White No-Face was sent flying by his kick, but he flipped in the air and landed steadily, yelling, "ARE YOU MAD?!"
He was outraged!
After so long, it was the very first time Xie Lian had witnessed such an intensive emotional reaction from this creature, and that made him extremely pleased. He grabbed the black sword that was on the ground and charged forward, "I'm not mad, I've just returned!"
That kick earlier was unanticipated, but now the attacks following wouldn't be as easy. White No-Face dodged as he cried frostily, "Have you... forgotten? How your parents left you, how your people treated you, how your worshippers betrayed you! Just for this man, this puny, insignificant passerby! Now you've forgotten everything??"
"I haven't forgotten! But–" Xie Lian swung the sword, and shouted angrily and vigorously, "IT'S NONE OF YOUR SHITTY BUSINESS!!!"
White No-Face seized the tip of the sword, gripping it exceedingly firm, and blood dripped, his knuckles cracking.
He was losing it a little, and muttered incredulously, "...Useless trash, useless trash! You're truly useless trash! Having come this far to this point, you can actually regret, you can actually turn back!"
Xie Lian was also pressing down on the sword, replying with gritted teeth, "...You disgust me. So, I refuse to ever become something as disgusting as you!"
"..."
White No-Face seemed to have calmed down a little, and recovered the tone of voice that sounded as if everything was within his control, "Nevermind. This is only your last bit of struggle in the face of death. Have you forgotten what I've told you?"
Xie Lian panted a breath, and White No-Face enunciated each word, "The souls of the dead of the battlefield were summoned back by you. Now, it is too late. They will not be stopped!"
Amidst the heavy rain, that black sword in Xie Lian's hand emitted a sharp ringing cry, stabbing his ears and head with pain. "What will you do?" White No-Face asked, "Is it worth it? To take on the curse of ten thousand lifetimes for those people?"
Ever since that kick earlier, Xie Lian had been in a state of blood boiling through his veins and blood rushing to his head; all the sword swinging and the words he spat came straight from the heart without a thought of what should be done of anything that came afterwards. Now that he'd heard White No-Face's question, he didn't know how to answer either, "You won't see what I plan to do. Before that, I'll get rid of you!"
White No-Face humphed coldly, "How arrogant."
Then, Xie Lian felt his body go light, and his entire person was sent flying.
He instantly steadied his mind to find his centre, but before he found his balance, that white figure flashed above, and struck down forcefully. It was as if Xie Lian had become a ball of iron being heavily slung out, and after a loud crash, he crashed deeply into the ground.
If it was said Xie Lian had a three part hope in his mind that perhaps if he burst out he could've won, but after this strike, he was now more than awake.
He couldn't win!
Too strong; to him, this creature was overwhelmingly strong!
Xie Lian had never thought any enemy to be "overwhelming", and it was only those few times he faced Jun Wu when such a rare thought would flash through his mind. However, while Jun Wu was genuinely strong, it was a power that was measuredly restricted, deliberate and careful; a complete opposite of White No-Face. In his strength, there was a malicious encroaching viciousness and a murderous intent filled with resentment.
So, it only took one strike before Xie Lian understood. He would never be able to win against White No-Face. Perhaps there was only Jun Wu who could be a match for this creature.
But the him now would never be able to have his voice reach Jun Wu!
A violent stomp, and White No-Face's snow white boot stepped down on Xie Lian's chest, and he said chillingly, "From the start, it was your arrogance and your naive dreams that caused everything!"
Xie Lian could feel his organs twist and retract from the stomp, the pain excruciating, but he still held back that mouthful of blood, "No. It wasn't me!"
"Huh?" White No-Face said unpleasantly.
Xie Lian reached out and clutched firmly onto that boot, his eyes clearer than ever before, shining and bright, "It's you who brought the human face disease. It's you who caused everything!"
"..."
White No-Face humphed, "Perhaps. If you must think that way."
Then, he smiled, "But you must understand, that if it wasn't for your arrogance in defying the heavens, I would never have appeared in this world. I was born by the will of heaven."
The flames in Xie Lian's eyes weren't put out by the heavy rain; on the contrary, it was blazing stronger and stronger, "Stop thinking so highly of yourself! I don't need you to teach me anything, I can learn on my own. If you represent heaven's will, then something like heaven's will should be destroyed!"
Muffled thunder rolled in the horizon, whirlwinds blew. White No-Face's voice had dropped deeper.
He said softly, "I took the utmost care in teaching you but you remain obtuse and stubborn. Crown Prince, I've lost my patience."
Xie Lian coughed a few times, and White No-Face continued, "However, it makes no difference. Either way, you have long since roused them, and now, only the last step needs to be taken. Allow me to help you with this last step."
Xie Lian was alarmed, "What are you planning?"
White No-Face bent down and seized Xie Lian's hand, and stuffed that black sword in his hand, forcing him to grip it, and raising it to the sky!
A flashing thunderbolt struck down from the heavens, injecting into that black sword's heart of the blade, and reflected back. Thick and dense gloomy clouds started stirring, and a sea of black clouds enveloped the entire sky of YongAn. Countless faces, arms, legs, and other limbs were rolling within it, as if hell was moved to the heavens.
At the same time, the sun had set.
Xie Lian laid on the ground, the rolling black clouds and a sky filled with the flashing of lightning and the crying of thunder reflected in his eyes. White No-Face tossed him and that black sword also dropped to the ground with a clang.
It was as if millions of horses were shrieking and howling from the clouds, the very parade of the apocalypse, and all over the streets and alleyways, many were startled and came out to see what was going on, and they all looked confused, "What's going on?"
"What's with all the noise?"
"What the hell?? What's that in the sky?? IS THAT A HUMAN FACE??"
"IT'S CHAOS! IT'S THE OMINOUS SIGN OF THE END OF THE WORLD!"
Xie Lian was covered in mud and grime, and he stumbled as he crawled up from the ground, yelling, "GO HOME! GO BACK TO YOUR HOUSES!! DON'T COME OUT! GO HOME, RUN!!!"
The human face disease was about to be unleashed once again!
Xie Lian was fervently waving his hands while White No-Face stood on the side and chuckled softly. Xie Lian whipped his head around and glared at him in rage. White No-Face tucked his hands in his sleeves, and said calmly and easily, "Why so angry? Either way you can no longer turn back, so why not just enjoy the sweetness of revenge? This is all done by your hands, appreciate it wholeheartedly."
"...You... really think I can't do anything about this?" Xie Lian said.
"If you have a way, then please, go ahead?" White No-Face said.
Xie Lian sucked in a huge breath, then picked up that black sword on the ground and walked to where the crowd is on the street.
Everyone recognized him as that Crown Prince of the previous dynasty who laid on the street for two days, an unghost-like ghost, an ungodly god, an inhuman human, and they all backed away in trepidation. Xie Lian shouted, "ALL OF YOU, STOP WHERE YOU ARE!"
For some reason, while he was covered in mud and grime from head to toe at the moment, there was a strange aura, and everyone actually stopped. "Do you see those things in the sky?" Xie Lian asked.
The crowd nodded unconsciously. Xie Lian continued, "Those things are the resentful spirits that will trigger the human face disease. Very soon, the human face disease will erupt once again!"
That black sea of clouds was indeed terrifying, and without needing much more convincing, the crowd believed him, and everyone was horrified, "THE, THE HUMAN FACE DISEASE??"
"WHY HAS IT COME AGAIN?"
"COULD IT REALLY BE..."
Some were at a complete loss, some were turning around to flee, but the majority of them stood where they were in fidgety uneasiness, waiting for him to say more. However, Xie Lian had no more to say, and only gripped the sword in his hand and raised it forward.
The moment he raised this chilling weapon, the crowd jumped and instantly backed away a few meters in fear, but Xie Lian shouted again, "TAKE THIS!"
"..."
The people gaped in fright, "...What?"
Under the rain, Xie Lian was holding that sword up, and he said darkly, "As long as you use this sword to pierce me, you won't be affected by the human face disease."
"..."
White No-Face's smile seemed to have faltered for a moment.
A brief moment later, he spoke up with a relatively calm voice, "Crown Prince, have you gone mad?"
The people were bewildered too, "What... What are you saying?"
"Is he crazy?"
"Take the sword and stab him? For real? What is he planning?"
The crowd babbled and muttered, and a sudden burst of laughter came from White No-Face, "Have you lost your mind or have you not had enough of the taste of being pierced by a hundred swords? No, this time, I'm afraid it'll have to be the penetration of a million swords. Open your eyes and look at the sky!"
He suddenly stopped laughing, and he said, pointing to the sky, "The resentful spirits have enveloped all of YongAn! Which means, if you want to "save the common people", you will have to have all of YongAn stab you, and you will become nothing but a puddle of flesh within a day! How is a foolish method like this any different than you trying to defy the heavens and create rain back then? Do you think you can save everyone?"
Xie Lian had his back turned to him, "If a day isn't enough, then let it take a month; if a month won't do then two months, three months! If I can't save ten thousand, then I'll save a thousand; if I can't save a thousand then I'll save a hundred, TEN, EVEN IF IT'S ONLY ONE!!!"
White No-Face exclaimed in outrage, "WHY??"
Xie Lian raised that sword with both his hands and roared loudly, "THERE IS NO REASON WHY! BECAUSE I WANT TO!!! EVEN IF I TOLD YOU..." He turned his head back slightly, "–A USELESS TRASH LIKE YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND."
"..."
The condescending disdain was too obvious and cut too deep, and White No-Face raised his voice unconsciously, "You, what did you call me?"
Xie Lian stopped caring for him and turned calmly to the crowd, "Just one stab and everything will be alright. I won't die, you've all seen it for yourselves these past two days. However, everyone is only allowed one turn, no messing about, and you all must listen to me. If anyone tries to start anything I'll blow up your heads. Trust me, one of my hands can crush a hundred of your heads."
White No-Face was incredulous, "You useless trash who brought ruin to your kingdom dare call me useless trash?"
No one dared take the sword in Xie Lian's hand, but no one dared to flee either. Having been ignored, White No-Face was sinking deeper in dark anger, and he said cooly, "...Very well. Then I will sit back and watch just how your obstinance will ruin yourself. However, no matter the end, you've brought it upon yourself. I hope you won't fall apart in the end and come crying to me in regret."
Having pushed and shoved back and forth, the black clouds in the sky were growing denser and pressing down heavier, like it was going to collapse, and the shrieking cries of countless human faces were like they were right by the ears. Finally, there was a father who was so scared he couldn't take it anymore, and dragged a child over and took the sword, "I'll, I'll give it a try with my Xiao Bao, huh..."
The people on the side were all still hesitating, and when they saw they exclaimed in surprise, "You're actually going to try??"
That father also really hesitated, but he forced himself and said boldly, "But... But, he really doesn't look like he'll die! I'm sorry, buddy, I'm really sorry! My Xiao Bao..." He spoke as he raised his hand and covered the eyes of the small child in his arms, letting the child grip the black sword. White No-Face didn't interfere and only chuckled mockingly on the side. Xie Lian clenched his fists slightly, waiting for the pain to attack in the next second, telling himself in his head: It's alright. I've already hurt too many times, I'll get used to this soon enough.
Yet unexpectedly, just as that black sword was about to penetrate his gut, it was soundly knocked down by someone.
Xie Lian didn't receive the excruciating pain he anticipated, but instead there was a loud and clear, "YOU CAN'T!!"
"..."
He whipped his head over to look. The one who knocked that black sword down was actually that little water merchant!
That little merchant was mixed in the crowd, and seemed to be unable to take it anymore, and he stepped out, "I say, this really isn't a pretty sight. Do you all not see the blot on his stomach? All bloody. Will he really not die? Even if he doesn't die, he'd still bleed, no?"
That father scrunched up his face miserably, "But... but..."
That water merchant's wife elbowed him secretly again in the crowd, but that little merchant turned to her and admonished with a hush, "Stop elbowing me, if you have issues we'll talk later!" Then he turned back around, "Besides, we don't know if we really won't contract the disease if we stab him, so let's not just stab blindly?"
That father pointed to the sky, "But, soon...."
Just then, the small child in his arms started crying, and that little merchant immediately pointed, "Look, look! You making your son stab people is making him cry!"
Sure enough, that small child cried soundly and threw that black sword to the ground. He probably didn't know what his father was thinking either, but he was scared nonetheless. Thus, this killed any ideas that father had in mind, and he pushed back into the crowd holding his son. There were some who were ready to try, but when they saw the first person who stepped up was set back, the ones after didn't feel as brave, and so they yelled from the crowd, "Haven't you heard what he said? The human face disease is about to descend upon us! He's a God of Misfortune, he's brought this to our heads!"
However, that little merchant countered, "But even if he's the God of Misfortune, he wouldn't want to do this willingly?"
He kept talking and started to piss some people off, "YOU KNOW HE'S WILLING, SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO DIE TOGETHER???"
"Just focus on selling your water. Shortchanging people on the regular, what are you doing standing out now..."
The wife of that little merchant kept elbowing him, but when she heard that she instantly exploded, yelling with her face red, "MOTHERFUCKING BULLSHIT, WHO'S SHORTCHANGING?? COME THE HELL OUT AND TELL THIS TO MY FACE!"
The other party instantly shrank back. That little merchant also flushed, but soon after, he hardened up and said, "I SAY! Whether he's willing is his business, but whether we act on it is our business? This is taking up a blade and stabbing people! If in the past two days I had given him water or something, maybe I could've given this whole thing a try, but... I didn't! Who did? In any case... I'd feel ashamed