Red Snow

Chapter 23

Ye Hua woke up groaning from the pain. It had been thousands of years, he thought he should have to get used to her attacks by now. Or her manipulations.

"What happened?" Su Jin groaned beside him, "All I remembered was watching the performance. Why did I fall asleep?" 

Others had similar questions too. Ye Hua was the only one who broke through the enhancement. However, he didn't know how to explain it to everyone.

"I hadn't felt magic this powerful since…" The Prince Consort murmured, and then she touched the base of her neck, "My necklace, it's gone!" 

A necklace? What's so unique about a single piece of jewellery that Bai Qian had to risk herself stealing?

Her husband panicked beside her, "The Soul Jade? It's gone?" 

"That is the Ghost Realm's most priceless artefact, " the Ghost Lord declared, "Whoever did this must pay! "

"It was fox magic, " Xuan Nu said, "Only a nine-tailed fox can conjure magic this powerful, " 

Qing Chang pondered this and looked at Ye Hua, "Da Ji is sealed, " 

There's no point hiding it, Ye Hua spoke up, "It was Bai Qian, your Majesty, " 

"Her lackey?" The Ghost Lord asked.

"Niece, " Ye Hua corrected, "Bai Zhi's daughter, " 

He waved his hand, "Whoever she is, she needs to be apprehended. I can't risk the Soul Jade in an outsider's hands, " 

Ye Hua couldn't risk it either, he stepped out, "Let me find her, Your Majesty. I showed her mercy centuries ago. Her actions today are my responsibility, " 

Qing Chang raised his eyebrows, "A celestial owning up to his mistake? Very well, find that vixen. You may do whatever you please with her, but the Soul Jade must be returned to me, " 

Ye Hua nodded. He was used to cleaning up Bai Qian's messes anyway. This was no different. 

Su Jin looked like she wanted to protest, but one glare from Ye Hua had her shut up.

The third Princess, Yan Zhi, stood up, "Let me help you. She is my responsibility too, " 

"Thank you for volunteering, " Yan Zhi told Ye Hua as they scanned the area around the palace, "It must be hard for you to see her again after what she did to your brother, " 

Ye Hua took a deep breath, "Mo Yuan made his choice, and I made my peace with it. I'm doing this out of obligation, " 

Yan Zhi nodded, "I understand. What I don't understand is why is she here?"

Ye Zhi jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. Behind him, Su Jin bumped into Ye Hua, nearly knocking him over. He brushed the dirt off his robe, "She always does what she wants. I don't control her, " 

Su Jin gave him a sheepish smile. 

"You don't have to do this, you know," Ye Hua dismissed her, "You can return to the nine heavens. " 

"Home," Su Jin mumbled, "Nine heavens. Yes, I would like to go there, " 

Ye Hua motioned her to leave, but Su Jin still stubbornly stood there. 

"Well?" Ye Hua said, "It's not like you don't know the way, " 

Su Jin blinked cluelessly, "Which way was this again?" 

Ye Hua couldn't blame her. The forest of the ghost realm was dense, one could get lost easily without a guide. 

"Head west, " Ye Hua said, "And then fly up, "