《The Phoenix Dances, The Dragon Roars [BL]》


 Chapter 1

    "The holy mountain of Buxiu has vanished."


    The shocking news of the sudden disappearance of Mount Buxiu spread like wildfire. Leaving the entire martial arts world in a panic-stricken frenzy. How could have this happened? How was this even possible?


    The holy mountain of Buxiu, the nest of the last Pheonix vanished, overnight. What remained in its place was a huge lake with dark blood-red water with a tinge of purple. On its center, stood a lone sycamore tree with maple-like leaves and thorny rustic bark. White fringe trees surrounded the edges of this mystical lake. The four majestic mountains stood tall and firm at the back. The view was spectacular, almost spellbinding. But at the same time, it had an unexplainable eerie spine-chilling feeling to it. Like a mysterious beauty, beautiful but deadly.


    There were four major sects in the world of martial arts: The Eastern Dragon, The Southern Firebird, The Western Tiger, and The Northern Tortoise. Each one of them ruled their corners with pride, power, and prejudice. Mount Buxiu laid at the heart of these giants as a reminder to maintain peace and prosperity. With the latter gone, it was obvious that the primordial peace treaty was no longer valid. Soon there would be chaos and bloodshed following. The hunger for power was insatiable, the desire to be at the top was unshakable in the world of martial arts. Though everyone knew about it, no one was brave enough to say it out loud.


    The Western Tiger''s lair was an ostentatious display of luxury and royalty. Snowy white walls with double-tiered golden swept roofs. Broad white jade pavements secured with gold fences. No matter which direction one would choose to look at, they would see a bit of gold. If not gold then most likely some other valuable metal. The only thing natural that attracted the visitor''s attention was the koi pond. Built with generosity, one would think it was too big for the mere two pond inhabitants but these were no ordinary fishes. Hei, the full black koi represented Yin and Bai, the full white koi represented Yang. These divine beings signified the balance between good and evil. The people very much believed they owned supernatural powers. And so they worshipped them with sincerity and intense devotion. Thus, the infamous pond of Yin and Yang was more of a shrine and less of a regular fish pond.


    The grand meeting hall was massive in size, close to palatial. An intricate painting of the prowling white tiger, the symbol of courage and strength covered the entire back wall. Long flowy silk curtains and tall towering panels with motifs, again in gold. A boisterous exhibition of rare ancient metal artifacts and exclusively carved mahogany furniture.


    Yet the atmosphere inside this grandiose chamber was anything but pleasant or relaxing. The domineering presence of the guardian leaders created an ambiance that was rather awkward and unpleasant for those with low spiritual power. Their beastly auras made the air dense and too heavy to breathe. Cold and remorseless, knocking out some of the poor guards unconscious. The ones still standing were struggling to breathe while drowning in their own sea of sweat. At last, one of the twin leaders from the northern tortoise sect finally broke the deafening silence.


    "Immortality, the mortal''s desire for greed. A lake of blood, cries of unspeakable suffering. Melody of sorrow, grim reaper sings. Count your blessings, count your sins."


    He cited it with much eloquence but there was a foreboding ring to it. He looked at his twin brother for some approval but Leader Zhihui remained silent like a Buddha. Dressed in a grey monk-like robe, pondering and contemplating on his own. Leader Ziran then turned his cold gaze towards the others and with a malicious smirk on his face.


    "The ancient prophecy has come true. As shocking and unfortunate it is to lose Mount Buxiu in such a puzzling manner. The search for the elixir of immortality has already begun as we speak.", he said. There was a slight hint of excitement and no traces of concern in his voice.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Young man, the elixir of immortality is nothing but a hoax to lure in victims into a death trap. Back in the day when this rumor started, a lot of martial art masters and wandering heroes set out in search of it. None of them were ever heard of or seen again. Don''t tell me you actually believe this urban legend to be true?"


    The old man asked with a surprised expression followed by a burst of roaring laughter. His laugh echoed throughout the chamber, subduing all the silent nooks and corners. Old Leader Jie of the Western Tiger was a man of great stature. What he lacked in height, his muscular built and strong personality made up for it. He had a great sense of humor, contradictory to his fierce appearance. His contribution to the martial arts world was well-known and well appreciated by all.


    "With the recent incident, don''t you think the possibilities are quite high, Old Leader Jie? And if such a tremendous power does exist, then who wouldn''t want to own it? To become immortal and live their life without having the fear to grow old or die. Even a man with the strongest of the will may fail to resist such a tempting offer."


    "But with great power comes great responsibility and even greater price to pay, young man."


    A somewhat displeased voice cut the conversation short between the old and the young leaders.


    "Let us not waste our time and stray away from the actual issue at hand. A mountain has disappeared from the face of the earth and a strange lake has appeared in its place. Other than the fact that this lake has an impenetrable barrier, we have no other clue. And here we are having petty discussions on whether the elixir of immortality exists or not."


    "I agree with Lady Ai. The sooner we solve this puzzle, the better. I hope no great disaster will befall upon our world.", Leader Zhihui said.


    Old Leader Jie nodded in agreement. Leader Ziran opened his hand fan and started to fan himself in clear annoyance.


    He said, "Well I hate to be the bearer of the bad news but this disaster has already struck its victims. Several charred dead bodies are being discovered in the vicinity of Blood lake. But, this unfamiliar barrier does not react to any other living being, except humans. The one who put this barrier must be very powerful and skilled. He or she would make a formidable opponent."


    "Even though the situation is quite perplexing and chaotic. The need to restore peace is dire. We as leaders have a responsibility towards our people, especially the commoners. We need to get a hold of the situation and calm them down so that their daily lives can go on without any complications. As for the Blood lake, I don''t see any other option than to seal it."


    "You took the words right from my mouth, Old Leader Jie. I would also like to suggest that we form a special investigation unit. They will report any information found during this confidential mission to us in person."


    All the leaders nodded in unison after hearing Leader Zhuhius suggestion.


    "Very well. I am on my way to visit Dragon''s den to congratulate Leader Wei and his wife on the birth of their son. Since he couldn''t join us today, I will make sure to give him all the details of this meeting. Please allow me to take my leave now. Thank you for your hospitality, Old Leader Jie.", Lady Ai said with a gracious bow.


    Leader Jie stood up and the twin leaders Zhihui and Ziran followed and took their departing bow as well.


    A few days later, all the guardian leaders gathered and sealed the mysterious Blood lake for good with their much-lauded four sect seal that consisted of four dome-shaped barriers merged as one. Hundreds of people flocked to the scene to watch the act, maintaining a safe distance from the mystical lake. The four sects each built their guardpost facing their respective regions. Blood lake was now under their authority. Anyone who tried or caught trespassing in this restricted area would be severely punished.


    The loss of Mount Buxiu was irreplaceable and even time would have a hard time healing this wound. While it sparked a fire in the hearts of some people, it also instilled fear in most. The ancient prophecy spoke of a greater disaster with bloodshed, suffering, and karma. No one knew what the future had in store for them. And this scared them to their bones. They vowed to move forward doing good deeds to wash away their previous sins. Praying that they wouldn''t be the ones persecuted when the judgment day came.


    The first snow came early this year. The tiny snowflakes fell on the warm surface like gentle cold kisses. Covering every shrub and every tree under the fluffy blanket of their freezing love. Concealing all big and small paths. And along with them, an unnoticed track of giant footprints vanished in the dead of night. Never to be found again, following the same fate as the holy mountain of Buxiu.

 Chapter 2

    Twenty years had passed since the dreadful incident. So much had happened and changed in the world of martial arts, except for one thing: The elixir of immortality. The obsession for this forbidden power had quadrupled over the years, it was sought after with much enthusiasm and conviction. Yet none of the seekers had ever succeeded to locate where it was, let alone have the opportunity to see or touch it. Every path they took led them to a dead-end or ended with them being dead. Nonetheless, people continued to embark on this dangerous quest for immortality with passion. Even though there was occasional news of mishaps and misfortunes, life had regained its normality. Struggling on the bad days and rejoicing on the good ones.


    The pedestrians crowded the small stalls on either side of the road. Examining every souvenir and tasting local delicacies offered by the street vendors. There was a surge of travelers and sightseers this year. Men and women of all ages, from all regions, visited the Town of Fairies to celebrate the Festival of Love. This highly-awaited festival lasted for six whole days because number six represented love. According to local folklore, if you are single then on the last day of this festival, you''d meet your soulmate. So people came with much anticipation in search of their chosen ones. Hoping this would be the start of their happily ever after.


    Among the crowd was a young man, attracting the attention of every passerby. Tall and slender, dressed in a dignified green robe with an exquisite emerald waist belt. His beautiful sword hung on his waist while his long jet black hair flowed down his attractive back. A set of piercing eyes, a straight nose, thin lips, and a prominent jawline. His beauty was on par with that of gods. And like a divine being, he remained unbothered by the blatant stares of the onlookers as if he had gotten accustomed to such behavior.


    He maneuvered his way through the hectic street, dodging every other human''s touch. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a man jumped on his back. The two men were of the same age. This new man in a white robe was strikingly attractive as well but still no match for the man in green. The sight of these two gorgeous men walking together made countless jaws drop. And like the bees hovering over the flowers, women started encircling them in total amazement.


    The man in white said, "Yang, why didn''t you wait for me ya? I was about to introduce you to the local beauties but when I turned around, you weren''t there anymore ya."


    Yang shoved the overly-friendly man''s arm away from his not-so-friendly neck and said in a stern tone, "Jin, don''t forget why we came to this town. Stay focused."


    "I know but we''re the legendary team ya. When have we ever failed to complete our mission?"


    "Can''t you keep it low for once?"


    "Take a good look at us ya. Do you think it is possible for us to stay low, especially with your emerald eyes and my white hair?"


    "It won''t kill you to try."


    "Not possible ya. Why are you so serious all the time? Relax, have some fun ya. Look, all the beauties are eyeing us. I am sure everyone wants to get a taste of us right now. At least smile for them ya."


    Yang swept his cold gaze around and one by one, the women started to leave.


    "Hey Miss, wait. No. Don''t leave ya.", Jin exclaimed.


    He looked at Yang with disbelief and said, "What''s wrong with you? Why would you chase away all the beauties with that constipated look of yours? Do you have anything against the opposite sex? You plan to die a virgin ya."


    "Stop your nonsense and get serious. Unless you want a special session with Lady Ai."


    Jin paralyzed for a moment and shuddered at the very thought of it. He frantically followed Yang while shouting, "No thanks ya. I''ll pass. I have nothing but love for all the ladies, except for her ya."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    The southern region was abundant with greenery and natural resources. The dense green jungle was home to thousands of animals and rare medicinal plants. The vast fertile lands for farming kept the hunger problems at bay. The magnificent waterfall Tian merged with one of the cleanest rivers Diqiu. Providing the purest source of water to all living beings in this region.


    Nestled at the base of this enchanting nature was the Firebird''s nest. A cluster of wooden treehouses built on top of one another with a centered large balcony. The Southern Firebird was an all-female sect dedicated to the art of music and medicine. These elegant beauties wore wide-sleeved shirts with long pleated skirts in the shades of orange and pink. And a firebird-carved hairpin, the symbol of their sect. The use of the color red was exclusively only for the leader. And the only way for men to enter this all-female sect was through invitation. As fragile as these beauties looked, they were in actuality very dangerous.


    Yang and Jin presented their invitation tokens and entered with ease. A young girl guided them to a gazebo overseeing the lotus pond. A beautiful middle-aged woman greeted them both with a smile. The look on her face made it evident that she had been waiting for their arrival. She was wearing a long red robe with a painstakingly hand-embroidered gold firebird on it. Her long hair loosely braided and on top rested a stunning firebird headpiece. In front of her lay the renowned guzheng, the 13 strings of life and death.


    The two young men bowed to her with respect. Before they could raise their heads, there was a big thud sound. Still bowing, Yang looked beside him and saw Jin lying unconscious with his face planted on the wooden floor. Just when he was about to help Jin, he sensed a second hit directed towards him. He did a side flip while supporting his weight on Jin''s back and firmly landed on his feet. With his quick reflex, he managed to avoid the fatal hit. Jin fell flat on his face for the second time.


    "I see you''ve become faster than the last time we met."


    Yang bowed once again to thank Lady Ai for the compliment. Jin stood up, dizzy and dazed. He rubbed his head and found a protruding lump on it, burning with pain.


    Lady Ai looked at Jin and said, "You, on the other hand, have made no progress whatsoever. Unfortunately, you seem to have gotten even worse now."


    "What was that for, you old hag.", Jin yelled.


    The moment he became aware of what he had dared to spout, his face became white as a sheet. He could feel his soul leaving his body. "Today is the day I die ya.", he thought.


    Lady Ai furrowed her eyebrows and gave him a swift triple combo hit with her long staff. She moved with such lightning speed that it was almost invisible to the naked eye. It took a minute for Jin to register. The next minute, an agonizing pain spread through his left temple, right arm, and left thigh. It was two times more excruciating than the lump on his head. Yet, he didn''t know where to rub first because they all felt equally agonizing.


    "You insolent brat, you dare speak to your godmother like that! Have you got no respect for your elders? You''re a hundred years too early to use that rude tone of yours with me, you ill-mannered child."


    Lady Ai sat on her arhat bed and gestured Yang to take the seat beside her. Jin kept standing in an awkward pose. Not that he was trying to protest but even the slightest movement would aggravate his pain. So he decided to remain standing instead and continued to sulk while trying to soothe his pain.


    "Now, let me get straight to the point. As you already know, the Festival of Love is about to begin. You must''ve already seen the multitude of tourists accumulated at the Town of Fairies. Every year, we try our best to make sure the celebration ends without any setbacks or tragedies. But this year, a rather difficult situation has arisen. One that we are unable to deal with ourselves. This is the reason why I have invited you two here."


    Lady Ai continued to speak. The two men listened with their undivided attention.


    "In the last five days, we''ve recovered four dead bodies from the tranquil bamboo forest. All the victims were in their early twenties from wealthy families with above-average looks. There were no external wounds but not a drop of blood was in their bodies. And they were all dressed like grooms."


    "Sounds to me like the case of a Ghost bride."


    "I was thinking of the same thing. They were also known for being quite the womanizers. The courtesans serving them said that before losing their consciousness, the victims mentioned a rare beauty. Even though the victims swore that this beauty was right in front of them, the witnesses didn''t see her. With this piece of information, we have come to the conclusion that this killer beauty is only visible to men. The festival will start tomorrow. We have no time to waste. We need to catch her before she kills another man."


    "Wait, wait, wait ya. So all we need to do is find a wealthy-looking young man with great looks to catch her. First of all, where are we going to find someone like that? And second, who would be dumb enough to agree on acting as bait ya?"


    Lady Ai and Yang fixed their intent gaze on him. His big grin soon turned sour as he pointed at himself with a questionable eyebrow raise. They both nodded with an earnest look on their faces.

 Chapter 3

    The town of fairies was adorned with the color red like a bride. A veil of red lanterns covered the walking street and red silk banners with beautiful golden calligraphy danced in the gentle wind. Love knots and charms were hanging in every inn and shop, to attract love and luck. At night, the lanterns together with the fireworks illuminated the whole town, creating a mesmerizing and magical atmosphere. Everyone set out to relish this magical moment. Donning their best outfits, in hopes of making a great first impression on their future partners. Love was in the air. One could see it, one could feel it.


    The sound of giggles and laughter caught the attention of some passersby. In a corner of a famous inn, an exceptionally good-looking man was being entertained by a group of pretty women. Some were singing and some were dancing, some were pouring him wine and some were feeding him delicious food. What a sight of envy he was to the poor observers. Little did they know that behind all the false pretense this man had put on display, deep down his heart was trembling in fear.


    Jin thought, "Who would''ve ever imagined that I, the legendary swordsman Jin, would end up becoming bait for the ghost bride ya."


    He lifted his cup close to his lips and sneaked a peek at the opposite corner where Yang was seating with his not-so-great disguise, a plain cloak, and a black leather eye patch. He felt a sense of relief, at least his friend was here to protect him. But in that exact moment, Yang suddenly stood up and raced outside. Jin choked on his wine as his heart sank into the dark abyss. Even his dear friend had left him to be a meal for the ghost bride. So much for childhood friendship.


    Yang scurried his way out of the inn, only to have his path barricaded by the swarm of people in the walking street, searching for love and maybe food. He picked something up from the ground and dusted it off. He scoured the whole area through his eyes, one of the many advantages of his tall height but the person of his interest was no longer in sight.


    He decided to wait it out for a while, an hour passed, and still nothing. So he returned back to his seat, still closely examining the object he had just found. Jin was drunk as a lord by now, with bloodshot eyes, his speech didn''t make any sense and he could hardly keep himself in an upright position. The guests started exiting the inn, some stumbled their way out while some were dragged out by their peers. Other than the drunken ruckus, the rest of the night passed with peace.


    They followed the same routine night after night, but nothing out of the ordinary ever happened. Everything was normal and everyone was having the time of their life, excluding Jin and Yang. Jin had been drinking an excessive amount of wine due to the demand of his wealthy alcoholic womanizer''s role. With no time for recovery, his hangovers were getting terrible by the day. Yang, on the other hand, couldn''t help but wonder about the stranger he saw on the first night of the festival. It may have been for a brief moment but this person had left a lasting impression on him, the one he didn''t quite understand it himself.


    Lady Ai entered the room with a bowl in her hand and placed it on the table. Yang followed her and stood in a corner with his usual blank face.


    "Here, drink this spicy soup. It is a great cure for a hangover.", she said.


    "Thank you ya, Godmother."


    "I hope this will make you feel better. There''s still a lot of drinking you need to do tonight."


    He blew his hot soup and thought, "I don''t know about the ghost bride ya but this every night drinking session might just become the cause of my death. I swear if I am still alive by the end of this mission, I will teach this sly old hag a lesson ya."If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Lady Ai smacked Jin''s head as if she could hear his thoughts.


    "A little bit of drinking won''t kill you, little brat. Didn''t you boast to us about how you could drink a sea of wine and still not get drunk? So what happened?"


    Based on the severe headaches and gut-wrenching nausea, the once self-proclaimed wine master had come to an enlightening realization that drinking was not his specialty. He couldn''t help feel a little embarrassed. So instead of throwing a tantrum like he usually did, he decided to swallow his words along with the lukewarm soup and remained quiet.


    "Everything is going as it should, but why does this calm resemble the one before the storm than the after. Why hasn''t the ghost bride made her move yet? Is she taking a break from her killing spree or is it that she doesn''t find our little bait captivating enough to ignite her desire to kill?"


    After saying that Lady Ai studied Jin from head to toe with her watchful eyes. The expression on his face indicated that he wanted to say something but he continued to slurp his soup.


    She shifted her gaze to Yang and said, "I heard you went to the tranquil bamboo forest. Did you find anything unusual?"


    "No, Godmother. There were no abnormalities in the forest but on my way back, I met an old lady who was looking for her son."


    "Her son? Could there be another victim whose body is yet to be found?"


    "No, it can''t be because her son disappeared a year ago."


    "As far as I can remember, there were no missing cases last year."


    "The old lady said she is from the northern region. Her son visited the town of fairies during the festival of love last year but even after months of waiting, he never returned home again."


    "Do you think he could be a victim of the Ghost bride too?"


    "We can''t say for sure until we find out what happened to him. It could also be a case of a runaway because his mother said he was a problem child. His behaviors were often disruptive and odd. I have promised to help her with her son''s case."


    "That is very kind of you, Yang. Anyway, it is the last night, I want you two to be extra vigilant. I have a feeling the ghost bride will show up tonight."


    It was the end of the festival of love. The exuberant town of fairies brimmed with the hopeful and joyous energy of its visitors. Young and old couples romancing. Families and friends strengthening and cherishing their bonds. Love of every kind was being celebrated to the fullest.


    As usual, the two men sat on their usual side of the corner doing their usual thing. Jin drinking pot after pot of wine while Yang''s observant eye noticed every bit of the slightest movement and detailing of his surrounding.


    Amidst the hustling and bustling inside the busy inn, a melodious tune started to play in a distance. The louder it got, the closer it felt and the stronger its effect. Yang had only heard about this melody but there was no mistaking it. This was the melody of sorrow mentioned in the ancient prophecy. Though not perfect enough to have its full effect. It felt like the time had frozen. Soon after the guests and courtesans started dropping like flies as they lost their consciousness, Yang pretended to faint as well.


    His cloak covered most of his line of sight, but he could see a slim figure approaching Jin. She walked like a cat, light steps, her hips swayed from side to side. She wore a robe that flaunted her snowy-white back, a wide silk bow with long trains tied around her sylphlike waist. She positioned herself seductively in front of Jin, her bridal headpiece slightly titled on her head while her unreasonably silky long hair mopped the floor. The long-awaited ghost bride had made her appearance at last.


    An unsetting feeling filled Yang''s heart when he saw an old bamboo flute in her hand. This was the flute used to play the melody of sorrow. He peeped at Jin who was staring blanking at the woman as if he had fallen into a trance. He kept chanting the same lines over and over again.


    "Rare beauty with bewitching eyes and cherry red lips.


    Long black hair, melodious voice, and thin hips."


    The ghost bride leaned over to Jin and whispered something in his ears. She lifted his chin with her flute and glared at his face hungrily. But as if she had sensed something, she suddenly turned around in Yang''s direction. He shut his eyes tight and continued to suppress his spiritual energy, blending it with the fallen ones. When he opened his eyes, the ghost bride was gone and his childhood friend Jin was missing.

 Chapter 4

    A lonely silver moon beamed in the dark canvas-like sky. Under the pale moonlight lay the tranquil bamboo forest. Every now and then the gentle wind rustled the leaves and the stalks collided with one another, creating a harmonious melody. This was the musical forest of nature, the sky-high bamboo trees were the musicians, who also acted as guards, preventing the moonlight from touching the gloomy forest floor. Yang made his way in the dark with caution. He heard a soft rhythmic tapping sound, he looked around but there was no one. When he looked up, he caught a glance of a person cruising over the bamboo trees. Unconsciously, he started following him, this stranger who defied gravity with his light effortless steps and glided in the air like a bird.


    The wind howled and the moon hid behind a group of large gloomy clouds. First, there were few fierce strikes of lightning, followed by some loud thunders. Soon, the heavy rain poured down with all its might. Unable to hold out against the battering raindrops, the stranger stopped at a small abandoned house nearby. Yang halted his steps and vanished into the darkness of the night.


    This mysterious person who had a familiar aura had piqued his curiosity beyond his own reasoning. He studied him from a distance but with the heavy rain and the absence of light, he couldn''t see much, apart from the stranger''s long veil bamboo hat.


    As the stranger entered the house, he spoke in a gentle voice, "You are going to get sick if you stand in this rain for too long. This house is big enough to shelter the two of us. Why don''t you come in?"


    This caught Yang by surprise, to have his presence discovered even though he had been suppressing his spiritual energy all along. "Who was this person and how did he know I was tailing him? Is he a companion of the Ghost bride or is he hunting her down too? Why did he show up here and what are his intentions?" A series of questions raced through his mind. The only person who had all the answers to his questions was the man who had just invited him so he accepted the invitation and proceeded forward.


    It was pitch black dark inside the tiny wooden house. The sudden flashes of lightning were the only occasional source of light. A few pieces of firewood and broken pots were lying recklessly on the dusty floor, other than that the house was completely empty.


    "Please don''t move.", the stranger said in a worried tone.


    He took off his hat and then gathered some pieces of wood and ignited a fire. As the fire grew stronger, it shed light on the stranger''s face. He looked up at Yang who was standing like a towering statue.


    "You can move now.", the stranger said with a lovely smile.


    Yang''s eyes widened in surprise, it was him, the stranger he saw on the walking street. His heart palpitations rose at an abnormal speed. He clasped his chest fearing his heart might jump out.


    "I''m Yue and you are?", the stranger asked.


    His big almond eyes twinkled and a lovely smile still played on his full lips. His nose slightly turned up and his porcelain skin glistened with water droplets. His long hair was loosely tied with an amethyst hairpin and few strands of his hair fell over his angelic face. His svelte physique wrapped in a damp lavender robe with fine embroidery. He was a beautiful sight to behold.


    Yang turned his back on the stranger who called himself Yue, leaving him feeling a little surprised and somewhat befuddled.


    The stranger stood up and said apologetically, "Sorry. I guess you don''t like talking to strangers but I am not a bad guy. I was actually following the Ghost bride and then it rained and I lost track of her so I decided to take shelter here until the rain stops. I sensed your presence and didn''t find it threatening so I invited you in."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Yang turned around and suddenly extended his hand. Yue''s face brightened when he saw what Yang was holding, he grabbed it and exclaimed in joy.


    "My lucky amulet. I thought I would never find it again. Thank you. Thank you so much. How? Where did you find it?"


    "You dropped it on the street during the first night of the festival. By the time, I had picked it up, you were gone."


    "Thank you so much.. Uhh.."


    "Yang."


    "Yang as in the Sun?"


    "Yes."


    "I am Yue as in the Moon."


    When Yang saw Yue''s innocent smile, he clasped his chest again and thought to himself. "What is this feeling? Why is my heart beating so fast? This is dangerous."


    "Are you from this region or are you here to attend the festival of love? How old are you? We look like we are of the same age, can I call you Yang? You can call me Yue. Are you also chasing the Ghost bride?."


    "Yes. If you don''t mind me asking, why are you chasing the Ghost bride?"


    "My brother and I had agreed to meet in the town of fairies on the first day of the festival but my brother never showed up."


    "So you suspect Ghost Bride might be after your brother''s disappearance."


    "Ahh, no-no. Unlike me, my brother is very strong and has never lost a fight. If he was here, he would have probably solved this case by now. When I arrived here, I heard about the Ghost bride from the locals. They were all terrified and since I was free, I thought I''d look into it."


    After hearing Yue praise his brother so much, Yang felt a little annoyed and irritated for no reason but he decided to let Yue continue talking.


    "I heard that the Ghost bride only kills rich young philanderers but her victim tonight had white hair. Could it be she is into older men now?"


    "He''s not an old man, he''s of our age."


    "Oh, do you know him?"


    "He''s my idiot friend."


    "Oh. Your friend. Huh! Sorry. I see so that is the reason why you were following the Ghost bride."


    Yang nodded after a long thought. He was too embarrassed to tell Yue that he got distracted by him and completely forgot about his kidnapped friend Jin and his kidnapper, the Ghost bride.


    "Don''t worry. I will help you save your friend.", Yue said with a serious expression.


    By now, Yang was sure of three things about Yue. One, he was very talkative and curious. Two, he was very expressive and easy to read. Three, he was a little too honest and innocent so at times seemed a bit dumb. Yue had all the qualities that Yang didn''t. Making them polar opposites. Yet the more Yue talked, the more interested Yang became.


    The two sat around the fire. Yue added the last few leftover pieces of wood to the fire. He wanted to continue their


    conversation but when he saw that Yang had already taken a meditative pose and closed his eyes, he kept quiet. He stared at Yang with awe and curiosity for a long time. This was the first time he had met someone whose beauty resembled that of gods in ancient paintings. He was not only aesthetically pleasing to look at but pleasant to be around too, even though he didn''t talk much.


    "Why don''t you get some rest or do you plan to stare at me all night?"


    Flustered by Yang''s straightforward words. Yue pretended to manage the fire.


    "What do you plan to do after this? Will you look for your brother?"


    "I am not sure yet. I want to but then I don''t want to be a burden to him. I bragged to our family that I was going to travel and see the world on my own. So it would be a little embarrassing if I had to rely on him and this trip would be meaningless if I don''t face the challenges myself."


    There was a moment of silence. The rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared up. The moon was out once again and the crickets were back to singing while soaking up that beautiful moonlight.


    Yang took a deep breath and asked, "Have you ever seen the sea?"


    "No, I haven''t."


    "I am heading north after this. You can join me if you want to see one."


    "Really? Yes please, I''d love to go with you..ah no. I mean..travel. Thank you. Please take care of me."


    Even with his eyes closed, Yang could already imagine the expression on Yue''s face. Amused at his own imagination, he smiled to himself.


    The abrupt sound of running footsteps alerted both men. Yang put out the fire with a swift hand movement. They peeked through the creak of the shabby door and waited for the person to come in sight.


    A silhouette of a young boy appeared from the dark. He was panting hard in exhaustion, gripping the deep cut on his neck that was bleeding profusely. His eyes reflected pain and terror as he looked at the person following him, the Ghost bride. Before he could take another step, he collapsed to the ground face down. She grabbed his hair and pulled his head off his shoulder. She raised the bloody decapitated head close to her face and laughed like a maniac while repeatedly kicking the lifeless body of the poor dead boy. The gruesome scene of death traumatized Yue, he crouched and clung behind Yang''s back and shuddered in disbelief. Yang gently patted his head to calm him down.