Chapter Ten The Youth in White

The young man in white did not answer me directly; instead, he countered, “Do you want to save your sister Jiu’er?”

His words sent a jolt through me. I stared at him, full of suspicion.

“If you want to save her, then help me.” The young man’s face remained cold and stern.

After speaking, he used the serpent-headed cane to prick his palm for some blood, smearing it across his forehead so it looked like the third eye of the God Erlang. Then, he handed me five flags of different colors and instructed, “Soon I’ll enter the Yellow River. Watch the coffin’s color—each time it changes, throw the corresponding flag into the water. Once all five flags are thrown, go straight home. Jiu’er will come to find you, but remember: tell no one you saw me, not even Jiu’er herself.”

I took the five colored flags, dazed and uncertain whether he spoke truth or lies. But seeing him ride a red coffin, drifting atop the Yellow River, it was clear he possessed extraordinary abilities. Should I trust him?

Before I could react, the young man in white, ghostlike and carrying his serpent-headed cane, vanished beneath the river, the surface undisturbed, not a splash nor ripple—only the red coffin, gently rocking, bore witness to what had just occurred.

No matter! If it meant saving Jiu’er, I could not worry about anything else.

The coffin floating on the water was red. Without hesitation, I tossed the red flag in.

A sizzling sound echoed as the flag traced a brilliant red arc, plunged beneath the surface, and disappeared instantly. Where it entered, thick white smoke billowed. Moments later, the coffin changed color—becoming jet black, as if drenched in ink.

I threw the black flag into the river.

Again, white smoke rose from the water.

Afterward, the coffin’s color changed three more times: white, yellow, and gold.

Following the young man’s instructions, I tossed each matching flag into the river. When the last gold flag slipped into the Yellow River, the entire river erupted. The wind howled like ghosts, waves crashed and battered the waxy shore, and I stood at the bank, feeling as if the river’s wind would sweep me into the depths.

Suddenly, the river water turned a dazzling gold, as radiant as the flag itself. Beneath the surface, monstrous shapes seemed to be locked in fierce battle.

I gaped, unable to move.

I could not tell the young man’s fate, for the coffin was no longer visible.

A surge of muddy, pungent river water struck me, knocking me flat to the ground. Amid the churning waves, half a monstrous head—large as a house—emerged. I could not see its full form, but even half was enough to make my skin crawl with terror.

The head bore two greenish-brown antennae, each as thick as the ancient camphor tree at the village entrance, which ten men could barely encircle.

Was this the Grandfather of the Yellow River?

A roar echoed out.

The head sank beneath the river.

Without warning, torrential rain poured down; the river thrashed even more violently.

Terrified, I scrambled home as fast as I could.

The farther I ran, the weaker I felt. Touching my forehead, I realized the fever had returned.

When I reached the doorstep, my limbs felt weighted with lead, utterly stiff, and I collapsed.

Tong Tianwang was rushing out of the house in his rain cloak. Spotting me, he seemed relieved. “My heavens, where did you run off to? I was just about to look for you!”

He carried me inside, saw my fever, changed my clothes, and brewed a bowl of cow tendon grass for me to drink. Sweating with worry as he touched my arm, he cursed, “Why the hell have you turned to stone again… Why the hell have you turned to stone again…”

Tong Tianwang glanced at the stormy sky, pressed his hands together. “Heavens, please stop, or you’ll ruin your kidneys. I need to take this little rascal to the city for treatment!”

Lightning forked across the sky with a deafening thunderclap.

A tightness gripped my chest, my throat tasted salty and sweet, and I spat up a mouthful of blood.

It was black and viscous.

Ever since Jiu’er gave me the pill, the blood no longer contained revolting worms, but it remained dark, with no sign of lightening.

Strangely, the rain ceased.

I worried about the young man beneath the river, but I was powerless to move, unable to speak to Tong Tianwang, left alone on the bed, anxious. I had thrown all five flags as instructed, yet Jiu’er had not returned.

“Little Pi…”

A familiar voice called.

I thought I was hallucinating, but Tong Tianwang’s eyes widened in surprise.

He opened the door, and there, in the courtyard, was a familiar figure.

Jiu’er!

She stood outside, a faint smile on her lips, though her face was pale, hair disheveled, body drenched, covered in weeds and mud.

“Ninth Master!” Tong Tianwang hurried out. “You’re finally back—these days I’ve been worried sick. The little rascal’s got a strange illness, nearly kicked the bucket… You must check on him!”

Seeing Jiu’er, I could not control myself and burst into tears.

Yes!

The young man in white had not lied; he truly saved Jiu’er!

“Why cry? Aren’t you ashamed?” Jiu’er, ignoring her filthy state, sat beside me and touched my forehead.

Her hand was icy, like a popsicle in summer.

Yet, the fevered skin felt wonderfully soothed under her cool touch.

“Sis, where did you go?” I sniffled.

“I went to find medicine for you.” She smiled at me.

Then, she drew from her bosom something resembling an animal’s organ—bluish-green, slightly translucent, about the size of a ping-pong ball, streaked with blood. Through the skin, a faint embryo could be seen, like a small animal, still alive, for I saw it wriggle.

“Eat this!” Jiu’er said.

I recoiled, insisting it was too disgusting, that I dared not.

Jiu’er’s expression changed, angered.

I had never seen her angry and felt a little afraid.

“Eat it, brat!” Tong Tianwang chimed in.

I looked at Jiu’er but still hesitated.

A tear slipped down her cheek, her hand trembling as she held the thing.

My heart ached, and I said, “Don’t cry, Sis, I’ll eat it.”

As soon as I opened my mouth, she stuffed it in.

A spicy, cooling taste shot down my throat, esophagus, and stomach, flooding my limbs and body. Intense pain spread, as if I would explode, unable to cry out or move. Then, the pain turned into searing heat, as if I were being roasted alive, sweat pouring out, my hair and clothes seeming about to catch fire. Suddenly, it turned icy, chilling to the bone, teeth chattering, limbs numb...

The agony, heat, and cold alternated several times.

My body began to numb, all sensation lost.

Gradually.

A sensation like thousands of ants biting me spread, and my stone-like flesh began to soften, slowly regaining normal movement. To my delight, the fever subsided.

Jiu’er’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to the stunned Tong Tianwang. “This medicine will keep Little Pi safe until he’s twenty. Take him away, find the person on this paper, and do exactly as he says. Before Little Pi turns twenty, he must not step foot in the village again!” She handed Tong Tianwang a sheet of paper.

I struggled up, clinging to her cold hand. “Sis, is someone trying to hurt me? Let’s leave together!”

Tong Tianwang looked at the paper, then at Jiu’er’s ears.

I looked too, and was shocked.

Her ears were packed with mud from the Yellow River, nearly blocking the entire ear canal!

I gaped, asking, “Sis, what happened to your ears?”

Jiu’er shook off my hand, hurriedly covered her ears, her expression sorrowful and anxious. “Nothing… I have to go… Little Pi, you must be obedient.”

She kissed my forehead.

Other than my mother, no other woman had ever kissed me.

Her lips were icy, not pleasant, but I was happy.

She ruffled my hair, her eyes gentle. “Grow up quickly, so you can avenge your family.”

I asked, “Did Grandpa and the others die because they went to find the Golden Leopard Frog?”

Jiu’er shook her head. “No.” Then she smiled, straightened her clothes, and said, “I’m leaving!”

Suddenly, it struck me—was she going back to the waxy shore? I lunged after her, trying to pull her back.

Tong Tianwang held me down, and I could not move, shouting for Jiu’er not to leave, that it was dangerous outside.

Jiu’er never looked back. In the dim night, I saw two figures in black at the gate, blurry in the darkness. They took her by the arms and led her away into the distance.