1 Phantasmagoria
Pleasure isn't real.
When a certain stimulus is received the Human Brain interprets it as an event that should provide 'joy' ; therefore any feelings of indulgence felt are about as real as the fog that shrouds the land during winter , deceptively real from a distance but on closer proximity its true nature is revealed.
It stands to reason that pain shouldn't be real as well.
The excruciating anguish of having his body being repeatedly pierced isn't real as well.
The strained breathing leaking out from his battered body like the air effusing from a compressed balloon isn't real as well.
Neither is the red mist that covers his vision ; obscuring the burning remnants of what had been a bustling encampment where a boisterous travelling company had rested just moments ago.
He can see those fierce faces leering at him , their crude weapons brandished in mockery ; the leader already has stripped the woman he should've been protecting this instant , the pleasant oriole voice of the young lady from the city is entreating desperately.
That isn't real is it ?
Tears gush down his face and his throat chokes perhaps due to inhaling the smoke .
A familiar head gazes at him from the carpet of grass which is stained a bright crimson now.
He knows that head very well.
He was just laughing at him now wasn't he ?
Where was that laughter now ?
Why were his eyes closed in grim submission and his hair stained red ?
Where had his large body that had always sheltered him from injury gone ?
He gingerly cradles the head in his arms .
His eyes are unfocused , they are trained somewhere far , far away ; it is still there in front of him , a world full of cheerful laughter and merry revelry .
He had just ascended to manhood and they had been so proud , so proud.
He could still taste the lingering fragrance of the wine on his lips .
Elder sister Jia was as admonishing as ever , yelling at the Captain who had sneaked the Wine bag over to him .
The Captain as was his wont was already running around , Elder Sister Jia in her rage could put a Demon to shame !
There was no way the Captain was willing to be caught by her !
He spews out the wine as a consequence of being pounded fiercely on the back , no doubt it was Lei Ji , that incorrigible prankster , even as he turns around he feels a sudden lightness in his hands and realises that his coming of age gift has disappeared.
A guy whose face has a striking resemblance man to a monkey dangles the bang tantalizingly before his stupefied eyes.
Lei Ji , that brat !
This was the last time !
He then chases his quarry across the field .
No way ! For a lover of wine , that Peach Blossom Wine is a sacred existence , one to be worshipped!
There was no way he is going to let it be defiled by that buffoon !
Even as he chases after him , he stumbles and falls to the earth .
What greets him is not a mouthful of verdant grass that he expects but a severed head still fresh , the blood flowing from it staining the grass all around.
The world switches over instantly from the blissful utopia where he was just now into a woeful dystopia reeking of the animalistic scents of fear and sorrow that suffocate him .
Occasional screams rife in unbearable agony and inexorable despair rip through the eerie silence adding a touch of music that coordinates with the scenery excellently.
There is no way that this is real .
Really , what ill fortune coming across such a nightmare on the very night of his celebration.
Perhaps he really has been a victim of overwork as the others were suggesting , anyway it is about time that he take up that vacation that the Captain offered him earlier.
His trembling hands stabilise after they grasp a bloodsoaked sword that had lied fallen on the grass.
A mere nightmare is not enough to make him give up.
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"How is it ? "
The gentle voice of the old man interrupted Jing Ke 's contemplation.
He could see his face reflected back from the mirror like surface of the liquid shining in the small cup that had been handed over to him.
Unbeknownst to him a solitary petal had landed on the surface , it's gentle touch sufficient to stir up a ripple or two.
Jing Ke held the cup close to his lips and took a tentative sip , his eyes brightened in response and soon the entire contents were drained , petal and all.
"Nice Wine , that , Uncle .How much should I pay for it ? "
The Old Man waved him away in response.
"You are a humble guest at our home there is no way we are allowing you to pay for anything !"
"Even if you say so .." Jing Ke sighed .
Looking at the earnest faces of the Old Man and his Granddaughter he was incapable of not abiding by their intention but he wasn't a cruel sort as well and felt that some compensation might prove to be useful to them later on.
Times were hard and the onset of winter this time appeared to be far earlier than usual.
Normally , at this time of the year it was still possible to see some greenery here and there accentuated by fragrant cherry blossoms but this year all he could see was a barren landscape littered with rough rock and the first flakes of snow .
The sky overhead was gloomy even for these parts where the Sun hardly deigns to shine and the fierce squalls that buffeted past occasionally were enough evidence to conclude that an unusually harsh winter was about to descend.
Although they lived in a desolate region with few resources , in some ways it was a blessing as well.
Unlike their compatriots from the Central Plains, they were at least free from the Marauders whose scourge would undoubtedly lay waste to many a peaceful hamlet in their never-ending quest to satisfy the endless greed of their despotic masters and the ravenous armies owned by them.
Worse still , with such an abnormally harsh winter coming up the Barbarians from the North would be fiercer than ever .
It was hard to say how many of these poor villagers will survive the coming frost but the quantity would certainly not be many.
Really , as long as he hands them some money that should be sufficient here.
He reached into his robes and pulled out a jade carving which he placed in the petite outstretched arms of the granddaughter before closing her fingers around them deftly.
"You can treat it as a gift in return for the gracious hospitality you showed me. "
Before the petrified Grandfather and Granddaughter could say anything ; Jing Ke had already worn his bamboo hat the edge of which drooped low over his face , his gloves were fastened over his feebly warm hands and the door was opened to let him out.
Even as they came to their senses and rushed outside they realized that nobody was there any longer ; just a freezing world that stretched endlessly under the eaves of the vast mountains that lay yonder covered perennially in a curtain of mist and snow.
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The cold slowly penetrated through Jing Ke's body.
He closely hugged the long and thick robe he was wearing over his robes so that it covered most of his upper body and the lower part of his face.
The higher he climbed , the more colder it got with the freezing chill soaking his bones thoroughly . Visibility dropped sharply as well , as clouds of mist and fog rolled down from the immense mountains that towered high above the frail world populated by Man.
A single misstep in this situation could have irretrievable consequences , the frost had already dulled his reflexes somewhat ; if something went wrong there was no way that he would be fast enough to salvage the scene.
Therefore his pace slowed down considerably as he did his best to ensure as safe a crossing as possible of the tricky slopes that slipped at the slightest of efforts.
By now the entire world was shrouded by a white blanket that stretched on endlessly .
Jing Ke could feel his robe getting progressively wetter by the battering ice and snow that melted due to the warmth of his body.
A passing frown appeared on his face only to vanish away altogether.
He was hardly going to be affected by such an inhospitable environment.
Though it did mess up his search somewhat.
Luckily after countless years spent honing his direction sense he wasn't going to get lost easily .
He estimated that he was about one curve and one descent away from his destination . He pulled out a long wooden stick which he grasped firmly in his right hand .
The path was getting more and more treacherous and it was better to not take any chances.
In this desolate world obscured by mist and snow faintly a solitary silhouette could be seen skillfully navigating his way along fearsome precipices and treacherous slopes , a stick held by its side shining with a dim radiance as it did so.
Deep in this whiteness where no man had ever trod before , a man broke through a veil that separated two distinct worlds that were never meant to be in contact helding aloft his luminous stick as he did so .
Winds breezed past and the white sky roiled far above as the heavens shook in response to this transgression.
Unmindful of such omens the shivering Jing Ke drifted through the snow covered field towards a lone cleft over which a solitary blue flower was clinging tenaciously in defiance of the raging elements that did their best to pull it down.
His hand reached for the blue flower and gently plucked it causing the fragrance that it emitted to waft towards its nostrils.
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His hand was still trembling .
The sword which is dripping fresh , crimson blood loosens from his hands and falls with a gentle thud on the lush carpet of grass.
Even after the fiends were cut down , the nightmare hadn't ended yet .
Why ?
He is still lying there shivering , his limbs paralyzed and unable to move.
He doesn't remember since when he stopped his breathing but it is a fact that he can no longer the sense the warm air coming out from his nostrils.
His heart appears to have stopped breathing but the extrication he hopes for doesn't aware instead he hears the sound of thundering hooves and the neighing of horses which are forced to stop.
He hears the horrified exclamation of the men who are exposed to such a scene ; the putrid stench of vomit mixed with urine and the metallic smell of blood reaches his nostrils but they remain unaffected , for all hints and purposes they are dead.
His feet give way but not before he gets a closer look at the terrified faces of the men whose helmets are caked with sweat and whose hands are holding the weapons in their hands shakingly.
He gives them a reassuring smile and consoles them as best as he can .
"Don't be scared it's just a bad dream that's all ."
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Jing Ke got up gasping .
He carefully placed the Blue Flower inside a secure box that he had prepared beforehand for the purpose.
Without the Blue Flower it was impossible to gain entry into the legendary Abandoned Land Of The Gods therefore it was imperative that it be safe enough .
He had only covered a short distance and had still a long arduous journey ahead him still this distance had been enough to give him a splitting headache , his vision was impaired as well seeing things that were not there.
He found a block of ice nearby which he carefully placed ahead of him . He then proceeded to pierce it with his arm that was glistening with Internal Energy , the subsequent heat was enough to melt the entire block down and that was all that he needed.
Jing Ke felt refreshed after washing his face and hands in the ice cold water . Most of the pain that was affecting his body promptly disappeared as well which was a welcome surprise .
He once again tightened his coverall around him , picked up the stick and set off on the long journey that awaited him.
Unknown to him a gentle fragrance released from a box concealed deeply inside his parson was slowly making its way towards his nose.
It was ready to do its work once more.
