ENG
With sword in hand, the foe's chest pierced,
Blood-soaked hair, in battle fierce.
Endless sorrow for a fallen land,
East wind sighs, as west winds stand.
In the Kingdom of Yaksha, there were eight great generals, one of whom was named Mi Yan. He had once practiced under the Golden Summit Immortal at the Yuzhen Temple, located at the foot of Mount Lingshan. Having fought countless battles, he possessed the valor of a warrior who could face ten thousand enemies.
When a formidable enemy attacked, the Yaksha King appointed Mi Yan as the vanguard general. Mi Yan set up a large camp at the border and addressed his soldiers: "If any of you fear battle, walk away now, and I won't hold it against you. But know that if we lose this foothold, the kingdom will fall. Our elders, children, and all our wealth will become the property of our enemies." With these words, he and the entire army swore a blood oath to advance and never retreat.
The Yaksha army, isolated and outnumbered, faced an enemy surrounding them on all sides, their banners blotting out the sky. Wave after wave of enemy forces attacked relentlessly. Mi Yan and his troops fought fiercely, suffering heavy casualties. Ultimately, Mi Yan was surrounded by numerous Arhats and was beheaded.
The soldiers, countless among them having sacrificed their lives, retrieved their general's head. Placing Mi Yan's head in his coffin, they witnessed his body slowly sit up and lament, "If we lose our homeland, what difference does it make whether I have a head or not?"
With these words, he closed his eyes and fell back down, finally passing away as blood gushed from his neck, staining his hair red. Later, his subordinates, in a display of loyalty and bravery, poured the blood of their enemies over their heads, emulating Mi Yan. Despite their valor, the Kingdom of Yaksha was ultimately destroyed, but not a single soldier from Mi Yan's army deserted.
The story takes place in the Kingdom of Yaksha, which had eight great generals. One of those generals was Mi Yan. He trained under the Golden Summit Immortal at the Yuzhen Temple at the foot of Mount Lingshan and became a famous warrior, said to be able to face ten thousand enemies.
When a powerful enemy attacked the kingdom, the Yaksha King put Mi Yan in charge of the frontline as the vanguard general. Mi Yan set up a large camp on the border and spoke plainly to his soldiers: anyone who was afraid could leave, but if they lost that position the whole kingdom would fall and their elders, children, and possessions would become the enemy’s. His words made the army swear a blood oath to advance and never retreat.
Mi Yan’s isolated force was surrounded and heavily outnumbered, with enemy banners covering the sky. Wave after wave of attacks came at them. They fought fiercely and took terrible losses. In the end Mi Yan was surrounded by numerous Arhats and was beheaded in the fighting.
Mi Yan’s soldiers recovered his head and put it in his coffin. Then something striking happened: his body sat up and he spoke, saying that if the homeland was lost, it didn’t matter whether he had a head or not. After saying that he closed his eyes, fell back, and finally died while blood poured from his neck and stained his hair red.
After his death, his subordinates showed their loyalty by pouring the blood of their enemies over their own heads, copying Mi Yan’s final look. Despite the courage and loyalty of Mi Yan and his troops, the Kingdom of Yaksha was ultimately destroyed. The key implication is that they fought and died without surrender; not one soldier deserted, but their sacrifice did not save the kingdom.