The signs were everywhere on that afternoon when it happened. The air was hot and still; the crows were noisy in the garden; the marching footsteps of soldiers in the marshalling yard, punctuated every now and then by military drum beats came over melancholy...

...as if urging me to leave this infinite boredom. As my restlessness grew suddenly a green shadow ran through my hair as if icy fingers. A sudden urge came over me to look for a river to cool off, so I asked my servant Simang to secretly prepare a horse for me.

We slipped out of the small door in the back garden, avoiding other's attention. The little pond and pavilion outside the garden were also shrouded in thick summer air, and the fishes in the pond dozed in the shadows of the rockery. We slipped quietly out of the pass.

Before we got far from the city thunders ran across the sky and the heavens opened up as if they were specifically to quench my thirst. I reined in my horse and let the rain soak my hair and clothes.

Where I stood was wilderness, and the ground around drank up the water with a hissing sound. Simang hid under my horse's belly in fear. When the rain stopped the air became as cool and transparent as crystal.

Although still more than a mile away I could already make out the Jiuwan River that has been flowing since before I was born, it snaked through the grassland and glittered. Suddenly overcome with a pious feeling I made my way towards the river.

I then dismounted and told Simang to ride the horse to the willow grove and stretch its legs. Simang fumbled and failed to get on the horse again and again until I gave him a shove.

With him mounted I gave the horse a slap on the behind and it ran away, carrying him stumbling left and right. I felt joy, the river was getting closer and closer, the sound of flowing water like countless transparent shining fish chirping away urging me on.

I took off my clothes one by one and threw them to the side of the road. By the time I was on the river bank I was completely naked except for the thin red sash around my waist. When I walked into the shallows the red sash floated in the waves and I noticed it.

Since I was a child I took it with me everywhere, yet I took it for granted and ignored it. It occured to me that there was no point in carrying it any more.

By the time the water was up to my chest the red sash seemed to have understood my feelings, it undid itself and floated away with the waves.

The strange thing is, Master, the moment I was separated from it I felt a sudden sense of ease, all my long-standing worries went away with it.

Then, I saw what I thought was an illusion, a twin of me in the water. From the dense growth of lotus flower and cattail he emerges, scooping up the red sash with one hand. Water droplets ran down his chest, tainted a faint green by the reflection of the lotus leaves.

He wrapped the red sash about his body and smiled mischievously at me. As if trying to shatter my trance he spoke, his voice ringing like metallic bells: "Is this a gift for me?" "No, it's a gift for the river", I answered. "I am the river." He laughed and leaped at me.

Against the backdrop of the blue sky his outstretched arms brought up water droplets that flew like the dust of a butterfly's wings. I laughed too, but he had already pounced on me...

Master, Master, I still can't believe it. It's impossible. After a few tumbles in the water his arms loosened and his body floated up weakly. It turned out to be a corpse...

The river became bone-chillingly cold despite being in the middle of the summer. I finished my bath as the sparkling waves carried away a body wrapped in a red sash. Master, I cannot restrain myself from commiting blood sins against the geese in the sky and beasts in the forest.

However this time I seem to be unable to recall the situation with any clarity. Was it that afternoon when I waded into the river in hope of a cool breeze, that I killed an unknown boy? I carefully summed up my past and realized that I will have to pay a price...

The following is from Simang's point of view: "It was a really beautiful horse. Shiny black coat, taller than a man by a shoulder and with white hooves. The young master named it 'Taxue'. No one except the young master dared to ride it.

That day the young master asked me to ride it to the willow grove first. My god it really looked like flying on clouds. My legs have always been weak since I was a child and walking is the biggest hardship for me, but for the first time I felt like I was flying.

The scenery on either side flew pass like the wind. By the time Taxue finally slowed down I saw a strange scene. Like a picture two young men stood waist deep in the water, motionless, staring at each other. Even the cloud decided to stand still for that moment.

One, of course i recognized as the young master. The other, Taoist Master how should I put this? Everyone knows that there is a river god in Jiuwan River who is responsible for the rain and dew in Chentang Pass. He is the son of the Loong King of the East Sea.

It was surely him for his body was green and covered with scales. Then a dispute seems to have occured between them. I couldn't get off the horse and I was too far away to hear their words, but I saw him rush towards the young master.

My heart raced and I saw him stirring up waves as tall as a man. In the frothing water the young master and him started struggling...

Moral of the story: when trying new and adventurous things with your significant other remember to first establish safewords.

You can read the full short story here in Chinese: https://www.thenewslens.com/ar... Basically Nezha in this case is born with divine might that he can't control, so he is destined to absently mindedly kill things.

Nezha is so devastated at accidentally killing Ao Bing that he commits suicide when Ao Guang comes to Li Residence. His spirit goes to the part of the river where he meets Ao Bing and both their spirts turn int lotus flowers that merge into a single lotus.

Jiaozi cleverly avoids this landmine in his setting by making Ao Bing the spirit pearl so he can't be overpowered so easily by Nezha.