Hua Cheng and Xie Lian were walking on the ghost city road which was still illuminated by different kinds of lights. The decoration of the day before yesterday was still lingering around the city.
Hua Cheng was still wearing his second birthday gift from Xie Lian and Xie Lian was too embarrassed to acknowledge it even. He felt like he could still see the two beans (according to Mu Qing) crafted on the belt, although the part was hidden which was a bit of relief.
"San Lang, let's check out the remaining gift you received. You have more than thousand gift yet to open." Currently Xie Lian and Hua Cheng were busy in opening gifts which were send by many worshippers, ghost city's citizen and even heavenly officials.
Hua Cheng scrunched his nose slightly as if they had to dig through a muddy road or something but nodded and muttered a small, "En". Hua Cheng originally wanted to throw away those gifts but Xie Lian wouldn't let him because after all they were his birthday gift. Hua Cheng naturally didn't oppose Xie Lian.
When they reached at the temple, they slowly started unwrapping gifts from the mountain of gifts.
Pei Ming had gifted him an ancient book on couple goal advice but unfortunately there wasn't a single male-male cultivation partner story so Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry but still kept it.
Feng Xin probably didn't know what should be gifted to a ghostking as birthday gift so he casually presented an ancient sword. The sword curb was beautiful but the thing is Hua Cheng has more or less this kind of sword in his own collection.
Mu Qing didn't try anything and he already knew that Hua Cheng has everything and so he didn't try to even send gifts which was very smart in Xie Lian's thought.
After digging through the Mountain of gifts Xie Lian suddenly noticed a medium size aquarium with two fish. Upon closer look he noticed that this two fish were exactly those bone dragons that Hua Cheng mentioned absolutely not to take as pet.
Xie Lian could guess more or less who sent them and he glanced over Hua Cheng. Surely there was a slight touch of confusion in Hua Cheng's face.
"It's his first time sending me a gift," Hua Cheng said with a oblivious tone. Xie Lian nodded and tried to place the bone dragons somewhere safe. But suddenly a chilly voice rang out,
"I tried to send one but they were extremely affectionate with each other so I had to send two."
And the voice stopped. No birthday wishing nor something else. He Xuan probably didn't know that it was Hua Cheng's birthday two days ago. Cause this arrived just today. He probably heard about it yesterday when he visited ghost city.
"San Lang, they are our new pets, have you thought of any name for them?" Hua Cheng smiled at Xie Lian's bright eyes. Although Hua Cheng said not to take them as pet Xie Lian still loved anything which could be said pet. And these bone dragons were pretty cute to him.
"Whatever gege thinks better."
Xie Lian already expected this response so he nodded and said, "San Lang, do you know any pond where we can raise them? I don't like them caged in this small aquarium. They look precious."
Hua Cheng nodded slightly, "We have one. But it's pretty abandoned."
Xie Lian looked up at him, "Then let's work together and put them there."
"Are you sure you want to do the work on your own? I can ask someone to do that," Hua Cheng wiggled his eyebrows.
"Yes I am sure. It would be nice to build their home together. They are new pets of ours. Besides I still feel guilty for killing so much bone dragons in the heavenly fight. If I'm not wrong, they look precious to Water demon."
Hearing this Hua Cheng's smile slightly dropped and just a tiny bit concern showed in between his eyebrows, "They are indeed precious to him."
After waking up in the next morning till afternoon Xie Lian and Hua Cheng worked together to make the abandoned pond lively. The surroundings were filled with red lotus which was extremely gorgeous. Xie Lian could bet the moonlight would make the pond more illuminating.
The bone dragons were happily swimming in the pond and looked like they pretty much accepted their new owners but also they didn't dare to approach them much. Xie Lian didn't mind. It will need a bit of time.
After working for the entire day both of them went to eat. Naturally Xie Lian was trying to cook from the bottom of his heart and Hua Cheng was helping him in cutting vegetables or other things. Mostly watching Xie Lian, making Xie Lian blush.
"Gege, what do you think of The four constellation, the Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird , the White Tiger and the Xuanwu?"
Xie Lian looked up at Hua Cheng and gave a amazed expression. Hua Cheng naturally knew many thing and of course about this four spirits there should be nothing that he didn't know. But he still asked Xie Lian. Xie Lian couldn't help but ask back "What about the four spirits? Did you run into one?" He was concerned about Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng naturally didn't like to make friends. So if they pissed one of them, it will be hard to deal.
"No gege, I didn't run into one. I was just curious about one thing, if gege ever heard about someone making contract with them? Or using their spiritual powers?"
Xie Lian thought for a while but he answered exactly how Hua Cheng answered He Xuan. But Hua Cheng still heard everything and nodded slightly.
"The xuanwu is of course obsessed with water. I mean there were two cultivator once who had defeated one of the most ancient imposter of this spirit which was hidden in a lake for hundred years which had eaten almost ten thousand human. So I think as the imposter lived in water, this armor tortoise must be obsessed with water as well."
"How did the cultivator killed the imposter?" Hua Cheng asked curiously.
"Well, hard to say. It was long long time ago. Some people said, one of them got a very ancient powerful sword which killed thousand of humans and thus the sword spirit were used to kill it from inside and the famous killer string was used from outside. Both of the killer move killed the powerful imposter of Xuanwu. But I personally believe it was because the two cultivator was extremely talented and understanding toward each other to adopt each others move. They were only fifteen back then." Xie Lian was a person who likes to admire people's skill if they were truly skillful.
"I heard the two skillful male became dual cultivator partner later," Hua Cheng said with a slight smirk. Of course Hua Cheng naturally knew this story as well.
Xie Lian didn't mention about the dual cultivation so he coughed lightly.
"San Lang, but why did you ask about it suddenly?"
Just when Hua Cheng was about to answer they heard a bone chilling scream, which wasn't a human or ghost screaming.
Both of them ran toward the pond because the sound could be heard from there.
Xie Lian was pretty much shocked to see the sight. The bone dragons were screeching like they were in extremely pain. Xie Lian tried to go and pet them but Hua Cheng quickly stopped him and pour spiritual power into the pond which went to the bone dragons spirit as well.
Hua Cheng's expression became a little complex than usual.
"San Lang, what's wrong? Is anything going on the ghost city?" Xie Lian was so concerned about Hua Cheng that he tried to touch his cheeks to confirm this person beside him was okay.
"Gege don't worry, I'm fine as well as ghost city. But someone might not be fine." Hua Cheng looked at Xie Lian's eye and said sincerely, "Gege, want to come with me somewhere?"
Xie Lian could pretty much guess about whom Hua Cheng was talking about. And he nodded slowly.
"What do you think happened to him? He is a supreme after all." Xie Lian said as Hua Cheng was taking out his dice for distance shortening array.
"I don't know." Xie Lian was stunned for a while, it's pretty rare for Hua Cheng to say he doesn't know something.
With a roll of dice, they arrived at the heart of water demon lair, black demon island.
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Author's Note: I mean of course I brought WangXian's reference. Also please except my apologies for this messy and barely made story about Xuanwu. Specially if any Chinese person is reading who is knowledgeable in it might want to throw up, but please be considerate.
Edited A/N: My idea back then and now is all so different! How am I gonna merge them 🤦♀
Word count: 1513
_Ray