18.2 Walking Crane, Barbecued Duck

Preface: Enter Sun Duza

1. Sun Ritsu

2. Anari

3. Bodhi

4. Ham Song

5. As Luck Would Have It

6.1 A Handsome Monkey King

6.2 A Handsome Monkey King

7. A Baneful Monkey

8.1 A Shy Spider

8.2 A Shy Spider

9.1 Pork Buns

9.2 Pork Buns

10. A Predator's Vacation

11.1 The Peach Festival

11.2 The Peach Festival

12.1 The Peach Festival

12.2 The Peach Festival

13.1 The Peach Festival

13.2 The Peach Festival

14.1 The Peach Festival

14.2 The Peach Festival

14.3 The Peach Festival

15.1 The Jade Pool

15.2 The Jade Pool

16.1 The Jade Pool

16.2 The Jade Pool

17.1 The Garden of Immortal Peaches

17.2 The Garden of Immortal Peaches

18.1 Walking Crane, Barbecued Duck

19.1 Ripe Peach Mountain

19.2 Ripe Peach Mountain

19.3 Ripe Peach Mountain

20.1 Ripe Peach Mountain

20.2 Ripe Peach Mountain

21.1 The Heavenly River

21.2 The Heavenly River

22.1 The Heavenly River

22.2 The Heavenly River

23.1 The Heavenly River

23.2 The Heavenly River

24. Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

25.1 Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

25.2 Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

26.1 Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

26.2 Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

27.1 Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

27.2 Of Peach Soda Pop and Pilfering

28. The Hall of Perfect Light

29.1 The Hall of Perfect Light

29.2 The Hall of Perfect Light

30.1 The Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance

30.2 The Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance

31.1 The Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance

31.2 The Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance

32.1 Beef Pan-fried, Side of Lemon Lime

32.2 Beef-Pan Fried, Side of Lemon Lime

33.1 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

33.2 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

34.1 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

34.2 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

35.1 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

35.2 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

36.1 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

36.2 Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

37.1 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

37.2 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

38.1 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

38.2 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

39.1 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

39.2 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

40.1 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

40.2 The Divine Cave of Three Stars

41.1 The Drums of Heaven

41.2 The Drums of Heaven

41.3 The Drums of Heaven

42. A Diamond Body

43. A Diamond Body

44.1 A Diamond Body

44.2 A Diamond Body

44.3 A Diamond Body

45.1 A Diamond Body

45.2 A Diamond Body

46.1 A Diamond Body

46.2 A Diamond Body

47.1 Wondrous and True

47.2 Wondrous and True

48.1 Wondrous and True

48.2 Wondrous and True

49.1 Wondrous and True

49.2 Wondrous and True

50. Wondrous and True

51.1 Wondrous and True

51.2 Wondrous and True

&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;strong&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;~ Sun Ritsu ~&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/strong&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Something in the way Bodhi was positioned protectively over Ham Song stirred Ritsu somewhere deep at his core. He couldn&#x2019;t explain what he felt in that moment, only that it did not feel new at all. But rather like something he had felt many times before.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Even though they were aloft, Ritsu and Anari were close enough that it was possible to see the unyielding expression on Bodhi&#x2019;s face. Usually, the monk seemed so nonchalant and sometimes even bored, but that wasn&#x2019;t the case now.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;In fact, Bodhi looked prepared to defend Ham Song with everything they had if necessary. Ritsu could see why Bodhi had chosen to take on a defensive stance. There were guards cautiously closing in around that end of the table, their straight, broad swords drawn. That would explain why the few guards at the other end of the garden could not hold back the sun clones from charging in. And then there were the nobles in the middle, astonished by all the ruckus, terrified by the overzealous monkey spirits, and enraged that one of their main courses was about to be stolen from them.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Ritsu wanted to help Bodhi, but without a sweet immortal peach, what could he possibly do? Though that familiar sensation lingered in his chest, he knew absolutely nothing about fighting outside of the Immortal State. In essence, he was bloody useless.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;To Sun Ritsu&#x2019;s relief, it appeared that Bodhi did not require much assistance. Even as the guards descended on them and the eager sun clones fought each other to challenge them, the monk held their ground.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Now it is time that I, Sun Duza, give you this poem that chronicles this battle between the monk&#x2019;s unique crane style kung fu and the sun clones infused with the immortal peaches taken from the Jade Pool:&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The Monkey and the Spider watched rapt from the trees&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;While the nobles, sandwiched between a thieving monk and a horde of clones, screamed&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The guards advanced on the Monk, who closed their eyes and became&#x2026;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;A crane.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Their fists shot forward, breaking the air like strong, white wings&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;They ducked and fluttered around the guards&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;As if those spirits were nothing more than stones in a pond&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Meant only for skipping across and perching upon&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The nobles wailed indignantly&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The sun clones roared indecently&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Hyped up on immortal juice, the monkeys could barely contain their strength&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;They shoved the guards to the side and into the laps of the astonished nobles&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;That was when the Monk truly took flight&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Their body shifted, changed in some ways that were subtle and others that were not&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The Pig, confused, strained to comprehend&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;For how could the Monk become Man&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Then Woman&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Then Man again?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;How unique, thought Sun Ritsu&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;To battle this way,&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;But the crane was a bird that required long legs and hard, sleek strength&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;While to avoid a sun clone dogpile,&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;One needed to be smaller, slippery&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Almost like a fish&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The Monk could travel this spectrum swiftly&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;They could walk like a crane&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;And dart like minnow&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;They could also reek like a muddy river,&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Thought the Spider&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Yet she too watched with eyes wide&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The Monk kept landing graceful blows to the immortal guts of the immortal clones,&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Bloated with immortal juice&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Until the clones showered the nobles with fresh, wet gifts&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;And then profuse apologies&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Many a fair noble fainted&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;While others bawled like whelped babes&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The guards had given up&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Folding their feathers, the Monk bowed to the prostrating clones, who in their defeat,&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Had already forgotten about the crane&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;The Monk scooped up the Pig, along with a warm plate of roasted duck&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Then easily walked away&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;

&#x3C;p&#x3E;The spirit world is broken and in desperate need of a restoration. True heroes and ancient beasts that once walked are now a thing of the past. Between the empty spaces of forgotten treasure halls there are whispers of one who has returned. One legend that can rise above the rest&#x2026;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Rooted in Chinese mythology and flavored by shonen anime, The Rising Sun Saga follows the perspectives of four unlikely heroes as they navigate friendships, love, and overcoming the impossible in an endless, dysfunctional spirit world.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;

The Rising Sun Saga