Unruly
Windblown sand, scorching sun, endless wasteland.
The blazing rocks split beneath the scorching sun, their broken edges sharp as blades...
The yellow wind howled across heaven and earth, carrying millennia-old resentment and grains of sand. The midday sun hung high overhead, baking the ocher-red rock formations and earth until fine cracks spread across them, like countless parched lips crying out for water.
But there was none!
It had not rained here in Yellow Wind Ridge for ages...
In the distance, mirages shimmered above the sand sea beneath the blazing sun, even warping the horizon.
Now and then, the remains of a dead desert poplar or some other unknown tree poked through the dunes. Its charred, leafless branches pointed at the sky, as if accusing heaven of some unknown crime.
Only on the cliff faces still untouched by the shifting sands could one make out ancient rock paintings in dark red and white, along with Buddha statues carved into the stone.
Of course, they were all in ruins by now. Many of the Buddhas had even lost their heads and arms.
Just then, after Annie had "politely" declined an old Taoist's kind offer and left the Hidden Dragon Cave, wandering east, a headless monster—the odd headless monk who sang ballads—was resting beneath a dead tree somewhere south of Pillowstone Flat with a hulking monster in a yellow robe, sporting a pig's head and tusks.
"..."
"Ding-ding-dang, ding-dang-ding—"
"Ding-ding-dang-dang, ding-dang-ding—"
The monk Annie called the "headless monster" was plucking at the three-stringed instrument in his hands, swaying as he played. He said nothing, and no one could tell what tune he was playing.
"Gurgle, gurgle—"
"Ugh!"
"Whoo—"
"Good wine..."
"Fine wine!"
The tusked, pig-faced monster in the yellow robe was too busy lying nearby and gulping down his wine. Every so