Summer Night

That perfectly pleasant voice fell on Ding Songyan's ears like an impermanence ghost come to claim his soul.

"Damn it, I forgot someone would come knocking to hurry me along!"

Ding Songyan's eyes flew open, and he sat up.

From behind the screen, Ding Qingyan asked sleepily:

"Second Brother, why did you suddenly sit up?"

Ding Songyan was already looking toward the oiled-paper-covered window, where he saw the girl Xiaoqing standing with a faint smile.

She wore a plain white short jacket with a round collar and overlapping lapels, paired with a silk-yellow pleated skirt. Her hair was casually tied up and fell softly down her back, with a pearl-and-gold hairpin tucked into it.

Beneath the bright moonlight, she raised her right index finger and held it upright against her lips.

Ding Songyan easily understood what she meant. Through the screen, he said to Ding Qingyan:

"I got back late today and forgot that I still hadn't written tomorrow morning's script. I had no choice but to get up and work."

Seriously? In my past life I had to stay up late working, and in this life I still have to stay up late working?

Ding Qingyan's tone relaxed, a smile hidden in her voice.

"Second Brother, thanks for your effort. I'll wait to see it tomorrow morning."

She doesn't even feel sorry for her brother and tell me not to stay up writing... Ding Songyan put on his clothes, moved the wooden crates around, and pieced together a makeshift table and chairs.

After lighting the oil lamp and laying out the paper and inkstone, he glanced at Xiaoqing, who had already sat down beside the bed, then rubbed his face to shake off the last traces of sleepiness.

The key to this installment was the flooding of Jinshan Temple, but he couldn't write only about spellcasting. The characters' transformations and the eruption of their emotions mattered more.

So he had Xu Xian witness Bai Suzhen braving every danger to save him, disregarding life and death. This made him recall all the love they had shared, and finally overcome his fear of the snake demon and choose to return to his wife's side. Thus, he took Lady White from "Rain Breaks the Heart, Wind Sheds Tears" to "For just these words, I would break my heart without regret." (Note 1)

Naturally, the process had to include "Great Might Heavenly Dragon," "Overturn Rivers and Seas," and "Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms." The writing was to be a riot of color, dazzling and magnificent.

No sooner had Ding Songyan finished a page and set it aside to let the ink dry than Xiaoqing took it away and began reading closely, one page after another.

"Hurry up." Xiaoqing urged him on with a hint of a nasal tone.

Feeling that his sister was already fast asleep, Ding Songyan finally dared to speak.

"Miss Xiaoqing, how could I write as fast as you read?"

Ever since Xiaoqing had revealed her snake tail, his form of address for the girl had quietly changed back to "Miss"—Miss Xiaoqing.

From girl to heroine, and then from heroine back to girl, their relationship had clearly grown more intimate.

Xiaoqing understood the reasoning as well. She sniffed and said:

"I'm just impatient to know what happens next."

I'm afraid you'll hit me later... Ding Songyan shook his head inwardly and turned his brush.

With Yan Nantian's initial aid and the Green Snake's desperate struggle, Bai Suzhen successfully took Xu Xian out of Jinshan Temple. But earlier, Fahai had provoked her into flooding the place, harming innocent people and violating the laws of Heaven. In the end, all she got was separation from her husband and a fate of being eternally confined beneath Leifeng Pagoda.

Xiaoqing finished reading the page, then remained silent for a long while.

Before she could speak, Ding Songyan took the initiative.

"The broad outline of the rest is that Xu Xian blames and wounds himself, withdrawing from the world to cultivate in a Daoist temple. Xu Shilin, reincarnation of the Martial Qu Star, grows up under the care of his uncle and aunt, and after causing trouble time and again, learns who his birth parents are and where they have gone.

"He travels far from home, enters a top sect, and learns unparalleled divine arts. At last, he cleaves open Mount Hua—no, Leifeng Pagoda—and rescues Lady White. Then he returns to the Daoist temple to bring Xu Xian back, and the family is finally reunited."

As Ding Songyan continued weaving the story, he realized that it was turning into Lotus Lantern, with Chenxiang cleaving open the mountain to save his mother.

"Good, good, good!" Xiaoqing spoke with a faint sob in her voice.

Seeing that her emotions had stabilized, Ding Songyan decided to get to the main point.

"Miss Xiaoqing, what troubles me now is this: which school should Xu Shilin join, and which divine art should he cultivate, for him to deal with Fahai and open Leifeng Pagoda...?"

He had previously established Xu Shilin as the Martial Qu Star for two reasons. First, this world clearly valued martial pursuits over literary ones, and ordinary people preferred listening to tales about martial arts. Second, it laid the groundwork for asking Xiaoqing for information later, giving him a proper excuse so everything could proceed naturally.

Xiaoqing rubbed the corners of her eyes and looked at Ding Songyan, waiting for him to continue.

Ding Songyan prattled on:

"You know that I've forgotten many things. At present, my understanding of the martial world is limited to the anecdotes and strange tales told by storytellers. I know nothing else."

At this point, he revealed the dagger hidden beneath the cloak.

"I wonder if I might ask your advice?"

"Eh?" Xiaoqing first froze, then sat up straight in delight, adopting the bearing of a learned teacher.

She had never expected that she could participate in the creation, or even instruct Second Brother Ding.

Clearing her throat, she nodded slowly.

"I know a little about the affairs of the martial world.

"Mm. The martial arts of the Heaven-Tilting Dao came from Gonggong, who fought for the position of Celestial Emperor before the severing of Heaven and Earth. It is called the 'Mountain-Breaking Heaven-Tilting Scripture.' In ancient times, this technique could crash through Mount Buzhou. Compared with that, what is a mere Leifeng Pagoda reinforced by a formation? Even now, once cultivated to a profound level, breaking it should be no challenge."

Gonggong? Master of all waters, crusher of a thousand mountains, lord of wrath, breaker of Heaven and destroyer of Earth, destroyer of law and order... Ding Songyan pondered, then asked:

"Where is the Heaven-Tilting Dao now?"

"It is one of the upper nine paths among the Twenty-One Paths of Evil Demons. I don't know where it is." Xiaoqing answered honestly.

Ding Songyan let out an "Uh."

"That doesn't sound very good. Wouldn't that make Xu Shilin an evil outsider?"

"There are good inheritances from Gonggong too. The 'Water Virtue Commentary,' for example." Xiaoqing also felt that Ding Songyan had a point. After defending it, she continued, "Then choose another. The Nine Heavens Sect's 'Chaos Creation Record' originates from Torch Dragon. Its fundamental technique, the 'Creation-Opening Technique,' is enough to break open Leifeng Pagoda."

Torch Dragon's inheritance... the Creation-Opening Technique... Isn't that giving Leifeng Pagoda a little too much credit? Ding Songyan asked curiously:

"Which country is the Nine Heavens Sect in?"

"New Yu." Xiaoqing maintained her scholarly bearing.

"That... doesn't sound very good either." Ding Songyan hesitated. "New Yu counts as an enemy nation. How can Xu Shilin learn the martial arts of an enemy country?"

Xiaoqing was both exasperated and amused.

"Where did you get so many scruples?"

"It's not that I have scruples. The readers will dislike it." Ding Songyan put on a smile. "Most of the people listening to my stories are from Great Zhao. I can't make them resentful."

Xiaoqing helplessly exhaled.

"Then use the Xingtian Clan's 'Heaven-Breaking Treasure Record.'"

"The Xingtian Clan..." Ding Songyan pointed at his head. "Wouldn't their appearance be too frightening? Xu Shilin is supposed to be a handsome young man."

Xiaoqing couldn't help glancing up at the roof beam.

"Let me think. Let me think some more... The Divine Firmament Sect, perhaps. Your Great Zhao's Divine Firmament Sect. Whether it's the 'Heaven's Punishment Collection' or the 'Nine Divine Firmament Mansions,' both possess a fierce, unyielding side capable of crushing mountains and razing cities. Once one reaches the appropriate realm, breaking Leifeng Pagoda wouldn't be too difficult."

"This is good. This is very good." Ding Songyan stopped finding faults.

It suited Xu Shilin perfectly.

Besides, Lady White had been eternally confined beneath Leifeng Pagoda for violating Heaven's laws. If Xu Shilin cultivated the "Heaven's Punishment Collection," the two would correspond perfectly. Every cause had its effect; all of it had been predetermined.

Xiaoqing first smiled, then slightly furrowed her brows.

"After this, you absolutely cannot directly mention the names of these two techniques. Otherwise, before you even finish telling this installment, you'll find yourself in the magistrate's prison.

"You'll have to change them."

The orthodox sects openly promote only the fundamental arts of evil outsiders while keeping their own secret? Ding Songyan thought for a moment, remembering a martial art with a rather comical name that he could no longer fully recite.

"How about changing it to 'Nine Heavens Ten Earths Bodhisattva Fears Fear Thunderbolt Lightning Palm'?"

"Remove 'Bodhisattva Fears Fear.' It's too unserious." Xiaoqing criticized him. "Mm. 'Nine Heavens Ten Earths Thunderbolt Lightning Palm' sounds good."

Ding Songyan took the opportunity to ask:

"Miss Xiaoqing, do you know anything about the Xiaoming Sect?"

"You want to write the Xiaoming Sect into the story as an orthodox sect to curry favor with them?" Xiaoqing thought she had guessed Second Brother Ding's intentions.

She recalled what she knew and said:

"The Xiaoming Sect inherited its teachings from the two goddesses Xiaoming and Zhuguang. Each possesses a fundamental art: one is the 'Celestial Stars Scripture,' and the other is the 'Illuminating the Long Night Scripture.' Unfortunately, the final portions of both divine arts—from the Law Realm to the Celestial-Human Realm—were lost long ago.

"You mustn't mention the names of those two fundamental arts directly either. What the martial world knows are the individual techniques derived from them, such as the 'Bi Moon Illusory Form,' the Southern Dipper Calamity-Transcending Steps, the Northern Dipper Killing Sword, and the Seven Night-Illuminating Swords."

"The 'Celestial Stars Scripture'?" Ding Songyan raised an eyebrow. "Does it include the Celestial Stars Formation?"

"The crucial parts were lost long ago. It simply can't be arranged." Xiaoqing answered casually.

Then she suddenly froze and looked at Ding Songyan suspiciously.

"How do you know about the Celestial Stars Formation?"

"The 'Celestial Stars Scripture' obviously corresponds to the celestial stars, and that sounds perfect for arranging a formation." Ding Songyan quickly came up with an excuse.

Xiaoqing did not suspect anything. The golden hairpin atop her head trembled with every movement.

"At present, there is only the Northern Dipper Sword Formation, which requires seven people, and the Heavenly Dipper Sword Formation, which requires thirty-six."

Ding Songyan very much wanted to ask whether the Xiaoming Sect possessed the complete "Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas," but he felt that the timing was wrong. He shouldn't know about the "Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas" yet, so he reluctantly suppressed the impulse and asked:

"I wonder what the Xiaoming Sect values most when accepting disciples?"

Xiaoqing shot him a sidelong glance.

"How would I know?

"Who would care about something like that?"

I would... Ding Songyan felt somewhat disappointed.

Still, the matter had now been brought into the open. He could investigate it through the Zhen Estate later.

Xiaoqing placed the page in her hand back on the wooden crate, stood up, and waved with a radiant smile.

"Second Brother Ding, get a good rest. Tomorrow, you'll need to pull yourself together and tell this installment well."

Wasn't it you who disturbed my rest? Ding Songyan turned and walked toward the door.

"What are you doing?" Xiaoqing asked curiously as she prepared to leave.

Ding Songyan sighed.

"The summer heat is unbearable, and the room is stifling. I'm afraid of letting mosquitoes in if I open the window, so I thought I'd enjoy the cool air in the courtyard for a while before sleeping."

The weather was sweltering, and after writing for so long, he was drenched in sweat.

"Oh, oh." Xiaoqing smiled kindly. "Then let me help you."

She raised her hand and pressed it against Ding Songyan's shoulder.

Ding Songyan's vision first went black, and he felt his body sway. Then he saw his own courtyard wall and gate—from the outside.

"I think the stretch from Chengyu Lane to Fengshui Bridge is cool and comfortable. You should give it a try." Xiaoqing appeared before Ding Songyan with her maid, clapped her hands together, and said with a smile, "We'll be leaving now."

Ding Songyan looked at the tightly shut courtyard gate and the rather tall wall.

"Miss Xiaoqing, how am I supposed to get back to my room and sleep afterward?"

Xiaoqing blinked and did not respond for a moment.

Ding Songyan was about to speak again when, from the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of a faint mist blending into the darkness at the mouth of the lane. Blurred figures moved within it, some dressed in ragged clothes, others clad in armor and carrying sharp weapons.

But in the blink of an eye, everything vanished again.

Note 1: Quoted from "Waiting a Thousand Years," the theme song of New Legend of the White Snake.