Chapter 231-240
Ch.231: Adroit Dice; Snake Eyes Rolled Alarming the Heart 3
Within the darkness, that figure took a step forward, and was finally revealed under the firelight.
Mu Qing’s face was dark but he didn’t speak, and Feng Xin grabbed onto Xie Lian and added,
“Before at the Heavenly Capital, I was searching for people just fine when someone suddenly
struck me from behind, otherwise why would I have fallen?”
Xie Lian’s mind spun rapidly and blinked, “He was the one who struck you?”
Feng Xin said with absolute certainty, “Without a doubt, it was him!”
“And after he hit you, you were immediately knocked out?” Xie Lian asked.
“Pretty much!” Feng Xin said, “Either way, Your Highness watch out for him, don’t get so close,
or just seize him!”
Mu Qing swore in spite of himself, “Bullsh...”
Xie Lian quickly cut in, “Wait! Feng Xin, there’s a problem here. If he ambushed you from behind
and you were knocked out immediately afterwards – how did you know that the one who struck
you from behind was Mu Qing?”
Feng Xin hadn’t expected that he’d ask this question and was taken a back. Mu Qing instantly
seized that moment and humphed, “At the time, the Heavenly Capital was ablaze in chaos, it
wouldn’t be strange for anyone to have knocked you out, but you just had to throw this mess on
me, can’t you just admit you saw wrong?”
However, Feng Xin held onto Xie Lian and stood up, his tone dark, “No, it was definitely you!”
“On what basis do you make your accusation?” Mu Qing demanded.
Feng Xin enunciated, “It was precisely because the Heavenly Capital was ablaze and there was
firelight all over that the ground reflected the shadow of that person behind me. Even though I
didn’t get the chance to look back, but when I fell, I saw the shape of that shadow and the attack
move. It was your shadow!”
Xie Lian watched intently as the two exchanged verbal blows. Mu Qing still wouldn’t back down,
“All this talk but you still didn’t see anything with your own eyes, and it’s normal for shadows to
blur reality, so how can you determine it was me by just a shadow? What can you see when you
were practically fainting?”
“You know very well whether if I can tell the distinction. His Highness too.” Feng Xin said.
Xie Lian indeed knew. No matter what, the three of them grew up together, cultivated together,
and couldn’t be more than familiar with each other’s forms and moves, so even if they didn’t see
faces, they could still be over eighty percent certain!
“Your Highness, you both came here together?” Feng Xin questioned, “Has he done anything
suspicious en route?”
“Well...” Xie Lian said.
To be honest, Mu Qing had been too suspicious the entire way, nervous and unsteady. But in
their current situation, it wasn’t easy for Xie Lian to say so in front of Mu Qing’s face. Feng Xin
continued, “No! Think closely, the fact that he even came is suspicious. By his personality, why
would he go through the danger to come rescue people? Is that even Mu Qing?”
Mu Qing’s face grew darker, “Don’t say things like they’re absolute. Having a son isn’t
something you’d do, yet here we are?”
“...”
Xie Lian could sense the direction of this conversation was going off and quickly said, “Alright,
don’t argue. If you continue to argue then we’ll have to train idioms to calm down!”
Mu Qing added, “Besides, if it was me who knocked you out, why would I go through all this
effort to lure them over here to find you?”
Feng Xin responded, “Because you didn’t think that after you struck me from behind that I can
still point you out! And who knows what hellish place this is, you luring His Highness and the
others here might not be to find me. Didn’t Crimson Rain Sought Flower separate from you
halfway?”
“Are you trying to call me a fake in order to lure His Highness and the others into a perilous
trap? Well sorry, His Highness and Crimson Rain Sought Flower had been with me the entire
way, there was no way they wouldn’t have noticed anything.”
“That’s true, yes....” Xie Lian said.
But that was only true for the Mu Qing en route. After they had entered the underground
WuYong palace, who’s to say he wasn’t switched? Nothing could be sure.
Mu Qing looked over Feng Xin and added, “Your Highness, I think you best stay away from him.
After all, he’s been lying there since we came, Crimson Rain Sought Flower also vanished, and
now he’s trying to tear us apart, don’t you think he’s the one more like an imposter?”
White No-Face had disguised himself in the appearance of those two before, so to do so again
wouldn’t be surprising. Xie Lian rubbed his forehead, “How about this, why don’t you two say
something that only the three of us know, so we can verify identities?”
“Like what?” Mu Qing asked.
Xie Lian gave it a thought and said casually, “On top of the snowy mountain, what did you two
scream at each other?”
After he gave the suggestion, the face of the other two froze. Xie Lian tucked his hands in his
sleeves, “If your words don’t match each other’s then that means someone among you two
aren’t the real thing. Let’s verify identities before anything else.”
However, those two only looked at each other, neither speaking a word. Xie Lian wasn’t really
that curious at first, but now he couldn’t help but be curious. A moment later, Feng Xin dodge
the question, “You’re both missing the point. I wasn’t suspicious that he isn’t the real thing.”
Mu Qing narrowed his eyes, “So what are you trying to say?”
Feng Xin said straightforwardly, “I’ve thought he’s the real Mu Qing from the beginning. He
couldn’t stand the both of us, so it wouldn’t be strange for him to do anything.”
Mu Qing’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles cracking, and he flicked his hand, sending a
blow right out!
Feng Xin was wounded and barely just dodged the blow. And thus the two started brawling.
Although Xie Lian had expected it, but he still couldn’t help but feel his head throb, “Calm
down... why don’t we train some idioms, hm?”
With their blows, Xie Lian could sense that the murderous aura all around was growing heavier.
A few balls of firelight flew around haphazardly, brightening the entire chamber, and only then
did Xie Lian see, that all around on the walls and shelves were stacked full of various sabres,
spears, swords, and other such weapons, exceedingly chilling.
So it turns out, this here was an armoury. No wonder the air was filled with cold, murderous aura
all around!
Xie Lian himself used to own such an armoury, very dear to his heart, and he’d often lose sense
of time while spending time in it, but this armoury made him feel extremely uncomfortable, and
he didn’t want to stay here for another minute. But immediately, he didn’t know whose words to
trust, so he didn’t know which side to help – truth to be told, they’re both very suspicious!
In the end, Xie Lian could only call out, “RuoYe!”
Bind both of them first and talk later!
RuoYe who had been waiting finally got a chance to show off, and it flew out. Yet unexpectedly,
before the white silk band even came out Xie Lian suddenly sensed another chill permeating
from behind him.
The direction of his attack instantly changed. He caught onto RuoYe and swung it behind. The
moment he felt the white silk band catching onto something, Xie Lian seized RuoYe and yanked
forcefully, but whatever it was didn’t move.
Xie Lian felt dread, and the next moment, he was yanked by the other end of RuoYe, and his
back solidly crashed into an embrace, and there was even something cold and hard that jabbed
into his waist. Xie Lian, “???”
While his body didn’t look that solid, his physical strength was quite formidable. Unless the other
party was some gigantic creature, otherwise how can he be so easily yanked over?
Xie Lian was just about to fight back when he felt a hand circle around his waist, a voice coming
from above, “Gege, it’s me.”
“San Lang?” Xie Lian asked.
Sure enough, when he looked down, the hand that circled him was wearing a silver vambrace
carved with maple leaves, butterflies, and beasts; when he whipped his head around, the one
who caught him was a tall and slender red-clad man, calm and collected, a silver scimitar
hanging on his waist. The thing that jabbed his waist earlier was most likely this scimitar’s hilt.
Hua Cheng!
Xie Lian instantly understood. Turns out, just now it was RuoYe who purposely dragged him to
Hua Cheng’s side, so he was fighting one against two, so of course he was yanked over so
easily!
He steadied himself, and speechlessly picked up RuoYe, muttering at it, “You little traitor...”
RuoYe was wisely playing dead, laying unmoving. Xie Lian didn’t want to say anymore at it
either and threw it aside, “San Lang, what happened just now? Weren’t you following behind
me? Where’s master?”
“This place is very weird.” Hua Cheng said, “Halfway through, the road back was all sealed. We
bumped into something a little difficult, so taking care of it took some time.”
Even Hua Cheng said it was a little difficult, so it seemed it really was something difficult. Xie
Lian felt faintly worried, “Are you alright?”
“Of course.” Hua Cheng said, “But Guoshi’s whereabouts is now unknown, so we may have to
keep going deeper. By the way, what are those two fighting about? So noisy.”
“Oh. Them...” Xie Lian looked over.
On the side, Feng Xin and Mu Qing also finally noticed things on this end, and Mu Qing
immediately shouted, “Hey! Watch out, you! Don’t go near people who just pop out of nowhere
so easily!”
Those two temporarily called a truce and Feng Xin also said, “Your Highness, don’t just glomp
him the moment you see him!”
Xie Lian immediately explained himself, “WHAT! What do you mean by that! I wasn’t the one
who tackled over, it’s RuoYe’s fault...” He trailed off as he suddenly realized why they were so
nervous.
Since both Feng Xin and Mu Qing were suspicious of being imposters, then... wouldn’t Hua
Cheng be no different?
Was the one standing before him the real “Hua Cheng”?
Hua Cheng cocked an eyebrow, “So now you’re all doubting whether if I’m the real thing, are
you?”
Xie Lian had one hand support his elbow while the other hand supported his cheek as he
started to observe him carefully.
Hua Cheng noticed his gaze and moved his eyes over to stare back at him.
“...” Xie Lian couldn’t keep observing anymore with that stare, and after a moment of
contemplation, he came to his conclusion and turned to the other two, “I think this one is real.”
Mu Qing was exasperated, “What you ‘think’ might not be right. Don’t forget where we are. This
is White No-Face’s old lair, anything is possible. Figure out a way yourself to test it.”
Hua Cheng on the other hand, chuckled, “Well, that’s easy. Gege, come over here, I’ll tell you of
a good way that can help you judge immediately.”
Xie Lian thus listened to him and went over, requesting for his guidance guiltily, “What good
way?”
“Can you please not do everything he tells you to do? He’s the one who’s suspicious right now,
do you understand?”
Hua Cheng said, “Recite to me the first half of my communication array verbal password, and I’ll
tell you the second half. You’ll know whether if I’m the real thing then.”
“...”
The two whispered in each other’s ears for a bit, then Xie Lian turned around, lightly clearing his
throat, speaking to the other two, “Well... this one’s the real one.”
Feng Xin finally didn’t look to be as tense anymore, but Mu Qing was doubtful, “Are you sure?
Don’t just look at his face and suddenly lose all your marbles.”
“I already said this one is the real one for sure, why do you both have to say it like I’m some...”
Xie Lian griped.
“Alright, that’s solved and over.” Hua Cheng said, “Back on topic – gege, just why were those
two fighting?”
Xie Lian thus gave a brief account, using his hand to support his forehead, “And that’s about it...
To be honest, I really don’t know who’s more suspicious.”
However, Hua Cheng replied, “Do you even have to ask? Of course he’s the most suspicious
one.”
The direction he was gesturing was at Mu Qing.
Mu Qing was vexed, “If you’re going to accuse me for nothing, at least have a reason? Don’t
throw everything onto me whenever something happens.”
“Fine.” Hua Cheng said, “ Then let me ask you a question – what’s that on your wrist?”
Hearing this, Mu Qing’s face immediately changed colours.
He staggered back a few steps, but Feng Xin was fast, and instantly seized him, “On your
wrist?”
There was a cursed shackle on his wrist!
Mu Qing pushed off Feng Xin’s hand, veins popping on his forehead, and he glared at him in
fury, When Xie Lian saw the thing, he dropped his arms and said dumbfoundedly, “Mu Qing,
your hand?”
Mu Qing was unspeaking, his face dark. Hua Cheng spoke up, “I suggest you respond honestly
to the following questions: Why did Jun Wu summon you to the Great Martial Hall? What did he
say to you? Why did you receive a better treatment than the other heavenly officials, and could
return without harm? Why are you behaving so abnormally, volunteering to come rescue people
despite all the dangers here at Mont TongLu? What’s with the thing on your hand? Why did you
lure us here?”
Seeing the situation go downhill, Mu Qing backed a step away and instantly said, “Wait! Don’t
attack first! Let me explain myself.”
Hua Cheng gave an open gesture, “Please. Go on.”
Feng Xin said, “Tell me first, were you the one who struck me?”
After a pause, Mu Qing finally said through gritted teeth, “...Technically it was me. But it’s not
what you’re all thinking!”
Feng Xin was angered, but Xie Lian said, “Let him continue.”
———-
Ch.232: Adroit Dice; Snake Eyes Rolled Alarming the Heart 4
Mu Qing inhaled deeply and admitted, “...That’s right, I was the one who hurt Feng Xin.”
Feng Xin was outraged, “I just knew it was definitely you!”
Mu Qing turned to Xie Lian, “But that was because the Heavenly Capital was done for! At the
time, all the heavenly officials were trying to find ways to escape, but he still stayed there
refusing to leave, and he wouldn’t listen when called either. If he continued to remain he
would’ve been burnt to death by the flames of karma sooner or later, which was why I planned
on knocking him out before tossing him to you!”
“But, you didn’t hand him to me. Feng Xin went missing and ended up here instead.” Xie Lian
said.
“Because a little accident happened on the way.” Mu Qing said.
“What accident?”
“That fetus spirit.” Mu Qing said, “It suddenly ambushed me from behind, biting me not letting
go, refusing to let me take him. I hadn’t had the chance to pull him up before the Heavenly
Capital started reshaping, so...”
So, Feng Xin was somehow moved here along with the piece of land beneath him.
If that was the truth, then it meant Mu Qing had the intention to do a good deed, but accidentally
made things worse and screwed Feng Xin over. A very awkward situation.
Xie Lian said, “Why didn’t you say so sooner earlier...” Feng Xin was also dubious, “Are you
sure you didn’t plan on letting me burn to death at the Heavenly Capital? To just knock me out
and leave me there?”
Mu Qing’s face stiffened and turned to Xie Lian, “The fetus spirit was crouching on his chest the
entire time, and later that female ghost Jian Lan came too, so I figured she would wake or move
Feng Xin instead of watching him get burnt.”
Xie Lian thus understood too. Mu Qing had come out to rescue him out of guilt, after all, he was
the one who knocked Feng Xin out. Out of a sense of responsibility, naturally he had to put in
some effort. No wonder he was so nervous and on edge the entire way, he was probably scared
wondering whether if Feng Xin might have died...
Yet, this set of excuses was hard to believe. Feng Xin pulled at his hair madly, “WHAT A MESS
YOU’VE MADE OF THINGS! DON’T YOU KNOW I WAS LOOKING FOR THEM? IF YOU
DIDN’T KNOCK ME OUT MAYBE I WOULD’VE FOUND THEM!”
Mu Qing said calmly, “That fetus spirit is White No-Face’s subordinate, White No-Face wouldn’t
do anything malicious to them. And they didn’t want to go with you, so you staying behind is just
a waste of time. You can call for them for a thousand times and it’d be pointless, so why not
leave the Heavenly Capital to save your life first then find opportunities later to look for them?
Why must you force something like recognizing sons during such a dire situation? I only made
the best possible decision for all parties at that moment.”
Feng Xin wasn’t as calm as he was, “Best possible decision my ass! You can only say that
because it’s not your family! Wait, so what you mean to say is, you were trying to save me, and
make me leave?”
However, Hua Cheng cut in, “That’s enough rubbish, just answer my question: what did Jun Wu
say to you?”
Mu Qing shut up and was somewhat hesitant.
Hua Cheng stared at him, “Are you currently under his command?”
Mu Qing instantly replied, “Nothing of the sort!”
“Then please explain this cursed shackle.” Hua Cheng said.
Mu Qing had been arguing for so long, his mouth dry, and a moment later, he said with a hoarse
voice, “I already said... you guys might not believe me.”
“Earlier when we asked you, you denied everything to death, and only now do you admit it, so of
course it’s going to be hard to believe you.” Feng Xin said.
Mu Qing was slightly indignant, “Why didn’t I admit to it? If I told you earlier what had happened,
you would definitely not have believed me anyway! With this attitude, who’d admit to anything?
The moment I admit to anything I wouldn’t be able to explain myself at all, so I might as well not
have admitted to anything!” Besides, obviously having nothing happen to Feng Xin was
fortunate, but the whole incident was rather embarrassing, and by his personality, not wanting to
admit to it was also normal.
Xie Lian had been listening to him patiently the whole time, and said, “Just let him finish.”
Mu Qing glanced at Xie Lian, and it took a moment before he said staggeringly with difficulty,
“This is... Because, he wanted me to, do detrimental things to His Highness, I, refused, so...”
At this point, even he himself felt uncomfortable and couldn’t continue any longer. Hua Cheng
continued for him, “So, in a fit of anger, he put a cursed shackle on you?”
Mu Qing didn’t speak.
“Nothing else?” Feng Xin demanded.
There was nothing particularly notable on Hua Cheng’s expression, “From the bottom of your
heart, do you believe the words you just said?”
“...”
It was as if Mu Qing suffered a great humiliation and he said coldly, “Believe if you will. There’s a
misunderstanding in me knocking Feng Xin out, but I’m not under anyone’s command.”
Feng Xin responded, “Mu Qing... you best just tell the truth.”
When Mu Qing saw his expression his knuckles cracked, “What I said was the truth! What did
you want to hear? That I surrendered to Jun Wu and am out to hurt you all? Is that the person I
am in your minds? Your Highness??”
He gazed to Xie Lian, his eyes emotional. Xie Lian stared at him for a long time, pensive the
whole time, but just as he was about to speak. Hua Cheng crossed his arms and shielded in
front him, meeting Mu Qing’s eyes, speaking quietly, “There’s no need to look at His Highness
like this. After all, you’ve got a track record.”
“I didn’t ask you!” Mu Qing countered, “What track record?”
Hua Cheng smiled, “What track record? How did cultivation go for you after stealing a piece of
auspicious land from His Highness’ hands?”
His smile was laced with chilling air, and his tone was even nastier. Mu Qing was taken aback,
his face paling, and he involuntarily staggered back a few steps, “YOU!...”
Mu Qing himself knew that that incident with fighting Xie Lian over auspicious land wasn’t the
ethical thing to do, thus, he was the most fearful of people bringing it out in the open to point
their fingers at it. While Hua Cheng’s tone was light, his tone was forceful and vicious.
Mu Qing was surprised, but Xie Lian was too. What he was surprised about was, how did Hua
Cheng know about this incident?
Neither Xie Lian nor Feng Xin were the gossipy type, and never enjoyed debating right or
wrongs behind people’s back or spreading anything. While at the time, Mu Qing’s departure was
a huge shock to them, but they never said anything or complained to anyone over it. As for the
fight over that piece of auspicious land, afterwards Xie Lian never mentioned it again, and had
never spoken of it to anyone either. He was sure Feng Xin was the same.
Those thirty some heavenly officials naturally wouldn’t have voluntarily told anyone they stole
another’s spiritual land for cultivation, so they would’ve either kept everything a complete secret
or twisted the truth. Thus, afterwards, Xie Lian had never heard talk of that incident again.
So if that was the case, then how had Hua Cheng learned of it?
Even if he had planted many spies in the Heavenly Court, that affair really was much too long
ago, it’s been some eight hundred years, and most of those involved never said a single word,
so was it really possible for Hua Cheng to have dug out this aged mess?
Mu Qing questioned, “And how did you know about it? Who told you?” He looked at Feng Xin,
then looked at Xie Lian, and in the end the one he peered at was still Xie Lian. Hua Cheng
jeered, “There’s no need to look at His Highness, His Highness never tells me these things. This
was something you both yelled about at the top of the snowy mountain, did you forget?”
Mu Qing’s face was turning paler. Xie Lian’s confusion was somewhat lessened, and he couldn’t
help but sweat drop.
When Feng Xin and Mu Qing started going at each other’s throats, they’d often revive old
quarrels like mad, and crazily pull rugs from each other’s feet, so they would’ve definitely
bundled aged old messes like dynamite and hurled them at each other. No wonder Hua Cheng
was that angry at the time. But, Xie Lian still vaguely felt there was something deeper than that.
Since, Xie Lian remembered another thing – the Red Clad Ghost and the Burning of the Civil
and Martial Temples. Hua Cheng became famous overnight, after the one battle where he
defeated thirty-three heavenly officials, and one blazing fire scorched all the temples and
shrines they had in the mortal realm.
Xie Lian had long forgotten how many heavenly officials there were who fought him over the
auspicious land, and even their titles, faces, and the words they said were lost to him. He only
vaguely recall there were maybe thirty of them.
Then, what was the count exactly?
Could it be the thirty some heavenly officials of back then?
If it was, then, didn’t this mean Hua Cheng had long since known about the incident?
It was a moment before Mu Qing gritted out, “That time is that time, this time is this time! In any
case, I had never thought of...”
They were just arguing when suddenly, one of Xie Lian’s legs kicked out, and he shouted,
“WATCH OUT!”
Mu Qing wasn’t expecting this at all and was instantly kicked down. Whoosh, whoosh, and two
sharp, chilling air brushed over him, nailing onto the wall. Mu Qing leapt to his feet, and dusted
off the footprint on his chest, “ARE YOU DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?? ATTACKING FIRST?”
Xie Lian replied while his mind was occupied, “Sorry sorry, that really wasn’t intentional!” If it had
been intentional, Mu Qing would’ve crashed into a human shaped hole in the wall by now.
Everyone turned their heads to look, and upon the wall were two sharp swords impaled, and the
blades were still vibrating. Feng Xin shouted, “WHO’S THERE??”
“There’s no one there.” Xie Lian said, “They moved on their own!”
Clink clank, chlink chlunk. From all around them the murderous aura exploded. Those weapons
hung on the walls became aggravated, violently shaking, so much so that the entire chamber
was clamouring from the quaking.
“Let’s get out of here, quick!” Xie Lian exclaimed.
Yet unexpectedly, when he dashed to where the entrance used to be, Feng Xin shouted, “WHY
ARE YOU RUNNING THERE? THERE’S NO PATH OVER THERE! Where’s the door? This
chamber couldn’t not have a door?? HOW DO WE GET OUT?”
“There used to be a door!” Xie Lian exclaimed, “But it’s gone! What’s going on with those arms?
Why did killing intent suddenly explode?”
Hua Cheng used two fingers and caught a long sword that came flying at him, and without
exerting much force that sword snapped, crackling as the pieces fell to the ground. He spoke
up, “It’s been too long since anyone’s used them, and they’ve gotten lonely. When they sense
people come in, they wanted to kill, that’s all.”
The other two subconsciously turned their heads to look at Mu Qing. Mu Qing instantly
exclaimed, “IT’S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!”
“But,” Hua Cheng said, “You’re the one who led us here.”
“I only pointed this path out because I saw the fetus spirit!” Mu Qing countered.
Hua Cheng countered back, “Only you saw it.”
Mu Qing had nothing to say to that, and clenched his fists. Feng Xin spoke up, “Well what do we
do now? Can’t those weapons calm themselves?”
Before Hua Cheng had answered, Xie Lian suddenly remembered how he used to face similar
monsters and demons, and mumbled, “It’s possible! But... we must let them kill.”
“But there’s no exit to this place right now,” Feng Xin said, “And there’s only the four of us locked
up in here. How do we let them kill? What can they kill?”
Just as Xie Lian was about to speak, Hua Cheng suddenly said, “Three of us.”
“What, three?” Feng Xin questioned.
“Just correcting you, that’s all.” Hua Cheng said, “The ones locked up here are only the three of
us.”
Xie Lian whipped his head around. Sure enough, within the armoury, Mu Qing who used to be
the fourth person had vanished!
It was the truth! Where Mu Qing used to stand, there was now nothing but empty air. Feng Xin
was dumbfounded, “How can this be?? He was standing there just now!”
Hua Cheng wasn’t surprised at all, since he had already run into something like this himself
earlier, and only said, “We’re in White No-Face’s territory right now. Everyone follows his
command, he has nothing to fear, so of course he can take people away as he will.”
“...”
Earlier, when Feng Xin didn’t wholly believe, the sharp words he exchanged with Mu Qing were
uttered mostly out of anger, but now, he really didn’t know what to say. It was a good moment
before he finally said, “Your Highness, Mu Qing, he, could he really have...?”
Xie Lian quickly replied, “Let’s not talk about this right now. These weapons are about to go
violent, we have to think of a way to calm them down first, otherwise we’ll be chopped to mush!”
Then, he pulled out Fang Xin that was carried on his back. However, Hua Cheng resolutely
pressed down on his hand.
Xie Lian was taken aback and looked over, and saw Hua Cheng staring at him intently, red
slowly spreading around the rims of his eyes.
He said darkly, “Gege, what are you planning, pulling out the sword?”
———-
Ch.233: Cliffs Hundred Yards High; Thousand Bends over Lava Falls
Xie Lian blinked, “I wasn’t planning on doing anything?”
“Then why did you pull the sword?” Hua Cheng demanded.
“To... defend myself?” Xie Lian replied.
Hua Cheng’s expression was terrifyingly dark, and he squeezed harder, “How did you plan on
defending yourself? Put your sword down!”
This was the first time Hua Cheng had ever talked to Xie Lian in this kind of expression and
tone, and Xie Lian was completely taken aback. Feng Xin was alarmed, “Who are you to make
him put down his sword? Let him go first!”
A battle axe came flying, and in one swift reaction, Xie Lian raised the sword and slashed it,
sending it flying, “How did I plan on defending myself? ... Like this!”
Only then did Hua Cheng’s demeanour and tone relax somewhat, but he still didn’t let him go,
“You don’t need to defend yourself, just stand behind me. Put your sword down.”
Feng Xin knocked into his bow on the ground with his foot, and he picked it up, gripping it with
both hands, raising it to use as a sword, batting away a meteor hammer, all the while becoming
more suspicious, “What are you doing clutching onto him like that? Are you really the real thing?
Your Highness, is there anyone else besides you two who knows Crimson Rain Sought Flower’s
verbal password?”
It was through this reminder that Xie Lian suddenly remembered that it wasn’t just the two of
them who knew Hua Cheng’s spiritual communication verbal password. There was a third
person who had heard it before.
Jun Wu!
Back at the Palace of Xian Le, when he made Xie Lian connect with Hua Cheng in his
presence, he had very clearly heard it!
But, Xie Lian still felt the one before him was definitely Hua Cheng himself without a doubt, it
was just... he seemed to have suddenly remembered something very unpleasant, which was
why he acted this way.
After a moment of contemplation, Xie Lian replied, “Alright.” Then he put Fang Xin away.
The next moment, silver light flashed out, and the scimitar was unsheathed!
The moment E-Ming had come out, the entire armoury was instantly enveloped in silver light,
sparks flew incessantly, and the sound of metals cracking reverberated and echoed nonstop in
the ears. Xie Lian and FengXin stood unmoving, entrapped in the centre by this chaotic, chilling
killing aura. After ten blows, Hua Cheng turned around, resheathing the scimitar. Xie Lian’s gaze
moved from his person to the ground.
All those hundreds of weapons from before had all been slashed to specks by E-Ming.
Xie Lian crouched down, and picked up two fragmented pieces of a sword, feeling grave pity,
“Those were all such good, rare swords...”
Just then, Feng Xin spoke up, “Your Highness, the door. An extra door seemed to have
appeared!”
Xie Lian dropped the fragmented pieces and stood up, “I see, so we can only leave after the
weapons were dealt with.”
Originally, the doors should’ve required blood to be spilt for them to open, but Hua Cheng forced
them open directly. Just as Xie Lian was thinking this, Hua Cheng took his hand and started
dragging him out the door. Seeing how he was boiling with murderous intent, Feng Xin
questioned, “What do you both plan on doing next?”
“Obviously to go find Guoshi and Mu Qing.” Xie Lian replied.
Hua Cheng stated calmly, “If Mu Qing really surrendered himself to Jun Wu, then I’ll take his shit
life first.”
“...”
The three exited the armoury and walked for a while. Xie Lian hesitated for a bit but in the end
still asked, “San Lang, did you think I was going to stab myself earlier?”
Hua Cheng didn’t respond, but his expression was still extremely sour. Xie Lian added, “I
wouldn’t have.”
Hua Cheng gave him a look, “Really?”
Xie Lian felt really guilty after that look.
To be honest, if this was the past, perhaps if the situation was truly dire he would’ve really just
solved it like that, but now, he would never again.
Xie Lian replied, “Yes! I promised you. Besides, there were so many sabres, spears, and
swords, if they all stabbed me, won’t I have been stabbed to mush? Hahahaha...” He started to
laugh, but then he couldn’t laugh on anymore, because when he said the word ‘stab’, Hua
Cheng abruptly turned to stare at him. That gaze was hard to describe, but it stumped all the
words Xie Lian had to say.
Then, Hua Cheng suddenly reached out, and pressed him hard into his arms.
Feng Xin was bringing up the rear and was shaken, “What the fuck? I’m still here???”
Xie Lian blinked, and patted Hua Cheng’s back, “What is it?”
Hua Cheng whispered, “Your Highness, please don’t laugh like that anymore.”
He hugged Xie Lian tightly, “It’s not funny, really... it’s not funny at all.”
“...”
Recalling how before when he picked up those skull bones covered with corpse poison, and
Hua Cheng’s face then was already that unpleasant, Xie Lian felt apologetic, “I’m sorry, I won’t
joke about this with you again. I just didn’t want you to worry, but didn’t think it’d have the
opposite effect.”
Feng Xin looked as if he was startled by this mood, and was flabbergasted for a while, “I...
agree too? Since he’s so serious about it...”
Hua Cheng finally let Xie Lian go and said quietly, “Let’s go.”
Without Guoshi to lead the way, other than continuing deep into the palace, the three had no
other choice.
But they hadn’t been out for very long before Xie Lian sensed something unusual in the air.
“Don’t you two think... it’s gotten hotter?” Xie Lian spoke up.
When the group of them first entered the underground palace, it was haunting and chilling. But
after walking for a while, the air around seemed to have swelled, growing much more humid and
hot. Feng Xin seemed to have felt the same, and when he turned his head, he was slightly
taken aback before raising a hand to point, “Your Highness, look behind! There seems to be
light.”
Just as he said, there was light behind them slowly encroaching.
That an unknown light source appeared in the pitch black underground, it was a rather peculiar
situation. Had someone come?
As they waited for that light to reveal its true appearance, Xie Lian finally noticed that it wasn’t
his imagination that the air underground had turned hot.
Scarlet and gold lava stream, rolling and bubbling, came flowing down the hill, crawling towards
the three.
The lava outside had flowed into the underground palace along with the watercourse!
Xie Lian was just crying “oh no!” inwardly when suddenly, he sensed something behind rapidly
dashing past. Instantly he threw his hand out and the silk band whipped out, “HOLD IT! WE
JUST NEED TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS!”
That man just barely dodged, his form halting for a moment, and when the ground turned
around, using the firelight of the lava stream not far away, they saw the man’s face. Feng Xin
shouted, “MU QING! YOU BASTARD, STOP RIGHT THERE!”
As if Mu Qing would stop. Without another word, he broke off into a run. The three was just
about to give chase and strike when the ground shook violently.
The scarlet gold lava suddenly surged and spread over the watercourse, spreading with great
speed, rushing straight towards them!
The three were about to be forced out from their footing, but Xie Lian had already encountered
this problem prior to them coming in here, and the level of difficulty was just slightly higher, that’s
all. He spoke up, “Feng Xin, there’s probably many Empty-Shelled mutants in the lava, they can
float, so just step on them so you won’t sink!”
Then, he targeted an Empty-Shelled mutant that was vigorously paddling its arms in the lava
flow, and leapt up!
Once he landed, Xie Lian was delighted. Those Empty-Shelled mutants’ heads seemed to be
particularly bigger, and even when he stepped down they actually only dipped slightly, and could
still float on the surface of the lava stream without sinking. As long as they didn’t start anything,
they could easily be used as canoes!
Feng Xin also targeted one and leapt on, pointing his bow at that Empty-Shelled mutant, “Swim
properly, don’t sink!” With the threat of a weapon, that Empty-Shelled mutant didn’t dare to
offend him as expected, and worked even harder. Meanwhile, Hua Cheng only crossed his
arms, looked down and gave a look, and that Empty-Shelled mutant became settled, not daring
to do anything wicked, going full power, swimming the fastest. As for Xie Lian, he clapped his
hands together in a prayer and very sincerely negotiated with that Empty-Shelled mutant, “Take
me for this ride, please take me for this ride! I’ll burn you incense afterwards! You don’t want
incense? Then what offerings do you want, just let me know!” That Empty-Shelled mutant was
obviously extremely dissatisfied, and would time and time again swing its arms, trying to chase
him off, but Xie Lian was as sticky as gum, and even if he tumbled he refused to be flung.
Needless to say, Xie Lian had once again found the most difficult one to deal with!
The three rode the mutants and flowed down with the current, and as if they were rafting, the
further down the stream they went, the steeper the hills became, and the faster the speed. They
also had to dodge obstacles that’d abruptly rise from the lava stream time and time again, and
the entire journey was full of endless perils. A while later, they finally caught up to Mu Qing who
was ahead, and Feng Xin yelled, “MU QING! WHERE ARE YOU RUNNING OFF TO!”
Beneath Mu Qing’s feet was also an Empty-Shelled mutant being used as a surfboard, and he
looked back, “WHAT, AND I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL YOU ALL ATTACK ME TOGETHER?”
There was only a bow in Feng Xin hands and no arrow, so he could only shout through the air,
“WE WON’T ATTACK YOU! EXPLAIN FIRST HOW YOU SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED FROM
THE ARMOURY!”
Mu Qing looked back, sneering, “You all...”
Before he finished, Xie Lian saw what laid ahead, his pupils shrinking rapidly, and he shouted,
“AHEAD OF YOU!!”
Mu Qing instantly turned back, and only then did he discover that the path ahead was coming to
an abrupt end.
There was probably an underground chasm here before, and that drop was extremely deep, at
least hundreds of yards like a gigantic cliff.
He had never expected a change in landscape like this would appear so abruptly, plus the
further downhill he went the faster the lava stream flowed, and by the time he came to his
senses, he was already thrown into the air unprepared.
Mu Qing’s figure along with that Empty-Shelled mutant under his feet instantly disappeared, and
the three over on this end were also about to rapidly rush to the edge of that cliff!
In the last second, RuoYe flew out towards the back, and wrapped itself a few times around the
eaves of a palace building in the distance, then tied itself into a knot. With one hand gripping
RuoYe and the other grabbing Hua Cheng, Xie Lian tossed out the other end of RuoYe towards
Feng Xin and yelled, “CATCH!”
With the silk band as the link, the three clumsily steadied themselves. At that moment, they
were at most only about twenty feet away from that “cliff”; if they were late for another step they
were going to fall. They literally “stopped their horses at the precipice”. However, there was still
rolling lava pouring down nonstop, so Xie Lian then ordered, “withdraw!”.
RuoYe shrank rapidly, and withdrew the three in the direction of that palace. Soon after, the
three leapt onto the roof of the palace. This palace was bigger, so its roof was considerably
spacious. With stones as the foundation, there was no fear of it being washed away by the lava,
so having landed here, they could temporarily breathe in relief.
After steadying himself for a moment, Feng Xin watched that empty “cliff” dumbfoundedly, and
said in disbelief, “Did Mu Qing... fall?”
Xie Lian forced himself to slow his thumping heart, and panted a breath, wiping away beads of
sweat on his forehead, “He didn’t!”
Peering over the furthest edge of the rooftop of that palace, Xie Lian poked out and could see,
on the rocks on the edge of that cliff was a long sabre nailed in.
And a pair of hands were tightly clutching the long hilt of that long sabre. Under those hands
was a flustered, red face vigorously gritting teeth.
In this moment, Mu Qing was situated in the horrifying position of being parallel to the
waterfall-like lava stream flowing downwards.
Beads of fire was splashing before his face, and it was truly “fire burning his brows”*, and if it
wasn’t for a layer of spiritual light protecting his body, blocking out the majority of the steam, his
entire appearance would’ve been burnt away and his head would’ve been ablaze by now.
But this protective layer of spiritual light wouldn’t last for long either, and if his entire person was
to fall into a pool of lava, his bones would still dissolve into air!
This was such a terrifying scene, and Feng Xin questioned, “What should we do?! Your
Highness, can that white silk band of yours reach him?”
Xie Lian had already given it an attempt, withdrawing RuoYe, patting off the flames on it, “I can’t!
The distance is too far! RuoYe caught on fire midway!”
Many small broken threads of flames were also singing Mu Qing’s robes, and the hilt was
scorching hot, yet he still gripped on hard, afraid to let go, and afraid to look down.
If he was to let go then it was nothing but blazing flames and lava waiting for him down below.
There was also the hungry wailing of countless spirits of the deceased, their cries resounding
and echoing, as if they were calling for the one struggling, hanging on for dear life above to
hurry and join them in companionship.
Mu Qing held onto that hilt in a deadly grip, his pale forehead covered in heavy sweat. When he
saw the three in the distance, his lips moved like he wanted to call for help. But, with his
personality, it was really difficult to have the words “Help” and “Save me” leave his lips.
Besides, whether if Hua Cheng was free or not, he probably wouldn’t care to come save him. It
was hard to tell with Feng Xin too, and the only one left who would be willing to rescue him, had
the ability to save him, and could persuade the other two, was Xie Lian.
In the end, he fervently pulled up, veins popping slightly on his forehead as he shouted towards
Xie Lian, “Your Highness!”
Xie Lian was just scanning the area making rapid observations, and when he heard the call he
looked to him. Mu Qing held in for a good while, then sucking in a breath, he yelled with a red
face, “...BELIEVE ME! Your Highness, YOU KNOW I WASN’T LYING, DON’T YOU? YOU
KNOW I WOULDN’T HAVE REALLY HARMED ANY OF YOU, RIGHT??”
“...”
The way he was begging Xie Lian so full of hope, like he was hanging on to the last straw of his
life, suddenly made Xie Lian remember another scene from another time.
That time when dusk was falling of many, many years ago, when he too begged Mu Qing with
the same desperate hope –
“You know I wasn’t lying, right?”
How had Mu Qing answer him back then?
He hadn’t thought of those things for hundreds of years, but this line Mu Qing used suddenly
dragged them out from the dusty corners where they were sealed away.
Dragged out and broke loose; countless images and voices flashed by, and only then did Xie
Lian realize that he remembered every detail so very clearly; that he had never forgotten.
Mu Qing never received his answer, and in Xie Lian’s unusual silence, he seemed to have
gradually remembered the same scene, the colours of his face slowly changing. It appeared that
he also figured out that he had used the wrong words to call for help, and reminded Xie Lian
what he shouldn’t have reminded at a time like this unintentionally.
Just then, Hua Cheng spoke up quietly behind Xie Lian, “Gege, before you make your decision,
I have to remind you of a couple things.”
Only then did Xie Lian snap out of it and said, “What is it?”
“First,” Hua Cheng said, “Unless the lava stream stops flowing, making a rescue attempt will be
life-threateningly dangerous.”
But, who knows when it would stop flowing? That sabre hilt was already scorchingly red hot, Mu
Qing’s hands wouldn’t be able to grip on for much longer, how could he possibly hang on until
then?
Xie Lian was quiet. Hua Cheng continued, “Second, if Mu Qing had already surrendered to Jun
Wu, then Jun Wu will definitely have a way to get him out of here. But you, you will definitely fall
into danger. And this possibility is great. Think about his behaviour and the way he acted this
entire trip.”
Knocking Feng Xin out, luring them into the armoury, refusing to admit he knocked Feng Xin out
and even made accusations back, suddenly disappearing after the armoury went berserk, the
coincidental timing of the lava stream reversing it’s flow, bringing them to where they were now.
And now, was he perhaps once again purposely leading Xie Lian to his end?
———-
Ch.234: Cliffs Hundred Yards High; Thousand Bends over Lava Falls 2
The time Xie Lian had been silent was becoming a bit long. That long saber hilt was burning red
hot, and Mu Qing let out a loud shout, a hand dropping, and he hung for a while using only the
other hand. He didn’t dare support himself up like that for too long and immediately clutched on
again. However, the palms of both his hands were smoking strings of white vapour, and while
there was a long distance between them, those on the other side could also almost smell the
stench of burnt flesh.
Hua Cheng casually let loose a silver butterfly. That silver butterfly fluttered its wings, flying out
for a few hundred feet, but before it reached even one third of the way to Mu Qing, it dissipated
into silver smoke and vanished in the air.
Xie Lian knew that he was demonstrating that the wraith butterflies could not help; it was a dead
end, not worth dying for.
Mu Qing also witnessed the vanishing process of that silver butterfly, his expression gradually
turning into one of despair.
He understood. Right now, one, there was no one who had the ability to save him, second, no
one believed him, and on the grounds of his triggering, there was no reason at all for Xie Lian to
come pull him up at the risk of his own life.
But, while despairing, he still refused to yield, and he was unwilling to give up. Mu Qing gritted
his teeth, shouting, “IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME THAT’S FINE TOO, BUT I WILL NEVER
FALL THAT EASILY!”
Then, he gripped hard, seeming to attempt a mid air spin to stand on that hilt. Yet unexpectedly,
just as his body lifted for a few inches it violently sank!
Mu Qing looked down, and in his eyes reflected countless resentful spirits that were melded into
the colour of blood red, their faces and limbs contorted and twisted as they pressed themselves
onto his leg, pulling him down!
Those resentful spirits were originally melted into the flowing lava, but they suddenly popped
out, hanging off of this lower half body one after the other, heavy and boiling hot, like adding oil
to fire, frost upon snow, and Mu Qing was going mad, “GET LOST!!!”
In the past hundreds of years, it wasn’t like he had never faced the brink of death, but those
were all circumstances where he was heavily wounded. To die buried in lava was a thousand
times more horrifying than death by injuries, and the moment he imagined himself turning into a
wisp of smoke like that wraith butterfly, leaving the world without a trace, he couldn’t stand it.
At last, Mu Qing’s hands had reached their limit, and his ten fingers loosened slightly, no longer
able to grip on.
The space beneath the sabre turned empty – he had fallen!
The silhouette of a figure was plunging downwards to the blazing fires and lava pool below,
“AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”
However, while his screams were fervent and tormented, after his body had dropped for some
distance, the fall came to a violent halt, and he was hung in mid air!
Mu Qing hadn’t yet come to his senses, half of his head numb, but because his instinctive
reaction was still intact, he quickly felt his body. Turns out, it was a white silk band that wrapped
itself around his waist.
It was naturally RuoYe. But, that palace where Xie Lian perched was nowhere near the cliff
where he fell, and if RuoYe couldn’t reach over earlier, how could it have caught him after he
had fallen for a while?
Mu Qing gazed upward and discovered in shock that Xie Lian wasn’t on top of the roof of that
palace at all – he was right above his own head.
Earlier, Mu Qing nailed the long sabre into the rocks, and gripped onto the hilt of that sabre in
order to hang on for some time. Yet right at this moment, Xie Lian was half crouched upon that
hilt!
Xie Lian was rapidly withdrawing RuoYe as he looked down, and only letting out a breath of
relief when he saw Mu Qing was alright, “Thank goodness, thank goodness, I made it in time.”
Mu Qing muttered, “...Your, Your Highness?”
That instant earlier was overly stimulating, so much so that his mind was still mush and
confused. In such a far distance with rolling lava en route, without any other landing points, at
most Xie Lian could’ve only jumped halfway, so how had he come over?
In the distance, Feng Xin’s voice rang, “Your Highness! ARE YOU BOTH ALRIGHT?”
Mu Qing looked to the sound, and upon the roof of that palace were now only Hua Cheng and
Feng Xin who remain. Hua Cheng was watching them with his arms crossed, seeming to be
ensuring Xie Lian’s safety, uncaring of anything else. And, in the middle between the two points
of that palace and the cliffside where he fell, there was an ink black sword, coldly wedged and
standing in the centre of incessantly flowing red hot lava.
Fang Xin!
So that was it! Mu Qing finally understood how Xie Lian had come over.
By Xie Lian’s ability to jump, he indeed could only jump halfway at most, and would never be
able to safely jump all the way to the cliffside where he fell from the rooftop of that palace. Thus,
Xie Lian had hurled Fang Xin out first, instilling it in the lava stream to create a landing point,
then using Fang Xin as another starting point, he leapt onto his sabre, releasing RuoYe in the
last second, and barely just caught him.
“I’ve been trying to think of a way earlier, there really was nothing here that could be used, so
some time was used.” Xie Lian said, “You were also panicking too much. Don’t lose your head,
otherwise you’d fall faster.”
Mu Qing had thought Xie Lian’s silence was his hesitating in whether or not to save him, but
turns out Xie Lian was instead trying to think of how to save him. And thank goodness that Xie
Lian could still think with such a clear head in such a dire situation earlier.
The beads of sweat on his forehead was rolling thicker.
The moment he looked up, Xie Lian had extended a hand to him, smiling, “In any case, although
a little late, but, this hand isn’t extended too late, right?”
“...”
Perhaps it was because he had been gripping the hilt for too long earlier, but Mu Qing suddenly
felt his arms incomparably heavy, unable to be raised. Xie Lian then stretched his hand lower,
“Come.”
Mu Qing finally took hold of his hand.
His entire arm was shaking slightly, but Xie Lian yanked forcefully and pulled him up. The two
stood together on the hilt of Mu Qing’s long sabre. Xie Lian turned around, and waved towards
the roof, “SAN LANG, IT’S A SUCCESS!”
“Very good, gege.” Hua Cheng replied, “Now come back, right this instant!”
Xie Lian responded, “Alright, I’ll be right back!” Then he looked back to Mu Qing, “Can you still
jump? If not I’ll take you?”
Mu Qing’s lips moved, “I...”
Xie Lian observed his disposition and said resolutely, “I’ll take you.” Then, he grabbed his back.
If this was the past, Mu Qing probably would’ve rolled his eyes secretly and protested his grip,
that he was being disrespectful of others, but now, Mu Qing couldn’t utter a single word.
Xie Lian was just about to leap up when unexpectedly, right then, both of them suddenly felt
their footings dip at the same time.
As if things weren’t unfortunate enough, that long sabre nailed into the rocks just had to pick this
time to loosen!
The colours of Hua Cheng’s face immediately changed, “GEGE!!!”
This time, it was two figures that were plunging down together towards the crimson red lava
pool. In such fire burning ass moments, Xie Lian could still think rapidly, and he shouted, “IT’S
FINE!” Then he spun several times in mid air, grabbing onto that a long sabre in the air, and with
both hands gripping the hilt, he once again nailed the sabre into the rocks!
CLANG! Beads of sparks few, brilliant and dazzling. Over the surface of Xie Lian’s protective
spiritual light, those particles of fire were like fragmented grains of gold, but if that layer of
protective spiritual light was gone, even a speck of it could burn through a large hole in a
person!
RuoYe raised Mu Qing up, and Xie Lian said to him solemnly, “This sabre won’t be able to take
the weight of two grown men for long. This can’t keep up. Between us two, only one can remain
here.”
Mu Qing slowly came back to his senses, “Are you saying...”
“You can go.” Xie Lian said.
“...???”
Mu Qing’s pupils slowly shrank, but before he could speak, Xie Lian caught him, and threw him
forcefully upwards, shouting, “ON YOUR MARK!”
Mu Qing was thrown over the cliff, and discovered he was flying towards where Fang Xin stood.
He steadied himself, flipping in the air, and landed on the hilt of Fang Xin.
After having landed here did he understand why Xie Lian had to throw him up first.
It was because with this distance, perhaps Xie Lian could jump over from the hilt that had
migrated several dozens feet down, but, he wouldn’t have been able to.
This distance for him was too far. He could only have made it up borrowing Xie Lian’s hurling
force!
Feng Xin wiped away his cold sweat, “Thank goodness Your Highness reacts fast!”
Hua Cheng however, was looking severe, and he called out down below, “Gege! If you don’t
come back soon, I’m going to have to come down and get you!”
His voice carried the tone of warning, and Xie Lian quickly replied, “I’m coming up now! Things
are alright, not too hard to handle, I can jump over myself, don’t come down.”
Only then did Hua Cheng’s demeanour relax a little, but he still watched with eyes unblinking.
Feng Xin looked at him and couldn’t help but say, “...I’m a little surprised.”
Hua Cheng didn’t turn his head, and said without any trace of curiosity, “What.”
Feng Xin scratched his head, “I thought, since you’re so biased against Mu Qing, you’d think he
wasn’t worth saving and would be against His Highness rescuing him, prevent him from going.”
Only then did Hua Cheng give him a look, “Half wrong, half right.”
“Huh?”
Hua Cheng said, “The first part wasn’t wrong, I certainly don’t think he’s worth saving. How he is
is none of my business.”
Seeing his apathetic expression, Feng Xin sweat dropped, “Aren’t you a little too blunt?!”
And when he thought how this man most definitely held the same attitude towards him, more
sweat rolled.
Hua Cheng “pfft”-ed and snorted, then after a pause, he added, “But, only His Highness can
decide on whatever he chooses. I will never oppose his decisions.”
“...”
Feng Xin had never heard anyone say anything like this before. Not from men to women, and
most definitely not from one man to another man, and he could only think that if Xie Lian heard
this it was gonna be another big deal. Not knowing what face to make, Feng Xin could only
reply, “...Ah. I see.”
Hua Cheng turned his head back, staring at Xie Lian who was peering at the lava flow in
observation, thinking and making up plans, and smiled, “Besides, I already knew he was going
to do this.”
On the other end, Xie Lian called out, “Mu Qing, hurry and move to the rooftop, stop running. If
there’s really anything we can talk afterwards.”
Only then did Mu Qing realize that if he didn’t leave Fang Xin, then Xie Lian had nowhere to
land for his next step. Forcing himself to think calmly, Mu Qing was just about to return to the
rooftop when unexpectedly, just as he leapt up, down below Xie Lian suddenly cried out,
“WHO’S THERE?!”
Xie Lian was standing on the sabre, silently storing energy when suddenly, the lava falls behind
him parted, and from the falls a pair of hands stretched out, seizing him abruptly.
That creature clearly came from within the lava falls, but those hands were horrifyingly cold. Xie
Lian shuddered, and heard Hua Cheng exclaim from above, “Your Highness??”
Those hands hugged Xie Lian tightly, and fell off the saber taking him along. Xie Lian was
completely dumbfounded, and those above saw clearly what it was that seized him from behind.
That man was clad in white robes, a half crying-half smiling mask on his face, as if he was
rejoicing; as if he was grieving.
White No-Face!
RuoYe sensed danger and came whipping out on its own, flinging itself upwards and casted
itself before Mu Qing. Mu Qing grabbed it unconsciously, but the power from the other end of
the white silk band was too great, and not only did he not manage to hold it down, it yanked him
down too.
Xie Lian was rapidly plunging down amidst fiery sparks, and heard that creature laugh by his
ears, “Hahahahahaha... Naive! Too naive, Xian Le! Did you think it was that easy to achieve a
perfect, happy ending?”
Down below was the scorching waves of steam, but the mind was filled with chilling cold. Within
the conflicting ice and fire, Xie Lian looked up, and above in the air enveloped in fire and light,
there was a looming red silhouette that was fast approaching.
Hua Cheng had jumped down too!
But it’s the lava pool down below, hey!
————
Ch.235: The Heaven Crossing Bridge; Three Idiots Return to Olden Times
Who knows if it was the fear of obliteration or the scorching hot lava, but Xie Lian’s entire
person was submerged.
It was a long while before Xie Lian slowly came to.
The moment he woke he found he was lying on cold, solid ground, and Mu Qing was slumped
down next to him, staring at him in a daze.
Xie Lian’s vision was still faintly red, and he instantly sat up, “SAN LANG!”
Yet unexpectedly, the moment he sat up, Mu Qing snapped out of it and yelled, “DON’T MOVE
AROUND!”
Xie Lian subconsciously extended hand to support himself off the ground, but the support fell
empty, and Xie Lian lost his balance, his entire person almost toppling down. Surprised, Xie
Lian finally discovered he wasn’t lying on the ground at all.
He was lying atop a bridge!
This place was an underground rock cave with immense space, its dome penetrating into the
vast night sky, and within the cave ‘floated’ a desecrated bridge.
The body of the bridge was crippled, terrifyingly pitch black, seeming like wood but also stone,
looking as if it had experienced thousands of years of rain and storms, sealed away in its
burning. Without any pillars to support it, it hung in mid air, endlessly stretching from both ends
into infinity; its beginning unknown, its end unforeseeable, and its direction a mystery. Some
places were as wide as thirty feet, some places were so narrow only one person could cross
through.
Thousands of feet beneath this broken bridge was the burning and rolling red hot lava pool, like
the red basin of hell.
The Heaven Crossing Bridge?
Those three words were the first to pop into Xie Lian’s mind. Two thousand years ago, in order
to overcome disaster, the Crown Prince of WuYong built a bridge to cross to the heavens. Could
this bridge be its remains?
He remembered he was forcibly pulled down by White No-Face, so how had he ended up on
this bridge?
Xie Lian crawled to his feet, “San Lang?”
Mu Qing still sat on the side, “Don’t bother calling, he’s not here.”
Xie Lian turned to him, “How did we end up here? Was a Distance Shortening Array activated
halfway?”
“Probably.” Mu Qing said, “I was falling straight for the lava pool, but halfway in the air, I was
sent here.”
Poor Feng Xin; all three of them had fallen and he was the only one who stayed up there. He
would probably curse the streets again. But, finding Hua Cheng was priority; where had he been
moved to?
Xie Lian spotted the Fang Xin and the long sabre that had been tossed to the side and picked
them up, then walked to Mu Qing. Mu Qing saw him dangling the sword, approaching with a
dark expression, and without knowing what Xie Lian was thinking of doing, his expression
suddenly turned nervous.
However, Xie Lian handed him his sabre then extended a hand to him, “Are you alright? If
you’re fine then get up, we have to get going.”
Mu Qing looked at the hand that was extended to him, and after a long silence, he shook his
head, “I can’t go. My hands and feet are all injured.”
Xie Lian crouched down and checked him over for a moment, and sure enough, both of Mu
Qing’s hands were red, and there were burns on his legs too, so he could probably only walk
slowly. After a moment of contemplation, Xie Lian said, “Let me assist you then.”
He pulled Mu Qing up, resting an arm over his shoulders, then walked while supporting him
thus. After a few steps, Mu Qing suddenly blurted, “Why?”
Xie Lian was scanning their surroundings calculatively as he replied, “Why what?”
“I thought after you found out that I was fine too, you’d be more suspicious of me.” Mu Qing
said.
“Oh, no?” Xie Lian replied.
“Why?”
“Because I know.”
“Know what?”
“That you weren’t lying.” Xie Lian replied.
“...”
Just what was Mu Qing’s expression was truly hard to describe.
Xie Lian said quite matter of factly, “Didn’t you ask me to believe you? I believe you. That’s it.”
“...”
“How do I say this...” Xie Lian started, “I suppose I can say I’ve known you for many years now,
so I’m still fairly certain on this. You’re not someone like that. Haven’t I said this before? You
might spit in people’s cups, but you would never do something like poisoning said cups.”
After hearing the first part, it almost seemed like Mu Qing was touched, but after hearing the
latter half, half of his face was turning dark, “That example is unnecessary, seriously, don’t bring
it up anymore. I won’t do anything like spitting either, it’s too classless!”
Xie Lian waved his hand, “Don’t mind those little details. Besides, even if in one in a million
chance that I was unlucky enough to have misjudged you, you can’t beat me and San Lang
either, we’ll have smacked you dead in one blow, so you’re not a threat at all, hahahaha...”
“...” Mu Qing mumbled, “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? You’re trying very hard to piss
me off to death...”
“Ahem, I’m joking. In any case,” Xie Lian stopped laughing, clutching Mu Qing’s arm as he
looked forward, “If you really did turn down doing a malicious deed and Jun Wu trapped you
with a cursed shackle, then I can’t have you pay a bad price for it.”
He stated calmly, “Because what you did was the right thing.”
Mu Qing stared at him for a good while, then finally, he gritted his teeth, “Xie Lian, you’re really
someone...”
Xie Lian instantly butted, “Drop it. Don’t think I don’t know what you think of me? You’re still
depending on me to support you here, don’t say anything that’ll make me want to throw you
down into the lava pool.”
Mu Qing humphed, “And here you are saving me even though you knew what I think of you?”
“Likewise. Me saving you is just me following my own principles, that’s all.” Xie Lian replied,
“Besides, while you’re someone who’s curiously odd in all aspects, and there really was a time
in the past when I really wanted to punch you to death, I didn’t succeed back then, and after so
long, I’ve lost interest too. But no matter how weird you are, and how much I want to punch you,
your sins don’t warrant death? If I can save you of course I’ll save you.”
Mu Qing deflated and humphed a few snorts, and after a moment of quiet, he added, “Your
Highness, I actually...”
Right then, both their feet dipped and both their faces abruptly changed colours.
Mu Qing was wounded and couldn’t react in time, but fortunately Xie Lian still moved with godly
speed, and his toes tipped, pushing off forward, and lightly landed thirty feet ahead. When they
looked back, the body of the bridge where they were just stepping over had cracked and broken
off, plunging straight down!
RUMBLE!
A stretch of that pitch black body of the bridge had crashed into the scarlet hell basin, and the
resentful spirits that had been waiting for a long time rolling in the pool rapidly reached out, and
hundreds of pairs of hands fought to make grab, as if they wanted to use it as a vehicle to break
away from this sea of suffering. However, their numbers were too great. That stretch of a
crippled bridge couldn’t support them at all, and it soon sank. The two above watched shakily,
and exchanged a look. Xie Lian commented, “It appears this bridge isn’t too stable!”
Mu Qing opened and closed his mouth, probably meaning to say they might as well turn back,
that the surface of the bridge where they were lying before was considerably spacious and
shouldn’t cave in, but with that stretch collapsing, there was no more path, and they could no
longer retreat. The only way for the two was forward, but the surface of the bridge ahead was
alternatingly wide and narrow, like it was filled with traps, danger hiding in every corner, and who
knows where a step would have them fall!
Without another word, Xie Lian threw Mu Qing onto his back, “We can’t stay in the same place
for too long, otherwise who knows if it’ll collapse too. Hold on tight, I’m going to quickly dash
through this!”
As promised, Xie Lian indeed dashed out in flying steps. The further they went, the more
suffocatingly narrow the bridge became, and even the widest area was not that much bigger
than a door, the narrowest area no wider than a person’s waist!
However, even in such a perilous situation, wherever Xie Lian had passed, nothing moved in the
slightest. The bottom of his feet only tipped lightly every time, and each time was like a swallow
lightly skimming the surface of water, withdrawing the moment there was contact. If there were
other martial gods present, they would all be stunned by these steps that were so brilliantly
controlled to the point it was horrifying, since, there was no second martial god who could do the
same. This was the masterful skills that could only come from one who didn’t depend on
spiritual powers, and had trained vigorously day in and day out!
Suddenly, a pillar of fire rushed to the skies, blocking in front of Xie Lian. If it wasn’t for his
incredible reaction and braked in time, they would’ve charged right into the fire and burnt to a
crisp. The two looked down. Since who knows when, millions of resentful spirits the same colour
as molten rocks had gathered down below, screeching and cackling, reaching their hands out
towards the two, and that pillar of fire was the blow sent forth by them. Their ears were all
vaguely hurting, and Mu Qing wondered, “What are they screaming about?”
Xie Lian mumbled, “...’Come down, join us, rot to death here!’”
Mu Qing looked at him in fright, “You understand them? They should be speaking in WuYong
tongue.”
Xie Lian nodded, “En, they’re... the people of WuYong who had fallen into the lava and burned
to death after the Heaven Crossing Bridge had collapsed. Careful not to get tangled up with
them; they’ll pull everything they see into the lava. I knew this was the remnant body of the
Heaven Crossing Bridge!”
“Can they be absolved if they pull people down?” Mu Qing questioned.
“No.” Xie Lian replied, “They can’t be absolved even if they pull others down. Those resentful
spirits will never be able to receive absolution. But, they enjoy seeing others suffer the same
fate.”
This was precisely why they shall never receive absolution, and must suffer the torment of this
basin of hell. Mu Qing was puzzled, “How do you know so much?”
“I don’t know either.” Xie Lian said, “But it was probably... him who told me.”
Just as how he transplanted the memories of those Corpse-Eating Rats screeching.
Those molten resentful spirits seemed to be quite displeased that they still hadn’t fallen, and
they snuck around, gathering together whispering, hands holding hands, ready to send forth
another blow of attack, and Xie Lian broke out into a run. The pillar of fire instantly appeared,
and what was already a bridge full of potholes became even more devastated.
They couldn’t just keep taking on beatings without retaliation, and Xie Lian also tried blasting
down below, but he didn’t have much spiritual powers left so he couldn’t blast very far. Mu
Qing’s spiritual powers were more sufficient and could blast further, but he still just missed them
by a bit. There were many times when the pillar of fire from below almost burnt their ankles, and
that crowd of resentful spirits banded into a large group, their energy immense, and they giggled
and laughed, pointing at them, exceedingly excited, as if they were watching some spectacle on
escape. The two couldn’t do anything to them at all, incredibly humiliating, so much so Mu
Qing’s knuckles cracked!
A moment later, Mu Qing, who was leaning on top of Xie Lian’s back, gritted his teeth and
panted a few breaths, like he had resolved to make a very difficult decision, “Forget it, Your
Highness... Xie Lian, let me down!”
Xie Lian was dashing as he answered, “What are you saying! You love your life and you’re
terrified of death! You’re not someone who’d say something like that!”
Veins instantly popped violently on Mu Qing’s forehead, “Well sorry for loving my life and being
terrified of death! Since I’m going to die either way... before I change my mind, hurry and put
me down!”
“Stop messing around, don’t talk anymore, you’ll make me lose focus.” Xie Lian said, “What
matters right now is finding the end to this bridge as soon as possible.”
“WHO’S MESSING AROUND?” Mu Qing exclaimed, “If this bridge really is the Heaven Crossing
Bridge, who the hell knows how much more you’ll have to run? We’ll be toppled by them sooner
or later. Put me down, I’ll go put away those shady trash, you go on ahead!”
Then, he lightly tapped Xie Lian’s shoulder, and flew off, landing behind. Xie Lian looked back,
and walked a step towards him, but Mu Qing spoke up, “Don’t come over, the bridge here is
narrow. If you come over both of us will fall!”
Xie Lian could only pause in his step. Mu Qing humphed again, “You’re right. We’re alike. You
think me odd, I think you rather weird too.”
He looked Xie Lian in the eyes, “Since we’ve come to this point, I might as well just tell it to you
straight. I’ve got lots of opinions of you.”
“Uh... well... I knew this already. A long time ago.” Xie Lian said.
Mu Qing said coldly, “Oh really? Then did you know, that I often think that you only depended on
your status, that even though you’re His Highness the Crown Prince and you had good fortune,
but your skills aren’t that much better than mine?”
“...”
“I also think, that you only like doing all those good deeds in order to show off to others, so you
can enjoy praises and flattery. In fact, you helping me was all because of this reason, because
I’m the perfect subject for you to demonstrate your sympathies and kindness. To be honest, I
haven’t changed some of those beliefs even now. Maybe they’ll never change. Even if I were to
suppress them for a while, after a period of time they’ll still resurface.”
Xie Lian didn’t know whether to sweat drop or what at this point, “There’s no need to tell those
things in such detail to the man himself?!”
Yet unexpectedly, Mu Qing continued with, “But more often than not, I’m still... rather in awe of
you.”
Xie Lian was taken aback.
Mu Qing gathered his courage, looking like someone was choking his neck, forcing him to
speak, and he said stiffly, “Isn’t that normal? You... certainly... are rather amazing. You’re...
also... a better person... than me. Long story short, I... very much wanted... to become your
f-f-friend.”
“...”
Xie Lian had never in a million years imagined that there’d be one day he’d hear those words
uttered from Mu Qing’s lips. While they were stuttered, unwilling, and stiff, but those were such
honest, sincere, and sensible words!
His eyes widened subconsciously, “You...”
Mu Qing had finally squeezed those words out through the cracks of his teeth, and he exhaled a
breath, “That incident during that time after Xian Le’s fall, whether right or wrong, whether or not
if I was in a difficult situation, I still owe you an apology nonetheless.”
Xie Lian was stumped for a moment, “...It’s all bygones, so let it go. Rather than this, let’s get
out of here first!”
Mu Qing raised his voice, “He told me, that if I was suspicious, then even if you knew I didn’t do
it, you would still go with the flow and not save me. Because you hate me, you wouldn’t believe
in me.”
“He?” Xie Lian understood who this “he” was.
Mu Qing continued, “Even though I didn’t agree to help him, but everything he’s said, I’ve
thought of it too. I’ve always thought deep down, you hated me, that you despised me, so I, I’ve
always... Anyway, you don’t actually think that. I’m glad.”
Another pillar of fire roared to the skies, and Xie Lian backed away a few steps to dodge it,
moving further away from Mu Qing. As for Mu Qing, rage swarmed up, and he sprawled down,
violently slapping his palm down on the surface of the bridge. Xie Lian’s pupils shrank, “WHAT
ARE YOU DOING??”
As expected, that stretch of the bridge caved, taking Mu Qing along as it crashed down. Mu
Qing shouted towards him in mid air, “HELPING YOU CLEAN OUT TRASH!”
The broken bridge slammed into the pool, exciting a surge of tall waves, and those molten
resentful spirits were swarming over happily ready to drag him down at first, yet unexpectedly, a
rumbling blast swept over, and dissipated a large field of them. Amidst the wailing of ghosts, Mu
Qing stood in the centre of that broken bridge, the spiritual light enveloping him blazing to the
brightest, and he sneered, “You band of trash from the gutters of the shadows, feeling good
setting off unscrupulous fires? WELL I’VE COME, DON’T YOU RUN AWAY NOW!!”
Now, his blasts could finally reach those molten resentful spirits!
Mu Qing raised his blood red palms, madly sweeping at the resentful spirits, killing to his heart’s
content, so savage the resentful spirits further downstream who were just watching the show all
scattered, screaming, swimming away in all directions. Fire had started to catch on his sleeves
and hems, and Xie Lian hung over the edge above, “MU QING? HOW HIGH CAN YOU JUMP?”
Mu Qing shouted, “WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH RUBBISH TO SAY, WHY HAVEN’T YOU
LEFT???”
Xie Lian argued back, “THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM. YOU’VE FINALLY SAID SOMETHING
SENSIBLE IN YOUR LIFE, AND THEN YOU FELL OFF JUST LIKE THAT, HOW CAN I LEAVE
NOW!?”
Mu Qing was outraged, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘FINALLY SOMETHING SENSIBLE’...” Before
he finished, that piece of broken bridge under his feet sank a few notches. Both their faces
changed.
At this point, he really was going to be buried at the bottom of the lava pool, his bones
dissolving into air!
Mu Qing was so full of spirit earlier but now his face paled, and he raised his palms, closing his
eyes, looking as if he was going to smash through his own skull first before he got burnt to
death, so he could die more straightforwardly. Xie Lian hastily cried, “WAITWAITWAITWAIT
DON’T YOU BE RASH! I-I-I-I-I’VE GOT A PLAN!”
Mu Qing opened his eyes again, “WHAT PLAN?”
Although RuoYe couldn’t reach the very bottom, but it could go halfway, and Xie Lian tossed it
down, “JUMP WITH EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT! JUMP AND CATCH IT! I’LL PULL YOU UP!”
Mu Qing’s face was turning even paler, “IF I COULD JUMP, WOULD I NEED TO THINK OF A
WAY?!” Then he prepared to fill himself with courage again to smack himself dead when Xie
Lian exclaimed, ‘WAITWAITWAITWAIT! REALY, WAIT!!! I’LL THINK OF A WAY SOON!”
“WELL, SPEAK, THEN!”
A way. A way. Quick, think of a way!
THERE’S NOTHING!!!
The two were practically at the end of their ropes and Mu Qing raised his hand again. Yet
unexpectedly, right then, another hand PA! And slapped his hand away before catching him.
Then, dangling a near blank-minded Mu Qing in his hold, the man leapt!
Xie Lian felt the other end of the white silk band tighten, and when he looked down, he was both
surprised and overjoyed, “FENG XIN??”
That broken piece of crippled bridge Mu Qing had been standing on had thoroughly sunken into
the depths of the lava stream, bubbling. And, at the end tips of the white silk band, Feng Xin
was gripping RuoYe with one hand while the other was holding on to a steel-faced Mu Qing, and
he shouted towards him, “Your Highness, QUICK, PULL US UP!”
There were more Empty-Shelled mutants paddling over down below, and it seemed, Feng Xin
was riding them, floating over from the upstream. Xie Lian had no time to ask questions, and
hurriedly found an area of the bridge that was somewhat wider and sturdier before pulling them
up. The two were being lifted steadily, but down below, a new band of molten resentful spirits
gathered gradually, maliciously looking upwards, grumbling as they huddled, and soon, another
pillar of fire was shot up!
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were hung in mid air, unable to dodge, and Xie Lian picked RuoYe up
and moved several steps away to evade this attack. But nowhere else on the bridge was as
spacious or stable as this area, so after dodging that blow, he could only return. Feng Xin was
almost burnt by that pillar of fire, and he shouted in outrage, “WHAT’S WITH THIS BAND OF
DOG SHITS, ATTACKING PEOPLE WHILE THEY’RE DOWN, SO VILE! FUCK YOUR ENTIRE
FAMILY!”
Xie Lian responded, “IF THEIR ENTIRE FAMILIES ALL LOOK LIKE THAT, YOU SURE YOU
WANT TO FUCK THEM??”
The resentful spirits hadn’t given up, giggling as they appeared ready to continue their ambush.
Feng Xin was at the height of his temper, and he raised Mu Qing up, grunting, “Hold on to this!”
Mu Qing had thought he was actually going to die earlier, the shock was too great, so even now
his reaction was a little dull, and he followed the order to grab on to RuoYe. Without the need to
hold him, Feng Xin freed up a hand, and pulled out the longbow carried on his back as well as
several wooden sticks he picked up from who knows where. Using sticks as arrows, he held the
bow with one hand and used his teeth to bite back the bowstring and fletching. Setting the arrow
onto the string, he pulled back steadily — WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH, four arrows
were let fly at once!
The arrows struck into the lava pool, erupting blossoms of waves, and the molten resentful
spirits rolled over themselves in terror, scattering once again. Feng Xin finally felt gratified, and
he cussed, “SEE THAT! I SAID I’LL FUCK YOU UP! FUCKING DOG SHITS! THIS ANCESTOR
CAN BLOW YOU ALL UP WITH JUST ONE HAND!”
At last, the three finally stood together upon the Heaven Crossing Bridge. Xie Lian wiped at his
sweat many times, and his heart was still thumping, “Feng Xin, how have you come?”
Having this brought up, Feng Xin immediately clutched his head, “How have I come? The three
of you all jumped, what else was I to do? I almost fucking went crazy! I could only find a way to
go around to the bottom of that cliff, then drifted all the way here. I only found you two after
hearing all that rumbling and voices. What were you both doing, jumping into the lava pool!
Madness!”
Mu Qing had finally come to his senses and exclaimed, “I was dragged down!”
Imagining that Feng Xin had cursed the entire way in distress, Xie Lian replied, “Alright alright
alright, you calm down. No matter what, you were truly a godsend, a major help! You know what
they say, sometimes, people really... really need someone to help pull them up in order to get
by, really!”
free(w)ebnovel.com
The three were all scared half to death, and after a mess of sorting themselves out, panting with
steeled faces, they didn’t dare to stick around. Feng Xin carried Mu Qing on his back and they
continued to leap forward down the Heaven Crossing Bridge. Having leapt for a stretch and
exchanged the things they saw, Xie Lian learned that Feng Xin hadn’t seen Hua Cheng either,
and his heart couldn’t help but tighten. Just where was Hua Cheng? They couldn’t only keep
going along down the bridge to keep searching.
Just then, Feng Xin said to Mu Qing who was on his back, “By the way, those words you were
screaming earlier, I’ve heard a bit. The first part was enraging, makes me want to beat you up,
but I hadn’t imagined that in the end, you little bastard actually think all that in your heart!”
“...”
Mu Qing’s face darkened completely. Feng Xin turned to Xie Lian, “Didn’t I already tell you? This
guy, his feelings are more twisted than the resentful concubines of the deep harem, completely
unfathomable!”
“...” Xie Lian could see Mu Qing’s face was now completely shrouded, and he waved his hand
madly at him. Feng Xin was entirely oblivious and turned to Mu Qing, “If you had wanted to be
friends with His Highness, then just say so! Going around making people sick with all that
sarcasm just because you thought His Highness despised you so you couldn’t be friends
anymore, I really don’t know what your brain is thinking?”
Xie Lian gave up and waved dismissively, “Isn’t he like this since we were young? Don’t scold
him anymore, look, his face is all red.”
“...”
Mu Qing couldn’t endure any longer and roared, “WHAT THE FUCK! WHAT THE ACTUAL
FUCK!! CAN YOU TWO JUST SHUT UP??”
Xie Lian reminded him, “You seem to have caught Feng Xin’s vocabulary. And also, it’s not very
good to swear.”
Feng Xin piped up, “You said it yourself, you very much wanted to be His Highness’ f-f-friend!”
He even purposely imitated Mu Qing’s teeth-gritting stutter, and Mu Qing’s face had become
savage, his hand already sneaking to his back to find his sabre. Feng Xin added, “Alright, now
everything’s out in the open. Anyway, just you remember this: His Highness never thought you
so filthy in his mind. Other than that time you crossed the line and he got mad, but afterwards,
he’s never said a single bad word about you in front of me! You, just act like a normal person
from now on, talk normally, express yourself normally, if you’re going to be sarcastic again I’m
gonna yell at you!”
Mu Qing listened to the first part while hanging his head, his lips sealed unspeaking, but as he
listened to the latter half he rolled his eyes, “Haven’t you already yelled at me for hundreds of
years?”
Xie Lian reminded him, “Mu Qing, you’re a heavenly official, you’ve gotta watch your
impression, alright? You can’t roll your eyes so easily, if your devotees catch it they’ll have
opinions.”
“Please.” Mu Qing said, “This guy curses all day in the Upper Court.”
Feng Xin humphed, “That’s because you deserved it.”
“Stop bringing up old quarrels with me.” Mu Qing said, “Didn’t you also ditch His Highness to go
have a son?”
Veins were also now popping on Feng Xin’s forehead, and he rolled up his sleeves, “You looking
for a fight?”
Mu Qing sneered, “Fight yourself. If it wasn’t you talking crap about me to His Highness all day,
do you think I would have thought he looked down on me, and get all weird?”
The subject was about to sink into the forbidden again, and Xie Lian spoke up, “Will you both
not air out each other’s dirty laundry at a time like this? What’s the point in hurting each other...”
Mu Qing rolled his eyes again, “Besides, look at you, freaking out back then. So what if he
robbed? If I was His Highness, at that point, I’d rob eighteen wealthy, prominent households and
would never bat an eye. And to think you’re the helping hand, chasing after His Highness to
demand what happened.”
Sweat rolled down Xie Lian’s forehead and he looked back, “Wait a sec, there’s no need to air
mine out either? In any case, find San Lang, help me find San Lang! Hahahaha...”
———–
Ch.236: Bloody Sought Flower; Vicious Battle Against White No-Face
Right then, the three felt at the same time a wave of surging heat coming from below, and they
all cried together, “WATCH OUT!” and their feet moved faster. Seven to eight pillars of fire
charged to the skies, and looking down, there were now even more molten resentful spirits!
“Feng Xin, give Mu Qing to me!” Xie Lian called out.
Without another word, Feng Xin tossed Mu Qing to him from his back, and once on Xie Lian’s
back, Mu Qing exclaimed, “Put them down quick! What a nuisance!”
“I don’t need you to tell me!” Feng Xin replied, and pulled the bowstring back, shooting multiple
rounds at once. The attacking area of his weapon was far wider than Xie Lian and Feng Xin
blindly shooting blasts, and the arrows exploded the lava waves, the surges erupting high into
the air, and screams came all around. “Nice work!” Xie Lian complimented.
“It’s alright, I guess!” Mu Qing commented from his back.
The resentful spirits were full of rancor, and after huddling, they swam much further ahead,
working together to blow flames. After several rumblings, Xie Lian said, “The stretch of the
bridge ahead had been burnt through by them, they want to block our way out!”
Feng Xin cursed, “Fucking god, look at them huddling like that working so hard together, why
can’t they go do something else instead of harming people! I doubt any of you will be able to
receive absolution and escape the lava for another eight thousand years if you keep that up!”
The moment he raised his bow, those molten resentful spirits all scattered again. Xie Lian spoke
up, “Alright, don’t yell anymore, get ready! We’re gonna jump! One, two, three–!!”
On the count of one they started to increase power and speeding up, on the count of two they
calculated the number of steps, and on three, their feet pushed off and jumped – three figures
leapt into the air, passing through the broken gap between the bridge, and landed on the other
side, then they continued their mad dash. That bridge was made for “crossing to the heavens”,
so naturally it would gradually slope up, but Xie Lian was becoming as light as a swallow the
more he ran, “It’s been a long time since the three of us did something like this, huh!”
“Do you mean fighting side by side, or running for our lives?” Mu Qing questioned.
“Both!” Xie Lian said.
“We clearly do this all the time!” Feng Xin exclaimed.
“Really?” Xie Lian wondered.
But, when some things come out into the open, the mindset would be completely different. Xie
Lian laughed for a moment, but his eyes had been watching carefully down below, yet there was
still never a sight of a red silhouette, so he couldn’t help but be a little on edge, “SAN LANG!”
His call echoed in the expansive and empty underground cave, but no one answered. Xie Lian’s
lips were going dry, and he licked them. On his back, Mu Qing watched him looking all over the
area, and after a moment of silence, he said, “Your Highness, you really like him, huh?”
“...”
Xie Lian hadn’t expected him to suddenly ask this, “Ah. Ah? ... Ah.”
While his face was completely blank, the tips of his ears were slowly turning red. Seeing him like
this, Mu Qing was speechless, and only spoke up after a moment of hesitation, “I’m not trying to
scare you on purpose or anything, but I have to remind you. Have you ever thought... maybe
we were the only two sent to the bridge, and Crimson Rain Sought Flower... wasn’t?”
“Isn’t that completely rubbish?” Feng Xin said, “Since there’s only the two of you here, then of
course he was sent elsewhere...”
He had talked to this point before he realized what Mu Qing was trying to say. He wasn’t saying
that Hua Cheng was sent elsewhere, but... maybe, Hua Cheng had fallen into the lava pool.
Xie Lian licked his lips, “H-How is that possible?”
“Don’t think it impossible.” Mu Qing said, “Crimson Rain Sought Flower is a Supreme Ghost
King, no doubt about that, but White No-Face is one too. Besides, he’s the first generation of
Supreme Ghost Kings, the master of Mount TongLu. This place is his territory, the domain
where his spiritual powers are the strongest.”
Feng Xin glared madly at Mu Qing and scolded, “Shut your mouth! What’s wrong with you?
Can’t you say something good at a time like this? He’s the Crimson Rain Sought Flower, I’m
telling you!” Mu Qing indeed stopped that subject, but still had to rebut, “I just think we have to
consider what to do in case of anything.”
Before Xie Lian’s eyes that abnormally bright red dot in Hua Cheng’s pale palm appeared, and
he didn’t know what to say either. Just as he was going to speak, he suddenly came to an
abrupt stop, and Feng Xin who was behind him almost slammed into him, “WHAT IS IT?”
The moment the words left his lips he found there was no need to ask.
Ahead of them, enveloping the air all around was millions of shimmering silver sparkles,
twinkling like the stars. It was as if someone had toppled a treasure box full of silver powder.
Xie Lian put Mu Qing down and walked forward. He reached out a hand, and gently felt a piece
of silver light that was slightly bigger than the rest. After touching it, he then closed his palm and
slowly brought it before his own eyes.
The other two approached to look too, and Feng Xin muttered, “This, this is...”
Mu Qing said it straightforwardly, “It’s the fragment of... a wraith butterfly?”
Feng Xin glared at him in rage again, probably scornful that Mu Qing was being overly
straightforward. Xie Lian’s hand trembled a little, and he clenched that broken piece of a silver
butterfly wing that was still emitting a faint light, then exhaled a long breath.
Feng Xin scratched his head, “Think on the bright side, at least he didn’t actually fall into the
lava pool. He must’ve been here, right?”
Mu Qing pointed to the side, “Then fought with someone here. A major fight.”
Xie Lian’s gaze followed the direction he was pointing and slightly widened his eyes.
The rocks in all directions were covered with countless terrifying gash marks of sharp blades.
It was the blade mark of E-Ming.
Each sabre strike slashed to the bone. It wasn’t like Xie Lian had never seen Hua Cheng use
the sabre before in the past, but his style had always been easy and leisurely, nonchalant and
casual. Rather than say he was handling a weapon, it was more like he was toying with a small
knife. Yet those blade marks were filled with killing intent. It was easy to imagine just how skilled
the one exchanging blows with him was, and how perilous this battle.
Without saying a word, Xie Lian fell to the ground to check. There was no trace on the bridge of
anyone having fallen, and there were no cheering resentful spirits gathered below the bridge
either, so Xie Lian finally somewhat relaxed and crawled to his feet, sprinting forward resolutely
on his own. Behind him, Feng Xin carried Mu Qing on his back and caught up, “Your Highness!”
Xie Lian held his breath, because he didn’t want to hear his own harsh, anxious breathing.
Messing up breathing was a great taboo for one who practiced martial arts, since not only did it
add unnecessary burdens to the body, it would also derange the rhythm of the heart. But even
holding his breath was useless; his hands arms and legs were all shaking, and as he ran and
ran, he even tripped, falling and tumbling, rolling a dozen times, even nearly rolling off the
bridge. Feng Xin and Mu Qing both started yelling, telling him to be careful. Suddenly, Xie Lian
spoke up, “What’s that sound?”
Xie Lian stood steady on his feet again and turned back, “Do you guys hear something? Is that
the sound of something?”
Feng Xin and Mu Qing both cried, “Yes! YES!”
It was the cracking and rumbling sounds of weapons clashing and spiritual powers colliding.
Even the bridge body of the Heaven Crossing Bridge was faintly shaking. In the darkness of the
path ahead, there was light going on and off.
There’s people ahead fighting!
Xie Lian half crawled half stumbled as he charged forward. Behind him Feng Xin muttered,
“Dear fucking god, may all the gods and buddhas grant their blessings, that better absolutely be
Crimson Rain Sought Flower, otherwise he’s gonna go mad!”
“Stop your rubbish,” Mu Qing berated, “We’re all the gods and buddhas ourselves and we can’t
grant shit, just keep up with him! Look at the stumbling way he’s running, he’s gonna trip and fall
to his bloody death before he even sees the man!”
Xie Lian had completely forgotten about holding his breath, and just listened to his own
disorderly panting for five, six miles, and after rounding a few giant winding paths, finally, after
turning the last corner, bright white light abruptly filled his vision.
At the end of the hanging Heaven Crossing Bridge, a red clad man and a white clad man were
engaged in a vicious battle.
That red clad man wielded a slender and long silvery white scimitar, his form beguiling, flashing
in and out like lightning – it was Hua Cheng. He wasn’t smiling anymore, completely focused,
his expression sharp, a smear of a bloody mark on his handsome and pale cheek, adding vivid
brightness to his biting frost. That white clad man was of course White No-Face, and he was
wielding a sword that came from who knows where, that half smiling, half crying cry-smiling
mask still on his face. Only, that mask and what Xie Lian had seen before were now somewhat
different.
It was cracked in the middle.
That crack was significant, unable to be ignored, and it went from the heart of the forehead all
the way down to the cheek below the eye, like it was going to break any moment!
Both were exceedingly light on their feet, tipping before blitzing in seconds, the aura of evil
erupting in the air, yet each of their strikes were heavy like a thousand tonnes, their force
blasting through the skies. The aura of the blade against the winds of the sabre, a maniacal
dance, a chaotic flight, and the wraith butterflies above were also matching with the molten
resentful spirits below, shrieking at one another, like the mountains collapsing and the seas
toppling. Every time they clashed, the molten lava and blazing fires within the pool would
explode, the terrifying waves surging meters high, and no one could get close at all!
Feng Xin and Mu Qing both came around afterwards, and were both shaken by the scene,
nailed to the ground by their shock, unable to move a single step.
Not a single martial god could watch a battle such as this and not feel excitement!
To see Hua Cheng perfectly fine, Xie Lian’s highly strung heart could finally rest, and he
immediately wanted to collapsed onto the ground and scream and yell, but he forced himself to
hold it in. When skilled fighters clashed, any instance of disturbance could determine victory and
defeat. Besides, this was the battle between the two Supreme Ghost Kings of their time!
In the far distance on White No-Face’s side, there was another figure standing, and it was
Guoshi. Naturally, he was brought here by White No-Face. Seeing Xie Lian and company had
come, he breathed in relief, but didn’t dare to recklessly make any noise either. Yet who knew,
Hua Cheng had already noticed newcomers, and his frozen, frost-like focus melted slightly, a
grin finally widening on his face, “It seems, you’ve lost again. His Highness has come, and not a
single person is missing from the ones he had brought with him.”
Xie Lian couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted, “SAN LANG!”
Hua Cheng inclined his head and answered, “Gege.” Then, his tone turned to one of warning
again, “Gege, next time you make yourself fall like that again, I’m going to get mad.”
Xie Lian responded too, “Next time you jump down with me again, I’ll get even more mad!”
“...” Hearing this, Hua Cheng’s expression seemed to stiffen for a second, as if Xie Lian’s words
really did make him wary for a moment. Even when facing White No-Face he had never showed
such a wary expression. White No-Face crushed in, the one he struck at was Hua Cheng, but
the one he spoke to was Xie Lian, “Xian Le, aren’t you two enjoying your spring tailwinds too
much, and over-underestimating me?”
The eyeball on the hilt of E-Ming noticed Xie Lian, and started madly spinning in crackles. Hua
Cheng flipped his hand and thrusted, and Xie Lian heard a CRACK!
And his heart lurched.
————
Ch.237: Bloody Sought Flower; Vicious Battle Against White No-Face 2
That was the sound of a weapon breaking!
All those present hastily looked to where the sound came from, and saw the scimitar on Hua
Cheng’s hand was fine, but the long sword wielded by White No-Face had been snapped in half
by Hua Cheng’s strike!
The eyeball on the scimitar E-Ming saw Xie Lian, and spun crazily in crackles, looking like it had
showed itself off in front of Xie Lian and was feeling so happy it was going to ascend. Hua
Cheng laughed heartily and said easily, “It’s fine. There’s no need for gege to worry.” Then he
rebutted White No-Face, “And why do I have to care for the likes of you?”
White No-Face humphed, and Guoshi couldn’t hold back anymore, afraid Hua Cheng was going
to provoke his opponent, “YOUNG MAN, DON’T BE SO COCKY!”
Yet unexpectedly, what Hua Cheng said next was even more audacious and brazen. Wielding
the sabre singlehandedly, its sharp luster brilliant, he pointed it at White No-Face, smiling, “After
all, in the end you’re nothing more than an addled old fart with a heart filled with jealousy.”
Nevermind Guoshi who had lost all energy to berate his fake smile, both Feng Xin and Mu Qing
were stunned too: this man’s way to gutsy!
Who would dare say such a thing to either Jun Wu or White No-Face’s faces?!
But, they all had to admit that only Hua Cheng would dare to say those words, since, he was
probably the only one who could say those things and Jun Wu or White No-Face could still do
nothing to him!
Mu Qing got off on his own, walked a few steps, and mumbled, “No wonder, in the past... when
it came to Crimson Rain Sought Flower, Jun Wu always said to avoid him if we can, and not to
face him head on.”
Right then, a ball of white shadow flashed by, blocking in front of the point of E-Ming’s blade. Xie
Lian’s eyes were sharp, and saw clearly what that creature was, “San Lang, don’t cut that thing!”
It was the fetus spirit!
He saw it, so naturally Hua Cheng saw it too, and the point of the blade veered, withdrawing at
will, changing the slashing motion to flicking, flinging that ball of white creature away. Feng Xin
had his pupils shrink earlier, and only snapped out of it when he saw that fetus spirit wasn’t
chopped into two, “COME HERE!”
The direction Hua Cheng had flung that fetus spirit was exactly towards him. Feng Xin rushed
up to reach for it, but there weren’t many hairs on its head in the first place, and with his shout
the hairs all stood, angry gurgling coming from its throat. The moment Feng Xin went up it
chomped at him like mad incessantly, refusing to let him pick it up. Feng Xin couldn’t help but be
outraged, ‘FUCKING HELL! WHEN IT SEES HIM IT STICKS ON, WHEN IT SEES ME IT
BITES, JUST WHO IS YOUR DAD HERE??”
Mu Qing however, commented cooly, “Have you ever taken it for your son? Have you ever
called its name properly?”
Hearing this, Feng Xin was taken aback, “I...”
On the other end, Xie Lian couldn’t stay still watching the battle, and hastily instructed, “The two
of you be careful, I’ll go and see!”
Mu Qing said quietly, “You be careful yourself! Don’t forget, you still have two bands on your
person...”
Xie Lian was slightly taken aback, and unconsciously touched his neck, feeling that cursed
shackle. But, for some reason, he felt White No-Face wouldn’t use the cursed shackle to
threaten him. There wasn’t any more time to parse words, and he rushed forward. On the other
side, one flash of red and one flash of white were steeped in a vicious battle, and after
observing for a moment, Xie Lian determined it was hard to recklessly join the chaotic fight.
RuoYe was whipped out and Guoshi was wrapped and pulled over, “Master! Are you alright?”
Guoshi wiped his face full of cold sweat, “...Fine!”
“If you’re fine then why are you sweating so heavily?” Xie Lian questioned.
“Isn’t it all thanks to that Crimson Rain Sought Flower the little bastard with no filter on his
mouth! What a fright!!!” Guoshi berated.
Just then, they heard Feng Xin give a surprised shout. Xie Lian raised his head and looked over,
and saw White No-Face was slowly dropping a hand.
One of his arms was injured.
He flipped his palm open, saw his own hand covered with blood, and sighed, chuckling, “...It’s
been many years since anyone has managed to hurt me like this.”
Xie Lian felt a sense of foreboding and asked, “Master, is he... mad?”
Guoshi could be considered as the only one in the world who understood White No-Face the
best right now, “No... it’s worse than anger. He’s... happy.”
After a pause, White No-Face turned to Hua Cheng, and asked, his voice full of curiosity, “Your
scimitar, was it forged by that missing eye of yours?”
It was obvious Hua Cheng had no interest in responding, but Xie Lian’s heart jumped violently.
From the first time he saw E-Ming he knew that this scimitar must be unusual, but he had only
half guessed that perhaps it was forged from the eye Hua Cheng lost. White No-Face’s voice
was so confident, could that really be true?
Guoshi’s brows knitted, and after a moment, he suddenly spoke up, “Oh, I remember now.”
“What do you remember?” Xie Lian asked.
“I remember that they’ve told me of an incident.” Guoshi said, “Many hundreds of years ago, a
vicious ghost had come to Mount TongLu.”
“I’m sure there’s at least a million vicious ghosts that have paid a visit to Mount TongLu.” Mu
Qing said.
“DON’T INTERRUPT!” Guoshi exclaimed, “—That vicious ghost, the time it took to form was
very short, very young, and when it had come, it was almost ready to dissipate completely, yet
for some reason it held on and drifted here.”
For some reason, Xie Lian’s heart was thumping like mad, “Almost dissipated completely? How
come?”
“It seemed to have suffered a great damage.” Guoshi replied, “Its soul was pretty much all
scattered, and it wasn’t very conscient either, but it still floated along, repeating again and again
that it wouldn’t leave, it wouldn’t leave. Probably because his wish hadn’t been fulfilled. Anyway,
that year when Mount TongLu opened, an accident happened.”
When Xie Lian heard “It wouldn’t leave”, his heart softened for some reason, but also squeezed
at the same time. He then immediately asked, “What accident?”
“Within Mount TongLu, not only did millions of ghosts gather, a group of live mortals who had
accidentally intruded were also locked inside.”
“What?!”
“There are nothing but monsters and demons inside TongLu, the common people can’t break
out at all, and could only suffer the fate of becoming nutrients. However, for whatever reason,
that vicious ghost, in its state of muddledness, took that large group of live mortals under its
wing and fled for many days. In the end, they were still surrounded by millions of ghosts,
trapped in a dead end, and it was going to be eaten along with those humans.”
Xie Lian knew that this lonesome, drifting feral ghost must have been Hua Cheng!
“And then?” He pushed, “Was there a way to break away to safety?”
“Yes.” Guoshi replied, “Forge a blood weapon, and kill to break the siege.”
Mu Qing still couldn’t help but chip in, “Then wouldn’t the easiest sacrifice be...”
Wouldn’t it be those humans that fell into the state of devastation!
Feng Xin and Mu Qing looked to White No-Face and Hua Cheng who were completely focused
in their vicious battle, “Did... did he...”
Xie Lian also held his breath. Guoshi said, “En. He made a move.”
Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s expressions all became unreadable. Xie Lian however, didn’t move a
muscle, and only waited for Guoshi to continue. Sure enough, Guoshi answered his anticipation,
“He made a move. In a fit of madness, it dug out one of its own eyes.”
“...”
Guoshi continued, “That vicious ghost almost made a move against those humans, but for some
reason, in the end it didn’t, and instead used one of its own eyes as the price to forge a blood
weapon. That vicious ghost was forcibly hanging on with a last breath, and after digging out its
eye it should’ve broken apart completely. Yet somehow something had shocked it, and it instead
woke to its senses completely. Who knows what kind of wicked device it’s forged that actually
carried it through that battle. And, there was another curious incident.”
Xie Lian tried to force himself to calm, “W-What incident?”
“Apparently, after that battle, the heavens sent forth a heavenly calamity, and it struck straight
into Mount TongLu.” Guoshi, “Do you understand what that means?”
Was there any need to explain what it meant?
To have a heavenly calamity be sent forth, it meant, the heavens believed there was someone
who was worthy to ascend within Mount TongLu.
Xie Lian grabbed Guoshi, “Who was it? Who ascended??”
“This is all hearsay.” Guoshi said, “But, there wasn’t any heavenly officials in the Upper Court
that came from Mount TongLu. Either what I heard was purely fabricated, or...”
The one who ascended jumped back down, and rejected the heavenly realm!
Mu Qing couldn’t accept this at all, and was perplexed, “To ascend as a ghost? There’s such a
thing? And it refused its ascension and jumped back down?? It can’t be him, can it? He only just
entered Mount TongLu then, he hadn’t even reached the rank of Supreme!! Jumping down just
like that... he didn’t even know if he’d survive! Why did he do this??”
Why had he gone to such extremes??
Suddenly, Xie Lian heard White No-Face sigh, “Xian Le, you have a very faithful believer.”
Before he finished, a cracked cry-smiling mask abruptly appeared before Xie Lian’s eyes.
Xie Lian had never expected White No-Face could actually approach to mere inches away in
the breath of an instant, and his eyes cleanly reflected his reflection. RuoYe shot up like it was
furious, ready to strike, but in the end it still shrank back.
It couldn’t be blamed, since RuoYe had always been very intelligent. When it determined that its
attack would be ineffective, it would give up voluntarily.
White No-Face seemed to have smiled a bit since that cry-smiling mask’s crack had become
deeper.
The next second, the blade point of E-Ming brushed against his neck.
But it was late by a step; White No-Face had already dodged away.
He flashed and appeared on the highest point of where the Heaven Crossing Bridge ended, and
slightly lifted his hand, “No need to be nervous, I was only taking back what was mine.”
In his hand was a long sword that was completely pitch black and frigid like cold jade, a silver
thread crossing down the heart of the sword. Xie Lian subconsciously twisted his hand to feel
his back, and sure enough, Fang Xin that was carried on his back was gone.
Fang Xin was originally the sacred sword of the Crown Prince of WuYong. White No-Face had
retrieved what had belonged to him.
One piece, two pieces, three pieces. That tragically pale mask was flaking off one piece at a
time until finally, it thoroughly fell, revealing the face behind the mask. Within the burning flames,
that white robe also transformed into white armour.
At last, “White No-Face” had taken off his mask, and transformed into “Jun Wu”.
Everyone held their breaths, high on guard.
There was no need to guess. In this form, he must be even stronger.
————–
Ch.238: Bloody Sought Flower; Vicious Battle Against White No-Face 3
Guoshi shouted towards Hua Cheng, “YOUNG MAN, DON’T UNDERESTIMATE YOUR
OPPONENT! His form now is even more difficult to deal with than White No-Face! Besides, you
had the advantage of a better weapon earlier, but not anymore!”
Sure enough, all of the wounds on Jun Wu’s body vanished in one sweep, and he was restored
from head to toe. He glanced at Guoshi and smiled, “To teach others on how to face me in front
of me, I won’t kill you, but you’re becoming more bold.”
That smile was laced with a tone of warning. Guoshi stopped speaking, but stared back at him.
Xie Lian spoke up, “Don’t you worry, San Lang has never underestimated his opponents.”
He was more than clear on this. Even if the smile on Hua Cheng’s face was fearless and
brazen, his hands would never relax.
Jun Wu gazed at the sword, speaking softly, “Zhu Xin, long time no see.”
Fang Xin – or rather, it should now be called Zhu Xin, was emitting a deep, quiet moan in his
hand.
Xie Lian had always thought that Fang Xin was too old so it wasn’t easy to use, who knows if it’d
just pass away one day, yet he had never thought that in the hands of its once master, its aura
and power was completely different than when it was in his own hands!
Each time Zhu Xin and E-Ming clashed, the entire Heaven Crossing Bridge would shake, as if it
would collapse and plummet into the lava at any moment. Compared to earlier, Jun Wu’s
strength, force, and speed were distinctly greater. While Hua Cheng still matched his pace, still
his brows knitted slightly, his expression growing even sharper. The few watching the fight from
afar were also stunned and anxious.
Since, every one of Jun Wu’s strikes were aiming straight for Hua Cheng’s right eye!
Hua Cheng blocked twice, but both times were alarmingly close, and soon he discovered Jun
Wu had been repeatedly using the same attack, as if he had determined the right eye was Hua
Cheng’s weakness, and was going to dig for it again. Every time he lunged, naturally Hua
Cheng defended with all he had, and blocked repeatedly. But with this development, wouldn’t
they have sunken into a tug of war with nothing to be accomplished?
It was as if the eye of E-Ming had sensed danger, and was furious. The black jade-like blade
came striking again and there was a crisp CLINK! – Hua Cheng hadn’t raised the sabre to parry,
but Jun Wu had withdrawn his sword.
Clad in all white, Xie Lian had blocked in front of Hua Cheng.
Earlier, it was his using the force of rebound to flick away the chilling blade of Zhu Xin!
Xie Lian still couldn’t sit back after all, and entered the fight. He was skilled in the art of catching
the blade with bare hands, but it was still the first time he had ever encountered such a
malicious sword. With only a light flick, half of his arm was almost numb, especially his palm, the
feeling only returning after he backed away for a few steps and shaking it off. Behind him, Hua
Cheng spoke up, “Gege?”
“Let’s do this together!” Xie Lian said.
The two stood back to back, aiming their will to battle against the other party. Seeing this, Jun
Wu’s smile grew bigger, “Oh?”
Xie Lian said quietly, “You take the top and I’ll take the bottom!”
Just as his words ended the two split, one going up and one going down, swiping towards Jun
Wu. Xie Lian knew fairly well of Jun Wu’s style of attacks, and could vaguely guess how he
would attack next, so he blurted, “Hook!”
Hua Cheng followed, and the scimitar made a return. Sure enough Jun Wu almost fell for the
trick, and Xie Lian then instructed, “Blast!”
Hua Cheng followed again, and this time he didn’t use the sabre, but used his bare hand to
churn his spiritual powers and blasted out. Sure enough Jun Wu’s shoulder was hit, his figure
dipping for a moment, and if it wasn’t for his wicked speed, those two moves would’ve probably
hit him fatally. As they battled, Xie Lian suddenly snapped to; Hua Cheng was a Supreme of
their time, with his skills, why would he need Xie Lian’s recommendations? What a terrible
offence, his old habit had come out, and he quickly apologized, “I’m sorry! You don’t have to
listen to me!”
Hua Cheng however, only smiled happily, “Everything gege tells me is the best decision, so why
wouldn’t I listen?”
Suddenly, the bridge caved in, and Hua Cheng suddenly lost his footing, looking like he was
about to fall. Xie Lian stepped onto the poles of the bridge and casted RuoYe out, wrapped it
around Hua Cheng and pulled him back. The next second, he felt chill on his neck – Jun Wu
had blitzed to his back, resting a hand on his shoulder, “Xian Le, good skills.”
He was too close, Xie Lian could feel his hairs stand. Hua Cheng exclaimed, “Gege!”
He flung his left hand, and E-Ming came flying through the air. Xie Lian reacted incredibly fast,
lowering his head, and E-Ming brushed the top of his head as it flew by, slashing towards Jun
Wu who was behind him. Only then did Jun Wu release the hand on his shoulder, and Xie Lian
used this chance to leap back to Hua Cheng’s side. E-Ming then boomeranged back to Hua
Cheng’s hand. The two worked together seamlessly, and those on the side only saw three
shadows appearing here and there like lightning, so fast it was unimaginable and made one
suffocate. Meanwhile. Jun Wu’s laughter resounded overhead, throughout the lava cave, like he
was encouraging them, “Good. Very good! Continue!”
Mu Qing strenuously dodged where the bridge was caving in, all the while speaking in horror,
“Guoshi! Is... is he mental? He’s laughing?”
“I already said!” Guoshi said, “He’s worse than mad, he’s happy! This is only the beginning!”
On the other side, having obtained Zhu Xin, Jun Wu was like a tiger with wings. Xie Lian saw he
continuously wielded the sword to attack viciously at Hua Cheng’s right eye and felt both terror
and alarm. Whipping out RuoYe, Xie Lian tangled the hilt of Zhu Xin. Yet unexpectedly, Jun Wu
reversed the grip and yanked, and Xie Lian’s entire person was flying towards him.
Xie Lian was startled at first, but he soon regained calm. He was going to snatch the sword at
first anyway, so there was nothing to be scared of, going straight for the blade, his mind playing
out all the hundreds of possible moves that they might exchange in an instant. Yet unexpectedly,
halfway through the air, another hand caught him and pulled him back. Xie Lian landed and
looked back, and saw Hua Cheng was shielding in front of him, a black jade sword piercing
through his heart.
Seeing this picture, Xie Lian almost passed out choking, “SAN LANG?!”
Hua Cheng’s face was slightly dark. Jun Wu was still waiting for Xie Lian to impale himself
against the blade of Zhu Xin, but seeing that it was blocked, he pulled the sword and backed off,
looking rather disappointed. Xie Lian had completely forgotten that Hua Cheng was a ghost, so
even if a giant hole was punched through his chest he could still jump around all lively, and even
now he was still worried, both his hands covering over that unbleeding wound on Hua Cheng’s
chest, “San Lang, wh... what were you doing, so suddenly?! ...”
Hua Cheng responded, “As if I’d allow you to be stabbed by it again in front of me!”
For some reason, his tone was a little over extreme, and Xie Lian was slightly taken aback, but
Jun Wu’s gentle voice came, “Why ache so, Xian Le? It’s not like he’d feel the pain. He’s
nothing but a deceased man.”
“...” And he dared to remind Xie Lian of this!
Xie Lian whipped his head around to glare at him, his heart ablaze with fury, “And isn’t this all
your fault?!”
Jun Wu however, only sneered, “Is it all my fault?”
Having heard this reversed question, Xie Lian was suddenly stumped.
Jun Wu changed the subject, “Perhaps. But, Xian Le, have you remained in the mortal realm for
so long that you’ve forgotten what you’ve done? Do you still remember what you did after Xian
Le had fallen?”
“...”
A deeply meaningful smile appeared on Jun Wu’s face, and he said slowly, “Do you still
remember, a ghost named Wu Ming?”
Xie Lian’s face suddenly lost all colours, and he blurted, “DON’T!”
Guoshi sensed things were going wrong and exclaimed, “Your Highness, what’s he saying?
What did you do after Xian Le fell?”
Xie Lian felt an odd sense of terror, and he looked at Hua Cheng, then at Jun Wu, and what was
fury earlier had now transformed to uncertainty. Hua Cheng instantly grabbed hold of him, and
soothed with a low voice, “It’s fine, Your Highness, don’t be afraid.”
Feng Xin also called out, “Yea, hold steady!”
Mu Qing on the other hand, was sharper, “What did he mean? A ghost? What ghost?”
But how could Xie Lian hold steady?
Those were the most unkempt days of his life, and he committed a deed he regretted the most.
Even he himself didn’t dare to think back on it much. Whenever that pale, crescent-eyed smiling
mask surfaced in his mind, he would suffer no sleep, and curl into a ball, desperate for no one to
ever see him again.
Hua Cheng had seen a Xie Lian basking in glory, had seen a defeated Xie Lian after losing a
war, had seen a foolish, silly Xie Lian, had seen an impoverished and beggard Xie Lian. Those
were all nothing.
But, he had probably never seen a Xie Lian who rolled in filthy mud, a Xie Lian who yelled and
swore, a Xie Lian full of resentment and hate, a Xie Lian who was set on annihilating the
Kingdom of YongAn for revenge, a Xie Lian who would go as far as creating the Human Face
Disease for the second time!
That period of his life was too obscene to be looked back on. If this was the past, if White
No-Face wanted to drag it out, then whatever. But now, Xie Lian didn’t want to find out at all
what face Hua Cheng would show when he learned that Xie Lian had gone through such a
period in his life.
Because he wasn’t as good as Hua Cheng thought him to be. He wasn’t untainted by filth,
saintly and pure. Even if Hua Cheng might only show a sliver of disbelief after learning the fact,
Xie Lian would probably never be able to live with himself, and would never have the face to see
Hua Cheng again!
The moment he thought of this, Xie Lian’s face turned steely pale uncontrollably, cold sweat
rolling from his forehead, and his hands trembled. Seeing how he was reacting, Hua Cheng’s
grip on his hand grew tighter, and he said with grave assurance, “Your Highness, don’t be afraid.
Remember? The one basking in infinite glory is you; the one fallen from grace is also you. What
matters is ‘you’, and not the state of you. No matter what’s happened in the past, I will never
leave you. You can tell me anything.”
To end, he added gently, “You told me this yourself.”
Xie Lian steadied himself slightly, but Jun Wu puffed a laugh and said slowly, “‘No matter what
happened in the past, I will never leave you.’ My most faithful believers, my bestest friends, they
also told me that once.”
Guoshi’s face changed, and Jun Wu also swept him a look, “But, in the end, as you see. No one
was able to truly do as they promised.”
It looked as if Guoshi couldn’t bear to look at him anymore and turned his head away. Hua
Cheng begged, “Believe me, Your Highness. Won’t you?”
It’s not that Xie Lian wouldn’t believe him.
It’s that he didn’t dare to try.
In the end, Xie Lian swallowed with difficulty and forced himself to chuckle, then he felt he
shouldn’t be laughing and hung his head, his voice trembling, “...San Lang, why don’t you... I’m
sorry, I, I might...”
Hua Cheng gazed at him for a moment, then started, “I actually...”
Before he finished, a wave of intense killing intent came lunging, and the two leapt apart.
Senses returned to Xie Lian somewhat, and some colours returned to his face, “What’s with
him? Why is he even more...”
Faster, stronger?
Compared to the form of White No-Face from before, now, Jun Wu’s speed and power had all
been doubled, and it was still growing; they could sense very clearly this horrifying surge with
every attack!
Mu Qing also noticed another thing, and he shouted, “Your Highness! BE CAREFUL HE’S
CHANGED TACTICS! HE’S NOT ATTACKING CRIMSON RAIN SOUGHT FLOWER
ANYMORE... HE’S NOW ONLY ATTACKING YOU!”
Naturally, Xie Lian also noticed this. There was only RuoYe in his hand, and when RuoYe saw
Fang Xin it’d shrink back, unable to attack head on. Fortunately, E-Ming had flawlessly blocked
every move Jun Wu used against him.
———
Ch.239: Crack the White Armour; Fantastic Magic Shattering the Cursed Shackles
The sword Fang Xin was emitting a forceful aura, and those watching from afar could already
feel themselves shudder from just looking at it, nevermind Xie Lian who had been forced to back
away step by step by such attacks.
Earlier, Hua Cheng could take on White No-Face by himself and it was more than enough, but
after Jun Wu had emerged, both of them were needed in order to make the match even. The
advantage of Mount TongLu being the main spiritual domain was gradually becoming obvious,
and Xie Lian could subtly sense a heavy force oppressing and restricting their side.
And, Jun Wu also has a white armour protecting his body, a thousand years spiritual device he
had forged personally, its defence practically impenetrable. He only needed to protect his head;
Hua Cheng’s sabre was incredible fast and precise, Xie Lian also struck wherever he could, the
two practically struck blows all over Jun Wu’s front, from his neck, his heart, his back, his
abdomen, his shoulders, but the opponent was not affected in the least!
Mu Qing shouted, “STOP WASTING YOUR STRENGTH! IT’S POINTLESS! THAT WHITE
ARMOUR CAN’T BE PENETRATED AT ALL!”
“Aim for just under his right ribs!” Xie Lian exclaimed.
The scimitar was unleashed again and cut where Xie Lian had instructed, but as expected, it
was useless. Mu Qing shouted, “I TOLD YOU IT’S POINTLESS! WHY DON’T YOU THINK OF
A WAY TO PULL AWAY FIRST, AND WE’LL JOIN IN THE FIGHT! FENG XIN! WHERE’S
YOUR BOW AND ARROWS?”
Feng Xin was just climbing the rocks on the side, ready to capture that fetus spirit that was
currently crazily spitting and slithering its tongue at him. When he heard the call, he answered,
“ALRIGHT! I’M COMING!”
However, Xie Lian instructed, “Continue, don’t stop! Attack just below the right ribs!”
“Your Highness!!” Feng Xin shouted, “THAT SET OF ARMOUR IS POWERFUL, IT MIGHT NOT
CRACK EVEN AFTER HUNDREDS OF BLOWS FROM THE SABRE!”
Xie Lian was adamant, “Don’t worry, just listen to me! There’s no need for that many blows!”
Hua Cheng didn’t question why either, and continued attacking nonstop with the sabre.
Suddenly, where the blade brushed by, a crack appeared.
Blood spurt out. E-Ming’s blade had cut into Jun Wu’s abdomen just below his right ribs!
Hua Cheng was standing in front of Jun Wu, gripping the sabre singlehandedly, his eyes cold
and sharp as he stared him in the eyes. Meanwhile, Xie Lian stood on Jun Wu’s side, and
RuoYe used this chance to whip out, binding Jun Wu’s hands, preventing him from moving to
block.
On the side, Mu Qing was shocked, “How is that possible?”
That thousand year white armour, how could it be so easily cut through by Hua Cheng?
Xie Lian yanked RuoYe back tight, eyeing Jun Wu, “...Have you forgotten? Eight hundred years
ago, you and I fought once.”
Then it dawned on Feng Xin and Mu Qing. “The second ascension?”
At the time, Xie Lian requested for Jun Wu to banish him once more, and, to compete for
measure for a round.
Although in that battle, it was promised that neither party would show mercy, but thinking back
now, Jun Wu must’ve still held himself back.
But, Xie Lian himself used everything he got.
He unleashed over three thousand swords. Among them, over four hundred managed to stab
Jun Wu, and in those four hundred some swords, more than a hundred had pierced this place.
Xie Lian relentlessly shot over three thousand swords to attack Jun Wu, and finally broke
through that thousand year white armour that was impenetrable, and pierced right into his
abdomen below the right ribs.
And it was the very place Hua Cheng’s sabre had cut at in this moment!
So, eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian had already left an old scar upon this white armour, and
it’d only take three slashes from the sabre for Hua Cheng to crack it!
Hua Cheng’s sabre was also much sharper than Xie Lian had imagined. The scimitar rammed
through the abdomen, a blow that was definitely critical!
He only just sighed a breath in relief mentally when he heard Guoshi yell, “THAT’S NO USE!
HE...”
Logically, having suffered grave injuries, Jun Wu’s actions should’ve been restrained, but he had
only lowered his head to give the wound a glance, his expression unchanging. Right as Xie Lian
sensed something was off, Jun Wu’s hands moved slightly.
Immediately, Xie Lian heard the light sound of something tearing, and at the same time, his hold
loosened.
RuoYe... was ripped!
That white silk band had been torn into two, and suddenly dropped to the ground lifelessly. The
next second, Xie Lian felt his neck being choked, and then his entire person was pulled up!
He heard Hua Cheng exclaim, “Your Highness!” But, that voice suddenly became distant. Jun
Wu’s voice however, was still only inches away, and he spoke up, “Xian Le, did you actually
believe that something like being pierced by the sword is something I have less experience in
than you? Did you think I would care?”
Guoshi said from the distance, “Even if you all pierce him with the blade hundreds of times it’d
still be of no use! Because... he seems... unable to feel pain at all anymore...”
Xie Lian could take a long sword penetrating his heart without flinching, and Jun Wu, was also
the same.
Feng Xin had already pulled open his bow and was aiming at Jun Wu, but when he heard
Guoshi he dropped it again, “WHAT?! Then doesn’t that mean even if we manage to make a hit
it’s still pointless?!”
Mu Qing spoke up, “I might as well tell you all another bad news I’ve observed. I suspect, his
recovery speed is faster than the speed he’s receiving blows.”
“WHAT?!”
On the other side, Xie Lian could already verify that this was indeed fact.
His wound had been so terrifying, and if this was anyone else they would’ve had their waist
completely slashed through, yet the wound had already stopped bleeding. “No need to be so
surprised.” Jun Wu said, “If you are constantly stabbed in the back, if you don’t make yourself
recover immediately then wouldn’t you have died for a thousand times over already? But, the
two of you are certainly quite something.”
He smiled, “In these eight hundred years, I’ve only been wounded by one sword and one sabre,
and it was from the two of you. Crimson Rain Sought Flower, stand further away. You wouldn’t
want to see me wring Xian Le’s neck.”
“...”
Hua Cheng’s face was dark, the sharpness in his eyes tempesting, but when he saw Jun Wu
holding Xie Lian hanging over the Heaven Crossing Bridge, with one release of his hand and
Xie Lian would plummet into the lava pool hundreds of yards below, a moment later he
reluctantly withdrew his sabre, resting a hand behind his back, and slowly backed away for a
few steps.
He appeared rather calm, but the scimitar under his arm was giving him away. E-Ming was
greatly agitated, its eyeball spinning like crazy, staring madly at Xie Lian. Hua Cheng had
backed away to the edge of the Heaven Crossing Bridge before Jun Wu said, “That’s good
enough.”
With Xie Lian in his hold, the two looked each other in the eyes. Then a moment later, Jun Wu
suddenly slammed Xie Lian into the wall of rocks nearby.
The smashing was too violent; Xie Lian’s entire head was ringing, blood running from his nose
and lips in a mess, flowing down the contours of his face. In the distance there seemed to be
many people yelling in alarm, but he couldn’t identify who they all were, and could only hear Jun
Wu speak softly in his ear, “Xian Le, does it hurt when your head is smashed against the wall?”
Xie Lian couldn’t quite process the question so he didn’t respond. Thus, Jun Wu gripped him
and slammed him into the rocks again before questioning,”Does it hurt? Does it hurt? Does it
hurt?”
With each question he’d slam Xie Lian into the rocky wall, so hard Xie Lian started screaming,
but what he was screaming was, “SAN LANG, DON’T COME OVER! I’M FINE I’M FINE! YOU
MUST ABSOLUTELY NOT COME OVER!”
At least not right now. The opportune moment hadn’t yet come!
By the first slam Hua Cheng was already ready to charge over. But he hadn’t taken two steps
before he heard Xie Lian telling him not to go over, so he forced himself to stop.
But his face had turned completely savage, and the veins on the back of his hands also look like
they were going to burst, his entire arms shaking.
Jun Wu was expressionless, but his hand was ramming Xie Lian into the rocks like crazy, asking
him repeatedly, “Does it hurt? Does it hurt?”
Guoshi exclaimed, “Your Highness!!!” But who knows who he was calling for. Xie Lian’s bloody
hands pushed against the uneven surface of the rocky wall, gritting his teeth as he roared, “...IT
HURTS!!!”
Only then did Jun Wu smile with satisfaction, and spared Xie Lian’s poor head, putting him on
the ground.
Xie Lian was still hugging that ringing head of his, sitting on the ground, tears and blood flowing
uncontrollably down his face. Jun Wu crouched down next to him, stared at his face for a while,
then suddenly raised his hands and petted Xie Lian’s head before gently helping him wipe away
the blood on his face.
“...”
This gesture was warm and affectionately kind, like a father crouching next to the child who had
just been beaten black and blue by himself, comforting him. This picture was raising hairs on
both Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s backs, “Has he... has he... really gone mad?”
The fingers of the hand Hua Cheng rested on the sabre was cracking, and the pupil of E-Ming’s
eyeball was rapidly shrinking, as if it was going bloodshot.
Xie Lian didn’t breathe a word, letting Jun Wu help wipe him clean. Jun Wu then muttered to
himself, “You foolish child, if it hurts why don’t you turn back? Did you think if you keep
slamming, keep smashing, the wall will fall down on its own? Why don’t you change your own
course of direction?”
“I won’t turn back.” Xie Lian stated.
Jun Wu was extremely violent, raising his hand and smacked, so hard Xie Lian fell to the ground
in a loud thud!
Xie Lian was still going dizzy when Jun Wu picked him up. Using a voice like he was almost
losing his patience, he said, “Must you anger me like this? Let me ask you again, will you
change?”
Xie Lian coughed twice, coughing out a mouthful of blood, “I won’t.”
A crack finally appeared on Jun Wu’s gentle expression, a flash of savageness flickered.
Guoshi’s face was turning green, and seeing the situation going downhill, he hastily shouted,
“Your Highness! YOU NEVER WANTED TO KILL THIS CHILD, YOU REALLY LIKE HIM! YOU
SAID SO YOURSELF, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?”
Jun Wu sneered, “If that wasn’t the case, then I wouldn’t have exhausted all of my patience and
tolerance on him alone in the past eight hundred years. He would’ve long since become part of
the Heavenly Capital’s foundation, and trampled by millions.”
He turned to Xie Lian, suddenly outraged, “But he doesn’t know what’s good for him. Stubborn,
capricious, disobeying of my every word! He just had to go against me! You won’t change, will
you? Very well. Then why don’t we see if this wall will fall if your head is cracked open!”
Guoshi saw him lifting Xie Lian again and quickly yelled, “YOUR HIGHNESS! YOUR
HIGHNESS!!! HIS HIGHNESS... LITTLE HIGHNESS IS STILL IMMATURE, JUST LET HIM GO
THIS TIME, LET IT GO! HE WILL UNDERSTAND ONE DAY...”
Jun Wu glanced at him, and his chuckle grew colder, “Did you think I’ve really gone mad? Don’t
lie to me. The one you truly think is immature isn’t him, but me, no?”
Guoshi was taken aback, and Jun Wu added, “You’ve spent so much of yourself in nurturing
him, teaching and guiding him, purely because you had hoped he could win against me, so you
can prove that I was wrong and you were right, that you were all in the right. So you can hold
the illusion of a perfect Crown Prince of WuYong to face and dismiss the Jun Wu now. Isn’t that
your objective? Did you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?”
“THAT’S NOT IT!” Guoshi cried, “Stop getting tied up in right and wrongs, victories and defeat,
I’VE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAY BEFORE!”
But Jun Wu had stopped listening, and he raised his voice, his tone sharp, “FORGET IT! Let me
tell you right now, you can all forget it! NO ONE CAN WIN AGAINST ME! ESPECIALLY HIM!”
He laughed maniacally then dragged Xie Lian and slammed him towards the rocks, smashing
as he yelled, “WILL YOU CHANGE? WILL YOU CHANGE? WILL YOU CHANGE??”
It was as if Xie Lian had gone mad too, and he gripped Jun Wu’s arms roaring, “I WON’T! I
WON’T! I WON’T CHANGE!!!”
Even though the smashing was making him see stars, incomparably painful, but he held this
breath in stubbornly, refusing to give the desired answer at all, and cried as he roared, “I JUST
WON’T CHANGE! EVEN IF IT’S PAINFUL I WON’T CHANGE, EVEN IF I DIE I WON’T
CHANGE, I WILL NEVER CHANGE!!!”
Now, it wasn’t Jun Wu who was driving him mad, it was him driving Jun Wu mad!
Both of Jun Wu’s eyes were red, and just as he was about to strike another blow to discipline
him, his action suddenly came to a halt. He looked down, and saw a long sabre was struck into
his shoulder, and eight long arrows made of sticks were neatly pinned on his back.
None of that mattered, since the long sabre and the arrows didn’t penetrate the white armour.
However, his right hand was gone.
The hand grabbing Xie Lian was gone. All of it, vanished from his wrist, the cut neat and clean.
Xie Lian was also gone.
When he turned his head, something with a sharp, forceful wind was coming right at him. He
swung his left hand and caught it, and only noticed when he saw that it was his own right hand.
Across the Heaven Crossing Bridge, Hua Cheng held Xie Lian who was completely covered in
blood. A hand was gripping the scimitar in a reverse hold, hugging Xie Lian’s shoulders, the
other hand was covering the wounds on his head. He said chillingly, “Take back that filthy hand
of yours.”
Xie Lian was too stubborn and refused defeat, finally enraging Jun Wu, and made him expose
weak points!
Jun Wu clutched that right hand, and tacked it onto his own wrist anew, twisting it a couple times
to work it out, then pulled out the arrows on his back. Suddenly, like he remembered something,
he turned his head back, and looked at the pale faced Mu Qing who was gripping the long
sabre. Having their eyes met, Mu Qing was slightly startled, but he still bold-headedly forced
himself to remain calm. But it wasn’t long before he could no longer keep calm.
Jun Wu glanced at his shoulder and commented lightly, “I knew it. Compared to Xian Le, you’re
still lacking.”
Hearing this, Mu Qing’s face changed slightly, but the long sabre in his hand suddenly dropped,
and soon after his face changed colours completely. He pulled his sleeve up to look at his wrist,
and saw that black cursed shackle suddenly tightened, the veins and nerves around it bulging
around, as if endless blood was gathering towards it.
Feng Xin saw Mu Qing was petrified and unmoving, and shouted, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING
JUST STANDING THERE, RUN!”
Guoshi berated, “Feng Xin you little idiot, how can he run with those injuries on his legs?”
Feng Xin was shocked, “FUCK! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THAT!”
If this was the past, Mu Qing would more than likely roll his eyes all the way back in anger, but
now, even if he ran it’d be pointless. With the cursed shackle on his hand, it wouldn’t matter
where he ran off to!
Feng Xin swore and was just about to go up when unexpectedly, after Jun Wu had pulled out
the arrows on his back, he flipped his hand and threw them towards him. Feng Xin only felt his
chest go cold, and when he looked down, those eight arrows were all returned, neatly and
orderly piercing his chest!
Jun Wu walked languidly towards Hua Cheng and Xie Lian. Hua Cheng didn’t look at him at all,
hugging Xie Lian, “Gege? Gege?”
Xie Lian had suffered severe blows earlier, and it took a while before he blearily came to, his
head still throbbing, but before his eyes even blinked open, he muttered, “...San Lang? Are you
alright?”
Hua Cheng gazed at him for a moment, and suddenly pressed him hard into his arms, replying
softly, “I’m completely fine. Why don’t you take a look at yourself?”
Xie Lian clung onto his embrace, and while the hug was very tight, none of the wounds were
pressured. He opened his eyes strenuously, and all the disorder around fell into his vision.
Mu Qing was frozen on the spot, a hand tightly clutching the other wrist, seeming to be fighting
for control with that blood-sucking cursed shackle, but by how pale his face looked, he might not
hang on for much longer.
Feng Xin on the other hand, while he wasn’t pierced through by those eight arrows,
nevertheless the wounds were significant, and he was slumped over the bridge. That fetus spirit
was howling demonically in high spirits, jumping up and down around him, then used its back
foot to madly step on Feng Xin’s face. Feng Xin was outraged but he still couldn’t move,
otherwise his injuries would worsen.
Meanwhile, the entire Heaven Cross Bridge was caving in, stretch by stretch, block by block,
and they might collapse down with it at any moment!
Xie Lian took all of this in and jolted, wanting to get up. Hua Cheng assisted him and the two
rose to their feet, their eyes moving forward together.
The figure of Jun Wu who was languidly walking towards them appeared particularly giant from
the firelight all around, dropping an immense shadow. Xie Lian wiped hard at the blood around
his eyes, nose and mouth, staring deadly at that figure.
Jun Wu was holding Zhu Xin at a slant. The sword body of Zhu Xin was gathered with
incessantly flowing spiritual powers. At this moment, he was so calm and at ease that he was
practically a different person than the Jun Wu who was manically ramming Xie Lian onto the
rocks. “Xian Le, you know very well that there is no doubt of your defeat.”
Jun Wu understood Xie Lian too well. He knew exactly how he would fight, and his spiritual
powers also overwhelmingly overtook him. Moreover, even if they hadn’t exchanged blows, Xie
Lian could still sense that Jun Wu’s battle aura and spiritual powers were even stronger now.
With Mount TongLu as his territory, the restrictions on their side was growing more obvious.
Xie Lian thought inwardly, what he said was probably true. He couldn’t win.
But, even if he couldn’t win, he had to fight!
However, Hua Cheng suddenly spoke up, “No. Your Highness, you can win.”
Xie Lian was taken aback and looked at him. Hua Cheng was also gazing at him, “You can win.
You’re stronger than him.”
His one eye was bright, as if something was burning, and he said with certainty, “Believe me.
He’s wrong. You’re in the right. You’re stronger than him. You’re much more powerful than him!”
Jun Wu let out a deep and quiet chuckle, probably because he thought Hua Cheng’s words
were naive and amusing, or perhaps he was pleased by the domineering power in his hands.
The power of millions of believers were all in his hands alone!
But Hua Cheng gripped his shoulders, “So what? They’re just millions of fools, they’re all
useless trash! But for you, one person is enough!”
One person was enough?
Xie Lian hadn’t yet wrapped his head around it before Hua Cheng pulled him close.
Xie Lian’s eyes widened.
Spiritual powers exploded and rushed in.
This time it was more indomitable than any other times they transferred spiritual powers, even
the wraith butterflies and the molten resentful spirits seemed to have felt this horrifying energy,
exploding, one after the other all around them, exploding and shrieking.
Xie Lian’s fingers were going numb, his legs also shaking so much he was going to fall to his
knees, and he kept crying stop in his mind, no more! But Hua Cheng’s hand was firmly locked
on his head, not letting him leave, refusing his refusal.
Who knows how much time had passed when suddenly, Xie Lian’s throat relaxed, and at the
same time, Hua Cheng finally released him. Xie Lian’s knees buckled, falling to the ground, his
hands strenuously supporting himself off the ground so he wouldn’t fall over completely.
Jun Wu stopped in his step and looked over, his face solemn. Feng Xin, who was lying in the
distance, uttered in disbelief, “Your, Your Highness, your... your?”
Reaching out with trembling hands, Xie Lian felt his own neck.
There was nothing,
Hua Cheng had poured too much spiritual powers into him. There really was too much, so much
it was completely outside the amount the cursed shackle could withstand.
Those two bands of fetters that had constrained him for eight hundred years had burst and
shattered!
————
Ch.240: Humming Smile as Red Robes Fade
Mu Qing muttered, “How is this possible? How can there be so much...???”
That anyone could burst and shatter cursed shackles on spiritual powers alone was entirely
unheard of?!
Hua Cheng pulled up Xie Lian who was slumped on the ground, “Gege, try fighting again!”
Right at the same time, Jun Wu came lunging wielding the sword, and Xie Lian unconsciously
raised his hand to slap it away. CLUNG–! Zhu Xin was almost sent flying!
This strike was completely different than before!
Xie Lian looked at his own hands, feeling a little dazed. It’s been hundreds of years since he felt
this feeling, he’d almost forgotten, that this was him.
Indomitable to the point he couldn’t control his own powers, each step would shake the
mountains. One step to go a thousand miles, one step to ascend to the heavens!
He clenched his hand, and violently punched at Jun Wu’s face!
Ever since the battle’s begun, Jun Wu’s face had always remained untouched. This punch
landed, and finally, a drop of blood flowed from the corners of his lips. He thumbed it away, and
glanced at this bit of blood.
The next second, he tossed his hand and threw Zhu Xin aside.
It seemed, he was going to fight XIe Lian with bare fists!
Xie Lian threw another fist, but Jun Wu caught his punch, twisting it around. Intense agony
spread, and Xie Lian’s arm broke with a crack. However, he instantly righted it again himself,
and sent out another blow, but it was seized by Jun Wu. Xie Lian saw things weren’t going well
and thought to snatch Fang Xin that was tossed away by Jun Wu earlier. Naturally, Jun Wu also
thought he’d take this step, and blocked his way.
However, he had forgotten there was still Feng Xin and Mu Qing behind him. Although the two
were half crippled, they both planned to sneak around and pull out the sword Fang Xin. Their
actions were already exceedingly light, yet it was as if Jun Wu had grown eyes on his back, and
he moved his hand back and blasted. The bridge under their feet instantly cracked, and both
fell, plunging down to the lava stream!
In the last second, a hand caught Feng Xin’s boot, and Feng Xin caught Mu Qing’s boot. When
he looked up, he cried, “WHAT THE FUCK!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!!! Guoshi OLD SIR,
PLEASE DON’T EVER LET GO, ALRIGHT!!!”
The one who caught them was indeed Guoshi. Veins were violently popping on his forehead,
“SO YOU DO KNOW I’M A SENIOR! WELL HURRY UP AND CLIMB UP THEN!”
While that part of the bridge was broken by Jun Wu, Xie Lian raised a hand to latch on to it,
forcefully keeping it suspended in midair. He had wanted to pull it further upwards, but Jun Wu
wouldn’t give him that space. The three were mere twenty, thirty feet away from the rolling lava,
even flesh ears could hear the bubbling sound of air bubbles tumbling. Mu Qing was hanging at
the very bottom, and it had to be in a position where his head is facing down, his feet up, rather
terrifying, and if they weren’t careful, lava was going to wash his head. The steam was boiling,
his face red like hot coal, Mu Qing cried, “QUICK, PULL ME UP!”
Yet unexpectedly, the two above didn’t yank twice before he shouted again, “WAIT! DON’T
PULL ME UP!”
Guoshi was exasperated, “WHAT DO YOU WANT!”
Feng Xin yelled, “ARE YOU FOR REAL? FINE, I’M LETTING GO!”
Mu Qing cursed, “WHAT THE FUCK, FUCKING LET GO FOR REAL, I DARE YOU. LOOK
DOWN! LOOK, THE SWORD!”
The other two looked to where he was pointing, and saw right below them was a black jaded
long sword that was sticking in the heart of the lava stream, slowly sinking. It was the Fang Xin
they were going to steal earlier but was shaken off the bridge by Jun Wu!
Mu Qing reached out and tried crazily swinging his arms at the sword, like he’d desperately
wished he was a gibbon, but he couldn’t reach it no matter what, “LOWER ME DOWN A BIT
MORE, JUST A BIT MORE AND I CAN GET IT!!!”
The veins on Guoshi’s forehead were throbbing even harder now, “YOU TWO YOUNG MEN,
DON’T OVERDO IT, I’M ONLY A SACK OF OLD BONES!”
He said as he dipped the boot in his hand, and Mu Qing’s face came closer to the surface of the
lava stream by another notch. His hair slipped down, and the tips of the strands caught on fire.
Feng Xin exclaimed, “FUCKING HELL, YOUR HAIR CAUGHT ON FIRE!!! IT’S ALL GONNA
BURN!!!”
Thankfully Mu Qing had also finally pulled out the sword, and as he slapped away the small
flames on his hair, he threw his arm, sending the sword flying with splashes of lava towards Xie
Lian, “XIE LIAN, CATCH!”
Xie Lian also swung his arm up and caught the hilt of Fang Xin!
As for Guoshi, he was at his limit, “I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE, BOTH OF YOU, COME UP
NOW!”
Feng Xin saw that the Guoshi was shuddering and realized things were going bad, so he
yanked Mu Qing up and threw him forcefully, “ENOUGH WITH ALL YOUR YAMMERING AND
MOSEYING!”
To be thrown like this, Mu Qing was about to throw a major fit when just below in the lava pool,
some dozens of molten resentful spirits suddenly came leaping out!
Those resentful spirits were like fish jumping out of water, and they leapt up, catching hold on
Feng Xin’s chest. If it wasn’t for spiritual light shielding his body, Feng Xin would’ve probably
been burnt through. They were scared away by Feng Xin’s arrows earlier, and grudge was
buried in their hearts. They sneakily dived and hid within the lava, following them all the way
here, and now they’ve captured this chance to drag him down. Without warning, Guoshi was
also dragged forward by this sudden increase in weight, slipping downwards. This time, it was
Mu Qing’s turn to be at the very top, and caught Guoshi by his boots.
Feng Xin was already injured, and there were even several arrows on his person he forgot to
pull out. He fought with those resentful spirits with bare fists but at the same time was mindful
that the people above might loosen their grips if he fought too hard, so it was a very passive
bout. More and more molten resentful spirits were gathering down below, layering over one
another as they clung onto him, like they were having a tug of war against Guoshi and Mu Qing.
The strength of both sides were significant, and if this continued, Feng Xin would be split into
two for sure!
Feng Xin roared, “CAN WE JUST GET THIS OVER AND DONE WITH??”
Mu Qing yelled back, “SHUT UP!” Suddenly, he felt the weight in his hands lighten, and it
appeared those resentful spirits had finally let go, so he quickly pulled the other two up.
Once they were up and safe, Feng Xin panted harshly, still visibly shaken. Shrieking and roaring
of the resentful spirits came from down below, and the group looked down. Mu Qing and Guoshi
said simultaneously, “Feng Xin, it’s your son!”
“...”
Sure enough, among the red hot molten resentful spirits, there was a blanched creature hopping
around, crazily tearing at them with its teeth.
Those molten resentful spirits were all aged ghosts of at least two thousand years old, plus they
had banded into groups, so why would they be afraid of some little minion that couldn’t even be
considered a baby? Scratching and biting, that fetus spirit’s body used to be chillingly white, but
now it was burnt and bloody all over, crimson red covering it from head to toe, and it was
howling in a ghastly voice, not a single bit pitiful, and only made one feel horror. Feng Xin
however, exploded.
He roared in outrage, “HOW FUCKING SHAMELESS, A GROUP OF ADULTS BULLYING A
CHILD!!! CUO CUO! COME OVER HERE!”
That fetus spirit couldn’t defeat so many resentful spirits and fear had already sprouted in its
heart. Hearing that someone was going to stand up for it, it let out a strange cry and jumped
onto Feng Xin’s shoulder. Feng Xin took off his longbow and yanked out the arrows from his
own chest, shooting them out round after round, sending the lava stream turning and rolling in
explosions. That fetus spirit on the other hand, was hopping and screeching on his shoulder, like
it was gloating and cheering. On the other side, Xie Lian saw they had escaped danger and
finally relaxed. Just as he was about to focus on fighting Jun Wu again, he suddenly felt his
chest tighten.
Jun Wu had seized him in a lockhold from behind, “Haven’t I said this before? Where did you
think you learned all your skills? I know everything about your moves!”
With this lockhold, if Xie Lian couldn’t struggle out of it then he was going to be trapped dead.
But, any moves he could think of to break free, Jun Wu must be able to think of them too!
Just then, he heard Hua Cheng call out, “Gege, don’t be afraid! You must know moves he
doesn’t! A move only you can use that he can’t!”
Suddenly, light turned on in Xie Lian’s mind.
Did he have one?
Yes!
If he couldn’t break free, then he won’t!
He turned around in Jun Wu’s hold, facing the enemy, and reverse locked Jun Wu in his hold,
enunciating each word, “I bet you don’t know this move!”
With Jun Wu in his grip, he carried both their bodies and forcefully slammed into the
incomparably solid rock wall!
He used all of his power in this smash, and in the rumbling crashing of rocks, he also heard the
sound of something breaking.
That sound came from Jun Wu.
His white armour had completely shattered!
Right at the same time, Jun Wu released him, and roared in outrage, “GET LOST! GET LOST
ALL OF YOU!!!”
Xie Lian looked up and a chill went down his spine. What entered his vision, what made Jun Wu
go mad, were faces.
Those three faces had come out again!
Xie Lian raised his sword again, and pierced through Jun Wu’s heart, nailing him onto the rock
wall!
Blood spurted from Jun Wu’s mouth.
Xie Lian had injected as much spiritual power as he could muster in this strike, and the instant
Jun Wu was pierced spiritual power exploded. No matter how strong the ability was to
self-recover, it’d be impossible to recover from this blow!
The mountain collapsed.
Jun Wu was nailed to hang upon the rocky wall at first, but once the rocky mountain had
collapsed he was now lying on the ground.
Yet still he hadn’t given up. He turned his hand and gripped the hilt of Fang Xin, seeming to
want to write words upon the blade. It was naturally a spell that must be stopped. However, just
as Xie Lian was raising his hand, Guoshi rushed over, “Your Highness! Let it go, let it go!”
Xie Lian stopped, not knowing which one he was calling for, or who he was asking to let it go.
Jun Wu coughed out another mouthful of blood, raging, “GET AWAY FROM ME!”
Guoshi knelt next to his side and said, “Your Highness, let it go. Really, let it all go. There’s no
meaning to continuing the fight.”
“What do you understand?! SCRAM!” Jun Wu yelled.
“You’re right, I don’t understand.” Guoshi said, “It’s been so many years; you’ve been a god and
you’ve been a ghost king. All that should be killed are dead, all that you’ve wanted are in your
hands, so why are you doing this to yourself? What exactly do you want? What do you want to
prove?”
Hearing this, a flash of confusion appeared on Jun Wu’s face.
But he wasn’t in a daze for long before he violently choked Guoshi’s neck, yelling, “STOP
TRYING TO LECTURE ME! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO LECTURE ME! NO ONE HAS THE
RIGHT!”
The current Jun Wu didn’t have sufficient power, so this stranglehold wasn’t hard to break free
from. Xie Lian was about to save Guoshi when instead, Guoshi waved his hand, signalling for
him not to move, and continued, “My dear Highness.”
Jun Wu glared at him coldly but his hand didn’t loosen.
Even if he didn’t have sufficient powers right now, wringing Guoshi’s neck was still an easy task,
very dangerous. However, Guoshi just let him choke himself like this, and said, “My teaching His
Royal Highness was never intended to nurture a you who had never walked the wrong path,
then use him to humiliate you. He’s his own person, you are you. You were different people all
along, with different paths, and that’s the most natural thing. I’ve said this before in the past, but
you wouldn’t believe me. How about now?”
Jun Wu stared at him, not speaking a word.
“I just genuinely really miss Your Highness.” Guoshi said, “I miss the once Kingdom of WuYong,
I miss our people, and I miss the days before we ascended. That’s all.”
“...”
Guoshi then added, “It’s been so many years, Your Highness. Just watching you makes me
tired. Very tired. How about you? Are you not exhausted?”
As the number one martial god of the three realms, Jun Wu’s appearance and demeanour had
always been perfect, untainted by filth. Yet now, only with all the light faded did Xie Lian notice
that even with the three faces gone, Jun Wu’s complexion was overly pale.
His contours were much too cold and hard, dark circles shaded below his eyes, looking
inexplicably gloomy; there was none of the gentle kindness he emanated when light was
illuminating his form.
But, the him now, finally looked alive. Even if he appeared sickly.
Guoshi said gently, “Your Highness, you’ve lost. Now free yourself.”
“...”
“Have I been defeated?” Jun Wu sounded a little lost.
The overly powerful wave of spiritual powers broke through the dome of the rocky cave, and
faint rays of sunshine came scattering from above.
There seemed to be small wisps of rain drifting down in the air. Jun Wu laid sprawled on the
ground while Xie Lian stood, watching him from above, and he actually noticed a trace of relief
on Jun Wu’s face, as if a heavy burden was let go.
He couldn’t help but wonder, perhaps, to be defeated by someone to end these relentless days
of brokeness and madness was possibly Jun Wu’s wish deep down.
A moment later, Jun Wu suddenly asked, “That move. What is it called?”
“...”
Xie Lian raised his sleeve and wiped away the blood on the side of his face, “Shattering
boulders on the chest.”
Jun Wu was taken aback, then as if he thought of something, he snickered, then sighed, closing
his eyes, “Beautiful.”
He didn’t utter another word, but everyone could tell an inconcealable fatigue had overtaken
him.
Xie Lian finally moved his hand from the hilt of Fang Xin. Now, he had no idea what to do at all
for the next step, and so he unconsciously looked over at Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng was still
standing at the same spot, that only stretch of the Heaven Crossing Bridge that hadn’t yet
collapsed, and had already been quietly waiting for him with his arms crossed for a long time.
Seeing Xie Lian had turned his head back, he met his eyes and smiled.
Guoshi sat unmoving next to Jun Wu and said, “Your Highness, you should all go now.”
He didn’t intend to get up at all, and Xie Lian asked, “Master, are you not coming?”
Guoshi shook his head, “I’ll keep His Highness company. After all, in the past, I didn’t stay by his
side.”
The rain was coming down harder, scouring Jun Wu’s resting face, washing away the life and
blood flowing from his wounds.
As the rain washed, Xie Lian felt the three human faces on his face seemed to have gradually
faded somewhat. Maybe it was his imagination.
After a moment of silence, Xie Lian took off the bamboo hat carried on his back, and tossed it
from his hand, covering it over Jun Wu’s face.
The cursed shackle on Mu Qing’s wrist had broken on its own, and he fly-kicked that thing into
the lava before that cool and calm demeanour had returned with difficulty. The fetus spirit on
Feng Xin’s shoulder however, jumped down, and using all four limbs it crawled by Jun Wu’s
face, carefully touching him, his attitude completely different than when it was stomping on Feng
Xin’s face, and Feng Xin was stomping his feet in anger.
Xie Lian however, didn’t care for anything else, and dashed straight for Hua Cheng with his
battered face, like he had been reborn – in truth, it certainly was a close escape from death, and
he pounced at him, “SAN LANG!”
Hua Cheng had only just reached a hand out to Xie Lian before he was immediately pushed
back a step by this tackle. He closed his arms around him and smiled happily, “Gege, you see? I
already told you you’d win for sure, didn’t I?” Then he lifted Xie Lian’s face and looked over it
carefully before sighing, “You’ve made yourself like this again.”
Where his fingers caressed, a tiny silver butterfly fluttered by and the cuts faded. Xie Lian also
smiled happily in response, “I won’t next time!”
Hua Cheng arched his brows, pretending to be cold and harsh, “There is no next time.”
After a pause, Xie Lian withdrew his smile and questioned seriously, “San Lang, before in Mount
TongLu, I did say after we got out there was something I wanted to tell you, do you still
remember?”
Hua Cheng smiled, “Of course I remember. I remember everything gege tells me.”
Xie Lian hung his head, and it was a moment before he finally gathered his courage and spoke
with honesty, “Earlier, Jun Wu had divulged some bits and pieces, and they’re related to this. To
be honest, I should’ve told you this a long time ago, I just could never resolve myself to,
because I was afraid you’d find out...”
Hua Cheng continued for him, “Afraid that I’d find out Your Highness almost became the White
Clothed Calamity, right?”
“...”
Xie Lian was bewildered, “You...?”
Hua Cheng didn’t answer him directly, and only bent one knee to the ground before him, raising
his head to gaze at him, smiling hummingly, “How’s this? Gege, with this, do you remember
now?”
How could he not?
At the time, that nameless ghost also frequently bent down on one knee to the ground in front of
him like this!
That pale smiling mask overlapped Hua Cheng’s current smiling face. Xie Lian’s heart shook,
his knees buckled, and he slumped to the ground in front of him, mumbling, “...San Lang... it, it
was you!”
Hua Cheng let out a small laugh and maintained that posture of one knee to the ground, and
that remaining one eye gazed at him deeply, “Your Highness, I’ve always watched you.”
Xie Lian could still only utter one word, “You... you...”
He finally understood what all those seemingly unintentional words from Hua Cheng had meant.
So that was it. He had never imagined that Wu Ming was Hua Cheng!
He had known everything. He had seen everything. He had been there all along!
All of a sudden, thousands of emotions, millions of words swarmed into his head. There was
gratefulness, there was shame, there was heartache, there was wild joy, but above all else,
there was incurable love.
Xie Lian’s heart was so full it was going to burst, but not a single word to express himself could
be squeezed out, so he could only tackle him forcefully, crying, “SAN LANG!”
It was as if that was all he knew to say anymore, and he cried again, “SAN LANG!”
Hua Cheng fell over from the tackle, and sat with him on the ground, embracing him, laughing
heartily. All the fears and worries from before were all swept away. Xie Lian circled his arms
around Hua Cheng’s neck tightly, laughing and laughing, feeling like he was going to cry.
But before tears had fallen, he abruptly noticed something very wrong.
While Hua Cheng was a ghost, his body had never been different from that of normal people.
Yet, when he was holding Hua Cheng now, those vivid red robes were somewhat transparent.
————
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺