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Danma’s Heroic Encounter with Hor

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When Danma saw the Hor army’s massive formation, it was clear they were determined to invade Ling Gabu. He immediately ordered his twenty-one knights to ride back and report to the Ling tribes, while he stayed behind to observe and act when the time came. Danma thought to himself: As a brave general, if I cannot teach them a lesson today, I might as well be dead.

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Calmly, he gathered holly from the sunny hills, cypress from the shady mountains, and lemongrass from the valleys. He lit these as offerings, and as the fragrant smoke rose into the sky like white clouds, Danma sang a hymn to the God of War. He was preparing to face the Hor army alone.

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Suddenly, Danma’s silver-gray horse spoke: “The Hor army is as numerous as cattle. It’s just the two of us—one man and one horse. If we attack directly, we’ll fail. Instead, let’s disguise ourselves as a lame man and a lame horse. You can walk on foot, and I’ll limp forward with an empty saddle. Once we reach the Hor army, we’ll strike with full force.”

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Danma liked the idea. He disguised himself as a lame man, and the horse limped beside him. Together, they slowly approached the Hor camp.

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At the Hor camp, Sinba Meruze saw the figures of a lame man and a lame horse descending Yarlasa Mountain. He said, “Honorable White Tent King, the prophecy of Gijum Yixi has come true! A lame man and a lame horse have appeared. Something strange is about to happen.”

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Danma reached a hill near the Hor camp. He lowered his white helmet’s visor, tightened his white armor, secured his weapons, and mounted his horse. Like a streak of red lightning, he charged into the Hor camp.

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He targeted Sinba’s camp first, slashing down tents and overturning eighteen cooking stoves. Smoke and ash filled the air, darkening the sky. Danma then rushed to the pastures, gathering all of Hor’s warhorses. Among them were five “soul horses” belonging to Hor’s kings and officials.

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As Danma drove the horses away, Sinba Meruze warned the White Tent King: “My king, look at what just one man and one horse have done. If Ling sends their full army, we will be doomed. Let’s not spill blood over one woman. We have plenty of beautiful women in Hor. Why not choose another bride instead?”

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But the White Tent King mocked him: “I only want Zhumuo. Stop talking! Instead of chasing after your stolen horses, you’re here complaining. You’re supposed to be brave, but today you’ve become a coward. If you’re scared of Ling, then go home!”

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Humiliated, Meruze armed himself and rode out with 3,600 Sinba warriors in pursuit of Danma.

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The Encounter with Meruze

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As Danma drove the herd of horses, he noticed a group of pursuers approaching from behind. He thought, Who are these people chasing me? While thinking, he continued to slowly lead the horses toward the right side of Yarlasa Mountain.

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Soon, Meruze came charging forward at full speed. From a distance, Danma recognized him and thought, This must be Meruze, the famous general of Hor. I need to come up with a strategy to deal with him. If I rely on brute force alone, it will be difficult to defeat him quickly.

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When Meruze caught up, he did not hide his identity. He harshly said, “We, the Hor army, are heading to Jiana. Why did you, a black dwarf from Ling, attack us without reason? Are you relying on King Gesar’s name to act so arrogantly? Do you think Hor will tolerate this? If you insist on taking our horses, don’t blame me, Sinba Meruze, for spilling your blood!”

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Danma knew Meruze’s reputation as a highly skilled and brave warrior. He looked imposing and truly lived up to his fame. But Danma was also a renowned hero of Ling Gabu. He replied, “I’m nothing but a shepherd from Ling. This morning, I put on this armor because a bird delivered a message warning us that Hor plans to invade Ling Gabu. That’s why I was sent to investigate. Now that your army has forced its way here, Ling has no choice but to fight back. My bravery may not match yours, but today I would rather die fighting like a tiger than live as a cowardly fox!”

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Meruze Tests Danma

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Danma’s claim of being a shepherd was false, but his determination to fight was genuine. Meruze, however, suspected that this so-called shepherd was actually Danma. He wasn’t completely certain but thought to himself, This man doesn’t seem ordinary. Words alone won’t scare him. I’ll shoot an arrow and see how he reacts. If he’s afraid, he’ll flee. If not, he’s likely who I think he is.

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Meruze then summoned the three demon gods of Hor—White, Black, and Flower divisions—who conjured three eagles to circle above in the sky. Meruze laughed and mocked Danma, saying, “Hey, Ling’s little purple boy, prepare for blood to flow from your neck! Watch how I deal with the middle eagle, for the same fate will befall you!”

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He drew his bow and shot an arrow. From the arrowhead burst three balls of fire, each the size of horse dung. Like a meteor, the arrow struck the middle eagle, which fell straight to the ground in front of Danma.

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Seeing this, Danma thought, This eagle must symbolize Ling Gabu. This is not a good sign. Meruze’s arrows not only hit their mark but create fire like meteors. My own skills with a bow are precise, but they cannot match this level of power. I’ll need to rely on more than just my arrows to defeat him.

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The Divine Wolves and Danma’s Victory

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As Danma was deep in thought, the goddess Langmangamu cast the souls, fortunes, and lives of the three Hor kings into three wild wolves. The wolves appeared at the base of the mountain, becoming Danma’s targets.

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Seeing this, Danma roared, “Meruze! You can shoot arrows, and so can I! Watch what I do to the middle wolf, for that’s exactly what I’ll do to you!”

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Danma drew his bow, aimed, and released an arrow. It struck the middle wolf directly, and immediately, a black wind swept through, carrying the wolf’s body and tossing it in front of Meruze. Meruze grabbed the wolf by its leg, spat fire from his mouth, and smoke rose from his nose. Flames even burst from his horse’s belly and saddle bells, scorching the wolf’s fur until it was charred. Then, Meruze swallowed the wolf whole in one gulp.

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Danma wasted no time. He drew his bow again and fired five consecutive arrows, each one hitting its mark. Hidden among the herd were five “soul horses” belonging to the Hor kings and officials, and Danma killed them all. Afterward, Danma turned his attention to the rest of the horses. He let out a thunderous shout, driving the herd toward the road leading to Ling Gabu. Only then did he finally rein in his silver-gray horse and stop.

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Meruze, seeing that the five “soul horses” of the Hor kings and officials had been killed and that the entire herd had been driven away, was consumed with rage. He drew an arrow, nocked it to his bow, and unsheathed his infamous venomous sword, “Blazing Fury.” Placing the sword’s ring on his thumb, he shouted at Danma, “Shepherd boy from Ling! The things you’ve done today are too cruel and outrageous. You’ve brought disaster to two nations and doom to Ling Gabu. Watch what happens next!”

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Meruze released his arrow, and its sheer power caused blue slate to fall from the snowy mountains, entire sections of forest to collapse, and cliffs to crumble with a roar. Dust and debris flew across the grasslands. Another arrow shot straight at Danma. He leapt off his horse just in time, and the arrow struck his white helmet, knocking off the red plume in the center.

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Danma quickly picked up the red plume and thought to himself: This plume symbolizes the Bonpa royal family. Now that it’s been shot down, does this mean the Lion King is in danger? Or perhaps Jiacha’s life is at risk? He also thought: Meruze’s arrows are incredibly powerful. They can destroy snowy mountains, yet they haven’t harmed me at all. If I return an arrow, it must strike his weak spot.

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Danma’s Deadly Counterattack

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Danma drew his bow and shouted, “Meruze! Shooting arrows isn’t just about power! I won’t waste my arrows on mountains or horses. Watch how I shoot you!”

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Before finishing his words, Danma released the arrow. It flew straight and struck Meruze’s five-pointed phoenix helmet, piercing through the front and exiting the back. The arrow shaved off a palm-sized piece of Meruze’s skull, leaving his head as though it had a window cut open. Meruze immediately fell unconscious and tumbled from his horse.

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Danma quickly approached him. He saw the piece of skull lying nearby and the arrow still embedded in the ground. Looking at Meruze’s head wound, he noticed the membrane of his brain still pulsing visibly. Danma considered finishing him off with his whip, but at that moment, his silver-gray horse spoke:

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“Danma! Meruze, in his past life, was King Gesar’s own brother in the heavenly realm. The blame for invading Ling Gabu lies with the White Tent King, not Meruze. He sees Hor and Ling as his two eyes, and he holds no true hatred toward Ling. If you kill him now, you may cause trouble for the Lion King. Spare him!”

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Danma thought the horse’s words made sense. He placed the piece of Meruze’s skull into his bow pouch and turned to leave. By the time the sun had set behind the western mountains, Danma had crossed Yarlasa Mountain and returned to Ling Gabu under the cover of twilight.

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Meruze’s Recovery and Ling’s Divisions

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After Danma returned to Ling Gabu, the White Tent King in the Hor camp suddenly realized that Meruze hadn’t returned. Growing concerned, he quickly asked about Meruze’s whereabouts and sent people to search for him.

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When the Sinba warriors finally brought Meruze back, he was barely alive, missing half of his skull. His battered body shocked everyone. The three Hor kings, along with thousands of warriors from the Black and Red Divisions and officials from the twelve tribes, were all struck with fear. Anxiety and despair clouded their faces.

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The White Tent King immediately summoned Sheqing, the youngest son of King Quedar and a member of the Garwa tribe. Sheqing was a skilled healer and proficient in astrology and medicine. Under his care, it took a long period of treatment before Meruze began to recover.

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Meanwhile, Danma had successfully driven back the herd of horses he had taken from Hor. Upon returning to Ling Gabu, he distributed the horses among the various tribes of Ling. However, he deliberately excluded the Darong tribe. This was because their leader, Chaotong, had deceived everyone during the earlier discussion about the disaster bird. Danma was furious about this betrayal and left the Darong tribe out of the distribution.

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Naturally, Chaotong held a grudge against Danma. His humiliation festered, and this incident planted the seeds for future discord.

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