Chapter Thirty-Eight: The First Battle on the Isolated Island

After Meng Xiaoli offered the imperial envoy a cup of wine, the envoy spoke first: "Over the past year, Sect Leader Meng, you have killed commoners, harassed wealthy gentry, destroyed brothels, and suppressed mountain bandits, causing great unrest among the people. These are all grave crimes. However, the Emperor is benevolent and virtuous; recognizing your talent, he wishes to show grace by offering you an amnesty. Are you willing to accept it and find a legitimate place for these followers of yours, whose status remains questionable?"

Meng Xiaoli toasted the envoy again, drained the cup, and replied: "The current Emperor is a rare and wise monarch. Under his rule, the world is stable and the people are prosperous. I hold the Emperor in the highest regard and have no intentions of rebellion. As for the accusations of cruelty and wanton killing, they are merely rumors spread by the world. I believe the Emperor sees clearly, for if he did not, he would not have sent you to negotiate. Though the Red Garment Sect lacks a good reputation, we have largely done what the imperial court wished to do but lacked the time to accomplish. Those I have killed were either bandit gangs terrorizing the people, troublemakers, or evildoers involved in human trafficking. While I, Meng Xiaoli, am no chivalrous hero, I am certainly no murderer of the innocent. Please assure the Emperor that the Red Garment Goddess Sect will never oppose the imperial court."

The envoy set down his cup and said softly: "Acting on behalf of the court without permission is one thing, and failing to surrender the spoils of your raids is another. While bandit gangs are indeed a pestilence upon the lands of the Great Ming—annoying, though they do not consume the state—your sect is growing rapidly. A tall tree invites the wind, and no one can guarantee that you will not become a future catastrophe. It would be better to stifle such a threat in the cradle."

Meng Xiaoli glanced at Ji Hongluan, who was attending to them. Ji understood immediately, cupped her hands, and said: "Your Excellency speaks truly, but right and wrong are often matters of mere opinion. The imperial court holds a controversial view of our sect: call us evil, yet we do good deeds; call us good, yet the Red Garment Sect provides no direct benefit to the court. Whether we are virtuous or wicked depends entirely on your word. You are a clever man and a wise official; our sect is filled with sincerity and will never place you in a difficult position."

The envoy watched as a Red Garment disciple brought a new dish to the table, covered by a lid. The disciple lifted it, revealing several gleaming gold bricks. The envoy pressed his two fingers down on them, signaling the disciple to cover them again. He then took a sip of wine and laughed: "The Emperor resides long in the palace and is inevitably unaware of the affairs of the common folk. Having visited here myself, observing both openly and in secret, I have learned that the Red Garment Sect is a school of martial arts, not the wicked organization rumors suggest. You uphold justice and care for the world; you are indeed a gate of righteousness. However, in the future, the Red Garment Sect must avoid being overly ostentatious to ensure your long-term survival."

After the banquet, Meng Xiaoli had her disciples present further treasures, and the envoy returned to Beijing carrying Meng Xiaoli's pledge of loyalty.

Once the envoy had departed, the strategist Ji Hongluan stood behind Meng Xiaoli and praised: "How brilliant! As long as he is willing to accept our silver, all is well. Surely the court will not trouble us again?" Meng Xiaoli turned back to her high seat and sighed: "The Great Ming is powerful; we have no choice but to bow our heads. I must pledge my loyalty year after year to ensure the temporary safety of the Red Garment Goddess Sect. But if the Emperor truly wishes to kill me, would he need a reason?" Ji Hongluan flicked her sleeves and laughed: "It is nothing. Whether a thousand-year-old tradition or a rising star, what sect does not pay taxes to the court? It is only right. This way, we avoid being controlled by the court while also shielding ourselves from their interference."

However, only a few days after the envoy left, several majestic warships appeared from the coast. The watchtower on Xiexian Mountain signaled the alarm, and the disciples on Xiaoyao Mountain immediately sent word to Meng Xiaoli.

At the time, Meng Xiaoli was drinking and laughing with her disciples on a couch in the back hall of the Xiaoyao Palace. A disciple rushed in and knelt: "Sect Leader, a fleet of warships is approaching from the sea." Meng Xiaoli’s smile vanished. Her eyes darted, and she sat up, thinking: "I promised not to oppose the court. Has the Emperor changed his mind and sent men to wipe us out?"

Meng Xiaoli leaped from the couch and hurried toward the Xiaoyao Palace, ordering: "Tell the disciples on Xiexian Mountain to set up obstacles along the coast. Notify all watchtowers to keep a sharp eye out for sneak attacks from other directions. All other disciples are to gather at Xiexian Mountain with their weapons." The disciple obeyed and departed.

When Meng Xiaoli and Ji Hongluan arrived at the coast of Xiexian Mountain, they discovered these ships were not from the court, but belonged to the Guanlie Gang of Qingzhou. At the prow of the lead ship stood the menacing Guanlie Gang Leader, Yuan Bao. He wore a long, deep-brown silk robe, his silver crown reflecting a dazzling light, with a jade belt cinched at his waist embedded with a bright green gemstone. Two gold-lacquered battle axes were strapped to his back.

Meng Xiaoli stood on the high wall and saw that the Guanlie Gang disciples on the ships were all dressed in deep-brown uniforms, arms crossed and faces stern, looking like firecrackers ready to explode at the slightest spark.

Estimating there were several hundred disciples, Meng Xiaoli ordered: "Set up the barriers to prevent them from docking. Also, dispatch the aquatic team to dive and sabotage the hulls of their ships." Ji Hongluan relayed the orders.

Yuan Bao saw the rows of iron barricades on the shore and the walls of female disciples standing with weapons drawn.

Unable to dock, Yuan Bao remained unperturbed. He stood at the prow and shouted to Meng Xiaoli: "I believe the Guanlie Gang has never offended your Red Garment Sect. Why has Sect Leader Meng repeatedly raided our silver shipments, destroyed our brothels and gambling dens, and even abducted Li Yaorao, the star of my theater? Today, Sect Leader Meng must give me an explanation."

Meng Xiaoli’s mouth curled into a smirk. She leaped lightly, vaulting onto the prow of Yuan Bao’s ship. Yuan Bao recoiled in shock as his disciples raised their axes in defense. Meng Xiaoli laughed: "So you have come to collect a debt. To be honest, when I raided those places, I did not care whose they were. I had no intention of offending you, but since it was the Guanlie Gang’s gold and silver, I simply accepted it all. After all, the money you earn is tainted by a black heart and rotten lungs."

"How arrogant," Yuan Bao barked from behind his disciples. "What status does my Guanlie Gang hold in the martial arts world? How can a newly formed, minor sect insult us so? I have come to negotiate out of respect for you being a woman, Sect Leader Meng. Do not refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."

Meng Xiaoli waved her sleeve and laughed: "I know you are a master of business, Leader Yuan, always driven by profit and preferring to avoid blades if possible. But there is nothing to discuss. The Guanlie Gang’s wealth is built on injustice. Our feud was forged years ago, and I have long wanted to test your martial arts."

Seeing that Meng Xiaoli had no intention of negotiating, Yuan Bao stopped the pleasantries and commanded: "Attack!"

As the Guanlie Gang disciples charged with their axes, Meng Xiaoli leaped, kicked aside the incoming blades, stepped on the heads of two disciples in mid-air, and performed a somersault, landing directly before Yuan Bao. Yuan Bao had his axes ready.

Other Guanlie Gang disciples leaped toward the shore, but the Red Garment disciples raised the iron barricades, impaling many of them as they landed. Others stepped over their comrades' corpses to breach the shore.

Yuan Bao feinted low with one axe and swung high at Meng Xiaoli’s head. She arched backward, narrowly avoiding a simultaneous strike from disciples behind her. Using the "Water-Fish" technique to slip away, she launched a "Wind-Brushing-Face" strike, aiming her blood-colored gauntlets at Yuan Bao’s head. Yuan Bao swung his axe horizontally to cut her wrists, but she twisted away, kicking toward his stomach. Yuan Bao blocked with his axes and pushed back with his inner energy. Meng Xiaoli retreated a few steps, only to be met by more axes swinging from the sides.

Meng Xiaoli moved like an eel, weaving through the blades. She planted her hands on the ground and used a "Rabbit-Kicking-Eagle" move to repel several disciples. Before she could stand, Yuan Bao’s massive axe descended. She twisted her body, and the axe bit into the deck, carving a hole.

Before she could react, other disciples aimed for her legs. She tucked them in, the axes embedding into the wooden deck. Seizing the moment, she kicked two disciples into the sea with a loud splash.

On the shore, waves of Red Garment disciples clashed with the invaders. Despite casualties, they held the line, preventing the Guanlie Gang from advancing.

Yuan Bao’s axe swept across again. Meng Xiaoli leaped using the "Wind" technique, but Yuan Bao jumped to catch up, whirling his axes into a "Black Whirlwind" of impenetrable steel. Caught in a pincer move, she failed to dodge in time, and her left arm was grazed by an axe. Yuan Bao pressed his advantage with a "Flowing-Water Axe" technique, swinging both axes downward. Unable to dodge, Meng Xiaoli retreated, parrying blows from all sides.

She suddenly leaped behind Yuan Bao. As her feet touched the deck, his axes swung backward toward her face and chest, while disciples attacked from the sides. She stepped back, letting the disciples’ axes cross in front of her. She grabbed the two disciples by their shoulders and pulled them forward to shield her from Yuan Bao’s axes. Unable to stop his momentum, Yuan Bao split his own disciples’ heads open.

Yuan Bao hurled his axes. Meng Xiaoli backflipped over them and struck out with a "Savage-Bear-Palming" technique. Yuan Bao reacted with lightning speed, meeting her palm-to-palm. Both exerted their full force—Meng Xiaoli’s seven-level inner energy against Yuan Bao’s seven-level middle-stage strength. Yuan Bao stood firm, while Meng Xiaoli was forced back, barely steadying herself using the "Wind" technique as Yuan Bao’s axes returned to his hands.

Yuan Bao attacked again. Meng Xiaoli ducked under his blades and struck the "Jingmen" point on his ribs. Yuan Bao winced, and Meng Xiaoli seized the chance to rake her claws across his back, leaving four deep, bloody gashes.

Yuan Bao roared in pain and swung his axes in a flurry. Meng Xiaoli dodged by a hair's breadth and launched a "Fairy-Pointing-the-Way" kick into his side. As Yuan Bao stumbled to the ground, a disciple rushed over: "Leader, it’s bad! Our ship hulls have been pierced by the Red Garment Sect; the water is flooding in! The supply ships behind us have been breached as well, and they’ve boarded to set fire to our provisions!"