Chapter 21 (1/2)

Ice Fantasy Chapter 21 – The Lonely King

Two more graves were added behind Ting Zhu Xuan; the bodies of Feng Huang and Wu Ya were arranged to bury next to one another. I wasn’t sure when would spring arrive and whether the soil above them would have green gra.s.s growing from that patch of soil. But I knew that there was a cherry blossom tree next to their graves and it would be a beautiful in the coming flower season.

In actual fact cherry blossom tree was the cruelest tree of all because the more bodies were buried underneath the tree, the more beautiful it would grow. Just like the beautiful setting sun.

Yue Shen and Huang Tuo were standing in the wind; their expressions looked tired yet tough and their robes were fluttering loudly in the wind.

It’s only Chao Ya’s expression that looked exceptionally sad. On the day of Wu Ya’s death, Chao Ya came to tell me this. “My king, I may leave this troubled world after this mission.”

“Why?” I asked.

“There are way too many killings and bloodshed happening in this world; there are too many souls resting up in the cloud, singing non-stop every day and night; their black song always. .h.i.t me right at my heart, making me unable to fight against it. I may go to the mortal world like Die Che, find a man that loves me. He doesn’t have to know any illusion skill or be proficient in music. I just need him to have a bright smile and strong chest and I am willing to give up my immortality to grow old together with him. My king, you know about my mother right? She is your father’s royal musician. In actual fact she had pa.s.sed away long time ago because she had gone to the mortal world and she pa.s.sed away with a smile on her face. Her husband, who was already an old man, was at her deathbed, crying and accompanying her till the last moment. This was the last dream that my mother left for me and I would always get upset by this dream. In actual fact, I have been feeling upset because why must I be a G.o.d in imprisonment?”

“Several hundreds years ago, I was also upset by this issue as well. Because of my freedom, I lost my beloved brother.” I told Chao Ya.

Chao Ya turned around and a cloud floated past our heads. It floated so silently past us.

—

New Year was finally over.

Days just flowed by like a river. Sometimes I would lie on the branch of the cherry blossom tree, admiring the sun.

Just like what granny had said before, I’ve finally become a lonely king, only waiting for time to pa.s.s.

But the West Guardian has yet to appear, the four of us were still trapped in the illusion world.

I had once written the situations here on a lambskin parchment and sent it to Xing Jiu, asking him for advice.

But when I received his reply, he only told me to wait. It was the same answer that Shang Lie had given us when we first met him.

Shang Lie had already left; the day when he left, the snow had stopped. He stood before us, looking as imposing and dignified like before. He’s still the greatest man in this mortal world.

“My king, this is the best that I can help you to accomplish. To be very honest, I didn’t really help you much; now that Feng Huang and Wu Ya are dead, the West Guardian is someone that I cannot fight against. Please be careful, my king.” Shang Lie told me.

After that he knelt before me, looking up at me with a warm smile. “My king, you are the youngest yet n.o.blest ruler of the Ice Kingdom that I had ever seen; if you need my help in the future, you just need to send me a message. Even if I’m dead, my descendants will definitely come help you without any hesitation.”

I nodded and watched him left. His back view started to shrink from my view and then finally disappearing into the end of the long street, disappearing into the place where the snow melted.

I could imagine Shang Lie walking down the burst ling and hustling street in his imposing and dignified self. Even if one person lost everything in his life, he or she wouldn’t lose the spirit within him and this spirit was able to make that person an invincible G.o.d. Shang Lie was such a person.

I turned around to see Yue Shen and Huang Tuo; the two of them were standing together, their hair were soft and long to the ground like a piece of peaceful image. After going through so many fights, their spiritual powers had gotten even stronger; the length of their hair were longer than any illusionist in Ren Xue Cheng, even surpa.s.sing Xing Jiu and Xing Gui.

Chao Ya was standing behind them with her head hanging, I could see the tear in her eyes.

And then I heard a piece of beautiful music, soaring up the sky. The air around us has transformed into b.u.t.terflies flying above us; the pa.s.serbys were stunned and their attentions were on Chao Ya, looking at the beautiful white-haired lady, totally speechless.

—

Three days after Shang Lie left; his body was discovered, he was lying by the side of the road outside the city gate. By the time we reached him, snow has started to fall once again, covering his body bit by bit. His body was already frozen and his expression looked twisted and in shock.

I stood beside his body and looked at the cloudy sky; I heard the cracking of my bones and I could even see the cracks like white lightning striking one after another.

Chao Ya didn’t say anything but I could see the tear in her eyes.

Huang Tuo was examining Shang Lie’s body and Yue Shen was standing by his side.

I walked over to ask Huang Tuo. “How did he die?”

He didn’t reply me, he just removed his clothes to reveal his chest and there were three b.l.o.o.d.y holes on it; the flesh was brutally torn away and those white blood was already frozen. The expression on Shang Lie’s face looked dazed and frightened, his eyes were looking at the sky and it seemed like he had lost the ability to speak. I couldn’t bear to look at his body anymore so I turned my back against him and then I saw Chao Ya had already backed away, vomiting.

“My king, look at his hand.” Yue Shen told me.

I thought of something strange when I saw his hand because his left hand formed a weird sign and it was actually the hand sign for a astrologer when using his illusion summoning power.

“My king, do you know if Shang Lie was an astrologer in the past?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t tell me anything.”

“Then why did he still try to read the stars even when he’s going to die? Or was it because he had discovered something while reading the stars and that’s why he got himself killed?” Yue Shen asked, looking at me.

I looked at the sky, unable to answer Yue Shen’s question. I just thought that I saw the face of the West Guardian appearing vaguely in the sky but I could see that face very clearly. The only thing I knew would be that despising smile on the West Guardian’s face; those cold lights from his eyes were like sharp knives stabbing through my body.

—

The inn continued welcoming new customers and the mortal world was as lively as before. But no one knew that there were many painful memories behind this liveliness. No one knew about the pain and how much killings had been done during these periods.

It’s only I knew that I have been was.h.i.+ng my face with my tears.