The man in red had a slender silver scimitar hanging from his waist. It was Hua Cheng. As he walked, he said, "Brother, you're so hard to find me."
He returned the same way he had left, except that the scimitar that had once hung at his waist was now unsheathed, dangling with its scabbard on the hem of his bright red robe. It clanged as he walked, a truly arrogant gesture. And the silver eye on the hilt of the Fateless Blade was closed. Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief, paused, and said slowly, "I wanted to go see Ying, but your house is too big, so I took the wrong path."
He originally wanted to tell Huacheng what had just happened, but when the words came to his lips, he turned around and swallowed them.
The masked man's movements were strange, obviously to conceal his presence. But whose eyes and ears were he concealing? Others? Hua Cheng's? Or...his?
Xie Lian hadn't forgotten that he had come to the Ghost Market to investigate the whereabouts of the missing priest. He couldn't let any suspicious clues go unnoticed, so he decided not to alert the enemy for now and instead find a way to enter this door and take a look. If it wasn't related to this matter, he would immediately inform Hua Cheng of his subordinate's unusual movements; and if it was related...
He was still pondering as Hua Cheng led him back, saying, "If you still want to see that young man, I'll send someone to bring him up. Just go back to the Paradise Palace and wait."
Perhaps because he was hiding something from the other person, Xie Lian's tone towards Hua Cheng softened involuntarily. He asked, "You've finished things so quickly?"
Hua Cheng said with a hint of disdain, "It's been dealt with. But it's just another bunch of losers embarrassing themselves."
Hearing him say "trash" sounded very familiar, Xie Lian guessed, "Green Ghost Qi Rong?"
Hua Cheng smiled and said, "That's right. Didn't I tell you that everyone has their eyes on this place? Qi Rong has been wanting the Ghost Market for a year or two, but unfortunately, he can only dream about it at best. He's so jealous that he often sends idiots like him to mess things up. It's nothing new."
The two of them talked as they walked. This time, Xie Lian memorized the route carefully. They returned to the Paradise Hall. Not long after, Ying was brought up again by two girls.
After a quick wash and freshening up, he changed into clean clothes and snow-white bandages. Although his head and face were still tightly wrapped, he looked a bit refreshed. From this perspective, the young man had slender limbs and a delicate figure, and should have been a promising talent. However, he now looked timid, hunched over, with his head lowered, not daring to look up. Xie Lian couldn't help but feel sad.
He pulled the young man to sit down and said, "Miss Xiaoying's last words seemed to indicate that she was entrusting you to me, and I have agreed to her request. However, I still need to ask your wishes. From now on, are you willing to practice with me?"
The young man stared at him blankly, seemingly unable to believe that someone would be willing to teach him. Xie Lian added, "Though the conditions back home aren't great, I can guarantee you won't have to hide around, steal food, or get beaten up."
When he said this, he didn't notice that Hua Cheng beside him was squinting his eyes and staring coldly at the young man, his eyes full of scrutiny.
Ying's eyes held a mixture of hesitation and anticipation. Xie Lian knew he might still be hesitant to believe it for a while, so he decided to talk more and take things slowly. He patted his shoulder, thought for a moment, and said gently, "Remember Miss Ying. Naming yourself 'Ying' is great, but it still lacks a surname. The surname of the Yong'an Kingdom is Lang, so why not take a new name and call yourself Lang Ying?"
The young man nodded slowly. As he nodded, a rumbling sound erupted from his stomach. He immediately lowered his head, as if in embarrassment. Seeing this, Xie Lian felt doubly sad. "This child must be hundreds of years old. I don't know by what chance or coincidence he's been transformed into a living ghost, left in this world. I wonder if this is to extend his life or to teach him to suffer." Just as he was about to look for something to eat for him, he saw a swarm of beautiful women pouring into the Paradise Palace.
These were naturally arranged by Hua Cheng. Each of the girls held a jade tray, filled with a variety of delicacies, fine wines, fresh fruits, and snacks. With graceful steps, they moved around the hall like a revolving lantern. As each one passed the black jade couch, they presented the jade tray and placed it on the table. Lang Ying only watched, not daring to touch. Xie Lian then pushed a few plates towards him, and he slowly began to eat.
Looking at the young man, Xie Lian suddenly recalled a scene. It was a young man with his face covered in bandages, grimy and dirty, squatting on the ground, holding an offering plate in his hands, secretly eating the fruit on the plate with his head down.
This was a scene he had witnessed many years ago. Perhaps it was because of some similarities with the scene before him that he remembered it again at this moment. Xie Lian shook his head gently, as if trying to banish the image from his mind. At this moment, a graceful girl in a purple gauze dress brought a wine cup. Hua Cheng raised his hand, poured him a cup, and said, "Have a drink?"
Xie Lian, distracted by something, casually took the drink and shoved it down his throat. As soon as he realized it was wine, he turned his gaze back. Unexpectedly, he saw the woman behind Hua Cheng flirting at him.
He sprayed on the spot: "Puff——"
Luckily, he had already swallowed the wine, so nothing came out. He just choked and started coughing. Lang Ying was also startled by him, and the cake in her hand fell to the table. Xie Lian coughed and said to him, "It's okay. It's okay."
Hua Cheng patted his back gently and said, "What's the matter? Is this wine not to your taste?"
Xie Lian hurriedly said, “No! The wine is fine. It’s just that I suddenly remembered that to cultivate my way, I must give up drinking.”
Hua Cheng said, "Oh? That's my fault. I didn't consider this and made my brother break his rules."
Xie Lian said, "It's none of your business. I forgot."
He rubbed his brows, turned around, and glanced inconspicuously towards the center of the hall.
The woman who brought the wine cups had her back to him as she walked forward gracefully, her posture and gait truly charming. Hua Cheng was preoccupied with his own tasks or concentrating on watching him, not even glancing at these beautiful women, let alone their faces. However, Xie Lian's casual glance just now had seen everything clearly.
Could it be that the girl delivering the wine is none other than Wind Master Qingxuan?
To infiltrate Paradise, Master Feng had even gone so far as to disguise himself as a woman... Xie Lian was genuinely startled by that alluring glance, and he thought to himself, "Just bring me some wine to calm my nerves." Then, Hua Cheng casually said, "As for cultivating the Dao? I used to think it was about seeking a carefree and carefree existence. If it means abstaining from this and that, it's better not to cultivate at all. What do you think?"
Xie Lian quickly regained his composure and replied nonchalantly, "That depends on what kind of cultivation path you're practicing. Some sects don't emphasize these things. But in my way, the custom is to abstain from alcohol and sexual intercourse. While alcohol is acceptable occasionally, the latter is absolutely forbidden."
When he mentioned the word "abstain from lust", Hua Cheng's right eyebrow slightly raised. It was hard to say whether it was a look of joy or an expression of feeling a little troubled.
Xie Lian added, "Actually, there's another thing you can do: avoid anger. For example, in a casino, extreme joy and sorrow can easily lead to anger, so you should avoid that as well. But if you can control your mind and remain calm regardless of wins or losses, then there's no need to deliberately give up gambling."
Hua Cheng laughed and said, "No wonder brother is still interested in going to the gambling house."
After much circling, Xie Lian finally brought the topic naturally to the word "gambling," saying, "Speaking of which, Sanlang's gambling skills are truly incredible."
Hua Cheng chuckled and said, "Nothing special, just good luck."
“…”
Xie Lian couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when he compared himself to him. He coughed softly and said, "Look, I just..." He waved his hand and said, "I'm really curious. I wonder if there really is any secret method to rolling the dice?"
If not, Hua Cheng wouldn't have let him get whatever he wanted in the gambling house. The masked man certainly wouldn't have been able to roll two sixes in one go. Hua Cheng smiled and said, "Of course there are secret methods, but they're not something you can achieve overnight."
Xie Lian had more or less expected this answer. He hadn't held out much hope in the first place, and was just about to think of another solution when Hua Cheng added, "However, I can tell you a quick fix. Brother Bao is adept at it, and you'll never lose a single battle."
Xie Lian asked, “What method?”
Hua Cheng raised his right hand. It was this right hand that had the red string tied to its third finger. The string was tied into a small, vibrant butterfly knot on the back of his hand. He held out his hand and said to Xie Lian, "Give me your hand."
Xie Lian didn't understand what was going on, but since Hua Cheng had told him to, he gave it to him. Hua Cheng squeezed his hand for a moment, then smiled faintly. He flipped his hand, threw out two dice, and said, "Try it?"
Xie Lian suddenly understood. He silently chanted "double six" in his mind, took out the dice and threw them. Beep! Sure enough, they landed on two bright red sixes.
Looking up again, Xie Lian said, "So luck, like magic power, can also be borrowed."
Hua Cheng smiled and said, "Next time, if you want to bet with someone, come to me first. I'll lend you as much as you want."
The Ghost Market seemed to be perpetually dark, with no daylight year-round. The two of them played dozens of random games facing each other. Xie Lian said he was tired, and Hua Cheng got up. He sent for Lang Ying to settle her down, then personally took Xie Lian to the guest house. Despite his thoughtfulness, Xie Lian thought about exploring the secrets of Paradise Square. He watched the red-clad figure slowly walk away, feeling a pang of guilt. He closed the door, sat at the table, and held his forehead, thinking, "I hope this incident truly has nothing to do with San Lang. Once I find out the truth, I'll immediately confess and apologize to him."
After sitting for a while, I heard someone calling faintly from outside the door: "Your Highness... Your Highness..."
Upon hearing the voice, Xie Lian immediately went to open the door. The person outside suddenly jumped in. It was Shi Qingxuan.
She was still dressed as a ghost girl, a light gauze dress with a slim waist. As soon as she came in, she rolled to the ground and turned back into a man. She covered her chest and said, "Suffocation! Suffocation! Oh my god, I'm going to be strangled to death by this thing!"
Xie Lian closed the door behind him and turned around to see a man in an eerie purple gauze gown lying on the ground, furiously tearing at his bra and corset. He couldn't bear to look at it, so he covered his eyes and said, "Master Wind Master... Master Wind Master! Can't you change back into your original Taoist robes?"
Shi Qingxuan said, "Am I stupid? Wearing a bright white Taoist robe in the dark, I want to be a target for others to shoot at?"
Xie Lian thought to himself, “No… In a sense, you’re a more conspicuous target when you’re dressed like this…”
He didn't see Lang Qianqiu, so he squatted down and asked, "Where's His Highness Taihua? You left him outside alone, don't let anything happen to him again."
Shi Qingxuan tore off his chest binder, finally catching his breath, and collapsed on the ground, saying, "Don't worry. I used my status as a senior to order him not to move again. I think nothing will happen again."
Although Xie Lian was still a little worried, he didn't care anymore. He quickly told Shi Qingxuan about the masked man and the secret door that required a double six to enter. Shi Qingxuan heard that the masked man had a cursed shackle on his wrist and exclaimed, "Ah!" He said, "In recent years, there have been only a few priests banished from the heavens. I think I know who this person is."
Xie Lian asked, “Who?”
Shi Qingxuan climbed up from the ground and said, "The person you see is probably the former Western Martial God, His Highness Yinyu."
Xie Lian was startled and asked, “The original one? Are you talking about the previous Western Martial God before Quan Yizhen?”
Shi Qingxuan finished tearing off his bra, looking like a brave man again. He covered his veil and sat across from Xie Lian, saying seriously, "That's right. But I only heard about this, so you'll just have to listen. The Martial God who previously guarded the West was His Highness Yinyu. He was Quan Yizhen's senior brother. After ascending to heaven, he appointed Quan Yizhen's general and provided him with many support. It was said that the relationship between the brothers was always very good. However, not long after, Quan Yizhen ascended himself, and with great momentum, he replaced his senior brother in the West."
Xie Lian remained silent. Shi Qingxuan continued, "There's no room for two tigers on one mountain. The two sides were originally on good terms, but Quan Yizhen overshadowed his senior brother and became the most powerful figure in the west. The Yinyu sect gradually declined, and its followers dwindled. They weren't very happy, and they all thought Quan Yizhen was up to something shady, deliberately plotting to take his senior brother's place. As time went by, the brothers gradually became enemies."
Xie Lian asked, “Then why was His Highness Yinyu demoted?”
Shi Qingxuan said, "I was just about to mention it. It seems that later on, they were getting more and more aggressive in the West, and His Highness Yinyu, in a rage, was planning to do something ruthless to Quan Yizhen. I'm not sure about the details, but it was exposed anyway. It caused a huge uproar at the time, and Yinyu was demoted by the Emperor. He has been missing ever since. I didn't expect to end up in the Ghost Market..."
Xie Lian recalled Nanfeng's vague comments about the Western Martial God Quan Yizhen, his tone rather difficult to describe. Unaware of what kind of person he was, he asked, "Master Fengshi, in your opinion, what exactly is going on with these two?"
Shi Qingxuan tugged at the hem of her gauze dress and said, "How should I know? Although I'm familiar with many people, I'm not very familiar with the Westerners. I've only spoken a few words to them. But judging by these few words, I think His Highness Yinyu is a good person and quite humble. As for Quan Yizhen, he's relatively young and has a bit of an odd temper, but other than not understanding the ways of the world, he doesn't seem to have any major problems. I won't tell you what happened. Apart from the two of them, who else knows what's going on?"
Xie Lian shook his head and said, “It’s better not to say anything. Regardless of whether that masked man is His Highness Yinyu or not, and regardless of why he’s here, let’s first go see if we can open that door, and what we’ll find once we open it.”
The two of them left the house silently. Xie Lian, having lost himself once during the day, had learned his lesson and carefully memorized the way. This time, things went smoothly. After a few vague memories and some random wandering, they managed to find the ornate little door after two incense sticks. Xie Lian approached the stone statue of the lady and pulled out two dice he had brought from his room. He held his breath for a moment and then gently tossed them. There was a soft "thump, thump," and sure enough, two bright red "sixes" landed.
Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief, but then he remembered that this luck was something Hua Cheng had personally lent him in Paradise Palace, and he felt even worse. He thought, "They're so kind to me, and I'm running around like a thief in their house."
Seeing his expression, Shi Qingxuan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Now that things have come to this, let's just let it go. But I see that this Blood Rain Scholar is really attentive to you. If I were you, I wouldn't accept the Emperor's request this time, to avoid making things difficult for myself."
Xie Lian shook his head, thinking that Shi Qingxuan must not understand Jun Wu very well, which is why he said that.
Xie Lian was indeed in a difficult position, and Jun Wu knew that he was in a difficult position. Based on Xie Lian's understanding of Jun Wu, Jun Wu would not have mentioned this matter to him at all, but would have directly sent another priest to carry out the task.
Yet, Jun Wu, knowing full well that he was in a difficult position, still asked for his wishes. This could only mean one thing: Jun Wu had run out of other suitable candidates to make this journey, and was asking him as a last resort. Given this, Xie Lian naturally felt obliged to do so.
Moreover, the missing priest sent out a distress signal seven days ago, and Huacheng also left seven days ago. He could not ignore this coincidence in any way.
Xie Lian sighed and thought to himself, "Sanlang, I wish I had the chance to apologize to you."
He collected the dice and pushed open the door. Behind the ornate little door was no longer the ordinary little room he had been in before, but a dark cavern. Stairs led deep underground, and a cold wind blew from the bottom up.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com