I Curious Side Story Of A Misplaced Soul

Hao Ren's Story

Hao Ren opened his eyes to a grand hall of which the walls were ornately decorated with a multitude of tapestries whose threads gleamed in the steady light streaming in from the open windows. Many pillars shot up into the sky. The walls were lined in intricintricateate patterns and a variety of light colored silks were draped from pillar to pillar. The vastness overhead indistinguishable from the skies themselves. The ceiling was so far up that he could not seem to make it out. There were even clouds passing here and there around the draped silks. Looking out one of the tall open windows the sky was bright and sunbeams were cast everywhere giving the illusion of heat. In truth the breeze was gentle and slightly cool.

Where was he?

Hao Ren began to walk at a leisurely pace taking in the majesty around him. This was clearly a palace. The hall seemed endless and there was not a single figure in sight. He thought the hall empty...

"Hm? What are you doing here?"

Hao Ren spun around in surprise. A man clad in layers of black silk and golden embroidery was lounging on one of the floating clouds that had made its way into the hall. He lept from his place and black boots touched down not far from Hao Ren. Upon closer inspection the golden threads flit together to form a winding dragon whose head had been positioned over the left breast as if guarding the heart.
The man was handsome yet languid, as if mischief permeated into is bones. His hair was a mess of waves that tumbled down his back unbounded by cord nor pins. His eyes were a bright garnet that held an examining glint that quickly turned into confusion.

The man's voice had been all curiosity with no accusation in sight.
Hao Ren bowed,
"This one is Named Hao Ren, sir."

The man's lips quirked up in a lazy smile,
"Hao Ren. Well you seem to be in the wrong place. How you managed to get here however? Hmmmm. Well that doesn't really matter."

The man waved a hand indicating for him to follow and sauntered off to a doorway to the west.

"Sir! I-" he rushed to keep up, "Who are-"

"Ah! Right! Forgot that didn't I? You can call me Hong ZhiZhu," the man, Hong ZhiZhu stepped through the door way and turned to wait for his companion.

Hao Ren gave a sigh of relief and stepped through the doorway only to have his surroundings shift. A wide simply paved bridge with red railings was underfoot. He looked up and Hong ZhiZhu was standing there a few paces ahead unfazed by the change but highly amused by him apparently.

"What- Where are we? What just...happened?" Hao Ren's gaze fell over the railing and saw a wide expanse of land far below. Fields of green, cities, and many many little moving figures. Bisecting it all was a wide stone path that came from the east upon which there seemed to be several lines of figures and clusters at periodic stations along the path. These stations had bridges similar to the one he was walking on, but nowhere near the height they were at. The bridges cut across the skies below.

No it wasn't stone.

What Hao Ren had assumed to be an almost black stone path was undulating. It was a river. A river path.

"Hey!! No I don't need the soup I need some river water up here!"

Startled by Hong ZhiZhu's yelling Hao Ren almost fell over. His voice was like booming thunder. He had no idea who he was yelling at though??

A red lantern floated up from the river below and the man infront of him reached inside it as if it were a box and produced a bowl of water???

Confused, Hao Ren watched the lantern float back down out of sight. He opened his mouth to ask more questions when he was suddenly utterly drenched from head to foot.