Afar-gone memory surfaced in Xie Lian's mind, and he was momentarily stunned. It was like a dust-covered picture, but when he tried to wipe it clean, it remained blurry. Unspeaking, he frowned and loosened his grasp to pick up that flower.
Hua Cheng put down his brush as well and slowly began to grind some ink. "What's wrong?"
"…" Xie Lian smiled. "Nothing. Just…this flower's scent is refreshing. I've always liked this sort."
Offerings of flowers in temples and palaces were far from rare. However, most devotees offered large, fresh bouquets of bright red or purple blossoms, or handcrafted imitation flowers that never wilted.
After a pause, Xie Lian said, "Could this be the flower which Crimson Rain sought?"
Hua Cheng smiled. "Gege has such godly premonitions."
As they laughed, the pair finally completed a set of compositions together; the subject was still those four lines of verse. Hua Cheng picked itup to admire, looking most pleased.
"Mmm, excellent. Frame it."
Hearing him say "excellent," Xie Lian made a confused noise. When he heard "frame it," he made the same confused noise again.
"You're not thinking of hanging it on the wall, are you?"
If Xie Lian's deceased teachers ever discovered his involvement in such a set of compositions, they'd probably rise from the dead out of sheer rage.
However, Hua Cheng only laughed.
"No. I'm keeping it for myself. I'm not showing this to anyone."
Just then, they heard faint screaming from outside.
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
"Paradise Manor is on fire!"
The interior of the main hall of Thousand Lights Temple was exceedingly quiet, and since they both possessed better-than-average senses, the moment they heard, they instantly looked at each other.
"Paradise Manor again?" Xie Lian blurted out, the words leaving his lips before he realized it was silly to say "again." Unruffled and unhurried, Hua Cheng stowed away the compositions.
"No need to worry. Gege, just sit here and relax. I'll be back shortly."
As if Xie Lian could sit back and relax!
"I'll come with you!" he said as he hastily followed, feeling rueful as he thought, How come Paradise Manor gets set on fire every time I visit?
That "God of Misfortune" title of his was about to be proven true once again. Although this time the fire had nothing to do with Xie Lian, being sorry for things was by now a habit of his. They hurried back to Paradise Manor, and on the way, the main street was laden with smoke and jammed with little ghosts and monsters frantically running back and forth with buckets of water. When they saw Hua Cheng and Xie Lian approach, they all called out.
"Chengzhu! Don'tcha worry yer ol' lordship, the fire ain't big, it's already out!"
Hua Cheng gave no reaction, but Xie Lian let out a breath of relief.
"Thank goodness! Thank you, everyone, for your hard work," Xie Lian gently praised them.
The little ghosts hadn't expected any kind of gratitude at all—not to mention that the "thanks for your hard work" came from Chengzhu's friend! They became quite excited indeed.
"Not hard! It's nothin' major!"
"It's our duty!"
Only then did Xie Lian realize that his show of gratitude was rather inappropriate, as he wasn't the master of this establishment. However, since Hua Cheng didn't say anything, it probably wasn't too horrible that Xie Lian took initiative to do so. He briefly reprimanded himself mentally, then stopped worrying about it.
Xie Lian and Hua Cheng entered Paradise Manor to inspect the spot where the fire had started. Sure enough, it was only a small area, confined to a corner of an insignificant house in the larger complex. No wonder the flames had been extinguished so quickly.
However, once this was confirmed, Xie Lian became alarmed. He turned to Hua Cheng.
"The arsonist wasn't playing some harebrained prank, and this didn't come from a random desire to torch something. It looks more like a ploy to divert everyone's attention."
But if that was the case, what was the purpose of the distraction? Xie Lian came to a startling realization.
"The fetus spirit!"
When they left Paradise Manor, the wails and cries of the fetus spirit were audible from even far away; the sound of its weeping was sharp, and its yowls for "Mom" clear. But now that voice was gone!
The pair rushed to a side chamber outside the main hall of Paradise Manor to check. When they first left, Hua Cheng had casually placed the clay pot containing the fetus spirit on a table. The pot still sat there, but when Xie Lian picked it up, he immediately sensed the difference in weight. It was too light. When he opened it, sure enough, there was nothing inside.
Something locked within the clay pot could not possibly have broken the seal over the opening. Xie Lian immediately determined, "Someone let the fetus spirit loose."
Hua Cheng, however, didn't look the least bit fussed. "It was indeed stolen. The butterflies badly wounded the thing; it couldn't get far on its own."
"Then that's easily taken care of," Xie Lian said. "San Lang, does your Paradise Manor have guards patrolling the premises? Ask if they saw anyone suspicious."
"No guards," said Hua Cheng.
"…" Xie Lian blinked. "None?"
"Mm-hmm. There've never been any," Hua Cheng replied.
No wonder Xie Lian had seen no guards when he snuck around Paradise Manor last time. He'd thought he didn't see them because they were well hidden, but he hadn't realized there weren't any at all.
Slightly stunned, he asked, "You're that lax regarding Paradise Manor?"
"Gege, have you ever paid attention to the doors?" Hua Cheng asked.
Xie Lian thought about it. "No, I haven't. Could it be there's something extraordinary about them?"
"Correct." Hua Cheng pointed at the set of doors to the side chamber. "If one is not the master of this establishment, and one were to steal even a single item that didn't belong to them, they would be trapped inside the room and unable to open its doors."
Xie Lian remembered that the last time he'd come to Paradise Manor, he had always opened doors with dice, and when he finally left, it had been through the whirlwind created by the Wind Master—raising the roof and thus avoiding any doors. Those were all images of violence, and the more Xie Lian recalled, the more he thought he should stop thinking, feeling slightly ashamed.
After a brief pause, he asked, "Then say that San Lang were to steal a spiritual weapon from me and keep it within Paradise Manor. Since I was the original owner of the weapon, could I not take it away?"
Hua Cheng arched his brows. "Of course not. Once it's in my hands, it's mine. But don't wrong me so, gege. I would never steal any of your spiritual weapons."
Xie Lian cleared his throat. "Of course. I knew that. That's why I said 'if.' Besides…I don't really have any spiritual weapons worth stealing anyway…"
Hua Cheng's jokes ended there. He smiled, then continued, "So it's impossible to steal something from me without my notice, which is why there is, of course, no need for guards."
Xie Lian's first instinct was that whoever had stolen the fetus spirit hadn't left through the doors and had employed a different method. But looking around, the side chamber's roof was undamaged, the floors looked pristine, and the walls were in fine shape too; there was no trace of a break-in. He couldn't help but come up with a more skin-crawling thought.
What if the one who stole the fetus spirit hasn't left and is still within this side chamber?
Although there was nowhere in the side chamber to hide, there were plenty of ways to turn invisible. Maybe the thief was near them at this very moment, quietly watching their every move. Xie Lian peered around, watchful for any abnormal movement in the air. However, his eyes and instincts both told him that neither a third person nor a ghost were present. Perhaps he would have to pursue a different line of thought.
Just then, Hua Cheng chuckled.
"There's no need for gege to be concerned. I have my way of finding our fetus spirit thief."
Hua Cheng truly looked like he had a plan. Xie Lian turned to him, and after a brief moment to consider the matter, he was suddenly enlightened as well.
They waited in silence, and their wait was short. The sounds of commotion closed in, and soon a large group of nefarious creatures swarmed outside the side chamber like a flock of squawking birds.
"Chengzhu! What does your ol' lordship desire, calling us over?"
This crowd was close to a thousand at minimum; had it not been for the large courtyard and architecture of Paradise Manor, they might not have fit. The one who had brought them was the masked man, and he reported the situation to Hua Cheng.
"Chengzhu, everyone who appeared on the streets today should be here. Ghost City is locked down; no one can leave."
It was the voice of that young man from last time. Xie Lian couldn't help but steal a glance at him.
The ghosts cried, "Chengzhu! Was the one who set the fire caught?"
"They're sayin' somethin' was stolen?! They tired of livin' or wanna die again or what?!"
"So insolent! Settin' fires and stealin' shit—they'd dare mess with Chengzhu's authority?! There's no way Chengzhu will let 'em go!"
"…"
Although the crowd of ghosts wasn't talking about Xie Lian, as one who had set this same building on fire, kidnapped someone, and subsequently been let go by Hua Cheng, Xie Lian felt like he'd been shot by countless arrows. He softly cleared his throat, feeling increasingly guilty. He stole a glance at Hua Cheng, but coincidentally met his eye as Hua Cheng also glanced over with an unreadable look. Xie Lian immediately averted his gaze.
He heard Hua Cheng say flatly, "The one who stole the fetus spirit can come forward now; don't waste my time."
The crowd was shaken.
"Among us?"
"I thought it was an outsider…"
"Who the hell is it?! Just come forward already!"
Some time passed; the uproar died down, but still no one stepped forward.
"Very good. As brave as expected," Hua Cheng said dryly. "Men on the left, women on the right; divide into rows."
Although the ghosts were puzzled, they didn't dare disobey Hua Cheng's command and immediately did as they were told, swiftly forming two large groups. The male ghosts squished on the left, their voices gruff and crude; the female ghosts were on the right, every one seductively alluring. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian shared a look, then went directly to the right side to inspect the line of female ghosts, their eyessweeping past ten women at a time. As he traveled down the line, Xie Lian saw a particular female ghost and paused in his tracks. She wore a long dress and had caked her face with so many layers of terrifyingly pale white powder that her real features were practically indiscernible. But that heavily painted face was still somewhat familiar.
"Miss Lan Chang?" Xie Lian addressed her.
The female ghost was taken aback, as if she were the one who had just seen a ghost. Sure enough, it was Lan Chang—the lady ghost who had clung to him on the streets of Ghost City, fought with the hog butcher, cackled at his declaration that he "can't get erect," and consequently spread the rumor.
After shaking off her shock, Lan Chang put her hands on her hips and raised her chin. "What? Yer the one who said ya can't get it up! I didn't wrong ya! Ya gonna seek revenge an' tell on me to Chengzhu?"
Although the other female ghosts were all a little nervous, they still giggled softly at her comments. Hua Cheng walked over, and though his expression was unreadable, Lan Chang clearly still feared him somewhat. Her imperious attitude visibly deflated as he approached.
"The miss can talk however she wants about a joke like that, it's fine," Xie Lian gently assured her. "However, that fetus spirit has harmed many; it reeks of blood. It shouldn't be left on the loose, so please return it."
Even through the heavy powder on Lan Chang's face, it was clear that she had gone even paler. She backed away in a hurry, but since she was in a crowd of other ghosts, she didn't get very far before she was caught by a number of hands that thwarted any chance of escape.
"I dunno what yer sayin'!" she cried in desperation. "What fetus spirit?!"
"Please return it," Xie Lian coaxed.
"Return what?! I don't have it! You accusin' me of stealin' from Chengzhu, but everyone knows there's no way anythin' can be taken from Chengzhu's house. Whatever we take, we can't carry it out!"
The mob of ghosts agreed—yeah, that was right, they all knew. Even the hog butcher grumbled as much.
"Paradise Manor only just caught fire. I haven't left the street all night," Lan Chang added. "If I stole anything, I wouldn't have time to hide it!"
As she spoke, she opened her arms, showing off her empty hands, and even lifted her dress to prove she wasn't hiding anything.
But Xie Lian pointed out a key piece of evidence. "Miss, the last time I saw you, it was freezing cold, yet you still dressed so very lightly. It's a beautiful day today, and you're wearing a long dress. Are you considering a change of style, or are you hiding something?"
The ghosts hadn't noticed this until he brought it up. Lan Chang usually dressed in an extremely revealing fashion—when Xie Lian said "very lightly," he was being polite. While flouncing about the streets, Lan Chang usually left her chest almost fully exposed. However, today she wore a long dress that thoroughly covered her legs and waist. Exceedingly strange indeed!
Besides, when Hua Cheng showed Xie Lian around Ghost City's streets earlier, they had been surrounded by that hollering crowd of ghosts who wanted to stuff them with delicacies. Yet they had seen neither hide nor hair of Lan Chang, who normally loved to strut about and cuss at everyone on the streets while passionately proclaiming to all in sight, "It's not me—he's the one who can't get it up!" The crowd immediately grew restless.
"You didn't take what didn't belong to you; you only took what was once part of you," Xie Lian explained slowly. "Right now, the fetus spirit is in your belly!"
If the fetus spirit thief had no other way to leave and wasn't lurking in the side chamber, that left only one explanation: the thief openly left through the front doors.
Had the fetus spirit been carried to term, it would be a child, an independent person. However, the fetus spirit was forcibly removed from its mother's womb before it reached that point. Therefore, if its mother stuffed it back into her belly, then naturally it would qualify as something that belonged to her. Rather, it could be said that the fetus spirit was no different from a piece of her own flesh, a part of her body. After all, the blood bond between a mother and child was thick; under the circumstances, they were but one body, so the mother could of course leave Paradise Manor openly and unharmed.
Therefore, the one who stole the fetus spirit had to be a female ghost —and the mother of that child. Locking down Ghost City and calling forth all the female ghosts who had been on the streets before and after the fire would therefore surely lead them to the culprit. Hua Cheng must have realized all this the moment they entered the side chamber; Xie Lian was quite sure of it.
Suddenly, Lan Chang let out a great shout and seized her own belly in a mad fit.
"Miss?" Xie Lian exclaimed.
Lan Chang's face was ghastly pale, and she couldn't utter a single word. All of a sudden, it was as if something in her belly exploded—her previously flat stomach swelled into an enormous ball, almost ripping her long dress apart as rolls of black smoke seeped out through the seams.
The other female ghosts released their hold on her and slunk back while Lan Chang kept a death grip on her belly. She yelled in panic, "Stop this tantrum!"
The fetus spirit in her womb was kicking up a storm.
"Gege, stand back," Hua Cheng calmly said.
"It's fine!" Xie Lian exclaimed.
Lan Chang fell heavily on her knees, her face twisted with agony. "Listen to me! Be good! Won't you just be good?! Stop this tantrum!"
"Miss Lan Chang, let it out first!" Xie Lian urged her.
Lan Chang shook her head wildly. "No! No, no, no! I will keep him in my womb and raise him well for sure. He won't go out and harm anyone anymore! Chengzhu, please, I beg you, don't take my son away. I've searched for him for centuries! Don't take my son! Don't hand him to those scoundrels in the heavens!"
As Xie Lian suspected, it seemed the ghosts in Ghost City were perfectly aware that he was from the Heavenly Realm. Lan Chang let out a shrill scream and rolled on the ground, hugging her belly as if it were no longer part of her body and was instead its own live creature—shrinking at
times, swelling at others, and twisting up, down, left, right. The black smoke grew thicker; the fetus spirit must have regained some strength after recovering in its mother's womb and was ready to start trouble again. The crowd of female ghosts rallied again to hold Lan Chang down, yet they were powerless to do so. At the sight of this predicament, the male ghosts on the left yelled, "WE GOT THIS!" and rushed forward to restrain her. It was complete chaos.
Xie Lian clenched his fists. "Miss Lan Chang! The fetus in your belly is much more powerful than you!" he yelled. "You clearly can't bear to hurt it, but it can hurt you! You can't do anything! It will suck you dry sooner or later and break free; let it out now!"
If Lan Chang refused to release the thing in her belly, soon she was would be sucked dry and shredded to pieces by that savage spirit. This, of course, would leave Xie Lian no choice but to personally cut it out himself. Although it might be better than watching her be ripped apart by her own son, he really didn't want to do so unless there truly was no alternative. While he would prefer not to cut her open, he certainly couldn't let Hua Cheng do it for him. But Lan Chang was stubborn as a mule, and even as she wailed in agony, she refused to relinquish the fetus spirit. his couldn't go on for much longer, so Xie Lian decided to take action.
Xie Lian set his jaw in determination. "Excuse my imposition!"
However, when his hand reached for Fangxin's hilt, Hua Cheng immediately held him back. "No need," he said darkly.
A flash of golden light suddenly erupted from the center of Lan Chang's belly, its rays blinding the ghostly crowd. They yelped loudly, fleeing to make room.
"What the shit?!"
Xie Lian focused his eyes. When that golden light died down, the fetus spirit that had been so desperate to burst out seemed now to be somehow fettered, and Lan Chang's belly had flattened to its normal state. The thing holding it back was a belt on her waist.
At first glance, that belt looked quite ordinary, but when Xie Lian took a good look, he was astonished.
"…Why would you have something like this on you?"
Even with its color faded from washing, Xie Lian could tell that the belt was an item of heavenly essence.
Many ingenious spiritual weapons of the heavens only revealed their phenomenal abilities when protecting their masters in dire circumstances.
Even though the embroidered patterns on the belt were heavily worn and damaged, Xie Lian was certain that it was an item only heavenly officials could possess: a Golden Belt.
And by the look of its design, the belt had once belonged to a heavenly official of the Upper Court!
Golden Belts were considered a sophisticated gift in the Heavenly Realm, and the act of gifting one carried a special meaning. If a male official were to gift his belt to another, it was a gesture to signify affection, and the nature of that "affection" was evident. One could well imagine that something like a Golden Belt would not be so easily given away, and also not so easily lost.
Xie Lian gaped. "Miss, could your child be…"
He trailed off as he suddenly remembered where he was. Regardless of whether this was the lair of all evil, to inquire after the details of a woman's personal affairs in public was far from courteous. He immediately cut off.
"No!" Lan Chang instantly cried in response.
I haven't even said anything. What are you saying "no" to? Xie Lian wondered. He asked instead, "Did you depend on this Golden Belt to sustain yourself throughout the past seven or eight hundred years?"
The crowd of female ghosts were stunned to hear this.
"Holy shit…Lan Chang, yer that old?!"
"Didn'tcha always say yer only three hundred sumthin'?"
"No, she even said she was two hundred once! Yer falsifyin' yer records!"
The fetus spirit had about seven or eight hundred years of cultivation, so its mother would of course be around the same age. However, Lan Chang didn't possess a grudge of equal weight; the Golden Belt's immense spiritual powers had doubtless been instrumental in enabling her stay in the corporeal world as an ordinary ghost for so long. If the father of that fetus spirit was a heavenly official, then the degree of its savagery made sense.
A heavenly official having an affair with a mortal woman... Whether he'd ended up abandoning or neglecting her, she had met a violent end with her baby forcibly torn from her womb. Now both mother and son were of the Ghost Realm, and the fetus had likely murdered countless others. No matter what, this case was no less serious than the case of Xuan Ji. It even seemed rather similar on the surface, which made it easy to determine how best to handle it.
Xie Lian looked to Hua Cheng. "San Lang, this miss…"
No need to say more. Hua Cheng said, "Do what you must. You needn't ask me."
"Mmm," Xie Lian answered softly.
Upon receiving permission, he turned to Lan Chang. All the ghosts were demanding more gossip.
"Lan Chang, Lan Chang, who's yer baby's dad?!"
"What an outrage! Did he only care enough to kill it but not bury it? Cared to knock ya up but not raise the kid?!"
"Just who is it? Ya gotta avenge yerself!"
Lan Chang clenched her teeth and stared hard at Xie Lian. "Who else could it be?"
She didn't utter the name, but Xie Lian understood.
"Why don't you come back to the Heavenly Court with me?"
"No!" Lan Chang immediately shouted.
Of course, it was useless for her to object. Willing or not, Xie Lian had to take her away, and he hardened his expression.
"This fetus spirit is exceedingly violent; who knows how much blood is on its hands? The case has become too convoluted for you to continue to shield it. This matter must be confronted and reported to the Heavenly Court," Xie Lian stated solemnly. "If that heavenly official is an honest one, or if there was some kind of misunderstanding between you, then we can have you and your child recognized and deal with the matter of its crimes after. If that heavenly official has wronged you or worse, then there's even more reason to demand justice. No matter what, the fetus spirit is your son, but also his son. How can anyone else interfere if the father is ignorant of this affair?"
The ghosts thought his speech made sense. Also, if they let Lan Chang haul her son up to cause a riot in the heavens, how exciting would that be? The bigger the chaos, the better! So they urged her:
"Yeah, Lan Chang, what are you afraid of?! Go settle yer score with that guy!"
"If he won't recognize you, we'll burn down his temples!"
Xie Lian said to Hua Cheng, "I will make a trip to the Upper Court this instant and report this case."
While Lan Chang protested, she knew she couldn't stop him. After snapping out of her shock, she suddenly knelt down and prostrated before Hua Cheng. "Chengzhu, thank you for your kindness and grace in sheltering me!"
Xie Lian was taken aback.
"It was out of desperation that Lan Chang set fire to Paradise Manor and broke the rules of Ghost City!" she continued. "I am ever so sorry! Pray Chengzhu will not hold it against me."
She had always been a sauntering shrew, but when she spoke now, it was like she was a different person. Many of those familiar with her watched in shock. But Hua Cheng appeared unstirred, and he turned to Xie Lian.
"Gege stopped by in too much of a hurry. I'll wait for you to come down again and host you properly next time."
Xie Lian nodded, then took Lan Chang and rushed straight to the heavens.
As he walked down the main streets of the Heavenly Capital, he announced in the spiritual communication array, "Everyone! Everyone, please make your way to the Palace of Divine Might. There is a matter that requires conference."
He exited the array as soon as he was done and didn't waste any time bringing Lan Chang to the Palace of Divine Might. Lan Chang was but an ordinary ghost and couldn't enter the golden palace, so Xie Lian waited outside with her until Jun Wu himself arrived and granted permission for Lan Chang to enter.
It didn't take long for the heavenly officials who were currently present in the Heavenly Capital to make their way to the hall, where they were met with the bewildering sight of a crude female ghost slathered in heavy makeup. She stood in stark contrast to the transcendence of the Heavenly Court. A black-clad heavenly official strolled in, and he paused for a moment when he saw what was in the center of the hall. This was Mu Qing. Lan Chang also glanced at him and immediately lowered her head, her lips quivering.
Mu Qing showed no further reaction and only asked impassively, "Your Highness, who is that woman?"
At this address, Lan Chang's face changed. She looked at Xie Lian as if she were recalling something that she wasn't entirely sure of.
Just then, both the Wind and Water Masters arrived; the pair of brothers looked quite similar to each other with their matching fans and white robes gently fluttering. They painted a beautiful picture.
Shi Qingxuan fanned himself as he spoke. "Yeah, Temple Master, why did you bring a lady ghost here today?"
Xie Lian was puzzled. "'Temple Master'? What Temple Master? Of Puqi Shrine? Why the sudden address?"
Then he realized Shi Qingxuan probably meant "Master of Thousand Lights Temple!"
He didn't know how to acknowledge the title and could only pretend he hadn't heard it. But Shi Qingxuan was cheerful as he greeted everyone around him, then turned to the ghost.
"Huh? The ghost jiejie has something in her belly? Why do I have the feeling that it's…" he wondered aloud as he approached, looking like he wanted to touch her.
Shi Wudu snapped his fan shut. "Qingxuan!"
Shi Qingxuan's hand instantly shrank back, and he tried to justify himself. "I just thought there was an aura of evil and wanted to see if there was something dangerous…"
Shi Wudu continued to scold him, "You're a man and a heavenly official. This is the Palace of Divine Might! How could you do something so unmannerly? No, don't turn into a woman either! Even in a woman's form it's equally disgraceful; change back right this instant!"
Ling Wen shook his head. He folded a stack of documents and reports under his arm and approached to place his hand on Lan Chang's belly. After a moment, he dropped his hand and hummed.
"What a vicious fetus spirit. How many hundreds of years old?"
"Seven or eight hundred," Xie Lian answered.
He gave an account of the two times he had met the fetus spirit, and how the fetus spirit's attack on a pregnant woman led him to find the female ghost Lan Chang. He didn't bring up the details of Hua Cheng and Ghost City, and Lan Chang herself naturally remained quiet on the subject.
At the end, Xie Lian concluded, "And that's how it came to be. I don't know if that heavenly official is still in this world or still working with us, nor whether there is some misunderstanding in all this, nor whether he knew. That's why I brought this miss here."
Feng Xin knitted his brows. "If there wasn't a misunderstanding, and he knew about the mother and child, then it's simply irresponsible of him to leave them like that without a word."
Pei Ming crossed his arms and commented leisurely, "I completely agree with General Nan Yang. This is far too irresponsible. Dunno which heavenly colleague this discarded baggage belongs to, but if he's on duty, he best come forward."
As he finished, he felt countless eyes on him. Silence had descended upon the Palace of Divine Might.
A moment later, Pei Ming wondered aloud, "Are you all having some sort of misunderstanding about me?"
"…" Shi Qingxuan stopped fanning his fan. "I don't think it's a misunderstanding, more like we know you too well."
Pei Ming immediately defended himself. "It wasn't me!"
Everyone laughed dryly, and even Shi Wudu and Ling Wen looked unconvinced by his denial. Pei Ming grew frustrated, and he supported his temple with his hand as he explained earnestly.
"Well…I've had some flings with women of the Ghost Realm before, but I really don't recognize this one."
If those words of his were to be taken seriously, they were believable. How could the man himself not know with whom he shared a past? Many criticized Pei Ming's promiscuity, but he had never denied any affairs and never denounced anything he'd done; it wasn't like he couldn't afford it. Unless they behaved like Xuan Ji, women who had affairs with him were lavished with wealth and sweetness. They were all guaranteed a lifetime of riches and care until they no longer wanted to associate with him. If Lan Chang truly had a fleeting affair with Pei Ming while she was alive, she shouldn't have suffered having her womb ripped open and her son stolen from her, or his becoming a vicious ghost.
Besides, Pei Ming had high standards when it came to women. He only dallied with those of extraordinary appearance, and he also preferred beauties with a natural look. As everyone in the hall could see, Lan Chang wore such a heavy layer of makeup that her real features were indiscernible, and her general looks, class, and behavior were a far cry from the lovers Pei Ming usually chose. So when he claimed he wasn't to blame, everyone silently somewhat believed him—except it was only "silently" and "somewhat." When an occasion to see General Pei get checkmated presented itself, how could they not indulge in the fun? And so, they stood by and watched him argue with smiles on their faces; whether any member of the crowd was convinced depended entirely on their current mood.
At first, Xie Lian also thought the father was more than likely Pei Ming; he had a track record, after all. But as he studied Pei Ming's expression, Xie Lian grew less certain. Pei Ming didn't seem to be lying. He recalled Hua Cheng saying that there was nothing to fear, as Pei Ming wasn't a shady fellow—or something along those lines.
After some contemplation, Xie Lian continued, "Miss Lan Chang originally responded ambiguously, asking 'Who else could it be?' So, I also assumed… But since General Pei denies such claims, maybe there's been some misunderstanding. Besides, it can't be the same person every time, so why don't we ask around…?"
Unexpectedly, Lan Chang spoke up. "It's not him."
Xie Lian was taken aback and turned to her.
"It's not him," Lan Chang repeated.
Ling Wen said coolly, "What, so it's not?"
Shi Wudu also politely said, "So it actually isn't."
"…" Pei Ming turned to Shi Wudu and Ling Wen. "I already said it wasn't. The two of you are adding insult to injury. Just you wait."
The heavenly officials were briefly disappointed, but then they grew even more excited. After all, Pei Ming was always the one generating wanton scandals; if it were him, this would be nothing new. But if he wasn't to blame, that meant there was likely another male official, present or not, who had instigated a new wave of excitement. How could they not be thrilled?
Earlier in Ghost City, Lan Chang had hinted that the man in question was Pei Ming, but now she denied it. Xie Lian felt something was amiss, but he made no effort to express his suspicion.
"Hmm. Then who is it?" he inquired.
Lan Chang stared squarely at him, her eyes unmoving.
"You."
Xie Lian thought she wasn't finished. "What about me?"
"I said, the man is you!" Lan Chang declared.