1 Chapter 1: Another Village man found dead.

Xialin is a charming, bubbly village girl at her eighteenth. She has two brothers Xulan and Xukai who loves and adores her so much. Their parents Mr and Mrs Lin are well-liked by the people of the village, they lived a simple life doing everyday chores like arable farming, poultry farming and pastoral farming. Their family shares everything they had and enjoy every little thing together.

One day while all the family of five were enjoying dinner they hear a faint noise of people mumbling and making noises. It seems like a huge mob has gathered up outside.

Anxious by it Mr Lin blurted out, "What in the world had happened?"

Mrs Lin replied bothered, "Quick! Let's go and see!"

Mr and Mrs Lin anxiously went out to catch a glimpse of what had caused all those commotions. Xialin's brothers tagged along with them. While all the four of them had gone out, Xialin remained unaccompanied in the house. She anxiously waits for their return but none of them had return back. It was quite a while since they had gone and still, they didn't return. Xialin unable to wait anymore instantly stood up and went out to see.

From afar she saw a huge crowd gathering up in a circle and people were murmuring and gossiping. From there, Xialin was able to see her families in between those crowds, therefore, she ran hastily towards them.

Just as she reached there she asked her brother in curiosity, "Brother what's the matter? What's going on?"

As Xialin gazed through the crowd she saw a frozen, pale, lifeless body lying on the ground. She was left terrified by it!

Upon seeing her reaction Xialin's elder brother Xulan spoke up concerned, "Xialin why are you here?! Nothing good is going on. Be good. Go home''

Xialin was the curious type, therefore, she didn't even heed to her brother's words instead she insisted on, "Brother, it's okay... I too want to see... between what happens?''.

Xulan was left speechless at his meimei's curiousness he sighed at it and lifted his face. He then explained gloomily, "Seems like Mr Fu went to the Cold palace''.

Alarmed by it, Xialin inquired in disbelief, "What...?! Again..?! Why do these people always go there? Is anything special there? They always end up going even after knowing they would die!".

Before Xulan could speak up Xialin's Mother interrupted in hostility, "Xialin, go home with your brothers!".

Xialin wanting to stay there with her brothers speaks out stubbornly, "Mom, I wanna stay here! I am not going anywhere".

Xialin's mom urged her to go back home no matter how hard Xialin resist to hang out there.

Atlas unable to win over her mom anymore she finally went back home with her two brothers.

On their way back home Xialin inquired her brother Xulan, "Brother, why did everyone who went to the Cold Palace end up dying? What happens to them? What's in there?"

Xulan trying his best to reduce the curiosity of his meimei spoke up calmly, "Meimei, Nothing good is there at the Cold Palace! Don't mull over it, besides, that mom doesn't want to let you know the story of the Cold Palace as it is the place which always brings misfortune to the people of Shanjin!".

Learning Xulan's words, Xialin got even more interested by it, therefore, she tried her best to get Xulan to speak out that she nags, "Brother am I even your sister?! Why do you guys always leave me out?!"

Upon seeing Xialin's behaviour Xukai attempted to convince his little sister, "Meimei, it's not that we don't want to tell you it's just that Mom forbid us to tell you!"

'Wait....! What...? Did Xukai just tells meimei that Mom forbids us to tell her the story of Cold Palace??', Xulan got lost musing in his thoughts.

Upon hearing Xukai words, Xialin curiosity spikes up to its peak that she speaks up in guile, "Gege, It's okay tell me the story. I won't tell mom about it I promise!"

Xulan glared at Xukai and warned him in a serious tone, "No! Xukai don't tell!"

Xukai carefreely ignored him, "It's okay brother Xialin promised she won't tell anyone about it"

Unbothered Xukai then continued, "Okay....listen Cold palace is a palace lying in the Country's side of our village. It is said that this palace lies in the middle of the Fog forest. Legend has it that the Cold palace received snowfall throughout the year and the palace itself is very cold. The whole of the Cold palace is made up of thick layers of ice furthermore only the Cold Palace received snowfall throughout the year and when you step outside from the Cold palace, the atmosphere of the surrounding area came back to normal just like that of Shanjin!"

Enthralled by it, Xialin intruded on her brother story, "But... brother why is that? Why only Cold Palace receives snowfall?"

Xukai nodded his head and goes on, "It has a story behind it. Cold Palace is not what it used to be like before it is said that the Cold Palace was normal like any other palace, it was not that cold before! There wasn't even any snowfall or ice, to begin with".

Xulan got shocked when he heard that Cold Palace wasn't cold before and even worst it didn't even receive any snowfall before.

Amused by it, he asked, "How come? Don't make up any stories Xukai!"

Xukai insisted on, "Gege.. am not making up any story it's true, I heard it from the Temple Master".

Stunned by the name 'Temple Master', Xulan inquired curiously, "Temple Master!? That divine master!? What did he say??"

Xukai shooked his head and replied, "Yep that Master! He said ...The Cold palace has a supernatural element in it. When you step inside the Cold Palace you'll sense a sudden loss of energy and you'll feel a sudden chill in your bones. Your limbs will feel numb. It is said that no one who went inside the Cold palace survives. Their body can't sustain the coldness of the Cold Palace. Many people do not return home after going to the Cold Palace. They died there and their bodies remain".

Intrigued by it Xialin questioned, "Then why do all these people even go there? They already knew they would die"

Xukai replied with a rather serious look on his face, "Don't underestimate The Cold Palace. People went there to obtain the immortality treasure!".

Enticed by it, Xialin exclaimed, "The immortality treasure!?! So, it exists for real! No one has obtained it yet?"

Xulan replied guessingly, "Since people who went inside the Cold Palace end up dying, the treasure must still be there".

  "So no one can make it to the Cold Palace?", Xialin asked.

While Xulan was about to answer Xialin's question, Xukai interrupted, "Aish you too, enough with The Cold Palace thing you guys are so into it that you forgot we reached home".

Xulan looked up at the Bamboo gate and proclaimed, "ahh....we have reached home"

The three of them went inside their home.

Xulan then turned to Xialin and spoke to her caringly, "Okay dear meimei, enough with stories of Cold Palace let's continue tomorrow. Be good. Go to sleep".

Xialin reacted to it cutely, "Brother....don't force me you know I love stories like this".

Xukai upon seeing the conduct of his little sister he smiled and spoke assertedly, "Okay....okay...dear meimei let's go to the temple tomorrow and asked our Divine Master more about the stories of Cold palace. How about that?!"

After hearing Xukai's pleasing words Xialin felt a bit relieved that she reacted merrily, "Okay brother"

She then went back to her room to sleep.

Xialin gets inside her warm cosy bed and sleeps happily imagining all the possible scenarios of the Cold Palace. What could be there in the Cold Palace? The immortality treasure does it exists for real?!

avataravatar
Next chapter