From Earth to Heaven, From Heaven to Earth (TGCF HuLian)

Chapter 9 And A Name

Shrugging off the thought, Xie Lian sets to work on the first rabbit, his hunger and worry for Wu Ming causing him to make quick work of it. When the blade tries to poke him toward the second rabbit Xie Lian shakes his head. "That's Wu Ming's. We need to find him."

Xie Lian gets to his feet again and, sliding the adorable scimitar into his belt next to Fang Xin, the god passes out of the cave and into the hall beyond. It's dark in that hall and before Xie Lian has gone more than a few steps he bumps into something solid blocking his path. Curious Xie Lian runs his fingers over the burrier and finds to his surprise that what lies beneath his fingers is a face made all of stone ...a statue. What is a statue doing here?

Curious and not wanting to risk walking into any more statues in the dark, Xie Lian returns to the cave he woke in and pulls a half burned stick from the fire. Makeshift torch in hand the god returns to the tunnel ...and freezes.

The statue ...is him.

Xie Lian is dressed in princely finery, his hair pinned with combs, his makeup exquisite. He looks nothing like the fallen god in his ragged blood caked robes, and yet it's him.

...What?

...What???

For a long time Xie Lian just stares at the statue, blinking over and over again as though if he blinks enough the form will change into one that makes more sense and yet ...nothing happens. The statue remains just as he first saw it, royal and beautiful and ...him.

That's when Xie Lian notices that there's something behind the statue. He walks toward it ...and it's another statue. This one is dressed in cultivator's robes, a sword in his hand as though he's training.

Xie Lian's mind is a buzz. He doesn't know what to think. Is this some illusion? But no, he felt the stone with his own hands. This is real.

...How is this real?

Utterly lost Xie Lian continues walking down the tunnel passing statue after statue of himself until he freezes, his eyes going wide and his cheeks going hot.

The statue before him is laying on a stone bed, it's body draped languidly over the covers, its head is propped up on one hand, its eyes half lidded, a sensual curve to its lips, love marks on its neck, its free hand beckoning the viewer closer.

The statue is naked.

The statue is him.

Xie Lian is so busy staring at the statue that he's not aware that he's no longer alone until he hears the soft thud of something hitting the ground.

The god spins, his cheeks heating more, flustered as though it's somehow his fault that he's staring at a naked statue of himself, not just naked but...

The sight that greets Xie Lian's eyes have them widening in surprise. Wu Ming stands before him dressed in his inner robe. Beside him on the ground is a small pile of firewood and another rabbit as though he just dropped them, but Wu Ming is making no attempt to pick them up, in fact he's making no attempt to do anything. He's just staring at Xie Lian, his lips parted, his face impossibly pale, his eye wide and full of terror.

The sight sends worry pricking through Xie Lian and he steps hastily toward the ghost.

"Wu Ming? What's wrong?"

The ghost's eye flicks from the statue back to Xie Lian again but he makes no other move as though he himself has been turned to a statue and in a flash Xie Lian remembers.

Before he passed out the ghost asked to take him to a safe place.

This must be the safe place.

...Which means Wu Ming's been here before.