Wu Tong suddenly recited aloud:
"Baling's islets sway and drift apart;Along the clear river, words are carried by the wind.Mountains stretch on—no autumn city comes into view;At dusk, only reeds, empty waters, and drifting clouds remain."
In earlier years, Li Bai had been in Chang'an, brimming with confidence, believing fame and achievement were within easy reach. At that very time, however, Wang Changling had been demoted and exiled to the far south. Upon their parting, Wang Changling wrote a poem to present to Li Bai. Li Bai would surely have responded with a poem in return, yet that verse has long since been lost.
Then came the An Lushan Rebellion. The Great Tang was battered by storms, and the friendship of the two men entered a period of hardship and turbulence along with the fate of the dynasty. In their later years, worn down and adrift, each wandered his own lonely road. What Li Bai never expected was that his dear friend, while journeying home after many displacements, would pass through Haozhou—only to be murdered by the Haozhou Prefect, Lü Qiu Xiao.
As the saying goes: "An old friend enters my dreams, revealing how deeply I remember him."
When Li Bai suddenly heard Wu Tong recite the line,
"Mountains stretch on—no autumn city comes into view;At dusk, only reeds, empty waters, and drifting clouds remain,"
he was instantly carried back to his younger self—burning with passion as he entered the capital, determined to build a great career. Now, however, he was already past fifty. Time had long since worn away the reckless pride and towering ambition of his youth. Comparing past and present, emotion surged within him, and tears streamed down his face.
Thinking of Wang Changling's tragic fate, and then of how Zhang Gao had already avenged him, Li Bai sighed deeply and said,
"The one who redressed Wang Changling's injustice was Zhang Gao."
Wu Tong said,
"Wang Changling, known as the 'Master of Seven-Character Quatrains'—his poem 'Seeing Xin Jian Off at the Hibiscus Tower' has been cherished through the ages."
At once, Ling Xian'er recited:
"Cold rain spreads across the river as night enters Wu;At dawn I see you off, the Chu mountains standing alone.If friends in Luoyang ask about my heart,Tell them it is pure as ice within a jade vessel."
Li Bai was utterly immersed in her recitation, unable to pull himself away. Suddenly, he rose and recited:
"South of Danyang city, autumn seas lie dark;North of Danyang city, Chu clouds sink deep.Seeing off a guest from a high tower, I cannot grow drunk;Silent, the cold river mirrors the moonlit heart."
By now, more guests had filled the inn. Moved by the trio's drinking and poetry, they gathered around, inviting wine and adding to the merriment. Lost in his poetic reverie, Li Bai suddenly stood and called out,
"Bring wine!"
Ling Xian'er immediately lifted a cup and said,
"The wine is here!"
With a dazed, drunken look, Li Bai said,
"Let us all raise our cups and offer a distant libation to my friend in heaven—Wang Changling."
Every guest in the inn lifted a cup and drank. Li Bai toasted person after person, and that night, he drank until utterly intoxicated.
As the saying goes: "Like windblown weeds, we scatter each our own way—so let us drain the cup in our hands."Life is made of meetings and partings. When the moment of farewell arrives, let us empty the cup and drink our fill, freely and unrestrained. That night, the Poet Immortal left his trace in a mountain-town inn.
The next day, Li Bai intended to return to Jiangling. Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er escorted him all the way to the docks, exchanging earnest farewells. The three traveled together to White Emperor City to board a boat home.
White Emperor City lay along the banks of the Yangtze River—lush grass like woven silk, dark-green hills pleasing to the eye, a vast stretch of emerald waters flowing endlessly. Now restored to freedom, Li Bai's spirits were light. Preparing to part from Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er, he received generous travel funds from Wu Tong.
Standing before the surging river, Li Bai could not help falling into the helpless sorrow shared by all mortals. He recalled the lines he once wrote when bidding farewell to his friend Meng Haoran:
"My old friend leaves the Yellow Crane Tower to the west;Amid spring blossoms of the third month, he goes down to Yangzhou.A lone sail fades into blue-green mountains,Leaving only the Yangtze flowing to the edge of the sky."
Melancholy and longing needed no explanation. Where are old friends now? Mist and waters stretch endlessly. With no clear path ahead, he could only return to Jiangling and plan anew.
Wu Tong bought Li Bai his passage and saw him aboard. Over these days together, Li Bai and Wu Tong had drunk by night, discussed poetry, reflected on antiquity, and lamented the present. Wu Tong's bold, unrestrained character naturally drew him into deep friendship with Li Bai, forming a bond across generations.
Yet there is no banquet that does not end. They waved farewell. As Li Bai traveled downstream toward Jiangling, borne swiftly by the current, he composed the immortal quatrain "Departing from White Emperor City at Dawn":
"At dawn I leave White Emperor City amid colored clouds;A thousand miles to Jiangling are covered in a single day.On both banks, the cries of monkeys never cease;My light boat has already passed ten thousand layered mountains."
That day, sudden hoofbeats thundered along the distant official road. Through rolling clouds of yellow dust, two riders galloped forward at full speed, horses flying like the wind, hooves clattering. As the figures came into view, it was Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er.
On both sides of the winter road, towering pines and emerald cypresses were blanketed in thick snow. Suddenly, a group of men and horses appeared ahead, blocking the road. A loud shout rang out:
"The Western Sacred Sect awaits the arrival of Wu Tong of the Loyalty Hall!"
Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er tugged their reins, bringing their horses to a halt. Wu Tong's sharp gaze swept across the crowd—it was indeed the followers of the Western Sacred Sect. Leading them were the Western Sacred Matron's attendants: Peach Blossom, Plum Blossom, Peony, and Orchid.
Wu Tong said,
"What is it you intend to do, ladies?"
Plum Blossom strode forward.
"The Western Sacred Sect has come today to take revenge and settle old scores!"
Ling Xian'er replied coldly,
"So it is you of the Western Sacred Sect. With just the four of you and this rabble, I fear you'll accomplish nothing."
Plum Blossom said,
"Do not be impatient. Our Sacred Matron has prepared long and carefully for today's vengeance!"
Suddenly, five figures shot forward like meteors, their movement techniques swift and refined. Two leapt skyward, streaking like falling stars, flashing forward in the blink of an eye. In an instant, both struck out with their palms toward Wu Tong.
Wu Tong, still mounted, showed no panic. In a flash, he flipped both palms outward and struck. Two thunderous sounds rang out—bang, bang! The two attackers were sent flying backward, each spinning once in midair before landing. Even after touching down, they staggered several steps before finally dispersing the force of Wu Tong's palms.
Their faces were drained of all color. That single exchange left them utterly stunned, disbelief written across their features. Moreover, such a sneak attack was among the greatest taboos of the martial world.
Ling Xian'er looked upon them with disdain and said coldly,
"Who are you? Launching a surprise attack—how can such conduct belong to heroes?"
By now, the five had gathered together. They wore dark clothing, each with a lotus embroidered on the left side of the chest. One of them spoke:
"We are the Five Immortals of the White Lotus Sect, acting under the orders of our sect leader to cleanse demons and suppress evil!"
Wu Tong's eyes gleamed as he fixed them with a piercing stare. Without anger, yet commanding awe, he said,
"Feigning divinity and deceiving the masses. You call yourselves immortals, yet you are the true demons!"
The leader replied,
"Arrogant and ignorant youth! I am the Dragon Immortal, chief of the Five Immortals. Are you Wu Tong?"
Wu Tong answered,
"I am Wu Tong indeed. What guidance do you seek?"
The Dragon Immortal said,
"Martial circles speak highly of Wu Tong, Hall Master of the Loyalty Hall. That single palm just now was truly extraordinary. Today, the Five Immortals have been entrusted by others to test the ultimate skills in your hands!"
Ling Xian'er said calmly,
"Forgive my frankness. I do not know how formidable the Five Immortals may be, but the martial world knows this—once the Crouching Dragon Blade is drawn, no demon can stand against it. Blocking our path in broad daylight… do you intend to test the blade with your own lives?"