HEAVEN SWORD DRAGON SABRE - Book 1 Of 2

Floating Northward In Endless Sea Part 2

Zhang CuiShan had been gathering chi at the moment Xie Xun started to speak. By the time Xie Xun attacked, Zhang CuiShan matched his palm, using Wudang's 'Soft Palms' in return. As the palms touched, Zhang CuiShan felt his opponents' force came crushing down upon him like a mountain. Zhang CuiShan knew his opponents inner power is far superior to his own, and has long decided to concentrate only on defending.

Xie Xun's force came in three waves, only to feel that Zhang CuiShan's power is much weaker, but never declining, never exhausted. No matter how powerful his palm strike is, Zhang CuiShan somehow managed to block it. Xie Xun raised his left hand and attacked Zhang CuiShan's forehead. Zhang CuiShan blocked it with the technique 'Golden Support Beam'. Wudang's strength lies in its minuteness, vastly different from other sects'. So despite their huge difference in ability, Xie Xun could not finish off Zhang CuiShan in a short period of time.

Sweat poured down Zhang CuiShan's face, his strength nearly gone, thought, "Why haven't Miss Yin used her silver needles yet? Xie Xun is just concentrating on me right now. If she attacks him, then he'll have to release his palm to block the needles, at which time I could wound him with my palm.

Of course, Xie Xun thought of all this too. He originally planned to take out Zhang CuiShan with one swift blow. Unfortunately, he underestimated his opponent, for Zhang CuiShan's inner is much better than he imagined. As the two matched palms, both studied Yin SuSu's movements. Zhang CuiShan could not break off concentration to speak, but Xie Xun had no such problems, said, "Little girl. I suggest you don't try anything brash. For if I changed my palm into a fist, I can easily break all the bones in his body."

Yin SuSu said, "Elder Xie, I'll simply promise that we shall follow your orders. Please let go of him." Xie Xun said, "Mr. Zhang, what do you think?" Zhang CuiShan couldn't speak, but he thought angrily, "Come on, release your silver needles. How could you not take advantage of an opportunity like this?" Yin SuSu said hastily, "Please release your palms, Elder Xie. If you hurt him, I'll fight you till my last breath." Actually, Xie Xun is quite afraid of Yin SuSu's needles. This cabin is quite small. The needles are tiny and move without sound. He really would have much trouble blocking them. He could kill Zhang CuiShan immediately, but doesn't really want to, thought, "This little girl must be afraid of me, which is why she hasn't made a move yet. If this continues, the result would be bad for everyone." So he said, "Then you make a promise on his behalf." Yin SuSu paused for a moment, then said, "Fifth Brother Zhang, I know we're no match for Elder Xie. Let's just follow him to his island for a year or two. With his intelligence, he's bound to figure out the Dragon Saber's secrets by then. I'll make the promise for you!"

Zhang CuiShan thought, "What stupid promise? Hurry up and fire the needles!" He hated the fact that he couldn't talk, nor make any gestures in the darkness. Besides, with his hands tied, Zhang CuiShan couldn't make any hand signals anyway.

Yin SuSu did not hear any response from Zhang CuiShan, so she said, "I, Yin SuSu, and Zhang CuiShan will remain with Elder Xie on his deserted island, until he finds the secrets to the Dragon Saber. Should we break the promise, we shall die under a saber or sword."

Xie Xun said with a smile, "What's so special about dying under a sword or saber for people like us?"

Yin SuSu gritted her teeth, said, "Fine, then let me die before the age of twenty!" Xie Xun let out a hearty laugh, and retracted his palms.

Yin SuSu quickly lit up a nearby candle, only to see Zhang CuiShan's face looking like gold paper, his breathing very subtle. She hastily grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and began to wipe away the sweat off of Zhang CuiShan's face.

Xie Xun said with a smile, "Wow. Wu Dang disciples really are worthy of their fame."

Zhang CuiShan had been annoyed at Yin SuSu for not firing her needles, but as he saw her teary, worrisome face, Zhang CuiShan began to appreciate her genuine concern. He took a deep breath, about to say something to her, when suddenly he blacked out, only to seemingly hear Yin SuSu yelled, "Xie Xun, you've tired Fifth Brother Zhang to death. I'll kill you." But Xie Xun simply laughed her off.

Suddenly, Zhang CuiShan's body fell to the side, rolling on the ground for a moment, while hearing Xie Xun and Yin SuSu both scream at the same time. Amidst their screams, the massive wind howled, and huge waves began to bombard the boat continuously.

Zhang CuiShan's whole body shivered, his mouth drank a large amount of salt water. Originally semi-conscious, he's now fully awake. His first thought was, "Has the boat sunk?" He doesn't know how to swim, and immediately try to stand up. The deck below his feet suddenly tilted to the left, and a batch of seawater poured out the boat. Hearing the huge wind howling, Zhang CuiShan felt his whole body drenched with water. Before he realized exactly what had happened, Xie Xun yelled, "Zhang CuiShan, hurry to the back of the boat and grab the helm!" This yell sounded like thunder. Even while in a this huge storm, his voice still carried a strange splendor. Zhang CuiShan did not think too deeply, immediately went to the back of the boat, only to see a black shadow flash before his eyes, as a sailor got washed off the boat, and into the sea.

Before Zhang CuiShan made it to the helm, another tidal wave struck, this one hit like a brick wall, severely shaking the boat. By this time Zhang CuiShan had gathered up all his ability, his two feet fixed tightly to the boat's surface, as if they were nailed to it. When the wave passed, he quickly darted towards the helm, holding the steering wheel.

Only to hear ka-cha-cha, ka-cha-cha sounds in the distance, as Xie Xun waved his mace, tearing down the front and the middle masts.

But even with just one mast in the rear, the boat still danced wildly in the sea. Xie Xun wants to roll up the back mast, but couldn't in this weather, as part of it has sunk into the water. Xie Xun yelled angrily, "Damnable Heaven, stupid wind!" Seeing the boat about to tip over, Xie Xun was forced to cut off the rear mast too.

Without the masts, the boat can no longer change directions, and can only travel to where the wind takes them.

Zhang CuiShan yelled loudly, "Miss Yin, where are you?" He yelled several times, without hearing any response. After a while, his yells contained crying. When suddenly, a hand held on to his knees.

By the time another wave had passed, that hand had grabbed his neck. A voice said, "Fifth Brother Zhang. Do you really care for me this much?" Indeed the voice of Yin SuSu. Zhang CuiShan, joyous at her appearance, grabbed the helm with his right hand, Yin SuSu's body tightly with his left, said, "Thank goodness!" He thought happily, "Oh, she's still here. She didn't fall into the sea." At this moment when each wave could easily wash them into the sea, Zhang CuiShan suddenly realized that his concern for Yin SuSu outweighed even his own life.

Yin SuSu said, "Fifth Brother Zhang, let us die together." Zhang CuiShan said, "Yes! SuSu, let us die together."

Under normal circumstances, there would be many apprehensions regarding them being together, like the fact that one's good and one's evil. So even if they were in love, it would not be nearly as close as they are right now. At this moment, in this dark, tumultuous environment, where each moment maybe their last, there is only unspeakable serenity in each person's heart. Despite the fatigue Zhang CuiShan suffered in his duel against Xie Xun, he has never felt more energetic now due to Yin SuSu's affection, and therefore could hold on to the helm tightly.

All the mute-deaf sailors had now been washed into the sea. Only Xie Xun and Zhang CuiShan's powerful martial arts kept them from having the same fate. Thankfully, the boat is incredibly sturdy, and kept together despite getting hit wave after wave.

In this type of weather, no one knows just which direction they're headed. Even if they did, it wouldn't have mattered, for they could not control the ship anyway.

Xie Xun walked to the rear of the ship, said, "Brother Zhang, that was great, now let me take over the helm. You two should go rest inside the ship.

Zhang CuiShan stood up, and was about to go into the cabin with Yin SuSu, when another wave hit. This one came very unexpectedly, and threw Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu overboard.

With the sea right below them, Zhang CuiShan instinctively grabbed Yin SuSu's wrist with his left hand. His only thought was, "To die with her under the sea, never to part again." Just as he grabbed Yin SuSu, a rope tied around his right hand, only to feel his whole body being pulled backward. For Xie Xun had noticed what had happened, and saved them by throwing out a rope. With two loud thuds, the two people landed back on the boat again. This escape from death was certainly quite unexpected. Even Xie Xun thought they were quite lucky. If he hadn't had a rope by him, Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu would've been dead by now.

Zhang CuiShan carried Yin SuSu into the cabin, while the ship still floated among the huge waves, their fate yet very much unknown. But after going through that near-fatal situation, both people had stopped caring about life and death. Inside Zhang CuiShan's embrace, Yin SuSu said into Zhang CuiShan's ears, "Fifth Brother Zhang, should we live through this, I'll be with you forever." Zhang CuiShan's heart jumped, said, "I wanted to say the same thing. Whether in Heaven or Hell, on Earth or under the sea, we'll always be together." Two hearts as one, they actually began to appreciate this storm that brought them together.

In Xie Xun's mind, though, there's only extreme anger and complaint. No matter how strong his martial arts ability, he's still at the mercy of the wind and water. Only the Heavens can determine fate.

After about six hours of perpetual storm, the sky finally cleared, revealing bright stars above.

Zhang CuiShan walked to the rear end of the boat, said, "Elder Xie, thank you for saving our lives." Xie Xun said coldly, "Don't thank me just yet. Our lives are still at the mercy of this Damnable Heaven." Zhang CuiShan has never heard anyone put the word 'damnable' in front of 'Heaven'. He thought a person must be incredibly angry at the world to think such a thing. He then pondered, it looks as if they're going to float on this boundless sea forever, without really any chance of returning home. For this to happen just at the moment he and Yin SuSu fell in love, is like to have just tasted the finest wine in the world, only to have it snatched away. Hearing Xie Xun's use of 'Damnable Heaven', he finally could understand just what the phrase 'fate toys with humans'(common Chinese proverb) means.

Zhang CuiShan sighed, and then took over the helm. Xie Xun went to take a rest after working hard all night.

Yin SuSu sat by Zhang CuiShan's side, and looked at the stars in the night sky above. She found the North Star, and saw that the water is carrying them in that direction. She said, "Fifth brother, this boat is continuously moving north." Zhang CuiShan said, "Yes! Hopefully it will go west too, so we can return to the mainland."

Yin SuSu was spellbound at the scenery for a while, before saying, "I wonder where we'll end up if this boat continues east." Zhang CuiShan said, "There's only water to the East. We don't have any water, so we can only last seven to eight days..." Yin SuSu, who had just experienced love, still felt like living in a dream, and didn't want to think about the negatives. She said, "I heard that there's a celestial mountain in the Eastern Sea. Immortal beings live on that mountain. Perhaps we'll sail to that mountain, meet gods and goddesses..." Then she pointed to the Silver River*, said, "Perhaps we'll sail right into the Silver River. When we get there, we'll see the Cow Herder and the Lady Weaver meeting on the Magpie Bridge**."

*Note: Chinese term for the Milky Way.

**Note: For those who don't know, 'The Legend of the Cow Herder and the Lady Weaver'(pinyin: Nuo2 Lang2 Zhi1 Nu3) is a very popular romantic folk tale. Here's what I know about it, although I'm not sure how detailed or accurate I am:

**(Note, cont...) The Chinese Mythology is similar to Greek mythology, in that the gods live in a world of their own. In Chinese myth, the gods' world is simply Heaven. An Emperor and an Empress rule the Heaven. They had seven daughters. One of them is the Lady Weaver (the star constellation Vega in the sky, or Lady Weaver star constellation for the Chinese). Lady Weaver one day decided to sneak down to the world of the mortals(aka Earth). She then fell in love with a cow herder. They got married and had two children together. However, the Empress found out about their relationship, and needless to say got really pissed. She went down to Earth to take back her insolent daughter. On their way back to Heaven, the cow herder chased after them, carrying their two children in two buckets, which he carried using a pole on his shoulder (The Cow Herder star constellation, not sure of its English name, is aptly three stars, a bright one in the middle, with two dimmer stars to its sides). To stop him from chasing, the Empress took out her hairpin, and made a cut through the sky, creating the Silver River(Milky Way). The cow herder could not get across the river, and could not therefore see Lady Weaver again.

**(Note, cont...) However, their tale deeply moved the magpies(magpies are a type of bird, which are suppose to be the bearer of good news in ancient Chinese superstitions). So on the seventh day of the seventh month of each year, thousands of magpies would fly above the Silver River and make a bridge filled with birds. This way, the cow herder and Lady Weaver could meet on the bridge. <End Folk Tale>

Zhang CuiShan said with a smile, "We can give the boat to the Cow Herder, so if he wants to meet Lady Weaver, he can just take the boat over, instead of having to wait till the seventh day of the seventh month for the magpies." Yin SuSu said, "If we give the boat to the Cow Herder, then how are we going to meet?" Zhang CuiShan said, "In Heaven or Hell, on Earth or under the sea, we'll always be together. Since we're going to be together, then why would we need to cross the Silver River?" Yin SuSu smiled brightly, as if a flower bloomed on her face. She held Zhang CuiShan's hands, gently caressing it.