Everything was in doubles. The room spun. His head pounded.
Pan Heng rolled over in his bed and clutched his head, groaning. He grabbed the cup of water set on his bedside table and gulped it down. - Of course, Pan Chun cared for him. But he shouldn't have shoved such responsibility on her in the first place.
Hearing Pan Heng stir awake, Pan Chun headed over to his room, bringing him a tray of breakfast. "So how are you feeling, A-ge?"
"As great as I can be with a hangover." Pan Heng took a few bites of his meal, then he sighed and faced Pan Chun with a shameful expression. "I'm sorry about giving you such trouble last night. I'm your older brother. I should be the one taking care of you, not the other way around..."
Pan Chun sighed. "We're siblings. We look out for each other. Just try not to get drunk like that again, please."
"I won't," Pan Heng said. He massaged his forehead. "I didn't do anything embarrassing last night, did I?"
Pan Chun gave him a strained smile.
Pan Heng covered his face with his hands and groaned. "Wonderful. Just wonderful."
Pan Chun stared intently at her sword, a hand placed to her chin in deep thought. "Hmmm." She tilted her head. "Hmmmmm."
Her sword lay atop a tree stump, displayed in all its glory. "Should I call you 'Master Sword'? I mean, you look so much like it and it's such an easy and obvious name too. - 'The Blade of Evil's Bane', how fitting. - Wait...That might not be such a good idea."
- "Oh? You think your sword is the master of all swords?" -
- "Oh? You think you're a master cultivator?" -
- "Such arrogance!" -
- "We'll show you where your true skills lay! Let's battle!" -
Yeah...That name was going to give her unwanted attention.
"Nah. 'Master Sword' isn't it. Scratching it off the list - well, if I had a list. I'm still having trouble thinking of another name for you."
"Are you going to stand there staring at your sword and mumbling to yourself all day?" Pan Heng sat outside with a cup of water in hand, recovering from his hangover with fresh air and rehydration.
Huh. Pan Heng had a point. Standing around wasn't going to help her out here.
Pan Chun unsheathed her sword and placed it on the ground.
Pan Heng raised an eyebrow. "You haven't even named your sword yet. But you want to try flying it now?"
"It'll probably help me out, becoming more familiar with my sword by flying it in the sky. Different environment, different thought process," Pan Chun said.
Pan Chun stepped onto her sword, channeling her spiritual energy into it. -Up!
Her sword shot up into the air, at a speed at which Pan Chun could balance herself on it properly. Good, she'd managed to use the right amount of spiritual energy during launch.
The birds flying near Pan Chun weren't startled, used to her presence from her years of practice flying Weifeng.
Practicing sword flight on Weifeng was all right, but flying on her own sword felt different - natural.
The breeze blew through Pan Chun's hair. She gazed around the sky in wonder. This was way cooler than enjoying the view through an airplane window. - Whoa. So this is what it feels like to fly.
She stared off into the clouds. So peaceful - going wherever the wind took them - just drifting through the sky without a care in the world.
That's when it clicked.
~ A monkey-tailed boy with spiky black hair riding on a yellow cloud. ~
- Yes! That's it! -
Pan Chun snapped her fingers. "I've got it! I'll call you Nimbus! - Yǔ yún!"
Did her sword like that name? - Well, it hadn't thrown her off yet. That was a good sign!
...She should check and make sure though.
Pan Chun returned to the ground and inspected her sword.
A name had engraved itself on the scabbard.
雨云
Yǔ yún.
Nimbus.
"Oh? You like the name I came up with?" She traced her fingers over the newly engraved name, smiling softly. "I'm glad."
Pan Heng walked up to Pan Chun. "So? Figured out a name yet?" She showed him the newly engraved name on the scabbard.
"Nimbus? Interesting choice for a name. Like the nimbus cloud? Clouds that the immortals ride?" Pan Heng asked.
"Er...No. Not exactly…" Pan Chun rubbed the back of her head. "Hehe. I thought of the name because it's the same name as the flying devices the heroes rode in some of the childhood stories I grew up with back home."
"Childhood stories? From your home? Can you tell me about them sometime?" Pan Heng asked.
"Yes, I would be happy to!" Pan Chun hadn't gushed to someone about the books, video games, and anime she enjoyed in a long while. "It will take hours to go over them though. So I suggest you sit down with a good cup of wine to savor during our storytelling sessions."
Pan Heng chuckled. "Fine by me."
Pan Chun turned her head from Pan Heng to her newly named sword. "I should take Yuyun out for another spin." Pan Heng nodded as she shot up into the sky with Yuyun.
Pan Chun whooped as she and Yuyun whirled through the air. It felt - so right.
Flying atop a magic sword was truly a childhood dream come true.
Right here. Right now. She was just a teenager having fun.
"These witches and wizards you mentioned in those fantasy stories. They ride on brooms rather than swords?" Pan Heng had an incredulous expression on his face. "Why would they ride on cleaning utensils rather than swords? That isn't very dignified."
"They don't normally stand on their brooms, they sit on them. And brooms are household objects that anyone could have access to. Swords, on the other hand, are mainly used by knights and warriors for battle. But swords did not double as a mode of transport," Pan Chun explained.
"And in battle, they just point sticks at each other? No martial arts at all? That doesn't sound very exciting," Pan Heng remarked.
"Those sticks are called 'wands'. Some wizards also use staffs. They channel their magic through wands to cast spells. Handless magic takes a great amount of skill and mastery. So most people use wands or staffs to keep their magic spells from turning unstable and blowing up in their faces." Pan Chun nodded. "But yes, I agree that standing around and pointing wands at each other does seem pretty boring compared to martial arts battles. Well, unless you go for the battlemage class. Then you could cast magic and kick ass in hand-to-hand combat."
"Battlemage?" Pan Heng rubbed his chin. "So there's a class of wizards that is also capable of martial arts while using their spells at the same time."
Pan Chun was pleased that she managed to explain things well enough for Pan Heng to follow. - Ah, video games and tabletop RPGs. That's going to be a whole other subject I'll talk with A-ge about another time.
"I see. The differences between cultivators and these witches and wizards are quite interesting to learn about. Different cultures, different magic systems," Pan Heng noted.
Pan Heng took a swig of his wine and exhaled in refreshment. "And you say that your sword resembles the sword of a legendary green-clad hero?"
Pan Wukun nodded. "Yeah."
"And this 'Master Sword' gets passed onto his descendants and reincarnations?"
"Yeah."
"And the Master Sword also has a spirit within it that accompanies the hero throughout the ages?"
Pan Chun mentally wiped a tear from her eye. "Y-yeah." Fi's loyalty and friendship to Link were powerful and so damn heartfelt. She hoped to be worthy enough to form the same bond with Yuyun.
"So that other tale about the monkey-tailed boy. The tale originates from a country that is my world's equivalent of Dongying[1], or rather, it is Dongying[1] in the distant future. The boy is based on Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, and he actually hails from a world beyond the skies and stars?"
Pan Chun drank her peach juice. "Yeah, you've got it."
Pan Heng said, "Where you come from, Sun Wukong originates from a novel called Journey to the West written by Wu Cheng'en. But here, we have no such novel or author. It is said that in times long past, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing journeyed with the monk Tang Seng to bring the Buddhist scriptures here from the lands in the west."
Pan Chun's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in astonishment. "You're saying Sun Wukong might have actually existed and helped Buddhism develop here?"
Pan Heng nodded. "Yes, we know for certain that Sun Wukong accomplished a perilous journey and ascended to godhood. But we don't have all the pieces of the story. Whether Sun Wukong was an actual monkey who gained human intelligence through supernatural means or if he was the offspring of a union between a monkey demon and a human? No one really knows."
Pan Chun wiped her forehead. "Good thing I didn't give my sword the same name as Jindou yun[2] then."
Pan Heng chuckled. "A wise choice. Sun Wukong would not have been too happy with such a flagrant display of arrogance."
Pan Chun noted, "Interesting. Rather than just being cultural folklore, it seems that many Chinese mythological figures are considered ancient history in this world. Like the legend of Hou Yi and how he shot down some suns."
This was a xianxia world, after all. With the existence of cultivation, superhuman feats, and supernatural creatures, of course, this world was going to develop differently from her world.
"Fascinating how our worlds share some of the same legends. And yet cultivators don't exist where you're from," Pan Heng said.
"As far as I know, cultivators only exist in fictional stories and myths where I'm from," Pan Chun explained.
"How do you feel? Realizing that what was once a mere story is now a reality?" Pan Heng asked.
"Scared. Nervous. A little excited. A mess of feelings, really," Pan Chun answered.
"Other universes exist. Do you know what this means? Not only is there an entire universe full of countless galaxies to explore in outer space, but there are also even other dimensions too! Really makes me wonder about my place in the multiverse. Makes me think about just how small I am…" Pan Chun rambled.
Pan Heng tapped a finger to Pan Chun's forehead, making her stop. "A-Chun, the more you think about it, the more it's going to hurt your head."
Pan Heng sighed. "When I get reincarnated, I won't remember my life right now as Pan Heng." He rubbed his forehead. "What can be? What will be? It's too much to worry about the future all the time. To worry about our life's purpose." He groaned. "What I'm trying to say is, it's best to live in the present and enjoy the moment." He gestured towards Pan Chun, the table, and the sky. "Talking with you, enjoying this wine, I won't remember any of this when my soul enters the reincarnation cycle. But that doesn't mean I enjoy it any less."
"I-I'm happy to know that, to know that you enjoy our time together," was all that Pan Chun could say.
Leave it to Pan Chun to turn relaxing storytime into a deep conversation about existentialism. Why couldn't she just shut down her thinking brain for once?
...
Should she tell Pan Heng? That his world was that of another fictional story she knew?
Could she even trust him with that kind of knowledge? Was he even going to believe her?
…
She didn't know the answer to that yet.
For now, she'll just treasure this moment with Pan Heng, with a good cup of peach juice.
Clang!
Weifeng and Yuyun clashed!
Pan Chun and Pan Heng gritted their teeth, pressing their swords against each other to make the other yield first.
Pan Heng pressed forward with great force and strength, pushing Pan Chun back hard and knocking Yuyun out of her hands.
"Agh!" Pan Chun cried out.
Pan Heng pinned Pan Chun to the ground, pressing Weifeng against her throat. "I win."
Pan Chun smirked. "Heh. I could say the same for myself."
"What?" Pan Heng froze. The tip of a sword poked the back of his neck.
Pan Chun's fingers were curved, her spiritual energy directing Yuyun to point at the back of Pan Heng's neck.
A tie.
"Heh." Pan Heng grinned. "Well done."
With the sparring match finished, Weifeng and Yuyun were sheathed again.
And of course, Pan Heng provided a helpful evaluation of Pan Chun's skills as always. "You must gauge distance. Your reach is not as wide as most of the other cultivators. In terms of height, you are-"
"I'm short." Pan Chun was just stating a fact. She had no problem being short. She was the same height as she was the first time she lived as a teenager, 4 feet and 11 inches or 149.86 centimeters. She already embraced her shortness and lived with it. Now she just had to take into account different fighting strategies. And still deal with teasing from tall people, of course, *sigh*.
Pan Heng nodded. "Hmmm." He gazed upon Pan Chun intently. She'd come a long way from a lost and floundering child to a cultivator-in-training. But she didn't have innate talent and was certainly no prodigy. "Cultivators make their debut as early as thirteen years of age. At thirteen, you just formed your golden core. If you stay in this village for too long, you won't be able to keep up with your peers. When you're fifteen, you must leave Xuhou."
Pan Chun blinked. That soon? "That's only about a year from now."
Pan Heng nodded. "Yes. We must prepare and train vigorously before then. You need to be able to fend for yourself out there."
Pan Chun took a deep breath. A year from now, she will leave Xuhou. She will be on her own in the ungoverned world that is the jianghu[3]. Carve out her path as a cultivator and set out to solve the mystery as to why she was even brought to this world in the first place. "Understood."
Pan Chun may not be a gifted prodigy, but she had grit and determination. Pan Heng believed in her. He hoped she felt the same about herself.
It was two weeks before Pan Chun's planned departure.
Pan Chun was out for an evening walk when something caught her attention.
Many of the villagers in Xuhou gathered in a spacious field, murmuring incessantly. Everyone appeared distressed and worried about something.
What was all the commotion?
Pan Chun maneuvered her way through the large circle of villagers, making it through to the center.
"Our son! Where is our son?!" A man and woman pleaded with a group of teenage boys.
"We don't know! Last we saw of him, he was in the forest!" the boys answered.
Pan Chun approached them. "What's going on here?"
"Ah! Pan Chun!" The teenage boys cried with joy at her arrival. "It's so good to see you! You're finally here!"
Wait...Pan Chun recognized these boys. They were Zhu He's friends. Why were they suddenly acting so civil to her?
...Where was Zhu He anyway?
"These foolish children nearly tried to look for Zhu He on their own!" one of the village elders said.
Ah. So Zhu He was missing. Pan Chun looked pointedly at the boys. "Explain."
The oldest of the boys, Zhu He's second-in-command, stepped forward. "Earlier in the day, we were out hunting! Then Zhu He suddenly stopped, turned in another direction, and ran off! He shouted back to us that he would be fine and that there was an important task that he needed to attend to in the forest!" The boy's expression turned troubled. "He should've returned by now…"
This was bad. Zhu He was the village chief's son. If he was lost then…
In contrast to his begging for Zhu He's whereabouts earlier, the village chief trembled in anger. "We've warned you time and time again since you were young children! You know you're not supposed to be outside of the village after sunset! Why didn't you follow Zhu He and stop him?!" he scolded. His wife placed a hand on his arm, calming him down. He took deep breaths, placing his hand on top of hers in comfort.
The boys hung their heads down, ashamed.
"What was Zhu He thinking, running off on his own like that? As the village chief's son, he should have better judgment than this." The adults shook their heads in exasperation and worry.
So like the foolhardy young to feel invincible. But the older generations remembered the time before Pan Heng's arrival well. Suffering in silence because no cultivators bothered to help if no glory was rewarded. Living in terror. Boarding up their homes securely before darkness fell. Not knowing which of them, if not cautious enough, would be cursed or spirited away in the night.
Meanwhile, Pan Chun was in a state of inner turmoil.
Pan Heng was away on an errand outside Xuhou. Fuck! - This was the worst timing!
Stupid, fucking idiot Zhu He!
Hmph. Zhu He was always a jerk though. He was probably just hiding in the village somewhere to play an awful prank on everyone. - Did she really have to go into the deep dark scary forest at night?
Zhu He's mother covered her face in her hands, sobbing. "My son. My poor son."
Pan Heng's visage appeared in Pan Chun's mind. "Oh? All these years I trained you as a cultivator and you choose cowardice. Hmph. Good to know I wasted my time." If he saw her now and was able to read her thoughts, he would've been disappointed in her.
Shame washed over Pan Chun. What was she thinking? Of course, she had to! The safety of each person in Xuhou was her responsibility! Even if she didn't like Zhu He very much...
"Do not worry. I'll go search for Zhu He," Pan Chun announced.
The villagers quieted down, staring at Pan Chun in astonishment. Well, Pan Chun was the only cultivator present. But they had never seen her in action before. Was she really up to the task?
Zhu He's father embraced his wife tightly before stepping forward. "I'll come with you!"
Pan Chun shook her head. "The forest is teeming with malevolent spirits and man-eating beasts at night. It's too dangerous! If I have to focus on protecting you, I would have a much harder time finding Zhu He!"
Pan Chun placed a hand on her chest and looked upon Zhu He's parents and the rest of the villagers with whatever determination and courage she could muster. "Please trust me. I'll protect you just as A-ge has."
A beat of silence passed. Then Zhu He's parents walked up to Pan Chun, bowing to her. "Please return with our son safely."
The villagers wished Pan Chun good luck and murmured prayers for her and Zhu He.
Pan Chun returned back home alone and gathered her cultivation tools. She retrieved a stack of talismans and strapped a hunting bow and arrow along with Yuyun to her back.
She walked outside, stopping just at the edge of Xuhou's protective array.
She gazed out into the dark and gloomy forest.
This was the first time she would set out into the perilous wilds alone.
Alone in a forest inhabited by supernatural beings fully capable of killing her.
Painfully.
She gulped. - Here I go.
Outside of Xuhou's protective array, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
In the daytime, the forest was tranquil, serene.
But come night, the forest was menacing, suffocating.
The moonlight could barely shine through the dense trees. The trees closed in on Pan Chun as if the swaying branches were trying to reach out and grab her.
Pan Chun held up a light talisman, illuminating the forest. "Zhu He! Zhu He!" - Where are you, you dumbfuck!
Her loud voice could attract the attention of any nearby malicious entities at this rate. But with the time-sensitive mission of locating Zhu He before any monsters did, the risk was necessary.
Good thing she had Yuyun and evil-repellent talismans with her.
Pan Chun grew more and more apprehensive as she ventured deeper into the forest. Damn, she wished she could just fly atop Yuyun and search from above the trees, but her light talismans didn't have enough reach.
Just how long did it take to find one person in here?!
Fuck! Why couldn't Zhu He at least make a campfire by now? The smoke and flames would make him so much easier to spot!
!
A face popped out of the bushes in front of her! - Pan Chun screamed, causing the face to scream back at her!
…
?
Wait a sec. Isn't that...?
"Oh, it's you." Zhu He wrinkled his nose in disgust.
Zhu He stepped out of the bushes, holding a paper lantern, his hunting gear strapped to his back.
Pan Chun huffed. "Finally! I've been looking for you all night! What's so important that you need to be out here in the middle of the night? You know, the time when evil spirits and man-eating beasts come out? The kind of creatures that could easily kill you?!"
Zhu He crossed his arms, scowling down at the smaller Pan Chun. "It's none of your business."
"Like hell, it's none of my business! I live in Xuhou too so it's part of my responsibility to ensure your safety! Everyone's concerned about you! Your parents are sick with worry!"
At the mention of his parents, Zhu He hesitated, a troubled expression on his face. "I-I can't go back yet." He clenched his fist. "I'll show them! I'll show everyone I could leave Xuhou on my own!"
Zhu He turned away. "Now get lost and leave me alone."
Pan Chun moved to block Zhu He's path. "Did you hear anything I just said? That your parents are worried about you? That there are malicious entities in this forest that could kill you?!"
Zhu He pumped up his chest. "Hah! Probably just scary tales to frighten children from misbehaving! Look! Nothing's happened to me! I'll be fine!"
This absolute moron! - "If you were less lucky, I would've found your corpse instead!" Pan Chun hissed.
Zhu He's face contorted in rage. "You-"
A woman's deafening scream pierced the night. "A-He! Help me!"
Zhu He whipped his head in the scream's direction, panicked. "Mother!"
Before Zhu He could run, Pan Chun grabbed his arm. "Wait, Zhu He! You shouldn't go over there!"
No chirping of crickets. No hooting of owls. Where were the sounds of wildlife? The forest was deadly silent.
Something didn't feel right...
"You're telling me to abandon my mother in this forest?! Some brave cultivator you are!" Zhu He yanked his arm out of Pan Chun's grip.
"No! Zhu He, it's-" Zhu He had already run off in the direction of the screaming.
Pan Chun cursed. "Idiot!"
She ran after Zhu He, keeping an ear out to follow the sound of his rapid footsteps.
Finally, beyond some dense trees, his footsteps stopped. "Mother! I'm here! - Wh-what- waaah!"
Shit! - Pan Chun rushed forward and zipped through the trees, pulling Zhu He away to the side by the back of his coat. - Just in time!
Zhu He gulped, trembling and pointing a finger. "Wh-what is that?"
A black-furred being stood on one single leg, its claws extended and jaw wide open, showing rows of sharp teeth.
A mountain demon - A shanxiao[4]!
It frequented desolate mountains. It had the ability to imitate human voices to catch unsuspecting prey. - Classic lure hunter.
It gobbled up humans like vegetables - making Zhu He and Pan Chun its main course tonight.
Pan Chun stood in front of Zhu He to shield him, unsheathing Yuyun. "Zhu He. Stay close to me."
Zhu He didn't argue, nodding and staying close behind Pan Chun.
Pan Chun gripped Yuyun tightly, standing at the ready.
Her heart pounded in her chest, her breathing came out in short bursts, and sweat beaded her brow. - The shanxiao's claws and teeth - so sharp they could easily tear them to pieces!
She'd never faced a demon before. Was-was she even ready for this? - Shit. Shit. Shit.
No! This wasn't the time to panic! - She could do this! - She had Yuyun by her side! She just had to make sure she and Zhu He weren't devoured tonight.
She could've sworn the shanxiao had its teeth bared in a grin, mocking her.
Great. Even it could sense her fear.
Pan Chun gripped Yuyun tighter and steadied herself, glaring at the shanxiao.
To survive, she'll have to strategize. - Ok, ok, ok. To gain an advantage, I'll need to read its movements. - The shanxiao had to make a move first!
"If you're so hungry, come at me then!" Pan Chun taunted.
The shanxiao let out an ear-piercing roar, lunging at Pan Chun.
Yuyun deflected the shanxiao's claws! Its attack redirected, the shanxiao instead left a large gash in a tree! The tree creaked, collapsing! Pan Chun quickly pulled Zhu He and herself out of the path of the fallen tree.
The tree splintered and broke into pieces. Pan Chun witnessed just what a shanxiao's claws could do. - Shit...that could've been us.
For a demon with one leg, it moved fast!
Damn! She needed a different strategy!
Pan Chun held her hand out to Zhu He. "Zhu He, your lantern!" He handed it over without question.
Pan Chun flung the paper lantern at the shanxiao, hitting it square in the face! It growled, tearing the paper lantern off in annoyance.
Pan Chun cursed. Shit. The paper lantern was meant to distract the shanxiao, obscuring its vision. It wasn't supposed to shake it off so easily!
The torn paper lantern hit the ground, flames spreading out from it. The flames rapidly ignited the trees around them, setting the forest ablaze.
The smoke overwhelmed their nostrils, making Pan Chun and Zhu He cough into their arms. The surrounding flames caged them with the shanxiao. - Fuck. This fight couldn't be dragged on for too long, otherwise, they'll suffocate and burn to death.
Pan Chun's eyes watered from the smoke, making it harder to see. Shit. She was at a disadvantage.
The shanxiao, impatient and hungry, lunged itself at Pan Chun and Zhu He again.
Fuck! - Pan Chun hurriedly raised Yuyun, quickly blinking through her watering eyes to see as clearly as she could.
The shanxiao's claws clashed against Yuyun. The fight continued as Pan Chun tried her hardest to deflect the shanxiao's attacks.
Pan Chun didn't know how much time passed, but the shanxiao suddenly shrieked in pain, thrashing around furiously! - An arrow was embedded in its side!
Zhu He stood to the side, holding his bow. "Take that, foul beast!"
The shanxiao growled, setting its eyes on Zhu He.
"Haha...shit." Zhu He realized that the shanxiao's attention was now on him. He started backing away in fear.
The shanxiao pounced! Zhu He screamed!
"Move!" Pan Chun shoved Zhu He aside.
Pain exploded in Pan Chun's side. "Urgh! Agh!"
"Pan Chun!" Zhu He placed his hands on Pan Chun to support her. "You're hurt!"
Pan Chun looked down at the right side of her waist. The shanxiao's claws left deep long red gashes on the right side of Pan Chun's waist.
The shanxiao lifted its hand up to its mouth, licking some of Pan Chun's blood off. Its tongue lapped in delight.
Pan Chun placed a hand to her bloody side, panting. - Fuck. Fuck! It hurts so much! - She quickly pressed onto an acupoint on her waist. That should hold off the bleeding for some time, but not forever.
Shit. Either she was going to bleed to death, burn to death, or get eaten if this shanxiao wasn't taken down soon. They needed a change of plans.
Pan Chun placed a hand on Zhu He's shoulder. "Zhu He. - Urgh. - I need you to shoot your arrows into the shanxiao's weak points."
Zhu He nodded, used to taking orders from the older villagers during coordinated hunts. "Where are its weak points?" he asked.
"Aim for its joints in its arms and leg. That'll stifle its movement, making it easier to strike it down." Pan Chun explained. "I'll distract the shanxiao while you move around firing arrows into it."
"Understood," Zhu He said, getting into position.
Now to get the shanxiao's attention. Pan Chun whistled. "Hey! Big boy!...Or girl!...uh...Big scary shanxiao! Over here!"
The shanxiao stopped licking at its claws. - Ah. So the smaller meal was still alive and making noise? No matter. Its prey would be finished off soon enough.
The shanxiao shot forward, its jaw opening to bite down on Pan Chun! To its annoyance, however, its teeth did not meet human flesh, but the scabbard of a sword! It snapped its jaws, clamping down on Yuyun's scabbard while Pan Chun was pinned to the ground. Yuyun was the only thing between Pan Chun and getting her face chewed off. But her strength wasn't going to hold out forever.
Come on, Zhu He! Shoot while the shanxiao's focus is still on me!
Trust Zhu He to be reliable in a life-or-death situation. He launched a series of arrows, hitting the shanxiao's weak points in quick succession!
The shanxiao jerked its head away from Pan Chun, screeching in pain.
Pan Chun vaulted over the shanxiao, planting a talisman on its back! In moments, the talisman exploded!
The talisman stunned the shanxiao! It swayed back and forth, woozy from the pain in its joints and back.
Now's my chance! - Pan Chun rushed forward and brought Yuyun down, stabbing the shanxiao in the throat!
The shanxiao let out one last roar. Then it toppled to the ground, still. Its corpse dissipated, demonic energy disappearing with it.
Pan Chun and Zhu He panted heavily. They were still alive and breathing! Heavens! It was all finally over.
Pan Chun groaned and stumbled towards the ground. She had pushed through the excruciating pain of her wounds to defeat the shanxiao. Now with the adrenaline gone, she bore the full brunt of her injuries.
Luckily, Zhu He caught her. "Pan Chun!"
Zhu He supported Pan Chun, slinging her arm over his shoulder as she clutched at the spot where the shanxiao clawed her.
With the shanxiao gone, now they just had the surrounding flames to deal with. They needed to get out of here fast!
Pan Chun pushed the palm of her hand forward, conjuring a gust of wind that opened up a path through the flames. "Come on! Let's go!"
The villagers crowded at the outskirts of Xuhou, gathering at the edge of the protective array near the forest. The village chief and his wife stood stricken, fearing that the worst had happened to their son. The other villagers comforted the couple as best as they could. "Don't worry. Don't worry. Pan Chun is a skilled cultivator. Pan Heng is his teacher, after all. He'll find Zhu He in no time."
But it had already been two hours...
"Wait! What's that?!" one of the villagers cried out, pointing his finger.
Two figures appeared in the distance. When they got close enough, everyone realized who they were. "They're back! Pan Chun's come back with Zhu He!"
"Father! Mother!" Zhu He called.
Zhu He passed Pan Chun over to some other villagers to hold as his parents rushed forward and enveloped him in a tight hug. He hugged them back as they sobbed in relief. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible son. I won't ever do that again."
After the Zhu family had their emotional reunion, the other villagers crowded around them and Pan Chun. "So what happened? How did you two get back here alive?"
Zhu He pounded his chest with a grin. "We fought a shanxiao and Pan Chun saved my life!"
The villagers gasped. "A shanxiao? Those man-eating demons? You fought one and won?"
Zhu He's grin grew wider. "Yes. Without Pan Chun, I would not be standing here alive before you right now." He turned to Pan Chun. "To Xuhou's righteous and noble cultivator, Pan Chun!" He pumped his fist. "Pan Chun! Pan Chun!"
Uplifted by the victory and miraculous return of Zhu He and Pan Chun, the villagers joined in Zhu He's cheering. "Pan Chun! Pan Chun!"
"So brave!"
"So heroic!"
Pan Chun's cheeks grew warm. This cheery mood was making her feel all fuzzy inside.
"All right! All right! Thank you! Now-" Pan Chun winced, clutching at her wound. "I need to go get this wound treated at my house." The villagers supporting her nodded and started walking when-
"Hey there!" Everyone's heads turned in the direction of the call.
Pan Heng had returned. "So what did I miss?"
Oh, now he chooses to come back! - Pan Chun fell backward in the villagers' arms with a groan.
Glossary
[1] Dongying: What Japan was called in Ancient China.
[2] Jindou yun: The name of Sun Wukong's magical cloud (or his sword in the world of MDZS).
[3] Jianghu: the martial arts world that is not bound by the ruling government. It is the world that is run by martial artists and cultivators.
[4] Shanxiao: A mischievous mountain demon from Chinese mythology.
A/N: Man, this chapter was a challenge to get through. It was tough, trying to make the fight scene feel exciting and fast-paced. But I got it done, whew!
So what do you think about Pan Wukun's sword name? Did you catch those pop culture references?
Kinda strange for a Master Sword lookalike to be named Nimbus. But hopefully, Pan Wukun's thought process made her decision understandable.
I've also posted artwork of Pan Wukun, her sword, and Pan Heng's character designs. Links are on my profile page. Make sure you remove the space put before "org".
So how do our main protagonist and her sword look? I drew them in the donghua's style.
*Aug 26, 2021 Edit: *facepalms* I can't believe I forgot to have Pan Chun mention that her sword looks like Link's Master Sword and that the Master Sword also has its own spirit, Fi. Gotta remember to show Fi some respect. Thank you Fi, for reminding me when my Wiimote was running out of battery power.*