Tiong Li cried in anguish. For ten long years, he had lived with the old man who replaced his father, who replaced everything for him. He was his mentor, his parent, his friend. And now, his mentor was suddenly dead and consumed by fire. Just a little while ago, his mentor was still talking to him.
Night started to fall and the weather began to darken, so the fire that burned the hut made the surroundings brightly lit.
Suddenly, behind Tiong Li, there was a loud, resounding laughter. The laughter echoed through the dim night like a demon's cackling. "Ha-ha-ha, the old hwesio from Pek-hong-san has gone ahead of us. Ha-ha-ha, how fortunate, how lucky he is, ha-ha-ha!"
Tiong Li was taken aback and turned around, ready to fight fiercely. However, he saw not the Dragon Saber but an old man dressed in loose priest robes. The old man was short and chubby, just like a ball, and he was the one who laughed out loud and made that previous remark.
Next to him stood another old man also in loose robes, but this old man was tall and skinny like a pole. Their ages were around sixty years. The short chubby old man was still laughing heartily like someone in joy, while the tall skinny old man was looking at the sky where a piece of the moon had risen, and he began to sing. His voice was high and shrill, matching his physique, and because his neck was long, his voice was melodic when he sang.
"How envious we are of this old hwesio's fortune in leaving behind all falsehoods to enjoy freedom! Free from pain, free from suffering and free to reap the rewards of karma! Aaah, old hwesio from Pek-hong-san, why did you leave us without any message?"
After singing, he also joined in the laughter with the chubby old man. Tiong Li felt angry and deeply upset. He was crying and mourning the death of his master, and these two were laughing and enjoying themselves! However, since their tone suggested they knew his master well and were not hostile, he approached them respectfully, saluting with his hands before his chest.
"Excuse me, ji-wi lo-cian-pwe. Who are you to come laughing while I am mourning and grieving for my master's death?"
The short, chubby one answered with a grin,
"We both are good friends of the old hwesio. Pinto (I) am known as Tee Kui Lojin (Earth Demon Elder) and this brother of mine is Thian Kui Lojin (Sky Demon Elder). As we haven't seen Pek Hong San-jin for a long time, we came to visit tonight, who knew he had decided to leave us for his own enjoyment! Ha-ha-ha! The cunning old man left us in this fake and miserable world!"
Tiong Li furrowed his brows.
"Pardon me, lo-cian-pwe. I think you're being inappropriate. I'm crying, mourning and grieving, yet you come here laughing and enjoying yourselves. And you still claim to be my master's good friends!"
"Ha-ha ha-ha!" Tee Kui Lojin laughed as if the youngster's words were hilarious. "We indeed are good friends, and we respect and cherish the old hwesio."
"This makes no sense!" Tiong Li retorted. "If you respect and cherish my master, why would you laugh at his death?" "Ha-ha, young man. It's precisely because we cherish your master that we rejoice in his departure from this world."
"That's absurd!" Tiong Li countered. "How can anyone rejoice when someone they care about dies? I loved my master, and when he passed away, I felt immense grief!"
"Hmm, young man, are you a disciple of Pek Hong San-jin? Why are you so naive!"
Now the tall Thian Kui Lojin spoke, criticizing. "Why is your viewpoint still so narrow? Now I want to ask you, if you really care about your master, why do you mourn his death? Why?"
"Of course, lo-cian-pwe, I mourn the loss of my beloved master."
"Hmm, so you're mourning for yourself, then? You're crying because you pity yourself for being left behind by someone you love? It means you're not mourning for your master at all! And why do we mourn death? We don't know what will happen next to your master, so why mourn? It's clear that he's been freed from the suffering of life, from sickness, from conflicts, from falsehood and all sorts of hypocrisy in the world. Why mourn?"
Tiong Li was stunned, and he felt ashamed of himself. Of course, his master had spoken about death, and he now realized that he had been crying for his own sake, not mourning his master. How could he mourn his master's fate when he didn't know what his master was experiencing after death?
"I mourn for my master, mourn for his tragic death. He was killed by two evildoers. Isn't that sad?" he argued to justify his earlier tears.
The fire was still blazing, burning the hut and the body inside.
Now Tee Kui Lojin spoke, "Ha-ha, you grieve because of your own mind and feelings. Death is a line that cannot be changed by anyone. If the time of death has come, even if you hide in an ant hole, death will still come for you. Conversely, if the time of death has not yet come, even if you are threatened by a thousand spear points, you can still dodge. Your master's death was inevitable, just like death comes for every living person in this world. As for the manner of death, which is the cause of death, that's the fruit of karma. The wheel of karma will inevitably turn, and in time, the result will follow the cause. Our only effort to sow good karma is by doing good acts without any ulterior motive."
"What kind of good acts, lo-cian-pwe?"
Tiong Li asked out of curiosity. He had received many teachings about this from his deceased master, but the way these two strange old men explained it was somewhat different, even though the essence was the same, so he was very keen to hear it. "Ha-ha-ha, you are a clever boy, worthy to hear an explanation about it so you won't go astray in the future. A good act is an act that is beneficial and brings happiness to others. There are deliberate and self-serving good acts. The result of such good acts is directly received according to their intention. The pleasure or praise gained from the good act is the fruit that is immediately harvested and enjoyed until it is completely gone. However, the second type of good act is unintentional, even unknown to be good, but arises from a heart full of compassion and since it is unintentional or unknown to be good, the performer is selfless and expects nothing. Well, such actions are recorded in the karma ledger and the fruit may be received later, sooner or later. Acts that arise from a heart full of compassion cultivate good karma. Understand this, uh, what's your name, young man?"
"Thank you for all the explanation, lo-cian-pwe. My name is Tan Tiong Li and I've been a disciple of the master since I was five years old, for ten years now."
"Good, you are a talented and devoted disciple. Now tell us, how did Pek-hong Sanjin die, by whom and why?"
Understanding that he was facing two powerful friends of his master, Tiong Li did not hesitate to tell his story, starting from when he was five years old.
"When I was just five years old, my late father and I went hunting on the peak of Liong-san. By chance, we saw four leaders of the great factions talking about the disappearance of the Dragon Saber Mestika, which was said to have been stolen and the thieves killed the guards using techniques from the four great factions. Suddenly, a giant in black appeared who claimed to be the Dragon Saber, and he used a saber to kill the four faction leaders."
"Siancai......, we've heard about the murder of the leaders from Siauw-limpai, Hoansapai, Butong-pai, and Kunlunpai on Liong-san. Until now, no one knows who the murderer is. Who would've thought you not only knew but also witnessed it!" said the tall Thian Kui Lo-jin.
"Continue your story, Tiong Li. Your story is very interesting," said Tee Kui Lojin.
"My father then urged me to flee. But the Dragon Saber seemed to notice and chased us. My father asked me to climb another peak and diverted the pursuer's attention. Eventually, the pursuer caught up with my father and killed him, while I was saved by my master Pek Hong San-jin, who took me as his disciple until today."
"Hm, and your master also died at the hands of the same Dragon Saber?"
"Earlier this afternoon, my master just returned from his journey since morning and while we were talking, the Dragon Saber appeared with someone whose face looked like a living skull. Since they announced they wanted to kill my master, I attacked the Dragon Saber, but ultimately, he knocked me down with a poisonous blow. I saw my master also fall and I forced myself to approach my master. My master left a message to burn his body along with this hut, and he died in my arms. Then, I fainted."
Glossary
- Pek-hong-san: The name of the original sect where Tiong Li's deceased master belonged.
- hwesio: An honorific title for a martial arts master.
- lo-cian-pwe: A respectful form of address for an elder, similar to "sir".
- ji-wi: A polite and respectful form of address for a superior, similar to "your honor".
- Tee Kui Lojin (Earth Demon Elder), Thian Kui Lojin (Sky Demon Elder): The nicknames of Tiong Li's master's two friends.
- Mestika Golok Naga: The name of a significant item in the story, which translates to "Dragon Saber Mestika".