"Uncle Immortal are you crazy? You should really take care of yourself better, What are you even thinking, moving around like that"
At this moment, two figures sat on a cliff together, under the moonlit sky, one old and one young, looking down on the beautiful forest down below that stretches infinitely into the horizon.
"Heh, Kid you 'oUch' really, shouldn't underestimate me, 'oUch' even though I might 'oUch' look like this I still have the 'oUch' strength to fight an entire army," Liu Yang said with shaking legs.
Xu le Snorted.
"An Entire Army? Uncle Immortal you can't even speak straight never mind standing up right now"
Liu Yang coughed into his sleeve.
"...Kid."
"...Yes?"
"You're becoming less respectful every day."
"yesterday ...You told me honesty was a virtue."
".."
"heh...I regret teaching you that... What do you 'Ouch' know enough about me, what is a little kid like you 'oUch' thinking so hard at this point of the night anyway," Liu Yang asked curiously.
However, hearing the question, Xu le didn't answer immediately, it was silent for a moment as Xu le look at the sky intently.
The wind drifted through the trees below.
Xu Le kept staring at the moon.
"...Uncle Liu."
"Hm?"
"...Where do people go after they die?" Xu le suddenly asked with his voice fading in the wind.
It was..a very strange question, but hearing his tone, and seeing his way of addressing him change, Lui Yang knew that Xu le was completely serious.
'This question...must be related to the incident in the afternoon' Liu Yang instantly thought.
But even after guessing the reason, Liu Yang was Silent, it was not because he did not know the answer, but rather because of a pulsating pain Liu Yang felt in his chest.
This was a rather innocent question yet...it was also somewhat sad.
Every since Lui Yang had met the siblings, especially Xu le- he would brag on to say how much he admired the martial cultivators, how powerful they were, and that some could even fly in the skies above and that...they lived a very long life.
However, to the eyes and ears of someone to has seen a lot of things life had to offer...
This was not a question meant for a kid who had so much left in life, but the fact that this question came from a 12-year-old was heartbreaking.
A short moment of silence followed after which Liu Yang finally spoke.
"Kid, You're really daring, Don't you know that it's disrespectful to ask such things to someone who almost died??" he Chuckled
"But since you asked let me share with you the knowledge of the old" Liu Yang said as he smiled at Xu le.
Then he began narrating-
"Truth is, kid..." Liu Yang let out a long sigh, "...I can't really tell you much."
Xu Le stared at Liu yang.
"Uncle Liu, how could an immortal like you don't know?"
Liu Yang smiled helplessly.
"If you had asked me how to roast a wild rabbit, I'd have an answer."
"If you had asked me how to survive getting chased by a hundred lunatics, I'd probably have an answer."
"But..."
He looked up at the endless stars.
"...where people go after they die?"
He slowly shook his head.
"I don't know."
The wind gently brushed past the two of them.
Liu Yang's gaze remained fixed upon the night sky.
Back on Earth...
People had argued over that question for thousands of years.
Some believed in Heaven.
Some believed in Hell.
Some believed in reincarnation.
Others believed that death was simply... the end.
Everyone was convinced they were right.
Yet no one had ever been able to prove it.
Ironically...
After dying once himself...
Liu Yang still couldn't answer it.
Perhaps he had merely been the luckiest fool in existence.
Or perhaps...
He had simply rolled a pair of impossibly fortunate dice.
"...Maybe there's reincarnation."
"Maybe there's a paradise where everyone meets again."
"Maybe there's nothing."
He smiled faintly.
"Maybe this old man is the only idiot who died and woke up somewhere else."
Xu Le blinked.
"...What?"
"Cough."
"I said..."
"...don't think too much about it."
Xu Le frowned.
He felt as though Uncle Liu had just said something strange.
But before he could ask, Liu Yang continued.
"You know..."
"The people in this world like to call themselves immortals."
"But in my eyes..."
"They're simply people who have managed to postpone death."
He chuckled.
"Living a thousand years instead of a hundred doesn't make you all-knowing."
"It just gives you more time to make mistakes."
Xu Le quietly lowered his head.
"So..."
"...even immortals don't know?"
Liu Yang shook his head.
"If someone claims they know exactly what happens after death..."
"...they're either lying..."
"...or they've already died."
Liu Yang fell silent.
Memories he thought had long since faded quietly resurfaced.
recalling back to the time when his late wife passed away he recalled the bitter feeling and the aching pain in his chest of that time but thinking about whether or not his unfilial descendant would feel the same for him he almost puke blood.
Never mind feeling sad for him, Lui Yang would literally jump in happiness if they weren't fighting over his inheritance right now.
"...Ummm Uncle Lui" Seeing Lui Yang seem to pause for a long time Xu le called from the side.
Liu Yang smiled helplessly.
"Kid..."
"There's one thing I've learned after living for so long."
"Death doesn't care whether you're a beggar..."
"...or one of those immortals you admire so much."
"They simply live longer."
"But longer..."
"...isn't forever."
He looked toward the moon.
"That's why every day we spend alive matters."
Lui Yang said as he patted Xu le in the head.
As soon as Liu Yang finished speaking, Xu le also jolted.
Every day...
Is this why Sister smiles every morning?
Of which was also not missed by Liu Yang.
'So, it's like that, It seems Xu Yi isn't as clueless about her condition as he had thought, In fact, she might have already known of this even longer than Xu le.'
Liu Yang felt incredibly bitter at this moment.
'This world was really unfair to these kids'
"Uncle Liu, you really think that way?" Xu le asked while thinking deeply.
'Is this also how Xu Yi is feeling right now?' he thought.
"Yes, not believing me?" Lui Yang retorted.
"I believe" Xu le replied.
The two of them fell silent, both thinking about their own things.
Liu Yang looked at the boy for a long moment.
"...Kid."
"Hm?"
"...Why ask me this tonight?"
Xu Le lowered his head.
"..."
"...Because..."
"...I'm scared."
Silence.
"...Scared of what?"
Another silence.
Then...
"When I first met Little Yi..."
"I Don't remember much about those times, just that I walk anywhere the roads lead me....with no aim and no path...
...eating whatever the villagers throw out of their home, I had no purpose in living... but one day a couple came to the shed" Xu le continued as a smile formed on his face.
But Liu Yang who was listening by the side was completely stunned- 'is this really a kid? why does it feel so much like I'm talking to someone of equal age?'
"The couple wears robe similar to what cultivators often wear, except that they were completely tattered, with their flesh mingled and `robes soak in blood... they were in an even much horrible situation than when I first met you, Uncle Liu." Xu Le said as he looked at Liu Yang.
"But even in such conditions where they have nothing to happy about...when the two saw me take the small child from their arms, they smiled...they smiled as if they had owned the entire world, No, not even someone who had owned the entire world could compare to such a smile" Xu le, said as a single tears fell from his face.
"Uncle Liu, I Want to protect Xu Yi," Said Xu le as tears fell like a waterdrop.
Only now did Liu Yang understand what Xu Le had truly been asking all along.-'So they weren't biological siblings after all'
But this wasn't the time to think about it.
Looking at Xu le who was trying much to hide it, but still failed Liu Yang smiled, he was still a child after all.
And no child should bear such heavy pressure, no matter how strong they were on the inside, and Looking at Xu Le desperately trying to hide his tears, Liu Yang smiled softly.
Good.
He's still willing to cry.
As long as he can still cry...
...he isn't completely unsalvagable
He thought as he extend his arms toward Xu le and patted his head.
"There, There kid, Immortal Uncle Liu no, your teacher, Xu le and Xu Yi's teacher is here,
"From today onward..."
"...you won't have to face this world alone."
As Liu Yang said this, the tears that secretly fell like a water drop came pouring out like rain.
And in the depths of the night, the happy and incomprehensible and yet comprehensible cry of a child was heard.
"Disciple Xu le greets master."