Ever since the creation of the world, the Orthodox Sects and the Demon Sects have been battling for dominance. Fifty years ago, in an epic battle, the Orthodox Sects wiped out the Demon Sects and killed their leader, Yu Ji. Since then, the Orthodox Sects have dominated the Martial Arts World. Recently however, the Demon Sects have begun regrouping. The Demon King Ma Biao has been gathering forces and seems poised to challenge the Orthodox Sects. He is aided by three young disciples; the most gifted among them is Yang Jiang, ‘Demon of Death’.
Autumn. The air was cool and crisp, like a refreshing drink of cool water. The breeze fluttered around, gently caressing everything it touched. The falling red leaves fluttered down, sparsed in the cool mid-autumn air. It was past midnight. The mist made the night even scarier in Lu Graveyard. Strange sounds could be heard. It was as if the dead would rise up from their graves at any moment.
Suddenly, the sound of steps could be heard. The steps caused dust to blow and merge with the mist. A man was walking in the graveyard. The man was in his late fifties. His large head contrasted with his slim body. His mustache was quite long. He was wearing a white robe, but it had become grey due to the dust.
"Yang Jiang, you evil Demon, come out!", he said with crystal clear voice.
A man appeared from behind the trees, where he had been hiding. He was tall and refined. He had long black hair, was wearing a purple silk robe and held a long sword on his right hand. A black mask covered his entire face. No one, aside from the Demon King himself, had ever seen his real face.
Yang Jiang walked forward fully confident and with a smile on his face, although the mask concealed it. He had an air of winner in him. He also did not seem surprised that this man had come to the graveyard looking for him. It was as if he had predicted that this man would come here.
“Taoist Yao I suppose?”, Jiang asked.
“I know that you are going to meet with Wu here tonight! Too bad I discovered your plan… Now I am going to kill both you and that traitor.”
Jiang laughed. “I have already met with Wu and he has already told me where the ‘Five Elements Scroll’ is. He also told me that you suspected him. So you are not the one spoiling my plans; it’s the opposite.”
Yao clenched his fists in anger and said, “I will not let you get that scroll!”
“You are delusional. Do you really think that with your meagre skills you can be my match? I am not known as the ‘Demon of Death’ for nothing…”
Yao unsheathed his sword. The blade of the sword was emitting a blue light and Yao's face reflected upon it. The blade was so clear that it was like a mirror. On the other hand, Jiang's sword was old, rusty and covered with dust. That sword was also scarred, a sign that it had fought many battles. One would expect a more refined sword considering the fame of Jiang. This sword looked like a cheap sabre which anyone with a modest income could buy.
Yet, in the eyes of a great swordsman, the difference between Yao and Jiang and their respective swords was already clear. Yao was a man holding a sword. Jiang had become one with his sword.
In a split of a second, the two swords had collided. A loud clang sound was heard and it seemed like the earth shook. Jiang lunged forward and pushed back Yao with vicious and quick attacks. Yao, forced on the defensive, channeled his internal energy into his sword; he then counterattacked. His attacks were ferocious but Jiang parried them with ease.
“I am disappointed”, Jiang said. “I expected you to be more powerful.”
Yao pointed his sword at Jiang and thrust it towards him. As the sword sped forward, a loud sound was heard, revealing the strength behind the thrust. Jiang did not even move his feet. His sword flickered and stabbed Yao's shoulder. Yao, screaming in pain, let his sword fall on the ground. With a swift move, Jiang slashed his sword across Yao’s chest. He collapsed on the ground; dead.
Jiang grinned. “You died in a graveyard; how fitting.”
With Taoist Yao dead, Jiang could now head to Changsan Monastery. Individuals cultivating Qi could have magical powers and fly freely through the air. So Jiang, using his internal energy, flew on his sword and headed to the Monastery. It was located on the foot of Changsan Mountain.
Jiang landed near the Monastery and approached it on foot. The vegetation around the Monastery was lush; there were hundreds of wild flowers which were glowing with bright colored butterflies. The sweet smell of the flowers cut through the soft scent of the grass. When Jiang finally reached the Monastery, he somersaulted and swiftly landed inside, bypassing its tall walls.
‘Good’, Jiang thought, ‘now I only have to reach Reverend Song’s room’.
As it was still night, Jiang could use the darkness to his advantage, sneaking in the hallways of the Monastery and with speed heading to the Reverend’s room. Moving quickly and evading night patrols, he finally reached Reverend Song’s room. He barged inside the modestly sized wooden room to find the Reverend meditating. He was an old man with white hair and beard, large eyes and a sturdy and strong stature. Reverend Song was the Sect Leader of Changsan Sect, one of three Orthodox Sects, and thus had the reputation of being one of the greatest masters in the entire Martial Arts World.
“I knew you would come sooner or later”, Song said. “You Demons have been mobilizing for some time and have been gathering forces for an all-out attack, so I guessed that you would attempt to steal the ‘Five Elements Scroll’ sooner or later.”
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Jiang smirked. “I do hope you will offer me a greater challenge than that stinky priest Yao. He was defeated far too easily.”
Ignoring Jiang’s attempts to provoke him, Song calmly replied; “Even if you get the scroll, it will be of no use to you. Only those with the purest heart may learn this scroll. The rest will be harmed fatally.”
“Do you really expect me to believe this crap?”, Jiang asked.
Jiang suddenly flung poisonous darts at Song, who dodged all but one of them with ease; the last dart, however, managed to hit Song’s shoulder. The Reverend felt weak and dizzy.
“I knew you are a Demon”, he said, “but I never expected you would use such dirty tricks.”
The Reverend them mustered all his internal energy and directed it at Jiang, who also directed his internal energy at the Reverend. The two beams met, causing the ground to shake, and both men were pushed back. Song had cultivated his Qi for hundreds of years and would have been able to match Jiang but due to the poison he was severely weakened.
Jiang charged and struck out at Song with his left hand with such power that his palm made a whistling sound. Song countered the blow with his right hand and at the same time struck with his left palm at Jiang, who used his other hand to parry Song's attack, and their four hands met. Both of them were pushed back as they were equally strong. Jiang then struck at Song with both fists, one of which was easily blocked by Song but the other slammed into his shoulder. Exploiting his advantageous position, Jiang quickly kicked Song’s chest with a powerful back kick. Before Song could fight back, his face became pale. He vomited blood and fell on his knees. Both his stomach and head ached terribly. Clearly, the poison had taken full effect. Laughing, Jiang grabbed Song by the hair and punched his fist on his face, killing him.
With the Reverend dead, Jiang went to his bed. Under his pillow was a book with blue cover and with the words ‘Five Elements Scroll’ inscribed on it. “At last”, he said, “I found it. With this scroll, we will crush the Orthodox Sects. I can even kill my teacher and become the new Demon King. The whole world will bow before me!”
Jiang sneaked out of the room and quietly and carefully made his way out of the Monastery. As soon as he had left behind the Monastery, Jiang opened the book. He could wait no longer to read it. As he began reading the first few lines, he exclaimed; “This is magnificent!”. Thus he began following the instructions of the scroll and directing his internal energy as it prescribed.
Suddenly, Jiang felt as his whole body was burning. He trembled and every part of his body ached. His face became ashen white and he vomited blood. He screamed in pain and cried out but no one was hearing. “This script sucks the internal energy out of me!”, he screamed as his years of cultivation of Qi and mastery of martial arts went to waste. The pain was so severe that he lost his consciousness and collapsed on the grassy ground.
Darkness. Numbness. Jiang couldn’t see or feel anything until streaks of sunlight penetrated the room’s windows and woke him up. He found himself lying on a bed. His whole body was bruised and aching. ‘What am I doing here?’, he wondered. With great effort, he managed to get up. It was then when his savior walked into the room. It was a grizzled old man with a red nose, dressed in simple peasant clothes and smoking a pipe.
“Why are you up?”, the old man said. “You should be resting.”
“Where am I?”, Jiang asked. “What am I doing here?”
“I am Guo Tang. I found you unconscious on the mountain when I was strolling there and so brought you to my home to recuperate.”
“Thanks…”, Jiang reluctantly said, still not sure if he could trust the old man. “I have another question. Do you know who I am?”
“You don’t remember?”
Jiang scratched his head and thought for a moment but he could not remember anything at all; not even his name. “I have no idea who I am, what may name is, where I come from, where is my home.”
“You look like a young literati to me.”, Tang replied.
Without his mask, Jiang’s real face could be seen; he had a handsome face with brown eyes. He looked youthful, no older than twenty. His good looks and his refined clothing indeed made him look like a literati.
“I am pretty sure that I am not a literati.”, Jiang replied. “Although I cannot remember my past, I do feel that I may have been a swordsman; otherwise, how would I be in this state, all bruised?”
“Well, since you do not remember your name, how are you going to call yourself?”
Jiang thought for a moment. “I guess, I…will call myself Qiang Feng.”
This was the first name that came to his mind, so he thought that it may actually be his name.
“What are you going to do next?”, Tang asked.
Feng sighed. “I do not know. I have no idea at all.”
Tang smiled. “I have an idea. I am on friendly terms with Qingxao Sect. They may agree to take you in.”
Qingxao was the largest of the Orthodox Sects; with its leader seen as head of the Orthodox Sects, it enjoyed the greatest prestige in the Martial Arts World. Its martial arts and swordsmanship were considered to be without equal. Its students were renowned for upholding justice and fighting against evil.
“I am grateful for your help!”, Feng said and bowed before the old man. “I only hope that one day I will be able to repay you the debt I owe you.”
Tang helped him get up and said, “Do not speak nonsense; you do not owe me anything. I am glad that I can be of help.”