Ch.142: I Choose the Path I Walk 2
Xie Lian blocked himself between the two of them, “I think, we should all sit down and talk. Look at this child My Lord, doesn’t he look like…”
“Your son, right?” Jun Wu smiled.
“…Ha, haha, hahahaha…”
Xie Lian laughed awkwardly for a bit, “How did My Lord know what I was going to say?”
Jun Wu finally moved his eyes off of Hua Cheng, lightly patted Xie Lian’s shoulder, and wordlessly turned around to sit back at the table. Xie Lian understood that this meant there wasn’t going to be any confrontation for now, and unconsciously sighed a breath of relief.
If Jun Wu intended to kill anyone, just how terrifying he was after unsheathing the sword was something Xie Lian had witnessed himself. Under no circumstances did Xie Lian ever want Hua Cheng to face Jun Wu head on.
However, Hua Cheng’s eyes never left Jun Wu, and still watched him warily. Jun Wu pushed the teacups forward, “Although this isn’t the first time I’ve met your excellency, but it certainly is the first time we are at such close range of each other. Since it’s a peaceful occasion, why not take tea for wine, and smooth over this situation.
Xie Lian cleared his throat lightly, and tried to appear as casual as possible as he pulled on his outer robes, asking as he pulled on his boots, “My Lord, how are things at the Upper Court?”
“…”
Jun Wu put down his teacup and turned his head away, gazing outside of the window to watch the moon, sighing, “I do not wish to talk of it.”
“…Alright. I won’t.” Xie Lian said.
It seemed things really are really bad. However Jun Wu turned his head back and said with a straight face, “I kid. Even if I do not wish to talk of it, I must. Xian Le, leave your little friend for now and follow me outside for a moment.”
It appeared there were things to be communicated that shouldn’t be heard by bystanders. Xie Lian was about to comply when he heard Hua Cheng say leisurely behind him, “Your Upper
Court is in complete pandemonium, it’s not a secret. Even little country bumpkin ghosts know that the gathering of ghosts couldn’t be stopped this time and are howling nonstop in excitement, so why speak outside?”
He climbed off the bed too and languidly came to the table, picked up the teacup and played with it for a bit, looking like drinking the tea was of no interest to him, A moment later, the three all sat by the table. Hua Cheng’s appearance right now was young, but his expression and manners almost made one forget that fact. Jun Wu replied gently, “Nothing could deceive the eyes of his excellency.”
It was tea poured by Jun Wu after all, due respect must be given, so Xie Lian drank it, and asked as he did so, “Isn’t there still some time before the official opening and sealing of Mount TongLu’s gates? Or is it confirmed now?”
Although Feng Xin had mentioned this before, but Xie Lian had always thought he might’ve exaggerated and never fully took his words to heart. However, Jun Wu confirmed, “Indeed, it couldn’t be stopped anymore.”
“It seems your original plan was like all those times before; send all the martial gods to seal off every road leading to Mount TongLu and stop the demons en route.” Hua Cheng commented, “But Mu Qing broke out of prison and escaped, his whereabouts unknown, so now there’s suddenly a breach in the south.”
Xie Lian inquired, “Did Feng Xin return to the Heavenly Court? How is he? Did he say anything?”
“He’s returned, but not in a good condition.” Jun Wu replied, “Nan Yang returned wounded and gave a hurried report of the truth, pleading for me to give the orders to all the heavenly officials not to touch the female ghost Lan Chang and her son. He had wanted to descend again after reporting in, but his injuries were not optimistic, his right arm could barely move, so I buckled him down in the Heavenly Court to recover. However, with that, the southern blockade is now full of holes.”
If this was any other matter, like if they needed someone to go kill a monster or steal spiritual pills or something, Xie Lian would instantly volunteer. But something like leading troops wasn’t something so easily done by just charging ahead alone. One man could break through an army of millions but he could not defend against an army of millions alone. Xie Lian had long since understood that leading people and leading armies wasn’t something he was good at. Rather than going forward bold-headedly, it was best if someone else more suited for the position be nominated, so he wasn’t quick to volunteer himself. Instead, he asked, “Is there no other martial god that can take up the task?”
Jun Wu replied, “The other martial gods already have their own domains and missions to take care of and have no liberties to take on more. There was Pei Su from the Palace of Ming Guang that could’ve been borrowed, but he’s long been exiled. As for Qi Ying, he’s the same as you, a madman who likes to charge alone in the world, doing as he willed. Besides, his whereabouts is also currently unknown, and that child never answers spiritual communication. The head heavenly official of the Palace of Ling Wen is also lost on top of that. There’s a temporary head, but the other civil gods, while they’re certainly skilled in the arts, but in terms of passing communication, making decisions and coordination management, they are completely incapable. These past few days…”
Listening to him, it sounded like in the past few days, the Upper Court was going to fall apart.
Xie Lian couldn’t bear to listen and his sympathies grew, “I remember My Lord once said, even if the gathering of ghosts couldn’t be stopped, there was another way to remedy the situation?
What can be done?”
“Remedy?” Hua Cheng said, “More like suicide, probably.”
Jun Wu gave him a look and sighed, “I’ve also said, unless absolutely necessary, I didn’t want to take that step.”
Xie Lian’s heart tightened, “Could it be…?”
Jun Wu replied slowly, “That’s right. Right now, the only way to remedy the situation was to send a martial god to infiltrate the gathering of ghosts in Mount TongLu.”
Since the start of slaughter couldn’t be stopped, then make sure at the end of the slaughter, not a single one is left!
Xie Lian crossed his arms into his sleeves and knitted his brows, “I’m not too familiar with Mount TongLu, and I don’t really know how the rules work, so how should this be done? Kill every last monster and demon that enter the mountain?”
But that was something inconceivable. To infiltrate Mount TongLu, identity must be hidden, and not too many helpers could come either, otherwise, if the ghosts should discover there were heavenly officials mixed in, they would for sure surround and destroy. Mount TongLu was also an extremely evil place; a heavenly official’s spiritual powers would be significantly restricted, much more so than when they were at the Black Water Demon Lair.
However, Jun Wu said, “No, there’s no need to exert that much effort.”
“I’m familiar with Mount TongLu. Gege, look outside.” Hua Cheng said.
Following where he was pointing, Xie Lian looked out the window. Beyond the window below was a large field planted with some flowers or grass, and there was also a small flower pot in the corner. Hua Cheng hopped onto the window sill and pointed at that flower pot, “At the heart of Mount TongLu is a giant kiln.”
Just as the words left his lips, that little flower pot suddenly fell over and rolled to the centre of the field before standing upright by itself. Soon after, with it as the heart, the once flat ground suddenly rumbled and rolled in waves, rolling into mounds of various sizes all around.
Hua Cheng continued, “All around the ‘Kiln’ is a mountain range encircling it. This entire area is all within Mount TongLu’s perimeters. It’s as big as seven city states.”
Xie Lian was amazed watching this, and he leapt up lightly, hopping out of the window. As he stood among the field full of little earth mounds, it gave him the illusion of being a giant looking down below.
Hua Cheng continued, “The slaughter of ghosts begins from the outer edges of the mountain range, and continues on towards the ‘Kiln’ in the heart.”
He gave a wave of his hand, and many tiny objects on the ground started agitating. Xie Lian crouched down to watch closely and discovered it was many weeds and small leaves twisting, like a small person crossing through the mountain range. He remarked, “Which is to say, the closer to this ‘Kiln’ in the centre, the ghosts are also stronger?”
“That’s right.” Hua Cheng said, “Because the weak weeds will have all been annihilated at the edges.”
Another light wave of a hand, and breeze brushed by, and the weeds were completely cleaned away by the breeze. The empty little earth mounds suddenly became desolate, looking rather sad. However, the little flower pot in the centre suddenly emitted a red light, truly looking like a tiny, fire blazing Kiln. Xie Lian stared at it and noticed there was a tiny little red flower, and a few unremarkable weeds that jumped onto the little flower pot, spinning around the sides of the pot like little people dancing. That little red flower danced the wildest. Hua Cheng crouched down next to him, “Finally, only a handful of ghosts at most can enter the interior of the ‘Kiln’. And then, the ‘Kiln’ will close.”
Those ‘little people’ jumped around then fell in, swallowed by the black mud. Hua Cheng continued, “After that, within forty-nine days, a ghost must break out of this ‘Kiln’.”
That little flower pot trembled violently and exploded abruptly, a blinding red light flashed, blasting a wave of dust.
Accompanying this ‘earth shattering’ birth, that little red flower leapt out from within the mud and raised its two little leaves as if it was shouting to the winds to announce its might to the world.
Seeing this, Xie Lian couldn’t help but puffed a laugh.
However, perhaps it was a little too overly excited, and that little red flower slipped on the edge of that flower pot, about to fall. Xie Lian hurriedly reached out his hands and caught it lightly, holding it in his palms. That little red flower seemed to have gone dizzy from the fall and shook its ‘head’, raising its ‘face’ to gaze at the one who had caught hold of itself. Xie Lian brushed off the crumbs of dirt that was splattered onto him and asked, “So this little one is the new Ghost King birthed from Mount TongLu?”
Hua Cheng nodded, “Correct. The slaughter of ghosts at the beginning was a strengthening process and cannot be bypassed. If the ghost who entered the ‘Kiln’ isn’t strong enough and can’t break out of it, then it will be suffocated inside, burned to ashes, and become fertilizer for another.”
He rose to his feet and called to Jun Wu still sitting inside, “Your idea is to cut down the mighty and leave out the weeds. There’s only so many with the potential to become ghost kings; once they’re annihilated, the weak ones who remain can’t break out of the ‘Kiln’ even if they enter it. If they can’t break out, then they still wouldn’t be recognized as ghost kings.”
Xie Lian nodded, “Sounds doable. But does it work? Has this been attempted before?”
Jun Wu approached the window and said, “No. It’s never been attempted before. In the past, the demons had always been stopped before they were able to gather.”
Hua Cheng crossed his arms, “I’m afraid it’s not doable. To fight under these conditions is no different than suicide. I suggest you who came up with such a brilliant idea go yourself.”
“I’ve that very intention.” Jun Wu replied easily.
Xie Lian was taken aback, “My Lord?”
Jun Wu said, “XianLe, I’ve descended for this very reason. I will be heading to Mount TongLu. I need you to return to the Heavenly Court and take care of my duties for the time being.”
Xie Lian dropped his hands and leapt to his feet, “That won’t do! Have me take your place temporarily? My Lord, please don’t joke, no one will listen to me.”
Jun Wu grinned, “Then, this will be a very good chance for them to start.”
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead, “My Lord, pardon me but I really can’t agree with you this time.
This is too absurd. To use a vulgar example from the mortal realm, an emperor can enter the battlefield, but have you ever heard of an emperor go infiltrate and assassinate? That the Heavenly Court can float so high in the heavens is all held up by you. None of the other heavenly officials can do this, it’s all My Lord’s efforts. If you’re there, the sky won’t fall. If you’re not there, then the sky really will fall.”
Jun Wu however, answered with his hands clenched at his sides, “XianLe, there’s no one in this world who will fall only because the heaven’s collapsed. Once you’re used to it you’ll find, even with whoever’s lost, life will go on. There will always be new to replace the old. To have a ghost king be born, it’s nothing if it’s another Crimson Rain Sought Flower or Ship Sinking Black Water, but if it’s another White Clothed Calamity, then the world will fall into chaos.”
He looked Xie Lian in the eyes, “You’ve seen with your own eyes just how difficult it was to kill a ‘Supreme’ like him. If it’s not me who goes, then there’s no other way.”
Xie Lian also knew that this wasn’t Jun Wu being humble. To be in the weakest state and trapped with millions of ghosts, and to accurately pick out each and every one of the strongest to kill or subdue, even if it was himself he couldn’t say for sure he could do it. Only Jun Wu had the biggest chance of success. But, this leave might take up to ten years. What about the outside world? What about the Upper Court?”
Just then, Hua Cheng spoke up, “Who says there’s no other way?”
———-
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