Red Snow

Chapter 17

The amount of courage Ye Hua gathered to step foot on Kunlun Mountain again was enough to fill the ocean. Although he hesitated, Ye Hua had to do it.

Ye Hua had been there once before the funeral. He locked away the Eastern Emperor Bell in the deep chambers of the mountain. After that, he washed Mo Yuan's body with the water of the lotus fountain and put on his best clothes.

His brother, the reason for Ye Hua's existence, is gone now. Mo Yuan, who raised him and trained him to be the man he was, had passed on.

The mortals had a belief of an afterlife, an existence after death, an underworld managed by the ruler Yan Luo Wang 閻羅王, and the concept of reincarnation. Anyone who tried hard enough could see their loved ones again.

For immortals, there's nothing, but the void waiting for them. Gods could be destroyed, killed or faded once nobody remembers them. But they could never come back. Ye Hua had nothing to hold on to except memories.

"Shi Shu (Teacher's younger brother) 师叔, " one of Mo Yuan's disciple greeted Ye Hua when he entered by the entrance.

"Die Feng, " Ye Hua greeted back, "You're still here..."

"The other disciples and I are still grieving Shifu's death," Die Feng said, "We will not leave without your permission."

Mo Yuan had fifteen disciples under his tutelage, with Die Feng being the first. He could have gotten more, but he stopped when Ye Hua was born.

Ye Hua was raised between the Nine Heavens and Kunlun Mountain. He jumped between his training with his brother and his courtly matters in the palace. It was gruelling and exhausting, and now Ye Hua didn't know what to do with himself.

"You don't need my permission," Ye Hua said, "You can leave if you like,"

"That's unprecedented. Since you are our Shifu's brother, that makes you the next Master of Kunlun," Die Feng explained.

Ye Hua waved that statement away, "I'm not the master of Kunlun. That's Mo Yuan's job. It would be wrong if I took it,"

"Besides," Ye Hua added, "I don't have enough experience to lead and train you all. I doubt you'll listen to a man half your age, "

Die Feng bit his lips, "If you won't lead us, who will?"

Ye Hua honestly didn't know. Mo Yuan had left big shoes to fill in his place. Ye Hua had his own responsibility in the Nine Heavens. Despite everything, they had not prepared for it. He had always viewed his brother as an unstoppable force, he seemed so permanent. Who knew he would be the first to go?

"We will figure things out as we go along," Ye Hua said.

When Ye Hua stepped into the courtyard, there were happy greetings all around.

"Shi Shu!"

"Shi Shu has come back! "

There were a lot of hugs and friendly bumps on the shoulders.

"How was your trip to the mortal realm?"

"Tell us everything! "

Ye Hua was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of warmth. He had been here since he was a toddler. The disciples of Kunlun Mountain had always treated Ye Hua like their very own little brother. He trained alongside them and learned from them. They were the closest thing Ye Hua had as a large family.

"Maybe later," Ye Hua said, "I'm here to run some errands, "

The disciples looked at each other, they could already tell what Ye Hua's plans were.