They flew out of the sinkhole now with the aid of the torch, and they could see that the edges of it did not reach the walls, so Dunshi should be able to come out alright.
Wei Ying could hear soft snoring and surmised that he was still asleep, so all three of them went outside.
"What happened in there?" Hongse asked them, when she saw Wei Ying.
"Sinkhole." He explained, taking in the scene.
The Boney guy was still kneeling surrounded by the other three Flowers of Venus, who were eyeing him warily.
Xiao Zei and Dashi were playing jacks, but it was more like Xiao Zei was trying and failing to teach him, while Master Dashi kept stealing the pieces in between and holding them up to his eyes.
"I think maybe we ought to make a move tonight. It's best if we don’t encroach on these sacred grounds any more than necessary." Wei Ying said.
Lan Zhan immediately felt his temperature.
"How is Wei Ying feeling?"
"Much better, my love." Wei Ying took his hand and kissed his palm.
He looked up into concerned golden eyes.
"Really, my love, I feel good...better than good. Ready to tackle whatever comes at us."
Lan Zhan threaded his fingers through the hand that was still holding his, and squeezed it, standing right next to him.
Meanwhile, Boney was full on prostrating.
"I'm sorry. I gave the order to shoot." He said, his voice muffled by the ground.
Wei Ying looked up towards the Flowers of Venus. Xinghong was looking guiltily back at him, but she was smiling.
"They filled him in on what happened to you. He knows it was you in the sky, that day when his people shot you down." Hongse replied. "They might have embellished your standing...a bit." She whispered the last bit.
Wei Ying blushed. He wasn't quite sure what to say about that.
"I would be honoured and consider it an act of benevolence if you all were to come and visit my village." Boney guy went on.
"Um...what's your name?" Wei Ying asked him.
"My name is Tuzhu, and I am the Leader of the Huangye Tribe. Please come with me. I will personally vouch for your safety." Then shyly, he added, "everyone is welcome."
"That's assuming we're actually letting you go." Chihong replied, folding her arms across her chest.
The Flowers of Venus were tall, taller than Boney guy, but he was winning the contest on jewellery for now.
Wei Ying gestured for Hongse to step away from them so whatever he, Lan Zhan and she would be discussing, wouldn't be overheard.
"What do you think?" Wei Ying asked her. "Do we have time if we want to leave by this evening?"
"I don't see why not..." she looked out across the great expanse of blue sky spreading out above them, not a single cloud in it. "We can pack up and leave anytime...the question lies in your safety. If you think we are enough to take whatever we meet, and if you're sure he's not lying," she jerked her thumb in the Boney guy's direction, "then we're good to go."
"Dunshi is still asleep...." He muttered.
"I don't mind staying behind." Another voice perked up, surprising them.
Xiao Zei grinned at three frowning faces.
"What?" He spread out his hands innocently.
"Are you sure?" Wei Ying asked him.
"Quite. I think I've spent enough time in their company, thank you. You guys can leave Master Dashi here too, if you like." He added.
"What if he runs off? Will you leave Dunshi? No...Chihong and Xinghong will stay with you. I think the five of us, Hui Gai and Hongbaoshi included, are enough. We can take them, agreed?" Hongse replied, her tone sharp and calculating.
"Oh yeah, my Lan Zhan can do it by himself...I'd just watch." Wei Ying looked up adoringly at his husband.
Lan Zhan squeezed his hand again, ears brighter than a tomato. "Mn."
Hongse beamed at both of them.
"Alright then, that's settled."
They turned back to the Boney guy.
"Please stand up. We will go with you." Wei Ying told him.
Boney guy stood up obediently.
Hui Gai had remained silent all throughout, now he walked flanking Wei Ying on one side and Lan Zhan on the other, while Hongse walked in front, and Hongbaoshi brought up the rear.
Wei Ying wisely did not comment on their formation, concentrating instead on the way the soft breeze felt so good against his cheeks, along with the way the late afternoon sun seemed to heal his body.
"Mn?"
"Nothing." Wei Ying smiled at his beloved. "I was just enjoying this..." He waved a hand in front of him. "There's something about coming back from an illness that makes you appreciate nature...or the world...I just feel good, you know?"
Lan Zhan actually smiled at that, and brought their joined hands up so he could kiss Wei Ying's hand.
They walked towards the ward that Wei Ying had set up, and then saw the people lying all over the ground.
"How many?" Wei Ying asked Hui Gai out of interest.
"About a hundred. Actually, your Little Rabbit inspired this one."
"We'll bring them back once we're on our way." Wei Ying promised.
Some of the people were just beginning to wake up, and Boney guy fully roused a few to explain the situation to them, and leaving them there before continuing onwards.
Since they could understand everything he said, and he hadn't said or implied anything nefarious, they continued to follow him.
"I wonder if he knows anything about the Ring of Fire?" Wei Ying mused.
"We can ask." Lan Zhan encouraged.
Boney guy walked them back the same path they had used to arrive at the temple, but then he took a sharp left. Only a short distance away, an expanse of green leaves in all shapes and colours bloomed ahead, thick foliage through which they continued walking. Here, because the trees were growing so tall, most of the sky was hidden under this green umbrella. Birds called out to each other, plants stirred with their entrance and the loud cicadas were just beginning their nightly chorus.
The air was more humid and it wasn't long before they all began feeling too warm.
"No wonder they don't wear clothes..." Wei Ying mumbled under his breath, trying to loosen the cloth at his neck.
Hui Gai just laughed, swatting away a mosquito.
Boney guy continued forward and then the area in front of them opened up into a clearing, quite a large one.
About twenty huts had been built from a mixture of bamboo tied together and fortified with mud to seal the gaps. Strips of bamboo were tied together overlapping to form pointed roofs for shelter. There was a huge fire roaring in the middle of the clearing, upon which an animal was being cooked. The smell of charred flesh hung heavy in the air...and the clear scent of kept animals nearby could be heard.
"Welcome to the Huangye Tribal Home." Boney guy turned and bent at the waist.