Volume Two, Chapter Three: The Great Marsh and the Stolen Herb

Another half month passed, and, as expected, Han Yu and Mei Niang’s complexions grew better by the day. They could now move about freely, but after several attempts, neither could transform back into human form. Yi Bing hurried to ask his Elder Master, who told him their cultivation was utterly destroyed and that transformation was now impossible. Han Yu and Mei Niang understood this well; though they were downcast for a few days, they soon regained their spirits, much to the frustration of the divine turtle. Han Yu and Mei Niang, with nothing else to occupy them, spent their days by the pond, a rabbit and a fox chattering incessantly as they teased the turtle. The turtle was not one to back down, stretching its neck to argue, but when outmatched, it simply sunk to the bottom and refused to surface. Yet Han Yu and Mei Niang would throw stones and stir the waters, forcing the turtle to emerge again. Unable to out-argue or escape, the turtle was left with no choice but to reluctantly join their disputes; if it won, it argued, if it lost, it shrank its neck and hid in its shell, listening but never replying. Han Yu and Mei Niang were not bothered, continuing their banter regardless, so long as the turtle was there to hear them. At times, seeing the poor turtle tormented to the point of rolling over, Yi Bing felt a pang of sympathy, but dared not provoke the rabbit and fox. He could only gather nourishing wild fruits for the turtle when he went for herbs, as a gesture of comfort.

One early morning, as Yi Bing was gathering herbs, he heard someone calling behind him. Turning, he saw Tie Zhu running toward him, saying the Elder Master wanted to see him. Alarmed, Yi Bing quickly tidied up and followed Tie Zhu straight to the main hall. When he arrived, he found that Daoist Xi Feng merely wished him to make a trip to the Five-Colored Cavern to fetch some laundry for her. Yi Bing was overjoyed, thinking he would see Senior Sister Bi Yi again, and his round face nearly split with his smile.

After reporting to his two senior brothers, Yi Bing darted out of Banyue Hill, but before he’d gone half a mile, he turned back. He found Tie Zhu first, then headed to the pond. As expected, Han Yu and Mei Niang were bullying the turtle.

“Hey!” Yi Bing called hastily.

“Hey who?” The rabbit, fox, and turtle all craned their necks and stared.

“Anyone!” Yi Bing hesitated, then smiled. “I have to go to the Five-Colored Cavern and probably won’t be back until evening. I’ve already told Tie Zhu—he’ll boil the medicine and bring it over!”

“Oh, the Five-Colored Cavern… will you even make it back? Hehe…” Mei Niang teased with a sly tone. Yi Bing blushed crimson.

“Daoist… Daoist…” The turtle suddenly shouted, startling Mei Niang, who quickly covered its mouth with her tail.

“Bah, you got fur all over my mouth!” The turtle rolled aside in disgust.

“Why did you shout?” Mei Niang asked nervously.

“Nothing! I just wanted to tell Daoist what you said just now!” The turtle rolled its eyes mischievously.

“Don’t…” Mei Niang was genuinely frightened.

“Hey! You turtle king! I may not be able to ride an eagle, but I can still stomp you!” Han Yu threatened, raising her foreleg.

“You… Hmph! Fine, I won’t shout, but at least you can’t tease me for five days!” The turtle ignored her attempt to call it “king turtle.”

“Two days! Or we won’t come anymore!” Seeing Mei Niang about to agree, Han Yu quickly jumped in.

“No way! At least…” The turtle stiffened its neck.

“Three days! Good turtle, three days!” Han Yu gritted her teeth and smiled.

“Hehe… alright, alright!” Hearing herself called “divine turtle,” the turtle was delighted and agreed to anything.

“Aren’t you leaving yet?! Do you want to stay overnight in the Five-Colored Cavern?” Han Yu shot Yi Bing a glare.

“Ah?! No, no!” Yi Bing blushed and hurried out.

Leaving Banyue Hill, Yi Bing ran all the way. His mind was full of what to say first when he saw Bi Yi, and before he knew it, he was running faster and faster, reaching the swamp in less than half an hour. The muffled sound of bursting bubbles snapped him back to reality, and anxiety gripped him. He looked up; mist shrouded everything, and he wondered if that sky-dwelling mischief-maker was around. Though his senior brother claimed it was an immortal, its lecherous laugh made Yi Bing wary.

Yi Bing crouched in the grass by the swamp, checking repeatedly for any sign of movement. Only then did he nervously pick up a long branch and creep forward. But halfway there, a sudden “thud” startled him, as if something had stabbed into something else. Yi Bing quickly dropped to the ground. After a brief silence, from the left came a faint voice from the mire, almost inaudible, as if someone was calling “Help!”

“Who’s there?” Yi Bing called in a low voice, but received no reply. Through the swirling mist, he could see nothing. Was it the monster? If not, then who?

“Help!” The voice became more indistinct.

Without further thought, Yi Bing used the branch to probe toward the sound. As he drew near, he saw a head slowly sinking, half a mouth already swallowed by the mire. He stretched out the branch, but it was too short. Seeing the person about to be buried, he tore off his belt and swung it toward them. Instantly, it transformed into a straight branch, landing right before their eyes, and the person grabbed it tightly.

“Don’t move! I’ll pull you over!” Yi Bing said, shortening the branch bit by bit until the person was at his feet.

“Bah… Mu brother…” The mud-caked figure croaked. Yi Bing was startled and wiped the mud from his face—it was Jin Guishan!

“Senior Brother Jin?! What happened…” Yi Bing quickly handed him his water gourd. Jin Guishan rinsed his face and mouth.

“Mu brother, thank you! Thank you!” Jin Guishan grasped Yi Bing’s hand gratefully.

“Senior Brother Jin, why are you here?” Yi Bing asked in astonishment.

“Sigh, it’s a long story…” Jin Guishan nervously glanced at the sky.

“Where’s Miss Zhao? Isn’t she with you?” Yi Bing couldn’t help but ask. Jin Guishan glanced at Yi Bing, remaining silent, his eyes flickering with unease.

“Is Miss Zhao alright?” Yi Bing grew anxious.

“Sigh…” Jin Guishan sighed deeply. “After we parted, we took Junior Sister back to Misty Cloud Peak, begging our master to stabilize her soul. But nothing worked—her soul grew more unstable, sometimes lucid, sometimes confused, and weaker by the day, almost dissipating…”

“Could it be…” Yi Bing’s voice trembled.

“No! No! She’s still alright, my master is protecting her soul with his power. Let go…” Yi Bing was gripping his arm so tightly that Jin Guishan winced.

“There’s no other way?” Yi Bing released him.

“We searched everywhere and heard that Peach Marsh has lotuses that can restore souls, so we came down the mountain to search.”

“Did you find them?”

“Not yet… We had just entered here when suddenly it grew dark as night. Before we could react, we were all snatched up, and I was thrown down here. As for Brother Qi and Sister He, I still don’t know their fate!”

“What?! Brother Qi and Sister He were taken too?” Hearing “dark as night,” Yi Bing wanted to drag Jin Guishan and run, but the rest made him pause.

“Yes! I don’t know what it was—I didn’t get a good look before being tossed down. I only heard something like wings flapping. I think it was a giant bird.” Jin Guishan glanced nervously at the sky.

“Was it ‘whoosh whoosh’?” Yi Bing’s face twitched.

“That’s the sound! That’s it! Do you know it? What is it?” Jin Guishan nodded repeatedly, startled by Yi Bing’s accurate imitation.

“I know of it, but I’ve never seen what it looks like… When I passed here before, it chased me, and… and dumped bird droppings all over me…”

“Before?”

“Oh! This is the route from Banyue Hill to Five-Colored Cavern! Five-Colored Cavern is my Elder Master’s residence; I’ve been there to deliver messages!” Yi Bing explained.

“I see! I was wondering how you ended up here.” Jin Guishan nodded.

“I’m on orders from Elder Master to fetch some things from Five-Colored Cavern—didn’t expect to run into you!”

“Lucky I did; otherwise I’d be finished!” Jin Guishan was full of gratitude. He’d tried every spell and incantation in the mire to no avail—the swamp seemed alive, dragging him down.

“Senior Brother Jin, why not come with me to Five-Colored Cavern and ask my senior sisters to help rescue Brother Qi and Sister He? They might know how to deal with that monster!” Yi Bing decided it was best to seek help. That lecherous creature was too tricky!

“Damn it, who are you calling monster?!” The sky suddenly darkened. This time, the “whoosh whoosh” was unmistakable. Yi Bing didn’t dare look up, grabbing Jin Guishan and running.

“Trying to escape?!” A cold laugh rang from above, and a dark shadow dropped down. Yi Bing ducked quickly, hearing a “thud” followed by a woman’s cry. The voice was familiar—turning, he saw He Lingchi thrown into the mire. He reached to help, but she was too far. Then, behind him, the wind rose again, and he dropped to the ground; another “thud” sounded.

“Mu brother? Ah…” Qi Yuanxiao had just called out, and was already buried in mud. Yi Bing grew anxious, and his magical iron transformed into a tree branch several meters long, one end propping up He Lingchi, the other supporting Qi Yuanxiao.

“Ah?!” A surprised voice came from above, then a fierce wind rose, making it hard to stand. Qi Yuanxiao and He Lingchi almost lost their grip.

“I’ll fight you!” Jin Guishan, furious, raised his sword to strike at the sky, but Yi Bing held him back.

“You still say you’re not a monster? Attacking us for no reason!” Yi Bing forced himself to look up, but the sky was veiled, nothing visible but a few shafts of sunlight.

“Who’s attacking for no reason?” Suddenly, two enormous eagle eyes appeared before Yi Bing, making him fall back in fright. The wind ceased.

“Then… then… why…?” Yi Bing stammered.

“They were trying to steal my treasure!” The eagle eyes nearly touched Yi Bing’s face.

“Treasure?” Yi Bing was momentarily dazed; the lecherous creature sounded genuine.

“Could it be?” Jin Guishan seemed to understand, and said shamefacedly, “We truly didn’t know it belonged to someone!”

“Weren’t you searching for Peach Marsh? Why sneak here to steal someone’s treasure?” Yi Bing asked, a bit annoyed.

“This is Peach Marsh!” Jin Guishan looked surprised.

“What?!” Yi Bing’s jaw dropped. He’d always thought it was just a wild swamp—never imagined it was Peach Marsh! So, the so-called treasure must be the lotus that could save Fat Girl!

“Hey, chubby, who are you? …Always running to Five-Colored Cavern?” The eagle eyes glared angrily.

“I… Elder, your eyes are too big, you’re making me dizzy; could you…”

“Elder?! Didn’t you just call me monster?” As they spoke, the sky brightened suddenly, and a giant golden-feathered bird appeared before Yi Bing.

“Wow, elder, just by your gorgeous feathers, you can’t be a monster!” Yi Bing genuinely thought it beautiful.

“Save your flattery! Speak!” The bird seemed impatient.

“I’ve only been once; how can you say I always go?” Yi Bing felt his face flush.

“Once? Doesn’t this time count? Always ‘senior sister, senior sister’…” The bird muttered.

“How do you…” Yi Bing was startled, glad he hadn’t spoken too ill of it.

“What?”

“Nothing! I’m Daoist Meng Hong’s disciple, Daoist Xi Feng is my Elder Master, so of course I call her disciples senior sisters…”

“Oh, so you’re that old ragged one’s disciple. I thought…” The bird seemed calmer.

“How dare you call my master that…” Yi Bing shot up.

“Heh, you respect your elders, huh? I called him, old ragged one, old ragged one, what can you do about it?” The bird shook its head at him deliberately. Yi Bing had no retort, breathing heavily as he sat back down.

“My Elder Master says you’re an immortal, a senior! Hmph, I say you’re a monster! A monster! A lecherous monster!” Yi Bing, refusing to be outdone, shouted in frustration.