Part 26 (1/2)

So saying, Ao Ping thrust at the boy with his trident. No-cha, by a brisk move, evaded the thrust.

”Who are you?” he asked in turn.

”I am Ao Ping, the third son of Lung w.a.n.g.”

”Ah, you are a bl.u.s.terer,” jeered the boy; ”if you dare to touch me I will skin you alive, you and your mud-eels!”

”You make me choke with rage,” rejoined Ao Ping, at the same time thrusting again with his trident.

Furious at this renewed attack, No-cha spread his silk trousers in the air, and thousands of b.a.l.l.s of fire flew out of them, felling Lung w.a.n.g's son. No-cha put his foot on Ao Ping's head and struck it with his magic bracelet, whereupon he appeared in his true form of a dragon.

”I am now going to pull out your sinews,” he said, ”in order to make a belt for my father to use to bind on his cuira.s.s.”

No-cha was as good as his word, and Ao Ping's escort ran and informed Lung w.a.n.g of the fate of his son. The Dragon-king went to Li Ching and demanded an explanation.

Being entirely ignorant of what had taken place, Li Ching sought No-cha to question him.

An Unruly Son

No-cha was in the garden, occupied in weaving the belt of dragon-sinew. The stupefaction of Li Ching may be imagined. ”You have brought most awful misfortunes upon us,” he exclaimed. ”Come and give an account of your conduct.” ”Have no fear,” replied No-cha superciliously; ”his son's sinews are still intact; I will give them back to him if he wishes.”

When they entered the house he saluted the Dragon-king, made a curt apology, and offered to return his son's sinews. The father, moved with grief at the sight of the proofs of the tragedy, said bitterly to Li Ching: ”You have such a son and yet dare to deny his guilt, though you heard him haughtily admitting it! To-morrow I shall report the matter to Yu Huang.” Having spoken thus, he departed.

Li Ching was overwhelmed at the enormity of his son's crime. His wife, in an adjoining room, hearing his lamentations, went to her husband. ”What obnoxious creature is this that you have brought into the world?” he said to her angrily. ”He has slain two spirits, the son of Lung w.a.n.g and a steward sent by the King of Heaven. To-morrow the Dragon-king is to lodge a complaint with Yu Huang, and two or three days hence will see the end of our existence.”

The poor mother began to weep copiously. ”What!” she sobbed, ”you whom I suffered so much for, you are to be the cause of our ruin and death!”

No-cha, seeing his parents so distracted, fell on his knees. ”Let me tell you once for all,” he said, ”that I am no ordinary mortal. I am the disciple of T'ai-i Chen-jen; my magic weapons I received from him; it is they which brought upon me the undying hatred of Lung w.a.n.g. But he cannot prevail. To-day I will go and ask my master's advice. The guilty alone should suffer the penalty; it is unjust that his parents should suffer in his stead.”

Drastic Measures

He then left for Ch'ien-yuan Shan, and entered the cave of his master T'ai-i Chen-jen, to whom he related his adventures. The master dwelt upon the grave consequences of the murders, and then ordered No-cha to bare his breast. With his finger he drew on the skin a magic formula, after which he gave him some secret instructions. ”Now,” he said, ”go to the gate of Heaven and await the arrival of Lung w.a.n.g, who purposes to accuse you before Yu Huang. Then you must come again to consult me, that your parents may not be molested because of your misdeeds.”

When No-cha reached the gate of Heaven it was closed. In vain he sought for Lung w.a.n.g, but after a while he saw him approaching. Lung w.a.n.g did not see No-cha, for the formula written by T'ai-i Chen-jen rendered him invisible. As Lung w.a.n.g approached the gate No-cha ran up to him and struck him so hard a blow with his golden bracelet that he fell to the ground. Then No-cha stamped on him, cursing him vehemently.

The Dragon-king now recognized his a.s.sailant and sharply reproached him with his crimes, but the only reparation he got was a renewal of kicks and blows. Then, partially lifting Lung w.a.n.g's cloak and raising his s.h.i.+eld, No-cha tore off from his body about forty scales. Blood flowed copiously, and the Dragon-king, under stress of the pain, begged his foe to spare his life. To this No-cha consented on condition that he relinquished his purpose of accusing him before Yu Huang.

”Now,” went on No-cha, ”change yourself into a small serpent that I may take you back without fear of your escaping.”

Lung w.a.n.g took the form of a small blue dragon, and followed No-cha to his father's house, upon entering which Lung w.a.n.g resumed his normal form, and accused No-cha of having belaboured him. ”I will go with all the Dragon-kings and lay an accusation before Yu Huang,”

he said. Thereupon he transformed himself into a gust of wind, and disappeared.

No-cha draws a Bow at a Venture

”Things are going from bad to worse,” sighed Li Ching, His son, however, consoled him: ”I beg you, my father, not to let the future trouble you. I am the chosen one of the G.o.ds. My master is T'ai-i Chen-jen, and he has a.s.sured me that he can easily protect us.”