Chapter 15: Echoes of the Three Mountains

Yi's head begins to feel light as they travel farther uphill. He thought he would be accustomed to the thinness of the air after his time at the Temple, but he finds himself panting heavily, relying more on his walking stick. Although his bag is light, it seems to drag him down, and the mist surrounding them bears down with every step.
Hongmi gains ground quickly, walking lightly with a slight spring in each step. Her optimism keeps Yi focused, and he tries to hide how much of a burden the ascent is. He remains curious about Hongmi, seemingly so fragile when he approached her on the road just a few days ago yet so resilient against the terrain's growing harshness.
"You seem so accustomed to this land, Hongmi. Was your home nearby?" Yi offers, trying not to sound out of breath.
Hongmi's pace slows a bit, her gaze distant. Yi waits for a reply, and Hongmi offers, "Yes and no...it was a long time ago," her voice trailing into the past as she recalls the memories of her life before it shattered. "Things are different now, but I lived on a mountain very similar to this one."
Suddenly, a deep, guttural growl reverberates through the trees, freezing both Yi and Hongmi in their tracks. Yi's heart pounds as he snaps from his initial shock and quickly gains ground to join Hongmi, gripping his walking stick tightly, ready to defend them.
Hongmi, however, stands eerily still, her eyes locked on the dark forest. Her expression is inscrutable, almost as if she is in a trance. The growling continues, growing louder and more menacing, but Hongmi does not waver. She seems to be staring directly into the source of the sound, unblinking and unafraid.
Yi's grip on his staff tightens, sweat forming on his brow. He simultaneously wonders what the animal could be as he glances at Hongmi, noticing how calm she remains, her presence almost challenging it to retreat. After several long moments, the growling fades, and the forest returns to its unsettling silence. Yi releases he was holding his breath.
He exhales slowly, lowering his walking stick. Hongmi finally blinks and turns to him, offering a reassuring smile. Without a word, she continues walking ahead, leaving Yi to wonder about the mysterious power she seems to possess. The thought shoots quickly through his mind: Should he fear her, too?
They walk in silence for a while, the tension from the encounter lingering. Yi's mind races with questions, but he decides to hold them back, observing Hongmi with a newfound sense of curiosity and caution.
"What about you, Yi? Did you grow up near these parts, or have you always lived at the Temple?" Hongmi asks, spinning lightly away again to continue on the barely visible path.
"I wasn't raised at the Temple. My hometown is about the same length's journey from the Misty Village to the Temple, but to the southwest," he explains, wondering if Hongmi knows where the Temple is exactly.
Women rarely traveled there unless they were widowed or in great need and usually came with at least one companion. Hongmi seemed like she could be in need, but no mention of a beautiful, solitary young woman had ever circulated within the Temple gossip while Yi had been there.
He continues, "My village is very poor, and my father left my mother, sister, and me when I was quite young. I don't really know the reason why. My sister is older than I am and has already married and gone to live in her husband's village, which takes about two days to get to. I have only been there once when my mother and I took her for the wedding ceremony."
The guilt of this memory starts to take hold of Yi. He remembers his mother having to negotiate with his future brother-in-law's parents for several days about the wedding dowry, which his mother could barely afford, and other items the wedding had to go without. He remembered how his sister bravely asked to borrow one of the neighbor's horses to ride the first day and a half to the distant village, his mother and him walking in tow. Only when they reached the outskirts of the village did the wedding carriage finally pick his sister up in the early hours of the day she would be betrothed, and his mother and him rode a far distance behind together on the horse, watching her being carried away to her new life.
Yi realizes he has left his story unfinished and has paused quite some time while recalling this memory. He tries to start again, "My mo--" but he is suddenly interrupted by Hongmi.
"Look, Yi!! There it is, the Three Mountains!" she exclaims, and begins to run ahead. Yi's body is heavy with mist and ache from the ascent, but he quickens his pace to catch up with Hongmi.
Ahead, there is a break in the dense trees and brush they have been traveling through, and a rush of cool air unfurls across Yi's face as he joins Hongmi at the overlook. Clearly visible in the distance are three impossibly steep mountains clustered together, almost like three huddled people sharing a secret they do not want overheard. The sun is high and casting strong shadows as it peeks through the clouds and mist that blankets most of the earth.
Yi inhales deeply, taking this moment to catch his breath and survey the land. He can see a partial path that will take them on a slight descent towards the west, but how were they to get up those steep mountains? They had no ropes and Hongmi didn't even have shoes...
"Do you see the way up?" Hongmi chides, almost as if she knew what Yi had been contemplating. He turns to her, a little perplexed, and she adds, "There, you can barely see it, but the tallest mountain in the middle, you can see a small opening about three-quarters of the way up. There seem to be stairs that have been carved alongside the mountain to reach it."
Yi follows the tip of Hongmi's finger, blocking his eyes from the glare the sun is giving off. He squints and makes out the vaguely distinguishable shadows that uniformly trail upwards from the west side of the mountain to the black smudge Hongmi is pressuming to be an entrance.
"Do you know for sure that is the way in?" asks Yi, turning back to Hongmi, her brown eyes impossibly dark even with the small rays of light.
"No," she giggles, "but I have a feeling, and that makes sense, doesn't it?" She stretches her arms above her head, her back arching a bit. She looks down at her feet, caked in mud and dirt, and frowns slightly.
"We can go back if you would like. Now that we know it is here, we can prepare more and come back when the weather is better," Yi suggests. He dreads having to go back empty-handed to the village, but feels torn by how ill-prepared Hongmi is for such a long journey, especially since it will only get more challenging.
Hongmi bites her lower lip in contemplation and looks back towards the mountains in silence.
"Let's take a short rest before we decide anyhow. It's still late morning; we are still making good time," Yi lies, knowing they would have been here faster if he had been moving quicker.
They sit, Hongmi on a large rock and Yi on the ground, and he fishes another zongzi from his bag, offering Hongmi the water first. She takes it, sips a small mouthful, swishing it back and forth in her mouth slowly before swallowing. She hands the gourd back to Yi, who is a little surprised, but is also incredibly thirsty and takes several long gulps before offering it to her back again. She politely refuses and mentions that she is not hungry.
Yi is confused by her statement and asks her if she is feeling unwell and if they should return to the Misty Village immediately to see a doctor. The thought occurs to him that there might not be one and she may need to traverse all the way back to the Temple. Anxiety begins to build inside of him, and he instinctively reaches out his hand to touch her forehead, checking if she is developing a fever.
The sudden reflex catches Hongmi off guard, and she flinches at Yi's touch. He is surprised that her skin is incredibly cool, almost cold even after the heavy exercise they just performed, and his concern worsens for her. He lowers his hand and in a soft but firm voice asks, "Hongmi, are you feeling well? You are so cold and don't have an appetite; maybe we should take you to the Temple for treatment. You have been walking in the rain for days without shoes; you could be developing something, or could even have a parasite."
Hongmi is noticeably flustered now and insists she is fine. "I just had a big breakfast is all, see, I have lots of energy!" She quickly stands and starts jumping up and down, all of the golden rings around her wrists, ankles, and neck softly clanging against her skin as she does. Yi is surprised by her exultation, looking up at her from his place on the ground. She is so petite, yet has more stamina than him even after his weeks of training at the Temple to carry the lotus roots. Even now he feels his stomach growling impatiently at the thought of the zongzi.
"It's really not necessary for me to go to the Temple. I feel great. And I think we should keep going to the mountains. We've come so far, and to turn back now..." she trails off and looks back at the three sentinels stretching upwards.
Yi feels a little uneasy about Hongmi's words and is concerned she is not saying how truly tired she is, he chews the zongzi pensively, and feels exhaustion creeping over his eyelids the longer they rest. He resists the urge to yawn while eating, but Hongmi glances back at him inquisitively.
“Let's take a short rest before we decide anyhow,” Hongmi suggests, sensing the exhaustion Yi is feeling from their ascent, "you should take a nap, Yi. I'll keep watch."
Yi hesitates but then realizes how heavy his body feels. "Alright, but wake me if anything happens. I don't want you facing another...animal encounter alone." He still wonders what they could have approached in the forest and why it departed.
He lies down on the ground, using his bag as a pillow. Hongmi hums softly and the wind shushing around them lull him into a deep sleep.
Yi finds himself back in the Temple courtyard, watching the archer loosing arrows that never miss their mark. He moves with grace and precision, the arrows moving slowly through the air as the strike the trunk of the May Chang Tree. As Yi watches, the scene shifts around him, fading into mist and haze. The archer is no longer in the courtyard but traveling a rugged path, much like the one Yi and Hongmi are on. The archer’s destination becomes clear: the Three Mountains.
Yi sees the archer ascend the steep, treacherous stairs carved into the mountainside. He moves with purpose, undeterred by the perilous climb, wind whipping his clothing and making each step arduous. As Yi tries to follow, he feels a sudden weight pulling him back. He looks down to see his feet rooted to the ground, coiled and unable to move.
The archer reaches the small opening near the top of the tallest mountain and disappears inside. Yi struggles to free himself, the frustration and urgency building. Suddenly, a sharp noise pierces the air, like an arrow cutting closely by his ear, followed by a screching hiss.
Yi blinks rapidly, disoriented. He looks around and sees Hongmi watching him, her expression calm and collected. "Did you sleep well?" she asks softly.
Yi nods, still shaken by the vividness of his dream. He sits up and takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering sense of urgency. "I did. Thank you for keeping watch."
Hongmi asks, "have you decided what we should do?"
Yi feels torn, but he agrees that heading back now does seem pointless. He also does not know when he could accompany her again to this point. Although the idea of her traveling farther with him seems difficult, he worries that she may attempt to come alone if he returns to the Temple. He also knows none of the villagers would accompany her, given their superstition and general disdain for her, which he still did not completely understand. What could he do?
"Okay, we will keep going, but when we get back to the village we are going to inquire who can make you a pair of shoes," he insists. At this, Hongmi smiles widely and nods her head, letting out a small laugh. She looks back down at her feet and wiggles her toes, caked in nearly-dry mud. Yi feels irritated by this takes another large mouthful of water. He stands with the walking stick and signals to Hongmi that he is ready when she is.
Hongmi straightens up and confirms she is ready for the next leg of the journey. "Let's do this part even faster than the last!" she exclaims, and begins walking earnestly forward on the path again. Yi follows behind, but the feeling of being watched has not subsided, and he recalls what Han had warned: The mountain pass is safe until you can reach the view of the Three Mountains...