Still sleepy, wanting nothing more than to burrow more under warm covers, Xie Lian groaned his displeasure when Hua Cheng coaxed him awake with a bunch of insistent kisses. He wasn't exactly the type to sleep in, in fact the one who complained when it was time to get up was his husband, some mornings were simply too good for sleeping in.
That particular one, with Xie Lian tangled in a comfortable embrace, skin to skin after a thorough make out session that quickly developed into something more, was perfect enough to wish they didn't have important things to do.
And, unfortunately for both of them, those important things involved having to deal with the heavens.
Again.
And it wasn't an easy issue to sort out.
Because of his long absence from the Heavenly Capital, He Xuan received a sudden call from Shi QingXuan, telling him the Upper Court was starting to grow worried. Since the ghost didn't want to involve the Wind Master in anything that could prove itself dangerous, he asked him to feign ignorance when it came to his whereabouts; however, since he accidentally didn't warn the Upper Court he was going to be missing for a decent amount of time, and since Shi QingXuan couldn't say anything either, panic started to creep between many officials.
After three weeks without hearing a single word from the Earth Master, and with the Wind Master not telling them anything useful, some officials started thinking it was time to either ask for Ling Wen's help, or present the issue to Jun Wu. To avoid any of those things happening, He Xuan dropped what he was doing with Hua Cheng – of course, Xie Lian had to promise Black Water his debt wasn't going to increase for that, while sternly looking at his husband – and deliberately lost himself in the underground tunnels that spread out below Ghost City.
From there, he sent out a dragon of fire, a spell that soared to the sky and lasted for two incense time. The spell for the Ascending Fire Dragon was a call for help, and not an ordinary one; to prevent harmful voices from spreading, He Xuan bit his pride down and resorted to a distress signal.
The spell required an immense amount of power, and if the casting wasn't careful the consequences could be a destroyed spiritual core. To justify his long absence without a word thrown out to someone, that last resort was the only solution He Xuan could think of.
It had been seven days since he sent out the signal. The night before, Shi QingXuan informed Xie Lian that he and Lang QianQiu had been assigned the mission to find and rescue Ming Yi.
«Should I come to the Den with you?», Xie Lian groggily asked his husband, hiding a yawn behind his palm. There were obvious red marks on Hua Cheng's pale skin, and if he wasn't so worried about the current situation, the god would have blushed at remembering how deeply he loved him that night.
Hua Cheng moved away the covers and stretched, not missing the staring gold eyes on him, and smiled; with all his staring, Xie Lian hammered into his brain the awareness that, maybe, he really wasn't that ugly. And if he tried to say the opposite, his beloved would either glare at him until he accepted defeat and admitted he wasn't ugly, or hug him and murmur soothing words that denied every single critique Hua Cheng had for himself.
«What if they see you? You already had to defend yourself once against their accusations», he said, frowning.
True, but... if something went wrong – especially with Lang QianQiu being in the picture – Xie Lian wanted to be there, if only to minimize the risk of someone getting injured by accident. Shi QingXuan was welcome to Ghost City, he could come and go however he pleased because of his friendship with Xie Lian, but not only Lang QianQiu was an intruder, he was also a problematic figure of Xie Lian's past and a not-so-patient official. That last bit was told to him by the Wind Master, right after informing him of the mission.
Keeping it short, he told as much to his husband and finally convinced himself to get up, stretching sore muscles with a satisfied sound leaving his lips: «I know it might be a risk, but in this case it's a risk I'm willing to take. Moreover, I've been thinking».
«Thinking?».
«I was wondering if I should come clean about the identity of my husband», Xie Lian explained, pulling a set of robes from his side of the wardrobe. It was another example of Hua Cheng's amazing manufacture, this time much more similar to the ghost's own robes as they had hints of maple red contrasting embroidered white. The Crown Prince had been wearing his rough cultivator robes for a week, now. Changing it up a bit to follow his husband at the Den was a must.
Well, a bit.
He ditched his usual dressing style in favor of those robes, a lot more swordsman-like. If that was a bit, than how would he describe a lot?
Silly thoughts. He shook them away and donned his clothes, marveling at how perfect the fabric was under his fingers. The silk of Hua Cheng's butterflies was a wonder of nature, and if woven and sewn correctly could make the best fabric in the world.
«This husband would be fine with it, you know».
Hua Cheng relished in the view of His Highness wearing such a rich color, the white and the red together able to make his face and eyes stand out even more beautifully, and gestured towards the dressing table. Taking the invite, Xie Lian sat down in front of it and handed a comb to his husband.
Carefully, the ghost combed those beautiful hair, making sure no knots tangled them after being all mussed in his sleep. They were soft, amazing to play with, completely different from the first time Hua Cheng demanded to take care of them. At first, in fact, Xie Lian's hair were completely ruined, brittle and filled with split ends. A simple action like carding fingers through them could end up in many strands falling out, something that was both a product of stress and lack of care. Even when he met him for the first time, Xie Lian's hair were dirty, oily and tangled.
It couldn't be helped, back then. Xie Lian didn't always have water at his disposal, and when he didn't have enough for his hair, he would simply clean himself as best as he could and not care for them. When he couldn't access a bathtub, his only friends were rivers and ponds, and sometimes the water wasn't even clean enough to do a good job.
All of that, Hua Cheng learned with time, in bits and pieces, because he never forced Xie Lian to narrate his misfortunes. The ghost tried to watch over him, but after dissipating in the aftermath of the fight against Bai WuXiang, and after emerging from Mount TongLu, he completely lost track of Xie Lian. Those years were a blank space in Hua Cheng's knowledge about him, and there were still spots that needed to be filled.
Done with the combing, he gathered some of his hair in a bun and put them in place with a white ribbon, before adding a hairpiece. Looking at it, one might say if was something simple, nothing special; the truth was far from such a description. The metal piece was forged into the shape of a butterfly, but one couldn't use the word "forged" too lightly, as Hua Cheng used one of his own butterflies. He melded it into the piece, under his beloved's fascinated gaze, and gifted the finished item to him in occasion of one of their anniversaries.
The reason why he created such a piece was both aesthetic and functional, because the butterfly embedded in the headpiece could still come alive.
Since that mission could have an unpredictable outcome, this time he wanted to have a guaranteed way to communicate with Xie Lian in case something went wrong and he found himself in trouble. Not that he didn't believe in his husband's capabilities, it was the opposite, but such an inconspicuous item would probably be overlooked by everyone.
The meaning of Hua Cheng choosing that hairpiece for him was clear; 'I want to stay close to you no matter what'. Xie Lian felt his heart warming up at that, and smiled despite the turmoil in his mind.
Since the day Jun Wu spoke to him and accepted the fact that Hua Cheng was his husband, Xie Lian couldn't stop thinking about spilling the beans once and for all. The misunderstanding with Pei Ming was only the proof of how dangerous hiding such a thing could be, because the Heavenly Court didn't understand who Hua Cheng was and what his motives were. It was better for him to say it at once, rather than having someone else spit it out.
«I know you're fine with it», he sighed, still a bit unsure. «I just... I don't know how to break it to them».
When he told Shi QingXuan who he was married to, things were different. Sure, he was still the Wind Master, but Xie Lian wasn't a god. He didn't hold a position in the Upper Court, didn't have the title of heavenly official crushing him down. Back then, he was basically an immortal cultivator with too much trauma on his shoulders.
Being married to a Calamity was shocking, but not scandalous.
Now that he ascended again, things were infinitely more difficult. Heavenly officials and ghosts didn't mingle; at most, some officials would chase the company of undead men and women to their advantage. Lesser ghosts were nothing and, if anything, just something to hunt down. Greater ghosts, on the other hand, were something they either avoided and ignored, or fought because they were prayed to do so. When it came to the Calamities, not a single official would willingly meddle with them. Everyone kept on their own.
What Xie Lian did, by marrying not only a Calamity, but the same exact Calamity that brought disgrace upon the heavens and was even worshipped by some mortals, could only be described as outrageous.
«Just do it, take off the bandage», Hua Cheng advised, humming softly when Xie Lian switched their position so he was the one sitting in the chair. «And when you break it to them, I'll make sure to break their legs if they want to complain».
Xie Lian snorted, but delicately smacked his ghost on the head: «You won't break anyone's legs. Or arms. Or bones, let's be generic», he countered. Of course they were going to complain, heavenly officials could only lament at times.
They were still waiting for Yin Yu to inform them about Shi QingXuan and Lang QianQiu entering Ghost City, so the god took his time to braid some strands of inky hair. Hua Cheng preferred to keep his hair wild and free, when in his true form, caring to comb them but generally stopping there. The only exception was the braid on the side of his face – always on the right.
With no rush, Xie Lian braided a red ribbon in between the strands, and lodged the coral red pearl earring at the end of it before calling it done. The same earring, Xie Lian wore on his left ear. Most times, that earring would be treasured in a jewel box instead of worn, because Xie Lian feared losing it, but those rare times he had it on, he always chose the left ear.
It was a cheesy and subtle way to say that they completed each other.
«I need a sword», Xie Lian suddenly said, stopping his absentminded playing with Hua Cheng's braid. «In case Lang QianQiu becomes violent, or tries to attack someone. I don't want to rely on RuoYe only».
Even if his faithful silk band was incredibly useful, Xie Lian couldn't use it in a fight against a martial god. It could end up being ripped, and RuoYe didn't deserve such a painful fate.
Hua Cheng nodded and they made their way to the armory, a place Xie Lian knew like the back of his hand.
The first time he entered that room, he almost fainted for all the beauty he gazed upon. When he realized that the vast majority of those swords, all neatly organized and so spotless they shone, were the same swords he'd been forced to pawn off many years prior, Xie Lian openly cried.
Not a single one was missing.
Immediately after they set foot in the armory, Xie Lian's hand gravitated towards Fang Xin. Instead of questioning it, the Crown Prince took the weapon, weighed it in his palm, and tied it to his hip. Gone were the days when Xie Lian would look at the sword and be overwhelmed by horrifying guilt and fear. He stood up against it, made it his, fought the memories it brought up, until the sword bent to his will and fully linked to his spiritual power.
It had been a long process, and Xie Lian was still glad everything worked; Fang Xin was a powerful weapon, even if it didn't look too menacing at first. Not as deadly as E-Ming, but still fearsome. It was perfect in his hand, resonated well with his powers, and was so sharp nothing and no one could face it unscathed.
His only hope was for Lang QianQiu to not recognize it.
«Are we going, gege?».
Xie Lian gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and nodded.
They walked arm in arm along the streets of Ghost City, swarmed with bustling crowds despite the early hour. Many ghosts bowed respectfully at the two, even more yelled their greetings; Xie Lian smiled in amusement at a very excited ghost kid that tripped on her feet just to run over and wave her tiny hand at them. There was still a lingering sadness in the Crown Prince's heart, when seeing such small children in the city, but he always smiled at how cute they were when trying to get his attention.
No one was as bold with Hua Cheng, but Xia Lian seemed to be enough of a reassurance that many kids didn't feel scared anymore to approach them. One of them, an unlucky kid that at the time had only been dead for a few days, even dared to hug Hua Cheng's leg, too scared of the other ghosts around.
Xie Lian still laughed at how the kid looked around, decided everything was too scary for him, and subsequently chose probably the scariest of all demons and ghosts as his "less scary" line of defense.
Lightly talking, they continued walking and soon came upon another rowdy crowd, stopping in front of a gigantic red building.
The Gambler's Den was extraordinarily grandiose and imposing, with columns, roofs and walls painted in a magnificent bright red, even brighter than the rich maple of Hua Cheng's clothes. The floors were covered in thick, exquisite carpet, and beautiful tiles were visible where the carpets didn't reach. It was a profusion of red and gold hues, everywhere one looked, yelling prosperity at whoever stepped inside or looked from the outside.
It was a building on par with the heavenly palaces, just more bedazzled than dignified. Xie Lian loved that aesthetic a lot more, even if it took a while for him to admit it.
Large crowds went in and out of the doors, the inside filled with loud, lively voices.
On the two pillars at the entrance there was a set of verses, vulgar and crass. The calligraphy was clumsy and frenzied, a disgrace to call it calligraphy at all; if Xie Lian didn't know better, he would had believe that someone took a brush whilst drunk and scribbled with malintent, and the words got blown by a blast of evil aura before they were formed thus.
Of course, he knew it was just his husband's handwriting. The characters before him were a real tragedy, so it could be no one else's. In fact, the first time he saw them, Xie Lian immediately recognized the hand and had to slap his palm on his mouth to avoid laughing right in front of Hua Cheng.
He genuinely couldn't help it. As heir to the throne, Xie Lian had his calligraphy taught to him by the best teachers in the land; to see something so devastatingly bad was too much for him to handle, even if he loved it.
So, he snickered again and even more when he saw the pout on his husband's face, knowing full well that it was just a farce to make him feel guilty and kiss it better.
«Don't you dare, we have work to do», he guilt-tripped him back. Hua Cheng dropped the act and gave him a smirk instead.
In the main hall of the Gambler's Den, crowds were packed to the brim already; innumerous heads moving, laughter and desperate cries crammed the air, making the atmosphere both exciting and oppressing at once. The heavy smell of smoke filled many corners, and although Xie Lian had quickly grown accustomed to the inebriating use of recreational substances that often happened inside that place, he still marveled at how liberally ghosts, demons and foolish mortals alike fell for its charm.
Once, he asked his husband why allowing such a thing right in his Gambler's Den, instead of having more appropriate places built for the same purpose, but he simply shrugged and said that his city was open to whatever fun his people wanted to have.
Unless, of course, that fun was detrimental to his business.
They descended only a few steps when, suddenly, a scream pierced their ears. When Xie Lian looked to where it had come from, four masked bouncers were walking over carrying a man writhing and howling in pain, a trail of blood followed. As it turned out, both of his legs were cleanly cut off from the knees, and blood was pouring from the stumps. A small ghost followed closely, greedily licking all the blood on the floor as they went.
It was a terrifying sight, yet no one in the Den spared it any looks. Even Xie Lian, who grimaced a bit at the pained voice being carried away, did nothing to intervene. If that man chose his fate by himself, he had no right to step in.
The crowd, uncaring, continued to shout and cheer, tolling about. Of course, many who gambled weren't people nor ordinary humans. Despite Ghost City being a fascinating attraction for mortals and officials alike, the vast majority of gamblers were still ghosts and demons, often from the city itself, even if many outsiders could be seen in every corner.
They passed a long table packed like sardines, and Xie Lian heard a man crying out his bet, his own arm. Looking over, he saw that the man was completely disheveled, a crazed panic shimmering behind eyes deprived of any semblance of light.
Beside him, he heard Hua Cheng's voice lazily responding.
«No need», he broke into the – rather one-sided – conversation the man was having with the other gamblers. «Nevermind your arm. Ever your shit life is worthless here».
The entire table shut up upon hearing his voice, ringing loud and clear, cutting straight through the noise of the Gambler's Den.
Tugging his husband along, he walked over to a screen curtain that fell behind the long table; it was one of his designated places, where no one but himself and Xie Lian could sit, not really shielded from sight but away from witless behaviors.
From outside, the view of the beaded curtain and of what hid behind it was captivating to the eye, an enchanting sight Hua Cheng specifically created to be that way. It was all in the mystery of what could be hiding behind the veil, behind twinkling strings of pearl and gold. Normally, the ghost would leisurely sit on his long chair way before anyone could have the chance of gazing up to him, those days when he chose to enjoy some gambling himself, but sometimes the Den was so filled with activity that achieving a perfect mystery was an annoying effort.
Xie Lian sat down beside him, his hand resting on Hua Cheng's armrest instead of his own. It surely was a fascinating image from outside, one Hua Cheng would have profusely bled to see. It looked like they both were the owners of the Den, looking down to the gamblers.
Scratch that, Xie Lian was the owner of the Den alongside him. Anything Hua Cheng had, was his as well. And with the way his beloved turned things around in his business, bringing even more riches in his chests filled to the brim, one would be brainless if he denied him a rightful ownership.
The man in the middle of putting down his bets had a mask on, but both his eyes were visible, bulging and laced with red as if bleeding. His lips were pale as if he hadn't seen the sun in days, that little amount of skin visible was ashen and dry. he was the perfect image of someone who had thrown every ounce of his life away to spend the rest of his days in that building, so addicted to gambling nothing of his person could be considered useful anymore.
Sometimes, his Den did that to the people. Hua Cheng never blamed himself for it. Gambling was a profitable business, but also a dangerous addiction. If one wasn't careful, betting away money and possessions would only spiral in an unending effort to give more and more, until the only thing left was one's blood and life.
If a person wasn't strong enough to resist the addiction, then why should it be Hua Cheng's fault if the person was willing to bet part of their body?
But the Ghost King had standards.
The man, seeming to have given up on everything, found the balls to shout right at Hua Cheng, complaining. Why couldn't he bet his arm, if the other man before him was able to bet both his legs? Well, it was an easy answer. The one before him used to be an acclaimed bandit, known for his light footwork and ability to take flight wherever he went. His legs were precious, valuable, worthy as a bet.
The man trying to bet his own arm off, on the other hand, had no value attached to it. He wasn't a medic with nimble fingers, neither an artist whose paintings came to life with skilled brushstrokes.
A bet had to be valuable. Otherwise, anyone could enter his Den and leave with heavier pockets, if their luck so worked.
The man gritted his teeth: «Then... I bet ten years' worth of my only daughter's life».
Before his husband could say a word, Xie Lian shot the man a glare that made him freeze in his seat: «You may bet anything valuable that belongs to you, but never a life that belongs to another», he said, coldly. Almost never his voice took that turn. He preferred warm words, encouraging phrases, gentle expressions.
He could feel Hua Cheng stiffen at his side, even without looking at him.
«You want to bet? Bet your own life. Drag someone else on that table, and you can leave», he continued, keeping his tone low and borderline threatening. He hated when people tried to circumnavigate the rules by using their family members. Too many gamblers tried to bet their family's lives because, their words, they belonged to them. Men and women trying to gamble using their children, announcing those lives were their property, or sons and daughters willing to bet away their old parents.
Xie Lian could never stand how heartless an addicted person could become.
If Hua Cheng didn't have as much self-control as he boasted, he would probably be sporting the worst arousal of his eight hundred years long life. In all the years they managed the Gambler's Den together, Xie Lian never really intermeddled in such a direct way, mostly because no one would dare defy the rules right in front of his face.
Most times, Xie Lian learned of gamblers' misbehaviors from someone else, them being Hua Cheng himself, Yin Yu, or some other worker. He acted from behind the scenes, or his presence was simply enough to discourage any attempts. And when misbehavior happened in front of him, Hua Cheng had never been so lucky to witness his response.
But today...
The ghost swallowed dry, and thanked his undead nature for not cursing him with a beating heart. The last thing he needed was a mad thumping in his chest making increasingly obvious how much Xie Lian taking the upper hand like that turned him on.
Scared out of his wits, the man dropped the cup he was gripping in his hands, glanced at the people gathered around the table, and straight up fled.
«Well, fuck me».
Xie Lian sat back down, stole a look at his husband, and let out a soft laugh: «Maybe another time».
They spent a reasonable part of the day sitting behind that curtain, looking at gamblers placing their bets, rolling dice, crying over losses and cheering over fleeting success. Hua Cheng didn't participate in any of the games, preferring to sit back and watch, while Xie Lian mostly conversed with his husband rather than paying too much attention to the bets being placed on the table.
A few of the gamblers ended up being dragged away screaming, one lost both his eyes, another managed to bet her finger and lost an entire hand. The rest, the vast majority, stuck to more traditional betting material, like money and other valuable items, things that soon Yin Yu would need to write down in yet another inventory for the month.
No one dared to defy the rules again.
Evening was just falling when a voice, clear and familiar, resounded in Xie Lian's communication array. Soon after, the god made his gaze wander on the crowd, and met the male form of Shi QingXuan approach the curtain.
The fact that he was in his male form during a mission made Xie Lian raise an eyebrow in confusion, but seeing how his face looked even smoother and whiter than before, maybe he had some problems with female ghosts trying to introduce his female form to good beauty parlors. Wouldn't be the first time, anyway.
Xie Lian was fairly sure that those ghosts now did it on purpose as soon as they spotted Shi QingXuan in the city.
"Hua Cheng is letting you use your communication array", he remembered to warn him, before Shi QingXuan tried to contact his current companion for the mission. "Don't try to talk with Lang QianQiu using it, he's not going to be able to respond and will probably become suspicious of you".
Xie Lian had half a mind to approach him, but Hua Cheng grabbed his wrist with delicate fingers and the god realized it was probably a bad idea. Something that was soon confirmed by a quick wave of information sent his way by the other official. According to what Shi QingXuan told him, he was supposed to meet with Lang QianQiu right there, in the Den.
If Xie Lian got near him, Lang QianQiu could see him standing in plain sight, and start asking questions.
The beaded curtain offered a weak protection, but it was still better than nothing, and Xie Lian had to stay there and see how the situation turned out. Not only because of his talk with Jun Wu, but also because both Shi QingXuan and He Xuan were involved; he wanted to make sure his friends weren't going to dive headfirst into trouble.
"The Gambler's Den is one of the most bustling and the most chaotic places in Ghost City, its much less conspicuous for us to be about, so I told him to meet us here", Shi QingXuan explained his reasoning, wincing a bit when a particularly loud ghost screamed in his ear. The plan was to find some useful information in the Den in any case, and Xie Lian was present that day exactly because of that, but the original intention was for Shi QingXuan to go in alone and then come out having seemingly found what they needed to locate Ming Yi.
He didn't take into account the rash and somewhat reckless behavior that a young heavenly official could have. To avoid causing trouble in Ghost City – and attract Hua Cheng's displeasure on them – the Wind Master ultimately decided that the Gambler's Den was the only place loud enough for Lang QianQiu not to cause too much of a ruckus.
Xie Lian nodded in understanding and sat back down, finally realizing his husband stopped him from moving because he left his seat and not only because of hidden intentions. His friend stopped looking his way, and instead focused his attention on a man that was currently at the table, both hands gripping the cup as he prayed to whatever entity for a good roll.
He didn't pay heed to what he betted, too busy talking with Shi QingXuan, but by the look on his face it was definitely something big.
«His bet was his life. If he loses this roll, he dies».
As expected, Hua Cheng was paying close attention to the bets taking place not far from them. The Crown Prince nodded his thanks for the explanation, and turned back on the man; his eyes were rolled back and he was muttering non-stop. Truly the image of a broken man. Xie Lian didn't ask his husband what was the reward for winning that roll; it was obvious that the man was probably going to roll snake eyes.
Luck was a funny thing, in the Gambler's Den. It wasn't as fleeting and as casual as it would normally be. It followed the daring and abandoned the fearful, rewarded those who didn't deserve it and punished those who needed it. Sometimes, it was the rightful opposite of that. Other times, luck blessed everyone, only to be a curse for the next wave of gamblers.
Xie Lian noticed the scrunched up expression on Shi QingXuan's face, but he didn't intervene to stop the man's mad bet; he dared gamble and didn't break any rule. He could play, and they had to observe without interfering.
The gambling man finally seemed to gather enough courage and opened just a slither of the gambling cup to reveal the outcome. Just then, another person busted in, shut down the gambling cup with a strike, and crushed it to pieces.
The strike also crushed the hand that was on top of it, and the entire table splintered with a deep crack. That poor man cradled his crushed arm, rolling over the floor and screaming in pain, while the crowd of ghosts started shouting, cheering and crying.
The person who struck out started yelling, apparently mad at the gambler, but Xie Lian only paid attention to his appearance, bursting with heroic aura. His clothes were simple and not a bit glamorous, but his air of nobility couldn't be concealed, and his heavenly atmosphere was far from hidden. Of course, it was the Crown Prince of Yong'An, Lang QianQiu.
Seeing him, Xie Lian felt the sudden urge to cover his face.
"Lord Wind Master, did you... did you not tell him to keep it low-key?", the god groaned in their communication array.
Shi QingXuan whined back: "I told him, but he's always like that". His hand was still on his forehead, so he lowered it: "Had I known he would interfere, I would have planned for us to come here together, instead of... well, this".
Such an affront couldn't be lightly addressed; as much as he felt sympathetic, Xie Lian fully expected the grinning laugh that came from his husband. His heart skipped a beat upon hearing the unconcealed mockery of that laughter, but he restrained his urge to intervene.
This was a matter that Hua Cheng had to sort out for himself.
Annoyed at the utter chaos and disorder caused by the sudden arrival of the official, Hua Cheng lounged in his chair and looked at the young man with distaste on his face; hadn't it been for Xie Lian beside him, he would have had him thrown out as soon as he dared such a dramatic entrance.
Not a single heavenly official could get in the way of his Den. It was an unspoken rule that everyone should be instructed about, to never interfere with the actions of gamblers. The only ones who could change how that game was played where Hua Cheng himself and his husband.
«You must have guts of steel to start trouble in my territory», he said, voice lazy but tongue clicking in annoyance.
Lang QianQiu turned to face the direction of the voice, with fire in his eyes. For a split second, he thought to have recognized the man sitting beside the one that talked, but the screen curtain made it difficult to discern exact traits.
What he could see were red clothes, brown flowing hair, and... and a very, very familiar sword.
...
Maybe he was mistaken.
«Are you the owner of this Gambler's Den?», he asked, shaking away the looming sensation of familiarity that the figure beside that man started emanating.
Another laugh came in response, together with many sneers from the crowd all around. Lang QianQiu barely showed any reaction when hearing about the identity of the man he – probably – just offended , but in reality he was completely taken aback.
Not really by the fact he was, with all probability, facing Hua Cheng himself, but because he vaguely remembered some bits and pieces of the conversation in the Great Martial Hall. He had fallen asleep, tired of the constant chattering, but he still retained some information.
Could it be that the person next to Hua Cheng was...
«This hellish place reeks of smoke and corruption, and is filled to the brim with demonic chaos», he said, angrier by the minute. «What kind of scum are you? Just what do you think you're doing here? Running a place like this, you don't have a single trace of humanity left».
The crowd, of course, booed in unison. They weren't human, what did they need humanity for? That proud prince was ruffling his feathers and poofing up like an aggressive bird, but he was talking about the wonders of humanity in a place ruled by ghosts and demons.
Pointing fingers would only make them angrier, not guilty.
Amused, Hua Cheng leaned back in his chair even more: «This den of mine had been a mad hellish place to begin with. There's a path for you in heaven, but you refuse to take it, and instead choose to barge into hell», he said, playing with him like a cat with his prey. «What shall we do with you?».
Unsurprisingly, Lang QianQiu completely missed the meaning behind his words and slammed his hand on the table once more. With one strike, he sent the entire table flying towards Hua Cheng, everyone else dodging to the side.
With a simple wave of his hand, the long table was flung back in the opposite direction. The official used one hand to push it back, realized it wasn't enough and switched to use both. Seconds ticked by, veins clearly surfacing on his forehead, until the table suddenly fell.
Xie Lian had touched his husband's hand with his fingers, a silent plea to avoid overdoing it, and Hua Cheng obliged. For good measure, Hua Cheng curled his five fingers into a fist, and then released them; instantly, the table exploded into sawdust, unable to act as a suitable weapon again.
The once-bustling hall now had people and ghosts fleeing and hiding.
The ghost sent a look to his beloved – he was definitely not pouting – and Xie Lian sighed before giving him a small nod. Smiling, he made another hand gesture, pressing his fingers together to lightly flick up. After that one motion, Lang QianQiu's body lifted off the ground and was suspended on the ceiling of the gambling hall.
Seeing that the boisterous guest had been detained, the crowd that fled returned and gathered in the hall once more, pointing at the suspended official with many laughs rumbling about. The humiliation made Lang QianQiu's face flush red, and he wordlessly struggled against the invisible binds, but Hua Cheng didn't just trap him up there. He also made sure to seal his spiritual power, in order to sort out the situation without causing too much damage to his business.
From time to time, a ghost from below would jump up in an attempt to pat his head, but Xie Lian wouldn't have wanted the embarrassment of the centuries to be brought upon his shoulders, so Hua Cheng hung him fairly high up and out of reach.
«You're an interesting thing, you know?», he told him, not interested in putting down his act. He was angry about his rude interruption, after all. Barging through the door only to interrupt a bet and hurl furniture around... he almost wanted to think that no one taught him good manners, but that thought alone would be terribly insulting towards his husband.
Xie Lian surely taught him some manners, the fault was in the student.
«Let's see if someone is willing to play to take you».
«Thing!?», he barked, offended. «What do you mean "thing"? I'm not a thing! You dare use me as a bet?!»
His proclamation of not being a "thing" was heard by the many female ghosts in the crowd. Giggling, they sent him lecherous looks while running their bloody tongues across their lips, as if they wanted nothing more than to swallow him whole. Even Shi QingXuan, who knew the outcome would be positive for him, shuddered.
Many ghosts and even a couple humans stepped forward, some licking their lips in hunger, some looking up at the martial god with expressions akin to murderous curiosity, but Shi QingXuan outran every single one of them: «Let me have a try», he said.
The Wind Master didn't dare look up at his companions. It was already embarrassing enough that he had to reclaim him because of his reckless behavior. What could have happened if Hua Cheng was actually what the heavens described him to be? Lang QianQiu would have probably ended up as some ghost's sex slave, judging by the looks some of them reserved him. Worse, he could have ended up as fresh meat for their teeth.
No, wait. Maybe dying would be a better fate to suffer than an eternity spent as a slave.
No matter.
Upon hearing his voice, the ghost behind the curtains stood up, and the croupier smiled, urging him to come forth.
Immediately, demons and ghosts parted for the brave warrior. Shi QingXuan recognized some familiar faces among them – he visited Ghost City more than enough, after all – and was pleasantly surprised when no one broke the illusion of him being a stranger. Either they were scared of Hua Cheng and what he would do to them, or were being faithful to Xie Lian.
In any case, it helped him out greatly.
The croupier presented to him the polished black gambling cup in her hands, using a slightly more polite tone than the one she was uttering before that mess. Shi QingXuan received the gambling cup with a word of thanks, and lightly cleared his throat.
He never had any experience with something like gambling. Before and after ascending, his brother never let him take that crooked path of entertainment. He was fine with Shi QingXuan drinking his brains out, but never allowed any sort of gambling. To respect his memory, the Wind Master never took the habit after his passing.
As he moved his hands, not even pretending to know what he was doing, he raised his head and glanced at Lang QianQiu; his eyes were wide open and he didn't make a sound, but Shi QingXuan had to bite down a curse when he saw that he was staring right where Xie Lian was sitting. It was difficult to make out his features, hidden as he was behind the stringy curtain, but who knew what the view was from up there.
His expression was a mix of shock and confusion, something that deeply worried the Wind Master, but he couldn't do anything about it.
After a long shake, he finally stopped.
Countless pairs of eyes zoomed in on the cup in his hands. Shi QingXuan didn't know if there was a right way to flip the little gambling cup, and he sincerely hoped Hua Cheng had zero intentions of playing with him. That smug bastard once sent him running in circles around Ghost City for two hours before Shi QingXuan realized he was being victimized by a joke.
Sure, he witnessed Xie Lian scolding him for that, but he could perfectly believe he would play a joke on him again.
Instead of playing some trick on him, however, Hua Cheng apparently decided to spare the Wind Master some trouble. Or, well, Xie Lian was sitting really close to him, maybe he was gripping his hand so hard to avoid mockery that the ghost was one second away from accidentally shattered fingers.
Remembering how that time Hua Cheng spooked Xie Lian by mistake he got sent flying down the street by a single punch, it wasn't so unreasonable. Poor Xie Lian apologized profusely until Shi QingXuan's ears bled from the repetition, but still.
«Would you like to bet on the highest or the lowest?».
Was there really a difference? Hua Cheng was going to manipulate the outcome in any case. Sighing, he looked at the croupier and chose the highest.
Before he could lift the lid, however, the voice of the Ghost King resounded again. Shi QingXuan would have lost every single hope he had of not ending up mocked if what he heard wasn't reasonable. Hua Cheng, like the true owner of a gambling place, asked him what was he betting in the eventuality he lost. An eventuality that wasn't going to happen – the Wind Master could already see the disappointed expression on Xie Lian's face if that was the game his husband wanted to play – but it made sense.
Without anything else on him worth betting, he gripped the cup just a slight bit harder and sighed: «I'll bet my folding fan».
Some ghosts wanted to complain at the weak bet, but Hua Cheng raised an arm and everyone closed their mouths. If it was good for their lord, it was good for anyone else. Such was the law in Ghost City.
When the croupier gestured for him to continue, Shi QingXuan lifted the lid and eyed the two dice and the bottom of the cup. A six and a five.
«Congratulations, you won».
With a flick of hand, Lang QianQiu dropped like a rock, crashing down on the floor. Just for game, he handed the croupier another gambling cup with two fives in it, so the crowd could accept his loss without whining too much. It was shameless cheating, but he was the lord of that place. If anyone was allowed to cheat, it was him.
Praying for that mess to finally be over, Shi QingXuan went to check up on the prince, who thankfully wasn't being swarmed by a horde of ghosts. It was the last thing he needed, having to restrain Lang QianQiu again in the span of ten minutes.
«Are you okay?».
He helped him back to his feet and watched the prince dust himself off, with a displeased expression on his face. Before he could add anything else, the tinkling of bells was heard, and the sound was followed by gasps that came from all directions. Shi QingXuan turned around and saw that Hua Cheng had finally stepped out from behind the curtains. The aura of demonic energy radiating from his was so strong that even some ghosts retreated in his presence, but the Ghost King merely walked past them.
A quick glance told Shi QingXuan that his heavenly friend was nowhere to be seen, already. What a good distraction, making Lang QianQiu crash down like that to give his husband the time to leave.
The Wind Master realized he still had the gambling cup in his hands, but as he tried to hand it back to the croupier, a voice suddenly rang in his head.
"Keep them", Xie Lian hurriedly said, sending one last glance at Shi QingXuan as he quickly left the den. "You will need the dice to find He Xuan. Just keep them away from Lang QianQiu, they will only work properly for you".
With that, even if still somewhat worried by something he couldn't quite put his finger on, Xie Lian made his way back to Paradise Manor, hand in hand with his husband.
In front of Hua Cheng was a small, golden palace, built from thin sheets of gold foil stacked upon one another.
Xie Lian had played the same game often when he was a child, no different than village kids stacking rocks to build houses. Yet, because he disliked separation when he was younger, as long as objects were placed together, Xie Lian would refuse to separate them. After making a palace, he'd forbid anyone to touch it, wishing he could glue the fragile sheets together and go against the rules of the game.
As a kid, if he saw his Gold Foil Palace fall apart, he's be depressed to the point of refusing food and sleep, sulking until the king and queen coaxed him from his shell.
The golden palace before him now was grand layered in hundreds of foil sheets, but fragile as if a gentle breeze could blow it down.
After a moment, Hua Cheng gazed at his work and flashed a smile, he raised a finger, flicked the top of the golden palace, and everything collapsed into a heap.
Unable to help himself, Xie Lian smacked him on the shoulder and earned a laugh in return. His husband appeared amused by his handiwork, like a child who'd pushed over a tower of building blocks.
«Now build it again, you pesky ghost», he pursed his lips, disappointed. Hua Cheng was absolutely provoking, at times.
«Can't, my fingers hurt», the ghost feigned a pained expression, flexing his "weak" digits in front of his beloved's face. «But maybe, if you kiss them better...».
That earned him another smack, though Xie Lian had pink dusting his cheeks now. Too cute to handle...!
Instead of kissing his husband, Xie Lian lay back on the divan sighed; the Wind Master still hadn't used the dice, which was a good thing because he would need Yin Yu to know exactly where to go, but he was a bit worried for him. One of Hua Cheng's butterflies was following him, in case something went wrong and Xie Lian needed to send his friend in the right direction, and the weird emotions radiating from Lang QianQiu were making the Crown Prince restless.
They wouldn't leave to search for He Xuan until deep night fell, as the orders given to Yin Yu were to lure them in the right place around that hour – mostly to make the length of their search be more believable – but he was worried that more troubles could come up.
«Do I need to ask Lang QianQiu to pay for the damage he caused?», he mindlessly asked, playing with a gold foil sheet that he picked up earlier. «I'm sure Shi QingXuan would be a good mediator for the demand».
Amusing thought, but Hua Cheng shook his head: «So long as he doesn't show in face in front of me, I'll clear his account», he said. Far from him to cause more troubles than it was necessary to his husband. That pathetic official had every excuse to get on his nerves, especially for what he did to his beloved after the so-called Gilded Banquet, but Xie Lian had often told him to stop hating him for that.
He didn't necessarily listen for himself, because he still hated that bastard to the bone, but for Xie Lian's sake he wasn't going to stab him. Not yet.
But when that day would come, Hua Cheng would make sure to stab his through the heart with a walnut dowel and nail him to a coffin with ten times more violence. And then he would bury him so deep underground not even a natural disaster could unearth him, trapped in a cramped, dark, airless space under tons of dirt and rocks.
He was patient, after all.
«You really don't want to give this husband a kiss, gege?», he pouted again, leaning against Xie Lian with the most adorable expression he could muster on his sharp face. «I didn't even beat that bastard up».
Xie Lian had to do his utmost to avoid bursting out laughing at that. It was disrespectful towards Lang QianQiu, he couldn't laugh at that!
But, his heart won over by the glittering light in his husband's lonely eye, Xie Lian gave in and pressed his lips against the cold ones of the ghost, drinking in the pleasant sensation of being thoroughly kissed in return.
One of Hua Cheng's hands came up to his face, gently cupping his cheek; their kiss automatically deepened, Xie Lian parting his lips to gain his husband access to his mouth, arms flying around his neck and fingers tangling in long, unruly black locks. Only when Hua Cheng fell with his back on the divan and Xie Lian's body draped over him like a blanket they broke the kiss, soon smiling against one another's lips.
«You have no idea how happy you make me», Xie Lian whined, dropping with all his weight on Hua Cheng's body, hiding his head in the crook of his neck. He felt the ghost's chin rest on the top of his head, and sighed contently: «I really love you».
The dead heart in his chest swelled at those words. The Ghost King's fingers, busy playing with strands of brown hair, froze for a second as he processed the loving statement, but soon resumed their playful actions. He would never grow tired of Xie Lian telling him so openly and boldly how much love he harbored for the ghost.
«You Highness, with all due respect, I'm pretty sure I love you more», he retorted, leaving a kiss on the crown of Xie Lian's head. The butterfly headpiece was kind of in the way, but it was only a mild annoyance. After all, wasn't that a gift his husband cheerfully accepted?
«Don't you dare start this game again», the Crown Prince huffed, although hugging him a bit more tightly. «Last time, Yin Yu literally yelled at us to get a room».
And he couldn't be blamed for that. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng started throwing back and forth their love for each other, and the whole thing went on for so long that poor Yin Yu, who was trying to work not so far from them, snapped and told them to "fucking get a room or shut up, I'm trying to take care of your business here". Not even Hua Cheng could argue with that.
And there weren't many thing Hua Cheng couldn't argue with.
Speaking of Yin Yu, his voice suddenly appeared in Xie Lian's communication array, making him jump. Judging by the frowny expression on his face, Hua Cheng had heard him as well.
It seemed that Yin Yu finally found the a good opening to make himself followed by the two officials.
"Xie Lian, one more thing... care to tell me why Lord Wind Master is dressed like... heavens forgive me, like a courtesan? He's not even in his female form!".
Xie Lian thanked Jun Wu himself he wasn't currently busy drinking a glass of something, because he would have choked to the point of having his drink exit out of his nostrils. He still choked on hair, though. What in Qi Rong's name was Shi QingXhuan doing? Was that his idea of disguise? How was Lang QianQiu okay with that?!
"Just... just go on with the plan, okay? Please, do not tell me something like that again".
Oh, He Xuan was going to lose his mind.
«Gege, are you okay?».
Shocked out of his boots, Xie Lian took a while to focus on the worried expression on his husband's face. Then, he pushed himself up and back into a sitting position: «Maybe I'll be better after a drink». Although, all the booze in Paradise Manor couldn't be enough to swallow down such a fierce emotion. At least, he told himself in relief, the one who had to see it was Yin Yu.
Seeing the Wind Master in a ghost lady getup was not on his list to things to see before he died. In fact, it could be the very last things he would see before dying, because it would kill him on the spot. He didn't have anything against people dressing up weirdly (and it would be hypocritical to do, since not only his cultivation path discouraged hatred and judgmental attitudes, but he'd also been wearing a women's wedding dress not too long before), but Shi QingXuan was his friend, and the shock came mostly from the type of clothing he was wearing. Not the clothing themselves.
Xie Lian made a half-distressed, half-frustrated sound and vigorously shook his head: «Can we go to the armory? I want to see something pretty».
If Hua Cheng was feeling like having enough self-esteem, he would have replied with something along the lines of "You can look at me, gege". But, since he didn't feel like saying that, the ghost stood up and reached out to grab Xie Lian's hand, pulling him up to his feet: «Of course we can, Your Highness», he smiled.
Another quick peck on his lips later, Hua Cheng was walking alongside his husband through the beautiful hallways of his residence. Or, as he finally started to call it when Xie Lian moved in with him, his home. They had been his words, after all. A place where someone lived alone wasn't a home, so Paradise Manor was just his residence. When Xie Lian came along, Paradise Manor became a home, because the clumsy, tragic descended god was his most beautiful family.
It was sentimental, but what was Hua Cheng if not a hopeless romantic? His hands might be fit for slaughter, but his heart was still capable of love. And that love, the ghost poured incessantly in his husband's arms.
Without a word, he took Xie Lian's hand in his own and squeezed it.
Many steps later – Paradise Manor seemed even bigger than his old palace, at times – Xie Lian stopped in front of a large hall. The doors were made of steel, beautifully carved with images of violent beasts, terrifying but skillfully created. The moment he approached, the beasts parted way and opened the door, letting out a blast of killing intent.
However, Xie Lian was used to it by now, and simply walked into the hall with a huge, shimmering smile on his face.
All manner of weapons were hung on all four walls, in a profusion of magnificently crafted metal and wood. Many of the swords, the best kept ones, were the same exact sword Xie Lian had pawned centuries before, trying to scrape together enough money for a meal and medicine. Hua Cheng went out of his way and collected them all, not missing even a single one, just to give them back to their owner.
The first time Xie Lian set foot into that armory, his heart missed a beat, his blood boiled with pure excitement, as if he was in heaven and not in a city born from hell. His eyes had been wide, his face lit with a kind of happiness that he forgot how to express.
Now, he felt only a slight bit less excited.
Xie Lian rarely fought with a sword in hand, in those days, but he still loved those treasures, masterpieces there were a sight to behold on the battlefield. Swords, sabres, scimitars, spears, it didn't matter. They were all beautiful, all worthy of being inestimable treasures. His face still went red with thrill and obsession from time to time, when he visited the armory.
«I still can't believe you got them all back», he said, still marveling at a verdant blade of at least four feet. He'd seen that sword probably a thousand times already, but he couldn't help it. He was still a martial god, despite what people said. He always loved the thrilling sensation of a blade in hand and an opponent in front of him, the ecstatic feeling of jumping and dashing through the air in order to dodge and hit, the quick work of nimble feet as he moved freely and rapidly in confrontation.
His kindness didn't cancel out the undying passion he'd always had for swordsmanship. Xie Lian could be both merciful and merciless on the battlefield, yet no one even seemed to remember he was a fighter, and not a simple cultivator or scrap collector.
With a sigh, face still bright and glowing, he moved to look at some other weapons, happy to see them.
The look on Hua Cheng's face, as he followed Xie Lian move around the armory, was one of pure adoration. He was such a good swordsman, but as soon as he stepped foot in an armory, His Highness turned into an adorable dork with too much love for deadly weapons. It was intriguing, to say the least.
Hua Cheng loved it.
«I needed to refine my persuasion skills», he shrugged in response, picking up a sword to check it out. «It didn't work with the first twenty swords and I had to steal them, but it was good training». Such an honest admission of his screw-ups was only for his beloved's ears. The fond laugh he received as a reply was worth the confession.
«Oh, so you were bad at something else, other than calligraphy», Xie Lian mused, too busy eyeing a scimitar to look back at his husband. «And here I was, thinking my beautiful husband surpassed me in everything since childhood».
Behind him, a loud clank told him that Hua Cheng probably dropped one of the weapons on the floor, the noise reverberating through the hall for a while before stopping. Then, he heard him clearing his throat, and couldn't help another laugh from bubbling up in his chest.
For a Ghost King, surely his husband could be silly, at times.
He turned around, placed his hands on Hua Cheng's hips, and pulled him in for a long, sweet kiss. His ghost tasted faintly of blood and ash, something as unique as his cold, rusty but pleasant smell. Xie Lian never had enough of the man he married. He repeated it so much that he wondered how his own brain didn't lament suffering the same thoughts over and over, but what could he do? Change his opinion? That was an outrageous outcome.
«Remember when I met E-Ming for the first time? You were still so defensive, back then...», Xie Lian whispered, caressing with his thumbs the dips of Hua Cheng's hips, barely able to feel them with all that clothing in between. «I'm glad you understood how to be loved».
It was a heavy thing to say out loud. The soft grip Hua Cheng had on his shoulders tightened a bit, but the smile curving his lips didn't disappear. If anything, the ghost leaned forward to press their foreheads together, enjoying the closeness.
Back then, many things Xie Lian said to him were first met with Hua Cheng bringing up the terrible stories and hearsays following him. Only after, when the god would disregard them in favor of listening to his side of the story or looking with his own eyes, Hua Cheng would drop the self-deprecating behavior and open up to something less harsh.
He came a long, long way.
Xie Lian wasn't the only one who needed time to recover, after all. What Hua Cheng needed, however, was the company he had been missing for hundreds of years. Alone, he couldn't heal. Much like Xie Lian, he could only built wall after wall, carefully placing the bricks so no one could kick his defenses down.
Those bricks were but a memory, now. There were still some unsaid things between them, but it was a mutual silence. It was comfortable. Trust wasn't just made of long talks and complete transparency, it was also made of untold stories that were too difficult to recall. Xie Lian trusted Hua Cheng enough to know that he would never hide something inherently evil to him, a feeling that was fully mirrored by his husband.
Their live had been too chaotic, too painful, too ruined for them to fully open up without thinking twice on some things. They weren't living in a book, after all. In books, everything turned out all right, it was easy to spout nonsense and recall horrendous stories when nothing was real.
But they came a long way. Keeping their focus on the past was of no use.
Before he could say anything else, however, something crashed down from the ceiling.