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“Does anyone know anything about beekeeping?”
Xie Lian’s question in the spiritual communication array went unanswered among the frenzied murmurs of the other heavenly officials. The room was still abuzz about his recent expedition to Mount Yujun, where he faced a ferocious ghost bride and had been tormented by the haunting cries of a ghost child.
But despite the harrowing challenges he had just survived, Xie Lian’s thoughts were solely of the mysterious, red-clad man who had so graciously guided him along the mountainside.
“Does anyone know anything about bees?” he asked, a little louder. “I met a young beekeeper who commanded silver bees while I was on the mountain. Does anyone by chance know of him?”
This time, the communication array fell deathly silent.
“Your Highness, did you say silver bees?” Ling Wen asked warily, looking even more lifeless than usual.
“That’s right,” Xie Lian responded casually. “They were quite beautiful, actually. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“...Sounds like he met Hua Cheng,” Mu Qing spat out. The malice was evident in his cold tone.
Still, a soft smile bloomed on Xie Lian’s face as he spoke. “So the beekeeper’s name is Hua Cheng, then? It suits him.”
“That man is no beekeeper,” Ling Wen interjected. “Your Highness, are you familiar with the Four Great Calamities?”
Xie Lian wasn’t convinced. How could that mysterious man, who commanded thousands of bees without a single sting mark on his hands, be anything but a beekeeper?
He’d heard of the Four Famous Tales, but only because he was among their ranks. Perhaps the Four Great Calamities revolved around entomology? If one was a master of bees, then it was only plausible that the others commanded ants, centipedes, and so on.
However, it seemed quite unfair to call bees and other insects a calamity. As pesky as they could be, they were incredibly beneficial for the environment. Not to mention, during the fateful encounter with the mysterious man, those magical shimmering bees hadn’t touched a single hair on Xie Lian’s head.
Still, he wasn’t keen to venture a wrong guess and worsen his prospects among the rest of the realm; he opted to keep his bug theory to himself.
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I haven’t heard of them,” he answered instead. “What are the Great Calamities?”
As Xie Lian spoke, the expressions of his peers grew even more dubious - Mu Qing included, who was scoffing and rolling his eyes. “Not what, but who,” he sneered. “Your Highness, are you really so blind to the affairs of the mortal realm after all this time?”
Ling Wen added calmly, “It is alright, Your Highness. Let me explain.”
And so, she went on in great detail about the tales of Ship-Sinking Black Water, a supreme ghost who tormented the seas from his mysterious underwater lair.
There was also the Night-Touring Green Lantern, who seemed to pad the ranks as comic relief and generally inspired intense bouts of nausea rather than fear.
And then, Ling Wen spoke of White-Clothed Calamity, the mere mention of whom made Xie Lian erupt into a cold sweat. Thankfully, it seemed the frightful ghost’s exploits were a long gone memory, and he was nothing but a haunting visage of the past.
“Your Highness, the last Great Calamity is the one who should be feared and avoided at all costs: Crimson Rain Sought Flower, Hua Cheng,” Ling Wen added. “He is the master of those silver bees you encountered up on the mountain. They’re called wraith bees, and they’re incredibly deadly. It would be best if you avoid them altogether.”
“Deadly, huh?” Xie Lian muttered to himself. He had thought they were rather friendly. Cute, even.
However, cute was the farthest thing from the Hua Cheng of legends.
A fearsome Ghost King, always garbed in blood-red crimson drabs as if he’d just emerged from the bloody carnage of hell itself.
And whenever he approached, he was accompanied by the shrieking shrill of thousands of bees. It would start with a faint hum, like a whisper in the ears. The buzz would build and build into an ear-piercing drone, until all you could hear was the sound of bees whizzing viciously by your head.
But by then, it would be too late - their venom would sink its tendrils into your skin, forcing you into the hazy clutches of death.
Hua Cheng’s notoriety had inspired countless tales among mortals, desperate to find meaning behind his malice.
Some said his abusive parents were beekeepers and that in a fit of rage, Hua Cheng turned their beloved insects against them. Some said it was a bee who had taken his eye, and as retribution, he devoted his life to turning the creatures into his slaves.
Perhaps he was scorned by a former lover who kept bees. Perhaps his ex-lover was a bee. Some even said that he himself was not even a man, but rather the restless spirit of a fallen bee king - one so obsessed with revenge that it manifested a haunting ghostly form who strived to paint the world in blood.
No matter what, his obsession with bees was frightening and deadly. If you ever heard the faint buzz of a hive swarming in the distance, you could rest assured your days were numbered.
And yet, Hua Cheng was wildly unpredictable. Beyond his bone-chilling malevolent acts, worse than any war, he was well-known for his sporadic acts of kindness. It wasn’t uncommon to find a freshly planted field of crimson flowers arranged around trees, a new beehive in an area desperate for pollination, or a jar of freshly siphoned honey at your doorstep.
If you were kind to nature, then you could perhaps spare yourself from his wrath. Knowing this, his followers dedicated themselves to the propagation of bees. As such, their homes were blessed with hundreds of blooming flowers every spring.
But make no mistake - Hua Cheng was dreadful, and he feared no man or insect, as evidenced by his daring challenge to 35 heavenly officials many years ago. If they accepted and won the battle, they’d be given his ashes, free to scatter them and end his terrifying reign.
Thirty three officials had taken the deal.
Of the martial gods that accepted his call, all of them were completely annihilated, torn apart by the devilish, lone-eyed scimitar that darted out from Hua Cheng’s hip in a bout of bloodthirsty rage. And as they lay writhing on the ground, desperately clutching their shattered ribs, they were each stabbed with hundreds of bee stings to the face.
The civil gods had thought they were far more suited for the challenge. After all, such a bloodthirsty hound could never have a tongue for civil discussion.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Hua Cheng absolutely decimated them on the subject of entomology, bees in particular, of which he could have written pages upon pages of scholastic text. Some even claimed that he published the greatest research texts in the field, perhaps donning the famous pen-name Hualian that was so commonly seen on books across libraries and institutes.
Even when debating, he was unpredictable; sometimes he was incredibly courteous, other times downright vicious.
But no matter what, he was always prepared to talk about bees.
So, just like the martial gods, the defeated civil gods departed the challenge with battered souls and a souvenir of hundreds of bee stings.
And when those very gods refused to honor their side of the bargain, Hua Cheng razed their temples to the ground. And in their place stood proud symbols of his sporadic benevolence - freshly commissioned beekeeping colonies, surrounded by fields of flowers.
Hua Cheng planted visions of the dramatic battles and debates into the dreams of the temple-goers, and they immediately developed immense respect for him. In turn, they naturally started worshiping him.
And so, the tales of Crimson Rain Sought Flower, the Ghost King who loved bees, spread like wildfire.
Xie Lian listened along intently to the stories, easily imagining all the vivid pictures that Ling Wen’s words painted. His fellow officials were green with fear from head to toe - some even manically swatted at their own heads, possessed by the phantom buzz of bees.
And yet, as Xie Lian remembered that delightful little bee that had landed on his outstretched palm, bringing with it the sweet smell of honey and flowers, he could only smile, hoping that he could one day have another chance to meet that benevolent beekeeper.
***
The oxen cart that Xie Lian nestled himself into rattled along the pebbled dirt paths, slowly taking him back to Puqi Village after a long day of scrap-collecting.
He glanced over at his new youthful acquaintance, the boy who called himself San Lang. The boy was pillowed in a large berm of hay with his arms wrapped tightly around the back of his head, not a care in the world.
Despite his youth, he was quite well-informed about the ways of the world. The two of them had talked of monsters and merchants, of ghosts and gods, of politics and passion.
And most notably, they’d talked in length about Hua Cheng.
It seemed there wasn’t a topic that this red-clad boy hadn’t read about in his studies, and the infamous Crimson Rain Sought Flower was no exception.
“San Lang,” Xie Lian said, breaking their comfortable silence. “Are you by chance familiar with bees?”
At the new question, San Lang pried open one of his tightly lidded eyes, his gaze filled with a fascinating kind of lazy passion. “Any kind of bees in particular?”
“Silver ones,” Xie Lian responded gently, hoping he wasn’t coming off too strong. He’d already pestered this poor boy with nearly a thousand questions; but for whatever reason, he just couldn’t stop himself from asking after the mysterious ghost king.
The boy laughed softly as he propped himself back up. With a smile, he asked, “Still curious about Hua Cheng, are you?”
Xie Lian smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheeks. “Well, you do seem quite knowledgeable about him... I was just wondering how he acquired such a fascinating species of bee. I’m quite confident that I’ve never seen bees like that before in my life.”
San Lang shrugged and sank deeper into the hay. “They aren’t the kind of bees you’ll find easily. Some might say that they aren’t even real bees at all, but rather the ghosts of bees that Hua Cheng raised from the grave after they were killed mercilessly by humans.”
“Ghost bees, huh?” Xie Lian muttered. “I can’t help but wonder if their stings would be just as lethal…”
“Hopefully you won’t ever find out,” San Lang responded coyly. He leaned forward again, bridging the narrow gap between them. His striking, slim face was only a few breaths away from Xie Lian’s. And as he spoke, his eyes sparkled with a youthful vigor.
“Gege, why are you so interested? Don’t tell me…are you afraid of bees?” he teased.
Xie Lian quickly waved his hands back and forth. “No, it’s not that. It’s just-”
His words were cut off as the cart came to a screeching halt. The air around them plummeted, shrouded in a choking, dense fog. Blocking their path was a group of white-clad ghosts, each carrying their own severed heads as they steadily marched towards the frozen ox cart.
Xie Lian clicked his tongue and drew up a protective talisman. Talks of bees would have to wait.
***
Long after the fateful encounter on Mount Yujun, and long after meeting the mysterious youth in Puqi Village, Xie Lian found himself a prisoner to his own heavenly palace. With a heavy sigh, he cupped his cheeks and stared listlessly out the window.
A heavy guilt threatened to suck all of the air out of his chest. He’d only recently been reunited with Hua Cheng after a brief separation following the events of Banyue Pass.
The benevolent Ghost King had revealed his true face to him, graciously toured him around Ghost City, and even let him play around in his treasured weapons vault.
And how did Xie Lian repay the favor? By burning his damn mansion to the ground!
His head swirled with desperate thoughts - of Hua Cheng’s pained expression as Xie Lian escaped in a burning whirlwind, of Lan Qianqui’s desperate declaration in front of the Upper Court, of painful memories of Yong’an and Xianle.
But for better or for worse, Xie Lian couldn’t dwell too much on it, as it was too hard to even hear himself think over the sounds of the two screaming martial gods in the background, who had turned his Divine Palace into a dueling ground for their latest spat.
Xie Lian clutched his aching, pulsing head and wearily carried himself outside, desperate to put as much distance between them as possible. But he only made it a few steps into the garden when the ground began to shake violently, greater than any earthquake.
When he looked up, his eyes went wide.
There stood a massive, ornate red portal - more elegant than anything in the rest of the Heavenly Realm. Its proud, cauldron-black doors dramatically flung open, revealing a pit of swirling blackness deeper than a starless night sky.
And from the abyss of that dark void came a low, muffled buzz.
Xie Lian was locked in place, mesmerized and awestruck by the amazing sight when two martial gods burst through the doors behind him.
“What the hell is that!?” Mu Qing screamed.
“Your Highness!” Feng Xin yelled. “Get back from there! It’s too dangerous!”
But Xie Lian ignored their warnings, feeling compelled by the crimson red doors that inspired a deeply comforting curiosity. With slow, steady steps, he turned away from the frantic voices of his peers and allowed himself to be pulled in towards the abyss.
And then, a furious flurry of sparkling silver bees burst through the open doors.
Instinctively, Xie Lian stopped and shielded himself. The loud drone drowned out all the sights and sounds around him as a silver blob of bees, each indiscernible from the next as they melded into one giant tornado, buzzed passed by his ears with the force of a hurricane.
Yet none touched him, let alone grazed his fluttering robes. They charged straight past Xie Lian’s stupefied figure, locking onto the shrieking martial gods behind him. Their faces paled immediately; they’d been on the receiving end of those wraith bees before and knew better to tangle with them.
“Oh, fuck no! Nope, nope, nope!” Feng Xin shrieked, darting right behind the protection of his shield spell. “Not bees. Not today!”
Mu Qing was only two steps behind him, drawing up his own shield. “Why is Crimson Rain Sought Flower so damn obsessed with bees? Couldn’t he have picked a better bug?!”
“The fuck are you doing back here?” Feng Xin barked. “Get back out there and save His Highness!”
“There’s no way in hell I’m touching those things! I developed a damn allergy after the last time that bastard came after us!” Mu Qing fired back. “Your Highness! It’s too dangerous! Get back behind the shield!”
They watched helplessly as their former crown prince was swallowed by the horde. It was difficult to see from their positions; the cloud of bees was so thick it was like trying to look through a wall of concrete.
But suddenly, like a river parting in a boat’s wake, the bees spun and swirled to the sides, creating a narrow pathway for Xie Lian. And then, a ghostly hand reached out from the looming doors and wrapped around his waist, gently pulling him into an embrace.
Mu Qing watched with horror as Xie Lian was sucked deeper into the darkness by the mysterious figure. “Crimson Rain Sought Flower! You dare show yourself in the Heavenly Realm?!”
Beyond the flurry of bees, he could see Hua Cheng's lips moving and quirking up into a devilish grin as he tightened his grip around Xie Lian.
“What?!” Mu Qing shouted. Not out of rage - he just simply couldn’t hear; the buzzing bees were too loud. “What did you say?!”
Hua Cheng’s lips moved again, but the grumbling gods still couldn’t hear a thing amongst the violently buzzing bees.
“What the hell did he say?” Feng Xin shouted, still struggling to maintain the shield. “Is he taunting us?!”
“I have no clue!” Mu Qing yelled with a grunt, his arms shaking from the energy flowing out of his palms.
“We can’t hear you, you bastard!” Feng Xin screamed. “Quit hiding behind your damn bugs and face us like a man!”
Meanwhile, Xie Lian was still locked in that tight embrace. He didn’t need to look beyond the familiar bee-etched vambraces and the intoxicatingly sweet scent of honey and flowers to know who held him.
Though he was shrouded in shadows, he felt no semblance of fear - only shelter and safety.
“Hello, San Lang,” he whispered. “I hope you’ve been well.”
There was no response. Naturally, Hua Cheng couldn’t hear him over the bees.
***
“His Highness has been kidnapped!” Feng Xin’s panicked, angry voice bellowed through the communication array for the entire Heavenly Realm to hear.
“Fuck. Fuck!” Mu Qing shouted. “Who the hell does Hua Cheng think he is?!”
“And why didn’t you two stop him?” Ling Wen called out. “What exactly happened over there?”
“He was surrounded by a thousand killer bees! What the hell was I supposed to do!? I’ve been stung more than enough times by those damn things already!” Feng Xin shouted. “And this bastard here claims he’s allergic. He didn’t lift a damn finger to help!”
“I am allergic!” Mu Qing added. “It’s a valid medical condition!”
Feng Xin’s rage was palpable. “I know your temples are woefully empty, but did you really forget that you’re a god? A few damn bee stings won’t kill you!”
“I get hives!” Mu Qing snidely retorted. “Last time I got stung by those damn things, I itched for two months! Two months! I’m surprised my skin didn’t fall right off!”
With a loud scoff, Feng Xin shouted back, “Oh, of course. My apologies. I forgot that it’s your prerogative to leave His Highness high and dry whenever it suits you. Who knows what kinds of torture he’s being subjected to right now!? But heaven forbid you get a little itchy.”
Ling Wen sighed. It seemed Xie Lian’s rescue wouldn’t be so simple.
***
A burning fire spit and crackled on top of the sandy shores. The air of Blackwater’s lair had a frigid nip to it, yet Xie Lian’s cheeks were notably heated. The salty sting of seawater still burned his lungs, but it was overwhelmed by the sweet tang on his lips, lingering remnants of the soft, honey-sweet lips he’d kissed just moments ago.
Xie Lian furiously shook his head.
It wasn’t a kiss. Sure, it involved the pressing of lips together in rapid succession, followed by intensely pleasurable tingles down the spine, but that may very well have been a common side effect of resuscitation. The thrill of saving a life, so to speak.
He munched down a bit harder on the grilled rabbit Hua Cheng had cooked, spilling honey sauce all over his quivering lips. Hua Cheng laughed softly, dabbing his sleeves against Xie Lian’s flushed cheeks.
“That good, hmm?” he mused with a smile. “Slow down. There’s no need to rush. There’s plenty more if you’re feeling hungry.”
Great, Xie Lian thought to himself. Now he looked like a glutton. Still, there was no denying that the honey sauce that Hua Cheng had somehow prepared on a remote, deserted beach was divine.
“San Lang, where did you get this recipe? It’s quite good,” he said, unable to stop himself from taking another large bite.
“Just a little something I’ve been working on. I spent quite a few years trying to get it just right,” Hua Cheng casually responded. “This one is pleased to hear that gege likes it.”
A pang of jealousy pricked Xie Lian’s heart. “Is… Is this also something that you did in order to impress your special someone?”
Even now, he couldn’t stop fixating on the way Hua Cheng’s eye sparkled when he spoke of that special someone. He still didn’t fully understand why it made him so upset to imagine Hua Cheng happily slaving away over a stove on someone else’s behalf.
He took another hearty bite of meat, stuffing his cheeks to the brim in an attempt to stop himself from asking more anger-fueled questions.
“Gege’s guess is correct,” Hua Cheng said, mindlessly trailing a stick through the sand. “You may call it foolish, but… I’ve always imagined that person eating my home-cooked meals. Helping me tend to the beehives.”
Xie Lian immediately pouted. Apparently, stuffing his cheeks wasn’t enough of a deterrent. “And… And what will you do if that person doesn’t like honey? Or even worse - what if they don’t like bees?”
Hua Cheng’s bright laughter bounced across the shoreline, carried far away by the receding waves. It was as if the thought of someone disliking bees was unbelievable, laughable even.
“I suppose I’ll manage. More than anything, I want to honor their thoughts and wishes,” he eventually responded. “Though, now I am a little bit curious to hear your thoughts on bees.”
Xie Lian pointed to himself with his now empty skewer. “Me?”
Hua Cheng casually passed him another grilled hare, lathered with a fresh blob of honey sauce. “Yes. You, gege.”
“A-Ah, well,” Xie Lian sputtered under Hua Cheng’s intense, almost expectant gaze. “I do think bees are quite cute. They’re very important to the ecosystem, as well. The only thing is-”
The hiss of steel suddenly whooshed out of the forest behind them. Hua Cheng effortlessly caught the arrow midair before it could even dare get close to Xie Lian, then crushed it into pieces under his firm grip.
Not a few seconds later, a horde of bow-wielding skeletons charged out from the shadows.
“I suppose we’ll have to pick this up later,” Hua Cheng said with a deep sigh.
Xie Lian nodded firmly. “Yes, I agree. Let’s go!”
***
The reemergence of the Kiln eventually brought Hua Cheng and Xie Lian all the way back to Mt. Tonglu, the site of the historic kingdom of Wuyong.
And after an avalanche caused by two bickering junior officials, the pair found themselves hopelessly lost in a swirling maze of endless caves beneath the surface, illuminated only by the faint light of the silver wraith bees.
Even Hua Cheng himself, who knew everything about everything, was perplexed by the winding ways, unable to properly guide them forward.
Suddenly, loud screaming and shrieking echoed from one of the sprawling tunnels. Xie Lian’s ears immediately perked up.
“San Lang! It must be Nan Feng and Fu Yao!” he yelled, darting off to follow the voices.
“Gege!” Hua Cheng shouted. “Come back here!”
But Xie Lian didn’t listen - there was no telling what kind of monsters and enemies wandered these eerie caves. His hurried footsteps carried him all the way to the source of the frenzied screaming, which turned out to be an emblazoned bickering match between two familiar junior officials.
It was deeply dark in the cave, but Xie Lian could surmise by their echoing voices that his companions were in a large pit of some sort. A thick, heavy scent wafted through the air - sickeningly sweet, enough to make Xie Lian dizzy.
“Nan Feng! Fu Yao! What’s going on down there?! I can’t see a thing!”
Upon hearing Xie Lian’s voice, the two bickering officials finally quit shrieking at each other.
“Your Highness! Is that you?! We’re trapped down here in some kind of weird, sticky goo!” Nan Feng shouted. “Watch your step! If you fall in, you’ll never get out!”
“R-Right,” Xie Lian said. “Just hold on! We’ll figure something out.”
Xie Lian sighed heavily. It was then that a faint twinkling buzzed past him, and a tiny bee emanating a soft glow landed on his shoulder.
“Hello, again,” Xie Lian whispered with a smile. “Could you help us out, my friend?”
The bee happily buzzed around his head a few times before diving into the deep pit. A blinding light suddenly burst out from its small frame, illuminating the entire pit with a radiant glow.
The scene below was startling.
Fu Yao and Nan Feng really were drowning in what looked like a small lake of honey. The thick, amber liquid clung to their arms like glue, rendering them completely immobile. Their faces, littered with fresh bee stings, barely bobbed above the amber surface.
“Wow,” Xie Lian mumbled. “T-That’s a lot of honey… Are you two alright?”
“Does this look alright to you?!” Nan Feng shrieked. “Is this really how it ends? Drowning in honey?!”
Fu Yao in particular looked absolutely dreadful. His eyes twitched with fervor, and he violently spun his head back and forth, mumbling furiously, “It itches. Fuck, fuck, fuck, it itches! See, this is what happens when you don’t listen to me! I told you I get hives! And what did you do? Get us trapped in a fuckin’ bee colony!”
“Could you shut up about your goddamn hives for ten goddamn seconds?!” Nan Feng screamed back. “If you weren’t screaming my ear off in the first place, we never would’ve gotten buried under that damn snowstorm!”
Xie Lian sighed deeply at the two “junior officials” who placed more value in trading jabs with each other than rescuing themselves.
“Um, hold on! I’ll see what I can do!” he shouted back, though he admittedly had no clue what he was doing.
Without many other options, Ruoye snapped out from under his robes, darting valiantly into the pit. But no matter how much it tugged, the two gods wouldn’t budge. The honey weighed down their sticky robes like weights.
“Why the hell would you send your damn ribbon into a vat of honey?! That’s never going to work!” Nan Feng shouted. “We need to come up with another strategy!”
Fu Yao, on the other hand, was getting more delirious by the second. His head lazily rolled back and forth, eye’s half-mast as if he were fighting for consciousness. All the vigor he’d had earlier was slowly draining away, giving way to a haze of bee-induced fogginess.
“Itchy…hives…Fuck you…” he murmured.
“C’mon, Ruoye! Just a little more!” Xie Lian shouted. But there was a whiplash effect as Ruoye gave one last firm tug, and Xie Lian found himself tumbling down into the pit instead.
He winced, preparing to drown with his companions in that deceptively sweet sea.
But at the last moment, a horde of wraith bees buzzed out from the shadows and formed a thick protective layer resembling a plush cloud. They easily cushioned Xie Lian’s fall, saving him from a very sticky fate.
Though the buzzing was expectedly loud, Xie Lian’s seat was surprisingly comfy. And the syrupy scent wafting from the honeyed sea below was so close that he could almost taste it. Despite the harrowing situation, Xie Lian’s mouth began to water.
The bee who had landed on Xie Lian’s shoulder earlier darted out from the masses and fetched a small, hollowed out honeycomb from a nearby hive that lined the cave wall. Using all the might in its tiny limbs, the bee dunked the hastily-fashioned cup into the honey and slowly carried it back up to Xie Lian’s ‘chariot’.
Xie Lian eagerly accepted the drizzling cup, overflowing with sweet honey, and dipped his finger in for a little taste.
His eyes immediately went wide.
He eagerly lapped at the dribbling edges, like a starving man who just discovered food. And then he dipped all five fingers in. Then, he tilted the cup as if he was drinking a glass of water - impatiently waiting for the slow-paced liquid to graze his parched lips.
“Amazing!” he exclaimed so loudly that it echoed through the cave. “T-This… This may be the best thing I’ve ever tasted!”
An extremely loud, irritated groan echoed from below.
“Your Highness!”
***
The three gods had been temporarily separated from their rescuer, Hua Cheng, who had turned out to be Xie Lian’s stalker of 800 years. Feng Xin and Mu Qing were still reeling over the revelation of his true identity, along with their own - though their ‘secret’ identities really came as a shock to no one.
The duo was desperate to get away from the insane Ghost King, taking Xie Lian right along with them. They explored the eerie Cave of Ten Thousand Gods, sheer disgust dripping down their faces as they weaved through innumerable statues of their former crown prince in very questionable poses.
Countless murals lined the walls, some as large and sweeping as the entire cave face. Most of them depicted scenes from some point in Xie Lian’s life - the main avenue of Xianle, the parade, Bayou Forest, Beizi Hill.
The cave was so tightly packed with statues of Xie Lian that it was near impossible to walk. And littering the narrow passageways were all kinds of scrolls and books carelessly strewn about.
Feng Xin suddenly tripped on a wayward scroll and angrily picked it up. He squinted, scrunched his brow, and pursed his lips before angrily chucking it at a nearby statue. “It’s no use, I can’t read this damn thing!”
“I’ll give it a try,” Xie Lian muttered, picking it up. The words were garbled, rendered near illegible not just from the unbelievably messy script but from years of withering in a cave. But as the expert in Hua Cheng’s writing, he was able to pick out a few bits and pieces.
“According to… laws… aviation… no way… bee… fly…”
“Really? Bees? Again?” Feng Xin mumbled, preemptively shielding his head as if more of the dastardly creatures would dart out and pelt him again.
Meanwhile, Mu Qing’s hands hadn’t stopped moving since he’d left the pit, eager to itch his hive-covered body.
“I hate bees. So fuckin’ much,” he mumbled, furiously scratching his back.
After trying to read the next few sentences of the script, Xie Lian sighed and set the scroll back on the ground. “Agh, I give up! Trying to read all of this is giving me a headache. Let’s just look elsewhere.”
But everywhere they looked, there were more traces of bees. Honeycombs on the wall, caricatures of bees drawn crudely on the cave walls, more strange scripts alluding to entomology.
“Fuck!” Mu Qing screamed. “It all makes sense now. Hua Cheng, the bees, the honey…”
“It doesn’t actually make any sense,” Feng Xin snidely interrupted.
“...What?” Mu Qing asked.
Xie Lian pinched his forehead.
Oh, no. More arguing.
“Nothing about this makes sense!” Feng Xin shouted. “Bees go where flowers are. Flowers require sun. Of which there is none in this stupid cave. So, why the fuck are there bees here? What was the deal with that giant-ass pit of honey?! We’re just gonna ignore the fact that none of this adds up?! ”
“Is that really important right now?!” Mu Qing screamed back.
But their screaming match didn’t last long this time - a cocky, crimson-clad intruder strolled into the room, twirling the familiar pearl that was delicately braided into his hair.
***
After another series of massive revelations and a dramatic confession of love, Hua Cheng and Xie Lian had separated from the two martial gods in an attempt to draw White-No-Face out. The new couple naturally found their way back to the Cave of Ten Thousand Gods.
This time, Xie Lian took the opportunity to properly observe the countless works of art. At his side, Hua Cheng awkwardly scurried to and fro to prevent him from seeing some of the more unsightly ones.
Though to Xie Lian, none of them could ever be considered anything less than perfect. They’d been sculpted by his beloved, after all.
One in particular drew his eye - a young Crown Prince with a few flowers around his feet. The statue had a longing gaze, eyes trailed upward as if looking into the vast sky with a dainty smile on his face. And on his outstretched index finger was a delightfully plump bumblebee.
“Ah, ignore that one…” Hua Cheng mumbled, tossing another veil over it.
“Why? I quite like it. It’s very creative,” Xie Lian admitted bashfully.
The scene was incredibly fairylike, like something that had been plucked straight from a blissful dream. Judging by the other pieces in Hua Cheng’s collection, the ghost king really did see him as some ethereal, otherworldly being.
“...It was just a fantasy,” Hua Cheng mumbled under his breath. “Gege, must we linger here? If you’re intent on seeing my work, there are far better pieces that I can show you.”
“Fine, fine,” Xie Lian replied with a little laugh. “I’ll hold you to that, San Lang.”
As they trailed along, making their way through the curves and bends that Hua Cheng knew so well, Xie Lian tripped on a crumpled scroll that had been tossed aside. His eyes went wide when he picked up the offending object.
“Ah, that’s right! San Lang, could you tell me a little bit more about this script?” he said, rushing up to the man’s side. “We saw it earlier, though we struggled to decipher it. From what I gathered, it was related to bees?”
Hua Cheng gave the scroll a brief glance before snatching it up and stuffing it into his robes. “It’s nothing. Just foolish nonsense. I spent a long time in this cave, you know. Strange thoughts naturally fill your head when you have nothing but time.”
Xie Lian smiled softly. “I’d be happy to listen, if you’d like to share. Judging by the length of the script, it seems like something you were quite passionate about.”
With a wry smile, Hua Cheng tightened his grip around Xie Lian’s hand. It was still a new, foreign sensation to the both of them. But their desire to be close together outweighed the threat of the situation.
“Ah, well…Gege, have you ever wondered how bees can fly?”
Xie Lian tilted his head. “Not really, no.”
“It should really be considered a scientific miracle,” Hua Cheng continued, unprompted. “Even I… Even prominent bee researchers can’t fully comprehend it.”
“Don’t they have wings, just like other insects?” Xie Lian asked.
Hua Cheng spun around, his eye flickering with a dangerous glint. “Very astute, gege. But their wings are far too small. If you were to replicate them on any other species - a bird, for example - the result would be laughable. They’d never get more than a few centimeters off the ground, if that. Yet, bees…”
His deep voice immediately trailed off, and he awkwardly coughed a few times. “Ah, forgive me. I must be boring you with my nonsense.”
“Not at all, San Lang,” Xie Lian said with an honest smile. He squeezed down on the taller man’s hand. “I think it’s absolutely fascinating.”
Hua Cheng returned the gesture with a deeply fond smile. And then, he awkwardly trained his gaze on the ground as he mumbled, “If I may ask… how does gege feel about bees? I never did get to hear your thoughts, back in Blackwater’s lair.”
“If we’re talking about your wraith bees, then I think they’re quite cute,” Xie Lian responded with an honest smile. “Ah, but there is-”
Before Xie Lian could finish his thought, a glint of steel flashed in the corner. It was brief but unmistakable, and brought with it a heavy, overbearing sense of dread.
“San Lang,” he whispered, eyes locked onto a strange, ghostly specter in the corner of the room.
Hua Cheng tightly squeezed his hand in response. “Let’s go, gege.”
There would be time to catch up later; for now, they needed to focus on their mission: defeat White-No-Face.
***
Their time in the depths of the mountain and everything that followed was incredibly eventful. After all was said and done, the group really did defeat White-No-Face in an incredibly wild battle that was too unbelievable to recount in a few paragraphs.
Put simply, the fight against evil had been won, Hua Cheng had returned from a brief absence, and it was time to celebrate!
The newly rebuilt Puqi Shrine was sparkling, much more magnificent than any of the previous reconstruction attempts. Long tables were carefully arranged outside of the shrine, each filled to the brim with delicacies - there was honey bread, honeycombs, honey cookies, and even honey chicken. It was a celebration truly fit for royalty.
And yet, the party was lacking something important: guests.
The invitees awkwardly loitered at the foot of the hill, arms crossed as they grumbled and warily eyed the shrine from a safe distance. It was a curious group - beggars who had proved invaluable during the last fight, two bickering martial gods who stood as far apart as possible, and even Heaven’s Eye and his cronies.
Eventually, Shi Qingxuan was pushed out by the horde, nearly tumbling over in the process. With sheer terror written on his face, he slowly hobbled up the hillside, where Xie Lian was eagerly waiting.
“Lord Wind Master!” Xie Lian happily chimed, rushing to meet him at the gate of the front garden. “The party is just about ready! What’s everyone doing huddled down there?”
Shi Qingxuan awkwardly shuffled in place as he picked at his fingernails. “Ah, Y-Your Highness. About that… T-T-They’re all too scared to come any closer…”
Xie Lian tilted his head in confusion. “Huh?”
The party was a certifiably lavish feast - and not to mention, it was the main reason that the beggars had even agreed to join the fight against the wayward Heavenly Emperor. The delightful smell of all the food they’d prepared for the occasion surely wafted for miles - how could anyone turn it down?
Puzzled, Xie Lian clutched his broom and peered down the hillside. “Why? What are they afraid of? If it’s San Lang, then rest assured - he’s promised to be on his best behavior today.”
“Hua Cheng isn’t the problem. It’s t-t-those things,” Shi Qingxuan replied, pointing behind Xie Lian.
A row of towering, verdant trees lined the horizon behind Puqi Shrine. And from their large, swooping branches hung several massive beehives, each the size of a moderately large boulder. Drones of silver bees darted in and out with a passion, focused on completing their daily missions. And beneath them, a row of carefully-constructed beehives lined the ground, surrounded by stacks of honey-collecting jars.
Puqi Shrine really looked more like a beekeeping colony than a Daoist shrine.
Unbothered, Xie Lian casually spun around. “Oh, the beehives? Those are for San Lang’s wraith bees. They’ve taken quite a liking to the shrine. They’re harmless, I promise.”
Mu Qing, still recovering from hundreds of bee stings and his unbelievably itchy hives, shrieked from down the hill.
“Bullshit!!!”
***
In order to properly hold the party, Hua Cheng had very begrudgingly - and temporarily, as he pointed out multiple times - moved the beehives to a nearby grove. The group celebrated until the sun dipped below the mountains, lighting up the once peaceful town with their cheerful, raucous voices, the clanging of mugs, and endless tales of triumph.
The end of the day brought with it a new beginning, and Hua Cheng and Xie Lian settled into a comfortable routine together. Their days passed easily and happily, filled to the brim with the love and compassion of a lifetime.
One curious change, however, was that Hua Cheng had become extra willful, with his requests and playful taunts growing more questionable and indulgent as the days passed by.
“Gege,” a deep, husky voice called out one afternoon from bed, “It seems I’ve made quite the mess.”
“...And?” Xie Lian asked, his face buried deep in a book. “Why don’t you clean it up, then?”
“It’s too much for this San Lang to handle by himself,” Hua Cheng moaned.
Xie Lian sighed and gave a little disapproving grunt, still not quite ready to divert his attention. During his last outing to town, he’d stumbled across a strange book that regaled stories of one Scrap Immortal and his Ghost King, portraying them as far too raunchy for his liking.
Admittedly, their nightly escapades occasionally veered into slightly daring territory, but it certainly wasn’t as lascivious as the mortals had painted in this book. At least, so Xie Lian liked to think.
He had spent an entire incense time with his nose buried in the book, never once lifting his head from its lewd pages. In doing so, he left his bored, spoiled husband to his own devices - never a wise decision.
“... Gege,” came another pout, far too childish and whiny for the grown man spewing it.
“Mm, in a minute, San Lang,” Xie Lian mindlessly replied. “I need to finish this chapter. You won’t believe the things they’ve written. It’s absolutely p-preposterous…”
A loud grunt finally drew his attention. Xie Lian angrily shut his book and whipped his head to the side.
“What? What could possibly be so urgent? You’re perfectly capable of cleaning your-”
His words immediately got caught in his throat. The book plummeted to the ground with a soft thud.
Laying sideways on the bed was Hua Cheng, fully nude and draped in nothing but a thin sheet that barely covered his hips. Faint beams of light bounced off his exposed, muscular torso, as if he were a marble statue on display - the essence of male perfection.
And most notably, his chiseled chest was absolutely dripping in honey.
The sticky liquid trailed all the way down the lines of his abdomen, with thick droplets spilling onto the sheets beneath him.
He propped his head up in his hand and met Xie Lian’s wide-eyed gaze with a devilish smile. With his free hand, he trailed a line down his stomach, sneaking it beneath the sheets. When he pulled it back up, his hand was covered in a thick, amber liquid.
He licked his crimson lips, then delicately lapped at the liquid spilling all over his knuckles. The sounds were excessive - wet, juicy, and sticky. He toyed with his fingers in his mouth a bit, teasing them slowly, all the while staring deeply at his husband.
“It’s quite sweet,” he purred, his voice low and raspy. “Wouldn’t gege like a little taste?”
Xie Lian gulped.
The sensual scene of his salacious husband, paired with heavenly scent wafting through the room, immersed him in a dreamlike haze.
“I-I suppose it’s worth t-trying,” he whispered. “J-Just a little bit…”
His body moved before his mind. Instinctively, he shuffled over to the bed. Hua Cheng eagerly grabbed Xie Lian, flipped onto his back, and comfortably perched his husband on his lap. The movement rustled the disheveled sheets a bit, and even more dangerous slivers of Hua Cheng’s skin slipped out.
The sweet aroma was exceptionally thick around his hips, and judging by how tightly the sticky sheets clung to every part of Hua Cheng’s body, Xie Lian surmised that one area in particular was likely very well lathered with honey.
Hua Cheng noticed his husband’s bashful, lustful gaze and smiled, sinking his fingers deep into his hips.
He licked his lips, then loosened one of his hands and brought it up to his sticky chest, smothering his long, slender fingers in honey. The hand on Xie Lian’s back slowly trailed up the length of his spine, giving him a few playful tickles before forcefully pulling him down, pressing their torsos firmly together.
“S-San Lang,” Xie Lian whispered, falling into his husband’s chest. The scent was even more inviting up close, tantalizing and teasing him into taking a taste. His pure white robes were easily sullied and stained by the amber liquid.
“Ah, what a shame,” Hua Cheng said. He leaned up and brushed their cheeks together, whispering directly into his husband’s ear. “It looks like gege has gotten himself a little dirty, too. Whatever shall we do? Hmm?”
The flush on Xie Lian’s cheeks was unmistakable, brighter than a cherry blossom in bloom.
“Y-You!” he muttered. “S-San Lang, you-”
But before he could finish his thought, Hua Cheng easily slipped a honey-coated finger into his parted lips to keep him quiet. The delightfully sweet taste swirled in Xie Lian’s mouth, and he reflexively closed his eyes and sucked down.
Hua Cheng let out a light laugh, calmly allowing his husband to have his way with his sticky finger. Once Xie Lian had licked him clean, Hua Cheng pulled out his finger, still dripping with fresh beads of saliva, and gently pressed their lips together instead.
“See, gege? I told you it’s quite sweet,” he whispered, briefly pulling back. “Don’t hold back. Have another taste, hmm? There’s plenty more.”
His sensual attacks made Xie Lian come undone.
Xie Lian’s hands trembled as he latched onto Hua Cheng’s shoulder, pushing him even harder into the mattress. Strands of his long, chestnut hair pooled all over Hua Cheng’s sticky chest as he leaned down, trailing gentle kisses across his collarbone.
For Hua Cheng, the sight was more delightful and tantalizing than any baked treat - Xie Lian, with a strand of hair tucked behind his blushing ear, lapping at his chest like it was a fine delicacy. Hua Cheng’s breath grew ragged, and he latched onto his husband’s hips once more, slowly grinding against him.
“Well?” Hua Cheng asked through heated breaths. “How do I taste, gege? Sweet?”
Xie Lian’s heated face was still buried into the curves of his husband’s toned shoulders. He lightly nibbled down before bringing his slightly sticky lips up to Hua Cheng’s ear.
“I… I think I’ll need to taste a little more before I can say for certain…”
***
After the improper use of honey in the bedroom, Xie Lian decided that it was time to finally come clean with his husband.
It didn’t feel right to keep such a massive secret. They’d been through life and limb together, no challenge too daunting. He could only hope that Hua Cheng, who had survived the horrors of Mt. Tonglu twice, could withstand the shock.
He approached one morning while Hua Cheng was fiddling around in the kitchen. The Ghost King evidently woke bright and early to start cooking, something he often did ever since his return.
Upon hearing Xie Lian’s soft approaching footsteps, Hua Cheng inclined his head back with a gentle smile. “Ah, gege. I was just making us some fried honeycomb candy - I’ll serve you some shortly. Take a seat.”
Ah. Honey, again.
Xie Lian flashed a sheepish smile and fidgeted with his hands. “Um, listen, San Lang. Before we do that…There’s something I really need to tell you.”
“Hmm?” Hua Cheng hummed, flipping over a freshly sizzling honeycomb in the pan. “I’m almost done here. Shall we talk over a snack?”
To Hua Cheng’s side stood a giant pile of his other “honeyed” creations - bread that had gone stale a week ago, since it was simply too much for two people who actually didn’t even need to eat, jars of honey piled so high they reached the ceiling, and various other sweets that nearly gave Xie Lian a toothache.
Xie Lian’s stomach was churning so hard with nerves it may have well been a fisherman's knot.
Still, he couldn’t fight the mouthwatering scent flitting into his nose. And when Hua Cheng was so eager, draped in his favorite crimson apron as he happily hummed over the stovetop, it was impossible to deny him.
And so, the two settled around the kitchen table, surrounded by steaming plates of honey treats.
“Gege, say ‘ah’,” Hua Cheng said, holding up one of the honeycombs to Xie Lian’s lips. There was a very pleasant crunch as Xie Lian munched down. A perfect balance of sweet and salty danced upon his tongue.
“Very good,” he muttered through stuffed cheeks. “Thank you, San Lang.”
“This San Lang is very pleased to hear it. So? What did gege want to talk about?” Hua Cheng asked, pillowing his head in his hands as he stared lovingly into Xie Lian’s eyes.
“Ah, right. There’s, um, there’s something I really need to tell you,” Xie Lian said. “San Lang, I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely honest with you about something…”
His gaze dropped heavily, weighed down by the immense guilt in his words. Even the sticky, sweet treats couldn’t lift his spirits.
Hua Cheng immediately tilted up his husband’s chin. “Gege, what’s wrong? You don’t need to work yourself up on my behalf. Remember, you can always tell San Lang anything. I’ll always listen to what gege has to say.”
Xie Lian felt a little bit of his confidence returning. And if he had learned anything over 800 years, it was that it was always best to rip the bandage off, so to speak. No use dawdling over the inevitable.
He straightened himself up, stared into his husband’s eyes, and took a deep breath.
“San Lang, I’m allergic to bees.”
The sickeningly sweet atmosphere suddenly went stagnant. The half-eaten honeycomb crisp in Hua Cheng’s hand plummeted to the ground and broke into several large chunks.
“...Come again? ” he whispered.
“I’m allergic to bees,” Xie Lian repeated calmly. “Deathly allergic, I might add.”
It was just as Xie Lian feared - Hua Cheng couldn’t handle the shock. Even when the Ghost King was fighting for his life, he looked more spirited than this. Even the slightest breeze could knock him over. Xie Lian quickly leaned over to rub his husband’s back.
“Gege,” Hua Cheng muttered in disbelief. “Why… Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I did try to bring it up quite a few times,” Xie Lian replied. “When we first met outside Puqi Village, when we were stranded in Black Water’s Lair, even back on Mt. Tonglu. Something else just always seemed to crop up!”
His tone was light and airy, as if he hadn’t just dropped the revelation of the millennium into his husband’s lap, tightly wrapped with a ribbon and everything.
Hua Cheng’s voice shook as he spoke, “I don’t understand. How… How could I have gone this long without knowing?” He suddenly lifted his head, staring directly into his husband’s deep, calm eyes. “Does anyone else know? What about those useless piles of trash? How is it that those two blubbering idiots failed to mention something this important?”
Xie Lian shook his head and continued to slowly rub Hua Cheng’s back. “You're the only one who knows now. The secret was buried long, long ago.”
Hua Cheng immediately quirked his eyebrow. “Gege? What do you mean?”
With a soft smile, Xie Lian recounted an old tale from years long past.
“I’ve only ever been stung once in my life. It was a long time ago, when I was a young boy. Perhaps before you were even born!” he mused with a light chuckle. “I was playing in the garden when it happened. When I plucked a little flower, I felt a strange prick on my hand. And, well, everything sort of went fuzzy after that.”
Hua Cheng reached out and squeezed his husband’s hand tightly. The mere thought of any harm coming to his beloved filled him with dread, and his voice shook as he spoke.
“...And then what happened?”
Holding his husband’s hand just as tight, Xie Lian calmly continued his story.
“Well, I was quite lucky that the imperial physician was nearby and was able to administer some kind of aid. Mother told me later that if the doctor had been just a moment late, then I wouldn’t have made it. Quite the way to go, if you ask me!” he awkwardly added with a light laugh.
Hua Cheng didn’t share his amusement and silently stared at him, eye flickering darkly.
“A-Anyway,” Xie Lian added, “my parents and the physician took the secret to the grave. If word got out, it would've made for a pretty convenient assassination attempt, after all!”
Hua Cheng’s expression was incredibly dark. “...Gege, I’m so sorry. I truly had no idea.”
“There’s really no sense worrying about it now, is there? And I don’t mean to brag, but I haven’t been stung once since then! If you consider my luck, then it’s really quite the feat!”
“You haven’t been stung yet,” Hua Cheng swiftly interjected. “Gege, it’s too dangerous. We need to move the beehives, now. And there are herbs that can help with allergic reactions. We need to stockpile them and ensure there are some stored at the shrine at all times. The Thousand Lights Temple, too. In fact, you should carry them with you at all-”
“San Lang,” Xie Lian calmly interrupted his husband’s frantic stream of thoughts. “Trust me. I’m fine. I love your wraith bees. To me, they are an incredibly important extension of you. I could never in a million years turn them away. I want them here, San Lang. I want them to stay.”
“But, gege! Your allergy-”
Xie Lian immediately pressed a finger to Hua Cheng’s lips. “I’ll be fine. It’s been centuries - I may not even have a strong allergic reaction, anymore. Plus, have you forgotten that I’m a god? I’ve managed far worse before. A little bee sting probably won’t even faze me.”
“Gege,” Hua Cheng said firmly, sounding much more distraught. “This is completely different. I could have harmed you!”
“It’s fine. Calm down, alright?” Xie Lian replied softly. “I know your bees would never hurt me. There’s no need to worry.”
“…I will always worry about you, gege,” Hua Cheng whispered, sighing as he leaned into his husband’s warm embrace. “You’re sure you’re alright with this? I really don’t mind moving the bees somewhere else.”
“I’m completely sure,” Xie Lian said firmly, pressing a light kiss to Hua Cheng’s temple. “And well, you know…We should really look at all the perks of having the bees around!”
Expression still a bit glum and shoulders slumped, Hua Cheng muttered, “...Such as?”
A little rush went straight to Xie Lian’s head. He knew his pouty husband better than the back of his hand - and there was one, surefire way to raise his spirits.
With resolute determination, Xie Lian climbed onto his husband’s lap and wrapped his arms around his hunched shoulders, while sliding his legs around his back.
Hua Cheng immediately perked up, eye wide as he stared at his husband oh-so boldly settling onto his lap. His hands naturally settled onto Xie Lian's waist.
“Gege, what are you…?”
His lips were silenced with a gentle kiss.
And then, Xie Lian leaned up and whispered into his ear, “T-There are several exciting uses for honey, don’t you think…? I think that there are many more things we could explore…”
The burning heat spreading from the man beneath him gave Xie Lian a little smile - it seemed like his attempts at coercing his moping husband were successful. The large hands wrapped around his waist pinched at him lightly before squeezing down.
Hua Cheng suddenly flashed a brilliant, dazzling smile - looking much like he’d just been raised from the dead yet again. He eagerly met Xie Lian for a deep kiss, one that tasted deliciously sweet and salty.
“San Lang will gladly give gege a few more things to taste,” he whispered with a devilish smile, pressing a few more kisses all over his husband’s pink cheeks.
Hua Cheng fished around the table for a jar of honey - one that was absolutely filled to the brim - and then eagerly carried his husband over to the bed. Xie Lian tightened his grip and buried his flaming face in the crook of Hua Cheng's neck, knowing full well that the jar would be empty by the end of the night.
And when all was said and done, the bees stuck around.