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Story
I.
"There is a legend of an enchanted tree, and the guardian spirit who keeps watch upon it.
Beyond the outskirts of an unknown village, a vast wilderness lies spread under the sky where great trees stand towering as if to touch the clouds. So thick and dense are the verdant leaves growing from their branches that the soil remains shielded from the sun for times unknown, shadows lurk in every corner regardless of day and night.
Many souls have ventured into this woodland yet few returned, the rest are swallowed by the seemingly endless forest path, doomed to walk until their bodies give way. Yet among those who survive the trial of nature, they all bring back one similar tale to tell.
“There is an enchanted tree in the heart of the forest, glowing white like a beacon guiding the lost souls back to the right path.”
A magical story, a bizarre experience beyond belief.
It is in human nature to be curious, and upon listening to these stories, many choose to go into the forest instead of steering clear of danger.
Soon after, the tale of the enchanted tree gives birth to another story.
“There is a guardian spirit protecting the tree.”
The claim is one and the same yet one person’s account always differs from the next.
Some say it is a snake whose body is glowing white like the tree itself, camouflaging itself as it circles the trunk and hides among the leaves.
Some say it is a gigantic serpent yet the appearance is nothing too impressive and leaves little to remember.
Others say it isn’t a snake but a person, tall and slender, who will not hesitate to show his inhumanity toward those who see him, while those without sight claim that they hear the slithering of a serpent that sounds like the deep, melodic chuckles of a man.
There are many stories, but barely a piece of evidence to prove the claim.
However, among the numerous accounts brought back by the surviving adventurers about the enchanted tree and its guardian, one sinister rumor prevails to become deeply engraved in the minds of those who catch wind of it.
“Anyone who dares approach the tree with the intention to harm it will incite the wrath of its guardian. For them, the curse of a terrifying punishment awaits, never to be escaped.”
II.
“And so the legend says, that the people who never return from the forest are those who bear an ill will toward the enchanted ancient tree.”
Feng Mian closes his fan with a snap, causing the intricate bamboo patterns on it to become hidden between the folds. In the gentle breeze, his black hair flutters slightly; the long fringes cover half of his jade-like eyes.
In front of him, dozens of people have gathered since who knows when. Men and women, young and old — They are wearing the same captivated expressions on their faces, all are staring at the handsome storyteller sitting outside a crowded tavern in town.
Feng Mian smiles at his audience; his beautiful, almost ethereal visage charms every pair of eyes before his presence.
“Well, that is what the legends say. Who knows if it is true or not?” he shrugs lightly. Even this seemingly casual gesture carries with it an inexplicable poise and elegance unbefitting of a commoner.
“Gege, gege! What kind of punishment awaits people who want to harm the tree?” a curious child sitting in the front row cannot hold himself back from asking.
Feng Mian looks at the small boy for a moment. An amicable smile then blooms on his face once more.
“It depends on how much evil they have in mind, I heard,” he says, touching the lower part of his lips with the tip of his fan, “Some people think that such a magical tree is sure to bring gold and silver if sold to the black market. It is said that those who went into the forest with this thought in mind are never seen again to this day, as the guardian spirit has caught and fed them to the tree itself. However, there were times when the guardian showed just a little bit of benevolence. He would let them live and send them back to where they come from, but not before taking away their eyes or their tongues.”
He leans forward and peers into the boy’s face.
“Well, does this answer your curiosity, my little friend?”
For a brief while, the boy appears to have been mesmerized by the beautiful rare color of Feng Mian’s eyes that glow in a gentle green, a perfect match to his flawless, porcelain-like complexion. Nevertheless, he is quickly shaken awake by the tale of horrific punishment coming out of the storyteller’s mouth that he unconsciously moves back, almost on the brink of tears.
Feng Mian chuckles softly and taps the top of the child’s head.
“There is no need to worry. As long as you don’t have any bad intentions in mind, the guardian of the enchanted tree will never hurt you. Or perhaps it will be wiser to stay away from the forest itself, hmm? After all, an uncharted wilderness hides unknown dangers in every turn and corner. You may well end up being eaten by a tiger before you can even find the tree.”
Having said this, Feng Mian rises to his feet.
“Then, ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my story. I will come back another day with a new tale to share with all of you.”
A round of applause greets his closure. As Feng Mian is about to leave, he can still hear the remarks and whispers spreading between his disbanding audience.
“That storyteller sure is a talented one, isn’t he?”
“I almost forgot that I was just listening to a tale. Every time he speaks, it almost sounds like the truth.”
“Where did he come from anyway? And how did he never run out of stories? Could it be that he has traveled all over the world in spite of his young age?”
“Who knows? I think he’s just a wandering storyteller who somehow stumbles upon our village and decides to stay for a while.”
“His stories are really good, though. Who cares where he comes from? I’m just here to have a drink and listen to some interesting tales while I’m at it.”
“True. I hope he’ll bring us more interesting stories tomorrow.”
Feng Mian smiles to himself and walks away. When he passes, a few young ladies start giggling and muttering between themselves while throwing glances at him.
Indeed, in this ordinary village, a person with Feng Mian’s appearance is like a gemstone among gravel. He is tall and handsome, his lean and elegant stature is wrapped under a set of green and white robes bearing similar bamboo patterns to those on his folding fan. Although his smile is kind and gentle, there is sharpness in the lines of his face that makes his charming visage even more defined. When listening to him reciting stories from all across the land in that deep and melodious voice of his, anyone would feel as if they were being cradled to sleep in a pleasant breeze.
“Did you actually believe in that enchanted tree bullshit?”
As he walks by, Feng Mian accidentally spots two men speaking in a dark alley by the street. Their language is crude and they have an air of suspicion around them.
“I don’t know. Sounds like a total crap to me. But hey, what if it does exist? An ancient tree that glows white like a beacon? All those rich people in the city will lose their minds if they see even one of those shiny leaves in the auction house.”
“Say, what if we go there and take a look? I bet that tree is worth hundreds of thousands of gold. The people who first made that story about scary guardian spirit or something must’ve been trying to protect his treasure trove from others.”
Completely oblivious to Feng Mian’s presence, the pair of men leave the alley while laughing in excitement.
III.
A full moon shines brightly on the pitch-black sky.
At this hour of the day, residents of the village have all turned in for the night, safely tucked under their blankets. The hustle and bustle from the day is no more; the street is as good as abandoned, bereft of any living being safe for a few stray cats chasing after sewer rats.
Everything is quiet and still.
Nobody realizes that, at the beginning of the Hour of the Ox, a shadow totters and stumbles along the empty main street, falling and rising until it eventually starts crawling on the ground.
“Aa... A... Fwa–”
A man drags himself across the street. He struggles to stand but fails and falls over time and again. His hair is unkempt, his clothes are disheveled. With a terrified expression on his face, he opens his mouth to scream yet no comprehensible words come out of his throat. When the moon shines upon him, it is finally revealed that he is one of the two men who have been speaking about searching for the enchanted tree earlier in the day. Except that he no longer has a tongue to speak in his mouth.
“Aaa... Ahh... Aa–”
The man continues to crawl toward his home, disregarding his scrapped knees and arms. At some point, he turns around and lets out a wordless scream as he points toward the other end of the street.
There, a mysterious figure with flowing white hair and pale skin stands facing him; his body is covered by scales no different from a serpent’s.
***
“Hey, what’s going on? Why is everyone gathering here?”
“Haven’t you heard? The Wang family’s second son just passed away last night.”
“Huh?! But I just met him yesterday and he looked to be in perfect health!”
“I don’t know either. They said he’s been cursed by an evil spirit.”
“How so?”
“His wife found him sprawled on the floor last night. He was shaking so hard that his teeth were clacking and he had such a terrifying expression on his face, as if his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. He couldn’t speak properly no matter how many times she tried to ask him. So the wife woke up the entire house. When they finally gave him a paper and quill, he wrote ‘SNAKE’ over and over again like a madman until he collapsed and died just like that.”
Feng Mian passes by a crowd of people in front of a house as he comes out for his morning walk. He cannot get in, and neither can he see what is happening inside, but the whispers and murmurs from those around him are enough to tell the young storyteller the situation.
“So old Master Wang lost his second son last night,” he casts his gaze down, “My deepest condolences...”
He lifts his fan to cover half of his face, in a somber voice conveying his sympathy for the family of the deceased.
Unbeknownst to the people standing in the same crowd as him, the corners of his lips curl up into a subtle smile behind his fan.
