The other snorted once, making it impossible for anyone to tell what he meant by it.
There were many martial gods within Heaven and among those, quite a few were new upstarts who had ascended after Xie Lian left. This was why he was unable to pinpoint which god this was just by listening to his voice. However, one couldn't apologize without even knowing the other's name. Thus, Xie Lian went to the heart of the matter and asked, "Excuse me, may I ask how I should address you, distinguished one?"
The moment he said those words, the other party became silent.
It wasn't only the other god who became silent. The entire spirit communication array seemed to freeze as if a puff of stagnant air slapped everyone in the face.
On the other side, Ling Wen whispered to him once more, "Your Highness, though I don't believe you haven't recognized the other person after talking to him for so long—I still want to remind you. That is Xuan Zhen."
Xie Lian asked, "Xuan Zhen?"
He choked up in a flash before finally reacting as he sent a message back in slight shock, "This is Mu Qing?"
Xuan Zhen Jun was a martial god who kept watch over the Southwest. He had seven thousand temples, and in the mortal realm, his reputation was illustrious.
This Xuan Zhen Jun, who had the personal name Mu Qing, used to be a deputy general in the Palace Halls of Xian Le country's Crown Prince eight hundred years ago.
Ling Wen was also very shocked. "It couldn't be that you really didn't recognize him?"
Xie Lian replied, "I really didn't recognize him. Back then, he didn't talk to me in this manner. In addition, I can't even remember when was the last time I met him. If it wasn't five hundred years then it was six hundred years ago. I almost completely forgotten what he looked like, so how could I still recognize his voice?"
It remained silent within the spirit communication array. Mu Qing didn't make a single peep. The other Heavenly Officials, on one hand pretended that they weren't listening, while on the other hand they crazily waited for someone to continue talking.
When it came to these two, it was relatively awkward. After so many years, many rumors had been passed on, so everyone already understood almost everything. In those days when Xie Lian had been the precious Xian Le Crown Prince, he cultivated in Huang Ji Temple. That Huang Ji Temple was the Xian Le country's Imperial Taoist Temple. Their selection standards for disciples were extremely strict. Mu Qing came from a poor background, and his father was a sinner who had been beheaded. A person like that simply did not have the qualifications to enter the Huang Ji Temple as a disciple. As a result, he had no other choice but to become someone who did odd jobs. In the temple, he was mostly in charge of sweeping the floor for His Highness the Crown Prince, or delivering tea and water to him. But Xie Lian saw he was assiduous, and thus he asked the Taoist Ministers to make an exception and receive him as a disciple. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's words carried great weight. Only then was Mu Qing able to enter the temple to cultivate because of the Crown Prince's will. After Xie Lian ascended, he appointed him as his general and took Mu Qing along with him to the Immortal City.
However, when the Xian Le nation was wiped out and Xie Lian was demoted to descend into the mortal realm, Mu Qing did not follow him. Not only did he not follow Xie Lian, but Mu Qing didn't even say a single word in defence for him. The Crown Prince was gone anyway, so he was free. He found a blessed place and began to painstakingly cultivate like crazy. Not many years later, he withstood the Heavenly Tribulations and ascended himself.
Back then, one was in the heavens while another was on the ground. Now, there was still one in the heavens and one on the ground, it was just that the two people's circumstances were thoroughly reversed.
At the other end, Ling Wen said, "He's really angry."
Xie Lian replied, "I guessed that too."
Ling Wen responded, "I'll go say some other things. Quickly take the opportunity to leave."
Xie Lian said, "There's no need. If we pretend nothing happened then everything would be fine."
Ling Wen asked, "No need? Just looking at you guys make me feel awkward."
Xie Lian replied, "I'm still okay ah!"
For Xie Lian, any situation was okay as long as he didn't die. He didn't have much, but he could definitely still lose a lot of face. He had already done plenty of things that were many times more awkward than this; so he really felt okay in his heart. Who would have thought he shouldn't have said that so early; Xie Lian had just said the words 'still okay' when he heard a voice roar, "Who the f*ck dismantled my golden palace?! Come out!"
This one roar made the Gods listening within the spirit communication array feel as if their scalps were going to explode.
Though their stomachs were already flipping, everyone still held their breaths as they listened with rapt attention. They didn't make a single peep as they waited to see how Xie Lian would respond to the loud cursing. But nobody expected that instead of something exciting—they would hear something even more thrilling. Xie Lian hadn't even started talking before Mu Qing spoke first.
Mu Qing laughed twice. "Haha."
The person who came coldly said, "You were the one who tore it down? Alright, wait for it."
Mu Qing faintly replied, "I did not say it was me. Don't randomly spray blood at people."
The other person asked, "Then why are you laughing? Are you mentally ill?"
Mu Qing answered, "It isn't like that. What you've just said was funny, that's all. The person who destroyed your golden palace is currently in the spirit communication array, you can go and ask him yourself."
With things evolving to this degree, no matter what, Xie Lian felt too embarrassed to escape now.
He coughed dryly before saying, "It was me. I'm sorry."
The moment he spoke, the person who came later also became silent.
By his ear, Ling Wen again transmitted a message. "Your Royal Highness, that is Nan Yang."
Xie Lian responded, "This time, I recognized him. However, I think he hasn't recognized me."
Ling Wen replied, "No. It's just, he spends most of his time in the mortal realm and less time in the Immortal City. Thus, he merely didn't know you had ascended again."
Nan Yang ZhenJun was the martial god who oversaw the Southeast. He was popular and had nearly eight thousand temples, receiving the love and respect from the common people.
In addition, his personal name was Feng Xin. Eight hundred years ago, he was the first general of the Xian Le Crown Prince's Palace Hall.
Feng Xin was a devoted and loyal person. He was Xie Lian's Imperial bodyguard ever since the other had been fourteen years old. Feng Xin grew up with the Crown Prince, entered the Heavens with him, was demoted with him, and was banished with him. Unfortunately, he was unable to endure those eight hundred years with Xie Lian. In the end, they separated on bad terms and parted ways, never to see each other again.
1. ZhenJun is a title. Zhen means 'genuine' while Jun means Lord. Later, one character will also have the title ZhenJun while another will just be called Jun