Ch. 120: Combined Spirit; Coffin Boat Enters the Demon Sea
However, because Xie Lian was extremely nervous and overly self-conscious, his eyes were still tightly shut, making him completely oblivious to the situation at hand.
The last time when they exchanged air underwater, it was Hua Cheng who had initiated it. He was domineering and the kiss was deep, and afterwards, Xie Lian didn’t dare to recall the event, only remembering that his lips were swollen and numb. Since he was taking the lead this time around, he was very cautious and only placed his lips softly on top of the other, as if he was afraid he’d accidentally wake Hua Cheng up by exerting too much force. But upon reflection, wasn’t his initial goal to wake Hua Cheng? If his kiss was too light and the air was to leak out from the slight gap between their lips, then wouldn’t all this be for naught?
Thus, Xie Lian kept his eyes closed, and as he recited the excerpts from the Ethics Sutra at lightning speed, he pulled away, gently inhaled, before pressing his lips against Hua Cheng’s once more.
This time, the kiss was much deeper than the one before. Xie Lian fully captured Hua Cheng’s thin, cool lips, and gently blew in air.
In that process, his eyes were closed the entire time, not daring to look, and after having delivered five to six breaths, he thought maybe he should press Hua Cheng’s chest a bit, yet who knew that the moment he opened his eyes, he was staring squarely into Hua Cheng’s own pair of widened eyes.
“…”
“…”
Xie Lian’s hands were still cupping Hua Cheng’s cheeks, and their lips had only just parted, the sensation of soft gentle numbness still remained. In an instant, it was like the two both turned into stone statues, as if with but a breeze they would shatter. Xie Lian was of course petrified, but Hua Cheng who had always remained carefree in the face of all was equally stunned.
Xie Lian really didn’t know how he hadn’t just died from all the blood rushing to his head, and it was a good moment before he uttered, “San Lang, you’re awake.”
Hua Cheng didn’t speak.
Xie Lian instantly dropped his hands and leapt back a few feet, “…NONONONNONO!
NONONONONNO! IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK! I JUST WANTED TO…”
To what? Deliver air??
Would ghosts need air? Even he himself wouldn’t believe it if he said it out loud!
Words got stuck in Xie Lian’s throat and Hua Cheng also pushed himself up, extending a hand towards him as if forcing himself to calm, “…Your highness, you, just calm down first.”
Xie Lian held his head between his hands, his entire person was a mess, and in the end, he put his hands together as if in prayer and bowed madly at Hua Cheng, “I’MSORRYI’MSORRYI’MSORRYI’MSORRY!!!”
Having shouted his apologies, he whipped around and ran, fleeing the scene. Hua Cheng finally snapped out of it and rose to his feet, chasing right after him, shouting from behind, “YOUR HIGHNESS!”
Xie Lian covered his ears and screamed his penanance as he ran, “I’M SORRY!!!”
Die! Just die! If he can’t die then just dig a hole somewhere and pretend he’s dead!
He dashed rapidly, and instantly he charged into the thick of the forest. As he ran, suddenly something that resembled a sharp arrow came flying at him. Xie Lian may have been under great shock but still his skills were not lacking, and caught a bone spur with a sweep of his hand. He came to an abrupt stop and looked to where the attack came from yet there was nothing there, only shaking branches. There was danger in the bushes, and he immediately calmed down, turning around and running back, “San Lang!”
Hua Cheng was already following close behind, and Xie Lian’s turn almost made him run into his embrace. Xie Lian grabbed his hand and dashed out of the woods, “Run, there’s something in the forest!”
Hua Cheng, who was chasing after him, was now dragged back where they came from.
It was only when they got back to the beach that Xie Lian let out a breath of relief.
“We’re not followed, whew. Thank goodness.”
Hua Cheng also commented, “En. There’s some little things on this island, but don’t worry, they won’t follow us here.”
Hearing this, Xie Lian instantly remembered, how could Hua Cheng possibly be afraid of those things? Then he looked down and he was still clutching his hand, and Xie Lian froze again, hurriedly letting go and jumped aside.
With some distance between the two of them, they were both silent for a moment before Hua Cheng sighed and pulled at the collar of his clothes, “Thank goodness gege rescued me earlier. A human body really is quite inconvenient, just going into sea I’d choke on mouthfuls of salty water. Disgusting.”
Xie Lian wasn’t dumb. He knew that Hua Cheng was giving him an easy out but he could only follow along and mumbled vaguely with his head bowed, “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
After a pause, Hua Cheng added, “But, gege didn’t do it correctly.”
Xie Lian was taken aback and asked with trepidation, “Was it not? I… I thought I only need to blow in some air.”
“Yea. That’s incorrect.” Hua Cheng replied, “Don’t do this to anyone else so casually in the future, otherwise…”
Otherwise not only would he not save a life he might just end it. He spoke in such a serious tone that Xie Lian felt rather ashamed. Good thing he’d never done such a thing before, otherwise it’d really be committing sins. He hurriedly swore, “I won’t, I won’t.”
Hua Cheng nodded, then grinned. Although Xie Lian really wanted to ask Hua Cheng for some instructions on just how it should be done, but he dared not speak any more on the matter. He noted this mentally and looked around, “Is this island really a deserted island without a trace of people?”
“Of course.” Hua Cheng replied, “This is the heart of Black Water Demon Lair, the Black Water Island.”
He was very confident. Crimson Rain Sought Flower and Ship-Sinking Black Water must’ve known each other, and Xie Lian asked, “San Lang, have you been here before?”
Hua Cheng shook his head, “Never. But I know of this island.”
Xie Lian knitted his brows, “I wonder where Lord Wind Master and the others have drifted to, whether if they’re on the island too.”
This place was the Black Water Demon Lair in the South Sea, their domain. Pei Ming’s main domain was the north, the Earth Master wasn’t a martial god, and there was no need to speak on what condition the Wind Master was in. If anything should happen and they incur the ire of the Black Water Demon Xuan, the only one who could fight back would be the Water Master. Yet who knows when Shi Wudu’s Heavenly Calamity would hit, so the current situation wasn’t looking very optimistic. Xie Lian asked, “San Lang, does that Black Water Demon Xuan have a temper? If heavenly officials accidently intruded in his domain and entered his house, what would he do?”
“Hard to say,” Hua Cheng said, “But, gege should’ve heard that saying before too.
Crimson rules the land; Black masters the seas. Here at the Black Water Demon Lair, even I have to watch my step.”
Not just because this was the Black Water’s main domain, but also as one Supreme to another, Hua Cheng should leave the other some face so they could still interact in the future. “Then we best leave here soon.” Xie Lian said.
They roughly circled around the island but the two never re-entered the forest. Xie Lian called out a few times but didn’t hear the Wind Master or anyone else respond. “Maybe they didn’t drift to the Black Water Island.” Hua Cheng surmised.
The two came back to the beach side. The surface of the sea was still heavy with gloom. Xie Lian picked up a log from the ground and threw it far out into the distance. A log such as that one should technically float on water, yet upon the surface of the sea meters away, it instantly sank. Xie Lian looked back at that thick forest and said, “It looks like it’d be useless to build a canoe. The Distance Shortening array won’t work here either, how do you think we should leave this island?”
“Who says it’s useless?” Hua Cheng said.
“But, only coffin wood that’s housed a deceased can float in this Black Water Demon Lair…” Before he finished he immediately remembered. Coffin wood. There were trees here everywhere; a deceased? There’s one right before his eyes.
Sure enough Hua Cheng smiled, “Won’t it be fine once I lie inside?”
Although he was smiling, Xie Lian’s heart squeezed for some reason.
Hua Cheng flattened his palm, and the scimitar E’ming appeared within that palm. Since they said they’d do it they went straight to work, and the two started collecting materials.
Since they didn’t go deep into the forest, they didn’t run into any ambushing creatures, and soon enough they managed to chop down a number of trees. A whole day of labour went past in a blink of an eye, and the sky was growing dim. The two divided the work and fought each other to take up tasks, so their efficiency was amazingly high. By evening, the coffin was pretty much built.
Throughout the entire journey Xie Lian had only eaten half a steamed bun and was already bitterly starved, but the sooner the coffin was made the sooner they could leave, so once the coffin was formed did he find an excuse to go catch some fish. Yet within the waters of the Black Water Demon Lair, how could there be fish? Returning empty handed, Xie Lian turned around to the edge of the forest and picked a few wild fruits from non-dangerous areas. Who knew that when he returned, Hua Cheng already started a small campfire; he sat by the fire, one hand supporting his cheek while the other held a branch, a wild hare forked upon it being roasted.
That wild hare was already cleaned up, its skin roasted such that it was dripping with juice, crisp and golden, the smell of meat fragrant, exceedingly alluring. Once he saw Xie Lian had come back, Hua Cheng smiled and moved his hand, passing the branch over. Xie Lian took it and exchanged the wild fruits for it, “These are all edible.”
Both were still wet and dripping, and other than that they were soaked in the seawater, their clothes were also damp from sweat. However, they both had a tacit understanding and didn’t mention anything about stripping out of their clothes to dry them. The meat of that wild hare was crispy on the outside but tender on the inside, and having bitten in lightly, Xie Lian could feel his teeth feeling the burn but still he couldn’t stop biting into the meat, its deliciousness staying on his lips. Still Xie Lian divided the portion into half, giving the other to Hua Cheng before sighing in awe, “San Lang has such amazing skills.”
Hua Cheng laughed, “Really? Then, thanks, gege, for the compliment.”
“It’s true.” Xie Lian said, “Whether it be carpentry or cooking, I’ve never met anyone better than you. That noble, gracious, special someone really lucked out.”
When he said this, he acted like he was very focused on eating his hare, but Hua Cheng seemed to be silent. It was a moment later before Hua Cheng’s soft voice came, “That I could meet that person, it’s me who lucked out.”
“…”
Xie Lian didn’t know what to say and seemed to focus even harder on eating. It was a while later before he realized Hua Cheng was calling him, “Gege, gege.”
Dazed, Xie Lian replied, “Huh?”
Hua Cheng passed him a handkerchief and it was only then did Xie Lian realize that he was chomping too hard and half his face was covered with grease, exceedingly silly.
Instantly he felt embarrassed, and he reached for the handkerchief to wipe himself clean. Hua Cheng passed him the other half of the roasted hare too, “Gege must be starving, don’t rush yourself.”
Xie Lian took the roasted hare and was slightly stunned for a moment, but in the end he still couldn’t hold back and asked, “San Lang, just what kind of person is that special someone? How come you haven’t won them over yet?”
He genuinely believed that if Hua Cheng wanted anyone, there’d be no one on this earth who could fight his advances. Yet that day Hua Cheng had said that he hadn’t won that person over yet, so he couldn’t help but feel rather grim, an odd feeling towards this person that ghost king fancied grew. Maybe it was because he felt the other party didn’t have good taste or maybe they were taking it all for granted.
Hua Cheng replied, “It’s alright if gege finds it funny. Truth is, I’m afraid.”
Whether if it was from a sense of injustice or fear that Hua Cheng was depreciating himself, Xie Lian responded in a serious tone, “What’s there to be afraid of? You’re a Supreme Ghost King, the Crimson Rain Sought Flower.”
Hua Cheng laughed out loud, “What shitty ghost king? If I was really that awesome, I wouldn’t have been so powerless when people hung me up to beat me hundreds of years ago, hahahaha…”
“Well you can’t say it like that,” Xie Lian said, “Everyone has to go through it to grow up….” But just as he said it, he recalled that when he first ascended, he didn’t seem to have ever experienced humiliation of that sort, and he cleared his throat lightly.
“That person saw me at my worst.” Hua Cheng said.
“Then I’m very envious of that.” Xie Lian replied.
Hearing him say so, Hua Cheng gazed over. Xie Lian stopped eating and said gently, “But, I can sort of understand… your feelings.”
After a pause he continued, “There was also a period of time in my life that wasn’t easy, and during that time, I’d constantly think if someone should witness the me who rolled in dirt and couldn’t get up but could still love me for who I was, it’d be great. Still, I don’t know if there’s anyone like that, and I daren’t show that part of my past to anyone either.”
“But, if it’s someone San Lang yearns for, I think, even if they saw you at your worst, they wouldn’t say something like “ah, you’re not so great after all”.”
His face grew solemn, “To me, the one basking in infinite glory is you; the one fallen from grace is also you. What matters is ‘you’ and not the state of you.”
“I… admire San Lang very much, so, I want to understand your everything. So, I’m very envious, that someone had already met that kind of you. It’s an affinity that only comes by chance and couldn’t be begged for, and whether if that bond should continue, it’s three part fate, and seven part courage!”
That camp fire was crackling soundly, and for a good while, the two remained silent. Xie Lian softly cleared his throat and rubbed his forehead, “Have I said too much? How embarrassing.”
“No, what you said was good. Very right.” Hua Cheng replied.
Xie Lian let out a breath of relief and quickly returned to munching on his wild hare. Hua cheng added, “Not just that, but there’s also many other reasons.”
Xie Lian felt he spoke too much and wanted to end the subject immediately. Besides, he just couldn’t understand why he would say so much just now, and why encourage Hua Cheng to bravely pursue his beloved? It wasn’t like he was the heavenly official in charge of marriage, so he could only mumble a reply, “En…”
After that speech, the air between the two seemed rather delicate, and they quickly finished eating to continue their labour. Soon, that coffin was officially made.
Hua Cheng pushed the newly constructed coffin into the water, and then he hopped in lightly, sitting inside. A chunk of wood that long and heavy really floated on the water and didn’t sink. That coffin wasn’t made wide in width, and when Xie Lian lifted his robes to cross in, it didn’t feel like there was enough space to sit. Just then, muffled roars of thunder rang in the skies and gloomy clouds rolled. Violet flashes of lightning streaked faintly, sounds of explosions erupting next to the ears unexpectedly here and there. Thin threads of rain came falling down from the skies and soon they came thicker and thicker. It seemed a storm was approaching.
Fortunately the two didn’t slack off while labouring, even building a cover for the coffin, otherwise it wouldn’t take long before it’d be filled with rain water once it’s pushed into sea and sink into the depths.
The two looked at each other, and Xie Lian said in a low voice, “Sorry.”
Hua Cheng didn’t say anything more either and laid down inside the coffin. Xie Lian entered too and pulled the cover close. As if light was blown out, they were sunk into darkness.
The coffin entered the sea and floated errantly for a while. Outside, pouring rain was beating on the cover; within, the two spoke not a word. Being squished in a narrow space, their bodies couldn’t help but be pressed hard against one another, allowing the waves to push and pull, flip and flop. Xie Lian used one hand to push against the edge of the coffin to steady himself, hoping to make more room, his head lightly knocking against the wood. Hua Cheng then reached out and rested his hand on his back and pressed him to his chest, his other hand shielding his head. Xie Lian didn’t even dare to breathe harshly, “San Lang… how about, we change around?”
“Change what?” Hua Cheng asked.
“…You on top and me on the bottom.” Xie Lian replied.
“Isn’t top and bottom the same?” Hua Cheng asked.
Xie Lian was afraid he was too heavy and said, “This journey of ours would take at least a day. Your body right now is only seventeen or eighteen, right? I’m a martial god after all, very heavy…” Before he finished his words, he added, “San Lang, don’t… don’t just suddenly turn big!”
Although it was hard to see in the dark, but still he could feel Hua Cheng pressed close against him transforming, and while that change was minute, he still sensed it, and assumed that Hua Cheng probably transformed back to his true form. Sure enough, when Hua Cheng spoke again, his laugh was in a deeper voice, veritably the voice of his true form. Xie Lian laid on his chest, helpless, but after the change, that unknown awkwardness did lighten a bit. He raised his leg slightly, hoping to shift his body and change position, but suddenly Hua Cheng stopped laughing and said in a dark voice, “Don’t move.”
Xie Lian froze. Just then, there was a large sound, and the coffin the two were riding in violently sank. Xie Lian was bewildered, “What’s going on?!”
Soon after, there was another roaring sound, and the two forcibly flipped around inside the coffin. It seemed the entire coffin canoe itself had rolled around. Thank goodness there wasn’t any leaks, but that couldn’t be guaranteed should there be multiple rounds.
Hua Cheng pressed down on him, “Something’s got its eye on this coffin canoe.”
—
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