"They were my friends," Yuanding's voice, weathered and wizened, slips through cracked lips like a thief in the night. "Some of them I knew since they were children, have seen them grow into good men and women. For fifty years I kept the garden pristine."

  Ren kneels at the old man's side with a bowl of soup in hand. He carefully offers another spoonful to Yuanding, who accepts it with a swallow before reclining on the bamboo mat that once served as Ren's resting place.

  "It's all gone, all over," Yuanding stares at the ceiling, green eyes glossy, "all their hopes, dreams, and desires as a feast for monsters." He swallows, closing his eyes for a long while. "I, I apologize for the lapse in strength," he eventually says, eyes still closed and shut, "it was too much for me to bear."

  Ren shakes his head, "There is no need to explain yourself to me. I saw it in person and," he stares northwards, towards where the sect once stood, "and I can hardly believe it."

  Yuanding opens his eyes and, after a few moments of silence, moves to get up. Ren tries to stop him, but Yuanding waves him off with a huff as he clambers to his feet. Dusting himself off with a few swipes of the hand, he takes a deep breath and fixes Ren with a piercing stare, "The Heavenly Star wouldn't want us to despair and we will find no benefit in stewing in our grief. You have a problem," he points at Ren's hand, "one that we must address. If we do not find a solution, and soon, the only option will be amputation."

  Ren nods, centering his mind with a few calming breaths, "How long do I have?"

  "A few days, a week at most," Yuanding folds his arms as he shakes his head, "that's when I run out of medicine." He sighs before adding, "The curse also seems to have some level of cunning. Every time I go to redress your wounds, I need to use more herbs to achieve the same results. Eventually, even if we acquire more, I fear the curse will develop an immunity."

  Ren hums to himself as he rubs at his chin, a flicker of annoyance at his baby-smooth skin passing through him as he does. He is a grown man, dammit! He should have some facial hair... "The surrounding villages largely relied on the Heavenly Star for medical aid, though some might have a totem beast capable of breaking the curse. Regardless," a scowl drives lines across his face, "if the forest is as full of monsters as you say, then it would be a death sentence to try traversing it."

  "The monsters will slowly thin out as competition over territory and the local spirit beast population drive them further away," Yuanding notes with a tap against his forearm.

  "But not quick enough to save my arm, I take it," Ren finishes that line of thinking as he purses his lips.

  "Perhaps," Yuanding says with a slight smile as he nods towards the back of the room, where a piece of paper rests flat against the wood, "but I may have a solution."

  Ren narrows his eyes, "That talisman protects the gingko. Removing it means the monsters will feast on its qi."

  "Believe me, I know that better than anyone else," Yuanding says as he holds Ren's gaze, "I have kept this tree in good health for fifty years."

  "And you would throw it all away for me?"

  "'To help those in need and those who know it not'," Yuanding recites the words of the Creed, the oath sworn by all Disciples, be they Outer or Inner, of the Heavenly Star Sect. "Make no mistake, I suggest this only as a last resort. If no other solution can be found, then I will do what I must."

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  "Guide Star willing, we won't need to take it," Ren says as he considers the talisman on the wall. Secured in place with qi, the talisman bears a simple, minimalistic design. Loops within loops surround a central, tent-like shape that links to the edges with four lines. Each brushstroke is a thing of beauty with sharp lines and even crisper edges. This was the work of a master, the level of precision leave no doubt in the mind.

  While making an exact copy is so far beyond Ren's abilities that it borders on parody, he still knows the broad theory of drawing talismans. As long as the shapes are the same, the talisman will have the same effect—if at a much reduced potency. Of course, that all hinges on having the materials to actually make said copy.

  "You wouldn't happen to have paper and cinnabar, would you?" Ren asks, figuring he might as well try his luck.

  "No, why do you ask?"

  "I might be able to make a copy of the talisman, at least in theory I should be able to," Ren quickly adds, not willing to make any promises he can't keep. "To do that, I need paper and cinnabar."

  Yuanding hums as he taps a steady beat against his arm, "I believe I know where some can be found."

  Ren frowns, a certain location leaping to mind, "The sect's compound will still be overrun with monsters, it would be suicide to go there now."

  "Which is why we won't," Yuanding smiles with a wry grin and a snickering wink, bushy brows wriggling as he speaks, "The Heavenly Star Sect enjoyed ownership over a number of cinnabar mines on the mountain. One of those mines is nearby, a quarter-day's journey by my estimate."

  "That solves the cinnabar, but would the mine also possess paper?"

  Yuanding hums as he clicks his tongue, the campfire slowly dying as they speak, "They would need to test the cinnabar, no?"

  Ren frowns, knowing that the paper is a long shot, but there are little other options available to them. Still, one problem sticks out like a sore thumb, "The mine solves our cinnabar deficit, but the issue of the monsters remains."

  "And we would need to travel through the forest to get to the mine," Yuanding scowls, his idle fingers toying with a bowstring retrieved from some pocket, "I see your point."

  Ren sighs, square one becoming quite familiar as his chest becomes tight. An hour of planning wasted, scattered like dust in the wind. He doesn't have time to waste!

  Time... If only he had more of it. Then the monsters would thin out and- That's it!

  Ren grins as he stands up straight, the sudden motion drawing a twitch from Yuanding, "We have the fox's corpse, right?"

  Yuanding narrows his eyes as he nods, "Hanging in the cellar, yes."

  Ren punches his palm, ignoring his knuckle's pain in his excitement, "Then there's our solution!"

  "I'm not sure I'm following," Yuanding begins, the words leaving his mouth just as the spark of realization shines in his gaze—but not fast enough to stop Ren.

  "Monsters tend to avoid each other, right? Out of a desire to not have competition," Ren nearly shouts, his excitement reaching a fever pitch, "By covering ourselves with the fox's blood and brains, we can trick the monsters into thinking us one of them! …Or at least warn them off from approaching something covered in monster blood."

  Yuanding's brows lift as he releases a slow breath, "That could very well work. The smell wouldn't last very long, but it would allow us to make it to the mine and back, as long as we reapplied the fox blood before returning."

  "Exactly," Ren smiles, only for a brisk chill to brush across his exposed skin. He shivers, goosebumps rising on his flesh. “What happened to my clothes?”

  Yuanding frowns, “I was forced to dispose of them, they were in a dismal condition. I have some spare robes, however, that should serve you well.”

  Having dressed himself in Yuanding’s spare robes, Ren now needs to go collect the fox's blood.

  ...From the cellar.