Chapter Text
Xie Lian dreamt of killing.
It had been a long time since he had killed anyone. Two-hundred years probably, he thought, waking up tired, eyes all red and hazy, his ever-youthful face was hardened by the centuries-old expression of exhaustion.
And sadness.
Because no matter how much he tried to lull himself into self-fabricated delusions of contentment of steamed bums, and happiness even – he was sad. He tried to swallow his sadness with his disgust along the way it got caught up in his throat and he almost choked on it.
The little shrine felt empty and ruined around him. He tried to blink away his welling tears in order to asses his surroundings better. He had slept – did not do anything much, really – on this floor the past several days, but when a person was this old and this tired, days could feel like minutes. But minutes sometimes years. Looking around his eyes fixated on the small, unmistakable signs of abandonment.
It was late afternoon, he guessed by the rose-colored light he saw escaping into the shabby building – there was no door to stand in its way.
Feng Xin and Mu Qing had left days ago. The Generals had been there. There to scoop him up from the dirt (sand falling around his skin), there to help him into clean water (deep-cold, healing, piercing his skin). There to witness another fall from grace of his. However, this fall was unfamiliar to all of them.
The Generals were of great help and Xie Lian felt utterly ashamed. He was still wearing Mu Qing’s deep-blue outer robe.
Xie Lian was aware – he was walking on this earth for eight-hundred years, he should’ve been aware – of the concept of rape. He was aware.
Never familiar with it.
It was only that: a concept. It had been that.
He thought he have to get past it, too.
And eat. His stomach twisted at the thought, but not from the marring hunger he undeniably felt. That was what got him there in the first place. The berries. The hunger, stupid, human. The urge to fill his belly, the urge not to die. It was human and stupid indeed – he could not die.
He could not move yet. His memories froze him on the spot on the floor.
Xie Lian was aware that his head was far from clear. Somewhere at the back of his mind he knew he was capable of thinking rationally. Those far-exiled rational thoughts of his told him that it was no tragedy. No big deal. He had been stabbed to death countless times. He had been beaten, ugly, raw, on the streets, he had been kicked into the dirt. It was just like that, just like that, just like that–
Someone… ragged, violent men forced parts of them inside of him–
No matter. It was no different than taking a beating. No different, at all.
He had been violated in so many ways, it was nothing. It was nothing.
It was nothing.
It was nothing.
It had to be nothing.
His rational thoughts offered no explanation, no answer to that acid-taste question that kept bubbling up in his throat like bile: if it was truly no different, why does it feel different?
He gathered himself from the floor, his body not particularly dirty anymore but Xie Lian could feel his skin sticky from the sweat of several days of trashing at night and open-eyed nightmares.
Eat, that order from his body was still a priority, hunger – human, stupid – slowly eating away his other thoughts.
Xie Lian felt disgusted – by himself. He had been more than disgusting though, he thought. He had lived his fair share of humiliating experiences, but no kick, no beating, no food from the dirt, no begging for a drop of water felt this disgusting.
He had let it happen to him. He had just knelt there, forced on all fours and could not move and had only taken the pain without putting up a fight. He was a martial god, at least once he had been called that, and he let something like this happen to him-
With trembling muscles he fought his body to stand and move, one foot, one step. Other foot, another step, hands knotting the robe tightly around his waist and chest, long hair falling around his shoulders down his back.
Mu Qing said that there was a stream flowing nearby. He had been starving ever since… ever since…? He really could not remember. If it wasn’t for the Generals – and their distance-shortening array and their aggressive need to take him to safety – he would’ve died several times before he got out from that desert.
With unbalanced steps and trembling muscles he stepped outside.
Xie Lian knew the Generals took him to a small, unassuming village under Mu Qing’s supervision – perhaps he wouldn’t have been willing to admit that, but in a secret part of his brain he was glad for that.
A loud cry startled him.
On the other side of the road, not older than five, face forward in the sand there was a boy. Xie Lian’s frightened expression softened when he realized the child must’ve tripped and fell, still familiarizing himself with the concept of shame and embarrassment.
He looked around again, his eyes screening the street and the homes for sight of parents or friends perhaps, but there was no one. Xie Lian’s brain momentarily forgot about his body’s hunger and crippling self-hatred as he scooped the child up and forced a smile on his face.
“You should be more careful when running,” he patted the boy’s head and used his sleeve to wipe the dirt and tears from the little face. “Where are you heading?”
“Looking for p-papa,” a hiccup.
“And where is papa?”
“Away.” The boy raised his small hand and pointed over the horizon with his finger.
That might be a problem, Xie Lian concluded.
“Alright. Where is mama?”
“A-at home.”
Xie Lian decided to ensure the child’s safety first and then indulge in his earthy delights of eating some dirt or whatever that kept him going. Whatever he could have his hands on.
“Should we go back to mama, what do you think?” Xie Lian cooed, as he gently took the boy into his arms.
“Uhum.”
The child obediently guided his saviour through the houses and small roads towards his home he escaped earlier. He must have concluded Xie Lian looked a very kind man and with a child’s assessment of strangers and workings of the world, he trusted him with the whereabouts of his mother and house.
By the time they arrived on the porch there had been standing a young woman trembling from anger, tears streaming down her face. The child practically tore himself from Xie Lian’s arms as his mother jumped towards them.
“YOU-!” A loud cry from mother to her son who started weeping again.
Xie Lian felt as if he could faint any minute now, so he decided to take care of this situation while he could. He carefully – because the woman seemed quite scary – stepped closer and bowed slightly.
“Found him near the run-down shrine,” he informed the woman, then glanced at the boy’s teary eyes, skinned knees and palms, and smiled. “He was very brave and smart, helped me take him home.”
“I can’t say how grateful I am to you, young…master,” the woman bowed as well, Xie Lian was aware that she was trying to assess his status, because the expensive-looking robe he was wearing stood a great contrast against his bare feet and disheveled long hair. “Ever since his father went to trade he tries to run away from home to look for him. He’s shortening my life span by years.” As if to emphasize the woman lightly smacked her son’s head.
“Name is Xie Lian.” He felt utterly exhausted, dizziness creeping into his head. “Taoist.”
“I’m Shisui,” she introduced herself. “You live in that shitty shrine?”
I wouldn’t call that living whatever I had been doing there these past days, he thought. But…
“If it’s against the villagers’ wish then I will leave immediately.” His vision swayed.
“No, I don’t think anyone would really care,” she shook her head. “Is there any way I can thank you for bringing him home?”
Eat. Food.
“This one is looking for work,” he said, focusing on keeping himself straight. “Anything.”
“You in need of money?” Shisui eyed him, suddenly suspicious.
Food. Food. Food. Food. Food.
“No…not really, only…” His stomach growled. Loud. Very loud.
The young woman burst into laughter, unexpected. Xie Lian brain registered it kind and clear. He really thought he was going to faint, so he was reaching for this sound, gripping it with his mind to hold on, stay conscious.
“I just made dinner.” Shisui was much smaller than him, but she touched his arm with so much self-assurance and certainty as if she wasn’t inviting a stranger into her home. “Come on in.”
That was the beginning of new paradise, as he had come to know it for tonight. After eating his guilt away Xie Lian felt a little better. A little more rational. A little deeper in denying. He just wanted to disappear. But the heartfelt kindness he received washed over him.
It was as if he’d been given another bamboo hat. He spent the night on their wooden floor and had a full-night’s sleep with dreamless unconsciousness. Xie Lian felt himself in heaven – and it was so much more peaceful and heartwarming than actual Heaven.
Everything was less blurry, less cold by morning. While Shisui and her child was still sleeping soundly, Xie Lian decided to bring some fish to the table of his lovely patrons. He went to look for that stream Mu Qing mentioned.
The forest was calm, the shadows were high in a comfortable way, as if they could have hidden him from the cruelty of the world. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw a forest.
He found the stream without much considerable effort and caught some fish with the help of Ruoye. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt the flow, the gentle pull of clear water, he thought to himself as he held the small, slick bodies in his hands.
It was still very early, but the sun was slowly eating away the first pinkish lights. He always loved the crimson glow the most, the way dawn broke over the horizon.
He was attacked in that minute.
He had no idea he was being followed. His look had seen better days – perhaps only better days. He was barefoot, did not have anything with him besides the fish, not even a hat – nothing. Maybe it was Mu Qing’s distinguished outer robe that had fooled his attackers, he thought. It really had been a god’s clothing.
Ruoye had been safely and comfortingly tucked away under his robes across his chest and over his neck. He looked true to himself – insignificant, nothing. He was unarmed.
Unarmed only in a sense: the demon silk band on his neck and Xie Lian’s whole body could’ve been considered a weapon, more lethal than any blade. But he only dodged.
The sun was high up by now. Thin and tall, deformed shadows danced around as his attackers tried to jump him again. Two men, not particularly young, both had dirty clothes on and a savage look in their eyes. He didn’t run.
He dodged the knife again that went for his chest aimlessly. He wasn’t particularly afraid. Nothing like that could ever happen to him. He was himself this time, he could move this time. The muscles tensed on his whole body, getting ready for the fight that was inevitably coming.
But one of the attackers managed to grab onto him for a moment.
He wasn’t afraid. He really wasn’t. But nothing could’ve prepared him for that feeling of big, sweaty hands on him. Memories crept into his mind about that day in the desert a week ago – maybe more, maybe less. His body moved on its own, blocking the next attack with almost inhumane strength and Ruoye appeared as well, with equally forceful slap-slaps.
His body was tense with his self-made horror sensations clouding his mind, as he saw the man closing in on him. Xie Lian did not wait for another word, another moment.
He was not interested in how exactly these men planned to play it out. Did not ask, did not think as he halted in his steps. All thoughts left his head.
The weapon of his choice would have been sword – always a sword. But he swore he would not wield one, he would not kill with one ever again. It would not have mattered anyway: he could kill with anything.
First came the man who was standing just right beside him, who touched him for a moment. The man hit the ground. Laid there in front of his feet, forever unmoving, because Xie Lian moved faster than his human eyes could process. There followed a sound that made his stomach churl. With his bare hands Xie Lian snapped his neck.
He twisted the dull knife from the rigid hands.
The other man had no real chance of escaping – of staying alive – either. Hunters, they were; just how quickly they became the hunted. Xie Lian was right beside him before he could have thought about running at all. Without thinking, precisely and mechanically, Xie Lian dipped the knife into the man’s throat. His breaths were coming fast and uneven.
Up close, as he watched life slowly fade from those terrified eyes, he caught a glimpse of himself in them. Behind the look of terror, mute screaming and still unprocessed fear, there was a man with soft features, long-long hair around him like a dark halo, mouth twisted into something thin and cruel, eyes haunted.
Xie Lian, shocked from the extent of his anger and strength even, stumbled backwards. As if he had been grazed by fire.
Xie Lian killed – after centuries, he had killed again.
And he wasn’t sure what happened, how this could’ve been real, all the blood on his hands, his face, his robe (Mu Qing’s robe), but…
He had just killed these men lying lifelessly in front of him. He knew he should’ve felt remorse, guilt for taking a life… no, lives…
But he did not feel a single thing.
Nothing.
He was completely, utterly empty. He had done it in a crazy fit, where rage and hurt… and fear… and hatred… and resentment had washed over him so wholly, so completely that he didn’t even feel like himself. Like his body acted on its own, like his body hadn’t been… his.
As maybe it truly wasn’t, because… those mortals took it from him.
Everything felt sharper around the edges now. His emotions, his senses. He would have fought off his attackers either way, under any circumstances, he knew this. He also had to face the fact that he would not have killed for that, under different circumstances.
It was not really about current circumstances. It was not these men he wanted to kill, that his body was so ready and eager to kill, uncontrollably so.
It was the maze of his mind he got lost in.
He looked at the blood soaking into the borrowed robe. Then at the other man, lying a few feet away, neck in a position too weird to be normal, he thought stupidly. As if he could just- just move his neck in the right angle-
He was ashamed, so ashamed of himself. He was not sure what had taken over him. There seemed to be a pattern where he felt like he lost control over his own body.
A strange, forceful sob escaped from him. He did this, he could not ran away from it this time either. Violence only gave way to even more violence, didn’t he knew it all too well?
He was not allowed to take any mortal life.
He sat down, solemn, and waited for punishment.
The cursed shackle came, eventually, as a huge slap across the face.
No, not a slap – as if someone with all of his divine strength had melted his iron fist into his face. It was as if his face, his whole head, had shattered into pathetic little pieces. His body arrived to the ground with a thud. Then, he didn’t move for a long time – he couldn’t have even if he’d wanted to. He blended right in with his dead companions.
He lay there when rain came, he lay there drenched, he lay there when rain went, sun came and then went again, night fell then night switched to day again.
He deserved this.
It was okay, because he deserved this. It was okay, it was okay, it was– It was fair. It was only fair.
Xie Lian tried to stand. He wasn’t sure how long he had been soaking in the earth but surely long enough to get drenched then dry again.
He couldn’t see. He tried blinking the darkness away a few times while swallowing down his rising panic.
It was not blackness, not dark particularly: it was nothing. He didn’t see anything, because there was nothing to see – for him anymore. Xie Lian knew where he got his new cursed shackle. He was smarter than praying to Mu Qing and Feng Xin this time.
Loud cursing and ugly laughter snapped him out of it. He dared not to move, to breathe at all.
After quickly instructing Ruoye to curl around his temples shielding his new cursed shackle from discovery, he let himself drop to the ground lifelessly once more.
It cannot happen again – was all he could think about.
His mouth went dry.
Xie Lian went eight hundred years without thinking of that ever happening to him, but now…
All he could think of was that happening to him.
Desperately, he tried to calm his mind. I should do what I normally do in a situation like this. I should-
No matter. His mind was screaming, screeching at him like claws marring into the bones at his temple where he now wore a new cursed shackle.
This was nothing like a normal situation – if he had ever had one in his life. I’ve never been blinded before. I’ve never–
The steps got closer.
No–
Please–
“What’s that? Looks dead!” A raspy voice, questioning, disdaining.
His breath hitched. Muscles tensed, his body locked into shock. He waited for the hands, the touches, the pain–
Because Xie Lian was out of his mind at this moment. That day in the desert was a momentary lesson from his cold teacher, life, but he learned it all too well, it seemed his body and mind learnt it all too well, even if he tried to fight it consciously. He lost to the fear and panic. It would take a long time until he feels safe again. He would get there.
But right now cold, crude hands grabbed him and lifted him like the dead-weight he was, cold chains clattered around his wrists, his head lolled to the side with ever step his capturer took.
He was blind but he could sense the heavy, choking aura of killing intent bleeding off of malicious ghosts.
“It’s alive,” the shoulder Xie Lian was thrown over shrugged. “I checked.”
It’s my luck. Getting captured by ghosts is troublesome as it is, however…
Mortal men were Xie Lian’s biggest nightmare right now.
“It’s our lucky day,” a third voice said, tugging at Xie Lian’s hanging hair. “They will pay good money in Ghost City for a hair like this.”
Ghost City…?
“The skin too!”
“The whores will lose their minds,” the one carrying Xie Lian agreed.
Whores…?
“I imagine its skin will earn me at least three or four nights with–”
“Hey!” The first voice exclaimed. “We found it together, we share the money!”
They want to sell me… He cringed at the thought.
But he could have done nothing like this anyway. He sighed softly and continued to feign unconsciousness.
He had no choice but to accept his fate for now. At least, it was something he was used to: accepting his fate. The meditations he started to chant in his head pushed out all other noises. He couldn’t die either way, he mused, slightly out of it. What else could happen to me, really, that hadn’t already?
Only when, after hours and hours of uncomfortable hanging down the ghost’s back, fighting nausea and the throbbing pain behind his eyes, did he realize he lost the fish he caught days ago as gratitude.
The realization hit as his kidnappers steps halted for a moment. He could not see, but felt the strange pull, potent energy of an array. They went through. Cold breeze greeted him, as if the temperature around him dropped drastically. Quite an array, he thought, it must be very powerful.
As the heavy, foul air hit his lungs he remembered that his traveling companions were about to drag him to Ghost City.
Noise, so much noise.
So this is Ghost City, ah…
It was terrible.
He was on the verge of crying from it all. The noises were the worst, undoubtedly. But the smell, it was everywhere and it was unavoidable for him. Especially as he was hanging down a ghost’s back as a sack of potatoes. The closeness of bodies drove him to the edge, he almost started squirming to get away from the feeling, but he didn’t know how his capturers would react. The heavy air filled his lungs and choked him from the inside.
His damned luck. Ghost City, out of all places…
He halted in his thoughts, what had Feng Xin said about this place again?
There was a Devastation ruling Ghost City… He had a nice name, hadn’t he? Something, something…
-:-
Hua Cheng was annoyed. His spies reported that Qi Rong had tried to get away with building another lair. That fucker never learns, he thought as he flicked his tongue in distaste.
He sat in his Gambler’s Den behind the curtain, eye lazily watching that night’s drama. He had no intention of paying attention tonight. He was erratic these days anyway (if these days could fit eight hundred years into it). But he supposed there was nothing better than bashing Qi Rong’s head in a few times to get the edge off.
Even if it was Qi Rong and a fight with that fucking clown was essentially nothing more than kicking a sack of rotten potatoes again and again until one got bored of it. No matter. Every opportunity to plaster Qi Rong on a wall was time well-spent, and Hua Cheng had nothing but time.
You fuck, He Xuan greeted him in their private communication array.
Fish, Hua Cheng acknowledged the presence in his mind.
Even I can’t believe I’m saying this, but-
The only thing that had kept He Xuan from stumbling backwards was the aching centuries in his bones, when he had caught the name of Hua Cheng’s prince from those two idiots earlier in Heaven.
Don’t waste my fucking time then, the Ghost King was audibly annoyed.
I think I know where your scrap immortal is.
There was a silence so long and cold that He Xuan almost started to get worried for a moment that he induced a heart attack from the esteemed ruler of Ghost City, and there was Hua Cheng laying somewhere plastered around dropped dead. Even more so than he already was.
Hua Cheng? Did you hear what I-
Where.
The sheer force of the barely contained hope He Xuan felt from Hua Cheng’s low whisper knocked the air from his lungs. Fuck, this better be it now, he thought, almost sympathetic. He could not endure any more decades of Crimson Rain’s moping.
Well-
He Xuan-
There had been a new cursed shackle issued exactly where the idiots of the South had… last seen him. They ran to check on him, I’ll give them that, He Xuan managed to slip his head-shaking into his voice. But Xie- His Highness had disappeared.
Incompetent idiots, Hua Cheng scoffed. Where, He Xuan, where? I swear I will-
Let me finish, Black Water cut in, already exhausted. It was always hard on his nerves talking business with Hua Cheng. Only Wind Master came a close second.
You fuck, Crimson Rain growled, absentmindedly gripping the arm of his chair so hard it shattered under his palm. He payed it no mind. Should I come over to Heaven and beat it out of you?!
He Xuan continued. Much to their horror… the idiot generals lost the trail of his presence at the border of yin and yang.
After another silence that stretched to long minutes, Hua Cheng’s voice echoed in Black Water’s mind. And much to my appreciation.
With that the communication array was cut and He Xuan could go back doing whatever he had been doing these years. (According to Hua Cheng Black Water took a little too long enacting his little mastermind revenge plan because he enjoyed playing house with that Wind Master way too much.)
“Yin Yu”. As Hua Cheng stood up his Waning Moon Officer appeared before his master in an instant.
“Chenghzu?”
“His-,” Hua Cheng’s lips trembled a bit, which made Yin Yu frown. “His Highness the Crown Prince of Xianle is in our city. High chance, that is.”
Yin Yu’s eyes widened behind his mask. The Crown Prince of Xianle…
“I’ll find him, Chengzhu,” he bowed slightly.
“When you do, just let me know,” the Ghost King turned away so his Waning Moon Officer wouldn’t see his face anymore. “And be discreet.”
“Of course.”
Ghost City had no real borders at least not in the sense of mortal cities and kingdoms as it was surrounded and protected by Hua Cheng’s powerful array.
“Here, here! Try the new fish-tail powder! It is said to lengthen-”
It was never ‘here’ or ‘there’, it was a world in a world.
“Hey, hey! This mouse-brain mousse will grant you ten years of good luck, buy it today and claim your fortune!”
There were streets, but sometimes they could switch places without the residents ever taking notice of the change. The ways of Ghost City.
“Young sir, wouldn’t you like to try me out? Your friends were head over heels for me last night, ahaha!”
Ghosts, mortals and even gods could enter freely as its ruler was keen on upholding equality. Everyone could indulge in their un-earthy pleasures to their wish.
Yin Yu was grateful for his master’s small translucent agents, the smart butterflies for they assisted in his work of searching for His Highness. It’s been more than a day now and there was no sign of the Crown Prince. Yin Yu almost started to doubt his master’s orders and whether he was indeed here, but Crimson Rain seemed so sure – and hopeful, even if he tried to conceal it –, so he really wanted it to be true.
It wasn’t hard to get lost in Ghost City but he and the butterflies had been mapping the streets all day, the Crown Prince could not just vanish as soon as he stepped through the array.
Neither the Waning Moon Officer nor Hua Cheng – not even He Xuan or the Generals of the South – knew of course that Xie Lian hadn’t entered Ghost City on his own volition. Rather, dangling down on some low-ranking ghost’s back as prisoner.
Suddenly one shiny little creature started to flap its wings in a frenzy in front of Yin Yu and then disappeared into a half-opened window of a basement. He narrowed his eyes in alarm. This area was known for malicious ghosts, sometimes wretched old hags keeping mortals as slaves and playthings. Hua Cheng had never cared enough of it to drive them out. Waning Moon Officer held two fingers up to contact his lord.
Hua Cheng was about to pace back the same few steps he was taking forth in his room, when he stumbled. Esteemed King of Ghost City almost slammed into the floor of his own study because suddenly an image appeared in his mind. Through the eyes of one of his butterflies he saw a man sitting on the ground in a rather dark place, perhaps a cell. At first glance he looked no different from the other wailing, ragged mortals surrounding him, though he was the only one sitting in silence.
Chengzhu.
A dark blue, dirty robe was thrown around him, but it was disheveled around his neck. His dark hair was so long it was touching the ground next to his ankles as he sat. Bandages were covering his eyes, but no matter.
No matter the clothes, the bandages, the dirt…
He would know him everywhere. In any shape or form. His Dianxia.
Yes, I see, came the reply instantly. Thank you.
There were vast, heavy-looking chains around both of his wrists bounding them together. Hua Cheng had to force himself to exercise some willpower and not to broke his table in half in that instant. And burn down his entire city in the next.
His Highness, the Flower-Crowned Martial God, the God-Pleasing one was reduced to a mere prisoner of filthy ghosts. In his city.
-:-
Xie Lian kept hoping that his misfortunes would end soon. At some point, surely. Even though he’d kept hoping for several hundreds of years for that, he could never give it up. He was far too old and too tired and wrung out to allow himself to wallow in self-pity at the moment.
As if his capturers knew he was growing horribly overstimulated by everything that was Ghost City and took pity on him, shortly he was taken to some sort of basement where the air was not less foul, but at least colder. The yelling noises felt far away too.
Only problem was that the loudness outside and wandering hands of curious streetwalkers were replaced by terrified bickering and aggressive chain-tugging all around him. He sat in the dark – in more sense than one –, but not alone.
There were several other people in close proximity and he shortly had to start chanting meditations in his mind again to prevent some self-induced episode. Xie Lian didn’t know how much time had passed, but according to his fellow prisoners they were here for at least ‘one or two days’.
Time as well as hunger and thirst and pain had passed by him. Everything felt too close, too small, too loud, too-
“Psst, psst! You there, yes you, do you know anything what’s gonna happen to us?” A voice whispered, trembling with fear.
Xie Lian didn’t know if it was targeted at him so he remained unresponsive. He only listened.
“Nobody knows anything…” Another cried out, louder.
“Hey, what is this? It just flew in!” Xie Lian heard another strangled cry.
“I’ve heard about creatures like this, it must be some… some evil spirit coming to suck our soul dry!”
Xie Lian’s interest was piqued. What evil spirit could they be seeing now?
“Don’t fuck with us… It’s only a butterfly, ah ah…”
A butterfly, is it? Xie Lian mused. Suddenly, he wished he could see now.
“Where have you seen a butterfly like this, pray tell?”
“It’s an evil spirit! Let us go, please-!” Loud banging on the wall next to him.
“No, look it must've got caught in the corner, it’s not moving anymore.”
Oh. Xie Lian felt sorry for this little butterfly he didn’t even have the chance to examine. He could deduce that the basement they were confined in was some sort of settlement for mortal prisoners for the market.
He had heard that he would be sold, then what? Sold where exactly? The ghosts had said something about his hair being worth a lot.
A shiver ran down his spine. Those men were grabbing him and tossing him around by his hair too.
“I’ve heard they’re planning to boil us alive, and then eat our brains!”
Xie Lian didn’t say anything at all, but couldn’t suppress a faint smile. What a strange world he found himself in, that he felt more reassured by being captured by ghosts than mortal men.
Another prisoner started wailing louder.
“Silence!” Somewhere close a door slammed open at that moment. “Get up, we’re going to make good money, ahahaha!”
Each prisoner flinched as one except Xie Lian, chains on their wrists rattling.
“No, no, please, don’t-!”
“Hey, I make good money at home too, if you let me go I can get you-!”
“Please, let me go home, please-!”
The voices that were his cellmates for these past hours begged endlessly, but the ghosts paid them no mind. They forced some ragged clothes into each prisoner’s mouth – vile smell and even worse taste, Xie Lian accepted the reality with resignation.
Do you know who that is? Have you shits any idea who had you decided to chain up like a dog? Who is-
But Hua Cheng, who had been watching from that moment his butterfly found his god, didn’t know of His Highness’s current state and the events leading up to his capture. He couldn’t have known if the Crown Prince had wanted to reveal his identity at all.
“Look, our latest catch is very well-behaved!” A heavy hand came down to his shoulder, then grabbed his neck from the back and forced his head upwards.
“Too bad… it’s both mute and blind…” With that the dirty rag was removed from his mouth, as if, after some contemplation his capturers decided he wouldn’t be needing it anyway.
“Ahahaha, maybe it’s for the best!” The hand that was grabbing him shook him a bit. “We could ask more money because this one is so obedient, the hags from the brothel will love it.”
“Or, listen-listen,” the owner of another voice leaned closer to him, he felt the air changing. “Even better, we could try to pitch this one to Chengzhu, eh, eh? It’s not ugly at all and our lord loves to collect pretty things!”
When Hua Cheng had heard this his lips twitched. I, indeed, do love to collect pretty things, and I will also love to tear you all apart limb from limb. A dark smile appeared on his face.
By the time these particular residents of Ghost City had arrived into Gambler’s Den, there was a distinguished young man sitting at one of the smaller tables, his black hair pulled back into a high ponytail wearing black from head to toe.
Hua Cheng otherwise wouldn’t have made this much of an effort to disperse some low-ranking ghost caravan participating in slave trade, however he was also a revengeful and cunning eight-hundred-year old immortal with the patience of a millennium. (If asked, He Xuan would also say he was an arrogant and condescending, but pathetic idiot pining after his beloved for centuries, although no one asked Black Water Sinking Ships this time.)
He had also made sure to conceal his spiritual energy completely, so even the more powerful visitors of the Den wouldn’t be able to recognize him tonight. Despite everything, he had been in high spirits because he knew he was about to see His Highness the Crown Prince for the first time in eight hundred years in the flesh.
He knew this, he waited for this, he was expecting this, however nothing could have prepared him for the real thing, it seemed. Several ghosts, mortals – and even low ranking heavenly officials in disguise – were passing through the threshold of Ghost City’s crown jewel the Gambler’s Den, however… It was an obvious moment for Hua Cheng when his god had stepped into his headquarters.
Hua Cheng had hoped – for not less than eight hundred years – for this moment to happen, and now here he was, he had his moment and he stood there stupid in his disguise of some everyday mortal man. He hated every minute of it. But…
There was the once-Flower-Crowned Martial God, the strongest, being led by chains in front of other prisoners. His long hair plastered across his back unkempt, some white bandage still wrapped around his eyes.
The world stopped.
Then there was Hua Cheng’s unbeating heart dropped to the cold ground.
Or perhaps the world just has started to move again – after eight hundred years.
It was obvious the prince could not see from the bandages for his steps were slow, yet graceful despite his state of being. Once a prince, once a god, always one, Hua Cheng thought. Just a little bit more, Dianxia, hold on.
Amidst all the noise and cheering and yelling and threats shouted, it was easy to get lost. For one, Xie Lian wanted to die and only wake up once this noise was far away from him, but he had to be aware – it would have been no joke if these ghosts had managed to offer him up to a Devastation like the King of Ghost City. He did not want to imagine the things the ghost king would do to him once his identity of a disgraced god was discovered.
He remembered vividly the tale Feng Xin and Mu Qing had told about this calamity and his fierce agenda against gods. Xie Lian, undoubtedly, was less concerned about his overall well-being than normal, however even he knew he had to make sure that, at least, he wouldn’t fall into the hands of someone like that.
“Oh my, look at this, I could just devour it!” A high-pitched voice screeched into Xie Lian’s ears, too close, followed by a smell just too foul.
“Yes-yes, so soft skin,” another voice continued, very similar. “Imagine the customers I could lure in for weeks with skin like this!”
The mysterious young lord had already made arrangements for the newly acquired mortal prisoners to be placed as the bet at his table. Several brothel-employees started to circle around that particular table. The ghosts weren’t suspicious a bit, they were expecting high demand for mortal slaves who were either foolish enough to wander into ghost territory without the sufficient precautions or valuable enough to make a good deal. Exactly like that long-haired taoist, for it was a common knowledge that most of the ghost realm despised taoists.
“I could make good use of this one too, seems strong enough” a rough male voice joined in, further away from Xie Lian. “Too bad it looks like it’s already shitting its pants…
It went on. The goods were being evaluated. Though Xie Lian could only guess there must’ve been something around ten to twelve people being offered up, himself included. The mortal men were presented as marketable goods and the interested parties examined them before placing their bets.
“For this one,” something sharp buried itself deep into his shoulder. “I offer two months of my earnings.”
“Eh? Only two months?”
“I offer my right leg, you know how I was a celebrated dancer in my prime!”
“As if anyone would want your filthy leg, ahahaha!”
“I offer my collection of butterfly-wings that grants better eyesight!”
“Now you talkin’ hag!”
“No-no, wait, that won’t do!” A ghost whose voice Xie Lian had already recognized cut in. “This one will be offered to our lord, Crimson Rain Sought Flower.”
Xie Lian winced.
“Who? Ch-chengzhu?”
What an unfortunate turn of events… I really thought I could get out of this without a fight.
“EH? Chengzhu is here tonight?!”
“Wait! Wait! I haven’t seen him…”
“In that case-”
Hua Cheng who had been watching the events unfold without even speaking a word, now watched Dianxia with everything he had to catch a sign of recognition, anything of sorts after the mention of his name.
But it was only a slight shiver that ran through the Crown Prince’s body. Hua Cheng’s heart tightened.
“Alright, then the taoist is up for a bet as well, right? Right?” Eager voices closed in on Xie Lian.
“I wouldn’t think Lord Hua Cheng would’ve been interested in this anyway…”
Hua Cheng… This is it, the name of the Devastation ruling Ghost City, Xie Lian thought. Such a beautiful name.
“But hey, it’s quite pretty, no?”
“Ch!” A hand came down again on Xie Lian, this time grabbing a handful of his hair and yanking his head back. “I’m sure our lord has prettier things in his trash!”
That filth had touched a god like that. Let alone a god, his god. Hua Cheng was fuming. He stood up.
“Are we going to play or not?”
This was a voice Xie Lian haven’t heard before tonight. It stood out from all the others. It sounded young and light, almost innocently inquiring. However Xie Lian’s blindness allowed him to dissect the sounds and voices he heard in more detail. This new voice carried a great deal of arrogance and something of a dark undertone, like a threatening edge the owner could not hide from him even if he’d tried.
The ghosts eyed the young lord from head to toe.
“Huh? You’re interested in the taoist too?”
“En.”
“Why?”
“I’m quite fond of his looks,” came the simple answer.
Hua Cheng decided to cut this short. After all, he has already let His Highness suffer in his presence and for that alone he deserved a thousand deaths – but before dispersing himself in a hurry he had to ensure his god’s safety.
Xie Lian heard ghosts whispering amongst themselves. He was growing tired. He have also concluded that the events definitely turned for the worst. He wanted to be as far from the owner of that voice as possible, he could feel it meant trouble.
“A mortal betting for a mortal…”
“Looks like a spoiled young lord… I bet he has something disgusting in mind, ehe.”
“Looking for a new plaything, is he…”
Xie Lian swallowed hard. Anything but that.
The young man spoke again. “What if I told you I can offer you more gold than you could ever think of?”
The ghosts laughed. They knew that gambling in the ghost realm mortals could not stand a chance, fortune was always on their side thanks to their Lord.
“High or low?” was all they asked.
“High.” Xie Lian heard the cocky answer. He could not see it, but he imagined a vile smile across his face.
Xie Lian heard a dozen different numbers being yelled for minutes long. He didn’t understand anything, he only prayed that this young mortal would lose and he’d remain in the ‘good’ care of the ghosts – maybe he’d be won by the ladies of the brothel? It couldn’t be that bad, could it now? Maybe all they really need is my hair, no?
“Two sixes.”
The yelling got louder.
“NO WAY!”
“I can’t believe it!”
“Impossible!!”
Then Xie Lian heard that voice. “I believe I’ve won.”
Xie Lian tried hard not to panic. He forced himself to be calm and unresponsive, even when he was grabbed by harsh hands trying to yank him up from the floor he was kneeling on all along. Then suddenly that violent sensation was replaced by a much softer touch as if easing the pain. Quite gentle, he thought, then the touch disappeared.
Hua Cheng has had enough. Scram, he ordered all of his subordinates in his mind.
It was as is time itself stopped moving in the gambling hall. The entire Gambler’s Den fell silent. Small voices, frantic whispering could be heard from the crowd, but nobody dared to speak up. Everyone was snapping their heads left and right, looking for the possible location of their master but could not find anyone at his usual place. Nevertheless, it was their master who had gave out the order, no doubt.
Xie Lian was utterly confused for he did not received the Ghost King’s silent order, naturally.
I said, scram, Hua Cheng repeated his command impatiently. He let his anger bleed into his voice, which made the entire Den go into a frenzy, screaming and yelling. The visitors were shortly stepping on each other’s neck while trying to get out as quickly as possible.
Of course nobody had time to ponder why that unassuming mortal man and some ragged-clothed taoist at that table at the back didn’t move an inch.
Xie Lian sat solemnly on the cold floor, his arms still chained together, eyes bandaged. He had patiently waited for the commotion to pass. He also did not fail to take notice of that strange occurrence that even though everyone seemed to be in a hurry and he could hear them stomping on each other somehow he was lucky enough to avoid anyone rushing into him. To say that he had a suspicion it was unlikely that it had anything to do with his luck would’ve been an understatement.
“You’re the one who have won me?”
Xie Lian’s voice was soft, he wasn’t particularly mocking or demanding, simply expectant. He kept his head straight up, wrists still bound together as he fished out a dull knife from his robes. The hall has been completely emptied.
“This one means no harm.”
Hua Cheng stepped closer, carefully, while not even trying to deny how exited he was that his god was at almost arm-length – knife-length. He shivered.
“You are a man.” As in, mortal.
Somehow that sounded like an offense from Dianxia. Hua Cheng instantly lost his young lord attire and let his spiritual energy vibrate through him again.
Now he tried another step. “Am I?”
The same voice, yet different. Deeper and richer.
Xie Lian let out a low noise, a small laugh of disbelief. He tossed the blade aside with a swift, careless flick of his wrist, but said nothing.
“May this one take off your chains?”
Xie Lian was no idiot, he felt the evil and powerful aura suddenly surrounding him – heavens, he could’ve felt it from a mile away. He was also sure he couldn’t take the owner of the mysterious voice in his current condition.
“This one only wants to help,” Hua Cheng said, voice delicate and careful as he took another step. Jingling sounds followed and saw his god visibly flinch. “I promise it is no lie.”
Hua Cheng closed the distance between them, sat on his heels but made no motion to touch him yet. “May I?” His voice was deep, and sounded very close.
The gentleness of it all made Xie Lian shiver again. Also lower his guard.
“Please,” Xie Lian asked, in a much smaller voice and held out his arms. Hua Cheng only touched the chains and barely holding his anger back from bleeding into his spiritual power, he destroyed them. Xie Lian felt the heavy iron shatter into dust around his wrists.
Xie Lian did not see it and did not ask how the stranger had managed to do it.
“Thank you,” was all he said and Hua Cheng felt as if he would be dreaming, walking on clouds, dying again and again.
“My pleasure.”
“Ah–” Xie Lian did a few circles with his wrists now that they were free to move. “Your help is much appreciated. This one regrets being so hostile.”
“Gege has nothing to apologize for.”
Gege?
Xie Lian was too exhausted to get stuck on things like this. He turned towards where he heard Hua Cheng’s voice coming from. He finally decided it was quite like velvet. “I’m afraid, I cannot see. How may this one address you?”
Hua Cheng’s fears were true, then. His stomach dropped and tried to hold back the rage from his voice. “You can call this one San Lang.”
“Who are you?” he inquired.
“Only a lowly servant.”
To whom? Xie Lian did not dare to ask.
Careful hands touched his wrists again, urging him to stand up straight. He was being led patiently across the echoing gambling den.
Meanwhile Hua Cheng had already instructed Yin Yu and his butterflies to follow those ghosts specifically who had taken Xie Lian hostage and dared to raise a hand at him – as well as anyone who had been at their table and saw his god in this condition, touched him at all, and planned to use him in any way. In the end, Hua Cheng had a responsibility of keeping his city clean of trash.
“Taoist.”
Xie Lian turned to the side and even though he couldn’t see his companion’s face he could sense the intense stare. Cold air swept across his face as they got outside.
Ghost City was considerably calmer than the first time he had stepped foot in here. There was a weird silence in the air, as if everyone’d known there was to be a bloodbath in the city that night.
“San Lang?”
“I don’t think Crimson Rain Sought Flower would have anything more beautiful in his possession than you.”
Xie Lian’s breath hitched. He remembered what that ghost said earlier.
He heard the sound of raining but didn’t feel so much of a drop from it. He heard the tap-tap-tap of raindrops above him, but they have yet to touch him. Xie Lian also felt a feather-light touch guiding him while they walked, and the confusion must’ve been so obvious on his face that he heard the ghost chuckle.
“This one’s glad to have decided to bring along an umbrella today.”
Xie Lian didn’t see, couldn’t see that he was guided through a furious rain of blood tainting everything red and vile. Hua Cheng did not let a single drop touch his skin, he was carefully holding the umbrella above his god, shielding his face and long hair, ragged clothes from the blood-rain.
That was Crimson Rain-Sought Flower as the Three Realms knew him – but to Xie Lian that was a saviour, a stranger of kindness, lucky enough to have an umbrella on him to prevent themselves from being drenched in rain that day. That night blood rained again in Ghost City for the first time after decades.