Xie Lian was so shocked he was rendered speechless.
Shi Qing Xuan then scratched his head, "Aiyah hahahahaha, I had wanted to disguise as someone else at first and observe you guys in secret, but I didn't think Your Highness' eyes are this sharp! It can't be helped, it must be because my flair and grace are unforgettable! Hahahahahahahaha..."
"..." Xie Lian rested his hands on his shoulders and choked out, "...Lord Wind Master."
Shi Qing Xuan stopped haha-ing, but was still skrch skrch scratching his head, as if his hair was filled with fleas and it was itchy, "Your Highness, I'm not the Wind Master anymore."
"Fine. Qing Xuan." Xie Lian said. It took a pause before he asked, "How... did you become this way?"
"Uh, just, it's a long story." Shi Qing Xuan said, "Anyway it was just this and that, here and there, and then I ended up like this."
Just then, the crowd inside the temple called out, "What? Ol' Feng! You know these two?"
Shi Qing Xuan turned around, his arm went around Xie Lian's shoulder and slapped it hard, "YEA! They're my good friends from the past!"
"WHAT?! IT'S YOUR FRIEND?! OL' FENG, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO!"
"Ol' Feng, the likes of you actually know a little white face who you can tell with one look was raised in the honey of tender meat?! I bet you're bullshittin' again!"
The crowd was surprised and amazed, making a big deal out of things, and it should've been funny, but Xie Lian only felt upset. It had to be known that among the three of them, only the Wind Master of the past was the true "little white face raised in the honey of tender meat". Shi Qing Xuan was furious, "WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY? I'M NOT BULLSHITTIN'!"
"Please. Remember back when you were still mental and would speak nonsense all day? Think we've all forgotten?!"
Shi Qing Xuan WAH LAH WAH LAH-ed and cried a series of unintelligible noises, "I'M GOING TO GO HELP MY FRIENDS NOW, I'M LEAVING, I'M LEAVING! ANYONE ELSE COMIN'?"
This time, the crowd looked at each other, and a moment later, they said, "Alright, fine. If it's Ol' Feng's friend then it's different."
"Let's go along with Ol' Feng, lest he gets beaten to death by someone, the way he's missing an arm and a leg."
"HEY!" Shi Qing Xuan called out.
There were still those who wouldn't give up and pressed, "Is there really no compensation? Even if there's no pay, a chicken leg to munch on would be fine too?"
Xie Lian gave Shi Qing Xuan a brief account and both parties now understood the situation. Shi Qing Xuan gave it a thought and said, "I can understand that we can't use force or temptation for this business, but giving everyone a bite to eat should be fine? Everyone hasn't had a good meal in a long time."
As long as they didn't hold a greedy heart, it wouldn't be a problem, and Xie Lian replied, "It should be alright. But, say it this way." He whispered a few words and Shi Qing Xuan said, "I was thinking the same thing." Then he turned around and hollered, "AFTER THIS IS DONE, THEY'RE GONNA TREAT EVERYONE TO A BOWL OF CHICKEN LEG SOUP LATER, HEY! EVERYONE GETS A BOWL WHETHER YOU COME OR NOT! ATTENTION, YOU'D GET ONE EVEN IF YOU DON'T GO, WE ONLY ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS!"
Now the way he phrased it was crafty. "Everyone gets a bowl", everyone got to eat whether they went or not, which made the ones who decide to come immensely valuable. Shi Qing Xuan shouted, "ANYONE ELSE COMING? THE MORE THE MERRIER! COME COME COME! TELL EVERYONE THERE'S NO PAY, HEY! IT'S JUST GIVING ME A HAND, SAVING THE WORLD, SURROUND THE ROYAL CAPITAL OR WHATEVER IS JUST WHATEVER, BUT WE ONLY WANT VOLUNTEERS! WE'LL TREAT EVERYONE TO A GOOD MEAL AFTER THIS IS DONE!"
Perhaps it was because there was someone leading the way, in a blink of an eye, the cold and indifferent temple suddenly became as hot as fire, and the beggars also split up to go inform more homeless folks they knew. Xie Lian, Hua Cheng, and Shi Qing Xuan stood before the entrance of that broken down temple. Xie Lian looked up and saw where there should've been an establishment plaque was empty, and couldn't help but remember that dilapidated Temple of Wind and Water back at the town of Fu Gu, and those divine statues of the Water Master whose head was cut off and the Wind Master who was missing an arm and a leg. In the end he couldn't hold it in and he turned to Shi Qing Xuan, asking hesitatingly, "...Qing Xuan?"
Shi Qing Xuan dropped his arm from his shoulder, "What is it? Oh, sorry about this, Your Highness, my hand's a little dirty. Your clothes, haha."
Sure enough, his arm left dirty marks on the shoulder of Xie Lian's white robes. He looked as if he wanted to help Xie Lian dust off, but then realized it would only get dirtier the more he dusted, so he withdrew his hand, rubbing his nose awkwardly. As if Xie Lian minded those things. He was only very concerned with one thing, "Lord... Qing Xuan, your fate..."
Shi Qing Xuan was startled, "What about my fate?"
"Did, Black Water change it after all...?" Xie Lian asked.
Then it finally dawned on Shi Qing Xuan and he quickly said, "Oh no no no, he didn't, he didn't. You've misunderstood, he didn't do anything."
Xie Lian didn't think Black Water would change Shi Qing Xuan's fate in the end either, "Then, your arm and leg?"
Shi Qing Xuan scratched at his head again and said a little shyly, "This wasn't him either. How do I say... there's some carelessness here, and some really bad luck there, but this was all my own doing."
Since he wouldn't tell details, Xie Lian didn't press for them. Only, somehow, imperceptibly, Shi Qing Xuan's current state had affirmed He Xuan's act of prophecy-like venting anger back at the Temple of Wind and Water, who knows what mysterious force was at play.
"That day, my spiritual powers were suddenly sucked away and I couldn't help you. I'm really sorry." Xie Lian said.
Shi Qing Xuan waved his hand, "The whole thing had nothing to do with you anyway. If it wasn't Your Highness who told me what was going on beforehand, my head might still be in the clouds all the way to the very end."
"What exactly happened afterwards that day?" Xie Lian asked.
Turns out, after He Xuan had decapitated Shi Wu Du, Shi Qing Xuan slumped and became lifeless, and he couldn't understand anything He Xuan said to him, only vaguely recalling that He Xuan had taken him out of the Black Water Island. Later, he was ditched in the royal capital. He didn't understand why it'd be the royal capital later, but in the past, Shi Qing Xuan had always fussed about going to the royal capital to feast and drink, so he was fairly familiar with the area. Everything was a blur, and when he finally snapped out of it, he decided to just bury his name and settle down here.
Since he completely lost all of his spiritual powers, had nothing to pinpoint his identity, and spent his days in blighted squalors, naturally the Upper Court wouldn't be able to find traces of his whereabouts.
"In any case, it has nothing to do with him." Shi Qing Xuan said, "Afterwards, I've never seen him again either."
It was probably for the best that they never saw each other again. This affair truly was difficult to manage; a person like this, does he kill or not kill? Besides, the Water Master also savagely disgusted He Xuan at the brink of his death, and Xie Lian seriously sweated for Shi Qing Xuan's fate. Right then, the band of beggars returned with more people, and the mob pushed and dragged, loudly babbling, "OL' FENG, OL' FENG! WE'VE DRAGGED THIS MANY PEOPLE FOR YA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?"
Shi Qing Xuan gave them a big thumbs up, "GOOD WORK! EVERYONE GETS A CHICKEN LEG!"
"There's so many people, will they be able to afford to feed all of us?"
Shi Qing Xuan swept his hand, and for a moment, Xie Lian almost thought he was going to toss out a hundred thousand merits, but he only said, "THIS IS NOTHING! NEVERMIND THIS MANY, THEY CAN AFFORD TO FEED EVEN TEN TIMES THE AMOUNT!"
Finally snapping out of it, if he counted roughly, there was actually now more than two hundred people gathered, completely outside of Xie Lian's expectations! He was cheered, "Lord Wind M... Qing Xuan, this is a great help!"
Shi Qing Xuan was proud and pleased, "But of course. I can call forth hundreds no matter where I go, and maybe, in the future I can establish a gang or something, fish up a gang leader title, hahahahahaha..."
"Ol' Feng's gone mental again." The crowd of beggars behind them all commented.
"Yea, right! He's swankin' again!"
"What! I'm not swanking!" Shi Qing Xuan exclaimed.
But those few beggars just had to pull his leg and said to Xie Lian, "My friend, you don't know this right? When Ol' Feng first came he was a mess, nagging insanely chasing behind people all day everyday to boast that he's a god."
Shi Qing Xuan appeared slightly ill at ease and immediately griped, "I've no time to listen to you all talk nonsense, leave your mouths for munching chicken legs!"
Xie Lian listened to them quietly, his smile fading a bit. His heart felt like it was crumpled into a ball but at the same time, was laid out open and easy like rice paper.
Lord Wind Master had changed, but at the same time, didn't.
Thank goodness.
Shi Qing Xuan spoke up, "Your Highness, what do we do now? I've got the people for you, now they're in your hands."
Although the number of people wasn't enough, but it'd only be temporary. They'll think more on it once the array was set up. Xie Lian replied, "Very good, now we need to find an empty area that can hold this many people."
Earlier during their conversation, Hua Cheng had never interrupted, and Xie Lian couldn't tell what he was thinking. Only now did he speak up, "That's easy to take care of. Gege, just come with me."
Xie Lian nodded, and Shi Qing Xuan hobbled over as he hailed buoyantly, "EVERYONE COME FOLLOW, DON'T LOSE YOUR WAY, HEY!"
Xie Lian had subconsciously wanted to assist him at first, but when he saw no one went to help support him and he didn't walk any slower than anyone else, he understood. A group of large beggars thus pushed out of the slum in a bustle, pouring into the streets, but they didn't go very far before there was an angry shout, "STOP RIGHT THERE! WHAT'S THIS? THERE'S SO MANY OF YOU, ARE YOU TRYING TO START SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT??"
The beggars were all greatly alarmed, "OH NO! IT'S THE NIGHT PATROL!"
However, Xie Lian didn't bother to look back because Hua Cheng didn't look back, "Don't mind them." Then, that soldier slumped down.
The beggars were amazed and they started chattering. Shi Qing Xuan then cried, "QUIET! DON'T ATTRACT MORE SOLDIERS OVER!" Thus, the group toned down to hushed whispers. Hua Cheng paused in his step and said, "Gege, this street will do."
"This one?" Xie Lian asked, "Certainly by location it's the most suitable, but wouldn't it be too conspicuous?"
This large street was very wide and spacious, flat and paved going forward, it was the main avenue of the royal capital, so of course it was conspicuous! Everyone chimed in, "Yea, what if we get discovered and get chased out?!"
However, Hua Cheng said, "That's fine. Even if they discover us they can't chase us out."
Xie Lian nodded, "Everyone, I must make this absolutely clear to you now. What we will be facing afterwards is something very vicious, and there could be danger. However, if it breaks through then the entire royal capital will sink into danger, so I need everyone to be sure you're doing this voluntarily without second guesses. Is there anyone who is scared and wishes to back out?"
No one. Xie Lian continued, "Very good, then will everyone now hold each other's hands and form a large circle."
Someone was puzzled, "What array spell is this? How come it sounds like babies holding hands?"
Shi Qing Xuan spittook and exclaimed, "So much nonsense, just follow this instructions!"
"Heh, Ol' Feng, you've got it wrong there. No one talks more nonsense than you, yanno!"
Chatter and bustle, the crowd followed the direction and the two hundred some people held hands, forming a very, very large human circle on the spacious and wide main avenue of the royal capital. Shi Qing Xuan asked, "Those creatures won't be able to charge into the royal capital as long as we hold hands like this?"
"No." Xie Lian said, "They'll be charging down sooner or later."
Shi Qing Xuan was confused, "Then what's the use of this array of yours?"
"It's a trap." Xie Lian explained, "Once this array is set up, when those creatures break through the protection shield of the royal capital and come charging down, they won't go rogue everywhere but will instead be lured to this circle and fall into the trap."