A Will Eternal: Blood Ancestor [(1)] |
In the eastern part of the lands of Heavenspan, it was autumn. Violet clouds covered the dome of heaven, solemn and heavy, like a massive, unyielding hand prepared to crush the world below. The waters of the Heavenspan River flowed beneath the clouds, reflecting two lightning bolts overhead. One was golden, the other was blood-red, and they intertwined like two dragons locked in mortal battle.
The crashing thunder was like the roar of those dragons, reverberating through the mortal world, mournful... and defiant.... Blood-colored rain fell in sheets, staining all things below and creating a haze over the lands. The endless mountains were silent. Not even the dried, yellow leaves that drifted down to the ground made the slightest noise there.
RUUUUUUUUMBLE!
Another golden lightning bolt ripped through the clouds, its light illuminating the lands below as well as the Heavenspan River. Then a figure appeared, striding forth... step by step... out of the hazy depths.
The figure was massive, to the point where the rushing Heavenspan River only reached up to his calves. Every step he took seemed to carry massive weight with it, causing all the lands to tremble. His body was ravaged, crisscrossed with gaping wounds so deep they revealed golden bones underneath. The blood and the rainwater had turned the Heavenspan River into pure crimson.
A hoarse, ancient voice echoed out from the mountains, saying, “Was all of this worth it, Sir Frigid Blood?”[1]
The giant looked up, his eyes like deep abysses as he shifted his gaze to face the voice.
Atop a distant mountain peak stood an old man clad in a black robe. He looked almost like a corpse, staring eerily at the giant. A very distinct aura of death surrounded him. The old man’s face was extremely pale, and was such a mass of wrinkles he looked like he had just climbed out of a grave. Add in the blood rain surrounding him, and he was completely terrifying.
The giant didn’t directly answer the old man’s question. But he did stop walking. As the blood rain soaked his tattered clothes, he looked up at the sky.
The rain was desolate and very cold. He hated that feeling, and yet, it also seemed to stir thoughts of the past. A memory rose in his mind. In that memory, it was also raining.
It was nighttime, and a little boy stood in the rain. The rain had already soaked him, and though he struggled not to shiver, the struggle was in vain. The moldy flatbread in his hands shook as he did. Behind him was a ruined world where children fought with dogs to get food.
In front of him was a middle-aged man clad in a violet daoist robe. The man had a ruddy face and profound eyes that made him look like he was at one with the stormy night.
“What’s your name?” the man asked softly, speaking neither in a rush nor at a slow pace. His robe flapped gently, untouched by the rain.
“You tell me yours first,” the boy said spiritedly.
“I’m Celestial Du. People usually call me Daoist Heavenspan. What about you?”
“I’m Xue Han.”[2]
“I have something called the Undying Codex that would suit you well. Would you be willing to become my apprentice?”
“What’s in it for me?”
“Food to eat.”
“Okay.” The boy nodded.
As soon as the boy agreed, a little girl peeked out from behind Daoist Heavenspan’s leg in a charming and playful manner. “From now on you have to call me Eldest Sister. My name is Zhen Ling’er.”[3]
***
The giant in the Heavenspan River coughed loudly, and blood sprayed out of his mouth, staining his memories crimson and causing them to crumble. The pain had dragged his thoughts back from those memories of the past. Blood dripped from his mouth down into the Heavenspan River.
He could sense the flame of his life force ebbing, and knew that it could wink out at any time. Yet, even still, he took another step forward through the Lower Reaches of the river. He felt like he could just barely see that beautiful young woman, just as charming and playful as the first time he saw her, like a happy butterfly.
Once again, he was back in his youth.
“Hurry up, Xue Han! Quit dillydallying....” The young woman skipped through the flowers that covered the mountain, her hands clasped behind her back. She looked like an immortal fairy, her face fairly glowing with vitality.
The young man looked around with obvious guilt and apprehension. “It’s been three days since we snuck out, Elder Sister. If we don’t go back, Master is going to punish us.”
“Are you scared or something?” the young woman asked.
“No way!” the young man said, puffing out his chest. “It’s just... it’s just that this isn’t the first time we’ve been punished....”
“Then hurry up! I can sense that blood moon orchid just up ahead.”
“Oh!” The young man nodded and continued to follow Zhen Ling’er.
“Guess what? Yesterday, I had a dream, and in the dream, I saw my future husband giving me a blood moon orchid.”
***
“Blood moon orchid...” the giant murmured. He smiled bitterly. Blood flowed down without cease. His vision was already going dim, but he could hear the weeping of a young woman, coming from his memories....
“Master,” she asked between sobs, “how is little Junior Brother’s injury?”
Daoist Heavenspan sighed. “Thankfully, he trains in the Undying Codex, so his life isn’t in danger. Without that technique, falling into the Eternal Tribulation Abyss would have crushed his bones into dust.”
The voice caused the giant’s vision to suddenly grow clear. But what he saw wasn’t the Heavenspan River, it was a beautiful face, streaked with tears like pear blossoms in the rain. He smiled and held out his hand. Within it was a crumpled blood moon orchid.
“This is for you, Elder Sister....”
Stunned, Zhen Ling’er said, “You idiot! You risked your life for that stupid flower?!”
Eyes puffy and red, she threw herself into Xue Han’s embrace. Tears fell onto Xue Han’s chest, filling him with a warmth that he would never forget.
1. I’ve reversed the characters for stylistic reasons. In reality, the name is Blood Frigid, not Frigid Blood. However, I need to keep “Frigid” because of the way the character is rendered in A Will Eternal, and given that it’s an adjective, it makes more sense to me to reverse them for the English rendering. That said, this daoist name is a play on words based on his real name, which is explained in the next footnote. It doesn’t carry the meaning (linguistically) that he is “cold-blooded” or anything like that. ☜
2. Xue is number 77 on the list of the 100 most common Chinese surnames. Although it does have some meaning on its own as a Chinese character, it’s primarily known as a surname, and when people see it, it conjures up thoughts of historical figures with that same name. Incidentally, this is Madam Deathblade’s surname, and I also adopted a Chinese name using this surname, which I use occasionally. Han means “frigid/cold.” Together, this surname and given name combo imparts a sensation of traditional values, with a hint of stoic heroism or scholarly refinement. Beyond that, we can already see some wordplay. The giant’s daoist name is literally Sir Blood Frigid. Well, the word for blood is pronounced “xue,” which is very similar to Xue Han’s surname. And the “han” is the same in both names. Of course, I translate daoist names instead of transliterating them. But basically, if you didn’t translate it, then his actual name is Xue Han and his daoist name is Sir Xue Han, except the Xue character is changed from his surname to the character for “blood.” As mentioned above, for stylistic reasons, I’m rendering the daoist name as Frigid Blood instead of Blood Frigid. ☜
3. Zhen is a relatively rare surname which also means “to distinguish, to elevate.” Ling means “spirit” while Er has no real meaning, and just adds a cuteness and finality to the name. The name combination Ling’er is a fairly common name in Er Gen works. I think just about all of his novels have a character with the given name Ling’er in them. This is obviously the Ling’er mentioned in chapter 1013 of A Will Eternal. We never knew her surname in that novel, and she was mostly known as Frigid Matriarch. ☜