Work Text:
Eight centuries passed.
Crimson Rain Sought Flower’s name became synonymous with infamy.
Be it because he'd beaten thirty three Heavenly Officials, burning their temples once the gods refused to keep their word, and proving his unmatched strength and wit. It even went as far as a ghost being worshipped by humans in the aftermath.
Be it because he established his rule over the land of the Ghost Realm, allowing something like Ghost City to come into being. What started out as an estate on the edge of a forest turned into the biggest settlement in the realm.
Be it because he was capricious and unpredictable, sometimes going as far as doing random acts of kindness that left humans, ghosts and gods alike baffled in their attempts to make sense of them…
There were so many things that would be said about Hua Cheng over the years.
He was cold and calculated, with a ruthless level of insight, but he was also half mad, having dug out his right eye himself.
He rarely kept to one form- one would never know beneath which face the Ghost King roamed. Yet one could never mistake the beautifully intimidating skin he always wore in Ghost City, eye patch, wild flowing hair and all.
His luck was the stuff of legends, perhaps the only thing about him that could match his power. A boon granted by fate itself after his rotten life some claimed.
He rejected ascension at one point. Old tales from around the area of Mount Tonglu spoke of one such ghost during the same time Hua Cheng had been there.
Who else could it have been if not the Ghost King?
But what proof did anyone have? After all, it was so easy to embellish a story- not that Crimson Rain Sought Flower required such additions to the deeds he personally claimed.
They said plenty about him, some words more outlandish than others, some even reasonable.
Yet the only matter in regards to Crimson Rain Sought Flower anyone could ever agree on was rather unlike everything else about him.
Hua Cheng has a beloved he treasures dearly.
Said beloved was gently pulling Hua Cheng along towards a free patch of grass in their ever expanding garden, Xie Lian's feet bare as a smile stretched his mud-streaked cheeks.
Hua Cheng had half a mind to gently wipe the traces of their previous work in the flowerbeds off of that sweet face, yet another equally present part of him wanted to leave it be- perhaps even sketch it later to preserve the charming moment.
“Come San Lang, it's been a while since we danced.”
The ghost felt the corners of his mouth curl up at memories of what should've been hell on earth, dulled by the quiet, gentle moments spent in their secluded lair. In those dimly lit caves, as a prince hummed old Xianle tunes for the sake of teaching a street urchin courtly dances, it felt like they were the last two people left in the world. The pandemonium faded away, leaving behind only simple joys and shared smiles.
Of course, they had performed those familiar steps plenty of times and went on to learn countless new ones in the centuries since, but Hua Cheng's mind always returned to those first lessons whenever his beloved asked to dance. Back then, that nameless wrath could only ever dream of the life the Ghost King currently lived.
Hua Cheng was about to tease the other, ask his husband if he felt like the ghost had neglected his duties, but the air became charged with energy before he could even put forth a proper smirk.
Xie Lian felt it too, the smile on his face quickly fading to confusion. When golden flecks of light started to appear all around them, both banished god and ghost recognised them for what they foretold.
“Again?” Xie Lian’s hand which had been loosely holding onto his until that point suddenly tightened into an iron grip. Golden eyes looked at Hua Cheng with confliction and worry.
But Hua Cheng could only smile back, a glimmer of pride in his own eye.
“This isn't for me gege.” He distinctly remembered the tug at his entire being that he'd felt on Mount Tonglu. It was absent this time.
“Ah.” The frown on his beloved's face only deepened. Xie Lian's mouth was pressed into a thin line, yet his eyes spoke plenty to Hua Cheng.
The air was growing heavier with divine power by the second.
“Whatever gege decides, this husband will eagerly await his return.” He said softly, and then, because Hua Cheng simply could not help himself, he brought their joined hands up to his face, laying a reverent kiss on the back of Xie Lian's palm. “I must say though, it won't do the Heavens bad to finally have a true god walking among them.”
The words, half-muffled, were spoken against Xie Lian's soft reddening skin. The Ghost King watched as his beloved’s eyes sparkled with indignation, right before going soft with fondness.
“San Lang is so sly.” The tension seemed to drain from Xie Lian's body with the familiar rebuke.
Hua Cheng didn't say anything more, he simply laid another kiss to the back of Xie Lian's hand.
A moment later, the Crown Prince of Xianle would ascend for a third time.
It was odd being back.
Odd and so very bright . Having lived in Ghost City for the better part of the past eight centuries, Xie Lian had gotten used to the penumbral sky of the Ghost Realm or the gentle sunlight in the Human Realm that shone over the modest home he and Hua Cheng had built at the foot of Mt. Taicang.
By comparison Heaven was just…
The newly ascended god squinted his eyes and shielded them with a hand to make the sudden onslaught more bearable. He looked as if he were intently trying to study something in the distance.
Ling Wen found him like that, her face betraying no reaction to his admittedly silly behaviour, and addressed him in an even tone. By the time the civil goddess finished explaining his current situation to him- the bell, the material god who’d nearly been hit by said bell falling, the rest of the property damage his ascension caused, the general offense he’d caused between his fellow Heavenly Officials and the merit cost to fix it all, Xie Lian’s eyes had finally adapted to the glow of the Heavenly Realm, allowing him to face the woman with his usual calm, graceful mien.
“Please allow me to think about what I should do.” He sighed.
Ling Wen patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, there will always be a path when the carriage reaches the mountain.”
She’d probably mistaken the reason behind the apprehension in Xie Lian’s eyes, yet her attempt at comfort brought a little smile to his lips either way. He bowed his head in acknowledgement, watching her turn and walk to what he assumed was her palace.
To everyone in the Heavens, Xie Lian knew he remained in their memories as the laughing stock of the three realms- a cautionary tale for young gods, an old piece of gossip to the rest. In their eyes, he was a destitute wanderer, nothing more than a god of scraps and misfortune. None of them would ever even think to assume he was Hua Cheng’s mysterious and equally infamous beloved.
The Ghost King wanted nothing more than to rebuild all of the temples Xie Lian had lost during the fall of Xianle, yet Xie Lian himself had refused. He had stopped being a god long before his husband’s rise to power, no longer even remembered by most. To him it was enough to have Hua Cheng’s devotion, he didn’t need more.
Now that he had regained his godly status though, Xie Lian could easily have Hua Cheng make some offerings in the one temple he did allow his beloved to build for him in Ghost City. It wouldn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the ridiculous treasury Hua Cheng had amassed… But in doing that, their marriage would likely have to come to light. Xie Lian was oddly reluctant to allow that to happen.
Perhaps it was the bad taste that those insistent officials who’d tried to take Xiao Yunqi from him had left him with which caused Xie Lian to feel so needlessly protective of his husband. Even while being aware that Crimson Rain Sought Flower was undoubtedly strong enough to crush almost any foe, he didn’t want to give the Heavenly Officials a pretext to make Jun Wu set his sights on Hua Cheng.
The last time his beloved was face to face with the Heavenly Emperor had been enough to leave a lasting mark on Xie Lian. Jun Wu had merely been curious back then, but who knew how his mind might change if he thought that Hua Cheng’s marriage to Xie Lian was borne from coercion or any such thing.
Alas, Xie Lian set those anxious thoughts to the side and looked around, startling a few middle court officials who quickly tried to pretend as if they hadn’t been staring at him.
He made sure to move to a quiet corner before raising his fingers to his temple, unable to hold back a blush- no amount of pleading embarrassed eyes over the centuries had gotten Hua Cheng to change his spiritual array password and to that day Xie Lian used it very sparingly.
“San Lang.” He called out, and immediately, his husband’s serious tone rang in his mind.
“What happened gege?”
“It’s nothing really serious…” He placated. Because of Xie Lian’s reluctance to use Hua Cheng’s password, whenever he did end up doing it, it would set the other slightly on edge, at least until Xie Lian confirmed nothing was wrong with him.
The god proceeded to explain the outcome of his ascension, ending with the amount of merits he’d have to pay back for the damages.
“Typical of that useless heavenly trash.” Hua Cheng scoffed.
“San Lang…”
“What? Is it gege’s fault that he’s so remarkable his ascension would make heaven and earth tremble? Why should you have to pay for their lacklustre building standards?”
“San Lang!” Even without seeing his face, Xie Lian could picture the teasing smirk Hua Cheng must be wearing with haunting clarity. He was also sure his own cheeks were flaming red.
“Alright, alright, this husband will graciously overlook their incompetence. Does gege want merits? I happen to know of a few baubles that would suit the altar of Qiandeng Temple perfectly.”
Xie Lian smiled at Hua Cheng’s cheekiness, despite himself.
“Not yet San Lang. They might even decide I’m too much trouble and kick me down a third time before any of it comes up again.” The god mused.
Hua Cheng did not share in his humour. “I’d like to see them try.”
Before he could say anything in response, Ling Wen contacted him through his private array.
“Your Highness, I have something that will help you earn merits if you’re willing to take on an assignment.”
“Ah, that would be ideal, thank you.”
“Come to my palace and I will give you the details.”
Xie Lian started towards the building he’d seen Ling Wen head to just a bit earlier.
“San Lang, Ling Wen says she’s found something for me to do about the debt.”
“Is that so?” The Ghost King sounded oddly neutral.
“I’ll contact you once I’m done talking to her.” Xie Lian said off-handedly.
“Oh. Gege will?” The shift to an innocent tone was enough to make Xie Lian realise what he’d just promised.
“A-actually, San Lang should reach out in about two incense time.” He spurted and left their private array before Hua Cheng had the chance to retort anything back.
Xie Lian tried his best to school his features into a serene expression as he walked, but now that he thought about it, he should also make his return known in the general communication array. The only issue was… He’d forgotten to ask what the password was, and he didn’t know Ling Wen’s either.
He let his consciousness scatter, looking for the right channel. Once he found one that seemed like it could be the one, he quietly entered.
“I can’t believe the Scrap Immortal has ascended again… What kind of a cosmic joke is this?!”
Well, Xie Lian had to admit that there was some humour in him reaching godhood for a third time. He’d mostly forgotten about it over the years, happy enough with his and Hua Cheng’s life. Oh, he’d still kept cultivating. As a matter of fact, Xie Lian even changed paths after he and Hua Cheng became lovers, but he never expected he would ascend again. All of the training and other activities were simply things he did because he loved doing them. Not once after he’d gotten married had he imagined he would find himself a Heavenly Official once more.
“Have you seen him? He doesn’t even have shoes!”
Now that wasn’t true. Xie Lian had more pairs of boots, slippers and all other kinds of footwear than he possibly knew what to do with. Hua Cheng had made sure of that. He’d just ascended during a moment of leisure…
“I give him a few days at most before he gets himself banished again.”
“A few days? The last time he was a god for barely a few minutes!”
…
Xie Lian left the array just as quietly as he’d joined it. He was almost at Ling Wen’s palace anyways.
The assignment turned out to be a request from Jun Wu himself. The Heavenly Emperor needed someone to attend to some prayers in the northern region, seeing as he was occupied at the moment. Xie Lian gratefully took the scroll from Ling Wen.
“Do you need me to lend you any spiritual devices?” The goddess asked, just as Xie Lian was about to turn and leave.
“Ah there’s no need, I’ll manage.” He smiled.
He would have the aid of a supreme after all.
Ling Wen frowned, her eyes quickly glancing over the bandages on his neck before they returned to Xie Lian’s.
“What if I asked another martial god to accompany you?”
“Even if you did, they would more than likely leave the moment they saw who it is they have to work with.” Xie Lian said matter-of-factly.
When Ling Wen didn’t reply further, he bowed his head and left.
Despite his love for teasing Xie Lian, Hua Cheng did contact him within the requested time frame. They agreed to meet at the foot of Mount Yujun, where the bulk of the prayers were coming from.
But Xie Lian could’ve never foreseen that when he made the move to descend from Heaven, his sleeve would get snagged on a cloud… A cloud!
As the god continuously tumbled through the infinite sky towards an unknown destination, there was one hysterical thought which rang through his mind.
I had really forgotten just how bad my luck gets without San Lang around!
Once everything finally stopped spinning for Xie Lian, he found himself lying on the ground, staring up at the clear midday sky. It was hard to tell how much time Xie Lian had just spent as a human spinning top falling from above. He certainly took quite the fall too- the last time he’d felt this many broken bones his husband was still a wrath- ah… Hua Cheng would be quite upset if he saw his beloved in such a state. Xie Lian thought he should still have enough spiritual energy from the ghost to heal the worst of the damage before he contacted him-
A cloud suddenly floated into Xie Lian’s field of view.
…
Xie Lian lost it, uproarious laughter bubbling past his lips in spite of the broken ribs he could feel poking at his lungs.
Of all the ridiculous ways to trip, this is too silly even for me!
Hua Cheng found him still laughing, robes torn from the branches he’d hit on his way down, hair a bird’s nest. If it were anyone else but his devoted husband, they would’ve thought Xie Lian was insane and must be avoided lest he harm someone or himself. As it was, the Ghost King rushed over and knelt at Xie Lian’s side, his silver butterflies already settling on the god’s body to heal and soothe him.
“What is so amusing gege?” Hua Cheng looked positively disgruntled, his forehead scrunched into a deep frown.
Unfortunately, Xie Lian was still not fully back to himself. The question only made him laugh harder, which in turn only seemed to harden Hua Cheng’s gaze further.
“Ah, I’m sorry, San Lang.” Out of breath, Xie Lian sat up once he was fully healed. The relief from pain combined with the lingering dregs of amusement left the god’s mind in a fuzzy state. Otherwise, he would’ve known better than to smile at Hua Cheng in such a moment.
“The silliest thing happened when I tried to descend. My sleeve caught on a-” He couldn’t help the few giggles that left him. “-a cloud. After that I was tumbling through the sky like a heavy barrel going downhill.” Xie Lian emphasized his words by opening his arms wide. It didn’t earn the desired reaction from his husband.
What Hua Cheng said instead, in a deceptively calm tone, was- “I think gege has had enough of tripping and tumbling for the rest of eternity. Wouldn’t you agree?”
That pulled another snort out of Xie Lian. He missed the way it made Hua Cheng's shoulders tense further.
“I think so too.” He agreed airily.
“Good.” That was all the warning Xie Lian got before his husband's lips furiously descended on his, but even without being ready for it, he still melted against the passionate kiss, going pliant in Hua Cheng's arms. After all, he very much enjoyed this rough side of-
Snap.
The weight on Xie Lian's ankle, the one he'd carried for eight centuries, was suddenly gone. Only then did full clarity return to the god's mind.
He whined into the kiss, trying to draw back, only for Hua Cheng to hold onto him tighter as he continued to pour tremendous amounts of spiritual energy into him. Xie Lian panicked, finally aware of Hua Cheng’s intentions. Using all of his strength he pushed at his husband's chest, barely managing to break them apart. He immediately stood up and took two steps back.
“San Lang!” He cried out in outrage between heaving breaths and desperately demanded “ Why ?”
The matter of Xie Lian’s shackles had obviously come up in the past eight centuries. Initially, the god was adamant that it was only what he deserved for everything that happened to his kingdom and to Wuming, for nearly releasing a horrible plague onto the world. Hua Cheng would have none of that and it became perhaps the only thing Xie Lian and him ever truly argued about.
Admittedly, it wasn’t hard for his husband to wear down Xie Lian’s feelings of guilt.
“In the end, you never did it gege. You were even going to sacrifice yourself to make things right. As for myself, I would make that same choice over and over again with no regrets. I never wanted you to be punished for it, I only wanted you safe.”
What could he have said to that? To insist further would only hurt the one he loved- the one whose forgiveness he’d never needed to atone for. But even then, Xie Lian was very clear about one thing.
“You can try to remove them, San Lang- only if you don’t endanger yourself in the process though. That is the one thing I could not bear to live with.”
The most obvious solution was to overwhelm the shackles with so much spiritual power that they’d simply crumble, like a dam overtaken by a great flood. However, Xie Lian doubted that even his husband could dispense that much energy without any personal cost. He didn’t want to find out either. Then there was the option of having Jun Wu remove them. As the one who’d put them on Xie Lian, it would’ve been the most easy straightforward way. But for some reason, Xie Lian outright refused to involve the Heavenly Emperor in it, and to his surprise, Hua Cheng fully agreed.
In the centuries that followed, his husband would research cursed shackles and come up frustratingly empty-handed, what with them being so extremely rare. Not even Yin Yu coming into Hua Cheng’s employ would aid in the matter. The shackle on his wrist was pretty much the same in nature and function as the one on Xie Lian’s neck- it offered them no new information.
Though Hua Cheng never truly stopped looking for ways to break his shackles, the matter faded into the background over time. After all, so long as he was with Xie Lian, it was almost as if the restraints placed onto the banished god didn’t exist. There was always a source of spiritual energy should he need it and his luck would be fairly normal. It was in the few and far between moments where they separated that the reminders of their presence came knocking.
Clearly, Hua Cheng didn’t take them well at all.
“Is gege even aware of what he looked like when I found him?” The Ghost King shot back, rising to his feet himself. Though he sounded angry, Xie Lian could hear the poorly hidden despair in his voice. It broke his heart.
“San Lang…” The god didn’t know what to say. This was indeed the worst he’d been injured in a very long time.
“You could’ve died.” Hua Cheng bit the words out through clenched teeth, onyx eye flaming with emotion. Xie Lian couldn’t actually die, but to Hua Cheng who hated seeing so much as a scrape on his jade-like skin, that was no comfort at all.
God and ghost stared at each other in tense silence, a myriad of emotions and silent communication passing between the two. Whether it was for just a few moments or longer, neither could tell. Eventually it was Xie Lian who caved first. Taking a deep breath to settle his nerves he asked.
“Is your mind truly set on this?”
Hua Cheng’s only answer was a resolute “Yes.”
Xie Lian’s next words were heavy on his tongue.
“Then you may shatter the other one as well.”
His husband’s eye widened only for a split second before he made to step towards Xie Lian, face set in determination. Immediately Xie Lian raised a hand to stop him.
“But not today.”
Hua Cheng frowned.
“Why not?”
But Xie Lian didn’t need to say anything, he simply pointed towards E’ming. When Hua Cheng looked down at his spiritual tool, he saw it hanging limply in its scabbard, its red eye frozen in a half-opened dull state. He knew that if he were to draw it, the blade would be about as good as the piece of scrap metal he often claimed it to be.
Unfortunately, E’ming was not only an obvious tell of Hua Cheng’s innermost emotions, but he was also an indicator to the Ghost King’s state. Whenever his energy became turbulent, so did the blade act out more, and in the few occasions when Hua Cheng consumed too much of his power… Needless to say, it was the first time that E’ming had been so affected.
Hua Cheng looked back at his god, clearly displeased but unable to argue further. Xie Lian sighed, feeling tired all of the sudden. He closed in the distance between them, coming to rest his forehead on Hua Cheng’s sternum.
“You’re so strong San Lang, but even you have limits. Do not be so eager to push them for my sake like this…” His hands came to rest at the ghost’s sides, loosely at first, but clenching tighter and tighter onto red robes with each word. “Please.”
The final plea was enough to make all of the tension drain from Hua Cheng’s body. Not too different from a puppet with its strings cut, he leaned his entire frame forward, embracing Xie Lian tightly in the process.
“I can’t stand seeing you hurt gege.” He breathed the words into Xie Lian’s hair, bringing their bodies impossibly closer.
“I know.” Xie Lian’s own arms wrapped around Hua Cheng, and he started to soothingly run one of his palms up and down the ghost's back.
“Now that you’ve ascended again, I realise just how many dangerous situations you’ll be put in. I don’t want anything making it harder for gege.”
Despite it all, Xie Lian couldn’t help but smile, nuzzling his face further into Hua Cheng’s chest.
“San Lang is so good to me.”
The ghost was quiet for a moment, and then- “Shouldn’t gege reward this one in that case?”
Hearing the clearly playful tone, a snort left Xie Lian’s lips before he drew back enough to look into Hua Cheng’s eye.
“What would San Lang like?”
“Depends on what you’re willing to give gege.” Xie Lian was all too familiar with the glint in that onyx eye. He loved it.
Without saying anything more, he rose on the tip of his toes, moving his arms so that they’d circle around the ghost’s neck. Hua Cheng met him halfway.
This time, their kiss was far more gentle and less hurried. Xie Lian delighted in the softness for a few moments before mildly nipping at Hua Cheng’s bottom lip. He felt the other’s smile before he opened his mouth, allowing Xie Lian a proper taste.
The god lost track of time and himself for a while, giving in to his husband’s increasing passion. When he was finally allowed to breathe again, he found that he’d been hoisted up into a bridal carry.
“San Lang, I am well enough to walk!” Frantically, he made to get down, only for HuaCheng’s arms to hold onto him even tighter.
“And I am well enough to carry you.” The ghost argued back, knowing exactly what was going through his mind.
As he started walking towards what Xie Lian could only assume was civilisation, a smirk spread on his lips.
“Besides, gege has no shoes at the moment.”
Xie Lian’s eyes went wide for a moment before he let out a groan, hiding his face into the ghost’s neck.
“San Laaaang…”
Omake:
A week later, Mount Yujun
All around the bridal sedan, the world had suddenly gone quiet. No longer could Xie Lian hear the sounds of angry binu or the wolves that had been howling before.
He let out a deep sigh, already knowing what, or rather who was coming.
Surely enough, he only had to wait for a few more seconds before a very familiar hand with a red string tied around its middle finger reached past the curtain, the offer to take it obvious from the way it was outstretched.
“San Lang, I thought we agreed that you’d stay back home and meditate.” Despite the chastising tone, Xie Lian placed his hand into Hua Cheng’s almost instantly. The ghost’s fingers closed around it and he gently helped Xie Lian down.
“Ah, but then I’d miss seeing gege dressed in bridal attire.” Hua Cheng said cheekily as he started leading Xie Lian forward.
The god supposed he only had himself to blame for revealing the finer details of their plan to his husband. Though, could he really be blamed for his deeply rooted habit of telling Hua Cheng everything after all this time?
Alas.
“Besides, it didn’t sit well with me to leave gege in the hands of those two idiots.” The ghost added before Xie Lian could say anything.
Xie Lian thought it was rather sweet of Feng Xin and Mu Qing to come to his aid, albeit under pretext and in disguise, but he was far too familiar with his husband’s disdain towards his old friends to argue that.
“I have Ruoye with me.” He said instead.
“And now gege has me too.” The god could hear the self-satisfied smile that Hua Cheng was surely sporting at that moment.
“But San Lang was supposed to be recovering his spiritual energy right now.” He said, sounding almost petulant.
“I’m already much better thanks to gege’s loving care.”
Xie Lian was suddenly thankful for the veil… Not that Hua Cheng didn’t know he’d made him blush either way, but must he really mention that part of their cultivation with such shamelessness?
“I suppose I can take it easier then, since San Lang seems to be back to his old self.” Xie Lian added once he trusted his voice enough not to falter.
He felt the other lag in his steps.
“Perhaps I’ve spoken too soon gege.”
Xie Lian had to hold back a smile.
For a while, they walked quietly through the eerie forest.
“San Lang, there seems to be an array around the temple on this mountain.”
“I’ve felt it too gege, but it shouldn’t be a problem.” Just as he said that, the god heard something being crushed beneath his husband’s boot. He couldn’t help but snort.
“Are you also going to take care of the bridegroom then?”
“Does gege want me to?” That would likely go faster, but Xie Lian was still reluctant to let Hua Cheng take on any possibly straining tasks.
“I want San Lang to return home now that he’s had his fill of seeing me dressed like this and continue meditating.” He paused in his steps, signaling to the ghost that he wasn’t willing to continue further like that.
Hua Cheng sighed before reaching to lift Xie Lian’s veil. The god was met with an equally playful and fond look.
“I could never have my fill of seeing you dressed like this, but since gege insists, I can only oblige.”
When he leaned down, Xie Lian was expecting a parting kiss, only to be surprised by Hua Cheng going to whisper into his ear.
“Say gege, I think I know how I want to break that final shackle once I’m back to full power…”
He proceeded to describe possibly the most depraved method imaginable for exchanging spiritual energy, making Xie Lian’s cheeks turn as red as the robes he was currently wearing. Once he was done, Hua Cheng drew back just enough to meet his husband’s eyes.
“Let’s…” Xie Lian swallowed. “Let’s do that then… If you manage to recover by the end of this month.” He rushed to add once he saw the grin spreading on Hua Cheng’s lips.
“Consider it done gege.” The ghost said, before placing a gentle kiss on Xie Lian’s forehead.
He faded into a thousand silver butterflies after that, leaving behind a very worked up god.
But Xie Lian had a smile of his own on his lips.