Ch.187: Cold White Ghost; Warm Words Confounding the Crown Prince
In the dark night, both Xie Lian’s pupils instantly shrank to two extremely small dots, and his voice trembled, “…It’s you?!”
White No-Face!
Hairs on Xie Lian’s back rose and he leapt to his feet, grabbing for his sword but there was nothing, and only then did he remember he pawned all of his swords. Even that branch he took for a weapon earlier was broken. Which meant, he was facing this creature with neither spiritual power nor weapons!
A few years ago when XianLe fell, White No-Face disappeared from the world. Xie Lian never bothered to search for him, and never thought of searching for him, only praying that he would just so soundlessly never appear again, yet who knew this creature would suddenly appear before him!
That white clothed figure approached languidly, and Xie Lian felt a sudden chill and couldn’t help but back away a couple steps, yet he immediately snapped to: no backing away! Even fleeing was pointless!
He cried sharply, “WHAT DO YOU WANT??”
White No-Face didn’t answer, and continued to come closer with hands at his sides. Xie Lian was shaking from his feet to his hands, and even the white puffs of air from his lips seemed to be trembling.
He forced himself to recall the jeers, the indifference, and the mocking laughter of those thirty some heavenly officials, and Mu Qing who’d turned his face away, and all of a sudden, he forgot his fear as he shouted and struck out with a hand chop.
However, before that hand even chopped, there was an excruciating pain. The other party actually predicted Xie Lian’s move and was a step faster, flashing behind his back and kicked the hollow of his knee!
Too fast!
Xie Lian’s knees dropped heavily to the ground, and only then did a terrifying thought enter his mind.
The movement was this creature was faster than he had thought!
The next moment, Xie Lian felt something even more horrifying – a cold hand with its fingers stretched open was pressed over his skull!
He started screaming. That hand had only used a bit of strength and Xie Lian’s entire body was pulled up from the head. Xie Lian had no doubt that based on this creature’s strength, should his fingers curl in they could easily smash his skull, and his head would instantly turn into smeared bloody flesh smushed between bones. He also had no doubt that the next thing White No-Face planned to do was exactly that!
Xie Lian breathed harshly, thinking he was dead for sure, and squeezed his eyes shut. Yet unexpectedly, that creature had no intention of exerting any more force, and instead it withdrew its murderous intent and sighed softly.
That sound of his soft sigh lasted for a while and the other party showed no signs of moving. In the dead silence, Xie Lian reopened his eyes little by little.
Ghost fires filled the air and they were dancing in wild joy, each of the balls of flames were watching the show, cackling as the spirits of the deceased laughed. However, most of the ghost fires seemed to have been stunned by something, not daring to approach the two, and only a ball of ghost fire with its flames that were abnormally bright were hanging above them, using its own flames to attack the one behind Xie Lian again and again. No one could tell what it was doing, but no matter how one looked at it, it was like an insect fighting a tree.
Then, Xie Lian’s body froze abruptly.
White No-Face had hugged him!
Xie Lian knelt in a slump while he was encircled by a pair of cold but powerful arms and pulled into a lifeless embrace.
Without knowing when, White No-Face had also sat down and he murmured, “So sad, so sad. Your Highness, look at yourself, look what they’ve done to you.”
He murmured softly as he caressed Xie Lian’s head, his hands gentle and merciful, like he was petting a wounded puppy or his child who was about to pass away from severe illness.
Under the moonlight, the smiling face of that cry-smiling mask was hidden in the darkness, revealing only the other half that was crying, seeming like it was genuinely shedding tears of grief for Xie Lian.
Through his gesture, Xie Lian actually felt a peculiar kind of loving compassion. Just as he would’ve been in the embrace of his best friend or a familiar family member, his shivering body miraculously became warmer.
He had never thought that in such a state, the one who would give him compassion and warmth would be this strange creature.
Deep in Xie Lian’s throat came waves of suppressed sobs, shaking harder and harder. That ball of ghost fire flew to his heart, looking as if it wanted to warm him, but wasn’t confident that it could help chase away the cold, so it didn’t press close.
White No-Face helped clean off the mud of his person and beckoned, “Come to my side.”
“…I…I…” Xie Lian’s voice trembled.
Before he finished his words, his hand suddenly flashed out and went straight for White No-Face’s mask!
His attack was successful, and that mask was smacked high into the air. Xie Lian himself had leapt and flipped to meters away, the terror from earlier completely gone. He said darkly in rage,
“Who’s going to your side, you… monster!”
That tragically pale cry-smiling mask fell to the ground, and all the ghost fires in the air seemed to be stupefied, and they suddenly lost order, dancing madly without stopping, shrieking without a sound. White No-Face on the other hand, covered his face and started chuckling softly.
That laugh was making all of Xie Lian’s hairs stand, “What are you laughing about?”
White No-Face humphed softly, “You will come to my side one day.”
His tone was confident. Xie Lian didn’t understand what he meant and said in disbelief, “What side is your side? You destroyed XianLe and you still want me to go over to your side? Are you crazy? I think you’re sick in the head!”
He didn’t know how to cuss at others, and even in extreme rage he only knew how to say those words, otherwise he would’ve used the world’s most vicious, most vengeful words to curse that creature. White No-Face laughed out loud, and with his hand covering his face, he held his head tall, “You will come. In this world, no one but me will truly understand you, and no one but me will forever stay by your side.”
Xie Lian felt chills and still tried to argue, “GET OUT OF HERE! Enough with your arrogant nonsense! How could there be no one just because you said so?”
A ball of ghost fire flew to his side and moved up and down, like it was nodding in agreement.
However, wicked wisps like it were all around, so Xie Lian didn’t notice this particular one.
Before him, White No-Face said warmly, “Oh? Is there someone? Maybe there were people in the past, but do you think they’d still be there from now on?”
“…”
Xie Lian demanded, “What do you mean? What are you hinting at?”
White No-Face didn’t answer and only sneered and turned around, looking like it was about to drift away.
He said softly, “I will wait for you here, Your Highness.”
As if Xie Lian would let him go just like that, “WAIT! DON’T GO! What did you do to them? DID YOU TOUCH MY PARENTS AND FENG XIN??”
He chased after him, reaching his arms out to grab at the silhouette of that white clothed man, yet unexpectedly, the other party lightly swept its sleeve and grabbed a ball of ghost fire.
He didn’t particularly aim to attack Xie Lian, but Xie Lian sensed a horrifying force coming at him, and his entire person was thrown high into the air, hitting against a tree. A large crack, and that giant tree with the width of two grown men split and fell by this collision.
If this was before, then Xie Lian wouldn’t even frown if he should break ten trees. However, his body was mortal right now, and with such a crash, it was like his bones fell apart, and he fell heavily to the ground, losing consciousness.
The final moment as his eyes closed, Xie Lian seemed to have seen that white clothed figure reach out a hand and held up within his palm a blazing ghost fire, and he chuckled, “Spirit, tell me, what is your name? How interesting…”
When he came to, everything was gone.
Xie Lian was covered with the astringence of blood from his chest to the mouth, and his head spun for a good while before he suddenly stumbled to crawl up. He muttered, “…Father! Mother! Feng Xin!”
He remembered everything that had happened before he passed out, and didn’t dare to waste a single second. He ran like mad for tens of miles, and finally after twenty somes days since he left with the satchel on his back, he returned to the king and the others’ hiding place in a deep night.
Xie Lian was panicking the entire way, extremely anxious, scared that White No-Face had already done something to his friend and family. The moment he returned to that dilapidated cottage he shoved the door open, and blurted out before even catching his breath, “FATHER! MOTHER! FENG XIN!”
Thank goodness. The house didn’t look as tragic as he had imagined, and nothing was out of place either, still looking exactly the same as when he had left.
Xie Lian had run madly with a body covered in injuries, his throat so dry it was going to smoke.
He relaxed a little and only then did he swallowed before continuing deeper into the house, “Feng Xin! Where are you guys…”
He pushed a door open and his voice died in his throat. Feng Xin was inside and when he saw Xie Lian had come back, he exclaimed in amazement, “Your Highness! Why are you back?”
However, Xie Lian wasn’t looking at him, but was staring intently at the one facing Feng Xin.
Before Feng Xin stood a black clad man.
It was Mu Qing.
Mu Qing turned his head back and saw Xie Lian. He pressed his lips, looking grim. Feng Xin went around him and came over to greet Xie Lian, “Didn’t you go to train? How was it? I thought you’d be gone for at least several months. Did you come back so soon because you’ve made excellent progress?”
Xie Lian stared at Mu Qing, “Where’s father and mother?”
“Sleeping in the room. They’ve already gone to rest.” Feng Xin said. “Why are your clothes so dirty? What’s with the cuts on your face? Who fought with you?”
Xie Lian didn’t answer. Only when he heard his parents were fine did he completely relax, and he turned to Mu Qing, “Why are you here?”
Mu Qing didn’t speak, and Feng Xin replied for him, “He came to deliver something,”
“What?” Xie Lian questioned.
Mu Qing raised his hand lightly, pointing to the side. What he was pointing at were several clean sacks, probably with rice or grain in them.
Seeing Xie Lian so quiet, Mu Qing said softly, “I heard you are needing medicine. I’ll think of a way to get some later.”
“Alright.” Feng Xin said, “I’ll say my thanks then. We do need all this stuff right now. Heavenly officials can’t gift mortals things privately, so you be careful too.” Then he shuffled to Xie Lian’s side and whispered, “I’m pretty surprised too, that he’d actually come back to help. I’m the one who judged him wrong. In any case…” However, Xie Lian suddenly spoke up, “Don’t need it.”
Mu Qing’s expression turned ashen for a moment, and he clenched his fists. Feng Xin was puzzled, “What don’t we need?”
Xie Lian enunciated slowly, “I don’t need your help. I also… don’t want any of your stuff. Please leave.”
When he heard the words “Please leave”, Mu Qing’s face became even more ashened.
Feng Xin also noticed something was wrong and asked, “Just what is going on?”
Mu Qing bowed his head, “I’m sorry.”
Having known Mu Qing for so many years, this was the first time they heard him say those words, and it was also the first time he apologized to genuinely, but Xie Lian had no more mind to be surprised, “Please leave!”
He was still unable to control his emotions, and he grabbed those sacks and started throwing them at Mu Qing. White rice spilled the ground, and Mu Qing was thrown into a distraught state.
He only raised an arm to block but still held back. Feng Xin held Xie Lian down and was alarmed, “Your Highness! What’s going on? What did he do?? Didn’t you go cultivate?? Just what exactly happened??”
Having been held down, Xie Lian said with red eyes, “…Why don’t you ask him? I did go to train, but ask him just why I’ve returned!”
It was too noisy out and the queen who was sleeping in the back rooms was shaken awake.
She emerged after pulling on an outer robe, “My son, have you returned? What’s happened to you…” Feng Xin quickly said, “Nothing! Your majesty, please go back in!” Then he forcefully pushed her back and closed the door. Then he demanded, “What did you do? Mu Qing just what exactly did you do?? Your Highness, did the cuts on your face come from him??”
Xie Lian’s breathing was growing harsher and more turbulent, and couldn’t force a word out. Mu Qing exclaimed, “It wasn’t me! I didn’t hit His Highness, I only asked him to leave. Other than that I didn’t say anything harsh, and I didn’t move against him either! They were determined to take over that spiritual land, and under those circumstances if you didn’t leave, nothing would end!”
“YOU!…”
After having exchanged so many words, Feng Xin finally got the gist of what had transpired. He widened his eyes and pointed at Mu Qing, unable to speak. A moment later, he bent down and grabbed a sack and flung it over, roaring, “SCRAM! SCRAM SCRAM SCRAM!”
Mu Qing was hit in the face by the sacks of rice he brought and backed two steps away. All three of them in the house were panting harshly, and Feng Xin cried, “I WAS WONDERING WHY YOU SUDDENLY HAD A CHANGE OF HEART! I CAN’T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS, HOLY SHIT… DON’T LET ME SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!”
Mu Qing exclaimed with a cracked voice, “YES! I WAS WRONG, I ADMIT IT, AND I APOLOGIZE! BUT I WANTED TO SOLVE ALL THE CURRENT PROBLEMS FIRST BEFORE WE THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE! Your parents and my mother, the three of us, who knows how long we’d have to struggle in the mud! If I went back first, maybe there’d still be a chance…”
Feng Xin cussed, “ALL FUCKING BULLSHIT, STOP YOUR BULLSHIT! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES, SCRAM SCRAM SCRAM SCRAM SCRAM SCRAM SCRAM!”
Mu Qing tried again, “If you put yourself in my shoes…” Feng Xin cut him off, “I TOLD YOU TO STOP YOUR BULLSHIT! I’M NOT LISTENING! I JUST KNOW THAT EVEN IN YOUR SHOES I WOULDN’T HAVE DONE THE SAME THING AS YOU. NO NEED TO PUT MYSELF IN YOUR SHOES BECAUSE YOU’RE NOTHING MORE THAN A TRAITOR!”
Mu Qing’s face was now green and he took a step forward, “When His Highness was in a tight spot, wasn’t he forced to commit robbery too? Why when it comes to me, you can’t accept it?”
Feng Xin spat, “HUH? ROBBERY? WHO COMMITTED ROBBERY? His Highness COMMITTED ROBBERY? WHAT SHIT TALK ARE YOU FUCKING SAYING?”
“…”
Xie Lian stopped breathing.
Watching Feng Xin’s raging face gradually changing to shock, Mu Qing finally realized something was wrong and he turned to Xie Lian hesitatingly, “You… you didn’t…?”
He had never expected that Xie Lian hadn’t told Feng Xin about that incident!
“AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”
Xie Lian had gone mad and he grabbed a random object by his hand and started chasing Mu Qing out. Mu Qing also realized that he might’ve screwed up, and didn’t dare to speak even having been hit a few times. Yet when he ran out the door and looked back, the thing Xie Lian was using to chase him out was actually a broom, and his face instantly darkened, “Did you have to taunt me like this??”
Xie Lian cried brokenly, “GET OUT OF HERE!”
Xie Lian’s swung fist blew out sharp gales, and Mu Qing was hit, barely dodging the brunt of the attack, a thin bloody cut appearing on his cheek. He reached out and touched the cut, looked at the blood on his hand, his expression unreadable, “…Fine. I’m leaving.”
Xie Lian was shaking all over and he bent over deeply down at the waist. Mu Qing took a few steps forward and still placed the rice sacks on the ground in the end, “I’m really leaving.”
Xie Lian whipped his head up. When Mu Qing saw his eyes, he swallowed. Not hanging around any longer, he swept his sleeves and left.
Only then did the thoroughly stunned Feng Xin came running out, “Your Highness! He’s fucking lying, right? What robbery?”
Xie Lian covered his forehead, “…Don’t ask anymore. Please, Feng Xin, I beg you to please don’t ask anymore.”
“No, of course I don’t believe it.” Feng Xin said, “I just want to know what really happened…”
Xie Lian screamed and covered his ears, escaping back into the cottage and locked himself in his room.
Feng Xin was completely convinced that he would never do such a thing, but that was precisely why this had become the worst case scenario!
Xie Lian wanted to just run away, escape to somewhere where no one knew him, but when he remembered what White No-Face had said, he didn’t dare to go too far either, and could only shut himself inside the room. No matter how Feng Xin and the queen called for him he’d refuse to emerge.
It took two days before Xie Lian felt calmer, and when Feng Xin came to knock again, he silently opened the door. Feng Xin was holding a plate and stood at the door, “Her Majesty made you this during the day today, and exhorted that I’d absolutely bring this to you.”
The things in that plate were something green and purple, a horrifying sight. Feng Xin continued, “If Your Highness think your life might be in danger, I can finish this for you, I won’t tell Her Majesty, haha.”
Xie Lian could tell that Feng Xin still really wanted to prod and ask what the robbery was about, but was also scared that Xie Lian might lock himself up again, and so he forced it down and pretended that incident never happened and there was nothing to question, pretending to be at ease. However, he wasn’t good at joking, and the jokes he made were all dry, making things even more awkward.
To be honest, the taste of his mother’s cooking really was quite terrifying, and the more times she entered the kitchen, the more effort she put in, the more astray the path of her progress. Xie Lian had also never cooked, but the meals he made didn’t taste too bad. It seemed, it could only be explained by way of natural talent. Nevertheless, Xie Lian still took the plate, and sat by the table to eat it down honestly. Either way, he couldn’t taste whatever he ate now.
At least, the one consoling thing in all of this was while he was sure he was done for and the king had overheard that night, based on how things were the past few days, it didn’t look like the king and the queen knew about his robbery incident. Otherwise, by the king’s temperament, he would’ve started yelling at him already. Feng Xin would never tell them either, so Xie Lian could relax for now.
As he was thinking this, Feng Xin suddenly rose to his feet, and Xie Lian snapped out of it, “What are you doing?”
Feng Xin grabbed his bow and said, “It’s time for me to go busking.”
Xie Lian stood up too, “I’ll go with you.”
After a moment of hesitation, Feng Xin said, “Forget it. You just rest a bit more.”
Although Feng Xin didn’t ask any more questions, Xie Lian was still feeling uncomfortable all over, as if now that Feng Xin had learn such a thing, there was something between them that could never go back. Every word and every look Feng Xin gave him seemed to have taken on a different meaning, worthy of deeper interpretation. Xie Lian shook his head and sighed, “Let me be honest with you. I don’t have the mind to cultivate right now.”
Feng Xin had expected this too, and he bowed his head, not knowing what to say. Xie Lian continued, “So if that’s the case, instead of rotting inside the house, I might as well go busk too, so I could at least earn some money, so at least I’m not…”
At least he wouldn’t be an invalid.
Yet for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say the last two words. Perhaps it was because he really felt like he was already an invalid, so he didn’t dare to reveal it so easily.
Feng Xin was still a little worried, “I can do it on my own too. Your Highness, you’ve only had one meal in the past two days, so why don’t you rest for a few more days?”
The more he insisted, the more Xie Lian was anxious to prove himself, and he turned to look in the mirror, “It’s fine, I’ll just clean myself up and…”
He was going to tidy himself up at first so he at least wouldn’t be a disheveled, crazy beggar, yet unexpectedly, he saw an exceedingly horrifying image reflected in the mirror.
The him in the mirror didn’t have a face – because in his reflection, what was on his face was a half crying half smiling cry-smiling mask.
———
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