Ch.121: Combined Spirit; Coffin Boat Enters the Demon Sea 2
Just as the words left his lips, the two suddenly felt weightless once more and their positions changed from lying to upright – that coffin boat abruptly rose up and swiftly plunged, forcefully flipping upside down!
Hua Cheng had his arms tight around Xie Lian’s waist, his other hand shielding his head, and he exclaimed, “Hold on tight to me!”
If this was the outside, all the spinning can be three times more violent and Xie Lian would be able to deal with it, yet the problem was they were trapped inside a narrow, tight space, their limbs unable to stretch out, and they were left ignorant of what was happening outside. Tense and anxious. Xie Lian wondered, “What if the coffin boat breaks?”
“Don’t worry. Even if it breaks, I’m here, you won’t sink.” Hua Cheng said.
At this moment, they were both pressed against each other firmly, and Hua Cheng’s words were uttered through the brush of his lips over Xie Lian’s hair, and Xie Lian could almost feel the slight trembling of his adam’s apple, his mind going astray. Then, his attention was stolen away by another wave of violent rolling. It was like this boat had become a toy being jostled about by a toddler, shaking and swinging it unceasingly.
Without any other choice, Xie Lian embraced Hua Cheng tightly with one hand, and the other held on to the edge of the coffin.
Amidst that chaos, the two dipped and dropped, flipped and flopped into who knows how many different positions, banging heavily into all sorts of different parts of each other, thoroughly rubbing against one another. Even though Hua Cheng had the appearance of a young man, it was only having been tumbled about like this did Xie Lian realize that Hua Cheng was solid and hard from top to bottom. Xie Lian was going starry-eyed from this torment and when the feeling finally faded for a moment, he found that Hua Cheng was now on top of him, pressing down heavily, suffocating him.
With great difficulties, Xie Lian raised a hand and grabbed onto the arm Hua Cheng had supporting himself up next to his body and softly groaned, his head spinning, “Is it over yet…”
For some reason, Hua Cheng didn’t respond. Yet before Xie Lian finished his sentence, his breathing suddenly hitched. Because, he suddenly noticed that a certain body part of his was experiencing an unthinkable shift.
“……………….”
In an instant, Xie Lian was feeling more incredulous than if he was to see a steel tree blossom. At least, if he saw a steel tree blossom, his mind wouldn’t be as blank.
A horrifying embarrassment and awkwardness battered him more violently than the tempest was battering the coffin outside. Xie Lian hastily closed his knees. However, closing his knees didn’t seem to be the right move and he seemed to have touched something he shouldn’t have because Hua Cheng grunted brusquely, “Don’t move!”
That grunt was deep and sharp, and Xie Lian quickly flattened his legs again. But if he didn’t close his knees, he was scared Hua Cheng might notice his body’s reaction, in which case he might as well just smash his own head against the coffin and die. This could’ve been explained away by ‘unavoidable natural reaction’, but the awkward thing was, there was already that incident on that island. Once or twice he could say it was unintentional, but after third or fourth times, how could he possibly explain himself?
Under such a dire situation, Xie Lian blurted, “No! San Lang… don’t, don’t touch me!”
After a brief moment of silence, Hua Cheng said with a dark voice, “Very well. Let’s break out of here.”
It was like he was absolved and he cried, “GO!”
Suddenly, another vicious weightlessness attacked, and the the coffin that contained the two was thrusted into the air!
At the same time, Hua Cheng and Xie Lian both smacked their palm on either side of the coffin and instantly it cracked into pieces. The two broke out of the boat and the pair leapt out under the moonlight. Xie Lian looked back and saw a giant water dragon dangle broken pieces of that coffin in its mouth, roaring in the pouring rain, baring its sharp teeth, as if raging at the empty casket it thought was full of food. It must’ve been that water dragon just then that was throwing the coffin boat about in its mouth, snapping here and twisting there.
That coffin boat had gone to sea at first and drifted for a while, but it was dragged back by that water dragon. The two landed and returned to the Black Water Island once more. Back at the beach, there were two more figures and it was the Water Master Wu Du and General Pei. Shi Wudu still had his spiritual seal out, beckoning the rain and winds as if he was going to summon that water dragon. Pei Ming patted his shoulder, “Water Master-xiong! Just take it easy, will you? This round is over but who knows when the next round will come, so just save your energy for now.”
Turns out, that sudden pouring rain just now was the accompaniment to Shi Wudu’s Heavenly Calamity. The storm was calming down and Shi Wudu threw his hand, turning to Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, questioning, “What’s with you two?”
“…”
Pei Ming piped up too, “Yea, Your Highness. Why don’t you two explain yourselves?
What’s going on? What are you two doing in there?”
When that coffin boat exploded, the disposition of their tight embrace was open for all to see. Xie Lian blinked and was about to speak when he suddenly realized that both he and Hua Cheng, after having tumbled around inside that narrow coffin boat, both have their hair mussed and their clothes disheveled, appearing as inappropriate as one could imagine. And after having wiped away the rain off his face, his cheeks were still burning.
Hua Cheng took a step forward, shielding him. A moment later Xie Lian softly cleared his throat, “…Nothing’s going on. Just… the coffin’s too small.”
Shi Wudu was puzzled, “I wasn’t asking about that.”
Pei Ming pointed at all the leftover wood pieces they left behind on the beach and asked, “The coffin was made on the spot, right? Why didn’t you build a bigger one?”
“…”
The design of the coffin boat was decided by both Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, and at the time it seemed neither of them thought of building it bigger, so Xie Lian could only laugh awkwardly, “You’re right. Haha, haha. Did My Lords only just drift close to this island?”
“That’s right.” Pei Ming replied, “Water Master-xiong battled against the currents of this Black Water Demon Lair and we only just made it to this island. Didn’t expect to see a coffin drift about on the surface of the Black Water Demon Lair seas, what a curious sight.”
Xie Lian could feel his heart dropping, and he smiled, “Really curious indeed.”
“You.” Shi Wudu said.
He turned to Hua Cheng and squinted, “On the ship, didn’t you say that only coffin wood that has carried the deceased won’t sink in the Black Water Demon Lair?”
Pei Ming pulled out his sword and said leisurely, “Yea. There’s the coffin wood, but where’s the deceased?”
Hua Cheng smiled too, “If you’re so concerned with who’s dead, I suggest you go kill yourself.”
Pei Ming pointed the sword at him, “Such arrogance. As expected of Crimson Rain Sought Flower!”
As suspected, he had already guessed. Hua Cheng burst out laughing, and seeing that a fight was about to start, Xie Lian blocked in front of Hua Cheng, “My Lords, please calm yourselves. There’s no need to worry, San Lang is on this journey out of generosity.”
“San Lang?” Pei Ming wondered, “I’ve never heard of how Crimson Rain Sought Flower ranked from whatever house. Generous? Your Highness, are you sure that’s the word to describe him?”
Shi Wudu had to stand in the spotlight so he pushed Pei Ming aside and said sharply, “Are you the one messing things up on this trip? What’s your intention in luring us here to the Black Water Demon Lair? Where’s Qingxuan?”
“This is someone else’s territory, did you think I want to be here?” Hua Cheng answered.
Xie Lian was already used to these kinds of situations and changed the subject with practised ease, “Has the Lord Wind Master not been found yet? Didn’t General Pei go looking for them?”
Pei Ming flipped open his arms, “They were fished up at first, but a giant wave from Water Master-xiong came and flushed them away.”
“Don’t mislead, Pei-xiong.” Shi Wudu said, “I can’t raise waves. Those creatures in the sea kept coming one after the other, you couldn’t find them in the first place!”
Xie Lian quickly said, “Calm down, calm down. Um… Lord Wind Master is together with Lord Earth Master so there shouldn’t be any big troubles.”
Shi Wudu humphed, “Earth Master? What good is the Earth Master! Mediocre and average, he’s not a martial god either, his spiritual powers aren’t even as strong as Qingxuan’s.” Then, he seemed to suddenly remember that Shi Qingxuan no longer possessed any trace of spiritual powers, and his face fell, falling silent. Xie Lian however, thought every spiritual stream had their focus, so although Ming Yi wasn’t a martial god and his spiritual powers weren’t exactly strong, but he still wasn’t as horrible as the Water Master described. Besides, the skills the Earth Master showed that time at the Banyue Pass wasn’t bad; even if he wasn’t the best, he wasn’t the worst.
Pei Ming said too, “Don’t be too worried just yet. As long as they don’t run into the Demon Xuan, Lord Earth Master should be able to take care of things.”
Hua Cheng laughed, “The Heavenly Calamity is already pursuing you everywhere, fighting you. You made a huge mess of his lair, and you actually dare hope that the lair master hasn’t noticed?”
Suddenly, Shi Wudu’s face twitched, and took out a golden longevity locket out of the collar of his robes. Pei Ming asked, “Water Master-xiong, did something happen?”
That golden longevity locket seemed to be vibrating in his palm, and Shi Wudu said, “Qingxuan is close by… and he’s hurt!”
Xie Lian took a look at that golden locket and it looked exactly the same as the one Shi Qingxuan was wearing that day, the one he removed to build the protection array and left behind in the end. “Is the Lord Wind Master still wearing that longevity locket? I recall he removed it before.”
“I picked it up and put it around him again.” Shi Wudu said.
Turns out, those two longevity lockets were forged by the golden core of the two brothers. When they were near each other and one was hurt, the lockets would call out to each other, and the closer they were to each other the stronger the cry. This wasn’t a casted spell but a natural attribute and so it was unaffected by the powers of the Demon Lair. Shi Wudu removed the longevity locket from around his neck and dangled the chain from his hand, holding his arm out straight and slowly turned in a circle. When he was facing a certain direction, the vibration of that golden locket abruptly grew stronger.
It was the direction to the forest, towards unfathomably deep heart of this lonely island.
Shi Wudu said grimly, “Looks like Qingxuan is on this island right now.”
Then, he strode in large steps towards that forest. Naturally, Pei Ming followed along.
Xie Lian contemplated, since the Wind and Earth Masters were both on the island and the Wind Master seemed to be injured and bleeding, then they should be found first and worry about the rest later. “My Lords, there are minions hidden inside the forest, be careful of ambush.”
Hua Cheng came to follow too and Xie Lian was going to grab for his hand at first, but then he remembered his disgraceful state back inside the coffin boat, and the outstretched hand shrank back in spite of himself. In the end, he tugged onto Hua Cheng’s sleeve, not daring to look at the face of the other. Pei Ming however, looked back frequently, and appeared to be very interested, “Crimson Rain Sought Flower, Your Highness, the two of you really are stuck together like glue. A Ghost King like yourself following after us so openly, aren’t you even going to try to avoid suspicion?”
Xie Lian replied languidly, “What is General Pei saying? Under these circumstances, it’s less suspicious if he came along. Otherwise if My Lords were to run into any dangers, how can he hope to clear his name if My Lords were to suspect him?”
“He’s made it to the title of Supreme, so what’s the difference if he’s in front of our eyes or not? Would it not be easy for him to simply create a clone?” Pei Ming said.
Just as the words left his lips, a sharp sound ripped through the air. Pei Ming raised his hand and caught a stealth arrow, “So there is something, that was close! Water Master-xiong, be careful…”
Before he finished speaking there were more swishing sounds and several more stealth arrows came flying towards him. Cling clang. Pei Ming swept his sword around and wondered woefully, “What the hell?”
Shi Wudu laughed out loud, “Pei-xiong, I think you best watch yourself instead!” Then he quickened his pace.
If it was only ambushing arrows from somewhere hidden it wasn’t anything to be afraid of, just really annoying. Irritated, Pei Ming flattened a field of shrubberies and soon picked out a few little minions, “You guys got guts!”
Those little ghosts looked scrawny and sallow skinned, only the lowest of minions, and hanging from his hand, they were terrified by the general into little balls, begging for mercy. They were only guarding the door after all, so fighting intruders couldn’t be helped. After scaring them with some words Pei Ming let them go. However, when they ran into more cunning and vicious ones later, Pei Ming squashed them into a ball and dribbled as they made their way. The four of them brushed away branches and pushed their way through bushes through the thick forest, walking for who knows how long but the golden locket in Shi Wudu’s hand was crying louder and louder. Finally, they reached a large empty area within the middle of the forest.
The heart of the forest was a lake, and the four walked towards it. Suddenly, Pei Ming spoke up, “Crimson Rain Sought Flower, if you keep this prank up, I won’t be able to tolerate you any longer.”
Both Hua Cheng and Xie Lian looked to him, then looked at each other. Pei Ming frowned, “If you want to fight then challenge me like a man. Pei isn’t like those thirty-three heavenly officials, I’m not afraid of you. Shoving me every now and then is meaningless.”
Hua Cheng raised his brows, “Gege, you have to believe me. That’s got nothing to do with me.”
Xie Lian intervened, “General Pei, he doesn’t play those meaningless pranks.”
Pei Ming was doubtful, “Really?”
Xie Lian became alarmed, “Be careful, it might be something else on this island stirring trouble.”
Pei Ming stopped talking. Just then, Shi Wudu slowed his pace, “It’s here.”
That golden longevity locket seemed to be crying at its hardest at this place, meaning Shi Qingxuan was somewhere here. Yet, everything here could be seen clearly; other than a lake, there was nothing else.
“Could there be an underground palace?” Pei Ming wondered.
Shi Wudu stared at the surface of the water, and Xie Lian said, “It’s also possible that it’s at the bottom of the waters.”
However, this lake of the Black Water Island shouldn’t be entered so randomly, lest one be unable to resurface once in. The surface of that lake was calm without ripples, appearing like a giant mirror, reflecting the blanched moon hung high in the night sky without stars or clouds. The four walked along the edge of the lake. Xie Lian was still thinking of how to investigate the bottom of the lake when without warning, a terrified scream ripped through the night air.
The one leading the group was Shi Wudu, the one bringing up the rear was Pei Ming.
The three in front all looked back, and the one who screamed was the little ghost Pei Ming had captured on the road. Its skull was gone and black blood was spurting meters high from its neck, the head that was flung into the air was screaming piercingly.
“General Pei, what are you doing killing it so suddenly?” Xie Lian asked.
Pei Ming however, exclaimed, “NO!” But before he could explain, his body sank, one knee hitting the ground. Hua Cheng laughed, “There’s no need for such formalities either?”
Yet, Pei Ming’s expression was starkly shocked and he shouted, “WATER MASTER-XIONG, WATCH OUT!!!”
However, what’s there to watch out for? Other than the four of them by the lake, there was nothing else!
It was as if Pei Ming was bound by something invisible; Shi Wudu was rushing over to help when suddenly a flash of chilling light from the air greeted him instead. He dodged just in time, yet a trail of blood was still sliced across one of his cheeks. He wiped it with his hand and his face dropped.
Xie Lian placed himself in front of Hua Cheng to shield him and said, “The invisibility spell?!”
Pei Ming finally broke free of the thing that was formlessly constraining him, and he shouted, “GATHER AROUND! DON’T BREAK UP!”
Shi Wudu didn’t care for that much; the moment he felt that longevity locket start crying again he started charging around the lake, frantically calling out, “QINGXUAN! QINGXUAN!”
It was a chaotic situation, however it was precisely amidst this ruckus that Xie Lian suddenly noticed something exceedingly unnerving.
Along the edge of the lakeshore, the area was flat and empty, nothing to be seen.
However, the lakeshore reflected on the lake’s surface was different.
In the reflection, the other shore of the lake stood a charcoal black building. That building was chillingly gloomy, looking nothing like a residence but more so a prison.
There was no door, only a set of windows high above, unforgivingly sealed by rows of iron bars. From between those iron bars peeked a pale white hand, waving desperately as if begging for help.
Xie Lian whipped his head up and looked to the shore before him and there was veritably nothing besides Shi Wudu holding out the longevity locket. When he looked down again, the reflection in the lake also veritably showed that chilling iron prison. Shi Wudu was searching around right before that iron prison but he couldn’t see it.
Xie Lian blurted out, “My LordS! I FOUND IT! LOOK…”
Just then, his pupils suddenly shrank. Something new was reflected within the Black Water Lake.
A shadowy figure had appeared soundlessly behind both him and Hua Cheng.
———-
●MXTX Author Notes: And so that day, the crown prince who’d always thought himself indifferent to X suddenly discovered he was rock hard~
———
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