Perishable as I (hualian tgcf)

3

Xie Lian sets up the array and the two walk out the door into a dim but clean room. As soon as the door closes and the array is broken Xie Lian breaths out. He turns to the taller and smiles sheepishly.

"General, there is more to the story than what I told you, but heaven is watching me like a hawk and I must act carefully." He admits.

Pei Ming looks interested. "Your highness?" Xie Lian smiles. "General can I count on your trust and secrecy?" He asks.

Pei ming drops his smile. "Oh this is serious," he says shuffling. "And it involves me?" Xie Lian nods. "As a powerful god, you as well as the other big gods. I calculated around 7 god will be targeted, however that is subject to change."

Pei ming frowns, it's the first time Xie lians seen it and he sighs apologetically. "I'm sorry to drag you in so soon, it's just you were first." He says. Pei Ming waves him off. "It's fine your highness but who is targeting us? Is it crimson rain? Shouldn't we go tell the emperor?" He asks.

Xie lians eyes widen for several reasons. "Your highness?!" Pie ming yells watching the reel of emotions cross his face. Xie Lian snaps out of it with a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I don't know if you want to know who's targeting you, it's not Hua Cheng, and we should definitely, under no circumstances tell the emperor unless we want absolutely chaos the likes of which even I would have a hard time controlling."

Then realising how that sounds waves his sleeves around. "Ah but not that I'm all powerful I just, have a huge power store." Then bites his lip in thought. "Can I trust you General?"

Pei ming nods slowly. Xie Lian sighs. "You know my story right? Twice banished and all that." The man nods. "Where is this going? I feel it's a trap." Pei Ming admits laughing nervously.

Xie Lian just pulls lightly at the silk band around his neck. "Don't freak out." Pei Ming gasps stepping back. "Y-y-your-" he says pointing. Xie Lian curls in on himself slightly. "General I said not to freak out." He complains.

Said General coughs pulling himself together. "Yes you did, apologies, it's just you seem to have lost something quite hard to lose." Xie Lian nods placing the silk back over his neck. "You must not tell anyone you know about this, it would ruin the plan and I'd become a target." He warns.

"So your highness isn't a target right now?" Pei Ming asks. Xie Lian shakes his head. "No, the emperor believes I have no power and that I am weak and pliable in his hand. I hold no significance." Then he sighs. "I'm also the one who's at the centre of it all. I hold all significance. In some ways I may have caused this." He admits.

"The way you spoke... the emperor is..." Xie Lian smiles sadly. "The emperor is not who you know him to be." Pei Ming rubs his head. "Is he still the emperor?" He asks. Xie Lian pauses. "Technically he's never not been the emperor, well he killed for that position but he's always been the emperor, he just has changed he's," Xie Lian pauses cringing. "He's obsessed with me, and turning me into him. We had a similar start in our stories, but where he lost himself, I found myself. Now I have to protect and deal with the consequences of angering him."

Pei ming nods looking quite pale, Xie Lian almost feels bad he's about to shove him in a room with his crazy ex.

"I'm in the middle of taking down one of the biggest threats to heaven and the gods alike, you unfortunately were the first target." He summarises.

"Please forgive me for having you sort this out but before I can take her away she needs to hear you say you don't love her and never will." He smiles sadly. "It's harsh I know but it's the only way I can hand her over to San Lang."

Pei Ming blinks. "You- what?" He asks confessed. "So there's actually a person here that knows me?" Ie Lian giggles and it seems to relax the general. "Yes I didn't lie to you. In there," he points to a door. "Is lady Ji, please be harsh with her. Tell her your true feeling then I will hand her over to San Lang and she shall no longer cause you problems."