"How are you feeling?"

The necromancer shrugged. "Where are we headed now?"

"The Zhàng Kingdom. We should follow up Bhard Spideóg's information about the missing si dzi."

They were traipsing along a mountain pass, leaving behind the jade-like pool, and the grave of the leon foal. Sou Yuet seemed to be concerned that the necromancer no longer had an outer robe, while the necromancer looked a little distracted by the continuous concerned looks that the monk was throwing at her. A onlooker would have sighed and covered their eyes.

At least when Spideóg's name was mentioned, a temporary fire was lit in the witch's piercing green eyes, and she relieved her feelings by raising some dead rats and watching them chase each other around.

They found a welcome tea house. The necromancer's appearance raised a few eyebrows, but Sou Yuet's benign aura scored them some free (if a little weak) tea, and they were able to obtain a new outer robe by healing the tea shop owner's sore back. It was a little small for the witch, but it would do.

The owner's grandchildren peered out from behind the skirt of her clothes, appearing as a collection of large dark eyes. One plucked up the courage to tug on Sou Yuet's sleeve.

"Gē ge, is that scary woman your bodyguard?"

"She's my friend." Sou Yuet smiled and patted the small head. "And she's not that scary. She's just a bit sad at the moment."

"Why is she sad?"

Sou Yuet crouched down so that they could look the child in the eye. "She has a tender heart. We found a dead foal yesterday and it made her unhappy."

The child thought about this.

"Foals die often though. Bà always says not to be sad because it happens for all kinds of reasons."

"That's true, foals can die for all kinds of reasons. In fact, many things can die very easily. But I don't think that means you can't be sad about it. If you are sad, you are sad. And then once you have felt your sadness, you release it and move on." They glanced over at the scowling necromancer. "My friend is still feeling her sadness."

The tea shop owner smiled benevolently, although her mouth was missing many teeth. "Your friend looks scary, but has a big heart. Xiǎo Bā, bring some steamed radish cake for our guests."

"Pó pó, there's no need..."

"Nonsense, you've helped my back immensely, and taught the children a good lesson about being compassionate people. Besides, look, your friend has cheered up already."

The children had swarmed the necromancer, their high voices clamouring about the radish cake and all kinds of other things that they could think of to cheer up the gloomy witch. She in turn looked surprised, then grudgingly pleased as she was fed pieces of radish cake and her opinions consulted on everything from the book of pressed wildflowers belonging to the second son, all the way to the sleekness of the youngest child's new pellet drum.

"Oh my, she's really good with children." The tea shop granny nodded approvingly. "She might look surly, but such a strong and proficient woman can be hard to come by. You should marry her quickly and have lots of children."

Sou Yuet smiled. "Thank you, pó pó, but she really is just a friend. We have business together right now, that's all."

"Of course, of course. Let me give you a little more food to take with you."

"Pó pó-"

"Take it, young man."

----------------------------------------

"Ye were very chummy with that old lady, what was that all about?" the necromancer asked later, back on the long path to Zhàng. He was back in male form and looking immeasurably more cheerful. "Whatever it was, she really liked ye. Look at all this great food!"

He took a swig from a gourd filled with cool tea.

"She said I should hurry up and marry you and have lots of kids."

For the next five minutes, Sou Yuet solicitously patted the choking necromancer's back as he struggled to cough up the tea he had inhaled. His pale face had become red with exertion. "WHAT?"

"I told her we were just friends."

"..."

"She saw how much you and the children liked each other, you see. It was the same at Yuen Mei, the little disciples also like you very much."

"..."

"Pang Yau?"

"I can't... have children."

Sou Yuet considered this information. "Okay."

"Sometimes my body shifts form unconsciously. If I... what if..."

"It's okay, it's okay." Sou Yuet put their arms quickly around the shaking necromancer. His face, which had been red only moment before, had dropped to an alarming shade of green. He trembled violently. "Would they just... dissolve? I don't know, I don't fecking..." His voice rose hysterically.

"You're thinking of something that hasn't happened. It's okay, it's okay."

"... I feel sick."

"That's okay, you can throw up."

"We just got that outer robe."

"So I can get another one?"

The necromancer laughed weakly and flopped against the monk. "So she thought ye were a man, did she?"

"Seems so. I guess her life experiences would lead her to believe it would be unusual for two women to be travelling alone. Conversely, now that you have a masculine form, I'm sure onlookers would think I was your wife. I'm used to it."

A little colour returned to the necromancer's face. He pushed himself upright and extracted himself from Sou Yuet's embrace, coughing experimentally. "I feel better now, thanks. Let's go."

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He stood, and the world spun. Sou Yuet appeared at his side, surprisingly strong for their slight stature. "You've been through a lot today. Wait a moment."

They summoned the ginseng leaf, and this time assisted the necromancer onto it. "We should probably hurry in any case. I'm worried about the si dzi, after what we saw at the kei-leon nest."

The necromancer nodded wearily. "I need to sleep. Don't drive this thing too crazily or I'll roll off, got it?"

Sou Yuet smiled radiantly. "I'll just hold you tightly so you don't fall."

"..."

This shameless guy, are they really a monk?

"Whatever," the necromancer grunted, rolling onto his side, back facing Sou Yuet.

"Sleep well," the monk replied cheerfully. They received no response.

The ginseng leaf rose into the air and floated north.

----------------------------------------

"If you head in that direction for twelve lí, the sanctuary is at the top of Gǒu Shān. The monks there can help you."

Sou Yuet thanked the soldier they were speaking with and followed his instructions, ignoring his curious glances. The capital of Zhàng was Yīng Wō, a town nestled amongst the limestone mountains that covered much of Zhàng. From this altitude, it was possible to see a significant amount of the hills and dells of the verdant neighbouring Kingdom of Chūn, spreading out to the southeast.

The town itself was very busy, packed with stalls and running children and bright streamers. Sou Yuet was aware of the prickling looks people kept directing towards them.

And yet here it perhaps wasn't their appearance that was drawing that attention. For among the people who lived here was a significant number of individuals with blond hair and even blue eyes. Sou Yuet's pale hair was nothing unusual.

And other shared characteristics - their round faces, the tinge of pink on their cheeks... if the necromancer didn't know better, he would have thought that the monk was a local.

"So why the feck are they staring?" he growled, from behind the stunted tree just outside the town where he was ineffectually hiding. His broad shoulders made the task impossible.

"You do stand out," Sou Yuet observed, picking their way towards the sanctuary.

The necromancer followed, no longer trying to hide as he glared ferociously at the staring townspeople. "Hey, Sou Yuet?"

"Hm?"

"Some of these jerks look pretty similar to ye. Ye're not... from around here, are ye?"

"I was not born here."

An ambiguous answer.

"If ye don't want to respond, ye can tell me to feck off, but does that mean maybe someone in yer family was?"

"I wonder."

"Just tell me ye don't want to answer, ye dick."

Sou Yuet laughed and didn't reply.

Yīng Bì-hù-suǒ was an impressive structure, a massive complex almost entirely carved directly into the limestone mountains. People had worked on its creation for generations, and the whole place hummed with spiritual energy. It was small wonder that the place had become a gathering place for cultivators from across the world.

As they approached the entrance gates, they were challenged by two senior disciples.

"State your names and business!"

Sou Yuet bowed and presented their belt ornament to show their affiliation. "This person is Yuān Yì Fēng, head disciple of the Yuān Wěi School in the Kingdom of Huáng. We are here to investigate the disappearance of your shī zi."

"Who is the one behind you?"

"My colleague."

"Name?"

"They have no name."

The two disciples eyed the hulking necromancer, who looking particularly fierce with a day's growth of facial hair, and then at the much smaller monk standing before him with a benevolent look on their face.

"Wait here."

One of the senior disciples hurried away, leaving her peer behind to glare at these two strangers. The necromancer casually rolled his neck, producing several ominous clicks. The disciple clearly had great training to control his facial expressions, but the knuckles gripping his staff whitened. The necromancer grinned hugely and folded his arms, his sleeves dropping back to reveal threateningly flexed muscles and multiple tattoos.

The disciple's throat twitched.

"No need to be anxious, Shī dì,” Sou Yuet assured, addressing the disciple as a Junior Brother. “We won't cause any trouble,"

You might not, but that guy!

"Who is this?"

"Shī fù!" the disciple exclaimed, his relief a little too apparent. A woman in an elaborate wrap dress swept before him, towing the other disciple. She was about the same height as Sou Yuet, but boldly stared down the necromancer, who whistled irreverently in response. He folded over as Sou Yuet backhanded him in the stomach without their smile changing even slightly.

"Shī jiě." The monk politely greeted the woman as a Senior Sister and repeated the introduction they had provided to the disciples previously.

The woman looked unimpressed. "Identification?"

Sou Yuet handed over their jade seal, marking them as the head disciple of the Yuen Mei School, and the letter of request for investigation into the disappearances of legendary creatures.

"What about him?"

"He does not have any identification, but I can assure you he is a trustworthy person."

"You can enter. He must stay outside."

"HEY! WHAT THE FE-"

"Thank you, Shī jiě. Please give us a moment."

Sou Yuet dragged the necromancer a little distance away. "Pang Yau -"

"ARGH! THAT BITCH!"

"She can probably hear you."

"Good! Go feck -"

"Pang Yau, please."

"Please what?" the necromancer grumbled, but he was clearly losing steam under Sou Yuet's dark gaze.

"... I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry that I'm leaving you alone. I promise I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Am I supposed to care?"

"You seem to be caring?"

The necromancer scratched his head and sighed. "Will ye be alright?"

"Of course. They're suspicious but not hostile. I think that is not surprising, given that they have lost their si dzi."

"Here."

"This is...?"

The necromancer had produced a strange object from the sleeve of his robe. "It's a bit rough, and it... well, that kid wanted to come with us to find her mother..."

The object was a flat oval of bone, carved with notches and teeth. A long cord of dark plaited hair was tied into a hole drilled at one end.

"It's a clairín búirthe... I don't know what to call it in the Common Tongue. I made it from... one of her ribs," the necromancer explained quietly, looking a little anxious. "I had one before but those Aiteann feckers took it from me. Anyway, I told her I'd be bringing part of her with me to find her herd -"

"How does it work?"

"Uh... ye swing it. The notches make a sound as air passes over it. I'll hear it and come and... help ye."

"Thank you."

The necromancer chewed his tongue. "Doesn't it worry ye?"

"No?"

"I took a rib from... a baby, that died horribly."

"You didn't kill her. And she wanted to come along." Sou Yuet ran their fingers over the object. "I think she would be pleased with this."

"Are you ready yet?" the woman at the gate called out.

Sou Yuet tucked the gift into their sleeve. "I'll be back soon."

The necromancer grunted and found himself a comfortable spot to lie down and close his eyes.

Sou Yuet followed the woman inside.

"So. Miss Yuān."

Sou Yuet's smile did not change.

"I have not heard of your school before."

"We are only a small institution, with a focus on the healing arts."

"And yet you have been requested to assist with such a serious and far-reaching investigation. Who made this request?"

"Only my Shī fù can answer that question."

"..."

"May I ask for your esteemed name, Shī jiě?"

"That is not important. I am in charge of security here, that is all you need to know."

"I understand, Security Shī jiě."

Her jaw twitched.

They marched down the main boulevard of Yīng Bì-hù-suǒ, passing cultivators and disciples as they did. Few glanced in their direction. The ones that did glanced shyly at Sou Yuet and whispered behind their hands.

At the end of the walkway was the entrance to a large cave. The mouth was festooned with streamers, banners and paper protection talismans. Everything looked fresh and tidy and ordinary, except that the cave was clearly supposed to house someone. The cave's interior was swept clean and lined with fresh leaves, presumably brought in that morning. Several richly decorated embroidered balls, about the size of a human head, were scattered about.

A man was knelt beside one of these balls, staring at it thoughtfully. He looked up as Security Shī jiě approached.

"Lí Shī xiōng,”she said, greeting him as a Senior Brother, “this person is supposedly investigating the missing shī zi too. Perhaps you can work together."

Lí stood upright and moved forward to bow elegantly to Sou Yuet, revealing himself to be a tall and handsome man. Only his right eye could be seen, as a long fringe covered his left, but that visible eye was an enchanting pale brown, lazily lidded. His oddly short hair was dark grey, almost blue in tinge, although his appearance was of a well-built man in his late twenties or early thirties.

He smiled, a relaxed little smirk. "Of course. Pleased to make your acquaintance."