Luya Daoren and Zhao Gongming

Zhao Gongming came to the Shang camp at Wen Zhong’s invitation, first took Huanglong Zhenren with the dragon-binding cord, and then threw his twenty-four Sea-Stilling Pearls again and again, so that Randeng and the others fell from their mounts at the first flash of five-coloured light. Luya came into the Western Qi tent along a rainbow, gave Jiang Ziya a written charm and a straw figure, and told him to build an altar on Mount Qi with a lamp at the figure’s head and another at its feet, and to loosen his hair, take up his sword and pace the stars before it every day.

In the Shang camp Zhao Gongming grew dull day by day, now frantic and now prostrate, and no wound could be found on him. Ten days later Chen Jiugong and Yao Shaosi of Wen Zhong’s house stole the charm, and Yang Jian recovered it by taking their shapes.

When the twenty-first day came, Luya climbed the altar himself, bowed at the figure’s two eyes, and handed Jiang Ziya a peachwood bow and mulberry arrows. Three arrows went home, and in his tent in the Shang camp Zhao Gongming’s eyes closed and his heart was pierced, and all his powers ended there.