Within the darkness, that figure took a step forward, and was finally revealed under the firelight.
Mu Qing's face was dark but he didn't speak, and Feng Xin grabbed onto Xie Lian and added, "Before at the Heavenly Capital, I was searching for people just fine when someone suddenly struck me from behind, otherwise why would I have fallen?"
Xie Lian's mind spun rapidly and blinked, "He was the one who struck you?"
Feng Xin said with absolute certainty, "Without a doubt, it was him!"
"And after he hit you, you were immediately knocked out?" Xie Lian asked.
"Pretty much!" Feng Xin said, "Either way, Your Highness watch out for him, don't get so close, or just seize him!"
Mu Qing swore in spite of himself, "Bullsh..."
Xie Lian quickly cut in, "Wait! Feng Xin, there's a problem here. If he ambushed you from behind and you were knocked out immediately afterwards – how did you know that the one who struck you from behind was Mu Qing?"
Feng Xin hadn't expected that he'd ask this question and was taken a back. Mu Qing instantly seized that moment and humphed, "At the time, the Heavenly Capital was ablaze in chaos, it wouldn't be strange for anyone to have knocked you out, but you just had to throw this mess on me, can't you just admit you saw wrong?"
However, Feng Xin held onto Xie Lian and stood up, his tone dark, "No, it was definitely you!"
"On what basis do you make your accusation?" Mu Qing demanded.
Feng Xin enunciated, "It was precisely because the Heavenly Capital was ablaze and there was firelight all over that the ground reflected the shadow of that person behind me. Even though I didn't get the chance to look back, but when I fell, I saw the shape of that shadow and the attack move. It was your shadow!"
Xie Lian watched intently as the two exchanged verbal blows. Mu Qing still wouldn't back down, "All this talk but you still didn't see anything with your own eyes, and it's normal for shadows to blur reality, so how can you determine it was me by just a shadow? What can you see when you were practically fainting?"
"You know very well whether if I can tell the distinction. His Highness too." Feng Xin said.
Xie Lian indeed knew. No matter what, the three of them grew up together, cultivated together, and couldn't be more than familiar with each other's forms and moves, so even if they didn't see faces, they could still be over eighty percent certain!
"Your Highness, you both came here together?" Feng Xin questioned, "Has he done anything suspicious en route?"
"Well..." Xie Lian said.
To be honest, Mu Qing had been too suspicious the entire way, nervous and unsteady. But in their current situation, it wasn't easy for Xie Lian to say so in front of Mu Qing's face. Feng Xin continued, "No! Think closely, the fact that he even came is suspicious. By his personality, why would he go through the danger to come rescue people? Is that even Mu Qing?"
Mu Qing's face grew darker, "Don't say things like they're absolute. Having a son isn't something you'd do, yet here we are?"
"..."
Xie Lian could sense the direction of this conversation was going off and quickly said, "Alright, don't argue. If you continue to argue then we'll have to train idioms to calm down!"
Mu Qing added, "Besides, if it was me who knocked you out, why would I go through all this effort to lure them over here to find you?"
Feng Xin responded, "Because you didn't think that after you struck me from behind that I can still point you out! And who knows what hellish place this is, you luring His Highness and the others here might not be to find me. Didn't Crimson Rain Sought Flower separate from you halfway?"
"Are you trying to call me a fake in order to lure His Highness and the others into a perilous trap? Well sorry, His Highness and Crimson Rain Sought Flower had been with me the entire way, there was no way they wouldn't have noticed anything."
"That's true, yes...." Xie Lian said.
But that was only true for the Mu Qing en route. After they had entered the underground WuYong palace, who's to say he wasn't switched? Nothing could be sure.
Mu Qing looked over Feng Xin and added, "Your Highness, I think you best stay away from him. After all, he's been lying there since we came, Crimson Rain Sought Flower also vanished, and now he's trying to tear us apart, don't you think he's the one more like an imposter?"
White No-Face had disguised himself in the appearance of those two before, so to do so again wouldn't be surprising. Xie Lian rubbed his forehead, "How about this, why don't you two say something that only the three of us know, so we can verify identities?"
"Like what?" Mu Qing asked.
Xie Lian gave it a thought and said casually, "On top of the snowy mountain, what did you two scream at each other?"
After he gave the suggestion, the face of the other two froze. Xie Lian tucked his hands in his sleeves, "If your words don't match each other's then that means someone among you two aren't the real thing. Let's verify identities before anything else."
However, those two only looked at each other, neither speaking a word. Xie Lian wasn't really that curious at first, but now he couldn't help but be curious. A moment later, Feng Xin dodge the question, "You're both missing the point. I wasn't suspicious that he isn't the real thing."
Mu Qing narrowed his eyes, "So what are you trying to say?"
Feng Xin said straightforwardly, "I've thought he's the real Mu Qing from the beginning. He couldn't stand the both of us, so it wouldn't be strange for him to do anything."
Mu Qing's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles cracking, and he flicked his hand, sending a blow right out!
Feng Xin was wounded and barely just dodged the blow. And thus the two started brawling. Although Xie Lian had expected it, but he still couldn't help but feel his head throb, "Calm down... why don't we train some idioms, hm?"
With their blows, Xie Lian could sense that the murderous aura all around was growing heavier. A few balls of firelight flew around haphazardly, brightening the entire chamber, and only then did Xie Lian see, that all around on the walls and shelves were stacked full of various sabres, spears, swords, and other such weapons, exceedingly chilling.
So it turns out, this here was an armoury. No wonder the air was filled with cold, murderous aura all around!
Xie Lian himself used to own such an armoury, very dear to his heart, and he'd often lose sense of time while spending time in it, but this armoury made him feel extremely uncomfortable, and he didn't want to stay here for another minute. But immediately, he didn't know whose words to trust, so he didn't know which side to help – truth to be told, they're both very suspicious!
In the end, Xie Lian could only call out, "RuoYe!"
Bind both of them first and talk later!
RuoYe who had been waiting finally got a chance to show off, and it flew out. Yet unexpectedly, before the white silk band even came out Xie Lian suddenly sensed another chill permeating from behind him.
The direction of his attack instantly changed. He caught onto RuoYe and swung it behind. The moment he felt the white silk band catching onto something, Xie Lian seized RuoYe and yanked forcefully, but whatever it was didn't move.
Xie Lian felt dread, and the next moment, he was yanked by the other end of RuoYe, and his back solidly crashed into an embrace, and there was even something cold and hard that jabbed into his waist. Xie Lian, "???"
While his body didn't look that solid, his physical strength was quite formidable. Unless the other party was some gigantic creature, otherwise how can he be so easily yanked over?
Xie Lian was just about to fight back when he felt a hand circle around his waist, a voice coming from above, "Gege, it's me."
"San Lang?" Xie Lian asked.
Sure enough, when he looked down, the hand that circled him was wearing a silver vambrace carved with maple leaves, butterflies, and beasts; when he whipped his head around, the one who caught him was a tall and slender red-clad man, calm and collected, a silver scimitar hanging on his waist. The thing that jabbed his waist earlier was most likely this scimitar's hilt.
Hua Cheng!
Xie Lian instantly understood. Turns out, just now it was RuoYe who purposely dragged him to Hua Cheng's side, so he was fighting one against two, so of course he was yanked over so easily!
He steadied himself, and speechlessly picked up RuoYe, muttering at it, "You little traitor..."
RuoYe was wisely playing dead, laying unmoving. Xie Lian didn't want to say anymore at it either and threw it aside, "San Lang, what happened just now? Weren't you following behind me? Where's master?"
"This place is very weird." Hua Cheng said, "Halfway through, the road back was all sealed. We bumped into something a little difficult, so taking care of it took some time."
Even Hua Cheng said it was a little difficult, so it seemed it really was something difficult. Xie Lian felt faintly worried, "Are you alright?"
"Of course." Hua Cheng said, "But Guoshi's whereabouts is now unknown, so we may have to keep going deeper. By the way, what are those two fighting about? So noisy."
"Oh. Them..." Xie Lian looked over.
On the side, Feng Xin and Mu Qing also finally noticed things on this end, and Mu Qing immediately shouted, "Hey! Watch out, you! Don't go near people who just pop out of nowhere so easily!"
Those two temporarily called a truce and Feng Xin also said, "Your Highness, don't just glomp him the moment you see him!"
Xie Lian immediately explained himself, "WHAT! What do you mean by that! I wasn't the one who tackled over, it's RuoYe's fault..." He trailed off as he suddenly realized why they were so nervous.
Since both Feng Xin and Mu Qing were suspicious of being imposters, then... wouldn't Hua Cheng be no different?
Was the one standing before him the real "Hua Cheng"?
Hua Cheng cocked an eyebrow, "So now you're all doubting whether if I'm the real thing, are you?"
Xie Lian had one hand support his elbow while the other hand supported his cheek as he started to observe him carefully.
Hua Cheng noticed his gaze and moved his eyes over to stare back at him.
"..." Xie Lian couldn't keep observing anymore with that stare, and after a moment of contemplation, he came to his conclusion and turned to the other two, "I think this one is real."
Mu Qing was exasperated, "What you 'think' might not be right. Don't forget where we are. This is White No-Face's old lair, anything is possible. Figure out a way yourself to test it."
Hua Cheng on the other hand, chuckled, "Well, that's easy. Gege, come over here, I'll tell you of a good way that can help you judge immediately."
Xie Lian thus listened to him and went over, requesting for his guidance guiltily, "What good way?"
"Can you please not do everything he tells you to do? He's the one who's suspicious right now, do you understand?"
Hua Cheng said, "Recite to me the first half of my communication array verbal password, and I'll tell you the second half. You'll know whether if I'm the real thing then."
"..."
The two whispered in each other's ears for a bit, then Xie Lian turned around, lightly clearing his throat, speaking to the other two, "Well... this one's the real one."
Feng Xin finally didn't look to be as tense anymore, but Mu Qing was doubtful, "Are you sure? Don't just look at his face and suddenly lose all your marbles."
"I already said this one is the real one for sure, why do you both have to say it like I'm some..." Xie Lian griped.
"Alright, that's solved and over." Hua Cheng said, "Back on topic – gege, just why were those two fighting?"
Xie Lian thus gave a brief account, using his hand to support his forehead, "And that's about it... To be honest, I really don't know who's more suspicious."
However, Hua Cheng replied, "Do you even have to ask? Of course he's the most suspicious one."
The direction he was gesturing was at Mu Qing.
Mu Qing was vexed, "If you're going to accuse me for nothing, at least have a reason? Don't throw everything onto me whenever something happens."
"Fine." Hua Cheng said, " Then let me ask you a question – what's that on your wrist?"
Hearing this, Mu Qing's face immediately changed colours.
He staggered back a few steps, but Feng Xin was fast, and instantly seized him, "On your wrist?"
There was a cursed shackle on his wrist!
Mu Qing pushed off Feng Xin's hand, veins popping on his forehead, and he glared at him in fury, When Xie Lian saw the thing, he dropped his arms and said dumbfoundedly, "Mu Qing, your hand?"
Mu Qing was unspeaking, his face dark. Hua Cheng spoke up, "I suggest you respond honestly to the following questions: Why did Jun Wu summon you to the Great Martial Hall? What did he say to you? Why did you receive a better treatment than the other heavenly officials, and could return without harm? Why are you behaving so abnormally, volunteering to come rescue people despite all the dangers here at Mont TongLu? What's with the thing on your hand? Why did you lure us here?"
Seeing the situation go downhill, Mu Qing backed a step away and instantly said, "Wait! Don't attack first! Let me explain myself."
Hua Cheng gave an open gesture, "Please. Go on."
Feng Xin said, "Tell me first, were you the one who struck me?"
After a pause, Mu Qing finally said through gritted teeth, "...Technically it was me. But it's not what you're all thinking!"
Feng Xin was angered, but Xie Lian said, "Let him continue."