"Let's focus on the grand scheme later. Right now, we have to get to that ghost." Buo said, following Hsien Lian's lead by also taking a step back. "How though, that would involve us talking off the floorboards. There is no way we can do that without tools." Hsien Lian mumbled. Fu Hai shook his head lightly, before kneeling to the ground. "Keep tapping." He said simply, looking up at XingYing before placing his head to the floor. XingYing gave him a weird look, but did as he was told, tapping his foot on the ground.
The four men were quiet, listening to XingYing routinely tapping. After around a minute, Fu Hai scoffs, sitting up. He shakes his head in disbelief. "It's hollow." He mumbled. Hsien Lian lowered to a crouch, going eye level with the man. "What?" He asked. Fu Hai slowly stood. "It's hollow. There's a hidden basement. Come on." He nudged Buo, before sliding out his dao, using it to cut into the binding parts of the wood. Buo quickly caught on, doing the same.
XingYing stepped back, going to Hsien Lian's side. "Are you guys digging up the floor?" Hsien Lian asked, his hands still blue from his use of his aura. There was a sharp crack that flooded the dark room as Buo's blade slid through the floor. In a mere second the floor broke open, a violent brush of wind making all foor men fly out to different sides of the room. Hsien Lian flew back, hitting the wall.
The entire room went dark.
"Fu Hai!" Hsien Lian yelled through the dark. His ears rang a high pitch sound, as his body hit the ground. He felt someone grab him, trying to lift him up. "Come on, Lian." XingYing whispered, helping him stand. Hsien Lian huffed, looking through the dark room. "Focus Xui!" He yelled to his aura, sending another field out.
A figure was lit up, but only a silhouette. They weren't looking at Hsien Lian, instead staring at the ground. "Hey!" Hsien Lian yelled, loud enough for the silhouette to look back at him. A blink of light, a flame, was created. It lit up Chen Guo's whole body. He was in his god form. Guess his human one couldn't deal with the hit. Fu Hai probably couldn't either.
His grip on the dao was stiff as he held it in the air. But before he could swing, the ghost slowly revealed himself. He had on a hanfu, bloodied ripped in many different places. He looked like a dead body. He smiled at Hsien Lian, his teeth white and pearly. Lian didn't smile back. Fang Hai slowly walked into the light, no sword in hand. He must have lost his own. His hanfu dragged behind him, an irritated look to his face.
Fang Hai's hand fell open, however his eyes continued to stare at the ghost, who began laughing evilly. "Did I hurt you, are you mad at me? Whoops." He teased me. He definitely was different from Da Hong. He did the exact same thing, at the same god's temples, yet his reasons must have been different. Very different.
Fang Hai's dao began to glow the same color as his hand, a deep blue. "You are going to pay for that." He muttered, the sword lifting from his place in the corner. That must have been where it landed. However, instead of it being placed in hand, the dao's tip was pointed to the ghost. He turned to Fang Hai, laughing. "Really, try me."
Fang Hai didn't say anything after that, sucking in a breath before swinging his hand forward, making the metal object towards the ghost. He moved out of the way, Chen Guo placing the burning flame on the ghost's arm in a fiery grip. The man screamed, using all of his force to pull away from Chen Guo, but it wasn't enough.
Hsien Lian ran over, using the last of his aura to wrap the ghost up tightly. A blue rope like enchantment flew its way over to the ghost, tying him up. Even then, Chen Guo didn't let go, leaving the ghost screaming. "What's your name?" Chen Guo asked sharply, his voice low and dark. Hsien Lian made Xiu tighten its grip. "I- I " THe ghost stumbled over his words.
And Fang Hai was not having it.
Fang Hai grabbed his dao, pointing it at the ghost's neck. A stab wouldn't work, but cutting off the ghost's head would. All three gods tightened their grips on the different occult weapons of choice to keep ghosts from moving. Fang Hai scoffed. "You don't want to say that now? Why? I thought you were so powerful. Don't yell now. Say it-"
"Jin Lei!"
Chen Guo looked up at Hsien Lian, shaking his head. He didn't know someone by that name. Perfect, another random ghost. This had to be planned, didn't it? Fang Hai looked at both of them before sighing. He dropped his sword to the ground, his hands returning to their normal color. Chen Guo hesitantly let go of the ghost, revealing the new burn marks on his hands. Hsien Lian allowed Xui, his aura, to keep Jin Lei tied up.
"XingYing?" Chen Guo yelled as Fang Hai and Hsien Lian both looked around as well, expecting the human to be very hurt. If both god's human forms were taken out by that simple wave, XingYing would be dead. But he helped Hsien Lian up, he couldn't be dead. No one dead could do that. When no one answered, Hsien Lian's face paled. He's not-
No, he can't be.
It was insane how quickly Hsien Lian had gained a fondness for the man. Hsien Lian never let anyone close to him, even if they were one of Heaven's Deities. The only people were Jing Mei. Yet, for some reason, it seemed XingYing made him feel a little less lonely, even when he was in a crowd of people. He felt familiar. But even then, Lian had a feeling he should have let XingYing stay with things, and had a feeling something like this could happen. "XingYing!" Hsien Lian yelled louder. When no one answered for a second time, Hsien Lian froze.
Chen Guo went to grab him, but Hsien Lian moved away. He held his bandaged arm towards the ghost. "Xui!" He called, the aura quickly going back to him. Leaving the ghost untied, yet no one seemed to notice the smallest detail. "Find XingYing!" He yelled. Xui traced the entire room instantly, yet no one was found. Living or dead.
Chen Guo turned to Hsien Lian. "Where is he?" Chen Guo asked, looking around. His flame grew brighter as he looked around the temple, only the corners still dark. Fang Hai gasped, before grabbing the sword once again. Hsien Lian turned around. "You let go of the ghost." Chen Guo muttered. Hsien Lian's eyes widened. He did.
However, soon there was a loud explosion from the left side of the room. Chen Guo, Hsien Lian, and Fang Hai all ran over, seeing the ghost's head. That's what hit the temple's wall. "Where's the body?" Chen Guo asked. Hsien Lian turned around, seeing the temple doors wide open. White light flooded in from the outside. There stood another silhouette, long black hair blew lightly in the wind.
Hsien Lian couldn't see the face, everything blackened. The person threw the body towards them, before walking inside. His footsteps were light and with purpose. The doors stayed open, the man's outfit being shown as a hanfu. A crimson glove on one hand. A bandage wrapped on his other hand.
Darkness was thrown above them again, as only the footsteps were heard in front of the man. His figure is hidden by the blackness. But Chen Guo held out his palm, a flame sprouting. The man had a soft frown on his lips. His hair wasn't like the silhouette, much shorter and a lighter color. "You killed him?" The man asked hopefully, but Hsien Lian shook his head. "Did you?" The man shook his head. "Of course not."
The man in the doorway was someone different than the man standing right here was.
Hsien Lian sighed. "If we call your name, answer XingYing." The man nodded.