Step Eight – Choose Wisley – The Absurd Adventures Of Li Bai And His Magic Bottle

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Steep craggy cliffs rose up on both sides of the tributary river, whose roar could be faintly heard echoing up from below. With forested mountains, hills and valleys that stretched as far as the eye could see. Through towering peaks and rocky pillars, off in the distance, Li Bai could see a town of narrow streets, with houses constructed from bamboo, wood and thatch. The town was laid out in such a way that it followed the contours of the hills.

The dawn light in the eastern sky turned orange as it spilt over the horizon and rolled down the mountain. Li Bai could hear roosters crowing. Terraced fields and wild forests surround him. The forest and woodlands consisted mainly of cedar, camphor, maple, pine, poplar and yellow sandalwood.

Li Bai sat down on the cliff edge and thought about his choices. He could climb down, make a bamboo raft, cross the river, then climb up the other side and continue on to the town, which would take him about two days, or he could walk up this side of the gorge until he found a crossing point, but that could take a week or more. Taking out his magic bottle, he poured himself a drink while the contemplated which course to take. ‘The quickest and easiest way would be to fly across.’ He thought ‘I will steal a bit of time and ask the dragon to take me across. Then it will be only a couple of hours to the town.’ So calling upon the dragon he asked him to fly him across the gorge. Which the dragon promptly did.

Upon entering the town, he sought out a bath house and spent a leisurely two hours bathing, having his nails clipped and getting a neck massage. Fully relaxed he then made his way to the nearest tavern, finding a place to sit, he put down his backpack, bamboo box and staff. Making himself comfortable he ordered a meal of vegetable hot pot. He was just finishing this, when a big thick set fellow tripped over his bamboo box.

The fellow stood up and glared at Li Bai saying. ‘You did that on purpose.’

Li Bai stood up and tried to placate the man, saying ‘I am very sorry for placing the box in such a bad position,’ but the big fellow was having none of it, he insisted on fighting and took a wild swing at Li Bai, who being well-trained in the martial arts, easily dodged the intended blow, simply by sidestepping. Instinctively he retaliated with an elbow strike to the back, which sent the fellow sprawling forwards with arms wind-milling into his friends.

The rest of the people in the tavern started to laugh, which incensed the big fellow even further, he again lunged at Li Bai with a wild roundhouse punch. In a blur of motion Li Bai twirled, grabbed the man’s arm and threw him over his shoulder. The man landed on a table shattering it and sending drinks and the three people sitting there flat on the tavern floor. The three then jumped up and set about the big fellow, whereas the big fellows pals joined into the fight. It spilled out of the tavern and into the street. Market stalls were getting knocked over, so the stallholders joined in. A procession of monks were walking by, and they got dragged into the affray and before long it seemed as if half the town was involved. Things were really getting out of hand, and it looked like a full scale riot was about to ignite. When word spread that a child had been badly injured. A young girl of nine, had been hit by a runaway horse. Which seemed to calm the mob down.

‘I wish I had not been so lazy this morning, then none of this would have happened. I do hope the child is alright.’ Said Li Bai as he paced up and down.

The dragon appeared and said ‘Alright then.’ and blew into the sky, from where a vortex of wind descended lifting them up and carrying them off.

The dawn light in the eastern sky turned orange as it spilt over the horizon and rolled down the mountain. Li Bai could hear roosters crowing off in the distance. Terraced fields and wild forests surround him. The forest and wood lands consisted mainly of cedar, camphor, maple, pine, poplar and yellow sandalwood.

Li Bai sat down on the cliff edge and thought about his choices. He could climb down, make a bamboo raft, cross the river, then climb up the other side and continue on to the town, which would take him about two days, or he could walk up this side of the gorge until he found a crossing point, but that could take a week or more. Taking out his magic bottle, he poured himself a drink while the contemplated which course to take. ‘I will walk along the gorge until I find a crossing point, for time is on my side.’ and so he walked all day. Come evening he found a place to camp. Taking out his magic bottle of V.I.P Jiu 8 he poured himself a drink ‘What have I learned to day? “Life is but a river of passing time” Taking up pen and paper he wrote.

Each triumph is a conquest

Upon the path of life

But time can turn achievement

In to a double-edged knife