galloped like a
whiff of smoke to meet Tzu-ya, but was stopped by blows from two silver
hammers wielded by Huang T'ien-hua. Han Chih-hsien came to Wen's aid,
but was opposed by Pi Hsiang-yang. Ts'ai-yuen Hsien-tzu dashed into
the fray, but No-cha stepped on to his Wind-fire Wheel and opposed
him. From all sides other Immortals joined in the terrific battle,
which was a turmoil of longbows and crossbows, iron armour and brass
mail, striking whips and falling hammers, weapons cleaving mail and
mail resisting weapons. In this fierce contest, while Tzu-ya was
fighting Wen Chung, Han Chih-hsien released a black wind from his
magic wind-bag, but he did not know that the Taoist Barge of Mercy
(which transports departed souls to the land of bliss), sent by
Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, had on board the Stop-wind Pearl,
by which the black storm was immediately quelled. Thereupon Tzu-ya
quickly seized his Vanquish-spirits Whip and struck Han Chih-hsien
in the middle of the skull, so that the brain-fluid gushed forth and
he died. No-cha then slew Ts'ai-yuen Hsien-tzu with a spear-thrust.

Thus the stern fight went on, until finally Tzu-ya, under cover
of night, attacked Wen Chung's troops simultaneously on all four
sides. The noise of slaughter filled the air. Generals and rank and
file, lanterns, torches, swords, spears, guns, and daggers were one
confused _melee_; Heaven could scarcely be distinguished from earth,
and corpses were piled mountains high.

Tzu-ya, having broken through seven lines of the enemy's ranks,
forced his way into Wen Chung's camp. The latter mounted his unicorn,
and brandishing his magic whip dashed to meet him. Tzu-ya drew
his sword and stopped his onrush, being aided by Lung Hsue-hu, who
repeatedly cast a rain of hot stones on to the troops. In the midst
of the fight Tzu-ya brought out his great magic whip, and in spite
of Wen Chung's efforts to avoid it succeeded in wounding him in the
left arm. The Chou troops were fighting like dragons lashing their
tails and pythons curling their bodies. To add to their disasters,
the Chou now saw flames rising behind the camp, and knew that their
provisions were being burned by Yang Chien.

The Chou armies, with gongs beating and drums rolling, advanced for a
final effort, the slaughter being so great that even the devils wept
and the spirits wailed. Wen Chung was eventually driven back seventy
_li_ to Ch'i Hill. His troops could do nothing but sigh and stumbl