Chapter 92: The Eight Righteous Ones (2/2)

"A-Fu, I don't want to be friends with you anymore!"

Dian Man jumped up, waving his arms and shouting at the top of his lungs. Cao Peng stared at him in bewilderment, unable to fathom what kind of madness had taken hold of him this time. He was not the only one; Xu Yi, Cao Zhen, and the others were equally confused.

"I’ve decided, I want to be your brother instead!"

"Huh?"

"If you don't agree, then we aren't even friends anymore."

First he didn't want to be friends but brothers, and now if they couldn't be brothers, they couldn't even be friends... What a bizarre logic.

Cao Zhen realized what was happening, and a sudden idea struck him. He nodded and said, "A-Fu, we’ve fought together and even shared a prison cell; this must be destiny from a past life. Why don't the eight of us swear an oath of brotherhood right here? Heh heh, it will surely become a legendary tale."

"Swear an oath with eight people?" Cao Peng was a bit stunned. He had sworn brotherhood with Wang Mai and Deng Fan without any hesitation, simply wanting to help them integrate into his social circle. He never expected this group of troublemakers to jump in on the act. He suddenly felt a great deal of pressure.

"I am but a commoner, while you all are..."

"Hey, when we swear brotherhood, we don't look at status, only at the bond between brothers." Cao Zhen, who seemed just as much a troublemaker as Dian Man, glared at Xu Yi. "Big Head Xu, what do you say? Give us a straight answer."

Xu Yi was actually tempted, though he wanted to maintain some reserve. After all, with Dian Wei and Xu Chu currently embroiled in a rivalry over who was the best guard in the imperial army, for him to swear brotherhood with Dian Man seemed a bit ridiculous. He had a decent relationship with Dian Man and didn't mind the friction between their fathers, but swearing an oath felt like it changed the nature of things. Yet, with Cao Zhen pushing, he felt he had no retreat.

"Big Head Xu, if you’re afraid of your old man, then get lost."

"Who says I’m afraid? I have the same intention, you just beat me to it... A-Fu, we are swearing this oath. Whoever refuses is a coward."

Cao Peng coughed violently. Good heavens, what did these people think swearing an oath was? However, swearing brotherhood with these future power-players of the Cao Wei regime seemed to have no downsides.

"In that case, I would be rude to refuse."

"Warden! Warden! Dammit, is anyone still breathing? Get out here!" Cao Zhen roared. Two jailers came scurrying over. "Young General, what are your orders?"

"We are going to swear an oath of brotherhood. We need... uh, A-Fu, what does one need to swear an oath?"

Swearing brotherhood was not very common in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. It was elegantly referred to as "swearing the bond of gold and orchid." Where did that come from? It was recorded in the *Shishuo Xinyu*: "When Shan Gong met Ji and Ruan, they bonded like gold and orchid." The *Book of Changes* said: "When two people are of one mind, their strength can cut through metal." People mostly used this to express deep friendship, but to actually perform a ceremony? Cao Peng felt he had been duped by the legends. It seemed the famous Liu, Guan, and Zhang never actually had a "Peach Garden Oath"; it was merely said that they were "as close as brothers." Cao Peng had assumed the custom existed, but realizing it didn't, he couldn't help but smile internally: *It seems I have changed history once again.*

Fortunately, Cao Peng knew the procedures. According to the customs of later generations, one would choose an auspicious day and a suitable place after mutual agreement. But they had no choice here. This was an impulse of the moment; if it passed, the meaning would be lost. Since no one had done this before, they were pioneers, and no one could say they were doing it wrong.

"We need a statue of Confucius."

"Why his statue?"

"The Sage said: 'Brothers should be friendly and respectful.' Since we are bonding like gold and orchid, we must swear our oath before him."

"Yes, yes, A-Fu is right." Cao Zhen nodded repeatedly and yelled at Dian Man, "A-Man, you don't know anything, don't stir up trouble. A-Fu, continue... You lot, listen carefully. If you miss one thing, watch your heads."

The jailers were at a loss but could only nod. In the middle of the night, where were they supposed to find a statue of Confucius?

"An incense table... oh, a desk will do. Then we need three animal sacrifices: a pig's head, a fish, eight eggs, and a live rooster. Remember, it must be a live rooster; women use hens for such oaths, understand?"

"Understood, understood!" The jailers initially thought these young masters were just messing around, but as they listened, they realized there was actually some substance to it. They had no idea where this young master had learned such things; they had never heard of them before.

Cao Peng continued, "A large bowl of wine, eight sheets of paper... and finally, eight sticks of incense and a knife."

"So troublesome," Cao Zhen muttered, dumbfounded.

"We are swearing this oath with Heaven and Earth as our witnesses. Naturally, it is a bit complex. Without it, how can we unite heaven and man and move the spirits?"

"Right, right!" The group of uncultured youths was completely swayed by Cao Peng.

Cao Zhen asked, "Did you get all that?"

"We remember, but in the middle of the night..."

Cao Zhen frowned and pulled a waist token from his robe. "It’s a bit of a hassle, but easy enough. Take my token, go to the Chariot and Cavalry General’s manor, find the steward, and give him the list. He will prepare everything. You have half an hour, or I’ll break your legs."

"Understood!"

The jailers scrambled off. Perhaps not even Xun Yu would have expected such a scene in the prison. If you gather a group of energetic young men together, it would be truly strange if they didn't stir up some trouble.

"A-Fu, who taught you your martial arts?" Xu Yi asked curiously while they waited.

"A wandering mystic in my hometown taught me many things. If you don't believe me, ask Brother Hutou; he knows best."

"Oh, that is indeed true. It’s a pity I lacked the eye back then to ask that master for guidance. But later, A-Fu taught me a lot; otherwise, I wouldn't have the skills I do today."

"Your skills were taught by A-Fu?" Except for Dian Man and Deng Fan, the other four were astonished. They had seen Wang Mai’s skills and knew he was no ordinary man. Among them, Dian Man and Xu Yi were likely the strongest, both at the peak of 'Bone Tempering.' If they fought Wang Mai, even if they won, it would be at a heavy price. Yet Cao Peng, who appeared the weakest, had taught someone as formidable as Wang Mai. If Wang Mai had learned from that old mystic, what would he be like? Dian Man had practiced with Cao Peng and knew his depth, but Xu Yi was still skeptical. However, everyone had their secrets, and prying further would be rude.

Xu Yi changed the subject and asked how Cao Peng had met Dian Wei and how he had returned. Cao Peng didn't hold back and told them everything.

"The Huang clan of Jiangxia! They go too far!" Xu Yi roared, slamming the table. "A-Fu, don't worry. In the future, when we follow our Lord to trample Jiangxia, I will bind Huang She and leave him to you to handle."

***

The jailers returned, panting, accompanied by servants and guards from the Chariot and Cavalry manor. They brought in the items, including a stone statue of Confucius they had managed to scavenge. The servants and jailers stood to the side, watching the eight men in the cell with curiosity.

"What next?"

"Write the 'Gold and Orchid' scroll."

"Huh?"

"I'll write it first; you just follow along."

The scroll had a set format. Cao Peng, having been a criminal investigator in his past life, knew the rules of the underworld. Each person had a copy, writing the preface, then their names in order of age, followed by a thumbprint. After much fuss, they finally finished the preliminaries and began the ceremony.

"Heaven above, we have heard that when a room is filled with music and books, it is the gathering of like-minded souls. When beds are joined through wind and rain, we hold arms and speak in joy. Thus, we sit on the ground and speak our hearts. Like polishing jade, our spirits resonate. We observe the orderly flight of geese and seek to follow in their wake. Today, Cao Peng of Nanyang..."

As Cao Peng paused, Cao Zhen immediately said, "Cao Zhen of Pei."

"Xu Yi of Qiao."

"Dian Man of Chenliu."

"Zhu Zan of Pei."

"Deng Fan of Nanyang."

"Cao Zun of Pei."

"Wang Mai of Nanyang."

"The eight of us, at the northern desk and western window, whether with brush or in study, join hands in youth. We admire the virtues of the ancients. With the clarity of the white water, we follow the path of Guan and Bao. Like the moon above, even across rivers and mountains, our oath shall not fade. Through the seasons, our resolve shall remain firm. Let us not compete for fame or wealth, nor pride ourselves on talent. Swearing this bond of gold and orchid, we pledge before the gods today. May we prosper together, sharing in joy and sorrow. We do not ask to be born on the same day, but we ask to die on the same day. Heaven and Earth be our witness, the Sage be our witness. If we break this oath, may the heavens strike us down..."

As Cao Peng recited the scroll, the onlookers gradually lost their joking demeanor. The eight men knelt before the statue of Confucius and kowtowed. Cao Peng stood up, grabbed the rooster, slit its throat with a knife, and let the blood drip into the wine. He took a deep breath, cut his own finger, and looked at the others. Wang Mai smiled, stepped forward, took the knife, cut his finger, and let his blood drip into the wine as well. Dian Man, Cao Zhen, Deng Fan, Zhu Zan, Cao Zun, and Xu Yi followed.

The bowl of blood-wine was ready. Cao Peng stirred it, dipped his finger in, let three drops fall to the ground, and handed it to Cao Zhen, who was the eldest. Cao Zhen took a large gulp, then passed it to Xu Yi, Dian Man, Zhu Zan, Deng Fan, Cao Zun, Wang Mai, and finally, Cao Peng.

"Younger brother Cao Peng greets you, Big Brother," Cao Peng said, bowing to Cao Zhen, then to the others in turn. Each had to repeat the process. The eight men knelt in a circle, looking at each other. If they had started with curiosity and playfulness, they were now filled with a deep sense of brotherhood.

"This oath, through life and death, remains unchanged!"

"We do not ask to be born on the same day, but we ask to die on the same day!"

The eight voices rang out, echoing through the prison. The onlookers were moved.

***

Cao Peng discovered that the ritual was mentally exhausting. Not just for him, but for the other seven as well. After the guards brought in more wine and they drank their fill, they collapsed onto their cots, satisfied.

Cao Peng felt tipsy, but his mind was clear. He lay on the innermost cot, moonlight shining upon him. The events of the day circled in his mind. He recalled Xu Yi’s words earlier: "A-Fu, when you fought, your skills seemed to reach our level. Even I might not have moved as smoothly as you... But now, you seem unable to exert that kind of power. Your blood and energy are immense, but the strength hasn't permeated your bones."

*Permeated.*

This had been a problem plaguing Cao Peng for a long time. His blood and energy had hit a bottleneck. Because of his body's previous limitations, he hadn't achieved full integration. What was 'Bone Tempering'? According to his old master, it was about cultivating vitality, opening the gates of the body, and guiding energy into the bones.

Cao Peng had practiced Tai Chi and the Eight Brocades to build his foundation. He had achieved the first stage, but his bones were not naturally connected. How could he achieve that natural flow? It had become a problem he had to solve.

Moonlight shone through the small window. Cao Peng suddenly sat up. He stood firmly, left foot and fist forward, right foot back, right fist by his ribs. Suddenly, he stepped forward with his left foot, followed by his right. His right fist twisted inward and struck forward... the left fist retracted. Step by step, he repeated the motion. It was a simple "Follow-Step Punch."

In the cramped space, he exploded with potential. In later martial arts, this was known as the "Half-Step Crushing Punch." A master named Guo Yunshen had once been imprisoned, and because of his shackles, he had developed the technique of moving only half a step, using it to conquer all opponents.

Cao Peng was using this method to correct his alignment—the "Three Stars" (shoulder, elbow, wrist). By using the explosive power of the punch, he forced his blood and energy to flow, aiming to "Urge the Three Joints."

He began slowly, but as his bones began to swell and vibrate, he increased his force. Power surged from his Dantian, causing his joints to pop and crack. Soon, a strange sound like an air-burst accompanied every strike: *Pong-pong-pong...*

The sound grew louder. Xu Yi, who had been dozing, was startled awake. He sat up and saw Cao Peng punching in the small space. The movements were small, yet they exuded a terrifying sense of power. *What is he doing?* Xu Yi was confused. As the power grew, he felt the immense energy generated by Cao Peng’s movements. His expression shifted—he realized Cao Peng’s body was changing, becoming stronger. *Could this be the secret art taught by that mystic?*

"A-Fu, what are you doing?" Zhu Zan was also awakened, groggily walking over to tap Cao Peng on the shoulder. Xu Yi was too late to stop him.

"Old Zhu, watch out!" Xu Yi roared.

Immersed in the flow of energy, Cao Peng reacted instinctively. He performed a half-turn, his fist carrying a fierce, concentrated force, and *puffed*—it struck Zhu Zan directly in the chest.