The Sole Survivors Return with Dreadful Tidings

The five thousand Men soldiers who had been stationed to guard the southern river crossings had been slaughtered almost to a man by the Ling forces, only three ordinary soldiers remained alive. Without regard for day or night, they fled back toward their own camp, but in their panic and confusion, they took a wrong turn and found themselves on a path frequented only by wild beasts and monkeys. With no other option, they turned back and eventually reached the Nimu Kurlong region, where they stopped for the night. The next day, they continued their journey and arrived at the Memorial Mother Lake Plain before midnight.

At that hour, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Gula Tuojie, was on the verge of sleep inside his Treasure Flame Tiger Tent when the three soldiers came to seek an audience. They reported in detail how the southern river crossings had fallen to the Ling army, how ministers such as Damu Dongdui and Yuru Mingchin had perished along with most of their troops beneath Ling blades, and how the Ling forces had occupied the Ematang Plain and established their camp. "What are we to do?" they asked desperately.

When Minister Gula Tuojie heard this news, rage blazed within him. He struck the great war drum with thunderous beats, summoning his subordinate officers to council within the Treasure Flame Tiger Tent. Moments later, having donned his three pieces of armor and mounted his goose-yellow swift horse, he rode alone and unaccompanied straight toward the Ling camp.

As he approached the banks of the Nimu River, the Ling scouts spotted a solitary rider in yellow robes upon a yellow horse galloping toward them, and they knew at once it was Gula Tuojie, the Minister of Internal Affairs from the Men Kingdom. The Ling heroes immediately flew into a flurry of activity, each vying to be the first to claim glory.

Danma and Gula Clash in Single Combat

From the eastern camp's Blue Tassel Regiment, Chaxiang Danma swiftly donned his armor, mounted his warhorse, and raced to the great meadow on this side of the Auspicious Emblem Bridge River, where he met Gula Tuojie face to face. The two reined in their horses, standing tall in their saddles, exchanging not a single word. After a long moment, Chaxiang Danma Jangcha spoke: "You there, yellow-robed and short upon your yellow horse! Are you not the old monkey Gula of the south? Your fame is great, Gula Tuojie, though we have never met, your name is known far and wide. All nations under heaven have heard of you, and today I am honored to make your acquaintance. I have come to this place at this time to demand the return of our stolen horses, to reclaim our plundered property, and to seek blood-justice for our murdered men!"

Danma loosed an arrow that flew true, striking Gula directly in the chest. Though Gula wore nine layers of shield-plating, they could not withstand the iron arrowhead, it shattered them with a resounding clang. The mirror-sized golden buckler beneath his robe proved equally useless. Danma's arrow pierced through Gula's brocade robe and golden armor, driving deep into his flesh. Yet Gula was no ordinary man, he was a true demon-spawn, and the Demon King of Delight had placed seven iron amulet-balls the size of peas within his heart, both dark and light chambers alike. A jade thumb-ring from the Great Demon King also lay concealed upon his chest between those same chambers. It would take more than a single arrow to slay him.

Gula thought to himself: This Ling warrior Danma is famous near and far, but now I see his archery is merely ordinary. He is truly overrated, no real skill to speak of. He then drew his own bow and said aloud: "Today I see that you, Danma of Ling, are nothing but a hollow name, a cowardly fox! This very day, your death has come!"

Gula loosed his arrow. It struck Danma's Heavenly Roc White Helmet, knocking it from his head to land beside the left end of the bridge. The arrow passed clean through a birch trunk that nine grown men could not encircle with their arms, emerged trailing black smoke, and flew all the way to the rocky mountain on the far bank. There it shattered the stone into fragments, sending lime dust billowing into the sky and causing a rain of gravel to fall. The poison on the arrowhead overwhelmed Danma, he grew dizzy as if drunk and tumbled from his horse's back.

From the eastern camp of the Ling stronghold, Bara charged forth at the head of the pursuit. From the northern camp came the Red Sinba and Adanam; from the southern camp, Yula Toju; from the central camp, Gade and other heroes, all surged out of their tents. Some gave chase to Gula, while Gade, Bara, and Yula quickly lifted Danma by the back and carried him back to the Ling camp. Gula, satisfied that sending Danma tumbling from his saddle would strike terror into hearts for miles around, chose not to press further and galloped swiftly back to the royal city. Only after the time it takes to drink a bowl of tea did Danma gradually regain consciousness.

The King Rewards His Hero and Seeks the Master's Counsel

On the Men side, King Xinchi could not stop singing Gula's praises: "Gula Tuojie! You are a true hero among heroes! With a single arrow, you laid low Danma of the Ling army! There is no braver man under heaven than you!"

He then bestowed upon Gula ten fine horses, ten mules, embroidered boots, peacock feathers, rubies, ten golden vajras, ten silver vajras, and ten turquoise vajras, countless treasures awarded in recognition of his deeds. King Xinchi then gave the order to pursue the advantage: "At tomorrow's first light of dawn, I shall dispatch five great generals to the Ling camp. We will slaughter the Ling warriors and fill the entire plain with their corpses!"

But the ministers felt this was unwise.

As the debate raged without resolution, one minister spoke up: "Let us not argue amongst ourselves. Matters we cannot decide should be referred to the Master. Our One-Legged Demon Master is a sage of the highest order. When he is angered, enemies suffer calamity; when he is at peace, all three realms tremble in awe; when he moves, he soars upon the wind. He understands all things. He can extend the lifespan of those marked for death, can encompass the three thousand worlds, and can foresee the future. We have honored him and worshipped him daily, now, at this critical moment, let us seek his guidance."

King Xinchi found this suggestion most agreeable. He commanded the prince-attendants Dawa Chacheng and Dongde Yuega: "Take precious jewels, fine silks of every color, meat, butter, cheese, and other offerings. Go at once to the mountain hermitage of the Red-Faced Rakshasa and present yourselves to our refuge-lord, the One-Legged Demon Master. Tell him how the Ling army has invaded our land, and beseech him to read the signs, cast the divination, and consult the oracle. Ask whether we should engage in bloody hand-to-hand combat with the mighty Ling forces, and what the outcome shall be."

The two ministers obeyed the king's command without delay. They wrapped up all the offerings for the Master and set out upon their journey without hesitation.

The Elders' Confession and the Master's Oracle

While the rulers and ministers of the Men Kingdom waited in anxious patience for the One-Legged Demon Master's reply, the two elders seated in the chief positions of the middle row, Aqiong Guru and Muqiong Guru, rose from their seats. They placed two large chests and three small chests before the assembled lords and ministers, then each took out a white ceremonial scarf and laid it upon King Xinchi's golden table. Finally, they presented a six-folded cloud-brocade precious robe before the assembly, and to explain the root cause of the enmity between Men and Ling, they sang:

"If you do not know who I am, I am the leader of the Men Kingdom's fifty thousand households. Aqiong Dangang is my name; Aqiong Guru is my true title. Born under an unlucky star, I was once a mere sentinel of Men, through youth, adulthood, and old age, I suffered every hardship until my hair turned white. To tell you the root of this matter: in times long past, merchants of the Men Kingdom traveled to Zhongdian and Chawarong to buy salt. At the Dawu White Salt Lake, they traded white rice and red rice for white salt and red salt. On their return journey to Men, they passed through the demon land of Lingga, where the villain Darong Chao Tong used his dark powers to slaughter many of our salt-buying ministers. I, Aqiong Dangang of the Men Kingdom, knew nothing of this. I too went to Lingga to sell rice, intending to purchase salt in the north. But there in that demon land of Lingga, the official Qula and Qupei cut off my path to the north. With no choice, I returned to Men. Then I selected sixty of our bravest warriors, raised an elite Blue Tassel force, and led an army of one hundred fifty thousand to destroy the tribes of Lingga. We two old men led the raids, killed their men and horses, plundered their treasures, seized ninety-nine geldings, and carried off the six-folded cloud-brocade robe. On the heights of Zhuzi and Qingzi Mountains, Daren Cuocha Angya and Meiqing Jiawa Laben intercepted our army on its return, killing many of our elite soldiers and horses. In the end, two great ministers of Ling fell beneath our blades. When we returned to our homeland of Men and were living in peace and prosperity, that Darong official Chao Tong led fifteen thousand men to the Southern River Bend, boasting threats as vast as mountains collapsing. We two old men spared him, let five thousand Ling soldiers live, allowed Chao Tong to return home unharmed. From then on, we each kept to our own borders. But the seed of grievance had already been sown. Now we two old men would do best to keep to our proper place. For when a shepherd's dog grows old and confused, it cannot chase down the great stag. When a steed reaches old age, it cannot gallop across the plain. Think well, lords and ministers, when a man is old and weak, how can he win glory in battle? When death approaches and illness wracks the body, how can he charge the enemy's ranks? This old man has no more strength to give. I beg you, grant us leave from the battlefield. Show mercy to us two old men, allow us to lay down our arms and return to our homeland."

When Aqiong Guru finished his song, the lords, ministers, and soldiers of Men cried out as one: "These two old men have piled up a mountain of calamity and spun a river of grievance! Now that the great enemy stands at our Mens, they ask for leave! If the root of this conflict between Men and Ling truly lies with the six-folded cloud-brocade robe, why did they not speak a single word before the Ling army entered our lands?"

Minister Gula Tuojie declared: "The root of this Men-Ling conflict lies with these two old men! Now that we face the enemy, there shall be no leave granted. I order these two elders to guard the western Macha Chizong Castle and hold back the enemy's fury!"

The other generals joined in heaping rebuke upon them. At last, King Xinchi spoke: "When the sparrowhawk is at the door, what use is it for mother and child sparrows to fight among themselves? When the old wolf of the mountain is upon us, how shameful for sheep to squabble over their own fodder! Instead, let us examine this cloud-brocade robe and see what manner of thing it is."

They passed the robe from hand to hand, each struggling to get a better look. It was a marvel: the six-folded cloud-brocade robe would not burn in fire, could not be cut by sword, and could not be split by axe. The lords and ministers marveled: "We have transported many goods from Jhana, but never have we seen such a treasure as this."

King Xinchi placed the six-folded cloud-brocade robe back in its chest and entrusted it temporarily to the two elders for safekeeping, saying the matter would be settled later. He then dispatched the two old men to command the Purple Tassel Regiment and guard the great camp in accordance with the king's will.

Meanwhile, the prince-attendants Dawa Chacheng and Dongde Yuega had arrived at the One-Legged Demon Master's hermitage. The Master already knew of their coming. He stepped out of the Senbo Dongma Cave and laughed heartily at the young messengers: "I knew you would come, so I came out to greet you. Now I will tell you only this: the great Men Kingdom will make its decision within seven days. Whatever the frontier troops may do, do not concern yourselves with them. Now come into the cave, I shall give you something you will sorely need."

The young messenger Dongding Weiga received from the Master a black cord tied in nine knots. Then the Master closed his eyes and sat in meditation, casting the divination for the coming conflict. After a long while, the oracle-master spoke slowly: "This casting shows both good and ill, more ill than good. The Men Kingdom will suffer the calamity of war; men and beasts will face blood-disaster. The peaceful will be caught in misfortune; those who dash eggs against stones will bleed and be wounded. Facing this coming scourge, let not the lords and ministers forget: discipline your troops strictly, make ready your armor and helmets, add luster to your plumes, adjust the saddles and bridles of your steeds, coat your weapons with poison, and reinforce your quivers and scabbards. I shall perform protective rituals here for three months and see whether there is any means of averting this disaster. If I cannot turn it aside, then no other remedy remains."

Having spoken, the two ministers mounted their horses and returned to the great castle of Dongri Langzong, where they reported the Master's words and the results of his divination, one by one, to the lords and ministers of the southern kingdom.