Xie Lian didn't expect the sudden fire and couldn't stop it in time. The bright flames revealed the figure of a man in black.
The man was leaning against a stone wall at the end of the road, his face as pale as paper, with messy black hair. But his eyes, shining like two burning cold flames, showed he was seriously injured, likely imprisoned there. His earlier words, "No comment," probably mistook them for interrogators.
Shi Qingxuan recognized the man and exclaimed, "It's you!"
The man seemed equally surprised to see them. He hesitated as if he wanted to say "It's you" too but held back. Xie Lian put away his Ruoye ribbon and asked, "So you two know each other?"
After much trouble, they finally found the person. Shi Qingxuan looked relieved and was about to speak when the man firmly said, "I don't know him."
Shi Qingxuan was furious and pointed at him with his folding fan, "Is knowing me such a disgrace? You're really something, Ming brother. I'm your best friend!"
The man flatly refused, "I don't have friends who run around dressed like that."
Shi Qingxuan was still wearing a tattered purple outfit, truly an eyesore. Xie Lian wanted to laugh, realizing some people really define themselves as "someone's best friend," a trait unique to Shi Qingxuan. He thought, "Ming brother?" He vaguely remembered that among the Five Masters, the Earth Master's name was Ming Yi. So Xie Lian asked, "Could this be the Earth Master?"
Shi Qingxuan replied, "That's him. You've met before."
Xie Lian looked at Ming Yi, "Have I met him?" He didn't seem to remember. Shi Qingxuan insisted, "You have."
Ming Yi said, "Never met."
Shi Qingxuan chuckled, "You definitely have! Last time at Half Moon Pass, you can't have forgotten so soon?"
Seeing Ming Yi's face turn from pale to dark, Xie Lian finally remembered. Last time at Half Moon Pass, wasn't there a black-clad woman with Shi Qingxuan?
At that time, Hua Cheng had told him that she wasn't the Water Master but definitely one of the Five Masters. No wonder the black-clad woman looked so displeased, as if disgusted. Remembering how Shi Qingxuan tried to coax him into joining the fun before entering the Ghost Market, Xie Lian thought he narrowly avoided it. He asked, "Earth Master, was it you who sent the Fire Dragon Sky Roar for help?"
Ming Yi confirmed, "It was me."
They found the right person. Xie Lian nodded, "Earth Master, you seem seriously injured. Let's retreat and talk later."
Without another word, Shi Qingxuan crouched to carry Ming Yi on his back, "Alright, let's go!"
The three retraced their steps. Shi Qingxuan asked, "Ming brother, didn't you say you were strong? We saw you fine when we parted at Half Moon Pass. How did you end up like this in just a few days? How did you provoke Hua Cheng?"
His tone was a bit gloating, and Xie Lian thought, "Hmm, this way of speaking without fear of being hit, truly shows they're good friends." Ming Yi seemed unable to bear Shi Qingxuan's chatter anymore and spat out, "Shut up!"
But Xie Lian also wanted to know, so he asked differently, "Earth Master, why is Hua Cheng giving you trouble?"
Ming Yi didn't tell him to shut up but didn't answer either. Xie Lian glanced over and saw Ming Yi had closed his eyes. He must have been tortured underground for days, seriously injured, and finally relaxed upon seeing rescuers.
Since it wasn't urgent, Xie Lian didn't wake him. The three climbed the stairs, and Xie Lian threw the dice again. In the darkness, he couldn't see the number, but there was a soft "click," and a crack opened, letting light through.
Xie Lian pushed the door, thinking, "Can we get Lang Ying out too?" But as he stepped out, he found himself stepping into nothing.
As he fell, Xie Lian immediately said, "Don't come out!"
He flipped in the air and landed on something hard. Relieved it wasn't a pit of knives or fire, he looked up and thought maybe that would have been better. Right in front of him was Hua Cheng's exceptionally handsome face, one eyebrow raised, watching him.
This time, the stone door opened, and he fell right onto Hua Cheng!
They landed in the armory. Hua Cheng was sitting there, calmly polishing his curved blade, E'ming. Even with someone suddenly falling onto his lap, he just moved his hand aside, stopped polishing, and looked at Xie Lian, waiting for an explanation. Xie Lian couldn't give one, so he lay there, meeting Hua Cheng's gaze. Suddenly, he noticed someone nearby. Turning his head, he saw it was Lang Ying.
The bandaged boy was sitting on the ground, terrified, even holding his head and staring at the two of them. Why was Lang Ying here? It seemed Hua Cheng was interrogating him. Looking up, Xie Lian saw Shi Qingxuan's white boot stepping halfway out. In a panic, he grabbed Hua Cheng's shoulders, "Sorry!"
Then he pushed Hua Cheng, rolling them both a yard away. Shi Qingxuan, carrying Ming Yi, jumped down safely, landing where Hua Cheng had been sitting. Xie Lian turned back to Hua Cheng, who was still watching him, his eyebrow raised even higher.
Xie Lian quickly got up, backing away, "Sorry, sorry."
Lang Ying hid behind Xie Lian, looking terrified of Hua Cheng. Xie Lian protected him, "San Lang, let me explain."
Hua Cheng said, "Hmm, I'm waiting."
Shi Qingxuan said, "Wait, isn't it the other way around? He should explain to you. This whole god disappearance thing is his doing. Be careful, Your Highness!"
This was the situation Xie Lian least wanted to face. He looked at Hua Cheng and said, "San Lang, I don't know what misunderstanding you have with the Earth Master, but let's discuss it calmly."
The best outcome would be if Hua Cheng let them leave safely. Though the Earth Master was injured, he wasn't missing any limbs, and if things ended here, it wouldn't escalate. If Hua Cheng let them go, Xie Lian would even beg for mercy from Jun Wu back at the Heavenly Court.
Unexpectedly, Hua Cheng said, "Earth Master? What Earth Master?"
He paused, "Oh, you mean the one Wind Master is carrying? That's just one of my useless subordinates."
Hearing this, Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan were both stunned. Shi Qingxuan said, "This is clearly a god from the Heavenly Court. Why are you twisting the truth?"
Hua Cheng laughed, "Then why would your esteemed god hide his identity and lower himself to be a ghost servant here?"
Following the curve of E'ming, he wiped out a silver moon and continued, "If that was truly the Earth Master, he sure has patience, acting for ten years. During those ten years, I occasionally found him suspicious but had no proof. If I hadn't gone to Half Moon Pass and seen him with the Wind Master, I wouldn't have been sure."
In an instant, Xie Lian's mind raced.
So that's it!
The Earth Master was in trouble because he had been hiding his true identity for ten years, working as a ghost servant under Hua Cheng!
In other words, he was undercover. Hua Cheng had found him suspicious but kept him around to observe. Recently, the Earth Master's cover was blown.
A few days ago at Half Moon Pass, Hua Cheng saw the Earth Master traveling with the Wind Master.
Although the Earth Master was disguised as a woman, Hua Cheng saw through it and identified the black-clad woman as the ghost servant he suspected, confirming he was one of the Five Masters.
After the Half Moon Pass incident, Hua Cheng left the Pugilistic Shrine, likely to settle the score. It was probably during the chase that Ming Yi sent out a distress signal. Then, Jun Wu sent Xie Lian to handle it.
A god from the Heavenly Court disguising himself and lurking in the ghost realm for decades was a scandal. Regardless of the scheming, if Ming Yi remained imprisoned and tortured, it would create a huge conflict, making the situation even more chaotic. In the end, no one would be unscathed. After much thought, Xie Lian said, "I understand. The fault lies with us. But, San Lang, I hope you can show mercy today."
Hua Cheng stared at him for a moment and said softly, "Your Highness, there are some things you shouldn't get too involved in."
Suddenly, Shi Qingxuan shouted, "Wind, come!"
His fan unleashed a strong wind inside the armory. The weapons on the racks trembled and buzzed. Xie Lian said, "Wind Master, we haven't even started fighting yet?"
Shi Qingxuan said, "I see neither of you will make the first move, so I'll be the bad guy. Wind, wind, wind, wind, wind, come!"
With a series of loud noises, Xie Lian felt dust falling from above. Looking up, he saw the roof being lifted, creating a huge gap.
The armory had no doors or windows. Shi Qingxuan wasn't aiming to attack but wanted to blow off the roof and fly out!
In the midst of the storm, Hua Cheng's hair and red clothes fluttered, but he remained still, smiling, "You have a fan, and so do I."
He casually picked up a fan from the weapon rack. It was small and exquisite, made entirely of gold, with a beautiful, calm luster. Hua Cheng spun it in his hand, opened it, and with a graceful yet deadly air, unleashed a gust of wind with silver streaks. The three dodged, only to hear a series of thuds. Turning back, they saw rows of golden leaves embedded in the ground. Each leaf was thin and sharp, driven inches into the floor, showing their sharpness and force.
Every weapon in the armory was a treasure, and even a casual pick had such power!
Hua Cheng flipped his hand, sending another storm of golden dust. Shi Qingxuan's wind was strong, but the stronger it was, the more dangerous it became. The armory was just a hall, with limited space, and the wind Shi Qingxuan stirred rebounded, causing hundreds of golden leaves to whirl around them. Worried about injury, Xie Lian protected Lang Ying, "Wind Master, stop for a moment!"
The golden leaves had narrowly missed Shi Qingxuan and Ming Yi several times. Shi Qingxuan wanted to stop, but with the roof lifted, stopping now would let it fall back. Just then, the swirling golden leaves suddenly flew upward, and with a series of clangs, someone broke through the roof, leaping down amid falling debris.
As soon as he landed, the person said, "Sorry, Wind Master, I couldn't just sit still!"
Shi Qingxuan was delighted, "Qianqiu, you came just in time!"
The young man carried a heavy sword, its blade as wide as a man's palm. It was Lang Qianqiu. His heavy sword was golden, not because it was made of gold, but because it had absorbed the sharp, thin golden leaves, forming a layer that made it look like a golden sword.
Lang Qianqiu's heavy sword was made from rare iron from the heart of Magnetic Mountain, with a unique ability to attract metals. As long as the spiritual power in the weapon didn't exceed a certain limit, he could absorb and melt other metal weapons by holding the hilt and concentrating. Soon, the layer of golden leaves was absorbed into the heavy sword, disappearing. Seeing this, Hua Cheng laughed, put away the golden fan, and tossed it aside, "Heavenly Court gods are so poor and petty, clinging to gold?"
If this was directed at Xie Lian, he would have pretended not to hear. But it was aimed at Lang Qianqiu, a royal who regarded wealth as dirt. Even knowing it was a taunt, he was furious, raising his heavy sword to strike Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng, with his curved blade, E'ming, in hand, calmly met the attack.
Lang Qianqiu's strike was full force. Though he was fearless, Xie Lian saw the difference in their strength clearly. If this sword really struck, Lang Qianqiu would be doomed!
Even Shi Qingxuan, who wasn't a swordsman, was alarmed, "Qianqiu, don't take it head-on!"
But with the attack already in motion, how could a shout stop it?
Unexpectedly, just as the sword and blade were about to clash, a blinding white light exploded in the armory.
The white light was vast, enveloping the entire armory, blinding everyone briefly. All they saw was dazzling white. Xie Lian, having prepared, barely saw through it, gathering all the spiritual power borrowed from Shi Qingxuan into flames and launching it in one direction!
A corner of the armory burst into flames. Then, Xie Lian threw out the Ruoye ribbon, binding himself, Shi Qingxuan, Ming Yi, Lang Qianqiu, and Lang Ying together, "Wind Master, upwind!"
Though Shi Qingxuan couldn't see, he followed instructions, raising his fan and creating a whirlwind that finally broke through the precarious roof!
Bound by Ruoye, the five flew into the sky. In mid-air, they regained their sight. Shi Qingxuan saw the flames below, with smoke billowing, and feared Hua Cheng might pursue, so he fanned the fire. This was truly "fanning the flames," as the wind caused the fire to spread rapidly, engulfing most of the Elysium Pavilion in a red blaze!
Xie Lian barely managed to stop Shi Qingxuan from frantically fanning, "Wind Master, stop! You'll burn it all down!"
Shi Qingxuan, caught by Xie Lian, said, "Alright, alright, I won't fan anymore. Let go, Your Highness! You're too strong!"
With the wind stopped, Xie Lian let go and looked down. Amid the red flames, he saw the red figure. Though too high to see clearly, he sensed Hua Cheng was standing there, looking up at him.
He didn't chase or extinguish the fire, just stood there as the flames raged.
Screams erupted on the Ghost Market streets outside the Elysium Pavilion, with ghosts fleeing. Xie Lian felt breathless, his voice hoarse, "I... just wanted a small fire to delay, how did it turn out like this..."
He recalled Hua Cheng leaning against the armory door not long ago, half-jokingly offering to give him the armory and all its weapons. Now, it was all in flames. True, many treasures were fire-resistant, but some were not, and might turn to ash. And who would have thought the fire would spread so fiercely, consuming the entire Elysium Pavilion?
Even if Hua Cheng didn't consider it "home," it was still his place!
Seeing Xie Lian so distraught, Shi Qingxuan felt guilty, "Uh... sorry, Your Highness! I didn't think much, just wanted to escape quickly. It's my fault. If Hua Cheng asks you to compensate, blame me. Don't worry, I'll pay whatever it takes! I'm not afraid of anything but running out of money!"
This wasn't about money. Xie Lian closed his eyes, unable to speak. Shi Qingxuan patted his shoulder, suddenly feeling something wet and smelling blood. He turned and was shocked, "Your Highness, your hand!"
Xie Lian's right hand was covered in blood, the entire arm stained, trembling uncontrollably. Yet he held the white ribbon tightly, keeping everyone together in the wind. Shi Qingxuan asked, "What happened to you?!"
Xie Lian regained some composure, shaking his head, "It's nothing... just a small injury, it'll be fine."
Shi Qingxuan remembered, "That white light was you? Your Highness, you separated them?"
Xie Lian replied, "I'm a swordsman, after all."
Shi Qingxuan guessed right. Just before Hua Cheng and Lang Qianqiu's weapons clashed, Xie Lian intervened.
He grabbed a sword from the rack and inserted it between the two, making two moves.
The first deflected Lang Qianqiu's heavy sword, the second blocked the curved blade, E'ming.
Both moves were powerful yet precisely controlled, deflecting the attacks without rebounding on the attackers.
Because Xie Lian, in between, took both attacks with the sword and his arm.
Lang Qianqiu's sword was manageable, but Hua Cheng's blade was unstoppable. The sword Xie Lian grabbed was a treasure, so when the weapons clashed, it exploded in a brilliant white light.
In those two moves, the first against Lang Qianqiu's sword cracked Xie Lian's sword; the second against E'ming shattered it.
All this happened in a flash, too fast to see. Shi Qingxuan, seeing Xie Lian's right hand, thought it must be a bloody mess, "Your Highness, you're too bold, taking those hits with one hand!"
The Flower-Crowned Martial God, one hand wielding a sword, the other holding a flower. Shi Qingxuan remembered the flower but forgot Xie Lian ascended by the sword.
Thinking of the close call, Shi Qingxuan was relieved, "Good thing Your Highness made those moves, or Qianqiu would be in pieces."
Oddly, Lang Qianqiu, though unharmed, looked dazed, as if his soul had left. Shi Qingxuan called, "Qianqiu? Qianqiu? What's wrong? Are your eyes still blinded?"
The group rode the wind to the Immortal Capital, rushing through the Ascension Gate to the Divine Martial Hall. Lang Ying, unable to enter, was left in a side hall by Xie Lian. With no one on duty, he called into the Spirit Communication Array, "Is any celestial official available? Please come to the Divine Martial Hall! It's urgent, a god is injured!"
While he called, Shi Qingxuan snapped his fingers, changing back to his white robe, and scattered 100,000 merits, "It's two gods!"
Xie Lian quickly said, "Wind Master, calm down, speak properly, don't scatter merits. They'll come when they hear."
Shi Qingxuan insisted, "No, Your Highness, scattering merits is a hundred times faster than speaking!"
Soon, a voice called, "Who's injured?"
The voice started far away, but by the last word, the person was there. It was Feng Xin. Entering the hall, he looked at Xie Lian, then Lang Qianqiu, pausing. Xie Lian said, "I'm fine. The Earth Master seems seriously injured."
After a moment, Feng Xin asked, "What happened to your right hand?"
Another voice said, "Injured or not, with so many gods in the Heavenly Court, which mission doesn't end with injuries?"
The voice was gentle but the words harsh, naturally it was Mu Qing. He entered the Divine Martial Hall, first looking at Xie Lian, then Lang Qianqiu. His expression was different from Feng Xin's, slightly amused, as if expecting a show. Seeing Feng Xin examining Xie Lian's arm, he leaned to check Ming Yi, "Is this the Earth Master?"
Meanwhile, more gods arrived. Ming Yi was elusive, and many were seeing him for the first time, staring intently. Everyone was confused about the sudden gathering, but having received the Wind Master's merits, they had to come. Xie Lian told Feng Xin, "Thank you. But it's fine, it'll heal on its own."
Feng Xin didn't say more, "Take care."
Xie Lian thanked him quietly, then turned to see Lang Qianqiu staring blankly, "Prince Taihua, what's wrong?"
Feng Xin also noticed Lang Qianqiu's odd expression, "Prince Taihua, are you injured too?"
Xie Lian said, "I don't think so. Let me see." He reached for Lang Qianqiu's forehead, but Lang Qianqiu swiftly grabbed his wrist.
Though Lang Qianqiu looked uncertain, as if realizing something but unsure, his eyes burned with anger. Xie Lian felt the tremor of rage pass from Lang Qianqiu's arm to his own.
Now, the surrounding gods sensed something was wrong, whispering among themselves. Shi Qingxuan and Mu Qing stood up, and Feng Xin asked, "Prince Taihua, what are you doing?"
Lang Qianqiu finally spoke. He only said two words, but they made Xie Lian's heart sink.
He gritted his teeth, "…National Teacher?"
Xie Lian's pupils contracted.
Some gods were confused, whispering, "What National Teacher? Who's the National Teacher?" Others, more astute, quickly pieced it together.
Lang Qianqiu was the Crown Prince of Eternal Peace Kingdom, and the National Teacher of his time was one of the infamous twin masters, the Heart Master. No one knew this person's identity or background. Now, Lang Qianqiu was calling Xie Lian "National Teacher," implying Xie Lian was the infamous Heart Master?
But Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Celestial Music Kingdom, which was destroyed by Eternal Peace Kingdom. How could he be its National Teacher?
Prince Taihua was known in the Heavenly Court for being open and cheerful, never scheming or making trouble, never showing such a complex expression, a mix of sorrow, anger, hatred.
Lang Qianqiu held Xie Lian tightly, his chest heaving, "You… I clearly killed you myself, sealed you in a coffin. You… National Teacher, you're truly powerful!"
This was serious; something big was about to happen today!