head without an inch. His eyes squinted at something the avian was perplexing. What was he glancing at the other table? No one but Crane was within the Archives. The room was wafting with cools. This Library was even supposed to feel light cozy, as many masters had known much. The avian stretched his head close and watched the tiger's head lift his chin while Xing gazed. At this time, the kindle fluttered even faster than it was; now, the whole Library dimmed, only soft shrieks of the whispers as the candle shone only Xing, the table, and both columns.
Before barging in close to a halt, a phantom figure of a lofty bovine glanced down toward the tiger who reflected his glaring snow eyes. The Nine shared their perspective from their brother's sensation to the Masters of Jade Palace, as they needed to be speculating their feline colleague once more with caution. "Buddy?" Crane called the tiger, and a whole Library enlightened normal. The shadow had dissipated its soul existence, which Xing quivered his glance. How long has the tiger been lost his trance before returning to reality?
A soft drip from Xing's paintbrush dripped onto the middle of the revision script. "Hey. Are you alright, Xing?" Xing heard the avian's concern when brushing his eyes. He disposed of the brush to the ink cartridge.
"Whoops," he murmured, clearing his throat. "I must have been daydreaming."
No such thing as daydreaming, but that beast — is it from the cave Xing talked about that?
After hesitation, Crane moved closer to his striped feline colleague. "Was that him again, right? I mean Po, Shen, Mantis, and I saw you being terrified in the cave."
Crane's right. They already know what I can see. My worthy opponent wants me, and I find where I must confront him, dissipate the mad prince in pieces again and again.
Chen Xing slowly bent his nod to the avian. "It is him. He looked ahead of me."
"An evil spirit trails your soul if that was what you ponder of this 'worthy opponent' you try to dodge his name," Tai Lung scrutinized the tiger's wary face.
True indeed, but even the tiger could avoid the conqueror's name haunting the Nine's Leader, Chen Xing admitted the apparition had him bothering once more, and he wished to circumvent whispers of the dark. For a moment, the tiger stashed some of Li Han's scrolls in order and left those on the table's left side. "Midnight passes. It's time for me to sleep in the visitor chamber. I'll take care of the other fifty scrolls tomorrow, especially this one I accidentally dripped the ink on the parchment," Chen Xing bestowed his farewell nod to two warriors and departed onward. "Good night, Master Crane and Tai Lung."
Sometimes dreams follow in your presence. Not as they look oddly enough to be concise, but those haunting memories might be rare to each as Chen Xing avoided much. Silence filled in into slightly confusing as the leopard and avian rested their eyes on themselves. "Curious," Tai Lung crooned. "I am beginning to wonder that this worthy opponent tries to annoy my sister's nephew."
"Po was like that before, when he sought Shen in his dreams, and I was there, but I'm glad he went through," Crane pondered, beginning to stack a wrapped scroll and the next beside the table where the tiger sat. "Xing is right. Time is passing."
Tai Lung was wrapping a voluminous scroll list that he crossed many, which he finished rewriting ancient parchments. "There's something I should be doing before I go to bed."
"Tigress expects you to be in your chamber very soon. So, what are you going to do?" Crane asked.
"Restoring my soul into something promising, that I should never lurk from the shadows. I'm going to see my father."
This is it, then. The leopard son and red panda father may be joining.
The avian beckoned his slow nod with a slight grin. "I'll mind Tigress if you are going to see him."
"Do as you please," Tai Lung supported, blowing two candles on his working table. "Sleep well, Crane."
The leopard departed out of the Library, out of the Jade Palace, and went toward the Garden of Masters.
Author's Note:
— The next chapter will reveal the father and son relationship that their scars still tore, but coming to mend their wounds slowly but surely. The next scene will be someone's turn to speak with my boy.
— This mystery name Deng Wa can now be a big deal to Chen Xing. He'll likely face complications from his "worthy opponent" haunting him at random episodes, putting him on a daring task to search for the near-impossible to decipher the name (a person, a knife, or the unknown era). Remember the specter talking to Wang about ancient histories to burn? Future chapters can prevail.
— Feel free to review (or not) if you like to praise and support my work so far!