It was the 3rd century BCE, China was under one of the biggest epidemics it had ever faced. It was the end of the year and like all other years, it was the time to carry out the great Nuo exorcism ceremony.

Demons were flying in the sky, carrying their spears and holding their bundles of the reed. They had redheads with pointy horns and draped black clothes. Ten thousand of them flew at once shooting bows of peach wood all around. It was raining angel blood, and wherever the blood touched, the infection spread-- infallibly killing strong and the weak.

Men with flaming torches ran to the castle, begging the emperor to save them of this disaster who were spreading the red plague. The emperor called upon the fangxiangshi, Wujin Chen--With his helper spirit, Xian si. Wujin draped his ceremonial clothes and mask over his face. They reached the capital and Wujin shot a sparkling and streaming glare that chased the red plague to all sides; thereupon both he and his helper spirit, Xian, destroyed the felons in the imperial moats.

Wujin used paper amulets to start the cleansing of the city while Xian attacked the demons, struck at the wild and ferocious beings, cleaved sinuous snakes and beat out the brains of demons. Finally, they imprisoned them in the clear and chilly waters which later buried under the ground.

They cut asunder the khwei and the hü, as also the wang-siang; they mutilate the ye-chung, and exterminate the yiu-kwang. The eight spirits or the cardinal points of the universe thereby quiver from the mere name of the fangxiangshi.

He was born a demigod but raised as an exorcist in the most medieval parts of China. Nine priests taught him everything that he needed to know about the world and with a responsibility as big as this, he lived inside a shrine with over forty other people. Four kuángfū, eight diviners with six subordinates, two accountants, two scribes, two menials, and twenty runners. But he was closest to his helper spirit, Xian Si.

He was the one who ensured that the Yin and the Yang united harmoniously, and all beings and things thus are produced in due time. Despite ruling the fears of all demons, he had one weakness--Women!

"Where are you going?" Xian Si asked as he saw Wujin walking down the stairs of the shrine to reach the city.
"To meet Anho." Wujin smiled.
"We just finished the ceremony. Don't you think you should take some rest."
"I will... on Anho's lap!"

"Master Wujin, you are no ordinary mortal. You are a demigod and above that--A fangxiangshi. It's important for you to look after your responsibilities. You shouldn't be going to such places or meeting such women." Xiao was at it again but Wujin had left already.
He took a sigh, "He wouldn't listen, would he?"
"Oh, Xian is sighing? Seems like Wujin ran away again." It was the emperor Han.

Xian bowed and greeted the emperor.

"I'm afraid the master is away, bìxià, (Tn// Chinese honorific to address emperors)" Xian told him.
"It's alright. I'll come some other day."
"But bìxià came all the way here, I would feel bad if he just left. Allow me to play something for you."
"Oh Xian, that is a wonderful idea. I do know that you are the most skilled musician in China."

Xian smiled and raised his arms. His hands shone bright and created golden instruments that aligned themselves as a Chinese orchestra. He began conducting and produced a beautiful, traditional Chinese tune. Music that was way ahead of his time. He was the only musician who could play those instruments or produce such music.

https://youtu.be/gFs4UnP-xPc

The emperor was pleased and asked his minster to offer one hundred gold coins to Xian as a reward. Wujin came back home at night. All the familiars of the shrine stood at the door and welcomed him. But he realised that Xian wasn't there. He smiled as he realised that Xian was angry yet again. He went inside his room. Xian was sitting at the door facing the garden, plucking on the strings of a pipa.

"Are you angry, Xian?" Wujin asked.
"Have you left any reason for me to not be angry?"
"I don't know?"
"How am I supposed to react after knowing that my master has associated himself with a prostitute?"

"You should realise that men have wishes and desires."
"So, can't they get a woman from a good family?"
"They tend to get too serious and I don't plan to marry anyone."
"Then, what do you plan?"

"I live without any plans. Thinking tires me," Wujin lay on the matted floor. Xian took a sigh, "You make me so anxious about your future. I wish you were a bit more serious."
"Do you want to know what I wish for?"
"No,"
"Actually I,"

"I said no. Why do you ask when you're not planning to listen?"
"I wish you were a woman. If you were then I would name you Jinian. And I could marry you."
"Are you drunk?"
"A bit."

"You should go to sleep."
"First you answer me—If you were a woman, would you marry me?"
"I wouldn't since you're an airhead and irresponsible."
"Those are my charms."
"Not to me. And if you have such a problem with me being a man, why didn't you make me a woman?"

"Because the priest who taught me demonology was a man and he's the one with whom I had the happiest memories of my life."
"Where is he now?"
"He died from an illness."
"Was his name Xian too?"

"No, I named you Xian Si because I like that name."
"This is such a weird name. It contradicts itself. Xian is someone who has an immortal lifespan. Si means death. What were you thinking while naming me?"
"I don't know? I was drunk back then."
"I see you drunker than I see you sober—" Xian gasped, "Master, a blank space is approaching."

Wujin got up and a golden square appeared before them, engulfing them into it. They reached a white plane, with another demigod—Star spirit pair before them. They both took out a knife from their chest pockets and slit the flesh of their respective star spirits.

"Xian Si, protect your master! Follow this order from your lord demigod himself!" Wujin said and red threads wrapped around his wrist. The pact was formed. He raised his arms, "Magixiya dvoynoy, Orfografii vtroy Vyzov forma tri!" Xian's body shone and transformed into a sword. Wujin grabbed the sword and ran towards the star spirit.

"It's an elite star! I cannot win against him!" She was a female star spirit.
"We have to fight!" Her master shouted.She ran towards Wujin and they had a vigorous fight. She was strong but not as much as a fangxiangshi. He sliced her body in a blink of the eye. It had always been too easy for him to defeat an opponent. Wujin was very strong indeed! And Xian was proud of his strength. Like always, he saw the star spirit fade and her demigod cry.

"Her master was crying." Wujin said as Xian sat beside him "Honestly, I don't want to become a gatekeeper if I have to pull two partners apart. But then, I don't want to lose you either. I'm in a dilemma, Xian. Either it's them or me. Whenever I think of the possibility that someday I'll lose you, I grow anxious and weak. Because I know that I won't forget you. I won't be able to move on. Promise me, Xian. Promise me that you won't die, ever!"

"I can't make such a promise."
"Then, I won't ask you for a promise—I'm giving you an order."
"You're drunk."
"Xian, tell me, why do people fight?"
"Because they have something to gain."

The next parade he fought was the last one. After that, he had won the battle to become a gatekeeper. Lady Ivsana, the Goddess of fortune, asked him for one wish. It could be wealth, another partner, any magic, special ability, anything. But what he asked for completely shocked her and Xian.
"I wish that those who lose their star spirits, forget everything about them so that they don't have to hurt over them. That's all I want."

"Are you sure? Don't you want anything for yourself?" Goddess Ivsana always provoked greed to test the gatekeeper and make them take a silly decision but he was stubborn and sure about what he wanted. He later made more rules and laid an entire foundation of rules inside a parade. One could no longer be forced to join a parade, star spirits can have their own wishes too which their masters must fulfil to keep their spirit healthy and so many more.

He wrote the entire theory of magic which he had learnt from all the priests and complied it into twelve books called the twelve holy books of heavenly secrets. Each holy star had one copy of every book that represented their element. And then he made a thirteenth book called 'Gate' which was full of dark magic and demonic rituals. He died before finishing the thirteenth book. And no other demigod after him was knowledgeable enough to complete Gate.

He might have been the strongest, smartest and kindest gatekeeper that ever sat on that throne." Melissa finished.
"If he was so nice, why was he killed?"

"Good people have more enemies than bad ones, Vierne."

-To be continued

Xian Si The Hour of Music
Dear Ms Lady Demigod