Chereads / Heaven Official's Blessing 天官赐福 / Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: In Search of the Past, Retracing Steps to Mount Taicang

Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: In Search of the Past, Retracing Steps to Mount Taicang

For some reason, Xie Lian was suddenly filled with courage again.

After Lang Qianqiu had left, Xie Lian's steps had been hesitant, his shoulders slumped. But this courage came from nowhere, and it was hard to say where it would go; all Xie Lian knew was that it made him stand tall once more. He stood unmoving, and Shi Qingxuan approached, giving him a small pat on the back.

"What a guy. Your Highness, I don't know how you managed to befriend him, but you're very lucky."

It was rare for Xie Lian to hear someone tell him he was lucky. He glanced at Shi Qingxuan and smiled.

"Really? Maybe. I think so too."

Behind them, Feng Xin continued to wipe his face wordlessly. When the two turned their heads, they saw his face covered in white strands, miserable and unkempt, and they had to work to hold back their laughter.

"Sorry about that," Xie Lian said.

That counted as an apology on Hua Cheng's behalf. Feng Xin finally picked off all the white strands from his face.

"I'm not as skilled as him, so there's nothing to say."

The three of them then conducted a final sweep of all the caves, double-checking to make sure there were indeed no more humans or anything else left behind, before riding a draft of wind back to the Heavenly Court.

Once they passed the gates, they saw that the streets were filled with crowds of junior officials from the Middle Court, moving about, checking every nook and cranny of every palace as if they were about to face a grave

enemy. When they finally arrived at the Palace of Divine Might, the main hall was already filled with heavenly officials of the Upper Court, and even from afar they could hear them arguing. The first thing they heard was:

"Hua Cheng dares accuse the Upper Court of the Heavens of sending a spy, how ludicrous! Why would the Heavenly Realm need to send a spy?"

Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan cleared their throats lightly when they heard. Sending a spy was most likely the truth. Nothing had been settled yet, and the officials already couldn't wait to start blathering. If the accusation was indeed true, wouldn't they be putting their foot in their mouth?

The three entered the hall with Shi Qingxuan in the lead. When the crowd saw him, they greeted, "The Lord Wind Master has returned!" "Thanks for your hard work!" But all eyes were on Xie Lian. They were about to press for more but saw Feng Xin emerging from behind them, looking like he had crawled out of a bloody pond, his face dark. Everyone was frozen to the spot and immediately turned their eyes away. After all, no one wanted to be loudly cursed out in the great hall. Only Mu Qing held his gaze. He not only didn't care to avoid him, but he purposely stared, his intent more than obvious.

Xie Lian raised his eyes and saw Jun Wu seated above on his throne. With a hand propping up his head and fingers pressed against his temple, his eyes were closed and he looked exhausted. Xie Lian could understand exactly how he felt.

In the past, there might not have been any conferences or meetings of this sort for months at a time. But with all the incidents that had happened recently, the Palace of Divine Might was filled to the brim time and time again; it was as if there was a situation every day, and they'd have to convene twice for each. If Xie Lian were in his shoes, he'd be tired too. Besides, there were many that wanted to have their voices heard, and they babbled away.

One of the officials exclaimed, "He came and went as he willed. Scary to think he was able to connect the Palace of Xianle to somewhere else. Now that he showed he can easily kidnap His Highness who offended him, who knows if he'll kidnap any other heavenly officials. We can't possibly let this go! We need to stop him right now!"

If this were the Mortal Realm, it would be akin to a rebel digging a tunnel beneath the royal palace and sneaking about freely. Of course people were uneasy. No wonder the Middle Court officials were busy searching and safeguarding the grounds. Mu Qing, on the other hand, had something else to say.

He said coolly, "Hua Cheng has so many devotees, and he lords over Ghost City. Something minuscule like burning his Paradise Manor would be nothing to him. He might not have broken into the Heavens just because His Highness offended him."

Shi Qingxuan immediately countered, "General Xuan Zhen, you're mistaken. Everyone heard Hua Cheng admit it himself. Speaking of, which general is responsible for security this month? Isn't it a dereliction of duty that the Palace of Xianle had the connection spell cast upon it without that general even noticing?"

Pei Ming had been standing quietly on the side, unperturbed and with his arms crossed. When he heard Shi Qingxuan, he spoke up. "Me."

Shi Qingxuan had accidentally remembered wrong and thought it was Mu Qing on duty, but he'd ended up calling out Pei Ming, and now things were somewhat awkward. However, Pei Ming didn't push off the blame.

"I'm on duty this month. This is my oversight."

A heavenly official who was on good terms with Pei Ming immediately tried to help him out of the predicament. "If you ask me, we should just look at these matters one case at a time. Let's first clear up the issue in regards to the Gilded Banquet Massacre."

Just then, Ling Wen, who was positioned next to the throne, suddenly spoke up. "We've news from His Highness Tai Hua."

Jun Wu finally opened his eyes. "What did he say?"

Ling Wen was quiet for a moment, then she replied, "He states that there's another side to the story of the Gilded Banquet Massacre. He will resolve the conflict with His Highness himself, and there's no need for anyone else to interfere. Also, that His Highness's request for banishment must not go through. Those are the two things."

"What other side?" Mu Qing frowned.

"He didn't say anything more. That is all," Ling Wen replied.

To think they would see a battle erupt and a hammer come down heavily, only to have it land as lightly as a feather; the heavenly officials couldn't help but feel rather disappointed. Lang Qianqiu was the plaintiff, and the plaintiff was no longer accusing the defendant, so what fun was there to be had watching? Besides, Lang Qianqiu wasn't telling, and Xie Lian didn't look like he was going to say anything either, so there was nothing more to chew on in this matter.

Following Ling Wen's report, Jun Wu appointed Feng Xin and Mu Qing to assist Pei Ming in strengthening security and settled a few other matters before waving his hand and dismissing everyone. Xie Lian stayed behind, and he could hear the faint conversations passing by.

"I knew it. Whenever he stirs up anything, the Emperor says he'll interrogate him, but in the end nothing comes of it…"

"We've been blind—he's actually someone significant. Gotta watch what we say from now on."

***

Once everyone left, Xie Lian approached the throne and bowed.

"I've caused My Lord problems."

"This does not count as a problem just yet. The real problem was you stubbornly proclaiming yourself the only one responsible for the Gilded Banquet Massacre."

Xie Lian was hesitant, but in the end still gave an account of the whole story.

After listening to the story, Jun Wu commented, "Xianle, in regards to your methods in managing this matter, you worked hard for nothing and pleased no one."

Xie Lian hung his head. "I know."

"Never mind. You are always like this," Jun Wu said. "Tai Hua has now changed focus to pursue the Green Ghost. Once he succeeds, he will certainly return for you. Have you thought on how you will face him?"

"Not yet. But let's focus on something else," Xie Lian replied.

Jun Wu chuckled. "Such as? Is it something interesting that can amuse me?"

"Was it My Lord who sent the Earth Master to Ghost City as a spy?" Xie Lian asked.

"Yes," Jun Wu answered leisurely.

"Why?"

Jun Wu answered slowly, "Because it was Hua Cheng who planted a spy in the Heavenly Realm first."

Xie Lian was taken aback. Jun Wu stood.

"For many years, news has reached Hua Cheng's ears too quickly.

There were many things he should not have known and instead knew too well. As for what can be done and what cannot be done, where the line is and how to cross said line, he is overly perceptive and precise. That he could connect directly to your Palace of Xianle only proves that he does indeed have a spy here in the Heavenly Realm, otherwise it could not have been done."

To be honest, Xie Lian had noticed this too. After all, Hua Cheng really did know way too much; hearing Jun Wu say it out loud, it wasn't hard to believe.

"Does My Lord have any evidence?" Xie Lian inquired.

Jun Wu shook his head slowly. "It is because there was no proof, but things were suspicious regardless, that I sent Ming Yi to the Ghost Realm. It was unexpected that Ming Yi fell into his hands before the spy was found. Although you saved him from Hua Cheng's grasp, now it will be even more difficult to find that spy."

"Is it the Upper Court or the Middle Court that's the problem?" Xie Lian asked.

"Hard to say," Jun Wu said. "Aside from you, it might be anyone. Perhaps there is only one mole. Perhaps more."

No wonder Jun Wu didn't appoint anyone else to investigate Ming Yi's disappearance. If it could be anyone besides him, Xie Lian couldn't help but think: Even the Wind Master, Qianqiu, Feng Xin—everyone is a possible agent?

Just then, Jun Wu spoke. "Xianle, I know you think highly of Hua Cheng right now. You understand your own position, and others should not comment on the friends you make. However, when necessary, be wary of Hua Cheng. Do not give anything away."

Hearing this, Xie Lian schooled his thoughts.

Jun Wu continued, "To become a supreme, one must have experienced unimaginable suffering and pain. One either ascends from such tribulations or is doomed to the depths of hell, never to return. The two Supreme Ghost Kings that emerged from Mount Tonglu, Black Water and Hua Cheng, are both far more frightening than you think."

Xie Lian lowered his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Jun Wu said, "I do not know what his objectives or directives are, but he knows the motives and movements of the Upper Court. That in itself is disadvantageous."

When he heard the word "disadvantageous," Xie Lian raised his head and blurted, "San Lang, he…"

Seeing that Jun Wu turned his head to him, Xie Lian paused, then corrected himself.

"Hua Cheng shouldn't do anything overly malicious. If My Lord thinks about it, with his strength, should he have wanted to cause havoc and raise hell, he would've done so already. If he didn't before, then without real reason, he won't in the future."

"Pray that it will be so," Jun Wu said. "But you know I cannot take that risk."

***

After leaving the Palace of Divine Might, Xie Lian paced slowly down the streets of the Heavenly Court. When he passed by the Palace of Xianle, he stopped to appraise it.

This was the palace gifted him by Jun Wu; resplendent, brand new, but also foreign. The large, scarlet-red doors were shiny and bright but were plastered with nailed-on talismans and charms, forming a giant "X" and cautioning anyone who should see.

When Shi Qingxuan left the Palace of Divine Might, he had told Xie Lian that his palace was currently sealed shut since it was connected to elsewhere, so Xie Lian was welcome to rest at his palace instead. However, after staring at this Palace of Xianle for a while, Xie Lian suddenly turned on his heel. He didn't go to the Palace of the Wind Master either. He stopped caring what he was originally going to do and instead headed straight to the Ascension Gates and jumped.

Passing through the sea of clouds, his landing point was Mount Taicang.

Upon the summit of Mount Taicang, there used to sit the cultivation center of the ancient Kingdom of Xianle: the Royal Holy Temple.

The Royal Holy Temple was an impressively expansive cultivation center. Its training grounds and temples covered the entirety of Mount Taicang, worshipping innumerous gods and immortals alike, scintillating and glorious. The main god worshipped was the Heavenly Emperor, and his golden temple was situated on the highest peak. The Crown Prince Temple that once stood on the second-highest peak was also a place of magnificent splendor.

Eight hundred years ago, Mount Taicang was renowned for its forests of flaming-red maples, and within those maple groves were endless crowds of devotees. However, when the Kingdom of Xianle fell, the crowds of devotees became crowds of angry rioters. They scaled the mountain to set ablaze the Crown Prince Temple, but they ended up setting fire to the entirety of Mount Taicang, burning it down to nothing but blackened earth and ash.

The burnt earth, like ground nourished by the dead, seemed to become even more fertile. Afterward, new seeds were planted upon the burnt earth, and new trees emerged. A few hundred years later, the mountain was fresh and covered once more, but the red leaves were no longer. The scenery was very different from eight hundred years ago.

When hiking the mountain in the past, there used to be a wide, paved path bordered by greenery. On the path, one could often see a devotee or a young trainee hauling firewood or water. Now, this path was long gone. Rocks and debris, withered branches and sticks, had covered its tracks and buried it deep underground. As Xie Lian climbed, he used only the strength of his legs, and when he ran into thorns or bushes, he took Fangxin and cut them down.

When he reached halfway up the mountain, Xie Lian was fatigued and leaned against a dead tree, ready to rest. Suddenly, the black shadow of an object came crashing down from the branches, making odd crackling sounds as it rushed toward him.

Xie Lian dodged. At first, he thought it was a broken branch or a nest, but when he looked closer, it was a plank so rotten that its original shape was indiscernible, with two rusted steel chains connected to either side. If it were anyone else, they might not be able to tell what it was, but Xie Lian knew immediately that it was a swing.

In the past, Mount Taicang had swings installed everywhere, both for fun and for training. Back when Xie Lian had only just started to retain memories, he once accompanied his parents to visit the Royal Holy Temple to pray for blessings. He saw a group of young trainees sparring, flipping and flopping all over the swings. It was an exciting performance; the king and queen enjoyed it, and Xie Lian clapped and shouted his appreciation. The king and queen were so pleased that they richly rewarded the young trainees, and ever since then the impression was left deep in Xie Lian's heart that cultivation was something awesome and fun.

Though when he formally entered the sect for cultivation in his later years, the reason was no longer because it seemed fun.

After some rest, Xie Lian continued hiking. The higher he climbed, the thicker the bushes became, and every so often a critter would dart by, leaving behind a shadow of a bushy tail. There were a few squirrels huddling in the trees, munching on pinecones, peeking at this uninvited guest.

Thorns blocked his path, tearing at his clothes and limbs, but Xie Lian didn't mind at all. Six hours later, at last he reached the peak of the Crown Prince Summit.

Of course, the Crown Prince Summit wasn't originally called the Crown Prince Summit, but the name was changed after the Crown Prince Temple was constructed. Amidst the bushes and weeds, there were still remnants of pebble-paved grounds here and there; these were hidden traces of the large, burned foundation of the temple's great hall. Going across it, through the rubble and ruins, past tinted glass tiles, he reached a chipped old well.

Looking from above into its bottom, it was easy to tell the old well had long dried up; the distance to the bottom was only a little over a meter, and all that was visible was sludge. Without hesitation, Xie Lian pulled his legs over the side and jumped in.

He didn't tumble into sludge but instead traversed through that illusion and descended for over a dozen meters before his feet touched solid ground.

The surroundings were so dark that if he were to raise his hand, his fingers wouldn't be visible. He looked up; there was no sunlight either, as if a heavy piece of fabric had blocked it out. Xie Lian felt around the bottom of the well, feeling several bricks, and pressed them in a certain order. With a rumbling noise, a small, short door opened on the side. Xie Lian dropped down on all fours and slowly crawled through the path past the small door. The moment he entered, he could hear another rumbling noise behind, sealing off the opening.

After half an incense time, he had finally crawled to the end of the tunnel. Xie Lian straightened up, snapped his fingers, and held up a small flickering flame.

After that small ball of flame was ignited, as if in response, not far in the distance another faint light started to glow like a pearl as it woke from its deep slumber and blinked open its bright eyes.

Soon after, more and more pearls glowed, connecting throughout and illuminating the surroundings. It became clearer and clearer that it was the spacious great hall of an underground palace. Above the great hall, there were embedded thousands of sparkling stars.

It was hard to imagine that the Imperial Mausoleum of the ancient Kingdom of Xianle was hidden beneath the scorched earth of Mount Taicang. Those brilliant stars were night pearls and diamonds embedded in the ceiling; the night pearls glowed when they came in contact with light, and the diamonds reflected their radiance. When they crossed paths, the result was a bedazzling brilliance, like a dream. It was like a minuscule Milky Way hidden below ground.

Each night pearl and diamond was priceless; each jewel was worth an entire lifetime of riches. However, Xie Lian didn't spare them a glance, just walked directly through the great hall, entering the crypt at the very back.

In comparison to the great hall, this tomb was exceedingly simple, as the chamber wasn't fully completed. There was no resplendent decor, only two coffins. Between the coffins stood a person dressed in extravagant clothing. There was a golden mask on its face, and a sword extended, the blade sharp and dazzling, pointed at him.

However, this person remained frozen in that stance and didn't make any movement. Xie Lian idly approached without a single care. This was because Xie Lian knew that behind the golden mask there was no face, and under the exquisite dress there was no person. The only thing standing there was an empty stack of dried hay, held together by bundles of sticks.

For so long, only this set of elegant dress robes and this mask had stood by the sides of those two solitary coffins in his stead. On top of each coffin was a small golden plate, but the things in those plates contrasted their elegance: fruits of some sort, dried and shriveled to the core, and some unknown hard blocks that were rotten and blackened. After Xie Lian entered the chamber, he cleared out those things and tossed them into a corner of the crypt. He felt around his sleeves and clothing folds. Originally, he'd had a half-eaten bun on him, but that bun was given to Hua Cheng, so now he had nothing.

Thus, he said, "Father, Mother, I apologize. I've forgotten to bring something for this visit."

Naturally, no one answered him. Xie Lian slowly sat down and leaned against one of the coffins.

After zoning out for some time, he finally spoke again.

"Mother, I saw Qi Rong.

"Qi Rong didn't die, he turned into a ghost. I really don't know how he's lived these past hundreds of years."

Xie Lian shook his head.

"He…killed a lot of people, and now there are people trying to kill him. The Upper Court probably won't forgive him either." Xie Lian sighed. "I really don't know what to do with him."

He was going to say more when suddenly, from someplace extremely close, there came the sound of soft weeping.

Xie Lian froze, and his expression changed drastically.

He listened closely; it wasn't a hallucination. It really was the sound of crying. The voice was very low, very small, and would've been easily missed if he didn't hold his breath and pay close attention. The sound was also soft, and if it wasn't a child, it had to be a woman.

The crying was very close; it was as if they were only separated by a thin wall, the sound clinging close to him. Xie Lian whipped his head around and at last confirmed—the sound came from the coffin he was leaning on!

Amidst his shock, the first words that came blurting out were unconsciously joyous.

"Mother, is that you?!"

However, Xie Lian snapped out of it immediately, knowing that what he had desperately hoped for would never come true. His mother had passed eight hundred years ago, relieved of her suffering, and she had never devolved into a grudging ghost. The emotion behind those cries was also not of sorrow but of fright.

In this time and place, who in the world would be hiding in his mother's coffin and weeping?!

Xie Lian couldn't wait for another second, and he threw open the cover of the coffin with his left hand, his right on Fangxin, ready to strike. But the moment he saw what was inside, the striking sword stopped abruptly in its path.

Lying inside the coffin, alone, was the form of a person covered in elegant, black attire, with their head wrapped in a face cover.

The only person who this should've been was his mother, but the one lying in the casket was most definitely not her. The form was small and short, the body type completely different, and most significantly, this person was trembling—it was a real, live person!

Xie Lian ripped off the face cover. Sure enough, beneath the fabric was the face of a young child! His heart froze at that moment. He grabbed the child and lifted him, his voice shocked and panicked.

"Where's my mother? Where's my mother?! What did you do to my mother's body?!"

Although that elegant black dress didn't look like anything out of the ordinary, it was in fact woven from the silk of an extremely rare worm. The silk was a tribute from a small foreign nation, and weaving it into clothing took intricate craftsmanship. Interwoven with fragrant herbal satchels and sealed into the coffin, the cadaver would remain preserved for thousands of years, allowing the dead to look like she was still among the living. However, at that moment, the one wearing that black silk dress was this child, so where did the body of his mother go? What condition would it be in now?

Xie Lian didn't dare to think deeply on it and could only demand answers from this unknown child in his hold.

He questioned once more, sternly, "Where's my mother? Who are you? Why are you here? What did you do with my mother's body?!"

But how could a child terrified to tears answer any of his questions? He was too scared to even speak. Xie Lian dragged him out of the coffin and realized suddenly that some ashen white powder had been shaken out of the black dress with that movement.

Face white as a sheet, he looked into the coffin and found that the bottom of the casket was also covered with a thin layer of powder. The world spun, and Xie Lian felt his heart stop. His grip loosened, letting the child go, and he fell to his knees before the coffin, his mind blank.

He didn't dare to touch that powder with his hands, but he couldn't just let it sit and sift either, like incense ashes flying in the wind. Although in denial, he knew deep within what that was.

Once the silk funeral garb was forcibly removed, what else could a sealed cadaver of eight hundred years become?

Instantly, Xie Lian's mind fell into chaos, unable to think; he held his head with his hands and there was ringing in his ears. Just then, his back tensed as his instincts sensed danger behind; he whipped his head around, and with a hand fast like lightning, he seized the blade of a sword barehanded. Someone had tried to stab him from behind—it was that stack of bundled hay!

It turned out that someone had long since snuck in. They had dressed themself in that exquisite attire, put on the mask, and disguised themself as a lifeless haystack to wait for him silently.

A loud clang rang in the air, and Xie Lian broke the blade in two with his bare hands, face unchanging even with blood pooling in his palms. As fast as lightning, he raised his leg and kicked that person in the abdomen, stomping them firmly into the ground. With their chest solidly pinned, that person grabbed at his boot and struggled, but they were unable to move an inch, as if they were nailed to the ground. Xie Lian bent over and slapped away the golden mask with one hand, revealing the face of a young man.

Xie Lian shouted, "Who are you?! A grave robber?! How did you get in?!"

Just then, the child to the side cried, "Daddy!"

This cry finally made Xie Lian remember. This man and child looked familiar—weren't they that pair he saved from being cooked and eaten by Qi Rong back at the Green Ghost's lair?!

Xie Lian understood the situation instantaneously. He swung a punch like striking thunder at the man's jaw, roaring, "Qi Rong, get the hell out! I'm going to kill you!!"

The man laughed as he spat blood. "Cousin Crown Prince! What a joyous occasion! We meet again! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Although the face was different, who else but Qi Rong could this insane psychotic laughter belong to? When he lost his physical form, he possessed this young father!

No need for further explanation, but after his material body was thrown into that cauldron by Lang Qianqiu and melted away, he must've used the chaos of everyone running for their lives to possess the young man to avoid being pursued and then came to the Imperial Mausoleum of Xianle. Otherwise, how could a commoner know of the secret tomb of Xianle royalty? And how could they have found it in such a short time?

That child he dragged along may have been intended as rations for travel, or maybe the intent was to hide him in the coffin to divert Xie Lian's attention for his ambush. Xie Lian punched him again, and Qi Rong held his face, looking aggrieved.

"Cousin, why are you so mad? It's not like you'd die from a stab wound, hee hee hee hee!"

Thud, thud! Xie Lian punched him twice more, his eyes red around the rims.

"How did my mother always treat you?! And yet you treat her like this?! How could you, to her body—?!"

Qi Rong humphed. "Yimu12 is long dead. The person is no more, so what difference does it make if she's a corpse or ashes? The corpse only changed form, isn't it still there? Here you are, leaking tears and snot, weren't you much tougher when you killed An Le? Can't believe my good cousin actually has two faces, hee hee!" He then changed his face and spat. "How could I treat her like this? You're the one to blame! Don't you even know how to reflect on yourself? This is all your fault! You, God of Misfortune, have the gall to come cry at the Imperial Mausoleum of Xianle?!"

Xie Lian stomped down harder, and Qi Rong screamed, spewing blood from his mouth. But he looked even more excited and used both his hands to cling on firmly to the now blood-soaked white boot while he howled.

"THAT'S RIGHT! THAT'S RIGHT! JUST LIKE THIS! This is more like you! Fight, fight, kill, fight, hit ruthlessly! Kill ruthlessly! Don't give me that timid, saintly teacher look, as if you're so burdened with unspeakable sin! It's disgusting! UGH!"

The child crawled over, crying loudly. "Waah! Dad! Dad, are you all right?!"

He couldn't understand what was happening, only that his father was being trampled. From his point of view, Xie Lian was like an evil devil, but he was so scared of losing his father that he wouldn't back down and tried desperately to pull the boot off his father's chest. The young man wouldn't stop spewing blood, scaring the child half to death, and he used his hands to cover his father's mouth as if that could stop the bleeding. Seeing this, Xie Lian slowly calmed down. He understood that the owner of this body was innocent and eased his foot slightly.

He pointed the tip of Fangxin down, nudging it against Qi Rong's cheek, and said forebodingly, "Qi Rong, you get the hell out yourself. Don't

believe I won't pull out your soul with your tongue!"

Theoretically, in pulling out the tongue from its root, one could certainly pull out any ghosts possessing a body along with it.

Qi Rong refused the very idea. "I won't! I won't get the hell out! What are you gonna do? Go on, pull! Come, come, come, gonna kill me? I might just die, so don't miss this chance, otherwise you can forget about ever finding my ashes in this lifetime!"

He even stuck out his tongue intentionally, as if he couldn't wait for Xie Lian to make good on his threat and use that bloody method to pull his soul out of this fleshy body. He taunted with childish noises of woo-lah-lah.

"The one I'm possessing is a nobody anyway, so why don't you? No one would know, no one would care, Your Highness's holy radiance won't suffer a bit of damage. Look! I crumbled your mom to ashes, aren't you gonna kill me? Ha ha ha ha ha ha…"

That child couldn't move Xie Lian's boot, so he hugged his leg and cried louder. "Don't kill my dad! Don't kill my daddy!"

Xie Lian's breathing was becoming more labored, his head dizzy, his body shaking, his hands itching to crush Qi Rong's skull. But he couldn't do it. Qi Rong spread his hands in a shrugging motion.

"Ha ha ha ha, Cousin Crown Prince, what a failure, what an absolute failure!"

Xie Lian picked him off the ground, raised his fists, and rained punch after punch down on Qi Rong's face, yelling with each hit, "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"

Yet, the more enraged he was, the happier Qi Rong became. It didn't matter if the price was a violent beating, Qi Rong was filled with rapture at his opportunity to drag both of them down to the same hell. His eyes shone brightly.

"See! There's your true face! Cousin Crown Prince, is there anyone in this world who knows you better than me? No! You might look like a pathetic lost stray who anyone can trample, but I know too well. You're still proud on the inside, you could never stand anyone calling you a failure! You must hate me for calling you a failure! Have I stabbed your heart enough to bleed? Hurry! Come! Or are you gonna tell me loudly that this body is innocent, so you won't kill me in order to spare him? Come! Show me what you'll do!"

With so much provocation pervading that cocky, insane laughter, Xie Lian couldn't endure it anymore.

With a metallic sching, Fangxin was unsheathed.

And with a flashing swing, the ominous black blade struck down!

___

Night pearls, or yemingzhu, are luminescent fluorite crystals. To create them, rare, glow-in-the-dark fluorite is carved into smooth spheres and polished. These real-life valuable stones feature prominently in many Chinese myths and legends.

"Yimu" Maternal aunt, respectful address, or can also be said as godmother.