Joyous Song of Yellow Rocks 2 (Patreon)

And so, I had an earth Spirit attached to my soul. A little weird, not going to lie, and very concerning…. But those concerns were soon laid to rest.

“What? Do I have some kind of world saving quest for you to do? Where’d you get that idea?” Huanle asked, looking amused as she floated on her back. She flipped over in the air to look at me. “Oh! Like one of your stories from the Before place?”

I frowned as I looked over my corn. Big D was on my shoulder, his little cowboy vest complete with a shiny sheriff’s star—that I had melted some tin to make— lending him the air of a true hard-bitten warrior. His eyes scanned the crops, and each bug he found was obliterated instantly, disappearing down his gullet.

The fastest beak in the west, my little man.

“... I mean, kinda?” I replied to her after a moment. “That's what normally happens in shit like this. World-Ending threats, old vengeances, that kinda thing. Like did your previous contractor die horribly to some betrayal and you want me to avenge her or something?”

“What? Nah, Luzhi died of old age, sitting in her favourite chair.” Huanle replied. “It was that way, two thousand and forty eight Li, at sunset. Both her and her hubby went within a day of each other, then her kiddos buried them both. I fell asleep not long after that. But nope! No spirits you have to lay to rest there!” Huanle floated in front of me, a teasing grin on her lips. But she saw my expression, and she paused. Her eyes softened, and the teasing grin disappeared.

She gently took my face in her hands. I could feel her, even though she was technically a ghost.

“There's nothing I want or need from you, Jin, except for you to keep doing what you’re doing.  What did you say? We give to the land, and the land gives back? Thats all I need.” I looked into her serious green eyes. She had only spoken the absolute truth—I could feel it. I nodded hesitantly. “And if anybody tries to give you a tragic backstory we’ll beat the hell out of them, okay?”

I snorted out a laugh, and Huanle started laughing too. I shoved her ghostly form away from me, and she whirled around like a leaf on the wind, giggling all the way.

“Okay, okay.” I sighed, chuckling.

“And if you really want a quest, it's to share the glory of tequila with the world!” I rolled my eyes at the passion in her voice, as she raised her fist to the heavens.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ll get right on the still, Huanle.” I said. But…. it kinda wasn’t that bad of an idea.

I took a breath, and let it out, feeling the tension leave my shoulders.

I got back to work, expanding my farm, and fortifying the soil. My only company was my sheriff and Huanle—until Big D let out a tremendous crow, his eyes locked on a figure in the distance.

I narrowed my eyes at the creature.

Wile the coyote stared back, his eyes gleaming with intelligence. Bastard had nearly gotten one of my hens, and he was smart as hell.

I kind of didn’t want to kill him, if I was honest. He was just a coyote doing coyote things.

“Hey, Huanle. Is there any way I can scare him off without killing him? Get him to move on?” I asked.

The ghostly woman beside me perked up, and then squinted at the silhouette in the distance.

“Well, you could ask her. She's a Spirit Beast. Like Bi De here.” Huanle said, almost flippantly.

I blinked that would be an easy solution—”Wait, Big D is a Spirit Beast?”

Huanle let out a bark of laughter. “What kind of normal chicken wears a vest and is so obedient?” she demanded.

“I mean, there was one in the before who helped me feed the hens and could do tricks.” I replied defensively.

“Really?” Huanle asked excitedly.

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His Name was Bi De.

And he was his Lord and Master’s sheriff. A vigilant guardian and law man. It was a powerful, sublime title that had been bestowed upon him by his Master, and he was determined to live up to it.

He hopped up onto his usual place, upon one of the great pillars of Ran Chu, and stared out into the distance. The sun beat down harshly, and he could feel the air wicking away the moisture from the inside of his beak.

It wall hell beyond this barrier— The dust and the spiny cactuses were no place to live like a civilized man, and it was full of bandits and thieves that coveted Ran Chu’s treasure. From the Brass Beaks, to the Cactus Bats, to those that could have been his kin, save for the fact that they were ten times his size. All of them wanted what lay beyond the pillars, and what Bi De was protecting. He knew their greed well, but most were smart enough to feel his MAster’s presence in the air. The gentle hand that sent them on their way.

The foolish, however, would try their luck regardless, lusting for what lay within.

Bi De turned from the dustbowl, and peered back into paradise. Instead of crags of orange and yellow, the entire place was stunning green.

Water flowed without cease; the scents of flowers were carried on the wind. Fat heads of corn, rice, and wheat swayed in the breeze.

Bi De took a breath, and sighed with contentment. There was even a lovely twanging background melody. The two trouble makers had finally stopped fighting all the time. Bi De smiled at the melody, until there was a a stutter, and the notes overlapped.

‘You son of an egg-bound slattern! You dared to mistime that note?!’ Er Ne Sitou roared, his tail dropping from his mouth as he glared at his counterpart.

‘Mistimed?! You scale-rot ridden dandy, your incessant need to add so many notes is what put you behind!’ Heke Tou roared back.

‘My flourishes please our patron, our master! My songs grace his ears! That I am forced to put up with your dull, uninspired dreck is an insult!’ Er Ne Sitou snarled, the lizard with a big, well defined jaw puffing himself up indignantly.

‘Flourishes? Is that what you call those? The Great Lord much prefers my perfect melody to your crazed, tuneless strumming!’ the lanky, skinny Heke Tou shot back.

‘Tuneless—you dare? You’re courting death! I your father, will teach you a lesson!” Er Ne Sitou stood up on his hind legs and advanced, his eyes blazing with fury.

‘If you’re my father, then I’m your grandfather! May your innards be eaten by a beetle!’ Heke Tou returned, also rising to his full height.

‘Heke Tou!’

‘Er Ne Sitou!’

Both of them slammed belly to belly and began flailing at one another, hissing and spitting and cursing.

Bi De sighed, and shook his head.

“A shame. They actually sounded good before that. But this sort of show is just as amusing.” A husky, sultry voice mused from beside Bi De, and he turned to lay eyes upon Ran Chu’s newest member.

Wei Li had approached alongside the fence in his blindspot, but he had managed to hear her breath—and thus he did not react to her blatant provocation.

Bi De still did not trust the bandit. But his Lord had taken her in, so there had to be some reason.

“Indeed.’ Bi De replied. ‘It appears I must offer instruction again.’

Wei Li chucked throatily. ‘If they don't learn, we can always eat them.’

Bi De’s eyes narrowed. Then his wing lashed out, and he took great pleasure in watching  the bandit yelp and recoil.

‘There shall be none of that, thief. All who live here follow the rules of our lord. The Pipa Dragons are to live; this he has decreed.’

The coyote glared, sizing Bi De up—but Bi De’s cultivation was still superior.

The beast huffed, and backed down.

‘Now, you shall join us. Music pleases our Lord, and you also can sing.’

The coyote blinked in surprise. ‘I sing for the moon, not on comma—” a chastising wing beat struck her ear. “Ach! Bastard! That is no way to treat a lady—ow! Hey! Fine, I'm coming you little shit!”

Bi De separated the lizards, and arranged his own flock, the coyote, and—

‘Oh! Hello! This looks fun whatareyoualldoing?!” A voice demanded, eager and curious.

Bi De blinked at the small creature that had just hopped up to them. It was a strange thing, with dusky fur, a long nose that moved like a trunk, and entirely too long back legs. The little creature moved with bounding leaps as it circled around them all.

“....singing?” Bi De ventured.

“Oh! Canijoin? I’ve got a good singing voice!” The little rodent cheered, and then let loose a single high pitched bark.

Their master, curious, came to investigate. 

And that was how Guanxia Leizi joined Ran Chu.

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Rooster: Big D
Dog:Wile coyote (female)

Dragon: Pipa Dragons (lizards) Ernesto and Hector
Rat: Kangaroo rat Gonzales