Chapter Eighty-Eight: Qiongqi

“Brother Jing, hurry up and get in the water! The temperature is just right today, it feels wonderful,” Monkey Sai chattered, his teeth clattering audibly, lips tinged bluish, his voice quivering with every word. It was obvious he was forcing himself.

“Alright, Monkey, I’ll be there in a moment. Didn’t I tell you that when bathing in cold water during winter, you have to warm up first, loosen your muscles and bones, then wipe down with cold water, and only after you’re accustomed should you get in? If you plunge straight in like that, you could easily get cramps in your limbs, or even freeze up and get into danger!” A-Jing was stretching as he spoke, peeling off his clothes.

“I know, I know! You’re such a nag. We still have to catch a few miru fish later—did you bring your net? Those fish are vicious; if you try to catch them bare-handed, you’ll get pecked by those sharp mouths. One jab and you’ll have a hole right through you. That’s how Niu’er lost his left eye! They say he was only saved because the Ghost Doctor from Green Hill happened to be passing by. Otherwise, he’d be dead!”

“Green Hill, the Ghost Doctor? That name sounds familiar. I’ve decided: once I’ve gathered enough spirit stones, I’ll make a trip to Green Hill to find the Ghost Doctor. There are things I need to know there!” As A-Jing waded slowly from the riverbank into deeper water, a semi-corporeal net of energy appeared in his hand, crackling with electric sparks. If a disciple of the Qi Dao Sect passed by, they’d recognize it instantly as the most complex and intricate thunder technique from the legendary Heaven-class Dao Method, ‘The Convergence of Dao,’ a power no mortal could master. In legend, lightning was a force reserved for the gods.

“Ahhh! Brother Jing, why is your net thundering?” True to his nickname, Monkey Sai moved even faster than a real monkey. Sensing danger, he scampered up the bank in a flash, rolling and scrambling away. Lucky for him—had he been slower, he might have been shocked by the water and died on the spot.

Crackling lightning raced through the water. The nearby miru fish flipped belly-up, stunned by the current. Farther away, more fish, sensing mortal peril, leaped desperately from the river and flopped hopelessly on the bank.

“Ahhh!” A-Jing seemed to have gone mad. The electric net expanded beneath the water, sending up clouds of steam. Lightning serpents coiled around him, darting in and out of his skin, and in his eye sockets, thick bolts of electricity twisted and struck the surface with a deafening roar.

Monkey Sai stood on the bank, utterly dumbfounded, his mind gone blank as he stared at the scene before him.

“A-Jing, Brother Jing, what’s happening to you?” Monkey Sai shouted desperately from the shore, as if his voice could awaken A-Jing from his electrified trance.

A-Jing turned to look at Monkey Sai, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

“Monkey, run! I’m losing control!” he cried, grabbing his own outstretched left hand with his right, trying to restrain himself.

With a deafening crack, a bolt of lightning shot from A-Jing’s left fingertip, striking a towering tree beside Monkey Sai. Instantly, the massive trunk split and crashed to the ground, scorched and sparking.

“Mother of mercy, that scared me to death!” Monkey Sai sprang away, leaping into the bushes and fleeing into the distance.

“Brother Jing, wait for me! I’ll go get help!”

A-Jing, left alone, seemed to lose all control of his body. His face twisted into an expression devoid of humanity—no, more like divinity—a look that confirmed the ancient truth that lightning’s power was never meant for mortal hands.

“You’ve watched long enough. Isn’t it time for you to show yourself?” From A-Jing’s mouth came a voice full of majesty, brimming with a contempt for all living things, yet tinged with endless sorrow.

“So it’s you. Why aren’t you loafing around in Thunder Marsh, playing the great Thunder God as you should? What’s this business of possessing a mortal? This body looks delicious, though. Why not let me have it? It’s been ages since I’ve seen such a fine specimen.” From behind a tree emerged a monstrous beast. Its body was like a tiger, as muscular as an ox, bristling with quills like a porcupine, and with a fox’s bushy tail trailing on the ground. It gave guttural barks from its throat and scraped the earth with its sharp claws.

“Qiongqi, how dare you!” A-Jing roared, thunder booming in response.

“Have you forgotten why Emperor Shun exiled you?” the Thunder God continued, his voice a booming peal that made the very air tremble.

Qiongqi was the son of the Western Heavenly Emperor, Shaohao. In his youth, Qiongqi couldn’t discern good from evil: when he saw a fight, he’d devour the righteous; if he heard someone was honest and loyal, he’d bite off their nose; if he heard of evil deeds, he’d hunt wild beasts and present them as gifts. Thus, he became known as one of the Four Great Fiends: Hundun, Qiongqi, Taowu, and Taotie.

The Records of the Grand Historian recount Qiongqi’s origins: “Shaohao had an unworthy son who slandered the faithful, praised the wicked, and adorned evil words. He was called Qiongqi. Shun exiled him ‘to the four corners to ward off demons and monsters.’”

Thus, Qiongqi was banished by Shun, along with Hundun, the unworthy son of the Yellow Emperor; Taowu, son of Zhuanxu; and Taotie.

Yet in later legends, Qiongqi’s image seemed to change. The Book of the Later Han lists twelve gods who “pursue evil,” including the phrase, “Qiongqi soars and shares the devouring of poison.” Here, Qiongqi could ward off poison and was viewed as a positive spiritual beast. Guo Pu, in his commentary on the Classic of Mountains and Seas, wrote: “Qiongqi, beast of hideous form, chases down demons and monsters, making them flee; thus it is also called the Divine Dog,” praising Qiongqi as a force against evil. These acts of ridding the world of harm differ greatly from his former reputation as an eater of good and helper of evil.

“So what? I am one of the Four Fiends, after all. I’ve come to do evil once more—what can you do about it? Do you really think you can oppose me with nothing but this mortal flesh?” Qiongqi licked his lips, staring hungrily at A-Jing as if he were a rare delicacy, even drooling in anticipation.

“So be it. Since you are now my only successor in this world, I shall lend you a hand! I grant you the Law of Thunder and Lightning. As for your future fortune, that will depend on yourself. Remember, you are not the only one in this world willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of all living beings…”