Song Cheng picked up the flower and stood on his feet. The smell of incense filled the temple.
As he walked out, Bai Hua was nowhere in sight.
The courtyard now seemed more alive in the sunlight as it poured down and brightened the pink colour of the camellia flowers.
Running his fingers through his dishevelled hair, Song Cheng walked around. The lake was golden once again, making Song Cheng nostalgic.
"Xiao ge is awake." He heard a voice behind him.
"Many thanks Master Hua." Song Cheng spoke, turning to Bai Hua.
"Xiao ge doesn't need to thank me." Bai Hua answered, in a voice like a young boy's.
"I just hope I didn't trouble Master Hua last night."
"Well Xiao ge sure did speak in his sleep." Bai Hua spoke and gave a little laugh.
"Did I? Ah! I'm..." Song Cheng trailed off, embarrassed.
He didn't even know what he had said.
Suddenly, two men emerged from the path beside the temple. They looked like normal mortals.
"Lord Huang is not there." One of them spoke to the other.
"Hm. Who knows where he is? Whenever Lord comes back, we must report it to him right away." The other added.
"Excuse me Masters, the one Lord Huang you speak of is Huang Lin?" Song Cheng asked immediately, remembering the familiar name.
"Of course. Why do you ask? Lord Huang is not at the lair. If you have something to ask for, come to the office later." The men spoke and proceeded ahead on their way.
Bai Hua crossed his arms over his chest.
'Does that person even have an office?' Song Cheng thought. What he concluded was that Huang Lin surely had a firm plantation here.
"Is Xiao ge looking for Huang Lin?" Bai Hua asked.
"En."
"Well. Afterall he's a nuisance. The heaven must surely he troubled, eh?"
"Does Master Hua know about Huang Lin?" Song Cheng asked curiously.
"Mn. The very sole person against the heaven's will. To tell you, he's arrogant but can be kind. Mostly depends on the person." Bai Hua replied.
"It seems Master Hua has met with him. What...does he look like?" Song Cheng asked.
In his mind, Huang Lin looked like a normal human being but Qin Su was convinced he'd look no less than a monster taking all the curses the Eight Gods throw at him.
"That too, depends." Bai Hua spoke, pondering.
"Depends on what?"
"The person who's looking at him."
"What do you think he looks like?" Song Cheng asked.
"One word; handsome." Bai Hua spoke.
Unexpectedly, Song Cheng chuckled at his response. He wasn't expecting this word at all. He was the first person he'd heard call Huang Lin handsome.
The gods probably took him for a deformed beast.
"Is it true that he exchanged his soul with the evil?" Song Cheng asked.
Hearing the question, Bai Hua frowned for a second.
"I've heard."
"Master Hua isn't a follower of Huang Lin?" Song Cheng further asked.
Hearing his question, Bai Hua chuckled.
"Let me ask Xiao ge a question, why come for Huang Lin now?" Bai Hua asked, a sudden depth arising in his eyes.
"There's been new disturbances against the heaven's will in Mount Xue Ding." Song Cheng replied.
"But Huang Lin's lair is on this side of the lake. Mount Xue Ding is on the other." Bai Hua spoke. "Xiao ge must be mistaken."
"This, only Huang Lin can tell." Song Cheng spoke further.
"Will Xiao ge pr-" Bai Hua began but his words were eaten by a loud group of men who came rushing towards them.
"MASTER BAI HUA! MASTER HELP US!" The one who seemed to be the leader of the group cried.
"What is the matter?" Bai Hua asked, calmly.
"TH-THE EAST BORDERS. AN EVIL SOUL LURKS IN THE EAST BORDER. O- OUR OLD MASTER AND HIS LADY WERE BOTH EATEN AWAY BY IT! WE- WE ESCAPED SOMEHOW." The man cried again.
"The East Border? What were you doing there?" Bai Hua asked.
"M-aster forgive us but it was the order of the Old Master of this household. We wanted to go to the Empty Chamber's lair. Old Master--his lady casted a spell to summon the Empty Chamber's soul but- but- something wrong happened." The man explained hesitantly.
"Didn't you know how dangerous is it to approach Huang Lin on your own?" Bai Hua asked, frowning.
"Master Bai Hua, forgive us. We told the Old Master but he said if he could catch the Empty Chamber's soul.....his cultivation would be increased by a thousand folds." The man spoke, trembling with fear.
"Stealing one's soul? The lowest crime of the two worlds, but Huang Lin does not have one." Song Cheng spoke finally, assessing the situation.
It was right that stealing a powerful soul could grow the level of one's cultivation but so was it wrongful in the first place and hence it was the lowest crime in the heaven as well as the mortal world.
No wonder Xue Zhong was banished for it.
"The lady of the household concluded that his soul was hidden somewhere within the lair. As you see this Noble Master, nobody can live without a soul." The man reasoned with Song Cheng.
"Well, you're wrong. The soul isn't at the lair, and as for living without a soul, that's beyond mortals." Bai Hua spoke, a little coldness in his voice.
He then turned to Song Cheng.
"Does Xiao ge know this kind of spell?"
After thinking for a moment, Song Cheng finally remembered.
"The Summoning Of Lost Souls?" He blurted.
"En. I also think so." Bai Hua replied.
The Summoning Of Lost Souls was a very powerful spell. Wherever summoned within the reach of the summoner's powers, the most powerful and oldest soul will reach.
The worst part about it was, if a resentful soul was summoned, the person would become nothing less than puppets to that soul.
"How do you know the soul that was summoned was not Huang Lin's?" Song Cheng asked.
"B...because it called the lady if the household....jiejie." The man replied, remembering the trauma.
It was true that Huang Lin's soul wasn't in the lair or else, it would have been summoned. So Huang Lin really was an 'Empty Chamber'.
"Master Hua, another thing. After the ghost killed the Old Master and the lady, it took the child of the household." The man spoke, lowering his eyes.
Song Cheng and Bai Hua both tensed up hearing it. Devouring a child's heart could immensely increase a ghost's powers. Song Cheng's heart seemed to be still thinking if the child was still alive.
"How old is the child?" Song Cheng asked.
"Child Cui must be eight or...nine." The man answered.
"Child Cui is only ten. My wife is his nanny. I know it right." Another man spoke from behind.
"A tender age, a tender heart." Bai Hua spoke.
Hearing his words like this, a shiver ran down Song Cheng's spine.
"Do not worry, the child will return to the house." Bai Hua spoke in assurance.
"Master, we're afraid if the child is already..." The leader of the group spoke again, looking down.
"He won't." Song Cheng spoke. "May the heaven's will protect him."
"..."
Hearing his words, the crowd shunned and Bai Hua seemed to wiggle a brow.
"Good bid, but there's no heavenly will in Huang Lin's lair." Bai Hua spoke.
"I..."
After a moment, the group went away with high hopes. It somehow hurt Song Cheng. With such hopes, what if the child is already dead, there won't be a way to compensate the disappointment.
The way Bai Hua spoke adamantly would only be considered ignorant afterwards.
"Xiao ge, don't doubt yourself." Bai Hua spoke, squeezing his shoulders.
"You are the one who once saved a thousand maidens."
It wasn't that Song Cheng doubted himself and it wasn't even that he didn't. But to hear those words, Song Cheng couldn't help but feel elated.
"We must leave." Song Cheng spoke, and Bai Hua let go of his shoulders.
The two walked back uphill. Bai Hua told Song Cheng about the forest path that's shorter to the East Border.
The East Border was the mere path of jungle between YuFu and JinHu.
But yet, to enter either town from the other, one had to cross the East Border.
The two walked back into the bustling market. Song Cheng had completely forgotten about Qin Su.
"General Song!" A harsh pat landed on Song Cheng's shoulder.
Next to him stood a tall man in green robes and messy hair tied into a bun.
His face was covered with his signature snarl.
"Lord Xue Min?" Song Cheng spoke.
"Ah Song Cheng! Where had you gone?" Qin Su spoke, from behind Xue Min.
Qin Su looked at Song Cheng helplessly. To have Xue Min next to him,he was walking with a sword overhead.
"Cut that out. Don't label me with your 'Lord'. It's unusual to have you sneaking around, eh?" Xue Min spoke.
Song Cheng ignored the question.
"Xiao ge, we must proceed before it's late. If your friends would like to come, they're welcome but I hope they just keep their bust of spiritual power inside." Bai Hua spoke.
"Xiao ge?? You two must be close. Who is this again, General Song?" Xue Min spoke, eyeing Bai Hua.
"Master Bai Hua is a deity of JinHu. Right now, there's a grim situation in the East Border. Somebody summoned an evil soul with the Summoning Of Lost Souls." Song Cheng answered him this time.
"It's hard to see the God Of Fate himself." Bai Hua mused.
Xue Min didn't answer but smirked.
"Well, it's a surprise you recognise me."
"If I may ask, why does Lord Xue Min come?" Song Cheng asked, looking at Xue Min.
"Isn't it better I'm here? Yuan Jin is just so and so. I even wonder how he's the most powerful just two down my throne. That child had a peanut for a brain! Such a useless brat!" Xue Min spoke, scowling.
Qin Su and Song Cheng both felt sorry for Yuan Jin.
"Since you are here, we must head on. We will be in YuFu sooner as well." Song Cheng spoke.
"General Song, orders with such polite words. Zhang Yue really taught you his filthy manners." Xue Min spoke, shaking his head.
Without another word, Song Cheng and Bai Hua walked ahead.
"General Song! Wait." Xue Min called from behind.
Song Cheng paused in his step.
"What sword are you carrying with you?"
***