The Sorceress' Revolt -
Ko Eiji's Story
Author: Toriumi Jinzō
Translator: Ainikki the Archivist
Part Three:
True Divine Immortal Spiritual Religion
Clouds hung low over the summit of Yunmeng Mountain. Tanshi stood at the edge of a cliff above the river below and looked at the opposite side of the ravine with a contemplative expression.
More than twenty years had passed, but nothing had changed, really. Yunmeng Mountain was just as he’d left it. He remembered Hakūn-do Cave and fighting En Kō, the cave’s guardian. En Kō had defeated him in battle and tossed him into the ravine below the cave. That was how Tanshi and Ko Biji had met: she’d found him floating in the river and nursed him back to health. Without her help, he would have died then.
On his second attempt entering Hakūn-do Cave, Tanshi had successfully copied a piece of the Heavenly Book while En Kō was absent. At the time, he’d been trying to learn the Way of Shattering Earth. The Heavenly Book was in an unknown language, so Ko Biji had suggested that they take the copy to her mother, Sei Koko, who was well-versed in many old scripts.
If he hadn’t asked—practically begged—Ko Biji for a way to decipher the Heavenly Book, then she would still be alive.
“I killed her. I killed Ko Biji…” His sense of guilt and feelings of regret never faded. They were like the clouds that settled over Yunmeng Mountain: constant, immovable.
There used to be a rock bridge here, not too far from where Tanshi was standing. It was gone now. Not just gone: erased. There was no sign that the rock bridge had ever been there. Tanshi guessed that it had been completely eroded or displaced by flooding and storms. Ko Biji was gone just like the rock bridge was, but Tanshi’s memory of her remained.
Was Ko Biji truly reincarnated now? He knew that Sei Koko had been more active in the world of late and feared what it meant.
What is she doing now?
It had taken more than twenty years for Sei Koko to act on her plans. Tanshi knew that her primary objective was to take over the world because Ko Biji had told him. He didn’t doubt that she’d mastered the knowledge in her copy of the Heavenly Book and was using it for nefarious purposes. That was his fault. He’d placed the Heavenly Book in her hands, never thinking that she was evil. Like it or not, Sei Koko was his responsibility.
The reincarnation of Ko Biji was a decisive factor in Sei Koko’s plans. Tanshi had lived most of his life as a Buddhist and a Daoist; he believed in reincarnation. He didn’t know for sure that Ko Biji had been reincarnated, but he definitely believed it was possible.
Deep in thought, Tanshi recalled his friend and teacher Ryū Gen, a practical man with no belief in souls or reincarnation whatsoever. Ryū Gen believed that people only lived one lifetime before rotting back to ground, and that was all. He asserted that what people did with their precious only life was what determined their worth as human beings.
But what if Ko Biji’s reincarnation really was out there, somewhere? That would prove that the soul was immortal and that reincarnation was a real process. “I would like to meet her,” Tanshi murmured, “if I can.” Memories of his youth made him feel like a boy again. In many ways, he was the same now as he’d been in his early years.
Tanshi took a step toward the edge of the cliff, then seemed to think better of it. He turned around and walked off in the other direction. He stood near a tall tree and faced the summit of Yunmeng Mountain. He had returned here only once after obtaining the Heavenly Book. He and Ko Biji had gotten separated during a battle and he’d come here to look for her and make sure she was safe. He hadn’t found her here, but he had found his old pewter staff, which he’d thought he’d lost for good. There was no way for Tanshi to know that the En Kō had secretly moved away. All he knew was that his recovered pewter staff had a mysterious—and strong—affinity for lightning.
As Tanshi trained with the staff and meditated to learn more about the nature of its power, the pewter staff’s potential grew along with his own. He achieved a state of harmony between himself and his weapon. He believed that he’d harnessed the power of qi, and that this was expressed in the fundamental technique of the staff—a technique he called the Way of Divine Thunder and Lightning.
It wasn’t the Way of Shattering Earth, which he’d sought to learn as a young man. It was even more powerful than that.
Qi was considered the root of all things. Its true nature was in natural forces like gravity and electromagnetism. Those who could control qi could manipulate energy and forces like light, heat, electricity and magnetism. There were whispers that qi could even destroy the natural world by obliterating matter from existence.
Standing with both feet planted on the mountain, Tanshi’s eyes slipped shut as he chanted meditative prayers under his breath. A lot of time passed like this, in quiet contemplation. He gripped his pewter staff in his right hand and raised it slowly upward toward the summit of Yunmeng Mountain.
Dark clouds spread from the peak and covered the sky. Tanshi didn’t move or react. He was concentrating. All his movements were tightly controlled.
After a moment, lightning flashed in the clouds. Thunder roared in the middle distance.
Tanshi’s face was drenched in sweat as the storm broke over his head.
A bolt of lightning from the mountaintop darted towards the tip of Tanshi’s staff. The lightning was reflected from the staff and struck a large tree in the distance. It grazed the cliff behind the tree, then scattered into motes of light.
A thunderous roar echoed through the valley, shaking the heavens and the earth.
Tanshi opened his eyes and gazed upon the effect of his technique with a frown. “I am not ready,” he said, leaning on his staff. “I rushed it too much.”
***
About six months had passed since Ou Soku had arrived at the foot of Yunmeng Mountain. Tanshi, Ou Soku, and Ri Shun lived together in a hut at the foot of the mountain. There had been no other visitors since Ou Soku’s arrival. Yunmeng Mountain was a secluded place, and most people shunned it.
Tanshi forbade Ou Soku from observing his Daoist training, but Ou Soku had taken a chance and peeked, once. He followed after Tanshi and saw him summon clouds and lightning and thunder. He’d thought only gods possessed such power.
Ou Soku broke out in cold sweat and shivered all over. This is incredible. Tanshi is invincible. No one is equal to him in power. He wanted to learn Daoism from Tanshi more than ever.
When Ou Soku asked Ri Shun about Tanshi’s Daoist powers, Ri Shun said, “The monk’s path is his alone; it is impossible for another to imitate him. It’s not just training; it’s also a matter of natural talent. He says that he acquires power through sitting meditation, though I don’t know if that’s completely true.”
Buddhism taught that sitting meditation could lead to the development of supernatural powers, but the development of those powers was rare, even among devout monks.
***
Ri Shun inherited special skills from his father. In addition to his iron blowgun, he was proficient in over a dozen different weapons. China was once the world’s leading technological power and had a wide variety of weapons to choose from.
China was the first country in the world to invent gunpowder, which was developed during the process of compounding Daoist immortality elixirs. Gunpowder was largely unknown in the western world until the Middle Ages. During the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), flamethrowers, poison gas canisters, and other relatively advanced weaponry already existed, including early examples of hand grenades, cannons, and guns.
Ri Shun did not use weapons that relied on gunpowder. He preferred weapons that he could hide on his person. When Ri Shun first invited Ou Soku to go hunting, he went completely empty-handed.
There were no animals living at the foot of Yunmeng Mountain. This was probably because they were afraid of the strange spiritual energy emanating from the peak. Ou Soku and Ri Shun went away from the foot of the mountain to hunt and found a mouse darting out of the grass near a stream. When it was about five meters away, Ri Shun raised his arm horizontally and pointed to a rabbit that Ou Soku hadn’t noticed before. There was a whoosh, a faint cutting sound, and then the mouse jumped and ran straight into the grass.
The rabbit fell over. Ou Soku couldn’t tell why. He approached the rabbit and found a small dart in its neck. Where had the dart flown from? Ri Shun must have thrown it, but if he had, the dart had moved faster than Ou Soku’s eyes could track it.
Ri Shun showed Ou Soku the cuffs of his jacket. A small tube was hidden inside each sleeve. These were hidden weapons called sleeve joints, which used the elasticity of a spring to shoot darts. The tubes were made of steel.
“With the right amount of training, you will be able to fire three or even six tubes in rapid succession,” Ri Shun said. The main benefit of such weapons was that they were very easy to conceal.
Ou Soku learned from Ri Shun for six months, at which point he was relatively comfortable shooting darts from three tubes at once. He also learned how to wield a small mace that he hid under his clothes. The mace was comprised of an iron ball about two inches (five centimeters) in diameter attached to the end of a rope a little more than two feet (sixty centimeters) long. With the right kind of training, it was possible to kill an approaching opponent with this weapon before they could swing their sword. The iron ball had a vermilion bird engraved on it. When the weapon hung from a hook, the vermilion bird faced south.1 It was also Ri Shun’s shrewd idea to magnetize the ball.
Ri Shun would buy parts from a blacksmith when he went down the mountain to acquire food or supplies. Ri Shun tried to teach Ou Soku the art of using fayalite projectiles, but Ou Soku gave up midway. It was difficult to master aiming with the larger blowguns that fayalite projectiles required without natural talent and years of training. That was why Ri Shun’s natural talent was so wonderful. His bloodline gave him a unique advantage.
***
Ou Soku was interested in Tanshi’s past. Ri Shun was hesitant to talk about it, perhaps because Tanshi had told him not to. Over time, Ri Shun told Ou Soku bits and pieces of what he knew. Ou Soku learned Tanshi’s real name and that he’d gone on a pilgrimage from his temple seeking the Way of Shattering Earth as a young man. Ri Shun told him that Tanshi had obtained the Heavenly Book from Hakūn-do Cave, that Ko Biji had been his lover, and she’d helped him translate the Heavenly Book. He also heard that Ko Biji had said that she would be reincarnated as herself just before she died.
“Does Tanshi believe in reincarnation?” Ou Soku asked.
“He does.”
“Do you believe in it?”
“I think I do. I don’t mention her in front of him, but I can tell he’s never forgotten Ko Biji. If anyone would reincarnate… I think it would be her.” Ri Shun was more mature than his sixteen years would suggest, as evidenced by the fact that he’d spearheaded the investigation into Sei Koko’s activities in Zhengzhou. “Even after twenty-odd years, he hasn’t forgotten.”
Ou Soku had no experience with women and couldn’t understand Tanshi’s feelings. He had only ever devoted himself to his studies. “I don’t believe in reincarnation. Those who do believe in it just wish that those they love will be safe and happy in their next lives, I think.”
The only woman Ou Soku was close to was his mother. His mother’s affair made him dislike women in general. However, he felt pity for Ko Biji, whose death was ordered by her own mother. He understood a little bit about a betrayal like that.
Ou Soku had followed Tanshi from Zhengzhou with the sole intention of stealing his teachings if Tanshi refused to instruct him himself. Then he saw Tanshi’s power with his own eyes and abandoned the idea of stealing anything. He realized that it would be difficult to master the kind of powers that Tanshi possessed, and what Ri Shun told him only made that realization stronger.
After that day when he’d spied on Tanshi, Ou Soku was terrified just looking up at Yunmeng Mountain. He was overwhelmed by the strange atmosphere shrouding the peak and never went near it again.
Ou Soku gave up on stealing Tanshi’s powers for himself, but he didn’t give up his desire to become powerful. His dream since childhood was to rise to a high position in the Imperial Court and end corruption in the government. Even with those dreams dashed, he still thought he could effect some kind of change for the better in the world, even if he had to use force. Force was not his preferred method, which was why he studied with Ri Shun and Tanshi when he could: wisdom and knowledge had always been his strengths.
He also had some knowledge of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Ou Soku was sympathetic to Sun Tzu’s rational, practical frame of mind.
“If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles.”
“Understand the laws of change and make use of them; do not move against them.”
Ou Soku was also drawn to Bungen Haku’s history, in part because because he read Sun Tzu. He learned much on Yunmeng Mountain, even if what he learned wasn’t exactly what he’d wanted to at the start.
***
One day, Ryū Gen came up on horseback accompanied by several other salt smugglers. Usually, messengers would send money, salt, and personal items as a donation to the nearby temple. This was the first time that Ryū Gen himself had come in person.
Tanshi welcomed Ryū Gen with great respect. The two were master and disciple, and they were also sworn brothers.
“This is a good place for bears or tigers, but it is not a fit mountain for humans to live on,” Ryū Gen said. He laughed brightly. Ryū Gen had attacked the prefectural office in Hunan Province on his way here to liberate confiscated black market salt, but that just was a brief detour. His real purpose for traveling was to come and visit Tanshi.
Ryū Gen didn’t believe in souls. He also didn’t believe that the Way of Shattering Earth was real, and Tanshi had never shown him the Way of Divine Thunder and Lightning. If a storm appeared overhead, he would think it was just a coincidence if lightning struck him or his men.
Ri Shun greeted Ryū Gen with a polite bow.
“Well, it’s good that you’re growing into a man! And what does Jun Reini have to say about that?” His eyes twinkled. He’d seen Ri Shun in his woman’s guise at Guangming Temple. Ri Shun was the son of his former subordinate, Ri Chū, and he had great affection for him.
Ryū Gen schooled his expression to seriousness and looked Tanshi straight in the eyes. “I met Ko Biji’s ghost. The girl looked just like her.”
Tanshi tensed.
“We learned that her family were merchants in Bianliang. The family name is Ko. I don’t believe in reincarnation, but I was shocked when I saw her.”
Tanshi knew that Ryū Gen had been investigating Sei Koko just like he had. As the leader of the salt smugglers, Ryū Gen had contacts all over China and in foreign nations. His sources of information were varied and reliable.
“Unfortunately, it looks like Sei Koko’s got her,” Ryū Gen said. He sighed.
“Where is she?”
“Wenshui.”
“The birthplace of Empress Wu Zetian.”
Ryū Gen nodded. “We were scouting when we nearly got burned to a crisp by some of her sorcerers. The big guy in charge might even be more powerful than Chō Ran.” Chō Ran was a sorcerer who’d guarded the eunuch Rai Ingyō. His specialties were fire and explosives. He’d saved Ko Biji from being killed or captured by Imperial Guards once and had no love for the emperor or the government, but he was not quite an ally.
Ryū Gen had fought face-to-face against Chō Ran once in Bianliang, and he’d managed to subvert or escape many of Chō Ran’s techniques. They’d fought to a draw and retreated.
Ryū Gen was worried that Tanshi already knew of Ko Biji’s reincarnation and was on his way to Wenshui. That was why he’d decided to visit Yunmeng Mountain: to check on Tanshi and make sure he didn’t do anything reckless. Ryū Gen’s information network moved fast, so he was able to inform Tanshi about Ko Biji’s reincarnation before Tanshi learned of it from other sources.
Ryū Gen knew that Tanshi was no easy opponent, even for Sei Koko. But Tanshi was still in danger. Sei Koko wasn’t alone; her sorcerer army was large enough to overwhelm any singular opponent. Even if Tanshi defeated some of the sorcerers, he would be unable to avoid all of Sei Koko’s cruel and ruthless plots. Ryū Gen loved and respected Tanshi and wanted to protect him.
Tanshi frowned bitterly.
“You have returned to being a monk. You have sworn not to kill,” Ryū Gen said.
After Ko Biji’s death, Tanshi swore to never kill again and retired to Yunmeng Mountain to grieve for Ko Biji’s spirit. Before that, he had killed provincial governors, high-ranking government officials, imperial soldiers, and ruffians of every description. All of these men were despicable villains, but Tanshi still felt remorse for what he’d done, even more so as he grew older.
“If Sei Koko tries to use her sorcerers to get what she wants, we will punish her for it,” Ryū Gen said.
“Sei Koko’s evil magic is powerful.”
“I have seen her sorcery, too. But it is a kind of sorcery that deceives the human eye. An illusion.”
“I know.”
Ryū Gen was a realist and saw Sei Koko’s sorcery as nothing but magic tricks. Chō Ran was indisputably powerful, but that was because he used cannons, grenades, and bombs. He believed that Chō Ki had similar tools and equipment to Chō Ran’s. He also believed that there was some big trick behind Sei Koko’s mysterious appearance at Rai Ingyō’s estate. She had vanished afterward with Ko Biji’s body, but that was also just smoke and mirrors. Sorcery was not real as far as Ryū Gen was concerned.
Tanshi believed that Sei Koko’s magic was real. She’d twisted the knowledge and power in the Heavenly Book to evil purposes. In principle, Sei Koko manipulated qi like Tanshi did, but that qi was corrupted by her natural demonic nature.
Ryū Gen had never seen the Heavenly Book and was ignorant of the kind of power that either Tanshi or Sei Koko possessed. Because of that, Tanshi didn’t try to argue with him and kept his mouth shut.
“The world is a big place. It’s not so surprising if two or three people look alike, is it?” Tanshi asked. His voice shook.
Ryū Gen sighed, then shook his head. “I was thinking of getting soundly drunk for the first time in a while tonight. Care to join me?”
***
Ryū Gen had his men bring barrels of wine and stacks of dried meat up to the mountain hut. The party around the campfire continued until dawn. Ou Soku also joined in. This was his first time meeting Ryū Gen.
“My name is Ou Soku. I’ve heard rumors about you for a long time.”
“Hahaha… Nice to hear I’m so popular. You’ve become my disciple’s disciple. You’re my grand-disciple. Tanshi, don’t put me to shame, now. Train this one up right.”
Although he spoke in a rude, uneducated way, Ou Soku was impressed by Ryū Gen’s bold and unpretentious attitude. He was a hero to the people who fought against corruption in government. He led the salt smugglers in this region and had held on to this position for more than twenty years. The Imperial Court had tried and failed to arrest him many, many times. These days, Emperor Renzong and the Imperial Court avoided Ryū Gen and his activities entirely for fear of backlash. It was a hostile peace on both sides, but for the moment, neither Ryū Gen nor the Imperial Court were actively trying to kill one another.
Ryū Gen was in a good mood, perhaps because he’d reached Tanshi before he could act on his own. He sat near the fire and reminisced with Tanshi and his men for hours.
Ou Soku envied Tanshi. If only I had a friend I could confide in like this… I wouldn’t have suffered so much in life.
“Oh, by the way, I’m going to see Chō Ran soon,” Ryū Gen said.
“Isn’t he living with the Jurchens? His father was one,” Tanshi said.
“Yeah, he was, last I heard. He’s a dangerous man. He could target this country if he got it in his head to do that. I’ll give him a little lecture and then be on my way. I wouldn’t have to pay him a visit if I trusted our government, but it’s so rotten the maggots wouldn’t feast on its corpse. So I’m going. We can’t let our guard down against the Khitan Empire and Western Xia.”
Ou Soku admired Ryū Gen. He was wanted by the Imperial Court; they hated him because he fought for the common people.
Ryū Gen turned his attention to Ou Soku. “So, young man, I heard you gave up after passing the first civil service exam. That’s okay. Everything’s going to be merit-based in the future. This silly credentialed system is outdated. You’ll join the government and clean things up if that’s what you want, I’m sure. I love this country and its people, but with the current corrupt government being what it is, we’ll be annihilated by our foreign neighbors. It seems the Jurchens are uniting as well. Soon we’ll have enemies on every side. And what is the government doing at this time of crisis? Nothing. The only thing we can do is eliminate government officials who are not loved by the people. The poor are crushed under increasing taxes every year. I exist to vent their anger. It doesn’t matter if what I do is illegal or if some people hate me. Everything I do is so that people can live better lives. Damn it, I drank too much and now I’m pissed off.”
Ou Soku was overwhelmed by Ryū Gen’s impassioned speech.
“Do you know the story of Wang Xiaobo, Ou Soku?” Ryū Gen asked.2
“I heard it from my teacher when I was studying for the imperial examinations. Wang Xiaobo was a tea merchant from Sichuan. He rose up under the banner of ‘equality of wealth for all.’”
Ryū Gen told the story as he knew it.
Sichuan brocade and tea were specialties of the province, but the government decided that they were too profitable and made them a monopoly, forbidding private trade. Small merchants were quickly driven to bankruptcy.
Tea merchant Wang Xiaobo felt the social inequality of wealth deeply. On February 28, 993 CE, he revolted along with tens of thousands of peasants. They captured the county seat of Qingcheng, and then killed Qi Yuanzhen, a greedy official, slitting his stomach and stuffing it with copper coins to express their anger. The rebels confiscated the landlords’ property and distributed it to the poor.
The rebel army reached hundreds of thousands. The following year, they seized Chengdu Prefecture and proclaimed themselves rulers over the region. Emperor Taizong was shocked and gave orders to suppress the rebellion. The rebels fought back boldly, but were forced to retreat from Chengdu. Wang Xiaobo was killed, and his brother-in-law and second-in-command Li Shun was captured. In the end, the rebellion was suppressed by the imperial government.
“My grandfather was the first man in the village to rush to the scene of Wang Xiaobo’s uprising,” Ryū Gen said. “‘Equalizing the rich and the poor’ is a phrase I love. Ou Soku, youth is the best time to lay the foundation for your dreams. Stick to the path you believe in. A man needs courage. Now, bring me another bottle of wine!”
“Yes, sir!”
Ryū Gen poured himself a bowl of wine and drank it all down in one gulp. Then he poured wine onto Ou Soku’s arm, then poured some onto his own arm, then fell asleep moments after.
Ou Soku was fascinated by Ryū Gen’s boldness and sense of justice. “It’s decided… my path is decided.”
Like Ryū Gen, Ou Soku drank his entire bowl of wine in one gulp.
***
Ryū Gen and his party only stayed for a day before descending the mountain. A few days later, Tanshi left on a journey, leaving Ou Soku and Ri Shun to watch the hut. He didn’t tell Ri Shun where he was going, but Ri Shun already knew. He was certainly going to look for Ko Biji’s reincarnation.
Ri Shun didn’t send word to Ryū Gen after Tanshi left. They had lived together for a long time, so Ri Shun understood Tanshi’s feelings in these matters all too well.
But Ou Soku was formed in a different mold. After Tanshi left, he asked Ri Shun, “So, did he go to find that girl’s reincarnation?”
“Probably.” Ri Shun chose to answer vaguely.
“I think I can understand how he feels.”
“Can you?”
“If Master Ryū Gen finds out, he’ll be angry.”
Ri Shun glared at Ou Soku.
“Don’t tell them he went to Wenshui.”
“I won’t tell. Where is Wenshui?”
“At the foot of Mt. Zixia… Ah.” Ri Shun hurriedly covered his mouth.
Ou Soku offered him a wry smile. “Thanks for telling me.”
“Why do you want to go?”
“Don’t worry. I already said I wouldn’t tell Master Ryū Gen.”
“Don’t go. It’s dangerous.”
“A man needs courage.”
Ri Shun frowned at that, but then he remembered what Ryū Gen had said. “I see. Admirable. Be brave, but do not be foolish.” Li Shun was an only child, but he considered Ou Soku as a younger brother.
***
The next morning, Ou Soku decided to set out on his journey.
“I probably won’t be coming back,” he said to Ri Shun.”
“Are you sure you want to go?”
“Yes. I will never forget you, Ri Shun. Thank you for helping me so much.” He bowed.
“Wait a moment. I have something for you.” Ri Shun ran into the hut and brought back his travel pack.
Ou Soku accepted the pack in both hands. “Oof! It’s heavy.”
Ri Shun laughed. “Food. And some sleeve joints and darts.”
Ou Soku looked at him suspiciously, feeling as if Ri Shun could see into his mind.
Ri Shun smiled. “You can’t fight on an empty stomach. Don’t push yourself too hard, brother.”
Ou Soku nodded, smiling brightly back. The impertinent, bad-tempered boy had grown up, becoming more mature in his attitude as well as his convictions.
Ou Soku followed Tanshi’s path with Yunmeng Mountain at his back. Ri Shun saw him off until he reached the mountain pass. The early autumn air was crisp and clear as Ou Soku traveled toward Wenshui.
Translator's Notes
1 朱雀 The Vermilion Bird is one of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations. According to the Daoist five elements system, it represents the fire element, the direction south, and the season of summer. It is sometimes called the Vermilion Bird of the South (南方朱雀). ↩
2 王小波 Wang Xiaobo led a peasant uprising in the Sichuan region of the Song Dynasty in 993 CE. The rebels' motto was "equalize the income of the rich and poor." They defeated the government's military and took over Chengdu. Wang Xiaobo was killed in action, and his brother-in-law took over leadership. The Song Dynasty military eventually reconquered the region. ↩
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