As the sun slanted westward, Lin Shisan and Zi Yuner retrieved the two fish.
They found the Silver-Scaled Fish in the mud beside the deep pool downstream.
The Red-Scaled Fish was wedged in a crevice upstream. The two spots were more than half a li apart, and finding them took the pair a great deal of effort.
Lin Shisan found a willow and dug a shallow pit beneath it.
Zi Yuner crouched beside the pit, watching him lay the two fish side by side and cover them with fine sand, layer by layer.
The Silver-Scaled Fish and the Red-Scaled Fish lay tail to tail, as though asleep.
"Done."
Lin Shisan pressed down the last handful of earth before standing and brushing the dirt from his hands.
Zi Yuner remained crouched beside the pit. Only after a long while did she speak softly.
"May you be born into better lives next time. Don't run into this business of silver scales paired with red scales again."
She rose, brushed the grass clippings from her skirt, and turned to look at Lin Shisan.
"Shisan, I want to go to the Netherworld Palace to see Youyou."
Lin Shisan paused. "Right now?"
"Yes, right now. She went back to give up her position as Saintess, and we don't know whether it's going smoothly. Youyou said the Netherworld Palace has lots of rules. I'm afraid they'll make things difficult for her. I'm not doing anything here anyway, so I might as well visit. What if I can help?"
Lin Shisan fell silent for a moment. "I'll go with you."
He took the Message Stone from his Storage Ring, infused it with spiritual power, and sent Feng Xian'er a message.
Before long, the Message Stone lit up.
Feng Xian'er's voice came from the stone, languid with a