Hu Li is giggle when she walk up the river with a bucket of dirty clothes with Yang Yang. As they approach, they see a back view of a man. He is wearing white robe with red tie at the waist. His hair is neatly comb down and he is fanning himself. Hu Li try to stop giggling while Yang Yang runs up to see who that is.
"Hei ger ger! "
She open her eyes and cover her mouth. She looks at Hu Li. Hei turn around to show himself to Hu Li. He is all clean up with new robe and he make a few quick turn for Hu Li. She clap her hands after she put down the bucket.
"Hei you look so handsome!"
He smile to show his clean teeth and close the fan.
"Do you like how i look now?"
"Yes! ... but why?"
"Well... after sometime i have been in that dirty look. It's like to take a bath and new clean clothes. I feel ... fresh and clean!"
He turn again. Yang Yang stand near Hei and smell his hair. She likes the smell and continue to stand near him. Eventually she lean on his shoulder to smell more of it which annoys him. Hu Li giggle more to watch the two struggle to push and pull. Dong Wan step out to see what is the commotion is all about. He smile and watch them running around. He look at the near by resting place of his brother. He will be delighted to see everyone is happy.
A few days later, Hu Li suggest that they go visit Hei at the sea side. They all agree. Packing up a few things. They all exit through the portal. Walking for days they meet humans who need help. They all try to help as much as they can. This trip to get to the sea side takes them all in six months. When they reach there, they search for the place where Hai is living with master Wu. They found the little hut at the furthest and nearest to the sea. Hei is sitting on the porch waving a netting. Master Wu is sitting on his rocking chair on the porch. The wind is breezy and it is sunny at the same time. Hai already have smell them from a distance so he did not get up but wait for them to walk to the hut. He look up and smile at them.
"Brother Hei!"
He got up and hug his brother and later greet the rest. They look at master Wu who is fast asleep. His appearance did not change despite the times of changes. Only thing that change is his sleep habits.
"These days he sleeps longer and longer. Nothing will wake him up. Come!"
The group enter the hut. Inside unlike what the human see, the inside is a cave with water on the ground as they walk. The light on the water is reflecting around the cave walls. On the wall, some shell creatures are leaching on it. Also some small corals which seems to have light on its own. They continue to walk to the inner part of his cave house. The inner part is decorate with scrolls on the wall. poems written by great masters who lived in the past. Some ancient or earliest wordings that only they can read is craved on rocks and shells are place neatly on the shelves carved out on the wall. The language is long gone but the knowledge on how to read it only left to those who are the mystical beast. There is a huge painting at the center of the room. The painting of a man is moving by himself. He seems to be reading by a huge tree. He look up when he see there are guest in the room. He wave at them and continue to read his book. This reminded Hu Li when she was trapped in a scroll. She remember she can walk out at certain point of time but it seems like this person in the scroll is not planning to walk out.
"That is the third prince of the Eastern sea, Long San. He is banished and imprison. Master Wu offer to keep him in the scroll instead of destroying him. So he gets to come out of the scroll for two hours everyday."
"A prince? What did he do? burnt the palace?"
Yang Yang ask as she chew on the seaweed that she see on the plate,
"Almost... he caused an earthquake by removing an important pillar. His father is angry and the sky demand an explanation. Thus he was sentence to be destroyed in the furnace of eternal. However master Wu plead leniency for him and promise to reshape his character to be a better creature."
"So today he used up his two hours?"
Hu Li ask as she look at the scroll with interest.
"Maybe i'm not sure."
"Hai, you have an interesting living quarters."
"Thanks Hei. I have been studying how to make a better living place for master and i... but Hei... why are you ... so clean now?"
"Why you like my previous looks?"
"Well from the time we separate till now, you have been the rough ragged brother of mine. Fei is the only one who is beautiful and clean."
"You look clean too ... thus... i want to improve my image too."
Hai laugh and drink his tea. The rest all sit down and chatted till they hear a female voice calling Hai at the front gate. Hai get up and walk in a hurry to the porch. They rest follow out to see a human girl standing at the gate. She have ordinary looks and dress humble. She smile as she see Hai. She gives him a basket and talk for a while. He watch her walking away and close the gate. He turn around to see everyone giving him a sheepish look.
"Brother, tell me who is she."
"A human."
"why is she here Hai?"
"These... for dinner."
They look into the basket to see salted fish in it. Hu Li look at him and gently ask
"Does she fancy you?"
"Even she does, there is nothing will come out of it. I am..."
"Brother Hai! You shouldn't be a stick in the mud! "
"Bother, you know i can't. I have ... someone i like. Thus..."
"Who??? Do i know that person?"
Hai keep quiet and walk off to the kitchen with the basket. It is rather noisy with Hei asking nonstop but master Wu remain in his sleeping state. He only awake when Hai finish cooking dinner. Everyone greet him properly.
"Lo..ng ..ti...me. "
"Yes master it's been a long time we have so many people around the dinning table."
Master Wu smile without any teeth and chew on his vegetables. His eyes when open fully are crystal blue. His actions are slow but he is aware what he is doing. His mind is sharp but his body is slowing him. Hence he writes down what he wants to say for the future with letter that he keep in individual boxes.