[10] A Time of Change
A terrible lull fell over the Temple after the warriors left. A gloom crept over those who stayed behind; even 1st Elder wore a long face as he went about his duties. Master Xin’s group felt it most acutely because their three most senior members were gone - the master himself and his two oldest disciples.
All Master Xin’s remaining disciples moved into Master Chao’s courtyard the day after the departure. Despite his heavy heart, I-Ken smiled with glee when he realized he was put into a room together with Ching. Like all disciples’ quarters, the room was small, long and narrow, and had no other furniture except pallets running along both sides of the long wall. Some shelves were tacked against a third wall, holding all the meager possessions the disciples had. The pallets were placed on raised cement platforms, three on each side, with a walkway in between. This meant the pallets were within arms length of one another, and often in the cold hours of the night, the disciples would shift their pallets closer together for warmth.
Only four of those pallets were used in their room. I-Ken and Ching took up two pallets on one side, and two of Master Chao’s students took up the other two on the opposite side.
‘What luck!’ I-Ken whispered to Ching.
‘What ingenuity!’ Ching whispered back, a gleam in his eye.
I-Ken raised his eyebrow questioningly. Ching laughed silently at his friend’s expression, with a tiny nod of the head. He had gone through much pains to fix this sleeping arrangement.
After the hurricane departure of the royal entourage and the temple contingent, life settled back into its normal routine. The gong sounded as always before the cock crowed. Basic training and chores were performed in the pre-dawn dark, and the remaining hours were filled with meditation, study time, and the basic purpose of learning how to fight and defend a country that was constantly at war. No one knew how long this particular war would last, nor how long the temple warriors would be gone.
Besides the changes occurring in the Temple, other changes were also taking place in one bright-eyed sixteen year old boy. Perhaps he felt lost, or perhaps he was just growing up at a difficult age, but I-Ken soon found himself rebelling against the simplest commands, not because they were bad or unfair but because they were not issued from his beloved Master’s lips. He questioned every order that was given him; he challenged every decree and he fumed when he was corrected. He even scowled and sulked when he was scolded or punished. And punished he was, often and for long periods of time. He earned many hours on his knees in the ancestors’ pavilion. It was common practice for wrong doers to do penance by kneeling in front of the tablets of the Temple’s past Elders and Masters. Sometimes, the punishment could last the entire night. It was a form of chastisement designed to calm a young and rebellious spirit and practically all young disciples had spent time there, though none quite as much as I-Ken.
I-Ken hated this punishment. It was worse than meditation. Master Xin rarely sent him there to kneel; he preferred to keep his lively student within his own courtyard under his own watchful eye. Kneeling for hours, alone, at the ancestors pavilion made I-Ken feel isolated and defiant. It also made him appreciate his Master’s teachings all the more. Strict though his master was, I-Ken now realized he had been in fact very tolerant and understanding. Master Xin had probed him with questions, forcing him to understand his own failings and he had felt better for it. And while no one at the Temple mistreated him, only Master Xin had cared enough to understand him.
How he missed his master’s wisdom. He was sixteen and terrified that he would never again see the only person he had ever thought of as family. His master would most certainly have thrashed him had he behaved so badly, for Master Xin would never tolerate such behavior, but then I-Ken would not have challenged Master Xin in a million years, and he would have accepted whatever punishments his master handed out without demur.
Master Chao had a totally different style of management. With so many masters away, Master Chao was hard pressed to fit so many duties into his day and simply had no time to spare, nor the inclination to keep the troublesome boy close by. He swiftly handed out discipline when he had to. And so to the ancestors’ pavilion I-Ken went.
But what I-Ken hated most was when Master Chao took Ching to task. Ching was smaller in size and not built with the same stamina and robustness as I-Ken. I-Ken bristled with resentment when Ching had to fetch huge pails of water for their baths. This was a routine chore which all the students took turns to perform, but it was also sometimes handed out as extra chores as a form of punishment.
‘Here, give me one!’ I-Ken instructed as Ching struggled with two full buckets balanced on a bamboo pole.
Ching refused. He had been given extra chores because Master Chao had caught him stealing into the ancestors’ pavilion to send rice to I-Ken.
Go away, or you will get us both into more trouble.” Ching scolded.
“You’ve taken your quota. You are already worn out!”
“I can manage it!” Ching spat, and hurried on his way.
I-Ken watched with helpless anger as the small frame slowly made his way up the steep stone steps, carefully balancing the buckets. Together, both buckets and water weighed more than Ching himself.
By the time the dinner gong sounded, Ching was too tired to even eat. I-Ken silently encouraged Ching to swallow. After the meal, I-Ken pulled at Ching’s sleeve and quietly guided Ching to their courtyard. Once there, I-Ken quickly prepared him for bed. Ching raised no objections, allowing I-Ken to draw water for him to wash his face and hands, smiling tiredly as I-Ken gently bullied him into his sleeping tunic. The young boy was asleep almost as soon as his head touched the hard wooden pallet.
I-Ken gathered up Ching’s dirty clothes and put them aside, determined to get them washed the next day. He then tucked the quilt more securely around the sleeping form and blew out the candle, allowing only the faint moonlight to filter in. His heart ached with hollowness as he watched Ching sleep. From such small acts, I-Ken drew comfort. In another few minutes, the other disciples would come in to seek their own beds, but for those few precious moments, I-Ken allowed himself the luxury of union and connection.
[11] News from the West
By the end of winter, there was still no news of the battle. No messenger had come to report on how the two contingents from the Temple were faring. Four months had gone by and no news had come. Though the Elders went about their usual way, performing their routines tasks as serenely as ever, some of the Masters could be seen wearing anxious faces. Sometimes late at night, Masters met secretly in their rooms and held discussions in hushed tones.
The disciples felt the tension but none dared to ask.
Although the disciples practiced hard, very little study was done that winter. I-Ken heard the whispers and quietly watched as small groups huddled together to talk about the war. Distancing himself from all the gossip and discussions, which none could confirm to be true or false, I-ken refused to speculate with the rest of the disciples. He found it a fruitless exercise. There was nothing anyone could do about the situation and no one really knew the true state of affairs. Talking around the same old subject only made him feel alternatively angry and then helpless, and that was a feeling I-Ken avoided at all costs. And so he decided to channel his attention elsewhere. Much to the surprise of the masters, I-Ken began to meditate.
As the winter came to an end, I-Ken began to find his centre once more. Sitting cross-legged for hours at his favorite spot in the back garden of the Temple, I-Ken observed the mountain tops, covered with snow. Each day the whiteness became less and a feeling of calm stole into the boy as he slowly turned into a young man. The churning emotions which had burned in his belly faded; he easily eased himself into meditation as he imagined his Master’s voice speaking to him. The world began to make sense, and it was different from when his Master was around. He began to understand what his Master had explained so patiently time and again. There was a reason for everything and everything had its rightful place.
Suddenly I-Ken found an insatiable thirst in him. He found an outlet; channeling his restless energy into his training, he practiced tirelessly, as if he needed no rest. Instead of being pushed to train, he was the first one up before dawn. He would have started his breathing exercises by the time the other disciples assembled in the courtyard. His concentration was unwavering; it earned him praise from Master Chao but for once he trained not for his Masters’ approval. Finding understanding, I-Ken finally trained for himself.
The months passed swiftly. Ching stayed silent and watched the fervor sweep through his friend. He made neither comment nor objection, knowing this was a journey I-Ken needed to make on his own. In that one year, I-Ken grew another two inches and his chest filled out with the muscles of manhood. His thighs and arms thickened, giving him superb strength. When one day he looked in the mirror, he was surprised. Gone were the boyish features and mischievous eyes. A slightly aloof young man looked back at him, eyes dark with passion and a jaw more firm than he remembered. He stared a long time at himself, not sure if he liked what he saw.
Ching said softly from behind. “You are a fine looking man indeed. Would you still call me friend or are you too proud now?”
The tone was light and teasing but I-Ken could hear the tremor beneath the voice. Turning his head slightly, he reacted without thinking. He pulled Ching close to his side and their bodies touched. His breath was hot as he spoke into Ching’s ears, “Never doubt me, brother! I may be many things but never untrue.”
Ching was shaken momentarily by the passion. He stood stock still, feeling the heat from I-Ken burn his heart. “I …I …”
“You what, brother?” I-Ken asked, his eyes piercing.
Ching shook his head in helpless confusion.
“Do you still doubt me then?” I-Ken demanded.
Ching let go a deep breath, suddenly trembling though not from fear. “No,” he whispered. “Never.”
A long look passed between the two friends and perhaps that look held a hunger, or some promise that neither knew how to fulfill. After a moment of silence, they finally moved apart and their heartbeats returned to a more normal rate.
Just as they turned to go, the gong sounded – a loud resounding echo that crept into the winding corridors and hallowed halls. I-Ken and Ching jumped at the sound; the whole place had been shrouded in silent depression for so long that the gong startled them. Hurrying forward, they made their way to the Main Hall to determine the cause of the alarm.
As they neared the Main Hall, they saw people scurrying past and 1st Elder swiftly descend from his quarters, followed closely by some senior masters. The hair on the back of I-Ken’s neck pricked; something was amiss. Lengthening his stride he made it to the Main Hall just as 1st Elder entered. A large entourage was gathered there but I-Ken saw only one thing: the face of his beloved Master amongst the sea of faces.
He would have darted forward to claim his Master’s attention but something held him back. The tension in the great hall was palpable and I-Ken kept close to the wall, doing nothing more than observing those around him. There were many people talking at the same time in hushed tones and the Elders and Masters, including Master Xin, were gathered in a tight group deep in conversation. His heart had soared at seeing his Master; he was alive and well and he was home. But as I-Ken watched him more closely, he noticed the paleness of the skin and the listlessness in the eyes. Outwardly he looked the same, although his Master was much too thin, and he looked tired and haggard beyond acceptable. But something else was wrong, something was troubling Master Xin. Was it the war? Or perhaps Master was ill and he was hiding it? He swallowed the lump in his throat at the thought, and then he looked up and straight into his Master’s eyes.
For a moment, I-Ken felt the sting but he managed to stay dry-eyed. It would not do to embarrass both himself and his Master by showing such unmanly emotions. A brief nod was passed from Master to student and then the returning warriors were heralded out and into the inner courtyards for further discussions. I-Ken watched them go and slowly returned to his own courtyard, Ching at his side.
[12] Loyalty
I-Ken was deep in meditation when Master Xin stepped into the pavilion. I-Ken immediately felt the presence. That was what his Master had tried to teach him so long ago – the rising of the subconscious with the conscious. A balance of mind and body and soul.
A slight smile touched I-Ken’s lips before he opened his eyes. “Humble greetings, my honored Master.”
“You have done well, my child.” Master’s Xin’s voice held approval.
“Thank you Master.” I-Ken uncurled from his lotus position and transferred fluidly into a kneeling position, facing his Master. Then, unable to help himself, he leaned forward, bringing his forehead down to the ground in front of him in a deep kow-tow. It was an obeisance normally reserved for the Gods and dead ancestors, meant to show the highest form of respect. “I am thankful you are returned, Master,” I-Ken breathed softly.
Master Xin lowered himself into a stone seat and sighed deeply. “Why such deep custom, I-Ken?” He sounded slightly amused.
“The Gods and our ancestors are to be thanked for your safe return.” I-Ken looked up with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“It feels very good to be home again, I-Ken, even though the war wages on and my mind is heavy with worry.”
“Have you been in the capital all this time, Master?” I-Ken asked, hungry for news. “How is the war progressing? Are the rebels really that strong? Why haven’t we vanquished them yet? Do they need more troops? We have heard nothing, nothing at all!”
Master Xin chuckled. “I was told you had grown and matured in the last year. Is this the way to inquire of news, child?” The admonishment was mild and more teasing than serious.
“How long do you stay Master?”
Master Xin looked somber and he said in a colorless tone. “I return only to recruit new troops.” The eagerness leapt to I-Ken’s eyes. Before he could speak, Master Xin continued. “But only those who have passed 3rd level Trials will be considered suitable.”
Squashed, I-Ken shut his mouth. In the past he would have argued but he did not do so this time. Instead he politely asked his Master for more details of the war.
Master Xin tolerated the question; in truth he enjoyed this quiet moment alone with his favorite disciple and was glad of the opportunity to observe him closely. His observation made him both pleased and melancholy. The boy was all but gone and there was a stranger lurking in those dark eyes which stared openly back at him. Master Xin took note of the broadened shoulders and quiet demeanor and suddenly found himself missing the previous boisterous youth who had at times filled him with despair.
“I joined the fighting in the West shortly after my stay at the capital and I have been there these past months,” Master Xin said. He went on to describe what he had seen and some parts of the battle. “We need more warriors and the Emperor has commanded all Lords and Tribes to contribute men and weapons. While other convoys have journeyed to the flat lands, I will pay a visit soon to the hill tribes to seek out the clans loyal to our king and country.”
“What of our warriors from the Temple. Are brothers Yu-Li and Wen-Er still with 3rd Elder? Did they fight well?”
A shadow passed over the Master’s face as he looked into the distance. “Yu-Li was killed in the last encounter, a particularly fierce one, and Wen-Er was badly wounded. We couldn’t save him in the end; he too has since perished. Yes, they both fought well and were very brave. They are worthy of our great Temple and we will honor them together with all those who have sacrificed their lives.”
I-Ken stared in dismay at his Master. “Brother Yu-Li is dead? And Brother Wen-Er too?” His voice shook.
Master Xin’s eyes returned to his kneeling disciple. “This is all part and parcel of our existence. We are proud to be able to give up our lives for our country, are we not? For those who died bravely in battle, we do not mourn.”
“Yes Master.” I-Ken swallowed with difficulty. “And when do you return to the West, Master?”
“3rd Elder stays on at the border, and is doing all he can to push back the rebels. But he needs aid. This war has weakened us terribly and I fear our losses will be immense before we are done. I must make haste to return to his side.”
I-Ken sighed, careful to keep the sound quiet for it would not do to appear despondent before his Master. Picking his words carefully, he said, “Master, I will be nineteen soon and I have already applied to take my Final Trials. Master Chao has approved it.”
Master Xin smiled. “Ah … I have heard of your great progress and I am very pleased, I-Ken.”
I-Ken beamed; praise from the Master was so rare and so sweet. “Thank you Master.”
“I have heard also of the many hours you spent in the Ancestors’ Pavilion. Obviously that did you a world of good. Perhaps it was my mistake not to have sent you there more often.”
I-Ken flushed and quickly lowered his eyes. “No Master,” he said softly, “there was no need for the Ancestors’ Pavilion whilst you were here guiding me. Even in your absence, the only voice I heard was yours.”
“I see you have improved not only your martial arts skills but also your manners. Is this flattery indeed?”
I-Ken peeped up through his lashes and flashed an impish smile. “How can it be flattery when you have taught me to speak only the truth, Master?”
Master Xin chuckled again as his face relaxed into a broad smile; I-Ken may be taller and stronger but the boy would never truly be gone, and the familiarity in the kneeling figure would forever warm his heart.
I-Ken balanced the bowl carefully on the tray as his long strides took him swiftly to his Master’s quarters. The corridors were long and winding, and it was a challenge getting the soup to his Master while it was still hot.
I-Ken sniffed tentatively. It smelt unfamiliar, a strange combination of herbs which he could not identify. Amongst other things taught at the Temple was the study of medicine and herbal remedies. Everyone was expected to know the basics of healing either via herbs or the administration of qi through the body.
Acupuncture was considered a higher science and so was not a compulsory subject. Though most if not all the inhabitants of the Temple would be able to point out the exact number of points in the human body which necessitated the flow of blood and life, not all would be proficient in directing and controlling the very same flow to cure.
I-Ken had never paid much attention to the art of healing, beyond what was required as the basic lessons. His primary focus had been on techniques of combat and warfare. Now he wished he had listened more attentively. Every night since his master had been back, he had carried a bowl to his room – one with a strong unfamiliar smell of some strange herbs.
At first I-Ken had not questioned; his master had been through an arduous journey and had depleted much of his power and qi. It would not be uncommon for him to now replenish and rebuild his strength and life-force. But there was something else amiss. I-Ken could feel it in his bones.
Master Xin looked up from his meditation pose as I-Ken walked into his room. In the moonlight, aided by only a few burning candles, Master’s Xin’s face looked like death. I-Ken almost gasped. Why had he not seen this earlier? How was he so blind that he missed it?
“Master, your soup.” I-Ken brought the bowl over and offered it with both hands.
Master Xin took the bowl and immediately raised it to his lips. “Thank-you, my child,” he said after draining the liquid. He grimaced slightly; the soup must taste really bad, I-Ken thought.
I-Ken suddenly asked, “What is in your soup, Master? It smells unfamiliar. I cannot detect the herbs in it.” It was certainly permissible to ask this question as it was a quest for knowledge.
Master Xin replied smoothly. “It contains essence from the thousand year old Ling Zhi as well as other combinations of cordyceps and roots.”
I-Ken nodded his head. Ling Zhi was generally hailed as an elixir of immortality while cordyceps was considered one of the most potent and health improving herbs, and combined they can be a very powerful source of cure. Luckily for them, both grew wildly on the high plateaus of their mountain.
“Is Master not well then?” I-Ken asked after a moment of hesitation.
Master Xin smiled calmly. “I am well enough, I-Ken. I am fortunate to be able to renew my strength with this soup. Not many others have these herbs so readily available but they grow in abundance around our Temple.”
I-Ken shuffled his feet slightly.
“What is it you want to ask, child?”
“Master,” I-Ken began with a hidden smile. How did Master read him so well, he wondered. “Master, I would like you to fix the date for my finals for the Trials. Please!” he added quickly.
Master Xin gave the request some thought and finally replied. “I will have speech with Master Chao tomorrow.”
I-Ken waited impatiently for a whole week for the two Masters to speak. Several times, he sneaked into the inner courtyard to trace the whereabouts of his masters, but as far as he could tell, they did not meet.
Master Xin was absent often from his quarters but he was definitely not with Master Chao. I-Ken had enough curiosity for all the disciples put together, and he wondered where his Master had gone to but did not dare to ask. It would have been impertinent and would have earned him a scolding. But he kept a special look out and quietly followed Master Xin one day and saw the older warrior disappear into the haloed chambers of the Elders.
Well, there was nothing unusual about that! They must be in conference or consulting one another. He knew Master Xin was preparing to travel again soon, to go to the neighboring clans to garner support and raise more troops. He lingered around the Elders’ chambers but Master Xin did not emerge for hours. Eventually, I-Ken had no choice but to return to his chores and practice. Even he could not find enough excuses to be hanging around doing nothing, and this was a dangerous place to be found if one had no reason to be there.
That evening, sighing in frustration, he sat down gloomily with Ching for the evening meal.
“Why such a long face?” Ching inquired.
I-Ken explained, and then asked, “Did you see both Masters together any time today? You spent some time with Master Chao late in the afternoon; did my Master go to him at all?”
“No, I don’t recall,” Ching said, pushing some rice into his mouth with his chopsticks. “Eat before it’s all gone!”
I-Ken absently picked up his bowl of rice and chopsticks. “Not at all today?”
Ching reached over and quickly placed some meat and vegetables on top of his rice. Even though their fellow disciples were used to their close friendship, it wouldn’t do to appear overly affectionate with one another. “No, and stop fretting. They will fix the date for sure.”
“But I want to know when!” I-Ken protested, his cheeks bulging with rice.
Ching laughed silently at him. “You shouldn’t talk with your mouth stuffed. You look weird.” To which, I-Ken grunted in reply.
After the first pangs of hunger had been appeased, Ching turned to I-Ken and said, “It will be about time for me to go for my yearly trip home soon. This time I will be gone for one month.”
I-Ken looked at his friend in surprise. “So soon?” He sounded disappointed.
“You will miss me.” Ching stated.
I-Ken flashed him a look, half impatient half impish. “You know I will. You are my only friend here.”
“Surely not!” Ching smiled teasingly. “You have many friends. You are always engaged with one or another; sometimes you have no time for me.”
“Don’t be stupid,” I-Ken begged. “And stop teasing me.”
“All right, I won’t. You are always good to me, that I do know.”
I-Ken mused quietly as he chewed his food. “I wish I could come with you. I have never seen your house. In fact I have no idea what a household like yours looks like. And I wish I could walk down the market street with you and see the food vendors and people selling wares. Like the way you have described them.”
“I wish it too, with all my heart,” Ching said wistfully.
I-Ken shook his head forlornly. “I can only dream of it.” He sighed, and this time shook his head with barely concealed impatience. “So much to do, so much to see. This place is killing me. Sometimes …”
“Don’t!” Ching said, his voice low. “Don’t be like that. You love this place.”
“Ah, but you know how I feel. Of all people, you know!”
“Yes, but it does no good to want what you cannot get.” Ching had always been the quieter of the two, the one more patient. Over the last one year, while I-Ken had filled out and grown in physique, Ching had started to quietly mature into the rational young man he would one day become.
I-Ken’s face was flushed; the tinge in his cheeks and the fire in is eyes making him look very attractive.
Observing him silently, Ching felt again a yearning for something he could not understand or put into conscious thought. He had accepted I-Ken’s friendship and mentorship readily, without question, all the years he had been at the Temple. But lately, as they hover on the brink of adulthood, there was something else he needed from I-Ken; and try as he might, he had no idea what that was.
[14] A Discovery
Finally the summons came and I-Ken hurried to his Master’s room, heart beating with anticipation. Master Chao was sitting with Master Xin, and both were sipping tea from tiny green teacups with pointed top covers. They looked up when I-Ken came in.
After bowing first to his own Master, I-Ken turned to Master Chao and bowed again.
“You have sent for me, my Masters?” I-Ken said respectfully, keeping his eyes lowered.
“Yes,” Master Xin spoke. “Master Chao and I have discussed about your application to take the final trials and we have just deliberated on your readiness.”
“Yes Master …” I-Ken let the sentence hang, his posture hopeful yet restrained.
Master Chao said somberly, “I have noticed big improvements in you, I-Ken. Not just in your martial arts but in your mind and behavior as well. I have just commended you to your master.”
I-Ken kept his smile hidden but his eyes glowed.
“Master Chao is, as usual, too kind!” Master Xin exclaimed. He addressed his next sentence to the Master sitting across from him. “I am appreciative to you, Master Chao, for your guidance to I-Ken for I too see a huge difference in I-Ken since my return. You have imparted some very sound foundation in this boy and he must be grateful for it indeed all his life.”
Master Chao shook his head politely but nevertheless acknowledged the compliment with a slight bow. Had this conversation taken place between court officials and socialites and in high society, each party would have objected and traded compliments for a while yet. But because they were the great warriors of the Shan Temple, hardy and purposeful men, they were unused to court manners, and thus they did not waste too much time on such trivialities.
Master Xin waved for I-Ken to step nearer. “We have consulted with the Elders and we have decided that you will be allowed to take your finals by the 20th day of the following month. It is an auspicious day.”
“Thank you Master!” I-Ken bowed deeply. “20th day? Master?”
“What is it, child?” Master Xin asked, the ghost of a smile on his lips as he watched the expression run across his favorite disciple’s face.
“Will Master still be around by then? Will Master have departed for the battle-ground already?” I-Ken’s voice was anxious.
“Well, I hope to recruit more troops and must leave Shan Mountain in another few days …”
Master Chao coughed softly and looked away. Master Xin cast a fleeting glance in that direction and continued smoothly. “My task will depend on how speedily I can get the required troops to go West with me. I have hopes I will be here till at least the 20th but it is of small matter. You are still officially under Master Chao’s tutelage; I am returned only for a brief spell. Master Chao will provide the necessary coaching and guidance to prepare you and support you during your final tests. You owe much to Master Chao!” This last part was delivered in a sterner voice than all the rest.
I-Ken nodded and dutifully turned to Master Chao. “My thanks to you, Master Chao!” He whispered, but his eyes remained fixed on his own Master.
After a few other details were discussed, I-Ken was dismissed. He felt happy that the date had been fixed, yet somehow disappointed that Master Xin may not be present. Deep in thought, he turned his steps towards the kitchen, thinking to fetch the nightly medicine for his Master. It was not quite ready and he waited till the liquid had been boiled down to the required 8th level in the clay pot. Then only did the cook allow him to pour the black soup into a plain porcelain bowl.
Balancing the bowl on a tray, I-Ken headed back to his Master’s room as he had done every night since his return. He was deep in thought, thinking of his pending trials, and he was almost upon his Master’s door before he heard a rasping cough and some altercation within.
“I do not agree with your plan, you know that. Even the Elders are of my thoughts. I beg you to reconsider …” That was Master Chao’s voice, urgent and persistant, and I-Ken automatically stopped in his tracks.
Without meaning to eavesdrop, yet unable to move away or make his presence known, I-Ken stood very still. He wasn’t sure if the Masters were aware of his presence, but being in their own quarters and with their minds engaged, they may have let their guards down. Besides, the earlier coughing had been rather rough and loud and it could have masked I-Ken’s footsteps.
Master Xin replied in a low voice, much too low for I-Ken to hear what had been said but what concerned I-Ken was the change in his Master’s voice. He sounded so different, suddenly so ill. There was another bout of coughing, followed immediately by the swish of air. Without having to peep into the room, I-Ken knew what Master Chao had done; he had momentarily stopped the coughing spasms and provided temporary relief by the simple act of applying pressure via Master Xin’s acupuncture points, with nothing more than a single finger. This was a healing technique all the Masters could perform, and sometimes could mean the difference between life and death, buying enough time for help to come. Or in this instance, by providing some momentary relief.
“There!” Master Chao spoke again. “This is only temporary as you well know.”
“Ah … thank you!”
“Is the medication helping much?”
“Yes, of course. It has done wonders for my constitution. I wish we had the power to provide this at the battle grounds!”
“And the qi gong?” Master Chao demanded to know.
Master Xin sighed deeply. “1st Elder himself is considerably weakened – he has kept it up almost daily. He can give no more. And it won’t be fair to anyone else.”
“No one grudges you this!” Master Chao said gruffly, though he knew full well there was a limit. The giving of qi from one person to another to help the recipient recuperate strength and energy was an ancient but tricky technique practiced by all the great Masters of kung-fu. But give beyond what was safe and the one giving qi could endanger his own life. His own life force would be depleted and leave him weak and vulnerable.
Another deep sigh was heard. “All that needs to be done has been done. I am fortunate I was given this opportunity to return here to recruit troops – and recuperate. Else, I fear I would be dead by now. The last battle was too vicious. The Needle Palm technique employed by the rebel general is truly powerful.”
“It is widely believed that only you could have survived that blow. Anyone with less than your mastery would have perished.” Master Chao’s voice held sincere pride.
“Ah – but you underestimated our Tien Lung Qi! It is no less formidable a force than the Needle Palm, let me tell you. Any Master here would have been able to withstand the blow.”
“Taken the blow, yes. But to have held the poison needles at bay for so long, all the way during the arduous journey back to us? You are too humble, my dear friend.”
Master Xin laughed softly. “You flatter me. Anyone one of us would have done the same thing. I could feel the force entering me upon impact with his palm, and it did feel like poison needles, heading towards my heart. What would you have done, Master Chao?”
Master Chao answered with a smile. “Used my qi of course, to slow the blood flow and then redirect the needles. But that would also have slowed me down enough to make me weak and vulnerable to the enemy. It must have been a damnable situation!”
“It was! A chance arrow and the general fell. The Gods must have smiled down upon me on that day.” Master sighed. “And yet the needles are still contained within me and without fail the poison will eventually permeate my entire body unless it is expelled. Frankly, I am not sure how long I can withstand the poison.”
“But 1st Elder’s qi gong is indeed powerful. Surely there has been improvement? I believe he has succeeded in dissolving some of the poison?” There was a note of anxiety in Master Chao’s voice.
“We both believe so – but it remains to be seen.” Master replied with an easy calm.
“Is I-Ken aware of your condition?” Master Chao suddenly changed course.
“No!”
I-Ken heard the word and his heart dropped. Already his Master sounded much stronger, but he knew it was only a short-term reprieve. Any poison that stays in the body will eventually kill unless all of it was expelled.
“Well, well …” Master Chao’s robes could be heard, swishing around as he took agitated steps across the stone floor. “He is young yet and has not gained quite enough experience in such matters but don’t you think he at least should be told?”
Master Xin replied. “He has his trials to think of. He must pass those first, so that he can take up his place as a full-fledged warrior. That must be his first priority.”
“Yet, he loves you dearly,” Master Chao murmured, and I-Ken was surprised at the smile in his voice.
A slight pause, then his own Master said, “That he does.”
I-Ken’s heart tightened and his hands trembled, and that was sufficient to make both Masters lift their heads and look to the doorway. The bowl had rattled on the tray and I-Ken hastily cleared his throat and said aloud, “Master, your medication is here,” as he stepped forward as if he had but just arrived.
The two Masters exchanged a quick look but said nothing. Master Chao nodded and watched as Master Xin drained his bowl, and then said he would take his leave. I-Ken, who had moved mechanically and avoided all eye contact, waited to collect the bowl and turned to follow in Master Chao’s footsteps.
“I-Ken,” Master Xin called out, soft enough to be gentle, firm enough to be commanding.
I-Ken turned back, his face wooden. “Yes Master.”
Master Xin scanned the young face and then sighed. “Come back here, child.”
For once, I-Ken was reluctant to draw near to his Master. He retraced his steps, and stood before his Master, the tray in his hands. He kept his eyes down, his mouth set in a straight line.
“How long were you standing there?” Master Xin finally asked.
I-Ken blinked but didn’t reply at once. In truth, he found he could not. His throat was constricted as if he could not formulate any sound.
“It is but a minor ailment, which the qi gong and medication will help.” Master Xin said when it was apparent I-Ken would not respond. “Much of my strength has already been restored. Our Temple physicians are very powerful, just as this prescription is potent.”
“Yes Master,” I-Ken finally muttered, still refusing to meet his Master’s eyes.
“Put the tray down, and come sit here.” Master Xin ordered. He waited for his command to be obeyed but found I-Ken sinking down onto the floor, next to his feet, instead of using the chair.
I-Ken finally raised his eyes to meet his Master’s, searchingly. He saw the same expression he had seen many times in the past and he realized with a shock that what he had seen so often had been tenderness. It was an emotion that was not familiar to I-Ken. There was little tenderness to be found amongst the band of warriors and so he could not understand it very well, nor could he wrap his mind around it but it did give him an unexpected jolt, and at the same time it did drive a blade into his heart. A big ball of sadness seemed to well up from deep within him.
Master Xin considered his protégé silently, choosing his words carefully before saying in his usual clipped and calm manner. “Warriors who go to battle either die or return with scars and illnesses. That is nothing unusual, and surely you know that, since you have been living here all your life.”
I-Ken managed to nod his head.
Master Xin folded his lips and stared at his disciple. “In a few weeks you will take your place with us, and become a Temple warrior, just as I am. Just as all those before us. We have a code, which you learned from the first day you came here. I want you to remember that code now.”
I-Ken swallowed hard.
We exist only to serve.
