Work Text:
Wuming was smiling . Unbeknownst to him, his mask had broken, just as the deluge of spirits went to him.
Xie Lian was frozen in place. He knew that even if he were to move, it would be too late to do anything for the ghost who had taken on countless vengeful spirits for his sake.
But as he watched them engulf Wuming, as he watched that self-satisfied smile turn into unbelievable pain, as his heart shattered to bits and pieces listening to the ghost’s screams and watching anguish overtake his face…
He thought that Wuming was beautiful- with well defined, sharp features and a full mouth upturned at the corners, the ghost would’ve passed for a young lord any day. And then there were his unique eyes, the left onyx black, the right crimson red. For the one moment Xie Lian had met them, he saw pride in the depths of them, as if to say Wuming had no regrets for the fate that was about to befall him.
But even more unbelievable than that…
“Why would it be a prank? Perhaps Your Highness has believers here who still offer worship.”
He saw devotion .
So it was you…
Xie Lian screamed.
And then he awoke.
Xie Lian jolted up in a sitting position. It had been a while since he’d dreamt of Wuming.
During his first year of banishment, there had nary been a night where he didn’t see that awful scene playing over and over in his dreams. How that smile would twist into the most painful of anguish, and how there was nothing left behind but a small white flower by the end of it.
Then, as time went on, it happened less and less, to the point where he only saw his face every now and then.
It had been upsetting, to say the least, making Xie Lian live through his greatest regret over and over again, but part of him was also glad for the dreams. There was very little he could do for his last believer, so he was happy to remember his face if nothing else.
Xie Lian had even taken to sketching it, in an attempt to make sure that the finer details wouldn’t fade from his memory. Of course, with his luck, he more often than not ended up losing these drawings. Still, he would always take the time to make new ones, after every unfortunate event where he ended up with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Perhaps he should make a new one, he thought, until he remembered that Hua Cheng had slept at Puqi Shrine last night.
When he looked around for him though, he found no traces of the Ghost King, only a pile of swept leaves and a delicate silver chain around his neck that had a ring hanging from it.
The god wouldn’t have the time to sit down and make another sketch of Wuming. He was called to the heavens not long after he woke up.
One encounter with General Ming Guang and an assignment from Jun Wu later, he found himself making his way into Ghost City alongside Lord Wind Master- in female form- and General Tai Hua.
On the one hand, he was looking forward to seeing Hua Cheng again, but on the other, he couldn’t help but feel bad that he was coming into the territory of a new friend with hidden intentions. Nevertheless, he tried not to let it sour his mood too much, seeing as he still had to get to the bottom of who had sent out the distress signal.
Xie Lian couldn’t have foreseen though, that he would end up gambling in a bet against Hua Cheng of all people. Nor that the Ghost King would call him up to his dais to teach him about proper “cup-shaking posture” .
“The next time we meet, I will use my true appearance to greet you.”
He recalled Hua Cheng’s promise as he made his way up the stairs, towards the figure hidden by red curtains. Xie Lian was curious, even a little bit excited. A hand parted the curtains, landing right beneath his own, supporting the gambling cup. Xie Lian looked at it, mesmerised by the contrast between the black cup, the pale skin and the red string tied around Hua Cheng’s third finger.
His eyes slowly began to move up…And then he saw him.
San Lang, but at the same time not him. Still dressed in red and still pale as snow, his handsomely sharp features were more defined, their contours accentuated. He could pass for a youth, yet his face also carried the makings of a man with its calm mien. His left eye was onyx black and his right was covered by an eye-patch.
Xie Lian stared into that eye, feeling completely frozen to the spot.
He then watched as Hua Cheng’s form shifted right before his eyes, the ghost never breaking eye-contact with him. He was much taller now, and looked a few years older.
When one entire minute passed without the god so much as blinking, Hua Cheng’s neutral expression became tinged with the slightest bit of worry.
“Gege?”
He called out, fingers lightly squeezing around Xie Lian’s.
“Wuming…” The god eventually croaked.
The way Hua Cheng’s entire body tensed up, as his eye went wide as a saucer was all the confirmation Xie Lian needed- not that the ghost’s true face hadn’t already revealed everything.
Xie Lian’s ears filled with static, and the world around seemed to fade, with Hua Cheng being the only point of clarity.
Wuming is still here. His mind was stuck on the fact, unable to comprehend how that could be when Xie Lian had seen him… Had watched the resentful spirits…
“Your Highness?” It was Hua Cheng’s alarmed voice that snapped the god out of his reverie. Xie Lian realised his eyes stung quite a bit- he wouldn’t be surprised if a tear or two had fallen down his cheeks.
Around them, the ghosts had started whispering and muttering among themselves.
“Why are that human and Chengzhu just staring at each other?”
“Is this also part of teaching?”
“Hey, look at Chengzhu’s face! Did that human say something to upset him?”
“How rude! How dare he come into Chengzhu’s city and-”
“Ayiah, are you stupid? When have you ever seen Chengzhu upset over a human- over anything really?”
“Oi, don’t just hit me! I’ll get- ”
Hua Cheng’s eye left Xie Lian’s, an annoyed frown taking over his features.
“Scram!” Harshly, he called out.
In an instant, all of the ghosts turned and raced for the doors, as if chased away by a great evil. Only the wind master and the still captured Lang Qianqiu remained. Hua Cheng gave the god a cold look before releasing his grip on him. Xie Lian heard him drop down and start to cuss.
He did not turn around, eyes glued to Hua Cheng instead.
“His Highness and I have things to discuss. You’re free to roam around the city in the meantime.”
With his free hand, the ghost took a pair of dice from his robes.
“Hey! Where do you think-” Lang Qianqiu started outraged, before Shi Qingxuan covered his mouth and stepped forward.
“Crimson Rain! His Royal Highness and I were planning to check out the food stalls together. How long do you think your business will take?”
Xie Lian was warmed by the not-so-subtle but unnecessary attempt to make sure that Hua Cheng had no ill intent towards him. The ghost’s mouth slightly curled up.
“My subordinate will find you and bring you to Paradise Manor when the time comes.”
He said nothing in response to Lang Qianqiu’s muffled protests as the god was being dragged away, and met Xie Lian’s eyes once again, his face grave.
“Shall we?”
The god nodded, still unable to find his voice.
Hua Cheng tossed the dice in the air. The moment he caught them, the world around them shifted.
Xie Lian did not look around, eyes still greedily taking in all of the ways in which the face that had haunted his dreams for centuries had changed. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching a hand up to touch Hua Cheng’s left cheek.
“You’re really here.” Finally, after ages, he said softly, voice filled with wonder.
The ghost seemed taken aback by the touch and the warmth on Xie Lian’s face.
“Gege is not upset?”
“Why would I be?” Xie Lian asked, genuinely confused.
“Because I hid my identity.”
Xie Lian started chuckling.
“Haven’t we already had this conversation, San Lang? ”
Hua Cheng seemed to finally relax, smiling back at the god. With his free hand, he snapped the gambling cup away from their hands, turning his palm over so that it would hold onto Xie Lian’s.
“Pardon my faulty memory gege, it comes with age.”
The joke earned an amused huff from Xie Lian, before he let his hand drop from Hua Cheng’s face, becoming serious once more.
“Wuming-” He started but immediately corrected himself. “No, San Lang. There’s something I’d always wished I could say to you.” He swallowed and tried to reign in his feelings, squeezing the hand which had grabbed his.
“I’m sorry.” Hua Cheng looked like he wanted to say something, but ultimately kept quiet, letting Xie Lian speak. “ When White-no-Face told me that your soul had been dispersed, I truly regretted that I was so harsh to you and that I didn’t believe you.” He blinked away the tears that he could feel just at the corner of his eyes, despite his best efforts.
“Your Highness…”
Xie Lian suddenly felt like laughing. He would’ve never thought to listen for it, yet now that he knew, the way Hua Cheng called out his title, with reverence and respect, had not changed at all in eight centuries. He wanted to cry… Taking a deep breath, he pushed through, trying to smile at the ghost instead.
“Thank you for saving me from myself back then, and thank you for still believing in me when everyone else had forgotten me.” Xie Lian wasn’t sure what kind of face he was making, but Hua Cheng looked solemn. Perhaps the ghost had some grievances with him, or perhaps he had no desire for Xie Lian’s regrets or gratitude…
The god was stunned when Hua Cheng took a step back and bowed. He proceeded to bring their linked hands to his forehead, touching the back of Xie Lian’s palm to it. Though he did not kneel this time, it was an echo of centuries past that took Xie Lian’s breath away.
“To me, Your Highness will always be the only god worth following.” When he lifted his head, Hua Cheng’s eye was burning with conviction.
“What have I done to earn such devotion from you?” Xie Lian asked with a helpless smile.
Hua Cheng mirrored his smile.
“I promise I will tell gege someday.”
And Xie Lian knew that Hua Cheng would, so he simply nodded.
“Whenever San Lang feels like it.”
The ghost fully straightened to his full height.
“Now, would gege allow me to treat him to a meal?”
Xie Lian smiled, this time for real, and allowed himself to be led through the grand halls of Paradise Manor.
The meal turned out to be a feast, far too generous for Xie Lian to even begin to make a dent in. But his half-hearted protests died rather quickly when Hua Cheng insisted on wanting to be a good host.
They mainly talked about Ghost City and Hua Cheng’s grasp on it. Though Xie Lian was curious and wanted to know more about how Hua Cheng had still remained in the world despite having been dispersed, he also didn’t have the heart to make the mood heavy again. It was alright, he told himself, they would have plenty of time to discuss the past.
At that moment Xie Lian simply wished to enjoy the company of his last believer- he still found it hard to grasp that it was actually truly Wuming next to him.
“How did Your Highness recognise me?” Eventually Hua Cheng asked, as Xie Lian was finishing off a cup of tea.
The god looked at him for a moment before he replied.
“Your mask shattered just before the ghosts…got to you, so I was able to see you. Though you look older now and are missing an eye, I'd know your face regardless.” He said, trying to keep his voice even.
Hua Cheng seemed surprised.
“But gege only saw me for a moment.”
Xie Lian gathered his courage- after all, Hua Cheng deserved to know- and looked the ghost in the eye.
“I buried a lot of memories from that time, but I vowed never to forget your face. It was the least I could do for my last believer.”
“Gege…”
Silence stretched between the two for a while as Hua Cheng seemed to be wonderstruck and Xie Lian had a hard time finding something to say. He might tell him about the dreams and the sketches too someday, but for now it had been enough emotional confessions for one day.
“This question only has two possible answers. First, that I came specifically for Your Royal Highness; second, that I was passing by and was free.”
Suddenly, Xie Lian remembered their conversation from last night. He piped up.
“San Lang when I asked you why you were at Mount Yujun…”
This time the ghost didn’t hesitate to tell the full truth.
“It was for Your Highness. I'd been looking for you ever since I left Mount Tonglu.”
Xie Lian couldn’t help but gawk for a moment.
“San Lang you…” And then he felt a smile so broad that it nearly split his face stretch on his lips.
“You truly are amazing.”
Omake:
It was after the whole incident with the ghost fetus, after Hua Cheng had come over to Puqi Shrine and ate Xie Lian’s cooking without complaint that the god thought to inquire about something which had been bugging him.
He put a simple spell on the door to stop Qi Rong from listening in and spoke up.
“San Lang, may I ask you something personal?”
Hua Cheng paused and set aside the second bowl of what Xie Lian had named ‘Love for All Seasons’ .
“Go ahead gege.” He said, curiosity shining in his eye.
“Back when you were a ghost fire you said you stayed behind for the sake of your beloved-” Xie Lian didn’t understand why the thought brought such complicated feelings forward, nor could he fully identify them. “Did you ever find them?”
Hua Cheng silently looked back at Xie Lian, studying the god’s face for a few moments. Eventually he calmly replied.
“I did.”
Xie Lian’s eyes widened in surprise as he felt his chest tighten. He looked away from Hua Cheng’s piercing eye, unable to hold his gaze any longer for some unknown reason.
“That’s great! I’m glad that despite everything you were able to do that.” Xie Lian wanted to smack himself for how feeble he sounded. He only hoped that Hua Cheng wouldn’t question him on it. How was he supposed to explain something even he didn’t understand?
He heard the rustling of clothes and the chime of silver chains as the ghost rounded the table and knelt in front of Xie Lian.
He gently held the god’s hands as he looked at him with a smile.
“After eight centuries of looking, I found him on a haunted mountain, dressed in bridal attire.” He chuckled. “That last part felt like a small, bonus reward for all of my efforts.”
“San Lang…”
This time, when Xie Lian’s chest ached, it felt unbearably sweet.