Ch.232: Adroit Dice; Snake Eyes Rolled Alarming the Heart 4
Mu Qing inhaled deeply and admitted, “…That’s right, I was the one who hurt Feng Xin.”
Feng Xin was outraged, “I just knew it was definitely you!”
Mu Qing turned to Xie Lian, “But that was because the Heavenly Capital was done for! At the time, all the heavenly officials were trying to find ways to escape, but he still stayed there refusing to leave, and he wouldn’t listen when called either. If he continued to remain he would’ve been burnt to death by the flames of karma sooner or later, which was why I planned on knocking him out before tossing him to you!”
“But, you didn’t hand him to me. Feng Xin went missing and ended up here instead.” Xie Lian said.
“Because a little accident happened on the way.” Mu Qing said.
“What accident?”
“That fetus spirit.” Mu Qing said, “It suddenly ambushed me from behind, biting me not letting go, refusing to let me take him. I hadn’t had the chance to pull him up before the Heavenly Capital started reshaping, so…”
So, Feng Xin was somehow moved here along with the piece of land beneath him.
If that was the truth, then it meant Mu Qing had the intention to do a good deed, but accidentally made things worse and screwed Feng Xin over. A very awkward situation.
Xie Lian said, “Why didn’t you say so sooner earlier…” Feng Xin was also dubious, “Are you sure you didn’t plan on letting me burn to death at the Heavenly Capital? To just knock me out and leave me there?”
Mu Qing’s face stiffened and turned to Xie Lian, “The fetus spirit was crouching on his chest the entire time, and later that female ghost Jian Lan came too, so I figured she would wake or move Feng Xin instead of watching him get burnt.”
Xie Lian thus understood too. Mu Qing had come out to rescue him out of guilt, after all, he was the one who knocked Feng Xin out. Out of a sense of responsibility, naturally he had to put in some effort. No wonder he was so nervous and on edge the entire way, he was probably scared wondering whether if Feng Xin might have died…
Yet, this set of excuses was hard to believe. Feng Xin pulled at his hair madly, “WHAT A MESS YOU’VE MADE OF THINGS! DON’T YOU KNOW I WAS LOOKING FOR THEM? IF YOU DIDN’T KNOCK ME OUT MAYBE I WOULD’VE FOUND THEM!”
Mu Qing said calmly, “That fetus spirit is White No-Face’s subordinate, White No-Face wouldn’t do anything malicious to them. And they didn’t want to go with you, so you staying behind is just a waste of time. You can call for them for a thousand times and it’d be pointless, so why not leave the Heavenly Capital to save your life first then find opportunities later to look for them?
Why must you force something like recognizing sons during such a dire situation? I only made the best possible decision for all parties at that moment.”
Feng Xin wasn’t as calm as he was, “Best possible decision my ass! You can only say that because it’s not your family! Wait, so what you mean to say is, you were trying to save me, and make me leave?”
However, Hua Cheng cut in, “That’s enough rubbish, just answer my question: what did Jun Wu say to you?”
Mu Qing shut up and was somewhat hesitant.
Hua Cheng stared at him, “Are you currently under his command?”
Mu Qing instantly replied, “Nothing of the sort!”
“Then please explain this cursed shackle.” Hua Cheng said.
Mu Qing had been arguing for so long, his mouth dry, and a moment later, he said with a hoarse voice, “I already said… you guys might not believe me.”
“Earlier when we asked you, you denied everything to death, and only now do you admit it, so of course it’s going to be hard to believe you.” Feng Xin said.
Mu Qing was slightly indignant, “Why didn’t I admit to it? If I told you earlier what had happened, you would definitely not have believed me anyway! With this attitude, who’d admit to anything?
The moment I admit to anything I wouldn’t be able to explain myself at all, so I might as well not have admitted to anything!” Besides, obviously having nothing happen to Feng Xin was fortunate, but the whole incident was rather embarrassing, and by his personality, not wanting to admit to it was also normal.
Xie Lian had been listening to him patiently the whole time, and said, “Just let him finish.”
Mu Qing glanced at Xie Lian, and it took a moment before he said staggeringly with difficulty,
“This is… Because, he wanted me to, do detrimental things to His Highness, I, refused, so…”
At this point, even he himself felt uncomfortable and couldn’t continue any longer. Hua Cheng continued for him, “So, in a fit of anger, he put a cursed shackle on you?”
Mu Qing didn’t speak.
“Nothing else?” Feng Xin demanded.
There was nothing particularly notable on Hua Cheng’s expression, “From the bottom of your heart, do you believe the words you just said?”
“…”
It was as if Mu Qing suffered a great humiliation and he said coldly, “Believe if you will. There’s a misunderstanding in me knocking Feng Xin out, but I’m not under anyone’s command.”
Feng Xin responded, “Mu Qing… you best just tell the truth.”
When Mu Qing saw his expression his knuckles cracked, “What I said was the truth! What did you want to hear? That I surrendered to Jun Wu and am out to hurt you all? Is that the person I am in your minds? Your Highness??”
He gazed to Xie Lian, his eyes emotional. Xie Lian stared at him for a long time, pensive the whole time, but just as he was about to speak. Hua Cheng crossed his arms and shielded in front him, meeting Mu Qing’s eyes, speaking quietly, “There’s no need to look at His Highness like this. After all, you’ve got a track record.”
“I didn’t ask you!” Mu Qing countered, “What track record?”
Hua Cheng smiled, “What track record? How did cultivation go for you after stealing a piece of auspicious land from His Highness’ hands?”
His smile was laced with chilling air, and his tone was even nastier. Mu Qing was taken aback, his face paling, and he involuntarily staggered back a few steps, “YOU!…”
Mu Qing himself knew that that incident with fighting Xie Lian over auspicious land wasn’t the ethical thing to do, thus, he was the most fearful of people bringing it out in the open to point their fingers at it. While Hua Cheng’s tone was light, his tone was forceful and vicious.
Mu Qing was surprised, but Xie Lian was too. What he was surprised about was, how did Hua Cheng know about this incident?
Neither Xie Lian nor Feng Xin were the gossipy type, and never enjoyed debating right or wrongs behind people’s back or spreading anything. While at the time, Mu Qing’s departure was a huge shock to them, but they never said anything or complained to anyone over it. As for the fight over that piece of auspicious land, afterwards Xie Lian never mentioned it again, and had never spoken of it to anyone either. He was sure Feng Xin was the same.
Those thirty some heavenly officials naturally wouldn’t have voluntarily told anyone they stole another’s spiritual land for cultivation, so they would’ve either kept everything a complete secret or twisted the truth. Thus, afterwards, Xie Lian had never heard talk of that incident again.
So if that was the case, then how had Hua Cheng learned of it?
Even if he had planted many spies in the Heavenly Court, that affair really was much too long ago, it’s been some eight hundred years, and most of those involved never said a single word, so was it really possible for Hua Cheng to have dug out this aged mess?
Mu Qing questioned, “And how did you know about it? Who told you?” He looked at Feng Xin, then looked at Xie Lian, and in the end the one he peered at was still Xie Lian. Hua Cheng jeered, “There’s no need to look at His Highness, His Highness never tells me these things. This was something you both yelled about at the top of the snowy mountain, did you forget?”
Mu Qing’s face was turning paler. Xie Lian’s confusion was somewhat lessened, and he couldn’t help but sweat drop.
When Feng Xin and Mu Qing started going at each other’s throats, they’d often revive old quarrels like mad, and crazily pull rugs from each other’s feet, so they would’ve definitely bundled aged old messes like dynamite and hurled them at each other. No wonder Hua Cheng was that angry at the time. But, Xie Lian still vaguely felt there was something deeper than that.
Since, Xie Lian remembered another thing – the Red Clad Ghost and the Burning of the Civil and Martial Temples. Hua Cheng became famous overnight, after the one battle where he defeated thirty-three heavenly officials, and one blazing fire scorched all the temples and shrines they had in the mortal realm.
Xie Lian had long forgotten how many heavenly officials there were who fought him over the auspicious land, and even their titles, faces, and the words they said were lost to him. He only vaguely recall there were maybe thirty of them.
Then, what was the count exactly?
Could it be the thirty some heavenly officials of back then?
If it was, then, didn’t this mean Hua Cheng had long since known about the incident?
It was a moment before Mu Qing gritted out, “That time is that time, this time is this time! In any case, I had never thought of…”
They were just arguing when suddenly, one of Xie Lian’s legs kicked out, and he shouted, “WATCH OUT!”
Mu Qing wasn’t expecting this at all and was instantly kicked down. Whoosh, whoosh, and two sharp, chilling air brushed over him, nailing onto the wall. Mu Qing leapt to his feet, and dusted off the footprint on his chest, “ARE YOU DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?? ATTACKING FIRST?”
Xie Lian replied while his mind was occupied, “Sorry sorry, that really wasn’t intentional!” If it had been intentional, Mu Qing would’ve crashed into a human shaped hole in the wall by now.
Everyone turned their heads to look, and upon the wall were two sharp swords impaled, and the blades were still vibrating. Feng Xin shouted, “WHO’S THERE??”
“There’s no one there.” Xie Lian said, “They moved on their own!”
Clink clank, chlink chlunk. From all around them the murderous aura exploded. Those weapons hung on the walls became aggravated, violently shaking, so much so that the entire chamber was clamouring from the quaking.
“Let’s get out of here, quick!” Xie Lian exclaimed.
Yet unexpectedly, when he dashed to where the entrance used to be, Feng Xin shouted, “WHY ARE YOU RUNNING THERE? THERE’S NO PATH OVER THERE! Where’s the door? This chamber couldn’t not have a door?? HOW DO WE GET OUT?”
“There used to be a door!” Xie Lian exclaimed, “But it’s gone! What’s going on with those arms? Why did killing intent suddenly explode?”
Hua Cheng used two fingers and caught a long sword that came flying at him, and without exerting much force that sword snapped, crackling as the pieces fell to the ground. He spoke up, “It’s been too long since anyone’s used them, and they’ve gotten lonely. When they sense people come in, they wanted to kill, that’s all.”
The other two subconsciously turned their heads to look at Mu Qing. Mu Qing instantly exclaimed, “IT’S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!”
“But,” Hua Cheng said, “You’re the one who led us here.”
“I only pointed this path out because I saw the fetus spirit!” Mu Qing countered.
Hua Cheng countered back, “Only you saw it.”
Mu Qing had nothing to say to that, and clenched his fists. Feng Xin spoke up, “Well what do we do now? Can’t those weapons calm themselves?”
Before Hua Cheng had answered, Xie Lian suddenly remembered how he used to face similar monsters and demons, and mumbled, “It’s possible! But… we must let them kill.”
“But there’s no exit to this place right now,” Feng Xin said, “And there’s only the four of us locked up in here. How do we let them kill? What can they kill?”
Just as Xie Lian was about to speak, Hua Cheng suddenly said, “Three of us.”
“What, three?” Feng Xin questioned.
“Just correcting you, that’s all.” Hua Cheng said, “The ones locked up here are only the three of us.”
Xie Lian whipped his head around. Sure enough, within the armoury, Mu Qing who used to be the fourth person had vanished!
It was the truth! Where Mu Qing used to stand, there was now nothing but empty air. Feng Xin was dumbfounded, “How can this be?? He was standing there just now!”
Hua Cheng wasn’t surprised at all, since he had already run into something like this himself earlier, and only said, “We’re in White No-Face’s territory right now. Everyone follows his command, he has nothing to fear, so of course he can take people away as he will.”
“…”
Earlier, when Feng Xin didn’t wholly believe, the sharp words he exchanged with Mu Qing were uttered mostly out of anger, but now, he really didn’t know what to say. It was a good moment before he finally said, “Your Highness, Mu Qing, he, could he really have…?”
Xie Lian quickly replied, “Let’s not talk about this right now. These weapons are about to go violent, we have to think of a way to calm them down first, otherwise we’ll be chopped to mush!”
Then, he pulled out Fang Xin that was carried on his back. However, Hua Cheng resolutely pressed down on his hand.
Xie Lian was taken aback and looked over, and saw Hua Cheng staring at him intently, red slowly spreading around the rims of his eyes.
He said darkly, “Gege, what are you planning, pulling out the sword?”
———-
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