Seven Masters Versus The Underworld

By Dave Eber

“Tell us a story, Master Wu! Tell us a story!”

“Eh?” Old Wu cocked open one eye. Beneath his grizzled eyebrow, he saw a dozen eager round faces, beaming up at him in the afternoon sun.

“Bah. Go away. Can’t you see Master Wu is taking a nap?” Old Wu closed his eyes and pulled the brim of his hat down low over his forehead.

“Please, Master Wu,” the children said, their voices a mismatched chorus of tinkling bells. Old Wu opened his eyes again, then pushed his hat back and sat up.

“You are all naughty little urchins, depriving an old man of his rest. Very well, I see you will not be satisfied until I am in my grave.” Old Wu picked himself up, and the children let out a ragged cheer. “Li, fetch me my stool. Cho, a cup of water. Song, stop hitting your sister!” Old Wu stretched out his lanky frame and brushed off his tattered robes. The children all sat down in a loose semi-circle as he sat down on his stool, took a cool sip of water, and then faced his young audience.

“Master Wu will tell you a story of long ago, a time when ghosts roamed the forests, and sorcerers walked the length of the land, seeking ancient secrets and hidden power. A time when the empire had been corrupted by evil men who threatened the world with their villainous plans. And I will tell you of the masters of old who lived in the mountains, who had kung fu the likes of which have never been seen since. And I will tell you of how heroes rose up to face the evil that darkened our skies, and how they saved us all…”

---

Our story begins with a young man named Li Mao. Li Mao came from a small village that rested on the edge of the empire, far away from the Forbidden City. He was a student; a bright young man, handsome, and good-hearted, though not especially wise in the ways of the world. He had a slight frame, and he knew no kung fu, so as a youth he was a favorite target of the village bullies. To escape their torments, he would hide in the nearby forest. This forest was a vast and ancient place, and his mother had warned him never to wander too deeply into it. But Li Mao was a curious boy, and so he spent many hours exploring its leafy depths. As he grew into a man, he continued to wander in the forest, which had become like a second home to him. Now, Li Mao was a bit of a daydreamer, something which his teachers often scolded him for, and when he wandered the forest this was doubly true. And so it was one day that Li Mao was wandering in the forest, lost in his daydreams, when suddenly, a low moan caught his attention. Li Mao realized that he had wandered deeper into the forest than he had ever been, to a place where no one in his village had ventured before. Li Mao called out nervously, remembering all the stories he had heard of the restless spirits who were said to lurk among the trees. He heard the moan again, not far away. It sounded like someone in pain. Li Mao hesitated, unsure of what to do. Who knew what it was lurking in the bushes? It could be bandits, luring him into a trap. Or worse, it could be a hungry ghost, trying to tempt him to his doom. But on the other hand, it could be someone hurt, or in trouble, and if so, Li Mao couldn't just leave them there. Finally, his sense of duty overcame his fear, and he cautiously moved toward the sound of the moaning... "

---

Li Mao pushed through the underbrush, and found himself in a small clearing. He saw a crude hut made of sticks, along with a fire pit that was little more than a circle of rocks around a shallow depression in the earth. He gasped in shock as he saw the bodies of about a dozen men scattered about. They wore loose black clothing, and various weapons lay by their sides. Tattoos of scorpions, spiders, and other creatures marked their skin. Then Li Mao noticed an old man lying in the bushes nearby. A sword lay next to him, and there was a bloody wound in his side. His eyes were closed, his skin pale, and his breathing shallow. Li Mao approached slowly, then leaned over him.

"Hello?" he asked. "Can you hear me? Are you ok?"

The old man's eyes fluttered open. "Wh-who are you?"

"I am Li Mao. What is your name?"

"I am Ho Chen. What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"I came from the village nearby. You're hurt. Let me help you. I-I'll get some water."

"No!" Ho Chen's eyes flashed, and he grabbed Li Mao's sleeve. "No. I've been poisoned. There's nothing you can do."

"Who are these men who did this? Bandits?"

"No, not bandits. Assassins from the Poison Clan. They caught me unaware, and stabbed me with their venomous blades." Ho Chen coughed violently, spitting out blood, then turned back to Li Mao.

"Listen to me! You must go to Wudang Mountain and find the master of the Wudang Clan. Tell them what happened to me. The Seven Masters must be warned!"

"I-I can't go to Wudang Mountain!" Li Mao protested, trying to pull away from Ho Chen. "I have to get home! My family will be looking for me!"

"Listen!" Ho Chen tightened his grip. "This was no accident! You must go to Wudang Mountain! You must warn them!"

"But I'm not a warrior! I have no kung fu at all!"

Ho Chen reached up with both hands and pulled Li Mao closer. Li Mao could feel Ho Chen's strength waning, even as he leaned in closer. Ho Chen put both his palms on Li Mao's chest, and closed his eyes.

"Hold still," he whispered. Suddenly, a wave of energy shot out of his body and into Li Mao's chest. Li Mao stiffened, his head thrown back, as the energy flowed into him like a river rushing into the sea. Li Mao lurched backwards and fell to the ground. He sat up slowly, his head spinning. He felt like there was fire rushing through his veins. He crawled over to Ho Chen, whose breath was now coming in faint gasps.

"What did you do to me?"

"I transfered my internal energy into you," Ho Chen whispered. "You now have my kung fu. Use it well: it will help you on your journey." Ho Chen gestured feebly toward the sword lying at his side. "Take my sword. Show it to the master of the Wudang. Tell him what happened."

"But I don't even know the way," Li Mao said sadly.

"You will find it." Ho Chen's voice was little more than a hoarse gasp. "You were brought here for a reason. This is your destiny now. You will find it. Now... go."

Ho Chen took one last rattling breath, and then he died.

And so Li Mao wandered through the woods, carrying Ho Chen's sword, and feeling miserable. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know where Wudang Mountain was, only that it was far away. And how was he supposed to get there anyway? He didn't know anything about the Seven Masters or the Poison Clan or anything like that, and he certainly didn't want the task that Ho Chen had given him. He felt lost and alone, and he just wanted to go home.

As Li Mao wallowed in his misery, he once again lost track of where he was going, and he ended up wandering even deeper into the forest. And he was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he failed to notice the sinister figures creeping up around him. They were assassins from the Poison Clan, and they were the very same villains who had murdered Ho Chen. Li Mao had wandered right by their camp! Of course, they saw him coming, and so they all hid in the bushes, waiting for him to pass by. As Li Mao walked by where their hiding place, they leapt out and surrounded him. At first they eyed him suspiciously, but once they saw his clothing, and his young age, and the clumsy way he held his sword, they realized he was no warrior, but just a local villager, and so they decided to have some sport with him. They pushed him and taunted him and menaced him with their weapons. As they tormented poor Li Mao, it brought back memories of all the times the village bullies had hounded him, and he felt his anger rising. Finally, Li Mao could take it no more. One of the Poison Clan warriors pushed him, and Li Mao pushed back. As he did, energy burst forth from his palms. There was a bright flash, and the villain was flung backwards. He hit the ground, dead.

All the Poison Clan warriors stared at Li Mao in shock. Li Mao stared back, equally surprised. Then the Poison Clan warriors rushed forward and attacked. Without even thinking about it, Li Mao raised his blade and deflected the first strike, and the next, and all those that followed. He was fighting without thinking, as if he were possessed. Yet, despite this, he was outnumbered five to one, and his enemies were seasoned warriors, whereas Li Mao had never held a sword in his life. He dodged desperately between the trees, frantically trying to get away, until the assassins finally pinned him up against a tree. All hope of escape was cut off, and they were poised to deal the final, deadly blow.

Suddenly, a remarkable sound rang out in the forest. It was the sound of singing, pure and melodious, like the first ray of sunlight that heralds the dawn. The Poison Clan warriors looked around nervously, their hearts full of fear, and saw a figure striding through the woods. He was tall and noble of bearing, with a visage that bespoke power and authority. The very trees seemed smaller in his presence, and the light of righteousness shone in his eyes. He saw what was transpiring, and this is what he said:

"Ho there. What's going on here?"

The Poison Clan Warriors looked uncertainly at this new arrival. He was tall and gangly, with a longish face marked by a prominent nose, and eyes like two specks of coal. His hair looked like nothing less than an upside-down coconut husk, and his travel-worn robes hung awkwardly on his lanky frame.

"Ho there. Are you deaf? I asked what is going on here."

The leader of the Poison Clan warriors shook his head, regaining his senses. "Who are you?"

"Me? Why, I am Wu Bin of Turtle Island!" He paused for a moment, waiting for a sign of recognition.

"Get out of here, scarecrow, and mind your own business!"

Wu Bin's shoulders sagged. "What kind of a way is that to treat a stranger? Where are your manners?"

"I said get out of here, unless you're tired of living. Don't make me tell you again."

"Oh ho! You tell me? Ha! I should teach you a lesson."

The Poison Clan warrior laughed. "You want to teach me a lesson. Go ahead. Teach me a lesson before I gut you!" He charged forward with a yell. Wu Bin waved his hand, and a cascade of sparkling blue energy poured out from his palm. It snapped up like a whip, striking the villain and flinging him high into the air and out of sight. He then swept his staff around in a low arc, knocking the next three warriors off their feet. Meanwhile, without even thinking, Li Mao brought his sword up, surprising the remaining villain. Li Mao charged him furiously, catching the assassin off guard, even though he scarcely controlled his own movements, while Wu Bin dealt with the remaining thugs. Within moments, it was all over; the evil warriors were all dead.

"Ho there, what's your name boy?" Wu Bin said.

"I... my name is Li Mao."

"Very good. And I am Wu Bin of Turtle Island!"

"Uh, yes, I know."

"You've heard of me?"

"No. I heard you before when you said your name."

"Oh, yes." Wu Bin's face fell. "That's some sword you have there," he said, examining the blade. "This is no ordinary blade. This is the famous Lunar Sword."

"It is?"

"Yes, it is. It's unbreakable, and it can cut through stone as if it were rice paper, in the hands of someone who knows how to use it." Wu Bin regarded Li Mao with a rasied eyebrow. "How did a village boy like you come by a sword like this?"

Li Mao told Wu Bin everything that had happened to him. When he was done, Wu Bin looked thoughtful.

"Hmm. Yes. Ho Chen was right. This is a serious matter. The Poison Clan are a pack of evil scoundrels, but they only kill for money. Someone marked Ho Chen for death." He looked down disdainfully at one of the fallen warriors. "However, none of these vermin could have killed him. They must have had a leader, someone who didn't stay around. That could mean that he's moved on to his next victim already. He could already be seeking out the next of the Seven Masters."

"But who are the Seven Masters?"

"Who are the Seven Masters? Bah! Don't they teach the youth anything anymore? The Seven Masters are the greatest heroes of the martial arts world. Their kung fu is the strongest. They can fly higher than the eagle, run faster than the deer, and shatter stone with their bare hands. They are the defenders of righteousness, and the champions of justice."

"Really?" Li Mao said, his eyes wide. "How come I've never heard of them?"

"They keep themselves apart from everyone, and avoid getting involved in the affairs of the empire. They seek to perfect their kung fu and achieve spiritual purity, and see the outside world as a distraction. Some, like Ho Chen, live entirely alone, and may only take on one student in their entire lifetime."

"What about the others? You said only some live alone."

"Well, each master is, strictly speaking, the head of a clan. However, as I said, many of them choose to live in isolation, taking few students. Only three of them can really be called clans: the Wah-Shan, the Kunlun, and the Wudang. Of these three, the Wudang are acknowledged as being the wisest. When the Seven Masters need to meet, they do so at Wudang Mountain."

Li Mao nodded, awe-struck."You know a lot about the Seven Masters."

"Oh, well, I once studied at Wudang Mountain, many years ago." Wu Bin puffed his chest out. "They said I was a promising student too. I might have been the next master of the Wudang Clan, you know."

"Oh? Why did you leave?"

Wu Bin gave Li Mao a sidelong glance. "They said I was a bit too curious about the world for my own good. They said I was too willing to get involved in worldly affairs. I wanted to use my skills to help the common people, but my master didn't approve. He said that I needed to stay focused on the spiritual realm... but enough for now. The sun is falling low in the sky. We'll stay here for tonight, in the camp these rascals made. Then tomorrow, at dawn's first light, we'll set out toward Wudang Mountain."

"You mean you're going to take me there?"

"Oh yes, of course. Your mission is very important. You're going to need my help. What's more, you're going to need a teacher too. It's a fortunate thing that I happened to be coming by this way. I will generously allow you to become my student, and I will teach you kung fu. Now go fetch some water. I'm thirsty."

The next day Li Mao and Wu Bin set out early toward Wudang Mountain. For the first two days, the sun smiled down upon them. Wu Bin regaled Li Mao with stories of the Seven Masters as they traveled. At night, Li Mao used his knowledge of the forest to forage for berries and mushrooms. However, at the end of the third day, dark clouds gathered overhead, and the rain came pouring down. Fortunately, the two came upon a cave, and they rushed inside to get out of the storm. What they didn't know, however, was that the cave was not empty. They had stumbled into a bandit gang's hideout. As the two wandered into the depths of the cave, the bandits sprung out from hiding and surrounded them. Unsure of what to make of the strange pair, the bandits took them to see their chief.

When Li Mao got his first look at the bandit leader, his mouth dropped open. She was a young woman, only a few years older than himself. What's more, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She called herself Ting Ting, and to Li Mao, no music could be more sublime than her voice, and no poetry more delightful than her name. Ting Ting, however, was far less impressed with him, or with Wu Bin, whom she had never heard of. She accused the two of them of being spies, and asked why she shouldn't just kill the both of them at that very instant.

"Well, to be blunt," Wu Bin said, "my young student here is a great swordsman, with truly exceptional kung fu."

"What?" Li Mao said. Ting Ting laughed.

"Yes, that's right," Wu Bin continued. "If he wanted to, he could have defeated all of your men easily."

"You expect me to believe that?" Ting Ting asked. "He looks like a village bumpkin to me. He barely knows how to hold a sword."

"He chooses not to display his prowess, so that he doesn't have to face every young upstart between here and Shanghai looking to make a name for himself. We head toward Wudang Mountain, on a quest of great importance, and we have no time to waste."

The bandits all broke out in laughter. "Now I know you're joking," Ting Ting said, "or perhaps you're just crazy."

"Do not be fooled. Why, just yesterday, he defeated six Poison Clan assassins single-handedly."

"No, no I didn't." Li Mao laughed nervously. "He's just exaggerating."

"Be warned," Wu Bin continued, "you face no ordinary swordsman, but a disciple of the Seven Masters!"

Ting Ting's eyes narrowed. "You talk a lot, old bones, but can you back up your chatter?"

"I propose a duel between the two of you. If he can defeat you, then you'll provide us with food -- some meat if you please; I'm sick of eating berries -- and some wine if you have any to spare, and shelter here for the night as well."

"And if I defeat him?"

"Well... then you may do with us as you wish."

An evil smile crossed Ting Ting's lips. "I accept."

The bandits immediately spread out, forming a ring. Ting Ting drew her sword and stepped into the circle. Li Mao whispered furiously in Wu Bin's ear.

"I can't fight her, sifu! I don't know any kung fu!"

"I told you I would teach you, didn't I? Well, this is your first lesson."

"What?"

"You have been given powerful kung fu. It will allow you to learn any stance quickly."

"But how am I going to learn now?"

"Just listen carefully to what I tell you. Focus on my voice. Do you understand?"

Li Mao stared at Wu Bin stupidly.

"Good," Wu Bin said.

"Well?" Ting Ting asked.

"He is ready to fight," Wu Bin replied, giving Li Mao a slight shove. Li Mao stumbled out into the ring. Then he caught sight of Ting Ting, and for a moment, he was entranced. Then Ting Ting attacked, and he just barely blocked her strike. Ting Ting struck with the speed of a viper, and Li Mao frantically tried to defend himself. She spun and kicked, and Li Mao staggered back, clutching his stomach in pain. Ting Ting stared at him contemptuously, while the bandits all roared with laughter.

"Li Mao," Wu Bin barked. "Focus your mind. Clear your thoughts. Concentrate on your breathing."

Ting Ting leapt forward with a yell. Li Mao ducked and spun to face her as she landed behind him.

"All of kung fu is two elements: hard and soft."

Li Mao somersaulted twice in the air, avoiding Ting Ting's sword.

"Use hard and soft together. Use hard and soft against each other."

Li Mao ran up the side of the cave wall, then backflipped as Ting Ting's blade sliced through the air.

"Use soft against hard. Use hard against soft."

Li Mao and Ting Ting clashed in a flurry of steel, and Li Mao parried her every strike.

"Positive and negative are always together. They cannot be separated. This is the way of the universe."

Li Mao ducked under Ting Ting's sword, then spun and kicked, forcing Ting Ting to leap backwards.

"Open your mind, and feelthe energy of the universe flowing within you."

Li Mao leapt after Ting Ting and attacked. She ducked under his sword, then fell as he swept her legs.

"Act without thinking. Bring positive and negative in balance."

As Ting Ting tried to rise, Li Mao knocked her sword from her hands.

"When balance is achieved, strike!"

Li Mao whipped up his blade, then brought it down, stopping less than an inch away from Ting Ting's throat.

Ting Ting was true to her word. She gave Li Mao and Wu Bin shelter and food, and the three of them stayed up late into the night talking, though in truth, Li Mao actually said very little. Wu Bin told Ting Ting of their quest, and he convinced her to join them. And if this was because Ting Ting was as impressed with Li Mao's prowess as much as she was convinced of the urgency of his task, only she knew. And if Li Mao noticed Ting Ting stealing sidelong glances at him, in between his stealing sidelong glances at her, only he, and no one else, knew for sure.

The next day the three of them set out early on their way. They traveled far over hills and streams and plains, until they were once again deep in the heart of a dark wood. Now, although Li Mao had spent much of his life in the forest, something about this particular wood made him uneasy. The trees seemed to loom menacingly over him, choking off the sunlight. There always seemed to be something lurking just at the edge of his vision, always vanishing when he turned to look at it directly. Then, when the sun began to sink beneath the horizon, Wu Bin suddenly announced that he was leaving Li Mao and Ting Ting on their own. Needless to say, Li Mao wasn't happy about this, but Wu Bin explained that he had urgent business to attend to. He promised to meet them both at Wudang Mountain, and then he disappeared into the forest.

With the sun now set and Wu Bin gone, the forest seemed to press in even closer. A low mist hung over the ground, and furtive shapes seemed to dart among the trees. Li Mao felt that a thousand pairs of eyes were watching him, and although Ting Ting chided him for his cowardice, she felt the same thing as well. As they both wandered through the darkness, they suddenly stumbled upon an abandoned temple in a clearing. Next to it, a massive, ancient tree seemed to loom malevolently above them. The temple was overgrown with vines, and there were holes in the roof, but it offered shelter. They hurried inside, and found that the interior was choked with cobwebs and debris, with walls that were moldy and rotten. After a brief search, the two of them discovered a small antechamber that was relatively intact and clean. They built a small fire, but it did little to dispel the gloom. Li Mao huddled near it, trying to get warm, while the memories of a hundred stories of haunted temples and vengeful spirits ran through his mind. He tried to talk to Ting Ting, but she was tense and irritable, and so finally he gave up and bedded down for an uneasy sleep.

Li Mao awoke with a start in the middle of the night. The fire had burned down to a few smoldering embers, and moonlight poured through the window into the room, bathing everything in a soft luminescence. Li Mao saw a vague, shimmering figure moving before him. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. It was a woman veiled in white silk.As if in a dream, he heard the distant strings of a lute, and the woman began to dance. Her veils seemed to float like mist as she danced, her movements mesmerizing and ethereal. Li Mao was utterly entranced as she moved toward him. She flung her veil over his head, and as he pulled it aside, Li Mao found himself looking at her face. It was Ting Ting! Her long, black hair cascaded loose like a waterfall down her back, and her skin was porcelain-white instead of sun-browned, but it was her nonetheless. As she crept on top of him, he felt himself unable to move. His heart was pounding like thunder as she moved her hand over his chest. Li Mao knew something was wrong, but he couldn't resist. He didn't want to resist as she leaned down to kiss him.

Suddenly, Li Mao heard the sickening sound of steel plunging into flesh. Ting Ting went rigid. Her eyes turned yellow, and her mouth twisted into a hideous grimace. Then she vanished in a cloud of vapor. Li Mao looked up to see Ting Ting - the real Ting Ting - standing over him, her sword pointed at his chest. She reached down and extended her hand.

"Get up," she said. "We have to get out of here."

The air seemed thick with menace as Li Mao gathered up his belongings, and he could hear things moving around in the temple. He and Ting Ting rushed out of the anteroom and into the hallway, only to be confronted by a crowd of dark figures. They had the shape of men, but Li Mao knew they were not human. They were gyonshi, the living dead. They came toward him, hopping instead of walking, with outstretched arms. Ting Ting kicked the first one, knocking it back into the others, and then plunged her sword into the second. Then she grabbed Li Mao by the arm, and the two of them ran down a different hallway. The vampires pursued them, and more burst through the floorboards as they made their way through the temple. They were almost to the exit when one of them dropped down from the ceiling and grabbed Ting Ting. Instinctively, Li Mao thrust the Lunar Sword into the creature's side. The vampire let out a howl, and then vanished in a flash of light. Li Mao stared in awe at the sword, which was now glowing with moonlight, and then waved it at the approaching vampires. They came to a halt, a mixture of fear and hatred on their cold, pale faces, as Li Mao and Ting Ting backed away from them and out of the temple.

Outside, the wind howled angrily through the trees, kicking up a tempest of dead leaves. Ting Ting yelled a warning as a vampire leapt out of the darkness. Li Mao slashed at it with his sword, and then felt something lift him into the air. Vines and branches wrapped around his body, pinning his arms to his side as he kicked and struggled. The massive tree next to the temple had come to life, and Li Mao saw a gnarled, monstrous face staring balefully up at him from its trunk. Ting Ting rushed toward him, only to be surrounded by the hopping vampires that came pouring out of the temple. She fought furiously, but there were too many of them. Li Mao looked down helplessly at her, and then over to the face of the tree. It had opened its mouth to reveal rows of thorny teeth, and it was pulling Li Mao ever closer...

"Heaven and earth are eternal!"

Fireballs exploded around the branches and trunk of the evil tree. The tree howled and dropped Li Mao to the ground. Li Mao picked himself up and looked up. He saw a man come flying out of the woods, spinning like a corkscrew through the air. He landed in the middle of the hopping vampires and flung out a sheaf of yellow papers.

"Heaven and earth unite!"

The yellow papers, each inscribed with a magical symbol, flew onto the vampires. As they touched each one, they exploded in a ball of fire. The vampires twitched and staggered, then collapsed. As Li Mao watched in wonder, the vines suddenly snaked around him again. He yelled and clawed the ground as they dragged him toward the tree's gaping maw.

"Help!" He cried. The new figure rushed forward, unsheathing a sword. It burned with bright sunfire as he brought it down on the vines. The tree screamed in pain as the blade cut through it, and it extended its branches like grasping claws towards the swordsman. He bit the tip of his finger, drawing blood, and then used the blood to quickly draw a symbol on his palm.

"Pao Yeh Pao Lo Mei!"

The swordsman thrust his palm forward, and a gout of flame shot out of his hand, engulfing the malevolent tree, which screamed and writhed in agony. The swordsman grabbed Li Mao by his collar and leapt into the air with him. He landed next to Ting Ting, grabbed her, and then leapt into the air again. He bounded across the forest with both of them until they were well away from the temple, and then set them down.

"Thank you! Thank you for saving us," Li Mao said as he brushed himself off. He took a good look at his rescuer. He looked to be about Ting-Ting's age, with a limber, athletic frame and long black hair pulled back into a topknot. He wore a worn leather jerkin over a well-travelled tunic and robes, and he carried several swords, a bow, and a quiver of arrows. He looked like nothing more than a wandering mercenary.

"You're lucky I happened to come by," the swordsman said, "or you'd be dead for sure. Don't you know these woods are haunted?"

"Uh, well, no. I mean, it's a long story."

"Well, who are you?"

"Uh, I am Li Mao, and this is, uh, Ting Ting."

"This is a dangerous place to be. That temple is an evil, cursed place. What were you doing out here?"

"We needed shelter for the night, and that was the only place we could find. We were passing through here on our way to Wudang Mountain."

"Wudang Mountain? That's a long way off. Why are you going there?"

"I have to get a message to the master of the Wudang Clan. It's very important. The Seven Masters may be in danger. Do you know of it?"

"Yes. My name is Monsoon. My master is the master of the Omei clan of the Seven Masters. You'd better tell me what's going on."

So Li Mao told Monsoon about everything that had happened to him, and by the end of his tale, Monsoon agreed to take him and Ting Ting to Wudang Mountain. They traveled long and far, having many adventures, and along the way, Li Mao learned more about the Seven Masters even as he worked to improve his kung fu. Finally, after a long journey, they came within sight of Wudang Mountain. The sun would be rising in a few hours, and all they had to do was pass through a forest to reach the mountain. However, Monsoon hesitated. Something felt wrong, and so he told Li Mao and Ting Ting to wait while he scouted ahead.

When he returned a short time later, his look was grave. He told them that the warriors of the Poison Clan had made camp in the forest in great numbers. They made no cooking fires, and kept their lanterns hooded so as not to be seen. They would have to get to Wudang Mountain to warn the Seven Masters about them, but the only way to get there in time was to pass through the Poison Clan encampment itself. Fortunately, Ting Ting had an idea. The three of them snuck down to the edge of the camp and waylaid a guard patrol. They put on the guards' clothing, making sure to wind the guards' turbans over their own faces. The disguise was imperfect, but hopefully, in the dark, no one would notice. Once they had finished masking themselves, the three of them made their way into the camp.

Li Mao marveled in awe and fear at the size of the Poison Clan encampment. He had never seen an army before, so he was amazed by the sheer numbers of Poison Clan warriors he saw preparing for battle. Five schools -- the scorpion, the snake, the lizard, the centipede, and the spider -- made up the Poison Clan. All the Poison Clan warriors had the symbol of their school tattooed on their bodies. Li Mao knew that if anyone got a good look at them, they would notice that they didn't have these tattoos, and that it would give them away. As such, the three of them moved quickly through the camp, darting from shadow to shadow to avoid being noticed. As they neared the center of the camp, the three of them ducked down behind a cart next to a tent as a group of warriors passed nearby. As they did, Li Mao heard voices from within the tent. His curiosity got the better of him, and so he peered through a hole in the canvas. He saw two men talking to each other. The one closer to him was dressed in the finest silk robes, but his back was to Li Mao, so he couldn't see his face.The other was a thickly-muscled warrior dressed in red and black. Twin bandoliers lined with throwing knives crossed his chest, and his face was covered in tattoos. Monsoon was about to move on, but Li Mao motioned for him to hold a moment so he could hear what they had to say.

"I am disappointed in you, Xiang Kai. You only managed to kill one of the masters."

"I apologize, my lord. They were difficult to track down."

"I've gone to a great deal of trouble to arrange things for tomorrow. You had better hope that the remaining five are not strong enough to survive."

"Yes, my lord. What are your instructions."

"Wait until nightfall. The armies of both the animal clans and the Shao-Lin are camped just below Wudang mountain. Do not reveal yourself to them prematurely. Wait until they and the clans of the Seven Masters have exhausted themselves in battle."

"The animals and the Shao-Lin have no love for each other, my lord. Why will they make war on Wudang Mountain?"

"There has long been tension between the transformed animals and the Seven Masters, who consider them an affront to the natural order of things. My ally attacked the animals, and made it appear as if it were the work of the Masters. Similarly, I inflamed the emnity between the Shao-Lin and the Wudang by ordering the destruction of one of the Shao-Lin monasteries, and making it appear that the Wudang were responsible. The two are now so consumed with hatred that they will not rest until the Seven Masters are destroyed."

"Excellent, my lord."

"Tomorrow the three armies will do battle with each other. By nightfall, they will all be weakened and spent. At this moment, you will strike. The Seven Masters will be no match for you."

"And then the Poison Clan will reign supreme as the rulers of the martial arts world!"

"Kill them all. Leave none left alive."

"With pleasure, my lord."

"Very well. Do not fail me."

"I will not, my lord."

The morning sun was already bright in the sky by the time Li Mao, Ting Ting, and Monsoon made it to the edge of Wudang Mountain. The mountain was lush and green, and it rose high above the ground, disappearing into the mists above. They had rushed to make it there to warn of the Poison Clan's treachery, but they were too late. On the plain outside the mountain, they came upon an awesome and terrible sight. The clans of the Seven Masters were battling the armies of the Shao-Lin and the combined might of the animal clans. The three armies now swarmed across the plains, the bright colors of their banners belying the carnage taking place below. Li Mao looked at Monsoon, his face anguished.

"We have to stop them!"

The three heroes leapt from their hiding place and soared right into the heart of the battle, hoping to find the Masters themselves. Everything was a whirl of confusion, as warriors from all three armies clashed around them. Monsoon yelled for Li Mao and Ting Ting to follow him, and he ran toward the ranks of the Seven Masters. Almost immediately, they were beset on all sides by the warriors of the Kunlun and the Wah-Shan. Li Mao yelled at them to stop, and that he was not their enemy, but they wouldn't listen to him. Then he realized what the matter was. They were all still dressed in the clothing of the Poison Clan. He tried to rip off his garments, and yelled for Ting Ting and the others to do the same, but the armies pressed in on him on all three sides, and the din of battle drowned out his voice. He fought desperately, but as he saw Monsoon and Ting Ting disappear beneath a sea of warriors, he knew that it was hopeless.

Suddenly, a massive column of light shot out of the sky and into the middle of the battlefield. Warriors fell to the ground, covering their eyes as the blinding shaft tore into the ground. Li Mao tried to look up, but the light was too bright. Then, he heard a voice ring out above the battlefield.

"Do not fight! The Celestial Eye sees all! Heaven rends the earth!"

There was a sound of earth and stone shattering, and the armies seperated and drew back as the shaft dug deep furrows into the plain, forcing the combatants apart. Finally, the light ceased, and the battlefield was eerily silent. Li Mao looked up to see a tiny figure in the sky holding a large, rectangular mirror set into a gold frame that was inscribed with mystical symbols. As the figure flew down toward the battlefield, Li Mao recognized him.

"Wu Bin!"

"Ho there. I told you I'd meet you here."

Li Mao was overjoyed to see Wu Bin, but the Shao-Lin, the animal clans, and even the armies of the Seven Masters looked at him with suspicion. Now that they had momentarily stopped fighting, Wu Bin managed to get the leaders of each army together in the middle of the battlefield, where they each stood on opposite sides of the trenches that he had created. The Shao-Lin were represented by Lui Yu Min, a middle-aged, bald-headed monk with heavy brows, a flattened nose, and a stern visage. The animal clans were lead by Grey Mountain, a massive, brown-skinned Indian with a thick, bushy gray beard. The three masters who were on the field stepped forward as well. Gold Lion, the master of the Wah-Shan Clan, was tall and barrel-chested, with a long golden mane and beard. Red Bat, the master of the Kunlun Clan, was a fearsome warrior, with compact, ropy muscles and a coarse, coal-black mane and beard. Wu Man Kai, the master of the Wudang Clan, wore white robes that matched the color of his beard, and his face was deeply lined with age. Once they were together, Li Mao told them who he was, where he had come from, and why he was here. With help from Ting Ting, Monsoon, and Wu Bin, he told them about his discovery of Ho Chen, his encounter with the Poison Clan warriors, their discovery of the camp, and the conversation he had heard outside the tent.

"Lies," Grey Mountain said, his voice a deep bass rumble. "These are lies. I saw what was done to my people. They were forced back into their animal form. This was not the work of assassins. Only Taoist sorcerers are capable of this. This is their work." He said, pointing toward the Seven Masters.

"You're right," Wu Bin said quietly. "It is." Everyone turned toward him, shocked. He turned toward the Seven Masters. " Where is the Master of the Omei clan? Where is the Master of the Forbidden Stance, the one they call Kong Jun She?" He turned to Monsoon. "Where is your master?"

Monsoon looked at the three masters. Then he looked at Wu Bin, and then back at the masters again. "Where is my master?" He asked. The three masters looked away.

"I'm sorry," Wu Bin said. "Kong Jun She betrayed his order. He's responsible for the attack on the animal clans. He was seduced by promises of wealth and power."

"How do you know all this?" Yu Min interrupted. "Who are you, that we should believe you?"

"Me? Why, I'm Wu Bin of Turtle Island!" He paused for a moment, his chest puffed out. Yu Min stared at him blankly, and Wu Bin's shoulders sagged. "Why should you believe me? You shouldn't. You have only my word, and the words of this young man and his companions to guide you. You must decide what the truth is." He turned to the assembled armies.

"Now you've heard the truth. You've all been deceived and betrayed. Evil forces have conspired together to destroy you all. Come nightfall, they'll be here to finish the job. Now you must ask yourselves: What do you believe, and what are you going to do about it? Will you destroy each other now, or will you stand together against your real enemy? Now is the time to decide!"

Under a dark, moonless sky the Poison Clan marched out of the forest, torches blazing and banners flying. Xiang Kai halted them as they reached the edge of the plain. His scouts had told him what to expect, but he still took a moment to savor it for himself. Scattered over the battlefield were thousands of fallen warriors. Xiang Kai smiled. It had gone just as planned. No doubt the few remaining warriors of the Seven Masters were holed up in Wudang Mountain. It would be child's play to destroy them and claim it for his own. Xiang Kai lifted up his sword and held it aloft. All eyes were focused on him, and the night was, but for the chirping of crickets, completely silent. Then he let out a yell and thrust his sword forward. A huge cry went up from the Poison Clan army, and they rushed forward across the plain. Their blades gleamed in the torchlight as they passed the dead strewn on the ground without a second thought.

"Now!"

As the Poison Clan warriors were halfway across the plain, the darkness of the night was broken by the light of a fiery sword. Monsoon leapt up into the air and into the heart of the onrushing Poison Clan army. At that moment, all of the fallen warriors -- Shao-Lin, animal, and those of the three clans alike -- rose off the ground with a yell and attacked, tearing into the surprised and confused Poison Clan warriors with a vengeance. Behind Monsoon, Li Mao, Ting Ting, Gold Lion, Red Bat, and Wu Man Kai leapt into the fray as well, wreaking further havoc on the Poison Clan ranks. Xiang Kai suddenly found himself surrounded on all sides. He fought back ferociously, felling warriors left and right, but within moments, he knew his attack was doomed.

"Fall back!" He yelled. He began fighting his way back toward the woods as his army began to break and run. However, as the first of the Poison Clan warriors were about to reach the treeline, a bright shaft of light shot out of the sky. Men screamed as they were caught in the shaft and incinerated as Wu Bin blasted the earth along the edge of the forest with the Celestial Eye, preventing the Poison Clan army from retreating.

Xiang Kai watched as his men were slaughtered, and then he broke for the mountains. His clan was destroyed, and his only hope now lay in flight. He fought his way across the battlefield, toward the ridgeline above the battlefield. As he reached the crest of the ridge, Li Mao leapt out of the sky and stood before him, the Lunar Sword glowing brightly in his hands.

"Who are you?" Xiang Kai asked.

"I am Li Mao. You murdered Ho Chen. Now, you'll face justice!"

Xiang Kai sneered. "I killed the old man, and now I'll kill you!" He raised his sword as if to charge, but instead, he drew and tossed a half-dozen throwing knives with blinding speed. Any lesser man would have been killed instantly, but Li Mao deflected all six knives with inhuman accuracy.Xiang Kai paused for a moment in surprise, and Li Mao leapt forward and attacked. Their blades clashed in a flurry of motion, and then Xiang Kai leapt backwards. A thin line of blood was traced across his left bicep.

"Your kung fu is quite good," he sneered, drawing a second curved sword, "but you're a fool to think you can fight me!" Xiang Kai then leapt forward, both blades whirling and flashing. Despite their size, he swung the swords with incredible speed, and Li Mao found himself on the defensive. He ducked and weaved and parried furiously, but Xiang Kai knocked his sword out of his hand and off of the ridge, and then kicked him in the face, flinging him backwards. Li Mao wiped a trickle of blood away from his mouth as Xiang Kai laughed.

"You thought you could defeat me, boy? You're nothing but a scrawny child playing at being a man. You should have stayed home and hidden under your bed!"

Li Mao got to his feet, his eyes burning with cold rage. He brought his right palm up perpendicular to his chest, and then he heard Wu Bin's voice echoing in his head.

"Open your mind, and feelthe energy of the universe flowing within you."

Li Mao stood completely still as Xiang Kai rushed in for the kill. He bent backwards as the first sword passed by his head, then ducked forward, avoiding the second. He snapped his arm out, hitting Xiang Kai in the solar plexus with the back of his hand, and then snapped it up, striking his face. Xiang Kai staggered backward, his breath coming in hoarse gasps. He attacked again, but Li Mao dodged his every strike, his movements fluid and effortless. Then Li Mao struck Xiang Kai in the chest repeatedly. Xiang Kai staggered backwards and Li Mao moved relentlessly forward, his attacks swift and sure. He struck Xiang Kai's left arm, and then the right, breaking them both. Xiang Kai stumbled backwards, his arms hanging uselessly at his side, his eyes wide with fear. Then Li Mao leapt into the air, spun around, and kicked Xiang Kai square in the chest. Energy exploded out of his foot in a bright flash, and Xiang Kai was flung off of the ridge. He slammed into the ground with a sickening crunch, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and died.

After the battle, the Shao-Lin and the animal clans departed in peace, if not in friendship. Li Mao and his companions and the masters retired back to Wudang Mountain, and once they had been rested and fed, they gathered in council. There was much to discuss, but Li Mao and the masters were especially interested in hearing Wu Bin's tale.

Wu Bin explained that after he had heard Li Mao's story, something about it had troubled him. Who, he wondered, would hire the Poison Clan to assassinate Ho Chen, and more importantly, why? The further he traveled, the more it nagged at him. Although the Seven Masters had many rivals in the martial arts world, there were none who had the means or the wherewithal to hatch such a scheme. Finally, he realized that the only person powerful enough to enact such a scheme was the evil sorcerer Gao Zhang! But still, it made little sense. Why would Gao Zhang want to eliminate the Seven Masters? Wu Bin knew that there was more to the situation than he could see, and that it was imperative that he find out exactly what was going on. And so it was that he took his leave of Li Mao and set off to unravel the mystery.

Wu Bin's adventures were nearly as numerous as Li Mao's, and in the course of them, he learned many things. First, he discovered that the Shao-Lin had been roused to war against the Wudang Clan, and second, that the animal clans had united against the Seven Masters as well. This was even more puzzling. Why were so many forces converging against the Seven Masters? Wu Bin continued searching, and made a startling discovery: Kong Jun She, the Master of the Forbidden Stance, had betrayed his own brethren. Lured by promises of wealth and power, he had conspired to turn the Shao-Lin and the transformed animals against the Seven Masters. Wu Bin then made his most shocking discovery of all: the driving force behind the plot was not Gao Zhang, but the Emperor himself, Xin Kai Sheng! Gao Zhang, it seemed, was distracted with events going on elsewhere, and had been little seen in the Imperial court of late. Without Gao Zhang around, Kai Sheng had set his own plans in motion to destroy the Seven Masters. By the time Wu Bin had learned this, it was almost too late. However, after another series of adventures, Wu Bin acquired the Celestial Eye, and then raced to Wudang Mountain to stop the battle. As it turned out, he, and Li Mao, had arrived just in time. And yet, despite all this, there was still one piece of the puzzle missing. Wu Bin knew who was behind everything, but he still didn't know why. Why was Kai Sheng trying to destroy the Seven Masters?

"We know."

All heads turned to look at the new arrivals. Two men had entered the council chambers. Although they had arrived together, the two could not look less alike. One was young, although still several years older than Li Mao or Monsoon. His hair was long and jet black, and braided at his temples, and his robes were white and pristine. The other also wore white robes, but his face was ancient, and his hair and beard were the color of snow.

Man Kai rose from his seat. "Ghost Wind, Sky Dragon, welcome. We wondered if you had suffered the same fate as Ho Chen."

"We are sorry for not coming sooner," said Ghost Wind, the younger of the two, "But we were delayed."

"We have been investigating a matter of grave importance," said Sky Dragon, his voice rumbling with an echo of thunder, "and we come with urgent news."

"Please," Man Kai said, gesturing toward the council chamber, "enter, rest, and tell us your news." The two masters entered the chamber and took seats.

"Some weeks ago," Ghost Wind began, "I was meditating in solitude, when I felt that something was not right. It was only a vague sensation, but I had the feeling that there was a disturbance in the natural order of things, an imbalance in the universe. As the days passed, this feeling grew stronger, until finally, I knew that something was wrong. I set out to discover what the matter was, and in doing so, I came across Sky Dragon. He too, had felt the same thing, and had set out to investigate as well."

"Together, the two of us continued our search," Sky Dragon said. "We began to hear disturbing rumors about the Shao-Lin, the animals, the Poison Clan, and Wudang Mountain. These rumors kept us distracted for some time. However, every day, the sensation that something was wrong grew ever stronger, and our search became ever more urgent. Finally, we were able to get to the heart of the matter. Xin Kai Sheng has made a pact with Desolation, a powerful lord of the underworld. He intends to open the Underworld Gateway, and loose Desolation upon our world."

There was stunned silence in the council chambers, until Gold Lion finally spoke up. "That's madness. If Kai Sheng thinks he can control Desolation, then he is a fool."

"He does not think to control him," Ghost Wind replied. "He wishes to see Desolation freed to enter our world. In return for breaking the seals that hold the Gateway shut, Kai Sheng has promised him that he will sit at his right hand and rule over the earth."

"But that's insane," Red Bat said. "If Desolation is let loose upon the earth, then the earth will become hell. The trees will wither and die, the sky will blacken, and the rivers will burn with fire. There would be nothing but death and misery. What kind of a madman would want to rule over a world like that?"

"Kai Sheng is mad," Sky Dragon said. "Far more so than even Gao Zhang. Gao Zhang and his followers bargain with the Underworld for power, but they do not serve it. Kai Sheng has willingly placed himself in Desolation's service. He is his willing servant, and he longs to see hell unleashed upon the earth. He is truly insane, and utterly evil."

"Um, what is the Underworld Gateway?" All heads turned to look at Li Mao, who shrank back a bit in his chair.

"The Underworld Gateway is the place where the barrier between our world and the Underworld is the weakest," Ghost Wind replied. "It lies deep in the heart of the mountains, far from humanity. The Seven Masters have guarded the Gateway for centuries, making sure that it stays shut."

"So that's what this has all been about," Wu Bin said. "Kai Sheng set all these forces against you so that he could open the Gateway. He knew that you were the only ones who could stop him."

"How long do we have before he succeeds?" Man Kai asked quietly.

"Not long," Ghost Wind replied. "While we were all distracted, Kai Sheng has been weakening the seals that hold the gates closed. Soon, they will be broken, and then Desolation will be free to enter our world."

"But what can we do?" Li Mao cried.

"There is little we can do," Ghost Wind said. "The seals are too weak at this point. Even if we were to kill Kai Sheng, it would not be enough to stop the ritual. If all seven of us were united, we might be able to reverse it, but with only five of us, we won't have the strength"

"Then how can we defeat Desolation once he is free?" Ting Ting asked.

Sky Dragon laughed. "We can't. You may as well try to stop a tsunami, or a volcano. Desolation is no mere demon. The lords of the underworld themselves tremble in his presence. He is powerful beyond your imagining, and there is no sword forged that can slay him."

"Not one sword," said Man Kai thoughtfully, "but perhaps two."

"What do you mean?" Red Bat asked.

"There is a legend of two swords, forged by the gods long ago: the Invincible Earth Sword and the Boundless Heaven Sword. No weapons are more powerful, and it is said that, together, nothing may stand against them. They may be the only way to destroy Desolation."

"Legends?" Gold Lion said scornfully. "What good are legendary swords? Even if they exist, where would we find them?"

"They do exist," Man Kai replied, "and I know where they can be found."

"How do you know this?" Gold Lion asked.

"Wudang Mountain holds many secrets, and much knowledge that has been forgotten. But the swords are well guarded, and retrieving them will not be easy. I fear that even if we can retrieve them, it will be too late. If Desolation is set free before you find the swords, then even if they can slay him, it may well matter little."

"The five of us cannot stop the ritual," Ghost Wind said, "but we can slow it down. That might give us enough time to retrieve these swords."

"But who will find them?" Red Bat asked. "It will take all five of us to resist Kai Sheng and hold the Gateway shut for as long as possible. Who will go in search of the swords?"

"I will go." Li Mao said.

"You?" Sky Dragon asked. "You're barely more than a boy. How do you hope to find the swords?"

"I don't know," Li Mao replied. "But someone has to, and there is no one else to do it."

"I'll go as well," Ting Ting said.

"And I will too," Monsoon said. He then remembered where he was, and he bowed his head. "My former master has tainted the honor of our clan. Please allow me to erase this stain."

"And I'll be their guide," Wu Bin said. "They'll need my help."

"You have a noble heart," Man Kai said, "and great courage. I'm beginning to believe it was not just by chance that you met Ho Chen. I think you have a larger part to play in this. Very well, the matter is settled. All our hopes now rest with you."

The next day, Li Mao and his companions set off in search of the two swords. According to legend, the Invincible Earth Sword could be found at a place called Thousand Sword Mountain, while the Boundless Heaven Sword rested in the Jade Palace of the Dragon King. Both were places of legend themselves; they appeared on no maps, and few even knew they existed. Li Mao and his companions traveled far across vast, searing deserts and high, foreboding mountains, until they descended into the bowels of the earth itself. They eventually came to a place of barren, gray rock and swirling mists that seemed to linger in perpetual twilight. Wu Bin called it the edge of the world, and told the others that it was the only way they could get to the swords in time. However, although it looked completely barren, Wu Bin warned Li Mao to be alert. Xin Kai Sheng almost certainly now knew who he was, and he would not sit idly by if there was even a small chance that Li Mao might pose a threat to him.

Wu Bin's worries were not unfounded. What he had not told Li Mao was that the edge of the world was the nexus of many hidden roads, and that those who knew these secret ways could follow them quickly. Kai Sheng knew these secret ways. He also knew of the outcome of the battle of Wudang Mountain, and of the heroes who had destroyed the Poison Clan. He had gathered four deadly assassins to his side, one for each member of Li Mao's party. The first two were known as Long Axe and Short Axe. They were human, and worked as a team. One was a veritable giant, the other more than two heads shorter, with an ugly scar where his right eye should have been. They were renowned as two of the most ruthless killers in the world. The third, Cenotaph, was a mockery of humanity, a living-dead monster made up of the flesh and bones and souls of a hundred murderers, raised from the underworld by Kai Sheng to do his bidding. The fourth, Miasma, was human only in shape; a cloaked creature of darkness, given to Kai Sheng by Desolation to carry out his bidding. Kai Sheng had sent the four to hunt down Li Mao and his companions, and they had secretly pursued them to the edge of the world.

Li Mao and his companions were resting near the edge of a cliff when the assassins struck. Fortunately, Li Mao had heeded Wu Bin's advice to be wary, and so he had his sword out in a flash as Long Axe and Short Axe rushed him. His blade was a whirlwind as he parried their axes, and then Ting Ting was by his side as well. As Wu Bin went to aid him, Cenotaph suddenly appeared out of the mists and grabbed him. Monsoon drew his sword, but then Miasma appeared out of the mists as well. Miasma opened its cloak, and Monsoon could see a dozen ghostly forms swirling around the darkness inside. Suddenly, they all came swarming out at once toward Monsoon, each a shrieking, wailing head with mouths full of razor sharp teeth. Monsoon quickly cut his finger on his sword, then smeared the blood along the blade.

"Pao Yeh Pao Lo Mei!"

Monsoon flipped and somersaulted through the air, his sword flashing in all directions. As his blade struck each spirit, it exploded in a ball of fire. Meanwhile, Li Mao and Ting Ting battled with Long Axe and Short Axe, who fought in concert with each other. Long Axe was like a walking mountain, while Short Axe was quick and wiry. The four fighters flipped and somersaulted off the cavern walls, their weapons clashing in mid-air, neither side able to gain an advantage over the other. Suddenly Short Axe leapt into the air, catapulted off Long Axe, and slammed both feet into Li Mao's chest, sending him sprawling. As Ting Ting rushed to defend him, Short Axe vaulted onto Long Axe's shoulders, and they attacked her simultaneously, as if they were a single, four-armed beast. Surprised by this sudden onslaught, Ting Ting parried desperately. While distracted by a feint from Short Axe, Long Axe kicked her in the stomach, then struck her jaw with the haft of his axe. She fell to the ground, and the assassins raised their weapons for the kill.

"No!"

Li Mao yelled, and a bolt of energy shot out of his left hand. It slammed into the pair, flinging them apart. Li Mao rushed forward and attacked furiously, throwing the dazed assassins off balance. He struck with the Lunar Sword, smashing right through the haft of Long Axe's weapon as he tried to parry and splitting his skull. Short Axe rushed him, and Li Mao leapt into the air, spinning end over end. As he came down, he kicked Short Axe in the back, sending him plunging over the cliffside and into the swirling mists below. He ran over to Ting Ting, and knelt down beside her.

"Are you ok?" He asked, his eyes wide and hopeful. Ting Ting looked at him strangely, and then nodded and got to her feet. Meanwhile, Monsoon had destroyed the last of the shrieking heads. He sheathed his sword, and then made a series of rapid hand gestures.

"Swords of heaven, strike!"

Monsoon extended his arms above and in front of him in a Y shape. A dozen glowing swords shot into the air out of the scabbard on his back, and hurtled toward Miasma. The blades exploded as they struck the shadowy creature, and when the smoke had cleared, it had vanished. Then he looked over and saw Wu Bin locked in a deadly struggle with Cenotaph. He drew his sword again, and leapt into the air with a yell.

"No! Look out!" Wu Bin yelled. Cenotaph struck Wu Bin, sending him crashing to the ground, stunned. Monsoon struck. His blade tore through Cenotaph's collarbone, down across his chest, and came out the opposite side. As Cenotaph crumpled to the ground, Miasma reappeared directly behind Monsoon. Before he could react, Miasma thrust a shadowy hand into his chest, and Monsoon went rigid, a cry of pain frozen on his lips.

"Pao Yeh Pao Lo Mei!"

Wu Bin let out a yell, and a bolt of blue energy shot from his hand to Miasma. The creature burst into blue flame and was consumed within seconds. Wu Bin caught Monsoon as his body went limp, and laid him on the ground as Li Mao and Ting Ting rushed to his side. Monsoon's skin had turned blue, his lips were purple, and his eyes were completely white.

"What's happened to him?" Ting Ting asked.

"He's been infused with negative yang energy," Wu Bin replied. "His soul is slowly being corrupted and destroyed. Soon, he'll become a ghost."

"Sifu, you must help him!" Li Mao cried.

"There's nothing I can do," Wu Bin replied sadly. "I don't have the skill to heal him." He paused for a moment, lost in thought. "There is someone who does, but... no. I can't."

"You can't what?" Li Mao asked. "Who are you talking about?"

"The Moon Sorceress... someone I knew long ago. But she won't help me. She won't even see me. I'm sorry."

"But he'll die! You have to try! You have to make her help!"

"Make her, heh." Wu Bin chuckled ruefully, and then looked up into Li Mao's anguished eyes. "Oh, all right. I'll try. But you'll have to go on without me. There's no time for us all to go. In fact, you'll each have to go separately." He noticed the bruise on Ting Ting's face. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing," Ting Ting said. "What do we have to do?"

"Li Mao, you have to go to Thousand Sword Mountain. It's out that way, beyond the mists. Go straight in that direction, and don't lose your way. Ting Ting, go down that tunnel. Follow it until the end, then go east until you find the Palace. You've been here before. You know what to do." He reached into a pouch and pulled out a small loop of string. Attached to it was a small jade pendant depicting a dragon. He handed it to Ting Ting. "I found this in the vaults of the Wudang Clan. The legends say you'll need this to get past the guardians in the Palace. Keep it safe."

"I understand," she replied, putting the pendant around her neck and tucking it beneath her clothes.

"Good. Once you have the swords, get to the Gateway as quickly as possible. I'll meet you there."

"We'll be there," Li Mao said. "Please take care of him sifu!"

"I will," Wu Bin replied. "Now hurry! Go!"

Li Mao wandered through the mists for what seemed like an eternity, until he was sure that he would be lost forever. At first he could see chunks of rock and piles of rubble around him, but eventually even they disappeared into the gloom. However, just when he was on the verge of despair, the mists parted, and Li Mao beheld an amazing sight. He was standing on the edge of a cliff at the mouth of a cave. Spread out before him was what seemed like an eternal sky. Li Mao looked down, but could not see the earth below him. Although the sun was bright overhead, the sky was a rich violet and gold, as if it were sunset. What was most amazing though, were the huge chunks of rock floating in the air around him. Some were little more than boulders, while others looked like mountains that had been turned upside-down. Li Mao marveled at the sight before him, and then he spotted what he was looking for. It was a huge chunk of rock, several hundred feet high, tapering toward the bottom and rounded on top, like an inverted pear. Embedded in its surface were thousands of swords, exactly as the legend had described.

Li Mao leapt off the ledge into the sky, and soared hundreds of feet through the air until he landed on a floating rock. He repeated this several times, leapfrogging until he finally landed on Thousand Sword Mountain itself. He looked around at all the swords embedded in the rock, and paused. No two swords looked alike, and no one sword stood out from the others. Li Mao realized that he had no idea what the Invincible Earth Sword looked like.

"Hah! What's this? Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Li Mao turned, and then his eyes went wide. An old man hovered above him, chained to a boulder. The man wore only a loincloth, and his body was thick and muscular, though spotted with age. His head was bald, but his beard, mustache, and even his eyebrows were thick, bushy, and gray. He was spread eagle against the boulder, which was wound with a long length of thick chain that held him in place and trailed off the edge of the boulder, out of sight. Li Mao gaped at the old man, and then finally managed to speak.

"I'm Li Mao. Who are you?"

"I am Shung Dai! And I asked you what you were doing here!"

"Ah, oh, I've come in search of the Invincible Earth Sword."

"Hah! Well, you're welcome to it, if you can find it. But you only get one choice, so choose wisely."

"Only one? But there must be thousands of swords here. How am I supposed to find the right one?"

"Hah! Well, that's your problem, isn't it? But you only get one choice. Those are the rules."

"The rules? Who made those rules?"

"The gods, of course! Who else?"

"I don't suppose you could tell me which one it is, could you? Is that against the rules too?"

"Hah! No."

"No you can't tell me, or no, it isn't against the rules?"

"Both. I could tell you, but I won't."

Li Mao frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"But it's important," Li Mao pleaded. "Desolation will soon be free, and only the Invincible Earth Sword can destroy him. If I don't bring it back, he'll turn the world into hell on earth."

"Why should I care?" Shung Dai asked. "This place is beyond the world. Nothing that happens there will affect me, so why should I help you?"

"But... " Li Mao sputtered, then stopped. He looked at Shung Dai, floating above him, and frowned again.

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Hah! That's a stupid question! I am the guardian of this mountain, of course."

"Who made you the guardian?"

"Another stupid question! The gods, of course!"

"Why?"

"To punish me for my transgressions."

"What transgressions?"

"None of your damn business!"

"I apologize." Li Mao held up his hands in a conciliatory manner. "So they chained you to this boulder?"

"You ask a lot of stupid questions, don't you?"

"And what is the chain attached to?"

"To the mountain, of course!"

"Hmm... " An idea began to take shape in Li Mao's head. "And so your job is to make sure that no one chooses more than one sword?"

"Of course!"

"How long have you been the guardian."

"Longer than your puny mind can possibly imagine. I have always been here. I will always be here."

"That is a long time." Li Mao said. "What would happen if you failed?"

"Impossible!"

"Oh, I know, but what if it happened? I'm just curious."

"The gods would punish me, of course!"

"But they've already punished you. You've been chained to this rock, all alone, for thousands upon thousands of years. How much worse could it get?"

"Heh! You don't know much, worm-brain. There are places that would make this seem like a paradise."

"But surely, some must have tried to take more than one sword in the past?"

"Oh, a few." Shung Dai chuckled.

"What happened to them?"

"I killed them, of course."

"But didn't they fight back?"

"They all tried to fight. They all thought that it would be easy to defeat me. But not only was I faster than them, but none of their swords could hurt me. No weapon of metal or wood or stone can hurt me at all!"

"Hmm... so you know which sword is the one I'm looking for?"

"Of course!"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, cockroach!" Shung Dai sputtered. "I know every sword that was ever forged!"

"Well, I'm not convinced. Maybe you've forgotten?"

"Forgotten? Forgotten? Impudent worm, I should crush you!"

"I don't think you remember."

"Hah! You think you can trick me like that? Fool! You think you're the first one to try that?"

"No trick. I just don't think you know. I think you've forgotten. Or maybe you never knew to begin with, and you're just bluffing."

"You dare?"

"Why did the gods punish you anyway? Was it for forgetfulness?"

"Maggot!"

"Boasting? Annoying them with your loud voice?"

"I'll destroy you!"

"Or was it for lying?"

Shung Dai yelled and lunged toward Li Mao, who leapt backwards as the boulder slammed into the rock.

"Heh," Li Mao said. "You missed."

Shung Dai yelled again and sped toward Li Mao, who darted away from him. Li Mao raced around the outside of the mountain, lightly skipping off the rock and flying through the air as Shung Dai pursued him, screaming obscenities. Shung Dai was fast, and Li Mao knew that if he had flown straight away from the mountain, he would have been caught. However, by hugging the rock, he was able to just barely outdistance Shung Dai, who couldn't get quite as close to the mountainside because of the boulder. Still, it was close. Li Mao kept a watchful eye on Shung Dai, waiting until he had almost run out of chain. This next part was going to be tricky. As he passed around the mountain again, he drew the Lunar Sword, eliciting a laugh from Shung Dai.

"Hah! You think I don't recognize that sword? Not even that blade can hurt me, idiot!" Li Mao ignored him as he came upon the mountainside. Suddenly, he launched himself backwards, reversing direction. He surprised Shung Dai as he shot through the gap between the boulder and the mountainside, just barely avoiding being crushed. As he passed by, he thrust the Lunar Sword through one of the chain links and into the mountain, where it held fast. As he sped away, Shung Dai reversed direction as well, only to stop short as his chain was held fast by the sword. He tugged angrily, then tried to spin around to reach the Lunar Sword, but he didn't have enough slack. Li Mao flew over to him as he struggled.

"Now will you tell me which sword is the Invincible Earth Sword?"

"Putrescent worm!" Shung Dai yelled. "I'll be free of this in a moment, and then I'll grind your bones into powder!'

"Maybe," Li Mao replied. "But I wonder how many swords I could grab and still get away from here by the time you got free?"

"What?"

"Well, I mean, if I can't get the sword I want, then at least I'll have something for my troubles."

"But you can't! If you do, I'll have failed, and the gods will punish me!"

"Why should I care?"

"But you need that sword! You said so yourself! If you don't, the world will be destroyed! You can't leave without it!"

"That's true. So it seems to me that we each have something the other wants. So either we both help each other out, or we both go to hell. It's up to you." Shung Dai stared angrily at Li Mao, who stared back passively.

"Ok then," Li Mao said. "Have it your way. I'll just take a few of these swords and be on my way." He reached for a nearby sword.

"Wait!" Shung Dai yelled.

"Yes?"

"That one! The one with the silver handle. That's the one you want! Take it!"

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"I swear it! That's the one you want!"

"Take an oath upon the gods that this is the Invincible Earth Sword."

"I swear by all the gods in heaven and the demons in hell. That's the sword you want."

Li Mao looked at Shung Dai and hesitated. Then he grabbed the sword and pulled. It slid smoothly out of the rock. As Li Mao held it before him, it began to grow with a green light, and he could feel it radiate magical energy.

"Thank you," he said. Holding the sword before him, he flew off, leaving Shung Dai cursing angrily and swearing vengeance behind him.

"Ugh, why do you have to be so heavy?"

Wu Bin set Monsoon's body down on the snow-covered mountainside and massaged his arms. He looked up to the mountaintop. A temple of white stone, perpetually blanketed in snow, seemed to grow out of the very mountain itself. The light of the full moon reflected from its walls. making the snowflakes twinkle like tiny diamonds against the indigo shroud of night. The air was thin up here, sounds were distant and muted. Wu Bin looked up at the temple ruefully, then sighed, picked up Monsoon, and flew onward toward the mountaintop.

He finally arrived at the temple entrance, a vast, doorless portal surrounded by thick slabs of stone. As he approached the entryway, four women clad in white silk stepped out of the darkness. They all had flawless white skin and jet black hair.

"Halt," their leader said. "You may not enter."

"I come in supplication to your mistress," Wu Bin said wearily. "I seek her merciful beneficence for my companion, who is gravely wounded."

"Our mistress can not help you. Go back from whence you came."

"My companion has been infused with yang energy. His soul is being eaten away, and he has little time left. Only your mistress can cure him."

"That is not our concern. Our mistress does not wish to be disturbed. You must go."

"You don't understand. I cannot leave. I will see your mistress." Wu Bin took a step forward, and the leader stepped in front of him.

"What, you are bold? We will teach you a lesson!" She put her hand on Wu Bin's chest, and he grabbed it and spun her around, twisting her arm behind her back.

"And you are beautiful," Wu Bin said, smiling, "but I have no time for games, or for lessons." The leader spun back around, twisting herself out of Wu Bin's grasp, and she and her followers attacked. Wu Bin dodged between them, blocking their strikes with one hand while holding onto Monsoon with the other. Suddenly, a voice rang out from within the temple.

"Enough! Allow him to pass." The women stepped aside, heads bowed. Wu Bin picked up Monsoon and carried him inside. He entered an ancient, pillared chamber of stone, lit by braziers that burned with blue and white flame. Like the mountain itself, the temple was vast and silent. White-robed women stood silently around the edges of the chamber. A vast, rectangular reflecting pool sat in the middle of the floor, its waters shimmering with white light. A woman sat at the opposite edge of the pool. Like the others, she was dressed in white, although she also wore sashes of blue and violet silk, and beads of azure, pearl white, indigo, and purple around her neck. Her skin was milky white and flawless, and her hair, piled on top of her head, was jet black, like her eyes. It was impossible to tell her age; although she appeared as a maiden, her eyes betrayed a vast age. She watched silently as Wu Bin set Monsoon down on the opposite edge of the pool.

"Why did you come here?" She asked, her voice echoing softly through the chamber.

"My companion needs your help. He has been infused with yang energy. Only you can help him."

"This mountain is a forbidden place. We have no wish to deal with the outside world. Why should I help you?"

"How can you not? Have you no compassion any longer?"

"Hundreds of men die each day. That is the way of things. This one is no different from any other."

"Lin, please... "

"Do not speak that name," Lin said sharply. "You have no right to it." There was silence, and finally, Wu Bin spoke again.

"Please. I would not have brought him here if matters weren't so grave. Hell is about to be unleashed on earth. Evil men are working to free Desolation from the underworld. I need his help to stop them."

"That is none of my concern. We leave the struggles of the outside world to the outside world. We do not interfere."

"It is your concern! It is everyone's concern. Do you really think you'll be safe here forever on this mountain? Do you really think that when Desolation is free, that he'll leave you alone? If we don't stop him now, then you and your followers will all be destroyed, just like everyone else."

"And since when did you care about anyone other than yourself, Wu Bin?"

Wu Bin lowered his head. "I am sorry. Sorry for the past. Sorry for all the mistakes I've made. And I'm sorry for hurting you." He looked up. "I can't undo the past. I can only try to change the future. Please, don't let this man die because of the mistakes I've made. Don't let the world die because of the past. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm just asking for your help."

The chamber was once again silent. Wu Bin waited by the pool, staring at Lin. She stared back at him, her face unreadable. Finally she spoke.

"Leave him here. I will heal him. But you must go."

Wu Bin bowed his head. "I understand." A group of white-robed women came forward to pick up Monsoon's body, and Wu Bin turned to leave.

"Wu Bin." Wu Bin turned around.

"I grant you this one boon, for his sake, not yours. Never return here again."

Wu Bin nodded slightly, feeling suddenly very old and tired. Then he turned away, and left the temple.

Ting Ting walked through the silent halls of the Jade Palace of the Dragon King. The walls, floor, and even the ceiling were all made of Jade. Crystal globes appeared at regular intervals, each containing some sort of mysterious light that reflected off the walls, casting everything in an eerie, green luminescence. Intricate carvings and murals covered the walls, depicting ancient tales of mighty dragons and mythical heroes. According to the legends held within the Wudang archives, the palace was built when Dragons ruled the earth. It was said to be the home of the emperor of dragonkind, mightiest of his species. Supposedly he amassed wondrous treasures from all over the world, which he kept locked in the vaults beneath the palace. However, that was eons ago. Now the Palace was all but forgotten, its halls long empty.

Ting Ting came to a set of massive jade double doors beneath an arch depicting two dragons entwined around each other. Behind them, steps led down into darkness. She eyed the dragons above her warily as she lit a torch, certain they were watching her. The steps were not jade, but stone, and the air was cool and musty. After descending far below the earth, they ended in a hallway that lead to another set of double doors flanked on either side by the statue of a coiled dragon. Ting Ting approached them cautiously, half-expecting them to come to life at any moment. However, they remained unmoving, and Ting Ting finally pushed on the stone doors, which swung open with a reluctant groan.

Beyond the doors, a set of semi-circular stone steps led down into a vast chamber, filled from wall to wall with neat rows of perfectly identical terracotta warriors. There were, Ting Ting guessed, hundreds of them. The warriors stood in two groups, and between them a narrow path led from the base of the steps to another set of double doors on the opposite end fo the chamber. There was also a small, open area ringed by the warriors about halfway along the path, although Ting Ting couldn't see what, if anything, it contained. She descended the steps slowly, alert for any sign of danger, and proceeded across the room.

The light from Ting Ting's torch flickered across the features of the warriors as she came to the center of the room. She looked down and saw a mosaic depicting the Dragon King set into the floor. Ting Ting looked at it uneasily. Something told her not to cross over it, but she could see no other way to continue. Reluctantly, she stepped onto the mosaic. She paused, then took another step. Again, she paused, and then took a third step, onto the center of the mosaic. As she did, she heard the sound of stone brushing against stone. She saw the terracotta warriors come to life and move into the path before and behind her, blocking her escape. What's more, they all turned to face her as well. Ting Ting froze in place. She watched the warriors, waiting for any sign of movement. After a few minutes, she took another, tentative step forward. Instantly, they all lowered their spears and pointed them directly at her. Once again, she froze. She took a careful step backwards, and they raised their spears. She stepped backwards again, and they stepped out of the pathway and turned to face the front of the chamber once again.

Ting Ting stood in place for several minutes, trying to figure out what to do next. Suddenly, she remembered the pendant Wu Bin had given her. She pulled it out and examined it carefully. It looked like a miniature version of the mosaic on the floor. Ting Ting knelt on the floor and searched intently, careful not to move forward on the path. After a moment, she found a small depression in the mosaic, just the right size for the pendant. She pulled the string over her head and inserted the pendant into the depression. A faint gong sounded as if at a great distance, and the warriors parted, opening the pathway to the doors before her.

Ting Ting quickly crossed the room and opened the doors. Behind it, a short hallway led to a high-ceilinged circular chamber, roughly a hundred feet in diameter. The room was lit by bronze oil lamps that ringed the chamber. An exotic variety of ancient weapons and suits of armor hung upon the walls, except underneath an archway set into the wall directly opposite the doors. Curiously, instead of another set of doors, there was only bare stone beneath the arch. However, Ting Ting paid it little heed. Her eyes were transfixed on a low stone altar sitting in the center of the room. Images of serpentine dragons adorned the altar, carved so meticulously that they appeared almost to be made of flesh and blood. Sitting atop the altar was a sword. It appeared to be made entirely of silver, and the ornamentation on the hilt and pommel was far less elaborate than that on most of the other weapons in the chamber. Ting Ting stared down at it. She thought she saw a gleam of red light play across the blade, and she could feel the energy surrounding it. There was no mistaking: this was the Boundless Heaven Sword.

As Ting Ting reached down to take it, she heard the sound of flames crackling, and the acrid scent of sulfur assaulted her senses. She looked up and saw that a portal filled with smoke and fire had opened beneath the archway before her. She stepped away from the altar as a dark figure strode through the portal, oblivious to the flames. It was a massive warrior, over seven feet tall, clad from head to toe in iron armor, his face concealed behind a hideous, horned mask. Poisonous green steam wafted off his body, and he carried a huge, double-bladed battle axe. Skulls hung from a chain around his waist, and Ting Ting knew that she was facing no man.

As the demonic warrior stepped into the room, Ting Ting drew her sword. The warrior extended his hand, and suddenly, the blade flew out of her hands and into his. The warrior attacked, swinging both axe and sword with frightening speed. Ting Ting somersaulted across the floor, then grabbed a broadsword off the wall. She turned to face the warrior, and instantly, the sword flew out of her hands and into his. She leapt into air as he swung at her, flipping over his blade, then rolled across the floor and grabbed a Kwandao. Again, the weapon flew out of her hands into his. Ting Ting sidestepped his next attack, then grabbed the haft of his weapon. and struck his solar plexus with her palm. She let out a cry and grabbed her hand. Her palm was burned and blistered. She ducked as he swung a fist at her, then somersaulted across the floor. Ting Ting looked around desperately, trying to find something she could use. She was in a room full of weapons, yet all of them were useless!

The warrior continued his assault, and Ting Ting darted around the room, narrowly avoiding his axe. She leapt into the air, flipping over his head, and kicked him in the back as she landed. He lurched forward, and she took off toward the doors. The warrior pursued her as she ran into the outer chamber and down the path, past the terracotta warriors. She crossed the mosaic, and then stopped on the far edge and turned around. The demonic warrior halted on the opposite side. Ting Ting met his terrible gaze, and time seemed to stand still.

Ting Ting waited, her muscles tensed, until finally, the warrior rushed forward. As he charged, Ting Ting darted forward and grabbed the pendant. At the last possible moment, she leapt into the air. The terracotta warriors immediately surrounded the mosaic and the demonic warrior as Ting Ting came down onto the warrior's shoulders. Without pausing, she used him as a springboard and flipped through the air again. She landed lightly on one of the terracotta warriors, then flipped again, and again, crossing the chamber without ever touching the floor, until she reached the doorway leading to the room containing the Boundless Heaven Sword. She heard the sound of steel clashing on stone, but she didn't look back.

Once Ting Ting had retrieved the Boundless Heaven Sword, she stepped tentatively back into the room. The terracotta warriors remained still, apparently unconcerned about someone leaving the chamber. On her way out, she passed by an empty suit of armor strewn across the floor. Noxious green fumes hung in a thin cloud above it.

The sky was a dark, bloody red, the air was thick and cloying, as Li Mao raced toward the Underworld Gateway. He came upon the Gateway itself, a vast crater, many thousands of feet wide, surrounded by volcanoes on all sides. A latticework of glowing, red cracks crossed the crater floor, and the earth itself seemed to heave and pulse below him. Li Mao spotted the five masters standing together at the edge of the crater. Their eyes were closed, their heads bowed, and they were chanting in unison.

Pao Yeh Pao Lo Mei Pao Yeh Pao Lo Mei Pao Yeh Pao Lo Mei

Li Mao could feel the air crackle with energy around them, and he could see sweat beading on their foreheads. They were oblivious to the outside world, as they focused all their energy on keeping the Gateway shut for as long as possible. Then Li Mao heard another voice, strangely discordant, echoing in his ears from far away. He looked up to see a lone figure, his palms pressed together in front of him, standing on the opposite edge of the crater.

"Oh no!" Li Mao gasped. "Evil Chanting!"

Li Mao raced toward the figure. He was dressed in luxurious silk robes, and appeared to be in his middle years, with fine black hair and a neatly trimmed beard and moustache. It was the same man he had heard in the tent that night. It was Xin Kai Sheng! He stood rigid, locked in a contest of wills with the masters as he struggled to open the Gateway. Li Mao steeled himself as he flew toward Kai Sheng. He would finish him off once and for all, and put an end to his evil plan!

Suddenly, another figure slammed into him from the side, knocking him out of the sky. Li Mao rolled as he hit the earth. He was barely on his feet when his attacker was on him again. He was tall and thin, with almost skeletal features, piercing eyes, thin lips, and slicked-back, salt and pepper hair. His movements were fast and sharp, and Li Mao found himself stumbling backwards as the figure attacked him relentlessly, pushing him toward the edge of the crater, which was now thick with crimson smoke. Li Mao reached to draw the Invincible Earth Sword, but his attacker grabbed his wrist, and then struck him in the chest with his palm. Li Mao staggered backwards and spit out a mouthful of blood. His robes were burnt and smoldering, and there was a black handprint seared into his chest. As he teetered on the edge of the crater, his attacker pulled his hand back, ready to deal the final blow.

"Fist of Heaven, strike!"

A bolt of blue energy shot out of the sky, hitting the attacker square in the chest and knocking him backwards twenty feet. Wu Bin dropped out of the sky next to Li Mao and pulled him away from the edge of the crater. As he did, a geyser of steam as wide as the crater itself shot into the sky. There was a deafening roar, and Wu Bin and Li Mao scrambled away from the crater's edge as the earth collapsed beneath their feet, cascading like a waterfall of stone into the crater below. The two of them struggled to their feet as the earth shook and the wind howled around them. The masters still stood on the edge of the Gateway, but they were dwarfed by the torrent of infernal energy that now poured from the crater below.

"Sifu," Li Mao yelled, "what is happening?"

"Desolation is unleashed!" Wu Bin replied.

"What must I do?"

"He is not yet at full strength! We must help the masters to hold him as long as he can, until Ting Ting arrives! Use the Invincible Earth Sword to protect them!"

"What about you, sifu?"

Wu Bin looked at Li Mao's attacker, who was shaking his head as he staggered to his feet. "I'll stay here and deal with him! Now go!" Li Mao shot up into the sky, and Wu Bin turned to face his new opponent.

"So, you must be Kong Jun She, Master of the Forbidden Stance, eh?"

"And who are you?" Jun She sneered.

Wu Bin straightened his back and puffed out his chest. "I am Wu Bin of Turtle Island!"

"Ah, I've heard of you."

"You have?" Wu Bin said, surprised.

"Yes. You were a failed student of Wudang, were you not?"

Wu Bin's face hardened. "What did it take for you to betray your brothers? What did he promise you?"

Kong Jun She laughed mirthlessly. "A new world dawns today. No one can hold it back. A world without room for weakness or sentimentality. I will be a king in this world."

"You'll be a king in hell"

"You won't live to see it."

"Oh, don't talk so big," Wu Bin smirked. "It's one thing to study kung fu, but do you have experience?"

"Enough to finish you!" Jun She rushed forward, and Wu Bin leapt backwards, shooting energy bolts from his palms. Jun She deflected them with his bare hands, and leapt after Wu Bin. The two battled in mid-air, trading kicks and punches as they hit the ground. The two struck each other in the chest simultaneously. There was a flash of blue energy, and both of them staggered backwards. Jun She wobbled on his feet and clutched his chest, while Wu Bin brushed at his smoking robes.

"Your Buddha's Palm is really good," he said, grinning, "but not as good as my Celestial Stance." Suddenly, a bolt of fire shot out of the sky. Wu Bin threw up his arms in a defensive gesture. The bolt exploded as it hit him, tossing him in the air like a pebble. He slammed into a rock. Wu Bin coughed up a lungfull of dust, and then grabbed his back in pain. As the smoke cleared, he looked up and saw Xin Kai Sheng standing next to Jun She. He stared down at Wu Bin with disdainful contempt.

"Enough," Kai Sheng said. "You've failed. Desolation is free. And now, you will die."

Li Mao flew toward the Gateway, the Invincible Earth Sword extended in front of him. Energy from the blade crackled over his body, surrounding him in a nimbus of green light. The air was thick with smoke and ash as he raced toward the edge of the crater. He looked down and saw the masters standing rigid below him, their chanting now a continuous wall of sound. Suddenly, a tentacle, long and thick and sinewy, whipped out of the smoke above them. Li Mao gasped, then swung the Invincible Earth Sword toward it. A thick beam of green energy shot out from the blade, slicing cleanly through the tentacle, which disappeared into the gloom. Three more tentacles appeared out of the smoke, and Li Mao cut down all of them. He hovered in place, staring into the black wall of smoke before him, waiting for the next attack. Suddenly, half a dozen tentacles shot out all at once, this time coming directly for him. Li Mao dodged and spun as they reached for him, cutting them apart with broad sweeps of his sword. He sped forward, and then stopped short. The smoke had cleared, and Li Mao found himself staring at something beyond imagination. He saw a vast, shapeless mass of writhing tentacles, like a huge clump of seaweed strewn across the beach, surrounding a titanic, gaping maw ringed with thousands of teeth, each the size of a cypress tree. There were countless tentacles, each hundreds of feet long, and the thing itself was like an island floating in the sky, far larger than Li Mao's entire village. Li Mao watched as Desolation rose into the sky, and in that moment he knew despair.

Wu Bin collapsed against a rock. His bones were broken, and blood and dust were smeared across his face. Jun She and Kai Sheng stood nearby, smirking. He had done his best to hold them off, but it was no use. They were far too strong. He watched through half-closed eyes as Kai Sheng came toward him, his hand wreathed in flame. As he extended his hand toward Wu Bin, something tiny shot through the air and burst above Wu Bin's head. Fire streamed out from Kai Sheng's hand, only to be deflected by a luminous azure sphere surrounding Wu Bin. A look of confusion and surprise appeared on his face, and then he turned angrily toward the sky.

"Heaven and earth unite!"

The ground exploded around Jun She and Kai Sheng, knocking them both off of their feet. Wu Bin looked up to see two figures speeding through the air toward him. The first was Monsoon, and the second -- Lin! The two landed next to Wu Bin, and Lin pulled an sapphire-blue bead from her string and tossed it at Kai Sheng, who had risen from the ground. The bead burst over his head, instantly encasing him in a solid, translucent blue sphere. She turned to Monsoon.

"You deal with him," she said, motioning to Jun She. Monsoon nodded, drawing his sword. Lin waved her hand, and the sphere surrounding Wu Bin vanished. He smiled weakly at her as she knelt beside him.

"You surprise me, Lin," he said before breaking into a coughing fit.

"Be still," she said gently. She took a purple bead and ground it between her fingers over a small glass bottle filled with milky liquid. She watched as it changed to a rich, violet hue, and then she took Wu Bin's chin in her hand and tilted the bottle into his mouth. She murmured a chant as he swallowed the liquid. After a few moments, Wu Bin blinked rapidly and opened his eyes. His wounds were closed, his bones mended, and his body refreshed. He looked at Lin with awe and wonder.

"You came. You came, and you saved me. I... " Wu Bin's voice trailed off.

"It's not such a big deal," Lin said, looking away. "I just came to help your friend. He convinced me that it was important."

A huge grin spread across Wu Bin's face. "Thank you, Lin. It's good to see you again."

"Quiet, old fool," Lin replied. "The battle isn't over yet." She looked over at Kai Sheng. The surface of the sphere imprisoning him was cracked and flaking. In seconds he would be free.

"Well then, let's go finish it," Wu Bin said, rising to his feet. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."

Monsoon watched as Jun She got to his feet. His face was hard and flinty,and he gripped his sword tightly. Jun She stopped short when he saw him.

"So," he sneered, "the student has come to challenge the master. Is that it?"

"You have betrayed your order," Monsoon replied, his voice cold and even, "and broken your vows to defend against evil. I have come to cleanse the stain of dishonor you have put upon our clan."

"Fool!" Jun She spat. "You've learned nothing from me. None of that matters. Power is all that matters!"

"No. Righteousness is the highest virtue. Power is nothing without honor."

"Honor? Look around you. You've already lost. Your honor will not save you, but you can still save yourself. Join me. You were a great student, now you can earn your reward. Think about it. You can rule over this world at my side!"

Monsoon's neck tightened, and his mouth twitched. "You are a liar and a traitor. I will destroy you."

"Arrogant whelp. You forget who your master is. I made you who you are. If you will not join me, I will grind you into the dust."

"I am your student no longer. I have forgotten your name. You have brought shame to your ancestors, and now I will avenge them!"

"Idiot," Jun She yelled, "you have no hope left. Now, you will die!"

Li Mao darted high above the heads of the five masters, slashing furiously with the Invincible Earth Sword. The sword effortlessly cleaved through Desolation's tentacles, but for every one he cut off, two more seemed to take its place. So far, however, he had managed to keep them away from the masters, who continued to chant on crater's edge below him. Li Mao could feel that they were still holding Desolation in check, but he could also feel their power fading with every minute.

As Li Mao slashed away at the tentacles, one of them managed to snake around his leg. He hacked it off, but then another grabbed his arm. He sliced that one too, but more slithered around his arms and legs. He slashed at them frantically, but they came too quickly. One wrapped around his body, pinning his arms to his side. Li Mao kicked and struggled, but the tentacles were too strong, and he couldn't bring his sword to bear against them. He looked down, and saw himself being dragged toward the vast, dark pit that was Desolation's maw.

Suddenly, the tentacle around his body loosened and dropped off, followed by the other ones that had wound around his limbs. Li Mao fell, disoriented, only to feel someone grab him and pull him up into the sky. He looked to see Ting Ting holding him. She had one hand wrapped around his waist, and she held the Boundless Heaven Sword in the other. She soared up into the sky with him, out of Desolation's reach.

"You saved my life," she said. "Now I've saved yours." Her voice was restrained and measured, as if she were picking each word carefully. Li Mao looked at her, confused. Then he leaned in and kissed her, gripping her tightly. At first her body tensed, but then relaxed as he kissed her deeply. When he finally pulled away, she stared at him in confusion and surprise. Suddenly, she heard something from far below.

"Look," she said, "Wu Bin is trying to tell us something."

Wu Bin, Lin, and Kai Sheng flipped and cartwheeled around each other, like acrobats performing a complex routine. Explosions filled the sky as the they flung energy bolts at each other. Although Wu Bin and Lin worked together, Kai Sheng was powerful, and he was able to keep them at bay. He tossed a fireball at Wu Bin, who leapt out of the way and counterattacked by hurling an energy bolt at Kai Sheng. He deflected it toward Lin, and she responded by tossing a white bead at it. The two exploded as they hit each other. As Wu Bin flipped aside, he looked up and saw Ting Ting flying up into the sky with Li Mao in her arms.

"Hey!" He yelled. "You have to unite the swords! Combine them into one, and then go straight for his heart! It's the only way to destroy him!" Wu Bin waved his arms, and he saw Ting Ting and Li Mao come toward him. "Unite the swords," he yelled. "Unite the swords!"

"Look out!" Lin yelled. Wu Bin turned to see a laughing, fiery red skull heading straight for him. Before he could react, Lin jumped in front of him. The skull exploded, knocking them both to the ground. Wu Bin coughed and rolled over, then scrambled over to Lin. Her robes were singed, and she was unconscious. Wu Bin looked up at Kai Sheng, a murderous look on his face. He rushed forward, hurling bolts of energy at him. Surprised by the ferocity of the attack, Kai Sheng staggered backwards. Wu Bin continued to hammer away relentlessly, throwing energy bolts like a hailstorm, until Kai Sheng stumbled and fell. As Wu Bin loomed over him, ready to deliver the final blow, Kai Sheng blasted him with a fireball. Wu Bin was flung backwards by the force of the blast. He shook his head, and looked up to see Kai Sheng above him. He tried to rise, but Kai Sheng planted his knee on Wu Bin's chest. He grabbed the front of Wu Bin's robes and pulled his head up.

"You have troubled me long enough, peasant!" Once again, flame surrounded his fist. "Now, you will die!"

Suddenly, a pearl white bead stuck Kai Sheng in the chest. Wu Bin flung his arm over his face, and Kai Sheng screamed in pain as it exploded. Wu Bin got up and slammed his palm into Kai Sheng's chest. Energy shot out of his hand, and Kai Sheng flew backwards. He slammed into the mountainside and exploded in a burst of blue flame. When the smoke cleared, there was nothing of him left. Wu Bin fell to his knees, and Lin ran over to him and took him in her arms.

"You saved my life again," he said.

"I told you not to make a big deal about it," she said, the faintest hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth. Wu Bin gently lifted her chin with his finger and looked into her dark eyes.

And then, there was a blinding flash of light.

Monsoon and Jun She battled on the edge of the crater as the earth shook and smoke billowed all around them. Although Monsoon had started the fight armed, Jun She had disarmed him, and then beaten him until Monsoon was down to his last ounce of strength. Finally, Moonsoon threw a desperate punch. Jun She blocked it easily, and then struck Monsoon in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

"Fool," he hissed. "you thought you could defeat me! You were no match for me. I offered you the chance to stand by my side, but you turned me down. Now, I'll take great pleasure in destroying you."

Monsoon looked up at the sky above Jun She's shoulder, and then at Jun She. "Earth is invincible, and heaven is boundless. Heaven and earth united cannot be stopped. And now, the justice of heaven is at hand." Jun She turned to look at the sky, and Monsoon closed his eyes.

And then, there was a blinding flash of light.

"Sifu," Li Mao cried as he watched the flaming skull strike Lin and Wu Bin. He moved to help them, but Ting Ting grabbed his arm.

"No," she said. "We have to destroy Desolation. The masters cannot hold him any longer."

"Wu Bin said to unite the swords. But how?"

"Come with me," Ting Ting replied. She flew straight up into the air, and Wu Bin followed her. When they were high above the battlefield, she stopped, and held her sword out in front of her.

"Give me your hand." She and Li Mao intertwined their fingers together, and she looked deep into his eyes.

"Now," she said. "unite the swords." She and Li Mao brought the swords together, hilt to hilt and blade to blade. She wrapped her hand around the hilt of his sword, and he did the same with hers. The swords interlocked together, their pommels fitting together perfectly. Instantly, Li Mao and Ting Ting were surrounded by a shaft of golden light. Li Mao felt energy coursing through his body. It was like when Ho Chen infused him with his kung fu, but a million times more powerful. He felt the energy around him build to a crescendo, and he looked at Ting Ting and smiled.

And then, there was a blinding flash of light.

Jun She screamed and clasped his hands over his eyes as the swords united. As he staggered by the edge of the crater, Monsoon rose to his feet and gathered the very last of his strength.

"Heaven and earth, unite!"

Time seemed to slow down as Monsoon leapt into the air, spun around, and kicked. There was a thunder clap as his foot slammed into Jun She, knocking him off the edge of the crater, and Jun She screamed as he disappeared into the thick, black smoke below.

For a moment, all was light. Then Li Mao could see again. He looked at his hand. Instead of two swords, he and Ting Ting were holding one sword, shining with golden light. He and Ting Ting flew straight up into the sky, and then dove back down toward the earth. Desolation was a vast, festering mass below them. The masters lay unconscious, their energy finally spent. Li Mao and Ting Ting aimed the sword straight at Desolation, releasing a massive beam of golden energy. Desolation let out a roar like a thousand angry dragons as the beam cut across his body, but when Li Mao and Ting Ting pulled away, he still lived. The two of them flew back up into the sky.

"He's too big," Ting Ting said. "We can't destroy him that way."

"We'll have to go straight into his mouth to destroy him," Li Mao replied. "It's the only way to get to his heart."

"Will we survive?"

"I don't know," Li Mao replied. "Are you afraid?"

"No." Ting Ting smiled, and then she kissed Li Mao. Then the two of them shot up into the sky, starting a graceful arc meant to end in the demon's maw. Far below, Monsoon rejoined Lin and Wu Bin.

"The masters," he said. "We have to protect them."

"Quickly," Wu Bin said, flying over to them. The three of them dragged the unconscious masters away from the edge of the crater and behind a large rock.

"Get everyone as close together as possible," Lin said. Lin, Wu Bin and Monsoon did their best to shield the Masters as they huddled close together, and then Lin threw an azure bead into the air. It burst above them, surrounding them with a sphere of protective energy. As she did, Li Mao and Ting Ting dove out of the sky and made a wide circle around the crater until they were directly in front of Desolation's maw. Around them volcanoes erupted and red lightning flashed in the bloody sky as they raced forward. Golden light lanced out of the sword and plunged straight into Desolation, and the earth heaved and the air boiled as the beam pierced his heart. Ting Ting and Li Mao flew onward, passing by the forest of teeth surrounding the black pit of Desolation's maw. Then they disappeared into the darkness.

For a few moments, there was nothing. Then a shaft of light burst out of Desolation's body. Then another, and another, and another still, until beams of light shot out of his body in a hundred thousand different directions. Finally, he let out a roar of pain and rage and hatred as his body became a vast glowing sphere of light that made the sun dim in comparison, and then there was an explosion that shook the very foundations of heaven itself. Wu Bin and Lin and Monsoon huddled as a firestorm raged around them like a wave crashing over a pebble on the beach. And then, it was over. When Wu Bin looked up again, the sky was blue, the wind were quiet, and the earth was still. The mountains were scorched and blackened, but of Desolation there was no trace. Gone too, was the great golden sword. All that remained was Li Mao and Ting Ting, who both lay unconscious on the ground nearby, their hands still clasped tightly together.

---

"And that, little dung beetles, is the end of the story." A chorus of cries went up from the crowd of children, causing Old Wu to scowl.

"What?" He said gruffly. "You wanted a story, you got a story. Now let Master Wu rest in peace."

"But what else happened?" Song called out, a question immediately echoed by the others.

"What do you mean, 'what else happened?' Nothing else happened. They defeated Desolation and saved the world, and that's the end of the story." The children let out another chorus of disappointed cries.

"No," Li said. "What else happened? What happened to the Seven Masters? What happened to Li Mao and Monsoon and Ting Ting?"

Old Wu sighed. "Oh, all right. Once the battle was over, the world was saved. Monsoon was made the head of his clan, and became the Sixth Master. The dishonor that Kong Jun She had brought to the Omei Clan was cleansed. Monsoon went on to have many students, almost rivaling the Wudang Clan in size, and he became known as a wise and powerful warrior."

"What about Li Mao and Ting Ting? a girl named Hu asked. "Did they get married?"

"No, they didn't," Old Wu replied. "Li Mao was in love with Ting Ting, and would have happily run off to live out the rest of his days with her. However, as he was the only surviving student of Ho Chen, the other masters asked Li Mao to join them and to become the Seventh Master. Bound by duty, Li Mao accepted, and he too went on to have many adventures. Unlike the other masters, he chose to use his powers to help the common people. He became known as a great warrior and protector of the people, and legends of his deeds were told for generations to come. He asked Ting Ting to join him, and she very much wanted to, but she too had duties to uphold. Sadly, she bid him farewell, and went on to have many more adventures afterwards. And now that is the end of the story. Now all of you, shoo! Get out of here!" Old Wu waved his hands at the children, who shuffled away reluctantly. Finally, when they were all gone, Old Wu settled back against a tree, pulled the brim of his hat down, and closed his eyes.

"Master Wu?"

"Eh?" Old Wu raised the brim of his hat and opened one eye. Little Cho, no more than six years old, stood before him with her hands clasped behind her back.

"What do you want?"

"You didn't say what happened to Wu Bin and Lin. Did they live happily ever after?"

"Hmmph," Old Wu said softly. "Well, that's another story."

"Will you tell it to me some time?"

"Maybe, little one. Some other day." Old Wu smiled. "Now go fetch some water. I'm thirsty."

The End.