“What a cold day!”, a man walking on a snow- clad path suddenly spoke up. His breathing was heavy and he was trotting his way across the snow. He was wearing a plain white coloured robe, with his face as cold as ice. But his eyes looked kind. “Jun’er.”, a soft voice called behind him. He halted at an instance. This voice…he has heard it before. His head filled with the memories of that person in an instant, memories that came up to his mind storming. His eyes became watery and it seemed that he couldn’t breathe at all. He slowly turned behind, not believing his ears. It was her! The person he longed the most for. Tears run down his cheeks, and when he felt that it was all real…he just couldn’t control himself and ran towards her. Filling her in his arms, he felt so secure and safe. This he felt after a long time. This feeling had gone away with her and the day she disappeared his life changed for the worst. The day she disappeared…was the start of that calamity that will plague him for lakhs of years.

Niang Jun’s lips trembled and he laughed in disbelief while hugging her. How long had it been since Xia Ruo disappeared? He was a little boy then and now… a grown man. “Why…where were you all these years, huh?? I…I…”, Niang Jun couldn’t even speak, when he felt something wet. Something was not right. He looked at his clothes, they were soaked in blood and then he looked at Xia Ruo only to find blood flowing from her mouth silently. Still her face looked calm. Niang Jun was shocked! As he brought his hand near her, he was suddenly taken aback and covered his nose with his sleeve. Xia Ruo’s body was rotting. It produced a stink so unearthly. Little by little the rotting effect took charge of all her body and bits of her body started falling down. She was literally rotting!! Niang Jun couldn’t believe his eyes. He touched her, even though he was afraid, but still. He screamed! As he touched her, the rotting effect infected his hand too, it was like a virus. Anyone that would come in contact will be affected. Xia Ruo’s body disappeared and what remained was a pitch black, jelly like stinking liquid. Niang Jun clutched his wrist and shut his mouth tightly in pain. He couldn’t believe it but eyes started appearing on his hand and soon the hand started melting.

Niang Jun woke up, his breathing was fast and heavy with his body covered in sweat. Perplexed, at length he spoke, “Only a dream…” and took a sigh of relief. It was still dark outside. Thinking gravely, he lighted a candle. He was much calmer now. This dream…it was not the first time he saw it. It has been frequently disquieting him ever since the day Xia Ruo disappeared. Carrying the candle, he went in the hall and lighted other candles. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”, he again heard her. Shocked, he turned his face when he saw Xia Ruo sitting on the raised platform in the yard. She was viewing the moon, then she turned around and looked at Niang Jun. ‘Am I still dreaming? Well, then how long is it going to be? I’ve never seen this part.’, Niang Jun thought as he went in the yard and sat beside Xia Ruo.

“You saw that dream again, didn’t you?”, Xia Ruo looked at him and asked.

“How do you know about that?”, Niang Jun hadn’t expected that.

“I just know.” Then pausing a little she added, “Well, let’s talk about important things first. Do you know about Shin Ming mountain?”

“That snow mountain? Yeah, I know.”

“If you go there, you’ll find someone waiting for you. Don’t make that person wait for too long and start your journey tomorrow.”

“Who someone?”, Niang Jun asked perplexedly.

“You’ll know when you reach there. Also, that person might be important to you. So, don’t take my words for granted. I want you to go there and find that person.”, Xia Ruo answered commandingly.

“An important person…an importa…”, Niang Jun was murmuring in his sleep, when a snake with bright white skin and jade embedded in its forehead appeared at the scene and coiled itself around Niang Jun’s body. Niang Jun woke up and found himself in the yard, “That’s strange. When did I come here? Really strange.”, then when he felt a little strangled, he at last noticed the snake, “Fei Xi, I have awoken now. Get off, you are strangling me!”