“Thechipervadestheuniverseandalllivingthings.”

Themorningaftertheirconversation,CommanderTungcalledtheconscriptsouttotheparadegrounds.Arrangingtheminacirclearoundhim,hemovedinaseriesofslow,intricatemotions.Ashemoved,hespoke.Theconscriptswatched,mesmerizedbythewaythecommander’sbodyseemedtobeonewithhisweapon.Hisswordbecameanextensionofhisarm;hislegs,likerootsofatree,werefirmlyplantedonthegrounduntiltheyliftedandappearedtobecomelightasfeathers.Hesignaledtothem,andMulanandtheothersbegantomirrorhismoves.

“Weareallbornwithit,”CommanderTungcontinued.“Butonlythemostdedicatedwillconnectdeeplytohischiandbecomeagreatwarrior.”

Mulanfocused,herbodymovingofitsownaccord.Sheheardthecommander’svoicerolloverherlikethewaterofthelake,withthesamesoothingeffect.“Tranquilasaforest,”hesaid.“Butonfirewithin.”

Swingingherarmthoughtheair,Mulanpracticedthesimplemovementsoverandoveragain.Shetrainedthroughtheafternoonandthenlater,asshestoodguard.Whenhershiftwasover,shemadeherwaybacktothelake,whereshepracticedunderthelightofthemoon.Witheveryswishofhersword,shefeltherchigrowstronger.Itblossomed,liketheleavesonthemagnoliatreebythelake’sshore.Thesensationwasempoweringandstrange,likesomethingwhollynewbutalsooddlyfamiliar.

Overthedaysthatfollowed,theconscripts’trainingintensified.Itwasasubtleshiftatfirst.Afewmoreminutestackedontotheendofeachsession.Abitmorebark—andbite—fromSergeantQiangasheshoutedorders.Tensionsroseasitbecameclearthattheywerenolongerpracticingforapossiblebattlebutforanactualone.

“TheRouranenemyisvast,”SergeantQiangwarnedasMulanandtheotherswentthroughaseriesofmartialartsmovements.“They’reruthlessandunpredictable.Yetphysicalforceneednotbemetwithequalforce.Thewarrioryieldstoforce—andredirectsit.”HestoppedinfrontofMulan.Shekepthergazeahead,notallowinghimtointimidateher.

EversincesheandCommanderTunghadspoken,Mulanhadbeenabletothinkofnothingbutherchi.Itconsumedher.Fueledher.Droveher.Everymomentshecouldspare,shespenttryingtofocusit.Thecommander’swordshadbeenlikeaspark.She’drealized,inthemomentsaftertheytalked,thatsheowedittoherfathertobethebestwarriorshecouldbe.Ifshedidn’ttryforthat,theneverythingshehaddonewouldbeinvain.So,nightafternight,dayafterday,shepracticed.Andnightafternight,dayafterday,shegrewstronger.

Underthemoonlight,besidethelake,shemovedherbodythroughmaneuversthatnowfeltnatural.Inherhead,sheheardSergeantQiang’swords.Disadvantagecanbeturnedtoadvantage,hewouldtellthesoldiersastheypressedtheirswordsforward,swishedtheirspearsthroughtheair,liftedtheirshieldsindefense.

Herconstantpracticeandintensefocusdidnotgounnoticed.ShefeltCommanderTung’sandSergeantQiang’seyesonhermorethanontheothers.Butitnolongermadehershrinkinward.Shefeltfueledwithcourageandastrengthshehadn’tknownshehad.

Buttherewasstillonechallengethatstymiedher.

“Fourouncescanmoveathousandpounds,”thesergeantsaidasMulanandtheothersapproachedthesteepstepsthatledtotheshrine.Theyallpaused,theireyesliftinginunisontothechallengeinfrontofthem.OneithersideofMulanwasabucketfilledtothebrimwithwater.Aboveher,othersoldiersgrabbedtheirownbucketsandstruggledupthesteps.Mulanwaited.SergeantQiang’swordsechoedinherhead.“Fourouncescanmoveathousandpounds,”shewhisperedtoherself.Closinghereyes,shefocused.Shefeltthenowfamiliarsurgeofenergywashthroughherassheconnectedtoherchi.Thegruntsandgroansfromtheothermenvanished.Shefeltonlythegentlebreezeonhercheeks.Hereyesstillclosed,sheenvisionedthetopoftheshrine.Sherememberedthepeaceshe’dfeltbeneaththemagnoliatree.Channelingthat,sheopenedhereyes.

Bendingdown,shegraspedthehandlesofthebucketsandliftedthem.Theyfeltlighterthantheyhadthefirstfewtimesshehadfacedthischallenge,thankstoherstrengthtraining.Butsheknewthatthechallengewasnotinthefirststeps,butintheenduranceonemusthavetomakeitallthewaytothetop.Stepbystep,sheclimbed.

Aheadofher,theotherconscripts’stepsslowed.Onebyone,theybegantofall.FirstCricket,hisfacewetwithtears,sanktothesteps.ThenPo,whothrewhisbucketsasideandsimplylaydown,defeated.Yaowasthenexttofail.Filledwithrage,hethrewhisbuckets,thewoodshatteringagainsttherockycliffs.

Still,Mulancontinued.Herstepsweresteady,hershouldersstill.Oneithersideofherthewaterinthebucketsdidnotsplashoverthesides,butinsteadremainedcalm.Shegrewstrongerwitheachstep.Thefocusonherfaceneverfaltered,evenasshemovedpastherfallencomrades.

SoontheonlyotherconscriptleftwasHonghui.Afewstepsaheadofher,hisforeheadwasbeadedwithsweatandhisbucketsweresinkingcloserandclosertotheground.Hisstepswereheavyandhisbreathingragged.LikeMulan,hisfacewasfocused,butdoubtwasbeginningtocreepin.

Mulandidn’tnoticeanyofthat.Shekeptmoving.Stepbystep,higherandhigher,gatheringstrengthuntilshecaughtuptoHonghui—andthenpassedhim.Shefelthisgazeonherbackasshecontinued.Sheignoredit.Shewassomewhereelse.Herbodywasonthestairs,herarmsholdingthebuckets,buthermindwasinadeeperplace.Shewasfueledbythoughtsofherfather,hermother,hersister.EventhoughtsofthePhoenix,whowasinextricablyconnectedtoherandwhohadfoundastrengthofherown.

Behindher,Honghui’sbodygaveout.Hesanktothesteps.Now,itwasonlyMulanleft.AsHonghui,CommanderTung,SergeantQiang,andalltheotherswatched,Mulankeptclimbing.Stepbystep,higherandhigher,until??.??.??.