Chapter 46

Hsein Lian's eyes scanned the small region. THey had been hiking up the mountain range, looking for any village around. Unlike last time, there wasn't anything guiding the four, meaning they all had to walk aimlessly around to find the village. Or whatever they were looking for.

Hsein Lian tapped a tree lightly, looking around the wooded forest. Wudang Mountain is a large area, though the amount of liveable area is very little. However, these people seemed to literally live on the edge. As Hsien Lian walked, multiple times did he encounter a cliff or sharp edge that anyone could accidentally fall off of. It was a terrifying thought. Just thinking about what someone's life could have been like. It sent shivers down Hsein Lian's spine.

He passed a large cave, almost carved out. It looked like an animal's den. Maybe a goat. Hsein Lian carefully stepped inside the warm area, most likely made to protect someone from the harsh weather Wudang Mountains receive on a daily. Hsien Lian looked around, not being able to see much. He turned around, walking back out of the cave, right as Chang Bo walked past. Hsien Lian tugged his shoulder. "Can you give some light in there? I can't see." Hsien Lian asked. Chang Bo glanced at him for a moment before nodding, his hand beginning to glow a white color. The two stepped into the cave once again, however this time, everything was shown.

There, in the large cave, laid two skeletons in front of them. They were both hugging each other, looking out at the opening. Hsein Lian stared at the sight, before his eyes then looked at the walls. They were painted in.. something. What it was, Hsien Lian couldn't tell. But it was a deep red, possibly made by fruits, or someones blood.Paintings of the Yin And Yang symbol, a small butterfly, and a moth. Hsien Lian analyzed the artwork for a second, as Chang Bo quickly called over the other two. 'Aw.." Chun He sighed, walking further into the cave. "Maybe they were lovers." Chun He sighed, crouching next to one of the skeletons. His head piece glistened in Chang Bo's light. As he did so he gasped, quickly stepping away. "What?" Chang Bo asked quickly, running towards the two skeletons. He reached out with his other hand, grabbing something from one of the skeletons head.

A piece of the person's skull.

A soft note floated into the cave, settling, once again, at Hsien Lian's feet. Hsien Lian was slow when picking the note up, studying handwriting. It was c calligraphy, as if someone took time in writing the note. It was on the same papyrus paper, with the ink still slightly wet. Hsien Lian quickly read the note.

Who is the bad guy?

They are not both innocent

___ las_ clu_ _s r_ad

Hsien Lian read it multiple times in his head, before clicking his tongue. "Murder. It has to be." Chun He says quickly, standing up, his hanfu cean. Hsein Lian slowly nodded his head. But why would they be hugging? Was it too cold? Did they go crazy? Were they in love? Hsein Lian tried to fit all the pieces into the puzzle, before he huffed in frustration when he couldn't. XingYing placed an arm around Hsein Lian's shoulder caringly. "You alright? Don't let this stuff get to you." XingYing said, a soft smile on his blood red lips. Hsein Lian looked to the ground, slowly nodding his head. "I'm not. I just… I have to find this demoness. She's playing with someone, with me." Hsien Lian whispered. XingYing's smile turned to a frown. He went from a side hug to a full on, embracing the god fully. Hsein Lian didn't hug back for a moment, before sighing and giving the ghost a hug.

"Don't let her get to you. I'll kill her for you, you know I would." XingYing said with a smile, only hugging Hsien Lian tighter. The floral god laughed softly. "Of course, I know you would, XingYing. Trust me." Hsein Lian, with his mood lightened, stepped back from the hug. Chang Bo walked up to Hsien Lian. "A hammer. It must be murder." Chang Bo stated, handing XingYing the hammer. Hsein Lian looked at the hammer, seeing blood. That's when something came to mind.

"That's not how they died." Hsein Lian stated quickly. Chun He, who was scanning the injured person's bones, looked up. "Wait what, how could it not be murder." Chun He stated. XingYing, slowly catching on to what Hsien Lian was thinking, hummed. "Of course." He mumbled, letting go of Hsein Lian fully and smiling.

"If it was murder then how could they both die?"

The cave went silent, Chang Bo's flame twisting in the breeze. "Woah, you're right.." Chun He mumbled, looking at both of them. "So what, do you think it's suicide. Maybe one could have committed suicide after killing the other. Gone insane." Chang Bo stated, looking over at them. XingYing walks over to one of the bones, looking down at their fingers. He smiled, beckoning Chang Bo over with his hand. Chang Bo walked over, looking down at the hand. "What?" Chang Bo asked.

At the tips of the fingers the bone had small cracks. Not enough to call it a broken bone or even a fracture, but the small cracks looked like thin streams of water, now dried over long periods of time. "Signs of frostbite." XingYing pointed out. Hsien Lian and Chun He looked over, seeing the thin cracks. "So did they die of hypothermia?" Chun He asked. Hsien Lian turned to look at the skeleton with the fractured skull, noticing no lines. "This one didn't." Hsein Lian pointed out.

XingYing stepped back, looking at the two skeletons as a whole. "Tell me if this sounds right. They go in here to hide from the cold, and one," He first points to the one with hair-thin streams. "Dies of hypothermia. This one, " He then points to the point with the one with the fractured skull. "So hurt from grieving alone in a cave begins to go crazy. Believes they killed the one they love, even though natured killed them. Shows how terrible they were, yet how perfect the other was. So, out of grief, kills oneself with that hammer." XIngYing explains, before looking over at Hsein Lian, who hummed. "That's… that makes sense." Hsien Lian stated. XingYing's face goes to a smile at the praises. "Really?" He asks happily.

Chang Bo looks at the drawings. "They believe one is perfect, and one isn't. How darkness and light are polar opposites, yet work together so well." Chang Bo mumbled, staring at the art. "Maybe a sacrifice.. As a way to make sure their lover died happy. Maybe even become a god." Chang Bo mumbled. Chun He sighed. "But that's not the question. The paper asks who is the bad guy. Not how did they die." Chun He stated, looking over at XingYing, who still held the jewel. Hsein Lian looked at the paper.

"Neither."