ANIME ONE-SHOTS (mostly HUALIAN)

Sins from the past (Xie Lian x Hua Cheng)

It was starting to get hotter as he travelled closer to Mount Tonglu mouth. The searing heat waves were just the same as it was before, drenching him in sweat and making it difficult to breath. He hadn't been here ever since the heavenly emperor was sealed almost 2 years ago. Not much had changed in the ruins of the kingdom of Wuyong - rotten trees, broken homes, the occasional howl of a ghost loitering around - but the traveler's heart was troubled. 

A blast of cold hit him as he climbed up the rocky ledges, to the entrance above. Weather in Mount Tonglu has always bean weird Snow crunched under his feet as he slowly walked to the little cave ahead him. He knocked the door cautiously, worried he might be attacked. Although he was the strongest being in the world, he still preferred to visit his teacher peacefully. the sound of chair being scraped along the floor emanated through the wooden door. A moment later, the door opened to reveal a middle aged man with a number of cards in his hands. 

he didn't bother looking at his visitor, rather he waved him to take a seat inside. 

'One moment Your Highness, let me finish this round of cards.'

'Please take your time Goushi,' Xie Lian smiled. He sat down in a corner and waited patiently. he pulled his outer robe tighter around him. The breathable clothes that his husband had made for him was suitable for all weathers. But his scent that lingered on Xie Lian's skin and clothes caused him guilt.  he had sneaked off to Mount Tonglu all by himself under the guise of visiting the heavenly capital. He leaned back and tried not to think of it. He didn't want San Lang to worry about the little whisperings in his head. 

it all started a few months after San Lang had returned. Xie Lian was overjoyed in reuniting with his husband and they lived their days filled with love and devotion. Everything was going well until a certain mission was assigned to him. Although Hua Cheng insisted that he would go along, Xie Lian politely turned him down. Hua Cheng was already busy being a Ghost King and he wanted his beloved to rest some more. 

Xie Lian had tracked whatever creature that was causing trouble to a distant abandoned town before he confronted it. Being the strongest martial god, it was simple work to catch a pesky ghost. But he was not prepared for what happened after. Right before he dispersed the malicious creature, it whispered in his ear. 'Remember this place. I'll take everything you hold dear like you did to me all those years ago.'

Xie Lian shuddered in fear. His chest burned as if a hot iron had burned him. He gasped for air. If someone had said such things before he met San Lang, he would've laughed it off and wished the person good luck. But now he had too many people close to him. His heart raced as he rushed back to Ghost City. With his heart in his throat he rushed to the Paradise Manor. He shouted for his husband as he ran across the halls. But no one replied. He thought he was going to lose his mind when he couldn't find San Lang. Desperately he dashed to the Qiangdeng Temple, pushing through hordes of ghosts along the way. He almost broke down the double doors in panic, and what he saw inside instantly drenched him relief. San Lang was lounging on the altar, frowning at one of his calligraphy sheets. 

Xie Lian concluded it was simply an empty threat and completely forgot about it. Until two weeks ago he heard the same whispers in his head. The farther he tried to shun them, the more louder they sounded. His old nightmares plagued his nights, accompanied with new ones where he lost his beloved died in his arms. San Lang worried about him, but Xie Lian always put a smile on his face, reassuring him that he was alright. 

But his paranoia kept growing. He had asked Ling Wen to help him with identifying this new creature. It was very similar to the Venerable of Empty Words, a rather powerful creature. But Xie Lian would say that the Venerable was rather afraid of him after their encounter a few centuries ago. With no other lead, he had sought out his old master for advice.

Xie Lian leaned against the cave and sighed. 

...

'Your Highness wake up.' 

Someone gently patted his shoulder, pulling him back to the real world. Xie Lian yawned. It has been days since he had proper sleep, always fearing the nightmares. He would simply close his eyes and manage to trick San Lang that he was asleep. Even with his husband's arms around him, he still couldn't sleep. In the past eight hundred years he faced much harder obstacles that put his body in worse conditions, but it never bothered him. However, San Lang's extensive pampering had truly destroyed his incredible pain tolerance. It had thus lead to his current body ache from simply not sleeping for a few days.

'Ah, forgive me Goushi.' 

'That's alright boy,' said his master, offering him a cup of water. He chugged it gratefully, sighing in satisfaction. 'Now tell me, what pressing matter brought you here.'

Without hesitation Xie Lian told him everything. The Goushi listened, frowning at certain parts of his story. When he was done, he drained the rest of the water and waited patiently. The Goushi's eyebrows creased in thought. His master seemed to get his head around this matter, but something was bothering him. 

'It's reasonable to understand why Ling Wen concluded that this creature could be the Venerable, but this one seems to be more potent to harm...,' Goushi trailed off. 'Do you have any connections to this place you came across this creature?'

Xie Lian froze. He had conveniently left out the village when he told his story. Because he did not want to believe for one moment that his sins from his past would come back at him now. He struggled to answer. He tried to cover up, but...

'Just tell me Your Highness, I know when you lie.'

[To be continued]