The Legend of the Kilin (cont)

[C Monster]

It's not all the original. But this is all that I could come up with. Sorry for the delay. Wanted to build on the bickering <IMG SRC="smilies/argue.gif" border="0"> between my two favorite characters. In order to create some fiery sparks. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">
____


Droplets of water rained down his face. His body burned like a cauldron of fire. In a stupor, he dranked the cool water proffered to him with eagerness. After a few mouthfuls, the water was taken away. He coughed loudly slowly awakening from his dream-like haze. Leung Tian Bo could hear the “snap, crackle and pop” of the small campfire. Its orange flame danced on the moist walls of the hallow cave creating a spectacle of shadow and light. In a dry whisper, he managed to croak out, “So this is where I’m consigned to. Somehow my visions of Hell were much grander than this.”

A figure in the shadows scoffed loudly. “Humph! With such stupidity, even ‘Yeem Lau Wong” (Emperor of the Underworld) would not accept you.” The voice was female, deep, husky and mysterious. It came from behind.

He tried to shift his weight to see who it was. Instead he yelped loudly. “Ouch! So I am not dead! No wonder it hurts so much.”

“Stop moving!” ordered she. Tian Bo heard the soft rustling of fabric as she got up. “Consider yourself fortunate that your legs are the only things that are broken. Falling from such a height.”

“Luck has nothing to do with it. My wish was to fly away from this world.” He replied ominously.

“Well, the next time you decide to kill yourself make sure you pick a more isolated mountain top. Far away from me.” She snapped back. Bending down, she used one of the unlit branches to poke his bounded legs mightily.

“Ow!” He cried out. “Why did you do that for?” Now in the firelight, he could discern his rescuer was indeed a young lady. She wore a porcelain mask that hid much of her face except for the eyes and mouth.

“It’s the only way I know you’re not going to turn into a cripple. For surely you don’t expect me to carry you down from here.”

“But I never asked you to rescue me!”

“Neither did I want to. If not for the fact that your rotting flesh will eventually stink up this entire cave.” Angrily, Cherk Zhi Lan went back to her corner, sat down, and resumed with her meditation. She couldn’t believe Master and Ah Yee would leave her like this. To tend to this stupid, stupid man who wanted to throw his life away for the sake of such a diabolical woman as Li Yu Mei.

It was the second day since Ah Yee and her master left her alone here. After having rescued Lung Juan Fung from his demise, Ah Yee had brought him here for Master to see if she could do anything to help him. At first, Master refused, but Ah Yee’s constant persistence and nagging, she finally changed her mind. Zhi Lan wondered if Master’s sudden switch might have something to do with the fact that Juan Fung was closely related to the Dragon Mountain Clan. Whatever the ulterior motives, the two were off again. This time heading towards the area of Sword Lake to search for the abandonned shack that Zhi Lan talked about. The diary left behind by Cheung’s ancestor which Ah Yee had kept with her said little. It turned out that only the first page was readable. The rest of it had been written in an indeciperable mix of Mongolian, Sanskrit and Chinese gibberish.

More than ten days cooped up inside this danky cave, Zhi Lan was craving for freedom. The food reserves left behind was tolerable, but she was getting antsy. Over the course of this period, she was well aware of all that was happening on the precipice a hundred feet above her. Carried by the wind or by some fluke of nature, the cave wall she was lying against echoed and amplified sounds that were up in the mountain top. If she concentrated heard enough, she could hear even conversations. Therefore, she knew all there was to know about Juan Fung’s past with that evil witch that Zhi Lan has sworn to take vengeance.

Gingerly, she lifted the white mask off her face. Months ago, she used it mostly to hide her beauty from the rest of the world so that no one could remember or recognize her. Tracing the rough scars across her once smooth downy soft cheeks, Zhi Lan sighed deeply thinking to herself, “If no cure could be found, I will be stuck wearing this thing for the rest of my life.” The horror that greeted her when she saw her reflection in the pool days ago were too hard to bear. It turned out that the combination of the pill that Master gave her to disguise her face in order to infiltrate Cheung Manor and that of the poison that Li Yu Mei drugged her with had drastic repercussions. She snorted derisively at the irony now.

“What are you laughing about?” cried he in the dark.

She lashed out. “How little value you put on your life. Even when your precious third brother gave up his to save yours. You do not deserve to live. Do you know that?”

“How did you know about Sam Dai?”

“Does it matter?” She continued in a sneering tone, “I can’t believe your Dai Koh fell for all that brouhaha of yours. Swearing to go with him and make those killers pay. What foolery!”

Despite the pain, Tian Bo mustered all his strength and pivoted his body around to face this verbal attacker hiding in the shadows behind him. “Who are you? How come you know so much?” he yelled. This lady’s rebukes hit him harder than any physical blows ever could. Because she spoke only of the truth.

Zhi Lan quickly donned back her mask and got up. Walking over, she then stooped down to his level and stared squarely and contemptously at his face. The whites of her eyes gleamed in the firelight. She replied wickedly, “Maybe I’m the person you’ve been looking for all along?!”

“Li Yu Mei….” He uttered before falling unconscious once again.

[Goofy]

Since nobody seems to care about poor Lau Hong <IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/crying.gif" border="0">, I will try my best to make him a hero. <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/naughty.gif" border="0"> Please don't blame me if I mess up JY's 9 yang manual.

<IMG SRC="smilies/typin.gif" border="0"> in process

[Goofy]

Lau Hong repeated the citation of the Buddha’s cannons in the 9 Yang Manual for probably the twentieth time and gradually understood its hidden messages. ‘Dr. Ma was right for once.’ He thought and continued with his breathing practice according to what he had interpreted from the manuscript.

After a while, he felt a gush of inner energy flowed continuously throughout his inner body. It was very refreshing experience. After another twelve hours, he gained enough energy to crawl up the hole. By this time, the invaders of Cheung Mansion had left, leaving only charred remains of the once glorious Sword Lake Sect. All this while, he had had no attack from poison at all.

Lau Hong wanted to go back to Sword Lake Sect but was not sure if the enemy would still be there. So, he staggered toward a nearby wood, intended to gain more strength before returning to meet the invaders.

He found another cave, a bigger one this time, and took it as his habitat. Time passed quickly, and before he knew, it had been a week. One night, he went back to the Cheung Mansion and found nothing but ruins. His teacher and Master Cheung should have been back by this time, but he found no trace of them. Sword Lake Sect today was more like a haunted house in amid of vast lonely mountain.

“What shall I do now?” He questioned himself. Then he found an answer. “Go back to Qing Tong Sect. Master is probably there with senior martial brother, anxiously worry about me.”

Accordingly, he set foot toward the only home he had grown up in, but before long a severe attack came upon him again. This time, he fainted from the intolerable pain. When he woke up from his nightmare, however, he didn’t experience the usual uncomfortable feeling after every attack. He mused, “Maybe old Ma is the best doctor after all. He said that the sign of my getting better depends on how severe my attack is. But I can’t travel like this. I might be better, but I still feel weak.”

Upon a careful consideration, he went over to his cave and stayed there to rid this cursed poison out of his body system for good.

"Either I will win or I will die here." This was his final decision. <IMG SRC="smilies/sweating.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">
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SC, just wonder how far the editing go? Swordmaster should have had 2 edited files of mine and got them in html format by now. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/coffee.gif" border="0">

[Suet Seung]

C Monster and Goofy! Very good chapters. I'm sorta sad for Zhi Lan having those scars as a chain reaction with Li Yu Mei's poison. Well, I hope all goes well for TianBo and Zhi Lan. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[Goofy]

Actually when I created Ah Lan, I imagined her as a girl with ugly face (though her forehead above the veil may look otherwise).

Good work C Monster. <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0">

[Goofy]

I'm writing about cheng yuen jin now. <IMG SRC="smilies/typin.gif" border="0">

[Goofy]

Cheng Yuen Jin tried to call his junior martial brother back but was too late. Knowing Lau Hong too well, he had no choice but to staggered on in the opposite direction. He prayed silently. 'Please Goddess of Mercy, let Lau Hong be safe. Let him live. I won't mind dying for him.'

He didn't know how long he had been running. Finally, his strength was gone, and he collapsed on the ground, unable to go another inch further. Just then, he felt pain rising from his wounds. His right arm was stabbed several times by a strange weapon that was apparently covered in poison. He looked at the cuts and saw black blood oozing along his arm that slowly became green.

The world turned misty then dark. Cheng Yuen Jin felt a peaceful sensation, and a tunnel of blackness seemed to envelop around him. Then he could not breathe. 'This must be death.' That was his last thought. <IMG SRC="smilies/crying.gif" border="0">

Something warm was flowing into his body, causing him to stir. A soft voice warned him, "Be still. Focus all your energy at the center of your body."

Cheng Yuen Jin complied, and he sat still, receiving the continuous energy from that soft voice's owner.

He lost track of time. As warm energy receded, he opened his eyes and noticed a familiar figure lying next to him.

He put his fingers under the other's nose and found only tiny trace of life. He cried remorsely, "Whistling Wanderer, you have transferred your energy to me till you are like this. Why? I'm not that worthy!"

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to live or to die is the next writer's choice. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/evillaugh.gif" border="0">

[Athena]

Loving it! Keep them going. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[Kara]

Writing in progress <IMG SRC="smilies/typin.gif" border="0">

[Kara]

The Whistling Wanderer smiled at the words and slowly opened his eyes. Yuen Jin immediately helped the elderly man up and allowed him to lean upon his shoulders. He closed his eyes once again. Yuen Jin watched him, his heart beating with fear as he lifted his fingers under the Whistling Wanderer’s nose once again. A tiny breath of air fluttered against his fingers and he breathed a sigh of relief. Silence. Suddenly, the Whistling Wanderer opened his eyes and looked up at Yuen Jin’s face, which filled with worry and confusion. He smiled sadly before answering his unofficial disciple’s previous question.

“True, you may think that you are not worthy of my many years of energy, but then again who is? I have no use for it anyway. It must be fate that has decided that you deserve this energy. Use it to follow what your heart guides you to do. Never use it to harm another for your own personal gains.” He said desolately. Yuen Jin looked at him in confusion. Where was the arrogant, powerful Whistling Wanderer that he had met not so long ago? What had happened to the energy and vitality of the eccentric but kindly man? Where had the determination to make Yuen Jin his student gone to? Yuen Jin looked into the elder’s eyes and gasped as he saw the two small pools of ancient sorrow. The kind of sorrow that pierces a person’s heart and spreads across their person, forever embedded in the body. In an instant, Yuen Jin knew that something had happened, something that changed the Whistling Wanderer forever and had robbed him of his will to live.

“What happened?” He asked, his voice filled with sympathy and the desire to discover something in which to pull the elderly man from the clutches of death. The Whistling Wanderer smiled again, a small and gentle smile. It was a smile filled with the wisdom that one gains after understanding their inner most self completely.

“When I was young, I fell in love with someone whom did not love me back. She in fact, though she did not know it, was in love with her senior martial arts brother whom she was constantly bickering with. Foolishly I tried to make her love me and therefore forced her to realise her love for her senior martial arts brother. They finally got married, however they continued to bicker constantly. Although I had let her go, upon hearing her declaration of love for her senior, deep inside my heart I held onto the tiny hope that she could possibly love me. Many years past and yet she showed no sign of changing. The only time she would side with her husband was when I appeared. It seemed so blatantly obvious that she did not love me and yet I still clung to the tiny reeds of hope that grew on the river of despair. It seemed so foolish and yet I could not help but hope. In the end it was useless. I have never been loved and never will be. She will only love one person in her entire life as will I.” He finished sadly. Yuen Jin gazed at the elderly man sadly and closed his eyes as a series of emotion stirred up inside of him. The Whistling Wanderer laughed softly.

“So many years of hope and yearning. So many years of dreaming. All wasted. My life has been empty ever since her declaration of love for another and yet I continued to deny the fact, deceiving myself into thinking that she could possibly love me. I have realised that I no longer want to live this live of black emptiness. I have given you all my years of energy so that they will not go to waste. You must take care of yourself.” He advised. Yuen Jin felt the sorrow sweep over him and he hung his head in sympathy.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered softly. The Whistling Wanderer shook his head.

“It was my fault from the very beginning. But can you grant a dying man one wish?” He asked, his eyes looking beseechingly at Yuen Jin. Yuen Jin nodded in understanding.

“Shi Fu.” He said with respect. The elderly man smiled.

“How I have long to hear such sweet words. You are indeed a good disciple. I have but one reminder. Do not ever use my martial arts for evil and especially do not ever harm anyone whom is related to Dr Ma and his wife.” He ordered. Yuen Jin stared at him. Dr Ma and his wife? Could they be…

“One more thing.” The Whistling Wanderer added as he reached into his chest and pulled out a small jade whistle about the size of a man’s palm. He placed it in Yuen Jin’s hands and smiled.

“This is the key to the secret of Kilin. When you find the paintings, all will be clear. Remember, a dragon comes from all four ends of the earth: east, west, north and south.” The Whistling Wanderer smiled again before closing his eyes. His face was serene as it left the world, however his lips formed the name of the only woman he had ever loved, Su Lan. And so, another famed figure had left the mo lam world. The birds outside sung a song of sorrow as the rays of the rising sun fell upon his wrinkled face.

[Suet Seung]

Kara:

Awww.... <IMG SRC="smilies/bawling.gif" border="0">: <IMG SRC="smilies/crying.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/bawling.gif" border="0"> The Whistling Wanderer died...so sad and so dramatic. I love the little unrequited love story of WW. Somehow, I always like the guy like Whistling Wanderer than the guy the girl picks. They seem to love the girl so much deeper imo. <IMG SRC="smilies/bawling.gif" border="0">

Kara, I miss your writing! What drama and excitement. Finally, a part that connects to the Kilin. Hopefully there will be a very marvelous secret behind what the Kilin is and what mysterious and hidden secrets the painting behold. Anyways, you never cease to amaze me with the metaphors and imagery you use in your parts. I'm so impressed. I was going to go to sleep but I had to wait and wait until you've finish writing this part so I can dream about it. <IMG SRC="smilies/blush.gif" border="0"> IT's excellent! Loved it! <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

[Goofy]

very good, Kara. Hope you are not mad at me for putting your character into this situation.

I was thinking of writing another post that would be anti-climax to the previous one, but your version is so much more emotional and well written. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/bawling.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/crying.gif" border="0">

[Kara]

White Krane, Goofy; thanks for the nice comments.
Goofy: I don't blame you for putting him in this situation, his death could lead to other exciting twists in the story

Anyway, when i thought about it i had an idea about the Legend of Kilin. I think the paintings could be a map to a place in which the 'kilin' of the story is located and the little whistle is the key. What do you guys think?
BTW: Besides a martial arts book or powerful weapons, what else can be the 'Kilin' of the story?

[Goofy]

<IMG SRC="smilies/catroar.gif" border="0">
treasure or something that can give the owner the power of the throne? <IMG SRC="smilies/handball.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/idea.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/grouphug.gif" border="0">

[Kara]

Hmmm...i was re reading Tu Vi's Stardust of yesterday, which i keep referring to as a Promise of immortality.

What about something that is thought to bring immortality? You know, Kilin is the creature that is immortal...etc

[Suet Seung]

Kara: Yes, that is a good idea...Kilin can be something that brings immortality and perhaps even cure all poison. Would the kilin be alive or just like an object that brings all that? I'm confused...or so I think so..heheh..Perhaps eating the Kilin would increase the internal energy of someone? Dahh...perhaps not..

[CrazyT]

Isn't Yuen Jin in the ice cave with that healer girl? Ehe. Sorry but I haven't read the story in a while and forgot all the names.

[Kara]

Crazy T: yes Yuen Jin is back in the White Snake Clan with Xiao Long Er, but this is just a flashback of what happened before he was injured and then found by her. Even though he now has powerful energy, i think he can't harness it yet, that's why he was injured.

[Kara]

writing in progress <IMG SRC="smilies/typin.gif" border="0">
I think i'll write about the present now.

[Kara]

The White Crane Mountains were layered with snow, endless layers of white flakes settling down upon the high mountains. The passages through the mountain where decorated with ice and snow and the bitter wind sliced through the air, maliciously attacking anything in it’s path. Through the swirling columns of falling snowflakes, a little boy ran. The bitter wind sliced his small arms and legs with relish, though it appeared as if the boy felt no pain. He continued to run. Upon a closer look, it could be seen that hot tears were falling upon the boys face, hissing as they came in contact with the ice cold flakes that had fluttered upon his cheeks. Blindly, he continued to run, the voice of his parents replaying in his head as the images of their brutal death flashed across his mind. ‘Long An! Run! Run! Don’t let them catch you! RUN!’

And so, Long An continued to run, ignoring the sharp stabs of pain that was inflicted upon his bruised body and the numbing feeling that was present in his heart. He continued to run, running away from the images of his parent’s death and away from the ache that had seemed to set itself up in his heart. Suddenly, he stumbled and fell upon the floor. A moment past by as he stared at his arms, filled with red marks of pain. Then he banged his fists hard upon the snow that lay before him sending it in a flurry of snowflakes that fluttered down gently upon him once more. Long An continued to attack the ground savagely, punching it and screaming at the top of his lungs.

“Why?” He cried, his voice filled with anguish. “Why? Why did you take them away from me? Why did they have to die? I haven’t done anything naughty; Mother always said I was a good boy! Why are you punishing me?” He screamed as he continued to punch the ground, ignoring the blossoming flowers of blood that formed across the snow. Long An kicked and screamed until he fell down upon the ground, too exhausted to even move. The tears came again, streaming down his face as he choked upon the anger and sorrow that welled up inside his heart. As the two emotions fought for supremacy, Long An could fell the tide of emotions choking his heart. Finally, sorrow came out as the victor as the reality of the situation struck him hard upon the head. He would never feel his mother’s hug or hear his father’s comforting voice. They would never take him to see the festivals nor would they ever scold him again for anything he did wrong. He would never see them smile again. He would never see them again. He….

His train of thought was cut off as his mind went blank and he closed his eyes, still sprawled upon the snowy floor. His mind had had too much. It was time to rest, to gain strength to fight the battle ahead that would determine the outcome of the heart of the little boy whom had lost both his parents in one foul swoop. He did not see a woman clad entirely in an outfit of many shades of blue appear from the whirling mist of snow. He did not see her bright eyes take note of his unconscious body. He did not see how she ignored the small body as she prepared to walk past him. He did not notice the surprised look on the woman’s face as her sharp eyes caught hold of the dragon bell necklace that Xiao Long Er had given him. He did not see her turning swiftly back and bending down to examine the bell. He did not see the look of understanding that passed through her bright eyes as her finger ran across the small carved words upon the back of the bell, upon the dragon’s tail. He did not see her mouth form the words written upon the bell; Li Yu Mei. As if she understood something. The woman lifted Long An up with ease and began to turn back the way she came from. In a blink of an eye she was already a speck in the distance as her feet moved soundlessly across the snowy ground, hardly even touching the floor, leaving no footprints. Again, the bitter wind raked through the snow, scattering them and damaging the footprints with spite. The snowflakes twirled and danced slowly to the ground, playfully forming another layer of snow, covering the red streaks of blood stained snow. Soon, the area turned back to its passage of white snow; leaving no indication that anything had happened upon its white floor. There was nothing to tell a passer by that a part of a young boy had died upon this very place, leaving nothing but the snow stained blood that was beginning to discolour under the layer of snow that continued to pile up.
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The Dragon Clan…

The Master of the Dragon Clan sat regally on his throne as a messenger entered and knelt.

“What is it?” He boomed, the loss of Xiao Long Er was still a great blow to his heart and he was in no mood to receive anyone from his clan. The messenger trembled and bowed, his shoulder’s shaking.

“Former Leader Yip of the Water Dragon Division would like to discuss something with you.” He informed. A flash of surprise crossed Leung Mo Lin’s face but he was too upset to bother with satisfying his curiosity now.

“Tell her to go away. I am in no mood for talking today.” He roared. The messenger shakily got up and was about to exit when a blue clad woman carrying a little boy entered the room. Her long black hair was swept back from her face and her face seemed around thirty or thirty five despite the immense wisdom that penetrated from her face.

“Master, I have something urgent to report and it cannot wait.” She said regally. Leung Mo Lin regarded her and the little boy with curiosity. The Former leader of the Water Division was the most powerful of his followers, someone whom had practised kung fu to the state that she seemed to have slowed down her aging process. At the age of fifty, she still looked around thirty or thirty five. She had been his best division leader until she had decided to retire from the job and concentrate on her kung fu. She had been so respected that her title Former Leader Yip of the Water Division was always said with a greater tone of respect than one used for the division leaders. Personally, Leung Mo Lin respected her more than any of his followers not only due to her powerful kung fu, which could possibly surpass even his own, but because of her loyalty to the clan and her loyalty to him. No other division leader ever dared to argue back whenever he made a foolish decision save for the Former Leader Yip, whom was known for correcting him. She always had the interest of the Dragon Clan placed before anything else. He knew that she would never ever jeopardised the safety or well being of the Dragon Master and so had never considered her a threat to his position but a powerful aid. However, today she had once again defied his orders. He knew that the little boy in her arms would play some importance.

“Speak.” He commanded. She bowed low and placed Long An upon the floor. Then she reached over and untied the dragon bell around his neck. Leung Mo Lin’s eyes widened as he saw the symbol of his clan being taken from a boy whom did not belong.

“Where did he get that?” He asked. Former Leader Yip did not reply but took the bell to Leung Mo Lin and handed it to him. His hand went instinctively to the tail of the dragon, in which would bear the carving of the owner’s name. His face filled with anger and confusion as the words Li Yu Mei were formed.

“What is the meaning of this?” He roared. Former Leader Yip spoke.

“Although Li Yu Mei appears to have Xiao Long Er’s ruby eyed dragon, it seems as though the one she owned was not with her at the time. We will have to wait until the boy wakes up and then question him about this. I have a feeling this will lead to the discovery of what really happened to Xiao Long Er.” She replied. Leung Mo Lin looked at her, remembering that she too had been fond of his Xiao Long Er. Though she was mysterious and distanced herself from others, his goddaughter had managed to form a close bond with the strange woman.
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Sorry, can't do anymore, my bro wants the computer