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The Soul Birds and Meza’s Hope

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As Gesar entered the demon land, the soul bird of the demon king Luzan also arrived, landing atop the Nine-Spired Fortress on Soul Mountain. The fortress shook with a loud noise. Hearing this, Luzan exclaimed, “What has happened to my mighty Soul Mountain?”

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Queen Meza, who had been captured and brought to the demon land, spent every moment praying that one day Gesar would come to rescue her from misery. Any unusual occurrence in the demon kingdom gave her hope that her king had arrived. Seeing Luzan’s unease, Meza quickly poured him a large cup of wine and said sweetly, “Oh, my king, this is just the soul bird landing on the mountain. It is a sign of good fortune for us to grow old together.”

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Despite his suspicions, Luzan couldn’t resist Meza’s gentle persuasion. He allowed the soul bird to remain on the roof and stayed in the fortress to drink and celebrate with her.

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Soon, Meza’s own soul bird, the white crane, also arrived. Meza feared the demon bird might sense Gesar’s presence in the demon land and harm him. The white crane landed beside the demon bird on the mountain and began to speak:

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“Oh, Demon Bird King, have you arrived?

Are you the soul bird of the demon king?

I am the soul bird of Meza, the queen of Ling Gabu.

We are kin—you are the nephew of the great Garuda,

And I am the descendant of the white crane.

Today, fate has brought us together.

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You are the vital bird of the demon king,

Always ready to save him when called.

I am the vital bird of Queen Meza,

Here to tell her to forget the Lion King of Ling Gabu.

The king of Ling is no longer in power—

Chao Tong now rules Ling Gabu.

That foolish son of the Dragon Girl is hunting rabbits

In the desolate Yellow River plains,

Doing nothing of importance.

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Let us, as loyal birds, protect our masters.

Let us ensure their safety and accompany them

On this Nine-Spired Soul Mountain.

The demon kingdom is at peace,

And we should each return to our homes.

You to the western realm of Jaga,

To the serene palace of the great ocean.

And I to the crystal city of White Mountain in Ling Gabu.”

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The demon bird replied, “White crane, your words make sense. It’s true we are kin, and I am fortunate to meet you. I am the soul bird of Luzan. From his birth until now, I have come here three times. Each time I landed on this mountain, Luzan and his minions welcomed me with cheese and fresh water. Why is it that this time I am ignored?

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I foolishly believed the words of the yellow water duck, who said that the son of the Dragon Girl was coming to the demon land to take Luzan’s life. But it seems I worried for nothing. Since everything in the demon land is peaceful, let us part ways here.”

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The demon bird flew away without looking back. The white crane, reassured that the demon bird believed peace still reigned in the demon kingdom, also left, returning to Ling Gabu.

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The Reunion of Gesar and Meza

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At this moment, the five-headed demon Qin’en, carrying out the task Gesar had assigned to him, arrived at the Nine-Spired Palace of the demon city. There, he saw the demon king Luzan and Queen Meza sitting leisurely together. As soon as Luzan saw Qin’en, he asked, “Ah, my loyal minister! How is your health? Are the black and white livestock safe? Are all parts of the kingdom peaceful? Are there no enemies causing trouble?”

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Qin’en bowed respectfully to Luzan and Queen Meza before replying slowly, “Your Majesty, I humbly report that all is peaceful in the kingdom. No enemy dares to make trouble. Thanks to your protection, my health is excellent as well.”

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The demon king nodded but sniffed the air suspiciously. “My minister, I seem to smell the scent of a human. Did you bring it here?” Luzan, being an experienced demon king, immediately noticed something unusual.

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“How could that be?” Qin’en replied hurriedly, fearing further questioning. “Your Majesty, I tend to the sheep every day. Yesterday, a white sheep fell ill, so I slaughtered it. Perhaps some blood or the smell of mutton remains on me.”

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“Hmm, perhaps so,” Luzan said, half-believing him. “You’ve traveled far today. Sit and rest. I’ll go out for a patrol. Meza, keep our guest company for a while.” Saying this, Luzan left the room.

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Qin’en knew Luzan was still suspicious, but this gave him a chance to talk to Meza.

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“Ah, Queen Meza,” he said as soon as Luzan was gone, “yesterday, a merchant from Jaga passed by. He claimed to have come from Ling Gabu.”

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“Oh? What did he say?” Meza, who had been lounging indifferently, suddenly perked up at the mention of Ling Gabu.

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Qin’en noticed her excitement and thought to himself, Gesar’s journey was not in vain—his queen still longs for him. Pretending to speak casually, he said, “He said that Ling Gabu no longer has a king. Gesar has been dead for over a year.”

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“What?! What did you say?!” Meza’s composure shattered. Since being captured by Luzan, she had lived in luxury. Luzan, captivated by her beauty, neglected his other queens and spent all his time with her, indulging her every whim. Meza wore the finest clothes, ate the most delicious foods, and was treated with utmost care. However, there was one rule: she was forbidden to think about Ling Gabu or mention its name.

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Though surrounded by wealth, Meza secretly longed for her homeland and her king. Now, hearing that Gesar was dead, she could no longer hide her emotions.

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Seeing Meza’s distress, Qin’en softened his tone. “Perhaps I misheard, or the merchant misspoke. If you like, I can bring him here for you to question yourself.”

 

“Fine,” Meza said. “Bring him to the rear palace. But make sure Luzan doesn’t find out.”

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“Understood,” Qin’en replied and left.

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When Qin’en returned to Gesar, the Lion King had finished eating meat, drinking wine, and preparing leather. Qin’en joyfully reported his conversation with Meza. Gesar immediately threw down the bone he was holding and followed Qin’en to meet his queen.

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Meanwhile, Meza was in turmoil. She had always hoped that her king would one day rescue her, but the thought that he might already be dead filled her with despair. If what the merchant says is true, I have no will to live. But if it’s a lie… I’ll have the five-headed demon eat him for spreading such nonsense!

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While Meza was lost in thought, Qin’en brought Gesar into her chamber. Loudly, Qin’en pretended to scold him, saying, “Jaga merchant, the queen has questions for you. You’d better tell the truth!” Then he bowed to Meza and left the room.

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Meza stared at the “Jaga merchant.” His face seemed familiar—too familiar.

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Gesar also gazed at Meza. Her beautiful headdress couldn’t hide her pale face, and her luxurious clothes couldn’t conceal her frail figure. She looked much thinner than she had when she was in Ling Gabu.

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Slowly, Gesar removed the merchant’s disguise, revealing his Lion King attire. Meza, in turn, removed her demon queen garments, leaving only a simple white dress. The two embraced tightly, and Meza began to cry softly. Gesar, too, shed tears.

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Suddenly, Meza pulled away and cried out, “Don’t deceive me, you old demon! You’ve transformed into Gesar to trick me again! I know Gesar has been dead for over a year. Today, I’ll end my life!” With that, she ran toward a pillar, intending to end her suffering.

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Gesar, quick as lightning, caught her and held her close. “Meza, my queen, what has happened to you? How could you not recognize me? I’ve crossed mountains and rivers, enduring countless hardships to find you, and you mistake me for the demon king!”

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“Are you truly the Lion King?” Meza asked, still doubtful.

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“Do you not believe me?”

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“Then answer this…”

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Meza began asking Gesar questions about the unique features of Ling Gabu. Gesar answered each one perfectly. Finally, Meza was convinced that the man before her was indeed her beloved Lion King.

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Overcome with emotion, she quickly removed the demon kingdom’s jewelry and clothes, changing into the attire of Ling Gabu. Only then did she dare to approach Gesar again, embracing him tightly and weeping bitterly.

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