Hu Li sit alone at the stone fox watching the village. She hear a loud scream or a wail. Maybe its Hong Hong. She see a ball of light float towards the sky. A silver crane with blue feather wings who is waiting comes and fetch it by gently stuck it in its beak and fly off. Even though she never meet that old man, he must be the comfort source that Hong Hong have. That boy have grown up well enough to be the man he is today.
Hong Hong appear a year later in early summer. He brings a new friend with him. Hu Li is in the scroll napping when she smell a familiar smell, Lotus. She half open her eyes to see who is it. The stranger who walks in with Hong Hong is having a huge bamboo hat. He remove it along with their bamboo bags on their back. Hu Li have a strange sense of familiarity to the stranger. She have seen him before but where. The two men kneel and bow to the scroll. When Hong Hong push himself up, he see the picture in the scroll move. He is not too surprise but his friend who get up before him surprise him.
"Mother. I am here."
The fox in the scroll stand up and move around. She cannot leave the scroll she cannot transform inside as well. She can hear the sound of the man. He is Bai Lu who return. Her paws knock on the magical barrel between her scroll and the real world.
"What do you mean young master Bai?"
Bai Lu never say anything but continue to look at the scroll. Han Kong and Loon Tong comes in the temple. They did not know who Bai Lu is. They show the young master around the temple. Hong Hong still ask him as they walk around. The two young men stay at the temple till nightfall. At midnight, the two men are mediating in the main hall. Hu Li who is resting after a fierce knocks in the evening is tired now she is ready to step out the scroll.
Bai Lu open his eye to see his mother walk out of the scroll from a fox to woman. Her feet gently lands on the ground. He smile and gets up slowly. Hu Li stands where she is and look at him carefully. He is alike to Yue Sheng Qin. Outside soon drizzle little rain. Hu Li hold her hands together and anxiety look on her face. He walk up to his mother and bend down to hug her. The sweet scent of Lotus drift around them. For a long time, they never speak and stand there as if they become stones. Finally Hu Li say
"You are grown so much. So much taller now..."
"While my mother remain the same. Beautiful and eternal."
That night, together with Hong Hong, Han Kong & Loon Tong, they cook a vegetarian course meal. The table is set under the tree.
"Tell me master Bai. I am lost!"
"So are we.... I never know my master have a grown up son."
"Why they looks like siblings more than mother and son."
"The story is that i am born long long ago. My grand master came to fetch me and i lived far away from her. I did not know that she have caused some .... mischief on land. So when i am ready. My grandmaster told me about her, guarding the Tai Huan mountain and so i come here."
"How did you meet Bai Lu."
"I met him on my way back home from the imperial royal examinations. "
"Lu'er, you are taking the examinations?"
"Mother i am consider half a human too. So i am wanting to make use of my talents."
"Jie Jie, master Bai will be staying with me in my humble home."
"That will be good. I can see you often."
"Wait,.. Hong'er why are you addressing my mother as 'jie jie'?"
Hong Hong tell his story of how he met Hu Li. While Hu Li stand up and look around for Tai Huan. Hong Hong look at Hu Li, he knows what she is looking for.
"Jie jie, Tai Huan the pig, have passed days away after my grandfather's funeral."
Hu Li sit down and look sad.
"I have buried him next to grandpa. Since my grandpa spend most of his time talking to Tai Huan, i believe they will be nice to be buried next teach other."
She nod her head and look away. The moon is very round and bright tonite. It is a perfectly good night sky and she should not be sad.
Bai Lu and Hu Li take walk around the back of the mountain, sitting on a comfortable nice spot, they can see in a distance the sea.
"I haven't seen uncle Hai for a long time."
"The last time i seen him was in his water cave house. He looks very energetic. His scales are very bright an sharp."
"Mother, he left something on you too?"
"On me?"
She touch herself and look around.
"What is it? Or where is it?"
Bai Lu point to her base of her throat and smile. She touch her neckline but she did not feel anything.
"He must be worry about your safety. Uncle Hai left it with you."
Bai Lu smile and look at the sea.
"My mother is so lucky surrounded by men who is looking out for her. I will be included in the troop of men under your feet."
"Under my feet? More like trying to step on my tail... except for my son. Who is the best. "
"i am not, mother. The three uncles and grandmasters are the best. Whatever you do they stay by your side and never complaint."
She look straight to the dark sea that looks peaceful and serene.
"Lu'er are you ready to live with humans?"
"I have to learn to live with them. I will start with Hong Hong in the village. Later when i pass the state examinations and move to the city. It will be a challenge. When that day comes, i have to buy a big house so that you can come live with me."
"Live with you?"
"Yes just like in the past. If you want the rest of them to come live with us, it is possible with a big house. We can create a portal between snowy land and that house. So connivence with everyone."
"You really want to be an officer?"
"Yes. I want to know... why father wants to work for a government. When he could just live his life with you in that province. If he did not meet that princess. Will he have a better fate?"
"Lu'er... don't live your father's life. Live your own life. Do what you want to do."
"That is what i want to do, mother. I want to help ordinary people without the magic in me. I want to save lives through work of men. Not by god or some counter of the divine begins like you or other magical beasts."
Hu Li look at him and lower her head. Is this why Bai Xuan gives her this punishment. Her son younger and seems to understand the law and order of the universe. His time spend with Di Jun is not wasted. He have learn well and understand what he had learn. The mother and son continue to sit at the same spot for quite sometime. Till the sun begins to appear behind the dark sea and brighten the day, Hu Li vanish before his eyes. He sigh and continue to sit at the same spot. He look at the spot where Hu Li sat on. The grass at that spot have become greener and look healthier compare to the surrounding. Besides that, looks like seedings are growing. He wave his hand over them to water them. the seedings grown a little more while drinking the water. Seems like there will be flowers growing at that spot.