TGCF - VI

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He‌ ‌believed‌ ‌that‌ ‌this‌ ‌man‌ ‌would‌ ‌die‌ ‌for‌ ‌him‌ ‌again‌ ‌and‌ ‌again,‌ ‌and‌ ‌would‌ ‌be‌ ‌reborn‌ ‌for‌ ‌him‌ ‌over‌ ‌and‌ ‌over.‌

‌Even‌ ‌if‌ ‌he‌ ‌fell‌ ‌into‌ ‌the‌ ‌depths‌ ‌of‌ ‌hell,‌ ‌he‌ ‌would‌ ‌break‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌abyss‌ ‌for‌ ‌his‌ ‌'belief'.‌ ‌

Last‌ ‌time,‌ ‌they‌ ‌spent‌ ‌eight‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌years‌ ‌running‌ ‌towards‌ ‌each‌ ‌other.‌ ‌

This‌ ‌time,‌ ‌it‌ ‌only‌ ‌took‌ ‌an‌ ‌instant‌ ‌to‌ ‌fall‌ ‌into‌ ‌each‌ ‌other's‌ ‌embrace.‌ ‌
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Why‌ ‌did‌ ‌they‌ ‌leave‌ ‌in‌ ‌such‌ ‌a‌ ‌hurry?"‌ ‌ ‌

"Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌even‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌ask?"‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌said.‌ ‌

"Yea?"‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌replied.‌ ‌

Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌spat‌ ‌crankily,‌ ‌"Then‌ ‌why‌ ‌don't‌ ‌you‌ ‌go‌ ‌ask‌ ‌your‌ ‌good‌ ‌San‌ ‌Lang."‌ ‌ ‌

Turns‌ ‌out,‌ ‌when‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌first‌ ‌came‌ ‌back,‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌one‌ ‌to‌ ‌know‌ ‌was‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌second‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌Upper‌ ‌Court‌ ‌that‌ ‌hadn't‌ ‌even‌ ‌warmed‌ ‌its‌ ‌seat‌ ‌yet.‌ ‌

Not‌ ‌just‌ ‌because‌ ‌it‌ ‌wasn't‌ ‌too‌ ‌long‌ ‌ago‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌of‌ ‌ShangYuan‌ ‌Festival‌ ‌that‌ ‌they‌ ‌worked‌ ‌so‌ ‌hard‌ ‌to‌ ‌put‌ ‌together‌ ‌was‌ ‌suddenly‌ ‌murdered‌ ‌by‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng's‌ ‌casual‌ ‌wave‌ ‌of‌ ‌three‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌just‌ ‌like‌ ‌that‌ ‌time‌ ‌during‌ ‌the‌ ‌Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌Banquet,‌ ‌but‌ ‌also‌ ‌because‌ ‌ever‌ ‌since‌ ‌that‌ ‌night,‌ ‌that‌ ‌bell‌ ‌started‌ ‌ringing‌ ‌like‌ ‌crazy,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌entire‌ ‌Upper‌ ‌Court‌ ‌was‌ ‌echoing‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌sound‌ ‌of‌ ‌its‌ ‌announcement,‌ ‌like‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌reminding‌ ‌them:‌ ‌The‌ ‌nightmare‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavens‌ ‌has‌ ‌returned!‌ ‌

The‌ ‌nightmare‌ ‌was‌ ‌right‌ ‌before‌ ‌their‌ ‌eyes,‌ ‌so‌ ‌of‌ ‌course‌ ‌normal‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌dare‌ ‌to‌ ‌approach.‌

However,‌ ‌the‌ ‌rumours‌ ‌about‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌and‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Upper‌ ‌Court‌ ‌were‌ ‌already‌ ‌fairly‌ ‌hardcore‌ ‌without‌ ‌any‌ ‌need‌ ‌of‌ ‌exaggeration,‌ ‌so‌ ‌they‌ ‌still‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌get‌ ‌in‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian's‌ ‌good‌ ‌graces,‌ ‌so‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌future‌ ‌they‌ ‌could‌ ‌beg‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌to‌ ‌show‌ ‌some‌ ‌mercy.‌ ‌
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Alright."‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌said,‌ ‌"I'll‌ ‌tell‌ ‌him‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌bit.‌ ‌While‌ ‌we're‌ ‌here,‌ ‌wanna‌ ‌try?"‌ ‌

He‌ ‌pointed‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌rice,‌ ‌noodles,‌ ‌and‌ ‌soups‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌tables‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌yard,‌ ‌and‌ ‌added,‌ ‌"I‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌make‌ ‌those."‌ ‌ ‌

When‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌heard‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌part‌ ‌his‌ ‌expression‌ ‌was‌ ‌cold,‌ ‌rejection‌ ‌written‌ ‌all‌ ‌over‌ ‌his‌ ‌face,‌ ‌and‌ ‌it‌ ‌only‌ ‌returned‌ ‌to‌ ‌normal‌ ‌after‌ ‌hearing‌ ‌the‌ ‌last‌ ‌part.
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"This‌ ‌isn't‌ ‌right,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Daozhang.‌ ‌How‌ ‌come‌ ‌the‌ ‌essence‌ ‌of‌ ‌evil‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌body‌ ‌has‌ ‌gotten‌ ‌worse‌ ‌since‌ ‌last‌ ‌time?"‌ ‌ ‌

"..."‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌lightly‌ ‌cleared‌ ‌his‌ ‌throat.‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌humphed,‌ ‌"Hanging‌ ‌around‌ ‌a‌ ‌Ghost‌ ‌King‌ ‌all‌ ‌day,‌ ‌of‌ ‌course‌ ‌it'll‌ ‌get‌ ‌worse."‌ ‌ ‌

However,‌ ‌Heaven's‌ ‌Eye‌ ‌said,‌ ‌"No.‌ ‌Even‌ ‌then,‌ ‌it‌ ‌shouldn't‌ ‌be‌ ‌like‌ ‌this."‌ ‌ ‌

"Like‌ ‌what?"‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌questioned.‌ ‌

After‌ ‌much‌ ‌hesitation,‌ ‌Heaven's‌ ‌Eye‌ ‌decided‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌blunt,‌ ‌"How‌ ‌come‌ ‌the‌ ‌essence‌ ‌of‌ ‌evil‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌body‌ ‌is‌ ‌now‌ ‌internal?‌ ‌It's...‌ ‌it's‌ ‌entirely‌ ‌emitted‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌inside‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌body‌ ‌now."‌ ‌ ‌

"..."‌ ‌

"You've‌ ‌probably‌ ‌run‌ ‌into‌ ‌a‌ ‌major‌ ‌crime‌ ‌this‌ ‌time.‌ ‌What‌ ‌did‌ ‌you‌ ‌do?‌ ‌How‌ ‌come‌ ‌you're‌ ‌this‌ ‌ill?"‌ ‌ ‌

"..."‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌can't‌ ‌even‌ ‌cough‌ ‌anymore.‌ ‌His‌ ‌entire‌ ‌face‌ ‌was‌ ‌going‌ ‌to‌ ‌burst‌ ‌with‌ ‌blood.‌ ‌

Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌and‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌understand‌ ‌at‌ ‌first,‌ ‌but‌ ‌after‌ ‌they‌ ‌thought‌ ‌about‌ ‌it,‌ ‌they‌ ‌both‌ ‌turned‌ ‌to‌ ‌stare‌ ‌at‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌and‌ ‌fell‌ ‌silent,‌ ‌"..."‌ ‌

Shi‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌Xuan‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌only‌ ‌one‌ ‌who‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌wrap‌ ‌his‌ ‌head‌ ‌around‌ ‌it,‌ ‌"What‌ ‌is‌ ‌it?‌ ‌And‌ ‌so?‌ ‌What's‌ ‌going‌ ‌on?‌ ‌Your‌ ‌Highness,‌ ‌are‌ ‌you‌ ‌really‌ ‌ill?‌ ‌Does‌ ‌Crimson‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Sought‌ ‌Flower‌ ‌know?‌ ‌He‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌take‌ ‌a‌ ‌good‌ ‌care‌ ‌of‌ ‌you?!"‌ ‌ ‌

No‌ ‌no‌ ‌no.‌ ‌It‌ ‌was‌ ‌because‌ ‌of‌ ‌him‌ ‌that‌ ‌it's‌ ‌like‌ ‌this!‌ ‌
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"San‌ ‌Lang,‌ ‌could‌ ‌this‌ ‌be?"‌ ‌

"More‌ ‌than‌ ‌likely."‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌replied‌ ‌flatly.‌ ‌

"En..."‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌mused,‌ ‌"He‌ ‌probably‌ ‌also‌ ‌came‌ ‌to‌ ‌congratulate.‌ ‌Of‌ ‌course‌ ‌he's‌ ‌welcome,‌ ‌but,‌ ‌he‌ ‌ate‌ ‌a‌ ‌bit‌ ‌much...‌ ‌now‌ ‌he's‌ ‌eaten‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌food,‌ ‌what‌ ‌should‌ ‌we‌ ‌do?"‌ ‌ ‌

Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌smiled,‌ ‌"Nothing.‌ ‌Add‌ ‌to‌ ‌his‌ ‌interest."‌ ‌ ‌
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"I‌ ‌am‌ ‌forever‌ ‌your‌ ‌most‌ ‌devoted‌ ‌believer."‌ ‌ ‌

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