Chapter Text
Xie Lian cupped his cheeks in his palms and sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. As the smell of burning incense fluttered into his nose, he reminisced back to his fleeting goodbye with Hua Cheng earlier in the week.
There had been a series of issues in the Ghost Realm that demanded Hua Cheng’s prompt attention and would likely take several days to resolve, if not more. It was dirty business, and Hua Cheng refused to make his husband sully himself and work any harder than he needed to.
The pair had been lovingly intertwined and enamored with each other ever since Hua Cheng returned after the momentous battle at Mount Tonglu, so this sudden separation wrecked Xie Lian’s heart to the core.
Not keen on remaining in the Temple of Thousand Lights alone, Xie Lian decided to temporarily return to Puqi Shrine. Certainly he’d be able to occupy his thoughts there by busying himself with random cleaning tasks and scrap collecting. But in the end, Xie Lian spent most of his days staring out the window and pining for his lover.
Xie Lian’s cheeks naturally twinged with a deep shade of red as he remembered the passionate night he shared with San Lang before his departure - bodies pressed tightly on top of each other, mixed with desperate gasps and cries of pleasure. The fierce, loving gaze of the strong, dark-haired man that pinned him in place, refusing to let him out of his tender but passionate clutches.
A sudden knock on the door dragged Xie Lian out of his stupor. He slapped himself on the cheeks a few times before straightening his robes and making his way to the entrance. He coughed a few times to ensure the giddiness that had been bubbling in his chest at the thought of his lover had been cleared out.
“Yes,” he chimed as he opened the door with a smile. “Can I help you?”
A familiar face stood on the other side. He was covered in dirt and grime from head to toe and stood awkwardly on his hobbled feet, but his beaming grin and carefree attitude outshone his imperfections.
“Greetings, Your Highness! Long time no see!” The man blew a few light gusts from a handheld fan into his face, causing a few locks of his dusty brown hair to dance along the traces of his forehead.
“Lord Wind Master!” Xie Lian excitedly clamored. “What a surprise! Please, please - come in.” He grabbed his old friend by the shoulders and ushered him to a seat inside.
“Oh, please,” Shi Qingxuan said as he playfully batted the fan in front of his face. “You have to stop calling me that. I’m just plain Ol’ Feng now.” Shi Qingxuan had been a mortal for quite some time, and his fan was nothing more than an old decoration at this point - but he cherished it greatly and always kept it nearby.
Xie Lian smiled gently as he prepared a cup of tea for his guest. He knew better than to serve any food, or else his companion might not be seen for another year.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Xie Lian asked.
Shi Qingxuan took a few sips from his tea cup before responding. “I’ve heard quite a few bits of gossip about you on the streets the past few days.” He relayed the stories he’d heard with enthusiasm.
‘His Highness is returning to Puqi Shrine - alone!’
‘Those two are never apart. Could it be.. A fight?’
‘Is this the end of the millennium-long love story??’
Xie Lian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He knew that his relationship with San Lang was the talk of all the realms, but hearing that such a small event had caused such a major uproar made him feel incredibly embarrassed.
“So, as your closest, most cherished friend - I took it upon myself to check up on you.” In spite of his ragged appearance, Shi Qingxuan boasted an incredibly prideful look. He glanced around the barren walls of Puqi Shrine and nodded his head.
“Looks like the rumors were true. So where’s that other half of yours?” Shi Qingxuan asked.
Xie Lian returned the question with a forced smile and a heavy sigh. “It’s really nothing like that. San Lang is just taking care of some things in the Ghost Realm. He should be back within the week.” Xie Lian attempted to downplay the situation, but his downcast eyes betrayed his best intentions. In the face of Hua Cheng’s absence, it was obvious that he was miserably lonely.
Shi Qingxuan sensed the anxiety in his friend’s heart and threw an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t worry, Your Highness! You know what they say - absence makes the heart grow fonder!” He heartily laughed, attempting to diffuse the palpable sadness in the room. His eyes lit up, and he smacked the fan against Xie Lian’s back.
“Your Highness, I know just the thing!” He almost sparkled as he spun around and took Xie Lian’s hands in his own. “Let’s live it up tonight! You still haven’t treated me to that extravagant dinner we talked about way back when.”
“Live it up?” Xie Lian blinked in shock for a few moments, before returning a faint smile. His initial reaction was to turn him down - he was a man of the cloth, after all, plus he hadn’t been feeling up to doing much of anything lately. But maybe Shi Qingxuan was right. He’d been cooped up in this little temple for days now without much of a reprieve - some fresh air would surely do him well. Xie Lian bobbed his head up and down with a renewed vigor. “Sure, let’s do that. A night of leisure can’t hurt!”
Suddenly, the doors to the shrine burst open with a loud bang, and two extremely exasperated looking martial gods strode in. Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan almost fell backward from the force.
“Feng Xin? Mu Qing? What are you two doing here?” Xie Lian asked as he curiously titled his head.
But Feng Xin ignored his question and instead pointed a finger directly a Shi Qingxuan. “Just what are you planning to do with His Highness?!”
Mu Qing stepped in behind him, looking incredibly peeved with the entire situation unfolding before his eyes. It was a miracle that he wasn’t already rolling his eyes. “We overheard your conversation from outside. What’s this about a night of leisure?”
Shi Qingxuan shrugged and looked away absentmindedly. “What His Highness and I do is none of your business. If anything, you two are the ones who owe us an explanation for eavesdropping and rudely interrupting our tea time.” He batted the fan in his hands a few more times.
Xie Lian could sense the tension in the room escalating and felt a few beads of sweat drip down his forehead. While he was happy to welcome more visitors to his humble Puqi Shrine, he was afraid that the past would repeat itself and his shrine would crumble once more.
Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s expressions filled with dread, as if they were thinking of something quite fearsome. Feng Xin crossed his arms and begin anxiously tapping his boot as he grumbled.
“We’re here because of that damn Crimson Rain Sought Flower!” He practically spat as the name rolled off his tongue. “That bastard hijacked our spiritual communication array to verbally abuse us!”
At his side, Mu Qing knotted his brows and pinched his forehead in solemn agreement while Feng Xin continued his tirade.
“He “asked” us to watch over His Highness in his absence - as if we even had a choice! That shady bastard threatened to burn down our temples and haunt our nightmares if we didn’t do as he said - what the actual fuck?!” Feng Xin cried out.
Xie Lian was shocked. He hadn’t heard anything of the sort. When they parted, San Lang had only left him with a light flurry of gentle kisses and a simple, “Gege, be good.”
He didn’t think much of it at the time - he was more than capable of handling himself and could handle just about any enemy thrown at him. Sure, he’d gotten into trouble a few times at San Lang’s displeasure, but he liked to think he wasn’t that bad.
Xie Lian smiled softly to himself. San Lang was always thinking of his best interests. Though he did feel bad for his two former servants, his heart couldn’t help but flutter at the mention of his beloved.
“Anyway,” Mu Qing continued, seeing that Feng Xin had worked himself up so much that he was unable to speak anymore. “That’s how it is. Like it or not, if we want to keep our seats around the heavenly table, we’ve got to keep your pampered little ass safe.” He then shot a piercing gaze in Shi Qingxuan’s direction.
“And anything you get up to with this eyesore spells trouble. Until your precious Hua Cheng returns, we’re not letting you out of our sights,” Mu Qing said firmly.
Shi Qingxuan stood up and stomped his good leg down on the ground at the slander he’d just been thrown. “And what’s so wrong with wanting to take my friend out for a good time? Look at him - the poor man looks worse than a lovestruck maiden who was just rejected by the guy she likes!”
Any touching sentiment that was growing in Xie Lian’s heart was quickly extinguished at being called a “lovestruck maiden”, and he couldn’t help but question Shi Qingxuan’s extremely specific example. But he hung his head, knowing he couldn’t exactly refute it.
Mu Qing snorted and rolled his eyes in signature style. “As if a little street urchin like you could do anything about it! Treat His Highness - hah!” He scoffed. “With what money?”
Feng Xin snapped out of his daze and joined in. “That’s right! What audacity this punk has! I bet you were thinking of making His Highness pay! You were, weren’t you?!” Smoke practically came bellowing out of his ears.
Shi Qingxuan could take no more and seamlessly opened the fan in his hand with one fluid motion, although it was no more than a cheap threat now without his godly powers. Mu Qing and Feng Xin cracked their knuckles, ready to throw down. It didn’t matter if Shi Qingxuan was mortal. He’d been a god once, so surely that meant they’d be granted a little leeway if they rained down a little corporal punishment.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, Xie Lian jumped in between the three and quickly waved his hands back and forth.
“Everyone, please calm down.” He looked pleadingly at his friends. “Feng Xin, Mu Qing… I’m sorry that you were both dragged into this. Thank you for looking out for me,” he said as he flashed a genuine smile.
He glanced back at Shi Qingxuan, who had been forced to defend himself from two very angry gods when he’d simply just come over for a nice chat.
If anyone in this world needed a good time, it was this sorry group: a god-turned-beggar who probably hadn’t had a decent meal in months, two martial gods who’d been strong-armed and blackmailed into submission, and one “lovestruck maiden” of a scrap collector who was helplessly mesmerized by his Ghost King.
Feeling sorry for his companions, and also for himself, Xie Lian stood up with renewed determination. “That’s it. I’ve decided,” he declared. “We’re all going to get along and go out for dinner tonight. I won’t accept no for an answer. Anyone who says otherwise is more than welcome to stay here and train idioms all night instead.”
Shi Qingxuan clapped and cheered along in agreement. The other two stood silently for a moment before giving up and begrudgingly nodding.
“Alright, fine.” Mu Qing exhaled sharply. “Dinner, and that’s it. If anyone tries to pull any kind of shit, we’re out of there.”
Xie Lian clapped his hands together and eagerly nodded, then began tidying up a few things around the shrine before departing with his ragtag group of friends.
He wasn’t worried in the slightest. After all, it was just a quick dinner among friends - what could possibly go wrong?
***
The four of them settled into a bustling restaurant in the heart of a nearby town. The clanging of mugs and cacophony of laughter painted the scene around them with life.
In stark contrast, Xie Lian’s companions sat in unharmonious tension, shooting daggers at each other. Naturally, Feng Xin and Mu Qing had found things to bicker about the whole way there - and they hadn’t stopped. Shi Qingxuan was excited to be out with His Highness, but his spirits were crushed by the two unexpected guests who were eagerly throwing insults at each other.
Unable to stand the awkwardness anymore, Shi Qingxuan hurriedly shouted an order at a waitress scurrying by. Despite his haggard clothing, no one seemed to question his financial situation given the company he was in, and several plates of food and four large drinks soon landed upon their table.
Xie Lian brought the drink to his lips but recoiled immediately. “My friend, there must be a mistake,” he said as he nudged the drink in Shi Qingxuan’s direction. “This is alcohol - I’m afraid I don’t really drink.”
Shi Qingxuan wasn’t bothered as he eagerly gulped down his own drink. “Live a little, Your Highness! The night is young!” He slammed down the empty mug as he flagged down another waitress. “A drink or two won’t ruin hundreds of years of cultivation!”
Xie Lian stared down at his drink. He’d heard about alcohol’s uncanny ability to warm a lonely soul and cure matters of the heart. And while he was a little apprehensive about breaking one of the rules of his cultivation, he had broken another very important rule of his cultivation that required a pure body. And not just once, but multiple times. And sometimes even multiple times a day.
Wanting to drown out the lustful images that were playing in his head, Xie Lian grabbed the drink with steadfast determination, as if he were grasping Fang Xin by the hilt and preparing for battle. And emulating the valiant technique he’d just learned from Shi Qingxuan, he chugged it with all his might.
He felt a warmth slide down his throat that quickly began filling his entire body. In an instant, the heartfelt longing that had been plaguing him was melting away. Amazing! Xie Lian thought to himself. Alcohol truly does have a magical power!
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were so enraptured in their screaming match that they didn’t notice the scene unfolding across the table. They grabbed their drinks without tearing their deadlocked eyes away from each other. Their bickering morphed into a emblazoned drinking battle, and the two suddenly began knocking back drinks as if their lives depended on it.
Shi Qingxuan fueled the fire with cheers from the sidelines, keeping up with his own steady drinking pace. Not wanting to be left behind, and also curious to investigate the mystical powers of drink in more detail, Xie Lian kept drinking along with them, albeit at a somewhat slower pace.
He could count on one hand the number of times he’d imbibed in his long lifetime, and his tolerance was expectedly weak. He didn’t notice the changes in his demeanor, but instead focused on the jovial warmth that was resonating through his body. He watched the scene with happy eyes for awhile, until a sudden urge overtook him. So he stood up on unsteady feet and hummed to himself happily as he staggered his way to a bathroom.
Meanwhile, Shi Qingxuan was rolling around on the floor in intense laughter. The drinking match unfolding between the two martial gods could rival the greatest of heavenly battles and made for wonderful entertainment. He slowly lifted himself up and fished around the table for a snack, when he noticed the empty spot next to him.
“Your Highness?” He looked up, down, to his sides, and even under the table. “Huh. He’s not here.”
It was a simple comment that held enough power to bring the two bickering gods back to reality. They looked over, and sure enough - Xie Lian was nowhere to be found.
“He probably just had to take a piss,” Mu Qing muttered, looking slightly unnerved.
“I’ll go find him.” Feng Xin burst out of the room and scurried around the restaurant with hurried steps. Soon after, however, he returned empty handed.
He plopped onto his seat, his eyes glazed over. He stared blankly at the table. “He’s not here. Fuck, he’s gone!”
“It’s fine,” said Mu Qing. “It’s not like he’s a little brat anymore. He may be a blubbering lovestruck idiot, but he’s still got some wits about him, right? He probably just got sick of your bullshit and went home.”
Feng Xin raised his fist and was about to strike Mu Qing but was interrupted by the sound of awkward, forced laughter.
“Ha ha ha ha…” Shi Qingxuan was shaking slightly as he meekly gestured to his side. In front of Xie Lian’s now empty spot at the table stood several large, empty mugs. Feng Xin tallied up the drinks on his hand but stopped when he ran out of fingers.
“Fuck! You got him drunk?!” Feng Xin was floored.
The awkward laughter persisted. “Ha ha ha! Opportunity knocks but once, right?” Shi Qingxuan fanned himself leisurely, but his trembling fingers gave him away.
They exchanged accusing glances. “What the hell were you thinking?” Feng Xin shouted.
“Me?!” Shi Qingxuan slapped the table as he went on the offensive. “You idiots were so caught up in your stupid ego war that you forgot His Highness was even here! It never would’ve gotten to this point if you’d just left us alone!”
Shi Qingxuan then spat in their direction. “What happened to the high and mighty act from before? I’ll never let anything happen to His Highness on my watch,” Shi Qingxuan continued in a mocking tone.
“Bullshit!” Feng Xin retaliated. “It’s obvious that drinking wasn’t His Highness’ idea! You probably just forced him into it!”
“You-” Shi Qingxuan wrung the fan between his fingers.
“Both of you, shut up!” Mu Qing’s furious voice pierced the air. “Just shut up and use your damn heads for once! We need to focus on finding him. If we don’t… If we don’t…” Mu Qing trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish his thought.
They all suddenly stopped dead in their tracks, and the air went stagnant.
The silence was deafening compared the raucous fanfare of a few minutes prior. They were of course worried about Xie Lian’s wellbeing. But there was an even bigger problem at hand, and even without sharing words, they all shared a solemn understanding.
Hua Cheng!
***
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Feng Xin clutched clumps of his hair. “We’re fucked!”
“Why’d we get dragged into this fuckin’ mess?!” Feng Xin cried out into the void, rage building. “You bastard! I dare you to haunt my dreams, you damned Crimson Rain S-”
A slap from Shi Qingxuan silenced his aggravated cries. “Shh!” he hissed. “Don’t say that name out loud - what if he hears us?!” Shi Qingxuan’s eyes darted with a delusional fervor, as if we were paranoid that even saying the name would summon the man in question.
“Fuck. What kind of stupid situation is this?!” Mu Qing’s head drooped as he clenched his fists in his lap. “Not only did we get his precious gege drunk, we fuckin’ lost him!”
“You don’t think he’ll do anything to me, right? Ha ha ha… I’m just an innocent bystander, right? I’ve already fallen this low - surely I can’t go any lower? Ha ha ha ha…” Shi Qingxuan rambled like a madman.
“I knew we never should’ve gotten involved! Fuck, why did His Highness have to pick a guy like that?!” Feng Xin shouted.
Mu Qing, although visibly shaken, tried to maintain a bit of composure. “We just need to find him - fast. If Hua Cheng never finds out, then no harm, no foul.”
It wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to think of the heinous torture that Hua Cheng would subject them to if he found out that Xie Lian went missing on their watch.
“We can organize a search party!” Shi Qingxuan hurriedly offered. “I can ask the beggars around town, and then surely with the power of the heavenly realm-”
“Are you fucking insane?!” Feng Xin interjected. “Are you trying to get us killed? Hua Cheng has minions in every corner of this world. If we let this slip at all, we’re fucked!” Feng Xin banged his head on the table, tormented by the cruel images of Hua Cheng that plagued his imagination.
“As much as I hate to agree, this idiot has a point. This has to stay under wraps,” Mu Qing said. “It’s up to the three of us.”
“Let’s look at the facts,” Mu Qing continued in a placating tone that was directed to everyone in the room, himself included. “His Highness hasn’t been missing for that long. Plus, he’s probably totally plastered. He couldn’t have gone that far.”
“His Highness is a belligerent drunk,” Feng Xin chimed in. “I’ve seen it once before. If it’s anything like that, he’ll leave one hell of a mess in his wake. Shouldn’t be hard to track him.”
They instinctively lowered their voices and huddled together, furiously muttering as they hatched their plan. Operation ‘Find His Highness’ was set to commence immediately.