The Ghost Of You

Chapter 14

It had taken no more than two sichen for Mu Qing to come to the conclusion that he despised almost every single part of traveling through the mountain. With his spiritual power capped, and one yet unhealed injury on his shoulder, he was nothing more than a man, and the mountain was not a place where any man should step foot.

At his insistence, they had come to rest on a small, rocky outcrop, maybe halfway up the first mountain, if they had any luck at all. Mu Qing perched atop it, like a red bird against the snow. He rustled through his pockets, retrieving a bit of dried meat from a small pouch, and tore into it. Mentally, he cursed the Emperor for forcing him into a state that required such mortal activities.

The only halfway tolerable part of the journey busied himself with the snow. Mu Qing watched Feng Xin work from his spot high above, with great interest.

He was kneeling on the ground, guiding snow away from the rock. Mu Qing cared very little about the task itself. His focus lingered on Feng Xin who, in turn, was too focused on his work to notice Mu Qing watching him. There was a grace to his movement, a clear familiarity with his task, as he drew the ice apart. It was slower, almost meditative, than if he'd had the full extent of his power to work with. An impressive feat, for someone who had never cultivated a day in his life.

There was another reason Mu Qing watched him. Feng Xin could deny it all he liked, it would not stop him from worrying that he might over exert himself. Righteous concern for his traveling companion kept him from focusing on the black spots that had formed at the edges of his own vision, and refused to leave.

He watched Feng Xin slowly rise to his feet. Anticipation burned in his chest, as he saw him change form, and throw his arms out. A large crack ricocheted through the ice sheet. When the dust and snow settled, it left the mouth of a tunnel in its wake.

Feng Xin turned to him, grinning like an idiot, cold sweat beading his forehead.

"Half the mountain is covered in ice! We can use the tunnels to find a way inside!" He seemed very proud of himself.

Mu Qing rose. Sudden movement made his vision whiten, almost completely. He forced a deep breath, and pushed through it, almost tumbling down the rock face in the process. Barely escaping with his pride intact, he stalked over to Feng Xin.

"If this collapses, I really will—"

"It won't! And even if it does, you can't die, so what's there to complain about?"

"What a compelling argument. I would rather die immediately than be trapped under a glacier for one thousand years, just because some idiot thought it would be a good idea to try to walk through it," said Mu Qing who, if pressed, would've picked the glacier over death.

"Fine! Go take the long way then, if you're going to be so fucking stubborn!"

Mu Qing rolled his eyes, and brushed past Feng Xin. "Don't think you can get rid of me that easily."

He took a tentative step into the tunnel, deciding it was only fit for him to lead the way. It was smoother than he had expected, slick ice all the way through.

He looked over his shoulder, and called out: "Besides! I'm not cruel enough to abandon you all alone, when you're clearly so weak—"

Another step, and his legs slipped out from underneath him, sending him careening backwards into the ground. When he opened his eyes again, small specks of light flitted across his vision. His head spun. His weakened pride shattered into several thousand pieces.

Feng Xin leaned over him, face twisted into a strange expression. It took a few seconds for his frazzled mind to recognize it.

"Don't you dare!" He snapped, and it was already much too late. Feng Xin could not stop himself from laughing.