"You know a lot, don't you?" Hsien Lian asked, sitting down on the ground. They had made it to the temple, deciding to cook and rest outside. They had arrived in Jinhua not long ago, making it easier to move along the different trails. XingYing grabbed a metal pot filled with water from the nearby stream.
XingYing barely glanced up at Hsien Lian, placing the pot of water down. "I've had all of my life to learn, so I would say I do." XingYing answered, before standing back up. Hsien Lian nodded softly. "It's incredible that you know about the gods. Everyone's knowledge of them is-" "Nonexistent." XingYing answered, the soft smirk returning to his face.
He sat down beside Hsien Lian, crossing his legs. "But yes, I do know a lot about the gods. Including Hsien Lian." XingYing teased, smiling softly. Hsien Lian smiled. "So, you know everything about The Flower God?" Lian questioned, making XingYing shrug. "I could always know more." "So then, what do you know about the Flower God?" XingYing smiled.
"Well, I know that when he was a young boy, who grew up with very poor parents during the Han Dynasty's reign. His parents, very quickly, died of a horrific plague, leaving the boy all alone. However, the young boy, not knowing wrong or right, stole bread and other small goods to feed himself. A legalist family who still believed in the Qin Dynasty's ways quickly gave the boy to Lui Che, the emperor so he could be punished."
However, when Liu Che saw the young boy, he smiled and quickly became fond of the boy. It was said that the boy had reminded Liu Che of lotus flowers, so the emperor named him Hsien Lian. The boy became prince soon after, and with that title he helped the people of the Han Dynasty. He protected people and made sure no one was left unfed."
At the walls of the Dynasty, he fought a scaly beast with his blue and white sword. The light from the sun reflected off the white sword, blinding the beast, allowing Hsien Lian to kill it. Soon after, he ascended to heaven for his good will and love for the world."
Hsien Lian listened to the story this young man had told him. It was only the truth, XingYing telling no lies about the Flower God's story. About Hsien Lian's story. Hsien Lian clapped his hands softly. "That was an amazing retelling, XingYing." Hsien Lian complemented. XingYing slightly shrugged. "So, you know about gods? What about ghosts? Do you believe in those as well?"
XingYing nodded. "Of course I do." XingYing answered. The young man pulled his hair behind his ear, leaning down to place the pot of water in the small pit they created, mixing the water around slightly with a wooden spoon. He mixed with his left hand, Hsien Lian noticed. Huh, XingYing was left-handed. It was such a rare sight to see left handed people. At least, that's what Hsien Lian thought.
"Do you know of a ghost named Ning Huo?" Hsien Lian asked quietly. XingYing didn't have much of a reaction, though he still nodded. "Of course I do." Hsien Lian leaned down with him, grabbing two sticks to start a fire. "What do you know about him?" XingYing sighed, sitting up straight. He rolled out his shoulders, taking a moment before answering. "Not much. Only urban legends."
Hsien Lian looked up curiously. "Urban legend? What is it?" Hsien Lian asked. A blink of a spark turned into a fire, making the god quickly place the stick into the small pit, allowing the fire to spread along the other gathered sticks. He placed the metal pot filled with water on top of the fire, allowing it to heat up.
"Well, it's kind of scary. 'If you kill him, he'll be eager. If you kill the one he loves, he'll be patient." XingYing explains, watching the fire crackle as the sky dims. Patient? Why would he be patient to kill someone? "Do you think the urban legend is right?" Hsien Lian asks, turning his head to XingYing, who was still watching the fire. It was the only thing he seemed to be ok with looking at. XingYing shakes his head.
"No. I believe Ning Huo is a good person. Is kind and generous. He just….. No one seems to understand him." XingYing answered, sighing once again before smiling. "He's dead now, so it doesn't matter. Besides I hated that name." XingYing stood up from his seat, walking behind Hsien Lian to grab the bag. "Let's start making the soup, the water's beginning to boil."
Hsien Lian at first didn't say anything, his mind still focused on Ning Huo. He's dead? As in gone forever? A ghost can only die once, they can't be revived. So would that mean- "Hsien Lian? Hello?" XingYing waved his hand in Hsien Lian's face, a smile of his own. Lian sucked in a breath, looking at XingYing. "Sorry, sorry. What were you saying?" XingYing rolled his eyes, shaking his head lightly.
"Are we going to make spicy noodle soup? You don't have any meat in here, so I just assumed…" XingYing shrugged. Hsien Lian smiled and nodded, quickly standing up to help. "You should probably get going, shouldn't you? It's already late, I wouldn't want you to get lost." XingYing only shook his head. "Can I stay here? It's fun hanging out with you. The village is boring." XingYing asked, a hopeful smile on his face.
Hsien Lian sighed, glancing at the temple before returning to XingYing. "Yes, you can. There should be enough food. We can sleep inside the temple." Hsien Lian smiled, XingYing shook his head. "You can sleep inside the temple, but I want to sleep outside. I don't like sleeping in places with spirits and ghosts." XingYing spoke, grabbing a small bag of cilantro. Hsien Lian had bought many different crops including yellow onions, green onions, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and tamari.
As XingYing poured in the different seasonings and vegetables, Hsien Lian began to talk. "If you're going to sleep here, then so am I." Hsien Lian said sternly. XingYing gave him a hesitant look, but he still nodded. "Fine, you can. Are we going to sleep on the ground? Won't that be a little cold for you?" XingYing voiced worry once again, but Hsien Lian just gave him a soft smile. "Go take some of the carrots and feed the horses." Hsien Lian handed XingYing some bright orange carrots, XingYing taking them. XingYing saluted him. "
Yes, Sir!"