~♡~Merit One: Familiar Stranger~♡~

[Welcome to my new story! Hope you enjoy it!]

It was a normal day in heaven. A normal, boring day to Shao Run Ming. He was leaning the upper half of his body on Ling Wen ZhenJun's desk as he let his legs sag to the ground. He had a small pout on his lips as he crossed his arms in front of his head.

"Ling Weeeeennnnnnn" Run Ming drawled out her name in a whiny tone, However Ling Wen just ignored him as usual. She was used to this behavior coming from Run Ming, he would always seek her out when he was bored, happy, upset, just for any reason because she was the only person that would actually listen to him and could tolerate his existence.

Run Ming took her silence as a silent answer for him to continue speaking, like usual, "I'm borreeeddd. . . There's nothing to do around hereeeee . . . " His pout deepened, He tended to draw his words out when he was bored, sleepy, or drunk.

It was hard to tell whether he was simply bored, or sleepy or drunk, that is unless you were Ling Wen. She was the best at taking care of Run Ming, seeing as she had been doing that since basically the moment he arrived in heaven after accidentally ascending, (We'll get into the later).

Ling Wen sighed, Finally looking up from her paper scrolls to look at the child-like god in front of her. Run Ming had one of those baby faces, not to mention his short and skinny stature made him look even more like a child. Everyone always referred to him as the"Accidental child God" because of his way of ascension into heaven.

Ling Wen hated it when the other gods called him that but no matter how many times she yells at them, they just keep calling him that. It angers her but there's really nothing she can do about it. Run Ming even reassured her that he was fine and that he didn't care what everyone called him. That finally made her stop reprimanding the others for the names they called Run Ming. Much to her annoyance.

"Run Ming, Don't you have any followers to attend to? Possibly some prayers to answer? Paperwork to do and hand in? Any Officials that need tending to?" She gave him some suggestions of things he could be doing right now but Run Ming just shook his head.

"Nope, I've only got a small collection of followers that only pray when they need something that is of utmost importance. I've already answered all the prayers I have currently, as I'm not a very well known god that can only heal small flesh wounds and only a few known poisons. Nope, I've finished all my paperwork and had LuoMei hand it in earlier before I came here. Even if they did, they wouldn't want me to help them. Anything else?" Run Ming immediately shot down each of her questions, before returning to pouting and whining.

Ling Wen, although slightly annoyed with him, still thought of something that Run Ming could do. She had just come up with a good idea that she was about to share before Heaven suddenly began shaking, like a level 3-4 earthquake.

Ling Wen immediately stood up from her desk, quickly grabbing Run Ming's arm before pulling him closer to her body. She held him close to his chest as they hurriedly made their way out of the building.

The ground quaked and the mountains shook, The altar lamps that burned day and night trembled as their flames danced violently. Godly officials who were awakened departed from their own palace halls, rushing about as they asked, Who is the upstart that ascended? This place is shaking so much!

Ling Wen and Run Ming made it safely outside the building and to a white bridge as they watched the whole scene play out in front of them.

Who knew, just after sighing 'how amazing, how amazing'. At the next glance, all of Heaven's Gods felt as if they were struck by lightning over and over again.

Are you still not finished?!

That famous weirdo, the laughing stock of the three realms, His highness the crown prince from the legends, he he he - - - He f*cking ascended to godhood again!

While all the gods in the front were either too stunned to talk or were murmuring to others about what happened, Run Ming was utterly confused. He couldn't quite see who the newly ascended person was but he could tell from the other heavenly officials' reactions that he was someone troublesome and well-known in heaven.

Run Ming couldn't help but feel like he had seen that person before but since he was far away, he could be simply mistaking them for someone else. He quickly pushed the thought away as he focused back at the scene in front of him.

He saw the white robed male quickly make his way through the crowd, His gaze having caught Ling Wen's on the bridge. Run Ming looked up at Ling Wen, who's face held a small smile. He then turned his head back to the approaching male, Did they know each other?

However, before Run Ming could question Ling Wen, She had already dragged him away from the bridge and the commotion. Questions floating in his head yet he didn't say them out loud. He'd just wait till Ling Wen allowed him to meet him. Which would probably be soon.

He was right.

A few days later, Ling Wen brought him back to that bridge where the white robed male from a few days ago approached them.

His face held a smile on his face as Ling Wen greeted him, "Congratulations, You royal Highness the crown prince". Run Ming felt his heart clench, for some reason, when he heard that title but he didn't know why. That title felt familiar, way too familiar to have just heard it in passing.

His turned his focus back to the white clothed male, who had started speaking, "Thank you. But may I ask you what exactly you are congratulating me for?" His face holding a never relenting smile. It was that smile that made Run Ming think that he had seen this man before.

Ling Wen was standing with her arms crossed as she said, "Congratulations for placing first on the list of 'Heaven's Officials most anticipated to be demoted and banished to the mortal realm'" Run Ming couldn't help but giggle at the name on the papyrus scroll.

His giggle seemed to have drawn Xie Lian's attention as the crown prince looked over at him. Xie Lian's gaze held familiarity and nostalgia yet the prince himself didn't know why the boy standing slightly behind Ling Wen seemed familiar to him.

So he turned his attention back to Ling Wen, "No matter how you say it, It's still first place. But I think that if you're congratulating me, then it should still be a position worth being happy about?" He was a bit unsure with his response but relaxed slightly at Ling Wen's next words.

"Yes, if you're first, you can get one hundred merits" She stated, face still blank.

Xie Lin responded immediately, "Next time, if there is another list like this, by all means, please put me on it" Run Ming felt a bit bad for this male but he could understand where he was coming from. He, too, was a god with low merits and would happily be put on one of these lists if it meant his merits would raise a bit more.

Don't get him wrong, he wasn't greedy for merits or anything but if you didn't have enough merits than you basically were a poor god. He was quite the poor god, he only had around eight hundred and something merits, and got made fun of a lot for that reason and many others.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Ling Wen start speaking again, "Do you know who is in second place?" She asked, it was mostly a rhetorical question.

Xie Lian thought for a moment before replying, "That is too hard to guess. After all, just based on strength, I alone ought to be able to take the top three places". Run Ming once again felt bad for the young male.

Ling Wen answered after a pause, Her gaze hardening as she looked at papyrus scroll in her hands, "That's more or less right. You took first and second place, Run Ming . . . Took third place, the moment you started, others could only see your dust with no hopes of catching up" Ling Wen's voice was barely above a whisper when she said that Run Ming had taken third place before her voice returned to its normal volume.

Xie Lian and Run Ming, however, heard her clearly. Xie Lian was confused, While Run Ming was excited. He turned to Ling Wen, sparkles in his eyes, "How many merits do I get from being in third place?" He asked with a small smile on his face.

Ling Wen gritted her teeth, not because of Run Ming but because he was on this list, She hadn't even seen his name until just now, She calmed herself down as she answered him.

"You get fifty merits for being in third place" She saw Run Ming beam at her answer, quietly celebrating to himself, all while Xie Lian was standing in front of them with a confused smile on his face.

Ling Wen cleared her throat as she turned back to Xie Lian, Who quickly came back into the conversation, "I dare not accept the honor. Who was the first place winner from the previous years?"

Ling Wen stated, "There wasn't one because this list was created this year. More accurately, it was set up today" Run Ming had always found it a bit creepy how lists like these were just created at the most appropriate time.

Both Xie Lian and Run Ming blanked, before Xie Lian asked, "Based on what you said, this list wasn't created specifically for me, was it?" RunMing thought of that as well, Seeing everyone's reaction when the male ascended, it seemed like it wasn't the first time he had ascended into godhood.

"You can think of it as luckily winning merely because you were coincidentally in time for it"

Ling Wen responded as she rolled up the scroll in her hand. Run Ming found her reason for the male god reasonable but he saw no reason as to why would be on the list too.

Xie Lian said with a face full of smiles, "Alright. If i think about it like that, I will be slightly happier". Run Ming quickly tapped Ling Wen on the shoulder, waiting for her to turn to him before speaking, "Why was I on the list then?" He asked her with a tilted head.

He didn't see Ling Wen stiffen but Xie Lian did, Ling Wen cleared her throat before speaking, "I don't know. I will ask the officials in charge of making such lists for a reason" She answered Run Ming, who nodded his head, accepting that reason for now. Ling Wen cleared her throat as she turned back to Xie Lian, "Do you know why you would seize first place?", Run Ming wanted to know that as well. Xia Lian replied, "Everyone expects it".

"Let me tell you the reason. Please look at the clock" Ling Wen explained, She lifted her finger to point. Xie Lian and Run Ming turned around to look in that direction. What one could see there was extremely beautiful. Gazing into the distance, One could see a palace made out of white jade, pavilions and kiosks, immortal clouds curling about with flowing streams and flying birds.

They both looked for a long time before Xie Lian asked, "Did you perhaps point in the wrong direction? Where is the clock?". Run Ming as well didn't see any clock, "I don't see it either" He said as he turned back to Ling Wen.

"I didn't point in the wrong direction. It's there, have you seen it yet?" Ling Wen replied, her face as blank as always. Xie Lian and Run Ming looked carefully before Xie Lian truthfully said, "I don't see it", Run Ming nodded his head, agreeing with him.

Ling Wen responded, "It's right for you to not see it. Originally, there had been a clock there, but it was shaken off when you ascended" Her eyes trained on Xie Lian.

". . . . . . ."

Both males went silent as Ling Wen continued speaking, "That clock was even older than you. Nevertheless, it had a lively and vivacious character. Every single time someone ascended, it would ring a few times to cheer them on. But on the day you ascended, it rang like it had gone crazy, unable to stop. Only when it fell down from the clock tower did it calm down. However, when it fell down, it smashed into a passing Heavenly Official."

Run Ming was very surprised by this, He often passed by the clock on his way to see Ling Wen. He liked the sound that the clock made when someone ascended, though it was just a tad bit too loud for his liking. For this male to actually make it ring until it fell down was simply amazing.

"This . . . . Then, are they okay now?" Xie Lian asked, his face had paled a little bit hearing what Ling Wen told him.

Ling Wen: "No, they're still being repaired"

Xie Lian: "I am referring to the Heavenly Official who was hit"

Ling Wen replied, "The one who got hit was a martial god. He flipped over his hand on the spot and split that clock into two halves. But now, please look over there at the golden palace hall. Do you see it?"

She pointed again, and Xie Lian's and Run Ming's gaze's followed her finger once more. They saw a vast area covered in mist and clouds, before seeing the top of a resplendent palace roof made out of gold glass.

Xie Lian and Run Ming said in unison, "Ah, I see it this time"

Ling Wen responded, "If you see something, that means there's something wrong. Originally there had been nothing there"

". . . . . . . . "

"When you ascended, many Heavenly Officials' golden palaces shook to the point that their golden pillars toppled over and their glazed roofs shattered. Some palaces couldn't be repaired in a short period of time. Without any better options, many people improvised and built new and temporary palaces."

"I'm the one to blame?'

"You're responsible for it"

"Uh . . . ." Xie Lian asked to confirm, "Did I happen to offend many Heavenly Officials the moment I came up?"

Ling Wen answered, "If you can redeem yourself, perhaps you won't"

"What can I do to redeem myself?"

"That's easy to answer. Eight million, eight hundred and eight thousand merits"

Run Ming winced at that amount, He didn't have anything near that amount and he could guess that the male next to him didn't either. By the way Xie Lian smiled.

Ling Wen said, "Of course, I know even one-tenth of that os something you can't take out" Xie Lian replied in a frank and genuine manner, "How do I say this? Although I'm truly sorry for the inconveniences, even if you requested a ten thousandth of that, I still won't be able to take it out."

The conviction of believers in the secular world could be converted into a Heavenly Officials' spiritual power. Every incense stick they burned as offerings was called merits.

His smile disappearing, Xie Lian seriously asked, "Would you be willing to punt me down from here with one kick, and then give me eight million, eight hundred and eighty thousand merits?"

Ling Wen stated, "I am a literature god and Run Ming is a medical master. If you want someone to kick you, you ought to find a material god. The harder you get kicked, the more merits you'll receive." Xie Lian's ears perked a bit when he heard what she called Run Ming.

"He's a medical master? I've never met one before, I've heard that they like being alone more than the other gods." Xie Lian smiled softly at Run Ming, who was still standing next to him.

"Yes, He is one of few medical masters that actually don't keep themselves held up in their palaces or medic halls. I suppose I should introduce you two now. Your Highness, This is Shao Run Ming, He is a medical master of the south. Run Ming, this is his Highness the crown prince Xie Lian. He is a scrap immortal, formerly known as The Flower-crowned Martial god." Xie Lian quickly introduced the two, both of them shaking each others hands in greeting.

"Now, Back to the matter at hand. Shall I help you find a martial god willing to punt you?"

Xie Lian heaved a deep sigh, "Allow me to think about what to do."

Ling Wen patted his shoulder and said, "Don't lose your head. When you encounter a mountain, there will always be a way through." Run Ming felt nostalgic when she said that, She used to say that to him a lot after he had first ascended. He lightly smiled as he remembered those times.

Xie Lian responded, "In my case, when the boat reaches the pier head, it will naturally sink."

If It was eight hundred years ago, during Xian Le nation's most prosperous time, eight million, eight hundred and eighty thousand merits wouldn't be a big problem. His royal highness the crown prince would wave his hand and give them, not even blinking over such a loss. But the present was now different from the olden days. In the secular world, all of his temples had long burned away, with not a single one remaining. He had no believers, no incses, and no worship.

It was needless to say more. He just had nothing, nothing, not a single thing!

After departing, Ling Wen and Run Ming returned to her palace. Deputies rushing to and fro all over the place. Scrolls piling up everywhere, waiting to be organized. Run Ming found the sent of the paper and the ink calming which was one reason why spent most of his time here and not his own medical hall. Not like anyone visited there anyway.

Run Ming had his own desk next to Ling Wen's. It books, scrolls, Ink, brushes scattered everywhere. He was someone who liked cleaning yet couldn't be clean or organized himself.

Another reason why he loved Ling Wen's palace, there was always something that needed to be cleaned or organized, and those were two of the things that he loved the most. He didn't know, but he loved cleaning up messes and organizing books much more fun than studying medicinal herbs or fixing up wounded officials. He never understood it, He asked Ling Wen once why this was but she just gave him a vague answer.

"Maybe you were someone who loved cleaning when you were human"

Then she didn't say anything else regarding this, so Run Ming gave up thinking about reasons too.

Anyway, Ling Wen and Run Ming were currently in one of the communication arrays. Ling Wen was speaking to the Officials present while Run Ming was hiding behind her. He was quite scared of the Officials that were talking to Ling Wen. He was scared of most of the martial gods and the elemental gods. For one, they were bigger, stronger and had more merits than him. He really was like a kid to them. Even if he was older than some of them.

Suddenly, One of the Officials spoke up, their words catching Run Ming's attention, "Your royal highness the crown prince has returned again?" Run Ming turned his attention to the official that spoke before following his eyes over to the male that had just entered.

"Thats right, ah! Hello everyone! I returned again"

How would he know that after this one question and response - every Heavenly official in the spirit array at the moment all perked up their ears.

The Heavenly Official continued to speak in a leisurely manner, "This time, Your royal Highness the Crown prince's ascension made a really big commotion, ah" Within Heaven, it could even be said that monarchs were walking around everywhere, while heroes were as common as the water flowing in rivers.

If one wished to become an immortal god, they must first become an outstanding individual. In the mortal realm, people who achieved and accomplished many goals or people who had a lot of talent, of course, had a larger opportunity to ascend. As a result, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that princesses, princes, and general weren't a rare sight to see here. Who wasn't a proud child of the Heaven's? However, everyone was still extremely polite and courteous to each other, calling one another "Your majesty" or "Your highness" or "General lord". They would say whatever sounded more complimentary. But for the prior words spoken by the Heavenly Official, that title he used no longer sounded like a polite gesture.

Although Xie Lian had been a crown prince, and the other had greeted his thus-his tone didn't have even one bit of respect. It rather sounded as if he was trying ti use a needle to stab someone. There were many other Heavenly Officials who had been genuine crown princes within the spirit communication array, and those few greetings simply made goosebumps appear on their backs as they felt uncomfortable from head to toe. Xie Lian also heard the ill intentions, but he did not want to make a scene. Thinking to himself that he would escape, he replied with a smile, "It was okay."

Run Ming found himself admiring the immortal in front of him, To have been basically insulted like that yet still respond with a smile. He could never do that, not like he had to, but he just found it all too familiar. His smile, posture, the way he carried himself, everything. But everything was just a blur, he couldn't figure out why he felt this way.

He, however, didn't have much more time to speak as the Heavenly Official started speaking again. He didn't give Xie Lian a chance to escape. He spoke in a voice that was neither warm nor cold, "Huh, Your royal highness the crown prince is okay? My luck was not that good."

The venom hidden in his voice made Run Ming want to escape too. He knew that he was a coward when it came to things like this but he just couldn't handle situations like this, it made his head ache, like he was gonna remember something important but then he never does. He just ends up with a headache.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Ling Wen lean over to Xie Lian, She whispered one word to the confused Immortal, "Clock." Run Ming and Xie Lian then instantly understood why this official was being so nasty towards Xie Lian. This had been the martial god who got smashed by that clock!

If that was the situation, the Heavenly Official being angry wasn't something without reason. Xie Lian had always been extremely good at apologizing and thus immediately said, "I've heard about the incident with the clock. I'm extremely sorry, please pardon me."

The other snorted, making it impossible for anyone to tell what he meant by it.

There were many martial gods within Heaven and among those, quite a few were new upstarts who had ascended after Xie Lian left. This was why he was unable to pinpoint which god this was just by listening to his voice. However, one couldn't apologize without even knowing the other's name. Thus Xie Lian went to the heart of the matter and asked, "Excuse me, May I ask how I should address you, Distinguished one?"

The moment he said those words, the other party became silent.

It wasn't only the other god who became silent. The entire spirit communication array seemed to freeze, as if a puff of stagnant air slapped everyone in the face.

On the other side, Ling Wen turned her attention towards Run Ming, who was still hiding behind her stlighty. Suddenly, A light bulb went off above her head. She turned around to face Run Ming, who was confused by the sudden action, and whispered in his ear.

Then she pushed him forward until he was standing closer to Xie Lian, and in direct line with the other gods' sight. He looked back at Ling Wen, who gave him a confident nod of the head.

He gulped as his gaze settled on the floor, his head lowered slightly, his voice was low as he spoke, "Your Highness, though I-I don't believe you haven't recognized th-the other person after talking to h-him . . for so long- - I sti-still want to remind you. T-That is Xu-Xuan Zhen" He repeated what Ling Wen had said to him, his voice getting lower and lower the more he talked.

There were many gazes on him, mostly harsh and unkind stares. He was used to them but he felt one pair of eyes that felt different. He looked up slightly and caught Xie Lian's eyes, His gaze wasn't sharp or indifferent like the others, instead it was understanding and kind. That was the first time he had been looked at like that, save for Ling Wen.

He wasn't sure how to react, So he just quickly turned around and hid behind Ling Wen again. She quietly praised him before turning back to the situation at hand.

Xie Lian asked, "Xuan Zhen?" Now that Run Ming thought about it, (He was trying to kind something to distract himself with), the name Xuan Zhen sounded familiar to Run Ming and It wasn't because he had seen him before or anything like that. He felt like he knew him from his past, as past he knows nothing about.

But getting back to the situation at hand, Xie Lian was choked up in flash before finally reacting as he sent a message back in shock, "This is Mu Qing?"

Mu Qing? That name felt like it triggered something in Run Ming, like he was on the verge of remembering something but the feeling was gone as fast as it came.

Xuan Zhen Jun was a martial god who kept watch over the southwest. He had seven thousand temples, and in the mortal realm, his reputation was illustrious.

This Xuan Zhen Jun, who had the personal name Mu Qing, used to be a deputy general in the palace halls of Xian Le country's crown prince eight hundred years ago.

Ling Wen was also very shocked, "Could It be that you really don't recognize him?"

Xie Lian replied, "I really didn't recognize him, back then, he didn't talk to me in this manner. In addition, I can't even remember when the last time I met him was. If it wasn't five hundred years then it was six hundred years ago. I almost completely forgot what he looked like so how could I still recognize his voice?"

It remained silent within the spirit communication array. Mu Qing didn't make a single peep. The other Heavenly Officials, on one hand pretended that they weren't listening, while on the other hand, they crazily waited for someone to continue talking.

When it came to these two, it was relatively awkward. After so many years, so many rumors had been passed on, so everyone already understood almost everything. In those days when Xie Lian had been the precious Xian Le crown prince, He cultivated in Huang Ji temple. That Huang Ji temple was the Xian Le country's imperial toaist temple. Their selection standards for disciples were extremely strict. Mu Qing came from a poor background, and his father was a sinner who had been beheaded. A person like that simply didn't have the qualifications ti enter the Huang Ji temple as a disciple. As a result, He had no choice but to become someone who did odd jobs in the temple. He was mostly in charge of sweeping the floor for his highness the crown prince, or delivering tea and water to him and his most trusted servant. But Xie Lian saw him as assiduous, and thus asked the taoist ministers to make an exception and receive him as a disciple. His royal highness the crown prince's words carried great weight, only then was Mu Qing able to enter the temple to cultivate, because of the crown prince's will. After Xie Lian ascended, he appointed him as his general and took Mu Qing with him to the Immortal city.

However, When Xian Le nation was wiped out and Xie Lian was demoted to descend into the mortal realm, Mu Qing did not follow him. Not only did he not follow Xie Lian, but My Qing didn't even say a single word in defense for him. The crown prince was gone anyway, so he was free. He found a blessed place and began to painstackling cultivate like crazy. Not many years later, he withstood the Heavenly tribulations and ascended himself.

Back then, one was in the Heavens while another was on the ground. Now there was still one in the heavens and one on the ground, it was just that two people's circumstances were thoroughly reversed.

At the other end, Ling Wen said, "He's really angry"

Xie Lian replied, "I guessed that too" Run Ming nodded his head vigorously behind Ling Wen.

Ling Wen responded, "I'll go say somethings, quickly take the opportunity to leave" Run Ming would have loved to have taken the opportunity to leave his array but he was too scared to move. To cowardly.

It was something he hated about himself, he didn't know why but he just had a deep-seated hatred for his cowardice. Perhaps it's tied to his past.

"There's no need. If we pretend nothing happened then everything would be fine" Run Ming deeply admired Xie Lian's confidence and courage, two things he would probably never have or gain.

Ling Wen asked, "No need? Just looking at you guys makes me feel awkward" Okay, Run Ming had to admit that making Ling Wen ZhenJun feel uncomfortable from just exchanging a few words and looks was quite the accomplishment in itself.

Xie Lian just smiled, "I'm still okay, ah!"

For Xie Lian, any situation was okay as long as he didn't die. He didn't have much, but he could definitely still lose a lot of face. He had already done plenty of things that were many times more awkward than this, Run Ming definitely had his fair share of awkward situations too; So he really felt akay in his heart. Who would have thought he shouldn't have said that so early; Xie Lian had just said the words 'Still Okay" when he head a voice roar, "WHO THE FUCK DISMANTLED MY GOLDEN PALACE AGAIN?! COME OUT!!!"

This one roar made the gods listening within the spirit communication array feel as if their scalps were going to explode.

Run Ming wince, and quite possibly could have let out a small squeak, and quickly covered his ears with the palms of his hands. He squeezed his eyes hut and crouched down, He didn't like loud noises very much. He didn't know why but he just guessed it was his cowardice taking over again.

He peeked his eyes open and looked up at Ling Wen, he saw she had her eyebrows furrowed a bit. She was affected by the sound too, even if she tried not to show it. SO Run Ming hurriedly stood up, standing on his tippy toes and covered Ling Wen's ears with his hands, making her smile in gratitude as they continued to watch the scene play out in front of them.

Though their stomachs were already flipping, everyone still held their breaths as they listened with rapt attention. They didn't make a single peep as they waited to see how Xie Lian would respond to the loud cursing, but nobody expected that instead of something exciting - - - They would hear something even more thrilling. Xie Lian hadn't even started talking before Mu Qing spoke first.

Mu Qing laughed twice, "Haha"

The person who came coldly said, "You were the one who tore it down? Alright, wait for it."

Mu Qing faintly replied, "I did not say it was me. Don't randomly spray blood at people."

The other person asked, "Then why are you laughing? Are you mentally ill?" Run Ming also felt that way, He felt a bit creeped out when Mu Qing laughed at the loud voice.

Mu Qing answered, "It isn't like that. What you've just said was funny, that's all. The person who destroyed your golden palace is currently in the spirit communication array, you can go and ask him yourself."

Run Ming and the other Heavenly officials all turned to Xie Lian, His gaze more soft and understanding than the rest. Xie Lian happened to see him from the corner of his peripheral view, and sent him a kind smile before turning back to the person speaking to him.

With things evolving to this degree, no matter what, Xie Lian felt too embarrassed to escape now.

He coughed dryly before speaking, "It was me, I'm sorry."

The moment he spoke, the person who came later also became silent.

By his side, Ling Wen lowered her voice as she said, "Your Riyal Highness, that is Nan Yang" Another familiar yet unfamiliar name, Run Ming had barely ever seen this Nan Yang around Heaven before it felt like he knew him or something.

Xie Lian responded, "This time, I recognize him. However, I think he hasn't recognized me."

Ling Wen replied, "No. It's just, he spends most of his time in the mortal realm and less time in the immortal city. Thus, he merely didn't know you had ascended again." Ah, that explained why he hadn't seen official all that often in heaven then. Though it didn't answer his question as to why he looks, sounds and just feels familiar.

Nan Yang ZhenJun was the martial god who oversaw the southeast. He was popular and had nearly eight thousand temples, receiving the love and respect from the common people.

In addition, his personal name was Feng Xin. Eight hundred years ago, he was the first general of the Xian Le crown prince's palace hall.

Feng Xin was a devoted and loyal person. He was Xie Lian's imperial bodyguard ever since the other had been fourteen years old. Feng Xin grew up with the crown prince and the crown prince's most trusted servant, entered the Heaven's with him, was demoted with him, and was banished with him. Unfortunately, he was unable to endure those eight hundred years with Xie Lia. In the End, they separated on bad terms and parted ways, never to see each other again.

[This is the first chapter, I hope it was to your liking. If something wrong, There are spelling errors or just anything you want to say then please tell me.

Word count: 5,901]

1.) ZhenJun is a title 

2.) Medical Masters, Heavenly Officials who seem to be deities in fields Medicine, Exist