Hua Cheng used his own deduction skills and learning capabilities to learn the WuYong language. He could decipher the meaning of the words, but because there wasn't anyone alive who could read those words aloud to him, he couldn't match the words with the sounds. Which meant, he couldn't understand the muttering chatters of those corpse-eating rats. But, Xie Lian, who had never visited Mount TongLu understood. So what did this mean?
With just a glance Hua Cheng could guess what Xie Lian was thinking and he immediately said, "Gege, don't panic just yet. I'll repeat those words again to you now, give it a listen."
"...Alright." Xie Lian said.
Hua Cheng's memory was exceptional, and once they left where the corpse-eating rats were gathering, he immediately repeated the words clearly. Xie Lian stared at him nervously, and heard a series of moderately paced and somewhat bizarre pronunciations. Those strange words had an ancient rhythm to them, and to have them enunciated steadily and controlled through Hua Cheng's lips, the notes were deep and beautiful, pleasing to the ears. After concentrating on the words for a moment, Xie Lian said, "I don't understand it."
Now this was strange. He could understand the words those corpse-eating rats spewed, but now that Hua Cheng recited the same words, he couldn't understand. But it was impossible what had happened was a delusion.
Hua Cheng questioned, "Earlier, when you heard those voices, you understood them instantly, and knew very naturally what they were saying, right?"
Xie Lian nodded, "Right. There was never a translation process in my brain." Which was why he didn't realize it was a different language.
"I get it." Hua Cheng said.
"What did you get?" Xie Lian asked.
"What you understood wasn't the WuYong tongue, but the emotions of those who died."
Xie Lian understood but at the same time, didn't. Hua Cheng explained further, "Which means, a long time ago, someone heard the voices of the dead, understood them and remembered them, then, somehow transplanted this memory to you, infected you with those emotions. Because that person already knew the WuYong tongue, so, you didn't need to know the WuYong tongue. Those voices had always been buried deep within your mind, and the moment you heard them, you were dragged into those emotions directly."
"I see..." Xie Lian said, "But, the problem is, who could pass those memories and emotions to me? And when did they do this?"
After a pause, he murmured, "...Guoshi?"
However, Hua Cheng said, "Can't be sure. Gege, you're already assuming your master is from WuYong. But, have you ever thought that if that's the case, then before when we were in the stomach of the mountain spirit, shouldn't they be communicating via the WuYong tongue? Why weren't they?"
This wasn't hard to explain. Xie Lian said, "Because the Kingdom of WuYong was destroyed two thousand years ago, which means, in the past two thousand years, if they really did move about in this world, then they would more likely use the modern language. So when they communicate, they would very naturally use the language they're more fluent in."
Hua Cheng gripped his shoulders, his tone growing harsher, "Gege, don't keep making yourself think in that direction."
Xie Lian finally turned back to face him, "Fine. Then San Lang, in order to transplant memories and emotions to another, what kind of requirements must there be usually?"
Hua Cheng answered, "Two requirements: first, you must trust this person absolutely without any guard, and should there be a need, the willingness to be led by this person."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Xie Lian had picked the candidates in his mind. Hua Cheng continued, "Second, you are powerless to retaliate against this person, they have the power to oppress you completely, and you hold deep fear towards them. Gege, think carefully. In these years, who matches these requirements?"
Xie Lian contemplated for a while, and after some hesitation, answered slowly, "There are three in total."
"Very good. Which three?" Hua Cheng asked.
"The first one is Guoshi." Xie Lian said.
Although he loved his parents deeply and never guarded against them, but deep in his heart, him and his father walked different paths, thus, he couldn't say he was willing to be lead by his father. However, Guoshi who took him in and taught him everything matches the first requirement. This was expected. Hua Cheng asked, "Then, the second one?"
"Jun Wu." Xie Lian answered.
He admired and respected Jun Wu immensely, no need to speak more on the subject, and he also fulfills the first requirement. Hua Cheng didn't look to be too impressed but he didn't comment. "And the last one?
"The third one," Xie Lian said, "Doesn't match the first requirement but the second one."
Hua Cheng understood. He said darkly, "...White No-Face?"
Xie Lian closed his eyes and nodded, a hand covering his front, "...I won't lie to you. Even though in front of everyone, I might not have revealed this, even to Feng Xin and Mu Qing back then I had never said anything dispiriting, but I actually..."
Actually, deep in his heart, he had deeply feared that creature.
There was a period of time when even just hearing the name would make him tremble nonstop. However, Xie Lian had never dared to allow anyone see, because he was the very hope in fighting White No-Face. If even he was scared, then wouldn't everyone else fall into despair? If that should happen, then everything would collapse!
Of course, everything was much better now. Hua Cheng gripped his shoulders even harder, "It's nothing. It's nothing shameful to be afraid of something."
Xie Lian gave a small flickering smile, "En. I'm just not brave enough, that's all."
Hua Cheng comforted, "You don't need to be so hard on yourself. Without fear, there is no courage."
Xie Lian was slightly taken aback. Hua Cheng continued without pause, "So, is it only those three?"
Xie Lian nodded. Which meant, someone among those three was the one who instilled the memories and emotions of the WuYong people when the volcano erupted. Hua Cheng mused, furrowing his brows, but after a moment of silence, Xie Lian suddenly spoke up, "That's not all of them."
Hua Cheng turned to look at him, "What?"
Xie Lian sucked in a breath and said, "...I said, it's not only those three, there's a fourth person. This person matches the first requirement. But, he has nothing to do with those memories and emotions."
Hua Cheng had turned around completely, "Oh? How so? Does Your Highness and this person also share many years of deep friendship?"
Not so many years, Xie Lian thought, but a deep friendship... He thought it counted, but he was too embarrassed to say it out loud, so he replied ambiguously, "In any case... he might be the one I trust the most, even more so than my master and Jun Wu."
"How does that count?" Hua Cheng asked.
Xie Lian cleared his throat lightly and said shyly, "It's embarrassing to say. Because... If I were to commit a grave mistake, or get into big troubles, the first one I think of is surely him... And, this trust is not quite the same as what I have for my master and the Emperor..." Before he even finished he noticed Hua Cheng's expression was off, and he trailed off, "San Lang?"
Only then did Hua Cheng come to, and he raised his brows, "Oh. It's nothing, I was thinking of something else. Your Highness really trust this person so much?"
Although usually when he raised his brows he was at ease or teasing, this time it didn't seem that natural.
Xie Lian nodded, "En... Is there a problem?"
Hua Cheng bowed his head slightly, fixed the silver vambraces by his sleeves, and said, appearing nonchalant, "Nothing major. But, a personal opinion. It's best if gege doesn't trust others so easily."
"..."
Hearing him, Xie Lian couldn't be sure if Hua Cheng figured out who he was talking about, and he didn't dare to reveal anymore, so he only "Oh"-ed.
After a pause, he still couldn't hold back and asked, "San Lang isn't going to ask who this person is?"
"Hm? Me?" Hua Cheng said, "Since gege said you trust him and is determined that he has nothing to do with this affair, then there's no need to ask."
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead, and soon after, Hua Cheng said, "But, if gege wants to tell me, San Lang is happy to listen."
Although his words sounded proper, but if Xie Lian followed along and told him now, it'd be awkward, like he was begging people to ask who he trusted the most was. Xie Lian couldn't tell whether if it was just courtesy or Hua Cheng really didn't care either. Coincidentally, right then, the wraith butterflies that had been engaged in a bloody carnage with the corpse-eating rats had returned. After going through a strenuous battle, the silver butterflies were flying a little low, like they were dragging with fatigue. Xie Lian quickly went up to greet them, reaching out to catch a particularly tiny little silver butterfly and said, "Thanks for your hard work!"
Now he'd done it. The butterflies paused in the air, and the next second, it was like they smelled delicious pastry and they all charged towards him like mad. Xie Lian had the little silver butterfly cupped in his hand was almost stunned. Hua Cheng gave a calm cough, and the butterflies paused again, then they flew towards him properly, landing on the silver vambraces on his arms, becoming one with the engraved butterfly patterns.
The two continued to search for Yin Yu. After walking for a while, Hua Cheng suddenly spoke up, "It's not Feng Xin, is it?"
Xie Lian had already started thinking about something else, and when he heard him, he blinked, "Huh? What?"
"That person gege spoke of." Hua Cheng said.
Xie Lian instantly waved his hand, "Of course not."
Hua Cheng's brows twitched, "...It's not Mu Qing either, is it?"
A drop of sweat rolled down Xie Lian's forehead, "That's even more impossible. But, why is San Lang suddenly asking about this again?"
Hua Cheng smiled, "I thought about it, and suddenly felt the fourth person is the most suspicious. So, to prevent any surprises, will gege please tell me who this person you trust the most and have shared many years of deep friendship with is?"
"..."
Xie Lian watched the smile on his face and had a gut feeling that this smile was very fake. Just as he inhaled deeply and was about to speak, the faint silver light from the scouting silver butterflies suddenly disappeared.
Darkness fell from all around, and Hua Cheng swiftly seized Xie Lian's hand and blitzed to the side of the street. Xie Lian could tell something was wrong and said in a whisper, "San Lang, something's coming, right?"
Even though darkness had come suddenly and nothing could be seen, but he still followed after Hua Cheng's steps closely and flawlessly hopped into a house to hide. Hua Cheng's voice rang next to his ear, "It's here."
Within the darkness, there was suddenly a very peculiar sound.
Dong, dong, dong.
Even though it was far away, but each drag sounded exceedingly heavy, and with every sound, it'd sound much closer than before, its speed astounding. Xie Lian kept thinking this sound was familiar, that he had definitely heard it before, and when that sound was close, he looked to the outside.
Sure enough! On the main streets of the underground city, a woman dressed in wedding robes appeared.
While that woman had donned a wedding robe, the robe itself was ragged and shredded, chillingly gloomy. Although her face was handsomely beautiful, there was no sign of life. The glowingly green ghost fire on top of her head also made her blanched face glow green. In her arms cradled a small child whose face was also pale, but much livelier than her, obviously a live human.
"Bumping into old friends again." Hua Cheng said.
It was the female ghost Xuan Ji and Gu Zi!