Heavens Official Blessings: Book 3 Part 2
Apr. 1st, 2019 11:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrGuide and links
This took a little while because it was hard to find a natural stopping point that wasn't either in the middle of some plot or a MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER.
Content Notes for the book in general: consent issues, sexualisation of teenagers, gore, mixed treatment of cross-dressing, self harm (sort of), dead babies, incest subtext, ANGST
And under the cut: SPOILERS for part of Book 3, chapters 113-125
Before I start, a note about Shi Qing Xua's pronouns: the narrative uses "he" or "she" to match the form they're in. But I don't bother mentioning what form they're in half the time, so it would get confusing. And ancient Chinese didn't have gendered pronouns, so it's kind of arbitrary anyway.
Also: gods are humans who have gained power and immortality, but they can lose their powers or even die under certain circumstances I'm fuzzy on. Every god has a Magical Item they use to accentuate their powers. Xie Lian's is a sword he pawned off at one point, Shi Wu Du and Shi Qing Xuan use fans, Ming Yi uses a shovel.
Demons are dead people who have so much resentful energy they stuck around after death, and there are ways that they can gain more power and longevity (that I'm also fuzzy on, but afaict most involve murdering other demons). "Supreme" demon kings like Hua Cheng are the most powerful, and got that way by fighting to the death against thousands of other demons.
So!
Xie Lian notices that the road ahead is thick with the essence of evil. A hazy black silhouette resolves into an elaborate golden palanquin carried by huge golden skeletons.
Hua Cheng sent a ride to come pick him up!
Xie Lian thanks the skeletons politely, and is even polite to some ghosts who try to rob them before realising this is Hua Cheng's palanquin. He falls asleep and is woken by Hua Cheng gently saying his name and joining him in the palanquin. It's a snug fit and Hua Cheng takes the opportunity to snuggle up closely.
Hua Cheng: Ge ge, want to get married?
Xie Lian: Asjafdjgf
Hua Cheng: Just kidding ^_^
Xie Lian: Don't joke like that. (I feel sad about this joke? For some reason??)
Xia Lian starts talking about the whole thing with Shi Qing Xuan's brother Shi Wu Du acting weird, when Hua Cheng says "Do you trust me?"
Xie Lian: I do.
Hua Cheng: Then stay far away from Wind Master (Shi Qing Xuan), Water Master (Shi Wu Du), Earth Master (Ming Yi), Ling Wen, and Pei Ming.
And he refuses to explain.
Back home, Xie Lian actually has some prayers to answer, mostly along the lines of "Our ox broke it's leg and can't work the fields". But since he has no magic he has to just...go out and work the fields by hand.
Hua Cheng helps, very efficiently, somehow still looking elegant while wearing Xie Lian's extra work clothes, and implicitly enjoying the way exercise brings a flush to Xie Lian's pale cheeks. (Hua Cheng's cheeks do not flush, because he is dead)
Various farmers with unmarried daughters ask Xie Lian if "that little lad" is single.
Hua Cheng: I have a wife, virtuous and beautiful. A real noble and gracious special someone that I’ve liked since I was young. I’ve had that crush for many years and pursued really hard before I was able to win that person over.
Xie Lian: D: Uh. Is that true?
Hua Cheng: Partly. I haven’t won them over yet ;)
Xie Lian: *is suddenly very bad at planting rice for some reason*
Xie Lian tries contacting Shi Qing Xuan with no success. Instead, via Ling Wen, he gets a message that Shi Wu Du has given him a gift as thanks for helping his sibling.
It's a donation box full of gold bars, and feels suspiciously like a bribe.
Xie Lian goes to heaven and gives the gold bars to Ling Wen to return, then sneaks into Shi Qing Xuan's chambers. Where he sees...Shi Qing Xuan tied up and struggling?? And Shi Wu Du forcing some sort of black liquid down their throat???
AND THAT'S THE CLIFFHANGER ENDING OF THE MOST RECENT CHAPTER D: D:
*waits several days on tenterhooks*
IT WAS MEDICINE
And then I stopped writing recaps for a little bit. But at this point I thought Shi Qing Xuan was possessed or something.
Shi Wu Du leaves. Just as Xie Lian is trying to figure out how to break in, Shi Qing Xuan's bff Earthmaster Ming Yi shows up with his MAGIC SHOVEL. Which he usually doesn't bring with him because the other gods think a shovel is uncool. I think a magic shovel is cool, Ming Yi.
He digs an escape tunnel but folk above start stabbing them through the ground? Do they think these are intruders or do they know what's up?? Pei Ming makes chase but Quan Yi Zhen unexpectedly holds him off. (Who is...Quan Yi Zhen...ah! The hothead from the banquet we don't know much about! I KNEW WRITING HIS NAME DOWN WAS A GOOD IDEA)
Xie Lian brings them all back to his shrine. And there is a shirtless Hua Cheng doing chores.
Xie Lian, almost overcome by how hot he looks: AHHHHH
Hua Cheng, very slowly and languidly putting on a shirt: :D
Shi Qing Xuan: Um. You two are pretty much... hahaha >.>
Hua Cheng says that while he told Xie Lian to avoid Shi Qing Xuan, he also told him “Just keep doing what you want to do.” The two of them are VERY SHIPPY and the other two pretend not to notice.
They all end up at the nice Rain Master's quiet hut. And Xie Lian has a chance to explain what he's figured out: Shi Qing Xuan isn't a real God!!!!
I glossed over these earlier details because THERE ARE SO MANY DETAILS IN THIS BOOK, but before, the Venerable took them to an autumn festival about a ridiculously unlucky man who, about two hundred years ago, got sick of his bad luck and took revenge on everyone who bullied him. And Shi Qing Xuan ascended to godhood in autumn about two hundred years ago.
That unlucky man's name was He Xuan. He had the same birthday and name as Shi Qing Xuan, and so Shi Wu Du used him as a decoy for the Venerable. The Venerable sucked all the joy and luck from the other Xuan, leaving Shi Qing Xuan safe. And then...ok I'm fuzzy on this, but Shi Wu Du did a dark ritual (using He Xuan's murders?) to get Shi Qing Xuan into heaven, and various holy items to make him have godlike powers and immortality.
But ultimately, Shi Qing Xuan is a human. And it was never his destiny to be a god. That destiny was stolen from He Xuan.
If this got out both siblings would be ruined, which is why Shi Qing Xuan wanted to become mortal again, to keep their brother safe. They didn't know about all this before but now they do, they don't want their brother to suffer.
And the scandal would have huge ripples through Heaven: how many other "gods" are really human? Who else was involved in the injustice and it's cover-up? Ling Wen seems like she must have known... This is presumably why Ling Wen and Pei Ming are helping cover things up.
Another thing Xi Lian figures out: the one who was chasing them was not the original Venerable. Venerables aren't that strong and knowledgable. It was He Xuan, now a resentful ghost, who ate the Venerable and absorbed it's powers.
Poor Shi Qing Xuan :( And they seem like a good god! This system sucks.
Grumpy old general Pei Ming shows up, saying that Shi Wu Du is so stressed about Shi Qing Xuan going missing that he's in danger of failing his current Calamity (basically an exam he has to pass to keep being a god) The resulting storm has become strangely powerful, and hundreds of local fishermen are in danger.
Apparently calamities are a real thing from Chinese mythology? Imagine if Jesus could theoretically fail his next exam and not be a god any more.
Despite Ming Yi's grumpy attempts to get him to stay safe, Shi Qing Xuan insists on seeing their brother, and they all end up on a magic boat. Hua Cheng disguises himself as a human attendant to Xie Lian and Pei Ming flirts with the hotter female fishermen as they bring them all to safety.
Shi Qing Xuan: Sup bro >.>
Shi Wu Du, pausing his fight with giant water dragons: THERE YOU ARE!! WILL YOU ONLY BE HAPPY WHEN I DIE FROM STRESS?!
Shi Qing Xuan: But...I just...*sigh*
Now, way back when we first heard about Hua Cheng, we found out he's one of four especially scary demons (also called "Calamities", which is unfortunate) Here's the summary I wrote for the character guide I finally got around to making:
And somehow, they have drifted into Ship Sinking Black Water's territory. Guess what starts happening to their ship...
Hua Cheng: The only wood that floats in this domain is coffin wood.
Pei Ming: This little human of yours sure knows a lot, Xie Lian
Hua Cheng: You just know too little ^_^
Shi Wu Du: Don't worry, Shi Qing Xuan, ge ge will build you a coffin!
Hua Cheng: It needs to have held a dead body :)
They barely escape the boat on flying swords/shovels etc (Xie Lian is way more quietly amused by Ming Yi being shaky flying on his shovel than I think a god of trash has any right to be)
But then they're attacked by GIANT SKELETAL FISH DRAGONS and get separated.
Xie Lian is holding tight to Hua Cheng on his flying sword, and is all "I'll protect you" before remembering Hua Cheng is 1000% more powerful. Hua Cheng swoons ironically, then defeats the dragons by glaring at them.
Hua Cheng and Xie Lian wash up on an island. But Hua Cheng is unconscious and won't wake up!
Despite knowing full well that Hua Cheng is an incredibly powerful undead demon, Xie Lian panics and convinces himself that Hua Cheng's human disguise might have drowned. TIME FOR SOME TOTALLY NECESSARY CPR.
When he opens his eyes Hua Cheng (who was just playing dead) is staring at him, stunned. They stare at each other for a while and then Xie Lian shouts out an apology and runs away, nearly getting shot by some ghost guards.
Hua Cheng explains that this island is the heart of the Ship Sinking Black Water's territory, where even Hua Cheng's power is limited. Demon lords usually avoid each other and he clearly doesn't like being here.
So they do the obvious thing, and build a coffin!
Xie Lian: You're so talented, that special someone really lucked out.
Hua Cheng: I lucked out to have met them.
Xie Lian: How come you haven’t won them over yet? (Who could resist anyone as awesome as Hua Cheng? What's wrong with them?!)
Hua Cheng: Truth is, I’m afraid.
Xie Lian: But you’re a Supreme Demon King, Crimson Rain Sought Flower!
Hua Cheng: What shitty demon king? If I was really that awesome, I wouldn’t have been so powerless when people humiliated me hundreds of years ago. That person saw me at my worst.
Xie Lian: There was also a period of time in my life that wasn’t easy, and during that time, I’d constantly think if someone should witness it and still love me for who I was, it’d be great. But what matters is ‘you’ and not ‘how’ you are. I… admire you very much, so, I want to understand your everything. I’m envious that someone had already met that kind of you. It’s an affinity that only comes by chance and couldn't be begged for, and whether if that bond should continue, it’s three part fate, and seven part courage!
(yes it was so cute I basically just cut and pasted the whole thing, shh)
The coffin is a tight fit, and Xie Lian feels self conscious about how close they are (Hua Cheng just takes the opportunity to hug Xie Lian to his chest)
Xie Lian: How about you on top and me on the bottom?
Hua Cheng: Isn’t top and bottom the same?
Me: *waggles eyebrows*
The coffin is thrown about by waves and monsters. They are forced to embrace very closely, and the way their bodies rub against each other is described in great detail. Reading between the lines, Xie Lian tries to hide how turned on he is but Hua Cheng is trying to do the same, and in the end they both decide it's preferable to just break the coffin and take their chances with the sea.
So they end up back on the island. OH WELL.
But now Shi Wu Du and Pei Ming are there as well!
Xie Lian: THE COFFIN WAS TOO SMALL, OK?
Shi Wu Du: Coffin? What?
Pei Ming: So...why didn't you make it bigger? Also, didn't you say it needed a corpse to float?
Xie Lian: ...um.
Hua Cheng: If you’re so concerned with who’s dead, I suggest you go kill yourself ^_^
Pei Ming: I knew it! You're Crimson Rain Sought Flower! D:<
Xie Lian manages to calm things down, and asks after Shi Qing Xuan. They turn out to be with Ming Yi, and Shi Wu Du goes on a rant about "that mediocre earth god"who isn't good enough to date their precious sibling.
OH GOD I TOOK A BREAK FROM SUMMARISING FOR A BIT AND NOW I AM FULL OF FEELINGS
Also, goddamn MXTX, all these plot details I glossed over turned out to be important. Stop making me think, I'm having a cfs flare.
OK. I WILL DO MY BEST WITH A TIRED BRAIN.
None of them have much magical power here except Hua Cheng (because he's a demon?) So he gives some magic to Xie Lian. Now Xie Lian has the advantage over the other gods: he's used to having to fight ghost minions etc with his actual fists. Since there's spell on the island blocking teleportation and sending psychic messages, Pei Ming goes off to make coffin escape boats using a handy dead minion.
Shi Wu Du has a Shi Qing Xuan gps tracker because of course he does. It leads them to a seemingly featureless lake. But looking in the reflection on the water: a dark tower! And Shi Qing Xuan calling for help from a tiny window!
Jumping into the lake is pretty obviously a one way trip and a bad idea so of course Shi Wu Du does it right away. With a sigh, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng follow.
Shi Qing Xian is tied up in a gross prison with a bunch of incoherent, miserable, diseased humans, and a poisoned Ming Yi. They escape to the only other building in sight: The looming black palace of Black Water Xuan. Hua Cheng is very concerned about the rudeness of trespassing in the house of another demon. But all they find inside is shrine, in the centre of which is the skeleton of a man.
They find Black Water Xuan's teleportation room, but it only allows one person at a time. Shi Qing Xian and Ming Yi have some cute "no YOU do the safest thing" but Ming Yi stays behind because he's the only one any good at teleportation spells and they need to be reset each time. At the last minute Hua Cheng grabs onto Xie Lian, saying it's fine because he's not a living person.
Xie Lian and Hua Cheng arrive safe at Xie Lian's shrine. But when Xie Lian tries to contact the others...nothing. Noone in Heaven has heard from them either.
Xie Lian: Ah, I see. You reached an agreement with him a long time ago, didn't you?
Hua Cheng: Your highness, I'm sorry. I-
Xie Lian: I should be thanking you. Your agreement is obviously stopping you from telling me anything, but you've been helping me as much as you can. And you did warn me not to get involved.
Hua Cheng: But it's over now.
Xie Lian: Not quite. See you in a bit! *transfers his soul into Shi Qing Xian's body*
Hua Cheng, offscreen, suddenly holding Xie Lian's limp body: DAMMIT GE GE
Shi Qing Xian is running, panicked, from the other human prisoners, still on the island. Xie Lian says hi with Shi Qing Xian's own mouth, which Shi Qing Xian rolls with pretty well. Xie Lian knocks out all fifty or so prisoners and jumps lightly into the trees.
Shi Qing Xian: MARTIAL GODS ARE AWESOME! I WANT TO BE A MARTIAL GOD NOW :D
They bump into Ming Yi. Shi Qing Xian is relieved but Xie Lian is incredibly tense. He silently mouths to Shi Qing Xian "He's fake. He's the Venerable of Empty Words."
Shi Qing Xian: How?
Xie Lian: Black Water Xuan.
THAT'S RIGHT. BLACK WATER XUAN IS HE XUAN. THE GUY WHO HAD HIS LIFE RUINED SO THAT SHI WUING XUAN COULD BECOME A GOD. HE BECAME A MASS MURDERER AND THEN ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL DEMONS IN THE WORLD OUT OF SHEER SPITE, JUST SO HE COULD RUIN SHI QUING XUAN'S LIFE AND THEN EAT HIS MISERY.
AND HE'S BEEN MING YI THE WHOLE TIME.
BECAUSE THE REAL MING YI IS DEAD. HE IS THE CORPSE IN THE PALACE. THAT'S WHY "MING YI" IS SO AWKWARD ABOUT HIS SHOVEL.
AHHHHHHHH
And all I have of the next chapter is the title:
Ch.124: Unravel the Dead Knot; Water Master Battles Demon Xuan
TW: Violence
/o\
OH GOD IT UPDATED WHILE I WAS EDITING AND THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS I MISSED
(which Xie Lian is helpfully thinking over in his head)
OH GODDDDD I READ THE REST OF IT AHHHHHHHH
Ok, so! The consensus in Heaven is that Hua Cheng knows so much about godly goings on that he must have a spy in Heaven.
And now, a brief history of He Xuan aka "Ming Yi" aka The Venerable of Empty Words, as figured out by Xie Lian and unreliably summarised by me.
200ish years ago:
He Xuan and Shi Qing Xuan are born on the same day. Shi Qing Xuan's destiny was to be successful and happy but not anything massively remarkable. He Xuan's destiny was to become a god, or at least powerful enough that godhood was on the table.
The (original) Venerable of Empty Words settles on Shi Qing Xuan as a tasty child to torment and eat the ruined potential of, but is only able to recognise them via their birthday, (assigned :p) gender, and the name "Xuan".
Ten years later:
Shi Qing Xuan's family raise them as a girl to escape the Venerable, and this works until they're ten and inadvertently reveal their identity to it. From then on they are tormented constantly. Meanwhile, He Xuan is on his way to becoming a successful scholar.
15ish years later:
Shi Qing Xuan's older brother Shi Wu Du becomes a god on his own merits. He immediately starts looking into ways to use his power to save Shi Qing Xuan. He finds He Xuan, and swaps their destinies (it's not yet clear how), and sends the Venerable of Empty Words to harass He Xuan. Shi Qing's life becomes easy while the previously happy and successful He Xuan's life is ruined by the Venerable. He is bullied and his family all die.
3ish years later, in Autumn:
Sick of his mistreatment and misery, He Xuan murders his bullies, and dies of exhaustion, becoming a resentful ghost. On the same day, Shi Qing Xuan ascends to godhood.
Events whose timeline is unclear:
He Xuan works his way up the demon hierarchy and becomes the Supreme demon king Black Water Xuan.
He Xuan tracks down the Venerable of Empty Words that ruined his life and eats it, absorbing it's power.
He Xuan kidnaps the real Ming Yi and takes over his identity. He keeps the god alive to better learn his mannerisms and take advantage of his powers or something. The "Ming Yi" persona is reclusive and unfriendly. I think the original Ming Yi was like that too, making him a good target for identity theft. He Xuan acts embarrassed about Ming Yi's magic shovel to cover for not being able to use it properly.
He Xuan finds out exactly what happened, and vows revenge.
"Ming Yi" (He Xuan) befriends Shi Qing Xuan to better know how to torment them and Shi Wu Du.
He Xuan forms an alliance with Hua Cheng, becoming Hua Cheng's inside man in Heaven. Hua Cheng imprisons the real Ming Yi in Ghost City, and probably does some other stuff for He Xuan we don't know about yet.
Ten years ago:
He Xuan, as Ming Yi, is sent to spy on Hua Cheng for Heaven. They presumably both find this hilarious, and send back just enough info to Heaven to keep He Xuan's cover.
The present:
The real Ming Yi escapes Ghost City long enough to send a distress signal.
Xie Lian is sent to investigate. Hua Cheng locks "Ming Yi" (He Xuan) in a (relatively) easy to find dungeon and Xie Lian "rescues" him. Hua Cheng agrees not to interfere with He Xuan's plans in exchange for Xie Lian's safety.
The real Ming Yi dies, possibly as a result of his escape. He Xuan takes the body back to his lair to make sure he doesn't come back as a resentful ghost or something.
He Xuan starts tormenting Shi Qing Xuan as the Venerable again. He Xuan manipulates things so that Shi Qing Xuan learns about how awful He Xuan's life was, and chases them into the room they ascended in. No wonder Hua Cheng punched "Ming Yi" when the Venerable was chasing Xie-Lian-in-Shi-Qing-Xuan's-body.
He Xuan, acting as the Venerable, told Shi Qing Xuan that they are a fake god. Then he took the boat with Shi Qing Xuan and Shi Wu Du and used water magic to drag it to his lair. Here in He Xuan's lair, Shi Wu Du has less power, and if he is mortally wounded, he will die.
End of history.
Now Shi Qing Xuan is trapped alone with He Xuan in his lair, mortal and unprotected except for Xie Lian in their head. He Xuan says a bunch of stuff like "It's not the time to be afraid" that would normally feel like tsundere friendliness but now feel ominous. Xie Lian can feel Shi Qing Xuan trembling. All they have is the gps pendant they got from Shi Wu Du, one of a pair which activates when either of them is physically harmed.
He Xuan: We should use your pendant to call for Shi Wu Du, since the teleportation spell seems to have malfunctioned and sent you both back here.
Shi Qing Xuan: But that would require me...to be injured... D:
He Xuan, cheerfully slashing his own arm: That's fine, just lend it to me :)
Shi Qing Xuan: UH. It only works when I'm wearing it? (please don't stab me D:)
But then the pendant activates by itself: Shi Wu Du has been injured! They follow it, and find...one of the prisoners, beaten up and wearing Shi Wu Du's robes and pendant.
He Xuan: Wait, but...
Shi Wu Du, jumping from the shadows: DIE!! *shoots an energy bolt into his chest*
He Xuan, looking down at the giant hole in his chest: Tch.
Shi Wu Du and Shi Qing Xuan run for their lives. He Xuan follows at a leisurely pace, yet somehow catches up easily.
Shi Wu Du does some badass attacks with his magical water fan, but He Xuan's water powers are stronger here, and he calmly dodges everything, sucks the fan towards himself, and destroys it.
Everyone but me: OH NO
Me: Oh no he's hot
Shi Wu Du: Who are you?!
He Xuan: Lol, seriously?
Shi Wu Du: Black Water Xuan...I'm a river guy, you're an ocean guy, surely we can come to some sort of arrangement?
He Xuan: A few hundred years and you've already forgotten my face! Tell me, Water Tyrant, how many births did you flip through to find me?
Shi Wu Du: D: You're still alive?!
He Xuan: I'm dead >:(
And then he raises his hand and everything goes black.
Xie Lian wakes inside a shackled, miserable Shi Qing Xuan, surrounded by bedraggled sickly prisoners who keep touching them. Xie Lian tries to offer reassurance but discovers the powers he got from Hua Cheng are weirdly depleted. He's unable to speak and on the verge of being sent back to his body.
Next to Shi Qing Xuan is an altar with four urns, for He Xuan's father, mother, sister and fiance, all of whom died because of the Venerable. On the floor in front are the shredded Wind and Water fans...and a kneeling Shi Wu Du. He tries to stand and a coldly furious He Xuan stomps his head and forces him to kowtow to the urns.
Shi Qing Xuan cries out and He Xuan bends down to face him.
He Xuan: Is the Reverend of Empty Words scary?
Shi Qing Xuan: D:
Shi Wu Du: A man must answer to what he has done alone. This has nothing to do with my brother. He didn’t know anything about it!
He Xuan: WHY IS HE ALLOWED TO KNOW NOTHING?!
Shi Qing Xuan bows their head in shame. What right did they have to trample another’s bones to reach the skies, yet still maintain peace of mind?
In a quivering voice, Shi Qing Xuan says their pet name for Ming Yi, "Ming-xiong".
He Xuan shouts "SHUT UP! I gave you chances!"
And looking back, He Xuan repeatedly tried to persuade Shi Qing Xuan not to stand by their brother. But of course they always did.
Shi Qing Xuan: I'm sorry. I know it’s futile, but I…
He Xuan: But you still want to express your utmost sincerity, hoping that I would let go of this grudge?
Shi Qing Xuan: No! Ming… He… Young Master He. I know both my brother and I are in the wrong. At this point, there’s no turning back, so…
He Xuan: So. Are you willing to die for your sins?
Shi Wu Du: The offender is me! Qing Xuan’s sin doesn’t deserve death!
He Xuan: And who in my family deserved death? Tell me. Are you willing?
Shi Qing Xuan: ...I am.
He Xuan walks away, clenching his fists. He explains that the miserable wretches currently grasping at Shi Qing Xuan all have awful fates, the sort that drive people mad.
He offers them two choices:
1) Choose one of these men to swap fates with Shi Qing Xuan, then both return to Earth as mortals. Once the truth about all this comes out, Shi Wu Du will be banished, and unable to offer Shi Qing Xuan much help. So Shi Qing Xuan will quickly die a miserable death.
2) Shi Qing Xuan cuts off Shi Wu Du's head with a dull, rusty knife.
Shi Qing Xuan says option 1 wouldn't be so bad, after all they've already lived for hundreds of years. Shi Wu Du grasps the knife and pushes it into their hands, saying "Ask General Pei to look after you".
Shi Qing Xuan: Ge ge, haven’t we always taken cared of each other? Don’t give this thing to me! I CAN'T DO THIS!!
And so Shi Wu Du starts to strangle Shi Qing Xuan to death, saying "Qing Xuan! I can’t leave you alone like this! If I die there’s no way you’ll be able to survive in this world!"
He Xuan coldly says "Did I give you a third path?" and rips off Shi Wu Du's arms.
Even though he's bleeding to death, Shi Wu Du laughs. "Do you finally think you've taken your revenge? Be as mad as you want, it will never bring your family back. But we lived as heavenly officials for hundreds of years, so even if my brother dies he still profited."
Shi Wu Du: Ge ge, stop!
He Xuan: HAVE YOU NO REMORSE?
Shi Wu Du: EVERYTHING I HAVE TODAY, I FOUGHT FOR MYSELF. MY FATE IS UP TO ME AND NOT THE HEAVENS!
Shi Qing Xuan begs for mercy and is ignored. Shi Wu Du's last words are "Ge ge will go ahead first. I will wait for you down below. Hahahahaha…"
And then He Xuan rips off his head.
Shi Qing Xuan is splattered with blood, and screams themself to unconsciousness.
When they wake, He Xuan is watching them, with Shi Wu Du's lifeless head dangling from his hands.
He Xuan: Do you have anything else you want to say?
Shi Qing Xuan, softly: I want to die.
He Xuan: Dream on.
He reaches for Shi Qing Xuan, who closes their eyes, and everything goes black.
FUCK
(...I still ship it. SHH)
Xie Lian finds himself back at his shrine, in the arms of Hua Cheng, who is sucking out his spiritual power in "the most efficient way": by kissing him. Nice worldbuilding detail, MXTX.
Xie Lian knows Hua Cheng is just trying to keep him safe, but he's determined to get back to Shi Qing Xuan, so pins Hua Cheng to the ground and takes the power back through more kissing (IT'S JUST EFFICIENT).
The Green Goblin wanders past and shrieks in horror. Hua Cheng telekinetically slams him back into the house without letting go of Xie Lian, and is about to go back to kissing when Xie Lian casts the soul swap spell again...and hits a magical wall. Did He Xuan cast a barrier? Or is Shi Qing Xuan dead?
Xie Lian sighs and contacts Heaven. He travels back to He Xuan's lair with Quan Yi Zhen and a bunch of coffin boats.
Pei Ming, who's been building coffins this whole time: NOW you get here?
Quan Yi Zhen: It's amazing anyone showed up to save you at all.
But it turns out non of the coffins are needed: the magic of the lair has been dispersed. They find the bones of the real Ming Yi and the headless corpse of Shi Wu Du. Pei Ming angsts about Shi Wu Du while the other two search for Shi Qing Xuan to no avail.
Pei Ming: Why did Black Water Xuan kill him like this?
Xie Lian: His real name was He Xuan.
Pei Ming: ...oh >.>
Xie Lian returns home to his shrine, exhausted, but greets Hua Cheng with good cheer.
Hua Cheng: I thought you'd blame me.
Xie Lian: You were right, an outsider couldn't do anything. But...what do you think He Xuan will do to Shi Qing Xuan?
Hua Cheng: I don't know. Black Water is very eccentric. He's endured by himself for many years.
What kept He Xuan going was hatred. Xie Lian wonders: what sustains Hua Cheng?
(IT'S YOU, YOU DUMBASS)
I find the paralells between He Xuan and Hua Cheng really interesting. Even Xie Lian noticed them, and he doesn't know as much as we do.
Also, I like the repeated theme of people trying to defy fate, either for those they care about or for the greater good. It doesn't always end well, but going along with fate doesn't either.
I hope Shi Qing Xuan will eventually be ok D: I don't expect them to ever forgive He Xuan, I ship them in an angsty identity porn way where maybe they hooked up before and He Xuan felt VERY WEIRD ABOUT IT and Shi Qing Xuan thought this was because they weren't really into it so it didn't happen again. And now they both feel VERY CONFLICTED AND SAD.
But then He Xuan dies or something and Shi Qing Xuan works through their feelings and is ok.
I feel like there's more to whatever Pei Ming, Shi Wu Du and Ling Wen were covering up than just this. There's still half the book to go!
Shi Wu Du is like a version of Jiang Cheng from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation who actually got to be the protective, powerful older brother he wanted to be, instead of being a younger brother who never felt strong enough. But since Shi Wu Du's single minded focus on his family's well being was never hindered, he took it to a more horrifying extreme.
This took a little while because it was hard to find a natural stopping point that wasn't either in the middle of some plot or a MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER.
Content Notes for the book in general: consent issues, sexualisation of teenagers, gore, mixed treatment of cross-dressing, self harm (sort of), dead babies, incest subtext, ANGST
And under the cut: SPOILERS for part of Book 3, chapters 113-125
Before I start, a note about Shi Qing Xua's pronouns: the narrative uses "he" or "she" to match the form they're in. But I don't bother mentioning what form they're in half the time, so it would get confusing. And ancient Chinese didn't have gendered pronouns, so it's kind of arbitrary anyway.
Also: gods are humans who have gained power and immortality, but they can lose their powers or even die under certain circumstances I'm fuzzy on. Every god has a Magical Item they use to accentuate their powers. Xie Lian's is a sword he pawned off at one point, Shi Wu Du and Shi Qing Xuan use fans, Ming Yi uses a shovel.
Demons are dead people who have so much resentful energy they stuck around after death, and there are ways that they can gain more power and longevity (that I'm also fuzzy on, but afaict most involve murdering other demons). "Supreme" demon kings like Hua Cheng are the most powerful, and got that way by fighting to the death against thousands of other demons.
So!
Xie Lian notices that the road ahead is thick with the essence of evil. A hazy black silhouette resolves into an elaborate golden palanquin carried by huge golden skeletons.
Hua Cheng sent a ride to come pick him up!
Xie Lian thanks the skeletons politely, and is even polite to some ghosts who try to rob them before realising this is Hua Cheng's palanquin. He falls asleep and is woken by Hua Cheng gently saying his name and joining him in the palanquin. It's a snug fit and Hua Cheng takes the opportunity to snuggle up closely.
Hua Cheng: Ge ge, want to get married?
Xie Lian: Asjafdjgf
Hua Cheng: Just kidding ^_^
Xie Lian: Don't joke like that. (I feel sad about this joke? For some reason??)
Xia Lian starts talking about the whole thing with Shi Qing Xuan's brother Shi Wu Du acting weird, when Hua Cheng says "Do you trust me?"
Xie Lian: I do.
Hua Cheng: Then stay far away from Wind Master (Shi Qing Xuan), Water Master (Shi Wu Du), Earth Master (Ming Yi), Ling Wen, and Pei Ming.
And he refuses to explain.
Back home, Xie Lian actually has some prayers to answer, mostly along the lines of "Our ox broke it's leg and can't work the fields". But since he has no magic he has to just...go out and work the fields by hand.
Hua Cheng helps, very efficiently, somehow still looking elegant while wearing Xie Lian's extra work clothes, and implicitly enjoying the way exercise brings a flush to Xie Lian's pale cheeks. (Hua Cheng's cheeks do not flush, because he is dead)
Various farmers with unmarried daughters ask Xie Lian if "that little lad" is single.
Hua Cheng: I have a wife, virtuous and beautiful. A real noble and gracious special someone that I’ve liked since I was young. I’ve had that crush for many years and pursued really hard before I was able to win that person over.
Xie Lian: D: Uh. Is that true?
Hua Cheng: Partly. I haven’t won them over yet ;)
Xie Lian: *is suddenly very bad at planting rice for some reason*
Xie Lian tries contacting Shi Qing Xuan with no success. Instead, via Ling Wen, he gets a message that Shi Wu Du has given him a gift as thanks for helping his sibling.
It's a donation box full of gold bars, and feels suspiciously like a bribe.
Xie Lian goes to heaven and gives the gold bars to Ling Wen to return, then sneaks into Shi Qing Xuan's chambers. Where he sees...Shi Qing Xuan tied up and struggling?? And Shi Wu Du forcing some sort of black liquid down their throat???
AND THAT'S THE CLIFFHANGER ENDING OF THE MOST RECENT CHAPTER D: D:
*waits several days on tenterhooks*
IT WAS MEDICINE
And then I stopped writing recaps for a little bit. But at this point I thought Shi Qing Xuan was possessed or something.
Shi Wu Du leaves. Just as Xie Lian is trying to figure out how to break in, Shi Qing Xuan's bff Earthmaster Ming Yi shows up with his MAGIC SHOVEL. Which he usually doesn't bring with him because the other gods think a shovel is uncool. I think a magic shovel is cool, Ming Yi.
He digs an escape tunnel but folk above start stabbing them through the ground? Do they think these are intruders or do they know what's up?? Pei Ming makes chase but Quan Yi Zhen unexpectedly holds him off. (Who is...Quan Yi Zhen...ah! The hothead from the banquet we don't know much about! I KNEW WRITING HIS NAME DOWN WAS A GOOD IDEA)
Xie Lian brings them all back to his shrine. And there is a shirtless Hua Cheng doing chores.
Xie Lian, almost overcome by how hot he looks: AHHHHH
Hua Cheng, very slowly and languidly putting on a shirt: :D
Shi Qing Xuan: Um. You two are pretty much... hahaha >.>
Hua Cheng says that while he told Xie Lian to avoid Shi Qing Xuan, he also told him “Just keep doing what you want to do.” The two of them are VERY SHIPPY and the other two pretend not to notice.
They all end up at the nice Rain Master's quiet hut. And Xie Lian has a chance to explain what he's figured out: Shi Qing Xuan isn't a real God!!!!
I glossed over these earlier details because THERE ARE SO MANY DETAILS IN THIS BOOK, but before, the Venerable took them to an autumn festival about a ridiculously unlucky man who, about two hundred years ago, got sick of his bad luck and took revenge on everyone who bullied him. And Shi Qing Xuan ascended to godhood in autumn about two hundred years ago.
That unlucky man's name was He Xuan. He had the same birthday and name as Shi Qing Xuan, and so Shi Wu Du used him as a decoy for the Venerable. The Venerable sucked all the joy and luck from the other Xuan, leaving Shi Qing Xuan safe. And then...ok I'm fuzzy on this, but Shi Wu Du did a dark ritual (using He Xuan's murders?) to get Shi Qing Xuan into heaven, and various holy items to make him have godlike powers and immortality.
But ultimately, Shi Qing Xuan is a human. And it was never his destiny to be a god. That destiny was stolen from He Xuan.
If this got out both siblings would be ruined, which is why Shi Qing Xuan wanted to become mortal again, to keep their brother safe. They didn't know about all this before but now they do, they don't want their brother to suffer.
And the scandal would have huge ripples through Heaven: how many other "gods" are really human? Who else was involved in the injustice and it's cover-up? Ling Wen seems like she must have known... This is presumably why Ling Wen and Pei Ming are helping cover things up.
Another thing Xi Lian figures out: the one who was chasing them was not the original Venerable. Venerables aren't that strong and knowledgable. It was He Xuan, now a resentful ghost, who ate the Venerable and absorbed it's powers.
Poor Shi Qing Xuan :( And they seem like a good god! This system sucks.
Grumpy old general Pei Ming shows up, saying that Shi Wu Du is so stressed about Shi Qing Xuan going missing that he's in danger of failing his current Calamity (basically an exam he has to pass to keep being a god) The resulting storm has become strangely powerful, and hundreds of local fishermen are in danger.
Apparently calamities are a real thing from Chinese mythology? Imagine if Jesus could theoretically fail his next exam and not be a god any more.
Despite Ming Yi's grumpy attempts to get him to stay safe, Shi Qing Xuan insists on seeing their brother, and they all end up on a magic boat. Hua Cheng disguises himself as a human attendant to Xie Lian and Pei Ming flirts with the hotter female fishermen as they bring them all to safety.
Shi Qing Xuan: Sup bro >.>
Shi Wu Du, pausing his fight with giant water dragons: THERE YOU ARE!! WILL YOU ONLY BE HAPPY WHEN I DIE FROM STRESS?!
Shi Qing Xuan: But...I just...*sigh*
Now, way back when we first heard about Hua Cheng, we found out he's one of four especially scary demons (also called "Calamities", which is unfortunate) Here's the summary I wrote for the character guide I finally got around to making:
- Hua Cheng/Crimson Rain Sought Flower: A one eyed demon king who rules the Ghost City. Xie Lian's love interest.
- White No Face/White Clothed Calamity/Bai Wu Xiang: Goes around all in white in a white mask being creepy.
- Black Water Xuan/Black Water Sinking Ships: Reclusive water demon.
- The Green Goblin/Night-Touring Green Lantern/Qi Rong: Gross, nasty, and whiny.
And somehow, they have drifted into Ship Sinking Black Water's territory. Guess what starts happening to their ship...
Hua Cheng: The only wood that floats in this domain is coffin wood.
Pei Ming: This little human of yours sure knows a lot, Xie Lian
Hua Cheng: You just know too little ^_^
Shi Wu Du: Don't worry, Shi Qing Xuan, ge ge will build you a coffin!
Hua Cheng: It needs to have held a dead body :)
They barely escape the boat on flying swords/shovels etc (Xie Lian is way more quietly amused by Ming Yi being shaky flying on his shovel than I think a god of trash has any right to be)
But then they're attacked by GIANT SKELETAL FISH DRAGONS and get separated.
Xie Lian is holding tight to Hua Cheng on his flying sword, and is all "I'll protect you" before remembering Hua Cheng is 1000% more powerful. Hua Cheng swoons ironically, then defeats the dragons by glaring at them.
Hua Cheng and Xie Lian wash up on an island. But Hua Cheng is unconscious and won't wake up!
Despite knowing full well that Hua Cheng is an incredibly powerful undead demon, Xie Lian panics and convinces himself that Hua Cheng's human disguise might have drowned. TIME FOR SOME TOTALLY NECESSARY CPR.
The features on this face was beyond stunning. Cupping Hua Cheng’s face like this and thinking about what he was about to do next made it extremely difficult for Xie Lian to calm his poor heart...He managed to squeeze out, in barely more than a whisper, “ … I apologize in advance.”
His voice was practically shaking when he said it. He clasped his hands together to make a silent prayer before bending down with closed eyes and pressed his lips against Hua Cheng’s.
When he opens his eyes Hua Cheng (who was just playing dead) is staring at him, stunned. They stare at each other for a while and then Xie Lian shouts out an apology and runs away, nearly getting shot by some ghost guards.
Hua Cheng explains that this island is the heart of the Ship Sinking Black Water's territory, where even Hua Cheng's power is limited. Demon lords usually avoid each other and he clearly doesn't like being here.
So they do the obvious thing, and build a coffin!
Xie Lian: You're so talented, that special someone really lucked out.
Hua Cheng: I lucked out to have met them.
Xie Lian: How come you haven’t won them over yet? (Who could resist anyone as awesome as Hua Cheng? What's wrong with them?!)
Hua Cheng: Truth is, I’m afraid.
Xie Lian: But you’re a Supreme Demon King, Crimson Rain Sought Flower!
Hua Cheng: What shitty demon king? If I was really that awesome, I wouldn’t have been so powerless when people humiliated me hundreds of years ago. That person saw me at my worst.
Xie Lian: There was also a period of time in my life that wasn’t easy, and during that time, I’d constantly think if someone should witness it and still love me for who I was, it’d be great. But what matters is ‘you’ and not ‘how’ you are. I… admire you very much, so, I want to understand your everything. I’m envious that someone had already met that kind of you. It’s an affinity that only comes by chance and couldn't be begged for, and whether if that bond should continue, it’s three part fate, and seven part courage!
(yes it was so cute I basically just cut and pasted the whole thing, shh)
The coffin is a tight fit, and Xie Lian feels self conscious about how close they are (Hua Cheng just takes the opportunity to hug Xie Lian to his chest)
Xie Lian: How about you on top and me on the bottom?
Hua Cheng: Isn’t top and bottom the same?
Me: *waggles eyebrows*
The coffin is thrown about by waves and monsters. They are forced to embrace very closely, and the way their bodies rub against each other is described in great detail. Reading between the lines, Xie Lian tries to hide how turned on he is but Hua Cheng is trying to do the same, and in the end they both decide it's preferable to just break the coffin and take their chances with the sea.
So they end up back on the island. OH WELL.
But now Shi Wu Du and Pei Ming are there as well!
Xie Lian: THE COFFIN WAS TOO SMALL, OK?
Shi Wu Du: Coffin? What?
Pei Ming: So...why didn't you make it bigger? Also, didn't you say it needed a corpse to float?
Xie Lian: ...um.
Hua Cheng: If you’re so concerned with who’s dead, I suggest you go kill yourself ^_^
Pei Ming: I knew it! You're Crimson Rain Sought Flower! D:<
Xie Lian manages to calm things down, and asks after Shi Qing Xuan. They turn out to be with Ming Yi, and Shi Wu Du goes on a rant about "that mediocre earth god"
OH GOD I TOOK A BREAK FROM SUMMARISING FOR A BIT AND NOW I AM FULL OF FEELINGS
Also, goddamn MXTX, all these plot details I glossed over turned out to be important. Stop making me think, I'm having a cfs flare.
OK. I WILL DO MY BEST WITH A TIRED BRAIN.
None of them have much magical power here except Hua Cheng (because he's a demon?) So he gives some magic to Xie Lian. Now Xie Lian has the advantage over the other gods: he's used to having to fight ghost minions etc with his actual fists. Since there's spell on the island blocking teleportation and sending psychic messages, Pei Ming goes off to make coffin escape boats using a handy dead minion.
Shi Wu Du has a Shi Qing Xuan gps tracker because of course he does. It leads them to a seemingly featureless lake. But looking in the reflection on the water: a dark tower! And Shi Qing Xuan calling for help from a tiny window!
Jumping into the lake is pretty obviously a one way trip and a bad idea so of course Shi Wu Du does it right away. With a sigh, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng follow.
Shi Qing Xian is tied up in a gross prison with a bunch of incoherent, miserable, diseased humans, and a poisoned Ming Yi. They escape to the only other building in sight: The looming black palace of Black Water Xuan. Hua Cheng is very concerned about the rudeness of trespassing in the house of another demon. But all they find inside is shrine, in the centre of which is the skeleton of a man.
They find Black Water Xuan's teleportation room, but it only allows one person at a time. Shi Qing Xian and Ming Yi have some cute "no YOU do the safest thing" but Ming Yi stays behind because he's the only one any good at teleportation spells and they need to be reset each time. At the last minute Hua Cheng grabs onto Xie Lian, saying it's fine because he's not a living person.
Xie Lian and Hua Cheng arrive safe at Xie Lian's shrine. But when Xie Lian tries to contact the others...nothing. Noone in Heaven has heard from them either.
Xie Lian: Ah, I see. You reached an agreement with him a long time ago, didn't you?
Hua Cheng: Your highness, I'm sorry. I-
Xie Lian: I should be thanking you. Your agreement is obviously stopping you from telling me anything, but you've been helping me as much as you can. And you did warn me not to get involved.
Hua Cheng: But it's over now.
Xie Lian: Not quite. See you in a bit! *transfers his soul into Shi Qing Xian's body*
Hua Cheng, offscreen, suddenly holding Xie Lian's limp body: DAMMIT GE GE
Shi Qing Xian is running, panicked, from the other human prisoners, still on the island. Xie Lian says hi with Shi Qing Xian's own mouth, which Shi Qing Xian rolls with pretty well. Xie Lian knocks out all fifty or so prisoners and jumps lightly into the trees.
Shi Qing Xian: MARTIAL GODS ARE AWESOME! I WANT TO BE A MARTIAL GOD NOW :D
They bump into Ming Yi. Shi Qing Xian is relieved but Xie Lian is incredibly tense. He silently mouths to Shi Qing Xian "He's fake. He's the Venerable of Empty Words."
Shi Qing Xian: How?
Xie Lian: Black Water Xuan.
THAT'S RIGHT. BLACK WATER XUAN IS HE XUAN. THE GUY WHO HAD HIS LIFE RUINED SO THAT SHI WUING XUAN COULD BECOME A GOD. HE BECAME A MASS MURDERER AND THEN ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL DEMONS IN THE WORLD OUT OF SHEER SPITE, JUST SO HE COULD RUIN SHI QUING XUAN'S LIFE AND THEN EAT HIS MISERY.
AND HE'S BEEN MING YI THE WHOLE TIME.
BECAUSE THE REAL MING YI IS DEAD. HE IS THE CORPSE IN THE PALACE. THAT'S WHY "MING YI" IS SO AWKWARD ABOUT HIS SHOVEL.
MXTX note: The Wind Master had never met the real Ming Yi; the one before him had always been the one person, and it’s the same for all of you too.
Certified number one best actor of this book!
AHHHHHHHH
And all I have of the next chapter is the title:
Ch.124: Unravel the Dead Knot; Water Master Battles Demon Xuan
TW: Violence
/o\
OH GOD IT UPDATED WHILE I WAS EDITING AND THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS I MISSED
(which Xie Lian is helpfully thinking over in his head)
OH GODDDDD I READ THE REST OF IT AHHHHHHHH
Ok, so! The consensus in Heaven is that Hua Cheng knows so much about godly goings on that he must have a spy in Heaven.
And now, a brief history of He Xuan aka "Ming Yi" aka The Venerable of Empty Words, as figured out by Xie Lian and unreliably summarised by me.
200ish years ago:
He Xuan and Shi Qing Xuan are born on the same day. Shi Qing Xuan's destiny was to be successful and happy but not anything massively remarkable. He Xuan's destiny was to become a god, or at least powerful enough that godhood was on the table.
The (original) Venerable of Empty Words settles on Shi Qing Xuan as a tasty child to torment and eat the ruined potential of, but is only able to recognise them via their birthday, (assigned :p) gender, and the name "Xuan".
Ten years later:
Shi Qing Xuan's family raise them as a girl to escape the Venerable, and this works until they're ten and inadvertently reveal their identity to it. From then on they are tormented constantly. Meanwhile, He Xuan is on his way to becoming a successful scholar.
15ish years later:
Shi Qing Xuan's older brother Shi Wu Du becomes a god on his own merits. He immediately starts looking into ways to use his power to save Shi Qing Xuan. He finds He Xuan, and swaps their destinies (it's not yet clear how), and sends the Venerable of Empty Words to harass He Xuan. Shi Qing's life becomes easy while the previously happy and successful He Xuan's life is ruined by the Venerable. He is bullied and his family all die.
3ish years later, in Autumn:
Sick of his mistreatment and misery, He Xuan murders his bullies, and dies of exhaustion, becoming a resentful ghost. On the same day, Shi Qing Xuan ascends to godhood.
Events whose timeline is unclear:
He Xuan works his way up the demon hierarchy and becomes the Supreme demon king Black Water Xuan.
He Xuan tracks down the Venerable of Empty Words that ruined his life and eats it, absorbing it's power.
He Xuan kidnaps the real Ming Yi and takes over his identity. He keeps the god alive to better learn his mannerisms and take advantage of his powers or something. The "Ming Yi" persona is reclusive and unfriendly. I think the original Ming Yi was like that too, making him a good target for identity theft. He Xuan acts embarrassed about Ming Yi's magic shovel to cover for not being able to use it properly.
He Xuan finds out exactly what happened, and vows revenge.
"Ming Yi" (He Xuan) befriends Shi Qing Xuan to better know how to torment them and Shi Wu Du.
He Xuan forms an alliance with Hua Cheng, becoming Hua Cheng's inside man in Heaven. Hua Cheng imprisons the real Ming Yi in Ghost City, and probably does some other stuff for He Xuan we don't know about yet.
Ten years ago:
He Xuan, as Ming Yi, is sent to spy on Hua Cheng for Heaven. They presumably both find this hilarious, and send back just enough info to Heaven to keep He Xuan's cover.
The present:
The real Ming Yi escapes Ghost City long enough to send a distress signal.
Xie Lian is sent to investigate. Hua Cheng locks "Ming Yi" (He Xuan) in a (relatively) easy to find dungeon and Xie Lian "rescues" him. Hua Cheng agrees not to interfere with He Xuan's plans in exchange for Xie Lian's safety.
The real Ming Yi dies, possibly as a result of his escape. He Xuan takes the body back to his lair to make sure he doesn't come back as a resentful ghost or something.
He Xuan starts tormenting Shi Qing Xuan as the Venerable again. He Xuan manipulates things so that Shi Qing Xuan learns about how awful He Xuan's life was, and chases them into the room they ascended in. No wonder Hua Cheng punched "Ming Yi" when the Venerable was chasing Xie-Lian-in-Shi-Qing-Xuan's-body.
He Xuan, acting as the Venerable, told Shi Qing Xuan that they are a fake god. Then he took the boat with Shi Qing Xuan and Shi Wu Du and used water magic to drag it to his lair. Here in He Xuan's lair, Shi Wu Du has less power, and if he is mortally wounded, he will die.
End of history.
Now Shi Qing Xuan is trapped alone with He Xuan in his lair, mortal and unprotected except for Xie Lian in their head. He Xuan says a bunch of stuff like "It's not the time to be afraid" that would normally feel like tsundere friendliness but now feel ominous. Xie Lian can feel Shi Qing Xuan trembling. All they have is the gps pendant they got from Shi Wu Du, one of a pair which activates when either of them is physically harmed.
He Xuan: We should use your pendant to call for Shi Wu Du, since the teleportation spell seems to have malfunctioned and sent you both back here.
Shi Qing Xuan: But that would require me...to be injured... D:
He Xuan, cheerfully slashing his own arm: That's fine, just lend it to me :)
Shi Qing Xuan: UH. It only works when I'm wearing it? (please don't stab me D:)
But then the pendant activates by itself: Shi Wu Du has been injured! They follow it, and find...one of the prisoners, beaten up and wearing Shi Wu Du's robes and pendant.
He Xuan: Wait, but...
Shi Wu Du, jumping from the shadows: DIE!! *shoots an energy bolt into his chest*
He Xuan, looking down at the giant hole in his chest: Tch.
Shi Wu Du and Shi Qing Xuan run for their lives. He Xuan follows at a leisurely pace, yet somehow catches up easily.
Shi Wu Du does some badass attacks with his magical water fan, but He Xuan's water powers are stronger here, and he calmly dodges everything, sucks the fan towards himself, and destroys it.
His entire person seemed to be going through an intricate transformation. With every step a change happened. That already blanched face seemed to be even paler, the same bloodless translucence like Hua Cheng, and his forehead becoming sharper, his brows deeper, which, naturally, made him appear even more somber. On the hems of his once plain black robes silently and inconspicuously grew patterns of waves weaved by thin threads, shimmering a mysterious silver glow. Once he had come before the Wind and Water Masters, his face was still about the same, but he was already a completely different person.
The Earth Master wasn’t a martial god so he was no good in martial arts, his spiritual powers average. However, the one before them now, was obviously neither.
Everyone but me: OH NO
Me: Oh no he's hot
Shi Wu Du: Who are you?!
He Xuan: Lol, seriously?
Shi Wu Du: Black Water Xuan...I'm a river guy, you're an ocean guy, surely we can come to some sort of arrangement?
He Xuan: A few hundred years and you've already forgotten my face! Tell me, Water Tyrant, how many births did you flip through to find me?
Shi Wu Du: D: You're still alive?!
He Xuan: I'm dead >:(
And then he raises his hand and everything goes black.
Xie Lian wakes inside a shackled, miserable Shi Qing Xuan, surrounded by bedraggled sickly prisoners who keep touching them. Xie Lian tries to offer reassurance but discovers the powers he got from Hua Cheng are weirdly depleted. He's unable to speak and on the verge of being sent back to his body.
Next to Shi Qing Xuan is an altar with four urns, for He Xuan's father, mother, sister and fiance, all of whom died because of the Venerable. On the floor in front are the shredded Wind and Water fans...and a kneeling Shi Wu Du. He tries to stand and a coldly furious He Xuan stomps his head and forces him to kowtow to the urns.
Shi Qing Xuan cries out and He Xuan bends down to face him.
He Xuan: Is the Reverend of Empty Words scary?
Shi Qing Xuan: D:
Shi Wu Du: A man must answer to what he has done alone. This has nothing to do with my brother. He didn’t know anything about it!
He Xuan: WHY IS HE ALLOWED TO KNOW NOTHING?!
Shi Qing Xuan bows their head in shame. What right did they have to trample another’s bones to reach the skies, yet still maintain peace of mind?
In a quivering voice, Shi Qing Xuan says their pet name for Ming Yi, "Ming-xiong".
He Xuan shouts "SHUT UP! I gave you chances!"
And looking back, He Xuan repeatedly tried to persuade Shi Qing Xuan not to stand by their brother. But of course they always did.
Shi Qing Xuan: I'm sorry. I know it’s futile, but I…
He Xuan: But you still want to express your utmost sincerity, hoping that I would let go of this grudge?
Shi Qing Xuan: No! Ming… He… Young Master He. I know both my brother and I are in the wrong. At this point, there’s no turning back, so…
He Xuan: So. Are you willing to die for your sins?
Shi Wu Du: The offender is me! Qing Xuan’s sin doesn’t deserve death!
He Xuan: And who in my family deserved death? Tell me. Are you willing?
Shi Qing Xuan: ...I am.
He Xuan walks away, clenching his fists. He explains that the miserable wretches currently grasping at Shi Qing Xuan all have awful fates, the sort that drive people mad.
He offers them two choices:
1) Choose one of these men to swap fates with Shi Qing Xuan, then both return to Earth as mortals. Once the truth about all this comes out, Shi Wu Du will be banished, and unable to offer Shi Qing Xuan much help. So Shi Qing Xuan will quickly die a miserable death.
2) Shi Qing Xuan cuts off Shi Wu Du's head with a dull, rusty knife.
Shi Qing Xuan says option 1 wouldn't be so bad, after all they've already lived for hundreds of years. Shi Wu Du grasps the knife and pushes it into their hands, saying "Ask General Pei to look after you".
Shi Qing Xuan: Ge ge, haven’t we always taken cared of each other? Don’t give this thing to me! I CAN'T DO THIS!!
And so Shi Wu Du starts to strangle Shi Qing Xuan to death, saying "Qing Xuan! I can’t leave you alone like this! If I die there’s no way you’ll be able to survive in this world!"
He Xuan coldly says "Did I give you a third path?" and rips off Shi Wu Du's arms.
Even though he's bleeding to death, Shi Wu Du laughs. "Do you finally think you've taken your revenge? Be as mad as you want, it will never bring your family back. But we lived as heavenly officials for hundreds of years, so even if my brother dies he still profited."
Shi Wu Du: Ge ge, stop!
He Xuan: HAVE YOU NO REMORSE?
Shi Wu Du: EVERYTHING I HAVE TODAY, I FOUGHT FOR MYSELF. MY FATE IS UP TO ME AND NOT THE HEAVENS!
Shi Qing Xuan begs for mercy and is ignored. Shi Wu Du's last words are "Ge ge will go ahead first. I will wait for you down below. Hahahahaha…"
And then He Xuan rips off his head.
Shi Qing Xuan is splattered with blood, and screams themself to unconsciousness.
When they wake, He Xuan is watching them, with Shi Wu Du's lifeless head dangling from his hands.
He Xuan: Do you have anything else you want to say?
Shi Qing Xuan, softly: I want to die.
He Xuan: Dream on.
He reaches for Shi Qing Xuan, who closes their eyes, and everything goes black.
FUCK
(...I still ship it. SHH)
Xie Lian finds himself back at his shrine, in the arms of Hua Cheng, who is sucking out his spiritual power in "the most efficient way": by kissing him. Nice worldbuilding detail, MXTX.
Xie Lian knows Hua Cheng is just trying to keep him safe, but he's determined to get back to Shi Qing Xuan, so pins Hua Cheng to the ground and takes the power back through more kissing (IT'S JUST EFFICIENT).
The Green Goblin wanders past and shrieks in horror. Hua Cheng telekinetically slams him back into the house without letting go of Xie Lian, and is about to go back to kissing when Xie Lian casts the soul swap spell again...and hits a magical wall. Did He Xuan cast a barrier? Or is Shi Qing Xuan dead?
Xie Lian sighs and contacts Heaven. He travels back to He Xuan's lair with Quan Yi Zhen and a bunch of coffin boats.
Pei Ming, who's been building coffins this whole time: NOW you get here?
Quan Yi Zhen: It's amazing anyone showed up to save you at all.
But it turns out non of the coffins are needed: the magic of the lair has been dispersed. They find the bones of the real Ming Yi and the headless corpse of Shi Wu Du. Pei Ming angsts about Shi Wu Du while the other two search for Shi Qing Xuan to no avail.
Pei Ming: Why did Black Water Xuan kill him like this?
Xie Lian: His real name was He Xuan.
Pei Ming: ...oh >.>
Xie Lian returns home to his shrine, exhausted, but greets Hua Cheng with good cheer.
Hua Cheng: I thought you'd blame me.
Xie Lian: You were right, an outsider couldn't do anything. But...what do you think He Xuan will do to Shi Qing Xuan?
Hua Cheng: I don't know. Black Water is very eccentric. He's endured by himself for many years.
What kept He Xuan going was hatred. Xie Lian wonders: what sustains Hua Cheng?
(IT'S YOU, YOU DUMBASS)
I find the paralells between He Xuan and Hua Cheng really interesting. Even Xie Lian noticed them, and he doesn't know as much as we do.
Also, I like the repeated theme of people trying to defy fate, either for those they care about or for the greater good. It doesn't always end well, but going along with fate doesn't either.
I hope Shi Qing Xuan will eventually be ok D: I don't expect them to ever forgive He Xuan, I ship them in an angsty identity porn way where maybe they hooked up before and He Xuan felt VERY WEIRD ABOUT IT and Shi Qing Xuan thought this was because they weren't really into it so it didn't happen again. And now they both feel VERY CONFLICTED AND SAD.
But then He Xuan dies or something and Shi Qing Xuan works through their feelings and is ok.
I feel like there's more to whatever Pei Ming, Shi Wu Du and Ling Wen were covering up than just this. There's still half the book to go!
Shi Wu Du is like a version of Jiang Cheng from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation who actually got to be the protective, powerful older brother he wanted to be, instead of being a younger brother who never felt strong enough. But since Shi Wu Du's single minded focus on his family's well being was never hindered, he took it to a more horrifying extreme.
