Hearing Jincan's smug tone makes his blood boil.
Yao Shen clutches the phone to his cheek so hard the plastic casing nearly cracks.
"I need to talk with Xin Hulei. Pass him the phone."
"Master is busy right now, he can't come." Jincan's tone is languorous and silky, as if he's luxuriating around in bed.
The mental images that thought conjures only make Yao Shen angrier.
"Tell him I need to speak with him, it's urgent."
On the other end of the line Jincan chuckles. "What good will that do if he doesn't want to?"
"I don't know what game you think you're playing but it's not funny. I'm trying to help him."
"I don't think he wants your help," Jincan says, his words dripping smugness.
At the end of his rope, Yao Shen takes the only course available to him. He starts shouting: "Xin Hulei" into the speaker in the hopes that his voice will be heard through the speakers.
Jincan must have pulled the phone away from his face, because moments later, a distant voice asks, "What's that noise? What are you doing with my phone?"
Yao Shen redoubles his efforts, "It's me, I need to talk with you."
There's some rustling, and then an achingly familiar voice in his ear. "Hello?"
"Hi," Yao Shen answers, a little breathless. "Did you get my messages?"
"No." There is the sound of tapping and then Xin Hulei says, "It seems our entire WeChat conversation thread has been deleted."
There's no need to ask who might have done something like that.
"Well, yeah, Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu are at my place...ready to remove your seal."
There's a moment of silence, and then Xin Hulei asks.
"Why are you doing all this?"
Isn't it obvious? Because I think that everything that happened to you was unfair. Because if I have even a sliver of responsibility in what happened to you I want to make amends.
Because I love you and want to see you well.
"Because it's the right thing to do."
More silence.
And then, "I'll be there in a moment."
---
Yao Shen goes back to the living room, where he stands around with Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu for five minutes of intense awkwardness, until Xin Hulei's usual flurry of flames carries him towards them.
He spares Yao Shen only a sideways glance and nods towards the two Impermanences.
Fan Wujiu smiles sheepishly. "I'm glad we are meeting under more auspicious circumstances this time around."
Xin Hulei makes no comment.
"Let's get this over with," Xie Bian says, with his usual tact.
Xin Hulei lowers one side of his shirt, at the same time that his smooth skin gives way to the burning seal.
Fan Wujiu and Xie Bian make synchronised movements in the air until a black and white seal forms in the air in front of them. Coordinating, they send the blast of energy towards Xin Hulei's chest, making him stagger backwards with the impact.
Like with Tan Liansi, the seal on his chest starts dissolving into the skin around it, until nothing remains.
"There, now you can return to Youdu whenever you want," Fan Wujiu says, grinning. "And we hope you do."
Xin Hulei arches one eyebrow in confusion, but Xie Bian is quick to fill him on the plan.
Slowly, Xin Hulei turns to Yao Shen, and tells him, in a measured tone, "Because it's the right thing to do."
That echo of his earlier words leaves him breathless.
Does Xin Hulei think that's the whole reason why Yao Shen wanted to remove his seal? So he could help him, what, take back his rightful position as Ghost king?
"Wait, no...that's their plan, I have nothing to do with it," Yao Shen says, warmth rushing to his cheeks. "I told him I would talk with you, but that the choice was yours."
Xie Bian frowns. "Well, Youdu is a mess right now, there are several ghosts left loose in the mortal realm, and the remaining ghost kings have no interest in fulfilling their roles and judging the dead! Who knows how many ghosts are walking around Youdu merrily, while their grave sins remain unpunished!"
Fan Wujiu nods. "The situation as it stands is unsustainable. We can't release the five kings without fearing retaliation, but with the strength of the demons outside Youdu maybe we'll be able to subdue the traitors."
Xin Hulei's expression remains unchanged, until at last he says, "And if those demons end up dead in your fight, then they'll be written off as collateral damage."
"There will always be risks involved in a situation like this. It doesn't mean that we're hoping the demons will sacrifice themselves," Xie Bian says, frowning.
"And what will the demons get from helping you?"
Fan Wujiu exchanges an uncomfortable look with Xie Bian. "Well, that, we were thinking that.."
Yao Shen intervenes. "What if the demons are allowed to live in Youdu? It's only fair, since Modu has been destroyed."
Xie Bian frowns. "Youdu is crowded as it is."
"Isn't this supposed to put an end to that? Get ghosts back on the path of reincarnation, or punish them according to their sins?" Yao Shen shrugs. "It's bound to free up some space."
From the corner of his eye, he can feel Xin Hulei giving him a charged look.
Xie Bian opens and closes his mouth several times, trying to come up with a retort, but eventually gives up.
"We'll need to ensure the sealed ghost kings aren't going to have any objections to that."
"Make sure that they won't, and you'll have my help," Xin Hulei says.
Fan Wujiu nods solemnly. "It will be done."
Yao Shen doesn't know what he's going to do exactly, but he also doesn't know what other alternative the sealed ghost kings have -- either they agree or they end up sealed again or worse, depending on how badly everything goes without Xin Hulei's help.
Fan Wujiu and Xie Bian disappear with the rustling of their black and white cloaks, leaving Xin Hulei and Yao Shen alone.
Before Xin Hulei can follow their lead, Yao Shen holds him back by the hem of his tshirt.
"Wait, take me to your apartment."
Xin Hulei arches a single eyebrow at him, in silent inquiry.
Yao Shen is reluctant to elaborate here. "There's something I need to tell you, here isn't safe." A look passes between them -- Xin Hulei understands the implication in Yao Shen's words.
Yao Shen thinks Xin Hulei is going to ignore him and leave on his own, but moments later a hand wraps around his wrist as a wall of flames comes up around them.
---
The view out of Xin Hulei's Beijing's apartment is just as beautiful as he remembers, but he can't admire it for long before Jincan ruins the moment.
"What's he doing here, Master?" Jincan asks, jumping out of the sofa with an indignant frown.
"None of your business," Xin Hulei says, pulling Yao Shen along with him towards his bedroom. "And stop messing with my phone."
Jincan's protests follow them all the way to Xin Hulei's bedroom, growing muffled when he shuts the door.
"Talk," he says, moving away from Yao Shen to stand by the window.
"You remember what I told you about Si Wang?"
Xin Hulei nods.
"He thinks I'm still on his side, but it's possible that he knows of some of my movements." Yao Shen chews on his lower lip, unsure of how to explain himself further. "Whatever you decide to do, I'll still have to talk with him and convince him that I'm determined to get hold of your spirit stone."
Xin Hulei nods again, his gaze vacant. "I told you before, I believe you, I just don't trust you."
Yao Shen lowers his head in humiliation. His throat burns when he next speaks. "I'm just warning you, because I don't know what's going to happen next, and I don't know how to keep you safe."
"Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."
His dismissive tone makes something break in Yao Shen's chest, like a large iceberg coming loose and drifting off into the sea.
"I care about you, I don't know how I can stop it." His eyes feel hot and painful, he looks away from Xin Hulei trying to prevent the tears from falling. "Anyway, I just wanted to warn you. You can take me back now, sorry for making you bring me here, but it seems that your apartments and 'Hell on Earth' are the only places he can't poke around my head."
A warm pair of hands grabs his shoulders and turns him around. Xin Hulei's right hand slides up into his hairline and cups the back of his head tenderly.
Finally, Yao Shen looks up into Xin Hulei's eyes, his own rimmed with red.
Xin Hulei runs the pad of his thumb under his lashline, catching the tears clinging there.
Yao Shen watches mesmerised as he brings it to his lips.
"Sweet."
That single word almost makes Yao Shen's knees buckle.