I woke up with a sharp, cold gasp. Frost covered the ground under me, the tree I was leaning on, and my sweat froze to my body. Kiyoshi was looking up at me with a worried expression. I took a few deep breaths and got up, carrying Kiyoshi in my arms. I went to find Xie Lian while carrying Kiyoshi. I was shaking from the vision I saw. I hope it was just a bad dream, and that boy wasn't actually a victim of human face disease. After maybe a few minutes, I found Xie Lian, shaking a little like he saw something from his nightmares.
"Brother..." I spoke up, almost silently. Xie Lian looked at me quickly as hell. "I saw... in a dream just now... how is there a member of Xianle this far from its remains?"
"I don't know..." Xie Lian still looked uneasy.
After we finished everything with the village in Mount Yu Jun's area, Brother and I headed up to the heaven realm. I had Kohana and Kiyoshi stay in the mortal realm near a place I knew, and where I would advise my brother on staying. The last trip here was hell because of the circumstances. This trip is much better than the last since I'm with my brother again. While we walked together, I saw many officials look at me twice to make sure they were actually seeing me. I felt one specific set of yes on me. I recognized them, and the gaze felt warm and welcoming. It covered my neck. I think they belong to one specific woman. She must have found a way to sneak in. have too, but they were for specific reasons. I glanced around and caught sight of a magenta and a pale blue blur. I looked again, but saw nothing. Something was following us. I want to confirm, but I can't while heaven's eyes are on us.
The feeling remained, and I didn't want to feel it go away. I felt a small grin grace my face. I kept a steady pace with Xie Lian, and my thoughts stayed on the feeling as we made our way into the heavenly array. Before long, Xuan Zhen, or Mu Ching as I knew him, started ranting about my brother.
"That's rich coming from you." I spat, and the entire array went silent all at once. Xuan Zhen and Nan Yang, or Feng Xing as I knew him, were both as white as jade when they heard my voice. "Now, can we get back to our topic at hand? The forest of hanging corpses? Or should I continue to witness this backstabber insult my older brother?"
Not a single person spoke the entire time. I smirked, sensing their discomfort. A giggle echoed in the array. I recognized the giggle, and I felt my heart swell. I could feel everyone panic, since none of them recognized the giggle.
"Ugh! Will no one say anything?!" I shouted, cutting through the silence.
"The forest of hanging corpses—what's its meaning exactly?" Brother asked in his usual voice, shaking out of his shocked state.
"They are an offering to ou-" I cut myself off before rewording my sentence, "to Qi Rong. The green calamity, whose other name is Night Touring Green Lantern, is morbid. Ask anyone, including the ghosts. There are three others: the black water-sealing ships that heaven doesn't have a lot on but keeps to itself. the white-clothed calamity, also known as Bai Wuxiang."
I had my teeth clenched as I spoke. Just saying either name made my blood boil. Xie Lian had the same expression as me. He was renowned dead, but no. I met him thirty years ago and faced him. I could have lost everything again. But by some miracle, only two, including me, were casualties. I am still looking for the other casualty, because I refuse to give up on her.
"He has been 'dead' for years, but I still doubt he will remain that way." I folded my arms as my brother looked at me in concern. "Regardless of the fourth calamity, you should know. The person you met on Mount Yu Jun. The crimson rain sought flower, or Hua Cheng."
Gasps echoed in the array. Their reaction only made me smile again.
"Hua Cheng, huh?" My brother asked, turning to me as I looked back at him from the officials. "Quite a name; it suits him."
I smirked, not even trying to hide the smirk on my face.
"Anyway, from what I understand, Qi Rong wasn't at Mount Yu Jun." I began again, as the rest of the officials weren't going to speak to me. "And how Hua Cheng got his name was after he challenged 35 gods, but only 33 accepted. Funny enough, the 35 gods he challenged were in contact with both of us, brother."
I saw the officials all look shocked, including Xie Lian, but I wasn't spoiling anything. The giggle happened again.
"Regardless, what Hua Cheng bet on if he lost was his ashes. The gods would get them; if they won, they could dispose of them. If Hua Cheng won, they would descend from heaven, returning to human lives. So when they didn't pay, he burned their temples. These gods were foolish and showed their duel in the dreams of their believers. So after that, they began to worship Hua Cheng after those gods' downfall."
"He sounds quite formidable," my brother countered. "But why go after these specific gods?"
"He told me his reasons for going after the gods we encountered, but I will leave that be till later." The eyes of many were on me again. They all know what kind of grudge I hold against the officials, especially the ones Honger challenged. "Now, if that's all, Xie Lian and I have to head to the mortal realm to get a temple set up. Though I would think Brother needs a word with Nan Yang and Xuan Zhen."
I finished, awaiting these gods to leave. One by one, these gods left, leaving Xie Lian, Nan Yang, Xuan Zhen, and me here. I stayed quiet and let Xie Lian say what he wanted to them.
"Xie Mei Mei was right about needing a word with you both," Brother said as he looked at the two remaining backstabbers. Brother held his right hand in a fist before his chest, while his left hand clamped around his fist. "I appreciate the two deputies. Thank you."
I couldn't see their expressions, and I doubt they were expecting the "Deputies" aid. After that, Xuen Zhen said yet another arrogant comment and left, and so did Nan Yang. I knew the other gods were going to tread carefully from now on, since Hua Cheng knows us. Anyway, I headed down to the mortal realm first while Xie Lian talked to Ling Wen, and she probably warned Xie Lian about Hua Cheng or something. Then he followed me down, and we set up a temple, where Kohana and Kiyoshi, now my son, would be staying while Xie Lian and I would be tending to things. I sent Kohana to get Kiyoshi to get accessories and some new clothes. Kohana has money, so it's fine.
Once we had gone around and gathered up supplies to put to use in the temple, we asked an ox driver for a ride home. While on the ride for a while, I hummed a tune to myself while we rode back home. I hummed to myself, thinking back on the life we have been living, well, separate lives. For a few minutes, I just hummed to myself while thinking, and looking up at the sky.
"Sister," my brother said, snapping me out of the dark memories. He held out a scroll with two descriptions. "This scroll mentions us."
"The prince and princess of Xianle both ascended at ages 16 and 17." He spoke lightly, remembering how long we've been separated. It feels nice to have him by my side again. "The prince ascended three times, being a god of disease, martial arts, and scrap collecting. while the princess abandoned heaven, travelling the world in search of her lost brother. attempting to..."
"To rebuild Xianle?" hanging my head, wishing I could have defended New Xianle better than a scared, weak child unaware of the power I had. No matter how much I grow up, I don't think I ever stopped wanting my parents around to protect me. even Xie Lian.
"You did that to find me, didn't you?"
"I wanted a place we could live and protect together, just like we planned." I felt my walls go back up as a tear fell from my eyes.
"We're together now." Xie Lian wrapped his arm around my shoulders, giving me a light squeeze. "This time, I won't be going anywhere."
"Thanks, flower sword." I giggled as I called my brother his nickname, which I gave him after we ascended.
"its what I'm here for, snow lotus." He laughed lightly as he looked back at the scroll, using the nickname he gave me when we ascended. "Anyway, the scroll says I'm a god, at least. All gods are equal, like all living things."
We laughed together for a moment, and my snort laugh came out a few times. Then a voice I recignized speak past the hay pile between us.
"Is that so?" He asked as my brother turned to him with a surprised expression. I only gave a gentle smile as brother and Honger talked about the ghosts for a while. My mind wandered about when I would see ghosts from my past, like the citizens of the new Xianle, the old Xianle, maybe even my mother and father. I know they don't have any grudge or business that was left unfinished, so they have no reason to become ghosts. My only love may be out there, looking up at the same sky as me right now. It feels like she may be near, but at the same time, she is miles away from my hand.
"What do you know of Hua Cheng? also known as the crimson rain sought flower?" Looking over to Xie Lian before glancing over his shoulder, Honger smiled in his red and black attire, finishing with slight slivers of white across his outfit.