The Demon Ruler of the Southern Kingdom and the Ling Army's Arrival

Now, let us speak of the Men region to the south of the Ling Kingdom. It was a great principality with thirteen major river valleys, eighteen large tribes, and over three million people. Cattle and sheep covered the land; mules and horses roamed in herds, truly a prosperous and bountiful place.

Yet the people living there knew neither joy nor happiness, for even their basic safety was not guaranteed. Their king, Xinchi, was an incarnation of the Demon King Garao Wangqiu, and his minister, Gula Tuojie, was an incarnation of the demon Bongba Nabu. Sixty fierce warriors under Xinchi's command took particular delight in devouring human flesh and drinking human blood. Neighboring kingdoms were constantly harassed by them, captured prisoners were shared and eaten by these demons, and when there was no time to raid abroad, the people of Men themselves became the victims. Thus, all living beings in this realm lived in constant dread, never knowing which day they might be devoured.

King Xinchi was now fifty-four years old. His demon horse, Misen Mapu, had just turned seven, and Minister Gula Tuojie was exactly thirty-six. For the demon king, the demon horse, and the demon minister alike, this year marked the final obstacle in their cultivation. If they could safely pass this winter and spring, they would become invincible under heaven, and Xinchi would then embark on a monumental undertaking, conquering tribe after tribe, kingdom after kingdom, until he ruled the world as its supreme sovereign.

When he heard that the Lion King Gesar had already subdued the demons of three directions, Xinchi was indeed frightened for a time, his heart pounding as he awaited his doomsday. But Gesar never came to his Men region, not even a whisper of such intention reached his ears. Xinchi relaxed his guard. Though relieved, he was by no means careless. He sternly ordered his subjects to refrain from raiding abroad and from any reckless actions throughout the year. If he could just weather this year quietly, he would have nothing left to fear.

But one day, the Southern King Xinchi climbed to the summit of the stronghold of Dongri Langzong and surveyed the four directions. There, between heaven and earth, he beheld an immense army encamped upon the territory of the Men Kingdom. Xinchi thought to himself: How can such a formidable force have settled upon my land? It is unheard of, like thunderbolts falling from a clear sky. Regardless of the reason, such a vast host arriving here bodes no good. I must immediately summon my sixty great generals for counsel. He dispatched messengers in all directions, scattering like falling snowflakes, racing like wind-driven rain.

Within a single night, all sixty demon generals had assembled in the upper courtyard of Dongri Langzong, partaking of offerings laid before them, pork neck from old hogs, barley cakes baked in ash, aged barley wine, strong liquor, and buckwheat flatbreads. Then Xinchi spoke: "Mighty ministers, hear me. This year, a powerful army has encamped upon the soil of Men. Where they have come from and where they intend to go, we must ascertain. Dawa Chacheng and Minister of Internal Affairs Gula Tuojie, I ask that you two go to the Ling camp and inquire clearly."

The Confrontation at the River, Dangerous Words and Arrows

Minister Gula Tuojie mounted his goose-yellow swift horse, while Dawa Chacheng rode a dappled cuckoo mare. The two ministers swiftly crossed the Southern River and made straight for the Ling army's great camp.

At this time, the weather in the southern deep valleys was scorching hot. The door curtains of King Gesar's divine tent were rolled up on either side, and the lords of Ling were enjoying the cool breeze. The old Chief Steward Rongtsa Chagen caught sight of two riders approaching from the Men region, one mounted on a blue horse, the other on a yellow one. He said to the King: "In the Men region, many wear blue with blue horses and white with white horses, but rarely does one see a man in yellow riding a yellow horse. Today, however, such a rider approaches. He looks like Gula Tuojie. If we send but one or two heroes to block his path, it may not suffice."

Gesar summoned Yula and whispered briefly in his ear. Yula smiled, led out his warhorse, and rode out of camp.

Gula Tuojie, seated high upon his goose-yellow steed, looked down at the youth before him with some disdain. "You there, blue-clad boy on a blue horse, short and grey. Who is your father behind you? Who is your mother before you? Why has this mighty army come to this place? This is the Men Kingdom, my jurisdiction. Why are you here? Have you lost your way? This southern grassland of Mutang has not been left idle for lack of herders, nor has its water been left unused for lack of drinkers. If you graze your horses, you must pay grazing fees; if you water them, you must pay water taxes. If you refuse to pay the proper price, then for this whole day you will not be easily forgiven. Who are you after all? If you do not answer truthfully, I vow I will leave your bones scattered across the plains and your blood pooling in every hollow. If I fail to do as I say, then call me not Gula."

Prince Yula replied with a grin: "I am Prince Yula Toju of the Jiang Kingdom. Today I am fortunate to meet the great general Gula of the Men region, though I do not possess your grand declarations of intimidation."

When Gula Tuojie heard the youth identify himself as the Jiang prince, his mind was instantly made up, there was no need to ask further. Yula had long since submitted to Gesar. This was unquestionably the Ling army. Gula Tuojie grew furious. So it truly is the Ling forces, and they truly intend to invade my Men region. Unless I show them some color, they will not know the might of our kingdom. Still, he thought, propriety should precede force. With a stern face, he declared: "This riverside is the King's pleasure grounds, the Queen's sacred retreat, the ministers' archery range, a place where flowers bloom and cuckoos sing. You have brought this vast host without cause and forcibly occupied this land. This shows you hold the Men Kingdom in no regard. This is no place for you to settle. Do not rely on your numbers to bully others. Before the mighty King Xinchi, no one is invincible. Your forces are but donkeys compared to the fine steeds of our Men. I, the undefeated hero Gula Tuojie, am gentle as silk toward my kin, but a sharp arrow and a thunderbolt against stubborn foes. I advise you to leave this place soon, this is my goodwill speaking. Invaders must pay reparations, and if payment is not made, war will surely follow. Though your army is great, no one fears it. Shedding blood over such trifles is not worth it."

Yula Toju, neither angered nor pleased, neither proud nor meek, listened to Gula Tuojie's lengthy speech with an expressionless face. Only then did a smile appear. "Minister, pray calm your anger! I have long admired your reputation, and I believe you are a man of both courage and cunning. If you are willing to hear me out, I shall explain the whole matter to you."

Seeing Yula's courteous manners and gentle speech, Gula Tuojie found it hard to bully one so much younger. "Then speak, Prince."

Only when Yula saw Gula Tuojie's expression soften did he slowly begin to sing:

"The cuckoo flies from the Men Kingdom,

It wishes to perch upon the willow branch.

If it did not wish to perch, it would not hover.

We, sovereign and ministers, come from Ling,

We wish to form a marriage alliance with Men,

Not to bring separation but to unite.

Prince Zhale Zejie of Ling

Has reached the age for taking a wife.

The princess of King Xinchi,

Her face is like a flower, her waist supple as a willow.

A thousand women are jealous of her;

A thousand men adore her.

The divinations all declare the omens favorable,

She should be wed to our prince."

When Gula Tuojie heard that the Ling forces had come seeking a marriage alliance, his heart lightened considerably. But when he cast his eyes upon the vast host lining the riverbanks, his face darkened once more. "If you have come for marriage, you should have sent envoys to discuss the matter properly. Why have you marched such a vast army into the Men region?"

"Well," said Yula, "Minister Gula should surely understand, King Xinchi will not easily consent to such a match. Many envoys from other kingdoms have been rebuffed before. If we had followed precedent and sent envoys, the outcome should be easy to guess without my saying it. Therefore, we…"

"And if King Xinchi refuses the match, would you dare to seize the princess by force?" Gula Tuojie's eyes widened.

"We would certainly not wish to do so. We only hope King Xinchi will happily agree to this union." Yula remained unruffled, his bearing perfectly calm.

Gula Tuojie lacked such composure. "Yula Toju, I need not test my blade in hand, nor the arrows at my waist, nor the steed beneath me. I ask you to find another path at once. If by dawn tomorrow your army has not departed, the men of Men will not be trifled with." With these words, Gula Tuojie spurred his horse and returned to the palace.

The King's Fury and the Battle for the Crossings

Upon his return, Gula Tuojie reported the situation to King Xinchi, who flew into a rage: "How could the princess of our Men Kingdom be married off to Ling? Gesar and I have always been enemies! Were it not for my need to endure patiently through this year, I would have gone to slay him long ago. And today he dares to come unbidden to my very doorstep, seeking to marry my princess! Hmph, !"

"Great King, calm your anger. We must deliberate carefully. The forces assembled here include not only Ling troops but also those of the Northern Demon Kingdom, the Yellow Hor Kingdom, and the Purple Jiang Kingdom. All these armies have come to Men for the sake of a single princess. If we temporarily betroth the princess to them, then once we become invincible in the world next year, we can seize her back and raze these kingdoms to the ground." Gula Tuojie was not only skilled in martial arts but also possessed exceptional strategic foresight.

Xinchi's expression softened slightly, yet fury still simmered beneath. "Gula Tuojie, a great man should possess three kinds of resolve: first, when two nations discuss a marriage alliance, one must not show weakness, that is one resolve; second, when heroes engage in contests of wits, one must not recklessly sacrifice one's life, that is another resolve; third, when conducting the king's affairs, one must not let one's mind be blocked, that is yet another resolve. Now, the armies of the five tribes of Tibet have all come to Men. Golden tassels gleam in the sunlight, silver tassels dance in the moonlight, green tassels surge like ocean waves, red tassels blaze like fire, and black tassels loom like dark shadows. If we agree to this marriage before such a display of force, the world will mock me, Xinchi, as incompetent, they will say I married the princess off out of fear of Ling. This I cannot and will not do."

At this moment, the assembled ministers of Men, having heard the news, converged upon the palace. After listening to both Gula and Xinchi, they found merit in each view but could not settle upon a course. Voices rose in heated debate, some advocated for accepting the marriage proposal, while others insisted the princess must not be so easily given away to Ling. The two factions argued fiercely, each refusing to yield. In the end, they resolved to first dispatch Da Mou Dongdui, Yuru Mingqing, their attendants, and five thousand armored soldiers to guard the three ferry crossings of the Southern River, the upper crossing at Zile Jingrao, the middle at Nobu Qiongrao, and the lower at Aga Duorao.

On the very day Xinchi was deploying his forces, Chief Steward Rongtsa Chagen came to pay respects to King Gesar and submitted: "I wonder among the brave young generals of Ling, is there anyone familiar with the Southern River crossings? If so, they might serve as guides to break through the enemy's lines. If we delay, and the enemy succeeds in blocking all the crossings, our great undertaking will be ruined."

After the old steward had spoken, Sinba Meruze of Hor spoke up: "In former days, four of us came from Hor to the southern region to hunt wild sheep, and we came to know the crossings of the Southern River quite well. Today, I am willing to lead the way across the upper crossing. The middle crossing can be forded by the forces under Niben Daya and Wenbu Alubasen. As for the lower crossing, let Prince Yula Toju of Jiang lead the Jiang army in seizing it."

All present agreed to Sinba Meruze's plan, and each force set out according to their assigned directions. Just as the Ling troops were wading across the Southern River, the Men generals Da Mou Dongdui and Yuru Mingqing, with their five thousand riders, were found guarding the three crossings along the river.

Sinba Meruze, mounted upon his flame-snorting chestnut steed, appeared as fearsome as a red demon. Leading the Red Tassel Army and the allied forces under the command of the heroine Adanam, he was mid-way across the Southern River when General Da Mou Dongdui of the southern kingdom sprang upon his swift black piebald horse, drew his precious bow, and nocked five swift arrows upon the string. In a booming voice, he sang:

"If you know not this place,

Know it is where the Southern River flows,

The upper crossing at Zile Jingrao.

If you know not who I am,

I am the great leader of eighty thousand households,

Da Mou Dongdui by name.

At the start of this new year,

A true man of twenty-five,

Nine hundred medals have I won.

You, red-clad, red-horsed, short red man,

Hovering like a wrathful demon in mid-air,

Blood rains upon your brow,

A sickly mist enshrouds your form,

Fierce flames spew from your mouth,

Dense smoke pours from your nostrils,

What is this arrogance for?

Upon the soil of the Men Kingdom,

Boy, do not flaunt your ferocity.

Though I have not seen you by day,

Far rumors have reached my ears.

Could you be Sinba, boy,

The one who lost his land and kingdom?

This year you come to Men's domain,

What business could you have here?

These five arrows upon my bow,

The first I shoot at you, red Sinba:

Without, your frame shall melt like snow;

Within, your soul shall vanish like a snuffed flame.

And you, the girl following behind,

Hear my words directed unto you:

A woman wearing a general's armor,

This is the first time I have seen it.

Are you a wandering vagrant?

Or have the men all perished, leaving women to serve?

The second arrow shall pierce you,

Without, your frame shall melt like snow;

Within, your soul shall vanish like a snuffed flame.

And look above, you two,

At the middle crossing of Nobu Qiongrao:

A yellow man on a yellow horse, a short yellow fellow,

Yellow from head to toe.

One arrow for that dying man,

Like a thunderbolt striking yellow rocks,

If I fail to do it, then am I no hero.

And at the lower crossing of Aga Duorao,

A blue-clad boy on a blue horse, a short one,

His steed a blue jade bird,

Dressed in blue like a blue dragon.

You, Yula of the Purple Jiang,

Do not show off your martial glory,

For when death comes, it is already too late.

A hero's arrow shall pierce you,

Sending your soul fleeing from your body!"

With his song finished, he loosed his arrows one by one. The first grazed past the top center of red Sinba's white helmet, causing no great harm, but struck down fifteen red-tasseled riders behind Sinba. The second arrow flew toward the heroine Adanam, striking her chest's gold-inlaid mirror-shield square on, shattering it utterly, though fortunately, her Azure Dragon Vajra armor deflected the blow without serious injury. Da Mou Dongdui then discharged a third arrow, which toppled five armored warriors of Adanam's black-tasseled Demon Kingdom regiment, who were swept away by the river's current. The fourth arrow passed through Niben Daya's saddle bow, destroying its rear bridge without harming his troops. The fifth arrow struck down seven of Prince Yula Toju's azure-tasseled warriors, left and right, and harmed no one else.

The Tide Turns, Victory at the Crossings

Sinba Meruze of Hor, enraged beyond measure, hoisted his mighty black iron nine-pronged spear and roared: "Da Mou Dongdui, boy, hear me! Your words are complete, but today you have met your match in me. I vow you will not die an easy death!"

Sinba hurled his spear, striking Da Mou Dongdui square in the chest, the point emerging through his back. Yet Da Mou Dongdui was of demon descent, though bleeding profusely from the spear wound, he drew his great sword from its scabbard and with one stroke cleaved Sinba's spear-shaft in two at the waist. Red Sinba likewise drew his waist-blade, which exuded poisonous vapor, and clashed with him several times. At that moment, Adanam charged forward and thrust her lance at Da Mou Dongdui, the tip piercing into his chest cavity. Da Mou Dongdui toppled from his horse onto the bank of the Southern River crossing. Sinba seized his warhorse, armor, and three weapons, then continued to battle ferociously. Of the three thousand soldiers Da Mou Dongdui had led, most perished beneath Ling blades and arrows; some armored warriors threw themselves into the Southern River; and the rest fled in disarray up the mountain slopes.

On the other side, General Da Mou Chizan of the Men camp sprang upon his swift steed and raced like lightning to confront Adanam. The heroine faced him imperturbably, awaiting whatever he might say while preparing another stratagem to overcome the enemy. Da Mou Chizan nocked a silver-ringed arrow to his bowstring and spoke bluntly: "You, woman bedecked in evil garb, today you have collided with a hero. Upon this string I have an arrow, and this day I shoot you, woman hero. Without, I shall destroy your life-protecting frame; within, your soul shall vanish like a snuffed flame. Your black head I'll cast upon the wastes, if I fail, I am no hero!"

With that, he loosed his arrow. Just as Adanam's attention wavered for an instant, Da Mou Chizan's arrow struck true against the northland heroine's arrow-deflecting golden armor, shattering her black iron chest-mirror. The arrow's poisonous vapor enveloped her like a dark night, and she fell unconscious for a moment. When she gradually came to, she thought: If I do not immediately return an arrow, I fear it may shake the morale of the Ling army. Standing upon the stirrups of her white flying steed, she withdrew her great Iron Mountain bow from the leopard-skin quiver on her left, and from the tiger-skin arrow-case on her right she drew a divine arrow bestowed by the Lion King. Nocking it to the bowstring, she declared: "Hear me! I have no time for lengthy words with you. If you are truly brave, do not dodge my arrow. If I cannot place this arrow today in the center of your chest and pluck out your red heart, then I am not worthy of being called the heroine of Ling!"

The heroine released her arrow, striking Da Mou Chizan precisely in the center of his chest, the bloodied arrowhead protruding through his back. Before he could even blink, he tumbled from his horse and lay dead upon the ground. As the heroine galloped forward to claim her prize, Red Sinba and two other fierce generals beat her to it, seizing Da Mou Chizan's head, armor, and three weapons.

After the upper crossing of the Southern River was taken by the Ling forces, they waded across to the opposite bank. Meanwhile, as Prince Yula Toju of Jiang was leading his troops across the lower crossing, Yuru Mingqing of Men rushed to block the hero Yula's path. Drawing his bow, he shot two arrows in quick succession. Though they struck the upper section of Yula's armor, they inflicted no damage whatsoever. Yula lightly tapped his horse's flank, and his soaring blue steed flew toward Yuru Mingqing. Drawing out his own bow and arrows, Yula called to him: "Within the southern camp of Men, you coward Yuru! How dare you dream of blocking the path of Yula! When you see the hero's might is more than you can match, you might want to seek a path of escape instead. You are a lamp about to be snuffed before an approaching end, a life reaching its limit upon meeting its hero. This arrow upon my bow shall scatter your brains upon the ground!"

The instant he finished speaking, he loosed an arrow that struck Yuru Mingqing square in the center of his forehead. His brains splattered into the air, and he toppled from his horse. At the same time, seven of Yuru Mingqing's ministers also fell beneath the arrows of Prince Yula. The great Ling army then forded the Southern River and advanced directly to the plain of Aimatang, where they established their camp. The vast forces of Ling converged there, their tents stretching across the earth in unbroken array.