Entering the Spirit Void, Chapter 106: Brotherhood Sealed in Blood

The youth in the blue shirt smiled and asked, "Why did you withdraw your stance and stop attacking?"

The masked man took up his wooden tablet and quickly wrote: "The way you dodged my strike seemed to be in accordance with the 'King Wen Bagua' pattern."

The youth in the blue shirt smiled and asked, "Have you studied the Bagua?"

The masked man nodded.

The youth in the blue shirt said, "The footwork I used just now differs slightly from the positions of the King Wen Bagua."

The masked man wrote on his tablet, "In what way does it differ?"

The youth in the blue shirt replied, "You are asking about the King Wen Bagua positions, but I was moving according to the 'Fu Xi Bagua' arrangement."

The masked man wrote: "I have only studied the King Wen Bagua and have never learned the Fu Xi Bagua. In terms of Bagua studies, I am a step behind you."

The youth in the blue shirt said, "The positions of the Fu Xi and King Wen Bagua are slightly different, as is their sequence and their classic texts. In the classic, it is 'Nine above, One below, Three on the left, Seven on the right, Two and Four are the shoulders, Six and Eight are the feet.' The scholars only use one, three, seven, and nine in the four cardinal directions to represent weak virtue..."

Before he could finish, the masked man wrote: "In the study of Bagua, I willingly concede defeat."

The youth in the blue shirt continued, "Looking up at the Bagua, one observes the heavens; looking down, one observes the patterns of the earth. One observes the markings of birds and beasts and the lay of the land. Taking what is near from one's own body and what is far from external things, the Bagua were created to comprehend the virtues of the divine and to categorize the myriad things. You know that the ancient Bao Xi ruled over all under heaven, do you not?"

The masked man nodded.

The youth in the blue shirt went on, "Civil and military officials of every dynasty wore swords at their sides; having the sword always with them, they naturally gained insights over time. Based on this simple logic, I feel that our martial arts have been passed down from ancient times."

The masked man nodded and quickly wrote: "There is historical evidence that the ancients loved to carry swords, but what was the purpose of wearing them?"

The youth in the blue shirt frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "My knowledge is shallow, and I cannot cite historical sources. I will answer this based only on my own reasoning. Whether it is correct or not, consider it merely a suggestion for our mutual study."

The masked man wrote: "Please speak, do not stand on ceremony."

The youth in the blue shirt said, "When the world first emerged from chaos, it was a wild and desolate place with few humans and many beasts that preyed upon them. Humans were attacked everywhere; carrying a sword not only increased one's own strength but also provided defense against wild beasts."

"As humanity continued to propagate, beasts became our primary food source and gradually decreased in number, some even becoming extinct. As human influence grew, encounters with wild beasts diminished, and unless one worked deep in the mountains, few people carried swords anymore."

"The continued growth of humanity is the result of our predecessors constantly struggling with indomitable will against the elements, against diseases that plagued mankind, and against fierce beasts and poisonous insects. That is why we enjoy today's prosperity."

"We should cherish the hard work and struggles of our predecessors. We should not kill each other, but work together to carry forward their legacy for future generations, creating greater and more happiness for mankind. This is the responsibility of our generation. Do you agree?"

The masked man nodded again.

Seeing the fierce look in the masked man's eyes gradually fade, the youth in the blue shirt continued, "Martial arts are the root of strengthening the body and the nation, but there are lawless elements who rely on their skills to commit illegal acts and oppress the good. They are but a small handful."

The masked man’s eyes flared up again, and he wrote: "I am a victim of that very handful of martial artists. They have forced me to hide from the world, unable to face others. Now, my own parents have gone missing, my family has been slaughtered by those degenerates, and my ancestral home has been burned to the ground."

After a pause, he quickly wrote: "I was raised in a family of scholars and philanthropists, and I had no grudges or grievances with anyone. Those scoundrels have treated me truly cruelly!"

Seeing his agitation, the youth in the blue shirt said sympathetically, "I deeply sympathize with the nameless harm you have suffered. While I do not yet know the full extent of your personal tragedy, anyone with a shred of justice would be unable to tolerate the cruel methods those villains used against your family."

The masked man sighed and wrote: "The cruelty the villains inflicted upon me is beyond what you, however clever, could imagine, and I am ashamed to explain it to you. I only lament my poor fate and the unfairness of the gods. Why must I suffer such cold, cruel destruction, the likes of which have never been heard of in history?"

The youth in the blue shirt asked, "Have you identified your enemies?"

The masked man wrote: "My senior sister has already told me."

The youth in the blue shirt frowned and said, "I have a question that puzzles me, and I would like to ask your advice, though I do not know if I should."

The masked man wrote: "Please ask. If I can answer, I will; if not, I beg your indulgence."

The youth in the blue shirt asked, "Since you know who your enemies are, why do you not seek revenge directly instead of taking such a roundabout way, slaughtering the innocent? Judging by your inherently kind nature, this goes against reason. There must be a cause, surely?"

The masked man wrote: "Revenge is a simple matter. In my own heart, I could take it or leave it. Since I have already been harmed, even if I killed every single enemy, the harm remains. Killing more people solves nothing. It is a plan devised by my senior sister; she wants me to do it this way."

The youth in the blue shirt nodded and said, "Your senior sister has a plan, but did she discuss the entire strategy with you beforehand?"

The masked man, finding the youth in the blue shirt easy to talk to, answered every question: "Yes, she did."

The youth in the blue shirt asked again, "Did you not deliberate on it? 'A word once spoken is hard to take back,' and once you set out on this path, it will not be easy to turn back. Especially with your proclamations, various sects and schools will unite to deal with you for the sake of their own survival. Even if you possess world-shaking skills, you cannot possibly cope with the combined siege of all the major sects."

The masked man nodded and wrote: "Because my senior sister is so good to me. She has painstakingly guided me in martial arts and repeatedly encouraged me to pull myself together and not give up on myself. She has spent two years quietly running around to help me regain my original life, consulting famous doctors and collecting all kinds of information."

After a short pause, he wrote: "For my sake, my senior sister once went to the Famen Temple, hoping to ask the elder to lend her the 'Dharma Sutra' to study. Not only was she unable to see the elder monk, she was not even allowed to enter the gates of the Famen Temple. If she had not been afraid of our master's reprimand, she would have caused a scene at the Famen Temple right then and there."

After reading what the masked man wrote, the youth in the blue shirt said, "The plan your senior sister devised contains at least some desire for revenge. You already have a pretext for the trouble at Famen Temple, so before the situation spirals out of control, it is not too late to revise the plan."

The masked man wrote: "I am a man who has studied the sages. Although I am full of anger, when it comes to actually killing, I still feel great pain in my heart."

The youth in the blue shirt said, "Those of us who study the classics of the sages speak of 'Reason.' Reason is eternal and immovable. If one holds to reason, one can go anywhere. Don't you agree?"

The masked man wrote: "Yes. Those who act unreasonably and tyrannically will sooner or later meet their destruction."

The youth in the blue shirt smiled slightly and said, "I have deep sympathy for your misfortune. We, as young men of spirit, have the hot blood to help the weak and aid the needy. I would like to become your sworn brother, a brother in life and death, to be your support and help uphold martial virtue. Would you be willing to lower yourself to accept this?"

The masked man pondered for a moment and wrote: "A stone from another mountain can serve to polish the jade. Your broad knowledge and our unexpected meeting are the honor of my life. It is just that I am neither quite human nor beast, and I am ashamed to climb so high as to be your brother."

The youth in the blue shirt said, "Sworn brotherhood does not distinguish between the wise and the foolish, and outward appearance is even less of a concern. As long as our aspirations are the same, the bond between us will be even stronger than that of flesh and blood."

The masked man wrote: "At this moment, I am truly ashamed to be seen, let alone become your sworn brother. But your sincerity moves me. Especially the thought that 'a stone from another mountain can polish jade'—if I let this opportunity slip by, I will regret it for the rest of my life. Since you do not despise me, I will have to be thick-skinned and accept this honor."

Seeing his reply, which was both tactful and affectionate, the youth in the blue shirt smiled and said, "Since you do not despise me, I am overjoyed. Let us offer incense to the earth and swear our brotherhood."

After the ceremony, Li Hao felt very happy. He grinned, revealing white, neat teeth, and after a while, he wrote: "Now that we are sworn brothers, let us determine our order by age. I was born in the hour of the Rat on the third day of the eighth lunar month in the year of Yichou."

The youth in the blue shirt smiled and said, "We are the same age, both twenty. I am older than you by one month; I was born in the hour of the Tiger on the fifth day of the seventh lunar month. I am the elder brother."

The two exchanged names. The youth in the blue shirt was called Gao Yunxiang. As he spoke, Gao Yunxiang suddenly paused, turned his head, and warned Li Hao, "Brother, be careful! Someone is coming!"

Hardly had his voice fallen when, with a rustle from the treetops to the left, two slender figures leaped down toward where he stood one after the other!

Li Hao and Gao Yunxiang both possessed excellent martial arts skills. Although they noticed the figures rushing down, their expressions remained natural, without a hint of tension.

Gao Yunxiang shouted in a deep voice, "Who goes there? Your technique is quite impressive!"

Li Hao, having keen eyesight, had already recognized the first figure as his senior sister, Meng Biyu. He gave a muffled sound and quickly wrote: "It is my senior sister."

Meng Biyu’s light-body technique was excellent; she landed soundlessly, her upper body steady without the slightest sway. She looked at Gao Yunxiang, noting his spirited appearance, tall stature, and regular features, and smiled slightly. Turning her gaze to Li Hao, she asked, "Junior brother, was he a schoolmate from your childhood?"

Li Hao shook his head and wrote: "This is Gao Yunxiang, my newly sworn elder brother."

Meng Biyu smiled and said, "Junior brother, you have a good eye. Mr. Gao is a man of fine appearance. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Gao must be skilled in both literature and martial arts."

Gao Yunxiang laughed, "Senior sister, you are making me blush with your praise!"

Following her was the masked woman, Feng Jiezhen. She stood behind Meng Biyu, glanced at Gao Yunxiang, and whispered into Meng Biyu’s ear, "Sister Meng, do you feel their brotherhood is sincere?"

Meng Biyu whispered back, "I see Mr. Gao as a gentleman; there shouldn't be any trickery. Although Junior Brother Li Hao lacks experience in the pugilistic world, he does not do things without careful thought."

Feng Jiezhen whispered again, "Junior Brother Li is wandering the world alone and helpless; finding a bosom friend to assist him is a very good thing."

Meng Biyu nodded and looked at Gao Yunxiang. Seeing his gaze also directed at her, they shared a knowing smile.

Meng Biyu asked, "Did you come here specifically, or were you just passing through by chance?"

Gao Yunxiang smiled and replied, "I learned that the Hundred Sects had spread their influence far and wide, so I spent over ten days investigating in secret, but found no suspicious characters. Last night, I heard at an inn that someone was coming here to commit a crime. I rested briefly at the inn but lost track of the villains. Unfamiliar with the area and the roads, and with no one to ask at night, I was walking blindly when I bumped into five men in the woods at the southern end of the mountain. Seeing them behaving suspiciously, we had a disagreement. They relied on their numbers to bully a defenseless youth..."

Meng Biyu asked hurriedly, "What happened in the end?"

Gao Yunxiang smiled slightly, "Those who bully others will not have a good end. They have gone to prison to face the law."

Meng Biyu asked with a smile, "Have you two sworn in any sisters yet?"

Gao Yunxiang shook his head and said, "No."

Meng Biyu smiled, "You people who have studied the classics of the sages are all disciples of Confucius."

Gao Yunxiang laughed, "Senior sister, if I understand correctly, your words have a deeper meaning."

Meng Biyu smiled, "Your reaction is agile. I admire you, I admire you."

Li Hao quickly wrote: "Brother, what is the meaning behind my senior sister’s words?"

Gao Yunxiang smiled and replied, "People generally say the Great Sage had prejudices against women. Senior sister is saying that since we are disciples of the sage, 'like teacher, like student,' we must also hold prejudices against women."