Ch.178: Cave of Ten Thousand Gods; Faces of Ten Thousand Gods Revealed 4
Right at that moment, there was the sound of an explosion in the deep recesses of the cave, and in the far distance there was a blinding white light slashing through the darkness followed by the shrieking of silver butterflies.
The two both looked up, their faces changed. Xie Lian loosened his grip on Hua Cheng’s sleeves and said, “Let’s talk later!”
Thus, the two continued forward. Only, this time, there was the added action of tightly holding onto the other’s hand.
Xie Lian’s face was still hot, and he spoke with forced calm like nothing was the matter, “San Lang, how did you discover that those two Feng Xin and Mu Qing were imposters? Where are the real ones?”
Hua Cheng’s in pretty much the same state as him and replied, “I left two wraith butterflies to monitor those two useless trash, so how could there suddenly be two more? Don’t worry Your Highness, they’re fine, they won’t die!”
“Then we have to go release Feng Xin and Mu Qing from the cocoons first.” Xie Lian said,
“Otherwise, it’d be bad if he finds them and they have no power to fight back!”
Hua Cheng answered, “This way, follow me!”
This Cave of Ten Thousand Gods was indeed his territory, and even when they came across over five to six different forks in the road, he could immediately and accurately determine which path to take, and it didn’t take long before they returned to where they first parted. Even at a distance they could hear those other two were pointing fingers at each other and yelling, “WHY DID YOU TELL HIS HIGHNESS TO RUN?? NOW YOU’VE DONE IT, HE’S BEEN CARRIED AWAY!”
“WHAT, AND HAVE HIM STAND AROUND TO BE BUTCHERED??”
“HUH? YOU JUST WANT HIM TO DISTRACT HUA CHENG AND HAVE HIM LEAD AWAY, AM I WRONG??”
Xie Lian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The two giant white cocoons on the wall were both simultaneously gnawing at the silk and yelling at each other, and when they saw him return, they were so surprised they even forgot to spit out the white silk from their mouths, “How did you escape?”
Xie Lian’s bamboo hat was still on the ground where he dropped it, and he quickly picked it up and tied it around his back. The heavy white silk released those two, retreating back into the shadows, and Feng Xin and Mu Qing, who were both beaten black and blue, tumbled to the ground. When they saw Hua Cheng emerge from behind Xie Lian, they probably thought they were about to go through another beating, that things were going to get rough again, and their faces twitched. Feng Xin was just grabbing for Xie Lian’s arm to pull him back but Xie Lian grabbed hold of Hua Cheng first.
“??? Your Highness?” Feng Xin was shocked.
Hua Cheng was already starting to lead the way, “Gege, this way.”
As if those two dared to follow him. Feng Xin questioned, “Your Highness, why are you still with him?”
Mu Qing then said, “Didn’t I say he’s lost his mind? Completely infatuated.”
Xie Lian didn’t fight them, and only very gently but firmly held on to Hua Cheng, “There’s no time to explain now. In any case, let’s get out of here first, there’s an enemy chasing us from behind!”
Having been held onto in place like this, Hua Cheng’s eyes were twinkling, and a moment later, he smiled, “I suggest you both hold your tongue and just follow. I’m in a good mood so I won’t fight you for now.”
Seeing this, the two wore complicated expressions and were in complete disbelief. In their thinking, they just couldn’t figure out why Xie Lian could still so nonchalantly walk alongside such a terrifying bastard ghost who had stalked him for over eight hundred years with a mind full of unspeakable things. This was practically like playing with fire and getting burnt. Mu Qing was suspicious, but in the end finally chose to talk about the other point and asked, “You said there’s an enemy? This Cave of Ten Thousand Gods is his territory so what kind of enemy can there possibly be? That scratch on his face is also slashed by the enemy? I don’t think there are that many in the world who can hurt Crimson Rain Sought Flower?”
“It’s the White No-Face.” Xie Lian replied.
Hearing this name, Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s faces both changed too, and immediately, without another world, followed after Xie Lian. Since, they were both more than clear that Xie Lian could joke and lie about anything except the one person. Xie Lian would never lie about him and he would never mistaken him either.
This group were just fighting each other to the death in the Cave of Ten Thousand Gods earlier, and now they were all fleeing together. “Just what is going on??” Mu Qing demanded.
Xie Lian thus gave them an account of that white clad man who had transformed into their appearances, and they were both stunned, “Disguised as us?! How is that possible!”
“It’s true!” Xie Lian said, “Even though everything was too much of a rush and I didn’t look closely, but in a glance it was absolutely you two!”
Feng Xin was dumbfounded, “But how can the White No-Face still exist in this world? Wasn’t he killed by the Emperor?”
“It’s easy to imagine that that creature isn’t so easily killed.” Mu Qing said, “Maybe it was killed at the time, but with the right chance it can certainly revive itself!”
Xie Lian recalled something and turned to Hua Cheng, “San Lang! Before, just after we entered Mount TongLu, you suddenly woke up from your hibernating state and urged us to immediately hide away from something. What you sensed back then, was it him?”
Hua Cheng nodded lightly, “It was him.”
Xie Lian mumbled, “I knew it! We later chose the path to the west, but the one who killed thousands of monsters and demons from the east was also him. He’s reborn but still a little weak and needed to kill the monsters and demons who entered Mount TongLu to use them as his stepping stone… and now, he’s recovered, and possibly even stronger than before.”
After all, he was the world’s first Supreme Ghost King!
Just as they were talking, Mu Qing noticed something wrong, “Your Highness, do you know where he’s taking us? I don’t think this is the way out?”
However, it was Hua Cheng who replied, “Of course this isn’t the way out, because there’s no way out right now.”
Feng Xin was shocked, “What? Isn’t this cave your territory? You can’t be lost either?”
“Of course not…” Xie Lian replied, and Hua Cheng answered, “Because the White No-Face is blocking the path leading to the exit of this cave. If you think you can defeat him in your current state then by all means, don’t follow me, and I won’t stop you. Please, go ahead.”
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were both from XianLe after all, and like Xie Lian, they was an indistinguishable shadow towards that creature in their hearts, and unless absolutely necessary, they absolutely did not want to face him. Feng Xin gazed upwards, “Can we punch through the top of the cave directly and get out?”
Hua Cheng mocked, “It’s the snowy mountain outside, do you want to start another avalanche?”
Too bad they left the Earth Master shovel to Yin Yu for emergencies and they didn’t have it on hand. None of them studied on how to used it either, so they couldn’t soundlessly dig themselves out. “Then why are we running around aimlessly for?”
“As long as we run around aimlessly, he will chase after us and therefore leave the path leading to the exit.” Xie Lian explained, “By then the rest of you can use that chance to escape.”
Mu Qing was sharp and said, “Wait, “the rest of you”? You mean to split? One group be the bait to lead him away while the other group escape by themselves?”
“That’s it exactly!” Xie Lian said, “The Emperor must be informed that the White No-Face has reappeared in the world. Once you both get out, find a way to bring this news to the heavens…”
Mu Qing cut him off, “Wait, wait! You’ve already decided who’s going to be bait and who’s going to leave?”
Xie Lian shook his head, “I didn’t decide this, White No-Face did.”
Mu Qing understood and didn’t speak anymore. It really wasn’t up to them to decide who gets pursued. If they must choose the one among them that the White No-Face would be the most interested in pursuing, then, it was for sure Xie Lian!
Feng Xin declared without hesitation, “I will stay with you to face him.”
In the past, if there was any incident, Mu Qing would always be the one Xie Lian send back to report while Feng Xin would always be the one staying behind to assist him. Now, it seemed the circumstances were going to repeat. However, Xie Lian glanced at Hua Cheng and said,
“Thanks! But, there’s no need. San Lang will stay with me.”
Feng Xin blurted, “How can he be the one to stay? He…”
Hua Cheng’s brows furrowed threateningly but Xie Lian replied, “He’s fine. I trust him.”
His voice was gentle but his demeanour was exceedingly determined, and Feng Xin was stunned in spite of himself, “Your Highness.”
Xie Lian patted his shoulder, “You two go together. Mount TongLu has now closed its gates, so it’s difficult to say if you can even charge out. Besides, don’t you still need to search for… Lan Chang and the child?”
With his reminder, Feng Xin’s face grew ashened. A wraith butterfly flew out from the engravings on the vambrace around Hua Cheng’s wrist, and Hua Cheng said, “Follow it.”
The two looked at Hua Cheng, then at Xie Lian, and in the end, Mu Qing tossed out, “You two watch yourselves.” Then he turned around to follow after that silver butterfly, dashing into another tunnel. A brief moment later, Feng Xin followed too.
The four thus parted at this fork in the road, and just as Xie Lian was watching their retreating backs, in the distance came another series of exploding rumbles. The remaining two exchanged a look and Hua Cheng said darkly, “He’s here.”
“Take me away.” Xie Lian said.
That white clad man came charging after Xie Lian as expected. Hua Cheng continued to set up wraith butterfly arrays to form obstacles in order to ensure that white clad man will always be kept at a distance from them, while at the same time, monitor the situation in various paths.
Every time there was an explosion and the shrieks of wraith butterflies however, his expression would grow grimmer, and Xie Lian also ached as he listened. They winded and turned, rounding corners after corners, and came to a cavern chamber. He couldn’t help but sigh, “I can’t believe… this many silver butterflies are lost.”
While those wraith butterflies didn’t have a good reputation in the external world, but in Xie Lian’s eyes, they were no more than clever and precious little spirits, and to so vigorously commit suicidal attacks without stopping if only to delay the steps of the enemy for one moment, Xie Lian couldn’t help but ache for them. Hua Cheng however, only snorted, appearing as if his eyes could see through the thick rocky walls and said darkly, “Don’t worry. If he kills one, I’ll make ten more. Fast and furious like the storms, I will never back down. Let’s see who’s the one left standing in the end.”
Xie Lian’s heart skipped a beat for some reason and he mumbled inwardly, ‘… Oh no, this is bad.’
Even though Hua Cheng’s expression was subconsciously displayed, but Xie Lian really was quite weak to this aggressive and rebellious confidence of his.
After another moment, Hua Cheng slowed his pace, and appeared as if he received some sort of signal, and he turned to Xie Lian, “He’s been lead away. Those two are almost out.”
“Great!” Xie Lian said, “Now we can take our time to think of a way.”
“En. There’s no rush now.” Hua Cheng said, “He’s been left behind for a long distance away, so we can hide here for now and think of a battle plan.”
“…”
Yet unexpectedly, the mood between the two of them suddenly became a little awkward.
It wasn’t the kind of awkwardness that came with embarrassment, but just a bit of unknown shyness. They were being chased closely by that creature behind them at first, and Feng Xin and Mu Qing were both present at the time, so this feeling wasn’t obvious. Although he did say “let’s talk later”, but now that they’ve caught their breaths and it’s already “later”, he had no idea what to say.
Xie Lian coughed lightly twice to clear his throat, raising a finger to scratch at his cheek, but felt no matter what things were a little uncomfortable. He wanted to speak but then worried if it would sound too abrupt, or too silly, or overly intentional, and in the end he hoped Hua Cheng would be the first to say something. However, Hua Cheng’s expression was also strained, appearing like he was thinking very seriously over their battle plans. But, whether if he was actually thinking was hard to tell, because the hands clenched behind his back seemed to be shaking slightly.
Just then, the two walked past a divine statue. Most of the divine statues within the Cave of Ten Thousand Gods were all about the same size as the real person himself; this one was more rough in craftsmanship and its size was also shrunken by half. When Xie Lian passed it, he casually peeled off the veil that was also covering its head, and his eyes lit up, “San Lang, did you carve this one too?”
Hua Cheng looked over and fell silent. It was a moment before he replied, “It’s work from beginner years. Gege, don’t look anymore.”
That must absolutely be the truth, since this divine statue really was extremely ugly. Even though it was easy to see that the sculptor had done his utmost to carve that perfect form in his heart, but the skill was limited, his wish unfulfilled, and while it couldn’t be said to be cockeyed or crooked, it could still be said this little figure was disproportionate and smiled like it was mentally challenged.
Still, despite all that, he still managed to complete every single detail without fault. Thus, Xie Lian could tell that this was a God-Pleasing Crown Prince statue. Even that pair of red coral pearl earrings were dotted.
Xie Lian silently covered his mouth and turned away. In order to appear natural, he even rubbed hard at his face. Hua Cheng didn’t know what to say and so he pleaded again, “Your Highness, please don’t look anymore.” He said as he tried to cover that statue again with a veil. Xie Lian quickly said, “Don’t misunderstand! I really think it’s very cute!” But then he thought, wasn’t the one Hua Cheng sculpted him? To praise that this thing was cute, wasn’t it just him praising himself as cute? Not only was he lying with his eyes wide open, it was also incredibly thick skinned, so Xie Lian couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Seeing this, Hua Cheng also bowed his head and lowered his lashes as he started to chuckle too.
Thus, with the both of them laughing, much of that unknown, anxiously stiff mood was washed away.
They continued forward and passed another statue that was lounging, lying on a stone bed, but its entire body was covered with a layer of smoke light white satin. Xie Lian was very curious and was just about to uncover the white veil on that divine statue’s body when Hua Cheng seized his wrist all of a sudden, “Your Highness!”
Ever since they entered this Cave of Ten Thousand Gods, Hua Cheng called him “Your Highness” a majority of the time. Xie Lian looked at him, and Hua Cheng let go of the hand that was gripping him, looking like he was still a little uncomfortable.
“I already know it’s a statue of me, can I still not look?” Xie Lian asked.
“If gege wants to look at statues, the best one I’ve sculpted still remains to be seen. I’ll show you some other time. Don’t look at any of the ones in this cave anymore.” Hua Cheng said.
Xie Lian didn’t understand, “Why? I think all the divine statues in this Cave of Ten Thousand Gods are all carved really well, really, really well. I’ll think it a shame if I can’t see them. Speaking of, those murals…”
Yet unexpectedly, Hua Cheng instantly said, “I’ll go destroy them.”
Seeing that he actually was about to move, Xie Lian hastily grabbed him, “Don’t don’t dont! Why destroy them? Just because I saw? Fine fine fine… I’ll tell you the truth. I’ve only actually seen a little bit, like the ShangYuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, the army and the like. I haven’t seen most of it because Feng Xin and Mu Qing wouldn’t let me, so I have absolutely no idea what you painted. Don’t go and destroy them!”
“…”
Only then did Hua Cheng turn around to face him, “Really?”
Xie Lian held on to him and replied with the utmost sincerity, “Really. If you don’t want me to look then I won’t.”
Hua Cheng seemed to have sighed in relief quietly and smiled, “It’s not anything good to look at anyway. If you want to see anything, just have me paint it directly.”
A reaction like this, Xie Lian was now even more curious. But, he didn’t want to drive Hua Cheng to destroy those precious murals himself either, so he could only force down his own desires. After taking a few steps, Xie Lian suddenly frowned, “…Something’s not right.”
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