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The two stood in the center of the hall, one gripping onto the other, and the latter slowly pulling away.
"Gege.." Hua Cheng sighed as he tightly pulled Xie Lian into his arms, "Allow this lowly ghost to accompany you, I assure gege that I will not get in his way."
Xie Lian chuckled, reaching up and cupping Hua Cheng's face. "Oh, San Lang. I would love to bring you along, however Mu Qing and Feng Xin will be there.. and surely this won't take us that long. I'll be back before you know it."
The Ghost King sighed, leaning down and chasing Xie Lian in a deep kiss. He closed his eye for a moment before letting Xie Lian go and backing away. "Alright, gege. Stay safe, and contact this one if anything causes you trouble."
The God nodded and reached forward to press a chaste kiss to Hua Cheng's cheek, leaving the paradise manor.
Hua Cheng sighed, making his way back to the divan in the center of the room, laying down against it.
♾️
Xie Lian was sure this mission wouldn't have caused him this much trouble, but as he travelled more throughout the forest with Mu Qing and Feng Xin trailing behind him, he suddenly found their bickering to be especially annoying.
He sighed into his hands, putting out his hand to light a flame to see the dark path ahead of them. Something only twenty feet or so in-front of him caused him to stumbled back.
A white mask.
Specifically one with a face.
A face that depicted a smile, half-frowned.
The White-No-Face mask.
Xie Lian grabbed at his mouth, instantly putting out the flame and turning around. Suddenly, everything had been engulfed in pure darkness.
He couldn't see a single thing.
With a few attempts, he found his spiritual energy was severely low and he couldn't form a big enough flame if he tried. As his breathing became deeper and scarce, a hand landed on his shoulder.
Before he could turn, something cold had been placed atop of his face, blocking out all of his senses.
The last thing he could remember, was the sound of a malicious laugh, one that he had began to recognize easier than anything.
♾️
"Hua Chengzhu!"
The voice rang throughout the main hall of the paradise manor.
Hua Cheng groaned as his thoughts were interrupted and stared out to where the body of the voice stood.
Behind the woeful ghost mask, Yin Yu spoke, "There's something wrong with His Highness, he's.. acting strange."
The Ghost King stood from where he sat and quickly followed Yin Yu to where he had discovered Xie Lian, laid out on the floor of their private chambers.
Hua Cheng tilted his head at the sight and barley spoke as the wave of spiritual energy hit him. "Gege..?"
Xie Lian quickly sat up, soon enough standing behind Hua Cheng. Both of the ghost gaping at his sudden speed.
"Ah, my beloved! How I've missed you."
Hua Cheng pulled his head back to glance at Yin Yu, who started shaking his head and backing away.
Turning around, Hua Cheng examined Xie Lian. Anyone within a miles radius could practically breathe Xie Lian's spiritual energy. It had almost even caused a knot to form within Hua Cheng's head.
He smiled at Xie Lian and cupped his face, "Gege! How were your travels?"
Xie Lian wrapped his arms around Hua Cheng and chuckled, seemingly normal enough. "Ah, they were.. alright. Nothing too special."
Expecting to hear about Mu Qing and Feng Xin, Hua Cheng tilted his head. "And what about gege's companions?"
Xie Lian's body subtly twitched and he shook his head, "They went back to the heavenly capitol."
Nodding, Hua Cheng motioned for Yin Yu to leave. Right before Yin Yu had even managed to exit the room, he noticed the piercing glare from Xie Lian. He also happened to notice the faint red marks in the corners of Xie Lian's eyes.
He immediately left after that, and made way to contact Mu Qing and Feng Xin.
Hua Cheng quickly spoke up, kicking the door shut behind Yin Yu. "So, gege, I was thinking, that today, that we could walk around Ghost City and—"
Xie Lian wasted no time interrupting him with a laugh, one that was much too deep to be the God's real laugh. "Unfortunately, my beloved, I was hoping we could spar, later into the night."
The one infront of Hua Cheng spoke as if it was a demand rather than a request, which of course Hua Cheng didn't mind. However, he tilted his head before leading Xie Lian out of the chambers. "This one would be honored to, however, gege normally loves to spend time in the city. What has changed?"
Increasing his speed to the armory, Xie Lian chuckled and shook his head, "Just have an urge to spar!"
They made way to the armory and Hua Cheng gently kicked open the doors, leading Xie Lian inside.
Although having been through this armory hundreds of times, Xie Lian still looked around and inspected the different swords and weapons, carefully.
Hua Cheng chuckled, lightly coming up behind Xie Lian and breathing into his neck. "I assume gege still takes a liking to his armory."
Xie Lian grinned at the mention of it being his armory and nodded. "Very much."
♾️
Silence.
From where the two martial Gods stood, all that could be heard was silence.
However, if they took a few steps further, muffled cries and shouts could be heard in the darkness of the cave.
Staring at eachother, Mu Qing and Feng Xin took deep breaths, stepping forward and glancing down at the one that they had bound to a rock in the center of the cave.
The one being bound, had gone silent as he stared up at the Martial Gods in-front of him.
His eyes blinked and glossed with the tears that he refused to let fall. "My Qing, Feng Xin.. What are you doing.?" He frantically looked around before continuing, "We have to leave, White-No-Face is here!"
The two glanced at each other in silence and Mu Qing raised his saber. "Where is His Highness, Xie Lian?"
Xie Lian stared at them from where he was bound and tilted his head. "What?" He glanced around and pulled at his arms, noticing the ropes he had been tied with blocked off his spiritual power. Not that he had much anyways.
Mu Qing groaned and within a blink shifted in-front of Xie Lian, placing his saber at the tip of his throat. "Tell us what you did to His Highness," He paused, "Digusting creature."
Xie Lian gaped and stayed silent for a moment before speaking, "Has he been put under a spell?? It's me, Mu Qing! Stop playing around, we have to go! Did you hear me?—"
He winced as a sharp pain traced along his bicep. Mu Qing had struck him!"
Feng Xin quickly spoke up, "Mu Qing!"
The other God turned to face the other and sighed, clutching at his saber. "What?? We need to find His Highness, and this stupid ghost is pretending to be him!"
Xie Lian tilted his head at Mu Qing's words and shifted to see himself of the reflection of Mu Qing's saber.
Sure enough, Xie Lian had appeared as a ghost, not just any, however. The mask upon his face showed enough for him to gasp and immediately close his eyes.
"What is on my face?! Get it off! Get it off!"
Xie Lian cried out into now what he knew was the White-No-Face mask and begged for Mu Qing or Feng Xin to take it off of him.
The two Martial Gods turned to face each other and stuttered in their movements. Feng Xin had reached for the mask and Mu Qing stopped him. "What if it's a trap..?"
Feng Xin's nervousness had been obvious along his face and he shook his head. "What if it really is His Highness?"
With a sigh, Mu Qing allowed Feng Xin to continue.
He reached for the mask and attempted to pull it off of Xie Lian's face, finding that it had been practically glued atop of the skin. He glanced back at Mu Qing, with worry.
Xie Lian cried out, "Why is it not coming off??"
Mu Qing pulled Feng Xin back, putting his sword away. "If you are really His Highness, what is the Crimson Rain Sought Flower's name?"
Xie Lian tilted his head, it was an obvious question, while he knew the correct answer, he also understood that wasn't what Mu Qing was asking. "San Lang, for me at least."
The two Martial Gods nodded and shrugged, "Please, Gods, don't make me regret this," He slid his saber across the spiritual ropes and allowed Xie Lian to sit freely.
Xie Lian immediately reached at his face and attempted to pull the mask off, unfortunately, not even he could pull the mask off. "I..I don't understand, what happened..?"
Mu Qing stored his saber and crossed his arms, "Your Highness, what is the last thing that you remember?"
Replaying the events of his encounter with White-No-Face, the three all left the cave.
"Where do we go? We can't go to the Heavens, and certainly we can't just have him walking around with.. that on."
Mu Qing sighed and crouched down, forming a communication array on the ground. "Well have to go to Ghost City, Crimson Rain will have no choice but to help His Highness."
♾️
As Xie Lian danced around the armory, tracing his hands over all the swords and weapons he found interesting, Hua Cheng stood in the center of the room, quietly observing him.
Xie Lian stopped infront of a certain sword, one that was made out of a black jade, paired with a black handle. He picked up the sword, flipping it over in his hands and pointing it at the Ghost King. "I've decided on this one."
Hua Cheng chuckled and nodded, "Excellent choice, gege. May this one ask why your highness has taken a liking to that one?"
Sliding a finger down the length of the sword, Xie Lian walked towards Hua Cheng. "No particular reason, just nostalgia."
Hua Cheng tilted his head and nodded, deciding not to push it any further.
He unclasped E-Ming from his belt and tossed it off to the side, grabbing a random sword from his selection. He quietly poured some spiritual energy into the sword, dulling the edges as to not harm either of the two.
Xie Lian pushed open the doors of the armory and walked along side Hua Cheng to the sparring grounds outside. "Why isn't my beloved using the other one?"
Hua Cheng tilted his head and took a stance in the center of the field. "E-Ming has been strange today, better to wield a normal saber."
Ever since Xie Lian had gotten back, Hua Cheng immediately noticed E-Ming's strange behavior. His eye was wide, with fear. When normally seeing Xie Lian, the saber would shake with excitement, however, there was no movement from E-Ming.
Xie Lian glanced over to where E-Ming could be seen on the stairs of the armory, sitting lonesome. "Ah, alright."
Before signaling the start, Hua Cheng stared into Xie Lian's eyes. Grinning, he launched forward, with his sword pointed towards Xie Lian.
Within an eye's blink, Xie Lian spun around Hua Cheng and twisted his sword, aimed for Hua Cheng's neck.
The Ghost King chuckled, playfully gasping as he countered the attack, holding his sword against Xie Lian's. "Gege isn't holding back today?"
The God laughed, grinning as he pulled back, leaving only ten feet between the two. "Of course not."
The corners of Hua Cheng's lips quickly curved into a grin as he pounced back at Xie Lian.
The two caught themselves in a dance for only a few moments before Hua Cheng found himself standing unarmed in the center of the field.
The air between the two had undeniably shifted as Xie Lian kicked the extra sword a few feet behind him, twisting his own in his hand.
Hua Cheng threw his arms in the air and chuckled, "Gege has outdone himself," He glanced to meet Xie Lian's gaze. However, it wasn't friendly at all, instead he wasn't even looking at him, rather behind him.
Hua Cheng took a step forward and turned around. For as long as the Ghost King could remember, he hadn't felt a feeling as strong as the one he felt in that moment for centuries.
Mu Qing and Feng Xin stood at the opposite end of the field, a figure in clad-white standing between them.
It wasn't the undeniable features resembling Xie Lian that confused Hua Cheng, rather the smiling-crying mask he saw atop of the face.
They all stood in silence for only a moment before Hua Cheng summoned E-Ming, quickly pointing the saber out towards the trio.
Mu Qing was first to speak up, "Crimson Rain! The one behind you, it's not His Highness!"
Hua Cheng glanced behind him for a moment, seeing the look upon Xie Lian's face, he felt nothing except disgust towards the one in the mask. "Stop speaking nonsense. What the fuck have you brought to my manor?"
The one in white robes between the two gripped onto the sleeves of his robes as he saw the sight in-front of him. "Watch out!"
The shout echoed along the field as the other man in white robes came up behind Hua Cheng, wrapping his arms around him. "It's White-No-Face!"
Hua Cheng's eyes dimmed as he stared at the one in the middle. He gently placed his left hand across Xie Lian's.
The trio all stood shocked, White-No-Face had taken Xie Lian's form!
"Crimson Rain, you must believe us," Feng Xin pushed Xie Lian forward. "This is His Highness, Xie Lian! The one clinging onto you is White-No-Face!"
Hua Cheng raised his sword higher and tightened his grip on Xie Lian's hand. "Nonsense! Leave my manor."
Mu Qing groaned and pulled Xie Lian into a chokehold, attempting to pull the mask off once more. A cry from Xie Lian echoed out onto field once more as the mask strained against his face.
After a moment, he released Xie Lian, allowing his face to be free of the excess pain for a moment. "Fine. Ask him what your name is then, Crimson Rain."
Hua Cheng turned in Xie Lian's arms and tilted his head.
The one beside him stood silent, with sudden tears rolling down his face. "My beloved, are you really considering the nonsense that those two are sputtering? I knew they couldn't be trusted."
Xie Lian took a few steps closer to the two, "San Lang! Please, you need to get away from him!"
Hua Cheng's eyes shifted in shape for a moment as he heard his name spoken for the first time that evening, he recognized the voice anywhere.
Suddenly a large gust of dirt covered the center of the field, followed by a loud clank.
Hua Cheng had been pushed off to the side as Xie Lian silently grabbed E-Ming from his hands. With his guard down, he neither noticed Xie Lian taking his saber, nor the sword being swung towards his back.
Once the dust cleared, two men in clad-white could be seen in the center of the field, pushing their own weapons against one another's.
Xie Lian pushed off of White-No-Face's sword, tumbling almost fifteen feet back. "Take this off of me!"
White-No-Face chuckled, brushing off the sword and pouting. Suddenly, his pout turned into an expression of someone smiling yet frowning. "Your Highness, is this really a way to greet an old friend?"
Hua Cheng almost took a step forward before Mu Qing placed a hand in-front of him. "Excuse me? Who are you to stop me?"
Mu Qing shook his head and pointed, "I know, but look. With the mask, Xie Lian is practically drowning in spiritual energy. They both are. He needs to face White-No-Face alone, at least for now."
Groaning, Hua Cheng took a breath and observed the scene quietly.
Xie Lian twisted E-Ming is his grip, petting the saber in terms of trying to calm it. "That sword.. It's from San Lang's armory."
White-No-Face nodded, laughing. His grin only widened as he spoke to Xie Lian. "Indeed, look how observant you are, Xianle. However, do you recognize it from else where?"
Xie Lian gripped onto the mask with his free hand as it started altering his vision. The scene in-front of him was one he'd seen years ago.
The black jade sword, was now one that he had come to recognize from energy alone. Fang Xin. A sword he could never forget, no matter how hard.
All that brought him out of his trance was a sudden pain, one spreading throughout his entire body.
He shook his head, glancing down, his robes quickly began filling with the red of his blood.
He swallowed and glanced forward, White-No-Face's sword wasn't covered in blood nor dirt. Only then, did Xie Lian realize, that with the mask on, he had no free will. In his presence, White-No-Face controlled him.
"Gege!"
Hua Cheng's shouts echoed throughout Xie Lian's mind as he subconsciously healed himself.
He chuckled, however, nothing was funny, in fact his laugh was quite sad and rasp. "Why is it that you've come? You should be dead."
White-No-Face thought for a moment, before shrugging. "You've lost your way, Xianle. Someone must right your wrongs."
Xie Lian stared dead into his face, although he wouldn't be able to see his eyes. "I've accepted my wrongs, how about you? Is it fun to be a calamity with no place in this World? You're disgusting."
Xie Lian gasped as the cursed shackles around his neck and wrists suddenly tightened atop of his skin. Blood ran down his wrists and his throat, it was agonizing compared to everything he'd been put through before.
White-No-Face grinned, laughing hysterically. "Ah, Xianle. You still don't know when to stop, do you?"
"That's unfortunate."
Xie Lian clung onto E-Ming as blood poured out of him, he couldn't die, he wouldn't die, no matter what White-No-Face put him through. He discovered that fact centuries ago.
"What must it take for you to realize? I mean, take a look, Your Highness. You've practically gave your soul to a Ghost King! Look at that, and you used to not even dare to look at me."
His words meant nothing to Xie Lian, he's heard it all before.
Hua Cheng, however, was fuming. He had been ready to stuff White-No-Face back into whatever shit-hole he had crawled out of and get rid of him.
Seeing this, White-No-Face grinned, squeezing more blood out of Xie Lian. "So I was right. I wonder, Xianle, just how much will you endure before your Crimson Rain comes to save you?" He laughed once more, as Xie Lian struggled to stay silent. "Maybe, a hundred swords? Or, burying you into a grave for a few more years? Perhaps, I'll just drain all the blood out of you, and you'll be nothing but a limp, life-less, corpse—"
White-No-Face gasped and as a sudden pain rang throughout his chest. Glancing forward, Xie Lian was gone, now holding him by E-Ming.
He pulled off the sword, expecting to heal with ease, but he soon discovered that due to the sword's origin and owner, that task wouldn't be so easy.
Xie Lian's voice left no room for friendliness when he spoke next. "Take it off me."
White-No-Face chuckled as he pressed two fingers to his wound, holding the blood to his face. "Xianle has come a long way, you used to be unable to even look me in the eyes—"
Cut short, once again, E-Ming pierced through his throat. "The mask! Take it off and I will spare you."
With blood stuttering up his throat, White-No-Face forced out a desperate chuckle as he reached forward, pulling the mask off of Xie Lian's face with ease. "You spare me? Oh, Xianle, if only it was that easy for you."
With that, White-No-Face disappeared, his laugh echoing throughout the entirety of Xie Lian's mind. The tightening of Xie Lian's cursed shackles then slackened and released him of the grip.
Xie Lian fell forward onto his knees, grasping at his throat while wiping the blood that had dripped down. His breathing heavy and vision blurry as the other three ran towards him.
"It's going to be okay, gege. He's gone."
♾️
Practically jumping out of his sleep, Xie Lian reached for his throat, desperately feeling for anything. Fortunately, he only felt his own sweat and goosebumps.
He sighed as he glanced down at his wrists, seeing no sign of his cursed shackles, which he had been released from years ago.
He jumped after feeling a hand on his back and seeing a figure on the bed next to him. "Gege? What's the matter?"
Xie Lian turned to face Hua Cheng and shook his head, immensely grateful for the dim lighting of the room, that way Hua Cheng couldn't see the tears flowing down from Xie Lian's eyes.
He wiped at his face and sighed, "Sorry for waking you, San Lang. I just had a bad dream."
Hua Cheng sat up and cradled Xie Lian's face, wiping his tears and gently holding his face. "Would gege like to talk about it?"
Xie Lian shrugged and cradled an arm around Hua Cheng's waist, pulling the two back down on the bed. He breathed into his side before speaking. "It was about White-No-Face, but it was just a nightmare, I know he's gone."
The Ghost King placed a gentle kiss atop of Xie Lian's messy head of hair. "Don't worry, gege. Even in the impossible chance he were to be here, I wouldn't let him lay a hand on my beloved."
Xie Lian chuckled and squeezed Hua Cheng tighter. "Thank you, San Lang."
Hua Cheng smiled and gently played with the ends of Xie Lian's hair as he drifted back to sleep. "Don't worry gege, he's gone now."