It wasn’t even the break of dawn yet when Ying-tai and his men left Mount Zhenzhu. They rode for several kilometers before they were stopped by a group of horsemen. Ying-tai raised his arm to stop his men from proceeding.

“They don’t seem to be armed,” Huian observed.

The man in front waved a signal to tell them they weren’t there to fight.

“Xia, send an envoy over,” Yingai ordered.

Xia nodded and waved his hand to signal the man to ride over to the group of horsemen. They watched quietly and cautiously until their man returned with an envelope. The envoy got off his horse and bowed when he was in Ying-tai’s presence.

“Unit Commander Ying-tai,” he greeted. “The pugilist brothers asked me to give this to you. It’s from their leader.”

Ying-tai’s eyes grew bigger. He took the letter from the man and read it:

Unit Commander Ying-tai of Qin,

During our last meeting I turned away your plea because throughout my life as a pugilist man, I’ve seen that those in the world of the regime never were able to fairly unite with others. My wife was the daughter of the Chu emperor’s brother. I once believed our two worlds had a chance at tranquility but, as you already know, it was proven wrong. Seeing how homicidal men could be against one another, I ran away with my brothers and took the people that were a part of the pugilist world and hid them from the world’s wickedness. I wanted to protect them from heinous clashes. But I can no longer run and I can’t conceal my people forever. They deserve to see the world how my wife saw it. The world that you also seek. A world of your ways. Your way called peace.

If you still want to join hands, I will be waiting at the peak of Mount Lushui where the Tears of Men pool dwells.

-He

Ying-tai folded the letter and looked up.

“What was it?” Huian asked.

“Trouble?” Xia wondered.

“No,” Ying-tai shook his head. “It was Sir He. We’re heading to Mount Lushui,” he smiled contently and yanked his reins.

Only Ying-tai, Huian, and Xia followed the brothers up to the mountain top to meet Brother He. When they were about to reach the peak, Xia could feel his breath shortening.

“Take your time,” one of the brothers said to him. “For those not used to being in the mountains, you will find it hard breathing at such high elevation.”

“I’d say,” Xia gasped, placing his hands on his waist.

“How much longer?” Ying-tai asked, feeling short of breath himself.

“Just past that wall of clouds,” the brother pointed.

“Still so far to go!” Xia choked.

“I’m surprised you guys are still pulling it through. Most men would have passed out by now. Perhaps it’s due to your sturdy physique,” another brother commented.

“Gah, thanks!” Xia grinned. He looked over to Huian, “How you holding up, old man?”

Huian rolled his eyes away and just waved at him, “I’m not going to waste my breath on you.”

When they neared the wall of clouds, the brother leading them turned around, “Keep close. You might get lost in this white mist.”

Ying-tai, Huian, and Xia nodded. They deeper they went in, the whiter their surroundings got. Soon enough, Ying-tai couldn’t even see his hands in front of him.

“Almost there,” they announced. “Don’t slip. You don’t know this now, but we are walking on a thin fallen pillar. If you wander here without knowing your way, you could drop to yonder at any misstep.”

Xia was going to lower his eyes until he heard a voice behind him, “Don’t look down.”

“Gah!” Xia flinched. “Announce yourself next time!”

“We’re here,” the brother in the front informed. Before Ying-tai knew it, the white mist cleared up almost immediately and shades of green from the vegetation welcomed them. He spotted Brother He standing before them with his brothers waiting to greet them. They had sets of tea and arrangements of food all set up and ready.

Brother He smiled warmly and greeted them, “Welcome to the pugilist’s sanctuary.”

Ying-tai smiled warmly back and bowed to him. Before he stood back up, he turned his head toward the sound of a bird that flew from a three branch and headed down to the earth. He widened his eyes at the sight of the world beneath them. He raised his head as his chest heaved. The light of dawn had kissed the grounds and the many branched out veins of the river gave out a silver glimmer throughout the land. The vast fields he fought in that were usually soaked with blood were unrecognizable from where he was standing. After the rain from the night before washed away all of the impurity off the face of the earth, the fields trembled lightly when the morning breeze touched them and embraced the sunbeam that rendered their true colors: soft shades of gold.

Ying-tai walked closer to the edge and was startled by a group of birds that burst before him not too far from the edge. He watched them soar then dive toward the earth where he took his gaze off of them and watched a herd of wild water buffalo drift by the river bank. He saw people here and there but he couldn’t hear them speak. But that had no matter in it for each man’s silhouette, though distances apart, seemed so similar. They moved the same. Their hands were used to express the same things. These men were supposed to be so familiar with one another.

In the quietness, Ying-tai commented to himself as he gaped at the world, “How small are we.” Tears began to build up. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt peace this grand. God, I am unworthy of such serenity, he thought to himself. He looked at his hands and thought of all the blood that stained it. His eyes became remorseful.

“Unit Commander Ying-tai,” Brother He called to him and broke him out of his trance.

Ying-tai clenched his hands into a fist and lowered them. He straightened his shoulders and collected himself. He turned to Brother He who held his hand out toward his seat.

“Whenever you’re ready,” he said.

Ying-tai nodded and proceeded forward. Sitting at their seats that were surprisingly comfortable, women came by and served them their drinks.

“Please rest a bit before you return. I know it was a long and tiring way up here,” Brother He proposed. “The Highland’s Dew tea the ladies are giving you now is an herbal tea that will help comfort you during your travels at high elevations.”

Huian took a sip and widened his eyes at the pleasantness, “Wonderful. I don’t feel as nauseated anymore.”

Brother He smiled and drank his tea.

“Oh thank god for this,” Xia sighed as he gulped his.

“We thank you for your hospitality,” Ying-tai bowed his head and drank his cup.

After they ate and drank a few cups of wine, Ying-tai turned to Brother He. “We didn’t come here solely to eat and drink at your sanctuary,” he began.

“Yes, of course,” Brother He nodded with his eyes closed. “Kid, must you always come by as a man with duties?”

“I’m sorry. I did not intend to offend you,” Ying-tai lowered his head.

Brother He chuckled and opened his eyes. He then placed his cup of tea down. “Follow me,” he said to Ying-tai as he stood up.

Ying-tai looked at Huian and Xia. Huian nodded at him, “We’ll wait here.”

Ying-tai followed Brother He quietly through a tight space and when he finally squeezed through to the other side he saw a pool of clear water. Brother He was standing right next to it.

“It doesn’t look like it, but the depth of this pool is beyond man’s wonder,” Brother He shared.

Ying-tai looked into the pool and, indeed, the pool looked as though it were very shallow. Taking a closer look, he was awed by how clear and pure the water was that he could see the very depths of the pool.

“Do you know the tale behind the Tears of Men pool?” Brother He looked at Ying-tai.

“I’ve only heard the name mentioned in the books I have read. Never the tale,” Ying-tai confessed.

Brother He nodded. “In the days before immortals left the mortal world and divided the country into seven parts, there were two lone brothers who loved each other dearly,” Brother He began. “Though they were immortals, they were not powerful. Each one of them only had one eye because both of them had their eyes gauged out for their power by mortals when they were small. Since then, they were shunned and disgraced for their looks by both immortals and mortals. The older brother always protected his younger brother and the younger brother, whose speech was unfortunately hindered, would always selflessly give to the older brother.

One day, a beautiful mortal tricked the younger brother into helping her find a divine gemstone that would cure him and his older brother from their deformity and return their powers. Because she was so beautiful and the story she gave was so alluring, he impulsively agreed.

The next morning, the younger brother lied to his older brother saying he was going out to fish because he wanted to surprise him with the gemstone once he returned. Excitedly packing for his journey, he met with the beautiful mortal and followed her up a mountain. When they reached the peak, the beautiful mortal pointed to where the gemstone twinkled.

“There it is,” she said. “The gemstone that turns mortals to immortals, gives immortals infinite power, and can restore an immortal to who they once were. You’ll be loved once you retrieve this.”

“I d-don’t mind the power much. I lived my wh-whole life without it so I-I think I can do without. But my b-brother and I will be able to be…n-normal?” The younger brother pondered with excitement.

“Of course,” the beautiful mortal encouraged.

The younger brother looked into the hole and got frightened, “I d-don’t know about this. It’s deep. It’s d-dark. I’m scared.”

“But you will be loved! And normal!” She pushed on.

The younger brother thought long and hard while he looked into the darkness and depth. He couldn’t even find the bottom. “O-okay. Okay. You will h-help me up th-th-though when I c-come back, right?”

“Sure, child” she grinned.

As the younger brother climbed down for seven days and fought the demons that lurked within, he finally found the twinkling gem. He beamed, “You look like a s-star! I’ll keep you safe till we return to brother! He’ll be so excited!” As he made his way up for the next seven days he fought long and hard to past the demons that chased after him and his gem. “N-no! No! Th-this is for me and my b-b-brother! We will be normal and loved!”

When he returned to the surface, he saw the beautiful mortal sitting there waiting for him. She had been returning the past fourteen days to make sure he was dead. She was so surprised that he actually returned and was disappointed the demons down below did not rid this ugliness from the world.

“I can’t believe it! You made it without being mauled to death!” She squealed.

The younger brother was hanging onto the edge and smiling boyishly at her, “I t-told you I’d get it! I promised you remember?”

Indeed she did remember him promising her that. “You-you did??? Let me see!” She ran to him and extended her hand out. He pulled it out from his garment and showed the twinkling gem to her. “I can’t believe it! It’s true. The gemstone exists!”

“Y-yup! Now will you help me up, please?” The younger brother pled. His strength was diminishing.

The beautiful mortal heard his pleas three times until she finally looked down at him. She clutched onto the gemstone tightly and stood up. “You really thought I was going to help you? I can’t. I won’t.

“What do you mean? I got the gem. My brother and I would be normal again!”

“But I could be immortal. I could be beautiful forever!” She marveled at the gemstone. She was now certain that she wouldn’t let anybody take it from her. She searched around for a stick and aimed it at the younger brother’s other eye.

“N-n-no! Please don’t! You c-could keep it! I just want to return home to my b-b-brother!”

“That won’t happen. You might come hunt me down.”

With that, she gauged his other eye out and blinded him completely. He cried and cried but was still unwilling to let go. The beautiful mortal saw this but due to her corrupted heart she stomped and kicked the younger brother despite of his cries and pleas to let him return home. Because immortals have a stronger will than mortals, he stubbornly held onto the edge for his life no matter how much he bled. The beautiful mortal figured this out and swallowed the gemstone to turn her into an immortal. With her new profound strength, she struck him with one blow and sent him back into the dark depths. She watched and listened to his screams for his brother but this time around he did not come to help him.

Afraid that he would come back for vengeance, she made a prison out of the hole and deepened its depths even more. Then she cursed it so no mortal, immortal, or demon could crawl back out of it.

The older brother, on the other hand, had been searching for the younger brother frantically after he was missing for one more day than promised. Every person he turned to would turn him away or told him it was good that his younger brother was missing.

“Good riddance,” they’d whisper. “No deformity shall exist. It’s a flaw and shameful to the gods.”

By chance, his search led him near the mountain his younger brother climbed. He sat there to catch his breath and looked up at the sky, “God, have mercy. He is all I have. I never had shown myself to be selfish.”

The crunching noise of a branch startled the older brother and he shot up from his seat. Before him stood the beautiful mortal that killed his younger brother. She stepped back, startled by his ugly looks.

“You! I know you!” He approached the beautiful mortal. “My brother was always with you and you were the last person I saw him with. Tell me where my brother is!”

She thought quickly and got into her act, “Your brother! I saw him fishing up in the mountains and fell into the water hole! I tried to help but I couldn’t! That’s why I’m down here. I went to go get help!”

The older brother barely heard her last words for he was already running up the mountain. When he reached the peak, he saw his younger brother’s belongings and panicked. He stumbled to this waterhole the beautiful mortal was speaking of and looked down.

“Where’s the water?” He wondered. Being more intuitive than his younger brother, he had an idea of what happened. When he turned around, he saw the beautiful mortal standing behind him. “You wretched woman! What have you done to my brother?” He attempted to strike her but clumsily failed as she only pushed him back with the power she gained. He got on his feet again and screamed at her while flailing his arms but she swatted him down again. After the third strike, he limped on the ground.

“If you want to be with your younger brother, I won’t stop you. Just know you will never be able to resurface once you climb down.”

“Why? What did he ever do to you?”

The beautiful mortal looked at him, “I’m doing god a favor and ridding all of the flaws that puts him to shame.”

The older brother softly chuckled and then laughed weakly, “You are a mortal turned immortal. I know this because no immortal will have the nerve to say that no matter how much they despise something from fear of insulting God. Only mortals think that shallow. Let me tell you this: for as long as I lived, I’ve never seen anyone more hideous than you.”

The beautiful mortal was so greatly offended by this she ripped off his limbs.

“I won’t kill you. Instead I’ll leave you by that hole so you could linger by your brother’s grave for all eternity,” she spat at him.

Despite of the indescribable pain the older brother was in, he rolled over to the edge of the hole and sobbed quietly.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. My foolish brother. You must’ve been so scared. I can’t even do anything for you now. I have no arms and legs. How I wish to reclaim you!”

The beautiful mortal stared at the older brother coldly and then snickered at his misery, “Well if you are that desperate, I suppose you could sit there and shed your tears until the hole fills up with water so his body could resurface for you to retrieve!” She laughed hysterically at this because she truly doubted the hole she cursed would ever fill up with water for it was infinitely deep and vast. She dusted off her hands and walked away while still laughing at her own joke as she left the limbless older brother by the hole to weep.

“If that is the only way to see you again, little brother, I will sit here till this hole fills up with water,” the older brother swore.

So day by day, month by month, and year by year, the older brother sat by the grave of his younger brother and wept continuously without ceasing. This story reached heaven and the gods watched in awe at the cursed hole that was indeed filling up with water. As the love of mortals began to go to lost and immortals were leaving the wickedness of the mortal world, the older brother continued on mourning for his lost younger brother with undying devotion.

With his perseverance, the hole was finally filled with water and his younger brother finally emerged from the dark depths and to the surface. When the older brother finally laid his eyes on the younger brother again, he cried even harder at the sight of his tattered clothes and flesh, causing the water to ripple and bring forth the younger brother into his embrace. The older brother pressed his soaked cheeks onto the younger brother’s forehead and wailed a cry so wretched, heaven turned its face to him.

“Why does this immortal linger by this spot to mourn through the years?” The voice of heaven asked.

“I mourn a great loss,” the older brother replied to the voice. “A loss you cannot return to me.”

“But I’ve created you as an immortal, one who does not know desire for you could obtain anything.”

“The mortals have stolen our identity. But because of your taught mercy, we turned the other cheek. However, they’ve stolen the gift you given me but at that point I was too weak to fight back,” the older brother cried.

“Why did you not call upon my name like your brothers and sisters?”

“No,” the older brother shook his head. “I wanted to bring back little brother on my own and by my way because I wanted to show the world that power isn’t everything and prove that one could break the impossible with something as little and silent as this feeling that burns inside me even if it would take me an eternity. He is that dear to me.”

Awestruck, the voice of heaven did not question him any further. “While you wept for what you held dear, others lost sight and fell into wickedness. The cause for your sufferings shall not go unpunished and you shall receive what you are so worthy of.”

Then a white light seeped through the heavens and the voice shook through the earth, “The mortal world shall suffer and all will not be denied in encountering loss. The mortal world will from now on be divided into seven parts and be kept separate despite their similarities and yearning for one another until all come to an entire understanding with the raw meaning of Brotherhood.”

Indeed the world was split into seven parts. No one knows what happened to the brothers. Some say the voice that spoke that day took them back after splitting the world. Some say the younger brother’s soul ascended to the point of such divinity it was never to be reincarnated again while the older brother became a divine god that now watches over mortals to see if they’ll ever achieve the understanding of brotherhood and put the world back together. The mystery will be left a mystery and I believe that’s what makes it beautiful. One thing for sure though, is that the pool of the older brother’s tears never dried since that day he reclaimed his younger brother and spoke to the voice of heaven.”

Ying-tai smiled and looked up into the sky, “Until all come to an entire understanding with the raw meaning of brotherhood, huh?”

Brother He looked at Ying-tai.

“Such selflessness. The older brother is truly the king of brotherhood,” Ying-tai commented.

Brother He nodded then turned toward the pool. He bent down with two small cups and scooped up the clear water. He returned to Ying-tai and handed him one of the small cups. Ying-tai gave him a surprised look.

“With this cup of water from the sacred Tears of Men pool, I swear to you my brotherhood and to honor your desire in uniting the seven divided kingdoms of our world!”

Ying-tai, entirely grateful to gain the fellowship of the pugilist leader and his world, held his cup up to him and bowed his head lowly, “For the sake of brotherhood, I will not fail you!”

Brother He nodded in approval and drank his cup with Ying-tai.

Huian and Xia turned their heads and laid their cups down when Brother He and Ying-tai walked out from the crevice they passed through earlier. Brother He announced their new bond and the men around them cheered in approval. Huian smiled proudly at Ying-tai and raised his cup to him.

“That’s my boy,” Huian whispered under his breath.

After eating to their fill and relaxing with endless servings of tea, Brother He asked Ying-tai, “So where are you heading to now?”

Ying-tai placed his tea cup down, “We will head to Qi.”

“Qi? Surprising. I would think you would head to Zhao to retrieve your princess,” Brother He looked at Ying-tai.

Ying-tai lowered his eyes and poured himself another cup of tea, “Qi is a closer target. Since we are already in the southern lands we might as well finish business here first.”

“Hmm I see,” Brother He thought. “Zhao will be hosting a festival soon. A festival to honor their state. During that time they are at peace and many arts are displayed there. They even welcome all martial artists from around the world to display their art.”

Ying-tai, Huian, and Xia looked up.

“Perhaps I could go to Zhao first and gather information during that time,” Brother He suggested.

Ying-tai nodded, “That sounds like a plan.”

“You’ll head to Zhao?” Xia chimed in.

Huian turned his eyes to Ying-tai who only kept quiet. “We have Brother He here to secure the southern borders. They could keep an eye on Qi for us and we can always come back to them later. There’s no rush to start our conquest for Qi. Perhaps…we could head to Zhao instead. Besides, we owe the Empress a visit,” Huian subtly suggested.

“Yes!” Xia agreed, slightly jumping from his seat.

Ying-tai gave them a look and they immediately sealed their lips.

Brother He studied Ying-tai’s tense behavior and quickly broke the tension, “Actually, if you’d rather it that way, we could stay here and secure the southern border and wait for your return for Qi if you wish to leave for Zhao instead. Either way works for me.”

Ying-tai politely smiled at Brother He, “I did prefer your first plan. We will stick to that.” He cleared his throat, “Zhao is a very large state and is one of the most powerful right now. To take this chance to watch them and carefully graph an approach against them will be in our best favor.” Ying-tai straightened his shoulders. “Now is just not the right time for us to make a visit to Zhao. I did kill a vast number of their men. I don’t think they’re ready to accept me as a guest yet despite both of our empire’s relationship now,” he stated as he casted his eyes down lower.

“I suppose you’re right,” Brother He nodded. He lifted his cup to his lips, “I guess I’ll take this given opportunity to witness the rare beauty of Qin.”

Ying-tai raised his eyes to this.

“I’ve heard she has the eyes that make men tremble in which was bestowed unto her by her great father, Emperor of Qin, and she holds the grace that can move an empire,” Brother Kang commented.

Huian and Xia only stared at Ying-tai quietly.

“But most intriguing of all,” Brother He said as he sipped his tea, “she possesses the voice that can raise the winds to howl with her.”

Ying-tai’s lips broke into a warm smile and nodded, “She is exactly what you illustrate her to be.”

Brother He looked at Ying-tai who continued on wistfully, “But I assure you, Sir He, that all the pictures that the lips of humans paint of her—no matter the vibrant colors you will imagine—it is all diluted in contrast to its true image.”

Brother He smiled at this.

“Upon your arrival at Zhao, when you see her, her eyes will make you tremble. Her grace will move you.” Ying-tai closed his eyes and painted her face in his mind, “And if you are ever given the gifted chance to have her sing one of her songs to you…Listen.” Ying-tai paused, “…For she’ll leave a mark in your heart for you to bear to last ten thousand lifetimes.”

“Unit Commander Ying-tai of Qin,” Brother He smirked as he placed his tea cup down, “Am I correct in saying that you are fond of Zhao’s Empress?”

Ying-tai’s eyes widened from Brother He mentioning this abruptly and shot him a flustered look.

“Sir He,” Ying-tai started.

Brother He, having figured him out, chuckled with Huian and Xia while the other brothers grinned quietly. “Behold! The great Ying-tai has a woman he holds dear!” Brother He patted Ying-tai’s shoulder. “And a prestigious woman she is! I cannot wait to meet her!”

While the brothers teased on and jollily laughed the time away with Huian and Xia, Ying-tai grinned and lowered his face shyly.

When everyone returned to the earth, Brother He and Ying-tai bid their farewells.

“Have a safe journey, Sir He. Until we meet again,” Ying-tai bowed to Brother He.

“Same to you. Be hasteful with your conquest of Qi. Zhao awaits you, Unit Commander Ying-tai of Qin.” Brother He then bowed to Ying-tai as well, “Till we meet again in the near future.”

As the sun began to set, Ying-tai watched the brothers ride away until they disappeared in the golden fields. He turned around and mounted his dark horse and gripped the reins. Huian looked at Ying-tai who was facing the direction the brothers rode into and galloped up to him slowly.

“Ying-tai,” Huian called to him softly. “We’re ready to leave whenever you are.”

“I’m making the right decision, am I?” Ying-tai asked, his eyes anxiously tracing the steps of the brothers.

“For not going to Zhao?” Huian reiterated his question. He waited for Ying-tai to answer but he remained silent. “Ying-tai, I’ve never questioned you before and I won’t question you now. The reason being: you’ve always decided for Qin’s greater good rather than your own.” Ying-tai turned his eyes to Huian. “We all want to see her again, Ying-tai,” Huian mentioned.

Ying-tai clenched his jaws and furrowed his dark brows. He turned his head and just nodded quietly. “I had to stop myself,” Ying-tai admitted quietly just for Huian and Xia to hear. “Because I know that if I left for Zhao instead…” he paused and gripped his chest where the pressed plum blossoms were secured within his layers. He shook his head in dismay, “…I would not be able to hold myself together when I see her. I would find myself taking her away.”

Huian and Xia both looked at each other and lowered their shoulders and sighed. That night, they rode quietly side by side toward Qi with the soft light given by the glow of the fireflies.