Chapter 40

Chapter 40 : At Paradise Manor, Questions for Xian Le (II)

Have you ever seen Bai Wu Xiang?

It may have been his misconception, but Xie Lian thought he saw Hua Chengs shoulders stiffen briefly . Then in a flash, the moment passed, and nothing seemed to have changed . I did say I will use my true form the next time we meet, Hua Cheng said lightly .

Xie Lian smiled . Not bad, not bad at all, he offered sincerely .

It was neither ridicule, nor some attempt at consolation . His tone was natural and easy . Hua finally broke into a genuine smile . They continued walking a few more steps before Xie Lian suddenly recalled something important . Fishing out the silver chain which had been lying against his chest, he asked, Right, did you leave this behind?

Hua Cheng glanced briefly at the ring swinging from the chain, his lips twitching in a small smile . A gift for you .

What is it?

Its nothing precious, Hua Cheng replied airily . Just a trinket, wear it if it pleases you .

Despite his words, Xie Lian knew it must be something terribly precious . Then, thank you, San Lang .

A flicker of light shone in Hua Chengs eye as Xie Lian slipped the chain back into the folds of his robe . Xie Lian looked around, taking in the surroundings curiously . I heard you say you were would be headed for Paradise Manor, he said . I thought Paradise Manor was a brothel, but it looks more like an establishment for one to amuse themselves with song and dance .

Hua Cheng lifted a brow . What does g g mean? I have never entered a brothel .

Xie Lian thought this strange . Really?

Yes, really, Hua Cheng said . The two of them reached the obsidian jade divan and sat down side by side . He added, I decorated this place for fun, its one of my residences . When I have time, Ill come here to laze a bit . When Im busy, I wont bother with it .

So its your home, Xie Lian said wonderingly

Residence, Hua Cheng corrected . Not home .

Is there a difference?

Of course there is . Home is where family is . A place where only one person stays alone is not a home .

Xie Lian felt a little moved by his words . By this definition, he himself has not has a home in over eight hundred years . Although there was no sense of loneliness on Hua Chengs face, Xie Lian somehow felt that the both of them were not very different . A home, even one as small Pu Qi Shrine, would be a hundred thousand times better than my Paradise Manor .

Xie Lian silently agreed and smiled . So it turns out that San Lang has such emotional depth . But comparing this place with my Pu Qi shrine, is really embarrassing for me .

Hua Cheng chuckled . Whats there to be embarrassed of? Truth be told, g gs Pu Qi Shrine may be small, but I feel more at ease there than in my Paradise Manor . It feels more like home .

Is that so? Xie Lian said warmly . If you dont mind it, do drop by anytime you wish and make yourself at home there . The doors of my Pu Qi Shrine will always be open to you .

Hua Chengs eyes curved in pleasure . G g, remember your words . Ill be sure to take you up on your offer, so you cant complain that Im being a pest in the future .

I would never! Oh right, San Lang, I have a favour to ask of you, if you have time to spare for me?

Whats the matter? In my domain, you may speak freely .

The last time when I was in Mount Yu Jun to handle some matters, I came across a young boy, Xie Lian explained . He may have some ties with my home country .

Hua Chengs eyes narrowed, silent .

Xie Lian continued, But I accidentally frightened him off and he fled . I spent a long time searching for him, to no avail . Earlier, when I was wandering about the streets of your Ghost City, I realised that he was actually here . San Lang, you are the master of this place, could I perhaps ask that you assist me in finding him? The boy has a face heavily wrapped in bandages, and he had just run away from the front doors of paradise Manor .

Hua Cheng smiled . Alright, I understand . G g does not have to be concerned, just wait for my good news .

Xie Lian breathed out a sigh of relief . Thank you, again .

Its nothing . But is it alright for you to leave Lang Qian Qiu behind like that?

Xie Lian thought, If Lang Qian Qiu was here, with that honest and stubborn temper of his, it is hard to say what kind of trouble he would stir up . Better to meet up with him later . He said simply, For the troubles that His Highness Tai Hua had caused you at the gambling house, I am truly sorry about it .

A faintly contemptuous smile curled the corners of Hua Chengs lips . Dont mention it . He wouldnt be able to cause trouble even if he tries . This little bit barely qualifies as an annoyance .

Xie Lian said tentatively, The things he broke

Hua Cheng chuckled . For g gs sake, I wont ask him to compensate for the things he has damaged . Just tell him to never show his face before me again . He can pack himself up and leave .

Xie Lias brows furrowed lightly, puzzled . San Lang, there are Heavenly Officials running around in your territory . Dont you care? Was Hua Cheng really so sure of himself?

Hua Cheng smiled . You may not know this, g g . But though this place of mine is denounced among the three realms as an infernal place where ghosts and demons run wild, in truth, there are few who do not wish for a chance to visit and explore, seeking new forms of entertainment here . Even your Heavenly Officials, though they put on airs and come up with a hundred different way to disdain it, when they have some illicit matters to handle, they will sneak here disguised to settle their errands . It is a common enough sight . As long as they do not seek to cause mischief, I would not bother myself with them . If they start stirring trouble, well, Ill have an excuse to wipe them out .

His Highness Tai Hua was not deliberately causing trouble, Xie Lian said earnestly . He was greatly disturbed by the gambling scene and could not bring himself to stand by and watch, and was too hasty by half .

Hua Cheng said quietly, That just showcases his ignorance and inexperience . Between letting himself live ten years more or letting his foe live ten years less, he would not hesitate to choose the latter . This is just the type of person he is . He folded his arms over his chest and added, For a fool like Lang Qian Qiu to ascend, Heaven must be blind .

Xie Lian rubbed at his brows somewhat guiltily . You cant really say that, I mean, someone like me has also ascended three times

He hesitated briefly, then said, San Lang, what Im about to say next may be overstepping my boundaries, but I still need to say this . Your gambling house is very dangerous . Wont something go wrong one day?

This sort of gambling which staked the lives of children, women, lifespans, and granted wishes for the deaths of others, was truly a sin . If the bets were on a small scale, it was still tolerable, but if one day the bets get too outrageous, sooner or later Heaven would no longer be able to tolerate it .

Hua Cheng looked at him steadily . Your Highness, did you not ask Lang Qian Qiu why he rushed headlong into this?

Xie Lian was faintly startled at the question . Hua Cheng continued, My guess is, he must have said something along the lines of, if he had not interfered, no one else would .

His guess was eerily accurate . Clearly, he could see right through Lang Qian Qiu . He did indeed say this, Xie Lian admitted .

Then, I am in precisely the opposite situation, Hua Cheng said . If I do not take control of this kind of place, someone else will come along . Rather than having the control fall in anothers hands, its better if I do it myself .

Xie Lian has always known when to advance and retreat . He nodded politely . I understand .

It seems that although Hua Cheng was capable of gentler sentiment, he valued power and control more than Xie Lian expected .

Hua Cheng added, Nonetheless, I thank g g for his concern .

At this moment, someone outside the doors announced, My lord, Ive found him .

Xie Lian looked towards the door to see Deputy Waning Moon standing outside the beaded curtain, bent in a shallow bow . And grasped firmly in his hand was ragged looking bandaged-face boy .

Hua Cheng did not turn his head . Bring him over .

Deputy Waning Moon lifted the boy, carried him over and then set him down gently on the ground . Xie Lian could not help shooting another glance at his wrist to confirm if there really was a cursed shackle there, but the other had already risen and withdrawn . In any case, there was currently someone who needed his attention more . Xie Lian immediately attempted reassuring the boy, Dont be frightened . Last time was my fault, I wont do it again .

The boys large eyes were full of bewilderment and uncertainty . Perhaps he no longer had the strength to run, or perhaps he knew that he wouldnt be able to escape if he did run . His eyes darted around between Xie Lian and the small table on the obsidian jade divan, then back and forth again . Xie Lian followed his line of sight and realised that the table held a platter of colourful, lustrous fruit . He guessed that the boy may have been constantly running and hiding for a long time, and must not have had a meal for many days . Xie Lian turned to Hua Cheng but before he could speak, Hua Cheng said, Do as you please . No need to seek my approval .

Thank you . Xie Lian no longer bothered with courtesies . He brought over the fruit platter and handed it to the bandaged-face boy . The boy immediately seized the platter and began stuffing his mouth full of fruit .

It seems like he had been famished . Even during Xie Lians worst times when he had been in dire straits and starved like a stray dog, he had not wolfed his food down in as ferocious a manner . Xie Lian said, Take it slowly . After a pause, he tried asking, Whats your name?

As the boy chewed, he made some vague, guttural sounds, as if attempting to speak, but was unable to enunciate clearly . He may not have spoken to anyone for many years, and cant really speak well anymore, Hua Cheng observed .

Indeed, this boy did not seem to have spoken much with Xiao YingHe has probably been this way for a long time . Xie Lian sighed . Well take it slow .

After the entire platter of fruit had been swept clean, Xie Lian eyed the blood stained bandages on the boys face, with its splotches of black and red . He thought deeply for a moment, then said warmly, Your face is injured, it seems pretty serious . I can help you take a look at it .

At the mention of this, fear welled up in the boys eyes again . But after Xie Lian continued coaxing him gently, he sat down quietly . Xie Lian fished out a vial of medicinal powder from his sleeves . Very slowly, carefully, he began unravelling the messy bandages wrapped around the boys head .

As expected, even though the boys face was badly mutilated, those frightful faces were all gone . Only red patches of damaged flesh were leftover .

When last seen at Mount Yu Jun, even though there were burn marks on his face, the bandages had not been this blood stained . Sure enough, the boy had used a knife to cut and slash at the faces left over by the Human Face plague after fleeing .

Xie Lians hands trembled faintly as he applied the medicinal powder to the boys face . At this moment, Hua Cheng gripped his wrist . Let me .

Xie Lian shook his head and gently pulled his hand away . He said, voice low, No need . Ill do it myself .

Eight hundred years ago, at the imperial city of Xian Le, many of those infected with the Human Face plague would be driven to desperation and resort to such similar measures . The scene had truly been one of hell on earth . Some, in their terrified and delirious state, had gone overboard and ended up bleeding to death . Some, though they managed to get rid of the human faces, the wounds never managed to heal .

As Xie Lian wound layer upon layer of new bandages around the boys head, he came to realise that the boys features were actually very fine . With a straight, handsome nose and clear, dark eyes, he ought to have been a quite a handsome youth . But now his face could make someones blood run cold .

The boy was the same as those afflicted . Even after cutting off those deformed little faces, they are still left with face that could give a person nightmares from a single glance, their former looks lost forever .

After Xie Lian re-wrapped the bandages with much difficulty, he asked, voice trembling, Are you from Xian Le?

The boy stared at him with two large eyes . Xie Lian repeated his question, but he shook his head .

Then where are you from?

The boy struggled to reply, Yongan!

The Human Face plague only broke out in the kingdom of Xian Le, but this boy was actually from Yongan!

Blackness crept at the edges of Xie Lians vision . Did you see the White Calamity?

{T/N : (Biy hu sh) Another term for Bai Wu Xiang (White No Face), also known as White-Clothed Calamity in other translation works . }

The White Calamity . The source of the plague . Harbinger of tragedy and ruin .

Before the emergence of Blood Rain Seeking Flower, he was the nightmare of the previous generation of Heavenly immortals . If not for Jun Wu personally destroying him, one feared that this nightmare would continue till this day .

This Supreme was always seen clothed in white mourning garments, with wide, fluttering sleeves, and a visage of joy and sorrow on his face .

{T/N : Supreme is the most powerful type of ghost, followed by Savage, Ferocious and Malicious}

The so called visage of joy and sorrow, was a mask . The right half depicted a weeping face, the left half was twisted in exaggerated laughter . Like joy, like sorrow . Wherever it was spotted, it was an omen that disaster would soon befall that place .

{T/N : Like the comedy and tragedy mask associated with ancient Greek drama, pic . }

During the last battle, Xie Lian stood atop the gates of the imperial city of Xian Le, with a face coated with ash and tears, staring down with empty eyes . Through his blurred vision, the only thing that stood out in stark clarity was a figure in white, standing outside the walls of the city among starved corpses strewn on the ground, sleeves flapping in the wind . Xie Lian lowered his head to look at him . The white specter raised his head as well, looked at Xie Lian, and waved at him . That visage of joy and sorrow has been Xie Lians unremitting nightmare for hundreds of years .