Ch.155: Mountains High and Roads Unending; Narrow Paths Blocked
Treading across the ground strewn with crimson fragments of exquisite jade, Xie Lian walked over slowly. When he saw Hua Cheng’s shoulders were littered with a bit of red blossoms, he had wanted to dust them off for him but suddenly realized that gesture would be overly intimate, so he forced down the urge and tucked his arms behind his back, smiling, “I didn’t know that not only can you bring forth bloody rain, you can also make flowers shower. How fun!”
Hua Cheng also walked closer towards him, easily dusting off the petals on his shoulders, also smiling, “This was just something spontaneously inspired, a trick I only just came up with today.
Originally there should’ve been the usual blood rain, but I suddenly remembered gege was also present, and wouldn’t you blame me if you were to be drenched? So I held back at the last second and transformed it to flowers instead. I’m glad you found it fun.”
However, while Xie Lian wasn’t drenched, Pei Ming was completely soaked. He called out while hanging in the air, “Excuse me, you two, let me down will you?”
A few silver butterflies fluttered upwards, their wings shimmering silver as they tore the net, allowing Pei Ming to finally break free, landing steadily on the ground. Xie Lian looked down and saw on the centre of Ling Wen’s spine rested a silver butterfly, “San Lang, Ling Wen and the Brocade Immortal are both alright, right?”
“They’re fine.” Hua Cheng said, “I’ve only put them to sleep temporarily.”
Xie Lian was amazed, “This Brocade Immortal was going berserk but you managed to subdue it so fast.”
Hua Cheng raised his brows, “It was fine. For some reason it didn’t seem to want to fight me.”
Xie Lian hummed and said, “That’s true. Before when you put it on, it didn’t do anything to you either, and even showed itself.”
Just then, Pei Ming walked over, “Save the talking for later, you two. Aren’t you going to peel that robe off of him first?”
“Um… wouldn’t that be rather inappropriate?” Xie Lian said.
Pei Ming didn’t seem to think anything of it, “He’s in his male form right now, so what’s there to be embarrassed about?” His hands moved as he spoke, yet just as his hands reached Ling Wen’s collar, it was like something jabbed at him hard, and his face dropped, yanking his arms back, his hands covered in blood, “This robe! It bites!”
Only then did Hua Cheng say lazily, “The Brocade Immortal won’t let Ling Wen go, you won’t be able to take it off of him.”
Pei Ming looked at his bloodied hands and said, “If something like this happens again, will My Lord Ghost King please warn me sooner?”
Xie Lian said gently, “General Pei, it’s not that he didn’t want to warn you, your hands moved too fast.”
Hua Cheng snickered, “That’s it exactly.”
“…”
Although crippled, wills remained strong. The three moved to head back the way they came and someone had to carry the male Ling Wen, so Pei Ming took up that responsibility without a word.
Pei Su and Ban Yue were still in the same small town from before, the group reconvening near the divine temple of WuYong, and when Pei Su saw them come back, he strode over to greet them, “General, your, highness, that mural, in that, temple, had disappeared!”
Pei Ming was carrying Ling Wen in one arm while the other hand slicked back his blood soaked hair, “What mural?”
Seeing Pei Ming was covered in wine red colour, Ban Yue’s eyes widened. Xie Lian gave Pei Ming a brief account and went back into the temple with Pei Su to check. Sure enough, that wall earlier had become exactly the same as the other three burnt ashen walls, like that mural had never existed.
Hua Cheng dropped his hand from the wall, “That mural was created by magic.”
Xie Lian nodded, “Perhaps, the one who left it had concerns and didn’t dare leave it for too long.”
On the other side, Ban Yue was hesitant for a long time but in the end still drudged up the courage to ask Pei Ming, “Are… you ok?”
Pei Ming gave her a look and bluffed, “Why don’t you ask your snakes if I’d be ok having gotten bitten like this?”
Pei Su opened his mouth as if to speak but wasn’t sure if he should say something for justice sake. Ban Yue’s eyes widened even bigger, mumbling as she tried to argue, “But… a bite from the scorpion tailed snakes wouldn’t fester to the whole body like this…”
Pei Ming raised the left hand that carried the bite mark and waved it in front of her, proving that he was indeed bitten. ‘Iron proof’ was solid like the mountains, and Ban Yue could only apologize, “I’m sorry…”
Pei Su couldn’t watch anymore and patted her shoulder, “Do, n’t take it to heart. This wasn’t caused by the bite of your, snakes.”
Xie Lian couldn’t watch anymore either, speaking up exasperatedly, “General Pei, can you not tease little girls at a time like this?”
However, this was the source of Pei Ming’s life. He used his spiritual powers to cleanse himself of all the blood and grime, his face bright and alive as he laughed out loud, “Aren’t little girls made for teasing? Besides, the Guoshiess of Banyue is how many centuries old now? What little girl? Afraid she might get embarrassed?”
“…” No one wanted to talk to him anymore.
Although Pei Su’s broken sentences wasn’t healed, he could still move like normal now and took over the task of carrying Ling Wen. The group of them crossed the small town and continued down to the next level of Mount TongLu.
A day later, the group reached a small valley.
On either sides of the valley were steep, tall mountains with hardened rocky bluffs with a mountain path in between them. Only when they’ve come to this point did Ling Wen finally wake blearily.
Although awake, he still couldn’t move, because that silver butterfly was still firmly resting on his back. When Ling Wen discovered that he was being carried on the back of someone, his expression never changed and only asked in confusion, “…Why are there so many people? How come you’re all here? Isn’t this Mount TongLu?”
“This is many?” Pei Ming answered, “Let me tell you, there’ll be more later, you haven’t seen everyone yet. There’s enough of us to play a round of cards.”
Xie Lian wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment and couldn’t help but smile. After a pause, he spoke up, “By the way, Ling Wen, back at PuQi Shrine Qi Ying chased after you. Where is he now?”
Ling Wen replied, “Don’t know. After entering Mount TongLu, there were too many inhuman creatures swarming in, and His Highness Qi Ying was lost in the crowd. I have no idea where he could be right now either.”
Pei Ming sighed at Ling Wen, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me the one who plucked the last life line of XuLi was you. How mean.”
Only then did Xie Lian remember that Pei Ming was also from the kingdom of XuLi. However, he didn’t seem to have any attachments left for XuLi, since he was only a general and not the king, and was even sabotaged by the ruler before he ascended, so there was no trace of fury or surliness in his voice, but moreso just poking fun. However, Xie Lian was still worried that talking too much of XuLi would provoke the Brocade Immortal, so he swiftly changed the subject, turning his head back to ask, “San Lang, I’ve always been curious of something.”
After entering the valley, Hua Cheng had been watching the two tall mountains closely. “What is it?”
“The ‘Kiln’ of Mount TongLu, what is it exactly? Is it really just a giant stove?” Xie Lian asked.
Hua Cheng smiled faintly and brought his gaze back, “Of course not. But, it’s a good question, gege.” He raised his hand and pointed, “It just so happens we can see it now.”
The group looked to the direction he was pointing, and all unconsciously stopped in their steps.
“…That’s… the ‘Kiln’?” Xie Lian questioned.
Hua Cheng crossed his arms, “That’s right.”
Reflected in his inky black eyes was a large mountain from an exceedingly far distance away.
Far like it sat at the edge of the world, tall like it reached the heavens, enthroned condescendingly among all the peaks, painted in a deep, sunken blue, the summit of the mountains were surrounded by a sea of clouds and heavenly winds. A layer of snow could faintly be seen like a field of ice that never melted.
Hua Cheng said leisurely, “The ‘Kiln’ is a live volcano, and the heart of all of Mount TongLu. When a new ghost king is born, that is also when it wakes.”
“A volcanic eruption?” Xie Lian asked.
“That’s right.” Hua Cheng replied, “So, all Supreme Ghost Kings are born accompanied by blazing fires, lava, and ruinous disasters.”
Imagining that fiery scenario that made eyes glow red, Xie Lian was lost in thought. Pei Ming spoke up, “That’s too far away. If we continue in this speed, not counting slaying all the ghosts en route, it’s gonna take a long time.”
Xie Lian nodded, “That’s why historically every time Mount TongLu opens its gates to slaughter, it’s like an arduous childbirth.”
Hua Cheng chuckled, “Gege’s metaphor is ingenious.” Then, he suddenly stopped. “We’re here.”
“???” Xie Lian was dumbfounded, “So fast?”
Hua Cheng explained, “We’re here, but not at the Kiln. We’ve come to a WuYong divine temple.”
Sure enough, ahead in the centre of the valley was a leaning, large palace temple.
This was the second WuYong divine temple they had come across. Xie Lian almost wanted to rub his eyes and was perplexed, “Is that temple real?”
It couldn’t be helped. In fact, almost everyone was doubtful whether if that temple was real since it appeared too abruptly.
It shouldn’t have appeared here. Who had ever seen any temple or shrine be constructed on such a narrow valley over small mountain roads? What is this shitty fengshui?
Even if it had to be built here no matter what, it should at least be constructed on the side. But, this WuYong divine temple just had to be bluntly constructed right in the middle of the valley road like a brainless little tyrant, brazenly blocking the mountain path!
Pei Ming lowered his voice, “Where there is abnormality there is evil, everyone be careful.”
Ling Wen who was leaning heavily on Pei Su’s shoulder, arduously lifted his head, “Everyone, if you don’t want to go inside you can just leap and run across the cliffs.”
However, Xie Lian said, “No. We have to go in. See if there’s any murals.”
“Don’t worry, gege.” Hua Cheng said, “If you want to go in and see then do so. It’s no big deal.”
Since he said so, for some reason everyone relaxed, and the group of them slowly approached.
The entire time they walked and until they reached the entrance, nothing odd happened.
Crossing through the temple doors and entering the great hall, sure enough, the walls inside this temple were also in the blackened colour from the aftermath of fire. With a light scratch, small pieces of hardened fragments also fell just like in the previous temple.
Xie Lian was tense and alert at first, but since there didn’t seem to be anything hiding in the darkness, he relaxed a bit and said, “Let’s do this.”
Soon after, the ashen ‘protection’ layer on the wall was cleaned off bit by bit, revealing the mural behind. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng began to examine it closely.
The contents of the mural in this divine temple were completely different than the previous one.
They started studying it from the highest level, the top of the painting, and a white clad young man sat poised upon a jaded futon, his brows quietly handsome. It was that Crown Prince of WuYong. His eyes were tightly shut, and judging from his posture, he seemed to be in deep reflective meditation. However, it wasn’t tranquil.
THis Highness the crown prince had brows deeply furrowed, a few drops of cold sweat appeared to be dripping down from his forehead. Surrounding him were four characters, their expressions deep with concern – it was the four guardian deputies under the crown prince from the previous mural. Their accessories and attire were exactly the same as the previous painting.
Continuing to look downwards, the protection layer was still falling apart gradually, not yet fully cleaned away, and Xie Lian saw a field of chaotic red. He frowned slightly, “That’s weird.”
He reached out and lightly touched the wall, puzzled, “Is this mural poorly kept?”
Although he couldn’t quite tell what the painting was depicting, but he could see that this spread of lines and colours were all blurry and hazy, like it was trapped in a layer of mist, fading away.
But, this mural was created by magic, so how could it deteriorate like a normal painting?
Hua Cheng was also looking at it intently, knitting his brows, “Let’s give it another minute.”
The two exchanged looks. Once the burnt, black, hardened material was thoroughly wiped clean, the entire painting complete, they took a few steps back and stood shoulder to shoulder to look. As the entirety of the mural reflected in Xie Lian’s eyes, his breathing stopped, and he felt his head go numb.
He wondered out loud, stunned, “Is this… hell?”
———-
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