Gold Tiger King - Ch. 10

Destiny

Rated E Everyone

Yen-shu made camp a hundred kilometers north of Yuyan’s town. Around the tip of the range would be the long road north to Song Mountain. It is there he would finally be able to train with the kung fu masters of Shaolin and achieve his dream.

The young man sat in a clearing that overlooked the grassy valley of northern Jing Province. The white moon shone like a great eye untainted by iris or pupil. Pure light. Or perhaps its gaze was aimed southward.

Shandian laid down behind Yen-shu, curled up with knees bent and tail nestling his hind legs. The spotted steed’s belly presented itself the perfect pillow for such a night. Yen-shu warmed his hands over the campfire before leaning back onto Shandian. He saw shapes in the stars that were likely not meant to be: Shimin on horseback, the symbol for “Li” 李, and the Qingliu tree.

Yen-shu squinted as the latter constellation seemed all too real. It truly was as if the stars were made to look like the old willow of Wugong. Just then, the wisp of blue leaves that had been following him floated by his head and up toward the moon. He watched them soar into the sky and off to the south. As his eyes drifted down, locked onto the leaves in a calm trance, he noticed someone standing on the other side of the campfire.

His vision focused. With a sharp breath, he reeled in startlement. A woman clad in purple and white; aristocratic in style yet simple enough to not be confused for someone of significant status. It was a peculiar dress clearly modeled after Sui dynasty fashion. The fanciest element was the thin silk stole that hung from her arms and tied in the front. On her forehead was painted the word 金 or jin, meaning “gold”.

The woman smiled. “Hello.”

Yen-shu raised a brow. “Hello...Madame.” He quickly rose to his feet and bowed.

“You are a very polite young man. One would not suspect such from a wanderer.”

“I was raised by fine folk.”

“Yes.” The woman turned to look at the moon. “Yes, you were.”

Yen-shu’s mouth cracked open. “Forgive me for not remembering who you are.”

“No, no,” the woman giggled. “That would be impossible. This is indeed the first time we’ve met.”

It was at that moment, when she turned back to him, that he realized her beauty. Her dagger brows matched the jet black cascade of her locks. Her dark eyes were like the night itself peeking out from their thin abode. Her nose was long yet petite, a gliding arrow toward soft lips. Though she was clearly older than him, an aura of youth emanated from her warm presence.

Suddenly, she became very serious. “I’ve come to warn you.”

Yen-shu snapped out of it. “Warn?”

“You are at a crossroads. If I’m not mistaken, you are headed north to Song Mountain.”

“Y-yes. Wait, how--?”

“If you are wise, you will follow the gaze of the moon instead. That is where your destiny leads.”

Yen-shu shut his eyes and shook his head. He lifted a finger and opened one eye to look at the mysterious beauty.

“I don’t mean to be rude, Madame,” he said. “But I have no idea who you are or what it is you speak of. My destiny?”

“You already know of it, do you not?” she said.

Yen-shu’s brow furrowed as he looked into the fire. “Are you some kind of spy?”

“I am no spy.”

“Then you are a witch.”

The woman sighed. “Heed my words, young man. If you ride north, you will be met with a foe you will never be able to defeat.”

Yen-shu’s eyes widened.

“One who would chase you to the ends of the earth and beyond,” explained the mysterious lady. “No matter how many times you may seem to best it, it will haunt you till the very end of your days. Are you prepared for that?”

Yen-shu frowned and sat back on the ground. “Whatever you say.”

The woman scowled at him. “Hmph. Then you must see for yourself then.”

Yen-shu watched as she walked away, down toward the valley. Then, she stopped. “There is a place between Yiyan and Lujiang, in the mountains west of the Shiguan River.”

Yen-shu laid back on Shandian’s belly.

“That is where the moon gazes. Where your dream awaits you.”

The former slave growled and sprung upward. She was gone. A single crane stood in her place, and after a moment it flew away.

It took a while for him to fall asleep, but that night Long Yen-shu was stricken with an eerie nightmare. He saw the Qingliu tree burst into flames as the giant wings of a crane attempted to fan them out. However, the flames only grew stronger. From the roots seeped a fleshy liquid dotted with unrecognizable faces. Finally, from behind the burning leaves ascended the mysterious visitor, her hair so long it covered the earth and blocked out the moon. She was then eaten by a monstrous creature, and Yen-shu awoke.

He swiftly rolled onto his chest, breathing heavy and blinking fast. Shandian clopped up to his master and nudged him with his muzzle. Yen-shu twisted onto his back to pet the horse and gradually came to slow to his heart.

As if last night’s meeting had never happened, the aspiring martial arts master rode off immediately toward modern day Zhengzhou. Nonetheless, it wasn’t long before he found himself lost once again in the mountains southeast of Luoyang. Deep in a Yanping forest, Yen-shu stopped to rest next to a stubby oak.

It had been almost three days since he was visited by that strange woman. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and how she might’ve been a witch. Old stories Shimin's older brother, Jiancheng, would tell to scare them came to mind. There was one he specifically remembered. Something about a woman possessed by a spirit that would tell the future only to lure the unsuspecting to their deaths. Yen-shu could still hear the joyous cackle of Jiancheng when Shimin began to cry out of fear.

Yen-shu dismounted Shandian. A noise came from within the brush. His head jerked to look. It was still bright out, but the thickness of the forest shaded its depths like caves. Yen-shu scanned the area. A gust of wind barreled into the woods. The rotund canopies were slung eastward. Fallen leaves swarmed into the shadows. The komorebi glittered about the grass like a thousand shards of silver over jade. Then, a cyclone began to form in the clearing just ahead.

Yen-shu released his grip on the tree as the wind subsided. However, the cyclone only got stronger. The blue willow leaves that had blown south came flying past Shandian and began to multiply as they were pulled into the cyclone. One by one, the blue leaves spun around and around until finally they came into shape. Like man from clay, a being was sculpted by the leaves of Qingliu.

Yen-shu fell back, catching himself by the barrel of his loyal steed. What was this creature that stood before him?

“Yen-shu,” said the muscular, falcon blue figure. “I am your destiny.”

Yen-shu’s eyelids retreated to the furthest reaches of his skull. The magical leaves completed their work; an alien looking humanoid with eyes like glowing pearls.

He spoke with a look of grim determination. “Prepare for battle.”

TO BE CONTINUED