Chapter 21 Gong Kang I

　　—From ancient times even heroes cannot escape the pull of romantic attachment.

　　When Gongkong recounted Gong Kang’s successive combats his face glowed with pride and admiration.

　　Every child of the Gongyou Clan under the age of six lived under the constant threat of being chosen for sacrifice and grew up in trembling fear.

　　Gongkong himself had been no exception. He had personally watched childhood playmates sucked into the bellies of Vimana as sacrifices—an image that remained a permanent shadow upon his heart.

　　In childhood he had believed the enemy of the Gongyou Clan to be the FireWorship Clan; if only they could defeat them in the combat tournament his playmates would not be taken. At that time he had sworn that when he grew up he would personally defeat the FireWorship Clan in combat.

　　In the end Gong Kang had fulfilled that vow for him. Yet as he matured he came to understand that his true enemy was not the FireWorship Clan but the Green Clan of Evil Gods.

　　“And last year’s humansacrifice combat tournament?” Su Ziqi asked.

　　“Ah, last year… last year it ended in a draw.” An indescribable regret appeared upon Gongkong’s face.

　　“A draw?” Su Ziqi echoed. “Did the FireWorship Clan produce a master?”

　　“Well, that is a long story.” Gongkong continued his account of the previous year’s match.

　　The warrior who represented the FireWorship Clan was a mysterious figure of modest stature—noticeably shorter than Gong Kang—clad in full armor, face veiled, every part of the body tightly protected.

　　The warrior wielded two curved blades; Gong Kang, having learned from the previous occasion when he had fought unarmed, carried the DragonFlame Sword.

　　The Gongyou spectators, seeing the short figure, murmured among themselves that the FireWorship warrior must be an ugly freak—why else would the face be veiled?

　　This short opponent’s footwork was even more agile than the previous year’s, and the bladework far more refined. Knowing Gong Kang’s great height and immense strength, the short warrior never allowed weapons to clash headon but used flexible movement to circle and evade.

　　Relying on agility the short warrior sought openings, spinning lightly and striking only when a killing blow presented itself, clearly intending to exhaust Gong Kang’s stamina.

　　At first Gong Kang still employed broad, sweeping strokes, swinging the great sword in full arcs, yet he could never touch the opponent. He therefore changed strategy, remaining still to counter movement, guarding every part of his body while waiting for an opportunity. Several times he nearly struck the short warrior, yet each time missed by a hair’s breadth.

　　At last Gong Kang conceived a ruse. He deliberately left an opening; the FireWorship warrior kicked him to the ground.

　　Lying there, Gong Kang clutched his chest and feigned agony. The opponent stepped forward to finish him. The moment the warrior drew near, Gong Kang’s left hand shot out to seize the throat while the right drove the sword toward the face.

　　Startled, the FireWorship warrior jerked backward; Gong Kang’s left fingers tore away the veil at the same instant that the sword struck the helmet.

　　At this point Gongkong paused, as though reluctant to continue, leaving everyone frantic with curiosity. Su Ziqi spoke for the group: “And then? What happened? How did it end in a draw?”

　　Seeing their eagerness, Gongkong was highly pleased; after thoroughly whetting their appetite he resumed at a leisurely pace.

　　When the helmet and veil fell away, a cascade of beautiful hair was revealed—the warrior was a woman.

　　Her features were exquisite, her long black hair glossy and lustrous; every spectator was struck dumb.

　　Gong Kang rose and planted the DragonFlame Sword in the ground: “I will fight no more. All this time I have been fighting a woman; it is far too humiliating. I, Gong Kang, never fight women. I voluntarily concede this match.”

　　The FireWorship female warrior would not accept it: “No—victory has not yet been decided. Gong Kang! Take up your sword and continue!”

　　Gong Kang persisted in refusing. In the end the two clans conferred and declared the match a draw; the sacrifice quota was divided equally.

　　“Later we learned that the FireWorship female warrior was the daughter of Chieftain Lian Kui, named Lian Xiang.”

　　“What a marvelous story! From ancient times heroes have loved beauties. Did nothing further develop between your warrior Gong Kang and this beauty Lian Xiang?” Su Ziqi asked playfully.

　　“Sister Ziqi, your guess is remarkably accurate.” Gongkong continued: “After that match Elder Brother Gong Kang seemed a changed man—unable to eat or drink, frequently slipping away to the edge of the northern forest. Rumors spread through the tribe that he was meeting Lian Xiang of the FireWorship Clan in secret.”

　　“Ah, I remember now. The night we first arrived in Wangqiu City, at the banquet, the Tiger Tribe chieftain mocked Gong Kang, asking whether he had gone to meet his sweetheart. So that was the situation.” Su Ziqi recalled the scene.

　　“Sister Ziqi, do you know why Kong Xiaotian said that?”

　　“That Kong Xiaotian always speaks in riddles; who knows what he means.”

　　“Long ago our clan and the Tiger Tribe arranged a childhood betrothal: Elder Brother Gong Kang is to marry Kong Xiaotian’s daughter Kong Ting. When the rumor arose, Chieftain Kong Xiaotian became extremely displeased with Elder Brother.”

　　“So that is it—a love triangle. What is your elder brother’s attitude toward the two women?”

　　“Kong Ting is deeply devoted to Elder Brother, yet he says the one he loves is Lian Xiang. He told me privately that he has never dared inform Father, for Father would never consent to a marriage with Lian Xiang. Yet for Lian Xiang he is willing to abandon everything.”

　　“Why does your adoptive father, Great Chieftain Gongdian, oppose it?”

　　“First, to unite the clan he needs the marriage alliance with the Tiger Tribe. Second, our clan has never intermarried with the FireWorship Clan and cannot set such a precedent.”

　　“So that is how it is.” Zheng Ya sighed beside them. “I never imagined the Gongyou Clan harbored so tangled a love story.”

　　The day before the Kuafu entered Mu Star, Gong Kang had indeed gone to the border region between the Gongyou and FireWorship territories to meet Lian Xiang.

　　Since the combat tournament of the previous year mutual affection had quietly taken root in both hearts. After the match Gong Kang had several times slipped secretly into FireWorship territory to arrange clandestine meetings with Lian Xiang.

　　Later they agreed to meet regularly in a small wooden hut at the border between the two clans.

　　That day they lay side by side upon the bed; Lian Xiang nestled against Gong Kang’s shoulder while he stroked her long hair.

　　All around was silence broken only by a gentle breeze. Immersed in the world of their love, they felt as though the surrounding world had ceased to exist and wished the moment might last until the end of time.

　　“Lianmei, when will these days of secret meetings ever end?”

　　“Kangge, my father also refuses to consent to our marriage. This year’s humansacrifice combat tournament will again send me into the arena. Why do we not simply leave our respective clans in secret?” Lian Xiang, accomplished in both civil and martial arts, was willing for love’s sake to abandon everything and elope with Gong Kang.

　　“Even if we elope, the two clans will still hold the humansacrifice combat tournament. When will the mutual slaughter between our two great human peoples ever end?” Gong Kang sighed, striking his wrist in frustration.

　　“Kangge, according to intelligence my father obtained from agents in the capital, the Green Clan this year may demand a number of sacrifices far exceeding last year’s four thousand.”

　　“What?” Gong Kang sat upright, teeth clenched, and said angrily: “The Green Clan of Evil Gods intends to cut off the bloodline of our human race! This cannot continue; something must be done!”

　　“Kangge, you are right. At this year’s humansacrifice combat tournament we must do something. The two clans can no longer go on slaughtering each other.”