Chapter 49 The Exquisite Dice Belongs to One Person 2

As Xie Lian was about to leave, Lang Qianqiu quickly said, "Stop right there!"

Xie Lian did stop. Lang Qianqiu gritted his teeth for a moment and said, "You... need to give me an explanation."

Xie Lian replied, "What kind of explanation do you want?"

Lang Qianqiu said, "Past grudges, national hatred, family feuds—I understand your hatred for Eternal Peace. But..."

He struggled to continue, his voice trembling, "But the national teacher—my father, my mother, and I—haven't we treated the survivors of the Divine Joy Kingdom well? I have many friends from Celestial Music. I've always done my best to protect them."

What he said was true.

After the fall of the Divine Joy Kingdom, many of its former citizens never forgot their identity. Even when Eternal Peace was established and took control, these people and their descendants still considered themselves as people of Celestial Music, often clashing with the new citizens.

The first few generations of the Eternal Peace royal family used harsh policies to suppress them, killing many who resisted. In retaliation, some people from Celestial Music formed alliances, planning and succeeding in assassinating several nobles of Eternal Peace. As a result, the hatred between the two sides deepened.

However, in Lang Qianqiu's generation, his parents adopted a completely different, more gentle approach towards the former citizens. They tried hard to integrate the new citizens with the old ones and even considered granting titles to the descendants of the Celestial Music royal family to show sincerity and respect, despite opposition. Lang Qianqiu himself never held any prejudice against the people of Celestial Music because of past grievances.

The national teacher of those days was very mysterious and never revealed their identity, so no one knew which side was responsible for the bloody massacre at the Gilded Banquet. But the enmity between Eternal Peace and Celestial Music was so deep that whenever something happened to either side, they would assume the other was the mastermind. Many in the Eternal Peace court suggested using this incident as a reason to completely eliminate the survivors of Celestial Music, but Lang Qianqiu firmly rejected these proposals.

His firm stance saved countless innocent lives from being unjustly slaughtered. However, looking back now, the better they did back then, the more wronged they felt now.

It wasn't about feeling it wasn't worth it, but about feeling wronged. Doing the right thing is never worthless, but when you offer goodwill and don't receive it in return, it's hard not to feel wronged.

Lang Qianqiu's eyes were red as he questioned, "National teacher, where did I fall short? Did my parents do something wrong for you to treat me like this?!" The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he felt. Struggling against the Ruoye's bindings, he raised his upper body and said, "Don't you think you owe us an explanation?!"

Xie Lian said, "I can't give you one."

His straightforward answer left Lang Qianqiu speechless. "National teacher, you've changed so much. You weren't like this before."

"..." Xie Lian rubbed his temples and said, "I remember telling you a long time ago not to put me on a pedestal in your heart. I'm not the person you imagine. In the end, you'll only disappoint yourself."

Lang Qianqiu lay back on the ground, murmuring, "I can't tell which is the real you anymore, the you from before or the you now."

Xie Lian said, "They're both me. But back then, you were only seventeen. Now you're older, and the lessons are different."

Lang Qianqiu fell silent, then suddenly said, "Is it because your seventeenth year was a turning point, so you want to make mine one too?"

Xie Lian didn't answer.

Seeing his silence, Lang Qianqiu's anger surged, and he shouted, "If that's what you're thinking, I refuse to go along with it!!"

Hearing this, Xie Lian's eyes widened slightly.

Lang Qianqiu couldn't stand, but his eyes shone brightly, his voice firm, as if a white flame burned in his pupils. It was as if he was both sulking and declaring war, shouting, "If you want me to become full of resentment like you, I won't! If you want to force me to give up like you, I absolutely won't. No matter what you do to me, I will never become like you!!!"

These bold words left Xie Lian stunned. After a while, he burst into laughter.

Lang Qianqiu, filled with hot tears and righteous anger, was taken aback and frustrated by Xie Lian's laughter. But Xie Lian just laughed harder, clapping his hands, and said loudly, "Good!"

He couldn't remember the last time he laughed so heartily. Once he finally calmed down, he wiped his eyes and nodded, "Good. Remember what you said today. You will never become like me!"

Hua Cheng had been watching with his arms crossed, and as soon as Xie Lian finished speaking, a burst of red smoke exploded in front of them!

Caught off guard, Xie Lian was startled, thinking Lang Qianqiu had used some strange trick, and quickly dodged, staying alert. However, the explosion, though loud, seemed harmless. Once the smoke cleared, Lang Qianqiu was gone, replaced by a wobbling tumbler toy.

This tumbler had a round head and body, resembling a large gourd, with long eyebrows and black eyes, looking adorably silly. It had a wide-bladed sword on its back, looking very much like Lang Qianqiu, but turned into a toy that a child would love. Xie Lian stopped laughing and said, "Qianqiu?!"

With no one to bind, the Ruoye ribbon returned to Xie Lian's wrist. Hua Cheng walked over casually, flicked the tumbler, and sneered, "No matter what form he's in, he always looks so silly."

Xie Lian picked up the tumbler, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, "This... this... San Lang, is this Qianqiu? How did he turn into this? Stop playing with him and turn him back."

Hua Cheng replied, "No. Let's take him with us."

Xie Lian asked, "Where are we going?"

By now, they had reached the entrance of a narrow cave. Hua Cheng didn't answer, tossing a dice into his hand, glanced at it, and entered the cave first.

Turning someone into a tumbler was indeed a mischievous spell, very much in Hua Cheng's style, but also difficult to undo. Xie Lian couldn't break it, nor could he guarantee that other gods could, so he had no choice but to carry the tumbler Lang Qianqiu and follow. He suddenly remembered that he had left his sword, Fangxin, on the ground, so he quickly went back to retrieve it, slinging it over his back before following Hua Cheng inside.

He wanted Hua Cheng to undo the spell, but Hua Cheng was noncommittal. As they walked through the cave, the narrow entrance gradually widened, and their footsteps echoed in the spacious cave. Ahead, there was a faint glow of fire and the sound of singing.

When Xie Lian had searched for the Elysium Pavilion in the ghost market, he had first heard singing. However, the singing of the Elysium Pavilion's enchanting ladies was like the whispers of a gentle dream, intoxicating. In contrast, this singing was chaotic and unpleasant, like a dance of demons, completely different. Xie Lian couldn't help but ask, "San Lang, what is this place?"

Hua Cheng whispered, "Shh."

Xie Lian's voice had been soft, but hearing this made him hold his breath. Soon, he realized why they needed to be quiet. Several green flames floated towards them from the opposite direction. As they got closer, Xie Lian saw they were little ghosts dressed in green.

Each of these little ghosts had a flame on their heads, looking like a big green candle. There was no place to hide in the cave, and they were on a narrow path. Xie Lian instinctively reached for Fangxin on his back but immediately remembered he should use Ruoye, so he lowered his hand.

To his surprise, the little ghosts glanced at them but ignored them, continuing to chat and walk forward. It wasn't that they didn't see them, but rather they were used to seeing them. Xie Lian looked at Hua Cheng, and instead of the handsome red-clad ghost king, he saw a pale little ghost with a green flame on its head.

At some point, Hua Cheng had already disguised them both with new appearances. Xie Lian, realizing he must also have a green flame on his head, couldn't help but touch it and said, "Why go through all this trouble...?"

Though he didn't say it outright, Hua Cheng seemed to understand and replied, "The green ghost Qi Rong, as I've said before, has terrible taste. All his little ghosts have to dress like this."

Unexpectedly, Hua Cheng had brought him to Qi Rong's territory.

Previously, whenever the heavenly and ghost realms mentioned Qi Rong, they would mock his poor taste. Xie Lian hadn't quite understood why, but now he did. The phrase "Blue Lantern Night Walker" sounded mysterious and elegant, but if it was just this literal "green" "lantern" night walking, it was quite different from what he had imagined. Xie Lian said, "Didn't you already destroy his lair?"

Hua Cheng replied, "I did, but he escaped. After fifty years, he built a new nest."

Xie Lian tucked the tumbler Lang Qianqiu into his arms, looked around to ensure no one was watching, and whispered, "San Lang, are you here to find the green ghost? Why not undo the spell on Qianqiu and let him go first? I'll stay with you."

Hua Cheng, however, firmly said, "No, you keep him. I want Lang Qianqiu to meet someone."

Xie Lian found this odd. Hua Cheng clearly didn't think much of Lang Qianqiu, so who would he want him to meet? Caught between two sides, Xie Lian couldn't say much. After a while, they finally exited the cave. As the view opened up, more caves appeared before them.

The mountain was riddled with caves, each connected by paths, forming a massive hive-like structure. Every entrance had demons and ghosts with green flames on their heads coming and going. If Xie Lian had come alone, he would have gotten lost quickly. However, Hua Cheng moved through the caves with ease, as if he knew the place like the back of his hand.

Both disguised as little ghosts with green flames, they encountered no obstacles. Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief, and Hua Cheng, thinking he was sighing, asked, "What's wrong?"

Xie Lian replied, "Nothing, I thought you'd storm the mountain head-on, but you snuck in. I'm not great at fighting, so I'm relieved."

He said he wasn't good at fighting sincerely. Fighting was fine, but the aftermath wasn't. Hua Cheng seemed to chuckle and said, "Last time, I did storm the mountain, but Qi Rong escaped when he heard. This time, I want to find him personally, so I can't let him notice."

Xie Lian thought, "Could it be that San Lang wants Lang Qianqiu to meet the green ghost? What connection do they have? I don't know what he plans to do, but I'll accompany him for now and slowly ask him to undo the spell on Qianqiu." He still felt guilty about burning Hua Cheng's Elysium Pavilion. As he pondered, Hua Cheng continued, "That useless fool is good for nothing, but he is very cautious. Little ghosts can't get close to him, and his trusted aides are hard to impersonate. There's only one way to get near him."

Just then, four little ghosts approached, chatting and laughing. Hua Cheng slowed his pace, and Xie Lian followed suit. Behind these four little ghosts was a line of living people, tied together with ropes.

These people, some in tattered clothes and some in fine attire, all appeared to be young men and women under thirty, with a child clinging to a young man's clothes, likely a father and son captured together. Their hands were bound, and they walked through the demon cave, each looking terrified and on the verge of fainting.

As Hua Cheng brushed past them, he subtly turned around and joined the end of the line. He nudged Xie Lian with his elbow, and Xie Lian mirrored his actions. When he looked at Hua Cheng again, he saw a handsome young face, and he assumed he looked similar.

The group wound through the caves, the little ghosts in front seeming very pleased with their task, constantly asserting their authority, shouting at the captives, "Behave! No crying! If you disgust our master with your tears and snot, you'll learn what it means to wish you were dead!"

Among the so-called Four Calamities of the ghost realm, the other three had never been known to eat humans, but the green ghost Qi Rong couldn't resist his cravings, earning him ridicule from both allies and enemies for being "unrefined" and "short-sighted."

Hua Cheng had said there was only one way to get close to Qi Rong without being detected, and it seemed the way was to blend in with the food. As they walked, Xie Lian reached for Hua Cheng's hand. The first time he touched it, Hua Cheng seemed to stiffen, as if he wanted to pull away.

Xie Lian noticed but couldn't dwell on it in the current situation. He held Hua Cheng's hand tightly and wrote a single word in his palm: "Save."

Since he had seen them, he had to save them. This was Xie Lian's decision after informing Hua Cheng of his intention.

After writing the word, Hua Cheng gently closed his fingers around Xie Lian's hand. A moment later, the group emerged from the tunnel into a vast cave.

Upon entering, a dark mass filled their vision. Xie Lian squinted, unable to see clearly, when Hua Cheng suddenly grabbed his wrist and wrote a few words on the back of his hand: "Watch your head. Don't touch."

At first, Xie Lian thought the cave ceiling was draped with tattered cloth, but upon closer inspection, his pupils shrank—it wasn't cloth at all. It was a mass of people, hanging upside down, feet up, heads down, suspended in mid-air.

An upside-down forest of corpses!

However, despite the forest of corpses, there was no rain of blood, as these were all dried corpses, long devoid of blood. Their expressions were twisted in agony, mouths agape, with a layer of snow-like crystals on their faces and bodies. It was salt.

At the deepest part of the cave, brightly lit, there was a grand chair and a long table, adorned with gold cups and jade plates. It was so opulent it didn't resemble a cave in the mountains but rather a banquet hall in a palace. Near the long table was a massive iron pot, large enough to hold dozens of people, with bubbling red water inside. Anyone who fell in would surely be boiled alive in an instant!

The little ghosts herded the captives toward the pot. Some, realizing their fate, collapsed in fear, and amidst the chaos of shouting and pulling, Xie Lian suddenly felt Hua Cheng's arm tense and stop moving.

He turned to see Hua Cheng, still with the handsome young face, but his eyes were filled with raging anger.

Though Hua Cheng often smiled, Xie Lian knew he hid his emotions well. Xie Lian had never seen such fury in his eyes before. Following Hua Cheng's gaze, Xie Lian's breath caught. In front of the grand chair was a kneeling figure.

At first glance, it seemed like a person, but upon closer inspection, it was a life-sized statue. The statue was peculiar, sculpted in a kneeling position, head bowed, embodying the phrase "a dog with its tail between its legs." The only purpose of such a statue was to humiliate the person it represented.

And Xie Lian didn't need to see the statue's face to know it would look exactly like him.