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Zhang spent the rest of the night cleaning up. After retrieving his weapons, Zhang inspected his chest. The armor had absorbed the brunt of the blow, leaving only a painful bruise. He grabbed a bottle of medicinal oil from his ring and rubbed the oil into the bruise. The battered muscle warmed up rapidly; a few more applications and it would heal completely.<\/p>\n
He gathered the wangliang corpses in a corner of the courtyard and placed the human remains in another corner. Then he sifted through them, looking for information.<\/p>\n
The wangliang shaman was heavily tattooed. Black and green lines and symbols swirled across its entire body. The human sorcerers had similar tattoos over their chest and arms, forming symbols and words in a language Zhang didn\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n
The sorcerers also had interspatial rings, but with their users dead, they might as well be sealed forever. Zhang found nothing useful on the wangliang: no currency, no documents, just weapons and lumps of dried meat that were probably rations.<\/p>\n
From his interspatial ring, Zhang drew out a bright jade tablet. One side was plain; on the other was carved an intricate series of trigrams and geometrical shapes, forming a gigantic wheel. Small names were engraved on some spokes of the wheel; the others were blank. Zhang touched the center of the wheel and traced the spoke bearing Cao\u2019s name.<\/p>\n
The name glowed. The tablet grew hot in his hands.<\/p>\n
He sat and waited.<\/p>\n
The wheel grew bright, as though illuminated from a fire within. Captain Cao\u2019s voice floated through the night.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnsign Zhang, report.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zhang recounted everything he did in painstaking detail, from his arrival at Sujiang to the battle at the temple and what he found there.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounds like someone in the Empire is supplying the wangliang with human weapons, and the wangliang in turn are teaching the humans their magic,\u201d Cao said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCould it be the Tiandi Lianhe Association?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPossible, but we can\u2019t confirm a link. There were no survivors to interrogate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cao\u2019s tone was mildly accusatory.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d rather not see another infernal spirit enter the world and march on Sujiang,\u201d Zhang said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSame here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAny luck on your side?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still chasing ghosts. No sign of the enemy since the raid on the camp. We\u2019ll keep patrolling and speaking to the locals, but unless we get lucky, we\u2019re counting on you to find the rebels. And the wangliang with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fresh out of leads.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re giving up now, the Emperor would be very disappointed in you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zhang snorted. \u201cCaptain, how many men can you spare?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can\u2019t be the entire enemy force. The sorcerers\u2019 friends are going to notice that they are missing. The first place they will check is the temple. And I can\u2019t stay here for long. If we station men here, they might intercept more rebels.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you planning to do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBeat the grass to scare the snake.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zhang stood watch until noon, when a quintet of Shenwujun arrived to relieve him. He stayed long enough to watch an earth Shenwujun bury the dead with his powers, then headed to Sujiang at double time.<\/p>\n
Mud and blood caked his black armor and clothes, the tears and battle damage left unrepaired. His dao swung freely at his side. The stench of war and the road clung to him. His legs trembled and his feet ached, but his eyes burned with an inner flame. The gate guards had recoiled at his approach; only the medallion convinced them to let him through. As he marched through the city streets, commoners scurried out of his way and whispered behind his back. At the yamen, the constables on duty glanced at his armor and his medallion, and immediately stepped aside.<\/p>\n
Inside the Xianzhang\u2019s hall, Zhang bowed deeply and formally.<\/p>\n
\u201cLee Xianzhang, I have slain thirty wangliang occupying the Suchen Temple,\u201d he announced. \u201cThe area is now free of yaomo.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Xianzhang stared at him, dumbstruck. Zhang stood at parade rest and waited.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you say thirty?<\/em>\u201d Lee asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow did you…?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am a Shenwujun,\u201d Zhang said simply.<\/p>\n \u201cEven for Shenwujun, that\u2019s incredible. I… Do you have proof?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe dead are buried half a li north of the temple. The spot is marked with stakes. You may send men there to verify.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no need for that.\u201d Lee shook his head slowly. \u201cThirty wangliang. Heavens above, you really are invincible.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang nodded. \u201cI will take that as a compliment. But something troubles me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe wangliang were using human weapons, and I killed two human sorcerers alongside the wangliang.\u201d<\/p>\n Lee bolted upright. The constables stared at Zhang.<\/p>\n \u201cHumans and wangliang working together?\u201d Lee said. \u201cImpossible!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd yet I found the sorcerers helping the wangliang summon an infernal spirit,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cIs the Tiandi Lianhe Association involved?\u201d<\/p>\n At the mention of the name, the Xianzhang shook his head sharply. A constable stared strangely at Zhang, all expression fleeing his face.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time I\u2019ve heard of the Tiandi Lianhe Association working with yaomo. They say humans should live in peace with yaomo, but they\u2019ve never openly collaborated with yaomo before, much less wangliang.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat have they done so far?\u201d Zhang asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThe usual things bandits do. Robbing merchants, demanding \u2018protection fees\u2019, attacking Imperial tax collectors, raiding villages. They justify this by saying they want to overthrow the Yong dynasty and restore the Guang dynasty, but aside from propaganda they haven\u2019t made any political moves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy do they want to overthrow the Emperor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been fighting the Union ever since the founding of the Yong dynasty. The rebels say that they are tired of constant war. They want to bring back the days of the Guang emperors, who made peace with the Union.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy ceding much of the frontier to the Union, until it became clear that the Union only desired to conquer the entire continent,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cIt took a revolution to install an Emperor who understood the true threat the Union posed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. The rebels are deluded. There can be no peace with yaomo and the Union.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang sharpened his tone. \u201cDeluded or not, they are still running loose in the province, and they have been especially active in your district.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have deployed constables to investigate rebel activity in the city and surrounding villages. If we find any rebels, you will be the first to know.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang eyed the Xianzhang for a moment. In his peripheral vision, he studied the two constables at the other end of the room. One was looking at him, the other at Lee.<\/p>\n Calling them constables was a stretch. Everywhere in the Empire, the bureaucracy hired criminals to catch criminals. If the Tiandi Lianhe Association had ears among the constabulary, they would hear about this conversation soon.<\/p>\n \u201cVery well. I will continue to ask around for signs of yaomo activity and conduct my own investigation into the rebels.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you still staying at the Plum Blossom Inn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. If you need me, you can leave a message there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you Shenwujun carry jade tablets for long-range communication?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMine can only reach my superiors,\u201d Zhang lied. \u201cOutsiders cannot tap in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPity, but we will work with what we have. I shall send a runner if we uncover more information.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Your Excellency. I hope we can resolve this matter swiftly.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang left the yamen and walked the streets. At the inn he washed his clothes and hung them up to dry. Changing into a fresh uniform, he restocked his supplies at the market. Everywhere he went, the people bowed and scraped and treated him with deference, and he in turn grilled them about everything they knew about the rebels. By nightfall, the entire city would have heard of his return. And, no doubt, the Tiandi Lianhe Association.<\/p>\n Exactly as planned.<\/p>\n The Tiandi Lianhe Association acted faster than he thought.<\/p>\n Zhang spent the night in the inn, his first real sleep in a real bed for days. The combined toll of forced marches and prolonged combat finally caught up with him, knocking him out surer than any blow he had endured. The sun was high in the sky by the time he awoke. He dragged his aching body off the mattress, washed himself, applied medicinal oil to every sore muscle, and dressed himself in a fresh uniform and dao. After a quick breakfast, he left the inn.<\/p>\n Across the road, at a tea house, four men stood from their table. As one, they approached, fanning out to cut him off. They looked at him like wolves sizing up their prey. The leader swaggered over with a massive grin. His hands were low by his side, his fingers held slightly apart.<\/p>\n \u201cWei!<\/em> Are you Zhang Wudi<\/em>?\u201d the leader called.<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019s asking?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou must be Zhang Wudi<\/em>, right? We heard many stories about you. We know you learned Kaimen Liujin Quan from your father, Zhang the Divine Spear. We were wondering if you could show us some of the techniques from your school.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang held up his medallion. \u201cIf you know me, then you must also know I am a Shenwujun. If you raise your hand against a Shenwujun, you raise your hand against the Emperor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have any hostile intent. I was just thinking of a friendly exchange. People say even gods and demons fear Kaimen Liujin Quan. I want to see it for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy gongfu is not for show,\u201d Zhang said evenly.<\/p>\n Zhang looked around. The street was suddenly empty. Passers-by gave the men a wide berth, either hurrying past or gawking from a safe distance. The men took the opportunity to advance.<\/p>\n \u201cStay right there,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cDon\u2019t come closer.\u201d<\/p>\n The challengers halted, but continued sneering at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter? Did your father raise you to run away from fights? Is that why people call you Wudi? Because you don\u2019t dare to fight any enemies?\u201d<\/p>\n It was a deliberate provocation. The leader continued to keep his arms unnaturally still. His gongfu was not for public entertainment or to stroke his ego, but if Zhang walked away now, he would be giving the men his back.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you practice gongfu?\u201d Zhang asked.<\/p>\n The leader puffed his chest out. \u201cWuxing Quan. The finest gongfu in the world. Unlike yours.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe shall see. If you know gongfu, then you know I have no intention of holding back.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned. \u201cPerfect.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery well. Come at me however you like.\u201d<\/p>\n Five paces away, the man took up a fighting position, right side forward, his lead arm extended. Both fists were clenched loosely. Zhang remained passive. The challenger sucked in qi with a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cHA!\u201d<\/p>\n His shoulders whirled. His left fist darted towards Zhang, well out of range. Qi shot down his arm. Zhang dodged. Something whooshed past his ear.<\/p>\n The challenger stepped in and fired his other fist. Zhang met the blow with an axe hand, smashing the offending arm out of the way. Small objects bounced off Zhang\u2019s foot. Zhang kept turning, crashing his left palm against the man\u2019s crown.<\/p>\n Bright white light flared from his skull, reinforcing the bone. Zhang felt like he had just slapped granite.<\/p>\n Zhang raked his fingers across the man\u2019s face. The challenged screamed, turning his face from Zhang. Drawing his arm across his torso, Zhang rammed his elbow into the man\u2019s chest. The bone-shattering blow bowled him over. Zhang kicked him over on his back and stomped him in the throat. He shuddered and went still.<\/p>\n The remaining men stared at Zhang, mouths agape.<\/p>\n \u201cAre we done?\u201d Zhang asked.<\/p>\n A man stepped out from the crowd, joining them. He had a tall, powerful build, with a long drooping mustache and an even longer beard. Reaching into his interspatial ring, he drew out a long straight sword. It was made of a substance as dark as midnight, engraved with strange words. Pointing the jian at Zhang, he yelled, \u201cFan Yong fu Guang!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFAN YONG FU GUAN!\u201d the remaining men echoed.<\/p>\n Qi surged through them. The air twisted about with preternatural energies. They stooped, reaching for small hudiedao concealed in their boots. Zhang pointed at them.<\/p>\n \u201cBurn.\u201d<\/p>\n Hong Er\u2019s thoughts entered his head.<\/p>\n Self-defense? Very well.<\/p>\n A wave of white flame engulfed the men. They expended their qi, trying to quench the fires, but Zhang added his own qi and overwhelmed them.<\/p>\n \u201cMU!\u201d<\/p>\n The fires dispersed. Three charred bodies dropped to the street. The last man was still standing, completely unscathed, his jian still aimed at Zhang. The weapon\u2019s blade glowed a dull red in his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you Mojian Han?\u201d Zhang asked.<\/p>\n He grinned. \u201cOf course. And you must be Zhang Wudi. Impressive. The stories do you justice.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang drew his dao. \u201cMojian Han, you are under arrest for rebellion, banditry, murder\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Han laughed and flicked his left sleeve. A blinding flash, a thunderous explosion, and a wall of smoke shrouded the street.<\/p>\n \u201cMojian Han! Stop!\u201d Zhang yelled.<\/p>\n No response. Zhang probed for qi. Nothing.<\/p>\n People fled in every direction. Through the smoke he sensed nothing. He looked all around him, but saw no sign of Han. The smoke dispersed, leaving no trace behind.<\/p>\n The man had…vanished.<\/p>\n Cries and clappers split the air. A group of constables ran towards Zhang, their weapons at the ready. Zhang produced his medallion.<\/p>\n \u201cTake me to Lee Xianzhang,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Previous chapters: 1<\/a>, 2<\/a> and 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h1>\n
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