Ch.233: Cliffs Hundred Yards High; Thousand Bends over Lava Falls

Xie Lian blinked. "I wasn't planning on doing anything?"

"Then why did you pull the sword?" Hua Cheng demanded.

"To…defend myself?" Xie Lian replied.

Hua Cheng's expression was terrifyingly dark, and he squeezed harder. "How did you plan on defending yourself? Put your sword down!"

This was the first time Hua Cheng had ever spoken to Xie Lian with this kind of expression and tone, and Xie Lian was completely taken aback.

Feng Xin was alarmed. "Who are you to make him put down his sword? Let him go first!"

A battle axe came flying, and in one swift reaction, Xie Lian raised the sword and slashed it, sending it flying. "How did I plan on defending myself? …Like this!"

Only then did Hua Cheng's demeanour and tone relax somewhat, but he still didn't let him go. "You don't need to defend yourself, just stand behind me. Put your sword down."

Feng Xin knocked into his bow on the ground with his foot, and he picked it up, gripping it with both hands, raising it to use as a sword. He batted away a meteor hammer, all the while becoming more suspicious. "What are you doing, clutching onto him like that? Are you really the real thing? Your Highness, is there anyone else besides you two who knows Crimson Rain Sought Flower's verbal password?"

It was through this reminder that Xie Lian suddenly remembered that it wasn't just the two of them who knew Hua Cheng's spiritual communication verbal password. There was a third person who had heard it before.

Jun Wu!

Back at the Palace of Xianle, when he made Xie Lian connect with Hua Cheng in his presence, he had very clearly heard it!

But, Xie Lian still felt the one before him was definitely Hua Cheng himself, without a doubt, it was just…he seemed to have suddenly remembered something very unpleasant, which was why he acted this way.

After a moment of contemplation, Xie Lian replied, "Alright." Then, he put Fangxin away.

The next moment, silver light flashed out, and the scimitar was unsheathed!

The moment E'ming had come out, the entire armoury was instantly enveloped in silver light, sparks flew incessantly, and the sound of metal cracking reverberated and echoed nonstop in the ears. Xie Lian and Feng Xin stood unmoving, entrapped in the centre by this chaotic, chilling killing aura. After ten blows, Hua Cheng turned around, resheathing the scimitar. Xie Lian's gaze moved from his person to the ground.

All those hundreds of weapons from before had all been slashed to specks by E'ming.

Xie Lian crouched down, and picked up two fragmented pieces of a sword, feeling grave pity. "Those were all such good, rare swords…"

Just then, Feng Xin spoke up. "Your Highness, the door. An extra door seems to have appeared!"

Xie Lian dropped the fragmented pieces and stood up. "I see, so we can only leave after the weapons are dealt with."

Originally, the doors should've required blood to be spilt for them to open, but Hua Cheng forced them open directly. Just as Xie Lian was thinking this, Hua Cheng took his hand and started dragging him out the door.

Seeing how he was boiling with murderous intent, Feng Xin questioned, "What do you both plan on doing next?"

"Obviously to go find Guoshi and Mu Qing," Xie Lian replied.

Hua Cheng stated calmly, "If Mu Qing really surrendered himself to Jun Wu, then I'll take his shit life first."

"…"

The three exited the armoury and walked for a while. Xie Lian hesitated for a bit, but in the end still asked, "San Lang, did you think I was going to stab myself earlier?"

Hua Cheng didn't respond, but his expression was still extremely sour.

Xie Lian added, "I wouldn't have."

Hua Cheng gave him a look. "Really?"

Xie Lian felt really guilty after that look. To be honest, if this was the past, perhaps if the situation was truly dire he would've really just solved it like that. But now, he would never again.

Xie Lian replied, "Yes! I promised you. Besides, there were so many sabres, spears, and swords, if they all stabbed me, won't I have been stabbed to mush? Hahahaha…"

He started to laugh, but then he couldn't laugh anymore, because when he said the word "stab", Hua Cheng abruptly turned to stare at him. That gaze was hard to describe, but it stumped all the words Xie Lian had to say.

Then, Hua Cheng suddenly reached out and pressed him hard into his arms.

Feng Xin was bringing up the rear and was shaken. "What the fuck? I'm still here???"

Xie Lian blinked, and patted Hua Cheng's back. "What is it?"

Hua Cheng whispered, "Your Highness, please don't laugh like that anymore." He hugged Xie Lian tightly. "It's not funny, really…it's not funny at all."

"…"

He recalled before, when he picked up those skull bones covered with corpse poison, and how Hua Cheng's face then was already that unpleasant. Xie Lian felt apologetic. "I'm sorry, I won't joke about this with you again. I just didn't want you to worry, but didn't think it'd have the opposite effect."

Feng Xin looked as if he was startled by this mood, and was flabbergasted for a while. "I…agree too? Since he's so serious about it…"

Hua Cheng finally let Xie Lian go, and said quietly, "Let's go."

Without Guoshi to lead the way, other than continuing deep into the palace, the three had no other choice. But they hadn't been walking for very long before Xie Lian sensed something unusual in the air.

"Don't you two think…it's gotten hotter?" Xie Lian said.

When the group of them first entered the underground palace, it was haunting and chilling. But after walking for a while, the air around seemed to have swelled, growing much more humid and hot. Feng Xin seemed to have felt the same, and when he turned his head, he was slightly taken aback before raising a hand to point.

"Your Highness, look behind! There seems to be light."

Just as he said, there was light behind them, slowly encroaching.

That an unknown light source appeared in the pitch-black underground, it was a rather peculiar situation. Had someone come?

As they waited for that light to reveal its true appearance, Xie Lian finally noticed that it wasn't his imagination that the air underground had turned hot.

A scarlet and gold lava stream, rolling and bubbling, came flowing down the hill, crawling towards the three. The lava outside had flowed into the underground palace along the watercourse!

Xie Lian was just crying "oh no!" inwardly when suddenly, he sensed something behind rapidly dashing past. Instantly he threw his hand and the silk band whipped out.

"HOLD IT! WE JUST NEED TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS!"

That man just barely dodged, his form halting for a moment. Using the firelight of the lava stream not far away, they saw the man's face.

Feng Xin shouted, "MU QING! YOU BASTARD, STOP RIGHT THERE!"

As if Mu Qing would stop. Without another word, he broke off into a run. The three were just about to give chase and strike when the ground shook violently. The scarlet-gold lava suddenly surged and spread over the watercourse, spreading with great speed, rushing straight towards them! The three were about to be forced from their footing, but Xie Lian had already encountered this problem prior to them coming in here; the level of difficulty was just slightly higher, that's all.

He said, "Feng Xin, there's probably many Empty-Shelled mutants in the lava, they can float, so just step on them so you won't sink!"

Then, he targeted an Empty-Shelled mutant that was vigorously paddling its arms in the lava flow, and leapt up!

Once he landed, Xie Lian was delighted. Those Empty-Shelled mutants' heads seemed to be particularly bigger, and even when he stepped down they actually only dipped slightly, and could still float on the surface of the lava stream without sinking. As long as they didn't start anything, they could easily be used as canoes!

Feng Xin also targeted one and leapt on, pointing his bow at that Empty-Shelled mutant. "Swim properly, don't sink!"

With the threat of a weapon, as expected, that Empty- Shelled mutant didn't dare to offend him and worked even harder. Meanwhile, Hua Cheng only crossed his arms and gave a look down,

and that Empty-Shelled mutant became settled; not daring to do anything wicked, going full power, swimming the fastest.

As for Xie Lian, he clapped his hands together in a prayer and very sincerely negotiated with that Empty-Shelled mutant. "Take me for this ride, please take me for this ride! I'll burn you incense afterwards! You don't want incense? Then what offerings do you want, just let me know!"

That Empty- Shelled mutant was obviously extremely dissatisfied, and would time and time again swing its arms, trying to chase him off. But Xie Lian was as sticky as gum, and even if he tumbled he refused to be flung. Needless to say, Xie Lian had once again found the most difficult one to deal with!

The three rode the mutants and flowed down with the current. As if they were rafting, the further down the stream they went, the steeper the hills became, and the faster the speed. They also had to dodge obstacles that'd abruptly rise from the lava stream time and time again, and the entire journey was full of endless perils. A while later, they finally caught up to Mu Qing who was ahead.

Feng Xin yelled, "MU QING! WHERE ARE YOU RUNNING OFF TO!"

Beneath Mu Qing's feet was also an Empty-Shelled mutant being used as a surfboard, and he looked back. "WHAT, AND I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL YOU ALL ATTACK ME TOGETHER?"

There was only a bow in Feng Xin's hands and no arrow, so he could only shout through the air. "WE WON'T ATTACK YOU! EXPLAIN FIRST HOW YOU SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE ARMOURY!"

Mu Qing looked back, sneering. "You all…"

Before he finished, Xie Lian saw what laid ahead, his pupils shrinking rapidly. He shouted, "AHEAD OF YOU!!"

Mu Qing instantly turned back, and only then did he discover that the path ahead was coming to an abrupt end.

There was probably an underground chasm here before, and that drop was extremely steep; at least hundreds of yards, like a gigantic cliff. He had never expected a change in landscape like this would appear so abruptly, plus the further downhill he went the faster the lava stream flowed. By the time he came to his senses, he was already thrown into the air unprepared.

Mu Qing's figure, along with that Empty-Shelled mutant under his feet, instantly disappeared, and the three over on this end were also about to rapidly rush to the edge of that cliff!

At the last second, Ruoye flew out towards the back, and wrapped itself a few times around the eaves of a palace building in the distance, then tied itself into a knot. With one hand gripping Ruoye and the other grabbing Hua Cheng, Xie Lian tossed out the other end of Ruoye towards Feng Xin and yelled:

"CATCH!"

With the silk band as the link, the three clumsily steadied themselves. At that moment, they were at most only about twenty feet away from that "cliff"; if they had been late by another step, they would have fallen. They had literally "stopped their horses at the precipice". However, there was still rolling lava pouring down nonstop, so Xie Lian then ordered:

"Withdraw!"

Ruoye shrank rapidly, and withdrew the three in the direction of that palace. Soon after, the three leapt onto the roof of the palace. This palace was bigger, so its roof was considerably spacious. With stones as the foundation, there was no fear of it being washed away by the lava, so having landed here, they could temporarily breathe in relief.

After steadying himself for a moment, Feng Xin watched that empty "cliff" dumbfoundedly, and said in disbelief, "Did Mu Qing…fall?"

Xie Lian forced himself to slow his thumping heart, and panted a breath, wiping away beads of sweat on his forehead. "He didn't!"

Peering over the furthest edge of the rooftop of that palace, Xie Lian poked out and could see that on the rocks on the edge of that cliff, there was a long sabre nailed in. And a pair of hands were tightly clutching the long hilt of that long sabre. Under those hands was a flustered, red face, vigorously gritting his teeth.

At this moment, Mu Qing was situated in the horrifying position of being parallel to the waterfall-like lava stream flowing downwards.

Beads of fire were splashing before his face; it was truly "fire burning his brows". If it wasn't for the layer of spiritual light protecting his body blocking out the majority of the steam, his entire appearance would've been burnt away and his head would've been ablaze by now. But this protective layer of spiritual light wouldn't last for long, and if his entire person was to fall into a pool of lava, his bones would still dissolve into air!

[An idiom meaning a desperate/critical situation, and also literal in this context.]

This was such a terrifying scene, and Feng Xin questioned, "What should we do?! Your Highness, can that white silk band of yours reach him?"

Xie Lian had already given it an attempt, withdrawing Ruoye, patting off the flames on it. "I can't! The distance is too far! Ruoye caught on fire midway!"

Many small broken threads of flames were also singing Mu Qing's robes, and the hilt was scorching hot. Yet he still gripped on hard, afraid to let go, and afraid to look down.

If he was to let go, then it was nothing but blazing flames and lava waiting for him down below. There was also the hungry wailing of countless spirits of the deceased, their cries resounding and echoing, as if they were calling for the one struggling, hanging on for dear life above to hurry and join them in companionship.

Mu Qing held onto that hilt in a deadly grip, his pale forehead covered in heavy sweat. When he saw the three in the distance, his lips moved like he wanted to call for help. But, with his personality, it was really difficult to have the words "help" and "save me" leave his lips.

Besides, whether Hua Cheng was free or not, he probably wouldn't care to come save him. It was hard to tell with Feng Xin, too. The only one left who would be willing to rescue him, had the ability to save him, and could persuade the other two, was Xie Lian.

In the end, he fervently pulled up, veins popping slightly on his forehead as he shouted towards Xie Lian, "Your Highness!"

Xie Lian was just scanning the area, making rapid observations, and when he heard the call he looked to him. Mu Qing held it in for a good while, then sucking in a breath, he yelled with a red face:

"…BELIEVE ME! YOUR HIGHNESS, YOU KNOW I WASN'T LYING, DON'T YOU? YOU KNOW I WOULDN'T HAVE REALLY HARMED ANY OF YOU, RIGHT??"

"…"

The way he was begging Xie Lian, so full of hope, like he was hanging on to the last thread of his life, suddenly made Xie Lian remember another scene from another time. That time, when dusk was falling, many, many years ago, when he too begged Mu Qing with the same desperate hope—

"You know I wasn't lying, right?"

How had Mu Qing answered him back then?

He hadn't thought of those things for hundreds of years, but this line Mu Qing used suddenly dragged them out from the dusty corners where they were sealed away. Dragged out and broke loose; countless images and voices flashed by, and only then did Xie Lian realize that he remembered every detail so very clearly; that he had never forgotten.

Mu Qing never received his answer, and in Xie Lian's unusual silence, he seemed to have gradually remembered the same scene, the colours of his face slowly changing. It appeared that he also figured out that he had used the wrong words to call for help, and unintentionally reminded Xie Lian of what he shouldn't have been reminded at a time like this.

Just then, Hua Cheng spoke up quietly behind Xie Lian. "Gege, before you make your decision, I have to remind you of a couple things."

Only then did Xie Lian snap out of it and said, "What is it?"

"First," Hua Cheng said. "Unless the lava stream stops flowing, making a rescue attempt will be life-threateningly dangerous."

But, who knows when it would stop flowing? That sabre hilt was already scorchingly red-hot, Mu Qing's hands wouldn't be able to grip on for much longer, how could he possibly hang on until then?

Xie Lian was quiet. Hua Cheng continued, "Second, if Mu Qing has already surrendered to Jun Wu, then Jun Wu will definitely have a way to get him out of here. But you, you will definitely fall into danger. And this possibility is great. Think about his behaviour and the way he acted this entire trip."

Knocking Feng Xin out, luring them into the armoury, refusing to admit he knocked Feng Xin out and even made accusations back, suddenly disappearing after the armoury went berserk, the coincidental timing of the lava stream reversing its flow, bringing them to where they were now.

And now, was he perhaps once again purposely leading Xie Lian to his end?