Prep 2024: Plot - Rising Action

Xiang and He visited the sage to learn about the illness affecting their sisters. The sage learned the affliction was a curse from the dragons. There is a concoction that could cure the illness, but the ingredients would be heavily guarded by the dragons and their allies.

The twins discussed their options. He believed that their involvement with the royal family caused the curse. She thought leaving would appease the dragons and convince them to lift the curse. Xiang, however, didn’t agree. What if leaving didn’t alleviate the curse? How could they leave in their sisters’ time of need? Xiang wanted to ensure their sisters’ recovery before leaving the palace life.He resolved to help her brother despite her apprehensions.

The twins went to their father and his wives and told them about their quest. Yijun replied he would send soldiers to gather the ingredients in their stead. Xiang insisted that he and sister go alone.

Xiang and He met their first adversary soon after they left the palace. Xiang attempted to reason with them, but the villain rebuked him and tried to subdue him. He stepped in and quickly overpowered them. Xiang convinced her not to kill them. Instead he asked them to send a message to the dragons: The duo won’t let anything or anyone stand in the way of saving their sisters.

After a few twists and turns, the twins met a solitary monk who immediately recognized them. He offered to help them on their quest. He was a bit apprehensive, but Xiang readily accepted the monk’s offer. The monk turned out to be helpful in both negotiations and combat.

In between milestones, Xiang asked why the dragons cursed his half-sisters. The monk told him they were angry with the disappearance of one of their own. She was the compassionate and beloved dragon Long Shui. They believed Yijun caused her disappearance. Xiang added investigating Long Shui’s fate to his quest for the cure.

Xiang and He learn more information about the dragons during their journey: Dragons could take on human forms, but using too much energy would result in them reverting to their true form. Long Shui’s dragon form had traits of a mossy frog, which had the same texture as the patch of skin on Xiang’s back. The two theorized Shui took a human form to conceive Xiang and He with Yijun. Unfortunately, she must have been severely weakened by their birth. They wondered what form Shui could have taken afterwards. Their thoughts go back to the frog that lived in Shui’s temple back at the rice paddy.

The twins relayed their theory to the monk. The monk excused himself. He found this suspicious and followed him in secret. She witnessed as the monk’s face contorted into a dragon-like face in anguish. He realized the monk was actually Long Jiahao in disguise and attacked him. Xiang heard the commotion and saw He and Jiahao (now in his dragon form) fighting. He realized what was happening and broke up the fight.

Xiang angrily asked Jiahao if he allowed the dragons to curse his sisters. Shui wouldn’t have allowed him to do that. In fact, she would have despised him for hurting the kin of the man she loved. Jiahao knew Xiang was right and broke down in tears. The twins left Jiahao to his grief and guilt and continued their search for the cure.