"I want to try and take care of that thing myself," Shi Qingxuan continued sternly. "All things considered, Your Highness has more experience with such entities, so are you free? If not, don't force yourself."
Shi Qingxuan had helped Xie Lian on many occasions in the past, so now that Shi Qingxuan had come to him with an emergency, there was no way Xie Lian could decline and say he had the heart but not the power. But Hua Cheng had come from far away as a guest, and he hadn't been here for more than a few days—if Xie Lian left, who was going to host Hua Cheng? Although it wasn't like Xie Lian himself was a very good host to begin with…
As he considered his options, Hua Cheng smiled and propped his chin on one hand.
"Is gege going to try to catch a glimpse of that Reverend of Empty Words? If it wouldn't be a bother, will you bring me along? It's a rare monster, after all. I've never seen it myself."
Much ashamed, but San Lang understands my predicament, Xie Lian thought to himself.
Filled with gratitude for Hua Cheng's thoughtfulness on the matter, Xie Lian nodded. Shi Qingxuan didn't say anything on the subject. Of course he knew perfectly well that Hua Cheng wasn't coming along to help him, but he at least wasn't coming to cause trouble. In the end, whether Hua Cheng came or not meant nothing to him.
"The Reverend of Empty Words is an elusive creature," Xie Lian warned. "Who knows when or where it will appear again?"
"I couldn't tell you," Shi Qingxuan replied. "If nothing else, I plan on going to the imperial capital and reserving the best room at the best restaurant to drink for around eighty to a hundred days straight. We'll put on plays and set off firecrackers every day, and that will flush it out eventually."
"That's one way to do it," Xie Lian acknowledged. "But even if it shows itself, we might not be able to capture it. The best way to win a battle is to know oneself and one's enemy. Has Lord Wind Master investigated its past prey? How does it hunt? We should see if there's any pattern."
"My brother already investigated that, of course." Shi Qingxuan retrieved a scroll from his sleeve and spread it open. Xie Lian scooted closer to take a look and was in awe in spite of himself.
"Amazing. Amazing."
Such taste! This creature really only fished for big catches—every name on that scroll was a notable character in the Mortal Realm, and almost all of them had met tragic ends. Moreover, every one of said tragic ends was a suicide following a mental breakdown.
There were those who had slit their throats after their troops met crushing defeat. There were those who made a clean exit with a white bandage noose after their fortunes were ruined overnight. There were those who simply sank into the depths of despair after spending their entire lifetimes seeking influence and affluence only to achieve nothing for their struggle. They weren't necessarily defeated by the hand of the Reverend of Empty Words; they were overcome by their own fear of loss.
Neither emperors nor kings were on that list; as sons of heaven, true rulers had a protective aura that prevented evil from easily invading their hearts. Generally speaking, those who had the potential to ascend also had natural spiritual shields enveloping their bodies that forced evil to stand down. This made Xie Lian suspect that whatever had attached onto Shi Qingxuan wasn't something so simple. Perhaps someone behind the scenes was purposely targeting him. If that were the case, that person must be quite formidable. But Shi Qingxuan had been only a baby when he was marked, so how had he attracted such a character?
Just then, Hua Cheng spoke. "Gege, may I take a look?"
Xie Lian passed the scroll to him. "Here."
Hua Cheng gave it a brief skim. "Who put this scroll together?"
"My brother. What of it?" Shi Qingxuan replied.
Hua Cheng tossed the scroll on the table. "Nothing. Just that it's full of glaring mistakes. I suggest your brother try again."
Hearing this, Shi Qingxuan was ready to throw a fit, or perhaps even fists. "Crimson Rain Sought Flower!"
Xie Lian held him back and said apologetically, "Lord Wind Master, please sit down. Sit down. Let it go, San Lang always talks like that. He doesn't mean it."
"Always like that?" Shi Qingxuan sounded doubtful but sat down.
Xie Lian turned to Hua Cheng. "San Lang, you said it's full of outrageous mistakes. How so?"
Hua Cheng scooted over to him; they were now sitting much closer than before. Hua Cheng pointed at a few names. "These are wrong."
Xie Lian looked at the names closely; all of them were known to be lawless, malevolently evil tyrants. "How do you know?"
"Because I killed them," Hua Cheng said.
"…Doesn't this say they all died by suicide?" Xie Lian asked.
"I sent messengers to greet them, and they killed themselves before I made any further move," Hua Cheng explained. "Perhaps that doesn't count as my kill?"
One couldn't truly say whether that counted, but at least he was honest. Shi Qingxuan's lips twitched, and he coughed uncomfortably a few times.
"Can ghosts please not so bluntly describe how they kill people in front of heavenly officials? Can ghosts also please not openly discuss this with other heavenly officials, in front of other heavenly officials?"
Hua Cheng pointed at a few other names. "These are wrong too."
"And who killed them?" Xie Lian asked.
"Black Water did them in," Hua Cheng said.
Xie Lian was taken aback. "Black Water Demon Xuan? Doesn't he always lie low?"
"Doesn't mean he doesn't kill," Hua Cheng said. Then he addressed Shi Qingxuan, "That esteemed brother of yours gave you a scroll that's inaccurate and full of errors. There's no heart in this investigation at all; that bundle of rags is nothing but a red herring meant to divert your attention. I suggest you rip it up and get to work researching another one."
Shi Qingxuan snatched back the scroll. "My brother isn't like that!"
Although his retort was weak, his voice was firm. Shi Wudu wouldn't be so careless when it came to his own younger brother, so there could be only one possibility.
"Every profession has its own specialists. Lord Water Master would surely have borrowed another's expertise for this investigation." Xie Lian asked Shi Qingxuan, "May I inquire who actually put the scroll together?"
After some hesitation, Shi Qingxuan replied, "Ling Wen."
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead and stopped speaking. Although other heavenly officials cursed the Palace of Ling Wen for its inefficiency, it still wouldn't be expected to make so many mistakes; this looked like a rough draft turned in to appease a deadline. The Tumors seemed to share a good relationship, at least on the surface. But outsiders would probably never know what lay beneath.
"Let me tell you another way to discern the difference between what's true and what's fake." Hua Cheng leaned back and continued, "Once the Reverend of Empty Words sets its sights on prey, it goes for the roots as well. Not only will its target suffer and die, the families and friends of said target will also be affected. As such, regarding those on this scroll whose own lives were the only casualty in their affair, whose friends and families remain alive and well—those names are wrong."
Shi Qingxuan's face paled for a moment when he heard this, but he quickly regained his cheer and laughed dryly at Ming Yi.
"Ming-xiong, doesn't that mean you're in danger too? You're my best friend, after all!"
Ming Yi shifted to sit farther away from Shi Qingxuan, his expression written with the sentiment that he'd rather not have Shi Qingxuan as a best friend, please and thank you. This move brought him closer to Xie Lian; Hua Cheng's gaze swept over Ming Yi, sharp as a knife.
Seeing that Shi Qingxuan hadn't forgotten to joke around even in times like these, Xie Lian couldn't help but smile. Nevertheless, he could tell Shi Qingxuan was still anxious—rather, it was because of his anxiety that he had to use extra cheer to suppress it.
Shi Qingxuan flashed his Wind Master fan and fluttered it five, six times faster than usual, his black hair flying wildly in the wind.
"Let's go right now! To drink ourselves into oblivion atop the tallest, fanciest tower! I have to see for myself if it'll dare show its face with so many of us around. We've got strength in numbers, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…"
"…Lord Wind Master, please calm yourself," Xie Lian urged him. "Wait for me for a moment; I've got a few small things to take care of in the shrine."
Who knew how many days this trip would take? With two children and two mouths—plus a godforsaken ghost possessing a man—he couldn't just leave them be. He considered trying to find someone reliable in the village to watch over them, but it seemed Hua Cheng knew his every worry and spoke up.
"If gege must go, then go without worries. I've got hands to spare; someone will take care of the shrine while you're gone."
Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for San Lang. It'll be better if there's someone here to watch over things."
Hua Cheng smiled. "Yeah. There needs to be someone watching over things."
"Watching over" obviously meant different things to the both of them, but neither pried deeper. Ming Yi moved the altar table away and began drawing the Teleportation Array on the ground. Shi Qingxuan's fan fluttered so rapidly that its form could barely be made out.
"By the way, Your Highness, I forgot to ask earlier. Who exactly is that outside the door? How did I piss him off to provoke such rude words from his mouth?"
To be asked about only at the end of things, and in such an offhand manner… If Qi Rong overheard, he'd no doubt suffer another attack of heartburn. As Xie Lian busied himself packing up Ruoye and Fangxin, he thought it really was quite impersonable of Shi Qingxuan. On the other hand, Qi Rong hardly counted as a person.
"Didn't he announce his own title?"
"What, that really is the Green Ghost?" Shi Qingxuan was surprised. "With that face and that attitude? You really do have to see these kinds of things for yourself!"
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead and briefly gave an account of what had transpired these last few days, and upon concluding the tale, reminded Shi Qingxuan to keep it a secret—especially when it came to Lang Qianqiu. While they spoke, Ming Yi finished drawing the Teleportation Array. The one Nan Feng drew last time had been crude and rough, and it had taken him ages to finish. Ming Yi was the complete opposite: his hands were swift and precise, completing the drawing with but a single sweeping motion. The circle he drew was cleaner and more accurate than if one used a compass and ruler, and the characters were so neat and orderly they could have been mistaken for pressed prints. Xie Lian couldn't help but marvel.
With the array completed, Ming Yi said, "Let's go."
Shi Qingxuan sucked in a breath and blew gently to extinguish the candlelight.
Hua Cheng took the lead and was the first to push open the door. The little door creaked open into pitch blackness beyond. The air was thick with mold and dust, as if the door was connected to an old house that had been abandoned for many years.
Following behind Hua Cheng was Xie Lian, who softly thanked Hua Cheng for taking the initiative to open the door as he passed. Then came Shi Qingxuan, and last was Ming Yi. Once he crossed through, he closed the door behind him.
The moment it shut, an ominous voice came from the darkness behind the door.
"The place you wish to go will become the nightmare you never wish to recall!"
The instant Xie Lian heard this, he let loose with a kick. The door instantly collapsed from the impact. It was no longer Puqi Shrine behind the door but rather a pile of trash; once a teleportation array was used, it lost its effect. That intense kick roused thick clouds of dust, and as Xie Lian coughed, he was glad it wasn't the door Hua Cheng had made for him.
With his sleeve covering his face, he asked, "Was that the Reverend of Empty Words?"
Shi Qingxuan tightly gripped his whisk and his Wind Master fan. "That's its voice! Has… Has it been following me?"
Xie Lian waved away the dusty air. "No. There were three heavenly officials and one ghost king in the shrine earlier; if something were following you, how could none of us notice? Clearly it only just arrived."
"Calm down," Ming Yi advised Shi Qingxuan.
"I'm calm!" Shi Qingxuan exclaimed. "I'm very calm. I calmed down a long time ago!"
Hua Cheng stood ahead and said leisurely, "Calm is good, but there's definitely something afoot. Does anyone know where we are?"
Xie Lian looked around and wondered this as well. "Weren't we headed to the nicest restaurant in the imperial capital?"
No matter how he looked at it, this old abandoned house looked nothing like any restaurant Shi Qingxuan had spoken of. The four of them explored the place and found the entrance, but it was closed with massive locks! The matter of the locks was addressed by another kick from Xie Lian, and the door creaked open.
What appeared before them was neither hell nor any such sort of mysterious evil landscape. It was a perfectly ordinary, dull little town.
Hua Cheng arched his brows. "The imperial capital shouldn't look like this."
Xie Lian agreed wholeheartedly—the aura of an imperial capital could not be matched by such a small town. He turned his head.
"Lord Earth Master, did you make a mistake in your array?"
"I didn't make any mistakes," Ming Yi stated. "This wasn't our original destination."
Xie Lian immediately understood.
It meant the creature had meddled—it had sent them here!