Xie Lian instantly screamed on the spot, and Feng Xin jumped in surprise, "WHAT? WHAT IS IT??"
Xie Lian pointed at the mirror, his face pale, "HIM! I... I, MY..."
Feng Xin followed his arm and looked to the mirror, and a good moment later, he turned to look at Xie Lian, bewildered, "...What's with you?"
Xie Lian was terrified to the bone, and he gripped him hard, squeezing out only a few words with great difficulty, "MY! MY! MY FACE! YOU DON'T SEE IT? THE THING ON MY FACE??"
Feng Xin stared at his face and sighed. Xie Lian was still confused why there wasn't any reaction from him when Feng Xin said, "Your Highness, have you finally noticed that there are cuts on your face?"
It was as if Xie Lian was plunged into an ice cellar.
Why? How could this happen? Why would Feng Xin say that?
Could it be that Feng Xin couldn't see the mask on his face in the mirror at all?!
Xie Lian blurted, "You don't see it? There's something on my face!"
Feng Xin was puzzled, "What thing? What exactly do you mean? I don't see anything?"
Xie Lian looked at the mirror again, "That's impossible! I..."
However, when he looked again this time, the mask on his face in the mirror had disappeared, and what reflected what that panicking face of his.
There were bruises and cuts crisscrossing on his face, looking lost and disturbed, exceedingly unkempt, like a small worker was beaten to a pulp by a wealthy master. Xie Lian was stunned in spite of himself, and probled the side of his cheek, wondering inwardly, '...Is this me?'
Just then, he heard Feng Xin speak, "Your Highness, are you... too tired, perhaps? Or are you just exhausted from being angry at that stinkin' bastard? Listen to me, don't go out in the next few days, and just take it easy."
Xie Lian finally snapped out of it and saw Feng Xin was about to leave the door with the bow on his back, dangling a stool in his hand, and he explained hastily, "No! I..."
Feng Xin pushed the door while looking back, "Is there anything else?"
The words had made it to this lips but he forcefully swallowed them down because a strange thought suddenly appeared in his mind: Life now was already very difficult; if he told Feng Xin that White No-Face could be coming back to harass them, what would Feng Xin do?
Feng Xin was also fairly traumatized by White No-Face, what would he do? Would he think of backing away, and leave like Mu Qing?
Just as his imagination was running wild, Feng Xin had already left. Xie Lian snapped to the sound of the door closing, and so he could only shrink back to bed, wrap himself in blankets, planning to take another nap.
Suddenly, he smelled something foul.
Xie Lian crawled up, and at first he thought it was the queen cooking again or some rat that died in a corner, and he got up to check. He looked all over, but in the end he discovered that the source of the foul smell was actually himself.
Only then did Xie Lian remember that it had been over two weeks since he last washed up or changed, so of course he'd smell.
Xie Lian held his breath, a wave of self hatred crashing through him. Just thinking that both his parents and Feng Xin must've noticed but didn't bother to tell him made him feel another wave of embarrassment. He sneakily opened the door and looked around; there wasn't anyone outside, so he found himself a set of fresh clothing and planned to boil some water for a bath.
After much struggle, he finally soaked in the bathtub at last. He sank himself into the water, holding his breath until he was suffocating, and only resurfacing when he felt he was going to pass out. Then he rubbed at his face roughly.
After wiping himself down, Xie Lian reached out to grab for his clothes, absentmindedly shaking out his robes and was just about to put them on when suddenly, he noticed something wrong.
That wasn't his clothes at all but White No-Face's tragically blanched funeral garb with expansive sleeves!!!
Xie Lian could only feel the hot water he was soaking in turning into a pot of icy pond all of a sudden, his hairs standing on ends, and he cried in dismay, "WHO?! WHO DID THIS??"
Who changed out his clothes in secret while he wasn't paying attention??
He jumped out, still wet and dripping, and knocked the bathtub over. A large splash, and instantly the entire cottage was flooded with bathwater, startling both the king and queen who were in the next room. The queen supported the king as they entered to see, and Xie Lian was sprawled on the ground naked, the floor flooded with water, and in her shock, she came rushing forward to hug him, "My son, what happened to you??"
Xie Lian was wet and dripping, his hair strewn, and he looked up, hugging her back, "Mom, a ghost, there's a ghost, there's a ghost clinging to me! He's constantly following me!"
His appearance was no different than one who had lost his mind, and the queen couldn't take it anymore as she wept in anguish and held her son. The king also watched Xie Lian dumbfoundedly; a man of forty some looking like he was now over sixty. The frigid air of winter jolted Xie Lian, and he pointed, "The clothes. Look at the clothes!..."
However, when he looked at those clothes again, how was it the funeral garb at all? Was it not just his white cultivation robes?
Xie Lian was suddenly filled with rage, and he slammed a fist on the wooden tub, roaring, "JUST WHAT DO YOU WANT? ARE YOU PLAYING WITH ME?"
The queen forced back her tears and hugged him, "My son don't be angry, just put on some clothes first, put them on, don't catch a cold..."
That day, Feng Xin also came back really late. Exhaustion was written on his face, much more so than before.
Xie Lian had been waiting for him for a long time, and he spoke impatiently, "Feng Xin, I have something very important to tell you."
Although that creature White No-Face was too bizarrely powerful, even if he told Feng Xin, it would be pointless to set up guard beforehand, nevertheless, after much thinking he still believed something like this shouldn't be kept secret from Feng Xin, so he decided to tell him the truth. Unexpectedly, Feng Xin didn't immediately ask him what it was, and only said, "Oh good. I've got something I wanted to say to you too."
Xie Lian thought the matter with White No-Face was more important, and anything else urgent could come after, but he sat down at the table and asked, "You go first. What is it?"
Feng Xin hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Highness, you go first."
Xie Lian didn't have the mind to be courteous anymore and whispered, "Feng Xin, you must be absolutely careful. White No-Face has come back."
"..."
Feng Xin's expression instantly changed, "White No-Face has returned? Why would you say that? Did you see it?"
"Yes!" Xie Lian exclaimed, "I saw it!"
Feng Xin paled, "That's... That's not right, why would it be seen by you? Why are you still here all fine after having seen it???"
Xie Lian buried his face in his hands, "...I don't know either! Not only did he not kill me, he even..."
He even hugged him and pat his head like a loving elder, and beckoned him, "Come to my side".
After having listened to the strange encounter of the past few days, Feng Xin's shock gradually faded away, and it was replaced by confusion, "Just what is he thinking?"
"Either way he must not have any good intentions, and he also seemed to be following me everywhere," Xie Lian said, "In any case... you just be careful! Help me remind father and mother to be careful too, but don't frighten them."
"Alright." Feng Xin said, "I won't go out for the next few days. The stuff that bastard gave us... should last us for some time."
It was quite embarrassing to say. When Mu Qing left, he still left behind everything he brought over. Although Xie Lian lost control of himself at the time, flinging the stuff at him saying he didn't need his stuff nor help, but after calming down, they still picked up everything secretly in defeat. Xie Lian sighed and nodded. Then he said, "Oh yes, what was it that you wanted to say to me?"
Having brought this up, Feng Xin hesitated again. After a pause, he opened his mouth, and was surprisingly humming and hawing, scratching at his head as he stammered out, "Actually, it's... Your Highness, do you still, have money on you? Or something that can be pawned?"
Xie Lian had never thought he'd ask such a silly question at a time like this and was a little perplexed, "Huh? Why are you asking this?"
Feng Xin sweated as he replied boldly, "...It's nothing... just, if you happen to have some, can you... lend me some?"
Xie Lian laughed bitterly, "...Do you think I'd have any more?"
Feng Xin sighed too, "I thought so."
Xie Lian gave it a thought and said, "But didn't I gift you that golden belt before?"
Feng Xin mumbled, "That's not enough. Far from it..."
Xie Lian was shocked, "Feng Xin? What exactly have you done out there? How can a golden belt not be enough? Do you owe someone money for beating someone up? Tell me?"
Feng Xin snapped out of it and quickly said, "Oh no! Don't take this to heart, I was only asking!"
After asking over and over, Feng Xin still swore everything was fine, and Xie Lian said worriedly, "Well if there's anything, you have to tell me, and we can think of a solution together."
"Don't worry about me." Feng Xin said, "No solution will just fall from the sky. Your Highness, you just focus on solving your problems!"
When he brought it up, Xie Lian's heart sank again.
Just as he expected, all the days that followed, that creature harassed him unceasingly and wouldn't leave him alone.
Xie Lian could always see that cry-smiling mask or that white silhouette in many unsuspecting places. Sometimes it'd be at the headboard in the deep night, sometimes it'd be a reflection in the water, sometimes it'd be at the other side of the door when he opened said door, and sometimes, it'd even be standing right behind Feng Xin.
White No-Face seemed to be taking scaring him as entertainment, and, purposely only let him be the only one who would see. Every time when Xie Lian couldn't take it anymore and pointed at him screaming, all the others would rush over or look over, and he'd disappear. Xie Lian had been passing days like this in shaken agitation, so bitter he wished he could catch that creature and chop it into eight pieces, but he couldn't even manage to step on the other's shadow. Inevitably, his days and nights became flipped, both his heart and body exhausted.
One day, he jolted awake in the middle of the night, and felt irrepressibly thirsty. Thinking that he hadn't drank anything properly the entire day, he crawled up ready to go get some water to drink. However, from outside the room creeped faint voices and weak candlelight. Xie Lian was startled and instantly hid behind the door, his heart thumping, 'Who could it be? If it's father, mother, and Feng Xin, why would they sneak around like this?'
Yet who knew, the ones sneaking around really were his father, mother, and Feng Xin. Feng Xin's voice was extremely hushed, "His Highness is resting now, right?"
The queen also whispered, "He's asleep now."
"Finally." The king said, "Don't wake him too early tomorrow, let him sleep some more."
Those words made Xie Lian's heart squeeze, then soon after, he heard the queen said, "Sigh... if this keeps up, when would my son ever get better?"
Xie Lian could feel something amiss with those words, and just then, Feng Xin said with a quiet voice, "He's only like this because he's overworked. Too much has happened recently. Will your majesties also keep a closer eye on him, and if there's anything off with His Highness, please do let me know as soon as possible, but don't let him know. Also, don't say anything that'd provoke him..."
Xie Lian eavesdropped hiding behind the door, his mind going blank, and waves of blood rushed up to his brain.
What did this mean? What did they mean?
He roared internally, "I'M NOT CRAZY! I DIDN'T LIE! I WAS TELLING THE TRUTH!"
Xie Lian raised his hand and PANG! Crashed the door open. All three inside the room were startled, and Feng Xin rose to this feet, "Your Highness? Why aren't you asleep??"
Xie Lian was furious, "YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME??"
Feng Xin was taken aback, "Of course I believe you! You..." Xie Lian cut him off, "Then what did you mean by those words just now? Are you saying that everything I saw were all hallucinations, that I'm just delusional?"
The king and queen wanted to intercept and Xie Lian instantly said, "Don't speak, you guys don't understand anything!"
"No!" Feng Xin exclaimed, "I believe you, Your Highness, but you've been overworked too, and that's also the truth!"
Xie Lian looked at him and didn't speak, but somewhere in his heart there were chilling winds blowing in.
He believed that overall, Feng Xin still believed in him. At least eighty percent.
But it wasn't complete trust. After all, how Xie Lian passed his recent days really were too mental. If it was any other outsider looking in, they would've no doubt determined him to be a mad man, so what right did he have to demand anyone to trust him completely?
But it shouldn't be like this. The Feng Xin of the past would have absolute faith in him no matter what! Even if there was only twenty percent of doubt, it was still unbearable!
Xie Lian was filled with rage and resentment, but he couldn't tell who it was directed at; to White No-Face, to Feng Xin, to everyone, or to himself. He didn't speak a word. He turned and went out the door, and Feng Xin chased after him, "Your Highness, where are you going?"
Xie Lian forced himself to be calm, "Don't mind me, don't follow me, go back."
"No, but where are you going? I'll go with you!" Feng Xin said.
Xie Lian made up his mind and suddenly started running wildly. Feng Xin wasn't as fast as him, and was soon left far behind, and could only shout after him. The king and queen both came out and started shouting for him too, but Xie Lian pretended not to hear, and ran faster.
He had no choice but to make the first attack!
If White No-Face planned to kill Xie Lian, or Feng Xin, or his parents, it would be a piece of cake. Yet he just wouldn't kill, and would instead play him like a toy, making a food of him!
Xie Lian ran as he roared in the black night, "COME THE HELL OUT!!! YOU SHADY GUTTER MONSTER!!! GET THE HELL OUT!!!"
White No-Face was coming strictly for him, so he believed that White No-Face would've followed him for sure. However, after cursing the world with insufficient vocabularies, there was none of the usual sneers drifting from unexpected shadowed corners, nor did any figures appear languidly behind his back, putting an unsuspecting hand on his head.
After running madly for a number of miles, Xie Lian finally exhausted his strength, and he bent deeply at the waist, supporting himself up with hands on his knees, panting harshly, his chest and throat flooded with the taste of rusted iron.
A good while later, he suddenly whipped up and continued forward, saying under his breath, "...So you want to drag this out with me? Fine, we'll drag this out slowly!"
He walked by himself through a deserted, barren fields, through old woods and deep mountains, for who knows how long, and fog gradually started to thicken.
All around were the blackened old trees flashing their claws, and they were all leaning forward, exceedingly pushed down, as if they were inviting him to step into a field of forbidden land of no return. Xie Lian could tell that whatever was ahead wasn't going to be anything good, but it was unavoidable. Besides, he must put an end to this, so this would've come sooner or later. Thus, with a darkened expression he continued forward. As he walked, within the white fog, a row of something shimmering appeared like a glowing wall.
Xie Lian had never seen anything like it and he furrowed his brows slightly, stopping in his breath. As for that 'wall', it was actually slowly pushing forward towards him!
Xie Lian was tensed in alarm and broke off a branch, gripping it in his hand at the ready. Only when that 'wall' made it to not two meters away from him did he realize in bewilderment that it wasn't a wall, but countless ghost fires. Because there were too many, from afar it looked like a blazing wall, or a giant net.
While those ghost fires were strange, they didn't emit any murderous intent, and only drifted towards him silently, blocking him from continuing forward. Xie Lian tried going around them, but those ghost fires immediately changed direction and continued to block Xie Lian. At the same time, he heard many voices:
"Don't go there."
"Don't go over."
"There are no good things ahead."
"Turn around, don't continue to walk!"
Those voices were stoic and condensed like tides, giving him chills down his back. Xie Lian was surrounded and noticed, within these ghost fires, there was one ball of flames that was particularly bright, and particularly silent.
Although something like a ghost fire didn't have eyes, but when he gazed at that ghost fire, he could almost sense a burning gaze staring at him.
It seemed, this ghost was the strongest among these ghost fires. All the other ghost fires were all only following after it.