The Crown Prince did his rounds to his fellow Heavenly Officials. With no real gifts to offer, he made quick introductions and had some nice small talk. Though, some conversations were far from pleasant. Word travels fast in the Heavenly Capital and although some gods were respective of boundaries, some were too nosy for their own good. Of course, those nosy officials asked Xie Lian about the White Calamity. This made the Crown Prince uncomfortable - rightfully so. He'd always have to politely decline the topic or try to shift it elsewhere since he has never been comfortable with lying. Some of these questions included:
"What was he like in his last moments?"
"What happened to him when you scattered his ashes?"
And some more direct questions, like:
"How'd you find the ashes anyhow?"
"Do you feel like you've avenged your people?"
That last one hurt more than it probably should have, but he was able to dance around them fine. It didn't seem like anyone was overly suspicious for the time being.
However there were some Heavenly Officials he avoided completely, such as Mu Qing and Feng Xin. The reasons were the same as before - he just didn't feel ready. Nonetheless, they weren't the only ones he was steering clear of. Before his second ascension, he was mocked out of a cultivation ground by a group of Heavenly Officials. He couldn't exactly remember all of them, but for the ones he did he avoided like the plague.
That was just too awkward.
After finishing his introductions and pleasantries, the Crown Prince made his way back to the Grand Martial Hall as he promised he would. The doors were wide open, so Xie Lian thought it would be safe to enter without warning. It wasn't as if this was completely out of the blue - Jun Wu should have been expecting the Prince of Xianle to be finished soon. This thought helped to reason out Xie Lian's doubt, at least enough to take his first steps through the doors.
"My Lord." Kneeling down, he raised his head towards the Heavenly Emperor. As expected, he had just been sitting in his throne as he removed his fingers from his forehead. It seems he just got out of a call. Was this a bad time to walk in after all?
But rather than a response, Jun Wu stood. This caught the Crown Prince off guard. The Heavenly Emperor didn't look mad, so why did he feel the need to stand? Was Xie Lian doing something incorrectly?
Xie Lian slightly lowered his head.
"Xianle, you have no need to kneel to me," Jun Wu closed his eyes as he took a few steps down from his throne. "Didn't I ask you to come?"
Well, he did ask for an update. If that's what he means, then...
"Yes, my lord." Xie Lian agreed as he lowered his head further into a bow.
Jun Wu walked towards the Crown Prince, tilting his head back up. Then he helped Xie Lian to his feet. Every move around the Prince of Xianle was gentle but friendly. It was a side of Jun Wu familiar to Xie Lian before his first banishment when he first ascended.
"My lord-"
"That's enough with the formalities," the heavenly emperor let off a soft chuckle, "I want to know how introducing yourself to everyone went. How are you adjusting to Heaven?"
Xie Lian didn't quite know how to respond, so he stiffened for a moment. But after taking a second to think, he tried to relax. It was just Jun Wu trying to be friendly, that's all. He should respect his efforts by doing the same.
"Introductions went well," Xie Lian nervously chuckled. "Though some gods did ask about the White Calamity. That was expected of course, but..."
"I trust you navigated it properly," Jun Wu smiled. "If it all went well, I have nothing more to ask of you. I'm glad you've spoken to the others, and I'm glad you came to visit me without having to call you here myself. While you were out, did you by chance have an opportunity to walk around?"
"Other than when I was visiting gods, not really," Xie Lian admitted. "To be completely honest, I don't feel there's much to see in Heaven except for palaces. During my first ascension I didn't spend too much time up here, but I'm sure you're well aware of that."
"I'm quite aware," Jun Wu glanced back over his shoulder, before gracefully turning to his left. Looking back to the crown prince, he only gave off a smirk. "It seems there's a lot you're missing. Care to join me as I take a walk around?"
"My lord-" Xie Lian tried to interject, but he found himself following Jun Wu anyways. The Heavenly Emperor was walking towards a door on the side of the Great Martial Hall, a room that is usually blocked off. The doors were open for the both of them today. "I'd feel terrible if you're just strolling around to give me a tour. I'm sure you have a lot of work you need to-... oh my..."
Jun Wu looked up, holding his hands behind his back as he awaited the princes reaction. However, Xie Lian's reaction wasn't overly entertaining. Rather, this room was enough to silence the Crown Prince of Xianle in a complete state of awe.
Jun Wu's armoury.
He's been here once before, but that was a while ago. The Crown Prince of Xianle could never forget the weapons stored here of vast types, uses, and values. Pictures alone would make this martial god drool. But even if he's only been once, he could remember it well. And he could remember it was not this big. It seems Jun Wu's collection has grown.
"Impressive, huh?" Jun Wu laughed, "Well, I'm used to it so I don't have much to gawk at anymore. But as a fellow martial god I'm sure you'd find a way to appreciate it."
"It's beautiful," Xie Lian awed out loud. Though Jun Wu could probably read that response through the twinkles in Xie Lian's eyes.
"Is that so?" Jun Wu lightly look around. "Which one would you say is your favourite?"
"My lord, I possibly can't pick just one," Xie Lian frowned. "Every weapon here has such unique uses, so much rich history. Picking one above the rest just can't be done."
"I see," Jun Wu closed his eyes, before taking a few steps to his left. "I do think I've landed on a weapon that may be to your liking."
"What do you mean...?"
It took a few moments before Xie Lian could feel its presence. His eyes widened. "My lord- that's!"
"Cheng Ying, the sword of delicate elegance." Jun Wu concluded, holding the sword out to Xie Lian. "It seems to be quite fitting for you."
"I can't accept this," the Crown Prince hesitated, taking a few steps back. In his clumsiness he almost knocked a few other weapons over which he silently prayed his apology. "You gave me Hong Jing but I pawned it off. To possibly accept another? I couldn't!"
"How many weapons are in your weaponry, Xianle?"
"..." the crown prince was silent.
"Exactly." Jun Wu let off a soft sigh before continuing, "May this be the first weapon of many. Your second ascension gift was far from sufficient, so allow me to at least give you this."
"I don't need another weapon," Xie Lian tried to counter once more. "Fang Xin and Ruoye are plenty enough. Looking back on it, you are also the one who gave me Fang Xin, which is even more of a reason to not accept anything more."
"If Xianle's going to be difficult, I won't press you to take it." Jun Wu closed his eyes as he slowly moved his hand back to place the sword back on the armoury wall. "I can not force you to accept a gift, but know that it's still yours. If ever you are in need of it, I will be holding onto it for you."
Xie Lian was still conflicted that Jun Wu was calling it his, but he decided to bow his head down anyways out of respect. "Thank you, my lord."
After gawking in Jun Wu's armoury a little longer, the two martial gods finally left to share a walk around the Capital. Though Xie Lian still felt guilty over Jun Wu's generosity of both swords and presence, he was able to get over it in time. It was only soon after the young martial god accepted it did they start sharing laughs... and maybe just getting along fine.
Xie Lian has always thought gods were all equal, but Jun Wu had always been the one exception. As the Heavenly Emperor and the highest ranked martial god, it was only natural he would be perceived as someone much higher. But just in this one moment, it didn't feel like there was a power divide. They just felt like two friends.
It was weird. If Xie Lian was asked to explain why for millions or even billions of merits, he couldn't. There was just this strange connection, and something just clicked. In no time, they both were having fun and enjoying each other's company.
And so the two Martial Gods had found themselves seated on the stairs infront of Jun Wu's Palace.
"My lord," Xie Lian laughed, "Are you sure that's what happened...? I seem to remember-"
"You dare doubt the heavenly emperor?" Jun Wu mocked, "You had knocked the head clean off the statue in-front of the Palace of Ling Wen!"
"I seem to remember that differently," the crown prince smiled. "Though, if that did happen I wouldn't be surprised. It wouldn't be so out of character for the God of Misfortune to do such a thing."
"Xianle," Jun Wu sighed, a smirk still plastered on his lips. "You are not the God of Misfortune. I can tell you that much."
"Oh?" Xie Lian let off a few chuckles before closing off with a small sigh of his own. "I'd dare doubt his heavenly emperor on that one. I don't think there's anyone in both worlds combined as unfortunate as I."
"I don't think there's many unfortunate beings who have the favour of the Heavenly Emperor, Xianle." Jun Wu's smile was quite... genuine. "I wouldn't call that unfortunate."
"I guess in that regards, you're right," Xie Lian softly inhaled as he looked up towards the sky. "In that case... I'd say I'm the most fortunate God of Misfortune."
And the two gods laughed together once more.
"Say," the Crown Prince muttered, gently fluttering his eyes to take in the heavenly atmosphere above the both of them, "I don't know if this is above my place to ask... but I'd be interested to know. My lord, what were you like before you ascended?"
"What was I like before I ascended, huh?" Jun Wu repeated, letting a small pause phrase his words before sharply inhaling. Similarly to the Crown Prince, he found himself leaning back to take in the tranquil atmosphere. "I'd say... I was a lot like you, Xianle."
Though Xie Lian had a smile on his face, the smile diminished hearing Jun Wu's words. Turning his head to the Heavenly Emperor, he couldn't help but ask "My lord... what do you mean?"
Jun Wu was ready for that response. And so he instantly responded "To save the common people...!", but mockingly. "Those were similar to words I preached when I was young. 16, 17 perhaps? I don't remember when exactly. Nevertheless, they were words that costed me everything. As you get older, you start to realize ideals like those are impossible. You can never save everyone. All you can do is pick a right and a wrong. No matter how hard you seek a third option, it will only ever lead to self ruin."
The air between the two martial gods was still. To lose it all, Jun Wu also knew what that felt like? Nevertheless to become the White Calamity... not like Xie Lian could judge. That was yet another trait the two shared now. Were Jun Wu's reasons the same as the Crown Prince? The only way to truly know was to ask.
"Heavenly Emperor..." Xie Lian's voice was quiet, barely in a whisper. "Why did you become the White Calamity?"
Jun Wu took a moment to think on the answer himself, but when he came up with a conclusion he softly closed his eyes. "Fear."
"Fear...?" Xie Lian repeated. To say Jun Wu, the Heavenly Emperor himself has feared anything was something the Crown Prince would struggle believing. If it didn't come out of Jun Wu's own lips, the possibility would never have crossed his mind. As Xie Lian turned his head to ask more, he found that it may be something the Heavenly Emperor would not elaborate on any further. And so, he dropped it out of respect.
At the foot of the steps of the Great Martial Hall, two Martial gods sat together in silence. They were two Martial gods who had once held the world in their hands, but were abandoned by the very people they swore to protect. Two Martial gods who had since abandoned their morals to ascend to Heaven.