When I saw my mother, she was standing by the edge of the spring water pool. Her hair scattered around her feet softly, unable to estimate the length of her hair, probably longer than mine and there was a white unicorn standing by her side. Cherry blossoms falling one after another onto her hair and the light on the water was reflected onto her face.
“Mother.” I called out gently.
She turned and saw me, saw her son in his phoenix robe, the current king of the Snow Empire.
Then her facial expression started to change and she looked terrified, she stumbled a few steps back and scattered the cherry blossoms that she had collected in her hand. She shook her head and told me. “You have to go back quickly, go back…”
“Mother, don’t you want me to visit you? Mother, I miss you. I’m so lonely in the city. How have you been?”
She was still shaking her head; it’s just that her tear was also falling down like raindrop.
Just when I was about to go over, suddenly there were footsteps behind me, very light footsteps, just the crashing of snow under the feet. But I heard it and my mother also heard it. Before I could turn my head around, mother has already locked her ring finger with her thumb, pointing at the spring water and then pointed at me. I have yet to get a clear view, I found myself being surrounded by the water from the spring pool and I lost conscious very quickly. A short moment before I blanked out, I heard the voice of the person behind me, it’s Lian Ji.
“Who has been here just now?” Lian Ji’s voice was still the same like before, so sharp and cold like ice.
“No one, I am just looking at the falling of cherry blossoms.”
“Then why did you use the water spell?”
“I don’t see the need to report whatever I do to you. I can even use the water-killing curse on you freely, do you believe it?”
“Using water-killing curse in front of me? Who do you think you are in Magic Snow Mountain?”
Then I felt a sharp cold invading my bone rapidly and went upward to my brain, causing me to lose consciousness. The last picture I saw was my mother crying, cherry blossoms falling just like the winter when Shi died.
—
Snow fog forest has always been warm; sunlight was running around the forest and the gorgeous wildflowers were everywhere. I woke up to find myself sleeping in granny’s house; fragrance of the burning wood emitted from the fire stove and granny was sitting by the bed, her smile was so serene and calm. Xing Jiu was standing against the light at the door, and bright light outside made the outline of his silhouette exceptionally clearer. I saw his hand holding the fallen star staff and I knew that belonged to granny.
“Granny, your staff…”
“My king, I have given the fallen star staff to Xing Jiu because he is now the best astrologer in Snow Empire and I’m already so old.” Granny said, stroking my hair gently.
“Then can the best astrologer have the right to say whatever he wants to say?” Suddenly Xing Jiu turned around and looked at granny. His expression was so cold and stiff, just like the cold basalt at the Star Sacrificial Altar. I have never seen Xing Jiu used such expression to talk to granny before.
“Cannot. As long as I am here, you are not allowed to do that.” Granny’s tone sounded colder and I’ve never seen her looking so serious before. I could even see her fingers moving. It’s obvious that she was gathering her energy secretly. Wind gushed in from the door, filling Xing Jiu’s robe and granny’s hairpin has also fallen. Her silver hair was flying in the wind, and I could sense the murderous aura.
Very carefully, I walked in between the two of them so that I could stop their fight in time.
“Granny, why not tell me everything? I am the king of Snow Empire, I have the right to know.”
“You won’t be happy if you know about it and you will definitely be destroyed by it.”
“Do you think he hasn’t been tortured enough? He will be alone for the rest of his life, there will only be his footsteps in the city. What is the difference with him and living in the tomb? You and I would die one day, how is he supposed to continue living on? Because there are a lot of things that I cannot say in the past, so I have to give him vague hint but what’s the result? He killed his beloved brother. Granny, isn’t that enough?”
“Xing Jiu, if you don’t tell him, he will just live his life alone. But if you tell him everything, he would not have lived.”
“Granny, is Yuan Ji so scary?”
“Yes. For people, who have never seen her before, can never understand a person can be so scary to that extent.”
I heard every single of their words, but I still couldn’t understand and so I turned to ask Xing Jiu who was Yuan Ji. “Yuan Ji is…”
“Shut up! One more word from you, I will make sure your existence will become the history of Snow Empire!” Granny raised her left hand and there was a tiny snowstorm swirling around her fingertips.
I saw granny’s face turning pale blue suddenly, and I knew if this continued on, Xing Jiu would die for sure. I stood in front of her and protected Xing Jiu with my shield protection. “Granny, your skill can never surpa.s.s mine. I don’t wish to lfight with you. And I don’t want to fight you as long as you don’t hurt Xing Jiu.” I told her.
Granny was staring at me for a long while; I could see the radiant glow in her eyes. I seemed to see the younger her being all-powerful, but the light in her eyes went dim in the next instant, then I saw the unspeakable old age on her face.
Suddenly I felt so bad, I felt I have went too overboard. The person standing in front of me was the one who raised me, the one who doted on me more than the world did.
Granny looked down and whispered. “Yes, my skill may not surpa.s.s you, Ka Suo. I know you won’t use your skill…”
The moment she said the word ‘use’, she struck as quickly as lightning, and then her finger moved along my arm, causing it to be stiff like frozen ice. Totally incapacitated. Then I saw Xing Jiu got seduced by granny within 3 moves and fell straight down like a fallen tree.
Granny was indeed the best illusionist of the Snow Empire.
The moment when she sank down to the floor, she looked so much older and she said. “Ka Suo, I still lost to you. I thought my illusion skill is better than yours, Ka Suo, you have really grown up.”
I looked at her, not saying a word. From the day Shi’s hair started to grow on me, I had mastered the magic of the Fire Tribe. When granny tried controlling my left hand, she didn’t even have her guard on my right hand so I used the easiest fire magic and defeated her.
Granny got up and walked to the door with her back facing Xing Jiu and I. “It might be the act of G.o.d. Xing Jiu, if you want to say, just say it then.” A shiny trace flowed past granny’s wrinkles. I lowered my head, afraid to think what was that.
Xing Jiu came to me and said, “My king, you must have seen your mother.”
“Saw her.”
“Have you seen the magic she used?”
I suddenly remembered, the magic that mother used was something I have never seen or heard of at all. I didn’t know how was it possible for her to manipulate liquid water, and that had violated the Code of Illusion. I grew up learning magic that required the water to be frozen before being able to manipulate them.
“That one is the water-trough curse, it is even more powerful than apparition. Apparition is only about action, but the water-trough curse is more of manipulating water to move anything.”
“Why isn’t it recorded in the Code of Illusion?”
“Code of Illusion? That was just a joke created by the oldest emperor for the later generation.”
Xing Jiu walked out of the house and stood at the open gra.s.sland, looking at the pale blue sky. Wind was blowing at his robe making it look like a rustling flag.
“In fact the city is only a part of the Snow Empire, but it is only a very small part. In this city, the sorcerers, swordsman, astrologers are having a quiet and happy life. This is an ideal world, no one will invade others just because they have stronger spiritual power, and the fight between the weak and the strong will never exist so the king is not the one with the strongest spiritual power. The day when I became an astrologer, the most important person in my life told me that she has always felt the world of the Ice Tribe is unstable. There is something that buried under the context of peace, lively street, happy crowd, strong relationship and bustling prosperity. Everything is just like a water reflection, so alluring. I have never doubt whatever that person had said, never ever.”
“My king, you know why I could become the greatest astrologer of the city at this young age?”
“I don’t know. Your talent?”
“Not really. I grew up with a person, the one with high spiritual power. We have always wanted to discover the secret of the city and this is why I always frequent the Sacrificial Star Altar but we still unable to know what we want to know. But because of this, my star-reading power got stronger day after day, and eventually surpa.s.ses everyone in the city. It was only until one month ago when granny handed the fallen star staff to me, I have finally understood the messy star signs.”
“One month ago?”
“Yes, my king. You have been in coma for a month.”
I could hear granny sighing near the fireplace, and I saw the reflection of the flickering flame jumping on her face. She said, “I didn’t expect you have such strong spiritual power to break the secret magic of the city and in turn discovering the great secret behind it. This is why I handed the staff to you. This is G.o.d’s right. But, Xing Jiu, I still don’t understand, your power isn’t that strong enough to discover the secret.”
Xing Jiu didn’t answer, and his back view seemed to dissolve into the waning light just like fog.
“Xing Jiu, tell me, what is the secret of the city?” Somehow I have this feeling that things were not as simple as I thought.
“The secret of the Snow Empire is: Huan Xue Shen Shan (Magic Snow Mountain) is the real Snow Empire, the city is merely a toy palace.”
“Then what does it got to do with my destruction?”
“Let me tell him.” Granny gradually stood up and looked at me. I felt extremely upset when I saw her wrinkled face. “Do you think that your mother’s magic illusion skill is strong and powerful in the past?”
“Maybe it’s about the same as Li Luo.”
“And now?”
“Probably there isn’t anyone who can win her except for you and me.”
“That’s right.”
“Granny, I’m getting more and more confused with what you’ve said.”
“Then I’ll give you a dream. I’m not the creator of this dream; my power isn’t that powerful to create such a realistic dream like Shi’s dream that granny had given you. This dream is given to you by your mother.” Xing Jiu told me.
—
I entered into my mother’s dream, just like what Xing Jiu had said, the dream was so vivid and real. I didn’t know when did my mother possess such powerful ability that transcended Xing Jiu’s power of dream interpretation. In the dream, my mother was talking to me. I stretched my hand out and surprisingly I could touch her face. Despite the fact that it was only an illusion, I still behaved like a kid, tearing up.
I looked up and the sun above the horizon began sinking down aimlessly.
Dusk set in.
“Ka Suo, I’ve finally saw you wearing the phoenix robe. Handsome and ethereal just like your father. When you were standing at the high city wall, I was so happy that I couldn’t even say a word.”
“But I was destined to leave you. Although I couldn’t bear to leave you, I still left without any burden because I knew you have grown up. But the moment I entered the mountain, I felt extremely terrified and I have expect the Snow Empire to have such a secret. I would have thought that with your strong spiritual powers, no one would be able to hurt you. But I realized I was wrong, I’ve discovered that the power of the palace ladies was almost comparable with yours.”
“And there is something in the mountain that you bound to have contact with, and that is the hidden lotus.”
“Yuan Ji is the ruler of the Snow Mountain, no one had seen her before. Everytime a person enters the mountain; Yuan Ji will instruct her palace maids to bring the hidden lotus soup for that person and after consumption, the spiritual power of that person will increase five times than before.”
“Moreover, the biggest function of the hidden lotus is for revival. I’m afraid you will know about this. Because I know if you can make Ying Kong Shi and Li Luo to come back to life, you will give up the whole world. This is why I told granny not to tell you this secret. But in the end I still saw you at the mountain, I was very upset and I seemed to see the end of your life filled with while falling snow.”
“Ka Suo, I know I cannot stop you from entering the mountain, but you must understand, the people here possessed superior spiritual power. Especially Lian Ji, I can’t stand 30 moves from her.”
“Ka Suo, my child. Please continue to live happily, you are the only one that I care the most in this world…”
—
I still decided to go to Huan Xue Magic Mountain, just like what granny had foreseen. She told me the moment I got to know the truth; she knew she couldn’t stop me.
I announced my decision to the officials of the city and no one spoke at the grand hall of the city, silent like at a grave. Although they were surprised by my decision, no one was against me; no one would object the king because of this normal trip. Xing Jiu was the only one who didn’t speak a word, he was standing down there and his eyes were filled with snow. He knew the truth behind this normal trip was something extremely dangerous.
Suddenly I remembered granny’s sad expression when I told her my decision.
I asked her. “Granny, how can I meet Yuan Ji? How do I get the hidden lotus?”
The answer to these two questions was impossible. Her voice was filled with sorrow.
I went over to hug her and told her. “Granny, I know it is a joke to fight with Yuan Ji with my spiritual power. But for the sake of Shi, Li Luo and Lan Sang, I am willing to believe that miracle still exists in this world.”
I felt sudden warmth at my neck; it was granny’s tear and they were falling drop by drop onto my phoenix robe.
When all officials dispersed, Xing Jiu was still standing there, looking at me. “Xing Jiu, tell me what you know, everything about this world.” I told him.
“The world is like a jungle, the one with the stronger power will dominate the world. Don’t think that Huan Xue Magic Mountain is very small; in fact, it is overlapped by a number of infinite worlds together, and all the worlds would operate at the same time. It’s very complicated. For example, you saw the fountain at your mother’s side; the reflection of the palace in the water is real and not just a pure reflection. For example when you don’t see a way out of the valley, but in actual fact you will see another world after the cliff that was at the end of the valley. A huge empty s.p.a.ce can also be concealed in a small cherry blossom flower and this cherry blossom will be the entrance to this world. My king, do you understand what I am saying?” Xing jiu said.
“Understand. Xing Jiu, what do I need to bring anything there?”
“My king, you don’t need anything but you need people who can go with you. It’s impossible for you to go see Yuan Ji alone. In fact with lot of people, you still have to wait for a miracle in order to see Yuan Ji.”
Xing Jiu came over and took out a roll of parchment from his robe. I spread it out and I saw his handwriting on it.
Pian Feng, Wind Tribe Spirit, specialized in wind summoning.
Yue Sheng (Lunar), Ice Tribe, abandoned white magic, specialized in black magic, a.s.sa.s.sination and attacking.
Huang Tuo, Shaman Tribe, abandoned black magic, specialized in healing, King of Witch Shaman Tribe.
Chao Ya, Music Shaman Tribe, specialized in witch music and inherited the legendary soundless zither, Ruler of Music Shaman Tribe.
Liao Jian, Ice Tribe, Swordman, specialized in attacking, son of the East guardian Liao Que.
Xing Jiu, Ice Tribe, Astrologer.
Looking at the scroll in my hand, I remained silent. I knew all these people that Xing Jiu had arranged were from everywhere of the city and they possessed extraordinary power, but at the same time Xing Jiu had also made me understand how terrifying Yuan Ji was.
“No.” I said.
“My king, these are the strongest people in the city. Although not all of them are from the Ice Tribe,I can guarantee with my head that they are absolutely loyal to you.” Xing Jiu said.
“Xing Jiu, I’m not talking about this. I mean you cannot come with me. I still need someone to stay back to rule the city even if it’s just a toy palace.”
“My king, you don’t understand, if there isn’t an astrologer with you, you guys won’t be able to find the way, and not to mention without an astrologer, you can’t even pa.s.s the North Guardian.”
“North Guardian?”
“Yes, my king. Huan Xue Magic Mountain is the same as the city; they also have their four guardians. But they are different from the four guardians of the city; the mountain has four guardians of four different forces. East Guardian is about combat, North Guardian is about astrology, South Guardian is about music and the strongest and scariest West Guardian is about a.s.sa.s.sination. No one has seen the West Guardian before, and no one knows the gender, it can be a spirit, beast, or a stone, a flower. West Guardian is the only one who has free access to Huan Xue Mountain and the city besides Yuan Ji. Before meeting the four guardians, we have to meet the grand priest, Feng Tian. Her power would not lower than any illusionist you’ve ever seen.
“No and no. Xing Jiu, you have to stay. You can pick someone from the Astrologer Tribe to go with me. You are someone whom I would feel a.s.sured in handing the empire to.”
“My king, you don’t understand, I’m already the strongest astrologer within the Astrologer Tribe, no one…”
Then I saw Xing Jiu closed his mouth, his eyes looked lost dissociate and sad. I stared at him, not saying a word. After a while, Xing Jiu turned his head around and said. “My king, I have to go back to ask my father.” And then he left the grand hall.
The moment he walked out, I used my power of invisible apparition and caught up with him then I saw Xing Jiu’s hair hanging all over his face. There were two streams of tear flowing down down his face.
