Mount Gujin was a mountain renowned for its scenic beauty. With deep green trees towering the place and wisps of clouds barely touching the peak, it was no wonder than even the illiterates knew and spoke about it.
A few days ago, when Han Bingwen had posed the question to the innkeeper, he had given help by providing directions but not without warning them and begging them desperately to change their mind.
He did it because the mountain was also known for the many different types of demons it harbored. That was the reason why, despite its beauty, no tourist would visit there. No human at least. That fact would, however, change today.
"Just how high did that book tell us to go to?" Shi Ming was panting all the way up. They had just gone a little more than a kilometer. Despite being in a better shape than her, Xiao Hui was sweating and her legs felt like grass jelly as she trudged along the rocky mountain road.
"It mentioned a dome," Han Bingwen replied, not exactly answering the question. The maid wondered if the previous King even cared about the distance they had to travel since he had not broken any sweat.
Shi Ming most likely thought the same because at his words, she looked at him as if he were insane. "Does Bingwen think that there is only one dome in a mountain of this size? Are we to stop by and search every single dome we cross paths with?"
"Perhaps," Xiao Hui answered on behalf of him, "Perhaps, the dome would look different from the others."
The courtesan remained silent but by her demeanor, it was clear that she was not convinced. It was understandable. The maid herself was not convinced by her own words.
Nearly half a shichen later, they decided to stop by a black locust tree for rest. The shade shielded the tired wanderers from the scorching heat of the sun, lifting up their mood in the process.
As Xiao Hui leaned back against the sturdy trunk of the tree, she closed her eyes and listened to the sweet twittering of the birds.
"The birds are nothing this one has heard of," Shi Ming said, breaking the silence. "This one has studied birds in her free time and none of them make sounds like this."
The maid strained her ears, listening to the birds sing carefully. It did not sound to her any different from the usual birds. Then again, she was not as well versed on the subject of birds so who was she to judge. She was just a simple maid.
Han Bingwen sat up straight suddenly. "There are not supposed to be birds near this mountain," he exclaimed with urgency. It was when Xiao Hui remembered another saying about the mysterious Mount Gujin: no normal creature can be found there.
All of them got into their feet and moved away from where they were relaxing to get a glimpse of the unknown creature. There were they: not one, not two but three odd beings flying with their webbed like wings. Their bodies and faces were that of a human's but it was their wings that set them apart.
"A Fei Nian," Shi Ming whispered in awe, scared that she would disturb them. "They are beautiful."
Beautiful was not the word Xiao Hui would describe them but she had to agree that they did make an interesting and awe inspiring sight as they danced in loops around each other.
She could also say another thing for sure: it was much better than the last time she had come across a demon.
For what seemed like ages they stood side by side, silently watching the Fei Nian. They watched when more came and joined the ritual like dance and they watched until every one of them left and the sky turned into a magnificent red hue.
It was Han Bingwen who finally broke the silence. "We should eat something."
Shi Ming looked like she was going to protest but thought better of it. It was getting late and none of them had eaten anything. Xiao Hui heard her stomach grumble and the courtesan blushed.
On a rubble of sticks they lit a fire while the previous King went deeper slightly further to hunt some animals. His figure became smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the horizon.
"Why did the Han fu ren wish to kill herself?"
That question. The question that the maid dreaded most to hear was posed by the last person she wanted to answer it to.
Skirting around the question, she said instead, "The Han fu ren did not kill herself."
The courtesan stared at her as if she were mad. Perhaps she was not that far away from being so.
"Wanting to kill one's self and wishing to erase their entire existence, is that not the same thing?"
"I got us some rabbits. Is the fire hot enough to cook them?"
Xiao Hui had never been more glad to see Han Bingwen in her entire life. She quickly went over to him and took the rabbits and began skinning them. Once there was only their meat left, she placed them over the fire and leaned back, obstinately refusing to meet Shi Ming's wondering gaze.
She looked, instead, at the spreading brown flecks in the meat as the rabbits began to cook.
***
Two days later found them in front of the second dome they had come across in the mountain and to their utter dismay, it looked nearly akin to the first.
Made out of a full gray stone that was almost perfectly rounded in it's edges, the dome was nothing unusual. Xiao Hui found herself quite disappointed. After hearing so many tales about the beauty of Mount Gujin, her mind had projected an idealistic version of it where everything from the sky to the grass was shimmering with uniqueness. Now her illusion was cracked on one side.
"This one refuses to go any further," complained Shi Ming. "We have been walking for days, searching for a piece of parchment. Is it that easy to find one in a mountain as huge as this? It is like making a duck go onto a perch."
Han Bingwen, however, was unconvinced. "We should still look into this dome. Perhaps it may be the right one."
Glaring at the man, the courtesan resolutely plopped herself on a small tuft of grass, refusing to budge any further. Han Bingwen sighed through his nose.
Sensing an argument, Xiao Hui said to placate the couple, "This one can go and check. There is no need for worrying; this one is capable of recognizing the parchment."
The previous King and his lover relented, obviously relieved, and the maid skipped over to where the dome was.
Diligently, she searched every nook and corner, yet there was no sign of abnormality on the stone. No dark energy or even any indication that a magical object was hidden among the creases. It was plain what it was; just a regular dome.
Feeling more than slightly dejected, she made to turn back, when a rustle among some not so far off bushes caught her attention. The maid stopped at her tracks, her ears straining to listen to any unwanted noise.
She waited for a while but nothing happened. Slowly and carefully she treaded out and started walking back to where the others were.
Unfortunately, she heard them before she saw them as Shi Ming gave an ear splitting shriek. Xiao Hui began to run, dreading what was in there.
She came to a terrifying scene. Han Bingwen and the courtesan stood rooted in their spots and in front of them, just a short distance away, stood a tall beast with matted fur snarling at them.