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Jun Wu is watching.
He's always watched. That's what ancient gods do, those who have lived too long, seen too much. He's in no hurry. Time bends to his will. He's already lived centuries and he'll see many more pass.
So, he waits, perched on his throne, for something even slightly interesting to happen.
And then there's the birth of this little prince, said to be blessed by the gods. His kingdom only swears by him. Which is all the more interesting since his tutor is no stranger to Jun Wu. He wisely decides to keep this child in the corner of his eye. Just in case.
Jun Wu isn't disappointed. Something old stirs within him when he hears this sentence.
Body in the abyss, heart in paradise.
He feels like laughing.
He had believed it too. Xie Lian was too similar to him. He was a naive prince full of ideals who had known only wealth and a loving family, adored by his people.
He had been too.
He had never doubted he could have failed. Not even considered it, despite his tutors' warnings. Too convinced he could save his people from the volcano. Ironic that life had decided that this volcano would transform him into what he was today.
Finally.
He was here now, and he would make sure Xie Lian learned.
Jun Wu was patient. He could wait.
***
He didn't have to wait long for war to break out. He had no doubts about Xie Lian's ascension. It seemed obvious that he would succeed as a Martial God; his abilities were not to be questioned. He would probably even give Jun Wu a hard time, which was no easy feat. But he would never win against him, a calamity plus a god of a good millennium old.
Against Jun Wu's word, Xie Lian descended to the human realm to help his people.
Of course he would. But Jun Wu would be down there waiting for him.
After his first banishment, he finally had the opportunity to teach him his very first lesson. How exciting!
A secluded temple.
A black sword.
A god incapable of dying.
"Ordinary" people, as Xie Lian liked to call them.
And a disease that killed everyone who had never taken a life.
It was an equation to solve that even a child could master. Of course, he would be present to witness it.
There had been a lot of shouting and screaming. But Jun Wu was kind enough to comfort him by stroking his hair, trying to soothe him. He even whispered to him the elements for creating a new Human Face Disease. He had just planted a seed; all he had to do was let it grow.
He was amply rewarded when Xie Lian decided to dress in white robes and wear a mask similar to his own.
Mourning Wilted Flower.
He was beginning to learn. Jun Wu looked at him proudly and saw that he had made up his mind. Avenge Xian Le.
It was thrilling.
Until this ghost arrived.
At first, he had believed he would be a minor detail, that he would help Xie Lian release the disease and leave or depart this world once his grudge was settled.
That was a mistake. He should have dismissed him from the start.
He saw something change in Xie Lian when he was saved by Wu Ming on that street. Fury boiled inside him. He shouldn't have been saved. It should never have happened.
It was almost as if—
No.
Jun Wu must have been imagining it.
He didn't reappear until the fateful day at Lang Er Bay. The former prince was there with Fangxin.
Jun Wu was angry to see the wrath standing behind Xie Lian. He approached anyway. The moon was beginning to rise, and soon a new disease would ravage the kingdom.
Then Xie Lian announced the unthinkable: "I've changed my mind."
His stubbornness was absolutely infuriating.
They met halfway, their swords clanging together with a metallic clang. Jun Wu knew that with his cursed shackle, Xie Lian wouldn't win and the spirits would eventually break free.
Then he saw Xie Lian begin to draw the spirits towards him. How disappointing. Fortunately, the black-clad ghost decided to spice things up a bit by sacrificing himself. After all, perhaps what he had done wasn't in vain.
Xie Lian's scream echoed in his ears, and he took pleasure in seeing himself destroyed by the loss of the ghost. With no one to save him, he would be at Jun Wu's mercy.
There was only one thing left for him to do: he molded a clone of Bai Wuxiang and reassumed his Jun Wu appearance, simulating a descent from the Heavens. Facing his own clone was quite an amusing experience. He made an effort to make the fight seem believable enough since Xie Lian was watching. When he was tired of it, Bai Wuxiang simply vanished in a puff of smoke.
From now on, Xie Lian would think Bai Wuxiang was dead. He would only have to reappear at the appropriate time.
Jun Wu was patient. He could wait.
***
Jun Wu shouldn't have been surprised when Xie Lian demanded punishment after his second ascension. The boy clearly still believed a third way was possible.
In his kindness, he decided to give in to his whim and placed a shackle around his ankle, sealing his luck. It was a first for a god to be ascended but chained.
About ten years passed. Xie Lian had lost his luster. He did the tasks assigned to him but clearly didn't want to be there. But Jun Wu always made sure to be present for him.
Then one day, Mount TongLu opened again, and Jun Wu knew what would emerge: a new ghost king. Reports began to pour in of restless ghosts.
There was also a very curious ascension. The gods who saw it described a bloodstained monster that reportedly stayed only a few seconds before leaping back down, turning its back on the Heavens.
Anyway, Jun Wu knew that the Heavenly Realm was full of rumors.
What happened was unusual, but he didn't look into the matter further, leaving Ling Wen to report on it and close the case.
A new commotion arrived with a missive from the new ghost king challenging a list of gods. Jun Wu broke the seal with his thumb and began reading the announcement to all the people present in the hall.
The letter wasn't long or formal. In fact, it contained almost nothing but a list.
But it was the last three names that caught Jun Wu's attention.
Three gods from Xian Le.
Was it a coincidence? A ghost seeking revenge? Another ordinary person who hated Xie Lian? He secretly hoped so.
Three days later, Xie Lian announced that he had lost. In fact, all the gods had lost, but him? Xianle? Jun Wu knew that the others saw Xie Lian as nothing more than trash, but he knew he was a good fighter. Excellent, even, the best after himself.
There was only one possibility: he had lost on purpose. Or this Hua Cheng was a real threat to the Heavenly Realm.
That evening, he was waiting for him.
He sensed it even before he entered: Xie Lian, dressed in white, his eyes calm, as always. No trace of shame. But a strange calm.
He bowed without a word.
Jun Wu let him speak first. “I admit defeat,” he said. “I accepted the duel according to the rules. I ask to be banished.”
A simple statement. No visible emotion.
But Jun Wu didn't answer immediately. He watched his face.
He could have refused. Keep him close. Claimed special status, an exception. But he was the Heavenly Emperor. He forced himself to speak.
“So be it.”
With a wave of his hand, a second cursed shackle adorned Xie Lian's neck.
The now-banished god bowed again.
Jun Wu was patient. He could wait.
***
It had already been several centuries when suddenly a light burst into the sky. Thunder rumbled, tore through the clouds, the earth began to tremble; he could hear the gods screaming, a palace collapsed.
The other gods wondered who the newcomer was, but Jun Wu didn't need to see to know.
He would recognize this ascension among a thousand.
Xianle.
A third time.
For the first time in centuries, Jun Wu smiled.
What type of god would he be this time? He stood up from his throne to check the scroll on which each of the new gods' titles appeared.
His smile immediately disappeared when he read the last sentence.
“His Highness Xie Lian - God of Love and Healing.”
Jun Wu frowned imperceptibly.
It wasn't a title he understood.
He placed two fingers to his temple to recite Ling Wen's password.
“Your Majesty, what can I do for you?”
“I would like you to summon Xianle.”
“It shall be done.”
With that, he left the spirit communication array and waited. Seconds ticked by, minutes passed, and Jun Wu mentally remarked to himself that Xie Lian was taking a very long time just to cross the grand aisle.
Finally, the doors revealed Xie Lian's silhouette.
He scrutinized him from head to toe, trying to understand his new status and what had caused such a change, all while maintaining an impassive expression.
"Xianle." Jun Wu greeted him, his voice echoing throughout the room. "I must congratulate you on your new ascension."
Xie Lian, like the good-natured child he was, had placed his hands in front of him. But just as he was about to bow, his legs gave way. Jun Wu reacted quickly and, with a firm grip, helped him up.
Interesting. So, his time in the Mortal Realm hadn't been easy.
The cursed shackle that kept him from dying had therefore been quite useful. Jun Wu welcomed this invention.
Of course, he had been annoyed at having to banish Xie Lian a second time for the simple reason that he could no longer keep an eye on him. But he had secretly hoped that a hundred years or so as a fallen, wandering cultivator would have made him realize that people weren't inherently kind.
He placed his hand on Xie Lian's back and led him toward the gardens for a less formal setting for the conversation to come.
They sat side by side on a bench overlooking the paths of flowers and finely trimmed shrubs.
Jun Wu took it upon himself to initiate the conversation. "It's been a long time since I've seen you. Since your defeat by Hua Cheng." He paused. “As usual, you were the wisest in respecting the terms of the bet.”
Xie Lian sighed. “Terms are terms. I don’t know why the other gods decided not to honor the agreement they made. They got what they deserved. Hua Cheng warned them.”
Jun Wu raised an eyebrow. “I see you hold Crimson Rain Sought Flowers in rather high regard.” It was curious. But typical of Xie Lian, seeing the good even in creatures as nefarious as this Ghost King.
“But if I summoned you directly upon your arrival, it’s because of how you’ve risen.” Jun Wu stood up with his hands behind his back, still facing the garden. He was finally going to get his answer.
“I’m not sure I understand. Would His Majesty be so kind as to enlighten me?”
Was he doing it on purpose?
“You're not a Martial god. Nor Scrap god.” He turned around. “You're a god of Love and Healing.”
He carefully examined Xie Lian's reaction. The slight jump in his shoulders was enough to tell him that he was himself surprised by this new title. This relaxed Jun Wu slightly. Although not yet completely appeased.
“Do you have any idea how this happened?”
“Xianle understands about the healing. I was seriously injured during my stay in the Mortal realm. I'm not yet fully recovered, as Your Majesty has seen.”
Jun Wu had already deduced this, but it was the rest of the answer that shook him.
“As for love, I do indeed have someone in my life,” Xie Lian concluded.
Who?
WHO? Jun Wu's brain screamed.
He took it upon himself and forced the storm within him to calm down. "I'm glad to know Xianle has found someone to rely on. And that explains the robes, I guess."
Could it be a mortal? No, a relationship between a god and a mortal was too complicated to handle. How could the god explain the fact that he never ages?
In that case, an immortal being? Did Xie Lian have a secret relationship with a god? Or could it be another banished god like him? Jun Wu shook his head imperceptibly. Only Yin Yu came to mind, and he had seemingly disappeared after his banishment.
At least judging by the robes, it could only be someone very rich.
"I'm happy to have him too," Xie Lian replied sincerely.
This wasn't right at all. He seemed... happy. He doesn't remember Xie Lian ever being so radiant. Jun Wu swallowed his curiosity. It would be too suspicious of him to ask the name directly. No. He would have to investigate on his own.
After that, they engaged in a less interesting discussion, but Ling Wen had in the meantime contacted him to discuss the destroyed temples and the accumulated debt that would need to be repaid.
He had barely informed Xie Lian when he received new information: the debt had just been completely repaid by a god.
Could he be Xianle's mysterious lover?
"I'm free to go then?"
Jun Wu shook his head. "I would prefer if you stayed here for tonight. Your palace is still here. This must have been an exhausting day. You can leave tomorrow."
He bowed his head and said, "I thank Your Majesty for this consideration. Xianle will take his leave."
“I'll have someone escort you.” A simple sign was enough for an attendant to appear. Jun Wu had never seen him, but at the same time, there were so many people in Heaven that he couldn't make the effort to remember them all.
He quietly walked back into his palace, lost in thought, when he heard footsteps before they even crossed the threshold: sure, measured, too hurried to be natural.
The door flew open and Pei Ming appeared.
“Your Majesty.” He bowed and didn't wait for Jun Wu to signal him to stand up.
Pei Ming stood there, his clothes still flapping in the wind, his hands clasped behind his back, but his expression betrayed a certain annoyance.
Jun Wu answered
In his eternally calm voice:
"General Pei. To what do I owe the honor?"
"Am I bothering you? I just received some… surprising information."
Jun Wu barely raised an eyebrow.
Probably from Ling Wen. He already had a feeling about the subject of this exchange before it had even begun.
"You're probably referring to the ascension that occurred this morning."
"Indeed. I've been informed of a change in the heavenly administration." His tone was polite, though with a hint of irritation.
Jun Wu went to sit down at his desk. "I'm listening."
Pei Ming approached with a leisurely stride. But his eyes shone with a sharp glint, more intrigued than angry.
"I thought it was a mistake at first. A misreading. But I've been told that my title of 'God of Love'… has been transferred."
“That's right.”
A silence. Pei Ming waited for him to elaborate. Jun Wu didn't give in. Finally, Pei Ming breathed, with a touch of dry humor:
“I didn't know I was being dismissed. And even less that there was a more qualified candidate than me.”
Jun Wu gazed for a few moments at the clouds floating beyond his palace balcony. Then he replied with studied serenity:
“It's not a question of qualification. It's a question of… divine manifestation. The ascension was spontaneous.”
Jun Wu was also upset. If it had been up to him, he would have already given Pei Ming his title back.
Pei Ming narrowed his eyes slightly. "You understand, I hope, that this can't be a mere administrative detail. I've held this title for centuries. I have an entire cult, temples, beautiful women and men who come to see me. And then, suddenly, without warning, someone ascends, and hey presto, I'm relegated to the rank of mere Martial God of the North?"
Jun Wu huffed, "I remind you that your title of 'God of Love' is not official. You were ascended as a Martial God."
Pei Ming's curiosity was piqued.
"And may I ask who was deemed worthy enough to replace me? It seems to me that I remain, by far, the most prayed-to deity in matters of the heart." He paused. A smile fleetingly crossed his lips. "And of the body."
Jun Wu didn't respond to the remark.
"It was Xianle who ascended."
Silence.
Pei Ming raised his eyebrows, a look of genuine shock crossing his face.
“Excuse me?”
“The Flower-Crowned Martial God, Xie Lian. He made his third ascension only a few hours ago.”
Pei Ming stood there for a moment, his mouth hanging open.
“Xie Lian. The Xie Lian?”
“Yes.”
“The one who was renowned for his purity of mind and body and who took vows of abstinence?”
“That one, yes.”
Pei Ming ran a hand through his hair, looking utterly puzzled.
Then a glimmer of understanding flashed in Pei Ming’s eyes.
“He’s in love.” It was a statement.
“So it seems,” Jun Wu said cautiously.
Pei Ming was silent for a moment, contemplating. He had stopped walking.
“I didn’t think he could…” He trailed off. "All this intrigues me to no end. I wonder who the lucky one is."
Jun Wu remained impassive. He could feel a headache starting to come on. He needed some quiet time to think about the situation, and Pei Ming wasn't helping.
"I suppose I should go congratulate him. Or interrogate him. Or both." He smirked. "Perhaps he has some secret techniques I don't know about? Or is he open to a threesome? He was renowned for his good looks back then; I'd like to see it for myself."
Arriving at the door, he bowed slightly.
"Thank you for your time."
Jun Wu let out a sigh. He will search for the identity of Xie Lian's mysterious lover tomorrow. This day had already been tiring enough.
***
It turned out he didn't need to look, as Xie Lian's lover invited himself into Heaven without invitation.
It began with horrified screams echoing throughout the avenue. Jun Wu, who was on his way to Shi Wudu's palace, stopped to walk towards the source of the screams. He tensed when he saw a silver butterfly wandering around.
It couldn't be, could it?
In the middle of the square stood Xie Lian. His aura was calm, in stark contrast to the other gods who were hastily fleeing the area.
Suddenly, a portal appeared, and Crimson Rain Sought Flower emerged, its arms wrapping around Xie Lian.
Jun Wu saw him glance at Xie Lian—a gaze softened with a faint smile.
And worse: Xie Lian looked back at him with the same expression.
As if he had come back for him.
He suddenly understood.
He wanted to laugh and cry, like his mask. To let the hysteria consume him. How dare Crimson Rain? Jun Wu had set his sights on him FIRST; Hua Cheng had NO right to do so. A dull anger rippled through him.
To make matters worse, the crimson calamity decided to taunt them. “Did I miss you?” A laugh. “Personally, I didn’t miss any of you.”
There was a clatter of dice, and then Xie Lian was pulled back through the teleportation portal.
Jun Wu clenched his fists under his sleeve. He said nothing.
But he thought—oh, he thought—about what this meant.
That the purest among them had chosen one of the worst. That Xie Lian, so long broken, would rather turn to this calamity than to him.
To this ghost in particular. An outcast.
To Hua Cheng.
The other gods were too busy running away to have noticed the obvious connection between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng.
Well, almost all of them, because behind him he heard Pei Ming.
“Hoho~”
Jun Wu wasn’t patient anymore. Next time Mount TongLu would open, we would be ready.