As Tiong Li looked down, he fell into a daydream, reminded of things past and soon his heart felt empty and sorrowful, feeling like a lonely, hollow existence. Quickly, his left hand wiped down his suddenly tear-filled eyes! Fortunately, there was no Tee Kui Lo-jin around.
If his short and fat master saw him crying, certainly his master would laugh uproariously and then scold him. For his master, crying was absolutely forbidden. Always laugh, never cry, he would often say.
Sorrow arises from self-pity. And self-pity arises when this mind reminisces about the past, remembering all the losses that were taken from him, or when the mind contemplates a future with things that are unpleasant for him.
As he reminisced about the past, Tiong Li remembered his murdered father, and Pek Hong San-jin who was also killed. Then he pondered his future which he considered empty and grim, having nobody left in this world, having no home, having nothing but simple clothes!
His past was gloomy, his future was bleak! Then all these memories and visions brought forth self-pity, feeling like the most miserable person in the world and once self-pity arises, then comes sorrow. People would be happy to be free from sorrow if they did not recall the past and did not imagine the future.
If people only face the present moment, this moment, moment by moment, as it is, naturally, then sorrow will never attack them. Of course, the past can be remembered, but only as it relates to work, likewise the future can be considered for work, but if the past and future are linked to self, then the result will only bring fear and sorrow alone. It's completely useless.
Tiong Li who was pondering this lesson, then his face became bright again. All memories of the past faded away, all visions of the future disappeared. And the scenery at the foot of the mountain appeared incredibly beautiful. Beautiful and vast, sprawling before his feet!
All the worries and anxiety that disturbed his mind vanished instantly and he got up, walking with firm steps like a tiger descending the slope.
What is called life is this moment, moment by moment, this is life, continuously from moment to moment. The past is dead, no need to remember. The future is just a daydream, just an illusion, no need to imagine.
This moment, right now, must be clean and correct and everything will go well. Moment by moment be vigilant and correct, other times need not be thought of. The past only brings sadness, and spiteful hatred.
The future only brings fear and worry. But if this moment, which we face moment by moment, there is no fear, no sorrow, what exists is just what it is.
Now he was already at the foot of the Kui-san. Settlements had started to appear. When he had passed a few villages and arrived at the edge of a forest, suddenly from behind the big trees jumped out fifteen large and sturdy men.
Their faces were fierce and they were the type of people who usually imposed their own will, a gang of robbers who did not hesitate to use any form of violence to impose their will. Among the fifteen people, there was their leader, a man in his forties who was tall and burly with a bearded face, large eyes, and a hand holding a shining, sharp machete.
0o-dw-o0
"Hei, stop!" The head of the robbers shouted while looking with his large, frightening eyes. "Who are you, where are you from, where are you going?"
Tiong Li was calm even though he had heard from his masters that there were now many gangs of robbers and groups calling themselves fighters but did not hesitate to use all kinds of violence to rob. The term fighters were just a cover.
"My name is Tan Tiong Li, coming from the mountain top and wanting to descend the mountain," he replied straightforwardly.
"Good, leave the bundle in your bag or leave your head. Choose!"
"Friend, this bundle is only filled with simple clothes and has no value. Leaving it will be of no use to you, so I will not leave it," replied Tiong Li calmly, but he was wary because people like these did not hesitate to use all kinds of deceit as well.
"Then leave your head. I want to see you headless!" said the head robber and fourteen of his followers sneered cruelly. Apparently, toying with people's lives for them was a form of entertainment and personal pleasure.
"Twa-ko, let me break this man's neck!" said one of his followers who was extremely fat and his face was black like a kettle bottom. After saying that, he stepped forward to confront Tiong Li,
"Young man, surrender your head for me to twist off!" After saying that, the fat giant then charged with his hands spread like a bear going to charge, then his hands caught trying to strangle Tiong Li's head. But calmly the young man stepped back twice, then his foot sprang up with a kick that hit the fat man's stomach.
"Bukk!" The giant fell hard and he would stand up, but fell sitting down again while stroking and pressing his stomach which felt extremely painful, cramping.
Seeing the fat man fall with just one kick, his friends became angry and they drew their machetes, then attacked Tiong Li in confusion. Also, the head robber did not miss out. He, the most nimble among his friends, had also advanced by swinging his machete at Tiong Li.
Tiong Li used the skill of dodging from Jiauw-sang-hui to dodge here and there with incredible speed that the gang of robbers felt as if they were attacking a shadow that was fluttering around.
After dropping his bundle and holding his stick, Tiong Li then swung his stick, attacking with strikes and one by one the gang of robbers fell rolling.
The head robber attacked with all his strength, but his machete was dislodged when Tiong Li struck his wrist. Then, a kick knocked him down. All fifteen robbers fell moaning and unable to rise again. Tiong Li jumped near the head robber and pointed the stick towards his neck.
"How about it, friend? Do you still want to continue this fight?"
The head robber understood well that he was dealing with a skilled fighter, so without shame, he knelt down.
"Forgive us, tai-hiap. We were like blind, not seeing the towering Thai-san mountain in front of our eyes and dared to bother tai-hap (great warrior)”
"You are indeed blind. Not because you attacked me, but because you disturbed the innocent common people. You are blind not seeing that you are robbing fellow humans who are completely innocent. Are you so blind that you do not see how the common people are suffering tremendously? Such strong and brave people like you should be helping other suffering people, not disturbing people who are already suffering enough. Rather than using your strength and power to disturb people without knowing about humanity, it would be better if you supported the struggle of the patriotic fighters who want to defend the country and expel the Yu-cen invaders."
"We also often enter the territory of the Kin Kingdom and disrupt that enemy territory, taihiap. We kill many people and seize their property....!" the head robber wanted to show off his deeds.
"That's not a struggle! Struggle is not the same as robbery. Struggle means opposing enemy forces that are causing chaos in the territory of the Sung Kingdom, or going to war against enemy forces. But you just enter the area of enemy power to rob the people. What's the difference between the people there and the people here! They are the same. They're compatriots and they are innocent people. People like you should be completely wiped out!" Tiong Li scolded.
"Forgive us, tai-hiap. "
"Promise that you will join the fighters and not commit robbery again, and I will forgive you. Know that if you fight wholeheartedly to defend the people, then the people will willingly give what they have for you to eat."
"I promise, tai-hiap."
"I want all of you to promise, not just you!"
"We promise, tai-hiap...!" everyone shouted.
"I'm not forcing you. If you have promised, do it wholeheartedly, fulfill that promise. But if you don't like it, you can get up and fight me to death!"
"We dare not, tai-hiap. We promise "
"Well, alright, I release you. But remember, I will always be watching and if I see you still committing robbery once, I will definitely wipe you out."
Glossary
- Tiong Li: The main character's name in the story. He is a martial artist.
- Tee Kui Lo-jin: Another character in the story, presumably a higher-ranking or more experienced martial artist.
- Pek Hong San-jin: A character who was mentioned as being killed.
- Kui-san: The name of a mountain.
- Jiauw-sang-hui: A martial arts technique used for evading attacks.
- tai-hiap: An honorific title in wuxia, used to address someone higher in rank or skill.